For a swath of topography known throughout the universe for its big entertainment and sports industries, Greater Los Angeles percolates with seemingly endless alternatives for groups to venture beyond the grandiosity.
Venues and experiences for beach bums, night owls, gastronomes, science geeks or armchair theater critics exist between the cracks and underneath every rock and pebble.
The variety and multiplicity is endless. It is a combination of opposites: highbrow meets rock ’n’ roll, urban meets suburban and corporate meets camp.
No matter what a group’s desire may be, there’s always something new and unusual going on in Los Angeles. Following is a roundup of some of the most intriguing options.
Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Display Pavilion, Downtown L.A.
www.californiasciencecenter.com
Less than three months ago, the Space Shuttle Endeavour debuted for public display at the California Science Center’s new $3 million, 18,000-square-foot Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Display Pavilion. Graphic placards present the entire Endeavor story, from its nearby manufacture to the technology involved.
For the next five years, planners can book events in the pavilion, as it will house the Endeavour until the center builds a new air and space wing. Since the shuttle is displayed horizontally, revealing the science and technology behind it, conference attendees can experience the shuttle up close and personal, adding a remarkable component to any banquet or reception. They can view the displays and discover specific details about the orbiter, its component parts, how it functioned, and what life was like for astronauts when they were aboard.
“It’s a one-of-a-kind event space,” says Tony Budrovich, deputy director of operations. “The Endeavour sits just 10 feet off the ground, allowing guests to be directly underneath this national treasure during an event, offering a private and exclusive experience that is sure to be remembered. By adding an IMAX movie or our additional air and space galleries, guests will have a truly immersive experience.”
The California Science Center has five distinct event venues, accommodating groups from 60 to 6,000. Any daytime conference group can experience the center and the Endeavor as part of basic conference services. PageBreak
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
www.hollywoodforever.com
There are several glittering venues for private events in Hollywood. The Dolby Theatre, Panatages Theater, Madame Tussauds Hollywood and Universal Studios Hollywood are all standouts.
But for a quirky off-kilter experience, nothing intrigues groups like the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. It’s not off the beaten path, it’s under the beaten path. The very front page of the cemetery’s website reveals that Johnny Ramone and Jayne Mansfield are buried here. Meaning, from punk to plush, dead celebrities from all over the social spectrum will add a distinguishable psychic ambience to any event planners organize on the ghoulish grounds of this world-renowned, 62-acre facility.
Located right behind Paramount Studios, the venue is easily accessible and very common for outdoor cinema, picnics and other private affairs. A few thousand folks can cram onto the Fairbanks Lawn for outdoor private events. The Masonic Hall works for 150. Either way, guests or attendees will take away an experience from what is truly one of the entertainment industry’s and the world’s most famous landmarks.
Long Beach Arena
www.longbeachcc.com
Set to be completed later this August, the new incarnation of the Long Beach Arena should dazzle anyone with memories of its former ’80s-era concrete arena decor. A $7 million project will create a loft-style ballroom inside the arena, encircling the floor space with electronically operated curtains that completely block out any possible sightlines to the stadium environment.
The new indoor environment will accommodate dinners and concerts for up to 5,500 people, doubling the arena’s current capacity.
The local fire department has already booked a gargantuan fundraising event replete with light shows, a DJ mounted on a fire truck inside the arena, and simulated flames across the curtains, according to Steve Goodling, president and CEO of the Long Beach Area CVB.
“It’s a very flexible space,” Goodling says. “What we’re providing is a canvas for a multitude of ideas to come to life.”
Legends Beach Bike Tour
www.perryscafe.com/tour.html
For planners needing access to 1,300 bicycles, the Santa Monica area, including Venice, can claim the Legends Beach Bike Tour, just one rental component operated out of Perry’s Cafe, the decades-long institution along the Santa Monica boardwalk. The bike tours offer insights into local history, beach culture, city life, environmental issues and everything in between. Other integrated rental components for groups include rollerblading, a beach butler service or top-notch catered affairs.
As of 2013, the company now has a full liquor license, allowing them to stage dynamic, rip-roaring events right on the beach, a component owner Richard Chocker calls a game-changer.
“That’s big. It’s an area we’ll be able to really expand in, from weddings to corporate events,” Choker says.
Of course, not everyone needs 1,300 bikes, but the Legends tours cater to small, medium and large groups. PageBreak
Tiki Mermaid, Marina del Rey
www.tikimermaid.com
At first, one would assume a campy Polynesian lounge pad on the water might stick out like a sore thumb amid the more conventional chartered cruises in Marina del Rey, but not so. Not at all. Many corporations from Google to Symantec, from Nike to Newsweek, have booked up to 60-person events from Tiki Mermaid.
“We’re a kitschy Tiki bar on a boat,” says Nadia Lustman, event coordinator at Tiki Mermaid. “We have two boats, and they’re both leopard carpet and zebra carpet, with a lounge and a big room where 30 or so people can sit around in a powwow. It’s a great alternative meeting venue. People can have hula dances, they can have a reggae band, they can have any TV theme, like Giligan’s Island or Miami Vice.”
One room on the boat safely accommodates 30 for a meeting, while the entire boat seats 60.
The Bazaar by Jose Andres, Beverly Hills
www.thebazaar.com/beverly-hills
Located inside SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, The Bazaar by Jose Andres is over the top. When a celebrity chef tag teams with a celebrity designer—in this case Andres and Philippe Starck—an elevated, eminent experience is guaranteed. Technically, the restaurant constitutes one contiguous 12,000-square-foot space, but each unique area is given its own color palette, vibe and decor, so groups can literally weave together a flowing multifaceted journey from one component of their program to the next. The entire place is a wild, sensory adventure specializing in tapas-style cuisine.
Shanon Ferguson, food and beverage director at the venue, says the duo of Andres and Starck sets the restaurant apart from anything else in Beverly Hills.
“We like to think of the restaurant as a vibrant mix of sophisticated cuisine and playful lounge spaces,” Ferguson says. “The magical dining experiences are woven together in a modern-day, European-inspired indoor piazza.”
For repeat business, planners can stage 10 different corporate parties and have a different experience every single time.
Pink Taco, West Hollywood
www.pinktaco.com
Right where Sunset Boulevard finishes careening though West Hollywood and begins its legendary squiggle down toward Beverly Hills, the historic building formerly known as the Player’s Club, right next to Chateau Marmont, awaits planners in the form of Pink Taco. A rocking new addition to an already sizzling portfolio, the newest Pink Taco is decked out in a dramatic Dia de los Muertos theme.
Dedicated restaurant space, including private enclosed areas and open-air patios, fill the first two stories, while the third floor features open space with booths, a dance floor and a stage—ideal for larger private groups that require entertainment components. On this floor, there’s even a secret tunnel leftover from the golden era of Hollywood, which allowed celebrities and high rollers to saunter back and forth between the Chateau Marmont and the club. If that’s not Hollywood, what is?
Corey Conrad, director of sales and marketing at Pink Taco, says mixology events, corporate functions and product launches are all possible. While the restaurant is a common stop for celebrities, rock stars and athletes, locals also frequent the place for its high-energy cantina atmosphere. The different components of the venue allow guests to move from one intimate experience to another.
“Our setup is incredibly flexible,” Conrad says. “We have a stage for a full band performance, as well as the ability for a runway for fashion shows. We can clear out the space for an entirely standing reception-style event, or seat 125 for a comedy night.”
As a journalist or traveler, Gary Singh has explored both the highbrow and lowbrow of Greater Los Angeles, going back 20 years.
