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Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Day 341- Pittsburgh Zoo- Summer Safari- Share a Party with the Wonderful Creatures in the Wild




A zoo visit educates, entertains, and reminds us that we share this world with many other unique species. Summer Safari is the Pittsburgh Zoo's annual adult benefit that celebrates the stature of the lion, the wobble of the penguins, the artistry of the black and white painted zebra, the vibrant shades of blues, yellows and pinks of the ocean world, and more.  It’s a party that you share with the diverse wonderful creatures in the wild as you hold a cocktail, sample delicious dishes from over 28 businesses, and listen to live entertainment.




The  entrance is the main event with live entertainment and bites from 11 Pittsburgh Restaurants 
Reflection

The party starts with finding the perfect Summer Safari outfit. Last year I sported a pair of sparkling tiger pants that I found in the back of my closet left over from the 90’s.  This year my two amigos  and I modeled an array of animal and tropical prints until, thanks to amazon and the local thrift store, we all found our perfect zoo outfits. We joined the collage of snake, leopard, zebra, flowered and tropical prints for this whimsical event.

 We are in the middle enjoying an animal encounter with friendly zoo staff.  
For some, the party starts an hour earlier in the VIP tent with special animal encounters and Filet (Capital Grille) Chilled Yellow Fin Tuna (Braddock’s Rebellion), Shredded Chicken Lettuce Wraps and more.  The zoo entrance is the  main kickoff for the event where the band Jukebox played a variety of Top 40 tunes and bites from 11 Pittsburgh restaurants were offered.

Yellow Fin Tuna (Braddocks Rebellion)

We grazed samples of Meatball Lollipops (BURN), Chicken Skewers (Eddie Merlot’s), Brazilian Sausage, Chicken Breast wrapped in Bacon (Texas de Brazil), shrimp and crab fondue (Uno Pizzeria & Grill), Breads with Spreads (Mancini’s Bakery) and much more.  My taste buds found favor with  Walnut Grill’s Wild Mushroom Chicken & Roasted Beet Salad.  I over ate, listened to the live entertainment and enjoyed a glass of wine while others enjoyed the variety of beers, rum and vodka signature drinks. This was only the first of four food and drink stations spaced throughout the zoo.

All the animals seemed to join the party


Weaving along the serpentine path though the Asian Forest and then the African Savanna,  we shared this celebration with the lions, leopards, rhinos, flamingos, ostrich, zebras, giraffes and elephants. All the animals seemed unusually active in the cool night air. The tortoise did not hide. The elephants ran, circled their trunks and some slapped them on water in a playful dance. The ostrich darted and puffed out its feathers. They were joining the party.  

At the Plaza, over 6 delicacies from the exclusive caterer of the zoo were offered. Above the Plaza the party continued with two primates swaying and jumping on ropes seemingly mimicking the festive mood and the beat of the music spun by DJ Mike Mason.


Penguins, waving pink coral, star fish, dancing translucent jelly fish, detailed sea horses and other types of ocean  life dazzled us at the PPG Aquarium.  The aquarium housed all types of desserts and  again I was stationary for some time dipping strawberries into the chocolate fountain (The Pittsburgh Melting Pot). Many others enjoyed the sweet moonshine cocktails but I preferred sampling the abundant flavors of fudge from the Fudge Farm and A1 Fudge.


Every year the zoo staff with seemingly fixed smiles make an extra effort to answer questions and keep the party moving through the stations. Photo opts were possible with some of the animals. The roaming rhino and the aquarium diver posed for pictures giving all the opportunity for a special memory.

Passing the Water’s Edge, Summer Safari ended at the PNC Pavilion where the band, Radio Tokyo, motivated a dancing crowd. This five hour event passed so quickly as we shared this celebration with the wonderful creatures in the wild.

 (The Zoo will host another adult event-ZooBrew on September 6, 2019 with 45 craft beers samples, food and entertainment.  For tickets go to pittsburghzoo.org ).
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