May 01, 2013

Yelp Vancouver Unleash Their Alter-Egos

April 24th, 2013. An exceptionally clear and unstormy night. The Yelp Burst went out across the sky and Vancouver Elites near and far rose to the call, descending upon The Storm Crow Tavern in force as their alter-ego selves! From Pirate Ninjas to Sci Fi Superheroes, 85 costume clad Yelpers like Alicyn C let their "inner dork come out at The Storm Crow."

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From the Crow's own cucumber concoction to the tantalizing taps of Phillips Brew, guests wet their whistles with liquid libations aplenty. For Ben C, "Blue Buck beer and those awesome vodka drinks achieved critical mass for an outstanding Elite Party!" Not to be out done (and keeping people from being undone) attendees were treated to a wave of vegetarian appies off The Storm Crow's menu. "The chickpea fries with the spicy dip were amazing!" swoons newbie Elite Julie L.

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"It was great to see all of the old Yelpers again. Now mix that with great munchies, a violin playing DJ, and you got yourself a kick-ass geek party!!!" What's that Fritz S? A violin playing DJ?! It's true! Michael Fraser treated guests to sweet tunes and improvised live violin. Talk about multitasking! 

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Pin Up Perfection Photography captured costumed glory at the cosplay photo booth and Kat S was "beyond thrilled. What a fabulous score!" And when Voracious V graced patrons with an impromptu sci-fi burlesque number Garth C made note - "Finishing off the night with a little surprise burlesque was just icing on the cake."

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A huge thank you to Martin and all of The Storm Crow staff for taking such good care of our superhuman Yelpers; to Jonny & Phillips Brewery for craft brew love; Michael Fraser and Voracious V for unforgettable entertainment; Stephanie from Dore Productions for roving photography, Aimee K - my moral support hailing from St. Louis; and to the Vancouver Elites who made this newly crowned CM Ninja feel right at home!

YelpVancouverEliteCollage4Check out the reviews (and write your own) here, and snoop who takes over when a Yelper's alter-ego comes to play with the fabulous fly on the wall photos ℅ Dore Productions and our photo booth mischief by Shimona Henry here.

Until next time you wonderful creatures,

JodyNinja

Jody B

Yelp Vancouver's Community Manager/Petite Dynamo/Pirate Ninja Princess of Badassery

April 23, 2013

Navegando con los Yelpers en Madrid: ¡Vacaciones en el Mar! @ Moby Dick

"Con diez cañones por banda, viento en popa y a toda vela, no corta el mar sino vuela..." ¡el crucero de Yelp Madrid! Más de doscientos Yelpers se dieron cita el pasado domingo en Moby Dick Club para celebrar uno de los eventos de esta primavera: ¡la I Gran Fiesta de los Yelpers en Madrid! Con un título de lo más evocador, '¡Vacaciones en el mar!'. Sin lugar a dudas, ¡uno de los eventos imprescindibles esta primavera!

Yelperparty1 Muchos Yelpers, como Óscar H, han acertado en recalcar "la cantidad de baúles, maletas y enseres para disfrutar del veranito" que, por obra y gracia de Marantikk, aderezaron el photocall. Aunque si de aderezar se trataba, ahí estaban las galletas de margarina de Sabores Ocultos y los smoothies de BeSmoothie, de cuyo gran sabor fueron testigos hasta los acompañantes de Elena M. Juan D, por su parte, va a hacer presión para que las galletitas de Lise & Leti "sean la elección de sus compañeros de trabajo a la hora de celebrar su cumpleaños" y remarca que adoró la comida griega de Jronia k Jronia.
Yelperparty2Eugenio S prefirió adentrarse en el mundo de la uva, de la mano de Crash Wines, que le explicaron "requetebien" su concepto y las particularidades de sus vinos, mientras que Rafael L tiró por Adrede, una de las elecciones de Bodegabierta, al tiempo que destaca las tapas de Los 3 Cerditos. Otro que sacó provecho fue Javi E, puesto que ya tiene plan para las semanas venideras "no dudaré en visitar De Vinos para realizar alguna cata", aunque como no solo de vino vive el hombre, también disfrutó de los cócteles de The Kraken Spiced Rum, "los probé con escepticismo, pero fueron mi revelación de la noche". ¡Y todos los pasajeros llegaron a casa sanos y salvos gracias a MyTaxi!
Yelperparty3No olvides dejar tus impresiones sobre el evento aquí, echarle un vistazo a las fotos y seguirnos en Facebook y Twitter. ¿Te quedaste con ganas de más? Pues mira a ver si tienes lo que hay que tener para formar parte de nuestro Pelotón de Élite.

¡Nos vemos en Yelp!

Grumete

Lolo R

Responsable de Yelp Madrid

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"The breeze fair aft, all sails on high, ten guns on each side mounted seen, she does not cut the sea but fly..." the Yeper Party brigantine! More than two hundred Yelpers gathered last Sunday on Moby Dick Club to celebrate one of the most interesting events this spring: Madrid first Yelper Party, the Love Boat!

Yelperparty4As Óscar Hmany Yelpers noticed "the huge amount of trunks, suitcases and various stuff to enjoy the summer" that became our sweet photocall, thanks to Marantikk. Speaking of which, it was as sweet as Sabores Ocultos cookies and BeSmoothie smoothies, two treats that Elena M and her guests enjoyed particularly. By his side Juan D will put some pressure on his workmates to buy Lise & Leti cookies for their upcoming birthdays. Anyway, he also loved the greek food by Jronia k Jronia!

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Eugenio S was more inclined to the grape juice, so he let Crash Wines staff do all the talking. They explained their concept and the particularities of their wines. At the same time Rafael L tasted Adrede, one of the choices of Bodegabierta,while he also recommended the tapas featured by Los 3 CerditosJavi E came up with something really good from the event: he already has plans for the upcoming weeks! He will be visiting De Vinos for a tasting. But even though he really loves wine, he also enjoyed very much the cocktails provided by The Kraken Spiced Rum. One of the best assets of the party? Every passenger got home safe and sound thanks to MyTaxi!

Yelperparty7Do not forget to leave your impressions about the event here, take a look to the pictures and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Do you want to be invited to events like this one? See if you have what it takes to be an Elite!

See you on Yelp!

Grumete

Lolo R

Yelp Madrid Community Manager

April 22, 2013

Yelp's White Hot Night @ Proof Bar + Patio

It rained, it poured, and even a massive cool front swept into town. But despite all that, nothing could have turned down the heat or dampen spirits at Yelp's White Hot Night at Proof Bar + Patio!

More than 100 of yelps finest – the Yelp Elite Squad, that is – hit up Midtown's hottest rooftop patio bar for music, libations, games and massive prizes! It started off with crisp drinks courtesy of Blue Moon Belgian White and Redd's Apple Ale, along with Proof's signature Devil's Sin cocktail made with Devil's Cut Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; and for sweet noshes, KIND Snacks provided a spread of gourmet health bars.

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Passes to the iFest VIP tent weren't the only giveaways exciting the crowd. Amerejuve MedSpa was on the scene with their massive wheel of winnings – a lil' laser hair removal just in time for summer? Where do we sign up?! Meanwhile, the Houston Dynamo handed out replicas of the new BBVA Compass Stadium, sunnies, scarves, soccer balls – oh my! And not to leave out the glitzy face painting from Rawr! Party Paints

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Missed out? David N kindly snapped away some party pics, and yelpers are sharing their version of the night right here!

SYOY,

Farrah A
Houston Community Director  

April 17, 2013

It's All Fun and Games at Yelp's "Game Day" at Lucky Strike in Orange

LET THE YELP GAMES BEGIN! Unlike the hunger version with Jennifer Lawrence, no Elites were harmed (or killed) during our event at Lucky Strike in Orange this past Tuesday.

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Yelpers went crazy with their garbs and Tammy G "really loved the costume theme, and how many people participated." She was also happy that her "sixth grader's Dodgers jersey" fit perfectly for the occasion. Though her costume was amazing, she was "inspired by the human Rubik's cube, Monopoly Man, corn hole, the Mario and Packman gang, afro tennis player, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, war games, and Barry Bonds" threads that the guests donned for the evening. She affirms, the "human Twister deserved her prize, and my tickets" as she took home a pair of season passes to the 2013 Orange County Fair!

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There were a ton of activities for Yelpers of all ages including giant Jenga, corn hole, shuffleboard, billiards, live trivia, and of course… bowling! Though many "took pictures and bowled" Jonathan Z "spent most of the time at the pool table getting his butt handed to him by a fellow Yelper and playing trivia" where the grand prize was a $50 gift card to Lucky Strike!

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The generous hosts sampled new items off of their menu such as Belgian fries served with curry ketchup and chimichurri aioli, grilled chicken jerk skewers, classic blue cheese mini burgers and margherita pizzas. Howie C was a fan of the fries and claimed they were "to die for!" These "double fried, thick squared cut fries" came with a variety of dipping sauces, however his "favorite was the honey mustard." Though the sauce is "not on the menu" he assumes they'd be more than happy to "bring it out for you" if you asked nicely.

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Of course, a night can't be complete without drinks. The venue sampled beers by Hangar 24 Brewery and cocktails like the Hangar 1 Blueberry Moscow Mule, Three Olives Cherry Mojito and 1800 Silver Margarita. Sukhraj B compliments the "bartenders who were and awesome and served some stiff drinks" and deemed the "cherry mojito and blueberry Moscow Mule as a hit!"

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No prizes were awarded for the games, however nobody went home empty handed as the highly anticipated Elite socks made an appearance and into the hands of yearning guests. Julie L loved the gift that were not only "fluffy and very well made," but they are definitely her favorite piece of "swag to date!"

Thanks so much Lucky Strike! We all had a blast and your staff was amazing.

See the reviews and user uploaded photos here.
Check out the awesome gallery courtesy of Peter Klemek of PKPhotography by clicking here.

Until the next shindig,

Ryan C & Shiv R
Yelp Orange County Community Manager & the best intern in the world

March 29, 2013

¡Pillamos al Pelotón de Élite de Madrid con las manos en la masa!

Por fin llegó el día en el que al Pelotón de Élite de Madrid le tocó remangarse y... ¡preparar su propia comida! Como todo no va a ser comer, beber y divertirse en esta vida, los Yelpers madrileños tuvieron la oportunidad de asistir a uno de los talleres de cocina rápida de Apetit'Oh!, en los que -en tan solo una hora y media- se aprenden algunas técnicas básicas de cocina (entre ellas, blanquear los ajos fue una de las más populares) para luego preparar un menú completo.

Collage1Nadie se libró de ponerse manos a la masa para ejercer de chef por unos minutos, y ayudar a cocinar pastel de calabacines gratinados, cintas de pasta con vieiras al azafrán, pisto al dente con tiras de calamar, setas shitake con brotes de soja y langostinos y hamburguesitas de salmón al eneldo con salsa de mostaza. Todo ello bien regado con un albariño Anae y un rioja Monólogo, que ayudaron a la hora de degustar tan magnos platos.

Collage2Gracias a Luis y a Jeny por su paciencia a la hora de enseñar al Pelotón cada una de las recetas y, sobre todo, ¡gracias a todos los Élites por su duro trabajo y por acompañarnos durante la tarde del Jueves Santo! No olvides dejarnos tu reseña, echarle un ojo a las fotos y seguirnos en Facebook y en Twitter. ¿Quieres venir a una de estas? ¡Pues no dejes de confirmar tu asistencia a nuestra próxima I Gran Fiesta de los Yelpers!

Hasta entonces... ¡nos vemos en Yelp!

Lolo
Lolo R - Responsable de Yelp Madrid

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It was about time for Yelp Elite Squad in Madrid to roll up their sleeves and prepare their own food! So Madrid Yelpers had the chance to take one of the quick cooking workshops at Apetit'Oh! where Luis and Jeny taught all the attendees in just one hour and a half some basic cooking techniques that helped later to prepare a whole menu.

Collage3Everyone collaborated and played the chef for some minutes, getting to cook grilled zucchini pie, pasta ribbons with saffron scallops, shitake with prawn and soya sprouts and mini hamburgers made of dill marinated salmon with mustard sauce. Later the Squad also could taste the fruits of their work, along with sips of Anae albariño wine and Monólogo Rioja wine.

Collage4Thanks to Luis and Jeny for their patientence teaching the Squad all the recipes and, specially... thanks to the Elite Squad for their hard work! Don't forget to leave your review of the event, take a look to the pictures taken by Ana López-Varela and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Do you want to come to one of this parties? Don't forget to RSVP for our upcoming Yelper Party!

Until then... See You On Yelp!

Lolo

Lolo R - Yelp Madrid CM

March 19, 2013

Yelp Travels The Silk Road With Asia Society Texas

Donned in silk, saris and suits, more than 800 of Houston's finest attended the Asia Society Texas Center's annual membership gala: Cocktails And Cultural Fusions. For the lucky 80 Yelp Elite Squad members in attendance, it was a night to remember!

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New York-based turntablist and producer DJ Kalkutta took over the ones and twos
, turning up the heat with her Bollywood-style beats, as guests sipped on wine, spirits and beer courtesy of Glazier and Silver Eagle and noshed on bites provided by Triniti Restaurant, Bar Boheme and Nosh Bistro

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Over in the "Yelp's Traders Oasis Lounge," party-goers indulged in an authentic Asian-experience – complete with hot herbal tea sponsored by Phoenicia Specialty Foods and MKT Bar, a spread of delicious hookah offerings courtesy of Texas Hookah Lounge, and intricate and beautiful henna body art offered by The Original Henna Company. As yelper GG put, "I loved this event because it was such a statement of everything I love about Houston: a very diverse group of ages, backgrounds, races, all mingling, engaging and having fun together."

The Spotlight Asia: Cocktails and Cultural Fusions event was chaired by Divya and Chris Brown, along with co-chairs Claire and Rick Thielke and Janae and Kenny Tsai.  

Yelp Warszawa: Kino i kanapki

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16 marca 2013 to historyczna data w historii warszawskiego Yelpa. W tę mroźną sobotę odbyła się pierwsza elitarna yelpowa impreza. Członkowie Elity 2013 spotkali się w Sklepie z Kanapkami, gdzie w przytulnej, kameralnej sali kinowej odbył się specjalny seans "Zaklętych rewirów".   Bla

Z uwagi na mało sprzyjającą aurę, w paczkach z prezentami znalazła się saszetka wypełniona korzennymi przyprawami, która umożliwiła przygotowanie rozgrzewającego napoju po powrocie do domu.  GleKino i kanapki to chyba udane połączenie, prawda? Agnieszka M. nie ma co do tego żadnych wątpliwości: "Połączenie świetnego, ambitnego kina z dobrym jedzonkiem i to wszystko w doborowym towarzystwie". Aneta Z. wyraźnie się zgadza: "Doborowe towarzystwo, jedzenie, pyszne konwersacje i dobry film. To się nazywa idealne sobotnie popołudnie.". Więcej receznji wydarzenia znajdziecie na yelpowym profilu wydarzenia. Zdjęcia możecie obejrzeć na Facebooku oraz Flickr. Do następnego razu!  BleMarch 16th 2013 - this is an important date in the history of Yelp Warsaw. On this frosty Sunday afternoon the very first Elite event was held. We met in a private screening room at Sklep z Kanapkami (which easily translates to Sandwich Shop). Needles to say, we ate tons of sandwiches and watched a classic Polish-Czech movie from the '70s, Zaklęte rewiry.  DSC_6181 copyBecause of the cold weather, there were mulled wine spice sachets in the goodie bags - so that evertyone could prepare a warming drink after coming back home.HuCinema and sandwiches (kino i kanapki) seem to be perfect for each other and Warsaw Elite yelpers all agree on that one. Good movie, good sandwich and good company - that's the recipe for a perfect Saturday afternoon! You can read the reviews on the event page on Yelp. For more photos, check out Facebook or Flickr.

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 SYOY (See You On Yelp, czyli do zobaczenia na Yelpie)! 

Karolina W.

Community Manager, Yelp Warszawa

February 19, 2013

Yelp Helps Across the Bay Area!

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With New Year's resolutions top-of-mind, January 2013 was the perfect time to encourage Yelpers to sign up for our own Bay Area volunteerism campaign, Yelp Helps. That's right, Yelp South Bay and Yelp East Bay challenged Yelpers to make a difference in their local community by donating 3–5 hours in January to a worthy non-profit. No matter a Yelper's passion (cats, kids, the arts, Mother Nature), opportunities were plentiful thanks to our Yelp Helps partner, GoVoluntr, a Silicon Valley website who matches Bay Area locals with volunteer opportunities. Not only do they show where help is needed, but they track volunteer hours and provide all sorts of reward "goodies". Yelpers simply created a free GoVoluntr account, signed up for opportunites and logged their hours... Simple as that!

South Bay Yelpers got into the spirit of giving back right away with a food sort CMYE @ Second Harvest in San Jose. A group of 20+ gathered on a cold, winter evening to sort produce from giant containers to family-size boxes. Whether they were elbows-deep in oranges, weighing boxes or putting together boxes, the two hour committment helped everyone realize how many people in our community are hungry and need help! More importantly, "To see so many people helping out on their day off really warmed, Ellen L's heart. She "knew that all of these people genuinely wanted to give their time and effort to helping out for such a great cause." And if that wasn't fun enough, a very talented Yelper brought handmade cookies with the Yelp burst to everyone who lent a hand that night. Sweet... literally! 

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In addition to group projects, hundreds of South Bay Yelpers donated their time/efforts to a variety of NPO's and shared their experiences on the Yelp Helps listing. "Because of this, I am re-inspired!" cheered Jeralyn M. "I am now volunteering to coach youth basketball; something I LOVED and used to do 5 years ago!" Tram N "loved the Furry Friendly Visits!!!" With this opportunity, she took her "two amazing canines that just love people" to give some TLC to the elderly. Audrey C "Can't wait to volunteer with other Yelpers!" Yelp Helps motivated her to sign up to help at the Boys and Girls Club event in Menlo Park where she couldn't wait to volunteer with other Yelpers!

With over 100 non-profit organizations to work with, East Bay Yelpers had no trouble putting their diverse skills to work. Popular volunteer outings included trimming native trees at Walnut Creek Open Space, teaching entrepreneurship skills to college-bound youth with BUILD, helping refugee job-seekers practice their interviewing & networking skills with Upwardly Global, and packaging fresh produce to be distributed to thousands of families in need with Alameda County Community Food Bank. Describing her experience with Yelp Helps, Amber S claims "Nothing can describe the feeling after you volunteer. Go do it and you will find out!"

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Yelpers who dedicated 3-5 hours of volunteer work in the month of January not only relished the warm fuzzies and feel-good vibes from their Yelp Helps efforts, but also received an invite to Yelp's Good Karma Ball: an appreciation gala for Yelp Helpers. The regal Castlewood Country Club set the mood for this upscale affair, featuring endless complimentary quaffs from ChambordNinkasibeer, Fortino WineryWoodchuck Cider and Naked JuiceMay D fancied the Fleur de Lis cocktail from Chambord, noting "It's sweet, light, and perfect for brunch or a day out with the gals." Meanwhile, Surge C was smitten with Fortino's almond champagne, professing "I will ever tastechampagne the same way again! Best. Thing. Ever." 

Castlewood's grand ballroom was filled with treats for every palate. La Boulange provided a spread of French macarons and fresh fruit tarts, while Cake Delight built a tower of mini cupcakes that were "almost too cute to eat," Amber S recalls. Baci Chocolates offered a sweet reward for Yelp Helpers in the form of Italian white and dark chocolate hazelnut bonbons, Pretzel Crisps had a dreamy dipping station for their savory snacks, and Rubios kept the sizzling habanero mahi tacos coming all day long. Adam D was won over by "their sweet and spicy flavors, satisfying any palate."

Good Karma BallEach food vendor partnered with a local charity, to share upcoming volunteer opportunities and keep the Yelp Helps spirit alive throughout the year. "Seeing all the organizations along the outskirts of the ballroom and all the yummy delectable bites set up at each table was certainly delightful," Stephanie M adds. "Every morsel of fish taco, every chew of macaron, every sip of my Chambord cocktail, was eloquently presented and appreciated" by this charitable crew.


The party with a purpose continued with festive Face Painting by Poppy and merry-making in theLaugh Box photo booth. "Who knew 7 seconds would amount to that many pages in a flipbook?!"May D muses. "It's a fun keepsake and it only took 3 minutes to put together...how could you not love that?"

Good Karma Collage 2Together, Yelp Helpers donated over 1500 volunteer hours and $36K of pro-bono labor... Definitely a cause to celebrate! Cheers to kicking off 2013 on a helpful note, Yelpers! And don't forget to read the reviews or check out the photos from the Good Karma Ball!

Good Karma Nique Abby

XOXO, Nique F (East Bay Community Manager) and Abby S (South Bay Community Manager)

February 11, 2013

Memphis Elites Celebrate The Chinese New Year at Mosa Asian Bistro

To kick off the Year of the Snake, Memphis Elites partied Wednesday night away at Mosa Asian Bistro! The East Memphis restaurant hosted an intimate evening full of sake, delectable Asian dishes, and conversation to the max. Now that is something to toast to!

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"Wowza!" and "Please, sir, may I have some more?" was heard all around as Elites gobbled up delicious samples of Mosa's most popular dishes like Jiao Zhe Bowl, Rainbow Panang Curry Chicken and Vegetable Pad See U. There wasn't a dish left untouched!

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Sippin' on some sake was another highlight of the evening and as Bryan N puts it, "With great food from Mosa, amazing company from Yelp, and fun diversions such as the Yelp wheel, the evening was flawless and fluid. Speaking of fluids, the sake imbibed that night provided fantastic themed social lubrication, and if there is one thing Yelpers enjoy more than spirited events it's spirited events with spirits." It also encouraged participation in photos with silly props that can all be seen here.

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A huge thank you to our wonderful host, Mosa Asian Bistro, for the yummy treats and to Buster's Liquors and Wines for the sake!

Until next time, SYOY!

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Joelle P

January 28, 2013

Yelpin' In The Woo!

The Woodlands, Texas houses more than lush, green landscapes, a winding waterway, a that big outdoor music theater also known as Cynthia Woods ... but it's also home to hundreds of vibrant new restaurants, including Mi Cocina

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This was the first Elite Event in The Woodlands, attracting yelpers from as far as Spring, Conroe and even Houston for this fun-filled fiesta. Elites enjoyed a spread of ceviche topped nacho bites, chicken flautas with creamy guacamole, brisket quesadillas with barbecue sauce ... ¡que delicioso! Not to mention the generous servings of potent Mambo Taxi margaritas.

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Missed out? Read the event reviews, and catch photos snapped by shutterbug David N.

SYOY,

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Farrah A
Houston Community Director 

Juerga Animal @ Sargantana

Los animales salieron del redil, se escaparon de la granja, huyeron de sus jaulas y fueron todos a parar al restaurante Sargantana, convertido en una auténtica selva de las especies más extrañas jamás conocidas. Lagartos, una vaca “local”, sus ubres, cebras, tigres, serpientes, gatos… Hasta el pájaro de Hootsuite, una clótxina fallera y un ratpenat se amontonaban en la puerta de este local, de encanto bestial, que llamaba la atención de todos los seres vivos que discurrían por la zona. Sin duda, lo que se guisaba dentro del recinto había despertado los instintos de innúmeras criaturas, porque tal y como describe Gonzalo Mun nombre y un 'nick' de Twitter era todo lo necesario para cruzar las puertas y, como si del mismísimo Hollywood se tratara, recibir los disparos de la cámara de Fran”. La juerga animal daba sus primeras patadas…

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Estaba claro, los singulares aromas de los aperitivos, preparados por Juan Ramón de Sargantana, hicieron salivar hasta a las moscas. Mientras tanto, entre pieles y lianas, los buches y cavidades estomacales de los seres más salvajes buscaban ávidamente el refresco de algún líquido reparador. Bodegas Vereda Real fue el encargado de regalar a los paladares más curiosos unos caldos que para Samuel M fueron “excelentes”, además de extraídos de los frutos de nuestra tierra, tal y como lo explicaron Jesús y Pedro con gran conocimiento de causa. Ana, de la peluquería Los Bigudíes de Rubíes, mostró algunos de sus productos y ofreció a todos la posibilidad de disfrutar de un servicio de belleza a quien ganara uno de los concursos de la noche. 5 estrellas en Yelp por ello para Paz Nm, que explicó a la perfección todos los detalles con una sonrisa, lo único que no vimos “de camuflaje” en su atuendo. Así pues, entre vinos y piares, María P aseguró que hubo “reencuentros y muchas, muchas caras nuevas, ¡eso sí que es reventar el aforo!”.

 

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Pero aún quedaba mucho que trotar. Pan Creativo Artesano, de la mano de su dueño Fernando, deleitó a la manada con sus increíbles panes cocidos artesanalmente, hechos con masa madre, y mezclas tan explosivas como: tinta de calamar, Pedro Ximénez, espelta con semillas de linaza o pipas de girasol. ¡Se vieron colmillos masticando placenteramente por doquier! Y para postres, Las Galletas de Marta, deliciosas y decoradas a mano con mucho afán, duraron un soplido entre los dientes de algunos cuadrúpedos… para que digan que las bestias no son dulces. Poco a poco, estos agrados empezaron a enternecer la velada, mientras los músicos se preparaban para acabar de amansar a las fierecillas que aún rugían en exceso. Y así, dos gatos salvajes iniciaron a maullido limpio un repertorio variado con la intención de hacer disfrutar al inmenso rebaño. “¡Todo un acierto el que los miembros del coro Alameda estuvieran camuflados entre el resto de los asistentes!", maulló María G

 

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Esta locura feroz no cesó en dos horas y, desde luego, no hubiera sido posible sin el esfuerzo de Sargantana, Pan Creativo Artesano, Bodegas Vereda Real, Los Bigudíes de Rubíes y Las Galletas de Marta. Gracias también al coro Alameda por su nota musical, a Toni H por guardar la puerta del establo toda la noche con una sonrisa, y a María G por el maravilloso cartel que diseñó con gran dedicación para la fiesta. ¡Lo vamos a enmarcar de recuerdo! Y hablando de recuerdos… no podemos despedirnos sin unos hurras a nuestro maravilloso decorador y fotógrafo, Fran de Sousa. Podéis ver los momentos estelares de la fiesta inmortalizados por sus ojos digitales en nuestro álbum de Flick R, y leer las reseñas de los Yelpers sobre la fiesta.

Al parecer, no hubo animal durante la noche que no mostrara en su hocico una gran sonrisa... 

  Yocm

María Q

Responsable de Comunidad de Yelp Valencia 

 

 

All animals escaped from the fold, ran away from the farm and left the cages arriving in a non-stop race to the restaurant Sargantana, turned into a big jungle full of the most bizarre species of the natural world. Lizards, a “local” cow and its udders, zebras, tigers, snakes… even the Hootsuite bird, a fallero mussel and a dark bat, were waiting impatiently outside the monstrous charming venue, awaking the attention of every living being passing by on the street. What was being cooked inside the place made all creature instincts appear, as Gonzalo M said “a name and a Twitter nick was the only requirement to get through the doors and get all flashes on you from Fran’s camera, just as if you were in Hollywood itself”. The animal party was just ready to kick in Valencia!

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It was clear that the fragrances from Juanra’s appetizers (Sargantana owner) made salivate to the last fly! Meanwhile, among skins and lianas, wild animal cavity stomachs were searching for reinvigorating liquids. Bodegas Vereda Real gifted the most curious palates with white, rosé and red amazing valencian “excellent” wines, as Samuel M could test, and made with fruits pulled out straight from our vineyards. We had the chance to learn from Jesús and Pedro’s knowledege all details in that process. Then Ana, from Los Bigudíes de Rubíes hairdresser shop, showed some of her products and offered a beauty service in its business as a prize to the winner of one of the night games! 5 stars in Yelp go to Paz Nm, who perfectly explained the games to all the guests with an enormous smile (the only thing not camouflaged in her dress). So, wines up cheep down, María P claimed that all Yelpers “met again and there were many, many new faces even testing the capacity of the place!

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But there still was a lot of way to trot during the night… Pan Creativo Artesano, with its owner Fernando, presented artisan lovely bread with amazing textures and mixtures such as squid ink, Pedro Ximénez flavour, spelt flour with linseeds and sunflower seed baguettes. We saw canines and tusks chewing with quite energy everywhere! Eventually, as a dessert Las Galletas de Marta, delicious and perfectly decorated with love and effort, lasted just a few minutes in most of the four-footed animal snouts. Don’t even mention that beasts are not sweet! Little by little, all those enjoyments started softening the evening while the musicians got ready to calm down the pride. Two wild cats (recently escaped) began the show miaowing for a while, and then Alameda choir tried, with their voices and piano, to make the herd enjoy the music of varied works. "It was a wise choice to make the singers appear among the guests!exclaimed María G

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All this savage madness didn’t stop for two hours, and we have to thank that to all our sponsors of the night: Sargantana, Pan Creativo Artesano, Bodegas Vereda Real, Los Bigudíes de Rubíes and Las Galletas de Marta. Also thank you to Alameda choir for the musical note, to Toni H for guarding the stable door with happiness and to María G for the wonderful design of the party’s poster, we’ll put it in a frame for the memory! And speaking about memories… we can’t say goodbye without thanking all the splendid work to the decorator and photographer of the night, Fran de Sousa. Don't miss his great pictures and Yelper’s reviews from the event!

Apparently, no animal seemed to escape without a big smile on its snout… 

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 María Q

Yelp Valencia CM

 

 

January 22, 2013

Yelp's On Island Time: Elite Squad Event At Olympia in Galveston, Texas!

Part of Galveston Restaurant Week, the Yelp Elite Squad was invited to Galveston, Texas for its first ever Elite Event on the Island! It was a sunny Saturday afternoon on January 19th when 30 excited Elites and guests made way to Olympia, The Grill at Pier 21 for a fun fusion of Greek and seafood eats, refreshing bevs and spectacular views!

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There was generous buffet of Chicken Cordon Bleu, Salmon Crostini, Greek Salad, Shrimp Pasta, desserts and more – and the drinks were flowin’ with an assortment of cold beers, robust wines and potent Mango Wango martinis! And the views? We waved goodbye to travelers as two massive cruise ships headed out into the sunset!

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After the event, Galveston.com and Galveston Restaurant Week invited the entire group to Grand 1894 Opera House for more complimentary bites and bevs in conjunction with the #CelebrateDelicious instagram photo contest!

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Wanna hear what the yelpers are raving about?
Check out the event reviews – along with Olympia party pics! There's more Island action to come next week, so stay tuned!!!

SYOY,

Farrah A

December 21, 2012

It's Vodka O'Clock @ Theory Vodka Lounge in Seattle

What's cooler than hosting an end of the year blowout bash in the ever-exclusive Theory Vodka Lounge? You guessed it - NOTHING! Decked out in their hippest holiday gear, Seattle's Elite Squad members piled into this ultra-hip bar as part of Seattle's biggest nightclub, The Social, and sampled a variety of lovely vodka-laced cocktails all night long

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Representing a variety of premium flavored vodkas, Belvedere Vodka sponsored the event and combined with the creativity of the bar staff at Theory, guests were treated to three stunning samples of cocktails. And for when that pesky line got long no one was too shy to take a quick shot of Belvedere Intense! Other flavors offered throughout the night included: Lemon Tea, Pink Grapefruit, and Black Raspberry

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With private booths, plenty of standing room, and dining areas surrounding the expansive vodka bar, guests could settle in comfortably to mix and mingle with fellow Yelp peeps. Holiday tunes helped to set the mood on this chilly night as each Elite yelper was gifted a brand spankin' new set of Yelp fingerless gloves. Among other treats were endless supplies of holiday candies, fun and funky 80's toys and treats, and best of all, delicious bites served straight from the kitchen of the bar. Samples of fresh food included: Meatballs with a cranberry relish, Salmon gravlox on toast with capers, pickled veggie canapes, sweet potato chips and some lovely seasoned popcorn.
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 But with all of the candy, food and liquor, there needed to be some balance to the evening! Our friends at Neuro helped "light it up" by offering generous free samples of two of their most popular flavored beverages, Bliss and Passion. Both of these lovely lightly carbonated non-alcoholic options helped keep guests energized and hydrated throughout the event.PicMonkey Collage6PicMonkey Collage8Were you among the fortunate few to attend our end of the year Elite bash? Read or write a review of the event by clicking here.PicMonkey Collage7Many thanks to our lovely photog friend, Sarah Lovrien for snapping some seriously sizzlin' pics at the event. Make sure to check out the complete photo folder by clicking here! These and other photos from Seattle's Yelp Elite Events can be found on our Official Flickr Page as well as our Yelp Seattle Facebook page.

Until next year, SYOY!

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Katy H
Yelp Seattle Senior Community Manager 

 

Buffalo Yelp Gift Wraps Your Stress Away

The holidays are just around the corner...and who has time to wrap gifts anymore? If the store you went to didn't do it for you and you're anything like me, by the end of the night you're left with scissors, tape and a night of potential frustration and awkward-looking gifts. Which is why, this year -- we made it easy with a Gift Wrapping & Massage Holiday Party which benefited Buffalo First.

By the end of the day, we donated over $350 in cash to Buffalo First and countless people came home with their gifts looking all snazzy. Big thanks to Rebecca D and Jody G for volunteering their gift-wrapping skills for the day. A big nod to Ashker's Juice Bar for letting us use their space, Eric Cornell for the wonderful massages and to Nickel City Graphics for producing a video of the event:

 

See you next year ---

Alex L
Community Manager, Yelp Buffalo

December 18, 2012

Los Élites de Madrid cantan villancicos en El Mentidero Café

Entonando un tuneado "25 de diciembre, brunch, brunch, brunch", alrededor de ochenta Yelpers se agolparon (literalmente) el domingo frente a las puertas de El Mentidero Café para disfrutar de "un local estupendo en un entorno envidiable y una oferta única en el Barrio de Las Letras" del que Fer A salió prácticamente encantado y del que Ana S destaca no solo "la decoración y las fotos de las paredes", sino también "la comida, muy abundante y muy rica". Entre sus preferencias el salmorejo, que también embaucó a Teresa A junto con "el hummus, los sorprendentes chupitos de gazpacho verde y las brochetas de frutas y queso fresco".

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Sebas A, que prefiere el dulce, se inclina más hacia "el roscón de Reyes y el yogur helado (goloso que es uno)", que vinieron de la mano de La Sorianita el primero y de YOY los segundos, que tuvieron un éxito sin parangón: Ángela R, después de la degustación de yogur helado, sobre todo tuvo ganas es de visitarlos.Collage 6

Aunque entre las estrellas de la tarde también hay que destacar "el cóctel de ron especiado con cerveza de gengibre y lima" con el que nos agasajó The Kraken Rum a través de Global Premium Brands, y que va a ser la estrella de la próxima reunión de amigos de Juan D, y que hizo las delicias de Yelpers tan experimentados como Jose Antonio P, quien lo encontró "muy sorprendente, sobre todo el regusto ligeramente picante del final" y que atribuye al jenjibre. Asimismo, también guarda buenas palabras para las fotos expuestas, obra de Alfonso Trancón, entre las que despunta, según él "una fachada con unas escaleras reflejadas que le daban una curiosa profundidad".

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Como siempre, agradecer a Yelpers y Élites que se acercasen el pasado domingo a compartir un par de horas con nosotros, así como a Mak, Quique, Rania, Elena, Sergio y Alberto de El Mentidero, a La Sorianita, a Joseph de Global Premium Brands, a Íñigo y Patricia de YOY, a Alfonso Trascón, a Ana López-Varela y a Mario San Segundo su trabajo y apoyo, sin los que este evento no hubiese sido posible. No olvides dejar tu reseña en la página del evento y echar un vistazo al set de fotos en Flickr.

¡Nos vemos en Yelp!

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Lolo R.

Responsable de Comunidad de Yelp Madrid

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Around eighty Yelpers came last Sunday to El Mentidero Café, in order to enjoy what Fer A describes as "a great venue in an incredible environment, with a unique proposal in Barrio de Las Letras", and from Ana S highlights "not only the decor", but also "the food, abundant and tasty". She has only good words for the salmorejo, something that Teresa A also loved very much, along with "the hummus, the astonishing green gazpacho and the fresh cheese and fruits skewers". Collage 5

Sebas A has always been more inclined to sweetness, so he prefers to talk about "the roscón de Reyes and the frozen yogurt" he was treated with. The first one came from the hand of La Sorianita, and the second came thanks to YOY, and was incredibly successful: after tasting their frozen yogurt Ángela R could not think about anything else but to visit them.Collage 1

But it's impossible not to talk also about the cocktail prepared with "spicy rum, ginger beer and lime" courtesy of The Kraken Rum through Global Premium Brands, which is set to be a highlight next time Juan D meets his friends. The cocktail also caught the attention of experienced Yelpers such as Jose Antonio P, who found it "quite surprising, specially the slightly spicy taste at the end". He was also surprised by the pictures shown in El Mentidero Café, a magnicent work by Alfonso Trancón. Collage 3

As always, I want to thank Yelpers and Elites to come and share a couple of hours with us, as well as thanking Mak, Quique, Rania, Elena, Sergio and Alberto from El Mentidero, La Sorianita, Joseph from Global Premium Brands, Íñigo and Patricia from YOY, Alfonso, Ana and Mario for their hard work and support. Without them, this event probably will not have happened. Do not forget to leave your review in the event page and take a look to the picture set on Flickr.

SYOY!

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Lolo R.

Yelp Madrid Community Manager

December 17, 2012

All That Glitters Is Gold: Yelp Houston's Gold Badge Bash

The Yelp Elite Squad closed out the year with a Gold badge bash – All That Glitters is Gold. Eighteen of Houston's brightest, most "senior" yelpers ventured to the upscale Triniti Restaurant for holiday cocktails – a beautiful spread of apps, and goodie bags!

For those who missed out, catch up on the reviews and the pics!

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Love & Yelp,


Farrah A
Houston Community Director 

December 07, 2012

Buffalo Gets Icey Hot At Dolci

A festive atmosphere was had at Dolci for the Icey Hot Holiday Extravaganza! While munching out on tremendous snacks, deliciously iced Flying Bison craft beer and hot mulled cider wine, Buffalo Elites casually raised over $450 for Buffalo First, a non-profit whose mission it is to create a thriving economy in WNY. How did we do it? We tapped into the love and exultation of spirit that we felt as we celebrated our Yelp comraderie at one of the coolest and oldest Caffe's on the Elmwood Strip: Dolci.

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Ever wondered what a local Flying Bison Blizzard Rock based bacon gelato tastes like? For Steve W, it was the food highlight of the evening as he yawps out how well it paired with "the Flying Bison beer," and the "bread crostini topped with the caprese salad and pesto, and roasted red pepper hummus salad crostini." Smita C confesses that she's "never had such tasty hummus before" and that this experience "could totally make me addicted." All the while, Nicole H was introduced to Dolci as a "fantastic lunch spot," and "a great rendezvous for a date!" Who's the lucky guy?

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Carl from Chateau Buffalo served delicious Holiday Hop Mulled Cider Wine, which Coralie B exclaims was "so delicious and so festive," while Six-String-Circus provided the mood music for the night. Lucky Yelp Elites who checked in to the event went home with a gift from City Dining Cards that Bethany M swears is the "the best gift you could ever give a yelper."

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From the bottom of our gelato-filled hearts and tummies, thanks to Dolci, Chateau Buffalo, Flying Bison Brewing, City Dining Cards and the Six-String-Circus for coming together in support of Buffalo First and Yelp. And who could forget Rebecca D, our lovely photographer for the evening and all-around crafty intern!

Check out the photo's on the Facebook page, the reviews of the event and click here if you're curious about the Elite Squad!

See you around town,

Alex-dolci

Alex L
Community Manager
Yelp Buffalo

November 24, 2012

Cocktail Workshop Elite Event Brasserie Appelmans

Yelpers drinken graag. Wie niet? Dus sloegen Yelp en Brasserie Appelmans de handen in elkaar en organiseerden samen een cocktail workshop in hun gloednieuwe bar voor de Yelp Elite's.

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De nieuwe bar van Brasserie Appelmans is een lust voor het oog, met een kijkdeurtje waar je met een paswoord kan werken, een draaiende boekenkast en een waanzinnig grote houten apothekerskast omgetoverd tot bar.

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De Yelpers waren zoals altijd talrijk en op tijd aanwezig en kregen een korte introductie van barman Yussef over de geschiedenis van alcohol. Het woord cocktail komt van hanenstaarten. Really? En toen begion het echte werk, Yussef legde de uitgelaten bende uit hoe je een mojito, een cosmopolitan en en James Bond 'Dry Martini' moet maken. Hierna moesten de Yelpers plaats nemen achter de bar in groepjes van twee of drie om dit koude kunstje zelf te proberen. Met succes! Ondertussen kregen de Yelpers heerlijke sjieke tapas. Na de cursus bleef de bende in de bar nog cocktails drinken en kunnen we zeggen dat dit event absoluut een groot succes was!

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Mijn oprechte dank gaat uit naar Bart Vandecloot en Kasper Stuart van Brasserie Appelmans en Absynthbar voor de geweldige workshop in hun nieuwe topbar! Barbara Zwerver voor wederom geweldige foto's en alle Yelpers voor hun grappige vragen en enthousiamse die avond, hun reviews spreken boekdelen!

Bart D =" Trapjes op, Yelp ballonnen volgen, en dan plots de weg kwijt....tot we stemmen hoorden achter een deur waar enkel een kijkraampje te zien was met daaronder de Yelp sticker : 'Kloppen'. Zogezegd zo geklopt, en er werd naar een heus paswoord gevraagd. Het was toen al duidelijk, hier komt niet iedereen binnen, hiervoor moet je Elite zijn :-)"

Joy A = "De cocktailworkshop heeft me enorm veel bijgebracht, van grappige 'cock-tail' anekdotes, tot ware gin, tequila en whisky feiten. En als je me nu vraagt wat het verschil is tussen twee strainsers kan ik daar gewoonweg op antwoorden. En toppunt: ik weet wat droog ijs is. O, en de Cosmopolitan, Cranberry Mojito (en gewone) en de 'Dry Martini' shake ik vanaf nu zo uit men mouw"

Jean-Pierre = "Eerlijk is eerlijk, we zullen thuis nog veel moeten oefenen, niet dat we daar tegenop zien, maar dank zij de handige map welke we meekregen zal dit zeker lukken.
Brasserie Appelmans heeft er een cocktailbar bij en we hebben het geweten"

SYOY

Maud N

Community Manager Antwerpen

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Yelpers love to drink. Who doesn’t? That’s why Yelp and Brasserie Appelmans put their heads together and organised a cocktail workshop for the Yelp Elites in the brand new Appelmans’ bar.
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The renewed bar looks amazing, with a little window in the door and a password to enter, a moving bookcase and a huge pharmacy cabinet transformed into a bar.

The Yelpers were numerous as always and perfectly on time and got a short introduction by bartender Yussef about the history of alcohol. The word cocktail is derived from a cock’s tail. Really? And then we really got started, Yussef explained the excited crowd how to make a mojito, a cosmopolitan and a James Bond ‘Dry Martini’. Then the Yelpers had to take place behind the bar in groups of two or three to try out on their own. Succesfully!
In the meantime we got served the most amazing tapas. When the workshop was finished the whole gang stayed in the bar to drink cocktails and yet again this event turned into a great success.
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My sincere thanks to Bart Vandecloot and Kasper Stuart from Brasserie Appelmans and Absynthbar for the great workshop in their new bar! Barbara Zwerver for the amazing pics and all Yelpers for their funny questions and enthusiasm, their reviews say it all!

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SYOY

Maud N

Community Manager Antwerp

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November 22, 2012

Los Yelpers de Valencia complementados en Disorder

“Una noche loca la tiene cualquiera”, habrá pensado más de un Yelper después de verse enfundado en su insospechado complemento durante nuestra primera fiesta Élite en Valencia. Pero ¿quién dijo vergüenza? ni la vieron ni la conocieron aquellos valientes que, con su atuendo peculiar, aparecieron durante la noche para disfrutar de una velada única entre los bigudíes y cepillos de rulo de una joven y moderna peluquería situada en el corazón de Ruzafa. Disorder brilló por su luz y espléndida decoración, al más puro estilo vintage, y así es como esta bonita pelu de barrio se convirtió, por un día, en el escenario de las locuras más atrevidas de los Yelpers. Si además lo que andabas buscando desde hace tiempo es ‘disordenarte’ la melena, Rosa G recomienda un paseo hasta allí sin dudarlo porque “sus dos peluqueras te aconsejan cómo hacerlo mientras disfrutas de un café en el sofá”.

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Como era de esperar, en la fiesta había muchos secadores… pero también "ca-bellos" pinchos aterrizados en las mesas de la mano de Restaurante La Reina, que deleitó a los invitados con unos bocados de foie y salmón ¡que nos pusieron a todos los vellos de punta! siguiendo su estela dorada de sabores vanguardistas y mediterráneos. Para regar estos manjares, Bodegas Aranleón presentó dos de sus vinos, uno tinto y otro blanco, llenos de personalidad y elaborados con los frutos de los viñedos de nuestra tierra, tal y como gusta a los Yelpers. ¡Qué sabor, qué colores e intensidades! “imprescindibles para poder completar la paleta de sabores de la noche”, como afirmó sin dudar Ana S

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La guinda del pastel la pusieron, con gran esmero, las chicas de My Little Republic. Un dulce rinconcito de placeres de colores que parecía un bombonera sacada de un cuento de hadas. Al principio deba pena hasta tocar “esos dulzazos cupqueiquianos” como los bautizó Manolo L, pero los Yelpers adoran probar cosas nuevas y no se resistieron a llenar sus cuerpos de glucosa. Eso sí, al ritmo de la divertida música de DJ Juanvi, el artista musical del guateque yelpero.

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No queremos despedirnos sin dar las gracias una vez más a nuestros patrocinadores de la noche: Disorder, Restaurante La Reina, Bodegas Aranleón y My Little Republic; así como a Dj Juanvi, Juanjo que estuvo en la puerta toda la noche dando la bienvenida a los Yelpers y a Tito, que fue un gran apoyo antes, durante y después del evento. Sin todos vosotros no hubiera sido posible este primer encuentro Yelp en Valencia. Os invito a dejar vuestra reseña sobre el evento aquí y a reír sin parar echando un ojo en Flick r al album de fantásticas instantáneas que hizo Fran de Sousa durante la noche.

 

¡Que siga la fiesta!

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María de Quesada

Responsable de la Comunidad de Yelp Valencia

 

"Everyone might have had a mad night", thought more than one Yelper after discovering all the unsuspected accessories during our first Elite event in Valencia. But nobody should be blushed or embarrassed about it! No one seemed to be worried at all, and every single brave Yelper enjoyed the time playing around curlers and brushes in a young and modern hairdresser shop located in the heart of Ruzafa neighborhood. Disorder was conspicuous not only by its light and splendid decoration, but also because of its purest vintage style. And that is how this pretty local hairdresser’s became, for two hours, the scene of all our Yelpers lunacies. Besides, if you were looking forward to 'disordering' your look, Rosa G strongly recommended stopping by, because "the two owners give you advise about your hair while you are enjoying a cup of coffee on the couch".

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As expected, there were many hairdryers around, as well as delicious snacks waiting on the tables. Yelpers were treated with splendorous tapas from a local and Mediterranean business, La Reina Restaurant, consisting on fantastic foie and salmon that just made everybody’s hair stand on end. To go with these delicacies, Bodegas Aranleón presented red and white wine, both of them full of personality and elaborated with the fruits of our land vineyards, just as Valencians like! Such colours and intensities were so "essential in order to complete the palette of flavours of the night", as Ana S stated.

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The girls from My Little Republic put the cherry on the top very carefully, preparing the nicest sweet corner ever, all in pink and sugar, and apparently brought from a fairy tale. They worked so hard that at the beginning, Yelpers as Manolo L felt quite sorry eating those precious “sickly sweet cupcakes". But trying new things is one of their hobbies, so they couldn’t resist filling their bodies with such a top-quality glucose… obviously to the rhythm of DJ’s Juanvi music.

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Many thanks again to all of the sponsors that helped us in the party: Disorder, La Reina Restaurant, Bodegas Aranleón and My Little Republic; Dj Juanvi, who made people dance and enjoy the music, the photographer Fran de Sousa for capturing the magic of the evening in pictures (which you can see here), Tito for being such a great assistant and Juanjo for guarding the main door with a smile. Do you want to know more? Check the reviews and write your own here.

 

Don’t let the party stop!

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María de Quesada

Community Manager Yelp Valencia

November 12, 2012

Yelp's Passport to South Pasadena

Since Yelp is all about discovering unique, local businesses, we thought we'd take it a step further and highlight an entire neighborhood full of charming mom and pop shops. Enter: Yelp's Passport to South Pasadena. From October 25-Nov. 2, yelpers were found exploring every inch of the tree-lined, quaint area and not a parking ticket was found thanks to South Pas's lax parking policies. What's that? Free parking? Yes, it can be found in Los Angeles!

We kicked things off at a South Pasadena weekly staple, the Farmers' Market. This metro-friendly, community-driven activity encourages residents and visitors to connect with one another over live music, pupusas, BBQ, fresh produce, and other fun, artisanal finds. Those that stopped by the Yelp booth and flashed their check-in received a complimentary Yelp tote. A convenient and cool way to store all those purchased goodies! Yelper be nimble, yelper be quick was the motto the following day at an Intro to Sewing class with Common Thread, where guests learned how to piece together their very own coffee cozy while sipping on CalNaturale wine. One-of-a-kind designs can now be seen keeping coffee mugs at the appropriate temperature all over LA! Those in the area were also invited to drop in to De Milo Designs for a sneak peek at an antique press demo and scoop up a complimentary sustainable tote, as well. On Saturday, the South Pas Chamber and local merchants hosted an Art Walk featuring food trucks, specials, live music, and of course, art at participating businesses all along Mission!

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Sunday may be a day of rest, but some yelpers couldn't resist hooking up with SPACE for an Intro to Painting class where the still life subject was as sweet on the page as it was off... cupcakes! Yelpers channeled their inner artiste to create whimsical takes on a delicious classic. We beat the Monday blues with a Bfast for Dinner event at Mix 'n Munch. Cereal was adultified with cream liquers and gourmet grilled cheese samples graced passed trays, satisfying savory cravings. The Yelp Community was given a free day on Tuesday where they could visit the many South Pasadena businesses boasting check-in offers like Rejuvayou (complimentary facial peel), Buster's Coffee (complimentary coffee), Family Fair (free Pez dispenser and candy), and more! Before they went out trick or treating, little yelpers were given free gym access at Payke Gymnastics on Halloween. Another Farmers' Market came and went, but not without a special offer from Yelp and Common Thread. Anyone that stopped by the store received complimentary silk screening of a custom Yelp/Common Thread design!

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Friday was jam-packed with two TGIF rides at The Cycle Annex, where riders were able to burn off the stress of the week and get amped up for the weekend! Kidd's Jewelry Heist opened their doors on Friday night to a handful of ladies (and some gents!) for a DIY Jewelry Making sesh. The creative types dove head first into the charm chamber to assemble their dainty accessories while getting inspiration from the CalNatural wine! In keeping with the Yelp Gets Physical hype from Friday's ride, we joined forces with Arroyo Seco Racquet Club, iTennis, and F.A.S.T. for a hard-core calorie burning afternoon of cardio workouts, circuit training, and golf swing analysis. After working up a serious sweat, guests were treated to a mingling hour with complimentary burgers from Vagabond Grillyard, munchies from Pretzel Crisps, and refreshments like Raw Cane Juice, ZICO, and Hubert's Lemonade. The cool down portion was made even cooler with the sounds of The Ferocious Detours jammin' in the background. We also helped raise money for non-profit, Let's Teach. And finally, we closed off the 10-day week of events with an Election-themed closing party at Firefly. Patriotic guests were treated to white and red sangria, as well as endless bites including pork sliders, chicken tacos, hush puppies, and more (see more pics on the Yelp Los Angeles Flickr page thanks to Unboxed Images)! The outdoor tent-like vibe was perfect for the late afternoon event, and was made more magical thanks to Barry "Big B" Brenner bringing some serious blues/jazz to the mix!

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Thanks for all the businesses who participated in the promotion and to all the yelpers who helped spread the South Pas love from October 25-November 4!

Patriotic for South Pas,

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Katie B

LA East Community Manager

 

October 23, 2012

Denver Yelp's Secret Supper, er Brunch, at Pary's on 28th!

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon dozens of Denver yelpers gathered for the 10th installment of the Secret Supper Club, which was actually the first Secret Brunch meeting! Starting off the day right, Pary's on 28th served guests French Press coffees and bottomless mimosas. As everyone got settled in for the two hour meal the first course of Roasted Pear and Almond Pain Perdu was served. As Dale Z wrote, this sweet dish was rich and flavorful, assertive and tasty. Then the savory course allowed guests to choose between Crabcake Benedict (tons of crab with great flavor and fantastic crispy outside according to Shea S), Huevos Rancheros, or a traditional American breakfast. All in all it was a meal not to be missed!

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Be sure to check out the reviews and don't forget to book your seat at the table for a future Secret Supper before the end of the year. Until next time, SYOY (See You On Yelp)!


Tiffany N

Your Denver Yelp Community Director

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October 09, 2012

Elite Event: Sake Tasting & Sneak-Preview für neue Speisekarte im sansaro!

Mit dem Ende der Biergetränkten Oktoberfestzeit machte sich das Münchner Elite Team auf, um ein Elite Event der Extraklasse  zu erleben bei dem sich alles um das Getränk der Götter drehte: dem Sake!

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Alexander Reinelt, Gründer und Geschäftsführer von SUSHIYA, öffnete an jenem Abend zunächst exklusiv die Türen für das Elite-Team. Nach einer kurzen Vorstellungsrunde mit ein paar Hintergrundgeschichten über seine persönliche Verbindung zur japanischen Kultur sowie zur Geschichte des Restaurants sansaro, führte er uns mit  absoluter Faszination und Hingabe durch die Welt des Premium-Sake. Vom Reis-Polierungsgrad und der damit verbundenen Qualität des Premium-Sakes bis zur Geschichte und der empfohlenen Trinktemperatur - Alexander ließ wirklich keine Fragen mehr offen. Hochprofessionnell wurden wir mit einem Hand-Out ausgestattet, auf dem wir alle Hintergründe zum Sake noch mal schwarz auf weiß nachlesen konnten.

Das war auch ziemlich hilfreich, so merkte der ein oder andere die himmlische Wirkung des Getränks der Götter doch schon recht zügig. :-) Hier durften wir von der trüberen Sorte namens "Dreamy Clouds" von der traditionsreichen Sake-Brauerei Rihaku, bis zum Top Top-Premium Sake Dassai 50 unsere subtilen Geschmacksnerven schulen denn diese werden bei den armoatischen Feinheiten des Sake tatsächlich gefordert. -2Die Elites staunten nicht schlecht, als wir neben den verschiedenen Premium Sake-Sorten eine Auswahl an warmen Speisen von der neuen Speisekarte serviert bekamen. Da die Speisen hier noch geheim sind, dürfen wir nicht viel verraten, außer....es tönte bei jedem Gang ein genüssliches "Mmmhhhh " und "Ahhhhh" durch den Raum.

Zur abschließenden Krönung gab es eine gemischte Sushi-Platte mit den altbekannten und verdammt leckeren Klassikern wie Hotate-Mayo-Maki mit Jakobsmuscheln. Daneben wurden uns vier neue Sushi-Kreationen vorgestellt, Maki mit Okraschoten, Buschbohnen oder Auberginen, sowie ein Nigiri mit Meeresche und Zitronenpfeffer.

Die Daumen gingen hier in jedem Fall nach oben und alle Stammgäste vom sansaro können sich bereits jetzt auf geschmackliche Feuerwerke freuen, die wahrscheinlich Anfang November auf der Karte stehen werden.

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Das Fazit des Abends: Alexander hat unglaubliche Passion zu dem Thema Premium-Sake bewiesen, die er uns authentisch und professionell mit viel Liebe zum Detail vermittelt hat. Davor hatten nur wenige wirklich Ahnung von Sake, aber jetzt dürften sich wohl die meisten von uns, auf das edle Tröpfchen und die damit verbundende geschmackliche Reise zu den Göttern freuen, wenn sie das nächste Mal ein japanisches Lokal betreten. ;-)

Und die Stammgäste und neue Gäste vom sansaro können sich wirklich auf großartige Neu-Kompositionen auf der Speisekarte ab November freuen! Um mal die Worte von Simone E zu verwenden: "Ein Elite-Event der Spitzenklasse, das mich wirklich sehr begeistert hat!"

Hier geht es zu den Bildern des Abends und hier findet ihr die Beiträge zum Event von der Münchner Elite.

Vielen Dank für euer tolles Feedback und den schönen Abend!

Eure Vee

Community Manager München

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 With the end of the beer drinking Oktoberfest time, the Munich elite team had the chance to experience an elite event, which was all about the drink of the gods: the Sake!

Alexander Reinelt, CEO and founder of SUSHIYA opened that night, at first exclusively the doors for the elite team. After a short introduction with some background stories about his personal connection to Japanese culture and the history of the restaurant sansaro, he led us with absolute fascination and passion through the world of premium sake. From the history about premium sake and the recommended serving temperature - Alexander left us with no more questions. We were provided with a hand-out, which gave us all background information on Sake.

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That was quite helpful, as one or the other, noticed the effect of the heavenly drink of the gods already quite fast. :-) Here we had a slightly gloomier sort, called Rihaku "Dreamy Clouds" to the top premium sake Dassaai 50 where we were testing our subtle taste buds, because these are actually required in the subtleties of sake.

The Elites was quite amazed when a selection of hot dishes from the new menu was served next to the premium sake. Because the food here is still kind of secret, so we can not reveal much, except .... you could hear a "Mmmhhhh" and "ahhhhh" in the room.

For the final coronation, there was a mixed sushi plate with the well known and damn delicious classics like Hotate Mayo Maki with scallops. Besides four new sushi creations were presented: Maki with okra, green beans or eggplant, and a nigiri with lemon pepper and sea ash.

The thumb went up here in any case, and all the regulars sansaro guests can already look forward for these new creations that will be on the menu in November.

The conclusion of the evening, Alexander has shown incredible passion on the subject premium sake, which he shared with. And i am sure that all of us are looking forward to the the gustatory trip to the gods when they enter a Japanese restaurant next time. ;-)

And the regulars and new guests from sansaro can really look forward to great new compositions on the menu in November! Just to use the words of Simone E: "An elite top class event that has me really excited!"

Find the pics of the event here, and check out the reviews from the elites here.

Thanks for your great feedback and the great evening!

Vee
Community Manager Munich

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October 08, 2012

Los Yelpers de Madrid, gatos y revueltos en Revoltosa

¿Por qué a los madrileños se les llama gatos? Pues hay infinidad de teorías al respecto, así que nadie lo sabe muy bien. Pero era inevitable que contando con el fantástico espacio de Revoltosa, lleno de sillas vintage, vajilla de Duralex, dibujos de gatos y con ese nombre tan castizo que tanto suena a zarzuela, no podíamos hacer otra cosa que no fuera convertir a nuestros Élites en auténticos gatos, sin importar de dónde procedieran. Revoltosa se convirtió, por tanto, en una gatera que Ana H define como "un sitio genial para tomar el vermú un sábado o un domingo por la mañana, al sol".

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Pero por muy agradable que sea el astro rey en la terraza de Revoltosa, los humanos por desgracia no hacemos la fotosíntesis. Así que no solo la taberna que nos ocupaba, sino también una de sus hermanas (Olé Lola) se encargaron de alimentar a los asistentes a base de todo tipo de delicias entre las que muchos destacan unas croquetas que, para Joy F, han desbancado a las de sus progenitores: "lo siento abuelita, pero te van ganando (y por mucho)". Y para refrescarnos, nada mejor que un vermú o una buena Madrid Lager cortesía de Cervezas La Virgen, que la misma Joy F destaca por estar "hecha con mucho cariño y amor (además de lúpulo, cebada y agua de Madrid) aquí, en nuestro querido Madrid. POR FIN".

Foto 2El toque dulce vino de la mano de Lise & Leti Homemade Cookies, que agasajaron a los Yelpers con unas galletas frente a las que Sebastián A hubo de contenerse: "solo voy a decir que no comí más porque me daba vergüenza". Aunque para Alfonso L la ambientación musical también fue un tema destacable, con una selección "que alguno podría calificar de antigua, pero que le daba un aire diferente y hasta sofisticado al evento". Por cierto, ¡que tenemos que ir organizando el siguiente!

Foto 1Desde aquí, queremos volver a agradecer a nuestros patrocinadores que hicieran de la hora del aperitivo de ayer uno de los mejores momentos del mes e incluso del año: Revoltosa, Olé Lola, Cervezas La Virgen, Lise & Leti Homemade Cookies, Lois Casino DJ e Hijomía. No olvidéis dejar vuestra reseña sobre el evento o echarle un vistazo a nuestro set de fotos en Flickr. ¡Os van a encantar!

¡NOVEY!

Lolo

Lolo R.

Responsable de la Comunidad de Yelp Madrid

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So, why are the Madrilians called cats? There are thousands of theories about that, but nobody knows for sure. So it was mandatory that, as we had the fantastic space of Revoltosa, filled with vintage chairs, Duralex dinner services, draws of cats and with that name that sounds very much like zarzuela, we could not do anything else but to turn our Elite Squad into cats, making Revoltosa a cathole that Ana H defines as "a perfect place to have vermouth on the Sun on a Saturday or Sunday morning".

Foto 3But as great as Revoltosa's terrace is, humans do not photosynthesis. So Revoltosa and Olé Lola treated Yelpers with some delicacies such as the croquettes that ousted the ones that Joy F's grandmother prepares: "I'm sorry grandma, but they're beating you (by far)". And in order to refresh the ambiance, nothing better than a vermouth or a good Madrid Lager courtesy of Cervezas La Virgen that the very same Joy F stresses as a beer "made carefully and with lots of love (besides hop, barley and Madrid water) here, in our dearest Madrid. AT LAST!". 

The sweet part of the event was featured by Lise & Leti Homemade Cookies, and Sebastián A declares that he had to hold himself: "I'm just going to say that I didn't eat more of those because I felt ashamed". Alfonso L also wants to speak about the music selection "some people may say it was somehow old fashioned, but it truly gave the event a different and more sohpisticated ambiance". By the way... we should start preparing the next one!

Foto 4Once more, huge thanks for our hosts and sponsors for making this time one of the greatests moments in the month or even the year: Revoltosa, Olé LolaCervezas La Virgen, Lise & Leti Homemade Cookies, Lois Casino DJ e Hijomía. Don't forget to leave your review on the event page and take a look to our picture set on Flickr.

SYOY!

Lolo
Lolo R

Yelp Madrid Community Manager

September 28, 2012

Yelp Denver's September Secret Supper at The Corner Office!

On a Monday night, 60 adventurous eaters gathered at The Corner Office Restaurant and Martini Bar for the 9th installment of Denver Yelp's Secret Supper Club! Diners were greeted with a blood orange and champagne cocktail while sitting down to look over the menu each table would be sharing family style.

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That menu consisted of some exciting and delicious options starting with Crispy Frog Legs (with preserved lemon and garlic aioli) and a Milk, Honey and Bibb salad (with goat cheese, frisee, candied walnuts and honey vinaigrette.) Next up on the menu folks indulged in Shrimp and Grits that were more reminiscent of a paella what with the mussels, shrimp, and pork belly included in the dish and a Roasted Chicken Lyonnaise with confit potatoes, roasted chicken jus and haricot verts. And the final course of 3 layers of sponge cake, chocolate mousse and fresh raspberry jam left nary a crumb on anyone's plate. As Claire C put it, it was a "wonderful dinner, lovely evening, and we really had a terrific time."

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Be sure to check out the reviews and photos. And don't forget to book your seat at the table for a future Secret Supper before the end of the year. Until next time, SYOY (See You On Yelp)!


Tiffany "Eating All Your Bites" N

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Your Denver Yelp Community Director

 

September 19, 2012

Yelp Seattle EE @ Veggie Grill

Seattle's Elite Only Dinner @ Veggie Grill was a healty and hearty party we simply could not say no to. This adorable hot spot in booming Seattle 'hood, South Lake Union featured a bounty of free and fabulous appetizers, a dessert course, and in between, each guest was able to order an antire free entree of their choice! With more than 20 options to choose from, we were about as spoiled as we could get. 

PicMonkey Collage11Sitting at three large communal tables, this Elite only event offered our special guests time to get to know one another and sit next to, and across from some brand new friends. During the appetizer portion of the event every guest was handed a "Fun Fact Bingo Card" that contained information about fellow Elite members. The first three guests to meet all of the guests at the event and learn a fact about every one was given a $30 gift card to use on a return visit. Pretty swagtastic!

PicMonkey Collage22Thrilled to have hosted this dinner party, everyone had a chance to familiarize themselves with Veggie Grill's unique concept and enjoy their delicious American food. Buffalo Wings, Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’ Sandwiches, All Hail Kale Salads, and Macaroni and Cheese were among just some of the items spotted during dinner.

PicMonkey Collage33With unlimited iced tea offerings, lemonade, beer and wine, it was a ton of fun for everyone! As part of this 'Chickin Challenge' one of the best parts of the evening was witnessing people's faces as they tried some new foods. Veggie Grill boasts only 100% plant-based foods. No meat. So guests just had to taste it to believe it! And are we believers now? Heck yeah! To check out reviews from this event or to contribute one of your own, please click here:

Photos from the event can be found on our Yelp Flickr Page in the Seattle folder.

A big thanks to Veggie Grill. We look forward to your second location at U-Village coming soon!

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Katy H
Yelp Seattle Senior Community Manager 

August 15, 2012

Yelp Celebrates Palisade's 20th Bday!

Palisade is turning 20 this year, so what better way to celebrate than by hosting a fab Elite Event for the Seattle Yelp Elite Squad? With a carved-ice Absolut martini luge, an assortment of wines, a Hawaiian dance performance, seafood platters atop beds of dry ice, a champagne toast and a beautiful blue birthday cake, you'd think that was enough right? But no! PicMonkey Collage1
It couldn't have been a lovelier day in Seattle. This over-the-top indoor/outdoor event allowed for Elite members to tour the Alani Room, an event space adjacent to the restaurant, and enjoy some cocktails in the courtyard. With gorgeous views of the marina we had an and additional hour of meet and greets where guests got to meet the staff of Palisade, check out the restaurant, take a seat and soak it all in while munching on fresh sushi bites and cake with champagne. Food included AK spot prawn top hats, halibut ceviche, and Hawaiian ahi poke. Yum!PicMonkey Collage4PicMonkey Collage3After a full two hours of awesome, many guests stuck around to stay and pay for more. With food, drinks, views and weather this good, it was sure hard to leave! Outfitted with coupons for complimentary apps, the generosity of Palisade was reflected in all of the glowing event reviews. We sure hope they invite is back again to celebrate 40 years!PicMonkey Collage2
To read or write a review of the event click here

Photos taken by our friend and Yelp photog, Carlos Zamora from Losif Photo. To see more photos please check out the Yelp Flickr Page or our Yelp Seattle Page.

See You On Yelp (SYOY!)

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Katy H
Yelp Seattle Senior Community Manager 

August 11, 2012

Yelp ­­­­­­­Greater Toronto Area Gets Lucky @ Dub Linn Gate Irish Pub

Some find luck at the end of a rainbow, others by rubbing a coin or stone (or an unsuspecting Community Managers beard), and some even get lucky after a night at the bar. This Thursday as the clouds hung low, the newly formed Greater Toronto Elite squad (aka The GT-A-Team) and their +1’s found luck in every nook and cranny of Yelp’s a Lucky Charm Elite Event @ Dub Linn Gate Irish Pub.

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As yelpers arrived at Vaughan’s Dub Linn Gate Irish Pub in their festive greens they were directed to the privacy of the Stone Pub where they were treated to a bevy of beverage options including: Moosehead Lager tall cans, chilled pints of Somersby Apple Cider and Josephine Cloved the green drink ’Dub Linn’s 50 Yelps of Green’ “a specialty Diagio Vodka Cocktail.

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After properly hydrating in true Irish fashion, Yelpers were presented with a feast of Irishman’s bread, chicken wings, fries, veggies, spring rolls, nachos, and chicken balls – a mere taste of Dub Linn Gate’s outstanding appetizer menu. According to Anastasyia REverything was hot and fresh (except for the veggies obvi).

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To start the night off, Elites new and old were tasked to “find your Lucky Charm” which required them to match their coloured charm with another so that they could receive a yelptastic limited edition prize. As they searched high and low for their charmed match over the course of the night, all were introduced to the fabled ‘Yelp-y Stone’ which required guests to meet someone new before passing it on to bring them the Luck O’ the Irish.

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Three charm-ing guests were the Lucky winners of the night’s prizes. Carlsberg provided two tickets to an upcoming Toronto FC soccer match, and while not to be out done Dub Linn Gate kicked in a $25 Gift Certificate AND an honorary membership into their famed ‘Mug Club’. Congrats to all!

 

A big thank you goes out to all our fantastic Yelpers for making this first event north of the Hwy 401 something memorable – we couldn’t do it without you! Last, but not least thanks to Alex from Alex Photography for capturing the night in all its glory! 

Check out the pics for yourself here and be sure to check out all the fantastic guests' reviews here.  

Want to jump on the list for next time? Find out how neat it is to be Elite.

Until next time, (See You On Yelp)

  Kris signature

Kris “Lord of the Leprechaun Dance” U.

 

August 09, 2012

Nashville Elites Medal At Gelato Olympics

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Many would argue that all eyes are on London for the 2012 Summer Olympics but Nashville Elites may disagree as the Gold, Silver, and Bronze were very prevelent at Bravo Gelato's Brentwood location last week. This exclusive challenge began even before the doors flung open with a heated gelato flavor concoction contest that brought out the wild, tasty, and spirited imaginations of our creative Elite squad.

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Prior to our arrival, Bravo Gelato founder (and of Christie Cookie fame) Christie Hauck and his specially trained staff secretly chose the top 6 submitted flavors and lovingly produced them so that the games could begin! As the guests arrived, nobody knew which flavors earned a spot to compete in the taste test of all taste tests but boy were they happy with the choices! Competing flavors included: Maple Bacon Bourbon, Lemon Sugar Cookie, Vanilla Rum and Coke, Blueberry Lavender, Salted Caramel Strawberry, and Tennessee Cold Toddy 

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To ease the competitive tension, Christie greeted everyone with a flute of Italian Prosecco while we wandered and checked out the competition. Sheena T couldn't contain her excitement at her first Elite Event, "The prosecco was free flowing, the gelato was fantastic, and the company was spectacular!" So how does an ex-Vanderbilt University footballer get into the sweets business? Do. Share. And that's exactly what he did. Patten F sets the tone quite nicely: "The night's festivities kicked off with Christie telling us the story of how he came to make the best damn white chocolate macadamia nut cookies this side of reality, how they decided to add gelato to the business plan and how they searched the world for the best flavors and committed to make the best possible gelato possible. My favorite moment of his talk was when he pointed out that since the milk comes fresh from local cows, the milk in your gelato on Friday was inside a cow on Monday." Locavores unite!

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Meanwhile, Joshua B multi-tasked by learning while he lapped up the tasty goodness. "I knew that Gelato was an Italian style ice cream. However, I learned a lot about what makes a Gelato a Gelato.  The fat content, the air content, the liquid content and the ingredients are some of the differences between standard ice cream and what was offered at Bravo Gelato."

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Without further adieu, the competition began with the lead gelato chef reading desciptions of each competitor that had Chris G in a tizzy because "the lady who wrote out all the descriptions did a really good job. The way she used words to describe things was highly impressive and in fact she can always get a job writing scripts for commercials!" The competitors than one by one took the floor to explain why they chose their concoctions to entice the room full of judges. Let the tastings begin! Jennifer N agrees that "the competition was fierce, and I have to say I loved each one but thought the winning choices were spot on!" Next up was the announcement of the 3 top flavors who were all awarded trophies and Bravo Gelato giftcards. Drum roll please... Bronze goes to recently elited Paul R for his Blueberry Lavender submission, Silver to Sara A for Salted Caramel Strawberry, and finally the Gold. Congrats to Kenzi N for her winning flavor of Lemon Sugar Cookie!

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As an added surprise, Christie and his team announced that all 6 Yelp flavors would be sold in all of their locations beginning the next day for a limited time! Sara A boasts, "I have told all of my friends to go to Bravo Gelato and taste my lovely flavor idea. It definitely makes me feel a tiny bit famous." Terry V couldn't believe all the suprises throughout the night. "For the finale, they created a peach bellini with prosecco!!!! I would have voted for that three times had it been on the form. It was amazing!" While perhaps Christian S wraps it nicely for us all,"The free pint of Lemon Almond ice cream and a coupon for a medium gelato to go were very much indicative of the attitude of the company that shined brightly the entire evening: Care about your product and the customer more than anything else, and you'll always leave them wanting for more." Mighty fine sentiment good sir and we couldn't agree more!

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Major thanks are in order to the entire Bravo Gelato family. We must also give credit where it's due as all images are provided by our friends at McNeely, Piggott, and Fox Public Relations who also helped organize this fun event. For the entire scoop, check out these stellar reviews.

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Although the Gelato Olympics Closing Ceremony has come come and gone, I can assure you this is just the beginning of a beautiful friendship... Cheers!

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Marcia M

Yelp Nashville Community Manager

 

August 07, 2012

Yelp Gets MAE'd @ MAE in Jersey City!

Yelp New Jersey's Elite squad kicked off the month of August with a Sunday funday for the books! Yelpers gathered at MAE in Jersey City for an afternoon buzz of New Orleans jazz, some tasty fare and copious amounts of craft beer and cocktails. To start the afternoon off right, MAE's mixologists were whipping up "The V-Neck" featuring Deaths Door Gin, Thai bitters, fresh basil and lemon as well as "The Drink Without A Name" using Tito's Vodka, fresh lemon, cilantro, celery and egg white. For those laying off the hard booze, New Jersey Beer Company was on site with their three year round beers on draft. Lina K, at the bar, almost forgot about the food: "The 'Drink with No Name' was delicious but the basil gin drink blew me away. I have never been much of a gin drinker but, the basil was soooooo good."DrinkCollageBefore the guests could snap their fingers, starters began to flow: cauliflower fritters served with a maple syrup drizzle and a smear of spicy mayo, deviled eggs with chives, bacon and topped with Turkish pepper, lamb belly with citrus yogurt dressing and caramelized grapefruit and an eggplant crostini. Deborah D's fav was definitely the lamb belly which Miss D describes as "OMG amazing - it was skewered with a grape half, a bit of lettuce, and a drizzle of creamy sauce."

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After a great welcome from the owners of MAE, the guest of honor was brought out. A full roasted pig. Wing L channels his inner Gollum, "Get in my belly, my precious little Lechon." While Denise C tells us about her pigxperience: "The skin was crisp, there was a beautiful layer of fat under, and the meat was moist and tender. We even got a bit of cheek and brain." Every Saturday MAE holds it's own pig roast where for $20, one can eat as much pig as their bellies can consume. If that's not enough, sides and a beer are included. MAE wanted Yelp Elites to see what a weekend is really supposed to look like and we think they did a very good job.

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Red more about the event through the eyes of an elite here. Want to see more piggy pictures? Check out the MAE Elite Event album here

August 05, 2012

Yelp's Belltown Beauty Crawl - A Ladies Only EE!

Once in a blue moon it's nice to have a ladies night. So in Seattle we did just that!

50 lucky ladies were selected to hit the town on our Belltown Beauty Crawl. Visiting 3 businesses in Belltown we were fortunate to get the chance to drink and dine at The Upstairs, receive free beauty treatments at Milagros Salon & Spa and shop till we dropped at Sell Your Sole, a chic vintage boutique. It was a trifecta of fun!PicMonkey Collage1Hiding from the summer heat we were treated to fresh and fancy St. Germain cocktails by master mixologist Mike of The Upstairs. Small and scrumptious bites were provided by Pintxo. The shrimp platter was so good it was gone in just a matter of minutes!

At Sell Your Sole ladies were treated to a 10% discount off purchases, advice and shopping assistance from a personal stylist and some bubbly and light apps

And if that wasn't enough Milagros Salon/Spa really outdide themselved too. The fine folks here were prepared to offer each guest two complimentary mini treatments. Betweeing brow waxing, hand treatments, foot soaks, bang trims, lip wax, and dry styling it was so tough to decide!

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For reviews of the event or to write your own, click here!

Photos of the event can be found on the Official Yelp Flickr Page as well as our Yelp Seattle Facebook Page.

Until next time,
SYOY! 

KatyGlasses
Katy H
Seattle Senior Community Manager 

Yelp's Wild West Event @ 8 Oz Burger

It was all about hellos and howdys at Seattle's 8 Oz Burger Bar. After a month without any Elite Events it was time for folks to gather their wackiest Western gear and mosey on down for bites, beer and badassery! PicMonkey Collage48 Oz was fixin' to feed our fine folks sautéed bacon brussel sprouts, smoked salmon deviled eggs, Kennebec fries and a variety of 8oz sliders. It was sure a meat-heavy hoedown! 

Adding a little somethin' special to the event, we had a custom-made Yelp branding iron! Used only in the kitchen by 8 Oz staff, it sure was fun to see the end result. Lots of adorable sliders with Yelp bursts on the bun. 

Sponsored drinks by Emerald City Beer, there was plenty to go around! On tap was their special 8oz Lager as well as a brand new beer, the Ivana Pale Lager. 

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Photos of the event were taken by our talented friend Carlos Zamora of Losifphoto.

See more photos on our Yelp Flickr Page and our Yelp Seattle Faceook Page.

Haven't had a chance to review the event? Read or write reviews here! 

Until next time,

SYOY

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Katy H
Yelp Seattle Senior Community Manager




 

June 04, 2012

Yelp's A Zoo: Seattle Yelpers Have A Wild Time!

Lions and tigers and bears, oh Yelp! For the first time in Seattle Yelp history, the month of May offered the entire Yelp community a chance to check out one of 4 animal-themed events. Hosted at the Fred Wildlife Refuge, it sure proved to be a wild month! With face painting, flavor tripping, massages, food, drinks and photo booths galore, even the DJ dressed as a zebra didn't seem so crazy with all of the madness going on. Safari

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And because Seattle is home to more Non Profits than almost any other city in the country, it made sense to pick a local cause and raise money for. Selected as the beneficiary for the events was local NPO, The World Is Fun. With free admission and free food, we simply asked that guests pay just $1 per adult drink. Thank goodness we did because over the course of the four events Seattle's Yelp community raised more than $3200!BannerJungle frogboxForest

Making each event a smashing success wouldn't have been possible without the help from our participating sponsors: Soul'd Out Events, Wing Central, Mberry, The Triple Door, Ninkasi Brewing, Captain Morgan Black, Crown Royal Black, St. Germain, Tanqueray, Fentiman'sTapena Wines, Freixenet, PopChips, Honest Tea, Wild Ginger, Koral Bar, Smirnoff, Ketel One, Kind Snacks, Psoup Productions, Frogbox, Emerald City Beer, Uber Seattle, Z Tejas, and the Fred Wildlife Refuge.

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From a Safari Party to an Under The Sea Adventure, a Jungle themed-event and a foray into a Magical Forest, it was sure a month to remember!Sea sould PicMonkey Collage
If you attended one of our events, please consider contributing a review if you haven't already. Click on the following links to read/write reviews:

Yelp's Safari party

Yelp's Under The Sea Adventure

Yelpin' In The Jungle

Yelp's Magical Forest

Capturing all of the madness was only possible with help from our fantastic photographer friends. A big thanks goes out to Carlos ZamoraSarah Lovrien, and Jeff Scott Shaw.

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To find the rest of our photos check the Official Yelp Flickr Folder for Seattle. You can also find photos and info about upcoming events on our Yelp Seattle Facebook page and via our @Yelpseattle Twitter handle.

Until next time,
SYOY!
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Katy H
Yelp Seattle Senior Community Manager 

 

May 22, 2012

Yelp Madrid: ¡Viaje con nosotros! - Evento de Élite en El Site

A pesar de que el cielo amenazaba con aguarnos la fiesta pocos minutos antes de comenzar, 85 Yelpers vencieron el miedo a la tormenta y se personaron en El Site, ávidos de conocer más detalles sobre la promoción que, durante esta semana, promete remover los cimientos del barrio de Malasaña a través de catorce ofertas increíbles en catorce negocios alucinantes.

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Nada más pasar el control de seguridad, los Yelpers fueron recibidos por la tripulación de Yelp Madrid, correctamente vestidos para la ocasión y dispuestos a que todos los asistentes se abrochasen sus cinturones para disfrutar de una noche… ¡repleta de turbulencias!

Pese a ellas, los Yelpers pudieron disfrutar pronto de un magnífico servicio de bebida a bordo ofrecido por The Gin Club a través de Larry's Gin, y por The Beer Club con la cerveza Sandels 3,5%. Ana H reconoce que "las copas estaban estupendas" y ha descubierto que la cerveza es "muy de su estilo". 

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Pero como no solo de bebida vive el Yelper, La Bombonera deleitó al pasaje con "deliciosas fresas y uvas bañadas en chocolate" —en palabras de Asunción V, que también destaca lo bien que maridaban con la ginebra Larry's—. Asimismo Julián, el barquillero, aportó según Claudio M "un detalle típicamente pichi que añade un plus a los siempre divertidos momentos que pasamos en estos encuentros mensuales".

2Por si todo esto fuera poco, las chicas de The Suitcase nos prestaron algunos de sus magníficos tocados para hacer nuestro photocall aún más glamuroso, mientras que Graceman se encargaba de la música a bordo, aplicándose a los platos, e Hijomía capturaba los mejores momentos de la fiesta a través de su obturador, creando un magnífico álbum de fotos vacacional que se puede consultar en nuestra página de Flickr. ¡Nos hemos quedado con ganas de más! Pero antes de la siguiente, deja tus impresiones en la página del evento. Y si no pudiste asistir, ¡no te olvides de descargar tu copia del Pasaporte Yelp a Malasaña!

¡NVEY! (¡Nos vemos en Yelp!)

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Lolo R

Responsable de la Comunidad de Yelp en Madrid

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Even though the sky was threatening with a big storm right before the start, 85 Yelpers defeated their fear to the thunders and lightings and made it to El Site, willing to know more details about the promotion that, during this week, is going to rock Malasaña through fourteen awesome offers in fourteen incredible businesses.

Right after passing through security check, the Yelp Madrid Cabin Crew, properly dressed, welcomed all the attendees and warned them to fasten their seat belts in order to enjoy the night, as weather conditions… could certainly bring some rough air to the party!

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Anyway, soon enough the cabin crew was able to pull out the inflight catering, and Yelpers were treated with exceptional drinks. For starters, Larry's Gin, courtesy of The Gin Club, and following Sandels 3.5% beer by The Beer Club, two amenities that Ana H recognize as "very stylish and just incredibly awesome".

2bBut Yelpers do eat between drinks, and the passage could also enjoy an assortment of "delicious strawberries and grapes coated with chocolate" made by La Bombonera which, as Asunción V points, "paired perfectly with Larry's Gin". Likewise, Julian, our very own barquillero, contributed adding sweetness to the party through the traditional Madrid wafers, "a very Madrilian detail that was just added up to the always funny and amusing moments we share monthly", as says Claudio M

Just in case Yelpers hadn't enough, The Suitcase girls lent us some beautiful headdresses to fill our photocall with glamour, and Graceman was in charge of the inflight music, showing his great skills with the vinyls, while Hijomía put together a beautiful photo album that you can admire in our Flickr page. We are already looking for the next one! Please, do not forget reviewing the event on our Event Page and if you could not attend… please download your copy of the Yelp Passport to Malasaña!

SYOY!

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Lolo R

Yelp Madrid Community Manager

May 10, 2012

Nashville Yelps With Pour Taste!

Craft cocktail loving Nashville yelpers celebrated the newly launched mobile app with our near and dear friends PourTaste at Riverside Village foodie and adult beverage haven Watanabe.

Husband and wife duo Jon & Lindsay Yeager of PourTaste served up prohibition-era classics and modern and innovative, chef driven libations to our approving packed crowd. Jamie D was partial to the Ginger Lindsay. How could he not dig  Like "the snap of fresh ginger powered with Tanqueray" that "was the favorite for me and my +1." Meanwhile Ryan O  "started off with the Bulliet rye cocktail" and although he admits "I usually prefer my whiskey neat... you'll get no arguments from me about this drink. It probably helped that the ratio of booze to non booze was heavily titled towards the fun zone."

Watanabe's speakeasy vibe reminded us that we still battle the still staunch TN liquor laws so why not pump up our energy with a delicious array of food? Steph H "loved the ambiance, which is dark and moody without being creepy" and had "never seen such a intermixing" of an "Asian and Spanish spread!" What was her favorite? "The best cheese-stuffed dates I've ever had paired with delectable dumplings all on one plate? Heaven!" Yum. Claire B took notice that "the chef went out of his way to create unique and delicious food that kept me coming back for more and piling up little plates! I loved the smoked mackerel salad bites and the shrimp and mango crackers - oh so delicious!"

"HOLY SCHNEIKIES!" Jason S clearly can't hide his enthusiasm over the "many naughty delights for the meat eaters and for the veg heads" that included his faves: "chicken liver canapes, ceviche in the cucumber cups (best cup ever), some sort of delicious beef rolls, dates wrapped in what looked like serrano, and the sushi rolls." Did we stop there? Nope. "Oh man, and they had these great pineapple upsidedown mini cakes that were just a treat. There was so much more, and the presentation was gorgeous." Are we still noshing? Yup. "And later on after we had beaten the hell out of the buffet, they brought out some rice pilaf and wings." Okay, we're finally stuffed silly.

We also partnered up with neighboring non-profit Urban Green Lab who's mission is to catalyze a culture of sustainability - connecting past, present, and future generations through the sharing of experience and knowledge. Zim O was thankful to have had the opportunity to c"hat with a representative of the innovative Urban Green Lab. I hope to see much more of their project in the future. I think it will prove to be an addition to the city we can all be proud of."

And we couldn't help but blush when Kelly W shared that the event was "another shining example of how Yelp is shedding light onto businesses that may have gotten lost in the shuffle for Nashvillians trying to keep up with what our city has to offer."

Lastly, this event wouldn't be possible without Jon & Lindsay Yeager of PourTaste, Matt Charette and his outstanding staff at Watanabe, Dan Heller and the rest of the team at Urban Green Lab, Lipman Brothers along with Bulleit and Tanqueray, andJ. Bryan Dill for his mad photography skills!

Catch ya later!

Marcia M

Yelp Nashville - Sr. Community Manager

 

April 20, 2012

Yelp Chicagoland's Sweet Taste of India @ Viceroy of India

Curry. Spicy. Cool. No, we're not talking about a follow up TLC album here, we're talkin' 'bout the greatest Bollywood bhangra bash the 'burbs have ever seen!

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This past Friday, Viceroy of India played gracious host to 200 Yelp Elites and their plus ones at the boldest, spiciest, Sikh-est event to date, Yelp's Sweet Taste of India. Guests dusted off their saris, slammed samosas and Bhangra'd with the best of 'em, while Fox TV's Masterchef Suzy Singh was on hand to ensure Chicagoland's foodies were fed and full with such noteworthy items as chicken tandoori sliders, butter chicken and the crowd favorite, apple pie samosas. What did Cristie B have to say about Suzy 'sizzling' Singh? Homegirl's got some "seriously badass culinary skillzzz!"

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Once bellies were full, it was time to get on up and burn those calories – Bollywood style! Starting with a performance Erika C would describe as "hardcore, aerobically impressive, but still super cute" by a brother/sister bhangra duo, and followed by an interactive instructional lesson that left the crowd out of breath and full of energy. Not long after, the crowd practiced their new moves and baati rocked it to the untoppable+unstoppable grooves of six time Elite badge stunna, DJ Nikki C (otherwise known as DJ Zooey Deschanel), where everything from Gaga to Gujarati was game and even left 2012 Elite Kymberly J wondering, "Does he have any CDs or downloads I can buy? That dude's got skills!"

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For those who preferred to spend a little more time digesting their daal than getting a dosa dancing, #1 intern and artiste Dana G was on hand (literally) to mehndi the men and women of Chicagoland's Elite squad one by one, while Jeannie O and co. stood the line, sipped on SmartWater and a seemingly endless supply of fresh mango lassi and vouched that it was worth the wait to get inked such a "fabulous artist." That's some hella henna, DG

Want to get curried away all over again? Have a mango lassi, er, look-see at some the action packed pics from Andrés DeLeón, candid clicks and posed portraits from the radient Ruthie M and the bevy of Taj Mahal themed booth shots coutesy of ShutterBox and worthy of wallpapering your personal palace. Want to hear what everyone else is saying? Check out all the 5 star reviews here!

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And when the night finally came to a close, guests were sent off sweetly with memories or muteer, mango kulfi and Viceroy gift certificates for all to come back and continue the party another day. Big thanks goes out to Viceroy and crew for the best Bollywood bash the 'burbs have ever seen! Viceroy, you really know how to throw a party like naan other.

SYOY! (See You On Yelp)

Candice G

Yelp Chicagoland Community Manager (& chief muteer forker)

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March 13, 2012

¡Yelp se rinde al burlesque en Madrid!

Nada hacía presagiar el hecho de que, el domingo por la tarde, nada más y nada menos que 91 yelpers se dieron cita en el Volta Café para disfrutar de la flamante fiesta 'Yelp se rinde al Burlesque', que como bien indica su nombre, estaba dedicada a este género literario y teatral y en gran parte inspirada por un espacio del que Fer A destaca "su decoración cabaretera y su tonalidad roja, en reminiscencia al Moulin Rouge". Para animar la velada y refrescar los gaznates de los yelpers, DisTinto se encargó de ofrecernos varios tipos de vino tinto y de vino blanco procedentes de diferentes partes de España.

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Aunque también hubo otras estrellas que brillaron durante la noche. La primera vino en forma del jamón ibérico de Los 3 Cerditos Ibéricos, pertrechado de un buen surtido de ibéricos, delicatessen, canapés de jamón y panes de diferentes sabores. Narices de cerdo mediante, fruto de un pequeño concurso para ganar una de sus cestas personalizadas, los yelpers tenían que elegir el tipo de pan, aderezarlo con alguno de los topping disponibles (aceite de oliva virgen, aguacate, salmorejo, mermelada de pimiento o tomate triturado) y después rellenarlo de la exquisitez ibérica presente en la sala. Sebastián A no duda de que fue un acierto: "no hay nada como recuperar un buen jamón ibérico para recordar dónde está lo bueno después de tanto sitio moderno y tanta experimentación". Muy buena acogida tuvieron también las empanadas de chocos y bonito del norte, cortesía de El Rincón de la Empanada Gallega que "volaron enseguida, lo que da una idea de lo ricas que estaban", asegura Ana S. Los propietarios del establecimiento también dieron a probar un exótico y refrescante té de algas de elaboración propia. 

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Pero no acabaron ahí las sorpresas de la noche. Nuestra DJ de excepción, Talbot, fue la encargada de darle al evento un tono aún más burlesque y cabaretero con una selección que encandiló a Ángela R "ha estado simplemente perfecta". La traca final se hizo esperar: los yelpers pudieron asistir a una exclusiva representación teatral en la que Mariona Tena y Miki Esparbé actualizaron al siglo XXI una de las escenas de 'Romeo y Julieta', para sorpresa de los asistentes.

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No olvides dejarnos tus impresiones en la página del evento y rememorar la noche gracias a las fotografías de Hijomía en nuestra página de Flickr. Agradecer, como siempre, la colaboración de todos los implicados en el evento: Alejandro y Stamos de Volta Café, Laura y Raquel de Los 3 Cerditos Ibéricos, Julio y Mirta de DisTinto, Lydia y Marcos de El Rincón de la Empanada Gallega, Mariona y Miki, Ginebra Talbot e Hijomía. ¡Hasta la próxima!

¡NVEY! (¡Nos vemos en Yelp!)

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Lolo R

Responsable de la Comunidad de Yelp en Madrid

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Whodathunk that on a Sunday evening more than 90 yelpers would set aside time to come out and join forces for a party? But it's no tough task if it's a Yelp event! Gathering together at Volta Cafe, these fine folks attended "Yelp's Bonkers for Burlesque" Elite Event, which as the name indicates, was all about burlesque. As Fer A highlights, "its cabaret-like decor with red-lit tones reminds me of Moulin Rouge!" In keeping with the fun theme the DisTinto winery provided a variety of Spanish red and white wines to satiate the thirsty guests.

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Of the many awesome elements throughout the night, the first came in the shape of cured ham by Los 3 Cerditos Ibéricos. With an additional assortment of Iberian products from the delicatessen like canapes and flavored breads, the event was off to a tasty start! Yelpers were encouraged to select a type of bread, season it with a variety of available toppings like olive oil, avocado, salmorejo, sweet pepper marmalade or even mashed tomato only to fill it with delicious chunks of ham. Sebastián A was in awe, "There is nothing like Iberian ham to to remind you of just how much labor goes into the most delicious foods." Yelpers were also treated with cuttlefish and tuna pie from El Rincón de la Empanada Gallega. "It was so good it flew off the plates" admits Ana S. And if it couldn't get any better, the pie came paired with a seaweed tea that the business owners make in house.

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Believe it or not, that's not all! Our incredible DJ, Talbot, gave the event a more Burlesque and cabaret vibe with a music selection that Ángela R just loved: "she was just perfect". But the spectacular finale was a performance of an more modern version of 'Romeo and Julliet' that Mariona Tena and Miki Esparbé performed exclusively to all the surprised yelpers. 

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Don't forget to comment on the event page, and to check out Hijomía's pictures on our Flickr page. And as always, we want to thank all of the people worked so hard to make this event happen: Alejandro and Stamos from Volta Café, Laura and Raquel from Los 3 Cerditos Ibéricos, Julio and Mirta from DisTinto, Lydia and Marcos from El Rincón de la Empanada Gallega, Mariona and Miki, Ginebra Talbot and Hijomía. See you at the next event!

SYOY!

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Lolo R

Madrid Community Manager

March 05, 2012

Yelp je Happy Landings @ Bar Bump

Het was nieuw. Het was een gaybar. Het was Yelp Je Happy Landings! Zondag 4 maart namen de Amsterdam Yelp Elites een vlucht in Bar Bump. Oh oh, kon elke zondag maar zo zijn... 

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Na een warm onthaal door het Yelp Stewardessen team, verzamelde iedereen zich in de Yelp Business Lounge en er werd genoten van een uiterst gezellige zondagmiddagborrel! Deze lounge was uiteraard speciaal voor de Elites gereserveerd zodat men lekker kon bijkletsen en genieten van alles dat Bar BUMP op de zondag te bieden heeft:

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Bar BUMP is een vernieuwende gaybar in de Kerkstraat! Het is open voor iedereen en zij introduceren een nieuwe manier van uitgaan: elke avond heeft een thema en we kunnen wel stellen, deze concepten zijn uniek! Van 'Sip & Shoot' op de woensdag, via 'Popcorn' (heerlijke cheesy muziek op donderdag en de 'Bumpies' rijden voorbij op rolschaatsen en delen gratis popcorn uit), naar de 'Happy Landings' op zondag. En hoe beter deze te organiseren dan voor de Yelp Elites! 

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Uiteraard kon een klein spelelement niet ontbreken! "It's not a show, it's a battle". Yup, de stewardessen Marlene XL en HOAX weten nu wat het is om een Drag Queen Trolly Race te rennen. De Elites werden in groepjes van 4 ingedeeld en moesten op voorhand gokken welke dame zij dachten die én de snelste tijd neer zou zetten én het beste een stewardessen-dansje op het podium zou uitvoeren. En dàt zorgde wel voor kleine commotie.

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Bar BUMP ontzettend bedankt voor deze heerlijke besteding van de zondag, jullie zijn echt uniek en vernieuwend in Amsterdam. Yelpers ontzettend bedankt voor jullie komst en voor altijd de goede en gezellige sfeer die jullie neerzetten!

Ziehier de foto's die gemaakt zijn door wonderfotograaf Dennis Veldman! Uiteraard vertellen de yelpers je hier wat ze er allemaal van vonden... Maar wat ik al in het gangpad hoorde:

Sophie T en Floor R konden er nìet over uit: "Ontzettend leuk en zo weer eens iets anders op de zondagmiddag!"

Loes B kwam niet meer bij: "Fan-TAS-tisch. Nee maar echt. Nee echt fantastisch." We hear you sister! 

Nogmaals, dank dank voor jullie komst en inzet allemaal. Ik heb genoten! Kon elke zondag maar zo zijn... 

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Philippine W - Community Manager Yelp Amsterdam

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"Good afternoon and thank you for flying Yelp Airlines", was a popular phrase during the Amsterdam Elite Event on Sundag March 4! Yelp je Happy Landings provided to be a new way to spend your Sunday afternoons in the city. The Amsterdam Elites gathered at Bar BUMP to experience something they had never done before! Food, drinks and onboard entertainment as it was a Sunday to remember...

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Bar Bump is a fun, energetic and innovative gay bar in the centre of Amsterdam. They're openminded; everyone is welcome, and they host unique party evenings: every day has a different theme, such as 'Sip & Shoot on Wednesdays (cocktails and shooters on sale), 'Popcorn' on Thursdays ('Bumpies' skate around on roller skates and handing out free popcorn) and 'Happy Landings' on Sundays! And what better way than to host it for the Amsterdam Yelp Elites!

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No Elite Event can be success without a little bit of a competition. We know our yelpers... This time, it was a little bit different: The Elites were divided into groups and had to bet who they thought would be the fastest and most dancinq Drag Queen. Yup, the Drag Queen Trolly Race is sure to become an Olympic category one day...

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Dear Bar BUMP, thank you so much for enlightening us! Happy Landings is a new, fun way to spend our Sundays. You have definitely showed us what your capable of... Dear Yelpers, thank you for attending the event and making all the Amsterdam Elite Events memorable, lively and your the best frequent flyers in our community!

Look at the magnificent photos of the talented photographer Dennis Veldman and check the reviews what yelpers had to say about this awesomeness!

Again, thank you ever so much and SYOY (See You On Yelp)!

 

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Philippine W - Community Manager Yelp Amsterdam

February 23, 2012

Yelp Denver's February Secret Supper Club at Olivéa

The second edition of Yelp Denver's Secret Supper Club saw almost 100 Denver food-lovers gather for two seatings at yelper-favorite restaurant Olivéa on Tuesday night. Attendees of the supper made new friends amid sharing a starting trio of arugula with pistachios, goat cheese, red onions, and beets; trout escabeche; and asparagus with meyer lemon vinaigrette for the first course.

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Next up, was a choice for the second course that included shrimp and calamari cioppino with yukon gold potatoes; house made cavatelli pasta: asparagus almond pesto, roasted tomatoes and pecorino; or braised berkshire pork cheeks with hazelnut picada and sweet pea puree. And the highlight of many meals was dessert of either chocolate and fleur de sel caramel tart with milk chocolate gelato and nougatine crunch or a lemon almond praline dacquoise from Pasty Chef Yasmin Lozada-Hissom, who was recently named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's Oustanding Pastry Chef Award.

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If you'd like to join us for the next event keep your eyes on Yelp Events for the announcement and save the date for March 27th. In the meantime check out the reviews for the recent Supper and the rest of the photos to see what everyone enjoyed and just what kind of fun eating out with strangers can be.

Hope to see you at the communal table some time in 2012!

Tiffany N

Denver Yelp Community Director

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February 12, 2012

Yelp Nashville Elites Mix And Mingle At Two Old Hippies

Many returning members of the Yelp Nashville Elite squad felt like Seniors on campus after enjoying a pretty stellar 2011 full of memorable moments. Did that stop them from welcoming the incoming (and very curious) Freshman Elites at our first Elite Experience at fabulous yet recently opened retailer Two Old Hippies? Of course not! "You just can't go wrong when you combine the smell of leather, hipster T-shirts for children, hilarious greeting cards, Yazoo beer and delicious treats on communion wafers in The Gulch. Loved it!" I'd say that yelper Elizabeth E dug it?

Elites arrived to the tunes of killer band We Have Needs performing on the snazzy TOH stage. Even musically jaded Kim Y had to admit that the entertainment was an "actually rockin' cover band which as we all know as Nashvillian's - we are usually MEAN to cover bands, ha!" Guests mingled, enjoyed refreshing beer and wine provided by our gracious host, and noshed on scrumptious bites from neighboring business The Turnip Truck Urban Fare. Plates were piled with Noble Springs and Kenny's Farmhouse Cheeses, Olli Artisan Salami, samplings of the seasonal organic produce, and hummus, along with pitchers of their top selling recipes from their juice bar. Lyndi S couldn't hide her excitement over the "delicious spread of fruits, cheeses, hummus and other assortments but what about the deliciously nutty Yazoo Dos Perros to wash it all down? And just try to keep me away from the Turnip Truck's juice bar, now!" Add in $10 Turnip Truck gift cards for all attendees and you have a happy bunch....

Brave Elites then took the stage and voted for the most Funny, Useful, and Cool reviews of 2011.
They nominated their own reviews and even read some from fellow yelper's. Highly entertaining. Three victorious winners who were voted the Elite's Choice (we used ballots!) won Two Old Hippies gift certificates valued up to $100 and braggin' rights of course! Sarah P shoots it straight: "The only fight that was picked last night was the throw down of hilarious yelp reviews. Word to the wise for the next yelp review-review contest. To win the hearts of the listeners select the most raunchy and profane because then people will vote for you! F-ing A." Congrats to yelpers Kim Y, Paul K, and Travis A for their theatrical stage presence and much deserved winning reviews. 

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 Sarah P even gives some advice on how to win for the next go around: "The only fight that was picked last night was the throw down of hilarious yelp reviews. Word to the wise for the next Yelp review contest. To win the hearts of the listeners select the most raunchy and profane because then people will vote for you! F-ing A." Meanwhile, newly transplanted Elite Amanda C was smitten with the prizes and shopping incentive,"the staff here were more than generous giving out gift cards for the FUC awards and the 20% off while shopping was a good touch." Shop on girl. Shop on! 

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We think that Justin R sums it up quite nicely, "This elite event was only for true rock stars! Some brews, some noshes, and some rock. What else could you ask for? How about a Yelp Review Showdown? Yeah, we did that too."

Heck. Yea. We. Did.

 

Until next time, SYOY!

 

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Marcia M - Yelp Nashville Community Manager

 

January 27, 2012

Yelp Seattle's Eastside Elite Dinner @ Your Local Market!

Check out these lucky-loos! A select group of super stoked Seattle yelpers recently received their shiny new 2012 Elite Badges and well, you know what that means... It was time to hit up Yelp Seattle's first Elite Event of the 2012!

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Kickin' it things off on the Eastside this January, Bellevue yelpers' bellies were stuffed with only the freshest and most fabulous food cooked right on-site at Your Local Market

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We know what you're thinking... An event at a supermarket? But wait! This is far from your average event. And even farther from your average super market or big chain store. In fact, the fine folks at Your Local Market host monthly charitable events, wine tastings and more. Think of a place where dancing in the aisles isn't just allowed, it's encouraged! And that's exactly what we did.

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As guests arrived they were greeted with the store's founders and key department managers, allowing for a fun face-to-face event.

Before taking a personal tour of the market and sampling a variety of locally made sausages, fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit juices, and even locally made chocolates, each and every guest was treated to a complete 4 course dinner. Good thing we told 'em to come hungry!

With each course paired with a wine, Elite members enjoyed Beecher's famous gougeres, marinated olives and crab cakes with field greens. And we haven't even gotten to the main course yet! Big platters of housemade Coq Au Vin with buttered noodles and green Beans Amandine were prepared for everyone as well. Some servings were so big that most folks took home to-go boxes! 

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Before their boxes were packed tight with awesome food there was yet another course of wine paired with enormous platters of dried fruits, nuts and artisan cheeses and crackers

But what's an event without a platter of gorgeous scratch-baked French macrons in a rich chocolate flavor and a passion fruit flavor?! 

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Read the rave reviwes here! Haven't written yours yet? Don't forget to tell us what you thought!

Photos of the event can be found on our Official Yelp Flickr page
Until next time,

SYOY! 
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Katy H - Yelp Seattle Senior Community Manager

 

January 25, 2012

La noche para llevar: café y bicis en Madrid

El primer Evento de Élite de 2012 en Madrid ha intentado ser una propuesta diferente, centrada en un concepto de negocio muy concreto y francamente novedoso en nuestra ciudad: café y bicis. Es por eso que se llamaba "La noche para llevar: Café & Bicis", porque eso es precisamente lo que promueven Santiago y Patricia, los propietarios de Toma Café, nuestra primera parada en un Evento Élite más movido de lo normal. Allí, Santiago y Patricia, en compañía de sus baristas, Miguel y Ana, recibieron a los yelpers con enormes cantidades de café y teína, acompañadas de un delicioso brownie con el que muchos de nuestros yelpers aún se relamen.

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Pero hemos aprendido más cosas alrededor del café. Probablemente todos los asistentes se hayan levantado con un aroma muy especial en sus casas, el aroma de un paquete de café recién molido con el que Santiago y Patricia han querido obsequiar a nuestros yelpers. Y muchos de nosotros hemos salido de allí sabiendo algo de lo que hasta hoy no teníamos ni idea: cuando está bien hecho y la leche fresca está bien vaporizada, no es necesario echar azúcar al café, porque la leche le da dulzor suficiente. Muchos incrédulos hoy tenían los ojos como platos al comprobar que era una realidad.

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No han faltado los dulces, en forma de deliciosas cupcakes y mini cupcakes, por parte de Cupcake Madrid. En el caso de Toma Café, estaban decoradas con tazas de café. Y en el caso del segundo negocio que hemos visitado en esta noche itinerante, Ciclos Noviciado, estaban decoradas con bicicletas. Para refrescar el gaznate, los yelpers han podido disfrutar de vodka de tres sabores: mora, fresa y caramelo.

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Es probable que otra de las cosas que los yelpers recordarán siempre de su experiencia en Ciclos Noviciado sea la suerte de TED Talk que Andrés, uno de los dueños, ha dado —en pequeños grupos— en el local primigenio en el que se ubicaba el negocio, una especie de buhardilla-almacén que aún a día de hoy sigue siendo el taller de esta tienda, donde Andrés y sus compañeros fabrican con mimo, cariño y muchísima paciencia bicicletas a medida de sus futuros conductores, haciendo que Madrid sea, cada día, una ciudad más ciclable y poniendo los dientes largos a más de uno de nuestros yelpers, que está deseando hacerse con una.

¡No olvides comentar la página del evento! Si quieres ver más fotos, están todas en Flickr.

NVEY!*

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Lolo R - Responsable de Comunidad de Yelp en Madrid

*¡Nos vemos en Yelp!

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The first Madrid Elite Event of 2012 has finally happened and what a success it was! In celebration of a New Year, we thought we'd put a little twist on things by celebrating a hot new business. The focus for this new event was coffee and bicycles. Calling it "Take Away Night: Coffee & Bikes", we wanted to focus exactly what Santiago and Patricia, Toma Café owners, promote in their business. Together with their baristas Miguel and Ana, yelpers were treated to huge amounts of coffee and theine, to pair with a delectable brownie worthy of licking your lips!

Learning lots about coffee and it's production, it's safe to say that most every yelper who attended the festivities woke up the following morning to the smell of a special blend of recently milled coffee that Santiago and Patricia treated each guest with. Many of us did learn also other things that we had no clue about: for instance, when coffee is well-made and milk is properly vaporized, you do not need to add sugar to the mix, because the milk is sweet enough. Who knew?!

Food spon

Adding a little extra sweetness in the form of cupcakes (and even a mini variety!) Cupcake Madrid was on hand to serve up some delicious baked goods. Prepped in Toma Café, each were matched to the event theme and were decorated with little coffee/tea mugs. And in Ciclos Noviciado, the second stop in our event, the cupcakes were decorated with bicycles on them! Getting refreshed was easy too. Drinks mixed up with three different flavors of vodka: strawberry, blackberry and caramel were there to whet everyone's palates

Ciclos

Topping it off, one of the evenings most memorable moments was in Ciclos Noviciado where Andrés stood up and gave a TED Talk to guests broken into small groups. In the original place were Ciclos Noviciado began: a small attic on the top of the building that today is still used as the workshop were Andrés and his partners make, extremely carefully, lovingly and patiently custom-made bikes, making from Madrid a little bit more bike-friendly city.

Don't forget to comment on the event page! And if you want to take a look to more pictures, you can do so in our Flickr page.

Lolo R

Yelp Madrid Community Manager

December 16, 2011

Nashville Elites Mingle With Mummies, Mystery, and More!

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Some may say that we were all treated to Christmas a few weeks early this year... An exclusive yet curious group of Nashville Elites were given a very special experience at the Frist Center For The Visual Arts recently. We gathered in the fabulous Frist Center Cafe with Community Relations Manager Emily Harper Beard and Director of Communications Ellen Pryor for some socializin', giftin', and vino sippin' to get the evening started!

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The Frist's docent extraordinaire, Mancil Ezell, led Karla A and the rest of us to the first gallery and gave us an "informative, entertaining, and insightful" tour of the A Divine Light: Northern Renaissance Paintings exhibit from the Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery. Jackie Y was so spellbound by Mr. Ezell that she referred to him as being the "bomb diggity. If you're with me say "mmmmhmmmm." I want to have coffee with him every day! He really made the Frist and an exciting and understandable place to visit! I'm not an art lover, but my god I was excited! I'm not sure if it was his enthusiasm or those badass original frames, but whoa! I actually want to go back to a museum! (We're all together now, say, "Whoa")

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We never want to keep things predictable for the Yelp posse, so we switched gears next with the mysterious and edgy work of artist Tracey Snelling's Woman On The Run exhibit. Facinating sculptures of rundown buildings on the outskirts of town showed a keen sensitivity to the psychological tensions and hidden narratives of ordinary life. Lynne D appreciated the artist's "most ambitious work to date - composed of nearly life-sized facades, cardboard cutouts, comic strips, photographs, signs, and videos, accompanied by a soundtrack." The installation creates a cinematic setting for a classic whodunit.

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"In case you were getting bored (I'm not sure how), Yelp spiced things up with the writing contest!" exclaimed Tim M. We encouraged Elites to elaborate on the many twists and turns of the exhibit participating in the “Woman on the by Run” novella project. In a separate online activity, participants can help the accused Veronica Hayden assume new identities and find clever places to hide out, and/or answer specific questions about the exhibition—all in exchange for a chance to win a spiffy $100 gift certificate to any locally owned business of their choice as a reward.

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Before we entered the final gallery of the evening To Live Forever: Egyptian Treasures from the Brooklyn Museum, we were greeted by a special guest... The Frist Mummy! Our favorite mummy first made a splash with us at Yelp Helps in November by cutting up the dance floor. He's now apparently campaiging for a Yelp 5 star review as he was offering up photo opps and hugs too! You can follow him here.

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Aaron F adores Egyptian Treasure as it is "not to be missed. The guys out there will love hearing about the mummification process. The gals out there will enjoy the beautiful mural photos and some of the bling. But everyone will come away wiser and having learned more about Egyptian lore." I'm sure that along with myself, many attendees took advantage of the opportunity of a Yelp discounted rate for Frist membership that evening! Support the arts y'all...


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We can't believe that this was the final Elite Experience for our first year in Nashville and love making our yelpers happy. "I'm a big fan of these "classier" elite events. It just feels so... elite. A nice compliment to the earlier symphony event. A great way to close out 2011!" Well Gregory R, just wait until you see what 2012 has in store for us....

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Did you contribute your recap of the spectacular soiree? You can do so right here, or just drop by to read the glowing reviews. Perhaps you prefer to peek at some photos? If so, click on this link to see the images that our fantastic photographer Kristin Milner was able to capture.

Much appreciation again to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, their staff, especially to Ellen Pryor and Emily Harper Beard for the ultimate gift of art!

Cheers and have a very Happy Holidays!

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Marcia M - Yelp Nashville Community Manager