I opened the fridge door and peered in. Alone on the second shelf (yes, I need to go grocery shopping) sat a small, flat brown paper bag. There was no logo, no corporate tag line, nothing to distinguish it from any other brown paper bag. At 6am Monday morning, the bag was given new meaning…
It was about that time that I heard the terrible news that Eastern Market, one of my favorite spots in all of DC, had been damaged by a fire that raged for several hours, late that night and into the morning. I've heard the building structure will remain, but its contents are a total loss...and the market may never be the same.
But I consider myself lucky. As I usually do in the warm spring/summer months, I had just spent the day catching up with friends while wandering the booths, peering at handmade jewelry and antique furniture I can never afford. You can regularly find me hovering over the purses made from old books, the water colors and photography captured by local artists, taking apple samples from the produce section, trying to haggle the guy who makes those amazing chunky bead necklaces so they’re actually in my price range (never worked).
It was also that day that I felt inspired to introduce my friend to “the cheese guy”. The funny older gentleman in the market who wins you over with samples of wonderful cheeses (I’m partial to the sage cheddar), and let’s you sample a few before encouraging you to make a selection or make room for other customers. After at least three samples, I settled on a serving of an incredible goat-gouda. Wrapped in brown paper, I put it in my bag and moved on.
My sadness can’t even compare to the devastation facing the local artists and vendors who lost a part of their livelihood…their place of business. So I jumped at the chance to join Blue State’s own Clay Johnson, and others, to help support those who were displaced by the fire at Eastern Market. Using a Facebook group and EasternMarketRescue.com, we’re asking local bars and restaurants to donate proceeds next Tuesday (May 8th) to the Capitol Hill Community Foundation. So far the response has been great…but we’re not done yet. Have you asked your local watering hole to join?
It’s the least we can do to thank our market friends for the many gift ideas and fresh produce over the years…and for the cheese samples. I just can’t bring myself to eat that goat-gouda. As long as my roommate will let me, I may leave it in the fridge as a reminder to keep up the fight and protect the memory of our market.
