Peaked Cap: for people who don't dare to wear a beret
Monday, June 27, 2011
Basco Roma e Il Berretto Spagnolo
I couldn't have imagined how many people would comment on my post Basco Roma; obviously some people have very strong feelings about Italian made berets (and anything else Italian, it seems). Mind you, only the just unacceptable have been published - there were a few more...
What can I say apart from my replies in the comments section? Quality comes in many shapes and where it means wear-ability, comfort and good craftsmanship, the Basco Roma is definitely among the top. But, to cater for customers who appreciate the very high standard of the densest merino wool of Boinas Elosegui's top of the line Super Lujo, I have ordered a small number of Super Lujo's in 24.4cm (the same size as the Basco Roma), with satin lining and lamb leather headband, Teflon treated, impermeable. And, Made in Spain.
I believe the first time Boinas Elosegui actually made these!
Available from mid-July, 2011. Cost approx. $55.- (pre-orders taken -drop me a line).
I too bought a 12 inch Elosegui Super Lujo Spanish Basque Beret for $33.50 USD + $4 s/h from Mr. Greer and the quality is simply unparalleled to anything i have ever seen, worn, or owned.
I do want to state for the record that i fully agree with those "other" posters re: Basco Roma beret (although i cannot take the credit for such a heartwarming conversation). I do, however, wish to be more constructive and bring a balance to the aforementioned minutia discussed.
I witnessed, with my very own eyes, that here in North America it was around the very early 90's that Italian products commenced to be, shall we say, pushed thoroughly HARD; rammed down people's throats so to speak. At first i wondered why????
I tried espresso and found the taste disgusting compared to the torrefacto Spanish coffee (i drink a brand from Andalucia, Spain called CATUNAMBU that i am sure will satisfy the most discriminating palate!)
I also commenced to hang-out with the local Italian denizens at the sports clubs and discovered that i could not be in a room with them in excess of 10 minutes due to the verbal diarrhea that eminated from their mouths.
I theorized that this is germaine only to the Italians of 2nd generation and beyond that were born in North America since i never met a native Italian displaying such non-congruent behaviour! Does anybody out there in beretland know WHY 2nd+ generation Italians are this way in North America by chance? If so, please drop me a line here on this beret and boina thread. I would be VERY interested in knowing/learning a little more about this phenomenon!
As far as the Basco Roma, i have never worn or felt the material of one but when i see it it takes me back to Italian film director federico fellini (1920-1993). No doubt the actual face of the Basco Roma i do dare say!
As always, it has been a pleasure discussing Italianisimo on this wonderful forum that allows basque beret lovers to get together and share deep thoughts that, sadly, may otherwise not be shared at all in our respective countries.
PS
I noticed that you somehow "magically" blocked me from being able to post on your blog under my name . I wonder why?
Believe it or not, i am not the only one on the planet that knows about the M.A.D. Funny, though, that when somebody else mentioned them you instantaneously thought of me. I guess deep down inside YOU too are sickened anda little scared of what they are capable of doing to normal loving people and families. I am very scared myself!
Not that I'm a soccer fan, but same thing happens with soccer: italians all going crazy over spanish Liga and cheering at spanish national team, and spaniards complaining about a "rivalry" they only seem to feel, and constantly telling us they're the best etc. etc. It looks like all this rivalry is, to say the less, one-sided.
By the way, everyone in Italy knows that greatest characteristic of us italians (not speaking for the italians-americans or other expatriates, that have their own culture by now) is not "patriotic pride" but "esterofilia", as we say in italian: the love for everything foreigner. Everything coming out of here "has to be better"... even when it's not.
It's not us who translates "computer" with "ordenador", by the way... we haven't problems with foreign words, it's the other way round, sometimes we have problems using the italian ones ;)
Paolo, i think your comment above helped me understand, and possibly solve, the question i had asked previously. You stated that Italians in North America 2nd+ generation have developed THEIR OWN CULTURE over time!
It's AMAZING that on the one hand their forefather's left Italia due to the poor economic conditions in search of a better life in North America, but yet over time they developed THEIR VERY OWN Italianisimo that is quite different than the actual Italians living in Italia. The sheer different nuances this brings are breathtaking in scope and simply too many too list on here.
Deep down, though, and as a trained Sociologist the HOW and WHY these differences in thinking, acting, viewing life etc. between real Italians in Italy and those 2nd+ generation in North America astounds me. I coordially invite all Italians from Italy to visit North America and SEE for themselves these differences. Frankly, i am VERY surprised that neither a native Italian or a 2nd+ generation one in North America has composed a sociological compendium of this phenomenon.
By the way Paolo, i too have semitic roots since my lineage is Sephardi from the Iberian penninsula...interesting eh? And, i am a friendly semite i do dare say as opposed to the other 99% in North America that are complete, shall we say, haters of "most" that are not semitic? This is yet ANOTHER phenomenon that nobody seems to dare tackle since most semitic people instantly feel anger when mentioned, despite the fact that it is a truism millenia old.
Ahhhhh what a complex world we live in, and the Moloch Axis Demoniac (M.A.D.)agents strategically placed in key positions within society relish covering-up such truisms and exploit them to further divide us! Yet the beret....ahhhh....the humble beret unites us all in peace and harmony.
Thank you Daan for creating this wonderful forum for those beret aficionados around the globe!
Far form the thread (and if Daan blocks my comment he has my full understanding) but in order to ask one question of the first comment (whose author I greet: ciao! :) )
I noticed myself that, generally speaking, italoamericans (as we say in Italy) or italian-americans (as they like to be called) tend to be of the national-patriottic-pride persuasion that we "italian-italian" feel soo strange... and deeply "un-italian" in itself, paradoxically.
Just as sometimes spaniards (between those I have good friends, including very close ones) tend to share this orientation.
I'm just speaking about general tandencies and trends, and I'm not blaming anyone: probably both the groups have their own historical and cultural reasons.
I have my opinion on the reasons, but the cultural distance and difference between italians and italian-americans is amazingly relevant and noticeable.
Btw "espresso" comes in a variety of brands here in Italy... plus, in Italy we know that outside of Italy (and sometimes in Italy herself) the market is flooded with imitation articles (not only coffee, but everything edible or "dressable") that disguise themselves as italians, while being real crap (and produced faaaaar away from Italy)
I lin a big house in vancouver, am gay and say italian made products are crap because that's why i buy Txapelum Bascas from Spain. Did i say i was gay?
Right. The only reason why I published the above comment is to show you what sort of stuff comes my way through this blog.
Listen guys, it's called 'The Beret Project', a blog dedicated to the Basque beret (and not a means of ventilating racist, sexist, nationalist and whatever else comments that you feel you have to share with the world but haven't got anything to do with berets).
"L", I am glad for you that you live in Vancouver -great place- and I find it really interesting to know that you're gay, but please, find another site to share that information with. Good luck.
So, from here on, only relevant comments will be placed
Daan Kolthoff is a writer, living between the hills of Wellington, New Zealand and, when not writing, meditating or walking the hills, he is usually researching, reading about or ordering berets from around the world.
Now you are speaking my language Daan!
ReplyDeleteI too bought a 12 inch Elosegui Super Lujo Spanish Basque Beret for $33.50 USD + $4 s/h from Mr. Greer and the quality is simply unparalleled to anything i have ever seen, worn, or owned.
I do want to state for the record that i fully agree with those "other" posters re: Basco Roma beret (although i cannot take the credit for such a heartwarming conversation). I do, however, wish to be more constructive and bring a balance to the aforementioned minutia discussed.
I witnessed, with my very own eyes, that here in North America it was around the very early 90's that Italian products commenced to be, shall we say, pushed thoroughly HARD; rammed down people's throats so to speak. At first i wondered why????
I tried espresso and found the taste disgusting compared to the torrefacto Spanish coffee (i drink a brand from Andalucia, Spain called CATUNAMBU that i am sure will satisfy the most discriminating palate!)
I also commenced to hang-out with the local Italian denizens at the sports clubs and discovered that i could not be in a room with them in excess of 10 minutes due to the verbal diarrhea that eminated from their mouths.
I theorized that this is germaine only to the Italians of 2nd generation and beyond that were born in North America since i never met a native Italian displaying such non-congruent behaviour! Does anybody out there in beretland know WHY 2nd+ generation Italians are this way in North America by chance? If so, please drop me a line here on this beret and boina thread. I would be VERY interested in knowing/learning a little more about this phenomenon!
As far as the Basco Roma, i have never worn or felt the material of one but when i see it it takes me back to Italian film director federico fellini (1920-1993). No doubt the actual face of the Basco Roma i do dare say!
As always, it has been a pleasure discussing Italianisimo on this wonderful forum that allows basque beret lovers to get together and share deep thoughts that, sadly, may otherwise not be shared at all in our respective countries.
PS
I noticed that you somehow "magically" blocked me from being able to post on your blog under my name . I wonder why?
Believe it or not, i am not the only one on the planet that knows about the M.A.D. Funny, though, that when somebody else mentioned them you instantaneously thought of me. I guess deep down inside YOU too are sickened anda little scared of what they are capable of doing to normal loving people and families. I am very scared myself!
Not that I'm a soccer fan, but same thing happens with soccer: italians all going crazy over spanish Liga and cheering at spanish national team, and spaniards complaining about a "rivalry" they only seem to feel, and constantly telling us they're the best etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like all this rivalry is, to say the less, one-sided.
By the way, everyone in Italy knows that greatest characteristic of us italians (not speaking for the italians-americans or other expatriates, that have their own culture by now) is not "patriotic pride" but "esterofilia", as we say in italian: the love for everything foreigner.
Everything coming out of here "has to be better"... even when it's not.
It's not us who translates "computer" with "ordenador", by the way... we haven't problems with foreign words, it's the other way round, sometimes we have problems using the italian ones ;)
so, what can I say... ¡ARRIBA ESPAÑA!
;)
ciao!
Paolo, from Italy
Paolo, i think your comment above helped me understand, and possibly solve, the question i had asked previously. You stated that Italians in North America 2nd+ generation have developed THEIR OWN CULTURE over time!
ReplyDeleteIt's AMAZING that on the one hand their forefather's left Italia due to the poor economic conditions in search of a better life in North America, but yet over time they developed THEIR VERY OWN Italianisimo that is quite different than the actual Italians living in Italia. The sheer different nuances this brings are breathtaking in scope and simply too many too list on here.
Deep down, though, and as a trained Sociologist the HOW and WHY these differences in thinking, acting, viewing life etc. between real Italians in Italy and those 2nd+ generation in North America astounds me. I coordially invite all Italians from Italy to visit North America and SEE for themselves these differences. Frankly, i am VERY surprised that neither a native Italian or a 2nd+ generation one in North America has composed a sociological compendium of this phenomenon.
By the way Paolo, i too have semitic roots since my lineage is Sephardi from the Iberian penninsula...interesting eh? And, i am a friendly semite i do dare say as opposed to the other 99% in North America that are complete, shall we say, haters of "most" that are not semitic? This is yet ANOTHER phenomenon that nobody seems to dare tackle since most semitic people instantly feel anger when mentioned, despite the fact that it is a truism millenia old.
Ahhhhh what a complex world we live in, and the Moloch Axis Demoniac (M.A.D.)agents strategically placed in key positions within society relish covering-up such truisms and exploit them to further divide us! Yet the beret....ahhhh....the humble beret unites us all in peace and harmony.
Thank you Daan for creating this wonderful forum for those beret aficionados around the globe!
Far form the thread (and if Daan blocks my comment he has my full understanding) but in order to ask one question of the first comment (whose author I greet: ciao! :) )
ReplyDeleteI noticed myself that, generally speaking, italoamericans (as we say in Italy) or italian-americans (as they like to be called) tend to be of the national-patriottic-pride persuasion that we "italian-italian" feel soo strange... and deeply "un-italian" in itself, paradoxically.
Just as sometimes spaniards (between those I have good friends, including very close ones) tend to share this orientation.
I'm just speaking about general tandencies and trends, and I'm not blaming anyone: probably both the groups have their own historical and cultural reasons.
I have my opinion on the reasons, but the cultural distance and difference between italians and italian-americans is amazingly relevant and noticeable.
Btw
"espresso" comes in a variety of brands here in Italy... plus, in Italy we know that outside of Italy (and sometimes in Italy herself) the market is flooded with imitation articles (not only coffee, but everything edible or "dressable") that disguise themselves as italians, while being real crap (and produced faaaaar away from Italy)
Ciao!!
Paolo
I lin a big house in vancouver, am gay and say italian made products are crap because that's why i buy Txapelum Bascas from Spain. Did i say i was gay?
ReplyDeleteBye (L)
Right. The only reason why I published the above comment is to show you what sort of stuff comes my way through this blog.
ReplyDeleteListen guys, it's called 'The Beret Project', a blog dedicated to the Basque beret (and not a means of ventilating racist, sexist, nationalist and whatever else comments that you feel you have to share with the world but haven't got anything to do with berets).
"L", I am glad for you that you live in Vancouver -great place- and I find it really interesting to know that you're gay, but please, find another site to share that information with. Good luck.
So, from here on, only relevant comments will be placed