May 19, 2013

Yelp's Great Gatsby Elite Event @ Studio Movie Grill

The red carpet rolled out, as the Houston Yelp Elite Squad made way to Studio Movie Grill CityCentre for a viewing of The Great Gastby

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Yelpers donned their best 1930s attire – fellas in black tuxes and top hats, ladies in flapper dresses and boas – and enjoyed a pre-movie hour complete with light bites and refreshments. A buffet of chicken skewers, cucumber canapes, fruit kabobs, and nachos filled plates, as yelpers sipped on pre-prohibition style lager Batch 19 and crisp and refreshing Leinenkugel Summer Shandy, as well as wine. Come showtime, Elites walked the red carpet and into the theater, as candy and popcorn awaited.  

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Miss out on all the action, old sport? Yelper David N was sure to capture all of the Great Gatsby moments with amazing photos. And Elites shared their experiences with raving reviews!

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Until the next one, old sport, I'll SYOY!

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Farrah A
Houston CM 

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

Serious burgers. Seriously smashing.

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Please understand that I'm not an advocate of overeating. It's unhealthy, and if you make a habit of it, it can actually be dangerous (be careful out there, kids). That said, there are times in your life when certain opportunities present themselves... For instance, Smashburger might decide to offer you eight different delicious burgers and you simply have to seize the day and stuff every single savory one into your face. Carpe burger, if you will.

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This was one of those opportunities, and I'm glad to say that some of Brooklyn's finest yelpers rose to the challenge. Last night the hospitable folks that run the Brooklyn Smashburger welcomed us in for a truly epic tasting with some serious SIZZLE. The owner Jim and Leah, our fantastic host, led us through a burger odyssey that proved there really is a burger for everyone. 

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There was the New Yorker: NY cheddar, garlic grilled onions, spinach, tomato and peppercorn garlic aioli on a brioche bun (apparently New Yorkers are OK with dragon breath). There was the Spicy Veggie Black Bean: pepper jack cheese, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, onion, spicy chipotle mayo and fresh jalapenos on a spicy chipotle bun (apparently meatless can still be delectable). There was the Brooklyn: grilled pastrami, aged swiss, pickles, onion and yellow mustard on a pretzel bun. It shouldn't surprise anyone when Brooklyn is the best, but Neil B took a poll this burger "sat alone in first place in a very competitive division."

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And there were five more fantastic options after that! Not to mention impossibly crispy fries, oreo shakes and more. I personally tried to tap out several times, and as Jenny M says, "I started worrying (a) if a human being could explode from eating too much and (b) how soon I could get back out to Smashburger for more." After all, the food was wonderful, but what really sets this location apart is the smiling service from every single staff member. They really want you to have a good burger and a good time, and it shows! A huge thanks again to Leah, Jim and the amazing Smashburger staff for a memorable night. I know I'll be back soon for that BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar burger, hope to see you all there!

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Cheers,
Peter D 

April 16, 2013

Yelp's (Not) Sari For Partying At Kiran's!

Kiran's – Houston's premier Indian restaurant – welcomed the Yelp Elite Squad for a Sunday social complete with all things spicy, sultry, and oh so sweet!

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Chef Kiran was on the scene, mingling with yelpers as they savored delicious bites created by her team. As a sea of hors d'oeuvres were passed around – mini bowls of Pindi Chana, skewers of Chicken Seekh Kebab, coconut shrimp, samosas and a dessert buffet – oohs and ahhs echoed throughout the room. 

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With so many robust and spicy flavors heating up palates, the bar was certain to concoct the most thirst-quenching Beam Inc. bevs! Yelpers sipped on Kiran's signature Ginger Margarita made with Sauza Tequila, fresh lime, triple sec, fresh ginger and serrano chili peppers, along with sweet Mint Juleps concocted with Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Texas honey and fresh mint.

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Along with the amazing fare and cocktails, yelpers partook in the artistic action provided by The Original Henna Company who created exquisite designs, from traditional to quirky. And with multiple prizes courtesy of Beam Global, along with VIP tickets to iFest Houston – it was a night complete with fantastic sips, eats and treats! Want more deets, find photos along with the raving reviews.

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SYOY,

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Farrah A
Houston Community Director
(pictured with Chef Kiran) 

April 12, 2013

Hiho, It's Off to Batik We Go

If you've strolled down 5th Ave recently, you might be wondering what a Hiho Batik actually is. At first glance, it looks like a cute, colorful shop full of unique, handmade clothing. And it is! But if you step back a bit further into their Make Your Own space, it's so much more...

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Last night, the lovely ladies of Hiho Batik invited the Elite Squad out to get our batik on! If you're not familiar with the ancient art of batik, it's a practice where you use wax and dyes to create an image (you can either create your own design or use/modify one of their many templates). After your design is finalized, with their expert help, you put it on any number of items (t-shirts, bags, pillowcases etc) and then it's all yours!

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Best of all, batik is FUN. It's a great excuse to get together with friends and have blast, and that's just what we did. A little bit of Brooklyn pizza, a little BYOBeer (and if you're ambitious and talented like my man Rony M, Manchurian Mules!) and a room full of good company...basically Hiho Batik knows how to throw a good party, and we found out that Yelp really is crafty.

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Personally, as many of the people who came out last night can attest, I'm not the craftiest guy out there. But as Vanessa O says, "Batik printing was really fun, yet totally a craft activity that anyone could do." I'm going to wait until next week to see how my inferior design actually turns out, but I can definitely report that they have all sorts of awesome items for sale: we bought ourselves a little onesie on the way out...too tough to pass up. 

You can absolutely book your own crafting party in the back room, and Robyn, Julia and Hayley will take great care of you. A huge thanks to those ladies and everyone that made it out!

Cheers,
Peter D 

April 08, 2013

Birmingham Elite Yelpers got their margarita on at Pinche's Tacos!

If Birmingham Yelpers were looking for an extra excuse to go to Pinche's Tacos, then the FREE margaritas and FREE Pinche's Tacos was it.  Since it was the first Yelp Elite event in Birmingham, we used it as an excuse to meet each other and enjoy the free goodies.  Yelp's Pinches Tacos Margarita Mixer wouldn't have been possible without the generosity of Pinche's Tacos and Sauza tequila.

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Pinches graciously filled everyones bellys with their famous flautas and a taco bar that was second to none. To wash it all down, Sauza provided the tequila for traditional and Pinches' famous "blood orange" margaritas.  "Their flautas and blood orange margaritas are a serious craving of mine, so given a day when there's a bounty of them in front of me was a dangerous (albiet welcomed) indulgence," said Danielle S.  It wasn't just the food and drinks she loved, "The photo booth was surprisingly fun.  Thanks to it, and the margaritas, I have some fantastic pictures that I got to take home."  

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Yelpers, for the first time in Birmingham, got to experience how Yelp is about to become a part of this town.  People walked in with curiosity and uncertainty, but left anticipating the next Yelp Elite Event.  The two hours flew by pretty quick, so we all owe a big thanks to the photo booth for the memories.  The photographer, Chris Amerson, had a nack for getting party goers to jump in front of the camera, even when they weren't ready to show their party faces.  Meredith H thought is was, "a very fun first event!"

 

I can't thank Pinche's Tacos, Sauza Tequila, and Chris Amerson enough for making this event so succsesful. Thanks to the Elites for showing up and making this event what it was.  I'd have looked really silly eating all that food by myself.  If you were lucky enough to be there, don't forget to post a review.  If you don't want to miss the next one, find out how to become Elite by going to http://yelp.com/elite

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Will L.

Yelp Birmingham Community Manager 

 

April 03, 2013

Yelp Singapore Shucks Up, And Has Dessert

Singapore – Orchard Central was hit by a wave of racuous Yelp Elites as they rocked a super-secret-super-special-TWO-IN-ONE Elite event last Tuesday night! In honour of Yelp's half-year anniversary in our little tropical paradise, The Elite squad - new faces and all - met at Tanuki Raw where we were treated to the menu's unique blend of American diner food with Asian flavours!Tanuki1Ever had an American roll? It's better described as a cheeseburger sushi, wrapped in rice, and deep-fried, tempura style. Add to that a spicy fish taco, and a cheesesteak in a steamed bao bun... Genius, we cried! We washed those babies down with martinis overlooking the bustling streets, and you think you'd be set for the night.

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But wait... there's more! Michelle M downed her classy cocktail, pinkie up and all, but was "whisked away to the next double secret location, where we all figured that we must've died somehow since we ended up at Seventh Heaven and were served copious amounts of ice cream in cupcake trays! It didn't stop there- we were also served ice cream with waffles, ice cream with pancakes, and ice cream cake slices the size of our faces!"

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Julian C had a great experience at his "first ever Yelp gathering and will definitely be back for more. Really think it was a great idea to go for dessert (thanks Marcus for convincing me to stay) as it was easier to talk and mingle over a long table full of ice cream to share."

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Many many thanks to Howard and the crew and Tanuki Raw for tasty bites and boozy beverages, and also to Greg, Rene, and Jason of Seventh Heaven for the delectable desserts, not to mention making us feel like rockstars with those awesome membership cards... you know we'll be back. Gus and Seb of Pixelmusica were back to supply these gorgeous snaps, and of course, don't forget to check out all the reviews here!

You snooze you lose (yes, here's a picture of me commandeering a waffle),

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Marcus L

Singapore CM

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 18, 2013

Sweet Chick's Stunning Brooklyn Brunch: A Preview

C1On Saturday afternoon, a lucky few of Brooklyn's finest yelpers headed over to North 8th & Bedford for a first look at what's soon to take its place atop the list of Brooklyn's premier brunches. Welcomed in with fresh watermelon mimosas, bellinis, and the thick-cut bacon (cured and smoked in house for over a week!) bloody marys, it was bound to be the perfect St. Paddy's weekend kickoff. Don't get it twisted though, despite Cin's excellent beverage program, Sweet Chick is all about the food.

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Perfect pastries. Smoked pork hash. Black bean cake & scramble. The finest fried chicken and waffles. Astonishingly good shrimp and grits.  Sweet Chick's got everything you ever wanted to eat after a long night out, not to mention mac & cheese on the side and a staff that knows how to accommodate. I don't like to toss terms like food porn around willy-nilly, but a glance at the grits makes me feel downright dirty. This Southern-influenced, carefully-cooked cuisine is LEGIT. Randy knows his business, and it's consistently making simple food shine. 

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You've probably already heard that the free range fried chicken they specialize in is impossibly crispy, and outrageously flavorful. But it's clear that the kitchen's expertise extends to other items as well. Both the rich smoked pork hash and the shrimp & grits were topped with a perfectly poached egg, the mac & cheese is the epitome of decadence, and there's a pastry chef down in the basement doing absurd things with sticky buns (again with the food porn). 

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The only possible downside of food this fantastic, is that they aren't opening the doors for brunch for another couple of weeks. In the meantime though, Sweet Chick is definitely doing dinner (6-11 or midnight most nights), but they are shooting for an Easter opening for brunch. Get there however you have to, because you've got to check it out. 

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A massive shout-out to John, Sam, Cin, Jose and the rest of the staff at Sweet Chick for showing us a great time and welcoming us in. Even if you don't live in the hood, hop on the L and go check the Chick out! And whether or not you made it out, make sure to check out all the reviews of the event, the photos from our very own Ron C, and what folks are saying. 

Thanks to all for making a Saturday afternoon so sweet! Spread love, it's the Brooklyn way.

Cheers,
Peter D & The Yelp NYC Team

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February 20, 2013

Profondo Yelp!

Un piccolo angolo di Sardegna a due passi da Porta Venezia ha fatto da sfondo all'evento più rosso e scintillante dell'inverno milanese: la Squadra Yelp Elite ha goduto di un appetitoso aperitivo a base di prodotti tipici nel caldo e accogliente B-Next, per brindare e divertirsi all'insegna del rosso, speciale dress code della serata.

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Tra un veliero di pane carasau e una seada di formaggio e miele, si è levato un altissimo plauso per Fabrizia A, che con sole cinque (ma bellissime) recensioni si è aggiudicata l'Oscar Yelp del mese, e per Federica, la "donna più rossa della serata", che ora potrà scoprire dove è stato piantato il suo albero di Passion Fruit personale. Una grandissima Ola anche per i proprietari del locale, giovanissimi e coraggiosi, pronti a mescolarsi agli yelper entusiasti e a raccontare di come si può trasferire la Sardegna tra le nebbie solo con un piccolo forno e tanta buona volontà.

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Momenti di suspence e sorprese prima della fine della serata: il regalo speciale di Giovanni R per la Community Manager, perché si senta sempre a casa, e le foto in stile Flashdance elaborate dopo qualche bicchiere di rosso di troppo, che ha scatenato il nostro istinto artistico!

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Descriverlo non basta, ci sareste dovuti essere, però per tutti voi che lo avete perso abbiamo da parte qualche chicca: lo speciale set fotografico della serata, le entusiastiche recensioni di chi lo ha vissuto e le chiacchiere a posteriori, che fanno sempre bene. E non perdete il prossimo!

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A small Sardinian corner in the very city center, just two steps far from Porta Venezia: a challenge that the young owners of B-Next took up without esitation and full of love for their homeland. There we tasted luscious pane carasau and seadas, drinking a wonderful red wine that inspired us some of the most funny Flashdance-style pictures of the year, together with a Ola for the business owners! Fabrizia A and Federica proudly won two prizes, the first being crowned Best Reviewer of the month and the second Most Red Yelp Woman of the night. My love goes to Giovanni R, who came with a special gift for the CM, of course.

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More curious than this? Go and see all the pics, reviews and the after-party chat!

Claudia R

Community Manager Yelp Milano

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

February 07, 2013

Yelp's Smashing Social At Smashburger Katy

It was the first of times, it was the best of times. Yup, this was the first Yelp Elite Squad Event in the Katy/Cinco-Ranch area hosted at the newest Smashburger in Katy, Texas – and 30 of Yelp's finest enjoyed a smashing good time!

Elites samples all varieties of fried goodies, from their famous Smashfries, sweet potato fries, fried pickles, haystack onions, and flash-fried veggies. Non-meat eaters got down on the Spicy Baja Black Bean Burger, while carnivores noshed on an assortment of mouthwatering meaty bites: The Classic, Mushroom Swiss, Buffalo Chicken and so many others. As King T put it: "Tons of food, which you can never complain about (especially if its Smashburger)." And this mighty Smash feast was washed down with Smashshakes and cold Texas beer

Jealous yet? You should be. Every guest walked away with a goodie bag filled with Yelp schwag and SmashBucks for their next visit. Catch the full scoop on the event with testimonials straight from yelpers' mouths – along with food-coma inducing pics!

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SYOY,

Farrah A
Houston Community Director 

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… 

  Yocm

 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

Vive la France! ...a Milano

Possibile che un angolo di Francia sia stato trasportato nel bel mezzo di Milano? Possibile ricreare raffinatezza e classe proprie della Bretagna in un rifugio nella nebbia meneghina? Sì, si può, e gli Yelper lo hanno dimostrato ieri sera, a La Crêperie d'Auriane, per il primo evento Yelp Elite del nuovo anno. Così, accolti da Kir e galettes, i nostri eroi hanno aperto le danze con un aperitivo degno dei fasti delle più nobili corti d'oltralpe.

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Nel corso della serata, tra foto, annotazioni e check in, gli artisti delle recensioni si sono sfidati: chi avrebbe vinto due biglietti per il Sound&Comfort Winter Festival? La tensione è ancora palpabile, ma quel che è fatto è fatto: nei prossimi giorni sul Forum la yelpica giuria pronunzierà l'ardua sentenza! Nel mentre, i vecchi e i nuovi Yelper si mescolavano allegramente, allietati da crepes e manicaretti a cura di Auriane, Antonia e Andrea, i nostri deliziosi ospiti.

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Tra dolcetti e scherzetti, Piero V ha ricevuto l'Oscar Yelp per la miglior recensione di gennaio, Vincenzo M ha vinto la maglia rossa per il più nominato agli Oscar Yelp (ben 7 volte!) e Alex X quella per il maggior numero di recensioni in un solo giorno (50!). In più, sorpresa per tutti: ho annunciato le mie nozze con Fabiano R!

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Come? Ti sei perso la serata? Vuoi saperne di più? Corri a leggere le recensioni e a guardare tutto l'album delle foto: ti aspetto al prossimo Evento Yelp Elite di Milano!

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If you ever thought it was impossible to have France in the middle of Milan... well, it isn't! Yesterday night La Crêperie d'Auriane hosted the first Yelp Elite Event of the year. Between Kir and galettes, we had a terrific aperitivo! Our pictures and tips artists made their best in order to win two tickets for the Sound&Comfort Winter Festival and soon the winner will be cherished on our Forum! In the meantime, old and new Yelpers mixed cheerfully, lavishly eating what Auriane, Antonia and Andrea prepared for us. Ticks or treats? It doesn't matter, when you win the Best Revie Oscar of the month, like Piero V, or the trophy for the most nominated to the Oscars, like Vincenzo M (7 times!) or, last but not least, the cup for the most prolific writer Alex X (50 reviews in one day). Moreover... surprise, surprise: I announced my wedding with Fabiano R!

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Did you lose the party? Do you want to know more? Read the reviews and have a look at all the pictures: we are waiting for you at our next event!

Claudia R

Yelp Milano CM

Evento Elite "Yelp Ama Tutti" da Le Barrique

L'Elite Event di gennaio a Firenze è stato dedicato all'amore. Incorniciato da un ambiente romantico, tra candele e musica soft, gli Yelper hanno brindato con diversi assaggi di vino all'Enoteca Le Barrique. Infatti secondo Francesca B c'era un "atmosfera romantica, cibo ricercato e vini ottimi. La compagnia come al solito è stata piacevole, e il tempo è volato."

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Dopo che sono arrivati tutti, sono iniziati ad arrivare gli assaggi di pietanze offerte da Marco e Iacopo i due proprietari dell'Enoteca Le Barrique. Tra un patè e un po' di gorgonzola piccante con noci, Erika L conferma che a "Le Barrique ci ha deliziato con assaggi della sua cucina e ottimi vini. Gentili e professionali". Dopo un prosecco, un vino bianco e uno rosso, tutti spiegati nei minimi dettagli, Daniele F dice che il tutto "ha un po' sciolto la sensazione di essere nuovo".

Col7Per finire in bellezza la serata, a tutti sono stati regalati dei lecca lecca Rosso Yelp a forma di cuore, e in più Valentina P e Elena sono venute a posta per regalare a tutti i presenti biglietti omaggio per Danza in Fiera, un festival amato dagli Yelper ballerini! Delle "belle sorprese" come le ha definite Elena A!
Gli Elite, si sa, sono esperti quando si tratta di dire la loro e dare buoni consigli, perciò è stato fatto un piccolo forum per prendere qualche spunto, apprezzato da Erika L che lo ha definito un'idea "interessante la loro, di chiederci consigli, perché fa capire quanto tengano all'opinione dei clienti!".

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Un grazie speciale all'Enoteca Le Barrique, a Danza in Fiera, e a tutti i presenti. Potete vedere più foto qui, leggere le recensioni qui e leggere cosa dicono gli Yelper sul Forum qui.


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Kristina G

 

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English Version

This Yelpy 2013 got started off with an Elite Event to show how much Yelp loves Florentine Elites! Great wine and tasty finger food was served at Enoteca Le Barrique, a very romantic Italian restaurant, lit by candle light, with romantic music. All the guests got a special Yelp heart shaped lollipop, to sweeten up their day even more!

Col6The wine tasting "started off with a delicious prosecco offered by Marco and some melt-in-your mouth tastings" Georgette J even "ate pate". After the wonderful wine tasting, and buffet, all the Elites put their thinking caps on and did some brain-storming with the owners Marco and Iacopo. They gave them opinions, and said what they would like out of a restaurant. Valentina and Elena, came to give everyone a nice surprise, a free ticket to all the guests for Danza in Fiera, the most important dance festival in Florence. A night full of surprises and lots of love in the air!

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 You can see more pictures here, read the reviews here, and read what the Yelpers are saying about it on the Talk Thread here.

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Kristina G

January 14, 2013

Yelp’s First Look For Foodies

It's a new year of Yelpiness, and the Elite community started things off with a tasty bang! Over 100 Yelpers came together at Yelp's First Look for Foodiesa delicious sneak preview of Kansas City Restaurant Week. One of the most unique event spaces in the city, host venue The Bean Hangar opened its doors to the Yelp community as some of the city's best restaurants sampled out selections from their upcoming Restaurant Week menus.

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When Melisa V noticed Chef Celina Tio serving house-smoked salmon with deviled-egg salad from behind her restaurant Julian's station, she was thoroughly impressed. "It just shows how much she values and respects the opinions of the people who dine there." Meanwhile, Kay L couldn't get enough of "the monstrously sized shrimp" from The Final Cut. Andrew M opted to eat dessert first, noting that "the frozen peanut butter chocolate bars from Starkers are amazing!"

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Since all of this sampling can work up a thirst, a triple-threat of beverage providers made sure everybody kept hydrated. Quintessential Wines was on hand to offer perfect pairings, while Boulevard Brewery helped us drink local by offerings pours of both 80 Acre and Nutcracker! And of course The Roasterie turned up the heat by offering complimentary cups of coffee, roasted just on the other side of the venue's huge glass windows!

And because what's an event without an activity, Yelp Elites played a matching game of epic stakes. Each participant had to match a variety of pictures (pulled from Yelp, of course!) to the correct participating restaurants. The winner - who only missed one match - won a free night's stay at The Hilton President Kansas City Hotel plus dinner at Providence New American Kitchen! But since we think that all Yelpers are winners, everybody left with a swag bag full of coupons and gift certificates to over a dozen KC area restaurants!

Thanks to The Bean Hangar and to all participating restaurants for making this event a huge success. And of course, keep your eyes on Yelp to see what other surprises the Elite Squad can look forward to in 2013!

Your Friendly CM

Matt E (pictured with the big contest winner, Elaine D!)

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January 08, 2013

Sausage and Beer for the New Year!

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Last night, the best of Brooklyn Yelp hit up Rosamunde Sausage Grill for 2013's inaugural Brooklyn Elite Event

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Born in SF, this West Coast transplant welcomed the Yelp Elite with open arms for what can only be described as an damn good time. After all, nothing kicks off a party like a quality cocktail. If you haven't had the pleasure of drinking Jim Beam Black, this double-aged (8 years) bourbon is SMOOTH. It's excellent on the rocks, and paired with Rosamunde's housemade sodas (I'm partial to the ginger) it goes down dangerously easy. Complemented by the bar's seemingly endless taps of top-tier brews and an excellent music selection, how could the party be anything else than a good time?

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All throughout the evening, the kitchen kept pumping out all sorts of sausage specialties. Jaclyn L insists the star of the night was the cheddar brat; "such a perfect marriage of sauerkraut, onions, and cheese infused sausage - what's not to love?!" On the other hand, Donna A was all about the Moroccan-spiced lamb merguez. With everything on the menu from smoked beer sausage to a Polish-style vegan option, Rosamunde has a succulent sausage for everyone!

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A huge thanks to Josh, Chase, Harper and the rest of the amazing and accommodating Rosamunde staff for welcoming us with open arms. I'll see you guys there again soon for happy hour ($1 Anchor Steams!) and I'm sure a late-night sausage or three. Whether or not you made it out, make sure to check out all the reviews of the event, the photos from the lovely Melanie Fidler, and what folks are saying.

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Cheers,
Peter D and the rest of the Yelp NYC Team

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December 26, 2012

Metro Fort Worth Yelpers Punch A Ticket To Backstage Pass!

'Tis the season to rock! At least it was recently for North Texas yelpers in Fort Worth and Denton, where three nights of back-to-back-to-back live music set the stage for all of us to get amped to live tunes at Yelp's Backstage Pass! Monday night kicked things off at Magnolia Motor Lounge, where Morning People took the stage with their own brand of funk and roots rock. Buffalo Trace and Fireball Whisky poured throughout the night (and throughout each night)! Yelpers also got their Backstage Passport stamped to enter a drawing for a seven course dinner for two (and a bottle of sake) from Shinjuku Station

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Things headed north to Denton on night two, when we stormed Rubber Gloves Recording Studios for some Real Ale-enhanced live jams courtesy of indie band Bad Design and the southern fried rock of Old Warhorse. We warmed ourselves up with some Buffalo Trace and Fireball Whisky and head-bopped into the night. 

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We rocked. We rolled. We photo-bombed the bands. We hit three great rooms (culminating in our last night with Un Chien taking the stage at Lola's). Yelper Chris P came away the lucky grand prize winner (and deserved it: he hit all three nights!) -- all in all, a terrific way to lean into the holidays - good cheer, great bands and timeless tunes! 

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Until next year, SYOY!

-Kevin N

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 

 

December 18, 2012

The Nite(hawk) Before Christmas

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'Twas A Nite Before Christmas, and all through the theater,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Peter (D).
You may know the cinema, great films in the lineup,
(If not you should get there, hit the website and sign up!)
But last night we rocked out in the cafe and bar,
Where cocktails and tasty treats are the star.
Jen and Caryn and Nick had a hunch,
That everyone would enjoy some poinsettia punch. 
So they mixed in with Bulldog and tasty it was, 
It gave all the yelpers one awesome buzz.
Cinnamon and lemon and grenadine tempted,
Because the London gin was perfectly blended.
Bulldog beats any gin, hands down I'm thinking,
We thank them for donating bottles for drinking.
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The punch went so well with delicious snacks,
Those mushroom croquettes sure were like crack.
Truffle popcorn, deviled eggs and housemade meatballs,
If you have tastebuds then you were enthralled.
Well-dressed were the yelpers in dresses and (wood) ties,
But it was Sara R who was catching the eyes.
Although there were many that gave a run for the money,
That green dress brought votes like bees to the honey.
She won the gift bag with Bulldog and more,
13 buttons from fellow yelpers the score. 
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I know I'll be back soon for cocktails and treats,
For films and fun programming I'll be in the seats.
Holler when you feel like coming back too,
I don't have any friends (not shocking to you). 
Thank Bulldog, thank Nitehawk for being sweet hosts,
They deserve good wishes and excellent toasts.
If you missed it make sure to peep photos and Talk,
Read your friends' reviews and feel free to stalk.
We're almost there and it's about that time,
Which is great because I hate to rhyme.
That's it for us in two thousand and twelve,
We're signing off, your Yelp Elite elves.
Enjoy your New Year's, may it be snowy and white,
Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good night.
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-Peter D & Your Yelp NYC Team

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 13, 2012

Denver Yelp's December Secret Supper at Twelve Restaurant

On the twelfth month of Secret Supper Clubs in the twelfth month of the year 2012, Denver yelpers were treated to an incredibly delicious three course meal at Twelve Restaurant. What better place, right?! At the start of the meal Tanteo Tequila showed up with their slow-burning jalapeño-infused tequila muddled into a cocktail with St. Germain, basil, and green chartruese. As Vicki P sipped on her slightly sweet and spicy cocktail she tried to take her time, but it was so fantastic she "definitely could have sucked it down and ordered another (or two)!"

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The star of the show, Chef Jeff Osaka, let the food speak for itself. And speak it did! The meal kicked off with a lovely combination of baby lettuces, shallots, fine herbs, parmesan, and banyuls vinaigrette that had the crowd quieting down to savor each bite. Next came the most perfectly cooked hangar steak Shaun S has possibly ever had, served alongside a yukon gold potato puree, crispy sweetbreads, and blue cheese slaw. Rounding out the meal was a Roasted Butternut Squash-Brioche Pain Perdue (that was no pain at all to Alissa R) served with cream cheese ice cream. And that's just the icing on the cake, so to speak. Make sure you check out the reviews and photos if you'd like to get the whole picture.

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And with that the Secret Suppers of 2012 come to a close. It has been a great adventure eating at a new place with you all each and every month. Have a safe and happy new year!

Tiffany "I love drinking champagne again!" N

Your Denver Yelp Community Director

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Yelp Met Son Plus Vilain Pull @ Lunettes de Marius

Une grande nouveauté pour cette soirée Yelp Elite de décembre : un dress-code ! Pour ce rendez-vous donné dans la jolie boutique des Lunettes de Marius, nombreux étaient les Yelpeurs à avoir joué le jeu... et ça faisait mal aux yeux ! Dress code ? "Ugly Sweater" ! En résumé : mettre son plus vilain pull, façon pull de Noël de Mark Darcy dans Bridget Jones ! Et le moins qu'on puisse dire c'est que ceux qui ont joué le jeu ont su relever le défi haut la main !

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Alexandre J est comblé dès le début : "C'est d'emblée la singularité, la beauté et la convivialité du lieu qui frappent en entrant chez Marius, et même pas besoin de mettre ses lunettes ! En plus, on est chaleureusement accueilli, tout le monde baignant dans l'atmosphère joyeuse du thème magnifiquement ugly proposé par Camille."

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Même ceux qui n'ont pas eu le temps de fouiller dans leurs placards sont ravis, comme en témoigne Mélodie C : "Prenez une tasse de thé, quelques vodkas GoOn, ajouter à ça bières, super fromages de La Martinière (rhaaaaaa je suis tellement contente que Sophie la fromagère ait ouvert à nouveau !), quenelles sauce roquettte de chez Chorliet, le tout dans un endroit chouette. Mélanger avec les biscuits de Nuage et Caramel et voici la recette d'une soirée Yelp parfaite ! Merci Camille, mais aussi aux propriétaires des Lunettes de Marius qui sont adorables et qui m'ont fait essayer probablement mes futures lunettes car je suis arrivée trop tôt ! Le hasard fait bien les choses..."

Concours du plus vilain pull, collages d'auto-collants Yelp à gogo, votes pour les Yelp'Awards (verdict en janvier), signature du Serment du Shopping Local... les activités ne manquaient pas pour cette soirée, et l'ambiance était au rendez-vous !

Rodolphe V a apprécié, il faut croire : "Très bel endroit + magnifiques pulls (Ugliest sweat for Alexandra D !) + plein de bonne choses à manger (drôle de bleu anglais, de couleur orange ! ) et boire (Etonnante vodka) + super Sac Cadeau (rien à voir avec le sac à dos de Gad !) + Chaleur (environ 48°sous le pull...) + les sympathiques Yelpeurs = Encooooooooore !!!!!!"

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Mais voilà, après toutes ces découvertes, c'est déjà l'heure de fermer boutique ! Les Yelpeurs récupèrent leur dernière surprise, un Shopping Bag Yelp rempli de petits cadeaux surprises et d'une jolie boîte de thé Detox par Kusmi Tea et se dispersent en petits groupes vers leurs afters Yelp respectives, et préparent leurs listes Shopping Local pour la fin d'année !

A Marine T le mot de la fin ! "Une fois de plus Yelp m'a permis de découvrir un lieu ultra sympa : Les Lunettes de Marius c'est vraiment une chouette boutique ! (vivement que je change de lunettes, j'en ai repéré 2 ou 3 paires à essayer d'urgence !) Mention spéciale aux biscuits Nuage et Caramel et aux fromages de la Martinière, et aussi à Kusmi Tea pour le super cadeau (c'est mon thé préféré, j'en avait presque plus)... Yelp tu me connais si bien #coeur# "

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...Et voilà... Les soirées Yelp Elites, c'est fini pour 2012, snif !

Si vous étiez là et n'avez pas encore partagé votre expérience, vous pouvez laisser votre avis en cliquant ici. Pour plus de photos de l'évènement par B-rob, c'est par ici !

Merci à tous et à tous les partenaires de cette soirée pour ces bons moments et cette soirée fort appréciée ! 

ABSY* !
Camille L
Lyon  Community Manager
* A bientôt sur Yelp

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*** English Excerpt ***

On a cold cold Monday night, the Lyon Yelpers were invited for the last Yelp Elite Event of the year at the cool and trendy local shop, Les Lunettes de Marius, a great store where to shop amazing glasses!

The happy Yelpers were happily treated to sweet cakes from local Nuage and Caramel, Duvel beer, GoOn drinks, tea from Kusmi Tea, quelinettes and sandwiches from Chorliet and cheese from newly-opened Fromagerie de la Martinière ! A real Yelpmas dinner!

Read what party-goers have to say about this event by reading the reviews here. For more fabulous images of the evening by photographer B-rob, don't miss our Flickr page.

SYOY*,
Camille L
Lyon  Community Manager

* See you on Yelp !

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December 07, 2012

Apericaccia al tesoro Yelp!

Brillante serata diversa dal solito per gli yelper milanesi che non erano stati rapiti dal ponte di Sant'Ambrogio: giovedì 6 dicembre si sono ritrovati in un luogo difficile da trovare, ma pieno di enormi e goduriose sorprese, HWS Beauty. Rosy, la proprietaria, e la sua fidata assistente Giovanna, li attendevano infatti per far scoprire il loro emozionante mix di trattamenti di bellezza, terapie orientali e macchinari all'avanguardia, con una formula del tutto inusuale, una caccia al tesoro!

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Così, divisi in squadre, hanno affrontato la cerca: 10 domande con indizi da ricercare nel locale, sui prodotti, dentro i macchinari o da scoprire facendo parlare le due professioniste, che da brave Sfingi hanno fatto sudare le risposte corrette! 1 ora di tempo, ma ai vincitori, Brad G, Carol S e Maria G, sono stati sufficienti soli 40 minuti e con salde mani hanno stretto in pugno i premi: tre Sugarbox personalizzate e tre trattamenti a scelta in regalo!

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Tra una piadina e l'altra, dolci e salate, tutte confezionate con cura dagli abili artigiani di Divina Piadina, i nostri eroi hanno poi votato per l'assegnazione dell'Oscar Yelp di Novembre. Anche questo mese Vincenzo M era in nomination, ma è nuovamente arrivato secondo: con un colpo di mano (e la provvidenziale rottura del bracciale della fortuna), Anastasia I ha vinto il titolo, con la sua recensione poetica e nostalgica della Biblioteca Chiesa Rossa.

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La serata è terminata tra una bottiglia e l'altra di buon lambrusco, chiacchiere felici, sfide per il prossimo mese e la possibilità di sperimentare con mano la riflessologia, grazie a Bruno ed Enzo, special guest della serata. Tutto nel segno di Bruce Springsteen, di cui Rosy è massaggiatrice ufficiale. Se ti sei perso l'evento, puoi solo tenerti pronto per il prossimo, e scaldare i motori guardando le foto, leggendo le recensioni o chiacchierando con gli altri a riguardo sul Forum!

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Lovely and funny night for Milan yelpers: on Thursday 6th they met in a very peculiar and pampering place, HWS Beauty. Rosy, the owner, and her co-worker Giovanna, were ready to open up their marvellous world of beauty treatments, oriental therapies and u-to-date machines in a very unusual way: a Treasure Hunt! Yelper were divided into teams and each had 1 hour to find 10 clues looking for them on products, into water therapy machines or by asking the two ladies, who proved to be true Sphynxes! Brad G, Carol S and Maria G needed only 40 minutes to be ready to hug their prizes: three personalized Sugarboxes and three free treatments of their choice!

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An aperitivo followed, rich in hand made salty and sweet piadinas from Divina Piadina. In the meanwhile, everyone voted for November's Yelp. Unluckily, Vincenzo M was second again: Anastasia I broke her lucky charms bracelet and won the game, with her poetical review of Biblioteca Chiesa Rossa. The night went on, with Lambrusco wine, small talk and the chance of experimenting reflexology, thanks to our special guests Bruno and Enzo. If you lost the chance of being with us, be ready for the next one and, in the meanwhile, have a look at pictures, reviews and our Forum!

 

 

December 06, 2012

Yelp's In-House and At Home @ The Silver Dollar

Louisville's Elite squad cozied up to comfort food and cocktails at their finest and celebrated our city during Yelp's In-House & At-Home @ The Silver Dollar. Yelpers new and old alike settled into this Bakersfield Sound inspired honky tonk, reimagined inside a historic firehouse in Louisville's Clifton neighborhood. As newly elited Amanda F put it,"I felt a real sense of camaraderie amongst longtime Yelpers since everyone was so friendly and welcoming."

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How do you make Elites feel right at home? This is Kentucky...so bring on the bourbon and whiskey! Bartender Larry Rice lined up a mystery tasting flight for each of us and as we imbibed and described, he revealed these golden elixirs to be Jameson, Canadian Club and Old Weller. Which one was the bourbon and where did it come from? Lynn B knew it was Old Weller and her bourbon knowledge didn't stop there: she won the Yelp bourbon matching challenge too! Pairing up all ten bourbons with their home distilleries, she proved herself a bourbon connoisseur and won a gift set where the only challenge left is deciding whether to drink that Woodford Reserve neat or on the rocks...

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Everything from their savory arbol sauce (their version of Texas Pete) down to the ginger syrup in their cocktails and is made in-house and The Silver Dollar gave us the insider scoop with notes from Chef Jonathan Schwartz and a mixology demonstration from Bartender Susie Hoyt. We not only got to try the Guapo and their take on an Old Fasioned, but they also treated us to samples of menu favorites like chicken and waffles and chorizo corndogs with achiote mustard, yum! Raquelle Z's already envisioning "happily eating the empanadas which can be ordered in a vegetable or braised beef as her entire meal on a future visit." 

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With such care put into their culinary creations, it's hard not to love Louisville and local restaurants like The Silver Dollar. And what do Louisvillians do when we wanna show off how cool our home city is? We put a fleur de lis on it! Who needs birds? Yelpers added Louisville's signature emblem to as many items as they could fit into their photo but Lynn, Terri, Claire and Jeremy won the contest with 14 in total!

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Thanks again to Elites and guests for coming out to enjoy an awesome event and to Treavor Martin for the photography — check more photos on our Flickr page. Also, special thanks goes to everyone at The Silver Dollar who shared their expertise and kindness with all of us.

Until next time, SYOY!

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Megan F
Community Manager
Yelp Louisville 

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 21, 2012

Yelp Brooklyn Digs Dassara!

Last night Yelp Brooklyn banded together for some Rockin' Ramen! The NYC Elites gathered to celebrate the scrumptious new Dassara Brooklyn Ramen and raise a little cash to help our neighbors in Red Hook recover from the recent storm. Despite the small space, we raised nearly $500 for Red Hook Initiative (which will be matched by the Yelp Foundation for a cool $1K total), a testament to how strong and dedicated yelpers are to working together to rebuild what we've lost even better than it was before.

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And really, how could you blame anyone for showing up at the stellar Smith Street spot? Only a few months old, this Brooklyn original is already gaining a following in the community with their distinct Dassara flair. Blending cultures and flavors, this isn't your traditional take on the Japanese treat. They've taken the playful approach of Japanese chefs and combined it with the eclectic and ethnic nature that sets Brooklyn apart. 

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The Yelp Elite got an exclusive look at this unique and marvelous menu and Monique R wasn't alone in exclaiming, "I LOVED the deep fried chicken hearts!" Not to mention several different types of baos; everyone enjoyed the turkey confit and cranberry sauce (perhaps an homage to Thanksgiving?), as well as the undeniably delicious fried chicken. Of course, the curried goat ramen carried the day for many, and JP B notes that the "nuance and homey satisfaction made the dish worth pining for."

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These tasty samples were combined with complimentary cocktails courtesy of small-batch rum Due North, which is carefully created by Van Brunt Stillhouse with fair trade, organic, unprocessed sugar grown on small family farms and dried in the sun in the foothills of the Himalayas. This spirit is aged in American Oak, and blends perfectly in cocktails like The Flux Capicitor; as Phil H reports, it's "as if crazy Doc Brown himself invented this sweet but deceitfully potent concoction!"

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Obviously, the cash raised for Red Hook Initiative hit home for the folks from Van Brunt Stillhouse, as many of their neighbors are still struggling to get back to normal. If anyone out there is interested in contributing either time, money or anything at all, please check out their website and take the Yelp Builds Back pledge to help rebuild and spend your money locally this holiday season.

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A huge thanks to Justin, Josh, Hadji and the rest of the amazing and accommodating Dassara staff for welcoming us with open arms. I'll see you guys there again soon for more chicken hearts and that bone marrow ramen! Whether or not you made it out, make sure to check out the charity, all the reviews of the event, the photos from the lovely Melanie Fidler, and what folks are saying.

Cheers,
Peter D and the rest of the Yelp NYC Team

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November 20, 2012

Denver Yelp's First Bite at Patxi's Pizza

On Sunday evening, Denver yelpers were invited to a pre-opening party at Patxi's Pizza (said like pah-cheese!) for the Yelp's First Bite Elite Event! Hailing from the Bay Area, this is the first location outside of California and Denver yelpers couldn't be more excited that Patxi's has graced our fair city with this 'za. Upon arriving, guests were greeted with schwag bags including water bottles, to-go menus, and gift cards for a return visit. After picking up this little fun pack they sauntered over to the bar to grab either a vodka cocktail or Odell's 5 Barrel Ale.

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Throughout the evening yelpers were able to taste a wide variety of items from appetizers to salads, and of course the pizzas! Deep dish, thin crust, even gluten free pies were on hand, and then in tummies as the night went on. In fact, so much food was on hand that every single yelper left stuffed and promising to return. As Tiffany "Not The CM" N put it: "It's more than 24 hours later and I'm still full! #winning"

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Be sure to check out the rest of the reviews for more details and the photos of the evening. And don't forget to check in on your Yelp app or like their Facebook page to enjoy some fun social media special offers. Until next time friends, I'll SYOY (See You On Yelp)!

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Tiffany N

Your Denver Yelp Community Director

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

 

November 11, 2012

Denver Yelp's November Secret Supper at Fired Up!

On Election Night 2012 60 Denver yelpers crossed party lines and came together to celebrate one thing we can all agree we like - delicious food and libations! The November Secret Supper Club met at Fired Up: Wood Fired Creations and Libations for a fantastic meal with a complimentary cocktail and great company. This Golden Triangle newcomer started diners off with their choice of either a Gin Sprig or a Cherry Limeade cocktail and an amuse bouche of a polenta canape with a chorizo and shrimp mousse.

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After the initial greeting yelpers were off! Making choices between BiPartisan Meatballs (a traditional meatball and a veggie one) or Michelle's Let's Move Seasonal Salad (ribbons of yellow squash and zucchini tossed with cherry tomatoes and vinaigrette); Colorado Proud Butternut Squash Ravioli, a Bavarian Pizza, or Short Ribs with a Parsnip Puree; and Peanut Butter Chocolate Terrine or All-American Apple Tart proved to be almost as hard of a decision as folks faced earlier in the voting booths. We all managed to pull through though and were rewarded with amazing courses again and again. Whew!

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If you'd like to hear more about the Secret Supper(s) be sure to check out the reviews and photos for all the glorious details. And until next time, SYOY (See You On Yelp)!


Tiffany N

Your Denver Yelp Community Director

November 05, 2012

Yelp's Pisco Party At Latin Bites

Latin Bites – the highly touted Peruvian restaurant acclaimed in The New York Times, Texas Monthly and Houston Chronicle – opened its doors to 100 Elites and guests to experience South American food and drink like never before!

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Yelp's Pisco Party featured a tantalizing spread of noshes prepared by Executive Chef Roberto Castre and his team – from beef heart skewers and Parmesean topped seared scallops to Peruvian-style tuna sashimi and an entire dessert bar filled with alfajores, tiramisu and traditional Suspiro Limeno. ¡Sabrosisimo

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Whether yelpers mingled inside or enjoyed the perfect patio weather, there were plenty of sips to be had! Latin Bites presented a thirst-quenching menu of complimentary adult bevs: Pepino, Chicha Morada and ol' fave, Pisco Sour made with Pisco Portón; premium Peruvian beers Franca and Tres Cruces; and refreshing wines. With a Yelpers curious about the Pisco infusions, Latin Bites provided a special tasting table offering demos and Q&As.    

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If you missed out – ¡que lastima! – be sure to catch all of the action snapped by shutterbug David N, and don't forget to read the reviews or share your personal experience here

¡Hasta la proxima!

Farrah A
Houston CM 

October 31, 2012

Evento Elite "A tutto tondo"

Martedì sera l'Ingrosso ortofrutticolo Conti, è stato colorato di rosso Yelp per una serata "A tutto tondo", tra panini, macchine e frutta tutti "tondi"! Entrando nell'ingrosso veniva voglia di assaggiare tutta la frutta e verdura esposta dall'ingrosso Conti, fra insalata, carote e pere, che hanno colorato l'evento.

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Appena si entrava, scintillante e rossa, c'era una 500 vintage pronta per essere la protagonista delle foto più belle della serata grazie a Daniele A il nostro fotografo. Secondo Francesca B "Il momento più cool è stato quello in cui ci siamo fotografati sulla 500: con tutte quelle fotomi sono sentita una "celebrity" di altri tempi!" con "Paola" la 500, offerta per la serata dal 500 Touring Club.

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Durante l'evento il Panino Tondo ha presentato il suo nuovo panino DOP con pere, prosciutto e pecorino, e altri assaggi. Sono state offerte birre Castello e altre bevande. Come ciliegina sulla torta sono state offerte assaggi di carote, sedano, e frutta dell'ingrosso Conti, Alessandro T si è fatto "un sano pinzimonio"!

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The Florentine era presente con il suo giornale e giornalisti, una buona lettura fra la frutta e i panini, per migliorare il proprio inglese oppure conoscere meglio le novità a Firenze.

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Un grazie speciale a tutti gli sponsor della serata, The Florentine, Il Panino Tondo, Birra Castello, 500 Touring Club e l'Ingrosso Conti. Se volete saperne di più potete leggere le recensioni sulla serata, un thread sul forum e vedere molte più foto.

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Kristina G

 

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On Tuesday night Florence turned Yelpy with the event "A Tutto Tondo", an event with lots of sponsors and in collaboration with The Florentine. With a round car (500 fiat vintage), round bagels, and round fruit. The event was in an open space, a fruit and vegetable warehouse, with lots to eat and drink.

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Panino tondo presented it's new Sandwich DOP, with pear, pecorino cheese and a Tuscan ham, and to wash down the great panini, Castello beer offered their new beers. Not only we like to eat at our Yelp events, but the selection of the food is important, and the healthier the better, so Conti warehouse offered tastes of their fresh produce with special dips!

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The event was a success also thanks to "Paola" the little red 500 fiat, everybody had a chance to take a picture with her, and get a true feeling of what cars were like in the past. Thanks also to our official photographer Daniele A. There were also some issues of The Florentine, a great magazine to learn about Florence, just a great read in general.

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A big thank you to The Florentine, Panino Tondo, Birre Castello, Conti ortofrutta and 500 Touring Club. If you want to hear more about the event you can read the reviews, and thread and see more photos.

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Kristina G

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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Denver Elites Yelp In Candyland!

Over 100  Denver Yelp Elites and their guests were treated super sweetly by Yours Truly Cupcake and Flipp Films last week at the Yelping In Candyland event! The event included a "decorate your own cupcake" station, a "create your own ice cream sundae" stop, and a full on candy bar courtesy of Fleur Decor (Fleur also provided the beautiful floral decorations set around the two venues), along with several cupcake and cocktail pairings.

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Speaking of the pairings - not much was sweeter throughout the night! Peach Street Distillery created the "New Fashioned" (Peach Street Distillery Peach Brandy, bitters, sugar) to pair with a peach cupcake with goat cheese and cream cheese frosting and a sprig of basil. Breckenridge Distillery handmade the "Fall into Bourbon" (Breckenridge Bourbon, cider, homemade syrup: apple, nutmeg, anise, peppercorn, cinnamon, and brown sugar) to pair with an apple cupcake topped with bourbon cream cheese frosting and a dusting of cloves. The Whipped Cream Cocktail (whipped cream vodka, pineapple juice and a splash of soda) was a delicious accompaniement to a pineapple right-side-up cupcake with whipped vodka buttercream frosting. And the Crispin Cider took it's partner, a gingerbread cupcake with cider buttercream frosting and crystalized giner to a whole new level!

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Yelpers also joined in a Candyland scavenger hunt of sorts with the winners walking away with a "bucket of sugar" - a Halloween pail full of candy, cupcakes, and a Yelp t-shirt. Plus there was even a gingerbread (wo)man on hand for photo ops. Talk about a sugar high! Be sure to check out the photos and the reviews and until next time, SYOY (See You On Yelp)!

Tiffany N

Your Denver Yelp Community Director

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Elberta Kicks the Passport Off in Style!

Last night Brooklyn's finest were treated to some real southern charm courtesy of Elberta, a brand-new restaurant and bar on Flatbush. As one of the 20+ businesses participating in the Passport to Prospect Heights, Elberta is offering 1/2 priced signature appetizers all week long, but last night was an exclusive event showcasing this scrumptious southern menu to the Elite Squad.

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These vocal locals packed into the place, marveling at the simple, inviting decor with tasteful pendant bulbs and talented violinist Phearnone (at Elberta every Friday!) setting the mood. Behind the bar, Natasha created cocktails with Cacao Prieto's delicious chocolate rum (hailing from Red Hook), and kept the party rocking as the chef wowed the crowd.

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The Elberta staff, led by Erica and Erwin, showed off their southern hospitality and circulated incredible tastes off their menu. With Cajun shrimp fried to perfection, blackened tuna with just the right spice, and mushroom puff pastries bursting with flavor, you know Elberta can throw down. However, the consensus winner of all the delicious dishes was the RIBS. A little bit spicy, a little bit sweet, these meaty, fall-off-the-bone marvels were completely irresistable. As Candice H attests, "Handshakes were traded for fist pumps and head nods because I think everyone licked that sauce off their fingers."

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Whether or not you made it out, make sure you check out what folks are saying in their reviews and on Talk; peep the photos from Jersey's own YoSteph here, and of course check out all the other Passport fun happening this week.

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A huge thanks to the friendly and accommodating staff from Elberta for welcoming us all in with open arms; with food and hospitality like this, I'm sure they'll be a Flatbush favorite for a long time to come. I know I'll be back anytime I need a rib fix. I'll see you there!

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Cheers,

Peter D and the Yelp NYC Team 

 

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

 

Piadina di Romagna, lo Yelper ci guadagna!

Serata in gran spolvero ieri a Milano per l'evento Yelp Elite di settembre, tutto all'insegna della celebrazione di fine estate. Memori di spiagge, mari e costa romagnola, gli Yelper si sono tuffati nelle delizie delle piadine cucinate da Francesca e Piersergio, ineffabili titolari di quella perla del gusto nascosta in Viale Abruzzi che è Divina Piadina. Marian e Federica, gli eroi in servizio al banco bar e in cucina, si sono prodigati immediatamente per non lasciare nessuno a bocca vuota!

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In alto i calici, quindi, per festeggiare le 250 recensioni in meno di 1 anno del prode Yelp Elite Marco "Zima" S, che da ieri sera veste ufficialmente la maglia rossa dei migliori sul campo, senza accusare nemmeno troppa pancetta da "allenamento". L'applausometro ha anche segnato la vittoria totale e schiacciante del miglior scrittore del mese: Oscar Yelp di Settembre, meritatissimo, all'Arcigno Giovanni R, che regalerà il suo secondo zainetto rosso alla piccola Eva, dopo essersi goduto i complimenti degli sfidanti e dei nuovi arrivati "in famiglia" Cristiano C e Fabio M, nonchè del novello Elite Marco C!

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Non poteva mancare il colpo di scena: a fine serata il prode gonfiatore-di-palloni-fotografo-coordinatore-della-cucina Ettore F ha avuto a sua disposizione una rosa rossa con un invito importante: "Baciami, sono uno Yelper". Pochi istanti per decidere a chi donarla, e la rosa era già tra le mani (e lui tra le braccia) di una felice e imbarazzata Federica!

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Confessa, stai rosicando perchè non c'eri? Non mancare il prossimo evento e, nel frattempo, leggi le recensioni di questo, scrivi i tuoi commenti sul Forum e guarda tutte le altre foto!

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We all know that Milan Elites rule, but yesterday evening they... ruled more! A full load of traditional piadinas, white and red wines and good company, to enlighten a farewell night to summer. Piersergio and Francesca, lovely hosts at Divina Piadina, set up a more-than-special time for our monthly winners, Marco "Zima" S and Giovanni R, proud Elites and passionate reviewers. Cheers! Sweet liason to Ettore F, whose Yelp Rose won the heart of the beautiful bartender Federica: we yelpers do share loads of love!

  Piadina4_originalWant to know more? Read the reviews have a look at the Forum and don't miss all the gorgeous pictures!

 

 

September 24, 2012

Assaggi e Foto, Yelp Gourmet Elite Event!

Una passione degli Yelper è quello di mangiare bene, sia a livello internazionale che locale. Qui a Firenze abbiamo la passione per il ragù al cinghiale e una bistecca al sangue con contorno di fagioli, ma a volte anche un po' di cibo delicato e gourmet è apprezzato, anzi molto apprezzato! Sabato pomeriggio per la gioia di tutti gli amanti del gourmet, La vie en Rose ci ha ospitato per un evento indimenticabile fra vino e piatti squisiti.

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La chef Ylenia ci ha preparato tanti piatti buonissimi, tra crema di baccalà, melanzane fitte, coccoli, fegatino e pane fatte in casa il tutto accompagnato da vini bianchi e rossi, indicati per i piatti servititi. C'erano da assagiare piatti anche estremi come fagioli neri piccanti, a quelli dolci come pezzi di mela impanati e fritti con zucchero.

 

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Una volta portati fuori i 3 piatti da fotografare, decorati ad hoc per l'evento, è partito il concorso di fotografia! Chi voleva partecipare doveva fotografare le pietanze, e alla fine dell'evento la nostra giudice non che Elite Francesca B, che si interessa anche di fotografia, ha selezionato la foto vincente, Azzurra C ha vinto una busta piena di gadget speciali di Yelp.

 

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A parte gli assaggi e le foto, è stato divertente per tutti i partecipanti. Tra gadgets e tatuaggi Yelp!

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Un ringraziamento speciale a Yelenia e tutto lo staff di La Vie en Rose, al nostro fotografo Francesco P e a tutti i partecipanti.

Ecco alcuni link per vedere più foto, leggere le recensioni a riguardo, e sentire cosa dicono i Yelper sul Forum!

 

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It was just a normal Saturday afternoon in Florence, but with this Gourmet Elite Event it became memorable, a day our children and grandchildren will talk about (ok, just kidding) but it was pretty cool. Ylenia, the chef and owner of La Vie en Rose, a fantastic gourmet restaurant, made us some yummy tastes of her most famous dishes. We had a great time with a glass of wine in our had and a dish in the other.

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Everyone had a fun time with the photo contest. Chef Ylenia made three gourmet dishes that where put on a table, and who ever wanted to participate would have to take a picture and load it with the Yelp app. Our judge Francesca B then chose the winner: Azzurra C that took home a nice bag of special schwag.

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A big thank you to La Vie en Rose, and Francesco P our photographer.

If you want to see more pictures of the event click here, to read the reviews about it here, and to read what our Yelpers said about it on the thread here.

 

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Kristina G

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 

Yelp's Mad Hatter Tea Party at the Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Yelp Elites and their guests were most definitely on time to the Denver Botanic Gardens this past Saturday for Yelp's Mad Hatter Tea Party! Crazy hats, a queen that didn't take off anyone's head, and even a Cheshire Cat put in an appearance for the 2 hour event.

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As yelpers arrived to the event they traveled through the lovely Gardens into a private area where each person selected their own vintage tea cup to drink from. MODesTEA created three refreshing iced tea concoctions to fill those cups: The Alice (Sprightly Green Tea), The Madhatter (Crazy Good Cocktail Snowflake Tea), and The Cheshire Cat (Tulsi Ginger Orange Tea) – all with or without gin or vodka depending on the drinker's choice.

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The Hey PB&J truck rolled in with samplings from their entire menu including the fan favorite Thai pb&j, made with spicy peanut butter, orange marmalade, coconut, crushed peanuts, and fresh basil. Plus, the Denver Pie Truck delivered an assortment of hand pies and mini pies to satisfy the sweetest tooth there. All of this was topped off with croquet lessons and games from Jiminy Wicket and the Denver Croquet Club as well as tours of the Denver Botanic Gardens over the afternoon. As Rebeca R yelped, it was "Another amazing Yelp event, providing culture, referencing classic literature, and inspiring us all to dress up." The best kind of Saturday!

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If you are curiouser and curiouser be sure to check out the photos and reviews! And until next time, we'll SYOY (See You On Yelp)!

Tiffany N

Denver Yelp Community Director

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September 16, 2012

Fort Worth Yelpers BYOT Yelper Party @ Artspace 111!

As three hundred North Texas yelpers descended on Artspace 111, a modern artist's enclave tucked away on the edge of downtown Fort Worth, they may have wondered what, exactly, awaited them: what they found, then, was Yelp's first-ever Bring Your Own Theme costume party, where friends came dressed in tandem get-ups, fourteen bevvie sponsors, four restaurants dishing terrific bites, and performances from Burlesque In Dallas and DJG on wax. It was, to be sure, not dull. Couple that with a smooth ride from Meador Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram and an opportunity to support The Hope Project and yelpers had plenty to consider.

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And consider they did: Margaret B was wowed by the burlesque dancers, noting "setting flame to your glittery pasties was definitely a highlight!" She fell hard for the Blood and Honey from Revolver Brewing, "my new favorite beer, straight out of Granbury." Yelpers sipped on a variety of delicious beverages, from Real Ale to Santa Fe Brew, Kronenbourg 1664 to Saint Arnold Santo, Carlsberg to Warsteiner, Woodchuck Cider to Lost Oak Wine, Steinlager Pure to scotch from The Macallan and Cinco Vodka to boot. And for the tee-totalers? How about some of Grandma Gracie's Homemade Lemonade. Bring on the thirsty!

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There were fab bites to be had, too: Monty's Corner, Zoe's Kitchen, Hedary's Mediterranean Restaurant and The Lunch Box dialed up delicious noshes from beginning to end, just ask Jessica N, who gave rave marks to all the restaurants but highlighted the flavor she found from Monty's: "Definitely going to try Monty's Corner after having that wonderfully tasty teaser of risotto and pork!"

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In the end though, yelpers did their best to take it all in. "This was my (and Fort Worth's) first "yelper" party and all I can say is sensory overload," repped Eric W. "Greatness comes as no surprise, but this event exceeded every preconceived expectation that I had." We'll drink to that!

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SYOY,

-Kevin N

August 21, 2012

Denver's Gold Badge Bash at DiFranco's Italian Deli

Last Thursday Denver Elites went for the gold! Gold badges that is. When a yelper has been a member of the Elite Squad for 5+ years their nifty red badge takes on a golden hue. And for all of that hard work eating, drinking, and shopping locally (and sharing it), we celebrated together at DiFranco's Italian Deli. Elites started the night off right with rides to and from the event courtesy of Uber, which just rolled out car services in Denver. Upon arriving folks grabbed a glass of wine or a beer and sat down at the large community table for 14. While waiting for everyone to arrive we handed out schwag bags with fun items like playing cards, ponchos, and new red, yelpy sunglasses and snacked on fresh meats, cheeses, and tapenades.

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After everyone arrived we started the meal with fresh side salads and moved on to the main course of homemade pastas and sauces (spicy fettucine and penne with prosciutto vodka) straight from the recipe book of Ryan DiFranco's Sicilian grandmother. They were so delicious that Nicole W (and pretty much everyone else) would have happily licked the bowls clean! We followed up the decadent meal with dessert truffles from Chocolate Lab and gourmet popsicles from Aiko Pops (think flavors like avocado, strawberry balsalmic, and tomato basil).

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We also had a champagne toast, well several toasts, and a special video from Big Pappa himself, aka Jeremy S to round out the evening in style. But, don't take my word for it, check out the photos from Steve Lynds Photography and the reviews from the golden Elites themselves for a full picture of the evening. Until next time, SYOY (See You On Yelp)!

Tiffany N

Denver Yelp Community Director

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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 

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