The Beginning of a Love Affair...

It all began from a recent trip this past November. My partner Jeff surprised me with an early Christmas Hannukah present by taking me to the most romantic location in the planet~Paris. The City of Lights did not disappoint and between the Tour de Eiffel that was bathe in magical blue light and the ever enigmatic Mona Lisa, I couldn't ask for more.

We did the usual tourist fair of strolling down Champs- Élysées, sipping coffee at a sidewalk cafe, and the endless round of museums that holds the world's most famous artworks. It was on our way back to the US as we were killing time at Charles de Gaulle airport that I decided to visit the duty free shops. I ended up going home carrying a big orange paper bag much to the excitement of a group of ladies on our flight. It was November 11.

My very first Hermès is a Sac Troca MM Vertical. Spacious and has numerous compartments, this bi-material tote is just what I need for all weather conditions. It came in a huge, orange box with tissue paper pillows. I was extremely worried that it might not fit in the overhead bin but it came home with us safe and sound.

Moments after we touchdowned at Dulles International, I immediately took a snapshot of our trunk and sent it to all my friends via MMS without any caption.

Within a minute or two, the orange bag garnered quite a few responses. Of course, I couldn't wait to show it to my friends so, the following weekend when we had a welcome back brunch, I had it with me.

Little Somethin'

Undaunted, I waltzed in like a seasoned shopper on November 17, 2008. I browsed a little, touched a garment here and there and spouted insipid questions to make myself more comfortable within the H's hallowed confines. Thankfully, a bright and cheerful associate was the recipient of my queries. Only her 5th day on the job, she was all eagerness to impart to me her knowledge about Hermès. She showed me wallets, scarves, and other bits around the store. Something small, I said to myself. I beelined for the fragrance section and decided on Terre d'Hermes as my first US boutique purchase.

She wrapped it in a nice orange bag and as we were chit chatting away to break the silence, out of nowhere she dropped the innocent enough question: "Would you like to see any of our bags?"

La Danse du Cheval

By this time, my Hermès fever was at its peak. On November 29, I decided to purchase my first silk scarf. I have always been into neckwear but this is the first time I was going to try and use silk. The myriad of designs that Hermès had was a bit confusing. I decided to narrow it down to an orange color with horses. My father was a fanatic for the races. Every Sunday, he would go and leave us with my mother. It was a family joke that Santa Anna Hippodrome in Manila was his Cathedral. Eventually, we owned our own horses that we raced and "Better-than-Ever" was our number one horse. That horse won a ton races and he was the apple of my father's eye. In any case, I rushed to the boutique and acquired myself the "La Danse du Cheval". Orange, elegant and so Hermès.

My Very Own Brikin

December 6, 2008. I got out of work and hopped on the train to pick up my Birkin. My associate was there so she closed the sale. She even asked me to smell the new leather of Birkins which she loved. Sigh...this, my friends, is the story of how I got my very own Birkin.