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Galentine’s Day Flamingle
February 10, 2024
12-4 p.m.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Leave it to The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore to host a Galentine’s Day event unlike any other. With the Super Bowl also occurring on the same weekend in Las Vegas, this year’s adults-only party at the Zoo’s Mansion House had its own take on Sin City added to its traditional flamingo theme. About 100 ticketholders enjoyed cocktails, a brunch buffet, visits by animal ambassadors, fun Vegas and flamingo-inspired games, and a talk on the lives of some of the zoo’s residents.
Partygoers were also encouraged to have fun with their casual attire—maybe adding a little Las Vegas sparkle. Once at the party, they had the opportunity to add a little more, with strands of colorful, glittery “fairy hair” woven into their own locks.
“Fairy Erin” Freeman (right), weaving in some Original Maryland Fairy Hair into the mane of Allie Derobertis, New Jersey RN (left)
Left to right: Ronda Lasko, Baltimore City Public Schools talent manager; Kate von Richthofen, international trade specialist
Left to right: Cindi Fleischman, Harford County Public Schools teacher; Marianna Fleischman, scientist
Left to right: Tiffany Dison, senior administrative assistant in finance and control; Stefanie Ercolano, Strategic Tax Planning data compliance case manager
Left to right: Debbie Cvach, mortician; Hailey Allen, social work graduate student
Left to right: Emily Scott, data scientist; Grace Diss, Port Discovery group sales manager; Priyanka Munjal, project manager; Nichole Davenport, U.S. Army Research Laboratory finance manager. Scott and Diss surprised their friend Munjal, by making the afternoon a mini-bachelorette party for her.
Left to right: Shari Wilkerson, RN; Stephanie Zettervall, RN; Olivia Cook, nurse practitioner
Left to right: Grayce Moran, Maryland Zoo events and fundraising coordinator/event organizer; Shannon Brown, Maryland Zoo vice president of strategy and development
Left to right: Kelli Ben, Home Chef production assistant; Kimberly Burnes, KPB Graphics owner/freelance graphic designer; Debbie Rorabaugh, CORT executive director of operations, trade show and event furnishings; Robin Greenfield, National Institutes of Health recreational therapist; Karen Perkins, NIH recreational therapist
Left to right: Jeanette Bordeaux, Baltimore Marine Safety office manager; Brittany Athanasiou, stay-at-home mom; Valerie Appolonia, “glamorous stay-at-home mom”
Left to right: Erica Kern, AlterEgo creative director; Christie Stravino, Cohen &; Co. tax partner; Natalie Scurto, Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office attorney
When these three friends decided to go to the Zoo’s Galentine’s event, they agreed to pull out all the stops when it came to their fashion—going for as much glitz as they could, while still maintaining their personal sense of style.
For Kern, it was an opportunity to wear a sequined animal print sheath she’d found at the Dundalk Flea Market a decade ago.
Stravino was thrilled she got to don her Halloween Barbie outfit—most of which was sourced from Amazon—topping it off with a fascinator she bought for this party, also from Amazon.
Amazon was also where Scurto nabbed her light pink sequin blazer. The black sequined shorts were already in her closet, previously purchased for a Taylor Swift concert.
So, did they accomplish their collective fashion goal?
“We did go the extra mile,” noted Scurto.
“Oh, we went over the top,” added Kern.
