Before today I did not know that Lodi had so many places to eat, drink, shop, and be entertained. I…read morefound this out when I went to the Grand Opening of School Street Gallery at 123 'South' School Street (not to be confused with the funeral home at 123 North School Street). It isn't a very large shop, but has a wonderful selection of photography, paintings, ceramics, and glass creations, from several different artists. I came away with a small, beautiful, fused-glass box, and I look forward to returning so I can see what's new in future. Right now their sign is just a temporary one, which makes them not to easy to spot, but they are located between Porters Pub, and Synowicki's Jewel Box on the corner of School and Walnut.

Beautiful shop. Great local artists. Original work. Check it out…read more I especially enjoyed the woodwork. The original photography, jewelry and glasswork are all great!

Great Art by Community Artists. This is a Co-Op and has Artist of the Month feature and changes out…read moreGallery Art every 2 months. Drawing and painting groups/classes. Periodic workshops and artists demos. Check out their FB site for current happenings.

Volunteers rock...especially when they are so committed to running a business on a daily basis…read more I agree with Jay....the artwork could be more versatile with periods and styles depicted. Maybe they need to look for more diverse artists as well.

I have tried several times, at various times of the year, to visit this tasting bar, but it is…read morenever opened. That being said, I did receive their Estate Crush Sangiovese as a gift recently and was disappointed by the excessive amount of OAK in this wine. It seems that many wineries today are starting to use a lot less French and American oak, and more NEUTRAL oak in their wines, allowing the grape to express itself and the origin of the grapes. Utilizing French and American Oak doesn't allow me, the consumer, to access what's in the bottle. All I smell is OAK! And taste OAK. It would be great if more wineries used less new oak and more reused oak barrels that don't impart such a strong oak presence to the wine. Just saying. I'm sure this wine tasting bar has lots of less oaked wines, but I have not been able to taste any of their wines.

What a great experience. We were fortunate that the winemaker was pouring for us. He was so…read moreinformative and they have so many award-winning wines. You should try the wine here.,

In October I shipped a fairly expensive acrylic on canvas painting from Dallas to Lodi, and…read morealthough it was crated unfortunately the Conservation Glass in the frame cracked. I pulled apart just enough of the backing, retaining pins and canvas so I could remove the broken glass. I was afraid the damage to the back of the frame and some rubs on the matting would cause this to be an expensive repair. When I took it in to McKinley's Frame Shop, the owner Danielle she said it was a simple repair and she would have it done in a few days. Four days later, it was ready and when I picked it up I think it looked better than when I made the purchase, and Danielle was super reasonable in her pricing. I won't have my artwork framed anywhere else.

Danielle is great! Danielle has done a few frames for me on my canvas artwork and they all turned…read moreout terrific. A talented lady with a great eye for color and design. Also plenty of frame samples to work with making your artwork really stand out. It's a family business so give them try I'm sure you'll be happy with there work.

We stopped by the Lodi Wine Visitor Center for a wine flight before heading off for a spa day, and…read moreit was such a nice way to start the afternoon. One thing I noticed right away was that it wasn't crowded at all, especially considering it was a weekend around lunchtime. We were able to grab a spot easily and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. That said, service was surprisingly slow during this visit. In fact, I eventually had to go find someone to help us, which is something I've never had to do here before. We've visited quite a few times over the years and service has usually been spot on, so I'm hoping this was just an off day. I also have to give a little shout-out to an employee who used to work here, an Italian woman who somehow always remembered me even though I wasn't a frequent visitor. She had the warmest personality and was always such a joy to talk with. If you've ever had one of those people who just makes a place feel welcoming, you'll know exactly what I mean. The wines themselves were lovely as always, and I still absolutely love the outdoor seating area. It's one of my favorite parts of visiting and makes for such a relaxing place to sit and enjoy a flight. Helpful tip: If the weather is nice, grab a seat outside. It's the perfect way to enjoy a tasting and unwind for a bit. Even with the slower service this time, we still enjoyed ourselves and will definitely be back. Hopefully it was just an off day because this has always been one of our favorite stops when we're in Lodi.

This is an excellent place to start a wine exploration of the Lodi wine region…read more The place is comfortable, friendly and beautifully outfitted for looking around at a variety of winery options, getting information and even having a wine tasting. The tasting, in particular, gives you a good cross-section of wines from the area. The wine options available change every Thursday. You get 4 selections from a menu for $12. (a bargain!) plus the charge is waived if you purchase two bottles. It's a good deal and you get to try things you may or may not enjoy before heading out to the multitude of wineries in the area. We had the most delightful and informative wine tasting I've had in many years. The wines were generally excellent with some excelling over others. Questions were readily answered or immediately researched and answered. There's very nice indoor or outdoor seating, all of it very pleasant. This is well worth an initial stop before forging out to visit specific wineries.

Betty is an amazing artist and an even BETTER teacher! She…read moreexplains how to do each step with patience and calm. I felt like a pro after just one class!!

My girlfriends surprised me for my 60th birthday by having Betty patiently instruct our group on…read morehow to paint a beautiful mermaid scene. I'm a ocean lover so the theme was perfect and every time I look at the painting I think of the memories made and laughter! A gift I will cherish always!