Our Potions & Planting event experience began as soon as we arrived at the front door of the McKittrick Hotel (which, despite a very elaborate back story, is actually the set for Sleep No More, an NC-17-rated adaptation of Macbeth that's been playing for years). A man with a clipboard called children and their loveys by name (my daughter brought her American Girl Doll, as did many other kids), and led us to an old-fashioned hotel elevator. Once upstairs, we were able to see just a bit of the hotel, including retro telephone booths and a small shop stocked with '30s comics and newspapers (everything looks so authentic, I was slightly disappointed we couldn't see the rest of the rooms). But our destination was elsewhere, and after we walked up a small flight of stairs, we emerged into Gallow Green.

This rooftop restaurant/bar has been much buzzed about and I can totally see why. It's a meticulously designed oasis filled with flowers, plants and vines, gazebos and wooden sheds, and rustic furnishings. Music from the '30s played softly (I imagined on a phonograph but probably on an iPod) as aproned servers poured fresh pink lemonade for me, my daughter and her doll, who got her own place setting and high chair, plus a bib decorated with her first initial. We decided to snack first before trying the activities. I was really impressed by the two-tiered platter filled with finger sandwiches (PB&J, grilled cheese, and cucumber and cream cheese), deviled eggs and beef skewers, plus mini brownies, chocolate cookies and lemon squares topped with raspberries for dessert. If that sounds like a lot of food, it is. We hadn't eaten breakfast and yet we were both full by the time we got about halfway through. (We ended up having our waitress pack our leftovers in a doggy bag.)

After about 30 minutes, an enchantress invited the kids and their loveys to a private potion-making session in a secluded corner of the garden (no parents allowed, though a few of us hung around just out of earshot). My daughter said she showed them how to add lavender, mint, rose petals, and other plants and herbs to "special water" to make their concoctions. Next, my daughter planted a magic bean with a rakish gardener and finally she pressed flowers with a faerie and was told to keep her press closed for two weeks otherwise her wish wouldn't come true. I realize how hokey this all sounds, but the kids really got into it, even the older ones. The immersive environment is so bewitching and the performers are so commited, you can't help but buy into the fantasy. My daughter got so swept up, she started to speak in a fake British accent! It's no wonder it's convincing: Green Gallow and Potions & Planting were created by some of the same folks responsible for Sleep No More, and the performers are all actors in the show.

After the last activity, we had a few minutes to finish our meal and chat with some of the other guests, all of whom seemed equally spellbound. After saying goodbye to the garden with a poem, we descended the stairs where every child was given a pot of dirt and seeds to take home. My daughter is taking better care of that plant than she does of herself!

While Potions & Planting is geared toward children ages 6 to 11, I definitely noticed younger kids there. However, I think preschoolers might get bored, plus it's not a stroller-friendly venue. And as traditionally "girly" as it sounds, we saw a few boys who seemed to be into it—they just brought action figures or stuffed animals instead of dolls.

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Potions & Planting at Gallow Green takes place on select Saturdays at 10am. $25 per person includes food, unlimited pink lemonade and activities. All adults must be accompanied by at least one and no more than three children.

Find out about other seasonal activities in our Summer Fun Guide.