Yelp Community Blog

It's Easy Like Sunday Afternoon for Miami Elites

On a rainy Sunday afternoon Yelp Miami's Elite gathered at Level 25 in the Conrad for summer bites, cocktails, and hang over cures. As Miami was being covered in sheets of rain and clouds yelpers still made out in force. The five story windows let in the light despite the dark skies. Vanessa P summed it up best: "Despite the soggy weather, this event was all smiles and sunshine." 

Luckily Yelpers didn't let the weather dampen their moods or their appetites. Guests were able to enjoy a variety of summer treats and hangover helpers including Florida seafood ceviche shooters, salmon tatare, melon skewers, truffle mac n cheese, mini cuban fritas, yuca fries, and pulled bbq pork. They washed it down with raspberry, vodka, and champagne cocktails, mimosas, and MGD 64. Of course no meal is complete without dessert and coffee, yelpers designed their own ice cream sundaes, indulged in a dessert station featuring an array of treats such as guava cheesecake and decadent chocolate cake, and ordered hot cups of joe from the coffee bar. Un cafésito is always a plus in yelpers books.

 

Thanks to MGD 64 for the beers and cute koozies. And of course to the Conrad for the cocktails, mimosas, and amazing buffet.

 

To see reviews of the party, click here! If you wanna check out pictures peep the photos on our Flickr album (courtesy of Jipsy from Nefariousgirl.com) .

Life's a Beach for Silicon Valley Elites

Yelp Elites traveled from near and far to Half Moon Bay last Friday night to the historic and haunted Moss Beach Distillery. Guests enjoyed organic vodka cocktails provided by Rain Vodka, and a endless buffet of food including ahi tuna sliders, lamb chops, crab cakes, ribs, clams, cheesecake and fried banana and marshmallows, which was quoted as being "more addictive than crack" by many.

 

Yelpers cozied up by the fire pits out on the oceanview patio and got a brief glimpse of the sunset peering through the fog, which eventually gave way to a beautiful starry night at the Pacific Ocean.

 

Ladies wore blue in honor of the resident ghost, "The Blue Lady." Unfortunately (or fortunately, for some people), The Blue Lady didn't make an appearance. However, a balloon Spongebob Yelpy Pants was in attendance as the event mascot, thanks to Kat H!

 

Our gratitude goes out to Bev and her hospitable staff at Moss Beach Distillery, and to the great guys from Rain Vodka for making the event happen! Special thanks to our amazing photographers, Carol L and Ian L for snapping away all night. Scenes from the evening can be viewed here, and make sure to read all the reviews of the event here!

Houston Elites "Bond" Casino Royale-Style

On June 23, 2009, secret agents, spies, assassins and evil villains of the Houston Yelp Elite Squad gathered for an unforgettable night. The mission: to Bond with fellow Elites at the new Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.

Those who made it inside the swanky Casino Royale room (via the secret agent password) were treated to a Bond—James Bond—approved evening. Doned in their snazziest gear, it was all high fives, chants and cheers as Elites engaged in real life poker games—craps, roulette, poker and black jack—provided by the professional staff at iHostPoker. And what's a Bond party without a few cocktails? Bond Guys and Girls indulged in aromatic vino provided by Cameron Hughes Wine, along with Fleming's signature white cosmopolitan and apple martinis prepared with the smooth-tasting Zodiac Vodka—shaken, not stirred. Special thank you to Fleming's Operating Partner George Malek and his talented and frienldy staff for serving up the snazzy bevs in record time!

Elites and guests also engaged in a bevvy of tantalizing canapes prepared by Fleming's Chef Joe Gerardi, including beef steak skewers, jumbo shrimp cocktail, sweet chile calamari, crab cake balls, sun-dried tomato-topped salmon and artisan cheeses. For the assassins needing a little spa treatment, Petite Retreat was on site working their magical fingers on those tired bodies with complementary massages.

Guests cashed out at the end of the evening for tickets to the raffle, with prizes including a pair of tickets to see Jenny Lewis courtesy of Warehouse Live (won by Kat G), a week's worth of training to River Oaks Fitness (won by Danielle S), a gift card to Petite Retreat (won by Nadia V) and an iTunes Gift Card (won by David N). And there to capture all those secret spy moments was the Kenny Haner photo booth and more candid shots. Don't forget to check out what yelpers are saying about this Bond-filled evening!

Til next time, SYOY (see you on Yelp),
Farrah A
Houston Community Manager

Metro Detroit Yelpers Have a (Beer) Garden Party!

It was hot, hot hot by Michigan standards, but the best place to chill out last night was with a fantastic crew of Yelpers in the Beer Garden at Ypsilanti's Corner Brewery.

Fresh mini-sunflowers in giant beer steins graced the tables as yelpers tipped their own glasses of Arbor Brewing Company beer, including a new Strawberry Blonde that was a definite hit! To add to the Garden Party atmosphere, there were plenty of summery items like fake birds, butterflies and bubbles (in the shape of ice cream cones) and Yelp balloons were all around!

Yelp Elites and guests munched on Corner's own *very* fresh bruschetta, and sampled chocolates and confections from local chocolatier Carillon Chocolates.  Corner owner Matt Greff (who had just returned from DC -- providing beer for a celebration for our local congressman!) led two separate groups of yelpers on a tour of the brewing facilities.

Door prizes abounded, with several yelpers claiming massages, Sam S scored a certificate for a mani-pedi (he swears he's using it himself), and new Elite Squad member Darin E and his wife Mari were proud holders of weekend passes to the Rothbury Festival.  Dylan, anyone?

As night fell over the garden, there was plenty of laughter along with the food and beer.

If you weren't able to be there in person, check out the reviews and photos.

Until next time,
SYOY!
Mariah C
Yelp Metro Detroit Community Manager

Seattle Yelpers head to the Waterfront!

Wednesday night, Seattle's Yelp Elite headed to Waterfront Seafood Grill for one swanky Elite event! Named 2007 Restaurant of the Year & 2007 Best Dining Series Washington Wine Commission the stunning restaurant located on Pier 70 (with views of the Olympic mountains) pulled out all the stops on this special evening!

Elites and their guests partook in a bevvy of appetizers on the Waterfront's dining room, including Alsatian tarts, lobster & ahi crostini, and caprese skewers. Absolut Vodka Mango & Lemonade cocktails were a boozy favorite as were the Plymouth Gin pours. Yelpers also enjoyed the Pyramid beer and glasses of red and white wines.

A private event at one of Seattle's most impressive restaurants with Seattle's finest with views of the Puget Sound? Yes we did... and man, was it a good time!

 

A huge thank you goes out to Sivi and the folks at Waterfront Seafood Grill for a spectacular evening, to Plymouth Gin & Absolut vodka and Pyramid beer for supplying us with delicious libations. And Thanks to Valentina V of Valentina Vitols Studio for snapping pictures of the fabulous Seattle Elite!

For evidence that Seattle Yelp Elite know how to party, check out reviews of the event and Valentina V's photos on Flickr!

Until Next Time Seattle...

SYOY!

Katie S

Brooklyn Yelp's Shindig at South 4th!

Last night Brooklyn Yelp braved the rain (seriously, when is it going to stop raining every day?) and blew off some steam at South 4th Bar and Café!

From the moment Molly C and Lisa A arrived (early), it was a party. Beer judge in training Ben C gave the delicious Troegs Sunshine Pilsner and Southern Tier IPA the stamp of approval, as everyone enjoyed a pint or three. And who doesn’t love them some Jameson?

The plates from Murray’s Cheese Shop and the pastries from Ceci Cela were a huge hit too!

An ENORMOUS thanks to Aaron, Marshall, Kim, Vance and Patrick of South 4th; they made the party happen!

Whether or not you were able to make it out, be sure to read the reviews, peep some pics, and check out what people are saying!

-Peter D.

Yelp's Old Town Revival at Davis Street Tavern!

Yelpers showed up in impressive force to the Davis Street Tavern in Old Town Portland to take part in an Old Town Revival - Yelp Style.  A crowd of 110+ Yelp Elites and guests converged on this oasis of good food and drink to partake in some Yelp Elite fun!

 

The Davis Street Tavern sure does know how to make a drink. Yelpers were treated to three high-end cocktails made with Maker's Mark bourbon, all delicious: whiskey smashes, old fashioneds, and mint julep snow cone shots! Yes, you heard that right! Snow cones! Along with the Westland Lane Pinot and delicious ice cold Trumer Pilsner, well, let's just say there was no shortage of tasty beverages! While the amazing servers passed effortlessly through the throng of Yelpers and guests with trays chock full of drinks, the Elites were hard pressed to decide: "which to sample first?" Chris L, unable to choose, just grabbed one of each.

Next came some trays of gourmet passed bites such as sausage with fruit compote and a selection of meats en croute. The delicious nibbles did a great job of complimenting the insanely tasty (and potent) cocktails.

A few lucky folks (including Chloë W’s +1) walked away with tickets to the Best of Oregon Food and Wine Festival (look for Davis Street Tavern at the festival!!) and a couple of Elites like Nader A walked off with some bottles of Maker's Mark! Not too shabby, if you ask us!

A mighty thanks goes out to Christopher, Blake and Gretchen from the Davis Street Tavern for throwing a downright amazing event, to the ever-generous Cody from Maker's Mark, to the folks over at Westland Lane for the amazing Pinot, and to Dan over at Gambrinus for the Trumer Pilsner! Thanks to Joshua C and DMK for taking photos! Also a huge and everlasting thanks to you, the Portland Elite Squad, for making Yelp what it is.

Check out the reviews and photos of the event! It was a good one!

If you were not able to attend the event, not to worry. There are plenty more in the works. Keep your eye on your email in-box for fun giveaways and more Elite Events to come.

Until next time...

SYOY!
-Don B.

London Elites Create, Concoct & Celebrate

Whoop whoop! Let's hear it for the launch of London's Yelp Elite! (And celebrate with a party, naturally!)

In honour of London’s Yelp Elite inauguration, The nYne Lounge bartenders competed to created a Yelp cocktail to remain permanently on their menu. And naturally, Elites and +1s had the enviable task of taste-testing every concoction and judging their worthiness. Pete M and his bartenders put on one hell of a show mixing, shaking, and schmoozing our 70+ yelpers. Names like ‘Yelp if you want to go faster,’ and ‘Yelpilini,’ got a roar of approval, but the overall winner and the proud creator of the first ever Yelp cocktail was Steve W with the ‘Yelpalicious.'

The stunning nYne Lounge had an electrifying vibe with yelpers enjoying healthy snacks, listening to the smooth sounds of DJ Leisuregroove and of course sampling the glorious cocktails.

Molly K had this to say: "Yelp-a-LICIOUS indeed, I've never felt more proud to be a yelper."

Chris H felt the need to yelp his love for the venue: “I loved its big, comfy chairs, it's free pool tables, it's spaciousness, and its friendly, funny and cool bar staff.”

The highlight of the event had to be Richie D and his incredible flair show to conclude the night. His bottle spinning skills wowed the audience and stunned many into disbelief as he spun, tricked and flicked his way into Yelp folklore. Indeed, the ‘Boomerang Straw' just might go down in Yelp history.

A big thank you goes out to Pete M and the nYne Lounge for letting us take over their beautiful bar, Sarah S for snapping us a wealth of great shots, and to everyone who came for creating such an unforgettable inaugural London Elite Party. Here's to the next one!

Check out Flickr and the event listing to satisfy your craving for more elite party goodness!

SYOY,

Leon C
Yelp London Community Manager

A Night in Yelp-y-wood: Elite Event at Suburban World

Nearly 80 Elite Yelpers and their guests came out in for an evening of Hollywood-like extravaganza at the Suburban World Theater in Uptown on Thursday evening for an Elite event at the Solstice Film Festival's opening night.

With impersonators like Napolean Dynamite, Jack Sparrow and Cher as well as fire dancers and jugglers, it was a red carpet evening. Not only were Yelpers treated to a fine selection of complimentary Budweiser beers and an array of yummy appetizers, they also recieved All-Access passes for the entire film festival!

Good times were had by all as they were able to mingle in the seldom seen venue of Suburban World. After the party, Solstice treat us to a screeing of Don McKay...and, wow, was that an interesting dark comedy!

In addition, 5 lucky yelpers won 4 passes each to the screening of 500 Days of Summer. Talk about a silver screen evening!

Happy Yelpaversary in Austin!

It's been at least a couple of years now since we got all fancy here in Austin and cranked up the local formal Yelp community. And everyone loves a celebration, right? Well, you can be certain that the folks Finn & Porter do, as they rolled out the red carpet for the local Yelp Elite Squad to sample some of the best prime rib, sushi, porterhouse and more that they could muster. Mix in some Makers Mark, massages on the eighth-floor spa, music from the Dime Store Poets and some fun and festive giveaways and there was more to get excited about than cocktail attire. Along the way there were vintage suits, swanky dresses, and all sorts of hep cats kicking it to the vibe of one another!