It's a Freaky Thought, We Know, but Chocolate Actually Grows on Trees

Chocolate guide: Bittersweet's Seneca Klassen.

​Special exhibit alert: The Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park is hosting Edible Expeditions, running now till November 1. Get up close and personal with tasty flowering plants like Theobroma cacao (for those of you who didn't pay attention in botany classes, that's chocolate). If you heart chocolate and have never seen a cacao bean before, it's worth a trip to the park.

Although the Conservatory's Web site is short on specifics for the rest of Edible Expeditions, the nine thumbnails give a good glimpse of the pretty images in store. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., plus they're open this Monday, Labor Day. Entry fees are $7 for adults, and $5 for those age 12-17, seniors 65 and up, and college students with ID. Kids under 4 are free, and it's just $2 for kids 5-11.

Hardcore chocolate lovers might also want to book tickets to A Chocolate Evening on September 17 (6-7:30 p.m.), when Seneca Klassen of Bittersweet Cafe (2123 Fillmore at Sacramento) guides a special visit to a fruiting cacao tree, with chocolate tasting. Tickets for that are $20.