Summer heats up with CFADA and Gibbes' events

By Caroline Millard

CFADA Palette and Palate Stroll

Despite nearly oppressive heat, a strong crowd of Charlestonians gathered Friday evening for the Charleston Fine Art Dealers Association Palette and Palate Stroll. Weaving through the city’s fine art’s district, the artsy set nibbled bites from such Holy City restaurants as Charleston Grille, 82 Queen and La Fourchette, between sips of wine and flits of makeshift paper fans. Robert Lange Studios was full of their welcome hospitality as a fairly quiet crowd - at least by RLS opening reception standards - took in new works by artists Joshua Flint and Charles Williams and noshed a spread by Social Wine Bar. Owner and sommelier, Brad Ball, was even spotted outside the gallery pitching to breakdown tables after the stroll. Elsewhere, a crowd at Helena Fox Gallery enjoyed contemporary seafood samplings presented by Amen Street’s executive chef Todd Garrigan. “Just eat it like a taco!” he said of one particularly tasty hor d’ourve, a healthy sliver of scallop atop sliced cucumber and garnished with caviar. If not for the heat, which we’ve come to expect during these Souther summers and which most galleries were futile in defeating, the CFADA’s annual Palette and Palate Stroll would have been an absolutely perfect start to the weekend.

Society 1858 Presents Bastille Cafe

The Gibbes Museum of Art was alit Friday night for the Society 1858 Bastille Day fete. Thrown by the younger set of Gibbes patrons, the evening was a fresh take on the standard benefit event. After entering the museum, immediately exiting to the right and slipping down a darkened ramp to the back courtyard, more the one party goer questioned, “Is there really a party back here?” before coming upon a fantastic spread of glittering cafe lights centered around a packed bar and whimsical replica of the Eiffel Tour. The night buzzed with ladies aglow in elegant cocktail frocks, gentlemen sporting standard Southern garb and even a spotting of Marie Antoinette herself. Although, we do highly suspect it was a man hiding under that powdered wig and saucy gown. Guests passed round glasses of Absinthe, green fairly cocktail server and all, as the intoxicating jazz sounds of Heddy Rae wafted over the chatter of the packed courtyard. Sweet and deliciously greasy pomme frites and other hors d’ourves from 39 Rue de Jean made the perfect accompaniment to cool classes of wine and beer, as did delicious bites from Macaroon Boutique. The party continued well into the night, a wonderful presentation by the Gibbes and Society 1858.