South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
For those who like to cook or drink wine
Kitchen products store Sur La Table has cooking classes at its stores year-round. But during December and January, you’ll find holiday-themed classes that include cookie baking, cake making and even entrees such as Beef Wellington, beef wrapped in pastry.
You’ll make the food with classmates, and then either eat it after class or take it home. Check the schedule on Sur La Table’s site for its stores in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Miami.
Classes range from $59 to $89, according to the site.
Another local cooking class is the Italian class offered by Chef Andrew Bennardo in Boca Raton. Going by “Chef Baba,” he has degrees from the Culinary Institute of America and Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management in North Miami Beach.
Learn how to make Italian bruschetta, soup and sauces, and entrees such as homemade ricotta and Chicken Francese, and then enjoy eating your selfprepared meal.
The chef has been known to pour his familyrecipe wine along the way. The cooking workshops are $99 on the chef’s site; check Groupon for a discounted class.
For wine lovers, consider wine-tasting and a chef series offered by Virginia Philip Wine Academy in Palm Beach. Shop owner Philip is a master sommelier. Events are typically $40 to $50 a person, with tickets available on the site. Current tickets include a champagne evening and a tasting featuring Honig wines from Napa Valley.
For artsy types
Flower arranging or art workshop: Field of Flowers’ stores in Boca Raton and Davie offer do-it-yourself floral design workshops at its FlowerBar, also available for parties.
With the help of experts, you’ll learn to make a table centerpiece or other flower arrangement that you can take home to impress family and friends. Cost is $20 to $40 with materials included. Check FieldofFlowers.com for the workshop schedule.
There also are plenty of glass art, ceramics, and “wine and paint” classes
available throughout South Florida, which you can find online.
For intellectuals
Consider a gift certificate for Master Class, which offers online classes with authors, actors, musicians, chefs and more. For the holiday season, MasterClass.com is offering “buy one, get one free.” A single class is about $90 and an “all access” pass is
$180.
A less pricey local option are the lifelong learning classes at Florida Atlantic University campuses in Boca Raton, Jupiter and Fort Lauderdale. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute features a variety of classes from serious to less-serious topics. A lecture on the Arab-Israeli conflict is scheduled for Jan. 21.
Another upcoming class is “The Golden Age of Broadway: The Great Lyrics of Dorothy Fields and Sammy Cahn.” on Feb.
18. Classes generally cost
$30 for members and $35 for non-members. Find more choices at fau.edu/ divdept/lifelong.
For those seeking Florida fun
There are a large variety of outdoor experiences in South Florida including air boat rides, fishing trips and water sports activities. Here a couple ideas that are quintessential Florida:
Miami Seaquarium offers swim and other interactive experiences with Dolphins at 30 percent off over the holidays. The “Dolphin Odyssey” and “Dolphin Encounter” experiences are on sale for $84 to $154 for children ages 5 and up, and adults. Check for tickets and schedules on miamiseaquarium.com.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s local experiences include guided tours; sea turtle research and rescue; and after-dark adventures. Its Ocean Explorers after Dark is open for ages 6 to 10 for $35. The center also is offering $200 off its ecotravel tours through the end of 2019, including Bonaire, Netherlands, June 29 to July 3, 2020. See marinelife.org for more information.