Paint N Pour debuted a little more than a year ago at 2080 Frederick Douglass Boulevard (between 112th and 113th Streets), offering Harlemites a local spot to tap into their inner Picassos with cocktail in hand.
Now owners Tinesha Sharpe and Tyson Belgrave–a married couple with a major entrepreneurial streak–are getting ready to expand with a second location on the Lower East Side, set to open later this fall.
Haven't been to the original yet and want to know more? Here are five fun facts to help plan your first visit:
1. Night classes are popular. They also tend to sell out first. But since you can only buy tickets in advance–$50 pays for the paint class and drinks at the open bar–you'll never find yourself being turned away at the door.
2. Choose from four themed painting studios. Three feature huge murals of the icons they're named after: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Beyonce (as Mona Lisa), and Biggie Smalls. Pick your preferred room via the online calendar, which lists the number of available seats for each.
3. It's definitely not paint-by-numbers. But you don't need any experience, either. Each student gets their own small blank canvas, five gobs of primary paint you learn how to blend, and a brush. Each class is led by an instructor who guides you step by step until you've completed the entire painting (new pieces are created every day).
4. The open bar is a fruity cocktail paradise. Signature drinks include the popular Picasso Punch, made with rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, grenadine and fresh citrus. Brands like Bacardi and Jack Daniels are the rule, not the exception.
5. Yes, there's also food. Try menu items like the Orange Henny Wings, Jerk Chicken Empanadas or Chicken N Waffles, but keep in mind they cost extra.
