Hobby Lobby is amazing! I went to get Valentine stickers, bought bath towel sets, Christmas candy…read morefor gifts, drawer organizer, and other items. I wish they had a store in Newport News area.

Framing department guy was rude, I just asked a question about how far out it took to get something…read moreframed and if I could get sooner, It was a simple question no reason to be rude. I asked some other questions and he could not care less about actually 'helping the customer".

My dear wife received a gift certificate to attend a cooking class at The Kitchen Classroom and…read moreasked if I would like to join her. Saying yes was a good decision. We had a lot of fun and made some really delicious food! The classroom space itself is large, with multiple prep areas, storage, and teaching table. There is a dining table that seated twelve (our class was 10.) You are greeted with water and the option to purchase beer or wine by the glass or bottle. After a quick walk through you form teams of three or four and set about preparing the entire menu (in other words, it is NOT one station prepping the main course while another group is limited to boiling pasta.) All the mis-en-place has been set out so all the measuring is already done, but the rest is hands on mixing, cooking, plating, etc. The instructor orally delivers instructions and walks around to catch anything going astray. The class was two hours long. Our menu was on the theme "Italian Classics." Items to be prepared were Chicken Piccata, Artichoke Bruschetta, Bucatini in Creamy Pecorino Sauce, and Chocolate Budino. I won't review the food -- it would be a review of our own cooking -- but I will say that preparing it was easy with guidance and tasted absolutely delicious! Each work group eats their own prepared food but at a communal table. The crew also boxes up anything extra that is left from your prep., like extra bruschetta topping or leftover pasta, to be divided up as each work group sees fit. And I didn't have to wash dishes! My wife is the chef in the family, I am never going to cook at her level. But this class was not beyond my abilities and made me completely at ease. Can't wait to go back for other classes here!

Amazing, fun and educational! Staff was so nice and the instruction was perfect…read more We did the Philippine night and the food was excellent. Highly recommend for a date night or family night or even girlfriend get together!

Spirited Art is SUCH a great idea! No artistic skill necessary and you still end up with a (semi)…read moreprofessional looking painting! I took my mom here as a Christmas present and we both had a blast! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was lively and welcoming. We had about 12 other people in our class, and although we each painted the same picture and followed the same instructions from the teacher, all of our paintings looked slightly different but equally as impressive! The calendar on their website displays photos of the different paintings that correspond with the dates they are being offered. Just choose one you like, make sure the date works with your schedule, and purchase it directly online. There are a variety of options to choose from; everything from cartoonish images to Monet-inspired paintings. If you're a diehard fan of certain Virginia colleges, they also offer University of Richmond, VCU, and JMU themes. When you arrive, everything is already set up for the painting (colors of paints needed, brushes, and a blank canvas). There are aprons at each seat as well. The studio itself is a large open space with long tables towards the back where the painting actually occurs. The teacher we had was super friendly and the atmosphere was very relaxed- everyone was chatting the whole time. Painting AND wine?! Spirited Art has partnered with the Wine Loft, which is directly next-door, so there is at least one designated server per class. Not only is there a list of wines available (many at $5/glass), but there is also a painting-friendly menu of snacks that are easily eaten during the class. I think you are free to order anything from the Wine Loft's menu if you'd like, but they've created a more streamlined menu of suggestions conducive to the painting class. To help the servers keep track of orders, they use a cool system of numbered poker chips that attach to your easel with Velcro. I will definitely be back to test my skill on a different painting (and enjoy some more wine, of course)!

I had a wonderful evening at Spirited Art with some friends enjoying wine and trying my hand at…read morepainting. I think the wine gave my inner artist a false sense of confidence but I definitely had a lot of fun. The instructors will take you step by step to create your own unique version of the chosen picture for that day. They have templates you can trace to get started if you are not comfortable free-handing the design. Our instructor Kerri made sure to tell us that these paintings are ours and so you are free to make your art as personal as you want. We were painting a funky peacock and if you wanted a pink peacock instead of a blue one go for it! I appreciate this free flowing format to the class, it allows you to truly love your work. Everyone gets together for a group picture at the end of the class in front of their Color Wheel. Spirited Art in right next to Wine Loft so they had a waitress available to us for drinks and food. You can also BYOB for a $10 per bottle cork fee. I saw tons of other neat pictures on the walls so there may be more painting classes in my future. I also got a rewards card which will earn you points towards a free class. If you are looking for a fun activity with friends or just want to tap your inner artist check out Spirited Art in Short Pump.

I'd never heard of this store before but it looked neat and I went in to check it out. It was well…read moreorganized and clean. It had lots of toys and collectibles for older children to adults. There were some franchises I recognized like My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, and Care Bears, and some based on Disney characters and Sanrio (Hello Kitty). This seems like a great place to get gifts for people who are interested in these characters as it has some unusual items related to them like makeup, stickers, and fashion accessories. They had blind boxes as well, but not everything has prices on them and I didn't want to keep asking how much everything was. It looked like it had just opened in this location so maybe they weren't finished setting up.

Myrah is so sweet and she is very helpful when I don't understand things. She is amazing!read more

I had a pair of leather gloves embroidered for a Christmas gift. The quality was terrible and when…read moreI told them I was not happy with the quality they made no effort to make it right. I won't be returning.

I have used them for years now and have always been happy with the customer service and quality!…read moreThey are my go-to spot for personalized gifts and items for myself/my family.

This is my local quilt shop and it's wonderful. Lucy went above and beyond to help get my sewing…read moremachine in working order. The selection of fabric is great and the service is friendly and knowledgeable. Lucy may have to get a larger space soon because the store is packed with beautiful things!

Best shop, lots of best lines including Kaffe and Tilda. We take a day trip just to go to this…read moreplace along w good local lunch @ Brick House. Cafe.

I needed a frame for a local breweries-styled print I received on Christmas (it was from local…read moremerchant Twig in Lakeside), so I brought the print with me and headed into Michael's. After testing it with several frames, I opted for a fairly priced classic brown and black frame. It had two hooks in the back, so I checked the picture-frame hardware aisle for other options. Command Strips were one, but after speaking with one of the ladies in the custom frame department, she recommended some of the metal twine. She had some extra, so she cut off a piece for me and threaded it through. Definitely above and beyond! It's been hanging right next to my front door ever since, and people comment on it when they walk in. It's actually my only framed hanging print in my apartment -- all others are canvas prints.

Michaels has every craft and art item that I have ever needed. It's the best countrywide art store…read morethat I have ever seen. GO TO MICHAELS