I paid for an event hosted by The Yarn Store Boutique (why is it a "Store Boutique" anyway? That's…read morenot a thing). This event, advertised as Dumpling Night at a local restaurant, left me feeling deeply uncomfortable, embarrassed, and disappointed. Even my guest was made to feel so awkward, she left after only four minutes.
To start: There was no welcome, no posted schedule, and no signage to identify seating or class tables. But a random person (whom I can only assume was the event organizer and/or owner of The Yarn Shop Boutique Store Mart Shoppe Market) approached to let us know we were "at the wrong table." I'm not sure how we were supposed to know that, but we were instructed to sit at a different table, which had limited options for our party of three. The organizer hummed in disapproval at US, sighing and saying, "I guess it's OK that you sit here."
The seating situation was unpleasant: we were crammed in so tightly there was barely room to get to the buffet, let alone have working space for a hands-on class. The tables were laid out ineffectively, leaving wasted space near the walls. It's clear the restaurant doesn't have event management experience (and I hope it's clear by this review that I actually DO). The poor waiters, when they were visible, were clearly overwhelmed and struggling with the onslaught of customers shouting drink orders at them haphazardly, and it was obvious that the restaurant itself has poor management.
My third guest had arrived with my friend and me, but left within minutes due to the judgmental stares directed at her visible tattoos from other guests.
The buffet was laid out and the roll-top chafing dish lids were open, but when I got a plate and started to get food, another woman (I later found out she was the restaurant owner) loudly informed me that "it wasn't time to eat yet." I've been to plenty of other events; generally when the lids are up, then it should be open season for buffet. If your restaurant cannot figure out how to roll the lids down to keep the food warm and fresh before serving time, then maybe remove the stack of plates until it IS time to eat. Moments later, I glanced around and noticed a few other guests already eating. I guess I wasn't special enough, and that kind of selective enforcement feels pretty bad when you've paid to be there.
After I sat back down from that embarrassing moment, the same woman (the owner) reached over and grabbed the glass of water that had just been placed in front of me, asking "you're not drinking water, right?" as she moved away from me, my glass in her hand. I watched her gift my water to another person. Ma'am, I am not a data center; my water would have been ecologically and ethically consumed.
The knitting class was advertised as beginner-friendly but it was not. The paper instructions were written for intermediate+ students. The teachers were given a quick introduction but spent the "class" just socializing with people they already knew so I felt like I was not receiving the guidance and instruction I had paid for.
Later, a stranger sat down near my friend and, without so much as a hello, began criticizing her technique. Thick oil from her food dripping down her chin, the stranger watched my friend (who is a knitting beginner) and made biting comments about her skill until we got up and left. Of course this wasn't the fault of the organizers or the restaurant, but this is a review of the entire experience that left me feeling like an unwelcome crasher at an invite-only VIP event, instead of an actual paying customer.
The food was tasteless and bland, and didn't match the Asian theme implied by the event organizers. While I'm on the subject of decor: the restaurant's walls feature artwork depicting what I assume are portraits of customers - except that every woman drawn has comically exaggerated breasts. I would guess no fewer than 50 portraits painted on the walls, and 50 sets of large breasts dripping onto their cartoon dinner tables. I mention this only because it made for an interesting backdrop to the surprise group prayer that kicked off the event. A performative mandatory prayer at a public and paid-for event. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy breasts, I guess.
I wanted a fun, welcoming, beginner crafting night with a chance to make friends and learn about a potential new hobby. What I got was disorganization, apparent favoritism, no instruction, and an exclusionary environment. I won't be back to either the yarn store or this particular restaurant.
Amen.
