yelp

Weekly Therapy: I do bruise easily.

- Mel

the week:
June spending freeze. Blah.

BUT… back to derby practices! Already have All of the Bruises.

weekend:
Bout weekend! Starting off with a team pasta night and viewing party (oh gawd, helmet cam) and game on Saturday (and much-needed after party). Sunday will be much relaxing. And likely, a hangover.

If you’re not following my schedule, you know that this weekend starts the Three River Arts Festival and Jazz Festival downtown. These are things that make me miss living downtown greatly. Friday also marks the “opening” of the Point State Park fountain. Will probably take some time on Sunday to check everything out. Likely, get a bike ride in since we only live 1 mile away! (given that my bicycle is actually in working condition, after sitting in the basement for an entire year… *sigh*)

52 books in 52 weeks:
#15. Delusions of Grandeur by Jason Najum. WTF did I just read?! It was like one long internet rant about society. Review: don’t read this.

seven things, seven days:
1. Made the Yelp weekly again! (this time, for Sandcastle water park – a fun summer thing to do in Pittsburgh)
2. Fathead’s Headhunter on tap at home
3. Finally got strawberries in the garden!
4. Did you know that I am a closet Western movie fan? This list from Art of Manliness is a good start, but the exclusion of “Once Upon a Time in the West” is flabbergasting.
5. Inventor of ADHD says it’s a “Fictious Disease” on his deathbed. Woah.
6. Weekend therapy will be these peaches and cream cupcakes from Burgh Baby.
7. PR pros are crazy. Like a fox!

Making friends and Yelp: people, parties and part of the “new”-ness of April

- Mel

When I was a newcomer to Pittsburgh, I made many wonderful connections online. The majority of my friendships started on Twitter, and others I met through Yelp. I highly recommend if you’re relocating to start following and conversing online with people from your new city before your move.

Nearly every metropolitan area has a Yelp page specific to its city, with a great Talk board to get suggestions from the locals. I was already using my (former) blog to write about new places and experiences, so transitioning those reviews to Yelp was nothing different than what I was already doing. I love telling visitors about my favorite places — and giving my opinions and advice on being a newcomer in the city gave me a unique voice to others who have been here their whole life. The best part of being a Yelper though are the parties; being an Elite has some special perks.

We have an amazing Community Manager, Rachel, who connects us with local businesses and other users… and she hosts some super-fun parties. Plus, we were able to work together last year on a sponsorship-slash-event with my derby league — Yelp loves roller derby, and that only enhances my love of the site. There have been events at the Toonseum and Penn Brewery, happy hours, nights out on the Gateway Clipper, free tickets to live performances (I saw both ballet and Electra last year) and cool swag (I seriously have a Yelp chapstick in every coat pocket). Last month, the boyfriend and I joined fellow Yelpers for a performance of “You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up” (which paired well with complimentary beverages and cheese plates), and this week we went to the new Arcade Comedy Theater downtown to watch their cast do a rendition of Yelp’s Real Actors Read Yelp Reviews event (sooo funny).

I like being in the know. And being a Yelper was sincerely helpful for this 30-something to find her way — and find some new friends — in a new city.

Do you Yelp? I’m Mel U. — let’s connect! Have you made friends IRL that you originally met online?

And as they say, SYOY!