(Client: Farmers Market)

An L.A. institution turns 75, seeks memories

In January, the Original Los Angeles Farmers Market will commence a year-long celebration of its 75th anniversary. To help keep things festive, Angelenos are being asked to share their stories, photographs and other memorabilia of the market, which will be used on “memory boards” throughout the year. The boards will be displayed at several locations within the market and also online at www.farmersmarketla.com.

In the spirit of the moment, I’d like to offer up my own favorite Farmers Market memory:

When I was in my early 20s, my parents came to visit for Easter. The night before they flew in I was cleaning up after a shift at the bar I worked at and found $25 in the parking lot. Those were lean times for me and I was really happy to have the extra cash. After I picked up my folks at the airport, our first stop was Canter’s (my dad loves liver and onions), and then we swung by the Farmers Market. My father, whose birthday was the next day, was admiring the pies at Du-par’s. In a fit of sentimentality, I bought him one with the money I had found. When I gave it to him, he was so pleased. It was a small gesture, a blip on the family-moments radar, but something about it lingers in my mind as especially sweet.

– Jessica Gelt