Things to Do in Damascus

Rentals are available in day-long packages. Adult downhill skis and adult snowboards cost $30 for one day's rental and $45 for two days, while junior boards and downhill skis run $20 for one day and $30 for two days. Meadowlark's friendly and knowledgeable staff of mountain professionals is happy to guide customers toward the equipment that will serve them best as they take on nature's craggy surges with confidence-instilling snow gear.

Pottery painting in the coolest space! Your hosts, Joni and George Kuhlman, will be on hand for tips and guidance to make a piece that will be enjoyed for years. Make something for yourself, or a gift.

Founded in 1974, Bullseye Glass Co. produces internationally renowned glass materials in thousands of colors and finishes and passes on the ancient art of glass shaping through artist-guided classes. Graduates of these kilnforming classes can return to craft additional treasures or explore the cyclical nature of art by turning a wineglass back into a sandbox.

Established in 1969, Floral Design Institute now prepares more than 1,000 students per year to achieve their career-minded floral goals or broaden their knowledge of their hobby. School director Leanne Kesler and her staff of florists oversee the diverse curriculum, which ranges from such business-oriented topics as floral-shop marketing and finance to floral design lessons for anybody. Though most lessons take place on-location, distance-learning classes allow students to participate even while bound inside venus fly traps.

Stocked with fresh-baked bread, artisan cheeses, and wines from around the world, Blackbird Wine Shop initiates patrons to haute fare with customized tastings, wine-and-cheese pairing lessons, and cellars of bottles available for purchase. To preview the nose, bouquet, and sense of humor of wines, patrons can sample five self-selected vintages during evening tastings before committing to taking one home. For a more in-depth experience, groups of up to 10 can learn the most pleasing pairings of cheeses with eight regional wines, complementing each vintage’s flavor with three cheeses, olives, bread, almonds, and fruit.

At Paint N' Fire—a paint-your-own pottery studio—shelves of unfinished plates, mugs, and other ceramics wait to be adorned by walk-in painters of all skill levels. Artists work at tiled tables in an earth-toned studio to create imagery that's wildly innovative, beautiful, or commemorates the ancient Athenian victory at Marathon on pottery ready to be filled with flowers, pencils, or wishes. Pottery painters can also use an onsite copier to magnify or reduce graphics and apply those to ceramics. Within a week after studio sessions, glazed and kiln-fired masterpieces are ready for pickup.