What I Love This Week- Canvas & Cocktails

I’m in Denver visiting family and last night my sister-in-law took me to a party at Canvas & Cocktails. It’s a studio where you get to paint but can have wine to relax you and subdue any perfectionist tendencies you might have (I don’t know what you’re talking about). I was apprehensive because I have no artistic skill whatsoever but this was a birthday party for some friends so I figured ‘have fun, you’ll never see these people again’. Can I just say- what a BLAST! Yes, you do have to paint but there is an instructor and she is so funny and straightforward and no one is a pro (except the 2 ringers sitting directly behind me who turned out very Picasso-esque versions of the martini we were painting.)

Each step is broken down and, if you want, you don’t have to reproduce the example painting, you can do whatever you want. As you paint the instructor cranks seriously great music on the sound system (Black Eyed Peas, Journey, Lady Gaga, Bob Seeger, Lynyrd Skynard, Ludacris). She tells you you can get up and dance if you want and many people (after numerous glasses of wine) do.

The cleverest part is that you take a break while your painting dries and head over to the boutique which is filled with cute clothes and even cuter jewelry. This is genius- release women, after several glasses of wine, into a retail environment! I’m almost certain this is where the profits come in. Honestly, I saw more than one woman standing at the register with not one, not two, but three or more necklaces, earrings, and bracelets! And this stuff was not cheap! Thankfully both my SIL and I kept our wits about us and while we admired any number of fun items we didn’t buy anything.

All in all, a fun relaxing evening that I loved! Got to hang out with my SIL who is like the sister I never had, made a piece of ‘art’ (MOMA call me), and was thoroughly rejuvenated by all the happy chatty female energy.

Just for grins- here's my masterpiece. And it's a Cosmo not a plain old martini.