Our Los Angeles wedding caterers do more than just cater.  Along with coordinating and event design, we are also happy to share our professional opinion on vendors and venues with couples looking to get married.  One venue we love wedding coordinating and catering for is, The Adamson House!

The 24 miles of pristine coastline that make up the sleepy surf town of Malibu equate to some of the most beautiful and iconic land in all of California.  It has a rich history, and at the heart of it, lies the enchanting Adamson House Estate.

The Adamson House is easily one of California’s best wedding venues.  Our Los Angeles wedding catering team and event planners have catered and coordinated many weddings on the property over the years, and we wanted to share our in depth review and experience in throwing a weddings at this wonderful California State Park.

FIRST IMPRESSION

Couples quickly fall in love with the property once they’ve walked around the historic Admason House and Malibu Lagoon Museum.  The pearl of the estate is the Spanish Colonial Revival style home, which was built in 1929.  It. Is. stunning!  The immense tile work and overall architectural design of the house is something everyone should see firsthand.  Even if you’re not looking to host an event on the property, it’s a state park visit every Los Angelino should have the pleasure of visiting.  It’s a great romantic day trip idea.

The grounds that surround the home are immersive and elegant.  Perched right on the tip of the peninsula in Malibu, it gives you a spectacular view of the coastline as well as an ideal spot for sunsets.  The landmark gardens have been beautifully preserved in their 1930’s appearance. As you look around, you begin to realize that every detail of the estate has been meticulously cared for.

CATERING and/or WEDDING COORDINATING

As one can imagine, keeping a timeless treasure like the Adamson House in pristine condition after all these years, naturally would carry with it a lot of rules and requirements.  Our Los Angeles wedding catering team has overseen many coordinated and catered weddings through the years at the State Park and we can help you choose the right vendors for your venue along with ways to help you save money.  There are lots of Los Angeles wedding caterers but few that can cater and coordinate with the experience or Los Angeles wedding catering team has.  Our event coordinators can share with you the ins-and-outs of the venue and make sure your special day is exactly the way you have always wanted it.  Our Los Angeles wedding caterers will help you create a custom menu to serve you and your guests locally sourced, all-organic wedding food.

LOGISTICS

The Adamson House says, “weddings, receptions and special events are scheduled from April through October and take place on the beautiful oceanfront property: the sycamore lawn, the front courtyard, and the rear lawn by the star fountain. All events are held outdoors, not inside Adamson House. “

“If you would like your guests to have the opportunity to see the interior tile and house collections, State Parks can coordinate this special tour with our docent program. We offer an “open” house tour during your cocktail hour, for an additional cost of $500. A permit for this tour can be included in the wedding contract by the state wedding coordinator.”

PARKING

Parking is not adequate on the property itself to accommodate a wedding party so renting out a nearby parking lot is required. The Malibu Civic Center parking lot is one the Adamson House will recommend but there are several parking lots close by to choose from.  Below is a list of all the parking lots along with costs our Los Angeles wedding catering team recommends.  Please note that these costs may have changed.  Think of them them more or less as a guide.

Civic Center parking lot

$175 Call: 310-456-2489

(Note: The Malibu Civic Center parking lot is unavailable on Sundays due to the Farmers Market.)

Coldwell Bank Lot

$750 Call 818.325.9632

Parking Concepts

Maximum 40 spots, $8 per spot.

Call 310.821.1081

Miramar Properties Investments

Call 310.456.0063

Webster Elementary School

Dirt lot for 60 cars, $7 per spot

Call 310.456.6494

Our Lady of Malibu Church (may not be renting)

Call (310) 456-2361

If your looking for more information on the Adamson House and need a Los Angeles wedding caterer to help you go over costs and information on this venue, feel free to give us a call!  Michelle and Dana would be happy to answer your questions: 310.202.0326

Our all-organic, Los Angeles wedding catering team was hired by Erin and Will (a super fun couple) to pull off their amazing green wedding at the Vibiana.

We here at Eco Caters purchase fresh, local, and organic ingredients for each and every wedding event we cater.  We don’t order bulk food either; we purchase the amount requested for your individual event from our local farms and have it delivered to our kitchen the day before.  This process is just one of the many extra steps our Los Angeles wedding caterers take over another Los Angeles wedding caterer.  We ensure that you and your guests receive the very best catered food we can offer.

Erin and Will came in for a tasting a year before their wedding and expressed the importance of organic food for their wedding.  Our Los Angeles wedding catering team worked diligently with the couple to help them customize the perfect menu for their lavish wedding at the historic Vibiana.

Vibiana is a breathtaking Los Angeles wedding venue.  With its cathedral ceilings, stone pillars and marble floor you can’t pick a classier wedding venue in the greater Los Angeles area than this one.  To top it all off the Vibiana is located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles!

As you can imagine, there’s a lot of history behind this magnificent building.  Their website (vibiana.com) does a great job of covering the yesteryears of LA’s first cathedral:  “Vibiana, the formal Cathedral of St Vibiana, is one of Los Angeles’ few remaining nineteenth century landmarks and was completed in 1876.  The city’s first cathedral was a stunning work of architecture in a town still emerging from its pueblo origins.  Inspired by the Los Angeles bishop’s childhood church in Spain, W.J. Matthews and Ezra F.Kysor modeled the cathedral’s facade in the Italian Baroque style.  In 1922, Architect John C.Austin enlarged the structure and added a new facade of Indiana limestone.

Following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the Archdiocese concluded that the structure sustained irreparable damage and would need to be replaced. After much deliberation, St. Vibiana’s was decommissioned and a new cathedral, Our Lady of the Angels, was built just a few blocks away.

In 1999, the decommissioned building was acquired by a team of adaptive reuse developers.  Their vision was to transform the space from a dilapidated structure into a state-of-the-art special events and performing arts venue.  Shortly thereafter, a team of architects and structural engineers began the seismic retrofit and renovation work. Great care was taken to seismically reinforce the structure while painstakingly restoring its century old historic details.  Now known simply as VIBIANA, the venue hosts a wide range of events including fashion shows, fundraisers, live entertainment, and wedding ceremonies and receptions.”

After a heartfelt ceremony, our Los Angeles wedding catering team tray-passed mouth watering appetizers just as dazzling as the décor of the Vibiana itself.  Our Eco Caters Chef prepared sweet mango skewer marinated with caramelized curry glaze, our popular roasted garlic hummus, red pepper hummus, Olive Tapenade, and yummy bit-sized sandwiches made from fresh baked bread, house smoked bacon, wild arugula leaves, and pickled onions.  Our Los Angeles wedding caterers put together some beautifully arranged cheese boards with an assortment of local cheeses, garlic rubbed baguettes, bright berries, homemade jams, apricot preserves, and edible flowers; they were true works of art.

For the big fest our Los Angeles wedding catering company dished up a homespun family-style dinner.  Our all-organic catering team brought out platters of juicy braised beef with fresh minced herbs, grilled sea bass blackened with dried spices, smashed potatoes whipped with cream and black truffle, a medley of grilled Farmers Market vegetables, and our creamy Gouda Mac-N-Cheese.

All of our Los Angeles wedding caterers would also like to thank Dawdy Photography for sharing all of these beautiful wedding photos with us. Dawdy Photography is headquartered out of San Francisco and has been shooting wedding photos since 1977! Dawdy Photography does so much more than just wedding photographs as well.  They handle large group photo shoots at schools to corporate events.

A special “thank you” to Erin and Will for choosing Eco Caters as your Los Angeles wedding caterer.  We know how nervous you were for your big day and we enjoyed watching it unfold perfectly along side you two.  We wish you nothing but the best!

If you’re going to have a country style wedding, you’re going to need some homemade food.

I don’t know if its simply because I grew up on a farm, or the fact that I love western movies but, I love country style weddings!  The fashion is timeless, fits any budget, everyone lets loose, and free romantic scenery compliments of Mother Nature.

Lauryn and Colby would agree with me.  They too wanted that classic Americana look of a country style wedding.  And, when you have a wedding out in the country you’re going to need some good ol’ homemade cookin’ for an all-organic Los Angeles caterer.  It’s a must!  Our Los Angeles catering company constructed a homemade, all-organic menu from scratch to fit our client’s exact wishes.  We also only buy food for our weddings the day before the event so it’s as fresh as the farm it came from, something you won’t find other Los Angeles caterers doing.

Another quality Eco Caters had over other Los Angeles caterers is we can also design your event!  Event Coordinator Dana Strommen coordinated the couples wedding and helped them create a delicious menu made up of seasonal fruits and vegetables, local cheeses, and California caught seafood.  The rest of the ingredients we prepare from scratch out of our Culver City kitchen.

For the main course our Los Angeles catering team served: mixed baby greens tossed with crumbled bleu cheese, crisp shallots, and carrots, and our flavorful citrus vinaigrette; for protein we plated local halibut fresh off the grill; and for sides we served black truffle mashed potato’s, corn on the cob, angel-hair pasta, and the most beautiful, hardy, green beans we’ve ever seen.

Feeding your guests organically in your home just got a lot easier with our Los Angeles Catering Division.

We found ourselves in a private residence again helping the host have a more relaxing day with our Los Angeles Caterers in the kitchen. This time it was the Forth of July and the setting could not be more perfect. The spectacular view from the hilltops of the Pacific Palisades gave us endless wonder far past the horizon. Knowing the hosts expectations beforehand, our Los Angeles Catering staff got right to business as soon as we arrived. Setup was easy being the host had already topped the tables with red linen and placed American Flags in all the appropriate places. Their stationery buffet, pictured above, was a perfect selection of our Hummus Trio and Chef’s Choice Cheese Display which was opened to their guests throughout the celebration of our Nation.

The Los Angeles Caterers enjoyed interacting with the guests who were inquiring about our organic cuisine and bio-degradable plates, forks, knives, cups and napkins (see more information below). The setting was casual enough that the host welcomed our interaction with her guests and made sure our business cards were given to every single guest, even if they were a couple going home together. They feasted on Lemon Chicken (a request of the host not to have specialty spices), Vegetarian Lasagna, with sides of Mirepoix Quinoa and Grilled Corn on the Cob. Dessert seemed like the biggest hit of our New Orleans Bread Pudding with Vanilla Whiskey Sauce and Apple Pie with Cinnamon Ice Cream.

Eco Caters, Los Angeles Caterer and San Diego Caterer, use bio-degradable products from VerTerra and AspenWare. VerTerra’s production process is simple and transparent: after collecting fallen leaves that would normally be burned, they apply steam, heat and pressure to transform the leaves into durable products that will naturally compost in 2 months. VerTerra products are made in South Asia, where their employees receive fair wages in safe working conditions and are provided access to health care. If you are looking to use these products in your home, our Los Angeles Caterer suggests purchasing VerTerra at a Whole Foods near you. For the San Diego Catering area please visit www.verterra.com. Aspenware cutlery is made from birch and aspen — hardwoods that are ordinarily burnt or left to rot during regular industrial logging. Much like chop sticks from your Chinese or Japanese take out, be careful of splinters. You can see more about these products at myearth360.com.

Eco Caters, your Los Angeles Caterer, loves to cater Surprise Parties, even when the surprise turns and the guests receive the surprise.

Have you ever tried to throw a Surprise Party and the person who you wanted to surprise comes home early? Well, that is exactly what happened at this party. Even though our host was the one who was surprised, everyone was surprised at the delicious treats coming out of the kitchen. The setup was all Stationary Hors D’oeuvres, just enough to fill the guests tummies. Let’s chat about each item, so you have an idea of what we are talking about.

1. Your Los Angeles Caterers popular Antipasto which is four separate dishes that create not only amazing tastes, but beautiful colors on the table. We have Marinated Artichoke, Sweet Pepper with Arugula, Marinated Cherry Tomato with Mozzarella, and Mixed Olives.
2. The host asked for an item that can be both stationary and tray passed, so enter the Tuna Tar Tar in Cucumber Cups with Avocado Oil and Preserve Lemon. Everything down to the Preserve Lemon is organic. Your Los Angeles Catering company makes its own preserve lemon juice, which adds just the right zing to this dish.
3. Your Los Angeles Caterer is frequently asked to serve Mixed Sliders. I am not sure if it is the individually handmade buns on each slider or the interesting options our chef has put together. At this event our host chose the Curry Chicken Salad with California Golden Raisins, Poached Asparagus with Hard Boiled Egg, and Grilled Eggplant with Tomato, Arugula and Marjoram Aioli.
4. Next we added more protein to the table with our Thai Chicken Skewers with Marjoram Yogurt. Here is that ingredient again: Marjoram. Your Los Angeles Caterers love this herb. Marjoram is a somewhat cold-sensitive under shrub with sweet pine and citrus flavours.
5. To complete our gorgeous display, the final item was Vegetable Pad Thai. This is a very flavorful dish that has a texture which goes perfectly with the other dishes.

If you have a party coming up and are stuck on the menu, let your Los Angeles Catering staff take a crack at it. Your guests too can be surprised by the outcome. We can be contacted at info@ecocaters.com.

Your Los Angeles Catering Crew adds a special treat to an office-warming party in Manhattan Beach, CA

As the employees arrive to see their new digs, they were welcomed by your Los Angeles Caterers with delicious treats. The company they work for, E-Cycle Environmental, has a “vision of corporate America becoming green at all levels of their business.” Their mission which sounds simple enough and it is for the willing. They provide “simple turn-key solutions that promote green practices throughout the workplace.” This is something Eco Caters, your Los Angeles Caterers, does on a daily basis. How we are Green is posted on our site. You can read more about E-Cycle at www.ecycleenvironmental.com.

Let’s get into the goodies. Your Los Angeles Catering crew set up a Stationary Hors D’oeurvre display with all our popular treats. We began with our Chef’s Choice Cheese Display with Market Fruit and Preserves. I will note that the preserves are homemade by your Los Angeles Caterer. A great accompany dish to this is our Mezze Platter with Hummus Trio, Tabouli, Olives Salad, and Grilled Flatbread. In keeping with the cocktail themed celebration we added the Vegetable Crudite with Roasted Onion Dip and House Ranch.

Our Los Angeles Catering crew did not stop there. The Southern Pasta Salad with local olives, celery, onion and lemon was brought out next. To complete the display, the host chose Mixed Sliders. The ever popular Curry Chicken Salad with California Golden Raisins, also the Muffoletta with Olive Salad and Provolone. One that is not as popular, but still a mouth watering option, is the Smoked Salmon with Olivade and Sauce Grabiche slider.

Your Los Angeles Caterers had a great time at this event and encourage you to check out E-Cycle Environmental www.ecycleenvironmental.com

Eco Caters, Los Angeles Catering Division, got to over look The Staples Center this past weekend while catering a private business cocktail party.

When we mapped the directions beforehand we knew we had to be strategic in our driving plans. It was a Friday and The Lakers were playing at home. Upon arrival we were pleasantly surprised to be overlooking all the lights of the new LA Live. Being a cocktail party most of the guests were on the patio taking in the view of Downtown Los Angeles. Catering here was equally enjoyable for our staff who also got to take in the sites through a large window in the kitchen.

As guests arrived they were greeted with an open bar of specialty wines and stationary hors d’oeuvres whipped up by your Los Angeles Caterer. The popular Chef’s Choice Cheese Display with market fruit and preserves, always a big hit. Something I have not seen in a little bit is the Tuna Tar Tar in Cucumber Cup with Avocado Oil and Preserve Lemon. The preserve lemon gives this morsel that special zing you do not always get with an hors d’oeuvre. Next was our Spicy Chicken Skewers with Marjoram Red Pepper Yogurt which speaks for itself.

It seems that our Los Angeles Caterers should be able to prepare our Mixed Sliders in their sleep. They are so popular! For those of you who do not know, if you chose this item you actually have three on your table. This time our host chose Curry Chicken Salad with California Golden Raisins, Grilled Eggplant with Tomato, Arugula and Marjoram Aioli & Smoked Salmon with Olivade and Sauce Grabiche.

You see above the table was filled with more. A dish that deserves it’s own paragraph which has protein for our vegetarians is your Los Angeles Caterers’ Cold Quinoa Salad. We mix red onion, Italian squash, Mint, Basil, Dried Cranberries, and a Apple Cider Vinaigrette. Even if you are not a vegetarian, this is a perfect addition to your buffet plate.

So if you are putting together a large dinner party or a small intimate cocktail party such as this, let your Los Angeles Caterer take care of all the details. To obtain your personalized proposal and menu options, please email info@ecocaters.com with your details.

Eco Caters, Los Angeles Catering Division, joins forces and jingles with Tejon Ranch Staff at Audubon Center at Deb’s Park in Pasadena

We were lucky to have another clear day in Southern California for this gathering of professionals and enthusiasts. Tejon Ranch staff contacted our Los Angeles Catering crew to serve their lunch meeting followed by a meet and greet with members of the chosen venue. The venue being Audubon Center at Deb’s Park. If you want to learn more about Audubon, an environmental education and conservation center, you can read our blog or go to their website at http://ca.audubon.org. This blog is about Tejon and their gathering.

Tejon is a nearly 270,000 acres making it the “largest continuous expanse of private land in California.” It is almost as large as the City of Los Angeles running at 422 square miles. The land was founded in 1843. Many partnerships have occurred throughout the decades. The most recent being a plan to build an entire, self-contained, sustainable community consisting of about 23,000 homes, along with schools, medical facilities, police and fire stations. Please see more about this amazing piece of California at www.tejonranch.com.

As mentioned this event was a two part deal. Our Los Angeles Caterers came in shifts to be able to cover all the details. There were about 25 guests for the lunch meeting. Upon their arrival our Los Angeles Catering crew had set up the Organic Coffee station. The host brought morning snacks and teas. A great idea to conserve the wallet. While in the meeting your Los Angeles Caterers tip-toed in to setup the lunch buffet. This was a hearty meal of our Wild Arugula Salad, Porter Marinated Tri-Tip with Green Peppercorn Sauce, and Pan Seared Sea Bass with Cali Crystal Beurre Blanc. The sides were simple and of course filled with flavor. They chose Roasted Weiser Farms Potatoes with Marjoram and Thyme & Grilled Farmers Market Vegetables.

After the luncheon the clients decided to end the meeting rather then continue it. They mingled in the courtyard where your Los Angeles Caterer set up the bar and stationary hors d’euvres. There were about 25 more guests expected to attend the cocktail party. They snacked on Chef’s Choice Cheese Display, Hummus Trio with Tabouli, Olive Salad, and Grilled Flatbread. Along with these items to pick at were mixed sliders. Your Los Angeles Caterer whipped up Curry Chicken Salad, Grilled Eggplant and Smoked Salmon.

Towards the end of the event the guests gathered back in the meeting room for final information and a big thank you song form a few of the attendees. Just before the big send off, one of the singers approached our bartender stating she wished they could actually sing. Then it began! By the time the four singers got up in front of their fellow enthusiasts they had three of our Eco Caters staff in toe with them. They sang a version of Little Drummer Boy which had verses of thanks to all who contributed throughout the year to their cause. This was such a fun experience!! Especially for me who was behind the camera recording every tune.

Eco Caters, Los Angeles Catering Crew, prepared delicious eats for one of our annual clients in her home in Manhattan Beach

Every year our host themes her party. This year she did research to find what dog shelters are in need of for the colder months of the year. She took that list and sent it to her guest list along with the invitation. What a fantastic idea! Your Los Angeles Caterers thinks these types of events are a great way to get the community together during the holidays. There were all sorts of things brought in: a stocking as big as a small person filled with goodies, portable crates, food, toys, sweaters, blankets, you name it, it was there. Even our chef’s got involved and will be donating.

Being a holiday party each room was filled with red sprinkle dusted candles, napkins with snowflakes, seasonal flowers, and on and on. In the main sitting room your Los Angeles Caterer set out the Hummus Trio with Tabouli and Olives Salad. There was also our Organic Coffee Station set with desserts from Becker’s and Smuffin’s. In the a joining room complete with high top tables, a glowing fireplace and grand piano playing holiday jingles, your Los Angeles Catering crew set out sliders which were replenished all night. The host chose the Eggplant, Curry Chicken, and Grassfed Beef.

Our host truly used every inch of her home. Your Los Angeles Caterers set up the bar in the garage where all the donations were being placed as well. She even had an awesome red corvette parked to act as Santa’s sleigh. Our host is a true giver. The wine she served donates a portion of its’ proceeds to Breast Cancer awareness. The guests enjoyed their stationary appetizers on bio-degradable products she chose through Eco Caters and she made sure everyone had a name tag for their wine glass to conserve waste. It is so refreshing to see so many people in one place holding their plates for reuse and bringing their empty glasses for refills.

While guests were snacking on the stationary items, our Los Angeles Catering crew was tray passing more delicious treats. We started light with Mojo Shrimp with Pineapple and Chive, then Seared Albacore with Orange Grapfruit Slaw. Once more guests arrived we added the Spicy Black Bean and Watercress Cilantro Shooter with Tortilla Julienne. Your Los Angeles Caterer knew there were chicken eaters arriving, so we continued with Grilled Chicken Shawarma Skewers with Cucumber Coconut Milk. Once all had checked in so did the Truffled Grilled Cheese. A crowd favorite whenever served.

At the end of it all everyone was fully satisfied. They sipped wine, snacked on amazing food and donated to local shelters. All in all, a successful evening.

Eco Caters, Los Angeles Catering Division, caters J Brand Jeans Holiday Party for the third year in a row with our favorite treats including a Taco Bar

J Brand Jeans started in NYC and came to LA through its co-founder, Jeff Rudes back in 2004. Over the past 6 years they have become an industry leader and is featured all over the world at specialty stores and luxury retailers. The annual celebration is one that is upbeat and fun, your Los Angeles Catering staff loves being a part of it. They are a wonderful group of people and truly know how to get together and enjoy each others company out of the workspace. If you want to learn more about J Brand and their products please visit one of their distributors or go to www.jbrandjeans.com.

As the staff arrived to their holiday celebration they were greeted by their planning host, photographed and then directed to the open bar featuring specialty wines, beer and soft drinks. These were provided by the company. A great way to save on budget. While sipping on their chosen cocktail our Los Angeles Catering crew tray passed a few delicious treats to get the appetite rolling. We started with the crowd favorite Truffled Grilled Cheese. Then we moved into the Roasted Chicken with Avocado, Sweet Corn, and Fermented Black Bean. We finalized the cocktail portion of the evening with Turkey Slider with Apricot, Apple, Arugula and House Mustard, along with Cucumber Cups with Mango, Jicama, Chili, and Lime.

Last year, our Los Angeles Caterers did something a little more fancy, so this year, we went for a more casual, but still amazing menu. It is all in the ingredients! The Salad was the Best of Market Vegetables with Mixed Greens and House Vinaigrette which was served two different styles for those with allergies to specific items. Mexican food is all over Los Angeles, this caterer has great fun putting together the spread for taco bars. The proteins were Smoked Chili Rubbed Jidori Chicken Breast and Cochon Carnitas. The Taco Bar itself had a make your salsa starting with two different types of salsa bases then you have a long list of fixings to choose from Fire Roasted Jalapeno to Mango. The typical options of cheeses, grilled pepper and onions, sour cream, roasted garlic guacamole were also on the menu from your Los Angeles Caterer. We can not forget the sides of Black Beans with Orange and Mexican Chocolate & Heirloom Tomato Rice with cumin and coriander.

We look forward to catering for J Brand again next year. Did I mention their venue was the beautiful Marvimon? Lovely setting for any event. http://www.miguelnelson.com/smogshoppe.html