Which companies have ballin' holiday parties and where?

Category: Local Questions & Answers

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Elite '12
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459 reviews

11/18/2009 Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:

It's coming up to my first holiday season in San Francisco after having moved from New York City earlier this year. I had started working on Wall Street shortly after the tech bubble burst so experienced some initial austere times back then. I did, however, get a taste of indulgence first hand (and through many second hands accounts) before this current financial crisis reared its ugly head. Things will definitely be somber as far as holiday parties go for my friends back on the East Coast.

Trying to understand the vibe in San Francisco, I'm curious who is making a lot of money and not afraid to spend it? Where do the true ballin' companies celebrate the holiday season? And how? It's always fun to live vicariously through those experiencing good fortune.

Or perhaps, maybe the answer is that companies with strong balance sheets on the West Coast just don't flaunt it? Back in Manhattan (during good times) whether you were in finance, fashion, consulting, publishing or law comparing holiday party notes was always a fun pastime.

- Elite '12
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11/18/2009 Sara "now W., was" L. says:
I wish I can share a ballin' holiday party story. But this is my first year working, and of course they just announced that the holiday party is canceled this year. I was totally looking forward to my first ever holiday party (work-related). I think the economy is so bad, it's gonna be hard to find anything good this year.
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11/18/2009 M "The Illuminaughty" K. says:
I don't think West Coast companies do as much flaunting even in good times. I worked for private equity firm and we hosted some nice parties, but they weren't lavish or luxurious. Maybe it was just the corporate culture of this particular firm.

Also, I know some giant companies like Google or Salesforce have big parties with celebrity rock star shows, but they also have thousands of employees in attendance.
- Elite '12
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11/18/2009 Dru "Stupid Gorilla" P. says:
I heard that Jamba Juice throws a fucking wicked sick jam.
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11/18/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Trishie "hmm....." L. says:
I throw nice parties costco pizza a keg and a few bongs being passed around
- Elite '12
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11/18/2009 Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:
Marie - Those are the cool stories I'm looking for. How FML should I feel this year by what I'm missing out at Google or Salesforce? If it involves Lady Gaga, I'm totally dropping a resume right now!!!
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11/18/2009 Gio "Lemme hear ya say GO!" G. says:
Genentech
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11/18/2009 wendella a. says:
"ballin" lol

gymboree
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11/18/2009 M "The Illuminaughty" K. says:
I think Google rents out Shoreline Ampitheater!

By the way, for example-- my company is having a dinner party at the St. Regis Hotel. It's nice but not over the top.
- Elite '12
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11/18/2009 Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:
Are there any over the top venues in San Francisco to have parties at?

The highest rated Michelin restaurant is the two-star Coi, which is amazing, but wouldn't even have the capacity to host a small company. The super exclusive velvet rope club/lounge culture doesn't seem to fly out here either.
- Elite '12
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11/18/2009 Bill "Shiny!" B. says:
Why do you ask, Adam? Planning to try to crash the party? It seems pretty unlikely that you could get hired anywhere in time for a 2009 holiday party. And if the scale of the holiday party is a driving factor in your job search, you're likely going to have a really tough time getting hired anywhere.
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11/18/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Joe "Father MC" G. says:
Ya genetech. They've had Stevie wonder. Bob Dylan. The black eyed peas
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11/18/2009 Brandon "Support Your Local Businesses" M. says:
Man, back in the old days, we would have limos and hotel rooms reserved in Dallas and the company would fly us in. :(
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11/18/2009 klik "two sheds" w. says:
PointCast threw an amazing party at 1015 Folsom back when I worked there.
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11/18/2009 Angela N. says:
That should say...Genentech BEFORE we were bought by Roche.

Damn the Swiss!
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11/18/2009 Sharon W. says:
Salesforce held a previous holiday party at the California Academy of Sciences. This year it's at SF Design Center in SOMA.
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11/18/2009 Uncle Fishbits Aeneas "My reviews are even more better" X. says:
Booze Cruises are popular.

[vomits on self]

One company I work for goes to Danko, another to Zinzanni. Such is life.
11/18/2009 David M. says:
so we're all going to Adam's SRO for nog this year?
- Elite '12
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11/18/2009 Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:
Speaking of SROs, what is up with 6th Street? Back in NYC, that so would be in an outer borough!!!
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11/18/2009 Mitsi "Inkem binkem notamus rex" M. says:
Tres Agaves has a lot of company holiday parties

Tres Agaves
based on 835 reviews Rating Details »
Categories: Mexican, Bars [Edit]

Neighborhood: SOMA
130 Townsend St
(at Colin P Kelly Jr St)
San Francisco, CA 94107
http://www.tresagaves.com

http://www.yelp.com/bi...
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11/18/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Adam, we're not really like the NYC Wall St. scene here. It's way more mellow here and way less competition spending and ooohhh loookkk, she's got the new Prada pumps. I was at the holiday parties at Yahoo for the dot com boom years and yeah people wore ball gowns but it was still pretty chill and not in your face.
- Elite '12
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11/18/2009 Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:
Poe - At first I really criticized that difference in San Francisco, but now I'm actually getting to like it. It's nice to be able to go to nice venues or charity events and not have to deal with the one-upmanship that eventually finds its way into every conversation in NYC!
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11/18/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:

Poe - At first I really criticized that difference in San Francisco, but now I'm actually getting to like it. It's nice to be able to go to nice venues or charity events and not have to deal with the one-upmanship that eventually finds its way into every conversation in NYC!
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Yeah, I did the whole one-upsmanship thing in junior high and then got over it. Look who's got the new Nike's or logo jacket shit like that. Just gets exhaustive, it never ends, and it eats your soul.
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11/18/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Here the one-upsmanship is about how much stuff you do. All your various athletic and nature activities, your creative hobbies, the bands you are in, your 6am shopping to get the freshest goat cheese at the farmer's market, the winery you discovered in Napa, your 7th surfing trip to Costa Rica.........
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11/18/2009 Mark "Mockster" G. says:
wineries throw some monster parties and so does some tech companies
- Elite '12
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11/18/2009 Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:
Mark - A winery company party with car service to/from San Francisco sounds posh!
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11/18/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:

Mark - A winery company party with car service to/from San Francisco sounds posh!
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Stay over night at nice spa type place and detox the next day in hot springs.
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11/18/2009 Paul "need indian food" M. says:
Unrelated, but, Genentech are bastards. Evil bastards.
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11/18/2009 Mark "Mockster" G. says:
The way to go party at the winery stay overnight take it all in have breakfast then to the spa and have lunch after........ If you want to blow it all hit up the french laundry that would be a hell of a weekend with no regrets....... Where's Hazel G. ? LOL I need to roll with you and the Benz i'll cover the rest....
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11/18/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Paul "need indian food" M. says:

Unrelated, but, Genentech are bastards. Evil bastards.
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Nuh uh, Electronic Arts are the true bastards, the biggest evil bastards.
Although I'm sure Genentech are as well (I have 4 clients that work at Gen) but I think EA is the worst.
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11/18/2009 Ryan "Piscivore" V. says:
EA (Electronic Arts) has a great holiday party. When I worked there we went to Bill Graham Auditorium that year and man what an event. Apparently since we only got two drink tickets they were "tightening the belt" but they were pretty damn strong drinks. There was also all the food you could imagine, girls in cocktail dresses and numerous (non-video) games around
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11/19/2009 wendella a. says:
Pixar has the bestest. Big ballin'.
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11/19/2009 Thomas F. says:
Yelp Holiday parties are kinda fun... and more than likely the only one you'll be able to get in to.

I still have abso-fucking-lutely no idea why yelp events always last exactly 2 hours as opposed to 4 to 6 hours long? 2 hours is when most parties just get started. I guess they figure foodies have no partying stamina?
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11/19/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Ryan "Germaphobe" V. says:

EA (Electronic Arts) has a great holiday party.
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I've been to EA holiday and launch parties. The food is good but I can't say anything else was that memorable. The best one was for the Bond launch at Bimbos because well, they rented out Bimbo's!
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11/19/2009 wendella a. says:
Paul - Genentech are evil bastards? Hardly. Some facts about Genentech:

* 1982 - Synthetic "human" insulin approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), thanks largely to its partnership with insulin manufacturer Eli Lilly and Company, who shepherded the product through the FDA approval process. The product (Humulin) was licensed to and manufactured by Lilly, and was the first-ever approved genetically engineered human therapeutic.
* 1985 - Protropin (somatrem) - Supplementary growth hormone for children with growth hormone deficiency (ceased manufacturing 2004).
* 1987 - Activase (alteplase) - A recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPa) used to dissolve blood clots in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Also used to treat non-hemorrhagic stroke.
* 1990 - Actimmune (interferon gamma 1b) - Treatment of chronic granulomatous disease (licensed to Intermune).
* 1993 - Nutropin (recombinant somatropin) - Growth hormone for children and adults for treatment before kidney transplant due to chronic renal insufficiency.
* 1993 - Pulmozyme (dornase alfa) - Inhalation treatment for children and young adults with cystic fibrosis - recombinant DNAse.
* 1997 - Rituxan (rituximab)- Treatment for specific kinds of non-Hodgkins lymphomas. In 2006, also approved for rheumatoid arthritis.
* 1998 - Herceptin (trastuzumab) - Treatment for metastatic breast cancer patients with tumors that overexpress the HER2 gene. Recently approved for adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.
* 2000 - TNKase (tenecteplase) - "Clot-busting" drug to treat acute myocardial infarction.
* 2003 - Xolair (omalizumab) - Subcutaneous injection for moderate to severe persistent asthma.
* 2003 - Raptiva (efalizumab) - Antibody designed to block the activation and reactivation of T cells that lead to the development of psoriasis. Developed in partnership with XOMA. In 2009, voluntary U.S. market withdrawal after reports of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.
* 2004 - Avastin (bevacizumab) - Anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody for the treatment of metastatic cancer of the colon or rectum. In 2006, also approved for locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. In 2008, accelerated approval was granted for Avastin in combination with chemotherapy for previously untreated advanced HER2-negative breast cancer. In 2009, Avastin gained its fifth approval for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, and sixth approval for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
* 2004 - Tarceva (erlotinib) - Treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
* 2006 - Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved LUCENTIS for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The FDA approved LUCENTIS after a Priority Review (six-month).
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11/19/2009 wendella a. says:
oh and

* Fortune Magazine named Genentech number one on its 2006 list of the "100 Best Companies To Work For." This was the first number one ranking for the company, which has been on the list for eleven consecutive years. In 2007, it dropped to second place, behind Google, and in 2008 and 2009 it ranked number seven. The ranking is based on anonymous employee responses to a survey as well as an evaluation of the company's policies and culture.
* Genentech was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008 by "Working Mother Magazine". http://www.workingmoth....
* It was named as one of the 100 best corporate citizens 2006 by the Business Ethics Magazine.[8]
* Genentech was named Top Employer by Science Magazine on October 10, 2008, where it has been recognized for seven consecutive years.
* In March 2008, Genentech was named Most Admired Pharmaceutical Company by Fortune for the second consecutive year.
* In June 2009, Genentech was named number two on the "Top 100 Best Places to Work in IT" list by "ComputerWorld Magazine". http://www.computerwor....
* In December 2008, http://Glassdoor.com rated the Genentech CEO Arthur D. Levinson as the "nicest" CEO of 2008 with a 93% approval rating.[9]
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11/19/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Wonder how things have changed at Gen since Roch took over. One of my clients said they took away their stock options.
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11/19/2009 wendella a. says:
Pharma companies that push drugs for make believe needs are one thing. Genentech focuses on five disease categories: Oncology, Immunology, Tissue Growth and Repair, Neuroscience and Infectious Disease. They try to keep people alive, fully functioning and non-contagious.
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11/19/2009 wendella a. says:
Yeah. Roche. :-(
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11/19/2009 wendella a. says:
My friend got fired. Things are changing a lot.
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11/19/2009 Mark "Mockster" G. says:
somebody bored this morning? Ask me i care what you wrote about Genentech............
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11/19/2009 wendella a. says:
and sorry - thread hijack
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11/19/2009 wendella a. says:
This morning? Ask me what time it is. More useful for you Mark.
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11/19/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Mark "Mockster" G. says:

somebody bored this morning? Ask me i care what you wrote about Genentech............
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Is this a trick question? Cause if you truly didn't care, you wouldn't write the post you just did, right?
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11/19/2009 Poe "stupid hairy bitch" T. says:
Wndella, I am so not bored at 12:40 am that I am going to read what you wrote about Genetech and then tell you that I simply don't care just so you are aware of how uncaring and un-bored I am.
I will follow up later on with you to make sure you know how much I don't care.
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11/19/2009 Angela N. says:
I still work there...it is different. But it was changing way before Roche came into the picture. I get a fancy new swiss bank account for my stock option equivalent.

@ wendella...you rock.
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11/19/2009 Mark "Mockster" G. says:
lol
- Elite '12
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11/19/2009 Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:
So basic rule of thumb, a star company ends the ballin' parties when bought by a not-so-star corporation? Probably great for those with stock and stock options, but not so much for the more recent employees...
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11/19/2009 Patricia "Hon of Hons" H. says:
I've got some great memories of fabulous parties back in the day, not too many of them going on any longer. I remember Claris always used to throw some great parties during Macworld - Lyle Lovett/Fillmore, Brian Setzler Orchestra/Fillmore, Chris Isaak/Exploratorium, James Brown in Boston at some small club....

My old law firm used to rent out the Gift Center every year and do crazy shit like have three wiseman on stilts breathing fire, mega-buffet, the SF Symphony Chorus doing Christmas carols, Pride n. Joy for dancing, caviar and champagne, burgers and shakes at midnight.....the good old days.
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11/19/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Brandon "Support Your Local Businesses" M. says:
I met a taxi driver that use to be in advertising and had great Xmas parties in the city until the government took his building because some selling was going on.
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11/19/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Julie "M.I.A." N. says:
Klik:
Lol I always wonder why corporate parties are held at venues in which people normally go to drop e. Last time I went to Ruby Sky some pharmaceudical company had rented the whole thing out for one of their holiday parties, lol!
- Elite '12
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11/19/2009 Adam "Kulinary Koala" B. says:
Julie:
It is always funny seeing the middle aged married with kids men and women getting down on the dance floor!
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11/19/2009 from Yelp for iPhone Julie "M.I.A." N. says:
Adam B:
Nothing wrong with that, but last time I went to 1015 I ran into my homeboys mom who was all on one trying to sell me ecstacy, awkward! Everyone should get down some time, I'm sure I'll b 90 tryna shake what my mama gave me without throwing out my back! Party in the hiz house heyyyyy!
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12/14/2009 David "Daddy Janky" K. says:
Sick Genentech Party, the Gin Blossoms were pretty good, only an hour set though. The 46th floor had great views of SF