Mediterranean Mania Elite Event At Phara’s

Although this may be the first elite event where I don’t appear in any of the photos (lame!) I still had a blast. Props to Kelly for organizing another fab event, Phara’s for some super awesome amazing food (especially the hummus which I have been craving since that day,) and my old school Unilocaler friends. Although I’m more of a «mover» at these types of events, sitting and having a drink with Monica O, Whitney F, and John R. was a total win :)
Phara’s. I’m coming for that hummus!

Great times! The cider was decidely appley, the food was amazing, and what a cool patio! I was disappointed that it was as hot as it was, but that’s no one’s fault.
The incense burners kept the bugs away, and the space was beautiful. I do plan to return for dinner soon. :)

Phara’s is one of those places I kept meaning to check out, but hadn’t yet because of a really stupid reason: I heard there was a belly dancer, and I am irrationally prejudiced against them because my gentleman caller’s previous ladyfriend dabbles in the belly dancing arts. That I have not set foot in Phara’s before now is truly a tragedy. The food was excellent! The trays always overflowing with their bounty! Anyone who has been to an Elite event before knows that this is an amazing feat, considering how much we all like food.
The adult beverage queues were indeed something to behold, but as I don’t imbibe in this kind of heat I was spared. I was watching the henna table like a hawk however, and snatched a seat without waiting to get a lovely design on my palm.
The owners were extremely generous, even going so far as to give a group of us a couple of hookahs to try out. (That definitely wasn’t on the list of Unilocal activities!) I was enjoying everyone’s company so much that we closed the place down long after the event was over.
Thanks a ton to Kelly for organizing such a great gathering… I’ve even started to enjoy belly dancing!

It’s two days later, and I’m still in chains. But tiny chains with a tiny lock and no key. Hm.
I met new Unilocalers! That hardly ever happens these days, sadly. Darla A, Jacquelyn N, Liz B and friends — eet was an honor. But what is also sad is I wasn’t able to get that engaging one-on-one’s with the gracious Unilocalers who have so much wisdom to impart to my impressionable mind. Errol and KK: I am sorry I wasn’t able to better absorb this invaluable knowledge, but you two pluck me aside next time and we’ll get that on.
Thanks to Kelly, Jonathan Garza, Rather Good Belly Dancer and Wendy from Blood and Glitter Makeup for making another bangin’ event. Mosquitoes, humid heat and lines really can’t be remedied too much, but they simmered down once the evening wore on.
Goooooooool! [cue vuvuzelas]

Thanks to Kelly and the rest of the Unilocal staff for putting together another great event!
VodkaTea + Cider = Hangover. OMG. OMG. Never again will I drink as much sugaryish alcohol and only wash it down with some hummus again. I feel terrible today.
The Belly Dancer was really cool and it was tons of fun watching my friend and her have a dance-​off from our sweet VIP gazebo.
I’d write more and try to be fun except I feel like I am going to die now. So goodbye.

Another smashing success! Phara was gracious as ever. Great food and drinks, chatting with old friends and meeting new ones. And I finally got a sweatband! Woot! Kudos to Kelly for another wonderful night!

What an amazing evening. Big ups to sister Susi for «sponsoring» me as one of her plusses since I’m not Elite yet. [Hey, somebody help me fix that!]
The atmosphere in the back garden was absolutely wonderful, despite the Texas heat. Of course having a bunch of great folks around was a big part of that, but Kelly and the Phara’s owner and staff did an amazing job of work to make certain everyone was relaxed and happy.
The general setup was beautiful, with great strings of lights going all across the garden, and nice incense smoking away on the tables. [More about smoking away later.] It smelled so wonderful and familiar, I kept trying to figure out if it was Super Hit or Green Champa. A belly dancer was making her way around with cymbals and a sword on her head, and someone was doing very nice henna tattoos. Not for me, thanks, but my sister got a great one on her hand.
The refreshments were wonderful, particularly the hummus, which was nice and tangy, and the tzatziki [sp?] which was quite refreshing. The Texas Tea flavored vodka is DANGEROUS. Really? That had alcohol? Oh, yeah, I can’t walk, so it must have.
After a lot of the party had started to die down, several of us adjourned to the hookah room. The owner brought melon and vanilla flavored tabaccos, both of which were quite nice. I definitely preferred the vanilla, but I had so much fun passing the hookah with fellow Unilocalers I would definitely go back to try other flavors. We were treated exceptionally well, particularly for a bunch of drunks, as we were by this point, and while we closed the place down, we never felt rushed out.
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome. Is there an app to add a sixth star?

Mad props to Phara’s! as I noted in my actual Phara’s review, I felt the service was a little off, but last night dashed that in my mind! The staff, and Phara herself, were as gracious and accommodating as possible. I’ll be slammin’ a mezza platter and hitting up some hookah real soon. And as always, mad props to Kelley for getting everything together for a real hopping shindig.
As per usual, a room (or outdoor venue) stuffed with some of the nicest folk around. The lines certainly were long, but if you got the food it was totally worth it. I don’t remember their dolmas being so good, but I could, and would, have eaten them all. The drinks were free, but they just weren’t my style (too sweeeeeeeet), so I took advantage of the BYOB policy and got some Jangle. Whats Jangle you say?
Step 1: Buy a 40 of Mickey’s and grape soda (orange if they don’t have grape)
Step 2: Drink enough Mickey’s so you’re at the label and fill it back to the top with grape soda.
Step 3: Enjoy your three dollar «cocktail» while looking as classy as Lindsey Lohan.
Step 4: Do not repeat for as many many many many many moons as possible if you value life or dignity.
Someday I’ll just say hi to every person I even remotely recognize, but I did enjoy some wonderful company last night and wait with bated breath for the next event (hopefully sans jangle).

Y’know, I used to live within walking distance of this place (well, Phara’s wasn’t there yet). And within the last year, I’d been next door to Room Service several times, and next door on the other side to get a key made. I’d even been across the street to The Parlor and Forbidden Fruit within the last year, but I never even noticed Phara’s sitting right there. Isn’t that pathetic? Then again, I’m not known for being observant.
Walking into the small dining room, I had no idea there would be such a huge patio out back. My mouth dropped, and my eyes bugged out. I immediately grabbed a fan and a couple of Unilocalsticks (LOVE that stuff!) and headed out.
Monica, Kelly B and I were standing around the bar area, pretty much blocking the walkway. And that’s when I noticed all the other Unilocalers were crowded around the bar, too, all waiting to get boozed.
Colin and I grabbed a table, and soon all my favorite peeps joined us. That’s when the booze line suddenly became longer than the Great Wall of China. I guess I’ll see you guys at the next Unilocal AA meeting.
I was thirsty, but I wasn’t about to wait in that ever-​expanding line. Then I caught Edison in the food line, and he gave me the greatest tip of the night: «See that cooler next to the bar? The Crispin Cider’s in there, so you can easily grab one and bypass the line.» Dank you veddy much, Edison! And once I did that, some random Unilocaler came over to my table and complimented me on my «cider-​grabbing form» (say what?). So in the last three days, I’ve been complimented on my cider-​grabbing form and my pizza-​tossing form (
). I’m on my way, folks!
Conversation at the table was great. Colin, Ryan, and Whitney: You guys crack me up! Sitting there drinking Crispin Cider, I had such an urge to start quoting Crispin Glover from Back To the Future. Thankfully for the rest of the table, I held back.
Finally ran into Errol, who introduced me to the lovely Jacquelyn N. (Errol writes better than Brian Wilson, by the way!) And then Errol said his goodbyes and disappeared. I assumed he left, but I later saw him sneaking out of the hookah room. It sure looked like shady dealings going on in that room… all veiled and secretive. They could’ve been snorting Splenda in there for all I knew (
). Part of me wanted to try it out, but I was honestly afraid it would make me want to buy a pack of Camels on the way home, and I just can’t go there again.
Got to chat with the goddess Michelle C, who helped me compare Edison’s forever-​stubble to that of Dr. House.
The food was a’ight. When Ryan alerted us to the presence of lamb, I knew I’d never get there in time to actually eat any (because there’s never enough food for all us gluttons at a Unilocal elite event). It looked and smelled good, though.
Once the beer line and cooler emptied out, I went to the bar to snag a third drink.
[ME]: What’s free?
[BARTENDER]: Everything.
[MIND]: Get a bloody mary!
[ME]: [to Mind] I don’t think *those* are free. [to bartender] Set me up with something that tastes really good. Surprise me!
He handed me my third Crispin Cider. Dag nabbit!
So, to sum it all up: All my favorite peeps in one place. Sultry, sexy stuff going on. Free food and booze. «Shady» dealings in a secret room. What more could I ask for?

Best. Elite. Event .Ever!
So it was a little hot, it may have been even a little buggy, not not breezy enough, or the time may have been tight — all somewhat plausible concerns for some. However, I was cool with my sweet tea vodka and lemonade, bug-​free due to the nagchampa incense (which I love) and OFF wipes, and while the event ended at 10, those of us who hookaed into the night were never rushed and well taken care of by Phara herself.
Here are the qualities that made this event so successful and can be points to consider when looking toward the future.
1. Space. My favorite events are ones that fill a large space such as a patio, yard, or large open restaurant. Events where there are more hallways, fewer places to congregate, etc. end up limiting folks in how they get together. We need the large tables, open places to hang out and the like. This space was perfect in this way.
2. Food and drink: Look people. You are getting free food and drink. Standing in line should not be such a big deal. Besides, if you stand in line you get face time with your buds and get new friend requests the next day. It’s all in your attitude. At this event, there seemed to be plenty of food, which is a step up from lots of former events where 300 people grazed on 5 pizzas. I do not mind NOT getting any, but when the food is as good as it is a Phara’s it would have hurt my heart to lost out. So, thanks to Phara’s for letting the food flow are a manageable rate.
3. Attitude. Sometimes when private events land at certain venues, there is a staff vibe — one that simply wants to serve you and move on with life. Last night, Phara actually made it a point to let everyone know that she never wants you to feel rushed. In this go-​go-​go lightning speed work life that lots of us lead, it is a real pleasure when you have a favorite place where you can get some great food, a belly dance, and be reminded that no one is going to drop the check until you ask. How positively civilized!
4. Innovation: Elite events should be experiences you want to enjoy in the moment, for sure. However, the best ones such as last night should leave wanting to recreate the experience. The vibe and crowd was so good, the event so well managed that I want to make Phara’s a regular date night location. I can not say I have had that feeling from past events. Not hatin on the past events, but this one just clicked with me and went above expectations. Maybe it was the vanilla hooka! I felt so naughty!

This was a great event! Not only was it a fun place, but being outside, Music, Belly Dancing Oh and the food was great.
The Tea Vodka and cider was good also!
I cant wait to go back to pharas for dinner and maybe some some fun. We already reserved a 6 hour party for next month!
Thanks for the great time!
Oh and shout outs to
Kelly
Ryan
Susie
and
Josh

This hyperbole free review is brought to you by Kelly and the great folks at Phara’s & Graham’s Texas Tea.
Best hummus ever. Really. I could (and did) eat a whole plate of the stuff. The Texas Tea Vodka was delicious and refreshing. It made the oppressive and humid Texas night heat feel juust right, if you know what I mean.

Seriously people, it wasn’t that hot… ok, ok, I know I’m broken. But just remembering the 50 bajillion days over 100 last year, I just can’t help but love the 90s. :)
Anyhoo, I was definitely excited to get in to this one because it sounded cool and unique and interesting, but Joel W. and I were both in sorta «eh» moods when we got there. So it could have gone either way. Happily, I report that we both left happy and in wonderful moods — and it wasn’t just the über strong tea drinkies, heh.
The food was awesome. When I got there, the line to get in, wasn’t long, and Kelly was there with her smiling face and we didn’t have to even reminder her of who we were. Yay! The food was super awesome, and though there was a good sized line, we actually got some (unlike Belmont, where I hunted down ONE guy with apps on a tray and then didn’t get any grub for the rest of the night), and the last hour it was fine (and the booze and food didn’t run out the whole party! Woot!).
The belly dancer was awesome, I didn’t get a henna tattoo but the ones I saw were fantastic, and the staff there was so friendly. We’ve decided to do a party there next month for our friends’ after-​wedding reception because we enjoyed the experience so much.
Oh yeah, two more big ups: thanks for another event later in the evening. It’s almost impossible for me to get to events that start at 5:30, 6, even before 7. So an 8pm start time was GREAT. And I loved that this one was a little more up north, which I’m sure sucks for the south side folks, but I’m selfish. So I liked it. :)
Thanks to Kelly for an awesome event! Can’t wait for the next!

If I was The Unilocaler Formerly Known as Doc X, I would say something like:
1. Those dolma pieces were so good I’d fuck them in the dish right there.
2. The asymptote of ‘cold beverage goodness’ as it approaches the Y axis offset the pleasantness of air-​temperature (Z axis) while the inclination of people to get henna tattoos increased by the hour (X axis). The Crispin cider offered, while free, had nothing on Ace or Woodchuck, and the sample size was quite small.
But sadly, I am not.
Still, I met more new Elites & people at this party courtesy of Veek and wandering from table to table than I have for many moons, which is always good. We old timer Elites want to meet you, newer Elites! Don’t be shy, that’s why we have name tags.
I tip my virtual hat to Phara’s for making consistently good mediterranean foods in this town, and for the event hospitality (I would totally have ordered a whole real dinner were it available ms Phara!).
Sweaty?: true. Anna burnt her hand trying to repel mosquitoes wtih an incense stick though, so maybe in the future, uh, citronella candles that somehow smell like incense? Crap, where’s Doc X when you need him.
Btw, you should all try balancing Ja’net’s sword on your head. It’s way easier than it looks.

I don’t even have the words to talk about how much I loved this event. The atmosphere was as delicious as the food that never stopped coming. The food, the drinks, the incense, the wandering belly dancer, and all of us having a great time to mingle and REALLY talk made for a perfect evening.
The backyard of Phara’s was a collection of sweaty Unilocalers enjoying some great lamb, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves. The tzatziki was almost shamefully good, but that also could have been because it was a nice respite from the humid, hot weather.
The owner and staff of Phara’s were so genuinely appreciative that we were there, and I’m glad because it seemed like so many of us can’t wait to get back! Kelly did another bang up job.
Oh, and also Kelly hugged me just before she didn’t hug Ryan. Just sayin’.

If you are the squemish type, this event was NOT for you. There was sweaty huggin and hookah sharing goin on. If you are a germaphobe/​sweataphobe/​bugaphobe, you would not have had fun (hubby who left after *two* minutes, I’m looking at you!). Me, I THRIVE in that environment. Kinda like a bacteria. I had an absolute blast.
Yes the drink line was long, but that just gave me and my grrl ample time to get to know Marc S and Errol M and Jim L-​and-​David and Mark D and… well lots of folk. And Texas Tea Vodka was at the end of that line. Well worth the wait! Thanks, Kelly, for reading ALL my reviews and stocking the booze I talk about and love the most! And thanks to the cute bartender who hooked us up with 2 large cups at a time so’s we could double fist some booze. I’m not proud. The food line was also long, but I’ve learned from previous events to eat aforehand, so food was not an issue for me.
And then there was the hookah. It was ALL Errol’s idea. He wanted to try one. Then he wandered off to smoke a real cancer stick. So when Phara walked by and greeted us, I innocently asked if we could get one (we, I mean, Errol would pay for it). This put her in a quandary as she really truly wanted us to have whatever we wanted, but would not be able to accomodate the whole crowd wanting one (they take a lot of time and effort to make). Her solution was to put us in the private smoking room secretly to partake. We even did the staggered exit so as not to arrouse the crowd’s suspicion.
Smoking that hookah with those folks was a great bonding experience. We were the Elitist Elites, the Hookah Hookas, the Coolest of the Cool (the room was A/C’ed). I didn’t even mind sharing it with Marc S who’s not Elite, YET! :) And then a few others wandered in and soon we had quite the party inside. I’m telling you, Unilocalers know how to sniff out an Elite party. Even the photog got in on it, demonstrating his college prowess by blowing smoke rings (Don’t Bogart the hookah, Duuuude!).
The topper of the nite was dancing with a sword on my breasts. When, I ask you, will I ever get to utter that sentence again?
Thanks to Kelly, again, for such a great idea. But my heartfelt thanks also goes out to Phara. Such a gracious and accomodating hostess! I want to send her a Christmas card. I want to cook HER dinner. I want to take her home to meet the parents. And then there was Orion, who did his part and then some, hovering and making sure all needs were met. I’m telling you, the sweatiest hugs I got last nite was from those two because they were working so hard. But I didn’t mind smelling like bugspray/incense/hookah/sweat/Phara’s cologne on the way home. I almost hated to shower those memories away!

This event reminded me of a song:
Wouldn’t it be nice if it was longer
Then we could’ve stayed the whole night through
Texas Tea in hot and humid weather
Passing on the hookah pipe to you
You know it’s gonna make it that much better
When we can say goodnight and Unilocal together
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wake up
In the morning when the day is new
And after having spent the day together
Having one more ROTD than you
The happy times together we’ve been spending
I wish that every hug was never ending
Oh wouldn’t it be nice
Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true (run, run, run)
Baby then there wouldn’t be a single thing we couldn’t do
We could be Unilocaling (we could be Unilocaling)
And then we’d be happy (then we’d be happy)
Wouldn’t it be nice (ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba)
You know it seems the more we talk about it
It only makes me want to write about it
But let’s talk about it
Oh, wouldn’t it be nice
Good night my baby
Sleep tight my baby
Damned if that’s not Keri
Can’t see enough of KK
Blazing away with Natalia
Nice to have met you, Darla
Where is Lorena hiding
Monica is always lovely
Thanks for the party, Kelly
You’ve met the cool ones, Jacquelyn
et al.

Hookahs, hummus, hugs, and dry humping!
Hilariously and happily heckle-​able!
—–
previous 1 star review for posterity’s sake:
Kelly wouldn’t hug me.

I had to leave early because my ride home (and my backup ride home – poor planning on my part) both needed to leave before 10, but it was enough time for me to decide that I really like Phara’s. The inside is cozy and the patio, with that secret, adjacent Hookah room veiled by plastic curtains, has a very cool vibe. And it’s hard to be cool on a sweltering night like tonight.
The beverage and food lines were way too long tonight. Not sure how that could be remedied without extra staff, but once I did get a taste of the hummus and dolmas, I was happy.
Did the belly dancer ever run out of energy? And since when are belly dancers armed? She was doing all kinds of crazy things with that sword, in case you weren’t watching. ;-)

My first Elite event! YAY!
The food… fantastic, except the lines were a bit long (good turnout). I really liked the hummus.
The beverages… I tried the Crispin Cider over ice and my friends seemed to enjoy the Graham’s Texas Tea (then I went across the street and bought some vino … I am a wine gal).
The swag… cool down to the fans, which we needed on a hot Austin night with NO Breeze :(
The entertainment… belly dancer was awesome and I LOVE my Henna tattoo (my kind of commitment — temporary).
The space… great for large crowds and has personality.
The crowd… cool!
The conversation… way cool!
Only downside… they could have used some fans in the courtyard… as it was sweltering… or shall I say sultry and sweaty? ;p