You know the "Elaine dance", right? From Seinfeld? *oh sweet fancy Moses!*…read more Yeah at one time that could have been me. But see, back then I was unfamiliar with the super delightful, incredibly fanciful & all around blissful dance called "Swing". And excuse me for saying so, but if you don't agree it isn't one of the most fun dances to not only participate in, but also WATCH others do, well then friend you are a miserable bastard that should spend the rest of your days watching re-runs of Solid Gold and Dance Party USA. aHEm. So see, I had come across a Groupon for a six week series here and when I saw that...why I couldnt have been more excited if Gregory Peck himself came back from the dead just to goose me. And holy heck was it fun! The instructors were awesomely patient and thorough about explaining all the steps, and even when you had to dance with some two-left footed schmoe, you still were having a good time. The facility is big, and decorated in sort of a vintage, thrift store hodgepodge, but it works. This aint Arthur Murray over here kids...they also offer a bunch of other classes that have nothing to do with dancing too! But I dont care about that...I am completely hooked and cant wait to go back to take more swing classes. And now I am proud to say I don't look like I am doing a full bodied dry heave set to music anymore. rockin! Thanks Galaxie!

Did you ever aspire to be a welding stripper like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance..?…read more ~Well, at the Galaxie Chicago you can become just that! This is a huge multi-purpose space that offers almost every kind of class you can think of from dance to, that's right, welding..! They have tons of swing dance classes and workshops, kick boxing, wedding party partner dance classes, silk screening, yoga, karate, art, animation, stained glass, glass blowing...oh, and you know that book you've been meaning to get bound..? Learn how in a book binding class! Now, I've only participated in the swing stuff and can tell you that you'll learn from the best, Nicolle Wood, who also owns the space. I've also attended many private parties here and they manage to transform the space from casual to elegant effortlessly...it's just such a unique space... This Galaxie is not far, far away either... ...now if they would just have a stripping class my dreams could come true...

Aura Candle Bar has a calm, quiet, relaxing atmosphere with exposed brick walls, light flooring,…read morehigh ceilings and floating shelving. One wall holds all the candle inventory with fragrances like old books, dad's den, dragon-blood or more identifiable scents like elderberry, dark chocolate, bonsai, yuzu. The candle experience starts with an explanation of the experience and setting expectations before exploring fragrances that speak to us individually. Off we went to the shelves, making notes and sniffing coffee in a silver sifter to reset "nose fatigue". Our "chandlers" curated our blends with us and instructed us on blending technique to help us build the scent. Vessels were selected, wax poured, fragrances added and candles created. Candles are available for pick up the next day. I have been back three times. I highly recommend this business. They are a family owned business.

Aura Candle Bar was such a fun experience that I would 100% do again!…read more Alex was our guide. Not only was she knowledgeable, but she was also very sweet and kind. Gave very clear instructions and was just super interactive which I appreciated. They have so many scents to choose from that you definitely won't be able to smell them all, but I think you can get through a good amount of them to know that you're picking the best scents that stand out to you. I think this experience is definitely worth the money! They hold the candles for you for two weeks, but you can go in the same day to pick it up too just a few hours later. I can't wait to go back!

Great studio, the classes are great. I love the open studio were I can use as much clay as I may…read moreneed.

I had a great experience at Penguin doing one of their beginner clinics. The pottery studio is…read morespacious. The large group format is very relaxed with a good mix of group instruction and alone time to work on your masterpieces. Starting off we were given aprons and told how to use and clean the wheel. There's unlimited clay in blocks with an instructor going around giving some individual guidance. They have a lot of tools available and it was nice having as much clay so I wasn't worried about making mistakes. At the end you can fire one piece to keep. They do some basic trimming for you and then glaze with a color of your choice. Overall a super fun experience.

My 3 year old and I were able to join for a trial class and were both blown away. There were…read morepuppets, bubbles, toys, but way more impressive were the beautiful voices of the teachers and the live piano player accompanying them. My daughter was mesmerized the entire time which is a big deal in a brand new class as she is slow to warm. The teachers were super interactive and made sure we were comfortable and able to participate despite being newbies. We are now regulars and cannot recommend Stages more! My daughter is singing show tunes and practicing the dance moves between classes. We've also made some new friendships and now have a pre-class meal tradition most weeks. I think we will be a part of this amazing community for a long time!

I discovered Stages a few years ago (pre COVID) and my child fell in love with the Preschool Prep…read moreclasses almost immediately. Over the 5 years since we have done numerous camps, day off school sessions, and the spring musicals BUT recently I got to fall back in love with Stages when I attended a Broadway Baby class with a friends toddler. It was so fun, so relaxed and the kids (and me!) had a blast. We went thru an abbreviated telling of a musical (Lion King, but each week is something new) with stories, movement, songs, instruments and BUBBLES! I wish this existed when my kids were this age. Definitely recommend trying a class!

An incredibly happy place. The managers runs the studio so there's never a glitch. The instructors…read moreare not just elite-level sewists, but they are also incredibly kind and patient beyond belief. They meet you were you are. I often feel like a klutz around sewing machines, but they empower me to just go for it and, as long as they're by my side, I get great results. I look forward to the days I have an upcoming class scheduled. Recommendation: Take a class.

Over the past few months I took 3 sewing classes at Sew Crafty and LOVED IT!…read more I started with the Machine Sewing Basics class to brush up on my skills. I had sewn as a teen so it was easy to dive back in, but there were also brand new beginners in my class that seemed to do really well too. After Basics, I felt confident enough to sign up for Hemming and Alterations (a set of 2 classes), where we reviewed measuring and different types of hems/clothing modifications. We even got to bring in some of our own clothes to work on while supervised by the teachers :) Since then, I've been able to hem a bunch of items I've always wanted to wear, so I'll call it a success! The staff was soooo knowledgeable and patient (shout out to Anika who led both of mine!), making the total of 6 hours I spent there really efficient. The studio was tidy, well organized and had all the equipment we needed to thrive. Plus, the classmates were all super kind, so I guess it draws in nice people! 10/10 recommend!

My daughter is getting married next month, but she didn't want a traditional bachelorette party…read more She hates to be the center of attention, but she loves true crime and murder mysteries. We had Art Room Events coordinate a speakeasy murder mystery party in her honor, and it was the perfect event for her. It was so much fun! Although we had some glitches with the venue, Aly was terrific in coordinating the details and smoothing things out with the venue. We received character profiles a couple of weeks in advance, and they were interesting and fun. Throughout the evening, Aly slipped additional clues, evidence, tips, and tasks to characters to help develop the story. I can see that the success of an event like this would be dependent on the people participating. You really need to be uninhibited and get into your character to really make it work. Fortunately, most of the guests were very outgoing and gregarious, but even the introverts (like me) had a great time.

I attended a coffee tasting/painting class that was being held here and LOVED it! We were given…read moreframes to protect our pieces that were made using diluted coffee, and sampled cold brewed coffee that we took part in making. The instructor was patient and knowledgeable, creating a memorable experience.

Wonderfully attentive, thoughtful, accommodating folks here. Our five year-old daughter really…read moreenjoyed learning violin and we appreciate how helpful all the staff were in getting her to feel welcome and comfortable! HIGHLY recommend. Professional, friendly, accessible. Thumbs way up!

We are RAVING fans of Mobile Room Escape…read more We hired MRE for a 7-year-old birthday party. They were easy to work with and helped us through each step of the way from the first inquiry through the day of delivery. MRE set up our escape room to have 3 groups of 8 kids for 30-minute intervals. After the 30-minute escape, the Game Master needs about 15-20 minutes to reset and clean the room for the next group to start. Our Game Master was Drew. He was so awesome with our rowdy and excited bunch of kids. They listened to his directions and he was able to clearly break down the process and answer their questions. As the kids arrived at our party, I chose to hand out wristbands (3 groups, 3 colors) to predetermine the groups. This helped greatly! This way Drew and I knew that everyone had a turn in the room. It was also very satisfying to yell "Blue team! Get ready!" and organize them in hats, coats, and boots to await Drew at the door for their turn to maximize our time. The kids had a great time in the escape room. They were very proud of themselves for escaping with 3 minutes left! The second group escaped with 2 minutes left. The third group lost a few kids who got "scared". Drew told all the kids ahead of time that they could exit the escape room if they felt uncomfortable at any time. My daughter said that there was nothing scary about the escape room itself. So, I think that it was age-appropriate, just some anxiousness in the last group. The trailer is self-sufficient. No hook up necessary from your electric. It was warm, well-lit, and clean. All in all a wonderful experience and happy kids!

Great home feel/atmosphere. We had calamari and cheese curds for an appetizer. The group ordered…read morecrabcakes, duck, pork chops and the shrimp dinner. All of them were excellent. The staff was very nice and the service just enhanced the experience.