Take a breath, put down the phone (or the remote) and rediscover the small joys in life. Studies show that engaging all of your senses regularly not only strengthens them but is also a form of self-soothing.
Let your senses lead you out of your rut and reignite your creative spark at local experiences around your corner.
Smell… the aromatic vegetables, Asian spices and sizzling dumplings as they touch the piping hot oil. There’s a clatter in the restaurant kitchen and a fresh waft of teriyaki sauce mixed with warm pork gyoza filters through the cosy space. A sweet citrusy scent brings you back to the people sitting in front of you – your friends with a (strong) zesty cocktail in their hands. They’re talking about their favourite part of the class. A waiter passes behind you and stops at the head of your table, delicately placing down some freshly cooked food. The smell of classic dumpling flavours mixes with the sharp scent of ponzu sauce mingles in the air. There’s a mutter of thanks, before everyone dives in, relishing the tastes of their hard work.
Follow your nose to cooking classes near you…
Hear… the light clinking of colourful glass pieces in their bowls, just waiting to be formed into a beautiful mosaic. Silence falls as everyone loses themselves in the creative process – thinking, forming, shaping a unique design, each different from the other. It’s almost as if you can hear their thoughts, ‘If I put yellow in the middle, then place blue pieces around it…’ The sound of PVA glue squeezing through the tiny tube cuts through the Turkish music playing softly in the background.
A clatter of plates and the sound of a jug boiling means refreshments are on the way. Turkish tea tastes much like black tea, with an almost earthy undertone. The energy in the room picks up and hands reach over hands to collect just a few more colourful beads for their mosaic masterpieces. You sit back and realise that these are the sounds of creativity being unleashed.
Listen to your imagination at mosaic classes near you...
Touch… the wet clay and feel the overwhelming child-like urge to squish it like playdough. The atmosphere in the room is calm, yet full of anticipation. The blob of clay sits untouched on the pottery wheel, begging to be moulded into a new cup, bowl or plate. Begin to touch the clay, test its toughness before grabbing it with both hands, and rolling, wedging and squishing it into organic shapes.
The clay gets under your nails, and the desire to wipe your hands clean is strong. Its earthy texture plunges you into memories of your childhood when you would make mud pies in the back garden with your brother and sister. The clay is grounding, centering, comforting.
Come back down to earth with pottery classes near you...
See… the blend of paints, beautiful hues of lavender and blue fusing together. The soft swoosh of paintbrushes against the canvas and small dabs of yellow paint that look like patches of dappled sunlight. Everyone is screwing and unscrewing their bottles and the glug of wine pouring into glasses makes the space feel more like a living room than an artist’s studio.
A blob of dark paint rests precariously on the tip of the brush and a person to the left has begun the next steps, outlining (what will soon be) a transparent vase with lilac stems popping out the top. The image in front of you doesn’t look like the one the teacher is painting in front of the class. The colours are a little darker, the brush strokes a little less refined and the lines more wiggly than straight. That’s what makes it beautiful though – the imperfections.
Get a new perspective with art classes near you...
Taste… the fresh pizza dough and sneak a little nibble. It’s floury – just as expected, but there’s a certain familiarity to its flavour, much like the times you visited Gourmet Pizza Kitchen (a.k.a. GPK) as a kid and got to play with excess pizza dough. You’d make cool shapes and the chefs would cook it during the meal so you’d leave with a perfect little dough ball; warm, fluffy and delicious.
There’s flour all over the bench, dustings on clothes and under your fingernails. The echo of warm laughter fills the room. There’s a sense of contentment, of calm, of nostalgia. The aroma of sweet-yet-salty homemade tomato sauce lingers in the air. Your mouth waters…
Nourish your soul at food and drink tastings near you...
