Clearly, Dolly and Minerva are looking for something more upscale in a place to live. Doris and Mabel take them over to Brooklyn to view some attractive brownstone houses. The tree-lined streets and curving stoops are quite to their liking. Their first visit is to Astolat Castle.
Astolat Castle is actually a dollhouse that is on display in New York City. From the website: Astolat Castle is nine feet tall and has 29 rooms, hallways, corridors and sitting areas that are complete with interior decors, furnishings, fixtures and miniatures of every type imaginable. It also features a Wizard’s tower, wine cellar, chapel, Knights of Columbus room, garage, kitchen, marble hallways, bathrooms, balconies, towers, and a ballroom. Each of the many thousands of miniatures within this 800 pound structure were built, bought, or commissioned to the highest standards possible. Fine interior craftsmanship throughout the dollhouse include hand-crafted parquet floors, elaborate working fireplaces, mosaics, hand-etched wood panels, carved wood moldings, stained glass panels and marble details.
It is worth 8.5 million dollars, making it the most expensive house per foot in New York City.
Dolly, Minerva, and Iffy settle into a hotel and are met by their old friends, Doris and Mabel Arrow. The Arrow sisters are eager to show the Ackermann girls all the fun of New York City, and spend the morning sightseeing. At noon, they take a break by going to a sandwich shop. They try the various sandwich options on the menu: Doris orders her favorite Reuben, while Mabel goes for the Monte Cristo because she likes the jelly. Minerva tries the French Dip sandwich, Dolly takes the club sandwich, and Iffy takes a chance on peanut butter and jelly. "I want to eat this every day!", Iffy declares.
It's the long-awaited moment when the ship docks in New York and Willard and Minerva are reunited. All around them, people are hugging and kissing, but Willard, sensitive to Minerva's aversion to public displays of affection, plants a passionate kiss upon her hand. His bouquet of lush roses are just short of a vivid red, showing tasteful restraint. What a prize this man is!
