Taking classes for my interests is becoming one of my favorite things to do around the Monterey Peninsula. We’ve done cooking classes, painting classes(more my wife’s interest than mine), and I recently took a cocktail class with Josh at Cella – my favorite local bartender at one of my favorite local restaurants. I’m a believer that if you want to get good at something, you can expedite the process by getting paid or unpaid mentorship from someone better at it. Taking a class is a great way to do this!

The class was focused on festive holiday drinks. This drink above was particularly interesting. Spiked Mexican hot chocolate with a homemade marshmallow!

The class was a blast, but what I found most impactful about the experience was the camaraderie I found in meeting others who had the same curiosity about mixology as me. We bonded over learning how to create beautiful translucent mega ice cubes – a true labor of love! We took notes on what Josh was teaching us about ratios and general guidelines that can be applied to all cocktails, not just the ones he was making. We enjoyed learning about Josh’s family bourbon punch recipe that has been around for several generations. 

The lessons were great, and Cella is a perfect venue. I am loving the way local businesses are supporting each other and exploring creativity on our peninsula. If you have an interest you would like to dive into, there is likely a niche community here for you, and if it hasn’t been established yet, Meetup.com is a great way to build it and attract others around a common interest.