As the 2022 “Wild and Wonderful” Zoo to Do kicked off in picture-perfect weather on Saturday evening, November 5, at the Dallas Zoo, there was some sort of hiccup with the big trams that ferry the guests from the entryway through the tunnel and up to all the action.
Luckily, Dallas Zoo President/CEO Gregg Hudson immediately was on his cellphone getting some small golf carts on the roll for attendees like Joan and Alan Walne and Lois and Ross Finkleman in the meantime. Event Co-Chairs Marena and Roger Gault didn’t seem fazed at all.
“The weather turned out beautiful,” Roger beamed, acknowledging the recent cold spell. “We’d been watching it all week on pins and needles.”
Marena chimed in that the annual fundraiser for the zoo, presented by the Eugene McDermott Foundation, was a sellout this year. “We were still selling tickets today,” she said, adding that as many as 750 guests were expected. “Maybe 751.”
The huge, lucky crowd had plenty to see and do. Like feeding the zoo’s giraffes up at Giraffe Ridge, for example, courtesy of Diane and Hal Brierley. While the long-necked creatures like Ferrell—he was the one with his tongue hanging out—munched on heads of hand-fed lettuce, Tucker and Rich Enthoven and Tucker’s mom Julie Ford were nearby doing some munching of their own on goodies from one of the event’s roughly 35 contributing eateries and chefs. When asked about Ferrell’s ability to chew with his tongue challenge, one of the Zoo staffers was ready with the answer, “He just moves his tongue to the other side of his mouth.”
Among the maestros serving up the edibles were Abraham Salum of Salum (esquitas, or Mexican street corn) and Janice Provost (risotto with mushrooms and pesto and Parmesan) in their usual spots smiling at each other at the Zoo, while Toussaint Brasserie’s Josh Virgin and Aaron King (braises short rib, mash potato and red wine demi) were upbeat and cheerful despite being stuck away in one corner, sort of off the beaten path.
The VIP Lounge and Bar was attracting its share of guests, like Big Board Chair Cindy Gummer and her husband Chuck Gummer (they recently marked their 50th year of marriage —”and to the same person!” Chuck cracked), Andy Smith and Paul von Wupperfield, VIP Chair Sherwood Wagner with Todd Clendening and Mary Cook and Dan Patterson (Dan said his son’s applying to the business schools at SMU, UT and Texas Tech.). Unlike the giraffes, the Zoo gorillas who usually are strutting and showboating for the night were opting out on this evening due to a slight chill in the air.
Enjoying a literal lion share of attention was the pride of cats until they heard the staffer holler “Dinner time.” With that they headed to their dens, with nary a fare-the-well for guests like Scott Kehn, Chuck Steelman and Steve Rahhal.
Down by the list of Big Board auction items, it was a meeting of the “Wine Guys” and their gals. Greg Hext and his son Preston Hext with gal pal Claudia Lode and Matthew Meadows with Caroline Symcox and his dad Michael Meadows with Amy Meadows at his side were looking quite pleased about their selections for the night.
Greg was doing double-duty for the fundraiser. With his wife Kim Hext, they had signed up to serve as honorary co-chairs. It was just four years ago that the Hexts had managed to avert a potential disaster when they co-chaired the event. When Mother Nature threw a hissy fit, Kim and Hext shifted gears and moved the event from the Zoo to the Hyatt Regency within hours.
As the Hexts greeted old friends like Diane and Hal, Kim was showing off her comfortable kicks. “I have on my approved tennis shoes!” she quipped with a smile, showing off and comparing her sneakers to Diane’s.
Diane smiled as well, then remarked on the beautiful evening, saying, “Marena and Roger must be living correctly, to have this good weather.”
And to have the tram problem solved, to boot. As the evening wore on six or eight of the full-sized vehicles were available to take guests back to their cars—not that anyone was that eager to leave.