Name: Santa Fe Red
Bio: A set of genes colliding with a set of circumstances that all coalesced in New Mexico, Santa Fe Red is a weather watcher, book junkie, art school graduate and music lover. An appetite for cultural adventures leads her high and low in search of the sublime and the hilarious, both of which are always on display in the City Different.
Posts by :
- Congregation Beit Tikva (Reform), 2230 Old Pacos Trail, (505) 820-2991
- Temple Beth Shalom (Reform), 205 East Barcelona, (505) 982-1376
- Chabad Jewish Center of Santa Fe (Chabad Lubavitch), 242 West San Mateo, (505) 983-2000
- Ha Makom (Conservative), 1601 South St. Francis Drive, (505) 992-1905
- Pardes Yisroel (Modern Orthodox), 1307 Don Diego, (505) 989-771
Super Bowl XLVI? SOUPER Bowl XVIII Santa Fe!
January 26th, 2012Santa Fe Souper Bowl XVIII
Santa Fe Community Convention Center 201 West Marcy Street
Saturday, January 28, 2012 11:00 am – 1:30 pm
Once a year, Santa Fe addresses the issue of hunger, because we know it exists in our community just as it does in others. How to make it fun? A Souper Bowl! For the 18th year, Santa Fe welcomes sippers and slurpers to taste the concoctions of the City Different’s best chefs, all to benefit the Food Depot, New Mexico’s food bank.
Participating restaurants are invited to compete in one the following categories: Best Cream Soup, Best Savory Soup, Best Seafood Soup, and Best Vegetarian Soup, and all of the chefs ultimately compete for the overall title of Best Soup. The list of food mavens is long and includes everything from the high end to caterers and pizza joints, and even a retirement home, all intent on keeping our fellow New Mexicans from going to bed hungry.
AAAAHHHHH.....soup!
Soup lovers will find the following Santa Fe kitchens in attendance: Anasazi Restaurant; Blue Corn Café & Brewery Southside; Bon Appetit; Café Pasqual’s; Café Café; Chef Nuevo Caliente Catering; Dinner for Two; Jambo Café; Kingston Residence of Santa Fe; La Casa Sena; La Plazuela at La Fonda on the Plaza; Nath’s Speciality Catering; Palacio Café; The Pantry Restaurant; Pizza Etc.; Plaza Café Southside; Pueblo Deli; Real Food Nation and Supper Club; Red Sage at Hilton Santa Fe Resort & Spa at Buffalo Thunder; Rio Chama; Santa Fe Bar & Grill; Santa Fe Capitol Grill; Sup; Tune-Up Café; Turquoise Trail Bar & Grill at Buffalo Thunder; Whole Foods Market; Whole Hog Café; and the Zia Diner.
The bar is set high, since last year’s 2011 winner also won in the previous year, 2010, and is rated #1 on TripAdvisor for Santa Fe restaurants. That’s Jambo Cafe, where owner Ahmed Obo says that his winning soups, Black Bean and Sweet Potato from 2011 and Chicken Peanut from 2010, fly out of the restaurant as fast as they are prepared. So not only is this a benefit for the Food Depot, Santa Fe diners also score by discovering new culinary adventures, and restaurant chefs have the chance to create new devotees.
Attendees can taste 4 oz. of soup at as many stations as the belly can handle, and the Boy Scouts will be on hand as runners to collect the ballots from each table. A scoreboard will keep a running tally, so that the fans can keep tabs on who’s ahead. Hmmmm, wonder what are the odds that someone will have created a betting pool? There will also be a silent auction with some tasty items, soup recipes to try at home, cookbooks for sale, and even a cooking demonstration by chef Megan Tucker of Amavi.
Advanced tickets are available online at $25 for adults and $10 for children from 6-12 years of age. Tickets will also be available at the door for adults,$30, and children, $10. Sponsors santafe.com and Hutton Broadcasting will also be giving out Santa Fe Winter Fiesta passes to those who help meet the food-scarcity challenge by attending.
Does this sound tasty? All you have to do is put your money AND your mouth together at the Santa Fe Community Convention this Saturday to indulge in this great cause!
Only ONE Santa Fe Performance!
January 23rd, 2012Our Aspen Santa Fe Ballet continues to deliver, this month bringing the celebrated Momix troupe – and Santa Fe favorite – to perform at the Lensic Center for the Performing Arts.
Momix Botanica
Not content with simply demonstrating their extremely complex dance steps, this talented group also brings illusion and magic to the stage. Founded by Moses Pendleton, one of the pioneers from the early outsider dance troupe, Pilobolus, the Momix company is known for their exceptional prowess and stunning physiques. Each dancer is in tip-top condition, no doubt from the excessive demands of the work. The unique costumes and lighting are always tailored to enhance both the bodies and the choreography, which never fails to amaze.
Moses Pendleton is known for his innovative choreography and left the ground-breaking Pilobolus Dance Theater to form his own company in 1980. More than a master of one trade, Mr. Pendleton has also worked in both film and TV, as well as opera, and has created works for other ballet companies and special events.
The Magic of Momix
Appearing in Santa Fe for one night only, January 24 at 7:30pm, the troupe will be performing Botanica, a visually organic tour through nature and the seasons. This energetic and inventive performance will feature the costumes, projections and custom-made props that the company is famed for. And there will be puppetry to add an extra dose of fantasy to the mix!
A Memorably Momix Moment
All Photos Courtesy of Asepen Santa Fe ballet and the Momix Company; all rights reserved.
Happy New Year ~ Prospero Ano Nuevo
January 1st, 2012
Good Morning 2012!
As a new day dawns and a new year begins, we feel hope and gratitude. Hope for a year with less conflict, more joy and a brighter future for our planet and all its inhabitants, great and small. Gratitude for all the blessings we have enjoyed in 2011, for family, friends, and the pleasures of our daily round, with thanks to all who pass through our doors with a smile and a desire to discover Santa Fe for themselves.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Merry Christmas to All….
December 25th, 2011
And to all, a good night….and joyful day!
Happy Hanukkah Santa Fe!
December 20th, 2011The world holds many faiths, each with special holidays that we are glad to celebrate, and one begins today….it’s Hanukkah!
Happy Hanukkah!
New Mexico, like so many western outposts, has its Judaic history, with both travelers and businessman from the Old World and the eastern states streaming westward over the centuries for a variety of reasons. Some were Spaniards whose descendants trace their lineage back to “conversos,” Jews who converted by force or necessity to Christianity in Spain, pre- and post-inquisition. More recent times brought artists who thrived in the laid-back culture of northern New Mexico. And a community of Jewish merchants, mostly German, also traded in the state, particularly east of Santa Fe in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where heavy rail traffic made commerce easier. Las Vegas, NM, even maintains its Jewish burial ground, the Montefiore Cemetery, named for the noted British philanthropist, Sir Moses Montefiore.
Chabad's Ice Menorah Takes Shape Today on the Plaza
Santa Fe’s Plaza area certainly benefitted from the energy, enterprise, ingenuity and generosity of its Jewish residents. Local lore holds that the first indoor bathroom in the city was in the home of a Jewish businessman who lived in the building now housing Peyton-Wright Gallery. And La Posada de Santa Fe grew out of the residence of the Staab family and even boasts the ghost of Julia Staab as an eternal resident. Longtime Santa Fe residents remember doing much of their holiday shopping at the downtown department stores begun by Jewish merchant families. And even above the massive front entrance to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis, one can see Santa Fe’s multicultural history, in a Hebrew inscription placed there by its guiding force, Bishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy, after Abraham Staab very generously donated additional funds to help finish the project.
Santa Fe Embraces All Faiths
Visitors to the City Different can find holiday worship services in a number of Santa Fe synagogues:
We honor the contributions of our past and present Jewish residents, who have added so much to the rich cultural mix that Santa Fe exemplifies.
Happy Hanukkah….Hanukkah Sameakh!
Las Posadas: A Santa Fe Holiday Tradition
December 8th, 2011The holiday tradition of Las Posadas takes place on Sunday, December 11, at 5:30pm at the Palace of the Governors
So much of the holiday season seems so familiar and so relentlessly repetitive, and once-only experiences are becoming a rarity. That’s one of the reasons that Santa Fe loves Christmas Eve and the annual farolito display, a quietly moving spectacle that those who have come to the City Different over the holidays have no doubt seen.
Farolitos Light the Way
Less well-known, however, is the unique tradition known as Las Posadas, also a one-night-only event. A re-enactment of the Holy Family’s search for lodging, this annual holiday happening takes place each year in and around the historic Santa Fe Plaza. While the Plaza hardly looks Biblical, having already been lit with holiday lights and a Christmas tree, and the staging includes some details not found in the usual account, the story nonetheless comes to life in a very local way.
The Santa Fe Plaza Dressed in Snow
Originating in Spain as a religious observation, Las Poasadas is actually a novena, a nine-day event, occurring from December 16 through December 24. Although celebrations of Las Posadas are not uncommon in Northern New Mexico towns, places deeply rooted in the Spanish Catholic tradition, the one-night Plaza re-enactment grew out of a 1970′s era neighborhood campaign against development that sparked an annual celebration, which subsequently outgrew its original San Antonio Street location and moved to the Plaza.
Costumed participants portray the mortals who, in the biblical account, refuse lodging to a humble young pregnant woman and her carpenter-fiancé. As the couple circumnavigate the Plaza from the Palace of the Governors (the oldest government building in the U.S.), seeking rest and shelter, they stop on each corner to seek lodging and comfort, finding instead denial and disappointment.
Taking Off Winter's Chill by a Luminaria at the Palace of the Governors
The devil, who ridicules and taunts the seekers from perches on the portals on the Plaza, is in turn treated to the boos and hisses of the assembled crowd, their faces illuminated by candle light. The supernatural power possessed by the devil purportedly allows him to magically appear at each of the Plaza locations designated as the “inns” where the couple tries to obtain a warm and dry spot in which to shelter. Four mortals portray the tormenting demon, crawling out of second-floor windows to discourage the weary travelers.
After numerous refusals stating that there was no room at “the inn,” thanks to the appearance of an angel who blesses the crowd and provides guidance, the couple and their entourage finally find respite from the chilly night in the courtyard of the Palace of the Governors for the denouement of this holiday event. Once inside the courtyard, the procession warms up with hot cider, cookies, and a round of Christmas carols.
Sound interesting? It is! Just be sure to bundle up, since the winter Santa Fe weather has definitely arrived, and it’s nothing like Bethlehem temperatures. This year, Las Posadas takes place on Sunday, December 11, 2011, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Please note that the New Mexico Museum of History will close early at 3:00 p.m. to prepare for and accommodate this holiday tradition.
The Night of Las Posadas by Tomie dePaola
And if you cannot attend, you can still create a special holiday reading tradition, thanks to noted author/illustrator, Tomie dePaolo, proof that an unusual event like this is indeed inspirational!
We Say Thanks, Santa Fe!
November 24th, 2011This is a favorite holiday for so many people…..and no wonder. For us, Thanksgiving is a time for reflecting on the blessings we enjoy by living in Santa Fe and the Land of Enchantment. The climate, the mountains, the light, the food, the music and art, the history and culture, the list is long, and we are grateful to be here.
And we add to this list our sincere gratitude for the blessings of a terrific team at our cozy home-away-from-home, the Inn on the Alameda. From our dedicated and compassionate General Manager, Debbie Swanson, right down to Bryan, our newest hire in Housekeeping, the commitment to creating a memorable guest experience involves the melding of individual abilities and unique talents. We thank each and every person who shows up to work daily with a smile, a willing heart and a pair of hard-working hands.
Our thanks also go out to our thoughtful owners, Joe and Angelica Schepps, who over the years, have created the happy and caring environment that flows throughout the Inn. We wish a cheery holiday season to them and their daughter, Rebecca, and son, Michael, with our heartfelt appreciation.
And our expression of gratitude simply could not be complete without acknowledging our wonderful guests…without them, we would not be here! From our home to yours, thank you, and we wish you a joyous season filled with family, friends, food and fun…..and Santa Fe!
Santa Fe Holiday Food Fun!
November 22nd, 2011You’re invited to dinner in Santa Fe! In fact, we’re suspecting that you probably have a favorite Santa Fe Restaurant in mind, and we’d like to know what it is. Perhaps YOU will be the winner of our Facebook holiday contest!
Vegan Polenta from Galisteo Bistro
TripAdvisor recently named Santa Fe as one of its Top Ten US Food Destinations…..of course, we agree! And if you agree, we invite you to tell us so and possibly win a gift certificate to your favorite Santa Fe restaurant! Simply tell us in 30 words or less about a restaurant in the City Different that you especially enjoy, and if you post a photo of your meal, so much the better, since a picture piques the palate!
Our winner will be the person whose entry receives the most “likes” on Facebook, so be sure to make your entry descriptively delicious! The winner will receive a $200 gift certificate to their favorite Santa Fe restaurant. And be sure to vote as well, because we’re sweetening the pot by awarding a $100 gift certificate to one lucky voter, to be chosen at random by our contest administrator.
Breakfast Burrito at Tia Sophia
Please take time to read the contest rules on our Facebook page in order to avoid disqualification of your entry. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON, please, but you can vote as many times as you like. The winner will be determined by the total number of “likes” that the winning entry receives on our Facebook page. Beginning on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2011, you can find the contest on the left-hand column of our Facebook page. Just click on the icon called “Promos” to enter. Please remember, a tasty 30 words or less! And while restaurant professionals are most definitely welcome to enter, we respectfully request that you refrain from entering your own Santa Fe restaurant.
Sorry, but those who have won a gift certificate of any kind from the Inn in the last twelve months are not eligible to win, although we welcome their votes.
We thank you for entering and posting your entry on our Facebook page, beginning on Thanksgiving morning when our contest goes live! This culinary quest runs through the food-filled holiday season, from Thanksgiving Day, 11/24/11 through New Year’s Day, 1/1/12, but don’t delay…the sooner you post your tempting tidbit, the more time you’ll have for people to like it! Good luck, good eating and good holiday cheer!
A Collard Greens Burrito at Body Cafe
Show Us Your Santa Fe
November 2nd, 2011We invited lovers of Santa Fe to share their Santa Fe memories in pictures, and the response was swift and gratifying. Our Show Us Your Santa Fe Facebook contest garnered seventy beautiful pictures. It seems that the sights and the light in Santa Fe and New Mexico encourage camera-happy folks to snap away, and we are happy to share the results!
Our Winner, Pamela Patterson Taylor
Our winning entry, from Pamela Taylor, earned her a two-night stay in one of our Fireplace Suites. In addition, a random drawing administered by our web host led to a second two-night stay in a suite for one of our Facebook voters, Lisa Willinger. We look forward to welcoming both of them to the Inn on the Alameda and Santa Fe, a year-round destination regardless of the weather.
We Have Seen - and Photographed - Our First Snowfall!
You can see all of the photographic entries on our website. It’s clear that these photo folks love Santa Fe, and they make our City Different proud to be on the other end of their camera shutters!
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Welcomes Robert Henri Back to Santa Fe, New Mexico
October 5th, 2011Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, 217 Johnson Street, Santa Fe, 505-946-1000
There is nothing quite like a thoughtful retrospective of an artist’s work to encourage appreciation of that person’s talents and interests. With the good fortune to have the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum right here in Santa Fe, art lovers throughout the year get to enjoy in full the riches of this American icon. The museum currently has another artistic option, though, bringing to the City Different the retrospective of a very different artist and contemporary of O’Keeffe. Originally curated by the Mint Museum of Charlotte, North Carolina, this new exhibit, entitled From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland, is a precious little gem comprised of works that this New York artist created on his travels in Ireland in the early 1900′s.
West Coast of Ireland 1913, Robert Henri
As a student of art, I was familiar with Mr. Henri, but generally one sees perhaps a single or occasionally two pieces at a time on a visit to any number of American museums, and indeed the retrospective is culled from many recognizable venues. This exhibit, while specifically limited to the Irish paintings, still offers quite a selection for those who may not know his work. The bulk of the exhibit features portraits of fresh-faced children, with a few adult sitters and several landscapes. And I finally learned definitively how to pronounce his last name, which may sound French but is actually pronounced “Hen-Rye!” Not that it was his original name, apparently, having begun his life with the surname “Lee” and a past to apparently escape. But that’s a story you can learn from one of the helpful museum docents like Tom, who can help make viewing this exhibit a more complete and complex experience.
In 1913, Mr. Henri and his wife discovered the appealingly rugged Achill Island, where Corrymore became their summer home until his death in 1929. Although Henri had no children of his own, he obviously enjoyed the challenge of painting the young, with their restless inability to sit still and pose, calling them “living energies.” He sensed that “it is the children that have not yet been buried under…..the conventions and details that burden most adults,” and the sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks in the paintings convey that spirit. Yet his attraction to these wee Irish folk also bears witness to what must have been a more somber life. Many of the children lack a real smile and look somewhat sober, perhaps a reflection of the difficult lives they led, as anyone who has ever read Frank McCourt’s evocative Angela’s Ashes will recognize.
Irish Boy (Thomas Cafferty) 1925, Robert Henri
Her Sunday Shawl 1924, Robert Henri
My affable docent also pointed out that Henri was drawn to create portraits of the common people, the less-noticed and even disenfranchised population, the children, the Irish, and in his visits out west, the Native Americans. In fact, his portrait of a unnamed young girl in a shawl said New Mexico via Eire! He generally made a point of naming the majority of his subjects in his titles. When one sees a portrait of Catherine, as a tiny tot, her bright eyes all pupil in 1913, one can recognize her by both face and name when she reappears in a portrait from 1924, in which her steady blue gaze shows a lass maturing into a woman. I enjoyed seeing Pat (an impish redhead painted in 1913) and jaunty Jimmy O’D, with his hat impudently cocked to one side in 1925. Many of the portraits are painted with a bright palette, but I particularly responded to Mary Agnes, 1924, depicted in mixed and muted hues.
Untitled (Claudia O'Keeffe) 1907-08 Georgia O'Keeffe
This new show is definitely worth a look, even if you’re headed there specifically to see the work of Georgia O’Keeffe herself. The experience is enhanced by the museum’s wise curatorial decision to include some portraiture by O’Keeffe in the 70 pieces of her work also on display in the galleries. I don’t recall seeing many faces before in her oeuvre, and it was a revelation to see her deft touch capturing some of those she chose to depict, although her portrait of Paul Strand is an archetypal O’Keeffian abstraction.
Santa Fe is lucky to have the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, as well as its proficient research staff and dedicated educational outreach services. If seeing these lively portraits whets your interest, you can pick up some tips at some of the hands-on programs offered at the Education Annex. And O’Keeffe-loving locals are invited to attend docent training. The show is up until January 15, 2012, and we have ample opportunity – and intention – to return….hope you can too!
Copyright photographs courtesy of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
