TGIF! Just a few Fridays ago, Yelp South Bay and Rover.com hosted a dog-friendly "Yappy Hour" event at Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto. What better place to have a mutt strutt than a gorgeous outdoor courtyard on a summer evening? Our four-legged Yelpers couldn't agree more!
About our co-hosts, Rover.com and Garden Court Hotel:
Since dogs give so much affection to their owners, Rover.com is jumping through hoops so people can find home stays that their dogs will love. They've created a trusted online community for dog owners seeking local sitters to provide real homes when they travel. The company has thousands of qualified sitters who love dogs and are eager to add the personal touch that each dog is accustomed to at home.
Garden Court is only luxury boutique hotel in Downtown Palo Alto, offering elegant lodging and accommodations. Located directly between both San Francisco (SFO) and San Jose (SJC) International Airports, Garden Court Hotel is the ideal location and environment for business travelers destined for Silicon Valley, Mountain View, Menlo Park, Stanford University and the Bay Area Peninsula. Situated on the tree-lined streets of our City Centre we have award winning restaurants, world class shopping, elegant spas and fitness centers all within easy walking distance. Offering pet-friendly accommodations, both inside and out, they were the perfect host for our pooch party!
Food/Drink Sponsors:
Human guests munched on fresh salads from Hobee's Palo Alto, slices of hot pizza from Patxi's, a variety of gourmet passed apps and crudite from Garden Court as well as meringue kisses from OlaMola Confectionery. Since it wouldn't be a happy hour without drinks, Anchor Brewing and Mutt Lynch Winery provided beer and vino to enjoy. Not to worry, Honest Tea and GreenLid smoothies had plenty of cold, non-alcoholic drinks for everyone as well. And we definitely didn't leave the doggies in the dust, they dined on Sprinkles cupcake treats (made for mutts), doggy ice cream and specially made bone treats made by Garden Court's chef.
Entertainment:
Though it's pretty dang exciting to bring your pooch into public and socialize with fellow dog lovers, we had other activities to keep things teruffic! There was a pet/owner kissing contest, which gave PDA an entirely new meaning! Ingrid Foster from Angelsage offered mini communication sessions with dogs and their owners. Also, local artist Artie Azuara displayed his dog portraits for the crowd to see and raffled off one of his masterpieces. Even better, we turned this event into a fundraiser for the Humane Society Silicon Valley, raising almost $900 to help local strays find a forever home.
Review Highlights:
"DOGGONE GOOD TIMES! What a fun, cozy, and absolutely adorable event! The food spread was incredible and so beautifully presented. And not just for people! There was many a time where I reached for a dog biscuit on "accident" (and yes…I confess I did try a few, they just looked so yummy!) And for me, a dog lover with no doggie of my own, this was absolutely heavenly! Fabulous food and furry faces galore!
Loved the venue as well, Garden Court has a beautiful courtyard, just the right size for an intimate gathering. The staff were so beautifully courteous and friendly, and all the sponsors were enthusiastic and welcoming." – Carol C
"A pet-centered Yelp event?! We're in! The Garden Court Hotel was the beautiful setting of a fun-filled event for dog-lovers and dogs alike. The hors d'oeuvres were delicious and filling as they were accompanied by Patxi's pizza and other finger foods. Our dogs, Kyna the Shiba Inu and Paco the Chihuahua, had the time of their lives as they were spoiled with doggie cupcakes from Sprinkles, doggie ice cream and treats of all sorts. Not to mention the love they got from other yelpers there." – Priscilla V
"Come one come all, whether you have 4 legs or only 2 legs! Do we have a special event for everyone! Big dogs, small dogs, furry dogs and not so furry dogs! This event was very fun for everyone in attendance. The food around the outside of the courtyard was very tasty as too was the food in the middle of the courtyard on tables. I know all the pups in the house enjoyed all of the food as well, whether it was food for us humans or treats for the dogs. Even my date Sadie enjoyed the treats as she would look at it with a puzzled look and hide while she secretly and silently devoured the delectable food items. I believe her favorite moment was the dog whisperer, who was able to calm little Sadie down and help her get through this event with no harm done!" – Jason D
Read the event reviews on the Yappy Hour 2013 page and see all of the fabulous photos on Flickr! And until our next event, SYOY!
Community Manager Abby S and the South Bay pet posse.
