Step aside, ladies of the sizzling summer hit Sex and the City. Another long-awaited summer chick flick opens nationwide this week, and this one’s for the tweens — girls 7 to 12 years old. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, is the first theatrical release connected to the American Girl phenomenon. American Girl is a hugely popular line of products that center around fairly pricey dolls of various ethnicities who come of age at turning points in U.S. history. Each doll comes with period-specific clothes and some accessories, and there is a book about her life that involves triumph over adversity with humor, grace and loyal friendships. Though the tone is gentle, American Girl tales touch on child abuse, child labor, slavery, war, and much more. Beyond the dolls and the books, the wildly successful line comes with more clothing, accessories and furniture for additional dollars. The movie, produced by Julia Roberts, revolves around the American Girl character Kit, who lives in Cincinnati at the dawn of the Great Depression, and wants to be a “girl reporter.” Get Kit and her best friend Ruthie (on sale for $205) and the tree house ($250) where they spend much of their time. Kit pounds furiously on a typewriter ($22), that “dings” like the real thing when she gets to the end of a line. Her roll top desk ($70) has a pullout writing board. The top rolls down to hide clutter, and the set includes a swivel chair so she can take a little spin to get her ideas moving. Like all the other American Girl dolls, Kit has her own online games and downloadable computer wallpaper. American Girl also has its own magazine, line of custom Just Like You dolls, Bitty Baby for ages 3 and older, and Doll Hospital. The dolls have become such popular collectibles on eBay.com that the site offers a buyer’s guide. American Girl does have its naysayers, but most film critics, such as Roger Ebert, give Kit and her cohorts a big thumbs up. This much I know: American Girl – I was a Julie — is an improvement over the Barbie of my youth.

Each summer for six years and counting, carelessly groomed, long-haired overweight men in frumpy bathrobes and well-coiffed women dressed as spear-carrying She-Visigoths gather in Louisville, Ky. to bowl and sip White Russians – and what-have-you – in celebration of the prolifically inventive Coen brothers’ (Fargo, Raising Arizona) movie The The Big Lebowski. The film, which came out in 1998, was the first cult film of the internet age, according to the author of I’m a Lebowski, You’re a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski and What-Have-You ($13.72) and this article which will fill you in on all-things-Dude and why repeating the repetitive phrases in the film is part of the fun. If you haven’t met him already: The Dude. If you can’t make it to any of the Big Lebowski festivals this summer – voted one of the Best Summer Road Trips for 2008 by FHM and Maxim – get in the spirit by creating your own celebration. First, get the movie ($20), a recipe for White Russians and a rug that really ties the room together – I like the prices of these in the Andy Warhol series. You must have a Dude Abides T-shirt ($15) and take a look at these posters. Meet other Dudists at dudeism.com, which promotes self-help materials: All I Really Need to Know I Learned Watching The Big Lebowski and The Five People You Bowl With in Heaven. To find the best bowling ball for you, read over these reviews. Grab a ball Walter would love, the Purple Pearl, which one reviewer described as “not over aggressive,” or the Ultimate Inferno ($105) , described as the “most forgiving ball I ever owned.” When you are ready to roll, grab this Smiley Faces bowling bag (on sale $17) and be sure to have snake oil ($5 for 4 oz.) on hand. Of course, if you are a true Dude, you will do none of this – am I wrong?

Sure, it can stylishly match your swimsuit. And it’s functional when you want to wear something a little more appropriate for public viewing than just your swimsuit. But the true purpose of the swimsuit cover-up, ladies, is to hide the parts of our bodies we are less confident about showing – and for many of us that means our entire bottom half. You can’t go wrong with a long sarong. Check out the clearance sale at mytiesarongs.com, including these solid color rayon sarongs ($10.95) in fuchsia pink, milk chocolate brown and royal blue, and these delicate, embroidered hibiscus flower sarongs ($30). If you want more coverage, consider this stylish (but expensive) maxi ($608) available in yellow, pink and light green. If it’s your tummy or torso that you want to camouflage, cover-up dresses by Diane von Furstenberg will surely make a splash: this one (on sale for $218) has small beads at the collar and embroidered circles at the hem, and this one ($164) has a modern starburst print and soft crochet detailing. The Asha string tunic ($122) ties in front, is made of rayon and has an olive stripe print. This knit beach dress ($68) is styled with an empire waist with adjustable drawstring and comes in yarn-dyed tonal solid black or mini gray or coral stripes. This colorful cover-up ($88) would work with a pink or white swimsuit, and it’s sheer, sexy and 100% silk. More modest is an over-sized caftan pullover (on sale for $39) with a tie-front keyhole neckline in textured mesh and cool cotton gauze. All-white is always all right, especially if the look resonates with summer trends as these two do: the UGG Australia Butterfly Beach Cover-Up with 3/4 kimona sleeves ($110) and this soft, airy linen number with gathers at the shoulders (on sale for $70), a tie belt with crochet loops and elbow-length sleeves.

Though the Fourth of July brings to mind fireworks, barbecue and a day off for many of us, it’s also a time to contemplate the spirit of American freedom and independence as it is expressed in so many mediums. Think of Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA , James Brown’s Living in America, Bob Dylan’s 115th Dream (read lyrics here), Janice Joplin singing Me and Bobby McGee, Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July, Howard Zinn’s book, A People’s History of the United States: 1492 to Present, and David McCullough ’s narrating the audio version of his Pulitzer Prize-winning 1776 (pictured). At the National Archives, review the the history of July Fourth and download, high resolution, printer-friendly copies of the original Declaration of Independence. Browse excerpts from books on the American Revolution at Questia. At PBS, check out Liberty! The American Revolution (three-DVD set $50), hosted by news anchor Forrest Sawyer and featuring reenactments about the birth of the American Republic and the struggle of 13 loosely connected states to become a nation. More recently, the acclaimed HBO series John Adams is now out on DVD ($39). Also consider Thomas Jefferson (on sale for $17.76) starring Sam Waterston and directed by Ken Burns. Take a look at The American Film Institute’s list of the 100 most inspiring American Films (scroll down). Fourth of July sales offer an excellent opportunity to exercise your patriotic right to shop. Check out the Independence Day sale and discount coupons at HerCoupon.

Is it global warming, early onset of hot flashes or is it just too hot in here? Summer time and the living is not so easy, especially if you’re trying to save energy by not blasting the A.C. all night, and it’s hotter than July and it’s just June. What can you do — kick the covers off the bed? You can do that, but for appearances’ sake, consider getting lightweight bedding made for hot summer nights, including this cool summer quilt from Italy in soft white or creamy yellow cotton sateen ($645 queen or $685 king). This Eileen Fisher all-seasons silk comforter comes in calming colors rosewater, pear, clay, bone and soft white ($458-$628). Consider a coverlet, a thin quilt usually made of soft cotton, like this one by Eileen Fisher in tonal solid colors with textual allure ($178-$228). The Adagio matelassé coverlet features graceful swirls and is made of pure combed cotton (on sale $94 king only). Think a duvet is only for winter time? Read this article on what to look for when picking out a summer duvet, like this Natura Classic lightweight duvet ($130-$230). It’s hypoallergenic, resistant to dust mites and temperature regulating. Give your bed a summer makeover for less than $100 at Pottery Barn, where several duvet covers in summery prints are on sale, including this cherry Nora duvet ($60 or $80). This batik print duvet cover has a timeless quality ($190 to $290) . This ethnic-flavored embroidered duvet (pictured) pops with tangy orange color ($130 to $180). For a polished look, keep it simple with this hotel-style duvet (on sale for $150, queen or king). On the other hand, if you want a contemporary lofty look, this Orb Series duvet ($90 or $100) or the Amenity Willow organic duvet ($330) in cream and serene sienna might suit you.

Ever notice when a trend hits the runway, it looks silly and ridiculous at first and then you see it everywhere and it grows on you and you want that look too? Well, that’s how I felt about the bubble dress when I first saw it in 2006. Blogger Gill Hart named the bubble dress one of the cruelest fashions of 2007. No wonder. Its diaphanous bag-like shape looks like something you’d wrap a piece of candy in. Where does the woman end and the fabric begin? Anyone with hips might not want to accentuate that fact by adding volume to their bottom half. Two years later, the bubble dress is still – quite literally — hanging on, and I’m finally starting to like the look, if it can be interpreted tastefully. This little black bubble dress by Kay Unger will do (on sale for $260). So will this taffeta gem by Donna Ricco in black or fuschia ($168) or this evening gown by Betsey Johnson ($430). This Bill Blass dress comes in a halter style (on sale for $3,712.50). Trends do come and go, so you may not want to invest that much. Consider this more reasonably priced drape-front black bubble from Express ($79.50; scroll down). Go Grecian with this velvet tie-front bubble dress ($130-$174) in mocha or black and white or this Norma Kamali version in purple or turquoise with a low V-neckline ($395, pictured). This stylish Shoshanna dress has a shirred bodice and ruching at the waist in coral or green ($319). Or go for a bubble dress that doesn’t even look like one with this charming empire-waisted selection from Chadwick’s (on sale for $119).