In the world of Valentine’s Day, most often defer to the structural norms of it all: Get that reservation for a really nice dinner. Maybe a nice gift. Or perhaps be super fancy and get away. Or cook at home for your loved one with rose petals on the floor… But Clay on First has a different option for all the lovers (and friends) out there.
Toast-to-Ghost is their annual set of Valentine’s Day pottery classes. And it allows couples to take on a single pottery wheel, with the hope of not just learning pottery but reenacting the famed scene between Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in “Ghost.”
What is included with Clay on First’s Toast-to-Ghost classes?
Is there a little pregame? Of course: wine, beer, and cocktails are served throughout the evening—grab as you wish. And all the while light snacks are served. You have desserts. Some cold-cuts. There’s even raclette, the famed melted cheese offering courtesy of local cheese treasure Oh La Vache. All while the film is projected onto the wall.
You get three rounds at the wheel, all under the patient eye of a Clay on First instructor. Throughout, feel free to get up for another drink. Let go of the wheel to watch your partner go at it independently. Take turns. The wheel is your oyster—but you need to make those three times count.
You can put each of your creations into the kiln with the color finish of your choice, and pick up the pieces when they’re done post-class. It’s genuinely fun, wonderfully relaxing, and offers a look into how your loved one works with clay. On that last point, there are myriad metaphors one can derive from working with clay, but the most illuminating part was discovering how caring, talented, or surprisingly patient your partner can be when your hands are intertwined in a way far different from holding hands on the street.
Check here for the full schedule of Toast-to-Ghost classes.
Clay on First has always been about community: A bit of history.
In the heart of the East Village Arts District sits Clay on First, a ceramics studio and gallery that has become a cornerstone of Long Beach’s creative community. Founded in 2009 by artist and teacher Clay Wood, the studio has grown into a space where both novices and experienced ceramicists can get their hands dirty. Learn new skills. And create something, well, tangible. From wheel-throwing to sculpture classes, gallery exhibitions to open studio time, Clay on First has cultivated a reputation as both a teaching hub and a showcase for local artistry.
Once a modest storefront along First Street, the building has cycled through various community-oriented uses, always retaining its neighborhood charm. Before becoming a ceramics studio, the space was home to small businesses that helped shape the corridor’s identity as a walkable arts-friendly district.
When Clay on First moved in, the transformation was both practical and symbolic. Kilns replaced retail racks, wheels replaced display shelves, and the space evolved into a tactile, collaborative environment where creativity takes literal shape. Over time, the studio has become a hub for makers—hosting classes, pop-ups, gallery events, and markets like Jingle All the Clay that draw visitors from across the city. Its evolution mirrors that of Downtown Long Beach itself: a blend of tradition, reinvention, and artistic momentum.
Clay on First is located at 406 E. 1st St.
