the website of Mark S Bailen. . . writer, illustrator, and fake-nature photographer
I’m so glad that Casa Bonita is back open in Denver. So much to love about this place–fake palm trees, theme-park cabanas, an old west mine, Black Bart’s cave. The lava-rock waterfall is a masterpiece, with its diving ledges, balcony seating, underwater lighting, and secret viewing locations. Fake nature done right.
Lousy photo of the Arbol de la Vida (the Tree of Life). . . who knew it was in a Mexican Restaurant in Denver?
The fake rocks are so revered at Casa Bonita, that they have a mariachi band dedicated to playing to them.
We spent the weekend in Denver / Boulder and had a chance to walk around Washington Park. This park has one of my favorite historic districts, Smith’s Ditch, which celebrates an old irrigation ditch.
Lovely dioramas at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Simple, well-crafted foregrounds and beautifully painted backdrops. Spacious and inviting. The rocking chairs were a nice touch, allowing visitors to pretend that they have a home on the range.
Cool display explaining how fake nature is made. . . the entire operation was managed by the beaver.
Educational guide at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science explains that the Earth revolves around the sun, traveling beyond light speed is impossible, and the moon landing was actually real. Luckily most people didn’t require convincing.
At the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, you can buy squishy Earths and Moons. . . SCIENCE FACT: it was Copernicus who first discovered that you can pack three planets per box.
Here’s a lousy photo of a bunny at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. See em? I didn’t want to get too close, because that’s the most cruel, foul, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!
Back when I worked for the USGS Water Resources Division, I often visited the RMA to help maintain computers used by the hydrologists studying the ground water. That’s when the RMA wasn’t a nature reserve, but a Superfund Site where the army had manufactured cruel, foul, and bad-tempered chemicals like mustard gas and napalm. Love the transformation!
Meow Wolf had an abundance of fake nature. Too much. It went beyond the zero. This is what happens when you let artsy folk design nature. Make no mistake, these are very dangerous people.