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Super Bowl XLVI? SOUPER Bowl XVIII Santa Fe!

Thursday, January 26th, 2012 by Santa Fe Red

Santa 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!

Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe, new mexico food, santa fe dining, santa fe food, santa fe travel | No Comments »

Happy Hanukkah Santa Fe!

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The 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:

  • 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

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!

Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe | No Comments »

Las Posadas: A Santa Fe Holiday Tradition

Thursday, December 8th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The 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!

Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Annual New Mexico Events, Hispanic Culture of New Mexico, New Mexican Culture, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Weather, Santa fe Plaza, What To Do in Santa Fe, santa fe travel | No Comments »

From Stardust to Sardine Cans: a guided walk in the Cerrillos Hills

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 by The Santa Fe Naturalist

One of the most common cultural artifacts found in the Cerrillos Hills

Consilience. That’s the word I suspect was trembling on the lips of our guide for the afternoon, Ranger Sarah Woods, as she led us for a walk with that eye-catching title, along a dusty, juniper-dotted trail in Cerrillos Hills State Park, Sunday afternoon. Consilience literally means a “jumping-together” of knowledge, and when you’re wanting to link stardust with rusty old sardine cans from late 1800′s, while standing in the arid hills of the oldest mining district in New Mexico, you need all the jumping together you can get.

The biologist E. O. Wilson revived that unusual word in his 1998 book “Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge“, and appropriately enough, Sarah’s background  is ecology, one of those sciences that concerns itself with the way organisms relate to each other and their environment. Perfect for taking the big-picture, “how does this relate to that” viewpoints so necessary when you need to relate stardust to sardine cans. Or to turquoise, or bald-faced lying miners, or old holes in the ground, or State Parks in New Mexico, for that matter.

We met in the parking lot of the Cerrillos Hills State Park, about half an hour’s drive south of Santa Fe, just off the famous “Turquoise Trail“, NM Highway 14, the picturesque back way to Albuquerque from Santa Fe.

That's Sarah Wood, our ranger and guide for the afternoon

Cerrillos Hills State Park is the newest park in New Mexico’s state park system, and its network of trails is dotted with helpful interpretive signs. The park also features a remarkable calendar of guided walks with naturalists and historians for the daylight hours, and, for those of you wanting to explore the night sky, a dedicated ranger-astronomer with telescopes hosting frequent evening excursions into the Universe.

One of the new signs at Cerrillos Hills State Park

Soon we were off on the Jane Calvin Sanchez trail, up a dusty path of crumbling shale, the once-murky, muddy floor of an ancient sea, now baking in the New Mexico sun.

On our way

Sharp eyes can find marine fossils from the Cretaceous Period in these fragments of shale. And while these rocks are baking in the sun these days, it wasn’t long ago – geologically speaking – that they were broiling in the heat of violent intrusions of scalding magma, forced up from the lower crust as New Mexico began to decompress after all that “building the Rocky Mountains” business. I mean, 34 million years ago is the new 20, don’t you agree?

The forcefulness of these intrusive episodes can be gauged by the completely upended strata – shouldered aside by wedges of magma – that you see on your drive down to the park, at New Mexico’s little “Garden of the Gods”, on Highway 14 just before you get to the village of Cerrillos:

Colorful tilted strata along the edge of the Cerrillos Hills intrusive complex

These magmas carried up the traces of gold, silver, lead, copper, and other elements which gave birth to the Cerrillos Hills and Ortiz Mountain mining districts.

All of this is stardust, you know. Giant stars, bloated with hydrogen and contaminated with the 91 heavier elements born via long-acting and complex thermonuclear reactions, carry the seeds of their own destruction by virtue of their massive size (And we’re talking big – Sarah showed us pictures). When these stars finally implode/explode under their own stupendous, self-inflicted gravity, they fling these elements as dust and gas out into the universe. And in the course of time, some of this material is gathered into new stars and planets, among which is one system with a modest star and a planet we call home.

Peering at the Ortiz Mountains in the glare of our own little star

To find out what this has to do with rusty sardine cans littering the New Mexico desert, you’re going to have to go on Sarah’s walk, yourself. There are all sorts of fascinating side-tracks related to these cans, such as these holes in the hills:

A mineshaft dug into bleached rock in the Cerrillos Hills

And the presence of this rather attractive mineral:

Fragments of turquoise found in these hills - and mined for centuries

Plus it’s pleasant just to be out here, under the vast – turquoise – skies:

A walk in the Cerrillos Hills

So have a look at that calendar of events and choose something that piques your interest. It’s all related, one way or another. It all hangs together. Sarah quoted John Muir: “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” Muir also made this happy observation: “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”

And to that I say, Amen.

Posted in Beautiful Day Hikes, New Mexico Day Hikes, What To Do in Santa Fe | 1 Comment »

Soaring on Raven’s Ridge

Thursday, November 24th, 2011 by The Santa Fe Naturalist

A Gray Jay enjoying the view from Raven's Ridge

The other weekend I just had to get out for some exercise, and since my thoughts lately have been occupied planning some hikes up in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado next summer, I decided to head up to Ski Santa Fe and get a good workout on Raven’s Ridge, the spur of the Santa Fe Range that divides the Tesuque watershed from the headwaters of Nambe Creek, and which makes up the northern boundary of the Aspen Basin, which we enjoy seeing from Santa Fe nearly every day.

The mountains have been getting light snows most weeks lately, but typically the high country trails are firmly packed this early in the season, and snow shoes aren’t necessary. So I put on my layers, made a thermos of my favorite tea – Formosa Oolong No. 8 from Adagio Teas,  grabbed a breakfast burrito from La Montanita Co-op, and headed up the mountain.

On a clear and sunny day the normally sombre spruce forests above 10,000 feet in elevation literally glow with an inner light, fragrant and invigorating, putting one in mind of Christmas and the holidays.

Looking up into towering Englemann Spruce on the Winsor Trail

There simply isn’t anything nicer than walking through these Snow Forests on a calm and sunny late morning, taking in the pure air and radiant light.

Packed snow on the Winsor Trail above Ski Santa Fe

The section of the Winsor Trail from the parking area of Ski Santa Fe up to the saddle on Raven’s Ridge is always a bit of a test – sort of the dues you have to pay to gain entrance to the Nambe Creek watershed and the peaks beyond. You gain over 800 feet in less than a mile, and since the trailhead is already at 10,200 feet elevation, you generally have to make some stops to catch your breath. I was huffing and puffing like a steam locomotive on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, myself.

Soon enough the trail levels out and you reach the saddle on the flank of Aspen Peak which marks the boundary of the vast and beautiful Pecos Wilderness.

The new sign at the entrance to the Pecos Wilderness along the Winsor Trail

It’s at this gateway that you leave the Winsor Trail and turn right to follow the fence line along an informal trail that follows Raven’s Ridge through the trees. The climb is a little gentler than the switchbacks of the Winsor Trail, but there are a few more places where you’ll have to pause for breath. And there are no views to speak of – until you reach 11,200 feet and the tie-off point of the fence:

The headwaters of Nambe Creek from Raven's Ridge

Perched on ancient gneiss above the glacial canyon that holds Nambe Lake, you’ll feeling like you’re soaring in a glorious Rocky Mountain High. To your right is Lake Peak, a mountain horn that carries Ski Santa Fe on its west flank, and the headwaters of the Santa Fe River on its south:

Lake Peak

By the way, if you are in the mood for some real adventure, my friend Mar’ Himmerich of Celestial Guides (celestialguides@yahoo.com) will be happy to take you skiing up there.

To your left is the bold massif of Santa Fe Baldy, the highest peak near Santa Fe:

Santa Fe Baldy 12,622 feet high

Below you is a vertiginous drop with more diagonals and verticals than a vintage Italian travel poster:

Winter light

It’s a perfect place to stop for a well deserved break. And as often happens up here in the alpine realm, with a soft fluttering, a flash of grey, and maybe a gentle whistle, you might have guests for tea:

Care to share that Clif Bar with me?

This is the Grey Jay, or Whiskey-Jack, the notorious camp robber who will eat out of your hand (or snatch food from it while you’re not looking). A pair of these birds kept an eye on me the entire time I had my snack.

After a blissful time of taking in the view and enjoying the sun on my face, I grabbed my daypack and headed back down the trail. As I approached the parking area, I could see the that the slopes of Ski Santa Fe are nearly ready for opening:

Ski Santa Fe, seen through spruce and aspen along the Winsor Trail

Soon enough I was back in my car and cruising down NM 475 back to Santa Fe for a rendezvous with Starbucks. It was a Good Day. Come out and see us this winter, and have a good day of your own!

Somebody loves you in Santa Fe!

Posted in Beautiful Day Hikes, Santa Fe Day Hikes, Santa Fe Weather, What To Do in Santa Fe | No Comments »

The Grand Canyon

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011 by The Santa Fe Naturalist

Desert View - the glorious Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is too far from Santa Fe to qualify as a day trip – it’s about a seven hour drive from here to either the main visitor’s entrance at South Rim, or to the closest edge of the canyon at Desert View, where Mary Coulter built her famous Watchtower.

The Watchtower, viewed from a lookout west of its perch

But the Grand Canyon is such an iconic feature of the American Southwest that you may very likely be making it a stop on your grand tour of the western states. If you are a European traveller this likelihood increases to about 100%. The confusion of tongues at Mather Point, just a short walk from the Visitor’s Center at South Rim, must be heard to be believed. The confusion of trying to find your car in the Mountain Lion parking lot, Section C, will nearly equal this babel. I just want to point out the fact that there are other ways of admiring the Grand Canyon that will preserve your peace of mind and let you focus on the True Star of the Colorado Plateau. Go camping at Desert View.

An inquisitive raven checking out our campsite at Desert View

Desert View isn’t any further from Santa Fe than South Rim. There isn’t any hotel-style lodging there, but there is a well maintained campground among the pinyon and Utah juniper where you can stay. I spent a couple of nights there with a friend earlier this year in September, when the last of the summer monsoon was wringing itself out over Arizona. It made for some spectacular atmospherics:

First evening's look at the Canyon, wreathed in cloud

There was rain in the night, but in the morning, only a short walk from the tent, we were treated to this intimate scene from our improvised breakfast veranda:

Morning light at Desert View

The main visitor center is about 28 miles west of Desert View, and a good road with plenty of spectacular turnouts links the two places. Only a handful of tourists ever seem to be at these viewpoints at any given time:

"Do people ever fall into the Grand Canyon?" (on sign at Desert View)

A short scramble and you’ll have this masterpiece all to yourself:

Yours truly in his natural environment

The Grand Canyon is considered the greatest exposure of stratified rock on the planet. On the eastern side, the chasm cuts deeply through the flat-lying Paleozoic section, with familiar names like the Coconino and the Redwall, to expose tilted beds of almost unimaginable age:

The Grand Canyon Supergroup of ancient strata below the famous cliffs

I had no idea these rocks were so immensely thick.

So don’t let the threat of crowds and belching tour buses stop you from making a visit to the Canyon. Spend some time at the less visited parts, which are easy to access. And if you can camp, that’s all to the better. The Grand Canyon reveals its most subtle moods at dawn and dusk. It even saves some secrets for the night, when, if you are as lucky as we were, you can watch lightning playing over the mysterious North Rim in the darkness. Don’t miss it.

A morning shower over the South Rim

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The Galisteo Studio Tour

Sunday, October 16th, 2011 by The Santa Fe Naturalist

The spirt of Georgia O'Keeffe in Galisteo, New Mexico

One of the great joys of the autumn season in Northern New Mexico is the annual round of village studio tours. Artists open their homes and studios to wandering aficionados of the arts in many of the picturesque small towns around Santa Fe over the weekend, beginning in late summer, with the first hint of fall in the high country, and ending in mid-November, when winter is starting to show on the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Over the years these events have become remarkably well organized, with flyers and websites, welcoming stations with friendly folks passing out maps (surrounded by the inevitable bake sale), large and colorful signs guiding you along the obscure calles, and groups selling traditional meals and snacks  somewhere in a village gathering spot.

The village of Galisteo hosts one of my favorite tours. This old town, about half an hour’s drive southeast of Santa Fe, always picks a mid-October weekend to host, basking in autumn light and the golden glow of the cottonwoods along Galisteo Creek.

Crossing little Galisteo Creek on the village bridge

As always, the local Catholic Church is a good place to stop and plot your afternoon.

The church in Galisteo

The gnarled old roots of old New Mexico poke up from the earth here, as they do in every village:

A crumbling adobe, returning to the land

If you really want to see how an artist works, and find out what inspires him or her, a visit to the studio will go far to satisfy your curiosity.

Catherine Ferguson's sign hanging outside her house and studio

Everyone seems to be happy to talk to you, and to show you the tools of their trade. You’ll probably be offered a snack from the kitchen and the privilege of wandering around the house and yard – and if you see a work you can’t live without, you’ll very likely be able to purchase it on the spot.

A yard full of art

Well over half the fun of making a studio tour is peeking into people’s normally private homes and gardens, seeing how they arrange their creative lives, and enjoying the rich intermingling of art, landscape, and livelihood that might well cause a twinge of envy as well as admiration.

An illuminated wall

Behind adobe walls. Paintings were hung all along this box of light.

A questionable invitation

So if you’re planning a visit out our way next year around this time – and what could be more delightful than the Southern Rockies in September and October? – take a moment to look into the local studio tours and make some time for a day trip. I think you’ll discover then, for yourself, why the arts and New Mexico are so firmly joined.

Looking toward Galisteo from the house of the chocolate artist

Posted in Annual New Mexico Events, New Mexican Culture, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel | No Comments »

New Mexico Studio Tours

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

One of the best things about autumn in New Mexico is the chance to wander to the artists’ studio tours that occur throughout the fall months. Not only is the weather truly superb, one can meet the artists, see their studios AND buy art direct from the artist without gallery fees…a real win-win! The month of October is prime time for weekend art touring and golden aspen viewing both.

Autumn Gold

The arts touring season starts the weekend of October 1-2, in the beautiful New Mexico village of El Rito, easily one of the prettiest spots up north. With 25 years under their belts, this bunch of artisans has it down. From weaving to santeros, painting to pottery, you’ll find much to admire from the 26 participating artists.   Two venues are also stops on the new, state-wide New Mexico Fiber Arts Trail, those of Julie Wagner (#3) and Northern New Mexico Community College (#5), which boasts a fiber arts program. Yes, this pristine little village does have a college….and let’s not forget that El Rito Library promises “Death by Chocolate” desserts!

House Facade: Photo by Larry Sparks, El Rito

El Rito Studio of Michael Hennerty

October 8-10 (since Monday is Columbus Day, this tour has an extra!) welcomes art lovers to the village of Abiquiu, long renowned as Georgia O’Keeffe’s choice for the best New Mexico real estate. With 34 stops along the way, the Abiquiu Studio Tour is always well-attended, not only for the art but also for the natural beauty of the region. One can easily spend hours up north, what with O’Keeffe’s residence and Ghost Ranch both in the area. While reservations must be made in advance to tour the O’Keeffe home, the glories of  Ghost Ranch are evident for all who care to go there.

Mujeres del Campo by Armando Adrian-Lopez, Abiquiu

Ruina del Santuario, Abiquiu: Photo by Armando Adrian-Lopez

The Galisteo Studio Tour claims the following weekend, October 15-16. Just a short drive from downtown Santa Fe, the tour is celebrating its 24th year. 31 stops guarantee a variety of works, and the close-in location means you can ruminate on a piece of sculpture or a painting and then return the next day after you’ve dreamt about how it will look when you bring it home. Four food stops mean snacking is possible. And while the art doyenne of Galisteo, Priscilla Hoback, is not participating in the tour this year (since her studio time this summer was spent instead in a restaurant kitchen, bringing the venerable Pink Adobe back to life), you may see her chatting with visitors from the swing on the front porch of her studio!

The Hoback Studio in Galisteo

Sculpture by Candyce Garrett, Galisteo

The Dixon Studio Tour hunkers down and waits until November 5-6 to have the weekend to itself. If you’re taking a day trip to Taos, stopping in Dixon for a spot of art is definitely worth the short detour. 30 years is a long time to perfect the occasion, and the Dixon artists open their tour with a reception on Friday, November 4 at 7:00p.m. just to get the creative juices flowing. 35 studio stops, roving musicians, food, and believe it or not, there’s even a winery for tastings!

Art and nature…it’s easy to see why the light and the landscape have drawn so many creative souls to northern New Mexico…take time to enjoy an autumn drive and discover for yourself!

Autumn at the Inn: Photograph by Eric Swanson (all rights reserved)

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Posted in Annual New Mexico Events, New Mexican Culture, New Mexico Day Hikes, Santa Fe Weather, What To Do in Santa Fe, art travel, santa fe travel | No Comments »

Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta

Thursday, September 15th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

Everybody seems to know about chile and New Mexico. But does everybody know how to pair our unique regional fare with fine wines? Given the vast quantity of vino out there in the world, selecting good taste and good value is a challenge even without adding in the spicy demands of New Mexico cuisine. Fortunately, once a year, the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta welcomes lovers of food and fine vintages to discover what’s new in successful pairings. Making its 21st appearance in the City Different, the festival runs from Wednesday, September 21 through Sunday, September 25 this year, and given current world travel trends, by next year, there may even be a Wine and Chile app!

The Grand Tasting at the Santa Fe Opera

While tickets for the Grand Tasting at the Santa Fe Opera are all sold, there are still other wine events to enjoy, although you’ll have to act fast as this is a big happening for this foodie town. The Fiesta wisely offers a ticket exchange, so even if it seems like what you desire appears to be a sell-out, there’s still hope for someone’s change of heart or change in plans. And if sitting in a seminar is not your thing, wine dinners abound at many of the best Santa Fe restaurants.

Charlie Will Gladly Pour You a Glass of Sangria

While the Santa Fe weather this week has been decidedly autumn-esque, with welcome rain showers and cool nights, the forecast for next week is Santa Fe sublime: plenty of sun and pleasant temps in the 70′s. And if you’re just coming for a Santa Fe getaway without the crowds, that’s fine…you can relax over our complimentary wine hour every afternoon at the Inn. We look forward to seeing you at this wonderful time of year, and who knows, the aspens may even be treating us to their golden glory!

A Touch of Gold

Posted in Annual Events of Santa Fe, Annual New Mexico Events, Santa Fe, What To Do in Santa Fe, santa fe dining, santa fe food | No Comments »

Viva La Fiesta de Santa Fe

Monday, September 5th, 2011 by Santa Fe Red

The big art events are behind us, the Opera season has concluded, and now it’s time for the Santa Fe locals to have a party….a party that’s almost 300 years old! Although the City of Santa Fe celebrates its history and heritage throughout the year, Fiesta de Santa Fe heralds the approach of autumn with all of its attendant glories, fresh green chile, golden aspens and refreshingly cool mornings, welcome after the heat of summer. Viva La Fiesta de Santa Fe!

Welcome to Our Party!

Fiesta events encompass somber recollections of the past in conjunction with the delights of the present, in short, they offer a little bit of everything for everyone. Although the Fiesta Council works diligently throughout the year to ensure that the Fiesta court has been chosen and the event schedule coordinated, the majority of  Fiesta events take place during the week that coincides with the Labor Day holiday.

The annual Labor Day Arts and Crafts Festival takes place all day on the Plaza through Monday, September 5th, and local artisans will be on hand to talk about their work. Music will ring out at the Fiestacita at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center on Tuesday, September 6 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. And if you simply must have the music continue, there will be two more opportunities to enjoy the happy sounds of the trumpet and guitarron at a Concierto de Mariachi at the Lensic on Wednesday, September 7 at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Lovin' That Guitarron!

History buffs can make an afternoon visit to the New Mexico History Museum on Wednesday, September 7, and return at 6:30 p.m. to learn more at an informative lecture, entitled “Death Along the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro 167o,” presented by Dr. Joseph Sanchez.  Dr. Sanchez examines the dramatic escape of Bernardo Gruber, branded as a witch by the Spanish Inquisition.

Thursday is given over to the burning of Zozobra, Old Man Gloom, a 50+ foot puppet (for lack of a better term), who offers Santa Fesinos the opportunity to put an end to the dark thoughts and distractions of the year. This annual conflagration, created by artist Will Shuster in 1924, pre-dates Nevada’s Burning Man by 60-some years, and advance tickets are advised. Following the burning of Zozobra, the revelry flows down to the Plaza, for music, munching and merriment. With on-field attendance at 25K, take note that Zozobra is NOT for agoraphobics or the faint-at-heart!

If You Think He Looks Big Here...

The firm commitment made to La Conquistadora in 1712 to commemorate the re-conquest of Santa Fe after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 includes several religious events, including the Pregon de La Fiesta at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, September 9, in the historic Rosario Chapel. There will be a Pontifical Mass celebrated by Archbishop Sheehan on Sunday, September 11 at 10:00 a.m., that starts with a Procession from the Plaza to St. Francis Cathedral. And Fiesta events also end on a more solemn note, with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, September 11, at 7:00 p.m. at the beautiful Cathedral, followed by a candlelight procession to the Cross of the Martyrs.

Like all small towns, Santa Fe loves a parade, and Fiesta offers two to enjoy, complete with marching bands. On Saturday September 10 at 9:00 a.m., the children of the City Different bring out their pets, both live and stuffed, for the unique Pet Parade, Desfile de los Ninos, where you might encounter a lizard dressed as Don Diego de Vargas or a few adorable Senorita Barbies! Sunday, September 11 is the Desfile de La Gente, aka the Hysterical/Historical Parade, in which residents poke fun at local figures and national events. And speaking of hysterical, clapping, stomping and booing are all welcome behavior at the Santa Fe Playhouse, when the Fiesta Melodrama, anonymously penned each year, skewers pols and prima donnas alike.

I Love a Parade!

Entertainment takes place all weekend on the Plaza Bandstand, with folkloric dance, traditional music, and Fiesta garb galore. The Gran Baile takes place at the Community Convention Center on Saturday night, September 10, at 7:30 p.m.; you’ll certainly see some fancy Fiesta fashions there. And food booths will be wafting tempting aromas around the downtown streets throughout the weekend.

Our Fiesta de Santa Fe holds a very special place in our hearts, and we invite you to join us as we fondly declaim, “Vivan Las Fiestas! Que Viva!”

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