Monthly Archives: January 2010

A Latino Bazaar

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Today I visited a local bazaar that is adjacent to a thrift store and serves mainly the Latino community. This bazaar reminds me of another bazaar I visited during a business trip in Guadalajara, Mexico several years ago. For instance, salsa and merengue music are playing in the background; signs are written in Spanish and patrons are shopping or sitting around tables conversing with family and friends. The bazaar consists of 40+ vendors who are typically in an 8′x10′ to 20′x10′ space and offer a diverse range of products and services, such as jewelry, clothing, an Internet cafe, health and beauty products, music CDs, DVDs, religious candles and books, Quinceañera dresses, video games, cell phones, furniture, shoes, cameras and barbershops.

The following is a short video to give you a glimpse of this bazaar.

Korean Markets in the U.S.

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“Cultural” Magazines

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Out of curiosity, I purchased Vanidades, a women’s magazine written in Spanish that focuses on beauty, fashion and entertainment.  My Spanish level is conversational so I was unable to fully translate all of the articles. However, I did get the gist of the stories on actors, models, politicians and musicians and picked up trends on fashion, home decor and travel.

Initially, I assumed the magazine would only give me a glimpse of the Hispanic culture and important issues to this community. However, beyond language, I did not recognize a major difference between this publication and other women’s magazines. There were stories on popular actors such as Sandra Bullok, Cameron Diaz and Laurence Fishburne; Italian designers; and musicians like Lady Gaga, Fergie, Rhianna and Gwen Stefani. Furthermore, featured articles included travel in Madrid, a 50-year timeline of top models and the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Lastly, the advertisements were similar to most magazines (e.g. Covergirl, Pantene and Downy), but the ads were written in Spanish and featured mostly women of color.

Through this experience, I was reminded to not judge a “magazine” by its cover. And even if the magazine focuses on a certain culture, I can still read interesting articles and get the latest news on different issues. My point…pick up “cultural” magazines or read them online to see what they have to offer. If anything, practice reading in another language.

Other suggested “cultural” women magazines:

Try Restaurant Week

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Restaurant Week provides a great opportunity for you to try new, ethnic foods at great prices. For example, in DC you can get a three-course fixed meal for $20 (lunch) or $35 (dinner).

Last night Jonathan and I had dinner with Richard and Ayanna at a popular Italian restaurant in DC. While we have had Italian food in the past, we found the entrees new to us, as the restaurant has its unique twist on Italian food. Through Restaurant Week, I have also eaten at Cuban, Indian, French and several American restaurants.

Most cities across the nation will hold Restaurant Week so do an online search to find the next one near you. However, here are a few that are taking place this month:

If you know of others, please post a comment.

Note: Ayanna Hawkins suggested this entry. Thanks, Ayanna!

Fair Trade Shopping

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Today I shopped at Ten Thousand Villages, a fair trade organization that sells handcrafted merchandise made by Asian, African, Latin American and Middle Eastern artisan groups. The mission of a fair trade organization is to help producers in developing countries to become economically self-sufficient, which in turn helps pay for food, healthcare, education and housing.

Shopping in this store was truly a cultural experience. I felt like I was in an international bazaar, as there are so many beautiful crafts not widely available in the United States. The store sold jewelry, home décor, tabletop items, accessories, toys, stationary, baskets, musical instruments, beauty products and really cool trinkets. Each product was labeled with its country origin and sometimes included cultural facts about the country and artist.

I decided to buy a sparkly Guatemalan bracelet that will look great with any outfit and a Haitian heart shaped paperweight for a gift. My purchases felt great because I am helping others improve the lives of their family and their community.

Fair trade products are sold nationwide. To find fair trade distributors in your community, I suggest that you do a Google search. Happy shopping!