10 Unique Classes To Take In NYC

There should never be an end to education, and unsurprisingly. New York’s diverse environment means there are some diverse and unique classes to take here. There are numerous ways to make use of the old saying ‘you learn something new every day.’

Wine 101

Building, Winery

It is now much easier to become an impressive wine expert, in describing wines and pairing wines with cheeses. Classes through New York City Wine Company range from basic classes to more specific based on regions in Italy. The classes focus on what makes wines different, and they provide insight into the nature of a wine’s body, nannin, and sweetness. These classes are more robust than one would expect from a $90.00 class.

LightSaber Combat

Your dream of becoming a Jedi Knight could become a reality through New York Jedi and their classes in lightsaber combat. The choreographed classes involve dancing, martial arts, and cosplay. They have classes for children and adults who are children at heart, and they do private events.

Brewing Gourmet Coffee

School

There’s no more wasting money on those fancy cups of coffee with the foam designs for those who take the Brewing Gourmet Coffee class through Counter Culture Coffee. They offer multiple levels of Brewing Science and classes specializing in different aspects of coffee making, like the Coffee Origins Lab and Espresso Fundamentals. It’s now much easier to take coffee snobbery to the next level.

Rowing

Fitness Studio, Gym

Move over spinning, there’s a new hip workout trend. City Row is a gym with workouts revolving around the rowing machine and provides a full body workout through alternating intervals. Rowing’s growing popularity is due in part to the movement that is unrestricted by equipment, like spinning, and it’s also easier on the joints. City Row workouts involve rowing and mat work.

Cooking Classes from Top NYC Restaurants

School

Stephanie Barlow runs City Cookin where she teaches her interpretation of some of New York’s hottest dishes. Barlow taught herself how to recreate signature dishes like Levain’s chocolate chip walnut cookies and The Breslin’s lamb burger with feta. The City Cookin classes are hands-on and reveal some of the mysteries of restaurant cooking. These unique cooking classes are made for home chefs, especially foodie home chefs.

Glass Blowing

Shop, Store

Glass blowing is an old art but not a forgotten one. Scanlan Glass is keeping the art alive with private glassblowing classes. Private classes are taught by expert glass blowers who teach the basic techniques of making beautiful glass art. Students make a glass piece to take home during class and watch demonstrations by the instructor.

Chocolate Making

Dessert Shop, Dessert

The best part about chocolate-making classes is the eating that comes with it. The second best part is the ability to kill two birds with one stone, eating chocolate and making chocolatey gifts for the holidays. Tache Chocolate’s classes teach students to taste, coat, and decorate chocolates, making chocolate mustache lollipops, caramel kisses, chocolate bars, and any other chocolate creation you can dream of.

Jump Roping Fitness

Fitness Studio

Punk Rope takes jump roping beyond the childhood activity to an intense cardio workout. Not only do they sell jump ropes in fun colors and names like Cherry Bomb, King Crimson, and Celtic Lighting, but they also have 55-minute classes that consist of 14 intervals of calisthenics, jump roping, relay races, fitness games, core work, and more. This unique fitness class is intense and non-traditional.

Ninja Warrior

Fitness Studio

Do you ever watch American Ninja Warrior shows and think maybe you could do that” Brooklyn Zoo makes that dream a reality. They teach multiple levels of Ninja Warrior classes that focus on some Ninja obstacles, like the warp wall and some tricky rope work. In addition to the classes, they also have competitions which end in the big Las Vegas competition with a million dollar prize.

Leather Slipper Making

Shop, Store

Shoemaking is no longer an art of the past. Brooklyn Shoe Space offers a leather slipper, boot, or sneaker-making class. Why buy fancy shoes when you can make your own” For those interested in shoe design, they also offer sketching classes. The Williamsburg shoe-devoted studio space is perfect for those interested in the shoemaking process or just want some quality boots with a personal touch. All of their classes revolve around learning how to work with leather, including hand sewing.

About the author

Emma Hoffman

Emma is from Portland, Oregon is in New York to study Media Culture and Communications at New York University. She enjoys trying eating good food, traveling, reading, and exploring new places. Emma enjoys spending time outdoors, and although she loves New York, Portland will always be home.