Only in Southern California do people experience a third world culture for "the first time ever" at .... where else? the Hilton. Of course.

SANTA MONICA - World Women Trade Fair Hosts Expo that Celebrates World Culture. For the first-time ever, the folks who live in Santa Monica and surrounding areas, will get a taste of third-world culture at the International Handcrafted Gifts and Home Textile Expo to be held on January 20 and 21 at the Santa Monica Doubletree Hilton. The mission of the World Women Trade Fair is to provide economic opportunities to women living in third-world countries and to assist them to gradually build a broad-based market. In addition, the World Women Trade Fair offers U.S. market-orientation training which is a component of their Global Market Access Initiative offering skills training and information to access global markets. At the Expo, World Women Trade Fair will have 50 vendors from over 20 countries represented. A vendor from Uzbekistan will present suzane silk decorative embroidery that dates back to the Temurid Empire period of the 14th and 15th centuries. Afghanistan, Bolivia, Nepal, Kenya, Mexico, Vietnam and South Africa. Products for sale range from intricately-beaded jewelry and dolls to handcrafted wood models and elaborately-woven baskets. Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Santa Monica Double Tree Hilton Santa Monica, 1707 4th Street, Santa Monica, CA. Admission: Free. worldwomentradefair.com or Call: 661-456-2286.