You are Cordially Invited

You are cordially invited to the Grand Opening of the Artist Colony at the Esplanade. Admittedly it took place last night and you are a day late, but I still want to share the evening with you. It was after all a grand celebration.

Please note the festive mood we created with our little twinkle lights around the doors and windows. (They were a nightmare to hang but worth the effort, don't you agree?)

And then there was the food. A virtual feast of tasty one bite wonders. We had so many little platters of this and that that we had to add a second table. We adhered to our black and white theme with our table decorations and paper products. We're a class act don't cha know.

And get a load of this...browsers, and we weren't' even open yet! If only they would have stopped admiring that gorgeous photograph long enough to pull out their wallets and fork over some greenbacks.

And here we are, the Portside family. (Portside is the name we finally settled on for our little studio.) I was going to refer to us as the Three Muskateers, but the Three Stooge's might be more appropriate.

Now please take note of the little bare spot on the wall. Two hours prior to Doug snapping this picture there was a photograph hanging there. It is now winging its way northward, tucked securely in some lucky woman's suitcase.

I know what you're thinking....but people this IS south Florida and it is perfectly acceptable to wear white after Labor Day.

And just look at this...we even had a band show up for the party. OK so they were middle school students here for a fundraiser for a school group that hoped to profit from our publicity, but they were loud.

Even the Chamber of Commerce showed up with their giant scissors for a fake ribbon cutting ceremony. What can I say, we did it in style.

And here's the group en mass, all seventeen members of the Artist Colony (and a few hangers on who just like to get their picture in the paper). Can you find Waldo?

On three, everybody stand in front of the photographer. Artists are so pushy. They all want to be in the front row, even if they're 6' tall.

Over here, can you see me now?

And then we officially opened our doors and the people poured in. Seriously, they streamed in for hours, drinking our free beverages and eating our free food. (If you feed them they will come.) It was a party atmosphere at the Esplanade, something not seen here for many, many, long, recession induced months. A few people even purchased things.

That is after all why we are here. Come back again soon, and don't forget your check book!!