Yelp Community Blog

Boston's White Hot Italian Summer Event at BiNA Osteria & BiNA Alimentari

After a mighty heat wave and a brief rain delay, the Yelp Boston Elite Squad was finally able to set foot on the gorgeous downtown oasis that is the BiNA Osteria patio. A light breeze kept everyone cool in the space nestled between The Ritz-Carlton and The Paramount, as we ate, drank and mingled al fresco.

The evening began with a very special tasting tour for a few lucky Elites and their guests at BiNA alimentari, the specialty gourmet market just next door. Salumi and cheese made its way around the room, along with sips of rosé, as co-proprietor Babek Bina chatted with guests about the story behind BiNA and the delicious accoutrements available in the market.

Outside and in the sunshine, Elites were treated to hearty servings of black squid ink risotto, bites of pizzettas with speck and gorgonzola, scallops with mixed vegetables and bacon powder and roasted Belgian endives topped with mascarpone, crispy panetta and black olives. To compliment the creativity of the BiNA kitchen, the bar concocted a fabulous Aperol Spritzer, a sparking sunset-colored cocktail, along with a crisp white wine and bottles of Narragansett! Needless to say, palettes were pleased, taste buds tantalized and appetites sated.

 

With summer weather officially in full swing, the patio was peppered with Boston's most social people, sipping super-refreshing cocktails and nibbling on a sampling of BiNA's modern-Italian menu. Conversations carried over the crowd as the sun began to set behind the buildings of Boston. On a Tuesday night in June, what more could you ask for?

For making it all a memorable night, a big thank you to Babek Bina and Azita Bina-Seibel, and their wonderful staff, for welcoming us, feeding us and entertaining us all night. And a big congratulations to Ian W and David R for winning the raffle and scoring a pair of tickets each to Taste of Beacon Hill, courtesy of The Beacon Hill Business Association.

Get a glimpse of the action with photos courtesy of Tatsu Ikeda. Read party-goer reviews and be sure to add your own take on the event! Catch up on Talk and keep an eye on the Elite Event Calendar, because summer's just getting started and so are we!

Cheers,

Leighann F

Honolulu Elites Get Pampered & Pretty At Yelp's Summer Escape

It was a cool and breezy evening in paradise as 100+ Yelp Honolulu Elites gathered at Chai's Island Bistro for "Yelp's Summer Escape" Party! The outdoor courtyard was transformed into a mini-getaway as Elites socialized under a beautiful candlelit tent while listening to the music of Hawaiian artist Robi Kahakalau.  

 

Guests noshed on Chef Chai's delectable and savory appetizers which included: stuffed salmon with crab mousse and tobiko caviar, creamy lobster bisque shooters, crispy duck lumpia, deep fried goat cheese dumplings, and refreshing fresh oyster shooters with a lemongrass garlic mignonette!  

  
  
 
All that eating can produce quite a thirst and guests sipped on delicious Barcardi Torched Cherry specialty cocktails and Martini & Rossi Asti Sparkling Wine. Portland CM Don B was on hand to welcome new Yelp Elites and instigated more drinking as guests joyously clinked together bottles of Grolsch, Miller Lite and Blue Moon beers. 

  

And what Hawaiian getaway would be complete without a few luxurious spa treatments? The staff of Ho'onani Day Spa was on hand to pamper yelpers with relaxing mini-massages and paraffin hand treatments. Lena from Lena's Fab Brows showed off her brow shaping skillz (which made her #1 for Beauty on Yelp) and guests were amazed by her flawless waxing technique. Photographer Eugene Hopkins & the crew of iFixPro snapped away during the evening to catch all the magic of another wonderful Yelp Elite event!

    

  

Can't get enough of our posh evening full of yelpy escapades? Read the reviews, gab about it on Talk and view the stellar event photos! 

Aloha & SYOY!

Emi H

Honolulu Community Manager

Yelp London's World Cup Cocktail Class

With the scent of anticipation in the air and the Sunday sun high in the sky, World Cup fever hit London on the hottest weekend of the year. Luckily, 50 Elites cooled off with a pre-match warm up at Yelp's World Cup Cocktail Class.

Sipping and slurping expertly made cocktails in the cool and classy Drunken Monkey, the 1920s speakeasy was transformed into a perfect preparation venue for the England match. Spoilt with the crafty cocktail skills of Cristian the bartender, mojitos, mint juleps, cosmopolitans and margaritas insured that everyone loosed up before the big match.

Tisha B shook it up behind the bar, with a one on one walk through on how to make perfectly balanced  drinks. It was great to see Eric J and Jason E working hard with a certain amount of skill, learning the tips and recipes.

Then just as the party was getting stared, out came the mini boxes of noodles, spicy chilli chicken wings, salty tofu, veggie spring rolls and super tasty spare ribs. Sarah O suffered from a passing vegetarian episode when confronted with the tofu, it was only passing though.

Washing down the yummy in their tummies wouldn't have been possible without our amazing friends from El Dorado, Four Roses-Small Batch, Ocho Reposaso and Ypioca Cachaca. The drinks were flowing all afternoon.

A huge thanks to Cristian and Emily as well as the rest of The Drunken Monkey staff for making a Sunday spectacular (more than making up for England's poor effort on the pitch) and welcoming us into their wonderful space.

Don't forget to peep the rest of the snaps from Phil Sharp, read the reviews, and Talk to us. Until next time...

SYOY

Lizzie G

Yelp Orlando Got Spoiled Silly at Alchemy the Salon

Sunday Evening, June 27th the Yelp Orlando Elite Squad were Spoiled Silly @ Alchemy the Salon! They enjoyed relaxation, freshened up and got rejuvenated with fellow yelpers!

Yummy goodies for our tummy were provided by the amazing Black Bean Deli. You can't go wrong with an assortment of empanadas paired with black beans and rice. A nice refreshing white wine and a soothing rich red wine helped the yelpers wash down all the zesty Cuban food while vitaminwater zero and smartwater helped keep everyone hydrated!

Yelpers experience this local salon where Central Floridians get their hair did right!  Everyone was able to receive a free personal consultation as well as 20% off all products they carry! Make-up consultations and tips were provided by the talented, professional, lovely local: Jacqueline Ford. Massage specialist from Balance Massage And Structural Bodywork had everyone relaxed and stress free through the night. Jim White was following all the action around and snapped some solid memories for all of us to share. Check all of the amazing shots on our Flickr stream!

Everyone made sure to leave a lot of room to give into the sweetness and devoured some goodies from The Bee's Knees Sweet Treats. And the yelpers shimmied while they shimmered, to the tunes and skillz of Secret Weapon: Calvin Squires.

Huge shout-out to all the yelpers that came and the amazing vendors that made everything possible!

If you want to catch more of the event buzz, hop over to the event listing to read the reviews!!

Until next time...

SYOY!

Colleen B

Yelp Vancouver's Carnival Wonderland Summer Open Party

On Thursday night, yelpers new and old stormed Yelp Vancouver's big top (aka the Ayden Gallery) for a Carnival Wonderland unlike any other this city has seen.

UV Vodka's spiked snow cones and cocktails kicked off a brain freezing sugar high that lasted all night long. Meanwhile, the UPS Store (on Burrard Street) over-filled glasses with fruity flavour at the Sangria Fountain. And dosing us with Vitamin "B," R&B Brewery poured Sun God Wheat Ale freely.

With sliders and chili dogs piping hot, The Wallflower's healthy Carney food was a savoury sight for sugared up eyes. And those cookies and candy apples amped our sugar rush! Meahwile, purple yam frozen custard churned from Milwaukee Market Creamery, for yelpers like Colene C who ate their way through the night managing to score "four, err okay, five mini cones."

 

Armed with bags and bags of kettle, barbeque and sea salt popcorn, Skeet and Ike's treats played the perfect accompaniment to watch Mandy Tsung and Kristian Adam's live Animalopolis painting session; or while waiting to for a face painting masterpiece brushed on by Faceaballoonza's Kristal Yee.

In a photo booth of Wonderland proportions, Jeremy Lim's lens captured yelpers frolicking in Garden Party's Flowers. See all the photo booth pics here.

And no carnival would be complete without games and prizes. The ring toss had yelpers buzzing with prizes like "bee stings" and "mocha hazelnuts with coffee." Maha E muses: "CocoaNymph, I have two words for you: sea salt. I will jump-off of the B-line for more of that dark chocolate with sea salt--sweet caloric bliss," anytime! And fishing for frills, Fresh Out was lending a line for some glorious girlie goodies like $25 coupons to the next sale!

At the Lonsdale Event Rentals Schwag Buffet table, yelpers packed up their own take home yelptastic treats as they grooved to deep house stylings of DJ Waxkilla who mixed all night long.

Haven't heard enough? Read the wonderland tales and explore all of the night's pics care of Larry L, Vincci L, Gina I, Raymond O and of course, Jeremy Lim.

Until our next spin around the carousel, SYOY!

Crystal H

Yelp Toronto's Brewed Awakening at Lit Espresso!

It takes more than 35 degree heat and an impending G20 summit to slow the Toronto Elite Squad down - this past Thursday ninety of Yelp Toronto's finest gathered at the newly opened Lit Espresso Bar on College Street to celebrate all things brewed (hot and cold!) from the likes of Stumptown Roasters and Mill Street Brewery!



Elites signed up for coffee cupping sessions in small groups led by baristas Mike and Brian, and sniffed and sipped their way through different Stumptown varietals. During the cupping, the tasters focused on describing the body, sweetness, acidity, flavour and aftertaste of the different brews to narrow down a Stumptown favourite.



We dabbled in an endless array of delectable handmade-from-scratch treats from Toronto's lovely Circles & Squares Bakery, including Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel brownies, Pumpkin Pepita and Carrot Walnut muffins, scads of scones (Wild Blueberry, Ginger Lemon and Lemon Cranberry) and the classically Canadian butter tart (both original and pecan). After Elites got sugared up beyond sensibility ("I ate like a monster! I couldn't stop eating the from-outer-space sea salt brownies!" squeals Renata R), several rounds of piping hot paninis made their way through the at-capacity espresso bar.

Mill Street brewmaster Bridgid was in the house serving up bottles of the robust Balzac's Coffee Porter and cans (yes, cans!) of their brand new quenching Lemon Tea Beer, made with real black tea leaves and lemon in an aging tank! For fans of tea proper, Lit brewed up self-serve pitchers of Rooibos iced tea to help satisfy everyone's thirst. At the halfway point, an ice run turned into a Freezie run, and yelpers naturally grabbed all the white and blue Freezies first -- either to eat or to use as cooling devices. DJ and MTV host Johnny Hockin provided great danceable tunes for the evening from behind the laptop.

If you haven't already seen the reviews, give 'em a peek, and then head over to the Flickr gallery to see all the snaps by Wendy Heisler, and feel free to add your own!

A very special thank you to Lit Espresso on College owner Nicole Angellotti, PR maven Ruth Buder and the glorious staff of beautiful baristas on hand that evening - Brian, Kev, Mike, Buzz, Joe, et al. for making the evening such a smooth delight!


SYOY!
Kat F
Community Manager, Yelp Toronto

Artsy Party for Elites in Sacramento

On Thursday, nearly 150 Sacramento Elites and their plus ones came alive at "Night of the Living Art" – a three or four (or five) ring show (hey, we’ve lost count) inspired by the gorgeous raw gallery space and photographers of Beatnik Studios. Rachel Z sums things up with pizazz:

"As a newbie, I must say, this was all I had been talking about for a week straight, and it lived up to every one of my expectations. Great people, great food and a great time. I sort of sound like Tony the Tiger, but oh well, "it was Grrrrrrreat!" (And that's Toni O below!)

Guests sipped and slurped on Woodchuck Amber Cider and Woodchuck Limited Summer Release Blueberry Cider as well as Supa Strong Strawberry Vodka cocktails prepared by professional mixology maven (and Elite) Katee R.

All the while, folks feasted and fell in love with the cornucopia of small bites from Bella Bru including braised oxtail, pork belly treats and duckballs (like meatballs, but with quackers) just to name a few! One thing was certain, yelpers did not want for drink or food. In the words of Jeremy W:

"Bella Bru was puttin' out the goodness! I had never heard of them, but I can tell they are going to be one of my new favorites!" 

 

Anyone got a sweet tooth? Yelpers were not quiet about how much they adored Freeport Bakery, who passed out rounds and rounds of salted caramel cake, carrot cake and fruit tart bites. Give me some sugar, sugar!

After getting the munchies tamed, elites lined up to get inked by henna tattoo artist, Renu, from Henna Designs who decorated guests with "prayers to wear" on hands, shoulders, fingers -- and faces! Yves S, you wear your third eye so well.

Anyone miss the giant Yelp burst in the photo booth? Yeah, didn’t think so. Safe to say that Amy's tagging skills are fantastic-yelptastic, and if you want to see the photo essay of how the burst came to be, check out Wes Davis’ blog.

Whether it was the amazing backdrop or the adorable photog, Yelpers could not get enough of the photobooth, and the man behind the curtain definitely knew how to bring out the tiger, gangsta and lemur in each of us. Burrow, burrow! (Did you also know you can order prints of your moment in the Burst? Just go here and then click on "proofs" in the bottom right hand corner and then type in "Yelp" for the password. Hey, they make great presents for your newly befriended elites … and, of course, your mom.)

Mr. DJ, please put a record on. Or several. For the music, we give larger than life shout outs to Purifier -- and to Alvie from Cosmic Family, who painted the party with acid jazz, dub step and his passion for illumination. A night without them would be like a night without stars. Speaking of stars ...  Stephanie L, Debbie P and Darren M were all instrumental in making the night a five star performance. What cuteness and talent! We salute you!

Have pics or thoughts? Please share them here and go here for even more pics!

Oh, and secret winners from the party? Emily T and Jessica F win tickets to Grapes & Gourmet in July for bringing Beatnik back, as well as +1 Amy B who went as our favorite uni-browed artist Frida Kahlo! Winners, just shoot sacramento@yelp.com an email for logistics.

Elites, please give yourselves a standing ovation for such a great performance. Ciao!

Yelp Las Vegas Gets Contemporary

Las Vegas yelpers feasted on three courses of culture Wednesday at Yelp Gets Contemporary. The evening started with an appetizer course of bacon-wrapped dates, torta espagnola, pan con tomate and artichoke, serrano ham with manchego cheese and stuffed cherry peppers with taro chips from hometown tapas favorite Firefly at Trifecta Gallery. The tasty bites were washed down with some Neon Grey Goose martinis. Inspired by the art in the air and the theme of hometown love, yelpers showed up with pictures of home and created their very own special installation.

   

The entrée course of three-color curry from Mix Zone Cafe was served up in the Contemporary Arts Center, where local artist Erin Stellmon spoke about her latest installation "Reign of Glass" while Team Yelp sipped Martini & Rossi Asti.

And, of course, no dinner is complete without dessert: mini-cupcakes from The Cupcakery and iced Illy Issimo coffees at Brett Wesley Gallery. We had to cross the street, but everyone arrived safely and sweetly.

We set out to prove that Vegas does indeed have culture, and not only did we prove it, we sampled it, savored it and even got to take some home thanks to some amazing raffle prizes, including a Casey Weldon painting valued at $300 donated by Trifecta Gallery.

Reviews can be found right here, and the artistic renderings of the evening are available here.

Stay cultured Las Vegas!
Misti Y

Yelp Las Vegas Community Manager

Yelp DC's Summer Daze at Blue Ridge

On Monday night, DC Elites kicked the week off right on the first day of summer chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool at Blue Ridge restaurant in Glover Park.

On Blue Ridge's super cozy back patio and deck, the Yelp Elite Squad enjoyed some tasty Southern nibbles including grit cakes, rich and delicious cheese platters, bacon as thick as your thumb, devilishly delicious eggs and plenty of punch!

Kat S gave hula hooping a shot and Antonio M proved that his skills at backyard games were untouchable as Keon D snapped some of his own personal pics of the occasion. Anna D fanned herself like a Southern belle and Clarence J fell in love with the deviled eggs.

Special shout outs to Elite event newbies Oscar M and Esther O. You guys rocked it like old pros, Alicia G and Tony P.

A hearty thank you once again to Blue Ridge for hosting us in their lovely space and taking such great care of us. Although the event ended at 7pm, the punch kept flowing long there after.

To check out more photos from the event, visit Flickr and check out pics courtesy of photographer Carl Young.

If you want to catch more of the event buzz, hop over to the event listing to read the reviews!!

Until next time, folks...

SYOY!

Tara L

The Yelp Summer Classics Party

There's nothing like a good summer classic and Yelp Elite is as classic as you can get, right?

    

 
On Tuesday evening, Kansas City Elites and their guests braved the heat index of 1,000 (that's no exaggeration at all!) and donned their barest summer finest to attend the Yelp Summer Classics Party at Thomas. 

 

They met. They mingled. Say, is that the King of Kansas City, Tiger W?

They sipped: classic summer cocktails, compliments of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, which Erin M appreciated, "The Sweet and Yelp Elite was a tasty raspberry explosion...and went down perhaps a bit too quickly!" Other favorites included the Kansas City Sidecar, and The Great White Shark Bite, compliments of Barton brands.  Ellen O'Hayer provided the classic tunes on the cello, which Lydia A appreciated. "Thanks to Ellen for providing beautiful background music."

    

They savored: Thomas' classic comestibles including a fruit and cheese plate, bruschetta, and beef tips with burgundy mushrooms. "The buttermilk chicken dish was *to die* for" according to Susan N, and Rhonda S's favorite of the hummus trio was the chipotle: "It was so good. It mimicked nachos." Nothing like the deliciousness of nachos without the nacho guilt!

They braved: the relentless sun and heat and the great white terror of the kiddie pool to pose for photo ops with Monica Cole.

 

It sure was sizzlin' on the rooftop patio of Thomas that evening-was it the weather or the intensity of all of those Elites in one place that caused the Yelp burst fall off the backdrop?!

While the humidity proved too much for duct tape, nothing stops Yelp KC Elite from staying brilliant and strong! In the words of Kelly N, "The simple fact that I was motivated to speak to people that I never met before I went there speaks volumes of the clever, classy, stylish, and witty bunch who are the KC yelpers and guests."

Thank you so much to Kevin and his fantastic staff at Thomas for having us! And thank you to the Kansas City Elite Squad for coming out.

See more photos at the flickr page and be sure to read the reviews (and write one of your own!)

Til next time, stay classic and

SYOY!

 

Joi B

Yelp IN THE HEIGHTS

LA East Elites christened the first day of summer with a stylish, laid back gathering at Station Hollywood inside the brand new W Hollywood. We partnered with nearby Pantages Theatre to help kick off their upcoming production of Tony award winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS.

               

The outdoor courtyard came alive with Latin music, refreshing, summery cocktails (pomegranate sangria and gimlet two ways) and delicious nibbles. The gorgeous Station Hollywood staff wowed guests with (what seemed like) an unlimited selection of some truly fabulous fare! Mouths watered as trays of Delphine's roasted white corn cakes with mango citrus salsa, jamon serrano with drunken garlic goat crisp, chicken liver foie gras mousse, chilled shrimp with tomato olive tapenade with opal basil adobo pork and lime empanadas with coriander avocado sauce and Chile glazed sugar cane chicken skewers with pineapple relish filled the space. And the dessert. Oh the dessert! Guests rushed the dessert table for beignets scented with cardomon and dipping chocolate, mango sago verrine, mango agar and coconut mousse, cocoa olive oil raspberry madeline vanilla cheesecake lollipops and yuzu tartlets - to name a few!

                 

Bliss Spa provided complimentary oxygen blasts and mini massages to give Elites and their lucky plus ones a little more pep in their summer step. DJ Via was incognito in the back but his tunes were undeniably present, providing the perfect soundtrack to an unbelievable evening. And our favorite resident paparazzi Santiago Valencia snapped the night away.

                    

Amazing raffle prizes included tickets to see IN THE HEIGHTS at Pantages, massages at Bliss Spa and gift certificates from Station Hollywood and Delphine. It definitely pays to be Elite!

                  
  
Reviews can be found in their regular spot here and the first handful of pics are right here!

SYOY!

Katie B

LA East Community Manager

Dallas Yelp Eats Launch Party

To help jumpstart Yelp Eats, Dallas Elites and guests kicked the week off right with a Yelp Eats Launch Party at The Fish, one of the participating Yelp Eats restaurants. The Fish put out some of the best menu items both from their regular menu and Yelp Eats menu, which includes bites created specifically for the promotion!

Yelpers noshed on appetizers such as rib eye rolls, lobster and crab crisps and crispy shrimp fingers. The drinks were flowin' all night long as well, with Japanese-inspired cocktails made with Tito's Vodka, and enough Asahi beer to boot. We hear the peach lychee was a favorite among the crowd!

The fun didn't stop there, because DJ Jonny5 kept everyone moving and grooving to his signature beats while they mingled and met all the new faces in the crowd. Yelpers also got their turn to make their own sushi in a hands-on demonstration led by The Fish's executive chef. After making their own rolls, they brought them out to show off and share with other yelpers (or in some cases, keep all to themselves!).

And congrats to the lucky raffle winner, who walked away with a sweet gift certificate from The Fish! Curious about how those handmade rolls turned out? Peek at the pictures and read the reviews to find out!

Until next time, put on those stretchy pants and I'll see you out for Yelp Eats!

Nikki B

Yelp Dallas Community Manager

Yelp Chicagoland Goes Alfresco!

Chicagoland Elites painted the picture of summertime frolic last Thursday: 150 Elites and their guests gathered for a sun-drenched and later a star-soaked evening on Italian restaurant Carlucci's patio. Guests sipped on summery cocktail fave, Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka cocktails, and enjoyed Magic Hat #9 brew as well as Santa Marina Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir wines from Virtus Wines International.

 

Party revelers also indulged in a decadent spread courtesy of our generous host Carlucci including pizza, calamari, baked swordfish rolls, pasta with grilled chicken, Salmon Livernese, Chicken Marsala and crowd pleaser, arancini (fried risotto balls)!  When guests weren't eating and drinking their little hearts out, they swayed to the sounds of live band Frank and Dave and mega-mingled on the beautifully landscaped patio. A few lucky guests even won accommodations to Harrah's in New Orleans and Las Vegas! 

ShutterBox Photo Booth was there to capture all the good times (password: partypics), and photographer Zoran Orlic caught the highly-stylized candids. Make sure you read all the rave reviews to find out what you missed! 

SYOY,

Jelena Z

Yelp Brooklyn Gets Uncommonly Unkosher!

Bacon doughnuts. 'Nuff said.

Oh, you need more? Well, last night the best of Brooklyn Yelp converged on Traif, a tremendously tasty newcomer to the Southside Williamsburg dining scene. Named after the Hebrew term for unkosher foods, this pork and shellfish wonderland is the brainchild of chef and co-owner, Jason Marcus, who swiftly seared, sizzled and served scrumptious items off of Traif's magnificent menu.

The insatiable yelpers were treated to an incredible amount of unkosher delights, including seared foie gras topped with a quail egg, bacon-wrapped blue cheese-stuffed dates, braised pork cheeks and those beautiful bacon doughnuts! Chris K quite rightly described it all as "innovative, in plenty, and indescribably delicious. The standing ovation (thunderous) was well deserved."

Equally impressive were the high-quality, handmade Glen Thunder Corn Whiskey cocktails from the premier New York State Farm Distillery, Finger Lakes Distilling, which paired perfectly with the porky menu. Some spiced up their life with the Red Pearl, a jalopeno-infused, Thai basil cocktail, and still more mellowed out with the green tea-based, minty Moroccan Whiskey.

 

A huge thanks to the chef and the rest of the Traif staff for making a Monday memorable, welcoming us into their wonderful space, including the beautiful back garden (with a canopy of grapevines) and putting up with the voracious vultures that are the NYC Elite Squad. Don't forget to peep the rest of the photos from Julian Mackler Studios, read the reviews, and Talk to us. Until next time...

SYOY,
Peter D and the Yelp NYC Team

Austin Elites Get Artsy: Night At The Brewseum

Picture this: You're drinking a frosty brew, munching on a hot dog piled high with all manner of delish toppings and listening to some sweet tunes. Got it? Now imagine that's happening in an art gallery! Not the usual fare for these kinds of things, Austin elites enjoyed a "Night At The Brewseum", an event aimed at exposing people to cool, creative stuff, a new east side venue and making art a little more, well, accessible. It's not all wine and cheese and little black dresses out there -- elites donned their normal garb and sauntered around the fantastic Flatbed Press for some culture in the modern, open space.  

            

Yelpers started with an "art quiz" to help them further engage with the pieces. The goal was to identify the artist of each piece in hopes of winning a seat in a printmaking class on premises. Sponsors Heineken and St. Arnold's provided the frosty bevvies including Tecate, Tecate Light and craft bottled beer. Jim L loved the combo: "Flat Press is a very cool gallery. The art was intriguing and the contest led us right to it. And why don't all art galleries serve Tecate light?" Big Top Dogs rocked the food scene with incredible all natural, gluten-free, 100% beef hot dogs with onion sauce and mustard straight from NY. Meanwhile, Home by Hovercraft, voted hottest Austin band by The Deli magazine filled the gallery with their soulful piano rock stylings.  

           

One of the high"lights" of the night was Painting with Light. Pun intended and thanks to Christina G of the triangle area for the idea.  Yelpers went into a dark room, twirled and swirled and wrote (mostly inappropriate) things with flashlights and glow sticks. The path of the light was captured by the long exposure on Jonathan Garza's camera. Photos to come soon but suffice it to say, it was something that was incredibly unique and sexy. Dena G agrees: "The photo booth was uber cool. My pics look like lightsaber vomit! Drinks and food made my belly way happy!" At the end of the night, yelpers won tickets to the Blanton Museum's B-scene and custom Yelp pint glasses. Including John R: "And on to the pièce de résistance of the evening, I won one of the raffles! I never win ANYTHING. Except for my nightly ice cream sandwich, but I don't think that most of you consider that a major award."

All in all, a fantastic way to experience art and local fare for ATX Yelp elites. Until the next one, SYOY!

Kelly@Austin

Silicon Valley Yelp Lands On Park Place!

On Wednesday, June 9th, Silicon Valley Elites took a chance and owned Cypress Hotel in Cupertino! The Parkview Room and Terrace were transformed into a real life Monopoly game as yelpers came donned in top hats, bow ties, 'staches and creative costumes that were so money!

Guests indulged in delectable bites from Park Place, which included flat bread pizzas, pork belly and watermelon skewers, beet wrapped goat cheese, hushpuppies and Chef Brad Kraten was behind the grill out by the fire pit serving up finger lickin' BBQ ribs and sausages. Sweet cravings were satisfied by the myriad of desserts set up inside. Refreshing and fresh fruit VeeV Açaí Spirit cocktails and wine tastings from Jazz Cellars helped quench thirsty yelpers.

During the event, the crowd voted for their favorite creative Monopoly themed costumes. Grand prize winners Alea "Monopolized" G and Rachel "Railroad Conductor" R received a complimentary night's stay at Cypress Hotel, and runner-ups Emmie "Jailbird" N and Leeann "Money Skirt" C received $50 gift certificates to Park Place. Honorable mentions Chris "Oriental Ave" T and Justin "Mr. Moneybags" went home with limited edition Monopoly board games.

The Laugh Box captured all the fun looks in their awesome photobooth – peep the pics here. The SBC set a new record for most yelpers inside the booth! Special thanks to Chef Brad Kraten, Joshua Hogan, Kate Holt, Swank AV and all the incredible staff at Cypress Hotel for sharing their Community Chest of goodies with us! If you missed the event or want to read up on what everyone is buzzin' about, click here. And don't miss out on the fab photos!

Until the next yelpy Elite Event, SYOY!

Yours truly, SV Community Manager Connie C

Seattle Yelp Moutsache Bash!

 It was hipster heaven at the HG Lodge in Seattle this week as yelpers came out for the Moustache Bash. There's no better spot in Seattle to pay homage flannel and facial hair than this cabin themed club! Adorned with taxidermied animals, stone walls and cozy booths, there was plenty of space to mix and mingle or even dance your 'stache off!

   
Whether it was a wig, a mullet, a moustache or even a unibrow, we had it all! Prizes were awarded to those with the most votes for 'best get-up.' Real or fake, it was all about how bold you were. Some folks even decorated their belly buttons!

Forget to dress to impress? Salon Swagger saved the day by providing super fun up-dos (and up-don'ts) to guests who came under prepared.

   

But what's a party without food and drinks? To keep bellies fed the awesome folks from Skillet came out to spoil yelpers with tasty sliders and poutine. And just two days after their official launch, Molly Moon's brand new ice cream truck parked out front to serve up some of their most popular flavors!

Washing down the yummy in their tummies wouldn't have been possible without our amazing friends from Ninkasi beer and Absolut Vodka. Spoiling us even more, Ninkasi hooked it up with a keg of their Radiant Summer Ale, one of only two kegs in the entire city of Seattle!

         

For more photos please check out the Official Yelp Flickr photo stream to view pictures taken by Ari Shapiro of Dauber Art.

   
  
Haven't written a review of the event? Share your thoughts of the Moustache Bash here!

Until next time,

SYOY!

Katy H
Seattle Yelp CM 

The Yelp Country Club Comes To Randall's Island Golf Center!

Whether they were having a ball, hitting balls or just going balls to the wall something very special happened amongst New York yelpers on Monday evening. With perfect temperatures and dusk approaching, the truly preppy set of the savviest foodies and viral vocalists on Yelp arrived in style for the VIP hour at the Randall's Island Golf Center cum Yelp Country Club just a hop, skip and a free WiroLimo shuttle ride away from Manhattan. Once they got first dibs at the goodies more masses of yelperific locals flowed past the club's exclusive red ropes...er tables to discover what Cassandra M could only describe as the "magical tent" and here's why...

With Eddie's Pizza Truck serving up slices and The Taco Truck turning out tacos via their mobile taqueria, guests didn't get far before filling up. Fortunately, yelpers have hefty appetites since the 4000 Sq Foot tent, glittering with lanterns and lights was filled to the brim with NYC's top-rated eateries serving up oodles of samples from their menu...

- Satay Junction - Bubble Lounge - Ovelia - Poco - Smorgas Chef - Qdoba - Led Zeppole - Luke's Lobster - Meze Grill - Xiao Ye - Mama's Food Shop - Slice - Two Little Red Hens -

And when all that chewing worked up a thirst Fire Island Beer, Honest Tea, Slane Castle Whiskey, Crispin Cider, Bootlegger 21 Vodka, Maestro Dobel Diamond Tequila, Hanger 1 Vodka, and Original Sin Cider (say that three times fast!) served up some seriously sassy drinks!

 

Those who weren't teetering and ready to tee off after a round about the tent took a walk to the two-tiered driving range to hit some balls aimed at the Triborough Bridge. Back on the lawn One Brick's charitable volunteers raffled off fun prizes and got the games going with bocce, bean bag toss and even a rousing round of Jarts. Two mini-golf courses ensured hours of elite-ist antics while free batting cages gave yelpers a chance to take a baseball bat to any Monday blues. Back in the tent, Roosevelt Dime kicked things up a notch with some swinging jug-band tunes as New York yelpers danced the night away.

Don't forget to read the reviews for more details on the excitement. You can peep the photos courtesy of Mackler Studios and chime in on Talk here.

SYOY,

Jane K & Team Yelp!

Yelp's Raleigh Revival Showcase

Isaac Hunter's Oak City Tavern (inspired by the original Isaac Hunter's tavern – the founding site of Raleigh) was the PERFECT space for an event designed to celebrate life in and around our capitol! And with Raleigh's 170th birthday coming up next week, the timing couldn't have been better.

Several Elites showed off their photo scouting skills and the result was a picture-perfect collection to fit the theme. Their talents were rewarded with an array of hip prizes, courtesy of PBR. And all the guests walked home with their very own PBR glass! A huge thanks to Isaac Hunter's for helping select the winners, and for hosting the party and showcasing our gallery throughout the month of June.

Between hip sips of PBR, Elites and their guests also enjoyed triple-distilled Carolina Catdaddy provided by Piedmont Distillers. Because there's no better way to toast NC than with a little homegrown moonshine, am I right? The folks from vitaminwater made sure to keep us hydrated with zero-calorie yumtastic water, noshed us with homemade hummus, guacamole and other nibbles they arranged, and prepped the space with pretty floral arrangements all over!

 

Entertainment abounded and guests took turns getting their caricatures done with Bruce Stevenson, ooh-ing over Mark Plaga's innovative 3-D photography and watching a canvas of spraypaint art by Garrett Scales come to life. One lucky +1 won the raffle and got to take home the piece at the end of the evening! Other yelpers popped into the paint-with-light photobooth and did some awesome illustrations of their own.

All in all, it was a great way to liven up a ho-hum hump day. A HUGE thanks to our many generous sponsors, and thanks also to the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League who helped make the event possible. Visit the site and give the Great Danes some love!

View the complete photo album (pictures thanks to Photography by Adam), read the reviews (find out who braved the Litterbox PBR/Catdaddy Bomb drink!), and start resting up for our next throwdown!

Until then, SYOY!

-Christina G

Triangle Team Make Me Yelp: Ready, Set, DOUGH!

On Saturday, a team of four intrepid yelpers – whose bodies are as strong as their stomachs – raced in the Durham Doughman. What is the Doughman? A team triathlon spiced with crazy costumes and competitive eating. Think Ironman – but a lot, well, doughier. For a more hilarious explanation, check out the Man V Food filming from last year's event. In the May issue of Go, Adam Richman calls it the craziest challenge he's ever encountered on the show!

But not so for team Make Me Yelp who cleaned up with Richard Simmons' pizazz – and enthusiasm! Tripp W scarfed down a yogurt parfait and biked to Hog Heaven where a bbq plate and a team of Yelp volunteers awaited.

On the next, leg (G.I.) Jane W put away a whole pizza and then sprinted to the pool where she tackled the aquatic portion of the race: inner tube paddling. Phil G filled up with a goat sausage hoagie amidst a 3-mile run and then tagged teammate Meghan B who chowed down some chilaquiles before racing to the final showdown. At the historic Durham Athletic Park, the whole team dined on dessert and then fled to the finish line – coming in 15th out of 70 teams! Not too shabby considering that wig wind resistance factor.

There was rich reward for sweating it out: The team scored first place in the costume competition and got highlighted on the 96 Rock morning show recording live at the event. Everyone wanted a photo with them – including the celebrity Biggest Losers team! "Make Me Yelp" also brought in $300 for charity and earned a spot on the fundraising leaderboard. Way to go, yelpers!

After a nap, everyone reconvened for great local music, food and beer at the Doughman Banquet – because there's no better way to celebrate sweet victory than by stuffing yourself silly again.

Already cookin' up costume ideas for next year!
Christina G

Bread & Beer & Mullets!

Beer & bretzels was the name of the game on a balmy Dublin Elite evening! The Dublin Elite Squad headed to the Northside to Dice Bar where Joe the amazing manager treated us on the house to some of their tasty international brews.

                                 

The Elite Squad showed their ball throwing skills with many games of beer pong to background tunes of Journey and other classic rock songs - mullet heaven. Joe played an eclectic track of power ballads that had the Elite Squad focused on their game.

               
                                

William from The Bretzel Bakery came by in his dinky car with an assortment of breads for us to munch on. He explained the history of the bakery and the fascinating details and pains that they go to to make a perfect loaf of bread. They pride themselves on using natural ingredients and natural processes to make their bread. The favourite bread of the night with the Yelpers was the sourdough.

         


Fantastic snapper Daniel Browne dodged ping-pong balls to capture action shots, mullet shots and sneaky cigarette break shots - check out the pics here! A huge thank you once again to Joe for his bar-tending and music playing skills at Dice Bar. And the next big thank you goes out to William from The Bretzel Bakery for teaching is all about what it takes to make great bread and providing us with goodie bags of yummy bread to take home! Don't forget that you can write a review of the night here and gossip all about the mullets on Talk!

Cheers for the good times!

Annie L

New York Elites Lookout From The Crow's Nest at The Water Club

Ahoy, matey! It was a balmy summer evening on the East River when a couple hundred Elites arrived in style at the Water Club. While the well-heeled dined downstairs, the enviable Elites climbed upstairs to the seasonal outdoor bar with sweeping views. As Rae F chirped, "The view at the Crow's Nest was magnificent. I could see across the pond to my home of Queens!"

Many an (in)famous yelper made an appearance, perusing the mini-burger and hot dog bar outside, taking Sagatiba Cachaça shots with sugared strawberry chasers, cooling off with Coronas and watching the boats go by. 

As the caipirinhas kicked in, the Southwestern food bar inside got hopping as folks scooped up some dips, chips and delicious bites. Peter D manned the corner wine bar, serving up Pinot Grigios and Cabernets to starstuck Elites, triggering a few double takes and several photo ops.

Winding down the evening, yelpers caught rides to the 6 train courtesy of the Zipcar crew, since a night like this could could not be capped on foot. A big thank you to the incredible staff at the Crow's Nest for making it a night to remember!

Don't miss the reviews, paparazzi shots and gossip on Talk.

And don't think we're taking time to rest, everyone better get amped for a preppy party for the ages at the Randall's Island Golf Center next Monday. Want to come? Get on the list here!

SYOY,
Jane K

Yelp Elite Paris Party @Bob's Juice Bar & Sweat Shop

Two of the quirkiest and coolest businesses in Paris, Sweat Shop and Bob's Juice Bar, joined forces last night to host the first Elite Squad event in Paris.

 

The 70 privileged guests juggled between the two neighborhood hot spots, (conveniently located side by side) to watch live craft making at Sweat Shop before slipping into the shoe-size Bob’s Juice Bar to sample owner Marc’s tasty homemade bialys, rugelach, soup and lemonade.

    

Guests got into the neighborhood block party vibe and spilled out onto the street with their bialys and bubbly in hand to mingle while basking in the warm evening weather. 

  

For those who swung by the soirée and want to tell all about their experience, you can write a review of the event here! If you wanna see more fabulous photos of the fête, the first of many more exceptional Paris parties to come, then check out our Paris Yelp Flickr page.

Until the next time my Parisian Yelpeurs!

Zeva B
Pairs Community Manager

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Sweat Shop et Bob’s Juice Bar, deux des commerces les plus cools et originaux de la capitale, se sont unis hier soir pour accueillir la première soirée de la Bridage d’élite Yelp à Paris.

    

Les 70 invités privilégiés se sont répartis entre les deux boutiques pour regarder les artisans de Sweat Shop fabriquer et customiser des vêtements et, deux mètres plus loin, savourer au comptoir du Bob’s Juice Bar bialys, rugelach, soupe et limonade faite maison par l’adorable patron Marc Grossman.

   

Dans un vrai esprit de teuf improvisée, les invités ont débordé sur le trottoir, bialys et champagne à la main pour terminer en beauté cette douce soirée de printemps.

Pour ceux qu'ils sont venus à la soirée, vous pouvez écrire un avis sur l'événément ici. Pour plus d'images de cette fête, première d’une longue tradition à venir, visitez la page Flickr de Paris Yelp.

A bientôt mes Yelpeurs Parisiens,

Zeva B.
Paris Community Manager

Metro Detroit Yelpers Relax, Revive and Remodulate on the Alley Deck!

On Sunday, May 30, The Metro Detroit Yelp Elite Squad had it made in the shade of Midtown's Alley Deck, with an opportunity to Relax, Revive and Remodulate (and recover!) from the Movement Festival.

A bloody mary bar, breakfast burritos, giant sticky buns, and other brunchy goodness was there to help elites and guests overcome their hangovers and continue their long weekend on the right foot!

The crew took the summery weather (80+ degrees is hot for a Michigan May!) to heart, sipping cocktails crafted with Michigan's own DiVine Vodka, making full use of each table's squirt guns, yelp sweat bands, blowing bubbles and even batting around a few beachballs. All of this was set to a soundtrack by the local PropMod crew. Luckily, there was enough shady space for those afraid of the sun turning their skin a yelpy-red!

   

All in all, it was a great way to kick off the start of summer. Here's to more fabulous weather and fiiine Yelp Elite events this summa summa summatime! Want some snaps?  Want to write a review of the event or see a recap from those who were there?  Just follow the links!

 

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

Movie Madness & More, Starring Terry Jones, Riley Crane and The Boston Elite Squad!

After a gorgeous Memorial Day, what better way to wrap up a long weekend than with 200 of our favorite Yelp Boston Elite Squad members gathering at Coolidge Corner Theatre for a little Movie Madness & More! In the early evening haze (thanks, Canada) Elites arrived at Boston's only non-profit, independent Art Deco theater in anticipation of two very cool events all folded into one...a media presentation by DARPA Network Challenge winner, Dr. Riley Crane, followed by a screening of the cult classic, Monty Python and The Holy Grail. Adding to the excitement, the movie was promised to be introduced by a very special guest.

Entering the theater, Elites settled in with tastes of La Vieille Ferme wine and cans of refreshing beer from our neighbors at Narragansett. To kick things off, Dr. Riley Crane took us through his team's approach to the DARPA Network Challenge, his stint on Stephen Colbert and how social media, the internet and technology can actually accomplish things. Wanna participate? See how you can make an impact? Sign up today at http://www.1billionhungry.org and track your reach to see how you can make a difference!

 

As Riley Crane exited the theater and flew back to Zurich, Elites grabbed a bite to eat before the movie, including crispy chips, salsa and guacamole from Dorados Tacos & Cemitas. Zaftigs provide some of their delicious kugel, while the theater doled out bags of buttery popcorn. 

After a bit of nosh, it was back into theater, where Elizabeth Taylor-Mead, Associate Director of the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation, introduced our surprise guest of the evening, co-director of Monty Python & The Holy Grail, Terry Jones! Welcomed by a thunderous applause, Mr. Jones gave a brief history of the making of the movie and delighted the audience with is humor. After the show, Mr. Jones answered questions from the audience!

 

A standing ovation for the folks over Coolidge Corner Theatre for setting up not one, but two amazing experiences for us, and to Narragansett, La Vieille Ferme, Dorados Tacos & Cemitas and Zaftigs for providing the refreshments! Many thanks to the Yelp team for helping out: Kevin L from Yelp NYC, and our intern duo, Rani P & Simon S! Congratulations to Sally F, for winning free movies for two for a year from the Coolidge Corner Theatre! 

Liked what you saw? Write a review of the event here! Wanna see more? Peep the pics from Tatsu I. For more information about Coolidge Corner Theatre or to become a member, click here!

'Till next time, my friends!

Cheers,

Leighann F

Houston's First Annual Prom: Bash Of The Titans!

Second chances are hard to come by – except when it comes to Yelp Prom! The Houston Yelp Elite squad donned their best and worst attire for one unforgettable night at The Oak Room, part of H-town's famed Greek eatery, One's A Meal.

Upon arrival, guests were greeted with a Bash Of The Titans photo booth, the savory aromas of spanakopita, tiropita, keftedaki meatballs, meat and cheese platters prepared by One's A Meal, and platters stacked with red velvet cupcakes from CRAVE. For the ladies – and gents – suffering from a bad hair day, the gals from Studio 31 Hair Lab set up shop to provide glamorous hair stylings and makeup makeovers. And yelpers walked away with $25 gift cards to the posh hair boutique. And what's a prom without some adult bevs? Liberty School Winery was on site to keep the School Of Yelp "students" replenished with robust reds and thirst-quenching whites. Soon after, the dance floor quickly packed with party-goers, shakin' and gyrating to the beats of DJ Seduction – and would you believe it that the dance was extended a full hour to keep the party goin'?

Congratulations to this year's reigning Prom King & Queen, Mike W and Gretchen P. Watching them dance to Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" was heartwarming and equally entertaining. And if you didn't stick around for the Yelp-nominated class song – Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue" – you certainly missed out!

On behalf of the Houston Yelp Elite Squad's Class of 2010, "thank you" to all of our generous sponsors! If you missed the night or want to read up on what everyone is buzzin' about, click here. And don't miss out on the photos either!

SYOY,

Farrah A
Houston Community Manager