Help Others and You Will Always Succeed...

...That's what my dad told me when i shared with him my desire to do more with my business other than just selling clothes. Don't get me wrong, designing and selling my own clothing has been amazing, i love what i do ... but at the end of the day, the poor are still poor, the hungry are still hungry, the abused are still being abused. 

What can i do? People say things like

"You can't help everybody" 

True, but helping even just one can make a world of difference! I decided to commit to donating a portion of my t-shirt earnings to Gentle Hands in the Philippines. It only made sense to start with my home! :) You can read more details on my blog post here or watch the video below:



 For those of you in the Philippines, it would be so cool if you guys visited these children... they will change your life, seriously!
 Has a persons act of kindness changed your life in any way? tweet, tweet // i design clothing: www.herrohachi.com // book of faces // tumblr

Philippines Pt.4 : Interesting Finds (Forgery Services, Anyone?)

Yes, 3 weeks later, I am still posting about the Philippines - there is just that much to cover! :P Here are some interesting finds from the Philippines... it may be normal to some, but having spent most of my years in Canada, it was definitely interesting to me!


Walls and walls and walls of good quality fakes
Seriously the best theater experience ever! For only $8 CAD, you get reclining la-z-boy chairs, assigned seating, and a server taking your order for unlimited drinks and popcorn. Awesome.
 I was minding my own business, looking through racks of clothing, when suddenly all employees in the store break out into a dance routine!
 I see this a lot in Asia... not so much in North America.
The pic isn't that clear but can you see what is in those cages? PUPPIES! being sold on the street.
These people are selling forgery services for everything from land titles, marriage certificates, birth certificates, passports, diplomas, etc. Right on the street...
 Normally, we would see people running for office promising things like lower taxes, better education, but this particular councilor is promising "operation tule" ... in english, operation circumcision!
 Malls in the Philippines have people at the entrance checking your bags before you enter. This particular mall had a Michael Jackson theme... just to make the experience a little more interesting.
 Last but not least - check out this giant toblerone! My new uncle collects unique items from all around the world - this one was my favorite. ^____^



tweet, tweet // i design clothing: www.herrohachi.com // book of faces // tumblr

Philippines Pt.3: Serenaded.

When I was a little girl, i thought getting serenaded was the most romantic thing ever. I always dreamt that my future lover would throw rocks at my bedroom window and serenade me with his guitar while he was on bended knee. All i ever got was a song sang through a telephone by one boy i liked in high school. I didn't even understand what it was about... some Filipino song where the title reminds me of the word for eggplant. Romantic.

2 weeks ago, before my husband and I left the Philippines, we ate at a popular buffet called Saisaki where they have people going around to each table and taking song requests! I was too excited and flustered that I couldn't think of a song to request so I told the group to surprise us. They sang "Grow Old With You" :) It was nice but I have to admit, it was also a little awkward at times. What do you do while they're singing to you? Do you keep eating or do you just stare at them? I didn't know what to do so i just videotaped. haha!


  Have you been serenaded before?



tweet, tweet // i design clothing: www.herrohachi.com // book of faces // tumblr

Philippines Pt.2: Photoshoot @ Old Manila

Before our Manila wedding reception, we headed out into Intramuros (Old Manila) for a photoshoot with Tracey Heppner again. This was definitely different from our pre-wedding photoshoot here in Canada where we were by sand and water. Here we were by old ruins, which were beautiful in it's own way, but there'd be little children following us... waiting to ask for money, waiting for their chance to take something, or perhaps just interested in watching. I'd like to think and hope it's the latter!


My dress and the location of our photoshoot was a total coincidence! About 5 months ago, I started corresponding with a dress maker in Manila. I showed them a picture of the style of dress I wanted - one shoulder, ivory dress, and i told them to make it more "bride-y" aka bling it up! I had doubts as to what they would come up with b/c what if we have different tastes and styles right? I had no idea what the dress looked like until I tried it on for the first time when we landed in Manila. It was beautiful! It very much reminded me of a greek goddess - there was so much detail in the dress and the belt was my favourite - hand stitched with beading and jewels! Tracey did not know what my dress looked like and neither did I but it went so perfectly with the surroundings in our photoshoot site!





tweet, tweet // i design clothing: www.herrohachi.com // book of faces // tumblr

Philippines Pt.1: Culture Shocked.

I'M BACK! Terribly jetlagged and missing the Philippines very much but happy to be home as well.

For my next few posts, I will be re-capping different aspects of our 2.5 week long trip to the Philippines. Many people thought that this trip was our honeymoon but it was really for our second wedding reception. I think it'd be a little awkward to go on your honeymoon with your parents, brother, and sisters. No offense to anyone that's done that. :P

It has been 10 years since my last visit to the Philippines so many things were surprising and new to me.

I have to pay to use the clean restroom
that has toilet paper???

Here are some other things that culture shocked me:

What countries have you been to that culture shocked you?

tweet, tweet // i design clothing: www.herrohachi.com // book of faces // tumblr

Preparing for the Culture Shock...

To prepare for my trip back to the Philippines in about 2.25 months, i've been talking to several friends who have been there recently to get some tips. You see, I haven't been back to the home land in 11 years!!! I don't know what it looks like anymore, what it smells like, what the authentic food tastes like, what the shopping is like, etc! I definitely don't want to look and sound like a foreigner so I can bargain well at the markets, hehe.

For those of you who don't know, I am originally from the Philippines although I only lived there for 2 years. My family then moved to Hong Kong for 10 years and then we moved to Canada. My first taste of culture shock was when we visited Canada before moving here. I was stunned. Where was everybody? I was used to the streets of Hong Kong which was packed at almost every hour of the day. People would walk shoulder to shoulder and you'd often get elbowed! And what do you mean the mall closes at 6PM? What do you mean the bus arrives every 30 minutes instead of every 5 minutes!? What do you mean people don't wipe boogers on bus and train poles? :P

Where did you experience the biggest culture shock? 

Speaking of cultures, travel, and far away places. Check out what arrived in the mail today all the way from INDONESIA! I ordered two prints from my lovely friend Tiara, one for me and one for my four year old cousin. Tiara's imagination, creativity, and skill radiates through her artwork. Seriously amazing! Check out the rest of her prints HERE! The quality is great, her prices are reasonable and my prints arrived quickly. Thank you Tiara!


tweet, tweet // i design clothing: www.herrohachi.com // book of faces // tumblr

Gentle Hands Auction!

Since we were on the topic of GIVING on my last post, I wanted to let you know about an opportunity for you to give to a cause that's close to my heart. It's close to my heart b/c:

1) It benefits the needy children of Manila, Philippines (my home)

2) One of my fave people & fave photographer, Tracey Heppner, is involved in this cause. (in fact, this is one of the reasons why her family is moving to the Philippines!)

Here's how you can get involved:

GENTLE HANDS (more about what they're about here)

WHAT: Gentle Hands Art Auction
WHERE: On this blog
WHEN: Preview artwork by various photographers until November 27, Auction officially takes place from November 28-30.

Here is one of the pieces that Tracey herself is donating from her Venice Collection (one of my faves.... look at all those colors!)

Which piece is your favourite?

view them all here :)

tweet, tweet // i design clothing: www.herrohachi.com // book of faces