BarbieOldNewGreenRedo : Barbie Grand Hotel

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My Dolls' Favorite Photos of 2020

I worked on lots of detailed Dioramas this year.

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Vickie and Joe's condo with mid-century and antiques.

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Lots of New Faces and Places!

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Some not so detailed, Remember when we ate out in Restaurants?

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Dinner out before Covid

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Eating in...even policemen walk around in their underwear.

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I finished the Hotel and everyone planned on moving in.

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An empty slate...ready for tenants.

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Excitement before opening...(the week before Covid shutdowns)

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Salon Jacquie ready, but didn't open with Covid down

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The new salon with barriers and masks on everyone when they were able to open.

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Sindy's Patisserie, essential breads and open for orders and pickup!

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Sindy and Jamie had to get creative in marketing and baking.

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Specialty Cakes created for events

that might not take place.

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PPE for everyone and limited customers.

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Spring was a time for planting...

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Trish's Blue Sprinkling Can Garden Center

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Shots only the camera can get from reaching around inside a diorama.

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Creating a Covid doll world, where can everyone congregate?

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SURPRISE...New Characters showed up I found my stories hanging at the end of the year...with Covid and election drama taking over real life, and myself and my dolls choosing not to participate.

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Emilie...grew in personality and possibly added a beau.

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Craig and a new family for 2020

and diversifying with lots of new and thrifted dolls.

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I have consciously tried to expand my dolls, ages and ethnicity.

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Vanessa, Jacquie's daughter---was quite the dynamo.

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Mysterious Colette/Callie came upon the scene.

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Sewing for her, this skinny. tall, and constantly opinionated and---picky doll.

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Midge also came back to Chicago...

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Jacquie tried to open a business in Covid

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Old businesses, had to improvise---Vickie's Sanitize station and limited shoppers in the small boutique.

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and Vickie's unprofitable Wedding department. Fall saw the entire shop become a Halloween Headquarters.

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Meanwhile, so many were working from home!

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Laundry gets done while Belle does prep work for teaching.

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And ACTION! Exercise in the park

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Catching things mid-air--that's Colette throwing her wig!

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And, Gerard/Gerry catching it.

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Chelsea fights loneliness and lockdown in the backyard

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Television interviews trying to make the NEWS normal.

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Heart wrenching Covid separations and reunions.

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Everyone tried to celebrate holidays...

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And, continue a sense of community during Covid with a tree lighting and food drive.

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My Dolls and I hope we all have a better year in 2021.

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I'm Teresa with Channel 7 Eyewitness News with our Chicago is Open special.

We are here on the near northwest side of Chicago at the Grandview Shops and Condos, which were to celebrate Grand Opening the day Chicago closed.

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I'm here outside of Sindy's Patisserie which has been open to serve the neighborhood throughout the pandemic. I'm here with Gilly, a Zoomba instructor who has been teaching classes on the lawn across the street.

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Hi, Gilly, how has the closing affected you and your work.

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Gilly: Well the studio has been closed, but I have been holding classes on a friend's lawn for the last month during good weather and offering online classes. We had three full classes this morning. We are able to be more than six feet apart, and working out in the open air is actually a treat.

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Teresa: Speaking of treats, how nice is it to have coffee and some pastries here in your own neighborhood?

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Gilly: It's been great, and Sindy's has been a tasty addition, their bakery is delicious and always fresh.

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Teresa: Ian, get a good shot of Jamie through the window...perfect!

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Gilly: I have to go now, I have an online class in fifteen minutes. It's great you are doing a piece on the neighborhood!

Teresa: Thank you, Gilly, and now let's see what's going on inside.

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Teresa: This is Lara Roberts, manager of GrandView, how does it feel to see your shops open now to the public, Ms. Roberts?

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Lara: Like my mask says, "I'm Smiling! We have been so ready for this for three months. Our condos are all filled, and the bakery has been open, but now we can share this beautiful building, Salon Jacquie with the public by social distancing and constant cleaning!

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Teresa: Ms. Roberts, what types of projects does BMR Ltd. look for?

Lara: We have many projects going on around the city. We try to rehab and revitalize neighborhoods with female and minority businesses and affordable rentals and condos. Low-cost loans are available to those who qualify. Empty buildings don't improve a neighborhood in any way, and we aim to improve Chicago, one neighborhood at a time.

Teresa: What a great way to Open Chicago...I'm on my way to the bakery first!

Lara: Yes, the divine smell will get you every time!

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Ian: Say, Lara. Would you like to catch a hotdog in the park on Friday night? It's not exactly what I'd call a dream date, but we could try?

Lara: Sure, Ian, sounds lovely, I haven't been out since this all started. How about 7PM before the bugs start?

Ian: Sure, it's a date, or a hotdog, anyway!

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Teresa: Sindy, owner of this Patisserie, how have you fared during the lock-down?

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Sindy: We opened the day after the city closed down, with some adjustments and full-filled orders online and through phone orders. At first it was simple breads and a few treats, and now we are upping our pastries and cakes, we still take orders and now in-house with social distancing and masks.

Teresa: You certainly have a great selection. Do you have excess bakery left-over each day, Jamie?

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Jamie: As co-manager, we have made sure local shelters and senior homes receive our excess baked goods. But, many days we were sold out because of the lack of food shops in this area. People simply don't want to get on public transportation to travel to a market many blocks away or miles away.

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Teresa: Well, I can see why you would be sold out, everything looks delicious!

Next we walk across the lobby to Salon Jacquie which was scheduled to open the day Chicago shut down!

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Teresa: Certainly looks busy now!

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Teresa: Hi, Jacquie. How does it feel to have your salon finally open?

Jacquie: Wonderful, it's been a long wait. And our customers are very happy to be able to have our services. My girls are excited to be back to work, also.

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Teresa: I see you have three stations filled with customers. We will leave you to take care of them. Congratulations, and much success! I know I desperately need a trim, I will make an appointment, tonight!

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This is Teresa, Eyewitness News at the Grandview on the near northwest side for Chicago Opens!

Please visit your local businesses and let's get our city back to work!

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Teresa: That's a wrap, Ian, I think we have enough footage.

Ian: Well, we can't have too many shots of pretty girls with fresh manicures!

What have your dolls been dying to do?

Thank you for visiting, I will try and respond to every question and comment. I will be doing further posts on tutorials for the Hotel and contents.

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