For the past 25 years, attendees have held their breaths in hopes of good weather for the all-outdoor Zoomerang Gala held annually at The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. Well, last Friday night, chairmen Stuart and Suzanne Amos must have put their rosaries on their windowsill, because the weather was fabulous.
Longtime Zoomerangers Todd and Tracy Cioni told Socially Speaking: “We have been here when it?s been sweltering, pouring rain and hair-horrible humid, but the weather [at this past Friday?s event] was the best.”
Added Todd: “The only thing we haven?t had has been snow,” although Tracy recalled the locusts of 2004.
But the weather for Friday?s event was far from beastly, making the zoo?s King of the Wild ? Don Hutchinson ? a very happy mammal.
“It really doesn?t get much better than this, does it?” Hutchinson said, as he and his wife Peggy welcomed guests. This mile-long party that started in the front of the zoo and wound around to the back had plenty of sustenance for guests, who munched on some zoo-pendous food and drink from area restaurants and providers.
Spotted taking this walk on the wild side were local artist Lori Larusso, WBAL-TV general manager Jordan Wertlieb, CBS Radio?s Hal Martin, Continental Realty?s Blake Dickinson, Kimberly-Clark?s Jami Kofsky and Stuart and Suzanne Amos.
At $250 a pop, guests got their money?s worth ? great music by Bobby Nyk, the Crawdaddies, Mambo Combo, the Swingin? Swamis and Tony Berry and New Money, and a live auction that included a parade of bagpipers led by Suzanne Amos.
“It?s funny how ? as the night goes on ? the people start acting as wild as the zoo?s residents,” said Thomas Boller of Crownsville with a laugh.
SPOTTED
The Liberatore Restaurant family is well known for its superior Italian food, but last week its Timonium location was chock full of media types ? both young and seasoned ? to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the area?s first Liberatore in Eldersburg. Longtime Bawlmer voice Frank Luber (of WCBM) was chewing the calamari with WJZ-TV?s Ron Matz, as WBAL?s Steve Rouse was heard giving owner John Liberatore enthusiastic well wishes of “Attaboy!” Also seen celebrating was Baltimore foodie Dara Bunjon.
PSST! YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST
M&T Bank Stadium will host its first wedding June 28, as Ravens tight end Daniel Wilcox will tie the knot with Shauna Chin of New York. Three hundred guests will be charmed, as the bride is scheduled to enter the field in a horse-drawn Cinderella carriage.
