Teenager claims birthday party was a ‘disaster’
By DAVE DANFORTH Daily Press Staff Writer
The owners of Santa Monica’s Lush night-club have been ordered to pay $2,000 over a “Sweet 16” party that event planners claimed was understaffed.
But one Lush owner, Chris Swadling, claims the case was about an event planner who wants to profit by chipping away at the $6,000 party fee without returning any to the client.
Benita Karroll and Wendi Mirabella, who operate Moondance Events & Entertainment of Culver City, declined comment on the arrangement with their client. The customer, a Paramount senior executive, contracted Moondance to arrange the party at Lush, located on Wilshire Boulevard, for his daughter’s 16th birthday last May. Karroll said when the 16-year-old complained at the start of the party about the presentation of food and understaffing, she was offered $3,500 by a Lush partner towards a future event. Instead, Karroll elected to ask for a $2,000 refund. But she testified in court last week that Lush demanded payment in full on her credit card and threatened to shut down the party if she refused.
Moondance was originally awarded the $2,000 in December when Lush’s ownership, the Harbert Entertainment Group, didn’t appear in small claims court. Lush representatives protested and the appeal was heard by Superior Court Judge Julius Title, whose ruling was mailed Monday.
Both sides gave sharply conflicting testimony in the case. While the Moondance partners said only three staff members were on hand to handle a party at which 200 teens were expected, Swadling said the staff included four bartenders, three kitchen staff, two waitresses, and two security people.
Swadling immediately attacked Karroll’s credibility and noted that he had been at the party. The Moondance partners said they never saw him, and that the partner with whom they made the agreement didn’t show up in court.
“I know my employees don’t give away my money,” Swadling said of the refund claim.
The Moondance complaints covered everything from $500 worth of missing sushi to wilted food, some served late, and insufficient security.
“So the party was a disaster?” asked Judge Title.
“You could say that,” Karroll responded, noting the customer had written a letter complaining about it.
Swadling, however, said the customer had beamed his approval when Swadling asked him how he felt two hours into the event.
The judge affirmed the $2,000 award but didn’t issue an opinion detailing his reasons.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 13, 2002. Read the original PDF.