Last night at Stable Cafe, an amazing food venue in San Francisco, we pulled up with our Airstream, opened the doors, and hosted a 90-person VIP Preview fundraiser before we hit the road next week. The guest list was almost entirely friends and family, and those who have been there since Project H’s infancy. My mother, father, and sisters (Anna, George, Molly, and Maggie Pilloton) were all present, along with our board of directors and our biggest cheerleaders.
Sarah Rich, senior editor and Dwell and Project H board member, teamed up with 7×7 Food Editor Jessica Battilana to craft a ridiculously delicious spread of local food, wine, and beer (Sarah managed to collect food and ingredient donations from Batter Bakery, BiRite Market, Tcho Chocolate, North Coast Brewing, Clos Du Val Vineyards, Eatwell Farm, and more).
The Airstream exhibition just barely fit between the gate posts to the right of Stable Cafe’s building (but thanks to Matt’s amazing driving skills, we slid it into the courtyard without a hitch). The exhibition was open for the duration of the event, and the 90-or-so attendees got a first peak at the fully installed Airstream exhibition. The forty products were the source of much inspiration and questions, as was our “apartment” hidden behind one of the exhibition walls which many people asked about (”Is that where you sleep? Where do all your clothes go?”). One of the exhibition favorites was the pair of Adaptive Eyecare glasses, as seen on Stephen Colbert’s face during my recent appearance on the Colbert Report. Each of the products seemed to resonate with different people in different ways, some seeing the most potential in those that addressed education for children with learning challenges, others in water solutions for the developing world. It was wonderful to see visitors’ emotional connections to products and ideas that might benefit their own family and families worlds away alike.
At 5pm, halfway through the evening, we announced the winners of our raffle, which included Timbuk2 messenger bags, a NatureMill home composter, 5 Design Revolution gift crates (t-shirt, signed book, Brita filter, zip ties, and an AirBnB gift card in a white milk crate), a $100 gift certificate to Branch Home, MOMA tickets, a tour of the Tcho Chocolate factory, and GiantMicrobe stuffed toys.
Our 5pm program was topped off by a surprise speech by my mother, who came bearing quotes. She read the following two quotes as inspiration for our journey:
“The future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellow man alike, timid and fearful in the face of bold projects and new ideas. Rather, it will belong to those who can blend passion, reason and courage in a personal commitment to the great enterprises and ideals of society.” —Robert F. Kennedy
“It starts with a dream. Dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. Life is how we get there. Always allow time for traffic.” —Kermit the Frog
We want to thank everyone who came out last night, with particular gratitude to those who have been supporting us since day one. And of course, to our board of directors and those who helped prepare such a lovely meal. We’re so glad you got to be the first to share in the design revolution, and to experience the exhibition in such a lovely setting.
