This is a short fun post about my experiences with Groupon class deals. The first is Paint Nite and the second is glass blowing class at the Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI). Both of these were held in San Jose.
Paint Nite was held at The Blue Chip Sports Bar on First Street. The Groupon cost $45 (I think it's $25 now) and you get an instructor-led painting class with all the supplies and your painting. You pay for your own wine or drinks. The class takes 2 hours or more if it runs over or you want to stay and touch up your painting. Here's my painting. It's not the best but I had fun painting it. The instructor was great and she breaks down the steps in an easy to follow way. My friends and I had time to chat with each other over through the gaps between our easels. No one really walks away with a painting so horrendous that it can't be displayed at home. I'm hanging this one up in my office.
The same group of friends and I also bought a Groupon for glass blowing class. It cost $89 and the regular price of the class is $180. Above are demo pieces of glass work at BAGI (Bay Area Glass Institute) near Japantown downtown. There are classes for all of these options and more. Around the holidays there is a glass ornament class.
The instructor dips the hot glass into the first color at the bottom of the vase, then the second color for the top of it.
Blowing the glass to form a bubble for the bowl
Widening the opening of the hot glass
The instructor spins out the bowl so it forms that wide rim
The glass has cooled down to the blue color I wanted and I'm stamping the BAGI logo at the bottom. After this, it goes into the oven to anneal for 30ish hours(?) before I can pick it up.
Here's my bowl! I love it. Maybe I'll put candy in it or the remote controls for my TV, who knows! Options are limitless.
Sure it's a $45 painting and a $89 glass bowl which are pricey. But the experiences were really worth it to me. Rather than spending almost that much on food and drinks at a bar with friends, I got to hang out with them doing something that I will probably remember for a long time. For me, the experiences were worth it. I particularly loved the glass blowing class because I really can't do that at home and I am so happy with how the bowl turned out.
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| Photo by Tran |
Sure it's a $45 painting and a $89 glass bowl which are pricey. But the experiences were really worth it to me. Rather than spending almost that much on food and drinks at a bar with friends, I got to hang out with them doing something that I will probably remember for a long time. For me, the experiences were worth it. I particularly loved the glass blowing class because I really can't do that at home and I am so happy with how the bowl turned out.
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