Philippe Lazaro
OCTOBER 2016

My Long Awaited Return to Philly

Despite growing up in Philly, I don’t go back very often. But that changed when I got to take Rhys on a short visit. It was weird but nice to be back to where I was living when I was his age. We also managed a cheesesteak taste test and a Phillies game, ofc.

Some of my favorite moments from my latest video:

🥖 Cheesesteak battle

🏡 Dropping by my literal childhood home

🌭 Shooting the Phillie Phanatic’s hot dog cannon

🍧 Water Ice

🇺🇿 Uzbekistan Restaurant

Had an amazing time taking a long overdue return trip to Philly and another good time making an overdue video about it.

Madiba

I’ve always been a fan of the archive photos of a young Nelson Mandela boxing, so I always wanted to draw up that side of his life. From what I can gather, he could hold his own as an amateur fighter and his appreciation for the sport stayed in character.

“I did not enjoy the violence of boxing so much as the science of it,” Mandela said. “I was intrigued by how one moved one’s body to protect oneself, how one used a strategy both to attack and retreat, how one paced oneself over a match.”

Finally, I root for the home team

I’ve been living in San Diego for almost ten years now. This isn’t even the first time I’ve called this city home. 

Throughout its history, San Diego hasn’t been much of a sports town if we’re being honest. You might think having outdoor weather year-round would be in its favor. Instead it means there are too many other ways to have fun. For most of my life, San Diego sports fans have had a reputation for mildness. Generally an afterthought in the sports world.

The city has yet to win a championship, but has lost two professional teams to relocation. That’s not so good.

When I moved here about ten years ago, the Padres were the only show in town. They had strung together about a dozen consecutive losing seasons. They weren’t generating much excitement.

Beyond that, my baseball loyalty was already booked. While I wish the Padres well, I’ve been a Phillies fan since I was a toddler in Philadelphia. So many plush Phanatics appeared in stores during the Phillies’ 1993 World Series run. It left an impression on me.

I usually make it to a couple games at Petco Park each year, and those are usually the Phillies’ games. I come decked in my Phillies gear, ready for whatever trash talk the local fans are bringing that day. To their credit, it tends to be mild and good-natured relative to most cities. When the two teams met in 2022 for an NLCS I would’ve never expected, I had more fun than ever attending a baseball game.

I wish the Padres well. They can go 156-6, as long as those 6 losses are to the Phillies. 

That said, I actually would like to root for the home team for once. I’d love to be on the same side as my friends and neighbors. It’s not gonna happen at a baseball game, though, and there aren't many other options.

Had the Chargers not left town, I don’t know if that would’ve done the trick. American football doesn’t hold the same appeal to me.

Then there's basketball...

If San Diego had an NBA team, I would be right in the crosshairs for that fan-base. I love watching basketball, and my attachment to a single team is a lot less solid than it is for baseball. I would have no problem going all-in on an NBA franchise here. That said, the Clippers left a long time ago. San Diego basketball rarely gets talked about as a possibility.

Then there’s soccer…

I’ve appreciated Major League Soccer. The league’s come a long way in the past ten years. And while I was a bit of a supporter of the Portland Timbers when living in Oregon, I wanted some closer action.

Soccer’s reception in the United States has come a long way, sort of like my appreciation for San Diego.

In 2020, I adored the San Diego Loyal–a new soccer club playing in the USL. This was a tier below the MLS. Not quite the same as having a full professional franchise. That said, the USL has some of the most interesting teams and emerging fan cultures these days. More often than not, they play in mid-size cities that embrace their local squads with vigor. And if you’re a fan of eclectic soccer jerseys… well that’s where some of the most eclectic releases get made. I’ve picked up jerseys repping Portland, Maine and Madison, Wisconsin over the past year.

Anyways, back to the Loyal…

I took a liking to that team right away. Their debut season came during the chaos of 2020, with no fans in the stands. That year, they forfeited two matches on principle. Members of opposing teams dropped homophobic slurs mid-match, and they took a stand. The Loyal got American soccer legend Landon Donovan to serve as head coach. He turned out to be excellent in the role.

It made so much sense for San Diego and soccer to click. We have such a diverse international population, and a position as a border town.

In a parallel world, I'd humor the idea of joining a supporter's group. It takes more time and money than I can spare at the moment. The community that forms in the long run, though, can be a beautiful thing.

A couple seasons into the Loyal’s run, two big things happened.

First, San Diego Wave FC formed in the NWSL. Women’s soccer! The Padres would no longer be the city’s lone representation at the top tier of professional sports. They also signed Alex Morgan for the final chapter of her playing career and that got things going.

Then Major League Soccer announced plans for a San Diego expansion. In my heart, I wished this meant the San Diego Loyal get promoted, like you’d see in a European League. MLS doesn’t quite work like that, though.

When San Diego FC came together a year ago, I admit I was skeptical. First, living in Oregon made me adopt the Portland Timbers. Their slogan of RCTID–Rose City ‘Til I Die– didn’t exactly come with an asterisk.

*’Til I Die or Move to a City that Gets an Expansion Team a Decade Later.

SDFC's birth aligned with an announcement that the San Diego Loyal would dissolve. This was a big disappointment to me. When they unveiled their branding, it looked like SDPD roleplay. They'd need to win me over.

It took about four games. They won two of them and only gave up two goals. Fifteen games into the season, they had only registered three losses. This team was good. Way better than you'd expect an expansion team to be in year one.

The squad had never played together until now. And they were rough around the edges in some way. They managed to flip that to their advantage in many games by being unpredictable. The Danish transfer Anders Dreyer turned out to be an absolute superstar. The rest of our team was so solid that our star player at the beginning of the year ended up being a super-sub.

SDFC finished this past season in first place. They put the best expansion season in history.

Some friends couldn't use their tickets to a playoff game, so I found myself in attendance. A pleasant surprise! And the team was solid the whole way through. They scored four goals, eliminating the Portland Timbers.

They continued the playoff run a little bit longer. Vancouver would be the team to knock them outa win away from the MLS Cup. While it was sad to see a true Cinderella season come to an end, by all means they exceeded expectations.

In many ways, San Diego is an underachiever of a sports town. More relocations than championships. And you’d think I already endured plenty of disappointment as a Phillies fan. But there’s still something special about rooting for the home team. I’m happy to finally have a chance.

Fall '25

Fall 2025, closing strong! Lots of family outings and we made it through everybody’s birthdays.

The era of raising toddlers was so gargantuan, it’s kinda wild that we’ve got them all north of four now. Thankful for the good times, the spooky seasons, and the crisp air.

Winter 2025

12/1 – Sad to see such a fun season for San Diego FC end just one win shy of the MLS Cup. Hard to ask for a better inaugural year though! Loved watching this squad.

12/1 – My semi-improvised, Severance-themed Christmas musical opened last night. Chaotic but lots of fun. Three more shows this month!

12/3 – Took the NC Transit’s Holiday Express Train with the kids… and a few guest appearances on board. Love knowing that these are the years to go all-in on Christmas.

12/14 – These December weekends! Serving up another opp to go full Christmascore.

12/24 – Well that was an incredible Christmas Eve!

12/20 – Wrapped up playing in Severed at the North Pole—a Severance inspired, semi-improvised Christmas musical last night. Even got to slide into the Milchick-role (Elfchick!) for the last hurrah.

Can’t say an opportunity like that comes up too often and I had so much fun with this production.

My Guide to Aotearoa

Last summer… we did it. My wife and I took our first trip without the kids.

Our moms gave a generous anniversary present of watching them. Thus, we were able to celebrate ten years together by going to the other side of the planet.

It was a hard-earned and long-anticipated trip in so many ways. The fact that our kids are at an age where this is doable is an accomplishment in and of itself. So is hitting that ten year mark. We wanted to go somewhere big.

It so happened that New Zealand had been sitting at the top of our bucket lists for quite some time.

Why New Zealand?

I mean, New Zealand is an epic place on so many levels, but here’s the thing that appealed to us the most:

Natural Beauty. We’d seen the pictures. We’d seen The Hobbit. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. And my favorite depiction of the New Zealand bush: The Hunt for the Wilderpeople. All this it stirred up a longing to be in those wide open spaces taking deep breaths, you know?

New Zealand’s an adventure hub. That kind of goes hand in hand with all the natural wonders. If you like to experience nature in ways that need a harness, crampons, or some other gear, it’s a spot you’ll likely enjoy. The natural beauty spans both of its islands. A lot of colder and more mountainous type adventures tend to hang out on the southern edge of South Island.

Cheeky Kiwi humour. I’ve already riffed on people’s different takes on humor around the world. In doing so, I expressed appropriate envy towards how funny everyone in New Zealand seems to be. They make it seem effortless.

It’s the edge of the world. I mean, picking a spot to be the “edge of the world” will always be pretty arbitrary. The southerness, proximity to the date line, and isolation give New Zealand an edge. As a geography buff, it tickles.

Lots of options for places to visit. Auckland’s where all the urban excitement is, and you can still drive to some gorgeous state parks. Christchurch is chill vibes. The cities to its south bring nature and adventure… especially Queenstown and Dunedin. Rotorua is the spot to go to catch more Maori experiences. Wellington is a little too easy to underestimate. You’ll leave with several spots on your “next time” list.

Where to Stay

Cordis (Auckland)

This was a bit of a higher-end hotel than we’d typically go for. We had a pass-through night in Auckland though. After a long flight pampering ourselves felt appropriate. The rooms were comfy and the on-site pub was good for dinner. The next morning, I got to wake up to one of the best breakfasts of my life. The hotel-restaurant, 8, represents eight different cuisines that are prominent in New Zealand. They take that approach with the most important meal of the day as well.

SO/ (Auckland)

Another Auckland favorite. The room we had was a bit funny- a luxurious bathtub sat in the center of the room, the bed and TV relegated to a side. Almost as if the room prioritized being a bathroom. I thought it was funny. The location was great, and we could walk to the ferry terminal or into downtown Auckland.

The Observatory Hotel (Christchurch)

This spot is one of my favorite hotels ever. It’s official. A converted university site with rooms that feel like home. The drawing room is one of the coziest sites ever. The whole complex sits right across from the Botanical Gardens. A very easy walk can get you into the heart of the city in less than ten minutes.

Scenic Suites (Queenstown)

This one’s a bit more pricey, but lives up to its name with a water view. If you were aiming for a cozy day and trying to make the hotel part of the experience, this is a good bet. Queenstown lodging tends to run a bit higher than most of New Zealand anyways, so might as well lean into it.

Novotel Lakeside (Queenstown)

If you do want to do Queenstown on more of a budget, the Novotel looks great and feels complete. Plus, it still gives you that lake view.

The Chamberson (Dunedin)

It’s a boutique hotel in a historic building. I often hear of families raving about it as a more home-style accommodation.

My Top Three

1) Castle Hill Rocks

This site is famous for being the location where they filmed Narnia. The battle scene for The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe to be exact. But even if it wasn’t that… this would still be a worthwhile place to go.

Large, ancient, limestone boulders sit in the center of an otherwise open expanse. They’re surrounded of rolling golden hills. Astonishing. A Maori sacred site. I found it breathtaking.

2) The Observatory Hotel in Christchurch

Yes, I already mentioned this in my where-to-stay section, but I’m double dipping! I must continue to talk up The Observatory. It is in a repurposed university. You can tell by the doors that have Science or Phys Ed labeled above them. That said, they made plenty more out of the school than a hotel. The complex includes a wine bar, a paint-and-sip spot, a pub, a restaurant, and an occasional market. There’s a full-on cinema that was having a French film festival while we were there. There’s a dance studio. The top level of the hotel is a rotating exhibit. It was highlighting the Maori Creation Story at the time of our visit.

3) Waitomo Gloworm Caves in Hamilton

This was one of those experiences that left me thinking… wow… I get to be alive! The glowworm caves in Waitomo were an unreal experience. After stepping into the limestone caves, our guides led us on a boat ride down the river. It brought us right up close to the glowing blue worms hanging overhead. Breathtaking.

Essential Eating

Check out the impressive food halls.

Most of New Zealand’s cities have a signature food hall. Some have more than that! We got our best taste of it in Christchurch.

Riverside Market (Christchurch)

Some boutiques and three dozen restaurants representing all kinds of cuisines. Some nights, I had to get two meals from here to try it all. Some of our favorites included: A dosa restaurant. A woodfired pizza spot. A Nepali momo stand, a gin bar, and the Argentine street kitchen. Apologies for not remembering any of their proper names.

Little High Market (Christchurch)

It’s hard to imagine that you would even need an alternative to the Riverside Market. But there’s this! It’s got some good eats of its own. I had a great lamb shank curry from the Thai spot here.

Hangi

Hangi is traditional maori cooking, where meats, staples, and veggies steamed in a pit oven.

The Hangi Shop (Auckland)

It’s in a somewhat busy and unsuspecting part of town. It’s also one of your best bets to try Hangi when passing through Auckland.

Mitai Maori Village (Rotorua)

Rotorua has the most pronounced Maori presence of New Zealand’s urban centers. The Mitai Maori Village is a full cultural center in a bush setting. People rave about their hangi.

The Stoaker Room (Cromwell)

So, this one isn’t Hangi. I included it in because it’s the invention of a winemaker who began smoking meats in aged wine barrels.

Gastropubs

Funny enough, my hometown has a surplus of New Zealand restaurants. Most of them are gastropubs focused on burgers and beers. Turns out, that’s because New Zealand does those things quite well.

OGB (Christchurch)

Despite me calling it OBG by mistake, it’s in a stunning building with good cocktails and pub foods.

The Church (Christchurch)

A pub built in a literal repurposed church. This place is always lively at night.

The Occidental (Auckland)

Belgian pub in downtown Auckland. Impressive taplist.

Asian Food in Auckland

Auckland’s got a strong Asian population and proximity to Southeast Asia. With that comes some great food.

Java (Auckland)

Indonesian food is incredible and not always easy to find back in the US. Java is splendid.

Jeepney Filipino Restaurant (Auckland)

Great menu with both fan favorites and deep cuts. Good location right on K-Street.

Wine Tasting, of course

How could you not? We booked a proper wine trail which was a good way to get a more personal introduction to the winemakers

Waipara Springs Winery (Waipara)

Gorgeous site, and their lunch menu comes with a wide variety of good eats.

Georges Road Winery (Waipara)

We loved Pepper, the dog who lived on site, as well as all the Syrah. Wonderful family-ran business.

For some fine dining

Twentyseven Steps (Christchurch)

This was our official anniversary dinner, as in, what we ate the night of our proper anniversary. Inventive dishes, good cocktails, cozy space. Loved this restaurant.

Other Things to See and Do In…

Hamilton

Hobbiton

The Shire is New Zealand’s most touristy thing to do… and you know what? Because this is New Zealand, it’s still way chill. I loved the Hobbit Home designed to accommodate a walkthrough. I loved the recreation of the Green Dragon Tavern. It complete with their own proprietary beers. Hope you don’t like it too much, though… this is the only place you can get it!

Auckland

Take the Ferry to Other Points

The Auckland Ferry works well. It can get you to some of the small islands and communities across from Auckland. We considered Rangitoto Island, which is a volcanic cone island and nature reserve. Waiheke Island would’ve also brought beaches and wineries in a scenic spot. We ended up taking the ferry to Devonport, a suburb with an awesome library and great used bookstores.

Piha Beach

I’m no fan of left-hand driving, but I sucked it up and rented a car. It’s that easy to get to Piha Beach State Park from Auckland. Here we saw some impressive waves. Gorgeous rock formations draped a black sand beach at winter.

Kitekite Falls

We did this on the same visit as Piha Beach and it ended up being one of my favorite New Zealand experiences. A two mile hike takes you through some gorgeous North Island flora to Kitekite. An impressive waterfall! Its pool works well as a swim hole.

Catch an All Blacks Match (or Experience)

When I studied abroad in Australia in high school, I fell in love with (and got beat up from) rugby. I still find it much more entertaining than American football. I was keen on catching an All Blacks match in Auckland. Unfortunately, the schedule didn’t quite allow for it. But there is an All Blacks Experience in town that pretty much runs year round.

Hit Up the Vintage Shops

Auckland has a pretty impressive offering of vintage shops. They reminded me of what thrifting used to be like. I assume other New Zealand cities do as well. I picked up a great 80s starter jacket from Smoove at St. Kevins Arcade which is a good spot to start a thrifting outing.

South Island

Arthur’s Pass National Park

Home of the kea, New Zealand’s mischievous alpine parrot. We visited on a rainy day and still managed a hike up to the top of Devil’s Punchbowl. Gorgeous view.

TraNZAlpine Scenic Railway

This is a nice option for going between Christchurch and Arthur’s Pass. The train comes set with a snack car. It also has a viewing car where you can get some open-air looks at the remote edges of South Island.

Christchurch

Christchurch Botanical Garden

I loved the city’s Botanical Garden. So many different walking spots and an impressive collection of diverse plant species. When I was there, some big Pokemon Go event was happening, so glad to see that its still going strong in New Zealand. There was also an Alice in Wonderland themed scavenger hunt. It was for the kiddos that we wound up participating in.

Earthquake Memorials

Christchurch’s devastating 2011 earthquake and further rebuild are hard to look past. Everything is new and most locals have stories to tell. One of the closest looks we got at the whole ordeal was via the Cardboard Cathedral.

Enjoy the Gathering Centers

When Christchurch began its rebuild, many Maori leaders contributed to the design. They planned gathering centers around rivers. This keeps with customs, incorporating food where possible. The Avon runs by the Riverside Food Market. And the Bridge of Remembrance. And the Margaret Mahy Playground.

The Te Araroa Trail

I heard so much about the adventures in Queenstown that are now at the top of my next-time list. One thing I’d love to do if I ever got extended time in New Zealand would be to try and hike the Te Araroa Trail. The trail spans the whole country and can take as much as 4-6 months.

Virunga Park Ranger

“The illegal exploitation of resources is almost universally recognized as the underlying driver behind a civil war that has caused the deaths of over six million people. So we owe it to the people of eastern Congo to address these issues of natural resource management. That’s really what the park is about.”

“I enjoy witnessing the breathtaking nature within the Park’s boundaries. Being called a Ranger fills me with pride and commitment to protecting its precious ecosystems.”

–Emmanuel, Virunga Park Ranger

RESPECT

The Best of Filipino Heritage Night

Last week, I got to riff on my fascination with Filipino Heritage Nights across professional sports leagues. As it turns out I have a lot of takes–especially when it comes to the design of the giveaway merch and apparel.

Some ground we’ve already covered:

  • I’m really ready for some teams to think beyond the sun and stars when it comes to design. It’s a cool flag, and there’s still lots of examples of teams making it look good. But give me something fresh!

  • Without being a huge Filipino-American hub or having any Filipino players, there hasn’t been much incentive for my Phillies to participate… but being able to play with the name could create some fun opportunities.

  • The NFL has been a total dud. Granted, the 16 game season doesn’t allow for as many themed games, but still. Would love to see the Niners or Cam Bynum’s Vikings take the reins here.

Anyways, this time around, let’s explore the teams doing it right. I already highlighted some well-designed items from the Golden State Valkyries, Vancouver Bandits, and Chicago Bulls.

But, there’s even more where that came from!

The Best

The Mariners vs The Yankees

Going back to Griffey in ‘95 and A-Rod in ‘01, things always get interesting when these teams square off. But who has the upper hand when it comes to Filipino Heritage Night?
The Mariners have a lot going for them. I already highlighted the Verified Asian vlog declaring the Mariners to have The BEST Filipino Heritage Night in Sports. And they’ve got a good case, between the sisig nachos and rally tabo. But the thing that really seemed to seal the deal was the giveaway jacket. A classic satin-looking dugout jacket in a royal blue with red trim and the Mariners’ cap logo on top of a yellow sun. Chef’s kiss material.

But that was months ago, and later in the baseball season, the Yankees unveiled their merch.

The Yankees don’t often play the role of the underdog. But they carry a lot of disadvantages into a Filipino Heritage Night design-off. They are hands-down one of the most conservative teams when it comes to design, rarely veering from their century-old iconic styles. They’ve shunned the idea of mascots and city connect jerseys.

But when it comes to Filipino Heritage Night, they unveiled a jacket not too unlike the Mariners. The classic NY on top of the sun in the same chest position. The jacket itself was navy with a white trim, sticking with team colors rather than the Philippine flag. HOWEVER- the flag was saved for the inside. The jacket was reversible, and flipping it meant the back was an entire flag.

As someone who rarely speaks positively about the Yankees… it was pretty good.

So who comes out on top? I’m gonna cast my vote for Seattle on this one. It’s close. But the Yankees used a template that the Mariners were the ones to establish as a hit. But nicely done to both teams.

The DJ Javier Collabs

DJ Javier is a Filipino-American illustrator based in Santa Barbara, meaning most of his sports allegiances lie with LA. Thankfully, the teams love him back.

In 2024, he was the creative mind behind the LA Kings’ Filipino Heritage Night, easily establishing it as the best in the NHL. His illustrations combined his personal style with batok tattoo art and hockey. Simply put, it looked good. And the team did well in highlighting the artist’s own story.

Later, LAFC let DJ Javier do a Filipino inspired shirt design for AAPI Heritage Month, which was a similar win.

I can only imagine how hyped I’d be for these designs if I were actually a fan of these teams.

Washington Nationals

In August 2025, The Washington Nationals honored FIlipino Heritage Day for the fifth time. Previous giveaways were guilty of forcing a marriage between the Philippine flag and the team jersey, resulting in something a bit too loud and uninspired.

But this time around, they delivered.

They went with an all black-and-white bomber jacket. I guess the trend is that jackets do really well as a giveaway item. It kept the design mostly restrained except for the back, where the W logo became a canvas for a whole collage.

The back logo included FIlipino and American flags, Washington DC landmarks, tinikling dancers, jeepneys, tricycles, a carabao, and a bahay kubo. It was vibrant, brilliant, and balanced. My one and only complaint is not being a fan of the Walgreens’ W logo, but that’s not a problem meant to be solved by Filipino Heritage Night.

Norfolk Tandangs

In my last entry, I applauded the Norfolk Tides’ one-day rebrand as the Norfolk Lumpia to honor the 44,000 Filipinos that live in its surrounding communities. Then they outdid themselves. For Filipino Heritage Night, they rebranded as the Norfolk Tandangs, to pay homage to the Filipino fighting rooster… among other things.

Their social media unveil showed that they did their homework.

The coloring and design elements honored things like the walis tingting, batok tattoos, and the barong.

Lots of great tie-in merch was also released.

Sampaguita Kit

My favorite Filipino Heritage Jersey of 2025 came from the US’s second soccer league– USL League One.

If you’re not paying attention to the USL, you’re missing on some of the best kits in all of football, courtesy of design partner Hummel.

I was a bit surprised when I saw that Forward Madison from Madison, Wisconsin was the team going hardest for Filipino swag as part of AAPI Heritage Month. I mean, Filipinos are everywhere, but still. Madison’s not quite a hub.

They do have some active Filipino nonprofits, like PAMANA, that aims to keep the connection between the Philippines and residents of Central Wisconsin with Filipino ancestry. They also have a goalkeeper, Bernd Schipmann, who plays on the Philippine National Team.

Forward Madison partnered with PAMANA to unveil two Filipino keeper kits. The first was a vibrant yellow, inspired by the sun. It was nice, but the one I had to purchase for myself was the mint green Sampaguita Kit, named after the Philippines’ national flower.

One of my favorite indulgences time-to-time are extremely niche soccer jerseys and this is why.

Suggestion Box

As I’ve said a few different times now, Filipino culture gives you no shortage of visual inspiration. There’s a depth of references to be used. Designers have no need to get hung up on the sun and stars.

Here are a few ideas that I’d love to see some teams indulge.

Jollibee Collabs

Okay, this one might be the most complicated because it requires the participation of a corporate partner… but trust me, Filipinos would absolutely rock a Jollibee parody of your teams logo.

This Knicks example is actual streetwear, a collab between Mga Bagay and Barkada. I don’t even root for the Knicks and I’ve got to admit, that’s a good look. Bonus points if the Charlotte Hornets get in on this as the team that comes closest to having a bee logo.

The Banaue Rice Terraces

I came up with this idea for the Utah Jazz and the Jazz specifically.

Of all the pro-sports hubs that have Filipino populations, Salt Lake City isn’t particularly high. BUT. For many years, Jordan Clarkson balled in Utah. Filipinos love Clarkson. There were ads in the Philippines for a long time starring impressionists of LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Jordan Clarkson. It’s like that.

The Jazz throwback mountain jerseys are some of my favorites. So I decided to play with a design that turned those mountains into the Banaue Rice Terraces, one of the Philippines’ more iconic land formations.

Batok & Barong

I love the stories, traditions, and art in the Filipino art of tattooing. I’m a bit biased, I guess. I’ve been wearing a batok piece on my arm for years.

The tattoos are a deeper cut, as far as Filipino references go. But when teams have leaned into it, it’s typically worked out well! DJ Javier used the design element in both his LAFC and LA Kings pieces. The Norfolk Tandang made it work really well as a trim. I whipped up this sketch of what it might look like to play with the White Sox’ sock logo. Could work for the Red Sox dual sock logo too… but Chicago’s the bigger Filipino hub.

Meanwhile, one of the good examples I threw out last week was the San Francisco Giants’ barong jersey. What about actually stiching on a barong? Trying it out on Atlanta United to rep ATL’s Filipinos.

Baybayin

The traditional Filipino script is visually gorgeous. And its fluid strokes lend themselves well to the traditional athletic cursive.

In the LA area, I’ve seen some Filipino streetwear add a Baybayin Dodgers’ logo. Not gonna lie, it looks good.

I’ve already mentioned how I’m hopeful to one day see some Filipino Phillies gear, so I decided to give it a shot on their cream alternates.

If you’ve made it all the way this far… and especially if you’ve read both of my Filipino Heritage Night posts, you’re a real one! Seriously. If you did that because you share this same very niche interest, we’d probably be good friends.

Or maybe, we’re already good friends and you read all this to humor me. Either way, you’re a real one.