In the electronic invite for its Midwinter Party, the auxiliary board of the Lincoln Park Zoo promised that its Cafe Brauer cocktail bash would deliver "an escape from frigid Chicago weather." And on Friday night, hot pink lighting, citrus-hued linens, and fruity drinks created a tropical vibe inside the cafe, while greeters outside the venue held exotic snakes to underscore the intended ambiance.
Now in its sixth year, the fund-raiser always takes place at the cafe, and planners change things up by adopting a new theme each time. Dubbed "Passport: Discovering the Wonders of the World," this year's event "was intended to accent the very international collection of animals we have at the zoo," said senior coordinator of donor events Sheena Laird.
At the center of the space, Heffernan Morgan's circular bar had an ostrich-skin base. On surrounding tables, images of passport stamps decorated the shades of oversize lamps, and decor on the enclosed terraces incorporated Moroccan-style lamps and candle holders decorated with colorful glass mosaics. Jungle-inspired flower arrangements comprised orchids and bunches of ferns.
In keeping with the theme, the board reached out to area restaurants that could dish out "tastes from around the world," Laird said. While Calihan staffers passed ethnic hors d'ouevres such as sushi rolls, offerings at eight tasting stations included duck confit from Mon Ami Gabi and tapas-size portions of Spanish omelet from Cafe Ba Ba Reeba. Mexico got a nod at More Cupcakes' station, where wedges of sugared lime topped mini margarita-flavored cakes.
More than 400 guests made it to Friday's event, which represented a significant increase over last year's crowd of 300. With a typical audience of young professionals in the 25- to 40-year-old age range, the event's target demographic "was hit particularly hard last year with some layoffs in the prior year," Laird said. "But this year we were at capacity."
