Monday, February 17, 2020

Portraits, Politics & Panoramas ..and more Politics

Went downtown last Thursday to have dinner at Hyman's Seafood. There is always a crowd out front but, as a local, I get seated rather quickly.

Eli Hyman, the owner, wanted to encourage locals to come, eat and bring their visiting friends there.

So, years ago, he wisely sent out a VIP card to residents that allowed you to be seated next!

When you discreetly show it at the front door. you jump to the head of the waiting list.

 Yes, I carry that card and dine there often for good seafood at a great price.

I was downtown to attend a 6 pm - 9 pm grand opening of The Space art gallery at 2143 Heriot Street in the neck area of the peninsula. I was heading there after my shrimp & grits dinner.

It had taken quite a while to drive the 12 miles from home in Hanahan maybe because SEWE was coming to town with an expected 40,000 visitors?

But my plan to zip up Rutledge Avenue to get to Heriot street was thwarted by police cars blocking many streets??

Two cars with flashing blue lights at intersections canceled my plans for a quick direct route and I wandered around in light rain, seeking a way to head up the peninsula.

Finally, I stopped and asked a policeman if all these blocked streets were because of flooding?

He stepped closer, laughing and said quietly "Vice President Pence is in town, giving a speech at The Citadel. We were told to ensure NO cars were on Rutledge Avenue, a direct route to I-26 which is also cleared, and on to the airport."

I drove around some more, in the rain, with other confused drivers, circling around in traffic, making awkward U-turns and finally asked another policeman if I could just park behind him, close to Rutledge Avenue.

He said that was OK so I parked, my white car lighted by the pulsing blue lights and listened to an audiobook.

I did text a message to THE SPACE gallery, alerting the owner that traffic from downtown was terribly snarled but that I hoped to eventually get there before the reception ended.

About 10 minutes later, behind me, I heard a rumbling and increasingly loud ROAR as the escorted motorcade whizzed by very fast on its way toward the airport.

In a few minutes, the flashing blue lights were turned off,  the black and white cruisers moved out of the way and the streets re-opened for traffic.

I got to the gallery around 8 pm, signed in, sipped a glass of white wine and looked at the photos displayed, all taken by female photographers for this opening exhibition.

I quickly saw why POLITICS was in the announcement: there were three photos by Callie Shell, of then Presidental-candidate Obama taken as he was campaigning.

I chatted with gallery owner Mark Stetler and he recalled the text message I had sent and agreed it was ironic that the night of his opening, a politician was in town snarling traffic.

It is a bright new space divided into rental rooms for hanging exhibitions and a large studio available for photoshoots. Go check it out.

You know how I do this...click on the photos and links for more details.

Thanks for stewing in traffic with me. It was worth the wait.

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