On a cold Saturday in November, Alight guests were transported to the aromatic streets of Southeast Asia. With over 300 vendors, stalls at Hmongtown Marketplace sell everything and anything the heart desires – from soaps, beauty products, colorful fabrics, to vibrant spices, exotic produce and even live ducks!
During our tour of the market, we wanted not only to see but to help the market thrive. And what better way to do that than by taste testing some of the delicious offerings available?
We treated our guests with bubble tea from a local vendor, Coco Island Papaya & Deli, to not only support them but to also entice visitors deeper into the two large complexes of the bazaar.
We wandered the stalls of the market, chatting with people as we went, and meeting many first generation migrants from Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.
One story in particular stuck out – a vendor, also a grandmother who sells clothing and beauty products, was proud to talk and share a photograph of her grandson who is now an American football player. She described how thinking of her grandchildren was her motivation to work so hard, and now she had seen the fruits of her efforts, helping them to have a better life!
