Paint & Sip Studio NYC

This past Friday, I was invited to attend a session at the newly-opened Paint & Sip Studio on the Upper West Side. The “BYOB and paint” thing is something I’ve always wanted to do, but never got around to trying. So I can’t even begin to express how much fun it was to finally be able to experience a proper painting lesson, all while chugging – I mean, “sipping” – on the moscato that I brought for me and my favorite plus one, Bekki.

Let me preface this by saying that my artistic “specialty” is watercolor flowers, and I was limited to the array of paint brushes that came with Crayola’s watercolor kits for children. In middle school, I thought I was a gifted charcoal artist; but as it turns out, I was just tracing over pictures that I liked, so there really wasn’t much skill involved. Needless to say, you don’t need any artistic skill or background to participate in these fantastically boozy painting lessons. When they say “No experience necessary”, they ain’t lying. Just show up with your preferred bottle(s) of alcohol, and enjoy your night in the studio.

When Bekki and I arrived, our painting stations were set up and Yaffa, Paint & Sip’s owner, was SO sweet and welcoming. While the instructor walked us through the painting process, a playlist was blasting songs from C & C Music Factory, the Backstreet Boys, Jason Mraz, and Beyonce – and the more we drank, the more we belted along with the tracks, all while trying to paint a moon that didn’t look like a lopsided ovary.

No lie – painting with Yaffa and her lovely assistant Taylor was one of the most relaxing Friday nights I’ve ever had in NYC. Yaffa’s passion for art is one thing, but the fact that she clearly enjoys seeing other people cut loose and have fun is what sets this studio apart from the others. When one of the girls said her arm was getting sore, Yaffa’s response was “Drink more”. Oh, HAIL yeah.

This is coming from a legit party girl: A night at Paint & Sip NYC is well worth it. After awhile, the club and bar scene can get old – so spending a night at Studio 16, drinking whatever you want, and learning how to paint something that’s not a hand turkey is a fabulous alternative. Whether it’s a girls night out, a corporate team building activity, or if you’re looking for something new to do on the weekends, Paint & Sip is the perfect choice.

Paint & Sip is located at 246 West 80th Street. You can visit their website HERE to see class availabilities and schedule your painting night according to whatever painting you’d like to replicate (I chose “Moonlit Trees”). For the month of May, they are having a 2 for 1 special – so book ASAP.