b'Sew LeanaIs it cocktail time yet? Barlingual Chicks, Chrissy McIntyre (left) and Katy Chapman (right), double-check their watches.joyous classes at The Adult School, inthis community. As she puts it, Its a personatfirst,thenonline.Despitemarvelous adventure, she says. Once teachingvirtually,Perrottahascre- we get immunized I want to have in-ated a very real musical community.person events for all my students so I In fact, her podcast, SIP in SOMA, iscan give them a real hug and kiss! all about people who are connecting,TwootherAdultSchoolteachersSewing Classes collaborating, and contributing to ourhave created an 80-proof way to meetfor Kids and Adultscommunities. peopleandmixcocktails,virtually Icameherelookingforacooland actually. Artist Chrissy McIntyre community,shesays.ItsadreamandmarketingexecKatyChapman,Sign Up Now for Classes!cometruetolivehere.Icancreatea.k.a.theBarlingualChicks,havePAINT. DYE. SEW. REPEAT.here! Theres a loving, communal en- taken their mixology classes viral since ergy vibe. Maplewood is amazing! AndMarch.www.sewleana.comif you want a little slice of Maplewood,BeforeCOVID,theydgather12 W South Orange Avenueyou can get it at the Adult School.party-goersatthe10-footislandinSouth OrangeIf its socialization you want, takeChapmans kitchen. Now they create upmah-jongg,advisesAdultSchoolcocktailpartiesonZoom,liketheir teacher Lois Cantwell. Mah-jongg isValentinesDaychocolatecocktail asocializationdeliveryservice.Youpilgrimage for Adult School guests on play,youkibbitz,youmakelifelongthe evening of January 30. A perfect friends. date night, say the Chicks, where par-Cantwellspeaksfromexperience,ticipants follow them through a tipsy, she says. Semi-retired from her corpo- fun-filled evening of cocktail shaking, rate career in marketing, she becamegameplayingandchocolate-ladenCHOISso socially isolated my sister Cynthiafun. VALLEYCLEANERSinFloridacalledandcommanded:Long-time friends who share a love You gotta get a mah-jongg game to- of travel, McIntyre and Chapman also gether! Cantwell listened, learned (Ishareablog(barlingualchicks.com), grew up with a mah-jongg mother)creategloballyinspiredcocktailsDRY CLEANING & TAILORINGand now shes in her fifth year of teach- andthrowprivatepartiestogether,FINEST QUALITY, ing it at the Adult School, initially live,Zooming from their separate kitchens.FAMILY\x1fOWNED.now switched over to Zoom.Despite the constraints wrought by They learned mah-jongg, I learnedCOVID, the Barlingual Chicks note Zoom, she reports. with a smile, We found a way to get Some 200 students later by her es- paid for doing what we love.110 Valley Sttimate, Cantwell has created her ownJournalist Rose Bennett Gilbert is a long- choisvalleycleaners.comcommunityofplayers.Irunintotimetrusteeandenthusiasticsupporter(973) 763-0100them all the time. When you are partwho agrees that the South Orange-Ma-ofthiscommunity,youarepartofplewood Adult School is a local treasure.feature story /35'