Calamari and Paint At Mahony & Sons

The Inspiration

For a long time I have watched friends and family participate at Paint Nites all across Canada via social media but it is my friend Janet, who is so dedicated to doing it, that she had me intrigued about it. I have watched her grow as an artist and seen how much of a positive impact it has had on her life.

The Place

So I was blown away when she bought me a Paint Nite out as a gift! It was a fascinating process right from the start. Basically I choose which night I wanted to attend based on the painting. The one I chose was hosted at the most stunning spot: Mahony & Sons Pub.

Now for a pedestrian who lives no where near 601 Stamps Landing it seemed absolutely impossible to get to without walking through woods, at night, alone. So… Reg drove me and I was happy to discover Mahony & Sons offers free wifi so I could text him for a ride.

Look at this place! So stunning and it has two levels! We painted upstairs.

The Class

The teacher for our Paint Nite was so super adorable! She had a microphone so it kind of felt like I was at an artistic infomercial. I am so glad I sat near the front. My eyes are not what they used to be.

There was nobody there when I got there, probably because they suggest enjoying some food and beverage in the pub before the class. I hate eating alone so I ordered their calamari with tzatziki to snack on during the class. This ended up being a very bad idea!

So here is the painting I chose. I loved how romantic it was, despite all that snow which you know I am allergic to. There was something so dreamy about it, it lured me in.

The Food

Wow! Even that small little plate of calamari barely fit on the table and soon my hands were covered in paint. If you order food during the class use your fork! No finger food.

The calamari was delightfully crisp and delicious. Finally someone who knows how to make calamari correctly! The tzatziki was equally flavourful and fantastic. But… Holy crap this class moves FAST! So I absolutely wolfed down the food as quickly as possible. No time to savour the deliciousness.

The Painting

We were off mixing ratios of white to black, moving from large brush to small, adding highlights and snowbanks.

Then there were the trees, the bridge and the snowflakes to dab on.

The most challenging part was adding the people on the bridge but our teacher was fantastic. She walked up and down the room with her painting as she painted along with us. I could not believe mine turned out so great.

I loved that the class was break-neck speed. At the art studio I go to I am often the first one done and I sit there for over an hour for people to catch up. I am not a “enjoy the process slowly” person when it comes to art at all! As usual, I was the first one done painting and the first to be photographed with the results.

People were clearly comfortable just staying and taking their time which is a wonderful thing. Not my style. I know when to walk away from a creative project.

Reg was on his way to pick me up so I left first, so happy with the food and the experience.

In Conclusion

The Mahony & Sons Pub I went to for Paint Nite is not only stunning itself, it is situated on the water facing downtown Vancouver. It is so big I did not get to see all of it but would love to explore it some more. Not just the building but their menu as well! A place that does that good a job with calamari must make killer fish and chips.

Vancouver is a special place. So much to offer, this city of glass blossoms with light at night. I am so very grateful I got to have this experience. You rock Janet!

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