The Park Avenue liquor cabinet got raided last Saturday, as we gathered up as many of our employees as were available to tell them how much we appreciate them. Awards ranged from the silly to the slightly-less-silly, but it was mostly an excuse to dress up nice, have a few cocktails, and listen to the musical talents of our staff musicians and DJs. Here are some pictures of your favorite baristas dressed up all pretty, taken by our photographer, 44th Street’s own Jackie Jakaitis.

For more photos, get thee to our new Flickr.

I don’t know about you, but this almost-record-setting March has me primed for picnics in the park and long days laying out on the beach. So, in an effort to get our Iced Coffee Growlers in your pic-a-nic baskets, we’re waiving the $5 cost of the Growler as long as you pay to get it filled up. Come in, pay for the iced coffee, get the Growler for free, enjoy cold, delicious coffee in your favorite place in the world.

If you’re bored at 9:15 on Saturday night, you could do worse than to come by the Park Avenue shop, curl up with a cold beverage, and contemplate the tentative nature of the existence of our species. Click on the YouTube above, attempt in vain not to cry to the majestic strings of John Williams, and we’ll see you at Park for a Gregorys Movie Club screening of the Steven Spielberg masterpiece Jurassic Park. Goldblum!

After totally paying careful attention to the whole of the college basketball regular season (not really), we’re ready for March Madness! If you’re as excited as we are, print out an NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket from your favorite sports website (or grab one of the fifty or so lying around your office), fill it out, write your name and email address/phone number/Twitter name/whatever on the back of it, and bring it down to your favorite Gregorys location by Noon on Thursday (we’ll give you the play in games). The winner will get a gift card, the value of which will be determined by how many people enter (but which will totally be worth the effort of filling out one more bracket no matter what). The above trophy will not be a part of the prize, but you will have won it in our hearts.

We may not serve green eggs and ham, but we have some pretty rad coffee for after breakfast.

If you heard any triumphant screams or howls of pain emanating from 39th Street on Friday night, that was us squeezing over thirty of our baristas into the Fashion Avenue store for a team latte art throwdown, in which our shops competed against each other for money, bragging rights, and food (we love food). Our teams competed against each other in the following categories (some displays of skills we use to serve you every day, some a little weirder):

- Tulips: stacks on stacks on stacks of foam.
- Single Shot Medium Lattes: in which we attempt to get some definition with an ounce of espresso and 15 ounces of milk.
- Single Macchiatos: in which we attempt to get some art into an ounce of espresso with only one ounce of milk.
- Non-traditional Art: Rosettas, hearts, and tulips were not allowed; swans, hanging hearts, and dragons most certainly were.
- Blindfolded Latte Art: exactly what it sounds like.
- The Surprise Challenge: Blindfolded latte art, but with a guide standing in front of you giving you instructions.
- Freestyle: this one was filled with rosettas.
- The Rookie Challenge: in which our least experienced baristas made a solid first impression.
- Soy Latte Art: trying to make art with soy milk often leads to cursing.
- The Captains’ Challenge: The managers lead by example.

It was our first team throwdown and the way everybody banded together to cheer their teammates on all through the night was very heartening to see. Congrats to Perla, Joe, Josh, Frank, and both Rachels for keeping the trophy at Fashion Avenue; the other shops will be gunning for you next time.

Check out our Faceboook album of photos from the throwdown here, there will be more to come.