Lou MC Yelps a Lot

So, what is a Yelp List? List is a feature to group reviews to tell a story. I didn't know about List until early 2014 from a Talk topic. Then, I began to use List to group reviews. However, I don't like the user interface to organize it. I spent a lot of time organizing my " Yelp Challenge 2014 " to look correctly by rating. In 2014, I also created these lists: Sincere Apology  - These are my below-average reviews - 1 or 2 stars. My Firsts List - Only shown the biz with First to Tip from the app version. Events I Yelp About - My love on the OYE, YEE and UYE. Be Kind to Your Mother (Nature) - My love with our environment. Crowd Pleasers - Lots and lots of people. Auto 'n Mobile of Houston - My experiences in car shopping is over. Soups Made from Scratch - Yummy. I love real soups. I plan to create more lists in 2015, including: From Outside Looking in - Being a tourist, I view the businesses differently than the locals. I plan to trave

I like how Android app displays photos compared to iOS.

July 2014, San Antonio I drove from Houston to attend a reunion near Ft Sam Houston. Once I arrived at the city limit of San Antonio, I started to plot my route to the hotel. The location and address contradicted each other. I had no choice because I wanted to arrive during daylight to meet people I haven't seen for decades. I'm anal retentive when it comes to location accuracy. This could help Yelpers only depend on map apps.  As soon as I arrived at the address, the Apple Map app quickly changed the target to a 12-mile away location. So, I couldn't use Yelp app to check in. After the event, I decided to explore that mysterious location. Finally, I reported this error to HQ. I'm very fortunate to have GPS built into Yelp app. I use the GPS marker religiously. It's paramount to have accurate location on the map, hours and a storefront photo. Not just for the out-of-towners to find the business, but the locals need to identify the correct business in order

I was approached by a few acquaintances who were not familiar with Yelp. They often ask, "you had so many check-ins. How much do you spend to eat out?" Yelp is not just a review site for restaurants, it is a resource for different types of businesses in our community. Really, I don't eat out much. However, I like to cook my own food. So, I'm always shopping for good values.  I'm out there searching for outrageously low prices. As I said in my check-in chat: Don't go broke when you think you have to eat out to be active. Don't think eating out often is the ticket to be an effective Yelper. If you can't control your spending, try to log your spending and tally up at the end of day. 

To HQ, Where was the page I added http://www.yelp.com/biz/imperial-medical-center-sugar-land It's redirected to  Imperial CPR Training Center . CPR training center is at suite 220. As soon as you sent an email to confirm the  page I added on August 6 was approved. However, it was redirected. My intention was to mark a general area for this awesome location. So, all of my check-ins, tips, photos and video are merged with a place I never intended to be. Imperial Medical Center exists on Foursquare , why couldn't it be one on Yelp? Please remove the redirect and restore the link. Thank you.

Who is not excited with street festivals or block parties in Houston? For a city of 40% Hispanic population, you ought to love Puerto Rican and Cuban Festival in late September. I'm all about cultural festivals. This festival covered 5 spokes: 2 music stages, food vendors, porta potties and kids playground. The entrance fee $13 was well worth it. I was very glad that they expended ticket vendors to include all Fiesta stores. As previous years, there were only selected few. Just like any outdoor events, we need good weather and mild temperature to draw the crowd. Lucky us. The sky cleared out right before the first day of festival. This event was held at Tranquility Park for many years. I think it was the renovation caused them to move to the streets. Non-stop entertainment and delicious regional foods from local restaurants were the main focus of Puerto Rican & Cuban Festival. Watch a short video on Instagram to see salsa dancers everywhere. Parking wasn't a proble

This is one of my favorite feature - Yelp Royalty but I call it "Check-in Meter". I had the opportunity to see both Android and iOS to choose my next Smartphone. As for Android, you can see when you last checked in, but you can't see the dukedom status. For iOS, you can see the dukedom crowns and regular icons. Uh... I like both versions. I know it's too much to ask to combine them. Android (left) vs iOS (right)  According to an article on TechCrunch in 2010, "iPhone app (4.2.1) includes a feature called Yelp Royalty. It rewards users with the most check-ins at a venue the title of 'Duke' or 'Duchess.' Those with the most titles in their neighborhood become the 'Baron.' Those with the most it the city become the 'King.'" To my understanding, check-in is a way to quantify how often you patronize a business. Yelp created a way to compete. Among the regulars, the most frequent visitor wins a duke or duchess badge. At

Once I asked HQ if "ass hole" was appropriate in a review. I got a reply from Yelp HQ, "We realize that different people have different tolerances for strong language, but our bar is pretty high so that we can allow reviewers to tell their story in their own words even when things get colorful." I found this review helpful, even with F-words. 

When you want all-natural homemade yogurt, I have to brag about my discovery. But you have to be in Houston to enjoy it. There are many yogurts in supermarkets that contain lots of sugar and corn starch. Only few of them contain the active cultures or Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. However, they are too sweet for me. One day, I ran into a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that made my dream of eating real yogurt come true. Viola, I found Eatwell Bakery Cafe . I go to Eatwell almost monthly to fulfill my crave for enzymes. I buy the half-gallon container, which lasts about 4-6 weeks. This is far cheaper than White Mountain of Austin, which has additives and inconsistent flavors. According to the owner Ziad, Eatwell uses only the freshest milk from a local farm that meets his high standards. The flavor of its freshness is indescribable. Only the natural ingredients Mmm... you've got to sample it. When you go, mention Lou sent you. I eat 4-6 oz a day plain or with agave nectar. I

Do you ever wonder what happens when a business changed hands on Yelp? Here is an example of  Before  and  After . I submitted the update on the app as "the owner sold it and new owner changed its name." Here is how Yelp called it "renovated" on the app and "moved" on the full site.

Oh, hello? You want to be my friend? Read on... I only befriend with real people have real activities. That means I will screen your profile on app - looking for tips, bookmarks and photos. If you are an Elite or I met you in person at Yelp functions (such as UYE), you're automatically in. However, I don't friend anyone who lives outside of Houston, never visit Houston, areas I never been to or I had no plan of visiting. Because it will crowd my feeds and I can't filter them out. I only friend with people think like me. I'll unfriend you, if... You use the app and you possess dukes or duchesses crowns without any check-in feeds. You attacked a biz without properly expressed interests for improvement. You wrote dishonest reviews or contradicting reviews. My rules on strangers: 20% valid reviews - if I clicked on "Link to this review", and it's not pointing to you, it counts one minus. If you have more than 20% invalids, you're denied. R

This is one example of why writing reviews is important.  IMS Beauty Supply  is listed as a beauty supply store. If you never been inside, you'll never know that it also sells liquor. Since the account was locked by a business owner, so no one could change anything. My numerous attempts failed to convince HQ that this is in fact a liquor store and it has a regulated store hours – closed on Sundays. One way to make this business stand out is over-using the word “liquor” in my review. I strategically placed total of 15 “liquor” words. I deployed a sitcom scenario and my personal experiences to tell my story. With the search engine strategy, the more natural words (keywords) show up with its content should receive a favorable position within the results.  That's the power of writing a review. The search function is based on your behavior. Example here, Android (left) and iOS as first time searching.

From a scale of 1 to 5 stars, not all my reviews are rated equally. Sometimes, you'll find a happy review with 4 stars while other problematic ones still at 4. Here are my rules: Outside of Houston Metro, esp when I travel: 2 to 4 stars - since I don't visit them often, I can only write my review based on my one-and-only experience. Government, Facilities, Events, & Festivals: 4 to 5 stars - minor problems don't bother me. Five is absolutely flawless. Failed to provide basic customer service - automatically 1 star and I won't be embarrassed to tell you about it. Food just absolutely tasteless, awful service and I'll never come back: Not worth of my energy to write a review. Unless I contacted the management for corrective action which turned my experience around. Trying on a new business that I added: 3 to 5 stars - I have to check in at least 3 times to try 50% of items from the menu. Most of time, I start off with 5. Often times, I give the owners dir

Just  reported a bug  to the  Yelp Android Beta Testers  group on Google +.  I've been an active tester on the Android for a few months. I'm a mobile addict . I like to help with R&D. There were several new features added since then.  If you are interested to participate, click on  Yelp Android Beta Testers . 

I started a " post cultural events" thread 5 months ago on Yelp. It's going strong.  I just posted a "happy Ramadan" greeting and started to have strange feelings. It's a religious event not a cultural event, right? I also noticed a deleted reply and thank you messages.  I have no regrets. It's my respect to people who practice Muslim as a religion. This is America, we have the freedom of religion. my experience with Ramadan was rejection when I offered food to some people before sunset. After reading some articles, I understood how everyone live their lives. We need to respect each other and live in harmony and peace. Ramadan runs different dates, just like Chinese New Year based on the lunar calendar. This year, it starts 6/29 and ends 7/28. So, don't be offended if someone don't eat your food offering before sunset. Plan your party after sunset will allow more participants.

   P eople often asked me about how to write a good review. Let me share my secret with you. When I was in college, my classmates refused to read the weekly newsletters that I produced. So, I took few courses in journalism and basic writing.  Most of my reviews are in the form of short feature story: opening lines, story with facts and figures. Then, closing thoughts. I often use Google to search on common words or phrases, colloquial, thesaurus. I use Microsoft Word for spell checking. My biggest pet peeve is typos.  The simplest way to write a review to tell a story with your own experience. Take some photos to remind yourself on that experience. Write a draft first, then simplify your thoughts with fewer words per sentence. Make sure there are punctuation marks. Finally, apply your personal style. Go ahead and give it a try.

If you are in Houston, pick up a Chinese newspaper. These ads are on section B. Coupons for Little Sheep Hot Pot restaurants. Translation: Top - Westheimer Location $19.99 All you can eat Summer special "7 days All You Can Eat" coupon: $10 off on $50 purchase Limit 1.5 hour to consume Restaurant reserves the right to serve Reservation welcomed with 8 or more people Bottom - Bellaire Location New item: Jumbo sized for 2 just $27.95 - select 2 meats (lamb, beef, pork, chicken, fish) Also available for 6, 8 or 10 people specials Special lunch Monday to Friday $9.95 includes soup per person Starting 6/1, free ??? or "lamb in red wine" with $50 purchase

My rule of thumb:  anything less than 2 stars, it goes to the  "pending review" category.  I have to decide if I should give it another try, contact the management/corporate, or simply walk away. I use the amount of check-in to represent how serious I want to help them to improve.  But, I normally won't say how many stars I used in my review. And, I have very high tolerance on poor services in Houston. I'm already used to it.

Lou: I Yelp a Lot! This is a blog associated with my Yelp account Lou C . (loumchen.yelp.com) There are much more to say about a business than just posting photos, reviews and tips. It's like my life circling around the world of Yelp.