our family enjoyed an excellent celebratory dinner at casalena…read more EXCITEMENT (NOISE) LEVEL when we booked our reservation for 9 pm on saturday through open table, we did not expect the energy to be so high so late in the evening! the beautiful, expansive restaurant was buzzing with animated conversation that was even louder than a dim sum restaurant! we all needed to lean in a bit to hear one another. PARKING valet is available, but we found street parking on ventura blvd. FOOD 01. squash blossoms ($21 for 5 pc): 8.3/10 these were crispy and light, delightful to eat on their own without the tomato marinara sauce served on the side. casalena's squash blossoms had a strong, lovely hint of lemon that wasn't present in mother wolf's rendition. 02. chicken piccata ($29): 7.5/10 this main was served with a generous helping of potatoes mashed into a delicious velvet. 03. vodka lumaconi ($25): 9/10 this dish was the standout of the evening! the pasta shells were cooked al dente and coated in a slightly spicy, perfectly savory vodka sauce! casalena does not skimp on the sauce in any of their dishes! 04. tagliatelle ($29): 7/10 this pasta dish was not nearly as impressive. 05. tiramisu ($15): 7/10 since we mentioned the dinner was for a special occasion in our reservation, this dessert was served with a candle. while its presentation was lovely, its taste was underwhelming. the espresso was extremely subtle, and there was more madeline than mascarpone/cream. overall, our party of 4 was fully satiated after splitting 1 appetizer, 3 mains, and 1 dessert. service was lovely throughout! and as another yelpie mentioned in their review, their matchbook is very nice.

0 STARS IF I COULD , ONE OF THE WORST RESTAURANT TO EXIST!!!…read more The food always comes out cold. The SERVICE IS HORRIBLE. Staff treats you like crap no matter what you're wearing. You can never find your server. Staff all have an attitude problem. There no parking. I honestly hate to leave reviews like this, but this place SUCKS! Oh if you want to go out for a date? Don't come here! When the entire place is a full house you can't even hear yourself think. Sounds like a school assembly! If you want cold food, & rude staff come here. I'll never COME BACK! You have to pay me to come here Lol.

It would be hard to express all that is wonderful about this place, there's just too much to…read moremention. The best host and location we've ever had the pleasure of being a part of. Our Bulldogs didn't want to leave and neither did we. Don't miss this one if you have the option... Georgia is a person of magic and nothing but a giver. We may have found the most amazing VRBO but the true gift of the trip was meeting and being hosted by such a special human. She's also incredibly logical, level headed and generous as hell as a host. She's the best yet.

We were looking for a unique venue for our November wedding. We knew we wanted it to be outdoors…read moreand a place for both a reception and the ceremony so that our guests wouldn't have to travel between the two. The Enchanted Manor was the first place we looked at and we both felt that it was the right fit. Georgia has created a little oasis in her back yard that we felt fit our vibe - lowkey, but classy. We had booked originally for approximately 60 guests, however once all the pieces fell into place we were closer to 50. Unfortunately our guest count dropped below 50 just after our window to let Georgia know, but she was kind enough to offer us the price difference. We applied that balance towards renting some heaters and lighting the fire pits as the weather got colder than anticipated, as well as to handling the trash. (Pay attention to the contract, you are responsible for removing trash or there is a fee.) One thing I didn't realize before booking was that there is space for a kitchen, but it needs to be built out for your event, so make sure you consider that into any costs. Georgia was really helpful and responsive to all of our questions (we had so many) and anything that we couldn't do she had very reasonable reasons. (For example, at one point I thought I'd like confetti, but she explained why she doesn't allow that on her property which made total sense!) The weeks before I became worried that there wasn't enough decor, so we bought some items that we ended up returning. Once the rentals arrived, combined with the lighting, everything was beautiful as it was. Though there is excellent lighting, I would recommend watching your step as we did have a few tripping incidents (that were not alcohol fueled in some cases) as the ground changed. It was more due to the way things were spaced and we'd have to make sure to look down as we stepped around things, but we managed to survive. We've started to see some photos and everything looked beautiful; it was a romantic but relaxed vibe which was just what we wanted. I worried it wouldn't feel like a wedding, but it did. Georgia was a gracious host, our guests enjoyed her home (we made sure to tell them that they could rent it as well for an overnight getaway) and we can't wait to start reading her book. She gave us the sweetest compliment after, saying how kind our guests were and how that spoke to who my husband and I were as well. We stayed in touch after the wedding and I hope we meet again in the future for events or just a dinner to hear of her adventures! PS - her cats were big hits all around, too!

We recently attended a birthday dinner party here at Great Event Studios in Tarzana and it is…read moreactually the same owner as Athena Studios in Nothridge where my daughte celebrated her 18th bday. This Tarzana location was actually really nice too - it's located along Ventura Blvd (closest cross street is Wilbur Ave.) right after McDonalds and next to Dominos Pizza and right across Lady C's Cafe. The closest fwy for those travelling from another city is Tampa ave. exit. The venue is really pretty, very well maintain, very clean and very aesthetic design and has its own restroom inside. The size of the venue is perfect for intimate parties with a group of 50-60. There was space for buffet table, bar for the drinks, Sushi bar, Photo Booth and DJ booth and a decent dance floor size was setup and it didn't feel like crowded at all. The balloons, table setting, decors etc was also done by great event (separate fee applies on top of the venue rental). I highly recommend this event place if you are planning on your next initimate party! You will love the place, and if you decide to also hire them for organizing and decorating the venue you will surely love it. The owners are very proffesional and really nice. There's also a lot of parking spaces as well as on the side street - from my own personal experience, we didn't have a hard time finding a parking spot and the part was on a Saturday night.

I held my birthday and retirement party at this venue. It was the perfect space for 55…read moreguests--comfortable, with plenty of room for a dance floor. Teena was wonderful to work with: very accommodating and friendly. Many of my guests commented on how beautiful the space is. I highly recommend this venue and Teena's services.

Our daughter had her wedding here, and it was stunning. So many guests complimented the venue. The…read morestaff was amazing, and the clean-up and set-up were so nice. Would highly recommend this venue for a wedding.

My husband and I had our wedding here! It was a gorgeous venue, helpful and kind staff, delicious…read morecatering, and everything went so smoothly! We will definitely be coming back for our wedding anniversary photos, or future vow renewals Thank you for such a wonderful and memorable day!

We hosted our engagement party at Verdi Garden, and it was the best experience from start to…read morefinish. The venue itself is absolutely beautiful! Karina was amazing to work with throughout the entire process. From the very beginning, she was responsive, organized, and genuinely cared about making sure everything went smoothly and how we wanted it to. Her and her team went above and beyond on the day of the event, and their level of service was truly 5-star! The food was delicious, the space was set up perfectly and everything ran seamlessly thanks to the staff. If you're looking for a stunning venue with exceptional service for any type of celebration, I can't recommend Verdi Garden enough. We're so grateful to Karina and her team for helping make our engagement party so special!!

Attended a private event here. To start, the parking cost $18-$28 which is outrages. Space is a…read morepatio covered with a partial tent and decorated nicely to not notice that. It may get cold in the evening if weather isn't good, since no walls, just fabric around and corners are exposed. Middle eastern mezzes and food but nothing special. Our server was very nice. We walked a bit afterwards to our car because we didn't want to pay the hefty charge for parking.

We had our wedding at the Encino Banquette and Garden and it was AMAZING! The food was delicious,…read morethe venue was so beautiful, and all the staff were so nice and helpful! We have gotten so many compliments on the wedding and people were talking about it weeks after! So much space for people to be inside dancing or outdoors! We had a photo booth and Churros and Funnel cake vendors and they all had so much space to set up. All the guests loved it! So we're so happy with our choice and definitely recommend

My friend had his wedding reception here and it was a beautiful venue. It was valet parking here…read morewhich was already cover beside tips. You can miss the place because you have to go through a narrow alleyway to get to the parking so just be aware of where the place is because I missed it and had to do a uturn. They had the dining setup outside which was very nice and then the banquet hall was the dance floor. The inside of the banquet hall is spacious and you can do a lot of different layout there. The guest list was around 200 people and the place was able to accommodate. They had security guard and the workers here was very nice. I would recommend using the bathroom in the banquet hall because the bathroom near the outside patio area is small. They had a in n out truck to end the night and that's my favorite so it was a win win.

I will rent this place again..the place is big and will accomodate 50 guests. They also do table…read moreset up and flower arrangements for any events.

A very nice place to gather and celebrate with family and friends. Hostess was professional,…read morewelcoming and very organized. Thank you!

How many hundreds of times have I driven by the Tarzana Community & Cultural Center? It has been…read moremany years, way back to the time there was a pottery store on the property. I finally had a chance to visit for a Tarzana Music Night last week. What a fun event! Because the weather was being forecasted to be cool with the potential of rain, the event was held indoors. Things were comfortable, but we were in close quarters with the other attendees. The sound was great and the performances were a lot of fun. I was primarily there to see a good friend perform, but I also had the chance to see some other talented musicians. I think each one was a singer songwriter, and I enjoyed each performance. Each one of the people that was working at the venue, which I imagine may have been on a volunteer basis, was friendly and a lot of fun. Normally the music nights are held outdoors, and I can imagine that most of the year, it is a lot of fun being in the open air.

What a cool place I never knew was here! Check out their events on their website! If you write them…read morethey will write you back too. They have a small outdoor stage with string lights hanging beautifully all around, a few picnic tables and fold out chairs for when there's an event to watch. When the chairs aren't there I imagine thats what they use for the outdoor dance floor under the stars, too! A few people brought their dogs on leash. I saw a few people brought in their own food, chilled out and ate while they watched the live band. They do have a very small amount of drinks, chips, and cookies for sale at a stand but thats it so if you don't want junk food def bring what you do want. They do have an indoor bathroom. PARKING - Def uber/LYFT to them. There are only a few spots in the back you can get to from the side street (not from Ventura blvd) and thats it! So do yourself a favor and get a ride. Lyft must know about this place because the driver knew exactly where to meet us in the back when we booked our return. For us it was a calm but fun summer evening hang outside! I don't know what its like without a band playing but hope I get a chance to check that out too.

I'm here once a year for the reggae festival. I think they do a fantastic job of coordinating this…read morefestival. Yep parking is always a challenge but their shuttle bus drivers stop and pick you up quickly and get you to that front gate. The grounds are very clean and you can tell taken care of. The staff are all helpful and accommodating and yet firm to show control with a crowd. Its a little hidden oasis in the mountains with this crazy tree next to a stage. I can't wait to go back in 2015!

When looking for a venue for our son's memorial we came across the Topanga Community Center. Dayna…read morewas very accommodating with our request to view the space before we booked. The location is beautiful, the building is charming, Rental Coordinator Dayna, Audio Visual Tech Tom, Property Manager Jerry, and recommended Caterer Adrianna were all first class. Everyone went out of their way to help us on a difficult day make things go smoothly. I really can't say enough about this place, for us it was perfect. Scott S.

The location is only a Gem if you happen to love fool's gold. Tasty Sounds Entertainment has been…read morein business since 1990... 35 years and we have handled events at some messed up locations, but Orcutt Ranch in the Valley is the WORST. Ask any DJ about the location (Unless they are employed by 3 Little Birds Event Planning) and they will tell you the truth. 5-10 years ago, they started making DJs put the speakers inside the house and since all the events are outside you can only imagine how bad that sounded. 10 Years ago, I opened the windows of the house and aimed my speakers out the windows and sort of limped thru my party, I hated it and swore to never have me or my guys ever return. Of course, years go by and we had a client who really wanted to use me and said they were having the party at the Orcutt Ranch, and I WARNED THEM about the speaker situation. They understood the risk "but they wanted pretty" and against my better judgement & the damn money I agreed. Nothing was on my radar prior to the wedding except maybe a couple of weird emails with 3 Little Birds event planning, until the DAY I show up. The new rule is not only do the speakers have to be in the house but they must be turned facing in to the WALLS... again everyone is outside in November...WTF! Then they wanted me to sign a sound agreement on the day of the party. When I wouldn't sign it, they brought in the 2 security guards and said if I didn't sign it, I would be escorted off the premise (5 minutes before my Grand Entrance of the wedding couple). I still wouldn't sign it until I knew that the bride and groom were aware of this situation with the speakers. But what could they do ... guests were already sitting down for dinner and they said they understood and this "Diva DJ" signed the agreement with 2 hulks looking over my shoulder. I was not pissed for the humiliation; I was pissed for the guests and my client. I made it thru the party (it sounded like crap) and dealt with the bad vibes all night long and went home and cashed the $2800.00 check. That was 2 years ago and I would have let it go, but some unaware bride just called and said their venue was Orcutt ranch and it all came flooding back after I warned them. The location is dingy, with Navajo Swastikas all over the place but they get you in with the low price and because it's in a very pretty woodsy location your overlook much of the warnings you feel. But they must not be telling the truth about the music in the presentation. The truth is new houses are being built closer to the ranch and they are having sound ordinance problems but they still want the money... hence the dilemma. "Should we tell our couples the truth or just hijack them on their most special day?" SHAME. If you want a dinner party or a garden wedding with no music, (maybe a harp or violin) then perfect. But if you want a real American "have a damn good time" Wedding, avoid this so-called gem because the gem you're getting is called coprolite (Petrified Feces).

Wonderful little ranch open to the public. There's a lot of wild life here - owls, bunnies and A…read moreLOT of coyotes. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed! There's a couple of lovely routes to walk around and some of it is shaded. There's a small maze and an area that's available for events/weddings.