Photo credit: BlogHer
Ah, winter. We don’t get much of it here in Southern California, but what we do get, we take seriously. Now that we’re finally getting that long-promised rain, these are the days to hunker down, start a fire in the fireplace and be grateful for any time you can spend off the wet roads. It doesn’t take long to get cabin fever, though, and that makes this a great time to consider taking up a hobby—perhaps finally trying that “something new” that you’ve been meaning to cross off your bucket list.
Here are some fun hobbies that will help keep you busy this winter season:
Cook up something fabulous
If you’re tired of eating the same old quick and easy dinners, brighten up your menu with something a little out of your comfort zone. Craving a dish that you’ve seen on television? Try searching the Food Network or the Cooking Channel for your favorite chef—all the recipes from their television shows can be found there, along with tips and suggestions for how to get it right.
If you’re intimidated by complicated recipes, there are plenty of services that can help you get started. Fresh ingredients and instructions are delivered straight to your door by Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, and others. You choose the number of people you’re cooking for and select from their menus to get just what you need.
For a little more hands-on training, sign up for a class at Black Sheep Cooking Club in Newport Beach. Their chefs will teach you to “make restaurant-quality food in your own home,” in classes designed for families, couples and individuals.
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Photo credit: themessybaker.com
Become a brewmaster
For just $25, you can learn all you need to know at Windsor Homebrew Supply Company in Costa Mesa. The beginner’s Introduction to Brewing class is the perfect way to learn how to make delicious beer at home. In class, real brewmasters teach you all the steps of the brewing process, including bottling and kegging, cleaning and sanitizing, equipment, and ingredients. You learn the history of beer, the different styles, and how each is made. In class, students work together to produce a batch, then you take home the necessary skills to make your own.
Learn to sew
Forget what you might have learned in Home Ec class—if you want to learn to sew like a pro, there are fashion design studios out there ready to guide you through the process. The experts at Fashion Camp, located at The District at Tustin Legacy, conduct workshops, classes and camps to help both kids and adults learn the principles behind fashion, design and sewing. Ranging from simple projects to complicated fashions, Fashion Camp can take you from start to finish, no matter what your skill level.
Angel Threads Sewing School in Newport Beach and Moore’s Sewing Center in Huntington Beach are two other great options for learning to sew like the professionals do.
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Photo credit: www.mysewingsupplies.com
Learn just about anything at Urban Workshop
Located in Costa Mesa, Urban Workshop is a unique place to explore all kinds of potential hobbies. With classes in surfboard shaping, electrical engineering, 3D printing and auto mechanics—and much, much more—there’s something for everyone here. You can learn CPR, how to file a patent, and CAD software. Known as a “maker space,” the facility is designed to put a complete range of tools and equipment at your command and, if you need to learn how to use them, classes for every skill level. It’s the ultimate workshop, and the perfect place to explore if you want to take up a hobby but you just can’t decide on one.
So while you’re staying warm and dry this winter, do something productive—find the hobby that will teach you a thing or two and keep you busy all winter long.
