Emily Living and Laughing : yelp

It is time. I know at this point I have people asking me what I am doing when I am taking pictures of my food so it is time for a full on post about yelp. I started using yelp randomly when on a trip out of state to find places to eat at. I noticed it was an app I could add to my phone and I quickly became obsessed. It is a website and app you can use to look at reviews of restaurants where you are currently. I started using it so much that I applied to become yelp elite. I will talk about how amazing it is to be elite a little later. Overall yelp has changed my life I have meet new people and friends. It has exposed me to new types of foods and pushed me to go to the unknown restaurants to write reviews. Here are my top 5 reasons I love yelp.

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria

1. Yelp elite events-
Once a month yelp hosts a free event for elite members. You can only go if you RSVP and are selected. I have fallen in love with Great Harvest Bread at one event and drank all the fancy wine at Virgola. These events are important to me not just because I get free food, yelp goodies and drinks but because of the networking I get to do. I meet a ton of cool people from derby people to pastors. Often they are the highlight of my month.

Summit Brewing Company

2. Review feedback for restaurants-
I write fair reviews. What I mean by that is I write what I experience good and bad. Sometimes this pains me if the place has good reviews overall but I need to be showing people my experience through my lens or view point. I do this because a lot of times I have the owner reach out to me stating they will change things or thank me for my feedback. There was a local taco place that opened and I mentioned in my review it was impossible to read the menu due to the lack of lighting. They thanked me and actually changed the lighting in the restaurant. I like that I can be that person that helps business's if I can. I mean how many times have you thought that this or that could be changed for the better. Yelp allows you to give that feedback.

3. Trying new things-

Mariachi Loco

I want to try all the places I can as I love writing reviews. As soon as I hear of a new place I bookmark it on the app to try. That bookmark list stares at me till I try the new place. It is a motivator for me to get out of my favorite places and try new things. I have discovered some real gems doing this. I also get excited while traveling to find places along the way. I hardly ever pre-plan my food places now as I travel. I just search on the app around me and pick some place that looks good.

Chimborazo

4. Being able to give advice-
I take pictures of everything I eat at each restaurant. At first I did not like doing this I was not good at it and my pictures sucked. I have practiced and now take decent if not good food pictures which is a plus. Also, I now know that the pictures help me remember what I ate last time I went to a certain place. If a coworker asks me "hey what taco did you have at vintage cantina?" I can pull up my pictures at that restaurant and tell them. It has been extremely helpful to me and others. PLUS if you look at a restaurant and see a picture of the food item you want you are more likely to want to eat there. At least I am.

Nom Nom Nom Poutine

5. Tips and Tricks-
Often I look up a place and there are tips that are helpful before going. Is this place good for happy hour? Does this location only take cash? Do I need a reservation? These types of things can all be answered looking at the reviews and tips on yelp.

In closing I am not paid by yelp. I wish!
I want people to understand my hobby and not hate on me next time they see me out to eat or at a bar taking a bunch of pictures. We each find things we love to do and mine includes ALL the food.

Until next time~
XoXo Emily