Do you all read Yelp?  It’s an online site for user reviews of local restaurants (and stores and bars and clubs, too.)  Somehow I have gotten on Yelp’s email list.  Every week they send out some “thematic” email- favorite Chinese restaurants, best places to watch the Cubs home opener, etc. 

Today’s list is entitled “Yelp Loves Locals.”  “Hm,” I think, as I click to open it.  “Must be like a list of local haunts for different neighborhoods.  Could be worth checking out.”

The list of places recommended in this email, in order:

• H&M
• Filene’s Basement
• Gap
• Urban Outfitters
• Chili’s
• P.F. Chang’s
• McDonalds (“kids in the know call it Ronalds.”  Um, okay.)
• The Cheesecake Factory
• Blockbuster
• Target
• CPK
• Domino’s

I’m thinking: Dude, Yelp, if I wanted a recommendation for freaking Chili’s I’d ask my cousin in the suburbs.  “Kids in the know call it Ronalds?”  What the hell?

Then it hits me:  the date on the top is April 1.  This is not for real. I just totally fell hook, line, and sinker for an April Fool. And I came within about 30 seconds of posting a semi-ranty email about Yelp’s ridiculousness.  I am awesome.