May the Schwartz Be With You!

Here are some highlights from the July 5, 2012 preview market party event at 1317 East Carson Street, soon to be re-opening as Schwartz Living Market! So, someone this past Thursday evening told me if we name the project right, they'll be there shopping. Or was it, if we name a drink after "May the Schwartz Be With You", they'll buy one? How about May the Schwartz Be With You Wheat Grass Juice Shots?!!!

Arlene is Morris Schwartz's granddaughter, and there I am too.  Sarah Ann Schwartz, may she rest in peace, Morris's daughter, and Arlene and Stan's Aunt, was deaf.  I am signing, I love you. Arlene and I are standing in front of Jenna West's Schwartz Living Market display. Jenna has designed our logo, cards, and brochure and there will be more design work coming!

What an amazing evening, this past July 5, 2012, was! Some folks asked why the  @#$% were we having a party when it was renovation and reconstruction we need to be doing? And what will it be? The newly invented Schwartz Market as Schwartz Living Market? What will BE there? So many questions and so few clear answers! So, now you know how this project has been going. We are doing it...ALL... and all at once! We love it and enjoy it, and it can be simply maddening, at times, to do it all. The clarity is coming. It is all developing. Slow development it's called. Hour by hour. Day by Day. And then we sit back, lay back, and in our case, stand tall, and contemplate. And revel in our creation!

Laura, Rachel, Elisa and Stan, and who is that other guy next to Stan? Anyone know him?! 

Stan and Arlene's grandfather was Morris Schwartz. Morris came over to the United States from Hungary in the early part of the century and established Schwartz Market in Pittsburgh's historic South Side. We honor the legacy of Morris Scwartz and his wife Helen Schwartz. I understand they were two amazing, energetic, family and community oriented individuals.

The Schwartz Living Market is to be the engine for green growth for the overall Living Building project we are slowly and mindfully developing. What is a Living Building? Go to the Phipps Conservatory website to check out the almost open Living Building project right here in our own town of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Or go to the www.ilbi.org website to read about the details. We are working towards meeting the Living Building Challenge of an existing historic structure. A feat that has not yet been accomplished in this world yet, at least not that I know of. Exciting? You betcha! Why a party? We needed a party just about now!

Thanks SO much to all of you that vended and that participated at our preview market party on July 5, 2012. Below are a few highlights and we will blog with more details in the next days and weeks. The evening was truly fantabulous! Thanks so much to every individual and every family and every vendor. The evening showed us that the space is just perfect as a market space. I was so overwhelmed by the sweet wonderful energy the surrounded us the whole time! I wished the evening had been about three hours longer so I had had time to speak to each individual vendor for at least 15 minutes. I did not make it to each of the booths and did not even realize some of the vendors were there. I sincerely apologize for that from the bottom of my heart. Life and experience teaches so many important lessons, and I feel blessed to be part of all of this!

Thanks for being there and selling your books Patty Lemer, Executive Director of Developmental Delay Resources, and teaching us about Envisioning a Bright Future and selling your books. Thanks Jonothan for the delicious vegetarian food you prepared that will be part of our Transition Kitchen and to your family for being there too.

Thanks Jamie Glover of Global Lovin' one of our permanent vendors, for being there in our five foot deep prototype vendor booth. Your responsibly imported beautiful clothing from Thailand is just magnificent! Who is that standing with you and who is that shopping? Thank you both too!

Thanks Councilman Bill Peduto, and Jim McCue, and Sheila Collins, and that other handsome guy in the photo, for being there!

Dave, Hazel, Bob and Arlene

Thanks Dad for being there. You got to meet Hazel, who is older than you at 101! You were the patriarch and matriarch of the evening. You could feel young at 100 years and 9 months! Bob and Arlene, thank you too for being supportive of this project. Bob worked supplying tea to the Schwartz Market for many years. Both he and his Mom, Hazel have been family friend forever and are now retired, but not tired! We were so lucky Arlene joined us from California!

Incredible original hand painted T-shirts by Thrice Great Apparel

Thanks Miguel Sague, another of the permanent vendors, for your authentic Native American treasures. 

Darrell Frey of Three Sisters Farm and author of the book Bioshelter Market Garden: A Permaculture Farm,  is doing the Permaculture Site Design for the project for 1317 East Carson Street along with Elizabeth Lynch and Tara Alexander. All three of these amazing individuals have been involved in the planning and implementation of this project.

Liz and Jenna in the construction zone!

Thanks Three Sisters Farm and Liz and Darrell for all you are doing!

Thanks Tony Albrect for being the chief architect on the project and explaining to others what this project is all about and for understanding this process!

Thanks Ji, and an extra special thanks to Chad, for organizing the vendors and so much more for this evening and way beyond! 

Laura and Adira, Morris Schwartz's great-grandaughters, are chatting while others watch me take their photo from the Soap Box. The Soap Box 52 will be featured in the market for you to stand up and speak your truth! Non-profits are being offered a vendor booth for between one and three weeks on Saturdays only, for the first year of operation at no charge.

A special thanks to the Pennsylvania Resources Council for supplying the composting and recycling receptacles so this could be a zero waste event and to the Albert of Zerofossil for teaching us about wonderful alternatives to fossil fuels.

 I will go on and on in the next blog to continue to thank all of you that I have not yet mentioned.
Enjoy the photos and keep following this blog for project updates. We project opening by very late summer and with all of your help, we will continue to exceed everyone's expectations!

For more details and if you'd like to vend in the space at 1317 East Carson Street in the new Schwartz Living Market, please contact Pam Barroso at:

pjs787@gmail.com

Elisa Beck:)
http://1317eastcarson.blogspot.com
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