Let's Have a Celebration at a Smog Shoppe.

BY: AARON KANIECKI

During my time at Good Gracious! Events, I have worked in many different locations -- glorious open ranches, beautiful mansions, historical sites, and more -- and now I can gladly add…. a smog shop.

A smog shop (for my English readers) is a place where you take your motor vehicle for its smog check. Kind of like an M.O.T… basically a garage.

This however has been transformed.

Once a 1980’s smog check center, The Smog Shoppe is now a 100% solar-powered 6,500-square-foot event space. It offers a fantastic chic look with both indoor and outdoor capabilities.

It really is a wonderful site for a celebration.

Of late we have done two events at this venue. One was a small wedding for 60 people. The other a Bar Mitzvah for 125.

Both of these events particularly appealed to me, not only because I haven’t worked at this amazing

venue before, or because I have never been to a Bar Mitzvah… but because both events had a strong English element throughout.

The wedding was a wonderful private affair with only close friends and family attending. As people started to arrive, tray passed champagne and hors d’oeuvres began.

I was waiting at the front entrance greeting people with champagne. The first couple walked in with big smiles on their faces, and loved that they were being greeted with such a lovely bubbly beverage. I politely said “champagne miss?” The wonderful woman smiled leaned to grab a glass, and asked “Let me guess… Australian?”

Now I get that a lot, as you may have read in my previous blogs, but this one was different… did I mention that she spoke in a thick cockney accent? (Cockney being a Londoners accent for all my America readers). That’s right, one of my own thought I was Australian. Brilliant.

Once the event got underway, the place was filled with English people; it turns out that the Groom is a Londoner!

What really got me is when the officiant started talking, and he too had a thick cockney accent. To hear him say “by the power invested in me by the state of California, and those guys off the internet, I now pronounce you Husband & Wife ” was something I really didn’t expect. Of course he was the Grooms best friend.

When working an event around familiar sounding voices it makes me miss home. I miss the banter with my friends at the local pub or in the bar after a football match, drinking to my hearts content... Oh well, its currently -17° C in some places in England… So maybe I don’t miss it that much.

The Bar Mitzvah was another educational affair. The Smog Shoppe was converted into something entirely different. It was a kid’s paradise, with Foosball tables, photo booths, makeup artists, hair stylists, videographer, table tennis table, and so much more! That was just outside. Inside was more for the adults, with lovely wooden tables, large open dance floor, amazing DJ and not to forget the amazing food.

Where is the British element in this you ask? The father of the young lad whose Bar Mitzvah it was, was also English! So yet again there were small clusters of English people drinking together, and welcoming me into their conversations. No Australian comment this time.

As I said, this was a new experience for me, I have never seen a Bar Mitzvah before, I was very naïve about the whole event, but one thing’s for sure, once the ceremony was over, the party certainly began, for kids and adults alike!

All the activities for the kids were great, though the table tennis was a hazard… I think I had a table tennis ball land in a glass on my tray, caught a bat in my back, and I think I accidentally stood on one of the balls… oops.

So the Smog Shoppe has real character, it is completely different on the inside to how it looks on the outside. Once you step in, you feel like you are in your own oasis, sheltered from the busy hustling and bustling of LA life. You can turn this versatile space into whatever you like.

I would highly recommend looking at the Smog Shoppe for your next event.

Working at the Smog Shoppe was a real privilege, we here at Good Gracious! would like to thank Karen Oliver from Volare Events for including us on the amazing wedding, and Jeanie from Details Details who did a fabulous job for Tommy's Bar Mizvah.

Key Learning Points.

• I really must sound Australian if people from England think I do.

• The Challah bread at a Bar Mitzvah is the biggest loaf of bread I have ever seen!

• You would think the table tennis would end once you stood on the ball.... you'd be wrong.

• The Smog Shoppe is a great versatile venue.

• FACT: The English know how to drink.