Friends have a new express Vet Clinic to visit with their pets! Mia is a natural at caring for animals -- and it only makes sense for there to be a sub-theme dedicated to one of the favorite aspects for fans.

Box/Instructions

New Aqua blue ribbon graphic across the box and Aqua flanges (rather than the traditional purple) in which the animal graphics carry over onto the side and identifies this as part of the new Vet sub-theme.

Also notable for 2015 is the box size being more appropriate to amount of contents -- meaning less air and shifting of bags/booklets.

Parts

192 (6 spare) 1 Cool Yellow 16x16 baseplate, One instruction booklet, one sticker sheet, 2 bags of parts

Minifigures

Mia in the new Vet sub-theme shirt with medical cross and paw print logo

The build

We start with getting Mia ready. Then the playground for the Kitty (new in Dark Orange) and Puppy (new in medium stone grey) is built with moving parts for a spinning merry-go-round.

Lots of bricks and no chunky columns or walls for the clinic. Teaching cross-build techniques using plates to connect brick-built columns makes this structure more solid. (Because when columns are first built on edges of quarter rounds, they are a bit wobbly.)

As with other Friends sets, the open top and back of the clinic allows for playability. The interior build has some functioning, moving parts to build too -- such as the X-ray machine, exam light and rolling medical cart.

The roof awning contains parts new in Medium Azure and the top sign also is built with parts in new colors for 2015 of Light Aqua and Medium Lavender.

The completed model

A nice building addition to the streets of Heartlake City -- especially for those fans who missed out on the 2012 Heartlake Vet (3188) set [although this new one is smaller in overall size] -- and can now have a place to take all those adorable Friends pets and animals!

This clinic could sit along side a street of shops in any LEGO City setting. Medium Azure is the dominant color and can blend with the plethora of other hues added these recent years with the LEGO Movie, Creator, Modular and other sets.

The total new parts for 2015 in this set are:

• Brick 1X3X2 with Ins and Outs Bow in Aqua (used as sign arches here)
• Plate 3X3, Cross [part #15397] in Purple (Medium Lavender)
• Circle 90G 6X6 Roof Tile [part #95188] in Medium Azure
• Roof Tile 3X4/25° in Medium Azure
• Roof Tile 1X3/25° in Medium Azure
• Plate with Bow 2x4x2/3 in Medium Azure
• New Kitty in Dark Orange and New Puppy in medium stone grey
• Flat Tile 2x2 Round in medium stone grey with new bottom tube opening
• Plate 1X2 with 1 Knob (commonly called "jumpers") in Magenta (bright red violet)
• Corner Plate 1X2X2 in Magenta (bright red-violet)

Overall opinion

As I already mentioned, this set is ready for lots of play with all the medical equipment and accessories. It's easy to spin the playground section and then treat ill animals. The stickers enhance the look of the set, and are very cute -- yet very small. It would be nice to have removeable/reusable stickers; this set has parts that are perfect for MOCs (My Own Creation) and we need to encourage new builders to do just that! I have no doubt we will be seeing some lovely Azure flying creations soon ;-)

For starting a new sub-theme, this set is ideal -- due to the price-point, colors, curvy design, having new medical logo, plus two animals. The Vet Ambulance (41086) complements this set and all of the sweet new animals appearing in boxes for 2015 will be hard to resist bringing to Mia at the new Vet Clinic!