If you told me when I woke up on Friday morning that I would be spending that evening at the Phipps Conservatory in Oakland that night, I would have derisively said, "Yeah, right." However, a phone call from friend Dan Bonk late that morning, an enthusiastic response from Marilyn, and - BOOM - there we were on a Friday night double date.
I can remember visiting Phipps twice in my life. Once on a St. Phil's field trip when I was in seventh or eight grade, and once with Marilyn when we were dating, which means to has been well over forty years since we had been there. So, let me tell you this: What we experienced last night was not your Grandpa's Phipps Conservatory.
First of all, it is about three or four times larger than I remember it. Second, they now have a nice cafe. Third, the flow of the exhibits is terrific, and fourth, the exhibits themselves are terrific. Currently, the exhibits include a railroad village, an amazing array of plants and flowers, beautiful Chihuly Glass exhibits throughout the place, and a beautiful holiday light display.
If it has been a number of years since you have visited the Phipps, I can't recommend it highly enough. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
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