I have long loved Eloise. She was a lot like me. She was a bit precocious. She was an only child. She was a city girl. We both grew up in Manhattan. We both lived on the Upper East Side. But she lived at The Plaza! The Plaw-za! And she got to eat ice cream in the Palm Court like all the time!
When Rebecca was just a few months old Hilary Knight came to Greenwich (Connecticut) to sign copies of all the Eloise books that were being relaunched. I lived right near by at the time and so I put my sleeping baby down for a nap and headed to the library where I would purchase one copy of each of his books for him to sign. I knew that one day she too would love all things Eloise. (And one day she would outgrow her love for all things Eloise and move on to other things to love instead, like Justin Bieber...Blech!) One day she will have a little girl of her own (I hope!) and I will take my grand-daughter to the Plawza to look for Eloise! And together we'll have an ice cream in the Palm Court. I wonder how much a scoop of ice cream will cost then...
In 1957 The Plaza Created their own Eloise Menu.
The hotel was delighted to be able to cater to the Eloise fans who visited the hotel. There was an Eloise Ice Cream Parlor and a special "Eloise Menu" was offered in the Palm Court.
The menu was created with the author, Kay Thompson, and featured a Hilary Knight illustration of Eloise on her tricycle on the cover. Inside, the menu a little story accompanies the menu.
I am Eloise
I am six
I am a city child
I live here at the Plaza
Nanny tells me to be good good good
Especially when I am eating
I must eat or I'll dry up
Everybody knows that
Here's what I like
Tricycles
And here's the thing of it
There's this Tricycle garage
where you can park your tricycle too
Skipperdee is my turtle
He eats raisins
The Plaza is the only hotel in New York
that will allow you to have a turtle
Weenie is my dog
I put sunglasses on him
when we go on tricycle trips through the Park
Oooooooo there's so much to do
I absolutely love the Plaza The adventures of Eloise, a little girl who lives at The Plaza, were created by Kay
Thompson in her book, "ELOISE," illustrated by Hilary Knight and published by
Simon and Schuster.
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Jumbo Juice .45
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| Sirloin Suzie-Q | sizzling, special chopped sirloin steak | 1.75 |
| Turkey-In-The-Straw | delicious hash à la plaza | 1.95 |
| Eggs Eloise | a dainty omelet for tiny tots | .80 |
| Teeny Weenies | two delectable frankfurters, junior size | .75 |
| Mary-Had-A-Little-Lamb Chop | a luscious lamb chop | 2.25 |
| Skipperdee Sandwich | peanut butter and jelly | .75 |
| Smashed Potatoes | .35 | Punch and Judy Peas, Purée | .75 | |
| Funny French Fries | .35 | Space Ship Succotash | .60 | |
| Popeyed Baked Potatoes | .45 | Jack-&-The Beanstalks, Julien | .60 |
| Tricycle Treat | .95 | A Tisket-A-Tasket | .50 | |
| Supersonic Sherbert | .65 | Tooty-Fruity | .75 | |
| Rice Pudding Mary Jane | .55 | Copy Cat Cake | .60 |
Well, once again Eloise lovers of all ages can jump up and down and rejoice. A brand new Eloise Room designed by Betsey Johnson is available for Mummy and Minnie for a mere $900 a night! But don't fret, for a mere $900 your Minnie will get a $100 gift certificate to use at the Eloise store, her own bawth-robe, a pink disposable camera and all the candy she could possibly eat!
As is only fitting for New York's quintessential "city child," Eloise's suite is located on the 18th floor of the famous New York hotel and is comprised of two rooms – one for young Eloises and one for their Mummies and Nannies. The Suite is dazzling. Eloise herself would have applauded this palette of pink and black. She would have adored, and perhaps swung from, the signature Plaza chandelier fitted with pink bulbs. She would have loooooooved the pink and white candy striped walls outlined with gold leaf molding. She would have loooooooved the contrasting black and white zebra-print carpet that muffles the sound when Eloise slomps her skates to “make a really loud and terrible racket.” And most of all, she would have loooooved her name scribbled in bright lights right over her bed!
Mummies and Minnies (and perhaps Nannies as well) won't be able to resist the Tea Room where family and friends can come together for refreshments and celebrate birthday parties and other occasions. Any day now the Eloise shop will also introduce a week-long ‘Charm School’ to teach little Eloise’s in training how to dine, dress, write thank you notes and generally learn how to say, “s’il vous plait” and “thank you very much.”
For those of us with Minnies who find the suite's $900 price tag to be a wee bit much for our pink and white wallets, the Plaza's doormen will engage your daughter with Eloise's latest antics at the hotel. They may even ask your Minnie for assistance in trying to locate the precocious six year old!
You and your Minnie will certainly want to head over to The Plaza’s legendary Palm Court, which is once again pleased to offer a special ‘Eloise Tea’ complete with kid-approved favorites such as miniature grilled cheese and organic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, freshly baked, warm seasonal scones, cupcakes, a cookie that looks just like our heroine, assorted sweets and pink lemonade or peppermint iced tea.