Let me tell you, Yelpers, there's a reason why Carol's has a rare nearly 5.0 rating from 70…read morereviewers as of today. Or perhaps I should say "reasons" why. To start, this place has such a genuine small-town vibe, it's almost surreal. Live music, artwork from locals, the hand-lettered signs on the bakery items on display. I've made it a custom to stop in Owego about once a year, although I missed it last year. This year, I went about 20 miles (each way) out of my way to visit this gem of a coffee, sandwich, and bake shop. I found a parking space right in front, and immediately the live singer/guitarist could be heard from a speaker at the front door, but unobtrusively, delivering a very professional sounding "Brown Eyed Girl." I think that was the same song he was singing when I last visited two years ago. I was greeted by the staff like I had only been away two days, and the singer glanced my way and nodded a welcome as though he, too, remembered me. The coffee mug is perhaps the largest I've ever seen, and the DaVinci egg salad sandwich was also generously executed (recommendation: spring for the olives for an extra 25 cents). On the way out, I picked up two Dream Bars (a peanut butter and a coconut) to prolong the Carol's experience for just a bit. Yes, there's a reason, too, why they're called Dream Bars.

Stopped by Carol's Coffee & Art Bar as part of a recent visit to Owego. I'm definitely a fan any…read morecafe or similar space that integrates art into their environment, and there were quite a variety of lovely pieces at Carol's - many by the owner, but also included are other local artists. The menu, of course, also has "Carol's Favorite 'Comfort Food' Sandwiches" on the menu, all named after famous artists. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm a huge Van Gogh fan, so I ordered the "Van Gogh" sandwich that comes with oven roasted turkey breast layered on sourdough bread and lettuce, tomato, and mayo. The sandwich was good, but I have to say that proportions of the ingredients felt a bit off. I also noticed during the prep of my plate that the chips came from opening a bag (a bulk version similar to ripple chips you'd just buy at the store). In a cafe space like this, you can't necessarily expect people to be making everything from scratch... but I think it's just helpful to note to keep expectations in line. The drink that I ordered was made well (their beverage selection is at the very back of the menu). You can definitely tell that this is a community space, and it seemed like a number of locals filtered in throughout the lunch. There are notes on the tables that advise of a 90 minute limit for sitting at the table (not something I've ever actually seen before), and there's wifi available for use by customers. Perhaps an awkward experience was just related to the overall service? You grab a menu and choose your table if you're dining in, but you end up paying at the counter. Personally, if I'm going to sit down to eat then I'd prefer to have the check brought to the table and pay that way. The space is a bit cramped by the counter, so it seems like it'd benefit to minimize the foot traffic that has to wait there. And perhaps this is silly, but upon paying for the lunch, the server handed me my receipt and said "Just sign here", and then seemed to be somewhat... abrupt? I feel like I'm pretty low maintenance when dining out, but it just left me going "OH. Okay. Time for me to get out of the way" (it's worth noting that at the time, there was nobody waiting around, or to get to, the counter). Still, it was enjoyable to stop at Carol's Coffee & Art Bar. It's a more unique space with nice offerings.

Visited for first time and was really amazed at the amount of antiques, art and furniture that was…read moreavailable. Will definitely return to see what was missed.

From the owner: Local antique shop that set in an old school house that is filled with in over 118,000 sq ft of…read morebeautifully populated space.

ABFA is the gallery you MUST see on First Friday in Binghamton…read more Anthony Brunelli's gallery is composed of works by emerging, mid-career, and established international artists alike in the areas of contemporary realism, photorealism and well-disciplined abstract paintings, drawings, sculpture, original prints, and alternative photographic media. The subject matter is always changing in the gallery, so you'll likely find something that catches your eye in their monthly rotations. If you're new to art galleries, prepare to be shocked at the value of the works here. Everything here is exquisitely executed, well deserving of its title as a fine art gallery. You will most certainly find the best pieces around here. Undoubtedly the highlight of each First Friday for me. My favorite piece in their upstairs collection is the reverse perspective piece by Peter Roth. If you're unfamiliar with reverse perspective, it is a 3D technique that creates an optical illusion of moving through the space in the painting. It's a fun piece to ponder!

I really enjoyed this place. It's small but there's lots to look at…read more The artist was there working and chatting. She was super friendly and laid back. I didn't feel any pressure to buy something or awkwardness that you sometimes get in other little shops. I was impressed by the quality of the pottery. There's also different stuff from other local artists.

From the owner: Salmon Pottery is an art gallery and studio in the village of Trumansburg that features the…read moretextured pottery of Mary Ellen Salmon, and a sophisticated collection of local artists and craftspeople. In the studio, Mary Ellen creates her unique ceramic work, and shares her knowledge through pottery classes. The art gallery is a welcoming place, with a great variety of media, scale, and prices; something for everyone. Sculptures by Jay Seaman adorn the front lawn, while lapidary work, fiber art, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, blown and stained glass, and paper crafts live inside. The bright yellow house sets the tone for your visit that will surely leave you smiling.

This is an amazing gallery, not only do they sell art, wood, paintings, photography, jewelry but…read morethey offer classes. There's over 50 artist and a huge selection. The owners Cindy and Jerry are awesome no pressure to purchase anything, so next time your in the Poconos stop in it's an amazing place to see!

From the owner: The Art Factory of White Mills has more than 65 local artists on display. Our gallery offers a…read morevariety of art mediums with reasonable rates. The Art Factory of White Mills offers on-going classes in acrylics, water-oil; surrealism, impressionism, landscape and abstract, figure drawing, photography, etc. We also offer theme related "paint & sips", wire wrapping and YUPO painting workshops. Gift certificates and lay-away are always available.

Thank you Ariel for supporting artists in the region!! There are not many dedicated galleries in…read moreIthaca or the finger lakes region, and as an artist I can say how thrilled I am seeing professionally curated and hung shows at Corners Gallery. Nice white walls, good lighting and wooden floors. A great place to start collecting art from. And there is a frame shop tucked away as well, so you can frame your new art. Thanks!

This is a wonderful gallery. We have attended numerous receptions for exhibitions and have…read morepurchased at least half a dozen paintings. The exhibitions are diverse and offer a great collection of contemporary art. In addition the gallery owner is warm, helpful, and knowledgeable. We have a lot of fun at this gallery--and love everything we have purchased! Chrissie S-M

If I was leaving a review base barely on the merits of the business. It would have been better, but…read moreI have to factor in the flight and a half of steep concrete steps with no handicapped accessibility. It was a bit cold inside and the hot water cut off at some point while we were there. The person who was working there was very nice and helpful. I would definitely go back if going back wasn't so painful.

I'm super disappointed because I really did have a good time here and it's a super cute place. I…read morewent in with a family member and we painted mugs. We were there for a while because I was doing a 2 color polka dot pattern on my mug that took a little bit of time. The environment was nice and though it was a little crowded we still managed to find a place to sit with lots of options. My disappointment actually stems from the final product I picked up. I picked two specific colors for my pattern, blue and green, and made the cup black. I asked the woman working multiple times about the colors and with the dots if I needed to go over them multiple times to make sure the color came out right. I was told no and that the pattern and colors looked great and would turn out great. To my surprise when I picked up my cup there was not a single drop of blue anywhere to be seen. Not even a little bit. I am so sad and disappointed because I had not only specifically asked about the colors but if I would have known the blue would not have shown I would have went with a different color. The cup to me looks like it's missing something, because it is, but other people seem to like it. But I'm just super disappointed and wish that when I had asked I would have been told that's not a color you can do with black. Because I obviously had no idea and spent a good amount of time trying to make it perfect. I wanted to include pictures to show what it looked like when I left it and when I picked it up. If I can recommend anything it's for the employees to help with transparency when helping people start their project and expectations on that. I paid for 2 mugs that day so almost $50 and I just got disheartened when I picked mine up. I would still recommend this place as it's super cute and is still a fun day activity. Just wish I would have known about the colors while painting.