| Brew at the Zoo |
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 Wednesday, February 24, 2010The Living Desert The outdoor event was refreshing by offering valley residents and visitors something new and different in evening entertainment. The desert night sky and rural landscape of The Living Desert served as an inviting backdrop to this first event. Live animal meet-and-greets helped to usher in guests. Bebe, the leopard tortoise handled by animal keeper Shawna Jameson, was part of the meet-and-greet and was a charmer willing to pose for photo ops.  The sounds of the Barry Baughn Blues Band helped guide event goers down the quaint pathways lit by floor lanterns which enhanced the mood of the evening. The crowd formed lines at the many food sponsors providing delicious fare, such as Sherman’s Deli who had delightful minirueben’s and potato latkes. Z Pizza and Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza were also on hand as was Thai Smile among others. And yes, there was dessert too, sinfully provided by The Cheescake Factory and Ben & Jerry’s. The event also provided some wonderful microbrews and wineries that included Monkey Bay Wines, Firestone Brewery and Hangar 24 Brewery from Redlands, just to name a few. I spoke with one of the reps from Hanger 24, Molly Todd and sampled one of their craft beers; their delicious Orange Wheat was absolutely awesome!Director of Community Relations for The Living Desert, Kimberly Bowers, was very pleased with the turnout of more than 400 attendees and looks forward to next year’s event. It was a wonderful evening with great food, drinks and music as well as providing more exposure for The Living Desert which promotes ongoing education and awareness to save endangered species. For more about The Living Desert, click here. For more about Hanger 24 Brewery, click here. |
