What a wonderful experience. Clay Cafe is absolutely mom-and-daughter approved!…read more
I originally came across the idea of painting pottery while visiting Vista, California. I wanted to do something different and special with my mom, who is almost 80, incredibly active, full of spirit, and has worked hard her entire life. She had never really been in a setting where she could simply sit down, paint, and explore her creative side, so I wanted to surprise her with something new.
While we were still in Vista, we briefly parked and I started looking up pottery-painting places closer to the LA County area. That is when I came across Clay Cafe. We were already beginning our drive back toward home, so I decided to take a chance on it even though it was still about 30 minutes from us. I'm so glad I did.
This is a family-owned business run by a mother-and-daughters team who are artists themselves, and you can really feel the care they've put into the space. They were welcoming, helpful, patient, and genuinely kind from the moment we walked in.
We picked out our pottery and ended up spending almost THREE HOURS painting! The time flew by because we were having such a great time together. There are plenty of paints, tools, and creative options, and the guidance they provide is wonderful without making you feel rushed.
They also have a cafe next door with coffee, cookies, and other goodies. If you have a sweet tooth, definitely try the cookies--they are huge! We enjoyed iced coffee and a cappuccino while we were there.
I will say that this isn't the cheapest pottery-painting experience, but I felt the quality, materials, tools, atmosphere, and assistance made it worth it. My shark piggy bank was around $60 and my mom chose a vase around $50, so with everything we spent roughly $130-$140 for the two of us, depending of course on what pottery you choose.
After you finish painting, they glaze and fire your pieces. They took our contact information, and about two weeks later we received a text letting us know everything was ready. We picked up our finished pottery today and were SO happy with how it turned out.
They welcome walk-ins, although I would recommend making a reservation, especially if you want to settle in and really enjoy the experience. Parking was also easy since they are in a small plaza shared with 7-Eleven.
They also host fun events, including a plant bingo where you can apparently win plants, so definitely check their current schedule.
For me, though, the best part was simply getting to sit across from my mom, paint together, laugh, talk, and watch her creative side come out. That memory alone was worth every penny.
Wonderful family-owned business, wonderful people, and such a fun experience. We will absolutely be back.
UPDATE: Thank you for your sweet message ! It was a beautiful memory and one I'll cherish! The vase made it across the continent to Ecuador !
Looking forward to bringing her back here again and also sharing this with the family ! See you ladies soon
