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A special pre-Valentine's Day event at the L.A. Zoo offers a gourmet dinner, wine and beer and a chance to learn about romance in the animal kingdom.On Saturday, February 13, the zoo will host "Sex and the City Zoo," an adults-only evening where you can drink booze and mingle, chat with the zoo's curator about animal mating, and then sit down to a three-course feast. Whether you're looking for a bit of romance with your mate or just want to enjoy a little boozy education with fellow animal lovers, it should be a, well, wild night.
The evening begins at 5 p.m. with a chance to sip wine, enjoy some snacks and desserts, chat with zoo keepers and get an up-close look at some of the zoo's small animals. Then from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., L.A. Zoo General Curator Beth Schaefer will host an intimate talk about animal dating, mating and co-habitating, where you can finally ask all of those burning questions you've had about the birds and the bees.
"The world of animal mating rituals can be strangely fascinating," says Schaefer in a release from the zoo. "I'll be making comparisons with human courtship and mating rituals as well as sharing some of the more unusual—and astonishing—examples from my years of experience as a zoo keeper."
After the talk, you'll have the option to enjoy a impressive dinner line-up at Reggie's Bistro inside the zoo. This is not your typical animal feed. The first course is a choice of Kabocha squash soup, octopus carpaccio, or a mache salad with strawberries, golden beets and snap peas. Then, decide among a ribeye filet with wild mushrooms, pea shoots, marrow butter and cauliflower; lobster tortellini with peas, favas, herbs and pancetta; or beet and goat cheese risotto. The meal ends with a blood orange meringue dessert.
The evening is open to adults age 21 and up. Tickets are $40 per person, plus an additional $75 for the dinner option, or $30 per person for GLAZA members, with the dinner option an additional $65 per person. You can add an optional beer or wine pairing for an additional $15. Seating will be limited and reservations are required by February 10. More info and tickets can be found here.
