Yelp Elite - Seeing Green

Last week I attended my second Yelp Elite Party. As always, the party had a theme and was at an Irish bar called McFaddens where they were having a "Halfway to St. Patty's Day" party. My friend Tara and I went to their last party, a prohibition themed party at Bootlegger, and had a great time. (More on my blog Yelp Elite - Oh Yeah!) This time I took my boss Kate as my plus one since she's an aspiring Yelp Elite member and was excited to see what being Yelp Elite was all about.

Yelp Welcome Sign

It seems like these parties are always downtown on Thursday nights ... meaning last week I had to rush home from coaching Girls on the Run, change, head downtown, and keep my fingers crossed that I'd find parking. I circled the streets furtively for a few minutes after Kate told me she had found parking, but then gave in and just parked in one of the many lots. Since the theme of the party was St. Patty's day we both should've dressed in green. Unfortunately I didn't have anything green to wear so I threw on a string of green mardi gras beads that I had gotten years ago at the Chicago Marathon. 

Yelp Elite Party Entrance

 Photo courtesy of Yelp's Flickr stream

As we approached the bar we saw a crowd of green party people lining up at the door. We checked in, received name tags, were instantly given glowstick necklaces, were handed chapstick on a stick, walked two more feet and were given a choice of beers, walked a few more feet and were offered an appetizer from a tray, started to descend the stairs and encountered another waitress with an appetizer tray .... wow! I wish this happened to me when I walked into work! Wouldn't it be nice if someone took my coat, handed me coffee, read me my to-do list for the day, reminded me to pick up my drycleaning .... but I digress. Someday ... someday....

Packed Bar at McFadden's

  Photo courtesy of Yelp's Flickr stream

Anyways, we got upstairs and were surprised by how large the bar area was and how packed it was. The place was jam packed with Yelpers in green and tons of waitstaff. The Yelp party ran from 6 - 8pm and during that time they had an open bar and free appetizers circulating. WOW. We walked around the main bar area for a bit and then headed out back to the huge patio area where we sat down. Maybe I haven't gone out in a while (okay that's totally not a maybe, that's a definitely), but the noise was bothering me. There was music blaring inside and it was hard to hold a conversation. WHAT? HUH? haha jk.

We're Just Too Cool

As Kate and I hung out outside we picked up some cute chotchkis off the table, met the party leprechaun, and we were constantly checked on by the waitstaff to see if we wanted more drinks or food. The staff was ON IT. Since this event was the bar's grand opening party I'm sure they wanted to provide top-notch service and get great Yelp reviews, and I'm pretty sure that after this party they must have. 

Kate's New Friend

As we sat there we had several super friendly people come by and start up conversations with us. This reminded me of the  last party I went to with Tara. Either Elite Yelpers are the friendliest most outgoing people out there, or parties attract super outgoing people. Maybe if you throw a free party and provide free drinks and food you are guaranteed to have happy friendly people? Who knows. 

Our New Friends

By the end of the night Kate and I had been suited up with McFadden sunglasses, wrist bands, and beer coozies, and had met the party leprechaun and received gifts from his pot-o-gold ... McFadden prophylactics! haha. Random and funny ... I thought they were matches when I grabbed one! :oP

That's Not a Matchbook!

We didn't stay too long after the Yelp party ended (8:30pm is late enough for me to be out on a school night) and I headed home to finish up with my post-GOTR coaching work. (If you're interested in reading my bi-weekly GOTR coaching blog, you can pick up the feed here.)

LOVE This! Blood, Yelp, & Tears

The party was a lot of fun and it was fun to hang out with my boss for the first time socially. We work in such a small company that we've hung out a lot at work and on the road, but it was fun to do something local and downtown. I'm looking forward to the next Yelp Elite event and I'm sure it will be a blast too. Who wants to be my plus one?? :)

Don't You Want to Be +1 to This Girl??