A Kangaroo Storms the Waldorf

Honey-glazed cockroaches, crunchy crickets and yes, even maggots suspended in beet gelée. These appetizers signal only one thing: the annual dinner of the Explorer's Club. This eclectic gathering of astronauts, ocean explorers, mountain climbers and other lovers of the unknown was held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Saturday and though the night was a long one (not breaking up until about a half hour before midnight), the program was kept lively by a retinue of owls, primates and even a boxing kangaroo, all of whom took their turn on stage in the Grand Ballroom. Emcee Josh Bernstein (pictured), host of the Discovery Channel's Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein, nimbly segued between human honorees and those with tails, as venerable explorer after explorer took the dais to accept well-deserved honors. The night was a celebration of biodiversity. And though Manhattan may not be considered uncharted territory, we think it's entirely appropriate that New York serves as headquarters of the Explorer's Club. Can you name another other metropolis more varied and worth exploring?