So lucky to have Mary V leading our NorthBay group... just back from another amazing event!…read more Special shout out to her intern Ruby... better hire or quickly or one of us will! Many thanks, Alan

Ordering: smooth process-after checking in for the event, we went ahead and scanned the QR code for…read morethe menu. For this you can directly order and no worries on the charge- so long as it's the one hotpot & one drink. Service: very attentive and kind throughout- when seated brought our water. All staff are wearing masks appropriately! (Not something I consistently see when out now) Hotpot: - I've always loved Tasty pot and happy to support their 7 year anniversary, this is a locale I haven't been to but have been to the one in Berkeley - flavor- for Taiwan stinky tofu and spicy pot the flavor is spot on. Feel to add extra add ons as needed to support the business - bathroom- the womens bathroom has a broken faucet but it was working just loose. - portions- the $20 pots tend to be larger but al come with water and it's great :) Now I'll be frequenting this spot when the craving hits for hotpot :) glad to have come around for this event

This is one of my favorite stops whenever I go downtown Monterey farmers market. I love their ube…read moreand pandan waffles as well as the mochi cakes. I also love some of the cookies that I missed during this visit. I love the flavor and chewy texture of these treats! First time trying the shortbread cookies- although not my favorite texture for a shortbread cookie, it was delicious! Edit: I've had a bit more of the cookies and they're actually the soft texture I love! This place accepts cash, card, Apple Pay.

Some of the most yummy treats I've had in a while. I've never had Thai treats like this and I was…read morevery impressed. The mochi and coconut just give them a great taste and texture. All the treats I've tried, from the pandan cake, to the Oreo cookie, to the mochi waffles, are a must try. A nice selection and the owner was so great in explaining all the treats to us and its ingredients. I will be visiting the farmers market much more often now!

"It's here guys!" So much anticipation!!!!…read moreWhat a lovely note! So my package just arrived and I'm so excited to try this!! Opening the box reveals a lovely and carefully wrapped tea and a sweet note. Also a strainer, which at first glance appears to be too large of a strain for all the mix, this was not the case, also just to note for tea drinking beginners its okay if you drink some tea leaves it may offer you some added health benefits. This mix makes 12 cups?!!! Yes!!! The rest of this review is brewing.. please wait... The aroma that fills my kitchen now is amazing! I've already made two chai, one hot another iced.. The mix ingredients listed are: black tea, white pepper, black pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, ganthoda, nutmeg. I'm new to ganthoda, I believe it is the light and bright back note.. almost lemony. This mix doesn't not contain jaggery or other sweetner as you'll need to add your own to taste which is great, because I don't like my masala too sweet, I definitely prefer the spicier side. I am able to taste all the ingredients listed the cinnamon and nutmeg are not so prominent that would make them taste like an average store bought "Chai - Masala" Instead this perfected blend of spices taste as if I brought back spices from India and pressed them in my mortar and pestle. Its definitely homemade and amazing! The stronger notes are black pepper and ginger with a sweetness from the cardamom. I feel this blend is spiced right you get that little bit of sweetness and bite but not too much that you'd wait another day for another cup ;P NaturallyChai will be my go to for chai now!!! you can purchase yours from naturallychai.com and follow them on social media Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Thank you to Yelp! for this gracious gift to celebrate the start of autumn. Thank you Phia, I'd like to think you're partaking in this enjoyment as well! Cheers!

The perfect way to start fall! I was really excited to received this treat and it did not…read moredisappoint. It came with all the essentials necessary to make some chai and easy to understand instructions! Chai is one of my favorites things to drink in the fall and I had actually never done a drink at home so this was special for me, I enjoyed it! I will be ordering some more!

To start, thank you to our CM Katie for organizing another amazing Yelp Experience!…read more This is my second time coming here and it gave me confirmation entrees (we got the Lanzhou noodles this time) are HUGE. It was good enough to feed two people + some to-go. Broth is really clean and not too heavy. I wish the noodles were cut a little though because they're pretty long. We went during lunch so it wasn't very busy. Staff were very attentive bringing out refills of water and individual bowls to share. Dinner tends to be really packed. We also got an beef pancake roll which was really yummy. It was packed was packed with cilantro and other veggies which made it super refreshing Overall super great experience! And the Yelp Chopsticks are very cute!

TLDR: Delicious noodles, but I felt a bit uncomfortable! The customer service was nonexistent…read morehonestly and on top of that... there was a man (possibly the owner?) who was very blunt and judgemental. He didn't seem very happy to be a part of this event... 4/5 stars for the Lanzhou noodles! I really enjoy a clean clear beef broth, and this is a great option for it. The noodles were honestly too soft for me, but the noodles I got were the perfect shape. I definitely recommend the thin flat noodles. They give a big portion! You scan a QR code and order on the phone. There's complimentary tea given, but if you want water, you need to ask. After we finished our meal, I let a waitress know that I was there for the Yelp Elite event and she greeted me happily, then referred me to the other man (the owner or manager?). He bluntly says "you're supposed to let us know before you order" and I quickly apologized... When I was ready to pay (since we got an appetizer too), he brought the Square system with Apple Pay to our table. I nervously pay since he's staring us down and when I'm deciding to tip, I quickly type an amount and he suddenly gets VERY UPSET because of how much I tipped. No matter the amount I tip... a business owner should never chew out a customer for a VOLUNTARY tip... AT LEAST I TIPPED SOMETHING??? This was a bitter way to end my experience here....

I was super excited to try out the Smashburger! We live in Japan Town which is super close to this…read moreplace. As usual Yelp (Abby) come through with yet another "Smashing" Yelp event! The event was well organized and staffed! The staff of Smashburger were outstanding and were super friendly. They even made a special tasting menu for this Yelp event! Smashing Baby! There were five burgers and two chicken sandwiches to taste, and most were amazing! My favorite was the Bay Area Burger, which I can't wait to enjoy again. There event starred with smashing fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings and vegetables; all equally delicious! The onion rings stood out as they were lightly battered, which is so different than most places. The event ended with peanut butter, vanilla and Oreo shakes! Did I mention Gordon Biersch beer! I am so full from this devine menu, I'm not sure how I will get through the night. Based on the nutritional sheet, I've consumed at least 2,500 calories tonight! Gluttony?!? In the end, it was a smashing event and food. I met some new Yelpers, silver and gold! Special thanks to Abby and Smashburger staff and marketing guy!

Roll out the barrel, we'll have a barrel of fun Roll out the…read morebarrel, we've got the blues on the run Zing boom tararrel, ring out a song of good cheer Now's the time to roll the barrel, for the gang's all here Truly was a totally awesome event!! Roll out the barrel coz that's just how I felt...a barrel..that needs to be rolled out...hahaha...soo full!!! Like what other says 7 kinds of burger tasted...which is the equivalent of almost 2 big burgers..seriously!!! 3 kinds of fries, and onion ring (sorta)...plus OMG 3 kinds of shakes!!! and bottomless drinks for sure!!! Thank you Abby for such a very nice and very intimate event....Thank you staff at SmashBurgers and host...Nice to meet you Michelle (silver) and John (gold) (i get to meet at least 2 Yelpers that I've never met) and of course it was awesome to see familiar Yelpers too... PS Thanks for those red pair of cool Yelp socks...

Enjoyed a wonderful outing with my wife and made some new friends at Hidden Hills Brewing &…read moreBlending. I was excited to receive an invite to check out this local establishment at the Barnyard in Carmel and didn't know what to expect. When I arrived, I checked in with the owners at Hidden Hills - two brothers who are locally grown and experts at their craft. Both are very approachable and were wonderful hosts. The brothers gave my wife and I a complete overview of their craft (brewing, canning, and labeling) and a history of how they started their business. The treats provided by Cheese Fairy Charcuterie were beautifully put together and tasted amazing! The treats consisted of fresh cheeses, meats, fruits, and nuts. It went perfectly with our drinks and topped off a great experience. We toured the inside of Hidden Hills which is warm and inviting. We ended up sitting outside where more even more seating is available. I highly recommend visiting this Hidden Hills - while I'm not a beer drinker but I am confident that beer drinkers from anywhere will give this place two thumbs up! Don't forget to try the Cheese Fairy, too - both establishments provided top notch treats and a wonderful experience.

OMG what an amazing experience!…read more I took a longish break from the Elite life (a pandemic and a child can do this to you ;-)) but couldn't take missing out on those fantastic events any longer!!! So, I'm back and started my Elite Life 2.0 with a bang. I've been dabbling in Pilates and especially the reformer exercises for a while now and am still trying to find a studio/space/community that works for me. Guys, I might have found my place. The studio is so zen and beautifully done. Six reformers and a lot of weight training equipment. Right after entering the space, you feel calm and happy. The vibe is welcoming, the people super friendly and Nati is simply a gem. Being a bigger gal, I'm always a bit insecure when entering a new workout environment. Only when I left the studio, I realized that I felt comfortable the entire time before, during and after the workout. It really is a judgement free zone and Nati gives alternatives for the more challenging exercises, so everyone can do them. I chose the reformer only class to get into it, but I will definitely be back and try the reformer/strength training combination session as well to see which one is a better fit. Or keep mixing it up? I will find out. But one thing is sure, I will return and train with Nati and this great community. Thanks yelp for a great workout experience (and for the sweet swag)!

Man oh man i am out of shape! This was a great experience. My 1st introduction to yoga…read more Unfortunately there schedule doesn't fit my lifestyle. I would recommend this place over and over again!

Soffra Grille for the win! The food, the atmosphere, the staff were all stellar. I literally…read morerolled out of there stuffed. The baklava for dessert was one of the best I've ever had. It was so flakey and not overly sweet. Amazing Yelp event and you can feel the energy as we all enjoyed out meal.

Thanks Paolo and Sofra Grill for the invitation. First off, I love an easy parking restaurant to…read moremake life so easy to get there with lots of available street parking. Staff are super friendly and made the experience so easy. The steak wrap was delicious with flavorful sauces. The meat was well cooked and love that the wrap is thinner which they make it nice and toasty on the outside. The fresh veggies and pickles inside the wrap give it a nice crunch. In addition, the portions are so generous. I would recommend to my friends to come here again on my own!