YEE: 2016 Elite Meet & Greet at MiLA

What a way to kick off the year, Unilocalers! Morgan really put her foot in it planning this event! Tasty snacks, fun drinks, live musc and games to keep the crowd on their toes. New faces kept the party moving, and seasoned veterans to cheer them on.
Thanks to the Renaissance Pere Marquette for the great afternoon!

What a fun kick off to 2016! The location was lovely (wish I had paid attention to the parking info instead of circling for a free spot) and the staff was great. The food was tasty and the bartenders were on point… even though I was only drinking club soda that day. The band was kicking and added great ambiance to the space.
I actually participated in the bingo game, as a stamper, and it was fun! Of course, seeing all my Unilocal besties was awesome and Morgan did a great job keeping the party flowing.
Can’t wait to see what the year brings!

What Elite event you say? That was me when questioned if I was going to this event. Sometimes I’m so out of the loop but luckily I have amazing Unilocal friends that keep me up-​to-​date.
Skip to the day of and I arrive at the event with my lovely Unilocal friend. We both actually thought the event would be in the restaurant but it was at the bar. No problem! We walk into the hotel and lo and behold lots of Unilocal Elites were in attendance. We quickly got our name tags and went to the bar to get some drinks. All of the staff were wonderful from the servers to the bartenders. The bingo game was really fun and a great ice breaker. Not sure who won but they had some interesting info on the cards.
Love these meet and greet events as there are always plenty of new faces to meet. I knew less than half the people there so it was great meeting the new folks. Happy to see the Elite community continuously growing!
The event was held at the Renaissance hotel downtown. I love Renaissance hotels in general and I think all of us want to stay there in the future. It is such a nice hotel. Much love to all involved with planning this wonderful event. It was such a fun event and always a great way to start out the new year!

I’m Re H.
crazyre’ from L.A. really… Oh nice to meet you too.
It’s always fun to meet friends that you didn’t even know where your friends yet, but then our super community manager Morgan
says in her best Peter Pan voice «Here we gooooooooooooooooo!»
The cocktails were flowing,
The bites were delicious! (way to go chef!),
The music was playing,
The games were going,
and The crowd was laughing.
what more is there?
(except possibly pony rides)
Wow! there are so many new Elites, that’s some exciting stuff.
After being greeted and banded by Morgan, the games commenced. I think that all seasoned New Orleans elites can attest, that we do love us some Bingo. This time it was way more fun pointing out which «stamp wielding souls» could bring the shout of «Bingo» across the lips of a new Elite.
This time… but next time watch out, we can be some funny game playing fools.
We ate, we drank, we played, we said hello, we mingled, we ate more, we joked, we laughed, we took photos, we stamped, we talked, we greeted, we meeted…
we did our thing.
We all still love seeing each other… it never gets old,.
Here’s and cheers to great new year. I can’t wait to get started.
I’ll end it with a simple
Thank You Morgan, you are the Unilocal bomb dot com.

Way to kick off the new year! If this event foreshadows the Unilocal events to come, I can’t wait! I enjoyed my time meeting Nola Unilocal’s elite squad for 2016 over bingo (or was it yingo?), appetizers, and drank… And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I got to finally meet Angie & John, which was one of the biggest highlights of my night! I took an epic selfie with the one and only Morgan F (the F stands for Famous)! And I also made new Unilocal friends! Shout outs to Kate D, Keandra R (I still need to find you on Unilocal), and David G! There were many other people I met, even some from out of town, but we didn’t get a chance to exchange Unilocal contacts… Next time! Until then, SYOY! Lol :)

A big thank you to Morgan for including us Californians into this elite event. You were sooo welcoming as were the Nola elites!
The Unilocalo game was hilarious and a perfect way to get people up, moving and socializing. It was really fun and funny to meet such great people with some unique characteristics. Some people got pretty cleaver with their answers!
The Renaissance New Orleans was the perfect spot. Just enough space in the Mila bar to move around with our Unilocalo card in one hand and drink in the other. I was so delighted to finally get to try the Pimm’s cup. It was nice to see the friendly bartender take the time to make a really great drink! And loved that they use fever tree! The food was equally delicious and plenty to go around. My fav was the shrimp remoulade! Sooo good. If we were staying in town a little longer I’d definitely come back to the hotel for more food and drinks. There’s always next time!
It was also a nice touch to have the live jazz band playing some cool tunes and New Orleans Rum serving some tastes and a drink with a real punch!
Shout outs to Nola elite steve for taking the time to meet up with us the next day to continue the fun! Great times…

What a great Elite event put on by an awesome CM.
My wife and I were visiting New Orleans and were excited to see that there was an Elite event happening during out trip. Seeing that, we just had to sign up and cross our fingers in hopes of getting lucky enough to be included. As you can see by this review, I was lucky enough to join in on this YEE Elite Meet & Greet at the nicely designed Mila.
Us lucky Elites were able to party in the bar which was exclusively closed off to us so we could enjoy each others company and partake in the fun. UnilocalO, the version of BINGO that Morgan created was a great way to meet and talk to many of the NOLA Elites. Too bad I didn’t win as I think there were a few people missing and I could not complete my blackout.
The food that I was able to sample and names are probably not exact was the truffle soup which I loved, some fried thing with shrimp on top, and what I called a fried dirty rice ball. The shot glass they put the soup in was really hot but it didn’t matter because I was able to drink the soup fairly quickly as it was that good. The fried dirty rice ball thing was my favorite. would go back just for that. I wish I had gotten the name but a lot of the Elites were asking the waitress questions and she was in a hurry trying to get around to everyone so I was unable to get the name of that. Either way, at least when I go back I can describe it and sure I will be able to order that delicious food.
All of the staff was very friendly and helpful. The New Orleans Elite group were a great group of people. Can’t wait to go back to New Orleans!
Before I end this review, I need to send a HUGE THANK YOU to Morgan and great communication with us out of town guests to make it all happen. Reaching out to us first, was wonderful of her and I was able to find out why all of the New Orleans Unilocalers love having her as a CM with all the compliments and positive things they had say about Morgan.

2016 is gonna be a GREAT YEAR! Wow! This event was such a great way to meet other Unilocalers and enjoy some yummy craft cocktails. The bartenders put their own spin on Pimm’s Cups, Mint Juleps, and more. The passed hors d’oeuvres were so delicious… I especially enjoyed the fried mirliton topped by shrimp remoulade and the soup shot. I’m looking forward to going back and enjoying a full menu!
It was so cool to walk into the lobby…7 years ago, my husband and I stayed at the Pere Marquette while we looked for a place to live as we were moving to New Orleans. In a weird sentimental way, it felt like coming home. Such a beautiful venue and such an amazingly knowledgeable staff.
The BINGO was a blast! Morgan hit it out of the park! It was so cool walking around exchanging cards and getting to know fun facts about my fellow Elites. We would start talking and realize we were already friends on Unilocal and compare reviews of similar places we’ve been! (Those check-​ins are memorable!!)
Truly great way to kick off the year and bring us together as a community. The band was awesome and, I really enjoyed trying the New Orleans rum cocktails too!

Great start to the year with this Unilocal event!
At 1^st I was leery because this was my 1^st Elite Only event I’ve attended and I thought I was gonna feel weird, but it was fun getting to know everyone. I’m sure the stress of competition of BINGO had something to do with that. It’s funny how you really know folks by their reviews lol
Loved the hotel… like really really loved! Awesome awesome space! And the food and drink tickets added to the night (Those Pimms cups were just as good as they were pretty).
I look forward to hanging out with you good folks again soon! You’ve outdone yourself again Morgan!

If this event is an indicator of things to come, 2016 will be a great year for Nola Unilocal.
When it comes to elite events, I’ve been slacking. It seems like there has always been something preventing me from making the most recent events. Imagine my surprise when I saw this event hit the calendar and realized That not only could I make it, but I was excited to check out Mila and the Pere Marquette.
For those that weren’t there, you missed a great event. The folks at the Pere Marquette treated us royally and seemed genuinely excited to share their place with us. I spoke with several hotel reps who were delighted to tell us all about the food, hotel and everything else in between. One of their employees impressed a fellow Unilocaler so much, she got a hug right as she walked up.
We were treated to passed hor d’oeuvres including shrimp remoulade, a soup shot, venison pâté, head cheese and boudin balls. This high end take on bar food went perfectly with the upscale surroundings and craft cocktails. My favorites were the head cheese and shrimp remoulade. My craft cocktail of choice was the Abita Amber.
So the business was great, the food was great and the drinks were great. But guess what? Like all events, the people are what made this one a five star experience. Let me start by thanking Morgan for another stellar event. You knocked this one out of the park. Next, let me thank all of my old Unilocal friends who I was thrilled that I got to see. It’s been way too long. I’d give you all a shout out, but you know who you are. Thanks for the awesome conversations and for putting up with my rando ass. Next, the new Unilocalers. While I didn’t get to actually talk to all of you, I’m glad you all now know I want to be a unicorn up in Gretna. Finally, I want to thank the Unilocaler who smacked me upside the head with the elite 16 poster I was trying to heist. I have some sort of amnesia so I cannot t remember who you were, but I think it knocked some sense into me.
In closing, I want to say something really funny, but I’m drawing a blank so I’ll just end it like this.

First time in NOLA + an Elite event?! Win win
The hotel was pretty with a live band playing some jazzy music.
The signature cocktails from MiLa were beautifully crafted especially the Pimm’s drink. Food was good and the servers were super friendly.
It was nice to chat with a few NOLA Elites who were extremely helpful with recommendations during my weekend here.
Thank you Morgan for welcoming me to a NOLA event! You did a wonderful job with bingo and getting everyone to mingle!

Morgan… you fancy pants, you.
So glad I didn’t show up in my pajamas (as I originally intended — the bowie parade did me dirty).
Way to throw another great event. I had a blast.
The crowd was energetic.
The drinks were VERY tasty.
And the food was delicious.
My favorite were the boudin ball with some of the mustard from the headcheese (I had to get creative).
Glad to see how well we attract out of towners. They were in full force.

What a wonderful way to kick off the year. The Renaissance Pere Marquette is so classy and that band was kicking! All of the food that I sampled was delicious but my favorite was the fried milliton topped with shrimp remoulade– those were divine! Food and drinks were plentiful and the staff was on point. There was never a wait for food or drink.
I really enjoyed getting to know the other Elites with a little help from Unilocal Bingo. Fun Icebreaker games like this are always the best way to meet new folks without the awkward factor of just walking up and trying to start a conversation. I look forward to attending many more Elite events this year, especially after solidifying some new friendships in person yesterday.
It was a great event. Well Done Morgan! And thanks for the Mardi Gras mask, it’s joined the decorations on my Mardi Gras mantel.

Another great event! The atmosphere of the bar area was amazing. It really was a beautiful venue. I enjoyed meeting new people and catching up with the ones I already knew.
The bar handled the amount of people getting drinks perfectly. I barely had to wait when I went up to replenish my beverage.
I didn’t really eat any food because I am very picky, but the servers did a good job making the rounds. :)
Looking forward to more amazing events such as this one!

FRIED MIRLITON TOPPED WITH SHRIMP REMOLAUDE. Ok? Sorry for screaming but damn that was the shit. All of the light bites were amazing but these were so scrumptious that I had several. Happily.
What a great way to kick off 2016… Nola style. Morgan never disappoints with her elite parties and this one was no exception. Mila was awesome enough to host us and treat us to drinks, above and beyond service and those yummy little appetizers. There was even a jazz band playing and just set the atmosphere perfectly. Drinks were refilled right away and were delicious. Yet another space that’s been put on my radar thanks to Unilocal.
Of course I had a blast with my OG elites and got to meet several new ones as well. Thanks Morgan, thanks Mila and long live the awesomeness that is Nola Unilocal

Thank you Morgan for a wonderful evening of fun! It was so nice to meet new Elites and see old friends again. This is my first meet and greet style of event, and I really enjoyed having all the Elites together to meet everyone at once. Thanks to Mila for sharing some light bites with us and the ladies at New Orleans Rum for a great rum punch. I enjoyed the food and drinks and conversations.
I also Loved the Unilocalo game! I’m not always sure how to approach people, but if there is a fun game involved I’m all into it and I’ll walk up to anyone to get the answer I’m looking for. Games like Unilocalo definitely break down barriers quickly, and I met some really amazing new Unilocal Elites in the process. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again at future events, and I had an amazing time with everyone yesterday.

4.5÷5 hello friends
Great way to start the year. At first I was a little confused because I wasn’t quite sure if it was the corner or inside, but found it! I really enjoy having an opportunity to say hello and happy new year to friends, and make a few new ones — seems like there are a lot of folks now! I arrived late so elite bingo was already in full swing, but it seemed like folks enjoyed being able to meet and greet with their fellow elites. Even met folks from out of town!
Space wise, this interior bar was a good size for folks to be able to either sit or walk around and chat — the fact that it was cozy helped to encourage us to move around, I think. Cool space over all, and I’m not sure if they always have live music on Sunday’s, but that was a great addition. Also not sure if old New Orleans rum typically has a table, but that was also a cool addition.
Grabbed just 1 of 2 drinks (thanks!) because I needed to get back to some tasks at home. I think I got the Bywater something, which was a little heavy and sweet for my taste — I think if it were later in the evening that would have made more sense mood-​wise. The bites were yummy; though I was surprised they served hot soup in this little glass shooter, which was also pretty hot to the touch.
Overall, liked this lax yet swanky start to the year! Looking forward to more in 2016.

Such a beautiful place! I love it here! Entrance is on Common Street and parking is in the Garage! Save yourself the hassle and park in the garage!
Omg the black bean boudin balls are divine! Spicy and crispy with a touch of black bean on top! I also loved the shrimp marmalade roumaton cracker thing. Sadly can’t recall the name but creamy and has a spicy kick to it as well!
Our bartenders were proficient and my hurricane was magnificent!
Our server was super nice as well! Always making sure we got plenty to eat!
I hope I get to experience the stay at this hotel soon!

Had so much fun meeting some of the NOLA elite crew! I can’t wait to come back and see y’all again! Thanks everyone, and Morgan, for such a great night!
Food was DELICIOUS, as were the drinks. I would love to come back to this hotel. Didn’t even know about it until now, but definitely had a great first impression and will visit again in my future trips to NOLA.

Yet another amazing event courtesy of Queen Morgan!
First of all, this event was excellent because we have a whole pack of new elites and I loved getting to know them. The bingo ( Unilocalo) game was perfect because it forced me to bust out of my little shell and meet people. I had a great time shaking hands and getting to know the newbies (and I loved that they got to know me).
Can we talk about the bartenders? Gee whiz! They were slinging drinks with a smile all night! Talk about professional. They really were sweethearts, even when the bar got little packed. It was awesome seeing all my old Unilocal favorites and mixing and mingling with the new crew.
My one complaint is I wish there was more food, but look… I’m an eater, so take that tiny criticism in stride. I will say that the black truffle soup was AMAZING. I will definitely be getting more of that when I return to MILA.
Big thanks to Morgan for getting this whole shindig together. I LOVE these meet and greet events. I always end up chatting up people I have never met. Thanks to the folks at MILA for hosting us. Your staff was fantastic and made us all feel more than welcome. Thank you to Re for being a bomb ambassador and making us Unilocalers feel right at home.
I am so excited for the next event and for what 2016 has to offer.