Where coffee shop and ice cream parlor, pottery painting and weirdness converge, Art Monkey seems…read moreto hover. Nice people, decent coffee, but no clearly posted hours or clear sense of what the heck is going on inside. With tons of space and a variety of random items sort of spread around, it could be a cool place to hang out, but.... It just doesn't make sense to me, or inspire comfortable feelings. Hard to tell when it is or will be open.

Just had the strangest interaction at an ice cream place. Our family of 4 walked in tonight wanting…read moresome ice cream to go since we were picking up Cherrys anyway. As we checked out the ice cream options, we came across a "Christmas tree cake" flavor. We asked to try the flavor before buying, of course. The young lady helping us said they didn't have any sample spoons. No worries, we can use a regular one. She said, "no, only if you are buying something and putting it in a cup". Very odd. Does the establishment really expect a family of four to come destroy samples and not buy? Will take our business elsewhere. Obvious the establishment cares more about a penny cost of a spoon than servicing customers....

I met up with fellow Yelper Elite Giovanna D. We had fun…read morehanging out and painting! Painting with a Twist is located on S. MacDill about a block to the east of Bayshore in S. Tampa. Very walkable area. Across the street from Datz. The best place to park is in the back of their building and walk around. Parking is limited on the street in this area. I wanted to paint something for my boyfriend for the holidays and Gia was nice enough to agree to my pick, so we painted a black light, northern lights scene. I think both of ours turned out pretty good, albeit better under the black light! LOL Gia's looked better than mine. We went on a Friday night and had some very exuberant groups of young people with us. They were so much fun. Our instructor Nicole held a couple of contests and 4 people got to take home paintings from the gallery. I didn't win and I was insanely jealous! Ha!! The paintings Nicole and the other instructors create are fabulous! They are available to purchase and extremely reasonable prices. What fun gifts! Hmmm.. can I say I painted it?! Lol... I wouldn't do that. Anyone who knows me wouldn't believe me anyway. Nicole gave us step-by-step instructions and came around and helped us out when we made a couple of small mistakes. It moves pretty fast and I struggled a bit to keep up. I think the more you do it, the faster and more comfortable you will get with painting. The 2.5 hours went by so fast! I hope to go back to paint a canvas that includes lights and a do a paint your pet class. Go paint, drink, and be merry at Painting With A Twist!

Always a fun time at painting with a twist. Lots of paintings to choose from, check their schedule…read more You bring your own beverage of choice and glasses. They provide the paint, canvas and a good time. The instructors are always friendly and very talented. You can now make your own candle or linen spray too with a ton of scents to choose from. Check out the option to paint on wood planks as well- way more challenging but fun.

I've been both a student and the parent of a former student at The Wandering Artist for many years,…read moreand I can't say enough about this wonderful studio. Robert, the owner and instructor, is incredibly gifted--not only as an artist but as a teacher. His patience and ability to connect with students of all ages and skill levels are truly remarkable. Personally, my skills have grown beyond what I ever thought possible, thanks to Robert's guidance. It's a privilege to have someone of his caliber teaching so close to home. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced artist, working in any medium, Robert will help you grow, learn, and express your creativity. It's the highlight of my week, and I'm grateful to have access to such talent right in the vicinity. If you're looking to develop as a visual artist, this is the place to be!

A fantastic place for art classes! Beth Kokol is an experienced and generous teacher with…read moretremendous talent! Her work is gorgeous!

I came here for a figure drawing class on Wednesday nights! It was the best value for only $8 for…read moreresidents and $5 for students. It was a 3 hour session, 20 minute or more poses. Simple set up, but small class size ment you had a great view and could move if you wanted to. Will defiantly be going back!

Do you often go on trips and end up collecting a bunch of rocks, only to throw them in a tumbler to…read morepolish? Always thought about wanting to make your own jewelry but didn't know where to start? Then the TBM&S Club is a place you should check out! I had already gotten into lapidary (the art of cutting stones) and silversmithing before taking some classes here, but I'll say that taking the beginner Cabochon class with Gerri Lundergan really upped my game for my own inlay jewelry pieces. Safety is always top priority, but you'll end up with some really great pieces to either set in a jewelry class (also taught here) or wire wrapped (also classes for that!) I've always wanted to try my hand at faceting (cutting translucent materials for maximum optical effects), and glad I took my first class here. You'll be amazed at the finished product because it looks so professional. It's also cool to get an inside look at how your diamonds are cut for the rings you may have. They have plenty of other classes to peruse (check out their Facebook for new classes and upcoming workshops). As with most hobbies, these classes take a lot of time and patience, but it's so rewarding. While you have to be a member to take classes, membership is super cheap ($30 for first adult, $15 for each additional adult in the family, and $5 for kids), and class fees are extremely affordable in you shop around and check out other local art center class pricing (some places might have silversmithing classes, but you will not find any lapidary classes anywhere within the local area). Sure, the building isn't as grand as say, the Morean Arts Center, but to me, the quality and availability of the classes I want to take is what makes me keep coming back here.

Whether you want a cool, different way to celebrate in your life or bond with a group like booking…read morea themed paint party, or you have a budding artist whose talent you wish to encourage, this is the right place. The location for genuine private one-on-one art lessons is comfortable, serene and homey -- because it IS a home! I love to unwind while my loved one receives individual art instruction from the fantastic teacher Mr. Robert, who is gentle and encouraging each time. Enjoy soft music, fresh scents and be surrounded by the lovely decor and works of art while you wait. Meanwhile students learn at their own paces, trying various art styles in a variety of traditional artistic media from pencil to oils to the humble crayon. When students grow from stick figures to full-color depth-filled landscapes in a short time, you might want to enroll, too! Proprietors Diane and Bob Carter have been so kind to me and my family through the years, working to accommodate my schedule, keeping communication always open, hosting awesome parties. You won't be disappointed!

Great experience! Good memories made. Worth it!!! Great location and atmosphere,nice peopleread more

My husband and I had the most incredible date night at the Epicurean Theatre! We attended the…read more"Dinner with a Master Chef" class on Friday, July 18th 2014. Our instructor was celebrity chef, Whitney Miller, winner of Master Chef (season 1). The Epicurean Theatre is a gorgeous and very modern culinary classroom in the Epicurean Hotel in South Tampa. The culinary classroom has a kitchen in the front of the theatre for the instructor/ chef and stadium-style seating for the students. (If you want a seat near the front of the class arrive early!) Flat screen televisions are located in the front corners of the classroom to display close-ups of the food as it is being prepared. The layout of the classroom allows participants to eat and drink while watching a cooking presentation. After the chef completes each course of the meal the Epicurean's wait staff serves the dish. Whitney Miller was so charming and entertaining throughout our class. I loved her stories about growing up in Mississippi and being a contestant on the Master Chef. Her menu in our class included some of her favorite Southern dishes: First Course: Arugula Salad with Grilled Figs, Homemade Buttermilk Ricotta Cheese, Crispy Prosciutto and a Citrus Vinaigrette (Wine Pairing: Schiopetto Pinot Grigio) Second Course: BBQ Shrimp and Cheese Grits (Wine Pairing: Black Bird Rose) Third Course: White Chocolate Bread Pudding (Wine Pairing: Rosa Regale) Everything was so delicious and I cannot wait to make these dishes at my home! Confession: I probably won't make my own ricotta cheese for the arugula salad because who has time for that?! We received so many great cooking tips from the class and I plan on purchasing Whitney's cookbook so I can introduce my husband to more Southern cooking. If you are interested in taking a class at the Epicurean Theatre I highly recommend it! They offer a variety of classes from cupcakes to cooking to wine or even speaking a foreign language. They even offer brew bus tours! The classes range from $45-$125. Our Master Chef class cost $65 per person which wasn't a bad deal in my opinion considering we received a two hour demonstration from a celebrity chef, a three course meal, and three wine tastings. Can't wait to take my next class at the Epicurean Theatre!