Disclaimer: This review is purely based off of my interactions when trying to book for a birthday…read moreparty. I am also leaving this review so that others do not have my experience and are not mislead. I was looking around at different options for my daughter's joint 8th and 9th birthday party. Last year we had their party at mocatinas and it was so impressive. I was trying to find something that would be equally as good. I found the Conche chocolate and cake studio and was interested in their party package. I contacted them and even on their Yelp page they advertise pictures of the parties in a private studio. We thought that was really awesome and wanted to do their cake pop making party. At no point during my discussion with their employee did they disclose that this party would not be at their private studio. There were so many chances they had to let me know during our conversations. I finally was given a contract by them and quoted over $800 for the party. We were happy to pay that but during that conversation I realized that it was casually mentioned it would be held in a restaurant. I paused right there and carefully re read everything. I made sure to ask questions and confirmed that not only would the party not be held in their private studio that the owner advertised on this very Yelp page, it would be held at a completely different restaurant. Not even the conche restaurant and no private at all. I think it's incredibly sneaky to charge someone $800 and not give a full disclaimer that this would not be held at the advertised location. Also in my personal opinion it's greedy. I told their employee I cannot justify paying that amount for a children's birthday party held in the corner of a restaurant open to the public. When initially it was advertised as private and even showed pictures. I called them out and said you do know that you have a private studio advertised right? They tried to come up with an alternative solution to put the kids in a "cramped room". While still charging $800 lol. No thank you. We have booked somewhere else. This sort of situation turns me off from even eating at their other restaurant. It's a complete lack of general care. I hope this doesn't happen to anyone else and I really hope people read this review so they are aware that children's birthday parties are held at a random corner of a rest and not the advertised private space on this page.

Not only do they sell some of the most unique and delicious chocolates and cakes I've ever tasted -…read morethey also offer a wide variety of classes so you can learn how to make them yourself. There are mommy and me chocolate sculpture classes for the little ones to more complex classes for adults. You can also order custom cakes and chocolates here, host a team building exercise or private party (gingerbread house classes are available for Christmas!) This is Charlie's Chocolate Factory for the real world.

I only came in for some kitchen rags and saw a sale for $11 from $15 but I couldn't find the right…read morelabeled rags. I asked for help and the woman looked also and found the closest thing but she didn't think that was correct either but told me she'd charge me the listed sale price. She said she thought there was a mis-listing. I also picked up some other things I needed for the kitchen. When I came home I took a closer look at the rags' original price and they were listed for $23! So she gave me more than 50% off! That was pretty awesome.

Very disappointed with the customer service at Sur La Table…read more I purchased a coffee machine and returned to the store the very next day because I was not satisfied with it. The machine had only been tested by running water through it, which is a normal step to determine whether it functions properly and meets expectations. Despite this, the staff refused to accept the return. What made the experience even more frustrating was the attitude of the employees. Instead of focusing on helping a customer who had just made a purchase, they repeatedly questioned why I bought the machine in the first place. This felt dismissive, unprofessional, and completely irrelevant to the issue at hand. I understand that stores have return policies, but the way this situation was handled showed very little regard for customer satisfaction. A coffee machine is not something you can truly evaluate without at least setting it up and testing it. Refusing a next-day return after minimal use and then interrogating the customer about their purchase decision is not the level of service I expected from a specialty kitchen retailer. This experience has left me with a negative impression of Sur La Table, and I will think twice before making another major purchase there.

Went with owner Alison Marriott on a private tour of Virginia wineries to look at venues and…read moreavailable wines in Loudoun county. Alison was very helpful navigating the area (how on Earth can you figure out which wineries to go to?) and explaining the difference in the varietals we tried. She also asked questions of the venue I would not have thought to ask, and I found two possible locations for my event (and learned which wines made it through the difficult 2011 growing season!) As someone who enjoys wine but really needs a little extra help, Alison has been my go-to "wine Rolodex" and was invaluable to learning what options were available in Loudoun County.

I hosted a small dinner party to celebrate my husband's birthday and had it catered. Thought it…read morewould be fun to have someone come in and do a wine pairing with the meal and talk to the guests about wine throughout. I was referred to Alison and she was AMAZING. She went above and beyond, talked to me about the choices prior to the dinner, seemed willing and able to work with any budget and her selections were fantastic. She was engaging, down to earth and entertaining. everyone loved it and her. She also took a few pictures of the party, which I'd forgotten to do so I have lasting memories of a very special night. I would definitely use her again.

I recently took a virtual wine class led by Ashwin and organized by my apartment's management…read morecompany. He emailed everyone with photos and a description of the two bottles of wine that we should buy for class, with alternatives suggested. Was very impressed with Ashwin's ability to engage us over Zoom, educate us in an approachable and warm way, and answer our questions without pretentiousness (what's the best glass for this type of wine?). What distinguishes Ashwin from, say, just Googling a question about wine is that Ashwin actually has a point of view that he isn't shy about sharing (like his opinions about the homogenization of the big champagne brands vs. grower-made champagnes). Especially during the time of COVID, his Zoom classes are a welcome distraction--and an excuse to drink more wine. Totally recommend his classes as a fun group event.

Ashwin makes learning about wine fun and informative! We attended 2/4 (and we will attend the next…read moretwo) virtual tastings as part of a series through Equity Apartments and now we look forward to Tuesday nights being fun, informative, and interactive! He makes wine approachable and has adapted his business to these challenging times to keep people learning about wine, tasting wine, and having a good time!

Relish Catering was featured by SDSC Gaithersburg for the second time. I missed the first time…read more It was a wonderful and smooth experience from ordering to curbside contactless pickup. It was a pre-set menu: peach salad, choice of seafood or veggie cannelloni, and choice of strawberry pretzel pie or chocolate ganache cake for $22. There was an optional add on of the pina colada sangria for $10. The peach salad with candied walnuts and balsamic vinegar was wonderful start. Next, I choose the seafood cannelloni. It came with heating instruction. The cannelloni was filled with plenty of seafood. It was divine. Lastly I choose the strawberry pretzel pie. At initial look, it didn't look like anything special, however after the first bite, I realized how wrong I was. I did ended up ordering the sangria - it was strong and plenty. Overall, the experience, food and service were excellent!

Ordered rosh hoshanah catering from relish. Alison was very friendly, responsive, and easy to work…read morewith. She brought the meal out to our trunk when we were parked on Nebel street. We enjoyed all of the dishes and they were all well prepared. The chicken should have been cooked a bit longer but otherwise everything was good. I would order from them again but would also be curious to try other caterers in the area.

Very nice vineyard. I found their glass of wine to be a bit expensive, but the chardonnay I…read morepurchased was fine. The grounds are rather hilly. It's a beautiful setting, and sits next to a regional park with a nice hiking trail. Parking here is a bit tricky they have more than one lot. Just know walking about the grounds isn't the easiest because of the hills. (Elders may find walking about difficult). There was a small wedding taking place during my visit, which added to the charm of the setting.

Paradise Springs Winery is such a beautiful spot, especially if you're looking to spend a relaxing…read moreday outdoors. The grounds are amazing--surrounded by trees and rolling hills, with a vineyard nearby that really adds to the atmosphere. On a nice day, it definitely gets busy--almost every picnic table was taken when we visited--but there was still plenty of seating inside and on the patio. They had a food truck on site, and you can also order charcuterie platters at the counter. I liked that you can bring your own picnic too (just no outside alcohol). They are also dog-friendly! I was a little surprised to see so many kids, but thankfully parents were keeping a close eye on them, so it didn't take away from the experience. There's a solid selection of wines available by the bottle or as tasting flights, so it's easy to find something you like. Tastings at the bar with a wine educator are a nice touch, though they can be a bit limited if the place is really crowded. The only downside was that they seemed a bit short-staffed during, so tables weren't cleared as quickly as they could be. That said, there are plenty of trash cans and bottle bins around, so it's easy enough to help keep things tidy. Overall, a great place to unwind with friends, enjoy some wine, and soak in the scenery--just be prepared for crowds on nice days!

I absolutely love Stacie!! She is a down to earth, lovely person with an amazing disposition of…read moremaking you feel comfortable with whatever level of cooking skill you have. It's a fun time of getting to know people and learning new recipes and skills. Perfect class for those wanting to learn how to step up your cooking game.

Wow!!! I had the honor of spending the morning cooking with Stacie and several other ladies. Stacie…read moreis such a natural in the kitchen, she is very skilled and knowledgable about every cuisine she cooks. It just comes so natural to her, her ability to teach and show those in her kitchen is an art. You not only get to help, you then sit down for a full tasting. Our menu was Vichyssoise, Sole Meunière, and Herb Hollandaise Sauce, Roasted Asparagus and Tarte aux Pommes. I highly recommend anyone wanting to expand their cooking adventures, you will not walk away disappointed.

Great instructors, very communicative! I am currently…read moretaking a course with Kasia. She is clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about wine! Would definitely recommend!

I took 2 WSET exams at the school. Both were conducted in a very professional and friendly manner…read more The registration prior to the exam handled by team member Kirstyn Kralovec was very efficient, So was the service later on, to deliver the Certs.

Did not enjoy myself in the slightest. I was not relaxed and quite frankly very overwhelmed. There…read morewas a family with 2 kids running around and screaming and chasing each other and playing hide and seek throughout the establishment. The family had a whole play set out with toys and what not. I am a mother and this was supposed to be a getaway for me, not a family function with all the kiddos. The amount of overstimulation in here was unmatched, im not even this overstimulated with my own toddler. I am very disappointed as I was traveling to visit family... the workers said NOTHING to this family, they also didn't apologize for allowing this type of customer into their establishment. NOT TO MENTION... we walked in and were not greeted in the slightest. In fact it felt as though we were ignored. The workers were not apologetic at all and I will not beg for an apology, will NEVER come here again. DO NOT COME HERE IF YOU ARE TRYING TO RELAX. You might as well buy some wine you haven't tried before and buy some cute glasses and have your own wine tasting at home. To the workers, if you are not able to acknowledge workers while helping others, you need to take a class in customer service or find a new job and also learn how to read a room. Respectfully...

Great wine and line dancing salsa, and Bachata! Wonderful charcuterie food items to have with your…read morewine.