A Badge Fest Elite Event at 1714 Vermont

So… I’m like 1.5 years late in reviewing this event… but better late than never, right?
I found the timing of this event so interesting because my friend Christina C. (who was also my +1) and I had just bought tickets to come see For the Record: Baz Luhrmann here on Jan 20, and here we were for a Unilocal Elite event on Jan 19! Fate was really leading me to this place… and I’m so glad because I love the FTR performances here (so far I’ve been here 12 times!). So I cannot say enough good things about this venue, although I’ve only come to the restaurant part afterwards and not the lounge. But it seemed really nice and big when we were here for the event.
There were also four Absolut cocktails available, including the winning cocktail by Erica F. We didn’t get her cocktail (Absolut Coke «au courant»); Christina got the Absolut Wildflower Cocktail (Absolut Wild Tea, St. Germaine, lemon juice, sugar, sweet n’ sour) and I got the Rockwell Grapevine (Absolut Grapevine, cranberry, pineapple). We both liked our drinks. But the line was ridiculous to get them – we ended up going to the upstairs bar because we heard it was quicker, but it seemed like it was actually slower. And because we were in line we missed the sample of FTR: Tarantino that happened downstairs, but that’s fine because now I’ve seen that show three times: P There were also a good number of snacks – we got a mini sandwich bite, some cheese and crackers, some kabob, some fruit, and a cookie. Later we also managed to snag a piece of flatbread pizza. And of course, what kind of Unilocal event would it be without a photobooth? Project Photo Booth was upstairs and the lines weren’t too bad. It did feel like they weren’t their usual selves though because our photos came out underexposed o. O But I’m still glad that they were there!
And if you checked in with your Unilocal app (as all good Elites should), you were able to get a snazzy Unilocal watch. Thanks again Katie B. for a wonderful event! Sorry it took me so long to write this up…

I know this is overdue, but I just wanted to mention that this was an awesome kick-​off to the year!
Awesome drinks, food, Tarantino-​inspired performances, good company, and a Unilocal watch!
The venue was fantastic! It was cute and cozy, but the open space allowed for fresh air at the same time.
The only downside was that the staff directed us to get drinks upstairs, but there was only one guy making drinks so the line took forever! We probably could have gone for 3 rounds downstairs in the time we were waiting, and by the time we got our drinks, there was no food except a couple pickings left. We were informed that the staff would be walking around with trays, but they never went upstairs.
Still, it was a great event. Thanks to the awesome CMs that put it together!

When I think about this event, it brings back memories of how lively the place had become. It was filled with noise and chatter about food, places and just all around happiness. I love this little street called Vermont it has so many nice places to come and this event fit the bill.
The drinks were pouring, pictures were being taken and smiles were all around. The Tarintino music was a hit everyone paused add stopped what they were doing to watch it all happening live. :)
If you didn’t go upstairs it was filled with a lot of empty tables to sit at and drink and munch on your food. Also a nice cute photo pictures which I hehe had some fun in ;)
Nice night Katie B you are one most loved ladies and you deserve happiness and loads of Unilocaler phrases! Hehe It was a blast can’t wait for the next one!

Who would of thought, inside Vermont Restaurant was Rockwell VT, inside Rockwell VT was like a little fairytale land with a big beautiful right smack in the middle of the little 2 story palace! :-)
I drove by the restaurant 4 times before I figured it out where it was,. I would of missed this grand event if I didn’t pay attention a bit more. Thank you for taking me in as a plus one!
We missed all the good food except the yummy Chicken Wings and sliders. The Bar was extremely generous on the drinks!
What a treat to see their show at Barr, Tarantino, a cabaret style performance & ensemble acts with a variety to please almost everyone. What great entertainment!
I will definitely come back here. The food seems so yummy! I just loved the ambiance of this place left me. Thinking maybe to even plan a birthday party here for moi! :-)
P. s.~ What a treat, we also got our Elite Unilocal Watch! Yay~~~

Had a GREAT time @ this wonderful event! =)
GREAT venue… beautiful tree in the middle courtyard. it gave the place a very nice Feng Shui atmosphere to the place. =)
Fun show to watch w/​Tarantino music =)
Great cheese station (but it ran out so fast) =(
Meeting some fun new peeps =)
All in all a GREAT night! =)
Thanks Katie B. for doing a fantastical job organizing this event, You are an AWESOME CM! Keep up the great work! =)

Things that made this event awesome:
Unilocal Watch at check-​in for those who didn’t already have one!
Tasty and interesting Absolut vodka drinks (I don’t drink coke and am only a small fan of spicy cocktails, so I preferred the Gemini and Wildflower drinks)
Shots (even if they just tasted like juice)
Project Photobooth with their super fast camera and printer. It was extra cool that they were on their own upper patio, making it the destination of the night.
Tarantino inspired entertainment– even if I saw it from the back, it was fun!
Multi level patios which brought the inside outside and the outside inside. This would be a super awesome place to hang out on a spring or summer evening.
Food– I guess there was a bunch of food, we kind of missed out on a lot of it, but got to enjoy some fruit and crackers, which might sound boring, but was a nice balance to all the drinks since we HAD to try them all.
Dessert– This was the only food I actually saw sitting there without a line, so I did try a nibble. Maybe everyone was already full? =D
And of course all the awesome people we got to hang out with. Thanks to Val and Jessica for sharing their table with us! It was great to see some faces I haven’t seen for a long time.
«C’est la vie,» say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell…
Thank you to our great CM’s, Katie, Christina, and Hazel and to the staff at 1714 Vermont, Show at Barre, and Vermont Kitchen for a fun night!
SYOY!

This was one the best Unilocal events… thanks Katie, Brittany, Hazel and others who organized this awesome event.
Loved the location… super cool vibe and the service was phenomenal. There were so many people, yet no one rushed for the food, made for a super cool event!
The free appetizers were really good… from cheese, fruits and sandwiches to amazing flatbread, beef skewers, wings, sliders and so much more. I loved how one of the servers saw me looking at the food from far and came to me with a full tray of freshly baked flatbread… loved it!
The bartenders were so nice and made amazing drinks. The wildflower was my favorite drink of the night… tasted sooo yummy. Best part of the event was the Barre show… I was impressed! Loved the pulp fiction dances… can’t wait to come back here on my own.
It was so much fun running into old Unilocal friends and making new ones. Best way to start 2012!

It has been my experience that a great evening consist of three important elements
1) Location
2) Friends
3) Food (for the drinkers booze can fall under this)
4) please add your own
My first elite event of 2012 involved all the following above and to start the evening off well it started with finding street parking only two walking blocks away. The line was easily visible in the alley and I was oh geez! Luckily since they had great CM’s at the door checking people in, the line moved very quickly and I got my Unilocal watch, but had to show proof on my cellphone first that I had indeed checked in.
Since I’m no newbie to events I have my own personal check lists of things I want to do, and first is to find a table and luck be it, found one by the bar!
Since I wasn’t drinking my + 1 hit the bar and tried all the drinks on the menu that evening and liked all of them except for the one with Jalepeno in it.
I’ve learned by sitting by the bar your most likely to get food and run into most of your current Unilocal friends and meet new ones, luck be it I did. The location of the table was also great for hearing the show, since I’m elf size even standing I couldn’t see the show, but it sounded great.
Since it was close to the end of the evening I knew this would be the time to go and take our pictures with my fellow Unilocalers. This is where I really got the chance to see the venue space and I really liked the venue layout, especially the tree in the center. I’m a tree hugger so that just made me feel even more comfortable in hipster Los Feliz.
As always Katie B, I bow to you! It takes so much to do your job and I am grateful you actually enjoy it because it does show in your events… here’s to you Katie B and 2012

Wow what a great way to start a new Unilocal Elite year, I actually did not get into this event but good Unilocal friend Cate T. was nice enough to let me be her +1, thanks Cate. So the line to get in was not too bad, gave me some time to catch up with some friends. What was cool about the line was when I got to the front of the line, I checked into the event and got a coveted Unilocal watch, I thought they only existed in dreams.
The Rockwell was an awesome location for this event, it looked like a kick ass tree house of sorts. Free drinks, saw lots of people double fisting, free shots, free pictures, cool people… yeah definitely a great way to start the Unilocal year, thanks Cate for the +1 and thank you Katie B for throwing such a kickass event.

In honor of Badge Fest, I’d like to give a special shout out to my two-​time-​gold-​elite friend (yes, she has TWO GOLD ELITE BADGES!) Jin Y. for inviting me as her +1! I humbly bow down since my Elite Badges are still in it’s red stages ;D
Not only was this the first Elite event of 2012 but it was also my first Elite event since being back in the country. So it was nice catching up with some of my favorite Unilocalers who I haven’t seen since my return, including the lovely Christina Y. who was passing out shiny red Unilocal watches to all that checked-​in to the event.
Jin and I walked straight to the bar and decided to start the evening right by double fisting our drinks.
We thought it would be smart to try every drink on the menu… you know, for research purposes and whatnot. My favorite was the Rockwell Grapevine which mixes Absolut Grapevine, cranberry, and pineapple.
Food? Yeah, there was food but Jin and I came with zero appetite :/​…so I’ll leave the food review to the other Unilocalers.
Rockwell is a very cool venue! It’s indoors but outdoors with a giant tree in the middle of the room as tall as the second floor which is all open air but with walls so you can see the sky but not the surrounding city unless you are super tall. Does that make sense? LOL! Downstairs has a bar, lounge seating, and large floor space for mingling. Upstairs has more pockets of lounge areas, a smaller bar, and table seating.
Entertainment? I totally missed the Pulp Fiction dance re-​enactment because we were too preoccupied at Project Photobooth who we LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Jin and I basically lounged right next to the backdrop until we saw an opportunity to photobomb our favorite Unilocalers! Believe me, this is also a very good way to make new friends ;D
This was a super fun event! Katie B. truly knows how to show us lucky Unilocalers a good time! Major thanks to all that was involved and congrats to the new class of Elite Unilocalers! :D

Phase 2 of Greater Los Angeles Area Unilocal New Year’s Celebrations: Complete.
Status: Success.
Face: Rocked.
Katie B. you once again showcase your talent for assembling a fantastic venue, delicious food, tasty drinks, fabulous entertainment, and tying it all together with a badass theme.
Thank you to 1714 Vermont, Show at Barre, and Vermont Kitchen for conspiring to make us all fans of this place. The service was outstanding, and hopefully none of the appetizer-​carrying folks were molested by the Unilocalers eager to sample the offerings. I saw lamb chops, some sort of flatbread, and a few other small bites. And thank you to Absolut for sponsoring some delicious drinks last night. I am a huge fan of that Wildflower concoction.
Thank you Katie B. and your cohort of CM loveliness — Hazel Q., Brittany B., and of course Christina Y. for all making this a smooth event! I had a blast!

Hmmm what time is it? Oh I know, I’ll look at my COOL ASS Unilocal WATCH to find out. Yea you heard me, that’s the new must have this season, a bright red Unilocal watch. Calm your jealousy kids, for serious.
Never been to 1714 Vermont before, what a cool spot. Very loungey, very chill. I love that it’s indoors and outdoors at the same time, the tree growing through the middle pulled everything together. I wonder if I could grow a tree in the middle of my apartment… nah, landlord would freak.
Gotta say thanks to Ms Katie B of course, good times were had by all, except when she brought up the Packer’s loss at which point I almost flipped shit. The drinks were so friggen delicious I could lush it up there all day long. Katie, you throw a good party so I forgive the Packer’s comments… this time. «There’s always next year!» Ugghhhhh…
Great to see the usual Unilocal people, always fun meeting the new, thanks to Katie, thanks to Unilocal,and definitely thanks to 1714 Vermont. Yes!

I loved RockwellVT… what a great place to have a party. Thanks Katie and crew for putting on yet another amazing event!
1) Hurray for all those heat lamps that kept me nice and comfy in an outdoor space.
2) Loved the food, particularly the wings.
3) Had fun with Richard T. at the Project Photo Booth
4) Proud that I did not «hurl» into any flat bread plate or resemble a hungry hippo.
5) That Absolute Gemini had a major kick to it! My Asian face got beet red in no time.
Apparently, RockwellVT has really good Sunday brunch. I can’t wait to come back and try it out!

SO. MUCH. FUN.
Gorgeous venue.
Creative drinks. Absolut Wildflower Cocktail and Grapevine were both Absolut-​ly addictive. The Gemini was a bit too spicy for my taste – and this coming from a Gemini. What’s up with all these cocktails garnished with jalapenos at Unilocal events (see: Tinsel Town
)?
LOVE LOVE LOOOVED the performance. Show at Barre is über awesome. If you missed the event, try to catch one of their other performances.
2012 Elites — can’t wait to meet everyone!

I would have never known about Rockewell VT had it not been for this event. As always, it was flawlessly executed by Katie B.
It was 7:30 when I stood briefly in line with my fellow Unilocalers. It was cold and I brought my New York grade winter coat as I had been forewarned of the chill factor as Rockwell is a confluence of indoor and outdoor areas. It was actually unnecessary, however, as this venue’s climate was perfect.
Rockwell is located within walking distance to a Metro Station, which I would utilize as I do not drive at all when I’m drinking. Street parking is challenging, but there’s valet parking ($ 6) in the alley east of Vermont.
There was an amalgamation of fruits, divine cookies, meats and cheese on the table. In addition, the staff delivered mini tacos, lamb chops and meat skewers while we were standing in line for the food. Those dishes are illustrative not exhaustive as I did not see all the dishes that were being served.
I didn’t drink any specialty drinks as I drove here, but they all looked delicious and exciting. The bartenders were in high speed mode as there were throngs of crowd at the bar.
Rockwell has a d.j. with premium sound system throughout the bar. More impressive, however, was the performers who graced us with singing, dancing and acting. It was magnificent.

Wearing a badge in life always makes someone about 1000 times cooler than they already are. Your favorite sheriff in the Wild Wild West? Yup, he wore a badge. The FBI agent with the all-​access to Obama? Yes, another badge. Unilocal Elite members? Bingo, badge-​o-​rama! Us Elite members have to admit one thing: we are proud of our Elite-​status badges. What better way to celebrate said badge than a beginning of the year Elite extravaganza?!
Let me begin by saying that I have been to a TON of Unilocal events. From Elite, to CMYE’s, to UYE’s, etc. This was by-​far, one of if not THE, smoothest event I have been to. My boyfriend and fellow Unilocaler arrived before 7:30 and thus was at the beginning of the line which moved efficiently and without any drama once the clock struck 7:30. The food table was ready and set with beautiful treats (finger sandwiches, cheeses, berries, fruits, tarts, cakes, etc) while the bartenders were ready to serve the Unilocal drinks of the night. The food line was calm and not crazy as per usual (not yet, anyway) and the treats were divine. I am a cheese-​a-​holic and was simply in heaven. My boyfriend loved the fruit tart while I was a fan of the lemon and the chocolate cakes. I’m not even a cake person, but they were soft, fluffy, and not overly sweet. The finger sandwiches were also absolutely delicious. I wasn’t a huge fan of the brownies or cupcakes but everything was re-​filled readily which is unusual at Unilocal events and another great asset to this event.
While munching on these, staff immediately began walking around with food trays and they came to us and thus, we tried the lamb chops, shrimp skewers, fillet Mignon, pancetta flatbread, and some other flatbread type pizza. Everything was SO good! The lamb was garlic-​y and tender while the fillet Mignon was just right with the perfect amount of flavor and pink. The shrimp was also perfect-​o! This was seriously the best bar food at a Unilocal event in a long time.
We augmented out food intake (I think I gained 10 pounds) with trying all of the night’s drinks. The Gemini was unique with its spice kick, the Wildflower was clearly our favorite (light and refreshing), while the Grapevine was just okay. The winning drink? Eh. Not to our liking and the ingredient was a write-​in. Hmmm. Drinks were served initially in beer-​sized glasses which inspired early buzzes before they decreased the cup size.
The Cabaret show was a nice entertaining element. Although, I think it was more Broadway than Tarantino, it was still great. Except for the fact that one of the female singers elbowed and shoved my boyfriend out of the way when he was accidentally in her spot during the performance!
The photobooth was also well-​maintained and fast-​moving.
The best part was the venue. Usually, Unilocal events are overcrowded or set up without an efficient flair. This was perfect in layout and class. A beautiful venue, never over-​congested, and the staff was quick and kind (also not always typical).
Basically, this was an amazingly executed and entertaining event. A great kick-​off to the new year and celebration of our badges. Oh, and it certainly made up for a Christmas Elite event fiasco of yesteryear…

Kicking the new year in to gear, sadly, without any beer, but…
Similar to this past summer’s rum cocktail challenge, four Unilocaler-​created vodka concoctions were on hand to consume. I passed on the Jalapeño infused drink, but was pleasantly surprised as to how good the Absolute Wildflower Cocktail was. Whoever came up with that one, mad props. The Rockwell Grapevine tasted like a juice box, though the Absolute Vanilla and Coke was much better.
As for the food, the VT hooked it up, continually bringing out the goods. And it wasn’t the same thing over and over. I chowed on some sliders (average), plump chicken wings (good), and some lamb chops (ridiculously good enough for Mike C. and I to debate taking the entire tray just for ourselves, and then get another). I missed out on the other food, but was satisfied with the food I did get to try.
Good food, good drink, good people, good times. Way to kick off twenty-​ot-​twelve, Katie B.

Loved this event!!! I think it may have been the best one I’ve been to! I knew it was going to be a good night when we snagged free parking in the next door US bank’s parking lot…
Loved the venue. I’m with Kevin C.– I’m a sucker for (semi) indoor trees. I loved the set up of this place and we found our «spot» upstairs near the smaller bar. If I had to name the ambiance, I’d call it «Hipster-​Romantic.» If you get what I mean, more power to you.
Loved the drinks. My favorite was the Wildflower bc I really like Absolut’s Wildtea flavor. The grapevine was also good. Both were pretty sweet. Also congrats to the winning drink! Not really a fan of the Gemini– I almost choked from the spiciness and strength of the drink… good thing I was just sampling it. PROPS TO THE BARTENDER FOR A STRONG POUR!!! Definitely felt those three at the end of the night…
Loved the food. I liked that the servers kept circulating around instead of only having to rely on one long ass line. I managed to try the shrimp, lamb, filet, flat bread, grilled cheese and cheese platter, all of which were solid nibblets.
Loved the photobooth!!! The photobooth line was surprisingly short. Yay that just meant we got to photo whore it up !!! Project photobooth was spectacular as always– I loved the background!!!
Loved the performance!!! A new kind of entertainment! The performers were really talented and set the mood quite nicely.
As you can see, there is just so much love going around. Yeeps know how to hold a classy party. Nice to see Kevin C., Michelle F. Janelle Q. Kevin N. & Amy H. Thank you Katie B and the other CM’s + Unilocal Crew in general for putting this shindig together! Setting the bar high ah? Hahaha.
Peace. Love. Unilocal

Tarantino inspired song and dance numbers, check.
Drinks sponsored by Absolut vodka, check.
Gorgeous venue, check.
Project Photobooth, check.
New and old Unilocal elites, check.
Katie B. rocks in the new year with another fabulous event, AWESOME!
Unfortunately, I was told that the line upstairs for the bar might be faster, but it was not. I spent most of my time in that line thinking that it might be a good place to start. I had a couple lamb lollypops and half of a well done kobe beef slider downstairs before Vanessa H. wrangled up some fruit, cheese, crackers, and shrimp skewers from the table and met me in line upstairs. We also missed the Tarantino performers who were really cool but were able to hear them (think GLEE, but without the slushies).
However, while in line, I got to chat it up with Charles O., a new Unilocal friend and it was his first YEE. I finally made it to the window and ordered the Wildflower, which was a super yummy drink that tasted like lychee! Happily imbibing, we went and took a photobooth picture and wound up downstairs where we co-​mingled with more Unilocalers like Matt P., Harmonie T., Katie B., Hazel Q., and Christina Y. I think I saw Brittany B., but did not get to say hi to her. I did also try the Gemini drink with the Ruby grapefruit and jalapeño. It was not my cup of tea. Still hungry, we ended up going to Ruen Pair for Thai food in Thai town after the event. Thanks to Katie B. and her hardworking crew for another fantastic event. SYOY!

Another great event thanks to the stunning Katie B. and the hardworking Unilocalers.
This event was at 1714 Vermont which is part of a trifecta of wonderful venues (Rockwell VT, Vermont Kitchen and Bar, and Show at Barre). The fabulous Tyler and I got there at about 7:20 treated our selves to some ice cream at the nearby Paradis and then headed over.
The venue space is a lovely area with an upstairs outdoor seating area (from plush couches to wooden benches), the second floor has a smaller bar where you order through a window, several booths and some table spaces. Downstairs had much of the same but with a longer bar. There was also a free check in offer for Unilocal watches so Tyler and I were both able to get one (along with a shot glass each!)
There were several drinks for us Elites to try out tonight. We both sampled the Wildflower (Absolut Wild Tea, lemon juice, sugar, sweet n’ sour) which was very sweet but also very delicious. I must admit I had 2 of those. We also sampled the Rockwell Grapevine (Absolut Grapevine, cranberry, pineapple) but I could not really taste the alcohol in mine, neither could a fellow Unilocaler whose name I am too buzzed to remember. Shame really! Because it was a very nice drink. The bars had some crazy long lines, with some people waiting upwards of 30 minutes a drink — but I guess that was all of us just trying to get our drank on. By the time I made my second trip to the bar Gemini was sold out. Boo! The bartenders were busting their butts though, which was appreciated.
There was a fruit, cheese, and apparently cake table for us «hungry hippos» to sample, unfortunately that line was very long and never really seemed to get shorter so we were not able to sample any of those. Katie wonderfully informed us that there were roving appetizers being carried around but since we were mostly upstairs we were only able to sample 1 piece of shrimp each. This was the real disappointment of the evening as none of these roving stations seemed to make it upstairs.
Project Photobooth was onhand midway through the night to provide us with a memorable keepsake. There were none to print out and take away, as I previously thought but we got 2 photos out of it, so no complaints there.
Show at Barre did an awesome performance as well. I felt kind of dumb trying to watch the bottom half on the stairs only to realize that the stairs became the stage. Sorry if I ruined that for anyone!
Overall it was a wonderful time. So thanks again Unilocal Staff!