I really enjoyed the painting event at the Meridian yesterday with Nikki teaching. She was such a…read moregreat instructor and guided us gently through the steps to create a water / lilypad piece. Nikki was very kind and encouraging (and very helpful when I needed a little bit more support). I look forward to attending and even maybe hosting future events!

Paint the Town completely dropped the ball. I spent weeks confirming headcount, party details,…read morepayments, and logistics with them. Then, on the morning of my daughter's party (scheduled for 11:30 AM), the instructor sent a vague text at 6:45 AM saying they wouldn't be able to make it and then never responded to any of my follow-ups. To make matters worse, I couldn't reach anyone at the company. I called, texted, and emailed multiple times trying to see if they could send a backup instructor or at least switch to a virtual format. Nothing. No support, no communication...just silence. Finally, I heard back from someone on Monday, asking if I wanted to reschedule. Because apparently, that's how birthday parties work? This company clearly doesn't understand the basics of customer service or event planning. I regret ever trusting them with something so important. I would not recommend Paint the Town -- look for a more reliable company that actually puts their customers first.

I signed up for a class in March but requested to cancel or reschedule before the course date. I…read morecalled with no response and followed up with an email. Eventually, I received a text from someone at the shop. Unfortunately, it became clear that customer service is not a priority here. The person who texted me told me to just reschedule, but there was no follow-up or flexibility offered. Later, I was automatically enrolled in a class without being consulted, and the date didn't work for me as I was out of town. I'm now moving back to my home state and can't attend any future sessions, but they refused to offer any refund--even a partial one. While I understand this is a small business, the lack of communication and unwillingness to work with customers is disappointing. I'm now out $195 with nothing to show for it.

This place is a JOKE!!! I had 1 session and needed to reschedule for the second because I had hand…read moresurgery and DONNA claimed she never received any of my calls or emails notifying her of my surgery. I had my daughter go up to her place of business in Mt Rainier just to tell her I called and sent email. she claimed her mother had cancer and she was not having any more classes at that tim. She claimed she will reach out to me but she never did and she took my money!! Don't trust her or anything she says because she is a liar! THIS BUSINESS IS A JOKE.

This was the best experience for my kids when we just moved to the area, and they didn't have…read morefriends at school or in the neighborhood. At Shalom, they found friends and learned a lot. That helped them to feel welcome in their new environment.

Shalom EC is a unique place - the combination of Jewish Russian and US culture in a kind…read moreeducational environment. We love this center! Teachers are kind and patient. We love friendly atmosphere. My 3 kids are with Shalom EC for 2 years.

Everyone knows that I don't give out five starts very often. A business must go way over and beyond…read moremy expectations to get all five! I have been to several paint nights and have even left in tears from one of those... that was not the case with Creative Mankind. This company travels around to different venues and offers a variety of painting options. I met up with a group of friends and we painted a Mardi Gras themed picture. Right off the bat I knew it was going to be an awesome experience. We were greeted with upbeat music and beads to celebrate the occasion. Our instructor really put a lot of thought and passion into the class ahead of time. Laying on the canvas was a template of the mask we needed to transfer to our painting. She let us know that we could "go rogue" and change up the colors and skip the sketching parts but I am way not that talented! She had one completed painting on an easel and another blank canvas for demonstration up on an elevated easel. It was visible to everyone in the room without having to stand up. She was extremely accommodating as far as time given for each step, which I really appreciated! It was fun how she would tell us how many songs she would play for us to finish each step... "okay you have two songs to do this step!" There was an assistant who walked around and offered advice and guidance which was helpful. Creative Mankind had partnered with a restaurant that offered drink specials and happy hour pricing for apps! The restaurant provided a dedicated server to us which was a nice touch. And huzzah... my painting actually looked a lot like the sample! Which for me is a huge deal because I am really not artistic or creative with paint. We were all encouraged along the way and our confidence was bolstered by telling us that everyone is an artist but we express our artistry in different ways. I was with a party of six and all of our paintings turned out different and reflected our personalities. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Creative Mankind for any event they host. They also do private parties!

I'm a remote employee in CA and work with a virtual team. We meet up on a quarterly basis in…read moreArlington, VA, (DMV area) so when we do come together, we try to make the most of our time and make it a point to sneak in some fun! For our last trip in July, I was tasked with coordinating the fun team activity and stumbled upon Creative Mankind. I was considering a couple other options, but when I started communicating with Staci (the owner and host), there was really no question that this was the activity (painting class) I wanted to plan for my team. She was so nice, so patient, and super accommodating in every way possible. She even found the most perfect venue to hold our team event (Lyon Hall). She provided all supplies, ensured the ambiance was great and lively, and her instruction was so thorough! She guided us -ever so patiently- every step of the way. We had so much fun! I would, 100% recommend Creative Mankind for your next work team event!!

Best professional Paint Artist and Sip & Paint host in the DMV area. Josephine Hosted a girls night…read moreout paint party for me and my girls. What a great way to relax and spend time away from computer screens. The last bit of her event was the highlight, you need to book her for this exclusive reveal. Not your ordinary sip and paint. Her work is on my walls too. Good job.

From the owner: Joséphine Ching’s Artistry appeals to different generations on several levels: bringing forth moods…read moreand sentiments of the present day, among other themes. Her portraits are a means to relive an era, experience or memory. She creates and provides over the top fine art for luxury hospitality establishments, residences and individuals, catering to discriminating clientele who demand a certain level of attention and adds exponentially to their fine art and luxury quotient. From kiddy parties, adult get togethers, girls night hangout, guys get-together, and corporate events, Xing Studios has everything you need for a day of relaxation with a fun fine art project. Paint Parties, Paint Night, Painting Classes, Paint Bar, Paint & Sip, Girls Night out, Guys Hangout, and any fun gatherings! Upon your invitation, Josephine Ching will bring her expertise, good cheer, and all the art supplies to you. Get ready to have fun, reconnect with your inner child and artist, and go home with a master piece signed with your name. This is not your ordinary sip and paint. As the high point of your event, there will be an unveiling of one of the Artist's high end pieces, along with its back story and creation process, an informal art and life conversation, where all banter and questions are welcomed.

I went their opening party. There were several artists' works. I saw many frame samples at the 1st…read morefloor and pictures and paints at the 2nd floor. The owner is a really sweet and sophisticated lady. She and one of her customers told me about some artists over a glass of wine and cheese. Variety: Contemporary. Price: $$$$ Parking lot: Street or garage. Location: Fabulous. Many great shops around there.

Susan has framed about 20 pieces for me. Though I no longer reside in the DC area, I continue to…read moreuse Susan as my fine art framer. I'm sure Atlanta has many fine framers, but why rely on someone else when Susan's team is the best? She never disappoints.

Sam Banks Jr will charm you and give you a very fair quote- it might even seem like a steal. Don't…read moretake it. We hired Banks and Son to redo our shower and the lack of attention to detail was atrocious. The final product was sloppy, there were cracked tiles left on the wall, our shower door was installed slanted leaving a large gap at the bottom, the grout was cracked, and there were parts of the shower that were left unsealed. When I emailed Sam about these issues, he was aggressive, misogynistic, and dismissive. He told me the shower door slanted because I didn't get a custom one, the grout came up because I was cleaning wrong, and that glass tiles break and are a poor choice (um you could have mentioned that- but also Reddit exists and they in fact do not crack when you install correctly). We love a paper trail though, thanks Sam. After a few exchanges- his assistant came over and I showed him the worst part of the job-THE DIVOT IN THE FLOOR WHERE WATER POOLS- and told him if he didn't fix all the other issues I'd have them rip up the marble and redo the floor. Magically, all the issues Sam said were my fault got fixed. We had another contractor re- grout our floor after Sam's second chance because it was still coming up. They also cracked a floor tile and just didn't mention it... We planned to use him for our other bathroom but were done after the shower. The grout on our walls still comes off it you rub it with your finger... 0/5 stars

We worked with Banks & Son in 2021 to renovate our first floor. From the very beginning, Sam Banks…read morewas responsive, helpful, and courteous. When I contacted him, he replied the same day, offering references from recent jobs, and was flexible as to meeting time. Throughout construction he was hands-on with his workers and met weekly with us and our architect to make sure everything was going smoothly. When we ran into problems like very old plumbing or supply chain issues Sam promptly provided options to solve the issue. His workers were tidy, competent, and professional. It was obvious that they had good communication with Sam and his foreman. We were dubious about being able to renovate during a pandemic, but Sam was very well connected with suppliers and when there was a backorder (specifically, there were supply chain problems with procuring cabinets) he was very flexible about making deliveries and finishing up around our schedules. In the end, the finished product is GORGEOUS. Sam and his crew produced a beautiful, well-crafted, renovation for a reasonable price with minimal disruption to our family. They gutted the kitchen, knocked down a wall to join it with the dining room, raised the floor in the den, created two new doorways to improve flow through the entire first floor, and put down new, hardwood flooring throughout. They also installed a gas line, moved radiators, replaced antiquated pipes, created a special alcove for a treasured neon sign, and rewired the entire kitchen and dining room. They completed this project in under seven months which would have been sooner if not for pandemic glue shortages. We honestly cannot say enough positive things about Sam and his crew. If you want a beautiful renovation with pleasant, professional, highly skilled craftsmen to work with, Banks & Son is your contractor.