Is the Barbie story one for the masses? I'm curious too!




(To get the smiley face, type a colon and closed parenthesis immediately afterwards.)

LoveItaly

Thanks for posting the link. I have a new favorite smiley!
~gt;

Hi moldyhotelsaregross (and they sure are, LOL) you are welcome. I couldn't figure it out either until someone here on Fodor's gave me the website. Take care.

The Barbie story is not very complicated - mum didn't want daughter addicted. Too bad...

(Bit of a double standard - their son was so stoked on the US football helmet we brought that objections over Barbie as the anatomically incorrect vision of American babehood seemed - what? - overstated?)

Both kids are grown and neither appears to have been damaged by their gifts. I hope.

When I was studying Russian, with Russian=born instructors, the alcohol of choice, next to vodka was champagne! Since champagne is more difficult to obtain in Russian, perhaps this would be a nice variation on the wine-as-gift theme.

Something else popped into my head this AM- my hosts loved some of the "Stonewall Kitchen" type fancy mustards, jams, etc. I bought them because they were American made, but they were hugely popular.

Also, they liked locally made cutting boards (I got some very nice ones in Vermont, near where I live).


I understand the politics of Barbie very well. I know, though, that from the perspective of my Russian friends who grew up with no nice dolls (unless parents splurged on a Polish or German one), a nice doll could be appreciated.
8-)

Thanks LoveItaly >< this ta-da is for you!