10 Quirky Urban Classes to Master Cool New Skills
It’s time to head back to school. (Just like Rodney Dangerfield.) But by “school,” we don’t mean differential equations (shudder). Instead, we’re thinking more along the lines of cheese making. Or beekeeping. Or bike building. Check out these ten unconventional classes to pick up all kinds of neat new skills to better your home, your life—and *your mind.*
1. BEEKEEPING // BROOKLYN: Consider yourself something of an apian aficionado? (Because you totally know what that is.) Dive into the world of urban beekeeping (with the appropriate protective garb, of course) with Brooklyn Brainery. It's only $10 to brush up on the basics. And, if insects aren't your thing, note that the Brainery hosts other urban classes covering everything from New York's jazz scene to the basics of tarot card reading.
Photo courtesy of Tim O'Neal, Borough Bees
2. BREWING // PHILADELPHIA: Love your hops? Get elbow-deep in your brew with Philly Beer School's semester-long beer & brewing program. From mashing to the magic of fermentation, you'll learn just how (and why) that pint is so tasty. When the time comes to enjoy the fruits of your labor at the end, though, just make sure you've got your designated driver on hand.
Photo courtesy of Huntstock/Thinkstock
3. TAXIDERMY // LOS ANGELES: If your tastes lean towards the Tim Burton end of the macabre spectrum, then the taxidermy classes at Prey should be right up your alley. Led by a Natural History Museum pro teaching museum-level technique, the courses aren't for the squeamish, but are ideal for artists and eccentrics looking to take on a very new skillset.
Photo courtesy of Prey
4. TERRARIUMS // CHICAGO: Green up your apartment the interior designer-approved way: with a terrarium. These pretty little ecosystems are the perfect combo of nature and design, especially for small spaces. And at classes at Sprout Home, held every Wednesday, students can customize their creations for bright or low-light conditions to ensure the plants love your apartment back.
Photo courtesy of Sprout Home
5. WOODWORKING // ATLANTA: Tired of the flat-packed, prefab furniture grind? Maybe it's time to invest in some DIY. At Highland Woodworking, novices can sign up for woodworking classes – and come away with handmade bookcases, bowls, and end tables. Ron Swanson would be proud.
Photo courtesy of Highland Woodworking
6. GRAPHIC NOVELS // SEATTLE: Part drawing tutorial and part writing course, this awesome graphic novel class, co-hosted by the University of Washington's Experimental College, invites students to craft their own eye-catching page-turners. Whether your style's more Persepolis or Watchmen, you'll learn how to guide your reader's eye around the page just so.
Photo courtesy of Nils Osmar, 2014
7. BIKE FRAMES // PORTLAND: There's nothing like a good bike. And one you've made yourself? It doesn't get much cooler than that. Pick up your welder and get to work, then, at Portland's United Bicycle Institute. Their frame-building classes will let you make a perfectly bespoke ride, whether you're looking to take your bike on mountain trails or simply hit the concrete.
Photo courtesy of Zurijeta/iStock/Thinkstock
8. CHEESE MAKING // SAN FRANCISCO: Listen: we all love cheese (maybe not quite as much as Liz Lemon, but still a lot). Leave it to the Cheese School of San Francisco, then, to aid and abet your fromage-y infatuation. While you can sign on for tasting and pairing classes, cheese making workshops, which cover everything from mozzarella to gouda, are for the truly curd-crazy.
Photo courtesy of jcmanfredi/iStock/Thinkstock
9. TRAPEZE FLYING // AUSTIN: Most urban classes don't invite you to go flying several dozen feet in the air, but then again, most classes don't teach the art of the trapeze. You'll have to head to Trapeze Texas for that, where they hitch you into a harness before sending you soaring through the skies. (Safely, of course.)
Photo courtesy of Trapeze Texas
10. GLASS MAKING // D.C.: Making your own glass is, well...pretty awesome. (Really, any craft that involves handling something the approximate temperature of molten magma makes you a bona fide boss.) What better excuse to sign up for a blown glass or flameworking course at Workhouse? Participants of all ages and skill sets are catered to, and the end results are almost as impressive as your new "glass maker" title.
Photo courtesy of Kaca_Studio/iStock/Thinkstock
1. BEEKEEPING // BROOKLYN: Consider yourself something of an apian aficionado? (Because you totally know what that is.) Dive into the world of urban beekeeping (with the appropriate protective garb, of course) with Brooklyn Brainery. It's only $10 to brush up on the basics. And, if insects aren't your thing, note that the Brainery hosts other urban classes covering everything from New York's jazz scene to the basics of tarot card reading.
Photo courtesy of Tim O'Neal, Borough Bees
2. BREWING // PHILADELPHIA: Love your hops? Get elbow-deep in your brew with Philly Beer School's semester-long beer & brewing program. From mashing to the magic of fermentation, you'll learn just how (and why) that pint is so tasty. When the time comes to enjoy the fruits of your labor at the end, though, just make sure you've got your designated driver on hand.
Photo courtesy of Huntstock/Thinkstock
3. TAXIDERMY // LOS ANGELES: If your tastes lean towards the Tim Burton end of the macabre spectrum, then the taxidermy classes at Prey should be right up your alley. Led by a Natural History Museum pro teaching museum-level technique, the courses aren't for the squeamish, but are ideal for artists and eccentrics looking to take on a very new skillset.
Photo courtesy of Prey
4. TERRARIUMS // CHICAGO: Green up your apartment the interior designer-approved way: with a terrarium. These pretty little ecosystems are the perfect combo of nature and design, especially for small spaces. And at classes at Sprout Home, held every Wednesday, students can customize their creations for bright or low-light conditions to ensure the plants love your apartment back.
Photo courtesy of Sprout Home
5. WOODWORKING // ATLANTA: Tired of the flat-packed, prefab furniture grind? Maybe it's time to invest in some DIY. At Highland Woodworking, novices can sign up for woodworking classes – and come away with handmade bookcases, bowls, and end tables. Ron Swanson would be proud.
Photo courtesy of Highland Woodworking
6. GRAPHIC NOVELS // SEATTLE: Part drawing tutorial and part writing course, this awesome graphic novel class, co-hosted by the University of Washington's Experimental College, invites students to craft their own eye-catching page-turners. Whether your style's more Persepolis or Watchmen, you'll learn how to guide your reader's eye around the page just so.
Photo courtesy of Nils Osmar, 2014
7. BIKE FRAMES // PORTLAND: There's nothing like a good bike. And one you've made yourself? It doesn't get much cooler than that. Pick up your welder and get to work, then, at Portland's United Bicycle Institute. Their frame-building classes will let you make a perfectly bespoke ride, whether you're looking to take your bike on mountain trails or simply hit the concrete.
Photo courtesy of Zurijeta/iStock/Thinkstock
8. CHEESE MAKING // SAN FRANCISCO: Listen: we all love cheese (maybe not quite as much as Liz Lemon, but still a lot). Leave it to the Cheese School of San Francisco, then, to aid and abet your fromage-y infatuation. While you can sign on for tasting and pairing classes, cheese making workshops, which cover everything from mozzarella to gouda, are for the truly curd-crazy.
Photo courtesy of jcmanfredi/iStock/Thinkstock
9. TRAPEZE FLYING // AUSTIN: Most urban classes don't invite you to go flying several dozen feet in the air, but then again, most classes don't teach the art of the trapeze. You'll have to head to Trapeze Texas for that, where they hitch you into a harness before sending you soaring through the skies. (Safely, of course.)
Photo courtesy of Trapeze Texas
10. GLASS MAKING // D.C.: Making your own glass is, well...pretty awesome. (Really, any craft that involves handling something the approximate temperature of molten magma makes you a bona fide boss.) What better excuse to sign up for a blown glass or flameworking course at Workhouse? Participants of all ages and skill sets are catered to, and the end results are almost as impressive as your new "glass maker" title.
Photo courtesy of Kaca_Studio/iStock/Thinkstock
