In the wise words of Henry Ford, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young”.
Everyone has something they know very well (especially things related to work) but that doesn’t mean we should stop learning, right? Although it’s important for us to have a deep understanding of what we do for a living, broadening our minds with new knowledge and interests is just as crucial for our growth. Picking up new skills can also provide you new opportunities and experiences.
So here are our top picks for fun workshops to take part in:
1. Barista/Latte Art
With the local coffee demand continuously rising, why not try being your own barista?
In BEAM Cafe’s barista course, passionate coffee lovers get to explore different types of coffee beans, milk textures, espresso extraction, pouring techniques, and more. The store also offers other options like latte art and coffee dripping workshops. Alternatively, Hobby N Coffee at TTDI has a more extensive list of workshops (mostly taught by Stephen Yong).
Note: Hobby N Coffee also holds sewing workshops :)
For more information, visit BEAM Cafe’s Facebook page as well as Hobby N Coffee’s website and Facebook page.
2. Watercolour
“Art is the stored honey of the human soul.” – Anonymous.
Thanks to the hipster trend, watercolour painting gained a new level of appreciation. Be it on calendars or wedding invitation cards, watercolour is very popular among the artsy-fartsy crowd. Compared to other forms of painting, watercolour techniques are surprisingly easy to grasp. So if you wanna learn how to create beautiful, vibrant images, sign up for WeekendImInLove’s basic watercolour workshop! Once you know the basics, you can try out their other classes such as calligraphy, floral, and food illustration.
For more information, you can contact WeekendImInLove via email weekendiminlove@gmail.com or visit their website and Instagram to check out more of their works and classes.
3. Baking
Love eating yummy baked goods? Then learn how to make ’em :)
From cute character macarons to scrumptious cakes, The Dough & Batter offers various small-sized baking classes at their headquarters in the heart of Happy Garden, Kuala Lumpur. Students will be able to pick up lots of baking tips and tricks as every class is completely hands-on. But if you want something more advanced, The Ship Patisserie holds occasional workshops taught by international pastry chefs such as Umi from Tokyo, Japan and Carlos from Sydney, Australia.
For more information, visit The Dough & Batter’s website and Facebook page as well as The Ship Patisserie’s Facebook page and Instagram.
4. Flower arrangement/Hand-tied bouquet
Let’s be super honest here – who doesn’t like receiving a bouquet of fresh flowers? You might not know this but flower arrangement is actually more than just tying a bunch of roses together; it’s a tough art to learn and many extinguished florists study in flower schools for a long time.
But don’t worry, you don’t need a formal course to learn how to hand tie a bouquet, as A&E’s Studio (aka “lo-fi floral studio”) provides step-by-step bouquet workshops in Bangsar for aspiring florists. In addition, My Weekend Plan organises flower arranging classes ranging from basic to professional.
To make your own bouquet, hit up A&E’s Studio’s Facebook page and My Weekend Plan’s website.
5. Cooking
Most millennials can agree that cooking is really hard. But fret not Gen-Yers, as there are plenty of cooking classes happening around town! After a few hours of fun and practical lessons, you’ll instantly transform into a master chef.
Depending on your preference, you can choose workshops ranging from local flavours to delicate French meals. LaZat starts its classes with a morning market tour while At 19 Culinary Studio offers a large variety of classes for adults and children of any culinary ability. Google is your best friend, so feel free to check out other cooking classes if you aren’t interested in these :)
For more information, visit LaZat’s website and At 19 Culinary Studio’s website.
6. Tea
The Japanese tea ceremony, also known as the Way of Tea, symbolises tradition and it is a cultural activity that involves both preparation and presentation of matcha (powdered green tea). At TSUJIRI Malaysia, customers can learn and experience how to prepare authentic green tea like a true Japanese. Besides that, Purple Cane also offers Chinese Tea Art elementary class that includes 5 lessons – Introduction; brewing; table setting; Beauty of Purple Clay Teapot; and history.
For information, visit TSUJIRI Malaysia’s website and Facebook page as well as Purple Cane’s website.
7. Pottery
Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze’s iconic scene in “Ghost” is probably what most people think of when pottery comes to mind. Pottery sometimes refers to the craft of a potter and its major types include earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. It is made by forming a clay body into objects of a required shape and heating them to high temperatures.
Clay Expression teaches all levels of classes, on and off the pottery wheel. With a total of 8 lessons per course, you’ll be able to make your own mug like a pro. Likewise, Beary Potter in Cheras holds themed classes that range from character cups to simple bowls.
For more information, visit Clay Expression’s website.
8. Terrarium Making
Terrariums are tiny glass worlds of greens, peace, and serenity.
For plant lovers who don’t have a lot of space to work with, making a terrarium is a great option to add a touch of green in your home or office. Made up of small plants such as ferns and mosses, there are 2 types of terrariums – closed and open. Lucky for us, Ohsum Mossum Terrariums and Terrariums Malaysia organise various workshops that cover a wide range of techniques.
For more information, stay tuned to Ohsum Mossum Terrariums’ Facebook page and Terrariums Malaysia’s Facebook page.
What are you waiting for? Push yourself out of your comfort zone, take time off your schedule, and try something new today!
Are there any other workshops that you think should be on the list? Feel free to share with us your opinions in the comment box below ;)
