Awesome Happy Humpy Hour @ La Costa Mexican Restaurant!…read more *FLASH!* UYE Whenever three (3) or more Yelpers converge on a spot together - such as special non-Yelp events, or casual *spontaneous* in-the-moment unbilled Unofficial Yelp Events (UYEs) - you got yourself a *Flash* UYE! SITREP Tonight was a post-training decompression de-angsting treat for a dozen of us in Monterey Park- getting off work, and out of training, and so we headed over to La Costa to take advantage of the Happy Hour specials they had going on. MARGARITAS! Their classic margaritas on the rocks were 2-4-1 and dam refreshing - and I didn't share! I drank BOTH of my margaritas! THE FOOD However, the deep-fried calamari and the chicken quesadillas I DID share with my friends and colleagues, and they were so delicious. THE LOWDOWN Great people, refreshing drinks, and delicious food are a fantastic incentive for us to get together and share these things we enjoy together - La Costa proved to be a fun place to have a fantastic Happy Humpy Hour.

Overall still a fun event but this year with the location at LA Center Studio instead of Exposition…read morePark like last year there was less room to roam around freely, there also weren't any talking panels from local craft brewers like they had last year. The event this year felt more like a regular beer fest where you just move around & sample beer instead of getting to find out more about craft beer & local breweries in Los Angeles, part of it could be due to the fact that the LA Vegan Beer Fest in Pasadena held their event on the same day this year, & San Diego also had their beer fest on the same day so the Brewers may have been spread thin. Hopefully next year they go back to a larger venue, if not & this event is on the same day as the vegan beer fest I'd recommend going to the vegan beer fest. The venue is larger & the time of the event is longer (5 hours at the Vegan Beer fest compared to 3 at the LA Beer Week fest)

Let's get the bad out of the way up front. The bathroom to crowd ratio was way off. 8…read moreporta-potties for this beer event was not enough. Beer=pee. First visit wasn't so bad but at it's worst the line seemed 100 people deep. At this point my friend's idea to buy Starry Kitchen chicken wings in exchange for entry to the bar bathroom was a good one. Many people did this. You also need to train your workers to install the toilet paper in the porta-potties. Towards the end of the event there were rolls of paper on the floor & thrown about. The security did a fine job regulating the line & kept it moving later. Now for the good. It's an outdoor beer festival in L.A.! The Chinatown location was perfect since we were able to take the train. Although by the looks of the crowd, you may have already outgrown the space. The tickets with the tasting glass was a good idea. Although it was an unlimited tasting event, the tickets somehow psychologically made you pace yourself. Last years event had a few unfortunate casualties that we witnessed (Girls Gone Wild). We were first greeted by Andrew from Ohana pouring this year's Unity beer, a collaboration beer that he had a hand in. We found a bench to relax on, our base camp but they were few and far between. Perhaps more chairs & tables next time. There were 24 L.A. County Brewers Guild breweries & 25 breweries from abroad. Each of them were pouring between 2-6 types of beer. A lot to choose from. It's just not possible to try them all. Between my husband & friends, we were able to try quite a bit. A rinse station/dump bucket at every brewery would have been helpful. We were familiar with most of the breweries in attendance but I was happy to finally be able to try Pacific Plate Brewing Co.'s Horchata Stout. It didn't disappoint. My husband's favorites were the Craftsman Oktoberfest, Bootlegger's Brewery's Knuckle Sandwich & Smog City Brewing Co.'s "Wierd" beer. The local breweries that we visit on a regular basis are always on point but our livers can only take so much. After Beer Week is over we will need to go on a cleanse. The music and the food & beer panel was a nice addition. By the way, Ting, if you need any R & D volunteers for your food & beer pairings, I'm here for you. We will continue to support our local breweries & Craft Beer! Cheers!

What can I say about East Los Angeles, better known to natives and locals as East LA…read more Growing up sunny Los Angeles in the mid to late 80s to the late 90s and returning back in the early 2010s I definitely know a lot of different pockets in Greater Los Angeles, but East LA was a big part of my youth - attending middle school at Record Avenue & East Cesar E Chavez - via Belvedere, riding the school bus to a from the South to the East, visiting friends in Whittier, enjoying conchas o golosinas en tiendas locales, the memories are endless. Seeing how much ELA has grown in ways, but kept a lot of nostalgia in other ones has also been pretty cool - the show Gentefied comes to mine especially being such a big part, central and area of LA Latin & Hispanic culture. East LA (not to be confused with LA East - which covers a large part of the East half of Greater Los Angeles for events and experience on Yelp) has a lot of character and care, mixing in the new with old shouldn't take away from the people and places that came before and will continue to thrive here for hopefully years to come #SupportSmallandLocal Citadel Outlets, Gold E Line, all things east of the 5, Pieology Monterey Park, Vincent Price Art Museum and other hidden gems are just a few places and spots I've frequented since moving back to LA nearly 14 years ago. Northeast LA even more so - usually at the Highland Park Bowl, The Hermosillo, Galco's Sodas, Delicias Bakery & Some, and York Blvd - the hub of hubs. Unlike a vast majority of LA East LA actually has a bit more parking in places, especially if you know where to look... More residential areas, less big businesses, local bookstores, LA Public Libraries, commuting routes, sidewalks and cost affordable neighborhoods. Tons of variety, culture, art and vibraciones únicas high and low. East Los Angeles, discover where to go and show this side of LA el amor.

I was born in East LA but I was raised in Orange County. So if you want an expert on ELA culture…read moreim not the guy. I can tell you that when you drive through ELA it truly is like the song by Randy Newman. So much to see. Landmarks everywhere, possible celebrity sightings, movie sets, world known restaurants, and gangs. I bring up the gangs because although still very dangerous they have been glorified and people now want to walk that fine line of living that gangster life yet still safe. No my review is not about the gang life but I have seen neighborhood tours here in and around ELA. The funny thing you don't have to be afraid of being shot or mugged in ELA no more. Other cultures are out in force walking the multitude of unusual small businesses here. Here is a place where it can get real serious quickly. I wouldn't suggest being here alone with almost no gas in the dead of the night but chances are if you did you would be fine (maybe). If your still reading I appreciate it. ELA on the surface is so diverse and uber exciting. There is something happening on every corner. If its not a movie co shooting the next thriller it can certainly it can be the "Elotes" (mexican style Corn on the cob). Ive seen countless of idiots pull over block traffic just to get a Parmesan and mayonnaise corn on the cob. Or how about a mangonllada. A variety ways a mango and chili can be served frozen in a cup. Highly recommended. How about the ton of tortilla shops. Get'em fresh and hot! Mexican bread or otherwise know as "pan dulce" is so good in the morning, or in the afternoon. Come to think of it dinner and bedtime too. The great thing is Los Angeles as a whole never falls short of great Mexican breads. And it would not be a complete day without seeing a low rider. Someone on your street or nearby is driving one. The great part of ELA is the opportunity, either to spend or make money here. Talent goes far, food is great and if you have a great idea you can make it here. Enjoy your stay. Fell free to ask me about anything I may know it. I change my mind, I AM THAT GUY!

Our second Lakeside Lounge visit wasn't quite as successful as the first one. It was quite warm,…read moreso the DJ's had moved down under the old oak trees for more shade. That shifted to picnic tables versus the bistro tables. The air was still, and almost uncomfortable. Which is not the venue's fault. But it made it hard to sit and enjoy the music. Which leads to the second point. "The Flashdance DJ's" were too much into their own vibe for us. Their selections were so eclectic and rambling that it was hard to get integrated into their groove. There was a taste of that the first time we went. It seemed worse the second time. Have you ever been with an audiophile when they are immersed in their own world of music? Felt left out because you weren't in the same mood space? If so, you might understand what we felt that evening. Moving more to sets that complement each style of music, then segueing to another type instead of jumping around might be more satisfying and engaging. It appeared that most of the crowd wasn't very engaged with the tunes that the DJ's themselves were rocking out to. ;-) Still, the idea of being in glorious Descanso Gardens on a warm summer evening is a great way to go.

One of my guy friends told me that dating is like throwing a net to catch fish - it shouldn't be…read morelike spear fishing! So, that's what I did for this UYE - I sent out a ton of messages to Yelpers in the LA area to see who would want to meet in real life. Based on the premise that Yelpers are the best people in the world - adventurous, positive, open-minded, etc., these are the ones who were able to attend: New faces: Czarina Robert P. and his lovely wife Van D. Yuri "Old friends": Alana Carrie Dana Jennica Jennifer N. Kenzie Steve M. Stevo Tim C. Because of Van D.'s review of Media Noche, this restaurant was selected as the venue. We all were looking forward to the reasonably priced Sunday buffet ($16) and other items that we could order from the menu. I called from Hawaii to make our reservation, but somehow, they had forgotten and were scrambling to set up enough tables and chairs for us! Hahaha! It all worked out, eventually, and we all had a fantastic time! The food was yummy and the live music was festive! We didn't want it to end, so we continued on at Boba Tea Lounge, aka Da Aftah Pahtee... I just figured that everyone in LA has met each other already, but it seems like distance and life get in the way at times. Fate is an unusual thing. So, I was extra glad that LA Yeeps had a chance to meet each other, too! Bonus!! We have the same friends! If it's meant to be... Some day, our paths will cross and if we have not met yet, it may happen sooner than you think! On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am counting my blessings - one of them is Yelp, and another one is you!!! Mahalo for reading! Have a wonderful holiday season! Review #500

Aloha Media Noche!! Our favorite Hawaiian Yelper Nadine is in town and she came with much love!! It…read morewas like a hybrid of Halloween and Christmas because she gave us Hawaiian totes to fill with goodies!! Her luggage was as bottomless as Santa's magical sack! She spoiled us with seashell necklaces and flower clips in our hairs... not to mention fancy Aloha name tags that were RED!! Yay for Yelp colors!! Speaking of Yelp, she also gave us some Yelp gear O_O' This UYE felt like a close imitation of the real stuff :) Media Noche could have done better, but we did not let their insufficient management ruin our fun. Once tables and chairs were maneuvered all over the restaurant for us, we finally go about 4 tables put together for our group of foodies. The $16 brunch was great, aside from that inedible pork and the bitter tasting sad flan. I often find buffets to be so disappointing. I recommend their dinner over their brunch. So we after taking a bite of everything for the sake of our yelp reviews, we went off and took a million selfies. And some of us (not me) even pulled the waiter over for some selfies too! Always a good time with good company!! After Media Noche, a majority of the group went to Boba Tea Lounge where we took pictures of our drinks and attempted to fill a buy 10 get 1 free stamp card so Nadine can have a free drink from the group. XOXO!! And of course more selfies!! So good to fiiiiiiiiinally meet my favorite Hawaiian Yelper!! Saw some old yelp friends, finally met some long time yelp friends and lovely to meet those Yelpers you've heard of all the time but FINALLY met... Lol so complicated O_O Shout outs to **insert your name here** XOXO!!

What a fabulous organization -- they put on so many great events all year long, especially their…read moreNew Year's celebrations with many dynamic performers at Westfield Santa Anita mall and for the seniors at the Community Center.

Playhouse Plaza underground parking structure is conveniently located right across the street from…read morePasadena Playhouse and next to Basecamp Fitness. It's very spacious, very well lit, and very clean which is fantastic. There are multiple levels of parking available... I think at least two levels. One entrance only and one exit only which is the same as where the entrance is located. As you're exiting, you may hear some beeping noises. Don't worry... it's to alarm the pedestrians that there is a car at or near the exit. Or the other way around... it helps both parties either way. Thanks Playhouse Plaza for the extra attention and care for people! Some of the nearby businesses such as Basecamp and The Stand do validate for a minimum of 75 mins. I'm not sure if the Pasadena Playhouse validates so do find out before heading here. Nevertheless, parking cost is still very reasonable without validation. Perfect spot to park if you plan to walk around Pasadena. It's only one block south of Colorado Blvd. Happy Pasadena Parking!

Nice structure, and I'm sure there are some nice businesses to explore here. The problem I have…read morehere is the parking. The entrance to the parking has a sign stand which shows $5. I was a little suspicious about it, but couldn't find any official signs on their parking rates. When I left, I was charged $10.50. I asked the attendant why I was charged this rate, but the sign shows $5, and he said that's a flat rate that only applies if you enter the structure BEFORE 10am, and exit BEFORE 5pm. This place definitely needs more straightforward signage.

This is my favorite statue EVER. My boyfriend and I make regular pilgrimages to visit the Shorb…read moreshrine after we lunch at the neighboring Love Birds Cafe. The garden, while easily missed, is lovely. According to one visitor I talked to, "The fountain's pretty cool. But it is nothing in comparison to the statue of the statuesque James T. Shorb - my idol, and dare I say...god." I highly recommend this garden if you have an extra five to 10 minutes to spend on 1st street in Alhambra.