Education & Classes in Saratoga

It was a clear afternoon in Mission, British Columbia, when Walter Gyger climbed into his friend's Cessna 172. He’d spent his childhood constructing model airplanes and dreaming of stepping into the pilot's seat of a real one. The two lifted off, the ground dropping smoothly away, and soared on into the evening, finally touching down on Vancouver Island. That experience spurred Walter on to seek out his pilot license. Years later, after taking classes at Trade Winds Aviation, he bought the company. Walter now works with a team of FAA-certified flight instructors to give budding pilots that same push he received to pursue the dream of flying and pilot certification.

Trade Winds' two-runway airport and adjacent training area sit surrounded by ridges splashed with watercolor blotches of green, which pilots-in-training survey from wide cockpit windows as they follow the official Cessna training program. Students set their own pace as they progress through lessons in cross-country flight, night flying, and navigation, all augmented by online training, practical flight sessions, and heckling from birds. When not guiding pupils through the valley's consistently clear skies, the staff help maintain Trade Winds' fleet of Cessna and Remos aircraft, many of which have features such as satellite radio, autopilot, GPS maps, and spare commas for absent-minded skywriters.

The nonprofit Bay Area Glass Institute supports glass arts in its community by providing affordable studio space for artists, holding events and exhibits of local work, and teaching basic classes. Students create delicate glass art using cold techniques or acquire the basics of glass blowing as they rotate molten glass blobs at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit to make terrariums, glass flowers, or space helmets for cats. A store on the premises sells elegant and innovative work by the local glass artists affiliated with the institute.

The mixologists at ABC Bartending School utilize years of bartending experience to divulge saloon secrets in certification-based and recreational bartending classes. In the mixology course, expert instructors impart drink recipes and refine beer and wine palates while students shake up cocktails and take cover from projectile champagne corks. Certification classes prepare students for bartending careers as they mix classic and popular drinks while learning about alcohol laws, responsible liquor service, and stocking and inventory. Instructors demonstrate free pouring techniques, allowing students to fill faraway glasses or safely drizzle beverages into the mouths of piranhas. ABC’s job-placement program puts graduates to work in restaurants, nightclubs, sports bars, hotels, country clubs, and cruise-ship bars.

The talented instructors of Nach K Dekh call on years of dance-floor experience to impart the rhythmic gestures, fast footwork, and pulsating energy of Bollywood dance in classes for children, teens, and adults. Weekly classes begin with basic steps, then build on the skills learned in past sessions to help students eventually perform an entire Bollywood number, incorporating lively music and props to entertain the public at a theater or nearby Taj Mahal. Intimate sessions of no more than 12 students allow one-on-one coaching from instructors, helping dancers develop their skills quickly and correctly. For a more sweat-focused session, Nach K Dekh's BollyBurn class challenges participants to high-impact cardio workouts and muscle conditioning set to Bollywood music.

The teachers at School for Fishes know that swimming isn't just a physical skill—for many, it means conquering a fear of the water or finding the focus to improve a favorite stroke. To address both the mental and bodily aspects of the sport, the staff channels their backgrounds in teaching and therapy. Their learning environment is just as warm as their 90-degree pool, and their lessons accommodate the full spectrum of skill levels, from students with deep-seated phobias to competitive athletes. Mommy and Me classes acclimate infants to the water with leisurely activities, such as blowing bubbles and enunciating "cannonball," whereas private and semiprivate lessons enhance aquatic abilities in swimmers of all ages. Instructors can also guide patrons with special needs through custom programs to build comfort and confidence.

After two decades spent perfecting his secret barbecue recipes on friends and family, Ed opened Big Ed’s Buzzard BBQ to bring his sauce-slathered brisket, pulled pork, and St. Louis–style ribs to the masses. Today, the barbecue master piles plates high with eight styles of smoked and spiced meat, and his chefs fashion multicourse meals full of saucy barbecue, homestyle sides such as honey-jalapeño corn bread, and desserts including peach cobbler.

Meals can be enjoyed at home or onsite at get-togethers. The shop caters a full range of staples for private events, including whole-hog roasts, pintsize sides, and binding agreements to kiss the cook. When he's not cooking, Ed can be found teaching competition-level classes, where he spends five hours covering barbecue basics.