2015 went by so fast, we didn’t even have a chance to keep up on all of our party and event posts along with their cheesy commentary.  So rather than trying to catch up the traditional way, we decided to just post a few pictures from the past little while for your viewing pleasure.

Decor, Lighting, & Entertainment . . . LA Museum of Science and Industry

Surf’s Up LA County Fair

Wild West High School Homecoming

Dreamy Wedding Decorating

Fiesta of the Spanish Horse

Sports Theme Newport Hyatt

Beach Theme Picnic Bonelli Park

Depatures to the Haunted Island

Happy Chinese New Year USC Pacific Asia Museum

Lighting Up the Night Sky

After living two exciting years in Mexico, James is back to making magic happen at the DJ table. Calling Mexico home gave him the opportunity to experience first hand our neighbor’s culture, as well as to fine tune his Spanish language skills.  Beginning in May ’16, DJ James will be making musical magic happen in Utah Valley and the greater Salt Lake City area.  Between now and then, he will be spinning music in LA for a variety of special events.  Occasionally he will travel to LA and other locations for larger parties and events.Whether its EDM, top 40, an eclectic mix of genres, or when a down home country/western flavor is needed, DJ James can bring the party to it’s feet in English or in Spanish.  He has years of experience in the many facets of event production and will bring his talents to the land northward.  So if you need a DJ or even a little more  for your party or special event (entertainment, decorating or coordinating) . . . . . be sure to give Lewis Events a call at 626-536-8091 or visit our website at LewisEvents.com.

One of the more exhilarating challenges we face is when a client asks us to bring together a party based on a theme that we have not created in the past.  Recently a client asked us to do a “Technology” based theme party on a relatively modest budget.  Great, we’ll serve everyone lunch on a laptop.

So here is what we did.  Guests entered through the lobby where a collage of old and new technologies were represented.  In the main dining room, multiple vignettes were created, each representing technologies from different periods in time.  It began with the technology of philosophers and the dark ages, then the old west, next  the early days of the computer and finally to where we now stand.  Guests were able to participate in a whimsical survey where they texted their answers and results appeared on a display screen projected within the room.  It was quite a bit different than your typical company luncheon . . .  and fun too!

So challenge us with a new theme . . . . . and see how we shine.

What do you do with a group of company executives that have been tied up in meetings all morning?  On a beautiful southern California day?  At the beach? . . . . You take them down to the shore, divide them up into groups and encourage some competitive team building excitement.

On a recent beautiful west coast afternoon Lewis Events hosted a group of approximately 100 company executives for an enthusiastic, loud, sand flying and lightning fast round of games and competion.  It all started with Minute-to-Win-It style games designed specifically for the occasion.  Based on how well each team competed during the games, winners were awarded bags of tools, materials and props that could be used in the next event.  I knew you would ask.  What was the next event?

Each of the ten teams were presented with a bucket of tools and a section of beach front real estate to create their sand-sculpting masterpiece.  The clock started ticking and the sand begin to fly.  It was a blur of activity as the teams magically transformed buckets and shovel fulls of sand into their creation.  Everyone had their specific duties.  It was amazing to see the wide range of sand-sculpting designs when the teams finished.

Each of the sculptures were judged in a variety of categories, and awards were presented at a banquet later in the evening.  A fun group of people and a great location were the ideal combination for a memorable teambuilding activity.

A gorgeous Southern California evening + great people + amazing food + a fantastic location = A spectacular special occasion! Universal City Walk was the perfect destination for Club PIHRA to gather for an unsurpassed evening of food and fun with a bit of flying thrown in.  The adventure began, as office weary guests gathered at the Hard Rock Cafe for ice cold beverages and a selection of delectable appetizers.  An outside balcony overlooking City Walk and an inside balcony with a view of the dining room’s colorful collection of memorabilia, provided the ideal atmosphere for visiting and launching the evening off to a rocking start. You could spend hours at the Hard Rock Cafe, just looking at all the facinating history adorning the walls.

Next stop was iFly, Hard Rock Cafe’s neighbor. Brave adventurers in the group disappeared behind closed doors for an orientation and to suit up for their flight. Others gathered outside for more conversation and to watch the action in the vertical wind tunnel. All at once, wind roared inside the tube and one by one, the brave souls floated in mid- air, right before the eyes of the curious crowd.

Once the skydivers and the observers caught their breath, it was time to hit the road and move to the next stop on the journey. Camacho’s Cantina had prepared a scrumptious and colorful display of Latin flavors, accompanied by more mouth watering beverages for the parched lips from the skydiving excursion. A comfortable south-of-the-border cantina atmosphere was the ideal place to relax before moving onward.

Camacho’s cozy setting made it difficlt to depart for the group’s next destination. The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company was anxiously waiting for the crowd of guests when they arrived. Also waiting and welcoming, was an amazing selection of their latest catch. Shrimp, seafood and other delacacies were were quickly consumed by the trail-weary guests, who once more took time to relax, laugh and visit, this time in the creatively casual southern ambiance.

Once again, the group took a leisurely stroll, soaking in eclectic visions along the way.  From Bubba Gumps they passed through the main square and near the main stage.  The sky and surroundings were ablaze with color from the endless lights of City Walk.   The next stop and final destination was at  Jillian’s.  A delicious assortment of desserts was provided by Bucca di Beppo and Jillian’s.  More drinks, bowling and an inviting game parlor filled with endless choices for fun.  What an adventure!  What an amazing way to spend an evening in Southern California.  Thanks to all the amazing destinations that hosted this memorable evening . . . . Hard Rock Cafe, iFly, Camacho’s Cantina, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Bucca di Beppo and Jillian’s.

Recently we were asked to coordinate and decorate a garden wedding at a beautiful and picturesque estate in Malibu.  The location was a wedding planner’s dream.  Surrounded by lush foliage and spacious grounds, the home was the perfect spot for a Bride and Groom’s special day.  Each stage of the wedding took place at a different setting on the property.  As guests arrived, they presented their gifts and signed in at the entrance, near a refreshing beverage station.  The ceremony took place in the spacious main living room.  The bride decended the staircase and entered the ceremony area accompanied by a string quartet.  Following the ceremony, guests visited with friends and family for a garden cocktail hour.  Attendees then moved to the decorated tennis court where an appetizing dinner was served.  While dining, guests were entertained with a video story and slide show featuring the newlyweds.  Following dinner, toasts were made by the bridal party and the cake was cut.  DJ Melinda played the Bride and Groom’s song selections while guests celebrated the special occasion by dancing late into the evening.  Finishing touches on the beautiful estate included accent lighting, draped fabrics and elegant florals.  The amazing menu was prepared by Shelly Moore and the floral arrangements created by Darlene Tofua.  Thanks to everyone for a great and memorable special day.

Running your own company means that you often live and hopefully love what you do!  We do both.  Work sometimes comes home with us.  Despite the fact that we have storage for our myriad of props and unique special event items, we still live amongst the madness and the fun. So do our children.  They do indeed have a unique upbringing.  When our kids are asked, “What do your parents do?”,  their answer is always, “They just go to parties all the time”.  No matter how hard we try to separate our personal life from our business life, the two still seem to overlap.  Guests often comment on our unique approach to decorating . . . . Hmmmm, very interesting furniture and decor. . . . Statue of Liberty in the entry-way,  Tiki in the family room, animals in the kitchen, movie lights in the living room, or the giant shark head next to the kid’s video screen.  All taken together, that’s why we sometimes feel like we live in a zoo.

We were recently asked to create a jungle theme for a large company picnic.  So we did, and had loads of fun in the experience.  Join us for a few shots of another exciting day on the job.

At  least they can be a headache for the stuntmen, but they aren’t a headache for us.  For whatever the reason, this seems to be the summer of the Wild West.  At Lewis Events we provide parties and special events around most any theme, or no theme at all.  Pirates, Fifties, Hollywood, International Holiday, Wild West, Sports or just plain pull out the stops, over the top fancy . . . the list goes on.  However, this summer we have fielded requests for an abnormally high proportion of western themed events and entertainment.  Go figure! Recently we participated in a western themed, company picnic at the beautiful Heritage Park in Santa Fe Springs.  The picnic included a variety of elements:  Gold panning, cowboy stunt show, Native American dance review, trick roping /bullwhip show, cowboy jail, arts and crafts, tons of great food, photo area, virtual calf roping, face painting and more.  Here’s a few noteworthy snapshots from this eclectic western adventure.

In August Christy and Jay were invited to provide the pre-concert entertainment for the “Country in the City” summer concert series in Century City, sponsored by the Annenberg Foundation and KCRW Radio.  They performed for three consecutive Saturdays at the beautiful Century Plaza Towers, culminating with the final concert featuring Wynonna Judd and the Noise.  The series consisted of country western musicians, so they wanted the pre-show entertainment to fit the western theme. Christy spun her trickropes and cracked the bullwhip, while Jay spun guns and cracked the whip for the crowds that filled the plaza. The pre-show also featured Joel Ward, a fantastic magician that mesmerized the guests with his close up magic illusions.Jay said that they received quite a bit of attention from show attendees, as guns, whips and lariats are not a common sight in Century City.  He said that the most difficult part of the entire experience was getting the guns through the security checkpoint.

On Friday July 25, 2014, Melinda and Christy Lewis were featured performing their trick roping talents on the KTLA Morning News with Gayle Anderson.  They appeared to promote the Autry National Center, where the family performed on Saturday July 26th for the National Day of the Cowboy and Cowgirl.  Another fun morning in front of the camera, this time at the Autry Museum.  Thanks Gayle for a great time!  Link to Christy and Melinda Trick Roping.  The 4th and 3rd videos  down in the series are Christy and Melinda’s best.