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"We passed through a thick wooden door into a subterranean studio lined with well-worn cowboy saddles, geometric-patterned flannel tops, and antique silver and turquoise belts, where Norteño music blasted and beers were popped open with dusty leather boots. Launched four months ago as a way for visitors to learn the region’s traditional cowboy culture and customs, it offers bespoke hat-making experiences: Armendariz prefers Bolivian wool, Mexican rabbit fur, and Mexican palm leaves, and even guides guests through shaping and steaming the brim themselves. I chose a milky grey base that turns pink in the right light, ringed with an alabaster leather rope, sifted through gold and silver buttons, and settled on a three-pronged feather in brown, white, and black as she hammered in the final metal buttons. Completely unplanned and entirely impromptu, the evening felt celebratory and even a little chaotic; it was also perfect." - Michaela Trimble, Lilah Ramzi