12.05.2023

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Today’s Forecast

58º | Sunny | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:21 a.m. | Sunset 5:15 p.m.

Arts

Try This: See “Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous” at the CMA

Presented by a COLAtoday Partner

Three fashion pieces by Lee Alexander McQueen on display in front of black background

The opportunity to see pieces designed by renowned fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen — up close, in person, right here in South Carolina — is not to be missed. | Photo by the COLAtoday team

In case you missed it, the Columbia Museum of Art is currently home to two highly anticipated high-fashion exhibitions: “Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous” and “Sergio Hudson: Focused on the Fit.”

We’ll feature a behind-the-scenes look at the Sergio Hudson exhibition soon, so keep an eye out — in the meantime, we’re sashaying into your inbox to share our experience with McQueen.

What we tried:

We toured “Rendez-Vous,” organized and produced by Barrett Barrera Projects, on a sunny Saturday morning after a stroll through Soda City Market. After talking with Jackie Adams, the CMA’s director of art and learning, we couldn’t wait to see the exhibition for ourselves — and it didn’t disappoint.

What not to miss:

Seeing McQueen’s garments in person is as breathtaking as you might imagine, but we didn’t expect to be as wowed as we were by the photography component of the exhibition.

Photographs by Ann Ray — Ann Ray, whose intimate portraits and behind-the-scenes photos of McQueen’s runway shows are featured in the exhibition, met the designer in 1997 at the House of Givenchy in Paris.
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Photo by the COLAtoday team

The 60+ photographs on display are all by Ann Ray, the only photographer permitted exclusive access to document the behind-the-scenes culture of McQueen’s runway shows. These photographs are works of art in their own right, and, in our opinion, worth the price of admission ($15) on their own.

What we’re still talking about:

Designed with low lighting to protect the haute couture and runway fashion pieces on display, walking through this exhibition is as relaxing as it is exhilarating. (I brought my toddler with me on a Stroller Tour, and he seemed to agree.)

How you can experience this:

Reserve advance tickets online or purchase at the door to tour the exhibition, and check out the museum’s upcoming programs. You can catch “Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous” through Jan. 21, 2024.

Things to know if you go:

Experience: “Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous” at the CMA
Price: $15 for the general public, free for members
Website: www.columbiamuseum.org
Address: 1515 Main St., Columbia, SC 29201
Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday; closed Monday
Social: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Learn more and reserve tickets

Events

Tuesday, Dec. 5

Community Development Committee Meeting | Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 11 a.m. | City Hall, Council Chambers, 1737 Main St., 3rd Floor, Columbia | Members of the public may attend or view the meeting online.
Silent Book Club | Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 6-8 p.m. | Graduate Hotel - Columbia, 1619 Pendleton St., Columbia | Free | Grab your favorite book and join The Graduate Hotel for this non-social, but can-be social reading event.

Wednesday, Dec. 6

“Joyous Creatures” by Marius Valdes - Opening Reception | Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 5-7:30 p.m. | Koger Center for the Arts, 1051 Greene St., Columbia | Free | View the Koger Center’s newest exhibition at its upstairs gallery featuring wildly creative artwork by Cola resident Marius Valdes.
Gamecocks Women’s Basketball vs. Morgan State Bears | Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 7 p.m. | Colonial Life Arena, 801 Lincoln St., Columbia | $25-$35 | Watch the Gamecocks as they look to stay undefeated and No. 1 in the rankings.

Thursday, Dec. 7

Paisley and the Birdwalkers | Thursday, Dec. 7 | 6:30-11 p.m. | New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St., West Columbia | $10 | Local rock act Paisley and the Birdwalkers are joined by Charleston indie band The Simplicity.
First Thursday on Main Street | Thursday, Dec. 7 | 6 p.m. | Main Street, Columbia | Free | On the first Thursday of each month, businesses in downtown Columbia participate in First Thursday on Main by keeping their doors open late, offering a mix of specials, events, entertainment, and more.

Saturday, Dec. 9

Holiday Meeting Street Artisan Market | Saturday, Dec. 9, Saturday, Dec. 16 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Interactive Art Park, 425 Meeting St., West Columbia | Free | Stroll through a wonderland of artisan booths showcasing handcrafted jewelry, art pieces, and homemade treats — it’s the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind gifts while supporting local artists.*

Calendar events here

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News Notes

Closed

After 29 years, Jin Jin Chinese Restaurant in West Columbia announced its closure on Dec. 2. Located at 469 Sunset Blvd., the longtime local favorite shared its thanks to the community in a heartfelt Facebook post. The closure leaves Capitol Shopping Center vacant.

Closing

Village Idiot Pizza will close its Forest Drive location in Forest Acres by the end of December. Open since 2009, Brian and Kelly are exploring new locations in Forest Acres. (The State)

Try This

Beginning Friday, the SC State Fairgrounds will become a dazzling drive-through light show. Enjoy over 100 LED displays synchronized to music on 88.9 FM, plus treats, including the fair’s famous cookies. Tickets are $20 per car.

Number

$200,000. That’s the amount of Aflac’s donation to the SC State Museum, helping make all 10 public restrooms ADA-compliant. This initiative, part of the Reimagine the Experience project, includes new mother’s rooms and a wellness space.

Seasonal

Light Up NOMA will bring festive cheer on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 3 to 6 p.m. Enjoy shopping deals, food tastings, a tree lighting at Curiosity Coffee, performances by the Eau Claire Marching Band, and the 4th annual Cookie Crawl.

Award

Lorne White’s dazzling “Gumdrop House” themed boat won the top prize at the annual 2023 Christmas Light Boat Parade. The Spirit of Lake Murray led the parade of 20 boats on its maiden voyage after a recent renovation. Check out a few photos from the event.

Community

Last month, the AllSouth team wrapped gifts to donate to the individuals and families they adopted through the Families Helping Families holiday assistance program. Learn how to get involved.*

Shop

Have an active loved one on your shopping list? Upway delivers rigorously inspected, certified, and 99% pre-assembled e-bikes from top brands (think: Specialized, Aventon, and Super73) directly to your doorstep — with free express shipping when you use code TREE.*

Real Estate

Be the WeCo Broker

Be the broker: What would you like to see at Capitol Shopping Center

What would you like to see in this West Columbia area? | Graphic via CRP

Jin Jin Chinese Restaurant’s closure has left all retail spaces at Capitol Shopping Center in West Columbia vacant, but of course, the parking lot remains active.

The River District has seen significant growth over the past decade. This includes State Street renovations, the addition of Savage Craft Ale works, and the Brookland Development with 4West Apartments and retail spaces.

The shopping center’s parking lot now serves as a recommended spot for nearby diners and the Meeting Street Artisan Market, enhanced by added crosswalks for pedestrian safety. This is part of broader beautification efforts in the area.

With this prime real estate spot near the river and parking worries aside, what developments would you like to see? A new construction from the ground up or redevelopment of the strip mall? Be the broker and let us know what you’d like to see at this location.

The Buy

The Buy 12.05.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

The ultimate gift for the year of Barbie: the Barbie Dreamhouse 2023. Can we get one of those spiral pool slides for our house?

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The Wrap

David Stringer wearing a dark button-down shirt

Today’s edition by:
David

From the editor

Thank you to the whole Lake Murray Country crew for having me out last Saturday evening to help judge the annual Christmas Lights Boat Parade. My favorite was the “Gumdrop House,” which took the top prize. Plus, you can’t beat a fireworks show over the lake.

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