This was such a fun experience. Drinking, pedaling, enjoying the experience of seeing our city in a…read moredifferent light.

My first experience on a pedal wagon, this was a lot of fun!…read more I've been asked in the past to do this and I've always thought "who wants to pedal around and get sweaty just to drink?" There's something to this pedaling around. Listening and singing to music. People watching. Waving at cars passing by. Having fun. Thanks for the fun!

So. Much. Fun. This was my first Yelp! event and it was a blast. The ice breaker was great for a…read morenewbie like me and helped me meet a lot of great people. We had so much fun chatting people up and making new friends. The free beer/wine & swag was a definite bonus too. Tom + Chee is just such a fun place. With all the fun colors and comic book motif it was impossible not to walk around with a great big smile. One of the owners was there and he was so personable. You could tell he loves his business and is passionate about his business and their mission. Touring the store was a great treat and I was just so impressed overall. This just made me feel great about a place that I already love to frequent. Thank you Yelp! & Tom + Chee.

Wine...beer...ice breaker game...free swag ... Lots of fun and interesting people. What's not to…read morelove. Oh yeah, did I forget the most AMAZING Grilled cheese sandwiches. OMG. LOVED the bacon barbecue chip cheese one. And my favorite was with strawberry whipped topping sundae one. Next time I go, the goetta one called Armageddon is so mine.

:-D I cannot stop smiling! This was my second Yelp Cincy Made event and let me tell you, these…read moreevents are top notch! Cindy does a great job with finding cool spots and making the events so exclusive. We had only 12 people at the event, which was the perfect size to learn to bake these fantastic little French treats! Cindy started everyone with a glass of champagne (I mean, how can you NOT have a good time when there is bubbly?!) and we all introduced ourselves. Then she introduced Nathan, owner of Macaron Bar and his team. From there, we learned a little history about the macaron and started the lesson. I was surprised that the class was 3 hours, but the time flew by!! Nathan was a fantastic teacher. Making the macarons was actually easier than I thought, but having an expert and 2 other team members (shout out to Shelley and Courtney!) made it fun and exciting. We made some beautiful purple mararons and had lots of fun with the caramel filling! And much to my surprise, they tasted amazing as well!! Not as good as Nathan's version, but pretty yummy for our first attempt! I absolutely LOVE this event series! Learning about and supporting local businesses is just awesome. Thank you SO much, Cindy, for the time and effort you put into these events! Can't wait for the next one!

This is hands down the best Yelp Elite event I have been too! We learned how to make macarons from…read morethe masters at Macaron Bar (hey Nathan!) and it was amazing. First off, there was free champagne which is a good starting point for any event (good call with the champagne Cindy!). The class was small enough for us to each get to take part in each step of the baking process, so it was super hands on. I hate going to cooking classes where you just sit and listen to a lecture, and this macaron making class was certainly not that. We started by learning about the macarons (did you know that the flavor is all in the filling and the cookie doesn't have any additional flavor, just almond meringue?? I had no idea!). Then we made the meringue, the cookie batter, piped the cookies, and baked them. Each group of three then made a fluffy ganache filling (ours was chocolate, but the other groups made vanilla, rose, and even a salted caramel)...I'm not gonna lie, I stole a bit of the chocolate ganache off of the spatula. It was fantastic! Then, the best part...trying all the macarons! We tried all of the flavors, and we each took home a box for later. The macarons weren't quite as *pretty* as the ones at Macaron Bar (I think I need to work on my piping technique), but they still tasted pretty darn good, especially considering we were all novices! This class was free, but I would definitely pay for the macaron making class at Macaron Bar! This class was totally worth it, and I learned so much...No wonder their cookies are $2 each, it takes a ton of effort to make them! Now I can't wait to eat the ones I took home

While searching for things to do in Cincinnati, I found this, which was perfect for my family! It's…read morea quick trip over the bridge to Newport, KY. There's ample parking in front of the building (easy to find). The staff was super nice from checking in to leaving the boat! The captain greeted us to show us where to go, which I thought was a great touch. The snack bar staff was also great! The boat takes you up and down the Ohio river. There's so many beautiful sights to be seen. It was just so relaxing even as full as it was. There's different levels to sit on with chairs. The snack bar had great options for all. I thought the pricing was fair. They offer pictures prior to stepping onto the boat.

Was my first time on the riverboat I loved it the food was very good and friendly service and a…read moregreat family experience!

O-M-effing-G with a huge side of swanky wow!…read more I have been to my fair share of yelp elite events and this one tops them all, hands down. Not only were the staff incredibly sweet, gracious and friendly - not only was the food absolutely melt-in-your-mouth phenomenal - not only was it so much fun to pretend like I was actually living in the 1960's and able to dress the part (and I won best dressed - total cherry on top of the cake of my nite!)- but it was also a wonderful opportunity to get to know other yelp eliters, most of which I'd never met before! Talk about an incentive to open up a yelp account and start writing your heart out! I know many non-yelp elite significant others watched us walk out the door with a twinge of jealousy in their hearts. lol. I equally appreciated learning about the background, history and roots of this restaurant (I wish we could have finished watching the video!) In my brief stint working in the restaurant industry, I gained a new respect for how familial it is. Ruth's Chris is no exception - in fact, their mission is founded on southern hospitality, and they do not disappoint. Many, many thanks to Cindy and all of the Ruth's Chris staff who showed us such an excellent time last nite. I genuinely appreciated every second of my experience and left with a happy (and very full) tummy, and some new friends!!! So to anyone curious about joining Yelp, or those of you who are on the fence with your review writing, or those of you who creep - if you love food and fun -it's 100% worth it to dive right in and begin food-blogging away!!!

This was my first Elite event and I'm so glad it was because it was so memorable. How fun to get to…read moremeet a bunch of fellow Yelpers, dress up like Mad Men AND have a beyond amazing meal! Everything about this night was in a word, FAB. The food, the service, the theme, the atmosphere, it was all great. Ruth's Chris speaks for itself when it comes to the food but as usual the steaks were perfectly done and I was so happy they had the creamed spinach as a side... my FAVE! I was also totally stoked to finally find out why it is called "Ruth's Chris" after watching a great video on how Ruth's Chris got it's start- what an inspiring story! It explains why the staff here are so proud to work at this organization and why the level of service here is heads above the rest. Thanks to Cindy for putting together such a fun event, and thanks to the Ruth's Chris Steakhouse Staff for being so gracious. Looking forward to many more Yelp events!

I was super excited to see a new take on eyewear. I know the time is coming that I'll be needing…read morethem and I haven't been looking forward to it. Also excited to see a local company's success. The store front is super cute and great location on Vine. The staff were friendly and helpful. They wrote down what eyewear my hubby was considering so we'd have that when the time comes. I found eyewear that I LOVED and that is saying something for my tiny face. The eyewear is fantastic. Interchangeable...so glad Frameri came about. Love the concept, look and quality. Thanks YELP for organizing and sharing a local business that some of us might not otherwise know about. Farmeri, thank you for letting us invade your shop and work spaces to see behind the scenes. Much continued success and I'll see ya when the time comes. :)

Awesome event! It was great to hear Frameri's story, mission, and expansion plan. It was very clear…read morethat the owners and employees are all extremely passionate about the product and the company. Speaking of the product...it is amazing! The biggest reason I wear my contacts so much vs my glasses is they get boring/don't match everything. This fall when I get my prescription updated I am taking it right to Frameri to get a couple new pairs of glasses. For the price of one pair of glasses from a normal eyeglass retailer I will be able to get at least 2 at Frameri. Very exciting that Cincinnati is their flagship store. Love the Cincy Made series because it gives you a great opportunity to get to know great local businesses (and some that are local with international reach like Frameri!)

What an awesome Yelp Event! I know we are only half way through the year, but this is my favorite…read moreone so far. The night started off checking in. We got cool bandanas and a complimentary drink ticket. I got the 5 Star Stout (Tropical brewed with coffee). Awesome stuff. City Barbeque provided the delicious meal. We were given a tote bag with instructions on making a simple rub recipe, coupon and faqs about their business. I LOVED creating my own Rub! So much fun. My friend Brandy and I did not waste any time and headed to the Buffet line and got our meal. There was green beans (with bacon), Macaroni and Cheese (you can choose the toppings), Brisket (so tender and juicy, the best!!! YUM!!) and for desert- the peach cobbler. The long tables felt like we were outdoors on a picnic. Sweet!! After dinner, we were given a tour by Braxton Brewing Co. Very informative and interesting. It was short and to the point. They brew their beer at this location which is small, yet spacious. I've never been to Braxton Brewing and will definitely return. I love the décor and the long couch to chill out. My second drink is the Storm Golden Cream Ale (smooth and crisp). At the end of the night we had some pictures taken by WINKINGMANPHOTO.COM (Cool Props and backdrop provided). Overall, I had a blast!!! Thank you Cindy, Yelp, Braxton Brewing Co., City Barbeque, and Winking Man Photo, for everything!! The night was absolutely perfect!

Since I don't get to Covington very often, I wonder how long it would've taken me to find this…read morejewel known as Braxton Brewing. I shudder to think about it. Predominantly a family run business, it is clear that they want to set themselves apart from the rest of the craft beer pack. We learned on our tour that one of the sons in the family started out brewing beers at home when he wasn't even old enough to buy a beer. At 18, he already had an award-winning concoction!! This place is so high-tech that in order to vie for some of the gift cards, you could tweet and see it almost instantaneously right there!! The facility itself was modern, spacious and clean. Co-hosting this amazing Yelp event was City Barbecue! They started off with a bang by letting us all go through their make-your-own-spice-rub bar to bring home some of the resulting deliciousness. Not only were the scents of their spices enticing, but the colors were as well. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to make use of it tomorrow!! Their brisket was mouthwatering and who could resist their mac n' cheese with extra fixings to top it with - think bacon and extra cheeses! After filling our tummies, we were sent home with their simple rub recipe, along with a small container of the one we had made with their ingredients. I found this to be a novel and fun idea!! Then as if that wasn't enough, they gave us a coupon for two free sides when we purchase the smoked meat from them. Here is a company trying to "rub' us the right way. Another fun night coordinated by Cindy again! A big thanks to her, as well as Braxton Brewing and City Barbecue!

This was an amazing event. I have driven past the garage multiple times and always wondered about…read moreit and was so happy to attend an event there and learn more. I have never rode on a Segway before and was a little nervous but the instructors made me feel much more confident. We rode off in groups of 6-7 on a 10 minute tour down the road toward the horse shoe casino and back. We also took a moment to goof off in an empty parking lot where we could go fast without worrying about cars. When we arrived back the staff was awesome showing us around the store and even gave us an electric bike to test out. I had never even heard of an electric bike before! It was great fun and I was so impressed with the staff there who were all incredibly personable. I can't wait to book my next Segway tour!

When I got the confirmation email that I was in the Garage OTR!!! I was ecstatic! I never road on…read morea segway before and always wanted to. What a great opportunity to learn! When my friend and I first arrived, I was alittle nervous. The instructors were very generous to show each and every one of us how to use the Segway. It was a 10 minute crash course and then we were to split up in groups of 6-7 and ride 10 minutes around downtown area. You can learn alot in 10 minutes. Also the intructors were not going to let you go until you felt comfortable. We were to wear safety helmets as well. Our group went from the Garage OTR to the end of the street near Horseshoe Casino. As we went around, our tour guide took us to an empty parking lot so that we can practice and go as fast as we want. I was very comfortable at the end and wanted to ride more! What I learned is not to over think it. When we got back, we were given coupons for half off segway tours (you can also go in groups) in the eden park, downtown & riverfront and spring grove cemetary area, with a cool yelp water bottle and Dewey's pizza (heck ya!!!). What an awesome experience! My friend and I had a blast! Cindy my friend, you are the bomb.com!!! This was a great addition to the Yelp's Bucket List. I will definately book online for a tour! Thanks Staff of Garage OTR! You guys rock!!

My favorite thing about Yelp events is getting to go to places that I would've never known existed…read moreotherwise. This was the perfect example. Tucked away off Race St in OTR, the Cincinnati Recreation Commission is a great facility that also holds a boxing area, pool table, basketball, and more. I had a blast skating to some great tunes. I was really proud of myself for not falling at all, and everyone else seemed to get the hang of it too. I wasn't brave enough to try any tricks but enjoyed watching those who did. Thanks Cindy for the pizza and another great event, and to all the sponsors for providing much-needed bevs and snacks!

Lets see how many 70's slang terms I can squeeze into this review…read more I managed to stay alive and not fall on my booty so that was far out. The food was dope and the snacks were dy-no-mite. I was stoked to skate as it had been years since I last laced up and ventured onto the rink. You dig? The tunes were rad and had everyone boogieing in their skates. I really dug those that dressed in 70's garb, shout out to Kara and Stephen and others. The photos from this event are slammin' and hilarious. Right on! Thanks to Cincy Cindy for the groovy event. Now where did I put my disco ball.....?

This was our first Yelp event as Elites, and Cindy really set the bar high with past Yelp events…read moreI've been to so I wasn't sure what to expect, but what a delight! The Frozen Asset demo was a great way to show off the mixologists of D. Burnhams and the food, though all catered towards carnivores, were delightful. Everything tasted great and were beautifully and artfully presented. Touring the hotel was a real unique experience considering the historic value of the building to the city and was unexpected, but definitely keeps me clamoring for more! A lot of yelpers seemed to be new to the Elite scene (myself included) and this was a great first Elite event to be invited too. Thank you, Cindy for a great Monday evening! You really know how to plan great events that'll float EVERYone's boat!

A wonderful time was had by all at D. Burnhams and the Renaissance Hotel this evening. For a…read morerestaurant that has only been open 2 months, they certainly seem to have their act together. The bartender Ryan personally developed a specialty cocktail called Frozen Assets to play on the fact that the site used to be a bank in it's previous life. It was impressive to hear how thoughtfully he concocted this wonderful libation. Because he wanted to include a dollar sign in the drink, he pureed basil and decorated the top of an ice cube with that symbol. Then he creatively used some coconut oil on top because it is a solid at room temperature before he poured more water on top to freeze so as not to mess up his design. As the ice cube melts, it subtlely changes the flavor of the drink over time, then as a finishing touch, he flambeed the liquid refreshment with Chartreuse! Next, before tasting any of the menu items, the chef came out and described this delectable array of food samples - potatoes dauphinoise, brussel sprouts, short ribs, seared scallops and duck to name a few. Delicious yet just enough to make you want to come back to eat there. Note: the chef and restaurant emphasize using local foods in their preparations which I can appreciate. The second half of the evening was led by Diana (an impassioned historian). Turns out D. Burnham was named for the nationally famous architect and when The Renaissance was built it was the tallest building in Cincinnati! The elevators right outside of the restaurant are an exquisite example of art deco even though they are no longer in operation. Besides the many suites and meeting rooms, I was blown away by the gorgeous Burnham Hall - look at some of the photos to understand what I mean. You rarely see anything like it nowadays. Glorious details and enough capacity for several hundred people whether you are planning a meeting or wedding reception! As a side note, in the bathrooms the mirrors had a grid of lights displayed in them. You could change the pattern by pushing buttons at the bottom. An unexpected, but unique design element. It was also fun for Cindy to have a Best Dressed contest. Some of the outfits were truly befitting the evening and D. Burnham's will hopefully let one of us know if we have won a free night's stay. Keeping my fingers crossed!! Thank you, thank you to The Renaissance Hotel, D. Burnham's and most of all to our tireless leader, Cindy, for arranging the entire event!