You might be wondering, “Why Houston?” Well, this is my hometown, where my family and friends live and one of my favorite places to visit. Now, I am not recommending that you EVER visit Houston during the months of May through September, but anytime other than those months, you are sure to have a good time!

We have a lot of world travelers at Wisteria with a lot of great stories. It was hard to choose which one I wanted to first write about. Then I realized when you aren’t sure where to start, go back to the beginning. And this was the very first travel story I heard when I came to Wisteria. On my first day of work, the President of Wisteria, Andrew, and my boss, Masami, took me to lunch to welcome me to the company. It was at this lunch that I first heard this story from Andrew. I’ve heard it a few times since then, and he always tells it with the same amount of wonder and excitement. I think it really captures the spirit of Andrew and of our company. It also celebrates that invisible thread that ties us, people all over the world, together. That even without speaking the same language or sharing the same customs, we can find a commonality, a way to communicate, a way to express joy and happiness together. I knew I was working for the right company the first time I heard it, and I feel the same way now sharing it with you, almost 5 years later. Without further ado, one of Andrew’s first travel stories…

“I remember the first night I ever spent in India. It was midnight and I was sound asleep. All of a sudden, I was awakened by a terrible racket right outside my window. A huge crowd had amassed and the street was full of people yelling, jumping, and carrying-on. Not really understanding the yells, I was a bit alarmed. However, I soon realized that it was a wedding party that was, well, partying. I raised the window and found that before I knew it, I had joined in the hooping and hollering. We couldn’t communicate with our words, but we could with our smiles and waves.

“We always have a grand time on the road, because we never know what local celebration we will stumble upon. It seems that no matter where we are in the world, we always find a wedding ceremony, a festival honoring a revered local saint, or a parade celebrating who-knows-what. And whatever it is, we’re in.”

Consider me in too!

Kantha cloths and Indian wedding shawl pillows

We are fortunate enough to go on several trips a year to such exotic locations as India, China, and South America. During our journeys we stumble across unique items that might be vintage, antiques, or even the last one left. So, every trip, we’re sure to bring our empty suitcases to fill with these rare finds so we can carry them back home. The picture above is a peek at a few treasures that we’ve acquired; things like Indian kantha cloths and pillows covered with Phulkari Indian wedding shawls. You can find similar ones at our store.

Our travels around the world always bring back interesting stories and products. On a recent trip to Singapore, Hudson and Serge were walking through a mall to catch a cab, when they spotted something out of the corner of their eye. In big letters, they saw a sign that said “Fish Spa.” Immediately, they thought of pampered fish with cucumbers on their little eyes (is a fish’s life so stressful that it needs a day at the spa?). Intrigued, Hudson and Serge couldn’t resist walking over to see what exactly this place was.
As they walked up, they saw what looked much like an internet bar: simple wooden benches pulled up to a wooden bar where you could place you laptop. The only noticeable difference was the giant fish tank where your feet would dangle. Inside the tank were thousands of doctor fish (can’t you just imagine fish with little stethoscopes?), the name given to two different species of fish that actually nibble the patient’s feet.

“Well, you only live once!” They decided to go for it. Now, comes to the part you’ve all been waiting for: What did it feel like? The nibbling felt like little electrical shocks, supposedly an enjoyable sensation for anyone visiting these fish spas. Hudson and Serge–they were just shocked!

Recently several people from Wisteria traveled to India to find new products, meet with some of our artisans and gather fresh ideas for upcoming catalogs. Here are some photos from their time in Jaipur!