Elite Event: Date Night at The Grove

Okay I know this review is super long overdue but Date Night at the Grove was one of my favorite events so far (10+ stars if I could give it). I don’t know if it was because of my beautiful Unilocal rose or being at the Grove or even getting to see an amazing movie that I really, really enjoyed. NO! I know what it is… my mommy was my plus one :] and she loved it! Many thanks to the wonderful Katy B for putting together another spectacular event and allowing my mom to see a day in the life of a Unilocal Elite. She thinks you’re really sweet and also told me to tell you «Thank You» on her behalf.
It just warmed my heart and soul to see the big, beautiful smile on my mommy’s face as she enjoyed her Unilocal drink and the samples at the Whisper Lounge. The complimentary Southern Sweet Tea cocktail we received was really good and she really enjoyed it. To us we thought it tasted more like tamarind with a slight splash of alcohol. We both really enjoyed their bacon, brussel sprout flat bread that was our favorite. I wasn’t too impressed with their fried chicken though. It wasn’t cooked to my liking; I took one bite and within the next minute handed it back.
We had some time to kill until the movie started and since it was my mom’s first time ever at The Grove; her and I went for a lovely evening stroll and I took her through the Farmer’s Market. She loved it and was so very intrigued and had such a happy grin on her face.
We made it back in time to the theater, flashed our tickets and walked right in. The complimentary popcorn we received was just enough for the two of us. Our assigned seats were perfect and we enjoyed Beautiful Creatures. That movie was SO GOOD!
We both enjoyed it very much and can’t wait to see again or being patient (which we’re both not too good at) and get it on DVD.
It was also really awesome receiving complimentary valet parking.
I couldn’t have asked for a better Thursday night than the night I was blessed with
sharing it with my fantastic mother and awesome fellow Unilocalers :]

Lazy LA daters won’t drive beyond 5 miles (and that’s why you’re single)
But for those of us who are willing to put up with gridlock for that connection. We reap the rewards. The Grove at 6:30pm — it was going to be tough! The 405−110-Dtown-KTown-Beverly were scheming to ruin my date night. *shake fist*
From my recollection about valet parking at The Grove. I knew there was the gridlocked parking entrance via the Farmer’s Market off Fairfax. On the less traveled Grove Blvd, they have a valet turnout just past the general parking driveway. From the valet, we walked immediately into The Grove area! I could get used to this valet service. No more circling up the parking garage levels, dodging cars, stalking exiting drivers, and taking crowded escalators back down.
We only spent a short time at Whisper Lounge — so can’t really comment on that too much. But the purple rose brought a big smile to my leading lady. I never walked down the walkway to Whisper in the evening; it’s romantical with the strung up lights, tiled pathway, and no heavy pedestrian traffic. I could easily envision future dates starting off on a high note with drink and eats sprinkled with flirtatious conversation as Whipser sets the evening mood so well.
I never have watched a movie at Pacific Theatres. It was an A+ movie goer experience: luxurious ambiance, reserved seating, comfortable chairs, clean, self service soda fountains and butter flavor dispenser. Oh yeah and they also sell icee’s here!
On the way back to the car, we stopped at the Sprinkles booth for another treat. Then it was a short drive to Hollywood for late night grubbing at Bossa Nova. I’ve struck out on a lot of dates, but tonight was a homerun!
A big thanks The Grove, Whisper Lounge, Pacific Theatres, and Katie B! I never considered it an evening date venue — but y’all have converted me.

Cool event! I must admit that calling it ‘date night’ and the valet parking and rose really bumped it up – I was told my bf hey! we should do this more often! Even though it’s not much different from anything else we do! Ha!
We arrived late due to traffic, but received a warm welcome from Katie B and the Grove Concierge team. There seemed to be a slight disconnect with the concierge seating us, and the waitstaff knowing that new people arrived and needed drinks and menus. I was able to flag someone down and we started with the complimentary vodka tea cocktail and later ordered a grilled broccoli & buratta flatbread and the mac and triple Cheese with pancetta. Both were really tasty, a nice cheesy snack before our movie.
Although the concierge kept telling us that there was no rush, I felt bad for people who came late because they really had no time to order anything besides the drink when the waiter finally noticed them, and eat one passed app.
The movie was cheesy, as was expected, but it was nice to just chill and sit back.
Thanks again Unilocal,Katie B and the Grove! Look forward to doing this again!

**DATE NIGHT AT THE GROVE**
LA n00b here.
First time at the Grove.
Impressed.
FREE valet.
FREE rose.
FREE shoe shine offer.
FREE flatbread and chicken dumplings.
FREE cocktails.
And FREE movie tickets.
No complaints here.
The staff at the Whisper Restaurant and Lounge were attentive and friendly.
Sat on the front patio.
Romantic and easy-​going vibe.
Bit hungry so ORDERED:
HUMMUS PLATE — $ 14
Valbreso feta, marinated olives, roasted eggplant purée, and grilled ciabatta were satisfying snacks.
WAGYU BEEF CHILI — $ 11
Nice kick with plenty of beef and beans to share. Liked it better than the hummus.
We then walked to the movie theaters next door for our FREE POPCORN and watched Beautiful Creatures…
HIGHLY RECOMMEND The Whisper Restaurant and Lounge for all of your pre-​movie and people-​watching pleasures.
Thank you, Katie B. for the proper Grove introduction and providing us with an opportunity for a fantastic DATE NIGHT!
xoxo

Thank you Unilocal and the Grove for a romantic date night! (:* They spoiled the ladies with roses and the men with a free shoe shine offer. SCORE! We enjoyed the delicious cocktail and small bites at The Whisper Lounge. Our waiter was very attentive, and we were able to get the chicken dumplings multiple times. YUM. So crispy on the outside, so juicy on the inside. The flatbread was pretty good too.
I love going to the movie theatre at the Grove, and getting free popcorn from Unilocal and the Grove was a major plus. The only reason I docked off a star was because the movie, Beautiful Creatures, was TERRIBLE. That was no fault of Unilocal or the Grove… it was just a terrible movie. I can’t believe how corny some of lines were. Glad we had some booze beforehand.
All in all, another fun night at the Grove. Thanks for the complimentary valet too!

This was a well-​organized event, which included an appetizer and cocktail (at Whisper Lounge) and a movie with popcorn (at Pacific Theatres). It was also great seeing Katie B in person! The hostess had everything prepared at the front of the restaurant (tickets, envelopes, and roses). The cocktail was great and the appetizer was delicious. The movie was «Beautiful Creatures», which I never really heard of before, and it was an okay movie, similar to those teen Twilight vampire movies that I don’t bother watching haha.
Thanks for a great Elite Event, and a first for me! (I’ve been elite for over two years but never came out haha). This event was a great way to bring together the Unilocalers and to sit at a nice restaurant at the Grove. What a neat way to promote the restaurant and the movie, and to give us a chance to spend a belated Valentine’s with our significant other :) I’ll definitely do my best to make it out to more of these events!

Every now and then an Elite event comes along that makes you say «Holy Crap, you mean they’re giving this to us for FREE because we write snarky things about places?»
Complimentary valet parking, shoe shine, a rose, cocktails, appetizers, popcorn and a MOVIE???
I’m in my final semester of Law School which means I’m under a sea of debt and work, so my poor neglected boyfriend has to resort to staying at home watching the Lifetime Network in order to get any romance whatsoever. So this was the perfect remedy.
So what if I snuck out halfway through the film to return to the Whisper Lounge to get another cocktail… at least I took HIM instead of that hot new first year law school student I have my eyes on.
Okay, who am I kidding? As if I only have my eyes on ONE first year law school student!!!