And the winner was…drumroll… a 2-foot-tall giraffe, created by the ever-innovative Robin Krajcik from Regina’sBay Bakery in Whitefish Bay. The piece took morethan 30 hours to create. Capturing the “people’s choice” award and judges’runner-up title was a lifelike cake hippo, designed by Eat Cake owner Debbie Pagel.
The cake was giftedto Third Ward hippo enthusiast BobDohmen and his girlfriend, ShannonBuending, of Tender Care Animal Health. Dohmen, whose family foundationsupports the zoo’s hippo enclosure, planned to share Pagel’s cake during anupcoming Admirals game, in a skybox he won at the Zoo Ball raffle.
Thousands of animalfans attended the party, thrilling sponsor Tri City National Bank and ZSM eventorganizers Jessica Groth and JuliaKolker. Greeting eager zoo-goers was RachelNeubauer, period clothing coordinator for Old World Wisconsin, leading a contingent ofhistorical interpreters dressed in 1910 garb. The Easy Days Barbershop Quartetperformed lively turn-of-the-last-century tunes.
Admiring the cakeswere ZSM associate board members BrookellenTeuber, Tricia Shinners and KarenLoth. Rachel Jones, a foundingmember of Zoo Pride, which began 35 years ago, was on hand, along withvolunteers Jim and Nancy Redding,wearing original and current zoo uniforms. Helping out were ZSM’s Lynn Wilding, volunteer servicescoordinator, and Paula Brookmire,publications coordinator.
Still In the Building: Die-hard Presley and motorcycle fans bravedsnowdrifts for the opening of an Elvis exhibit at the Harley-Davidson Museum.A celebration of the gyrating crooner’s would-have-been 75th birthday was heldat the Motor Bar & Restaurant, featuring guitarist Liam Ford. He ably channeled the singer’s oldies, while guestsmunched the rock ’n’ roller’s signature peanut butter and banana sandwiches.
Taking time off fromtheir daytime Harley duties were marketer RebeccaBortner; Curatorial Director JimFricke; Barb Mannion, retaildirector; and Eric Birkholz,restaurant head. Bill Jackson, themuseum’s archivist and organizer of the facility’s new Tuesday night triviacompetition, held a mini-round of questions.
Among the winnerswas retired firefighter and Vietnam Marine PaulSzymborski, who readily knew Gen. William Westmoreland’s name for oneanswer. Szymborski was at the soiree with friends Ray Kleszczynski and Greg Schneider. Also stopping by were Motorregulars/Harley enthusiasts BobMyszewski, manager of Waukesha’s Paint Shoppe, and his pal, Teddy Loiselle, and Thomas and Kelly Sperry, who hostHarley rides for nonagenarians at Tudor Oaks Retirement Community, where he isthe director of environmental services.
Dana Hartenstein, Hunger Task Force communications coordinator, sold raffle tickets fora 2009 Sportster 883 Custom, with the winner to be announced at the Chili Bowl,held in Motor on Jan. 31. Keeping busy selling the popular Lakefront BreweryMotor Oil beer was bartender AmberBautch, soon to graduate from the Lakeside School of Massage Therapy, withservice backup by John Little.
Dandy Andy:Art lovers poured into the final day of the Milwaukee Art Museum’sAndy Warhol exhibit to glimpse the artist’s iconic works before the show hitthe road again. In the background, Sgt.Daniel West entertained the crowd with his mellifluous vibraphone. AJanuary birthday group, celebrating longer than they care to remember, includedMike Boyle, who claimed “he’s tooyoung to be this old,” and his wife, Brigid;along with their neighbor, MarilynSchrader, and her sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Jim Metz. WaltKelly and his wife, Sandra Hays; Sharon Litvin; and artist Fuji Yamaguchi Moses and her husband, Wayne, also toured the show.
Although theadorable 11-month-old Evert Binderenjoyed Warhol’s works, he preferred the museum’s “Green Furniture Design”display, according to his mom, Jessica,from the Bicycle Federation, and dad, Chris,Urban Ecology Center’sfacility coordinator.
Bliffert-izing: Fred Bliffert and the Blifftones packed the upstairs of Paddy’sPub, getting the head-bopping and humming-along audience up and dancing by thethird set. Blifftone bassist Mark McHalehosted a slew of fans, including his partner, Terry Kumakura, and his daughter, Reshma McHale; plus nephews PatrickSchwemmer, from Princeton, N.J., MikeSchwemmer from Syracuse, N.Y., and BenSchwemmer of Ripon.
Vocalist Mary Broad also sported a fan club,with Cedarburg’s Lori Cobb and herdaughter, singer Dani Cobb, and herpal, Peter Massey.
Others groovin’ tothe music were Judge Charles Kahnand his wife, Patti Keating Kahn,there with pals Tess Burkart and MikePaulson; along with Sarah Alkire; Pat Doyle; Louanna Harris; LarryTheiss, music director at Lumen Christi church in Mequon; and Jeff Shavzin, a basketball buddy of thegroup’s guitar player, Mike Wanger.Also having a grand time were Fred’s clan: EmilyBliffert and Matt Michelin of Schaumburg, Ill., and TheresaBliffert and her fiancé, MichaelHalfer of Minneapolis.
If you have any tips forBoris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next columnwill appear in the Jan. 28 issue of the Shepherd.n
