SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS DAY

This was a typical Southern California Christmas Day.  We arose late because we had been up late.   Then we started to get ready for the celebration that was to be held at another  house starting at somewhere around 5:30 PM.  We had a lot of catching up to do, so I had to do a lot of running around at the last minute  to buy small items for the kitchen crew, led by you already know whom.  When I stepped outside I was blessed by a crystal clear, sunshiny day showering us in 72 degree weather.  I know it is hard to take, but some of us are willing to sacrifice for the rest of you.
My first stop was at the Asian Super Market situated at about one fourth of a mile from our residence.  There were many shoppers there at the midday hour that it was.  I was in there for no more than 20 minutes and I have to tell you that it was some kind of experience.  While there I saw three Vietnamese women dressed in the very expensive signature clothing style of Vietnam.  It is called the Ao Dai [OW DYE].  The ones I saw were stunning and had no place, really, in a super market.  So, on a Christmas day, I was in a crowded super market with stunning ladies sporting $500+ suits.  In passing, let me add that of the three $500+ outfits, two were overshadowed by the $1,000,000 people inside them.  Phew!  enough of that.
The day went on.  A little bit later I had to run another errand.  This one was to deliver my brother and sister - law at the house where the celebration was to be held.  They were the ones who were going to help with the kitchen and the other areas of the house that had to be prepared.  I also brought a short list of groceries that had to be filled on the way home.  So I stopped at the Filipino Market in the area near where I dropped off my passengers.  It was still Christmas day.  The store was nearly empty.  There were more employees there than customers.  Here, where the clientele is predominantly Christian, the store was sparsely populated and those who were there were dressed for the occasion.  They were mostly husbands like yours truly, in sweat pants and baseball caps running through the place to buy three key ingredients for some specialty.  So there you have it.  A big chunk of the world brazenly showing itself off  and creating a learning experience for the astute on-looker.
I am glad that I have lived long enough to see these realities.  I wanted to share this one with you.  It reminds me of  one of EFR Dion's favorite sayings, "When you are in New York, you can see all that there is to see in the world."  I don't live in New York, but today I saw people of at least 10 - 15 different countries buying food grown and processes from at least 10 different countries.  The Christmas mystery sure makes some strange bed-fellows.