Merry Christmas Photography!🎄🎄🎄

Hi all! Merry Christmas! I know that this post is a little bit late in the day, but I hope that everyone has had a wonderful day with their loved ones. I would like to share with you all a few of the photos I received from my first ever Christmas cosplay, so I hope you can enjoy that as a present from me. Eat, drink, and be merry as we end our Christmas night in the United States.  Also, just one more week left until 2018, so try your best to make 2017 end on a positive note. End this chapter of your life full of greatness! Without further ado, here are my Christmas Morrigan photos from various photographers during the Inland Empire Cosplay Gathering. I'll also post a couple of the photos I took at the gathering as well since I am a cosplaying photographer as well. 😊

Photography courtesy of Shameless Self Photography

Photography courtesy of Matthew Keiser

Photography courtesy of John Matter

Photography courtesy of Shameless Self Photography

Cosplayer - "Casual Goku" MVious Cosplay

Cosplayer - "Gijinka Ninetales" Kira Masquerade

Cosplayer - "Kuzan" Snazzy Jazzie

That's all for now you guys! I hope the photos were to your liking. If you guys ever need a photographer, I'm free for cosplay gatherings, photo meets, and conventions due to personal preference, but all private shoots start at 25$/hour, cheaper than most because I am just starting out. Anyway, I hope your Christmas is amazing and if I don't post before the new year have a happy start to your 2018!!💖💖 Let me know in the comments below how you intend to ring in the new year.

Till Next Time!

-Hachi

Tisn't the Season to be in Debt

Hi all! With the holidays fast approaching, we run the risk of trying to purchase well above our means. That means we feel pressured and compelled to make credit card purchases for most of our gifts. While this seems like a quick and easy solution, credit card debt can definitely become overwhelming once the novelty has warn off. Now don't get me wrong, credit cards aren't inherently bad. They can even help you build up a credit score, but there are plenty of opportunities for pitfalls and misdirection when it comes to credit card usage. I will be discussing some lesser known credit card myths and do my best to debunk them.

Myth 1:

• Using a credit card for all purchases will increase a credit score

This is a huge myth because while yes credit cards can help you credit score, they can also hurt it. If you are wracking up high rates of spending, and only paying the minimum, you risk your credit score dropping.  Essentially, you are spending more than you can pay.

Myth 2:

• Applying for multiple lines of credit at one time won’t hurt my score

Unfortunately, this hurts your score because for every line of credit you open, your average account age lowers. As a result, your score may potentially take a dive. It also makes you look like a risky borrower, if all the lines are new.

Myth 3:

• Closing the account with the highest credit allowance/limit is better for your score than closing a lower limit account

 The main issue with this is that say you have four accounts: Three accounts are a limit of $500 each and one of the accounts is a $1000 limit. If you maxed out the three cards at the $500 limit, but have paid off the $1000 card and closed it. Before, it looked like you owed $1500 out of $2500, which isn't very good, but compared to owing $1500 out of $1500, it wouldn't have hurt your credit score as bad. When in doubt, look at the amounts owed on all cards collectively before considering closing out a high limit card.

Myth 4:

• Closing the oldest account can help my credit score

The primary issue with closing out the oldest account is that it makes your credit history look shorter by lowering your account age.

Myth 5:

• Tossing out old cards will make your account disappear

This is a big myth in the sense that unless you actively work to close your own accounts, they will not close on their own. Be sure to pay off your balances, call the customer service department, and insist that they close your account. Typically, upon closing an account, you'll receive letter confirmation about the account closing within a week or so. If you don't get that confirmation, be sure to call the customer service line again.

Lastly, remember to monitor your accounts in order to notice and address unexpected or authorized activity that could seriously hurt your credit report. When it comes to disputing errors that appear on your credit report, always address discrepancies immediately to avoid lasting damage.

I hope that my debunking of myths was useful to you, and be sure to check out the following guide to learn more about how a poor credit score can affect your financial health!

Let me know in the comments below what tips you have for people using credit during the holidays.


Till Next Time!

-Hachi

LACC 2017 Recap - Press Edition

Hi all! I know this is a little delayed of a post, but I've been extremely busy, this month. I went to Vancouver, British Columbia for a week to present my Master's Thesis at a research conference. I also went to Fan Expo Vancouver, fun times were had! I digress though, today's post is about Los Angeles Comic Con, so I hope that you enjoy it since "con season" is essentially over for the year in California.

Me cosplaying as Nana Osaki from the manga/anime Nana. - LACC Day 1

I attended LACC for three days as a press member. That was an interesting experience for my first time officially covering a larger convention despite some hiccups along the way. I would like to recap each day attended and end this post with my overall opinion of LACC 2017. This review is fully honest and not sugar coated in the least bit.

Friday: 
I arrived at the convention a few hours after badge pick up opened and noticed that there were banners to tell attendees where to go line up at. That was very efficient because they had a line for regular attendees with weapons, without weapons, with bags, and a line for VIP, Press/Exhibitors/Panelists. This made the shuffle easier to go about as bag check right upon entry was fast and hassle free. Afterwards, we had to go to the pre-registration booth for press to get our badge. The main issue with this part was that many of the staffers running the badge pick up were not very cordial with the attendees and it did not make for a welcoming experience. However, the bag check security members were really kind people. The convention opened 30 minutes later than they were supposed to despite only having the vendor's hall and the fashion show happening on Friday. I am someone that typically enjoys going to panels on the slower days, so that was a little disappointing that there were no panels happening. I was able to do some photo shoots with various cosplayers though and that was nice. The overall downside to the Friday convention was that the night security staff had horrible attitudes and threatened my photographer friends and I. The way these security guards acted did not represent the convention well at all. If anything, it reflected negatively on the convention given that these people are selected to work a convention and should do their best to keep the attendees happy.

The full look of my Nana Osaki cosplay - photography courtesy of @francheezy24_7

Many cosplayers came casual on Friday - @francheezy24_7

While cosplayers went all out on Friday -@actcostumes

Saturday: 
I decided to get to the convention a little later, and did a few photo shoots as both a cosplayer and as a photographer. I didn't attend any panels that day, but I did get to collaborate with other photographers to hone my craft. I also spoke with various cosplayers and photographers asking how the convention was going for them. The overall opinion for Saturday was positive. Most people, including myself had a great time on Saturday. All of the security were friendly and way more lax when it came to closing time than they were on Friday when they kept threatening us. They still opened up the vendor hall later than expected as I was told by other attendees. I spent a majority of my time doing photo shoots with my friend Derek ( @tammohawk.photography). He was teaching me how to do studio style photography with lights. I am rather pleased with how the photos came out. Saturday was probably my favorite day of the convention.

A practice session with @takingbacksam as genderbent halloween Harley Quinn & @tammohawk.photography.

@allyn_monroe slays as Emma Frost

@misstinakay89 kicking butt as Damian Wayne's Robin. 

@nikki_s_k as Injustice Raven

Sunday:
I came to the convention a little later and checked out the Disney cosplayer gathering to get some photos for that event. I also did some photography with my partner: Jerry (@jackofalltradesx11) as both his model and fellow photographer. We went around the vendors hall and checked out various booths. We spent a decent amount of time at the booth of Alicia Marie Body. She was the nicest person I have ever met for a "popular" cosplayer. She was funny, cordial, and welcoming to everyone, who came to check out her booth. I also bought a Reptar Bar from the FYE booth. The overall downside of this day was that I was sexually harassed on six different occasions by both men and a woman. As a result, I would like to express this regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, "COSPLAY IS NOT CONSENT"! Do not ever touch or grab at a person just because they are in cosplay. Always ask politely for photographs or any contact, and do not make vulgar sexual remarks towards any person. Please refer back to my previous post on how to experience your first con. There were no security around to report a person, who has stalked me for the past two years at a different convention to the point I have to always be around someone at cons or I feel uncomfortable going. I am certain that this particular person, who commonly cosplays as Waldo has done this to other people as well. This can be fixed by having a larger amount of security at a con.

@aliciamariebody as Lola Bunny

@spideydna as Spider-Man

@justnaction as Black Panther. I can't wait for that movie, next year!

@_jaegerb_ as a genderbent Joker

My overall takeaways from LACC 2017:

• The con had a primarily chill atmosphere. 
• They need to hire better security as I was told by multiple photographers that they were threatened by security guards and nothing happened upon reporting it.
• The booklets were simple  to understand and straight to the point.
• Most attendees were more interested in the vendor's hall than the panels.
• Cosplayers were more likely to attend on the bigger days rather than the opening days. 
• The staff needs to be a bit more enthusiastic especially when people are picking up badges. 
• I have done badge pickup duty for both SDCC and WonderCon & have noticed when the people giving the badges are upbeat, it makes for an overall better experience for the attendees. 
• Fix the communication between professional attendees on guest lists as many people doing panels were not on the list and could not easily pick up their badges
• The public relations staff is great with communication though. (I was always kept up to date with all new announcements regarding the con. )
• The convention needs to be more strict on timing and stay true to their scheduling.
• Con rating: 8/10
• I would return again for 2018
• The factors that caused this rating were the lack of enthusiasm by several staff members, opening the vendor's hall late, not enough security guards, and the fact that nothing was done about security guards threatening attendees. 
• All of these factors are fixable. 
• I hope to actually makes the Club Comic Con event, next year too. 

Well that's it for my LACC review! I hope this was thorough enough, and stay tuned for my future posts now that I have free time again!

Did you attend LACC? What was your overall opinion of the con? Let me know in the comments below.

Till Next Time!

-Hachi

Ready, Set, Shoot! 📸

Self-Portrait with my Samsung Galaxy S7 - I have since upgraded bags and my phone to S8+

Hi all! I hope everyone's weekend has treated them well! Today's blog is actually about my photography hobby. Last month, I purchased the Sony Alpha A6000 in black with some accessories to go along with it. I've also gotten very involved with the portrait photography world down in Southern California. By involved, I mean that I've been going to various "street meets. Street meets are typically informal photography gatherings where photographers and models meet and do collaborative shoots. Depending on the location of the meets, some models might do fire performances or smoke performing. It makes for really nice shots. I have a preference to attend street meets on the weekends because I am noticing that those tend to be at actual locations as opposed to the weekday meets that end up being on random streets. I avoid those mostly because they attract unwanted attention at times. My favorite street meet was actually mermaid themed at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro. I'm really excited to show you guys my photography. I will photograph anyone that asks nicely at conventions, gatherings,  or street meets. I am the furthest from being a photography elitist that only shoots well known people. Open minded photography is the best kind of photography and allows a photographer to grow their skills. I don't think I would ever consider myself as a pro even when I start doing photography as a side-business next year because that means I'll stop growing. Here are my main takeaways from being a photographer: mutual respect between fellow photographers is an amazing thing, network and get to know your models, never stop allowing room for growth, and most importantly of all, just have fun. Not everything has to be a competition. Now without further ado, here's some of my favorite shots from my A6000. All of these were edited in the Lightroom App with portraits occasionally also edited in Airbrush.

Taken at the L.A. Cosplay shootout - Model: @annjelife

Taken at the mermaid themed street meet  - Model: @jayylivefastdiepretty

Taken at the mermaid themed street meet -Model: @jesssickaaa

Taken at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, CA

Taken at Irvine Spectrum Center and edited with color pop

That's all for now everyone ! I hope you like my work! Let me know in the comments below if you want to see my editing process & I'll try and make it happen. Also, portraits vs landscape, which do you prefer? (In general, I mean).

Till next time!

-Hachi 

All Aboard the Hype train! Dwayne Johnson x LACC

Hi all! Stan Lee's Los Angeles Comic Con (aka Comikaze Expo) is fast approaching and I would like to let you all know about a newly confirmed guest appearance! You all know him either through high octane films such as Fast Five or through the WWE circuit, that's right, Dwayne Johnson, aka the Rock is going to be at Stan Lee's Los Angeles Comic Con to discuss the new Jumanji film! This will take place on Saturday, October 28th. Please refer to the below press release for more information! Also, might I add, all attendees will receive a full year of Entertainment Weekly with their badge purchases.

Stan Lee's L.A. Comic Con Logo

Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic Con and Official Media Partner ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY Announce Appearance by Dwayne Johnson at L.A.’s Mega Pop Culture Gathering at the Los Angeles Convention Center on October 28

For Immediate Release:

LOS ANGELES, CA (Thursday, October 12) – Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic Con and Time Inc.’s (NYSE: TIME) ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (EW), the official media partner of the 2017 edition of L.A. Comic Con, announced today that Dwayne Johnson will make a special appearance at the convention. On Saturday, October 28, Johnson will appear on behalf of his upcoming film “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” which hits theatres December 20. The 3-day pop culture extravaganza runs from October 27-29 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. 

As the Official Media Partner, EW is collaborating with L.A. Comic Con to enhance and elevate talent participation and programming for the over 100,000 attendees expected for this year’s 3-day mega-convention.  EW will feature all the fun and excitement of the Convention in the magazine as well as on EW.com.  And to top it all off, each and every badge holder will receive a one-year subscription to America’s leading pop culture magazine, with a total combined audience of 26 million consumers.

Badges are available now at http://StanLeesLAComicCon.com.

2017 marks the 7^th year for Stan Lee’s L.A. Comic Con, which has grown into one of the largest gatherings of stars and creative talent in comic book, publishing, gaming, film, broadcast, cable and streaming entertainment. 

About Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic Con:

Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic Con is Los Angeles’ biggest and best large-scale, multi-media pop culture convention. Held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Stan Lee’s L.A. Comic Con assembles the most exciting and innovative in comics, video games, sci-fi, fantasy, horror and all things pop-culture. With a mission to provide celebrity, creator and talent access that is unequalled in comic conventions, Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic Con features unique panels, autograph sessions and photo-ops that give fans once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to truly interact with their favorite creators and major players in the entertainment industry.  Stan Lee’s Los Angeles Comic Con is a partnership of Stan Lee’s Pow! Entertainment, Cassandra Peterson, and Comikaze Entertainment, Inc.  Visit http://www.stanleeslacomiccon.com/.

ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY is your all-access pass to Hollywood’s most creative minds and most fascinating stars. The magazine was launched by Time Inc. in 1990 and is America’s leading consumer publication in the entertainment category, with a guaranteed circulation rate base of 1.5 million and a combined audience of almost 28 million loyal, engaged fans.  Each day, EW.com publishes a myriad of featured stories, news articles, TV-recaps, original videos, film reviews and photo galleries. The PEOPLE/ENTERTAINMENT WEEKKLY Digital Network continues to rank as the #1 site in its competitive set with close to 100 million monthly unique visitors. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY is the first to know about the best in entertainment. With sharp insight, unparalleled access and a trusted voice, EW keeps readers plugged into pop culture. This is where the buzz begins.



Hope to see you all there! I'll be at the con all three days, so if you're a cosplayer wanting to do a shoot, feel free to contact me by email or comment down below.

Till Next Time!

-Hachi

Welcome to the Grave Harvest

Hi all! We are three weeks away from Halloween! Isn't that exciting?! I feel like Halloween is a favorite holiday of many cosplayers. As a result, several conventions, parties, and gatherings happen this month. I was recently at a Halloween con, this past weekend, called Grave Harvest in Fullerton, CA. I got to be a part of the press and spent a majority of my day there. I would like to tell you all about this con and hope you like what you see!

I decided to be Vampire Harley with a dress that I upcycled from the thrift store, my Timeless Trends corset (I'll be doing a full review on that later), and my Sony A6000.

Grave Harvest 2017 was the convention's second year in operation. It was at a very affordable price of $10, online only. It is also a one day con, which is good for conventions just starting out to do. It allows the organizers to gauge the interests of the attendees and eventually decide whether to change locations or add more days to the con. Guests were greeted by friendly and enthusiastic staff, which was a wonderful way to start out the day. As press, we were also welcomed with cookies from one of the vendors, Lucky 13 Sweets and Treats, based out of Costa Mesa, CA. They were some great cookies, as well! :)

There were two rooms full of vendors and I took it upon myself to interact with as many vendors as I could, collect their cards, and take photos of their goods. That will be shown below in slideshow format. The vendors were extremely nice, cordial, and welcoming. All of them were very enthusiastic about the con too. Some of the vendors stuck out to me more than others given the uniqueness of their craft, but all of the vendors that I interacted with were friendly and open to talking with me about their items.



I also attended two of the three workshops during the con. The first was Skeleton Corpsification led by Larry Carr. He demonstrated by usage of latex, cloth, and spray paint how to make a plain skeleton look like a mummified corpse. It was extremely cool and well received as I counted over 50 people in attendance. I don't even always see those numbers in my own panels I participate in at larger comic book conventions! The other panel I attended was in regards to making armor out of EVA foam called Foam Fabrication 101. That panel was very relevant to me as I am a cosplayer and have made my own armor before. While this panel had much smaller numbers, it made for a more intimate experience. The workshop coordinator, Dave King, did a very good job explaining the ins and outs of armor building and even stayed later to talk with us all.

I ended my day by looking at the hearses outside and left feeling good about the con's atmosphere. I really hope they do it again next year. Here is a complete list of all of the vendors at the convention, so I hope you check them all out and help support their passions!


Well everyone, that's all for today's blog! I hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned to my next con related blog when I "cosplay" as a member of the press for Stan Lee's L.A. Comic Con, always known as Comikaze Expo! Do any of you dress up for Halloween? Let me know in the comments below !

Till Next Time!

-Hachi

Great Things can Come in Small Sizes: Ontario California Comic Expo Review

Hi all! Happy first week of Fall!🍂 Fall/Autumn has got to be my favorite season of all. The weather cools, but isn't unbearably cold, the leaves come off the trees and I get to hear the crunch of them as I walk down the sidewalk, and I have even more cosplay/convention opportunities than I do during the summer.

Today's blog is actually about the most recent con that I went to, Ontario California Comic Expo. At this con, I was given the honor of being a cosplay guest, a panelist, and an artist alley vendor. While I have been on various panels in the past, the other titles were new to me. The convention was Saturday, September 23rd, and Sunday, September 24th from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm. This was the very first year for OCCE, and they had a great turn out. The con was affordable, easily accessible, and also had free parking. The location was the Ontario Airport Hotel and Convention Center, and it was the perfect size for the con's inaugural year.

The Con flyer - picture courtesy of OCCE.

Both my friend Crystal, and I had booths as cosplay guests where we were allowed to sell items. Crystal chose to sell artwork that she does, which she takes commissions for, along with cosplay prints. She also had some of her cosplay on display, such as her renaissance Harley Quinn & various masks.  I loved her display, very professional looking with great attention to detail.

My friend's booth - Photo credit by Crystal Rose Creations

My friend's booth - Photo credit by Crystal Rose Creations

On the other hand, my booth was much simpler.  I sold cosplay prints, gave out Dum Dum Pops (they're free of major allergens), and did a raffle. My raffle is actually still ongoing because I am trying to raise enough money to donate partial proceeds to the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and the Children's Hospital, Los Angeles (CHLA). Once I figure out how to do PayPal entry fees, I will extend this raffle through Halloween. For the $5 raffle, the winner will receive an approx/ 54" x 60" Legend of Zelda blanket, and for the $1 raffle, the winner will receive a Legend of Zelda Bi-Fold Wallet. When I get that PayPal entry set up, the raffle will also be extended to my readers to enter. I am also taking commissions on both the blanket and the wallet.

I wasn't kidding when I said my booth was rather simple.

I cosplayed both days. Day one as Lucoa, but I forgot my horns, so that isn't pictured. On day two, I was both Bumblebee from the Teen Titans and Storm from X-Men. Also, I played a "cosplaying photographer" both days and went around the convention taking pictures of other cosplayers. I would like to share a couple pictures and the pages of the cosplayers pictured with you.

Me on Day Two as Bumblebee with my Sony Alpha a6000.

Here is cosplayer Adam Arroyo, known as Aadarthbane on Instagram, cosplaying as End Game Joker. He was a fun person to work with because he played the part of Mistah J very well and he was so kind. I would love to work with him again at a different convention.

Talk about some Bokehlicious bokeh. Photo by me on my photography ig page: Himawarisayscheese

Another cosplayer that I was able to work with is Stevie Belleperche, known as TheBoneBitch on Instagram. From one Harley Quinn cosplayer to another, she was such a great Harley Quinn. Her posing is top notch and she has such a photogenic aura about her. I would love to work with her again.  

See, the camera loves her! Photo by me.

At OCCE, the attendees, vendors, and guests were welcomed with cheerful staff volunteers. I mean, these staff volunteers looked like they loved what they do and that can greatly affect an outcome of how a convention will turn out. The wonderful staff that often passed out snacks and bottled water to the vendors and guests, while maintaining constant interaction with the attendees were a delight. I have honestly never seen such amazing hospitality by the staff at any convention I've been to like how I experienced here. This is coming from someone who goes to an average of ten conventions yearly. The pre-purchased badge attendees,vendors, and guest were given a high quality badge, that looked like a lot of work went into it. There were decent sized panels, and I was graciously offered to also be a panelist on a panel about the ins and out of cosplay for beginners. While this con might have been small, it generated nice sized crowds and was a decent price at $15/ day & $25/weekend. My favorite thing about this con was the staff, to be honest. They just made the whole con experience amazing. They were always checking on us guests to make sure that we were alright, and if we had to leave our booths, someone would come and stand-in for us. Safety was also their number one priority. So, if anyone had a problem with someone at the con hassling them, they would have their security escort them from the premises. I am so very glad that I was able to be a guest at this convention, and hope to return to other cons ran by this staff again.





Have any of you ever attended a brand new convention? What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments below. Also, on October 7th, I'll be at Grave Harvest, the Halloween con in Fullerton. It's going to be at the Hotel Fullerton, which has free parking as well. Grave Harvest is $10, online only as no tickets will be at the door. So if you love Halloween, I recommend checking this con out as well.

Till Next Time!

-Hachi

Vancouver or Bust: A hypothetical, yet Strategically Planned Vacation

Hi all! I know summer is nearing its end, but that doesn't mean that planning out an ultimate vacation has to! Can you imagine if you had a budget of $10,000 to plan your dream trip? Think of all you could do and where you could go with that kind of money. While that seems like a lot compared to the lesser amount that I usually spend on a five day vacation or trip to a research conference, I decided that this will be a challenge accepted, courtesy of Earnest!

I decided I would base my hypothetical vacation off of a real trip that I have planned out for November. In November, I'll be flying to Vancouver, BC for a research conference. I might have mentioned in a previous blog that I do Psycho-linguistic research and enjoy presenting my research at conferences when I can. Anyhoo, let me see if I can make an itinerary that can get my to that $10,000 budget, or close to it. I feel like with the excessive amount of thriftiness in me, the princess of bargain hunting, I won't make it anywhere near that budget. If I am lucky, I will get to $5,000 with some cheating😉, but I feel it is worth a try.

Well the first decision I would make would be whether to fly or take the train. Flying would be the faster option, but if I have a good amount of free time before hand, I would also consider taking the train. Everything else follows after I decide how to get to Vancouver.

To and From Transportation:

Flight -

Date: During the middle of the second week of November 2017

Price: $267 round trip from SNA (John Wayne Airport - Santa Ana) to YVR (Vancouver).
This particular flight is also the fastest way to Vancouver from Orange County. However, the flight happens to have multiple connections as seen with cheap flights. In order to avoid connections, LAX is the closest option. I don't personally mind connecting flights as it gives me a chance to stretch my legs, so I will keep it for this hypothetical itinerary.


Train -

Date: During the end of the first week of November 2017

Price: Utilizing my AAA discount, I would have to take the train straight out of Los Angeles to Vancouver, BC, as no connecting train from anywhere in Orange County to LA Union Station would work for this particular mode of travel. The stressful part about this train is that it only leaves two times per day, 10:10 am and 3:10 pm and it is reserved travel. So if you miss your train, you might risk paying extra to catch another one. The cheapest train is $112 one way for a coach seat, but since I have "money" to spend, I would go for the sleeper car. My train riding goal is to go on a long trip in a sleeping car, but they are expensive that I haven't been lucky enough to do so yet. That sleeping car will set me back $361 one way. Taking the train requires a 34 hour one way ride too, so this is only useful if I had free time to leave earlier and return later.

Transportation During Stay:


Walking:

Vancouver is considered to be Canada's most walk-able city with a score of one, so I would probably just walk everywhere like I mostly do in San Francisco.


Housing:

Hotel:

Fairmount Waterfront Hotel

If I am really going "all out", I would have to pick this hotel because it boasts amazing views of the city and the harbor. It is also only $189 CAD/ $151 USD per night. This is actually far cheaper than any of the hotels I have stayed at during any of the research conferences. Based off of a five night stay, this would be $945 CAD +tax/ $755 USD +tax.


Activities:


The most exciting part of this hypothetical itinerary, because there is actually one thing I am definitely doing in real life while in Vancouver.

Conventions:

Fan Expo Vancouver: I was extremely excited when I learned that my research conference and this comic/pop culture convention were in the same location during essentially the same time. While, I am only intending to go one day in real life, for the sake of hypothetically spending money, I will go all three days and get the deluxe package. The price of this would be:$229 CAD/$183 USD. Now, if I was able to purchase comic books that I need to add to my collection, this price would jump up about $500-$1000 extra.

Other Activities:
Realistically, I would probably do primarily free events and activities like I do during most of my vacations. However, since I HAVE to spend money, I would go on to Vancouver's primer tourism website and sample from paid activities that pique my interests. My estimate is that I could try to spend about $1000 on activities in 5 days (that's if I picked mostly expensive activities and did them multiple times)

Food:

I have a funny feeling that my largest expense would be food, and that I would be able to eat somewhat extravagantly. I would push for trying the priciest meals on the menu at swanky restaurants and hope that can get me to spend at least $100-200 per meal . So if I ate 3 meals per day, that's $300-$600 per day, just by eating. That's another $1,500-$3,000 down the drain.

Stock photo of Vancouver from Patrick King

That's all for now, my friends! I knew I would fail this miserably, being as thrifty as I am, but it was still a fun thing to plan out. Ultimately, by train with sleeper car, the most I would have spent: $6,495 and by plane, the most I would have spent: $3,505. If you’re interested in planning a similar trip, budgeting and travel research is the way to go. It is definitely possible to make due on less if you have good money management skills. Let me know in the comments below where you would go and three main things you would do on vacation with $10,000. Hopefully, you guys are better at this than I am. 😅



Till Next Time!

-Hachi

You can't Make-up this Makeup Review!

Hi all! As promised, I am doing a product review of the new makeup I bought. Two products are face/skin centric and two are geared toward the eyebrow region.  I hope you enjoy my product review!

Fashion Fair: Cream to Powder (Java)

Fashion Fair: Creme to Powder (Java)

You can actually get this product in a tube, as well. The tube has far better coverage than the compact, and I would get the tube, next time. The consistency inside the compact feels thick, and you have to really rub your brush or sponge to get product on it. However, when you apply it to your face, it doesn't feel as heavy as it initially appears. My main issue with the product is that you need a decent amount of good quality setting spray, otherwise it feels like it will rub off on everything. Maybe that's the "powder" effect, I'm not entirely sure. The plus side about this brand is that it's made for people of color in mind. Unlike other brands that have an odd selection of darker colors, this one works for people with yellowish, reddish, or neutral tones and higher amounts of melanin. It cost 28$, And a few places in California do sell it, such as Fresno, or Culver City. I actually purchased it while I was in Chicago and had never heard about the brand before then. I am not sure what else to say about it, but be sure to apply oil free moisturizer as well. It has sunscreen in it as well.

My rating: 8/10
It covers my hyper pigmentation pretty decently, but the tube did a far better job at it. Also, the fact that it rubs off sort of easily is annoying. I would buy it again though as the quality for the price is worthwhile. I would also get the tube, next time if it's available for better coverage.


Clinique: Even Better (31-Spice)

Clinique: Even Better (31-Spice)

Originally, I had purchased this one first while home in Northern California. I had used my mother's a few times and liked it enough to buy it myself. If I remember correctly, this was also $28. I think the bottle is actually extremely small for that price, but make up, in general, is pricey as it is. It felt a bit more oily to me than I would have liked, but it did help cover my hyper pigmentation a bit. That was the primary reason I bought it, to make it less noticeable. This was probably the closest I could get to my color in this brand, so I would often add a little powder on top to even me out better than Even Better could.  I also like that it had sun screen in it. My face is extremely sensitive, so I have to be cautious about the products I buy, or risk irritation. I am glad that this brand did not irritate my face.

My rating: 6.5/10

I did not think the small amount of product that you get was worth $28. I thought that it made my face oilier than usual. I think they could add more color choices for people with darker complexions. However, I did like that it had sunscreen in it. I like that it's more readily available. I also like that it can make my hyper pigmentation a little less noticeable. Unfortunately, it needs help with the coverage. Would I buy it again? Possibly, if I couldn't obtain my color in Fashion Fair.


Sephora: Brow Gel (clear) & Sephora: Brow Illuminator (05- Matte Spice)

Sephora: Brow Gel (clear) & Sephora: Brow Illuminator (05- Matte Spice)

I haven't had these very long (just about three days), but I feel like I can give a decent review on simple products such as these. The Brow Illuminator works really well for darker skinned individuals. It gives the nice highlight on the brows without making the person look "ashy". Also, it was extremely cheap. Possibly around $12, if I remember correctly. The Brow Gel is decent because it's cheap (~$12) in comparison to other brow gels, it helps tame my curly hairs on my eyebrows, and it doesn't make the brows feel overly stiff.

My rating: Brow Gel - 8/10
I like the price of it, but wish that it had more product in it. I also wish that the tinted gels had better color options that weren't so glittery. I had tried the "darkest" tinted gel they had in this line, and it felt reminiscent of the frosted boy band tips on the hair of the early 2000s. Would I buy it again? Sure, why not. However, I would only buy it in clear coloring.

Brow Illuminator - 9.5/10
This has honestly got to be the best brow highlight I have ever used! It looks good with my skin color, doesn't make me look ashy, and doesn't cost all that much. I just wish that it was a twist tube, rather than a pencil that you have to sharpen.




That's all for my product reviews on these makeups! I'll let you guys tell me in the comments below which brand you think worked out better for me by posting a side by side photo of it. I personally think Fashion Fair was the better option. You can also see the above eyebrow products used on my face in these photos.

Fashion Fair side

Clinique side

Till Next Time!

-Hachi

Make-up or Make Believe: What's in My Make-up Bag?

Hi all! I have taken a new liking to make-up as of recent, and have been on a buying frenzy. I figured that a "what's in my make-up bag" style blog would be a fun one to do, so here goes nothing! I will show the contents of my make-up bag and discuss my most used and least used items and why.
I purchase a majority of my make-up from Sephora at JCP because I can earn rewards at JC Penney for buying items.

My original make-up bag was actually a gift with purchase from the Glendale Galleria, there is an ELF store. I am told it is one of three stores in California. I like ELF for some of their items in order to do a cheaper dupe of a more expensive item. Primarily, I use ELF for their make-up prepping items, rather than actual make-up. However, now I have a new bag that I purchased from Charlotte Russe, so that will begin the basis of this blog.

I purchased this bag for 1.99$ at Charlotte Russe from the clearance rack. I was so excited for it because I am a Sagittarius and I loved that it had the constellations on it. Without further ado, here's what's in my makeup bag! (Some things have changed since the photos were originally taken, so I will clarify that in the captions.

Is it true? ;)

These were my original highlight and concealers. I have ran out of the two toned Sephora contouring kit, so I just use the Nars and Sephora concealer in Toffee.

I have added a new foundation brush to my arsenal now. 

My powder form of contouring.

I never saw a real reason to buy expensive mascara, personally.

My favorite brand for the brows. <3

I have become partial to under the eye liner again, so that All Nighter Eyeliner is a godsend.

I would have to say my biggest obsession right now is lipsticks. I am not even sure why that is, but I have more than this now.

I hope everyone follows their arrows ---->

Well that's all for now, my friends! I will be updating this post with the newest editions to my makeup bag in the next few days, so stay tuned for that!.

Till Next Time!

-Hachi