Chicago's Finest Tactics & CCL is an extremely professionally-operated organization that still…read moremanages to maintain a hospitable and friendly environment. Their responsiveness to my inquiries was unmatched by any other CCL sources to which I had reached out. Classes are conducted by CPD Range Instructors - masters in their craft. Not just excellent instructors, but an excellent GROUP of instructors. Their camaraderie and history of shared experiences pull the class together into a comfortable and relaxed setting. Veteran law enforcement officers, competent and knowledgeable in laws and regulations governing firearms, instruct with expertise and thoroughness, adding just the right touch of humor to make every student feel at ease regardless of their own personal level of firearms experience. All instructors were encouraging and hang in there with you from beginning to end! Their attentiveness to each individual's needs and experience level was absolutely awesome! The class was conducted with a "NO STUDENT LEFT BEHIND" objective. Can't say enough great things about this group, from Bonnie at the front desk to all of the instructors: Jack, Ephrain, Chris, Mario, Phil, et al - THANK YOU!

From the owner: Conceal Carry Classes,Awareness Classes,Violence Prevention in the Workplace Trainingread more

We had a blast and ate like kings during our Tutore Pasta Class!!…read more Bravissimo! Thank you Mollie, James, and Dean for hosting such a great experience! The pacing and instruction were on point. Never felt rushed, lost, or hungry ... Loved being able to ask questions about the class and Italian cooking in general without interrupting the rest of the students or instruction! And lets not forget about the result. OMFG. We made Tortellini! and they didnt look like blobs of pasta! Not only were the recipes absolutely delicious they were remarkably approachable -- enough that they will transfer back to the home chef without any problem. Don't wait, make that class reservation today!

This had to be one of the best nights I've had. You can't go to Chicago and not try this class. The…read moreinstructors are so kind and funny. I will be back!

I love making things with my hands; I love the sense of accomplishment it gives me. My grandmother…read moretook up upholstery in her 70's and made some beautiful pieces, one of which I inherited. The fabric on the piece isn't really my style and I decided that if it was going to be re-done, I wanted to be the one to do it. There aren't many places to learn upholstery. I am lucky to live a few blocks from the shop; my classmates weren't so lucky, they all lived at least 20 miles away. I wasn't sure what to expect with the beginner's class, so it's worth noting that in the beginner class you most likely won't work on an actual piece of furniture.* What you will do is complete four projects that give you the skills to move on to actual furniture. The class is very hands on, you will thread a machine and start sewing in your first class. There are no prerequisites for this class; half of us hadn't used a sewing machine before. Owning a garment machine, there were a few things that took getting used on upholstery machines. There are two instructors; Jeff, the owner, taught my class and one of his staff taught the other. I can't speak to the other teacher's style, but Jeff is very laid back and a firm believer of learning by doing. Jeff is very generous with his time, knowledge, tools and materials; many students don't finish all of the projects in the allotted class time, but you're welcome to come back and finish after your session is complete (provided there's room). You're always your harshest critic, but I was so flattered when the manfriend thought my final project was something I had bought. I really loved this class and can't wait to start the intermediate class. The intermediate is like an independent study, you bring the piece you want to work on. If you've meandered by and seen the work in the window on Lincoln, those are student pieces. * One project is a bar stool cover. If you've got a piece to work on, you can use it. TIP: There's a lot of close work in the class and it's easy to get into a groove. Wear comfortable clothes you wouldn't mind getting dirty and bring your glasses, water and a snack.

I just took the "Beginners' Upholstery Class" with Jeff Kraut and LOVED it!…read more The class covers upholstery techniques that can be applied to automotive upholstery, furniture upholstery, and bag making. It is taught on industrial sewing machines (no previous sewing experience necessary). I already knew basic sewing and I definitely picked up lots of new tricks/techniques. Some of the topics we covered: * setting up the machines and basic sewing. * quilted stitching on vinyl (like on the back of a car seat or stuffed chair) * adding piping trim * zipper installation and sewing a small case * stapling construction and making a panel (like recovering a chair seat or a car side panel) * beginning pattern making and making a seat cushion Projects might vary a little from class to class. I've posted photos of my work. The class was Mon & Wed, 7-9pm for 5 weeks. It's located just down the street from Trader Joe's on Lincoln. Easy parking & near the El. You can get more info from Jeff at canvasboss@yahoo.com. I'm looking forward to the advanced class!

Excellent college! Very dedicated to education of so many students! Great Chicago location!read more

It pains me to write this review. I was brought up by a "letter writer," but I feel compelled to…read morewarn my peers. This program has been a nightmare. The entire cohort has been miserable. There are continual conflicts in information. Professors talk to the students (mostly at least mid-life age of students) as though they are middle school students. There is an email every two weeks that goes out stating that you have not attended class--accusations of academic misconduct (for telling a child not to enter the room during an exam). Proven by monitor and proctor, that was all that was said. It is very emotionally exhausting. AI is a better option for a 100% virtual experience. I taught in higher education at a prestigious School of Nursing and have a great frame of reference. Most of us have 2-3 degrees from traditional in-person schools and have been successful in our healthcare profession for decades. I will not bore you with details of my experience; I would say do your due diligence. This post-grad FNP program was super expensive, and the experience has been a nightmare, for lack of a better term. I despise putting this negative energy in the world, but please know you have been warned. The gap in providers will only continue to worsen. Nurses are eating young and old:( I have receipts... D

So... I realized something the other day... I actually dove…read moreinto acting because of this guy... I took several of his Professional Program classes and never looked back. Unfortunately I never finished the last class, but wow, as I thought about it, Steven taught method acting like none other. Pure genius. Pretty much in line with the teachings of Stanislavski and Chekhov, but with Stevens' own blend of artistry mixed in! Without a doubt, his classes gave me the drive and ambition to pursue my acting career. And thankfully, I've been involved in some really, really, awesome projects. Thanks Steven! Highly Recommended!!!!!!

I studied improvisation with Steve Ivcich decades ago. I wasn't interested in becoming a…read moreprofessional actor (and lacked the talent even if I had wanted to become one). I took the class just to have an interesting life experience and possibly meet some new people, nothing more. And yet what I learned from Steve has stuck with me all these years later, and I still think about my experiences in his class from time to time. They were that meaningful -- even profound in some ways. That's the mark of a great teacher!

My daughter has been part of the Cheer Destiny program for 3 years now, and we couldn't be happier…read more She started with quad season cheer, and this is our second year doing half season, along with private tumbling lessons. The coaches are extremely skilled, patient, and so kind with the kids. The staff is always friendly and welcoming, and the environment is positive and supportive. Cheer Destiny has helped my daughter grow so much in confidence and ability. Highly recommend to anyone looking for an amazing cheer program!

We just celebrated my daughter's 9th birthday at Cheer Destiny. We had a great experience. We…read morewere able to get there a little early to setup. They give guided activities for all of the participants and parents can monitor the activity from the screens in the lobby. Everything was easy which helped make the day smooth.

Recently passed the road test; would definitely recommend for people who are learning how to drive…read moreand are beginners. All thanks to Carlos & David for teaching and giving easy advice on the road.

Carlos is a great instructor and really wants his students to be great drivers! He helped me get my…read moredrivers license :) I highly recommend new drivers and experienced (from other countries) to reach out for his services!

We've been to the Old Town School many times, but not for several years now. A close cousin was…read moreplaying, who teaches at the school. We had tickets to see him play. Not reviewing his music (which was fantastic), but the venue. The room we were in was like a black box theater. The room was fairly small and intimate. It was open seating and when we arrived it was pretty full. We were very fortunate that there were two seats open in the third row. The room is acoustically sound (pun intended)... Seriously, being small, they really don't need to amplify the sound, even though they did have a microphone set up. As we were leaving, we got to roam the halls around the school. There were a lot of fun, vintage posters that were a lot of fun to look at. We met quite a few people who either had been students there, or were current students who had nothing but good things to say about the caliber of the educators and the Old Town School. Based on the performances we've seen there of students and faculty, I'd say we agree.

This update is regarding a visit to OSF was to attend their Wiggleworms open house. I've left the…read moreoverall rating the same because OTSFM is still great for a lot of reasons, but the Wiggleworms class isn't one of them. I've heard of the class before and always thought if I had a kid I'd take them, but I think the age range starts at 6 months so we started with a class with a different provider, Music Playhouse of Chicago. I'm glad we came to this one to try it out. While the kids seemed to be having fun, I didn't like it as much as the Music Playhouse class. Wiggleworms doesn't seem to have a developed curriculum. This was just an activity where the kids can grab shakers and toys, and the leader will sing what they want or take requests from the kids, but not a class that has any kind of particular learning outcomes upon which children build. Maybe it was different because it was an open house but I'd have expected they would showcase what an actual class was, and I think it's just not what I prefer. There are some pluses, though. They have weekend classes, which can be hard to find with other music classes for kids. I think it may also be significantly less expensive than the one I take my kiddo to. And they may have a few more babies-only classes than where we go now, which usually has only one of any (depending upon enrollment). I didn't realize before I had a child but there's a huge difference between children of 0-18 months and those beyond, so mixed age classes wasn't my thing at the time. So Wiggleworms has its pros, but overall I'd visit Old Town SFM for the classes and concerts but choose another children's music class.

I would definitely recommend Central Driving Academy to anyone wanting to get their driver's…read morelicense in Chicago. Yvette has been nothing but wonderful, not only preparing me for the driving test, but teaching me how to actually approach driving, highlighting the areas I needed to improve on, and explaining the differences compared to driving in Europe. As an adult student driver who had a license back in Europe but never really used it (previous instructor contributed to me hating driving), I was nervous, but I passed my exam on the first try thanks to Yvette! She introduced new elements gradually throughout the lessons and made the entire learning experience enjoyable. I've seen her approach each learner differently based on their specific needs, making the lessons highly customized. I've had an absolutely fantastic experience and cannot recommend Yvette enough!

We asked Central Driving Academy to help us with the driving licences as newcommers in the USA…read more They are the best there are. Yvette was extreamly helpful, patient and understanding. I personally passed the exam on the first try. The dedication from the team meant a lot and I am greatful for their help. If you want professional support and the best team there is, ask Central Driving Academy of Chicago!

My older son has just gradated from SOR after 4 fantastic years there. Although he was heavily into…read moremusic and taking lessons at his "real" school, SOR encouraged him in other directions (vocal and drumming) and of course, gave him the opportunity to take center stage at times, and to be part of a supportive ensemble at others. My younger son has just started this year, (has done 2 shows) and loves it. The SOR teachers are serious about their jobs. This is not a half-hearted or amateur attempt to teach kids to rock out; these guys know their stuff and set high standards and expectations for the kids. The kids in turn, step up and give some amazing performances.

The program is terrific, however, the office isn't super responsive. I tried to pause my son's…read morelessons for the he summer and never got a call back. Now they want to charge me for an additional 30 days. Disappointed.