http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html Hmong New Year Festival - Wandering Spoon http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#0 351a92cb-6e00-4bb6-8d7d-681e4b7a5456 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2599/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2599/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Fragrant smoke hangs over the festival grounds.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#1 1d3fde52-9afd-4b7b-9773-330777caef4a http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040516/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040516/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">The smallest grills were the size of beds.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#2 1f297758-e9f1-478b-85c7-61318f11d032 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040518/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040518/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">But the best of all are the fatty, juicy, herbalicious sausages!</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#3 851b0e72-43fc-4b5e-9e2e-d7c754ebf3ae http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040519/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040519/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Like a huge smoky, savory foosball game, this grill sported eight mega-skewers of sausage, pork and chicken that turned automatically with the help of a generator-powered crank and chain.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#4 b043c03e-84c0-41e2-940a-c0875ff35164 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040522/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040522/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">From the air, we have pigeons pressed flat for quick cooking, while from the water, there's fish stuffed with a lemongrass and chiles. From the land, long cuts of pork rubbed with turmeric are the favorite meat.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#5 a55bb2c4-4bd7-4592-be65-29310673e92f http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040523/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040523/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Large bags of charcoal piled up by one of the grills.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#6 bb91776f-e295-4474-87e2-a856c71b4923 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2603/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2603/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">BTW, if you let this sort of greasy build-up happen to your grill...</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#7 1f025bf9-4f6a-4b39-b5b4-ade97fbd73d2 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2604/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2604/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">...then you might get this kind of dramatic flare-up on your meat.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#8 d515df98-12b1-485f-9289-778b4db76118 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040536/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040536/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Hand-lettered signs rule.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#9 9b866116-8669-4c0e-a281-596f40f6979c http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040533/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040533/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Two ways to order your chicken.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#10 cab8a3a0-6b17-477f-9b0a-07d72ae07996 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040539/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040539/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Lunch from The Master Grill, conveniently located at the food lane's cul-de-sac, includes red sticky rice, thick slices of sausage, half of a pigeon and an entire fish.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#11 5996ef25-ba1f-4689-9a51-eb39d8681cb9 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2580/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2580/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Sticky red rice cooked in bamboo over a fire for a lovely smoky flavor.  Ancient snack on the go!</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#12 6358eb52-8822-4423-9fbb-1d63545655d8 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040509/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040509/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Pickles seasoned with chile peppers appear at nearly every food vendors' booth. Behind these, you can see mangoes with spicy salt, but the tropical fruit were not nearly as popular as their distant dill-pickle cousins.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#13 8a4698fc-c171-4e9d-ba91-ea5ad212f0da http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2568/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2568/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Salt pounded with chiles to top your pickles or mangoes.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#14 1e76c125-35d0-4f79-8dd5-1f3fc4fe1781 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2550/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2550/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Bottles of sport drink add their own bright color to the festival, while at every turn, you’ll find someone pounding green papaya for tuav qaub, the Hmong version of that spicy-sour salad loved throughout Southeast Asia.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#15 3324902c-632f-43de-98e4-393b19a32f27 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040527/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040527/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Ingredients for the immensely popular papaya salad await each customer's order.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#16 d7ffdee9-3dca-4b9e-9f69-1703a6c36c4f http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040529/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040529/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Stop at this family's booth, “Merced’s Poppin’ Papaya,” for the absolute best Hmong-style papaya salad in California.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#17 30c34a56-57ff-4b0e-8f0d-16a8bab3be82 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2592/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2592/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Oldest daughter Sandra adds papaya shreds and a few slices of tomato...</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#18 0ddd39ff-fb44-489d-a251-a20435400c79 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2589/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2589/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">...then pours on the fish sauce. For the hardcore, shrimp paste added on request!</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#19 51034082-3cf7-4809-8657-51a55f7f1813 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2591/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2591/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">...squeezes in lots of fresh lime juice...</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#20 cb090bc6-b608-4d1e-864d-8a509aeb4064 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2597/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2597/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Mom prepares another batch for a second line of hungry customers.<span class="style_2"><br/></span></p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#21 9b36bd00-267e-436f-8fb1-d14d6024f598 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040544/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040544/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">A stroll to the other side of the Fairgrounds leads to a long line for dessert: thick wedges of bananas that fry up crisp and sweet.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#22 d3a981f3-30ea-4d4f-b32d-c98df74eaf55 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2423/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2423/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Hot banana fritters!</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#23 1cf9cfe7-02ff-4e77-89bf-62f01141a5f2 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2544/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2544/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Pomelo and other seasonal citrus for the new year.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#24 6e2d7918-ecea-4e39-a846-ace2ad903079 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2546/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2546/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Bags of “tanlege” for only a dollar each.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#25 ca78c347-e148-4206-9926-a04917c20bb6 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2505/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2505/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">After filling up, we can finally turn to some shopping.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#26 2db576e2-37da-4d1d-a3ab-397f16c4cb51 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2506/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2506/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Men can coordinate their holiday vests with a beaded tie.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#27 290b02fd-1564-451c-af24-a1c23c86a540 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040530/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040530/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Hmmm...I think that skirt is a bit shorter than traditional.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#28 685d091f-90dc-410d-846c-1885f3d8aedf http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2495/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2495/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Asian girls don’t usually have badonkadonk, but we can dream.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#29 48e738a5-219f-4e84-909d-04e183d49c0b http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2575/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2575/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">A poster advertising the latest DVD compilation of water buffalo fights.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#30 f96a1002-2ea7-4c0c-b979-f28c5e9620fa http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2640/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2640/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Or, if you prefer to eat your water buffalos, pick up a brochure for a Hmong butcher who will deliver to your door.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#31 52a3c0b2-1de2-4537-99ad-6380fcdd3b7e http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2507/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2507/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">More modern gadgets for classic dishes.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#32 b3b246b3-62a5-4c41-b4d7-4f83be006ce4 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2511/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2511/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">To make some of that amazing sausage, you’ll need to get an old-style hand-cranked grinder.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#33 1402646c-c844-40a6-ba7f-7920c51833ae http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040555/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/P1040555/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">The Wandering Spoon bonds with a really big spoon.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#34 645a26db-c53d-4e76-802d-8b7a99972cc2 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2514/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2514/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#35 9dbfa67d-40a0-478d-a6bd-942dac753c11 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2518/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2518/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">The qeej, made of precisely cut bamboo and vibrating copper strips, creates distinct tones that correspond to the Hmong language. Its songs send souls off to the afterlife at funerals, accompany couples at their weddings, and add festive sound to the new year.<span class="style_2"><br/></span></p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#36 070b664d-c719-4ce2-9303-26974c65f336 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2529/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2529/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">In addition to handy waist-pockets embroidered in traditional patterns, this vendor sells flat cases for storing jewelry tangle-free.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#37 18d2998a-8293-40b8-9cdb-3c70187d9062 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2522/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2522/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#38 4dffa217-879f-46f0-bd2e-c215498c8d57 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2502/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2502/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Toys to help the younger generation remember their history.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#39 5cc15a66-dd56-4375-91ec-92b111a2b4ed http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2537/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2537/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Try your luck at this homemade roulette wheel to win traditional folks songs, Hmong soap operas, or a pair of earrings.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#40 ff33a21d-8680-42cd-a9cd-822893b0fc35 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2536/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2536/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">The bad-ass corner of the festival.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#41 2b272049-f9b7-4c0b-818d-00a3433efc5d http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2547/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2547/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#42 01550f00-086d-4d59-a5ea-5f4da54c0935 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2556/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2556/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Several photographers set up elaborate tents families and old friends gather for formal portraits. At this tent, there’s a choice of a lovely landscape with flowering trees or another with figher jets flying over the hills.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#43 feddcb8d-6aed-49de-855a-7a65a20aba61 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2561/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2561/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#44 aeb49db9-18be-4f4e-a357-1b8ac03c3485 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2565/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2565/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#45 92191e6b-a810-4cbf-b17f-2db0fe9d1519 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2564/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2564/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#46 c5d78278-9a44-4b05-b6bb-87a5069b0f2c http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2563/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2563/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#47 43076241-fdc0-4576-8646-ec4c4799962e http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2566/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2566/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#48 75262f09-230f-4afb-9360-ede11380c144 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2642/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2642/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#49 6f581cde-01c4-4bcf-b88e-66f194feb4b0 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2513/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2513/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#50 7706984f-bde2-44d5-adec-1142e7953456 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2567/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2567/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#51 957fb2fc-f867-4533-a4bd-6010ef7cc655 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2635/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2635/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#52 f49243e8-4248-4612-9665-91b80e980071 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2634/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2634/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">A dried bottle gourd for holding your herbs while you stock up on the year’s medicine.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#53 9eb891c3-794d-4723-a0dc-68cce0256769 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2638/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2638/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Along with steaming and drinking your way to health, you can hedge your bets with some Western-style pills. These combo-packs for common ailments remind me of my uncle in Vietnam, who used to dispense little paper-wrapped packets of unmarked French pills at his cafe in Saigon.  </p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#54 185b362b-d99f-46a2-841c-f4aa15c4d2cd http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2450/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2450/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">In the old days, single folk played pov pob, tossing balls back and forth to each other at village festivals, as a playful way to meet each other and test compatibility. Better than Craigslist!</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#55 bd7efd04-2dc1-4088-9fc2-ae1a6cf37b02 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2637/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2637/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">A baseball for the hardcore.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#56 06abbfe5-aedd-4cb4-9c11-d7707f176d32 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2479/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2479/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">At the center of the festival, the kids line up to play pov pob. The boys tend to cluster at the edges, though, leaving the girls to carry on the traditions. A few brave couples walk the fairgrounds hand-in-hand.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#57 95018c59-d613-4611-bebc-80e5339155a6 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2453/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2453/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Old French francs appear in ornately draped jewelry and add sparkle to the formal wear of both boys and girls.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#58 1dc3cd7a-a78e-4fee-b637-88a68db43fe5 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2554/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2554/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#59 1de44531-b590-4d82-aba3-5cd8f25ecd34 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2449/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2449/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">A lovely, musical jingling of follows the girls wherever they walk.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#60 317cf261-e228-4beb-b6a0-1d0a246b46eb http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2627/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2627/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Another simpler pattern of the ___ Hmong.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#61 4737d8d0-3cb0-4ee2-9ea9-1d9e2046bc51 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2467/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2467/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#62 7999f2e1-eaaf-45c5-8247-16e439b213e0 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2583/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2583/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Delicate fringes of beads from head...</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#63 d662a431-f80d-48bc-a853-a360ae0f8258 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2586/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2586/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">...to foot.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#64 55f2492d-133d-4d45-8d06-d61fd7a4ba54 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2555/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2555/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">I wonder what the headdresses looked like before the discovery of florescent faux fur?</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#65 0d244d0a-caa9-4ece-93a2-1c8b70dc480c http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2576/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2576/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">I want one of those! (The cute purse, not the kid.)</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#66 dee19048-f47e-4182-b008-718d75e2feb1 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2574/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2574/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"/></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#67 d132d357-c188-4eb1-8c07-c60d3e2f7757 http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2617/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2617/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Girl huddle.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#68 75ea3eaf-b160-4a84-8ad3-7bb5d42bf77d http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2484/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2484/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Friendships across tribes.</p></div></div> http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon.html#69 21b9cb5f-297a-40c5-a7b2-556091e7d13f http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2488/thumb.jpg http://www.wanderingspoon.com/ws/Hmong_New_Year_Festival_-_Wandering_Spoon_files/Media/DSC_2488/micro.jpg <div style="padding: 0px; " class="style_External_0_0"><div class="style_1"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style_2">Community love at the heart of the Fairgrounds.</p></div></div>