Every party planner in H-town knows that when organizing an outdoor event, you have to have Plan B. Such was the case Saturday night when the Houston Zoo Ambassadors second annual winter gala was moved indoors at the 11th hour to the Brown Education Center to avoid the threatening weather.

So much for the entertaining idea of an outdoor bash at Twiga Terrace in the new African Forest.

No dampened spirits, however, in this crowd of thirtysomething/fortysomething professionals. VIP guests, who ponied up an extra $50 over the $100 ticket price, were treated to a special reception one hour before start time. The early entertainment included tours of the McGovern Giraffe Barn, where visitors walked along a catwalk and were eye to eye with the Zoo’s giraffe herd. The VIPs also witnessed a special piranha feeding in the Carruth Natural Encounters Building.

By the time the regular party guests arrived, some 200 in all, the Zoo's animal ambassadors were in the receiving line. The partying menagerie included several reptiles, a chinchilla and a North American porcupine. For a few extra dollars, guests could purchase personal photo opps with sea lions, a binturong, a pygmy falcon and a screech owl, which was a huge hit with several Rice University alums.

Guests swayed to the sounds of the J. Wesley Haynes Trio while supping on party fare from Piola, Max’s Wine Dive, Snap Kitchen, Canopy, My Fit Foods, Becks Prime, The Chocolate Bar, Ra Sushi and TQLA.

Kudos to chairs, Kirstin and Craig Feazel and co-chairs Elizabeth and Zach Fertitta. Joining the party were Jessica and Travis Graham, Paul Doyle, Katherine Orellana and Kyle Ross, Molly and Coert Voorhees, Julie Martin and Will Thomas and Kristina and Kevin Frankel.

Zoo Ambassadors already has its chairs named for the 2012 winter gig — Jen and Steven Vaughn and Posey and Lawrence Saenz.