It’s a Jungle Out There

Our tony town’s party animals were out en masse for Santa Barbara Zoo’s sold-out 38th annual Zoofari “Jungle After Dark” with more than 750 guests converging on the 30-acre hilltop menagerie housing more than 600 animal inhabitants and raising around $700,000.

Like fireflies in the night, the creatively costumed guests – covert camouflage, jungle jewels, and ferocious creatures – revealed their dark sides at the Rincon Events-catered fête with a carrot walnut soufflé, Rincon Oak smoked tri-tip, grilled and baked cedar planked salmon dinner and wine from Santa Ynez vintner Fred Brander and Foxen Vineyards, which was co-chaired by Rich Block, who is retiring as zoo director in January after 26 years, and his wife Tracy, executive director of Meals on Wheels Santa Barbara.

The colorful event, co-designed by Tyler Speier and Megan Nuss, offered a cornucopia of prizes, including a Tahitian getaway, a stay in Cabo San Lucas, and a trip to see the rock group Maroon 5 – whose lead singer Adam Levine lives in our rarefied enclave – in their Las Vegas residency.

Among the nocturnal names were Janet Garufis, former mayor Helene Schneider, Chris and Mindy Denson, Jeremy Lindaman, Dacia Harwood, Ginni Dreier, Chuck and Margarita Lande, Maitland Ward, Sheriff Bill Brown, Adam McKaig and Melissa Borders, fun-loving Franciscan friar Larry Gosselin, Dan and Caroline Encell, Rick Oshay and Teresa Kuskey, Thomas Rollerson, James Garcia and Erin Graffy, Anne Towbes, Jennifer Smith, George Leis, Hiroko Benko, and David and Louise Borgatello.

All too beastly for words…