THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509020213
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 13 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On The Town
SOURCE: Sam Martinette
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
It's that time of year when several hundred well-dressed animals howl the night away at the zoo.
The seventh annual ZooToDo takes place from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Virginia Zoo (3500 Granby St.). Tickets for the gala event are $60 per person ($50 for Zoological Society members) and are all-inclusive. Alas, you must be a mature animal of 21 to attend, due to the open bars.
But that doesn't mean you have to act in a mature fashion once you've entered. I've seen society icons wearing gold lame tuxedos, high fashion ladies wearing tiger tails, and many otherwise staid old Norfolk types in black tie with Bermuda shorts and pith helmets.
The event's proceeds will help fund the Virginia Zoological Society's projects, including the African plains exhibit and a new education building. In past years, ZooToDo monies have helped build a new tiger exhibit and benefited the Endangered Species programs.
``Proceeds from ZooToDo will help implement a master plan which divides the zoo into continents, with Africa to be built first,'' explained Leslie Tiller, a co-chair of this year's event. ``Zebras, giraffes, ostriches, rhinos and other animals of the African plains will roam freely on the savannah, and visitors will enter a reproduction of an African village which will be a center for small exhibits, as well as for African arts and crafts.''
Entertainment for the evening (not counting the dancing elephants who have been seen tripping the light fantastic during the ZooToDo) will include the contemporary music sounds of the R&B All Stars, big band and swing music from the Hotel Paradise Roof Garden Orchestra (featuring Becky Livas on vocals), and rock 'n' roll from the Stingrays. There will be door prizes, including a trip for two, I'm told, as well as dinners for two at La Brocca and Le Chambord in Virginia Beach.
``This year we're doing a couple of things differently,'' explained Deanna Freridge of Toques Creative Catering, who has been coordinating the participating eateries. ``We'll have 29 participants, and the food court will go from 7 to 10 p.m., as usual, but at 11 o'clock, we'll unveil a coffee and dessert extravaganza that will extend until 1 a.m.
``First Colony Coffee and Tea will serve beverages, and several of the participating restaurants and caterers will offer desserts, in addition to the food they've already served.''
The desserts will come from Toques, Peter's Tentop, the Real Bread Company, JP's Waterfront, Pastry Chef Roxanne Young of the Tidewater Chef's Association, and Adante Cafe and Gourmet Market.
``The people don't want the party to end, and this gives everyone a chance to wind down,'' Freridge said. ``We've got a real good variety of restaurants, including many that have done the event every year and some who will be there for the first time.''
The list of participating restaurants includes Bienville Grill, Antiquities, JP's Waterfront, Johnson & Wales University, West Side Wine Shop, Freemason Abbey, Gus' Mariner, No Frill Grill, Real Bread Company, Adante Cafe, Bistro!, Reggie's Irish Pub, Sugar Plum Bakery, and Olive Garden.
Also on hand will be Toques Creative Catering, Omni's Riverwalk, Harbor Club, Tidewater Chefs Association, Cafe David (formerly Bella Pasta), Tradewinds at the Virginia Beach Resort and Conference Center, Animation, the Norfolk Airport Hilton's Pasta Grande, Uncle Louie's, First Colony Coffee & Tea, the Virginia Beach Radisson Hotel, O'Sullivan's Wharf, and Peter's Tentop.
Held outside under the stars, and under the big top (there is plenty of tentage just in case it rains), the ZooToDo kicks off the beginning of a busy benefit season. For information, call The Virginia Zoo at 622-WILD. ILLUSTRATION: AT A GLANCE
Seventh Annual ZooToDo: To benefit the Virginia Zoological
Society's Zoo projects.
Who: 29 restaurants, caterers, bakeries, and food and beverage
vendors.
What: Unlimited food and beverage tastings, dancing and
entertainment.
When: 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.
Where: Virginia Zoo, 3500 Granby St., 622-WILD for ticket
information.
Ticket cost: $60 per person ($50 for Zoological Society members,
limited to two discounted tickets).
by CNB