I wanted to tuft a rug for a gift, and I remembered Queens CM Sam mentioning this studio (see her…read morebubble tea rug!). It was easy to book online. I opted for a custom design (they have some pretty neat standard designs, but I wanted something specific), and uploaded 3 design options when I booked. They reached out to me by email within 1.5 weeks for approval, and my design was ready and sketched out on canvas when I arrived. Parking wasn't difficult, but make sure to read the street signs, because some streets are no parking or standing during the day! I arrived early (make sure to take the elevator!) and after confirming my name and filling out the liability form, I was welcomed to browse the yarn colors. They had picked some out already for my design, but I was free to swap any out. You can even change out the colors for the standard designs, as my fellow tuft-ers chose to do. Thanks to Taylor for teaching us the ropes (we were first timers!) and helping us through the whole experience! She was mostly hands off once we got started, but was open to helping out. Towards the end, she looked over our rugs and helped by pointing out parts that could be filled more so that the rug comes out much nicer. Note: you are free to bring food and drinks, but there is limited space on the table. I ate prior to arriving, but did have a drink with no issues. Be prepared to be there for at least a couple hours. I spent a little over 3 hours tufting their 27x27" frame (as did my fellow tuft-ers). They finish your rug by trimming, gluing and shaving it, which is supposed to take 3-6 weeks. I got antsy at the 6 week mark, so I sent them an email. I received an email the following day that my rug was ready for pick up (phew!). You can request for it to be delivered for a fee, but I wanted to pickup, so I went the following day. Pickup was smooth and very friendly. She helped roll up my rug and secure with a yarn for easy transport. My rug came out better than I expected! Overall, a cool and fun experience for a newbie like me!

Super fun! The instructor gives a short tutorial and she's around for any questions. It takes a…read morewhile to get use to the feel of the tufting gun but you get the hang of it after a while. It's good to practice for a bit on the scrap before you start on the pattern so that you get the feel of the pressure and how to control the direction of the gun. The class itself is set for 2 hrs but most people are allowed to stay after to finish. Then you pick it up 3 weeks later for the studio to glue shave and have it set.

What an amazing class! I pat myself on shoulder for discovering this place and brought three people…read moreto explore the inner artist of ourselves, with bottles of wine that is. The instructor was very helpful and let us do "free style" if you want. She checked on everyone, refilled colors, answered questions. Even though the class was supposed to be 3 hours, it went by fast and we were all proud of our paintings in the end. Will definitely do it again!

It's date night! I saw their great deal on Groupon then wanted to enroll in the session that was…read morepainting the "Brooklyn Bridge at Sunset." So I had to send an email with our voucher numbers to reserve our seats. Luckily, we snatched street parking directly outside since commercial parking on that block ends at 6pm (yay!). Class starts at 7pm. After climbing one set of stairs, we walk into the studio. Nikki, our instructor, greets us then provides a quick overview of the space. We select our seats, hang our coats, grab aprons and two slices of pizza per person. Who doesn't love a pizza party? I appreciated the prompt start, because it was a two-hour experience. The class itself (with 10 students including us) was pretty cool and relaxing. It was easy to "paint along," because there was a well-positioned TV that was connected to a camera over her canvas. She gave oral instructions as she demonstrated the techniques. We did our best to replicate what she just demonstrated as she walked around to give individual pointers. My right arm was definitely tired due to the repeated strokes lol, but we had a great time. Clean up was a breeze and it didn't take long for our canvases to dry. We're excited to come back for more classes. Aside from painting your own piece, you can also browse the pieces available for purchase. I can't think of a better way to adorn the bare white walls of our home than with DIY pieces.

TLDR, if you're on the fence- TAKE THE INTRO TRAPEZE CLASS! These classes *are* available to the…read morepublic - you do not need to be a trained professional. Circus Academy NY (formerly Trapeze School NY) was an incredible place to take my first trapeze class. Did their Thursday afternoon class @ Pier 40 yesterday from 6-8 PM and all 3 instructors - Yiannis, Ross, and Stuart - were knowledgeable, friendly, and made me feel safe. Special shout out to Yiannis for his sense of humor and warmth! I liked that all instructors gave detailed guidance, patiently answered questions, and then demo'ed the sequence. I especially appreciated that if students didn't feel comfortable flipping or being caught mid-air, the instructors encouraged everyone but didn't pressure anyone to do something if the student wasn't feeling it. I lived in NY for years and my only regret is not having taken regular classes here while I was still here. LOVED the experience and I intend on taking a class every time I'm visiting NY! A few notes on logistics for Pier 40 classes: -arrive 10-15 min early to change, check into your class, and get fitted into your harness -to reach the class, take the elevator to the third floor and walk through the parking lot towards the turf soccer field, you'll see the huge trapeze structure -there's a changing room, water, also cliff bars and sunscreen available for purchase on the roof (third floor) -bathrooms are on the second floor

Tried flying trapeze for the first time and with a big fear of heights, came out swinging and…read moreflying through the air, and got to do an advanced trick where I swung and grabbed the instructors' arms! What a great experience, I'm still soaking in how cool and accessible this class was. What made the experience was how well thought-out the teaching experience is, and how passionate the instructors are at correcting your form and helping you succeed in such a brief time. This is truly a school. Some of the people helping me were Hal, Aaron, Allie. They have a great system to get you set up with safety, get you hooked, and help you through the tricks as you get a feel for swinging through the air. I felt I could put my complete trust to them as they called out for my next move, and could focus on getting the trick right. The time flies fast, and your time on the trapeze is fast-paced so make sure you're warmed up and ready to swing your legs onto the bar that you're holding with your hands. The only downside is that the amount of times you get to go up the ladder depends on how many people are also in the class with you, since it's an individual sport (I got to fly three times). I would highly recommend!

My friends and I celebrated a birthday at this location, and overall, the experience was fun…read more However, I did find it somewhat difficult to follow the instruction during the session. The placement of the instructor's seat made it challenging for everyone to see her demonstrations clearly. I would recommend building a small raised platform or stage for the instructor to sit on so all participants can easily follow along. This took away from the experience. As a beginner, I also felt I didn't receive enough one-on-one guidance. It may be helpful in the future to have either two instructors or an assistant available to support participants who may need additional help. While I appreciated the generous access to clay during the session, I was disappointed that glazing more than one item came with an additional charge -- especially considering the class is already quite expensive. Allowing participants to glaze at least two pieces would add significant value to the experience. Lastly, I noticed that 30 minutes of the private lesson was dedicated to cleanup. I understand the importance of maintaining the space but it shouldn't be counted as part of the paid instructional time. This was my first wheel throwing class. Instructor: Ella

Really fun experience! My first time actually working with clay from scratch and doing pottery. Our…read moreteacher Bruce was great and showed us how to work with the clay first, and then let us try with our own wheels. He showed us again while we were working on it since most of us were first timers and gave us some tips. They also have a menu so you can order drinks to enjoy (although this is really for before and after since your hands will be covered in clay during the lesson). After finishing the session, we cleaned up our stations and tools, and then got to pick the glaze for our pieces. My piece hasn't been fired yet but I can update after!

Loved it so much fun!! I brought my friends here because we wanted a chill day for our last day in…read moreNYC and found an all-day art spot on TikTok. When we first walked in the employees greeted us with a warm welcoming and explained how everything worked. It was homey and warming, i felt like it was my own art house full of art supplies. I recommend if you're trying to spend time with your friends or go on date!

This is a really cool art area/studio in the Manhattan area. It's located right next to Penn…read moreStation. It's super fun. You can get a package where you get to make art. There is a point system for base materials and then you can use whatever you want for however long additionally they are a coworker space so you can come here and buy a basic package and work. additionally, they have snacks for sale as well as free tea and coffee. They have everything that you could need and everyone who is there is super sweet. Additionally, decor is great. It's super cozy. The lighting is dark but they have lights/little lamps that you can use. They also have water and a sink for the art supplies. You can do a basic package or add a clay package. There is an additional fee for firing the clay.

If you're in search of a fun outing with a date or friend, look no further. I did the Single Class…read moreTryNight and it was a fun experience. This particular class is 2 hours and you get to be hands on with the clay and wheel. Class is $85/person. FYI, you will get messy, so dress accordingly. This was my first-time doing clay pottery, but the class goes through the basics quickly. Attaining mastery over crafting clay pottery won't exactly happen for first goers in this class. Some people spend decades perfecting their craft, so it made me wonder if I needed to do an intro class beforehand. Rest assured the instructor and aide are informative and helpful - they helped me several times to fix my messes. The teacher and aide were also down-to-earth and held a good sense of humor, so the vibes were enjoyable and easy-going. Towards the end, you clean up and also pick out which clay pottery you want to keep and glaze/fire. They'll call you back when your piece is ready for pick-up. I recommend folks to support this local spot!

Best ceramic studio in NYC! I started out by taking a hand building class with the lovely /…read moretalented Olive and quickly fell in love with the space so I joined as a member and have now been part of this amazing community for just over 1 year. The people are all so friendly and willing to share tips / tricks and the space itself is large and super clean. The staff is wonderful and helpful. I couldn't recommend Clay Space more - it has become one of my favorite places and communities!

Took a ceramic mug class and it was super fun! Instructors/staff are friendly, the class is…read morestraightforward and approachable but still allows for creativity, and the turnaround time for pick up is reasonably fast (within 1-2 weeks of your class). They also have a huge variety of mugs available for purchase if you don't want to make your own. I really like the unique look of these mugs and will likely purchase some even though I've also personalized my own in the class :) Something I especially appreciated was how friendly and flexible the staff were. The class price is for making 2 mugs, but since I wanted to make espresso cup-sized mugs, I had a lot of leftover pieces of clay. I was allowed/encouraged to use the scraps to make little accompaniments to my mugs, which made the pieces feel even more unique and the experience even more memorable. Highly recommend!! Also, makes for the perfect creative date activity.

I've taken a few classes here and now I'm a part of their sister studio Loft Ceramics. All the…read morestaff is super friendly, and Kevin the owner is so knowledgable and accessible. It's great to find a community that's involved and invested in the craft, and I've enjoyed learning and becoming a part of this ceramic community. Would highly recommend any of the workshop classes here, and if there's any further interest you should definitely check out Loft Ceramics which is nearby on the same block! The storefront is a multi-work space, used for classes but also an open store that has production pieces that are all made on-site. Lots of people purchase pieces off the shelf, and they can learn to make them themselves at a workshop.

BEST Makeup School in the US !!!! I was really struggling…read morefinding the right school specially when there are so many out in the industry. But Chicstudios is my main reason I relocated to New York! Chicstudios made my dreams come thru because not only will you graduate with a Resume, headshot and portfolio but also will they help you get jobs you always dreamed of. The instructors are so passionate about making sure that you get all the fondation that you need to get your right foot in the door. There are so many different aspects about Chicstudios that other schools don't offer. They have a pro community page which is only for grads where daily jobs are listed in all field and also do they offer their school rooms for free if you need to use space for your work (even after you graduate). And one of the heart melting reason I am in love with this school, besides their cute decorations and class rooms and location, whenever I felt like I was still struggling with certainty I was always allowed to come back to school to retake classes at NO cost. They offer great quality products at their class that you can use to practice as well as provide you with a professional starter kit to keep. Its a definitely must go School for everyone who wants their dream and passion to become reality. BECAUSE Chicstudios DEFINITELY guides you all along the way so you can reach your goals even ever after graduating which most schools don't offer. Thank you to the Founder of Chic for making my dreams come thru and all the well experienced Instructors ‍

I absolutely love CHIC. I was between 2 schools of makeup and I'm so happy I decided to go to chic…read more The instructors are AMAZING, extremely knowledgeable and professional. The whole staff goes above and beyond to help you and make sure you're learning everything that it's being taught. I had the chance to meet Amy (the owner), she is super sweet and prompt to help and answer all of my questions. Jasleen (office manager) is great and eager to help you in any way she can. I'm truly glad I'm a member of the CHIC family now.