Yelpin’ La Vida Local At Cafe Cocomo

To start off, thanks to Jessica, Ruggy, Tiffany, & Connie for this event. And to the vendors who supplied the various eats & drinks.
My favourite vendors/​acts/​non-​profits were Café Cocomo, Fog Harbor Fish House, House Kombucha, the Cookie Department, Maiden Lane (Brodie Jenkins is hot!), Yes to Carrots, Curry w/​out Worry (might volunteer), Sour Flour, Pie Tisserie, That Takes the Cake, & Smitten Ice-​Cream (Robyn Sue rocks!).
Santa’s Unilocaler sez: «Gotta stuff my maw w/​more Ahi Tuna &Crab Ceviches!» :Nom, nom, nom!!!:

Since I’m not on the Elite list, I must be missing out on some of the cooler events. Still this was a cool event regardless of my status with Unilocal.The weather couldn’t be more perfect, the nonprofits that came were amazing to talk to. Even the Tequila started to talk to us by the end of the day.
We were given a really nice wine glass to carry around for tasting, which ended up home with me. After finding out about the aphrodisiac cookies, somehow they ended up leaving with me too. I really don’t understand know how that happened (shrug)?
We enjoyed the bands; just wish there was more people who came out to enjoy them. I created a really cool video on their Roboto/​Yelp with the perfect music in the background you can see here:
. I know that many Unilocalers probably wanted to say something about this, but I am still confused about the pink dancing tube performance. I guess the avante-​garde world hasn’t changed.
I had a blast with all the free stuff, what more can you ask for!

Last Sunday could not have been a nicer day than to be out in the sun at Café Cocomo. The weather was unbelievable and I loved getting out to hear about awesome volunteering opportunities and taste some great food and wine.
They featured many different wines, ports and grappa. I was blown away by all the tasty little desserts, but my favorite treat was the Crab Ceviche and Ahi Tuna. What can I say? I know what I like.
Thank you to all of the Community Managers who not only introduce us to new restaurants and vendors, but great volunteering opportunities to give back to our city.

First of all, let me just say that this place was a great place to have a Unilocal event in the city. Despite being a little bit hard to find (it’s amongst a bunch of warehouses and. nothing else), it is spacious and very well laid out. There were little tiki hut type places that some of the charities, bakeries, and wineries used to display their charity, baked goods, and wines. It felt a little bit like paradise in the middle of the city — especially because all of it was gratis.
When you actually go inside the club/​bar/​grill, there is a large dance floor with a stage. The bar is to your left near the entrance. It was pretty well decorated and there were some people who were practicing? It was kind of interesting. As soon as we walked upstairs, there were latin-​themed charities, bakeries, restaurants and most importantly, tequila. The ceviche on a chip was AMAZING and the anejo tequila (Don Pilar) was SMOOTH. There were also little sweet potato pumpkin pies and nicaraguan coffee. So delicious. My friend and I signed up for some of the charities and we are actually planning on going to help out with one of them! It was such a fun way to get to know about the opportunities out there while enjoying really yummy food. It was great that it was a more purposeful event and not just. yay we get free food and get to meet other Unilocalers. My friend honestly fell in love with Barber Cellars and I fell in love with LaPietisserie… I’m starting to really enjoy the free samples from the «Yes to Carrots» brand. It really was so much fun and so much more than other Unilocal events I’ve been to. Honestly, the best part was the weather — it was so sunny that day! Just for this event. :)

As first to RSVP’d to this event, I put my name down on nearly a dozen organizations and so will be doing some volunteering soon, yeah.
Props to Jessica for organizing this event! Looked like a lot of work to run this what with all the organizations, vendors and logistics. Sure there were free foods and booze like a regular YEE (thanks vendors!), but the important thing is introducing us to local non-​profits and volunteer organizations. Some I’ve heard of, some I’ve been invited to, some didn’t know existed. All were very useful to some group that needs help. More so in these tough economic times. I thought this was one of the coolest Unilocal-​sponsored events yet.
Thanks Café Cocomo for holding the event, and I will revisit this cool venue for a proper review. And, to Unilocal and the CMs for having another event that is different. Major props to the volunteers for their time and effort:
— Wonder Dog Rescue
— Larkin Street Youth
— Engineers Without Borders
— Gray Area Foundation for the Arts
— Spark
— City Youth Now
— Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center
— Project Open Hand
— CounterPULSE
— La Casa de Las Madres
— SF City Guides
— Shanti
— Friends of the Urban Forest
— Old Skool Café
— Z Space
— The Arc of San Francisco
— Curry without Worry
and others in the event lineup (
)

that was awesome, i can’t wait for the next one! it was good to network with lots of like minded individuals, and to taste some tasty sensations! Thanks Unilocal for putting this on, I think you should continue to do so, and help raise awareness thru fun things with magic drinks.
Also, that band that played at the end was actually really really good.

Unilocal knows how to do local. As much as I thought I knew the food and nonprofit scene, this event introduced me to numerous nonprofits that I’ve never heard of before, such as the Oldskool Café and Project Open Hand.
The Unilocal team did an awesome job of finding some serious food entrepreneurs and nonprofits that were a little under the radar, hyperlocal and interesting to showcase. I left with some brochures and business cards in hopes of finding ways to get involved with these über cool groups. Thanks Jessica, Ruggy, Monica and the rest of the Unilocal team for putting this together!

My first Unilocal event and definitely not my last. A beautiful Sunday afternoon at the Café Cocomo. The Unilocal team did an excellent job organizing this event which showcased some excellent non-​profit businesses and wonderful local food vendors. The triple chocolate cupcakes were to die for.
The bands were excellent, but I have to admit I couldn’t keep my eye off of the hula hoop lady (CressieMae). She stole the show with her superb hula hooping skills. Please tell me that she will be invited to more of your events.

Talk about fun in the sun.
Another Jessica-​coordinated event, «Yelpin La Vida Local», was truly that~ fun in the sun. Not only did the beautiful weather perfect this gathering, but so did the wonderful entertainment, company, desserts, eats, & drinks… and all for a good cause.
A ton of well-​worthy local businesses were able to strut their stuff and let their organizations be more known to the community. It was cool speaking w/​Meals with Love (such a great organization) & learning about the Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle (which is going down on ¹⁰⁄₃).
I loved the delicious cupcake fare (especially the red velvet) from «That Takes the Cake» on Union Street, smooth tasting Tequila Anejo from Don Pilar, Ahi Tuna Tartare from Fog Harbor Fish House, cool facial products from the cute gals @Yes To, the «Sexy Cookie» (infused w/​an aphrodisiac called maca root) from the Cookie Department, delicious salted caramel ice cream from Smitten, & the amazing wine from Starlite Vineyards.
It was nice to be out and about mingling, snacking, drinking, and just enjoying myself w/​everyone at Club Cocomo.
Thank you Jessica, Ruggy, & Connie. =)

Had a really fun time at this event. Food and wine samples were plentiful, the music was great, and it was nice to see so many non-​profits being supported. The venue was the perfect spot for such a gorgeous San Francisco day.
I was the one drinking kombucha out of a wine glass, if you didn’t notice.

great event! it showcased small businesses and local non-​profits. the point was to get the word out about non-​profits and hopefully gather interest in volunteering/​helping or just interest in general.
a non-​profit that i took a lot of interest in was Old Skool. in a supper club type setting they teach kids/​young adults to entertain and serve. it teaches them responsibility, cooking abilities and other life skills. Theresa, the director was really approachable and excited about the work that they do. it seemed like an awesome non-​profit.
there were tons of dessert items to try from That Takes the Cake, Kika’s Treats, Pietisserie (grapefruit tart and banana chai pie. oh my!), Smitten Ice Cream, The Cookie Dept, etc. my sweet tooth was overly satisfied by the end of my stay at the event.
tons of wine was had by others, but somehow i don’t like wine so i didn’t have any.
oh…and there was a random hoola hooping lady that was entertaining.
loved it! thanks Unilocal!awesome times held by awesome people!

Awesome event!!!
This was one of my faves.
Super chill Sunday vibe.
Listened to amazing music, then…
Took pics at the über cool photo booth, then…
Ate lots of cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, pies, then…
Sampled tequila and wine… oh my! Then…
Listened to more amazing music, then…
Hoola hooped until I almost dropped.
What a way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Thank you sponsors, Ruggy, and Jessica! Great job!

This event had a ton of stuff to check out!
The location Café Cocomo is HUGE. It had a ballroom dance floor, an outdoor patio, a second floor, two bars inside and another outside.
There were numerous booths of non-​profit organizations, local resources and businesses, two bands and a DJ that was rocking Café Cocomo’s Main Stage, outdoor acoustic sets, musical comedies, dance performances, and hula hooping.
Wine tastings by —
Starlite Vineyards
Flora Springs Winery
Sonoma Valley Portworks
Barber Cellars
Desserts by —
The Cookie Department
Kika’s Treats
That Takes the Cake
PieTisserie
Smitten Ice-​Cream
Tequila by Don Pilar
— one of the best Tequila I’ve ever sampled, tastes like freakin cognac — smooth!
Appetizers by Fog Harbor Fish
kombucha on-​tap by House Kombucha
photobooth by Orange Photography
And all of this was FREE!!!
Thanks Jessica, Tiffanny, Ruggy, Connie and Monica for a wonderful event on a Sunday afternoon.

What a great Unilocal event! We got there right when it started, ammmmazing treats abound! There were cupcakes, and wine and wine and wine. There were dessert ports, and beet pie. We had Smitten Ice cream made before our eyes. Tequila tasting and tuna and crab surprise. Photo booth and hula hoops. Sour bread that was delicious and kombucha on tap that was no doubt nutritious.
We left very happy Unilocalers thirsty for more.

Simply Awesome this Event Rocked. This was Jessica’s Brain Child. With Ruggy, Tiffany Connie and Monica Backing her play a Sure Winner. It was a rare warm beautiful day in the City. Café Cocomo was an Awesome Venue. I had just got off work after starting at 3am and on arrival was very intrigued by Café Cocomo it had it all a Huge Dance Floor, Large Balcony inside and out, Large Outdoor Patio and Covered Exterior areas. I got to give out to the Yesto folks Delilah and Elle I enjoyed talking to you two very much and thanks for the Swag. Fog Harbor Fish House and their Crab and Ahi Bites were a Big Hit and very Delicious –Greg Pecsar the manager of Fog Harbor said his place loves Unilocal.The folks from Beyond Photography with their Photo Booth area very Cool and Fun. That Takes The Cake with their Yummy Cupcakes very sweet people also. The numerous Winerys –Flora Springs, Starlite, Barber Cellars and Don Pilar Tequila. Sexy Cookies was a great Treat with their specialty cookies. All the Various No Profit Groups. The 2 Live Bands rocking the house. The Performance artist group and The Hula Hoop Ladie getting down. Great entertainment. And the Various Unilocalers around the Bay that were there. For me its always about the people and socializing. Thanks Again Jessica for a wonderful Sunday Afternoon Event.

Laid back and throw back best describe this event. Tucked in the growing Dogpatch part of the city, Café Cocomo offered a retreat for those non-​sport fans on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The Cocomo name immediately reminds me of the soothing sounds of the Beach Boys and groovin’ in the sun. Greeted by Connie C. and Ruggy at the entrance, I entered a different world from what was on the outside. Immediately armed with wine glass, I toured the grounds, but only tried the Kombucha drink from House Kombucha as I drove to this event. I did try the red velvet cupcake from That Take the Cake, the banana cream pie from Pietisserie, the peanut butter cookie from The Cookie Dept., the crab ceviche and tuna tartare from Fog Harbor Fish House, and the salted caramel ice cream from Smitten. The highlights were the cupcake, crab ceviche, tuna tartare, and the salted caramel ice cream (loved the radio flyer story behind the company!). The lovely Jessica T., knowing my love for live music, directed me to the inside stage where the band jammed. There were also a wide range of nonprofits, stopping at La Casa de las Madras (domestic violence assistance) and The Arc of San Francisco (assisting people with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other similar disabilities), educating Unilocalers of their services. After the band finished their set, there was a modern dance performance. Outside, there were folk musicians and a closing set by a guitar and harmonica musician. Thanks to Team Unilocal for organizing another successful party. The event wasn’t as packed as the other Unilocal events that I’ve attended, but this suit me just fine… especially for a summer afternoon in the City Btw, the Giants are tied for first!

Review 2001: A Unilocal Odyssey
Gayle and I very much enjoyed this afternoon’s Unilocal Event at Café Cocomo and exploring the surrounding Dogpatch neighbourhood. Café Cocomo reminded both of us of the Barefoot Bar at East Lake Okoboji (Iowa) in terms of its comfortable outdoor vibe and lots of entertainment options. This place was also a perfect location for this Unilocalin’ La Vida Local event, as there was plenty of room for the booths, listening to the various musical entertainment (and watching hula hoops), and allowing friends to comfortably hang out on a beautiful day.
I especially appreciate the efforts that Jessica, Tiffany, Connie, and Ruggy put in to design an event that featured various nonprofit groups serving people in need, as well as associated local businesses and resources. The idea of Unilocalers giving back to the community is a good one and I very much look forward to the upcoming Unilocal Helps event. As such, Gayle and I made a point of visiting each and every non-​profit/​local organization table that was represented. It was the least we could do to thank them for their efforts and good work. We particularly enjoyed chatting with the folks from Wonder Dog Rescue, Engineers Without Borders, and SF City Guides.
The refreshments were also excellent. Gayle and I enjoyed the various wines (Starlite Vineyard, Flora Springs Winery, Barber Cellars, Sonoma Portworks), the smooth Don Pilar Tequila, and the tasty crab ceviche on tortilla chips from Fog Harbor Fish (upstairs). Pizza by the slice and other bar drinks were also available for a modest price.
However the desserts were the Oscar winners of this show. In particular, the Pietisserie Random Acts of Sweetness, the chocolate «biscuits» from Kika’s Treats, and the Sexy Cookies tasted great, and had us craving for more. But is was the Red Velvet offering from That Takes the Cake, that won Gayle’s highest praise. Here is her unprompted and immediate reaction to that taste sensation:
«If I wasn’t married, I’d be dating this Cupcake!»

What a beautiful Sunday in Portrero Hill to sample local business’ bites and drinks, as well as learning about local non-​profit organizations.
Of course the cupcakes from That Takes The Cake were my fave, as they make the best cupcakes in the Bay Area in my opinion! The crab ceviche on tortilla chips from Fog Harbor Fish House were delish as well. I’m looking forward to dining at their restaurant sometime in the near future. Smitten Ice Cream’s Salted Caramel ice cream with homemade almond brittle topping were a nice treat as well.
As for the drinks, I don’t like tea, but the House Kombucha’s white tea was not bad at all. And the red wine with a hint of chocolate in it (I forgot the winery name) was sweet enough for those who don’t like reds… that being me!
I was able to talk to the girls from Wonder Dog Rescue… will definitely keep my eyes out on their site for a little Yorkie or Pug to love, & the girls from Yes To Carrots to learn more about their organic products.
Props to Jessica, Connie, & Ruggy for organizing this fun and informational event!