Where Did You Get That Hat?

June 18, 2010

It is 10 p.m. and I'm listening to the the Stanley Holloway version of "Where Did You Get That Hat?" and I'm cracking up. My head is spinning from the jolly lyrics and dance-a-jig beat. Apparently, the little ditty is an old Victorian folk song. Makes sense. Back then hats were mandatory. To be seen without a proper hat was like being caught with your pants around your ankles. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

Anyways, the song just started when I literally went into the bedroom to get a hat. It belongs to my husband (who by the way left for Oregon earlier today) and I'm wearing it now as I write this. It is a straw Fedora from Target. The tag says that it was made in China and is intended for men who are ages 14 or older. Ha! I'm breaking all the rules. Look out GaGa! Yes, The Wifey of a Roadie is going to show the world that she, too, can put just about anything on her head.

Well, as you probably guessed, I am writing about hats because this post is the sequel to my S.O.S. post. For those of you tuning in for the first time, S.O.S. was basically about the great difficulty my husband was having looking for the same bucket hat that Joe Satriani wears. Folks, we finally found it. It's not an exact replica but at least it is one that my husband is satisfied with.

So, where did we get the hat?

Of all places, we found the hat on the Santa Monica Pier. Yes you read that right. We found the bucket hat on the famous landmark that is the last hurrah of the historic Route 66. Thank goodness, we didn't have to travel the whole 2,448 miles from Chicago to California to get there.

We just zippity-zipped on the 10 west freeway and 15 minutes later we arrived. Finding the hat was purely unintentional. We really weren't looking for it. My husband and I just wanted to walk along the oceanfront. Every once and a while, when he's home, we try to explore this big old city that we live in. We figured it was kind of odd that we know our way around London more than we know how to get around our own neighborhood in Los Angeles.

Well, during this particular jaunt to Santa Monica, we wandered first into a small aquarium exhibit where we saw some very interesting shark eggs with baby sharks squirming inside. I was both captivated and disgusted. Then we made our way onto the pier.

Even on a weekday, the Santa Monica Pier is in full carnival mode. Street, or shall I say, pier performers give it their all to entertain tourists and hopefully make a few bucks. Who can't resist riding the famous merry-go-round or having a few thrills on the Ferris wheel or roller coaster? There was sun above and ocean below and we were having a great time.

Then we saw her. The hat lady was at her booth with a whole lot of hats. Funky ones and classic ones, tall ones and short ones. Hats for men and women and kids. Hats for all occasions and even for no occasion at all. I bit my lip and went on over to have a look. Maybe...just maybe.....

Score! I felt like a Laker fan at the June 17th championship game. There it was, a few actually, stacked on top of each other at the end of a row of hats heaped upon hats. I called my husband over and he was in hat heaven! "You buy two, I give you good deal!" the hat lady said. Sold!

Needless to say, my husband walked away with two hats and one big smile. Me? well, I'm just relieved that it wasn't an exact replica of Satriani's hat.

Hats off to you Santa Monica Pier hat lady!

- Wifey of a Roadie, hanging up her (err, her husband's) hat for the night!

P.S. Of the two photos above, can you guess which one is my husband and can you also name the model of the guitar he is playing? The first to respond with both correct answers will receive a handy-dandy, one-of-a-kind, super duper, guitar pick signed by yours truly :p (I know it's not much but hey at least it's something, right?)