It is INSANE to me that this level of artistry is not blasted everywhere in El Paso and beyond. I…read moreasked for small local businesses to help me find gifts for the upcoming holidays and y'all didn't disappoint. I wanted to have a family picture with particular shades to fill my living room. With Covid and toddlers we just kept pushing it off until Mini Artbox showed me her work. This is not just a photograph, it's art, and it's SO AFFORDABLE. It's less than what a photo session cost including the printed pictures and frame. Just ask and be surprised at the cost. We ordered a huge canvas and she worked with me over 2 days. I sent her over 10+ pictures at different times and dates and we worked together to choose the right pose and size and she hand blends, stencils, and paints it to life. ‍ She's taking commissions right now, and I hesitate to share, but it's SUCH a wonderful gift even when social distancing. I predict she'll be quite busy. https://www.facebook.com/miniartboxep/videos/3423935964367407/

Such a great and fun environment! The instructor is kind and patient with first timers. We will…read moredefinitely be going again soon

NDMF is an annual festival held in the city of El Paso currently in the downtown plaza. They shut…read moredown various streets and thousands, I mean thousands, of folks attend the 2-day festival. It's an all ages event but they do focus themselves towards the 21+ crowd. I was a big fan of the VIP area where they had open bar and complimentary food. This year they featured Dos XX, Tito's, Orange Cow Burgers, and a few other options. Personally thought it was cool they had the rehydration tent with IVs and the hair/makeup touches. The teepees had a nice added touch and it was nice to layout on the grass without having to worry being congested like a herd in the general area. There were four stages were 1 was for local artists and the other three featured artists from indie/hip hob/r&b/electronic genres. Some of the featured artists were Nelly, J Balvin, Alesso, Hardwell, Ghostland Observatory, and Foster The People. Honestly being at a festival like this you're bound to get hungry so I was quite pleased to see the wide vary of food available from local spots including Crave. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and had a fun time.

Neon Desert is my favorite festival in El Paso! And yes, I'm comparing it to all the different…read moretypes of festivals we have in the area. Beyond being one of the largest (if not THEE largest), NDMF is executed pretty well and there's a range of things to do while there. I only have two gripes with the whole thing and that's the food/drinks and kids, but we'll get to that later. The lineup is usually pretty good and always has a mix of genres. The silent disco is where it's at. You throw on some head phones and you can click between two DJs. Then you dance the night away. It's actually kind of funny to see if you don't know what you're looking at since everyone is dancing and laughing, but you can't hear anything. Oh and the silent disco is usually under an open tent so you can get out of the sun for awhile without missing out on the actual festival. I wasn't able to check out each and every single vendor this past NDMF, but some of my favorites were the Henna Tattoos by Lu-E Fresh (they look good and they last a long time), the Mattress Firm tent (just lined with a ridiculous amount of mattresses that you can hang out on), the Southwest University mobile photobooth (also where you can get free paletas), the El Paso Electric Tent (charging ports galore, but you'll get out of there faster if you have your own cord), the Malibu House (drinks and flash tattoos), and the Tidal booth (where you feel like you're connected to Beyoncé). The food is where I get a little hung up. It's always overpriced, but I think that has to do with the businesses needing to recoup their cost after paying for a space at NDMF. I try to eat before I go so that way I'm only getting a couple of things here and there. I also think there could be a bigger selection of food with more vendors because they definitely have the space. If the food is overpriced, the drinks are unaffordable. My biggest recommendation is stick to the big names when it comes to drinks. There are tents that sell NDMF's drinks and can utilize any number of sponsored liquors/beer, but if those sponsors have an actual booth go to their booth instead. I bought some kind of adult lemonade from a NDMF tent and it tasted like straight lemon water... no alcohol, no sweet, just lemon water. And I even told the bartender no ice because when I found out it was over $8 for a regular cup of a mixed drink, it was a little disappointing when the cup was loaded to the brim with ice. For the same amount I spent at that tent I bought a frozen Piña Colada at the Malibu House that was not only big, but also delicious! Know where you're going to get the most bang for your buck. I just want to touch on the kiddo thing. While you are allowed to bring your kids to this festival, don't do it. It's like taking your kid to a bar... like yeah, you can do it, but the other patrons will give you that look. And actually I'll give you a list of reasons you shouldn't bring your kids: - Almost all of the crowd is 21+. - Booze, cussing, and possibly some other things that you might not want your kids around. - No kids areas... nope, you will not find a bounce house. - It's loud. - As an adult this is a wonderland so you'll probably want to walk around the whole festival, your kid will not. Just don't bring your kids. And if your kid begs you to take them because they're twelve and want to see JUST one of the performers, but they need you to take them... DON'T DO IT. They can wait until they're eighteen and they can go by themselves. This is the place to be during Memorial Day weekend if you're in EP. There's so much going on there like the skate park, live art, food, drinks, and of course music. They usually come out with the lineup a few months before the event, but you can score the best price on tickets if you buy them before then.

It was so much fun! We had an amazing time. -would highly…read morerecommend to everyone!! They have an axe throwing room and a painting room too

Used a Groupon for axe throwing. We had a blast, was just us and they let us hook up our music to…read moretheir speakers. The guys were friendly and told us about the other things they had to offer. Had a blast!

Not much to say about it this place, as I've only been there once and it was to pick up an item I'd…read morealready paid for. EP Finest is located downtown right across from San Jacinto (not Anson 11 side). It is a very small brick and mortar place that houses pieces / collections from over 30 different El Paso artists. One of which we met at our annual trip to the El Paso Comic-Con. She had a lot of art on display, and it was very well done. However, it's Comic-Con, so a lot (not us) were in Cosplay, including the artist. Sue was dressed as Nadja, from What We Do In The Shadows, which happens to be one of our Top 5 shows of all time. And not only was she dressed as Nadja, but she had a very well done portrait of Nadjas husband, Lazlo Cravensworth. That happens to be my favorite of the entire show. A must have for my office / nonsense room in my house. She offered a great deal, where you could purchase 3 "prints" (so printed versions of her original works), for $45. So, I bought Lazlo, Dwight/Angela/Moes, and a Sailor Moon one. We came to EP Finest to pick up the prints id purchased. Nice little store. Nice local art. Worth checking out for sure.

The Ruiz Family enjoyed our school trip to La Union Maze this fall. It was nice to have the whole…read moreplace to ourselves. Less crowds, less worry about losing my two kiddos. The first thing you notice as you walk in is the amount of space that the grounds have. If you walk in you'll notice the food stands to the left and some covered picnic areas immediately to the right. If you walk past the picnic areas, you'll run into some activity areas. The food is expectedly pricey, but you don't have to eat there... just plan ahead. Noah found some friends and headed for the huge slide, after going down that a few times; he went to the ball toss areas. Noemi found her own friends and dragged Liz the other way. They ran through the garden maze first, and found a bounce area. Both kids found the large corn maze area and explored it with their respective friends. We spent a good 30min at least in the long trail. After the kids got done with the maze, they went to hang out and feed the penned up goats. Noemi in particular couldn't wait for the pig race. Noah and I took a tractor ride to the pumpkin patch, wandered around, but we didn't buy any pumpkins or gourds that day. The folks were super friendly - whether it be at the maze, the activities, the food stands... they were all friendly. They have some food options. We ate beforehand, but we got some lemonades and waters to keep us going. La Union has plenty of parking in a lot right out front. The recommendation to bring sunscreen and bug spray is legit... keep it handy. Lookin' forward to next year.

A great experience; especially if you have children. For a few bucks you can spend the whole day…read moredoing activities, eating and enjoying our wonderful weather this time of year.

Flor De Barro is a hidden gem out in the Westside filled with beautiful artwork and artifacts. The…read moreowners are very knowledgeable and passionate about their business. It's easy to miss as it's a home transformed into an art gallery. There is parking out front and plenty of beautiful pieces inside. Be sure to check it out!!

I love art so I could spend hours here. I enjoy learning about all types and just looking at it. My…read morewhole life has always involved art somehow. I've taken classes, I have relatives who are talented artists, I've met several artists in my life. Anyway...Flor de Barro offers classes to the community. They start at around $35 and up. They invite the public to have mimosas on Sunday afternoons. They also have other events for anyone whose interested. For example, their Dia de los Muertos altar/art was great. I enjoyed seeing it very much. They even gave out hot cocoa and pan de muerto to visitors. Follow them on social media and/or check out their website for more info. You can also subscribe to their email blasts. The main thing Flor de Barro is known for is their hand crafted pottery from Mata Ortiz. Mata Ortiz is a small village in Chihuahua, Mexico. It's a 4.5 hour drive from El Paso. Some of the art is pricey but beautiful to look at. However, smaller pieces are really affordable. I saw a tiny pot I really love for $6. I'll most likely go back and get it. There are some larger pieces that cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The staff is always friendly and hospitable. I like that they don't pressure anyone into buying the art. They let you look around and take photos freely. They're all about building genuine relationships with those who visit. Flor de Barro seems to update their inventory often. I saw a beautiful nativity scene that wasn't there a month ago. Those who aren't in El Paso can also shop online via their website. Several, if not all of these pieces, would make fine gifts. I highly recommend visiting Flor de Barro, whether you plan on buying something or not. We're supposed to learn something new everyday. I think you will here.

you've ever thought, "You know what my life is missing? Paint, sawdust, and the confidence to ruin…read morea perfectly good piece of pottery," then let me introduce you to your new happy place: Sun City Sawdust. This place is basically an adult playground disguised as a DIY studio. You walk in thinking you'll casually paint a mug... and suddenly you're emotionally invested in shading techniques like you're auditioning for The Great British Bake Off: Pottery Edition. The staff? Absolute legends. Not only are they insanely helpful, but they somehow manage to be encouraging even when your "artistic vision" looks like it lost a fight with a kindergarten class. They guide you, hype you up, and never once say, "Sir... that Lebanese Cedar tree looks like broccoli or a Christmas tree." True professionals. And the owners Pamela and Jennifer? Let's just say El Paso doesn't deserve them, but we're lucky they're here anyway. Some of the kindest, most welcoming humans you'll ever meet. The kind of people who make you feel like family... a very creative, slightly paint-covered family. Whether you're making pottery, working on a DIY project, or just there to pretend you're artsy for a few hours, this place delivers. You'll leave with something handmade, slightly questionable, and 100% yours--and somehow already planning your next visit. 10/10. Would absolutely go back to make another "masterpiece" that my family will politely display.

Destressed my week away with painting. The ladies who run this place are so nice and the place is…read morewelcoming. Best part is they laser cut letters to make a special sign

My recent visit to the museum was to spend time in the galleries devoted to the Old Masters, a…read morecollection overwhelmingly due to the Kress donation. Kress was a discount store from many decades ago. Mr. Kress had assembled a truly monumental collection. Upon his death, paintings were given to quite a number of art museums around the country. The El Paso Museum of Art is one of them. I'm always blown away whenever I see the paintings donated by Kress in various museums that I've visited. I think that this museum received an especially vigorous selection and so many of the works on display seem so fresh and bright. These aren't lesser works by iconic artists, either. These are amazing and the collection alone make this museum a must-see. My favorite work on display is Vincenzo Catena's 'Portrait of a Woman', an oil on canvas work from about 1520-25; oil on canvas. The young woman staring directly at the viewer looks quite modern-day as if she's posing for a selfie to show off her finery; and, what finery it is: red velvet and fur with a large-jeweled broach. This is where Catena is also showing off: his skill in making the velvet and fur seem so real. This is quite the lush painting. I was also sure to visit a selection of paintings on the first level that presented works by local students. My favorite was Zoey Odette Valles' 'Tumbled Away, an acrylic on canvas piece that seemed ready for the permanent collection. Well done, Zoey! Some museums are hindered by their spaces. This museum falls into that category. This is an overhauled Greyhound bus station that I remember using years ago when I'd travel with a little backpack across the country. The space works as well as they can make it work and the engagement with the local community is truly impressive. However, if this museum's collection were in a truly dedicated space, people would trek here just for the art.

The employees started ushering us out 20 minutes before closing. We were waiting for our Uber 5…read moreminutes before closing by the doors, and they rudely told us we couldn't wait inside. While the art is beautiful, the employees were rude and made visitors feel unwelcome.