The winter doldrums seem to be creeping in these days in CDMX. Crisp air, cloudy skies, and the early sunsets are an invitation to hibernate. Before you get too comfortable working in pajamas all day, how about beefing up that to-do list? Not the boring one of pending paperwork and menial chores, but rather a list of fun, unique activities to enjoy in your very own neighborhood. There are no shortage of craft workshops in Mexico City, so why not take the time to pick up a new skill?
CDMX is an overflowing cauldron of things to do. Within a five block radius, you can unleash your artistic side, learn a new skill, or whip up your own culinary delights. Wake up one Saturday your normal self, and go to sleep that very night as an expert cake decorator. Whatever gets you going, the capital’s got you covered.
Brunch and paint
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Whichever of Vainila Bar’s two locations you choose, there’s no doubt you’ll be rewarded with a good time. In between bites of waffles, chilaquiles, and sandwiches and sips of bubble tea and coffee, create something everlasting. Bring a picture of your dog that you can turn into a portrait and hang in your living room. Everything is included in the cost, which includes paints, ceramics, pencils, and canvases.
Locations: Insurgentes Sur 615, Col. Nápoles; Universidad 133, Col. Narvarte
Tufting workshop
Knitting is so last year, as the creative team at Arenera are aware. With temperatures in CDMX dropping faster than a lead balloon, there’s no time like the present to focus your energy on learning the art of tufting. What is tufting, you ask? It’s a textile technique where threads are inserted loosely into a base material to create raised loops for a cushiony texture. Design your own fluffy rug or warm throw in this four-hour workshop that includes all necessary materials, plus a mocktail.
Location: Av. José Martí 118e, Col. Escandón I Secc
Ceramics workshop
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Channel your inner Demi Moore (but stay clothed) in a ceramic workshop. Create and paint mugs, vases, dishware, even jewelry in just a few hours. Departamento Barro, located in San Rafael, offers technique and a tipple, like mimosas or coffee. Luaa Estudio in Roma Norte includes beer as part of its popular and highly-rated cerámica y chelas class.
Locations: Departamento Barro: Manuel María Contreras 86-int. 1, Col. San Rafael; Luaa Estudio: Jose Alvarado 30, Col. Roma Norte
Cooking classes
There are so many opportunities to make your own culinary masterpiece, it’s hard to know where to start. Consider the renowned Casa Jacaranda in Juárez or family-run Aura Cocina Mexicana in Roma Norte. Regardless of the company you decide to go with, an authentic Mexican cooking class will teach you far more than technique – you’ll also learn the history, the stories, and the psychology behind Mexican culture through its food.
Want something a little more international? Sobremesa offers French, Asian, and Italian cooking classes while Flor de Loto specializes in online courses of popular vegan dishes.
Locations: Casa Jacaranda – C. Milan 41-int A, Col. Juárez; Aura Cocina Mexicana – Medellín 191A, Col. Roma Norte; Sobremesa – various
Mixology experiences
Craft three mezcal-based cocktails in the dark and moody Salón Rosario, hidden behind a barber shop on Calle Puebla. Start with a quick tasting and explanation of mezcal’s fundamental ingredients. With an expert bartender, you’ll mix up various flavors to make a personalized cocktail that you can recreate later to wow your friends.
Location: Puebla 71-int 1, Col. Roma Norte
Books and writing
Apart from a bountiful list of writer talks and feminist-leaning discussions, U-Tópicas Bookshop in Coyoacán offers monthly workshops. The themes are wide ranging – beautify a new journal for daily scribbles, create Day of the Dead-inspired collages, read and dissect passages from Latin American authors. Enjoy a coffee from the onsite cafe while you design.
Location: Felipe Carrillo Puerto 60, Col. Coyoacán
Craft your own purse
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If your dream is to whip up a leather bag in just three hours, you’re in luck. Distrito Marroquinero will provide you with the patterns, materials, and expert guidance needed to make a purse rivaling Louis Vuitton. Choose from different models, textures and colors, and walk out with the accessory of your dreams.
Location: Celaya 17, Col. Condesa
Decorate a cake
I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of many better ways to spend an afternoon than with coffee, a cookie, and a naked box cake waiting to be decorated. At Ramona Artesanal, each month showcases a new cake-decorating class with a unique theme like vintage, flowers, and holiday-inspired designs.
Location: Quintana Roo 49, Col. Roma Sur
Flower arranging classes
Every Sunday I go to the local tianguis to stock up on flowers for the week. I come home, throw on some Luis Miguel, and get to snipping and clipping. As I arrange and rearrange the colorful blossoms that lay before me, I make myself a half-hearted promise to switch jobs and dive headfirst into floristry. Sound familiar? Poga, Verbena, and Floristika (online) are here to fulfill that fantasy without the career change. Learn how to make impressive bouquets for any occasion, even if that occasion is simply a joyful Sunday afternoon.
Locations: POGA – 287, Interior POGA, Xicoténcatl, Col. Del Carmen; Verbena Flores – Eje 3 Pte 929, Col del Valle Centro
Salsa lessons
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More Cuban than Mexican, does it really matter when you’re twirling on the dance floor? Conquer those salsa steps like you’ve always wanted, and make some friends while you do. There are a plethora of places to learn salsa and even more places to practice, with or without a minty mojito. Get whisked away to sunny Havana without leaving the boundaries of Mexico City at premier dance clubs like Roma Norte’s Flor del Son and Mama Rumba, or Cuauhtémoc’s Babalu Salón Ríos.
Locations: Flor del Son – Puebla 52, Roma Norte; Mama Rumba – C. Querétaro 230, Roma Norte; Babalu Salón Ríos – C. Río Lerma 218, Col. Cuauhtémoc
Folkloric dance lessons
Speaking of dance, if salsa doesn’t call you but traditional folkloric dancing does, check out the Saturday schedule at Amalia Hernandez’s dance school. No formal training is necessary, just an open mind and the will to move. There are classes for all age groups, and certain levels include the fundamentals of classic dance.
Location: Calle Violeta 31, Col. Guerrero
Textiles and weaving
Knit, crotchet, weave – the workshop schedule is packed at Del Valle’s coveted textile school, Taller Dos Coyotes. There’s simply no limit to the masterpieces you can make, so if you’re in the market for a new, colorful wall hanging or a Macramé stool, this is the place for you. Classes last up to five hours with lunch breaks, so come ready to dive in. For those who want to get their feet wet without a real commitment, sign up for an evening knitting or crochet class every Tuesday and Thursday, respectively.
Location: Calle Lic. Julián Grajales Robles no. 16, Col. Del Valle
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.
