Pinot’s Palette | Parent’s Night Out

This past Saturday the hubs and I went out for a fun painting date night with some friends at Pinot’s Palette at Boca Park in Summerlin. I received 4 complimentary classes to check out Pinot’s Palette in exchange for writing about my experience but, all opinions are my own. Pinot’s Palette is a franchise paint and sip studio with locations all over the country. There are 2 locations in Las Vegas, with a 3rd location opening at Town Square on April 7, 2017 (more on that later). All 3 Las Vegas locations are owned by local husband and wife team Reed and Judy Alewel. I love being able to support local businesses here in Las Vegas!

Jason is a much better painter than I am, so I was a bit nervous that our “fun” date night would end up in frustration on my part. But, thankfully, it was nothing but fun! The studio at Boca Park is pretty spacious. As soon as we walked in we were shown to our table, which was already set up for us with everything we’d need. Since it was our first time there, we were given a quick run down as to where everything was, the aprons, bathrooms, purse cubbies, and most importantly the bar 😉

One thing I really liked about Pinot’s Palatte is that we were allowed to bring in our snacks, so we took some cheese, fruit, and crackers to enjoy while painting and sipping wine. We purchased a bottle of wine at the bar to share and then it was time to get started!

Our instructor had great energy and kept the atmosphere relaxed and casual. He gave us clear, step-by-step instructions throughout the 2 hours we were painting. He pointed out which brushes to use, how much paint to use when blending, and tips on how to get the look we were going for. There was also an assistant walking around the room answering questions and giving us more paints if needed, etc. She was awesome and came by to help us with our paintings when we kinda messed up what we were doing (oopsy!) They were both super supportive and encouraging as they came around and looked at our pictures. The painting instructor even took the time to help out my friend when she thought she’d really messed up her painting. He explained and demonstrated how to fix it and then let her do the rest. I also liked that there was music playing while we painted, which kept the atmosphere lively.

Half way through the class we had a 10 minute intermission to let the paint dry before moving on to the next section. It was a good time to take a break and stretch! The instructor took the time to share some news about upcoming classes, their facebook contest, and to give info on booking a party there too. I think this would be a great idea for a bridal or baby shower! They also host kid parties, which I would love to do for the kiddos! How fun would that be? And the best part is there’s no clean up for parents afterwards!

Like I said, it took about 2 hours or so to complete our paintings. The whole class then took their works of art to the stage for a group photo. They also took photos while we painted to post on their facebook page! We had such a great time during the class. We laughed, chatted, and got to take home our finished masterpieces. It was definitely a nice change from netflix and wine on the couch 🙂

To celebrate the opening of their 3rd location at Town Square, Pinot’s Palette is hosting a Grand Opening celebration on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8. The upscale wine and painting experience is partnering with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for a weekend of giving back to the community while patrons fulfill the Pinot’s Palette motto of “Paint. Drink. Have Fun.” Supporters can sign up for either of the two-hour 7 p.m. classes on Friday or Saturday for $39, with 100 percent of the painting proceeds to be donated to St. Jude. Guests interested in signing up for Friday’s class can register online atwww.pinotspalette.com/townsquare/event/147378 and Saturday’s class registration is available at www.pinotspalette.com/townsquare/event/153747.

I would definitely recommend checking out their classes and what better way to have a fun night out and do good than by going to their Grand Opening Celebration. Have you ever gone to a paint and sip studio? What are your thoughts on the experience?

Fun National Sibling Day at Wine and Canvas

This past Sunday just so happened to be National Siblings Day and I got to spend a fun day with my sister at Wine & Canvas Las Vegas. They have many locations throughout the country and provide fun painting classes with step-by-step instructions from an artist. No experience is necessary. Wine and Canvas Las Vegas offered me 2 complimentary tickets to go check them out and of course, I couldn’t resist.

I’d been to these types of painting classes twice before and both times I really enjoyed it, even if my painting wasn’t a masterpiece! This was my sister’s first time going and I think she enjoyed the class a lot.

Their studio is located in Henderson, which is where we went for the class, but they also offer classes all over town. I really like that they travel to other venues so you could really make a night of it. They also host private events for organizations, clubs, or a party! And for us with kiddos, they even offer classes for the little ones. These are called Cookies & Canvas and are offered once a month in their studio. I cannot wait to take my kids to this class!!

They recommended arriving early, since seating is on a first come basis. We got there about 10 minutes early and had no issues checking in. We were given our blank canvases, told where to get our aprons, and they even had cubbies to keep our bags. The studio has a few long tables, with easels and stools. The paints you’ll be using are all set up for you on a plate, along with the brushes and a cup of water for rinsing your brushes as needed.

We went on Mimosa Sunday, so they were offering bottomless mimosas for $10. They had a cute bar area in the back corner and aside from the mimosas, offered beer, wine, and some specialty drinks. They also had bottled water, soda, and flavored popcorn from Popped, a local Vegas shop. Our class started at 11am, but their weekday and Saturday classes are in the evening.

We found our spot close to the stage, where the instructor would be teaching from, but it didn’t seem to me that there were any “bad” seats, just further back but you could still see what was going on. The instructor wore one of those wireless microphones that wraps around the ear, so hearing her was no problem. Plus, she walked around the room a few times to check out work and answer any questions.

Once we started our painting, our instructor gave us plenty of time to do our work. She was very encouraging and explained herself great. Halfway through the class we took a 10 minute break. Great time for a refill 😉 Before we started up she told us about their upcoming classes and we played a quick little wheel of fortune type game, where you could win stuff, such as a free class, discounts, a free glass of wine, etc.

The whole experience took about an hour and a half. It was super fun seeing all our final paintings. We totally made a day of it and grabbed some lunch afterwards. If you’re looking for something fun and different to do with your sibling or girlfriends, I totally recommend checking out Wine and Canvas Las Vegas!

Friday Five | Things I’m Loving Right Now

I’m really looking forward to this weekend! Tonight I have book club with my girls and it’s our 2 year anniversary! I can’t believe we’ve lasted this long but I’m so glad for it because it is something I look forward to each month. It’s just a fun time to indulge a little in yummy food, wine, and especially good company! You can read more about why I love book club and how to start one of your own book clubs HERE! So, number one on my list of 5 things I am really loving right now is gonna be my book club!

Two more thing I’m really loving right now are my new facial cleanser and moisturizer. I’ve always just bought facial cleansers and moisturizers at CVS or Target. Nothing fancy. However, as I’m getting older I thought it would be a good idea to invest a little more in my face, being it’s the first thing people see, right? I went to Sephora a few weeks ago and although I felt quite overwhelmed, I ended up purchasing the Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser. I normally would buy cleansers with some sort of exfoliation because I felt they got a better clean, but like I said, I’m getting older and I thought something a little more gentle on my skin would be best. I really love that it’s a one-step cleanser. It is great at removing makeup and it’s gentle enough to use everyday after my workouts. The best thing is that my skin doesn’t feel dry or tight after using it, like other cleansers I’ve tried. I stuck to Philosophy and also purchased their Hope in a Jar moisturizer. So far, I’m really liking it too! It’s light and airy and hasn’t made me break out! YAY 🙂 I purchased the original, but I’ll be sure to get the one with SPF next time.

Another thing I can’t get enough of lately is Vita Coco Cafe. This stuff is so refreshing. It’s made with coconut water so it’s packed with electrolytes. Add a shot of espresso and a splash of milk and it makes for a great pick-me-up! I like to have one before/after a long run or well, just because they are delicious! If you haven’t tried it, you must!

Lastly, I’m really diggin’ my Garmin Forerunner 15 with hear rate monitor! It was an anniversary gift from my mom & sister in August and it totally rocks. It gives me all the stats I need for my runs and workouts (when used in Indoor mode) and also serves as a step counter during the day. I promise to give a full review soon!

So, there ya have it! What kinds of things are you loving right now? Sharing is caring 🙂