'Twas the eve of four-twenty, when all through the square,
Elite Yelpers were gettin' their herbal on in the Soiree Room at Upstairs!
That's right, on April 19 Boston Elites gathered at Harvard 'hood gem, Upstairs on The Square, for an evening of herbal exploration of the legal variety. Tarragon, nasturtium, Thai basil, lavender and rosemary were craftily infused into every bite and beverage, thanks to the culinary creativity of Chef Steven Brand and the fabulous beverage team at Upstairs.
Greeted by Kir Royale cocktails crafted with house-infused lavender syrup,
grapefruit libations with a sprig of fresh rosemary, Chardonnay made from
grapes grown amongst herbs and a boldly blended Cabernet, Elites were welcomed into the Soiree Room for mingling and
conversation. With drinks in hand, we sampled nasturtium deviled eggs, wraps of duck confit, fresh charcuterie, cured olives, stuffed cherry tomatoes, Tarragaon Blondies and chocolate-covered brown-sugar turtles.
The highlight of this delightful night? A contest of herbal proportions, of course! Hand-picked by Upstairs' Director of Operations, Matthew Lishanksy, five Elites sat blindfolded on an herbal panel to sniff, sample and nibble their way to guessing five different herbs! The Elite with the keenest herbal awareness scored a sweet gift certificate to Upstairs! Sparing no drama, it came down to a sudden-death Herb-Off between Blair H and Kristen P. The winner? With a clutch guess of Tarragon, Blair took home the prize and the title of Grand Champion Herb Master.
Some of the evening's most memorable moments:
*Ericalynn G being the first to arrive!
*Welcoming Elite-Event virgins Bret C, Holly S, Melissa D and Virginia Su M!
*Chef Steven Brand declaring the winner of the Herb Off with his line to Kristen P, as she was stuck on her last scent: "I think that is the smell of Blair winning!" Classic!
*Co-Proprietor Mary-Catherine Deibel chatting it up with Elites all night long about everything from vegetarian dishes to trips to Provence!
*Meeting Don W and his lovely wife Diane, who traveled all the way from New Hampshire to be with us!
All of our gratitude tonight goes to, in the words of Kim K, our "unbelievably gracious hosts" at Upstairs on The Square: Mathew & Matthew, Augusto, Steven, Mary-Catherine and the rest of the Upstairs team, who went above and beyond to create a delectable menu of hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, and who's genuine hospitality made everyone feel at home.
To get an idea of of the night's festivities, check out the amazingly mouth-watering photos taken by Tatsu I or just read some of the stellar reviews. Oh, and for extra gossip, there's even a thread on Talk!
If you missed the fun, Upstairs on The Square has a whole host of happenings going on weekly, so be sure to stop by!
Cheers,
Leighann F
