Playland at the Conservatory of Flowers

We finally made it to Golden Gate Park to see Playland at the Conservatory: A Garden Railway Celebrating San Francisco's West End. Yeah!!

I had been intrigued since last November when I started seeing these signs around the city:

The conservatory itself is a feast for lovers of exotic plants. Whenever I first enter the giant, humid greenhouse, I'm always transported back to Costa Rica, and that's never a bad thing!

The Playland is in a back area of the conservatory that houses the special exhibits.

This year's special exhibit pays tribute to SF's west end in the first half of the 20th century, when there were numerous attractions out at the beach, and a new railway that made them easily accessible for the masses.

A model train zooms around recreations of the famed attractions, modeled with recycled materials, while the perimeter of the exhibit is lined with some original games, as well as a few replicas. The whole thing is adorable.

Above, a model of the original Cliff House is made out of a milk crate, pencils and Louis Vuitton monogrammed material. (Let's hope it was a knock-off.)

I loved the way the conservatory applied carnival-like graphics to their exotic plant markers. I need these for my garden!

There was some great historical information provided on the surrounding walls.

(This is my sexy face.)

After Playland, we took our picnic lunch (from Rustic Bakery!) on the steps of the conservatory. I only show this shot to document a small milestone reached - SHE TAKES LETTUCE IN HER SANDWICHES NOW!!!

And then it was off on a short walk to the indelible Children's Park. Bliss!