Hot for the Holidays Elite Event: Glamboree

Lovely way to wind down after a long work day! Thank you Abby for putting this together and for the warm hug!
First, I got my eyebrows done. Rhia did an amazing job. It was my first time getting my eyebrows threaded and she did a quick and lovely job. She was also advertising her eye lash extension services which I must check out soon! It was impressive that she learned how to eyebrow thread through YouTube videos and practicing on herself.
Afterwards, I headed over to get my hair done. Awesome «big hair don’t care» waves that just scream vavavoom! Throw on a dress and I was ready to have a fun girls’ night out! The massage after that was absolutely amazing. Definitely needed that after a long work week. 10 minutes passed by much too quickly. Will definitely check out their services!
Food provided by Noodle Company was mouth-​watering! The spicy pasta was my favorite. Between the food at noodle company, small bites, and wine, my tummy was satisfied for the night. Also, the gay men’s chorus was singing Christmas carols in one of the suites. Made the night super festive and relaxing!
It was nice getting to see the rooms. I’ve walked by this boutique hotel countless times but would’ve never thought the interior was that cozy, historic, and gorgeous! Glad I was able to attend the last YEE of the year!

It’s like every girl’s dream come true getting pampered :). finally — i get to sit on the other side of table. instead of doing others, I’m the one gettin errythang did !!! there was just so much going on and in this cozy hotel! Totally not what i had expected and it was great!
the first thing i did was put my name down to get my eyebrows threaded by Rhia then i headed over to Noodles and Company. HMMHMMHMM GOOD! I LOVE NOODLES and there were some yummy noodles available. My fave was the spicy one.
then i got my eyebrows threaded and Rhia was so quick! my eyebrows were nicely shaped and cleaned :) will have to check her out for her eye lash extensions!
next i got my make up done by JT! she did a great job of shaping my eyes :) she also hooked it up with some benefit samplers!
I hadn’t plan on getting my hair done but hey, why not! i got some loose curls from Tiara and learned about some great college student budget hair services! well most def have to check out their salon.
Last but not least, i got my lips done /O.O\ YES LADIES THEEEEE LIPSS. there was an awesome Lip Bar by Emi who did a fantastic job on everyone’s lips! after seeing my friend lips i wanted mine done too! Emi did a great job, lips are always the hardest part for me when doing make up but Emi taught me some neat tricks i cant wait to use. She also offers classes and such so i most def have to check that out when i get the chance.
throughout the event the whiskey, wine, jerky, and chocolate tastings were a perfect pairing the glamming event! Most def a great way to end my first year as elite!!! Thank you Abby and Unilocal crew for always always always showin us the finer things in life and that really you can party anywhere with anyone!

My friend Michelle C. and I had such a blast checking out the hotel, and going into each of the Unilocal rooms to try different girly services like curling our hair, getting our make-​up and lips done, listening to wonderful caroling by the SF Gay Men’s Chorus, trying jerky treats, wine, drinks, getting massages, talking with other Unilocalers. It was so much fun! Plus, we got Unilocal goodies and samples from the vendors there. So cool!
And I was one of the lucky ones who got to stay at the hotel that night — what a total treat to stay right in Union Square at this sweet, stylist personality hotel. I felt so amazingly lucky to have this opportunity. Thank you so much, Unilocal — and you so rock! Love you!

Glamboree was the last YEE of 2014 and guess what? This YEE was the ULTIMATE girl’s night out!
Want a relaxing massage, get your hair braided or need make-​up tips from the pros? you got it. Throw in bite-​size, liquor filled cocoa confections from cocotutti (the Courvoisier dark chocolate with caramel is addicting!) and delicious Spicy Vine wine samples and I’m a happy gal. But wait, we were also treated to samples of Krave jerky and provided healthy, vegetarian dishes from Noodles and Company.
Elena N. was my hot date for the night and we mostly hung out at the San Francisco Giant’s suite where Sonoma Distilling company was handing out a taste of their 96 and 109 proof whiskeys. Serious rye lovers only, please! The cask strength was a bit too strong for me, but pairing this with the Brownie Brittle chocolate chip snacks — oooh! a match made in heaven.
The highlight of the night was the San Francisco Gay Men’s chorus singing Christmas carols! It truly got us into the holiday spirit. You can’t help but start rockin’ out to «jingle balls, jingle balls, jingle all the waayyyy …» ;-)
Thank you to Unilocal,Hotel Union Square and our awesome CM, Abby S. for a fantastic event. What a way to close out 2014!

Glamboree was definitely one of the highlight events of my year and that’s saying something! It was a fabulous night filled with great food and great company, caroling and really cool beauty services! The event was also amazingly organized and I had such a blast exploring and eating my way through every room! Thanks so much Abby!
On to the vendors:
1. Morphic Beauty — I got my hair braided into a crazy intricate milkmaid style braid. My stylist was so detailed and did such an awesome job I got compliments all night. It’s really crazy what people can do with hair and it’s clear that Morphic is really, really awesome at what they do. They also had a mini «Lip Bar» where I got my lips done in a hot pink shade by Emi! I never thought a hot pink would look so good, or so wearable! I would definitely check out Morphic if I ever need to be styled for a fancy event.
2. Luer Dore — This was by far the busiest station of the night, there always was a line, and now that I’ve had my eyebrows threaded I can totally see why! The threading process was so quick and produced such a clean result, Rhia definitely knows what she’s doing! I would definitely come back not only to get my eyebrows threaded but to try their wicked eyelash extensions package!
3. Ensoma — I can’t believe we got a massage station for the night! This was by far my favorite station! My masseuse was Mei and for five minutes she transported me to a world of calm, peaceful tranquility. As she put her hands on my scalp, I literally felt the world fade away. I am in the midst of a booking a full massage with Ensoma as we speak.
4. JT Artistry — Jennifer actually provided hair and make up services for a friend’s wedding ceremony so we were surprised and so happy to see each other at Glamboree! Jen is kind, funny and amazing and her make up/​hairstyling skills speak wonders for themselves!
5. Noodles & Company — Oh my gosh the vendors were SO NICE. And I kept going back for multiple platefuls of that delicious Pad
6. Cocotutti — My favorite find of the night! I am honestly not much of a chocolate girl, but damn, they make some pretty addictive chocolate. The strawberry balsamic chocolate was by far my favorite, although the others were also very good. Elyce was also wonderful and explained how she hand made all the chocolate and hand painted them. It is crazy the amount of love and effort that goes into these chocolates and you can definitely taste the quality.
All in all, all the vendors were excellent, the event was well run and I feel like such a lucky gal for having gotten to be a part of it! :)

Met Mishi and Emi at the Unilocal Elite event last night and was lucky enough to have Mishi do an adorable crown braid on me. It was my first time getting my hair professionally braided (how did I managed with it all these years?!) She did an amazing job, as did Emmy with her make up (they provided a lip bar at the event).
Both of the sisters were super sweet, gorgeous, and clearly talented. Can’t wait to (try) to book a hair appointment at Morphic when I need it next.

Great event to end 2014! Thanks Unilocal!
I typically wouldn’t go solo to an event, but this is one event that I had a lot of fun going alone to. Each room was so welcoming and had a great service to offer. I learned a new way to curl my hair by Salon Miel, got a crown braid (that is still in perfect condition today and getting a lot of compliments at work) from Morphic Beauty, munched on tasty food, met some fun new Unilocal elites, and ended the night with a wonderful massage thanks to Ensoma.
I learned that Ensoma is right next to my gym, Core40, so I’ll definitely be returning there, and that Morphic Beauty offers their braid bar everyday all day (kinda like Dry Bar for blowouts, but this is braids), so I will definitely return there also for a fun braid for the day.
Thanks for organizing another great event, Unilocal!You guys have been too kind and so happy to have had such a great 2014 in part thanks to Unilocal!I hope that the international marketing efforts this year stretch far and wide and bring continued success to the company!

I was surprised upon walking into an entire floor of the hotel reserved for the event. I knew Unilocal was capable of renting an entire houseboat, so I shouldn’t have been surprised.
This event was bittersweet bc it was the last Unilocal elite event of the year but it’s safe to say they went out with a bang. There were hairdressers, masseuses, makeup artists, caterers & carolers. Sad to say that the manicurist canceled but there were plenty of other services that easily compensated for the missing nail artist. I got a full on makeover (with a massage thrown in there).
I loved trying the new dark lip color that Emi so expertly applied onto my somewhat chapped lips. I truly felt relaxed with the much needed head & shoulder massage courtesy of Marion provided by Ensoma (**5 stars on Unilocal**). I got my hair styled, eyebrows threaded & eyes shadowed with wonderful professionals! Great job, Unilocal team. You never cease to impress me with your planning capabilities. I cannot wait to see what next year brings.

Great event, not too crowded, lots of new businesses for us to check out, optimal food/​wine situation. Perhaps we had the perfect number, as this was well-​attended, but it was still easy to walk into a room at any time and be able to check it out easily. Very few lines. My kinda deal.
Whiskey room — Well, aesthetically this was the best room by far. Hands down. Whoever was in charge of interior design and decided on the Giants display deserves a gold medal and a full ride to RISD, because they have some serious potential.
Noodles and Company — I’m telling you, I would go out of my way to come here. Everything they brought was really great, and from what I learned in speaking with the reps, this was just a small taste of what they have to offer. Spent a solid 20 minutes by myself eating noodles when I first arrived at the event, and it was one of the better decisions I made all week. Obviously didn’t stop there either… came back for seconds later, and even got a doggie bag to go.
Salon room with Spicy Vines — definitely the room with the best crowd. I’m always surprised to find that many Unilocal Elite-​ers are strangely shy when you come across them in person — so this was my type of crowd — loud, talkative, fun, and casual. I spent about an hour here to end the night, and hadn’t even realized the event was over by the time the event was over, as the time flew by. Had a good time tasting Spicy Vines wine and also chatting with Mishi from the Morphic Beauty salon. I’ll pass on the braids… but I gotta say, she did her thing! I was impressed.
Hotel — To be honest, despite the intriguing background story about it being the first boutique hotel of its kind, the hotel was underwhelming for me. Seemed like a bit of a Le Meridien knockoff. But still a nice place.
Note: whoever makes that brownie brittle is a genius. That stuff is seriously addicting, I took like 17 bags home.
Best part for me was just seeing lots of great, honest conversation, and it’s always refreshing to hear different perspectives about life in San Francisco as well. Excellent way for Unilocal to cap off the year.

I was excited for my first Elite event in the city that started it all! This one was really unique with vendors setting up shop inside each hotel room on the second floor — so cool.
I started off with a little piece of chocolate filled with Courvoisier cognac from cocotutti confections. I probably don’t have to say that it was DEE-​VINE and the perfect taste to get me in the mood for the rest of the event. Charles was the awesome masseuse from Ensoma who did a fantastic job in such a short time, especially hitting all the right pressure points in the back of my neck. LOVED IT. Just kept getting better.
You know those Pinterest dreams that we all have about beautiful whimsical braids that remind you of the movie Everafter with Drew Barrymore. Oh yeah! I got to do that. After getting an amazing crown braid up-​do from Morphic Beauty, I got compliments the rest of the night and kept being pleasantly surprised every time I saw myself in the mirror. Ha!
Spicy Vines wine was SO delicious. Excited to find out that they are selling bottles at Whole Foods around the city through the holidays. Loved the sexy red blend flavors with fall tones. I also had some great conversation with Kinga (sp). She was really friendly and sweet and made me enjoy Spicy Vines even more!
Portalupi wine was a little more classic and delicious. How have I not ever heard of the Barbera grape? Learn something knew everyday!
Though I’m not much of a whiskey drinker, Sonoma County Distillers Rye Whiskey was totally drinkable even for me. Will keep an eye out and can’t wait to visit up north and visit these places myself.
SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS. Super fun and super talented, especially the hilarious and choreographed Hanukkah in Santa Monica song.
Dear Abby, This was such a fun event and the fact that it was unconventional made it more special. Thank you for the lovely holiday hug!

What a lovely, pampering affair to end the Unilocal events, bumpity humpity Wednesday and end of the year with!
The hotel rooms were wonderful and I liked how I was exploring the layout of this overlooked hotel that is tucked right in the middle of Union Square.
From massages, hair maintenance, makeup brushing, eyebrow threading, Portalupi wine samples and to the serenading of men’s chorus in the suite room, this was a pleasant and well spent evening!
Thank you so much, Abby, for letting me do a staycation for the night! It was super convenient and helped with accommodations for the middle of the week workday in the city, surely! I truly appreciate the offer!
Nice meeting and mingling with the Unilocal community crew!
Cheers to the holidays and what’s soon to be the next year!

I don’t really review «Elite Events», somehow it feels like cheating (and they throw off my rating distribution). Tonight’s event was… nice.
On the surface, this isn’t my sort of event: I don’t really have much hair left to style, I view my nails as annoying bits of dead skin (rather than potentially decorative parts of my body), and I do my own makeup (when necessary… which it hasn’t been since I left the music business).
Tonight was cool though. Not only did I get to see Candice and Abby (who I always enjoy chatting with), but I managed to meet some style consultants for tailored shirts who taught me a thing or two about style (even though I can’t see colors and definitely do not have style), a couple of guys making whisky (who I definitely talked to about whisky), and some members of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, who I joined for a couple of songs (which definitely was a pleasure, I haven’t sang with a choir for a couple of years). Beers were served in a bathtub, in the same room as a fine selection of dried meat; this appealed both to my inner-​frat boy and my inner Ron Swanson.
Overall: Five Stars. Nobody got too drunk, and everyone seemed happy. Good event, good times. Hopefully, there’ll be more in 2015! Thanks Abby!

There is no better way to end a night than to be primped and pampered! Thanks to Abby S. again, she’s planned an eventful night for us ladies, and a few gentlemen, to unwind.
Vendors:
1. Cocotutti Chocolates: homemade chocolates with the finest ingredients. I loved their strawberry balsamic and typically I avoid fruity chocolates bc it’s too syrupy but I was amazed that it was my favorite! It was light and just melts in your mouth. Find their website on the photo I posted.
2. Endoma: Heavenly, relaxing messages in a calm, dimly lit room. I was treated to a facial massage and it was incredibly soothing. She used white peach oil on my back and it smelled really good without overpowering my senses. Her pressure was just right and she was so sweet! I was treated to a shot of kombucha afterwards too!
3. Salon Mie: Tiara and Mimi were fun to talk to and Tiara did a fabulous job on my hair. I had it parted to the side but told her I wanted to start parting it down the middle. She gave me lots of tips and introduced me a few products. Definitely visit her if you are willing to be adventurous with your hair.
4. Noodles Company: David cooked [prior to the event] and served the Med Salad, Penne Rosa, and Bangkok curry noodles. My favorite was the Penne Rosa. It had a nice spice to it while still sharing the favors of the creamy tomato sauce and parmesan cheese.
5. Lip Bar by Independent artist Emi Navas: I got compliments for the rest of the night bc of Emi! I had on an orangey statement necklace and after I told her I was interested in shades of red, she played around with a blood orange lipcolor. She used Kevyn Ancoin and i loved the way it feels and lasts! She gave me helpful hints. She’s available for makeup and hair! Get at her
6. Lueur Dorel SF (brow threading): I walked in at just the right time as Rhia called my name after a few no shows. It was my first time and it was quick! I’ve converted bc waxing is too harsh on my skin and always makes me skin flare up and look splotchy. I loved how my brows look now and will have to visit Rhia again. Contact her at 650−679−3059!
I love YEE’s and met a few new friends Brittany and Kristina as well as an old friend Linda K! Thanks again Abby for a wonderful event and thank you to all the vendors for your time and patience with a bunch of overzealous females: D

Nothing short of a fabulous event!!! Have I mentioned becoming Unilocal elite was the only Xmas gift I needed this year:)
Glamboree was such a fun and exciting evening of pampering. Each of the vendors were amazing, the massage staff was def my fav! Abby and her team did an excellent job putting this event together! I was feeling pretty sick before I got there and wasn’t sure if I would have a great time but I ended up having a blast!
The brownie brittle will be my guilty pleasure at work tomorrow ;)

A little pampering makes the holidays wonderful. This Unilocal elite event went like this:
Brownie brittle handed to you and sitting in every room.
Walk around and everyone is either getting their hair done, makeup, eyebrows, or a massage. I’m in! If only I had a hot date for afterwards.
What’s that I hear? The lovely San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus caroling? Yes!
Wine, whisky, Krave jerky, noodles and artisan chocolates. Great on a cold winters night.
What a great way to celebrate the holidays. Thanks Unilocal,Abby and Candice for hosting. Oh and thanks for the fanny pack and holiday hugs! Catch you on Unilocal next year!

Last event for the year, and Unilocal knows how to go out with a bang! Half the floor is dedicated and each room has a different vendor. Which I have to say is pretty cool going from room to room to see what the services are.
I darted for the massage from Ensoma, and it was fantastic! I’ve had so much tension in my upper back and I wish the massage lasted longer. I’ll definitely have to check out this spa soon! I also wanted to get a mini-​manicure, but I heard that vendor had an emergency.
The food was catered by Noodles & Company. I got a good helping of Thai curry noodles and a tomato-​cucumber salad. They were delicious!
Carolers in the background and wine flowing into glasses. Love this!
And to top it off, I got a hug from the CM!
Happy Holidays to Abby, Unilocal staff, and fellow Unilocalers! And have an awesome new year!

The event to end all events this year, ladies night style!
First of all, thank you to Abby and Candice for putting this intimate and relaxing event together (it was exactly what my achy back and stressed our self needed!) And of course course thanks to Hotel Union Square for letting us take over the entire 2^nd floor and for welcoming us!
Now on to some of the highlights’s-massages, brow threading and hair styling just to name a few! All services tonight were top notch and excellent! I especially, enjoyed my therapeutic massage from Charles, of Ensoma Salon, who did a fantastic job of focusing on areas of chronic pain for me. Tiara, of salon Miel gave me a beautiful curled, side ponytail do and my eye brows are now tamed, thanks to Lueur Dore’e!
For nibbles (or almost a full meal) we had the best pasta and salads catered from Noodles & Co, who let us help ourselves to generous «samples» of food and were even kind enough to run across the street to Walgreens to get more forks in order to keep the party rolling! ;)
There were alcoholic flavored chocolates, brownie brittle and home real authentic wines bottled in milk jars. Hint sparkling water, make up and even the Gay Man’s chorus was there to serenade us (aah, brings me back to my choir days in H. S at Wash)
Oh and we mustn’t forget our extra special check in offer-​FREE hugs from the lovely and sweet Abby S. and a fanny pack to store extra hugs (or goodies) for later! Thank you, thank you, thank you!