Of course while I was in Argentina, I wanted to buy at least one hat. I found a small hat shop in San Telmo.

The name of the shop was La Fundamental and in the words of the apprentice who sold me my hat (the one I am wearing in the photo) it is a meaning close to the English meaning for the same word, but it’s also “funda”(cover)+”mental”(mind, from the mind) so the pun is “the cover of your mind”, because we sell hats lol.

I  was in love with the shop the moment I walked it. It had a lot of hats of all shapes, colors and sizes and I could see that more were being made. I not only liked the shop because of it’s merchandise but also because of the employees.

The young lady that is smiling with me name is Mon. She was so sweet and I felt we were friends for a long time.

She told me the owner of the shop was not there and she is an apprentice, learning how to make and mend hats from the owner.

When I emailed Mon and asked her if she remembered me, she replied ecstatically:  Of course I remember you! You took one of my first creations to New York, a city that I love and that has given me friends and family. I hope to go back there soon.

Of course when I travel back, I’ll make my way down to that fancy hat shop.