Dall E 2 version of the Columbia, SC skyline. | Graphic via COLAtoday

Last year, we introduced you to the AI image generator Craiyon and had it create six well-known Midlands landmarks.

Looking back at the images, they’re a bit underwhelming compared to the updated technology. Using DALL·E 2 — a free open AI system that can create images + art from a description in our natural language — we tested the local power of the bot.

Note: This application shares four versions of each photo, but we selected three of our favorites for each example.

Prompt: A professional photo of the Columbia, South Carolina skyline.

Prompt: Vincent Van Gogh-style painting of fireflies in Congaree National Park. See it here.

Prompt: A professional photo of a kayaker floating down the Saluda River. See it here.

Prompt: An award-winning photograph of Guy Fieri in front of the South Carolina State House.

AI Generated Guy Fieri SC Statehouse.png — Dall E 2 version of Guy Fieri giving a thumbs up at the SC State House. | Graphic via COLAtoday

Prompt: A photo of the crowd at the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in the Five Points area of Columbia, South Carolina. See it here.

Have some fun and test out Dall E for yourself. You can create up to 50 images for free per month.

CREATE A SCENE

QUIZ

How much money did sports bettors wager between January and November of 2022? (Source: Forbes)

A. $10 billion
B. $31 billion
C. $54 billion
D. $68 billion
E. $83 billion
F. $103 billion

Congratulations to Wendy A. for winning a $50 gift card to our online shop, Six & Main. Did you know you could be our next winner? Answer this week’s survey questions for a chance to score a gift card!

ANSWER HERE

EVENTS

Click here to have your event featured.

Monday, March 20

ColaJazz Loft Sessions | Monday, Mar. 20 | 7-9 p.m. | The Pastor’s Study, 1633 Main St., Columbia | $30 | Tickets for the jazz listening room series include wine, beer, and light snacks.

Tuesday, March 21

UofSC Symphony Orchestra - Rising Stars | Tuesday, Mar. 21 | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia | $28 | Featuring winners of the 2022-23 Concerto-Aria Competition Yuting Chen, piano; Carmen Borregales, clarinet; and Aaron Nealy, bassoon.

Wednesday, March 22

Business Networking Happy Hour | Thursday, Mar. 23 | 5-7 p.m. | Hunter Gatherer at Curtiss Wright Hanger, 1402 Jim Hamilton Blvd., Columbia | Free | Make meaningful connections with other business-minded Soda Citizens at happy hour.
Baker & Baker presents The Southern Pines featuring Quiana Parler | Wednesday, Mar. 22 | 6-8 p.m. | Columbia Museum of Art, 1515 Main St., Columbia | $20-$25 | Dr. Colleen Clark, newly appointed assistant professor of jazz studies at USC, presents her newest (all-female) band, The Southern Pines.*

Thursday, March 23

The All Night Strut | Thursday, Mar. 23-Friday, Mar. 24 | 7:30 p.m. | Town Theatre, 1012 Sumter St., Columbia | $25 | Opening tomorrow night at Town, “The All Night Strut” is a melting pot of tunes from iconic artists from the 1930s and ‘40s like Duke Ellington, Frank Loesser, and The Gershwins.

Friday, March 24

Palmetto Sportsmen’s Classic | Friday, Mar. 24 | 12-8 p.m. | SC State Fair Grounds, 1200 Rosewood Dr., Columbia | $10 | With over 350 vendors covering every building and the surrounding outdoor exhibition areas — you’ll find everything from boats to the latest hunting equipment.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

SPORTS

Love golf? You’re going to want to see this.

golfer doing a swing motion with a coach watching

Golfers of every age and ability can improve their game while reducing the risk of overuse injury. | Photo provided by Prisma Health/Moveo

Hey, COLA golfers — want to improve your golf technique, speed, motion, swing, and overall play? 🙋

With a winning combination of advanced technology + top industry experts, Prisma Health Apex Golf Performance is the place to take your golf game to the next level.

Through personal instruction from Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame coach Puggy Blackmon and the use of state-of-the-art Motion Analysis and Performance (MAP) technology (take a peek at how it works — it’s pretty impressive), the program will provide:

A comprehensive MAP-generated motion assessment to diagnose mobility issues and enhance movement, balance, and efficiency
A thorough, one-on-one coaching session with Coach Blackmon to identify optimal body movement and sequencing (read: optimize performance by improving stability, control, and speed)
Injury-prevention (or injury improvement) tips
Post-session video capture and detailed report with recommended performance techniques and exercises
Optional follow-up session to measure progress and technique implementation

Ready to get started? Browse packages — and take advantage of a two-for-one deal until April 9. ⛳ *

NEWS NOTES

Weather

56º | Mostly sunny| 0% chance of rain

Coming Soon

Little Bee Bun Mee, located next door to Duke’s Pad Thai in Cayce, will open this spring. Banh mi (pronounced “bun mee”) is the Vietnamese word for bread and a sandwich that combines French and Vietnamese influences. It’s often made with a protein, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and jalapeno. 🥖

Sports

The Gamecocks Women’s Basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament after defeating Norfolk State on Friday and South Florida on Sunday. Next up, the team will travel to Greenville to take on the winner of tonight’s game between Oklahoma and UCLA. 🏀 (Gamecocks Online)

Shop

Guess who’s back? J. Crew’s back again at Trenholm Plaza. Work is underway at the new J. Crew Factory location next to The Fresh Market in Forest Acres. Factory stores are more outlet-style stores for bargain brand shoppers.Tell a friend. 👕 (The Post and Courier)
If your vacuum isn’t picking up dirt and debris like it used to, it may be time for a new one. This handheld Shark vacuum is lightweight, cordless, and highly rated on Amazon. Or splurge on the Dyson V11 Cordless Vacuum that sucks up particles as small as allergens and bacteria.*
To celebrate the first day of spring, refresh your home with tea towels by Jessica Reynolds and find your city print by Signet Sealed. Now, that’s how you start the new season.

Outdoors

There’s a new spot for kayakers and canoers to enjoy white water near Great Falls, about 45 minutes north of Columbia. Duke Energy re-opened a bypass of the Catawba River last week that had been dammed up for 117 years. The bypass is designed for leisurely use and is family-friendly. 🛶 (The State)

Edu

Are there subjects your high school student is considering studying in college, but they’d like to know more about it first? Here’s their chance to do so. Wake Forest University’s Online Immersion Program features exciting video lessons, created by Wake Forest professors, covering subjects like medicine, psychology, business, and law. Explore courses + sign up your child.*

Celebrate

We want to wish a happy birthday to our teammate Chloe, 6AM Director of Client Success. Happy birthday, Chloe!

Finance

Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*

Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

SEASONAL

Spring has sprung 🌱

Get to know our newest Soda City Ambassadors. | Photo by COLAtoday

Today marks the spring equinox (aka the first day of Spring). 🌷

Technically speaking, it’s the day that the sun crosses the Earth’s equator from the Southern Hemisphere into the Northern Hemisphere. The shift marks the astronomical start of spring and days will become “longer” because there will be more time between sunrise and sunset.

Looking to celebrate the season? Head to our events page to see community events happening this week and beyond. If you’re up for spending some time outside with your pooch, our dog parks guide will point you in the right direction.

If you’re in the mood for some spring cleaning, here are the essentials we recommend:

🧽 Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

💧 Microfiber cleaning cloths

🧹 Duster kit

🍓 Refrigerator organizer bins

🧼 Spinning scrubber brush

Bonus: Hire a cleaning professional to tidy up your humble abode.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by David.

Editor’s pick: The “outpainting” feature of the DALL E 2 open AI is one of the most fascinating features to me. For these, you can upload an image, and it will generate the background from your description prompt. If you create something interesting with it today, share it with us so we can see it.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Read about the wisteria blooming around Cola, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Samantha Robertson, David Stringer, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith| Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Lindsey Rhinesmith| Advertise with us.

Content marked with an * was created in partnership with 6AM City’s advertising partners. Paid content helps keep this newsletter free. 6AM City may also receive a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this newsletter.

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