You probably have your favorite secret vice, and if you’re like us, it might just be….CHOCOLATE! We know that this Old World substance has garnered new respect and resonance today, when it is actually considered healtly, albeit in smaller doses than we might desire!

We are inviting all chocolate-lovers, chocolatiers, and plain old contest fans to enter our Chocolate Photo Contest on Facebook to possibly win a two night Check-in to Chocolate stay here in Santa Fe, NM, with its culinary mix of both Old and New Worlds!

It’s really very simple, no gimmicks or tricks. Just post your most delicious photograph of a decadent chocolate delight on our Chocolate Contest page, and we’ll pick one winner who will savor the Santa Fe Chocolate Trail as our guest. Your picture can be anything chocolate, homemade or store-bought, simple or complex, melting or baked to a crisp, just make our mouths water when we look at it.

The contest ends on February 29, so get into the kitchen or the supermarket or the chocolate specialty store, and start snapping…we’re waiting to reward one Champion of Chocolate! And even if you don’t win, keep us in mind for a sweet stay in Santa Fe…we’d love to have you Check-in to Chocolate with us!

Our 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.

And to all, a good night….and joyful day!

Georgia 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

September 11, 2001….ten years….we remember…..

The Hotel Parq Central is located at 806 Central Avenue SE in Albuquerque, NM 87102. You can reach the hotel at 505-242-0040 or info@hotelparqcentral.com

Sometimes when you’re traveling, you simply can’t get to your destination right away. That’s certainly true of Santa Fe, since the only airline that flies direct to the city is American, and that’s only from Dallas and L.A. This leaves the majority of flying travelers to arrive in Albuqueruqe, an hour south of the City Different, which is fine if you’re traveling at easy hours, but not so great for a late arrival or an early departure. Given weather and traffic, the same can be true for drivers. Many travelers to New Mexico are already in search of the unique and historic, and now Albuquerque has something new in hotel accommodations to add to that quest.

Hotel Parq Central

The newly-opened Hotel Parq Central offers a winning combination of easy access and historic flavor to weary travelers headed for Santa Fe who want to spend some time in the Duke City or just need a rest stop on their way up north. The Parq Central is tucked at the edge of downtown Albuquerque, and the buildings were constructed by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1926 as a hospital for railway employees. As the railroad brought more people to Albuquerque, the surrounding neighborhood, known as Huning Highland and Highland Park, grew up around it. Today the hotel property is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the neighborhood has been designated a National Historic District.

The Drawing Room at the Parq

The buildings have been thoughtfully renovated with an eye to keeping the unique architectural details that distinguish them. Large windows tucked inside arched facings create lots of natural light, and the three wings of the main building fan out from the center, giving an expansive feeling to the hallways.  The color scheme throughout is attractive and tasteful, a variety of soft and muted hues in some spots and rich deep jewel tones in others. Having only 74 rooms gave the developers the freedom to offer upgraded bedding, attractive and comfortable seating, quality robes and wall-mounted flat screen televisions. For business travelers, the easy highway access, fast wi-fi, a useful business center, and free parking will add pleasure to accomplishment, and having breakfast included makes it a snap to get started in the morning. And meeting space is available for those already in town on business with the Albuquerque Convention Center, University of New Mexico, museums or hospitals close by.

Everything You Need

The central location is just as appropriate for leisure travelers who want to kick back with a margarita and watch the New Mexico sun set from the rooftop Apothecary Lounge, where locals will undoubtedly join the mix to offer tips on enjoying the city. And with yoga classes on the deck, and spa services coming, relaxation is at hand, aided by lovely Bigelow bath products and a big lush showerhead. With a variety of room-types, including three ample cottage suites, there are welcoming spaces for family reunions or friendly getaways. And you will feel welcomed, as the staff is genuinely happy and proud to show off this special new property.

Get Your Favorite Prescription in the Apothecary Lounge

It is so satisfying when an architectural treasure is brought back to life in a new and carefully considered way, so if you’re on the road to Santa Fe, take that quick detour onto Central Avenue in Albuquerque first, and tour the Parq – or even better, park yourself for a good night’s sleep before you head north!

To reach HPC from I-25, take exit 224B toward Dr Martin Luther King Jr Ave/Central Ave/Historic U.S. 66.

A late afternoon sky in Santa Fe, in July

Many people are surprised to find out that Santa Fe’s rainy season corresponds almost exactly to the height of the tourist season – July and August. They become even more alarmed when the locals refer to this as the “monsoon”. Monsoon?! Visions of Delhi submerged under six feet of muddy water fill their heads. Images of Myrna Loy drenched in the streets of Ranchipur haunt them. It’s not quite like that here in August, however – although a few opera lovers might disagree.

Monsoon has its roots in the Arabic language and it refers to a seasonal shift in the wind. In the American Southwest, toward the end of June or early in July, the prevailing westerly winds shift to southerly ones, bringing tropical moisture up from Mexico. Dew points climb. Mornings dawn with unusual mildness and the sun rises through screens of vapor over the mountains:

Morning sky over the Sangre de Cristo

Even on mornings that start off in golden clarity, it won’t be long before the powerful sun begins to boil the atmosphere:

Late morning sky over the Santa Fe Farmer's Market

Before you know it, an unexpected rumble of thunder fills the air and the breath of rain-cooled air sweeps over the city.

Most of these summer thundershowers are brief and only last 20 minutes or so. That’s just enough time to dodge under a welcoming portal and enjoy a respite from the sun. They are notorious for erupting right as the Santa Fe Opera lights its spacious stage for an opening. Many a production has been enhanced by the sturm und drang of a flaring late evening storm over the western mountains. Everyone comes to love them because of the way they cool down the evening to perfect sleeping weather. The afternoon sky is full of drama:

Ominous afternoon

Vistas in every direction are enhanced by the wonderful atmospherics:

Looking toward Albuquerque

And we admit it: sometimes you just get a traditional old rainy day, right in the middle of your summer vacation. You swear you’ll throttle the next local who says, “well, we need the moisture”. Even on these days the rain is bound to pause once in a while, to reveal heights wreathed in cloud and mist:

Bali Hai in Santa Fe

Of course, too much of a good thing is not always wonderful. You could be walking your dog in the arroyo one moment:

Walking the dog in the Santa Fe River

And the next running for the hills:

This is a legitimate natural hazard, and one which you must be aware of in the summer when you are visiting our part of the country. Lightning is another danger, as is hypothermia, for those hikers that are enjoying a walk high in the mountains. Someone is struck and killed by lightning up in the highlands nearly every year.

Nevertheless, the summer monsoon is an important – even critical – component of life in the Southwest, and we all look forward to it every year. The landscape softens and greens, and our gardens thrive. The mountain heights become lush and fragrant. A second flush of wildflowers bursts forth, setting the stage for our glorious autumns of sunflowers and asters and chamisa.

So don’t forget to tuck in a travel umbrella when you come to visit us this summer. Bring a sweater if you’re planning to attend the Opera: that rain-chilled air is cooler than you probably expected. And keep you eyes open for rainbows – our summer sky is festooned with them:

Walking into the rainbow

Sometimes even two!

Double rainbow

Santa Fe National Forest: The Aspen Vista Trail

The Aspen Vista Trail is probably the most popular trail in the Santa Fe area. The trailhead, with abundant parking, is around 14 miles from downtown Santa Fe, right along Hyde Park Road (NM 475) and the trail itself is a 5.7 mile doubletrack with a wide grade and wonderful views, especially in the autumn. The elevation of the trailhead is at 10,000 feet, and if you make it to the crest of Tesuque Ridge, you’ll find yourself on the lip of a cirque at nearly 12,000 feet, well above tree line.

The hike I’ll be describing is a much shorter excursion of about a mile, with a steep side trip along upper Tesuque Creek to a unique meadow. While the Aspen Vista Trail is open to dogs on leashes, livestock, and mountain bikers, the unmaintained path to the meadow is steep and littered with downed aspen, making it impassible for livestock and bikes. This is definitely a summer and autumn hike. Be prepared for thunderstorms from June through September.

The Butterfly Meadow from my rain shelter under a spruce tree

Several years ago I was lucky enough to be invited to a butterfly census around the Fourth of July weekend, led by a local lepidopterist (the oddest things happen in Santa Fe) and the high point of the walk – literally – was a tiny meadow along upper Tesuque Creek, just off the Aspen Vista Trail. Full of flowers – and butterflies – this little rift in the forest has been a favorite place to visit over and over again, to enjoy the changing palate of wildflowers that it offers over half the year. Although it has no formal name, for me it will always be the Butterfly Meadow. It’s a remarkable spot.

I still haven’t learned the names of all the flowers that live there. I learned three new ones this weekend alone, among which was a showy member of the mustard family that grows with its feet in the water:

Bittercress in Tesuque Creek

Who would have guessed that a hot-tempered plant like a mustard would like a frigid mountain stream?

The first of the seductive (and poisonous) Monkshoods are unsheathing their jewel-toned cowls:

Monkshood flowers

At this time the meadow is full of pale lavender Richardson geranium, bright yellow Mountain parsley, intensely red Scarlet Indian paintbrush, pink and blue Franciscan bluebells, and twinkly-white Cowbane. Deep carmine King’s crown is blooming along the creek, and there is plenty of magenta Shooting star along the walk up the path. Nature journalists have to bring all their colored pencils this time of year!

Franciscan bluebells and ferns in the meadow

Rock-lovers will enjoy the boulders of high-grade gneiss that fill the meadow:

Twinberry blooming in front of a beautifully banded gneiss

And of course – once the sun breaks out of those ominous thunderheads that have already gathered over Tesuque Ridge – the butterflies appear as if by magic:

Variegated Fritillary enjoying the sun

Butterflies aren’t the only creatures that enjoy this meadow:

Some nice ladies enjoying a picnic. This could be you!

Having disregarded my own advice about bringing rain gear, and tempting the summer rain gods thereby, I was of course caught in shower that came up with remarkable speed. Pellets of stinging ice were soon added, although I was spared the thrill of lightning. I crept under the dense skirts of a short Engelmann spruce that swept the ground and was immediately snug and dry in a fragrant cave where I could sit quietly and wait out the rain. And in that way that nature has of offering you a treasure if you will only be quiet and receptive, toward the end of my wait I spotted a carefully hidden nest among the boughs – the work of a Hermit thrush – with a perfect jewel lovingly set within:

A hidden jewel

I wouldn’t have spotted this in a hundred chattering hikes among the spruce and aspen. It took a time of enforced quietude for me to receive this gift.

Every weekend brings a new wave of blooms and butterflies to the mountains above Santa Fe, now that summer is here. You could do no better than to take John Muir’s advice:

“Keep close to nature’s heart . . . and break clear away once in a while, climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. . . Go to the mountains and get their glad tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”

Getting there: The Aspen Vista trailhead is clearly accessible at the eastern end of the extensive parking area along Hyde Park Road. From the Inn on the Alameda, you turn north on Paseo de Peralta, and then turn right at the light at the intersection of Paseo with Bishops Lodge Road. A second right at the next light, which is Artist Road, or NM 475, puts you on your way.

The path to the Butterfly Meadow is about 0.8 miles along the Aspen Vista walk, just after you see the sign that says “Tesuque Creek Trail” (which heads off downhill to your right). A few steps further along, you’ll see the creek flowing under the road, with the informal trail up the mountain just in front. You’ll be making a left turn and heading uphill. It’s a steep hike of about 0.2 miles, with lots – and I mean lots, after our hard winter – of downed aspen to step over, under, and around.

Tesuque Creek