The Rhode Island Historical Society will host an adult tea party on Thursday, May 30th at 6pm featuring a presentation by podcast host and author Allison Horrocks about her new book, Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl, as well as tea-infused cocktails created by The Eddy’s Brittany Simons.
Horrocks will take guests on an unforgettable journey to the past as she delves into the origins of the American Girl brand. Continuing the conversations that began in the Dolls of Our Lives podcast, she will set out to answer the lingering questions that keep her up at night. What did American Girl inventor Pleasant Rowland hope to say to children with these dolls? Was girl power something that could be ordered from a catalog, described by a magazine, or modeled in the plot lines of books? Finally, how - and why - did this brand shape an entire generation?
In addition to the talk, guests will enjoy tea-infused cocktails, including a welcome drink and three sampler cocktails, each crafted by Simons , bar manager of The Eddy. Light refreshments will also be provided.
Tickets are $30 for members and $35 for non-members and are available at rihs.org.
American Girl Dolls Extremely Welcome!
Allison Horrocks is a public historian, podcaster, and co-author of Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can't Quit American Girl. Horrocks completed her Ph.D. at the University of Connecticut in 2016. She currently works as a Park Ranger at Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park in Pawtucket, RI. Allison has been an interpreter and tour guide at a number of historic sites. For the past five years, she was the co-host of a podcast about American Girl, history, and pop culture. Allison currently lives in Lincoln, Rhode Island.
Brittany Simons is a born and raised Rhode Island native with parents who met while working in the hospitality industry. In 2018, Simons chose to broaden her horizons with her now James Beard-recognized husband, Chef Luke Mersfelder, and moved to Chicago to collaborate within the prestigious Bad Hunter beverage program with intentions of absorbing as much information as possible to later bring home to Rhode Island. Since returning to Providence as a result of a series of pandemic closures in 2021, Simons has been promoted to bar manager at the beloved eddy bar in downtown Providence. It is here that Simons was recognized by Rising Star Chefs in 2023, and completed the challenging BAR5 Day Program earlier that same year. She is thrilled to be a member of the hospitality community in Providence, and looks forward to its ever-growing opportunities.
The Rhode Island Historical Society, the state's oldest and only statewide historical organization, is dedicated to honoring, interpreting and sharing Rhode Island's past to enrich the present and inspire the future. Founded in 1822, the RIHS is an advocate for history as a means to develop empathy and 21st -century skills, using its historical materials and knowledge to explore topics of timeless relevance and public interest. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it is dedicated to providing high-quality, accessible public programming and educational opportunities for all Rhode Islanders through its four sites: the John Brown House Museum, the Museum of Work & Culture, the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center and the Aldrich House.
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