Heritage Hotels and Resorts

HERITAGE HOTELS & RESORTS MAGAZINE

A SENSE OF PLACE SPANISH INFLUENCE PRESERVING FLAMENCO THE CULTURE OF NEW MEXICO NEW MEXICO’S

A SENSE OF PLACE PRESERVING DISCOVERING

THE CULTURE CHACO CANYON OF NEW MEXICO MYSTERIES

SEARCHING OUT CHILE CHARM Searching Out Chile Charm Subhead

FLAMENCO

CHACO CANYON M AGIC SUBHEAD FOR CHACO CANYON MAGIC

NEW MEXICO’S SPANISH INFLUENCE

SEARCHING OUT CHILE CHARM

Eldorado Hotel & Spa 30th Anniversary Specials 30% Off 3 or More Nights Stay

Wedding & Anniversary Packages

$30 Off Nidah Spa Signature Spun Gold Massage

Old House Restaurant Steak Specials

Meetings & Events Packages & Special Offers

505.988.4455 | EldoradoHotel.com/30-Anniversary Coming Soon, Casa EspaĂąa Event Venue

Welcome HERITAGE HOTELS & RESORTS MAGAZINE

2016–2017 Published by

Dear Guest: On behalf of the Heritage Hotels &

Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

Resorts, Inc. family, it is my pleasure

201 Third St. NW, Ste. 1140

to welcome you to New Mexico. New

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 Phone: 505-836-6700 contactus@hhandr.com hhandr.com

Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment, and we are certain you will discover enchanting experiences that will enrich your life long after your visit.

It’s time for something different:

Publisher/CEO

JIM LONG Heritage Hotels Publication Editors

MOLLY RYCKMAN MARESA THOMPSON

time to experience inspired design, wondrous heritage, friendly people and authentic experiences.

When you stay in any of our oneof-a-kind properties, you encounter a distinctive story that celebrates New

Heritage Photography

Mexico’s rich, multicultural legacy.

We hope this magazine helps

JEFF CAVEN

Heritage Hotels works with histori-

you to learn more about some of the

ans, artists, designers, entertainers,

distinctive aspects that make New

musicians, agricultural producers and

Mexico a destination unlike any other

others to create properties that are au-

place in the world.

Editorial, Production & Design by:

e-squarededit.com Project Manager

EMILY ESTERSON Managing Editor SANDRA MCGINNIS Art Director GLENNA STOCKS

thentic and distinct. We work diligently

Our desire is to redefine what it

to create places that you will love. We

means to be in a home away from

are delighted that these passionate

home. We hope you enjoy your stay

individuals are able to share their joyful

with us.

passions with you. More significantly, a portion of your room rate stay is

Bienvenidos/Welcome,

donated to cultural partners to ensure

Jim Long Founder/CEO Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

New Mexico’s unique cultural heritage is preserved for future generations.

Designer CHRISTY LASALLE HHANDR.COM

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Cover Story:

26 FLAMENCO

by Mele Martinez

Features 4

A SENSE OF PLACE

by Nancy Zimmerman

NEW MEXICO CUISINE

by Kelly Koepke

strengthened its roots and taken hold in New Mexico.

50

ENCHANTED CHACO

by Rena Distasio

Red or Green? Chefs create

Chaco Canyon’s mysticism

New Mexico’s rich culture is

a whole new level of art in

permeates New Mexico’s spiritual,

experienced, remembered

New Mexico’s kitchens.

cultural and architectural climate.

generations.

38

ECHOES OF THE PAST

by Marya Errin Jones

56

FOUR DAYS IN NEW MEXICO

LIBATIONS

New Mexico’s colorful mixture

by Ashley Biggers

by Kelly Koepke

of cultures has a distinctly

New Mexico’s four unique cities

Discover and enjoy the special

Spanish design flare.

each offer you the chance to

spirits of New Mexico associated with your Heritage Hotel.

43

experience a day’s worth

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

of adventures that will inspire

by Cristina Olds

you to return for more.

New Mexico has something for every outdoor enthusiast, from river and mountain adventures to ballooning.

2

family, this Spanish art has

With every Heritage Hotel,

and perpetuated for future

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14

Thanks to one passionate

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Also in This Issue

1 LETTER FROM THE OWNER

Jim Long’s vision for Heritage Hotels is rooted

54

in deep familial and cultural history.

11 A NEW MEXICO WINE TRADITION

Heritage Hotels partners with a celebrated New Mexico winery.

25 A JEWEL IN SANTA FE Palms Trading Company is a Santa Fe jewel that sparkles with authentic Native American jewelry and pottery. Take home a memento of your New Mexico experience.

34 HERITAGE HOTELS’ CULTURAL CAUSES Heritage Hotels sets the standard for giving back to the community in a way that also builds a deeper understanding of New Mexican history and culture.

49 DEEPLY ROOTED

42

Award-winning flutist Robert Mirabal brings the melodies of Northern New Mexico to El Monte Sagrado.

54 HERITAGE WEDDINGS Heritage Hotels has a location and an experience for every couple’s perfect day.

60 HERITAGE MEETINGS Plan a Heritage Hotels meeting for an out-of-the-box experience.

62 HERITAGE HOTELS’ PROPERTIES Come back to New Mexico for your next meeting or vacation and experience another Heritage Hotel.

49

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The lobby at the Hotel Chimayó de Santa Fe features artwork of several prominent Northern New Mexican artists.

RIGHT: Casa Esencia’s private event venue in a historic home next to Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town.

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A Sense of Place Cultural preservation gets a boost from an unlikely source: a hotel chain.

By Nancy Zimmerman | photos jeff caven

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ANY CHAIN HOTELS IN NEW MEXICO give a cursory nod to their surroundings via design clichés like mass-produced vigas, machine-carved wooden details, and vaguely Native American fabrics. These hotel companies are missing a real opportunity to capitalize on the state’s intrinsic appeal: a special blend of cultures both ancient and modern that distinguish it artistically, historically, even spiritually from other places. Albuquerquebased Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., seeks to rectify that omission by honoring the state’s unique qualities, creating memorable experiences for guests and helping them to gain a deeper understanding of New Mexico’s past, present, and future.

“More than a hotel company, we’re a cultural preservation company,” says Heritage founder and CEO Jim Long, a descendant of the Aragon family, whose presence here dates back centuries. After graduating with a degree in architectural design from the University of New Mexico, Long became a cultural entrepreneur who presided over the board of the Spanish Colonial Arts Society and currently serves as an international trustee of the Prado Museum foundation in Madrid, Spain.

“I’ve always had a deep concern for the loss of culture in our state,” he says. “I’m interested in preserving rich cultural history for future generations. Back in 1999, when we acquired our first property, Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town [formerly the Sheraton Old Town], most hotels here were national brands. I wanted our properties to express more cultural authenticity, and to do that I realized we’d have to create our own hotel brand.

In 2005 we launched Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc.” Long embarked on a renovation of the hotel that embraced the state’s signature blend of Native American, Spanish, and Western aesthetics, reopening it in 2000 to critical acclaim.

Since then, the company has acquired several properties and in December 2014 broke ground for its first ground-up new build, Hotel Chaco, located next door to Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. Each hotel was conceived to tell a story through architecture, décor, landscaping, entertainment, and cuisine, with each focusing on different aspects of the history and cultures of New Mexico.

For example, the lobby at Albuquerque’s Nativo Lodge (formerly the Wyndham Garden Hotel) features a towering shaman sculpture, a large powwow drum, and carved wood

Reprinted by permission, Trend magazine Spring 2015 issue, trendmagazineglobal.com.

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The rooms at Palacio de Marquesa in Taos are designed to celebrate the town’s remarkable women.

details like dragonflies and the Hopi sun, while the outdoor spaces are enhanced by totem poles at the entrance and a teepee with a hookah lounge near the pool area. Heritage also commissioned a number of Native American contemporary artists to transform designated guest rooms into “artist rooms” by painting them with original designs, a move that has proved wildly popular among the guests.

“Lots of visitors never venture into art galleries, so this is a way to let them immerse themselves in art and perhaps kindle a new interest,” says Long.

“We give the artists a budget and offer them carte blanche, with no interference in their design choices. Native artists don’t always have the opportunity to present their contemporary work, so this is a chance for them to do that. We have a committee that reviews the applications, and they undergo a selection process. We’re continuing to add artist rooms, so perhaps at some point all the rooms will showcase the work of Native artists.”

This affinity for cultural partnerships has evolved over the years to become a key feature of every Heritage property, says Long. “All of our hotels support local organizations, nonprofits, and/or scholarship programs, and we donate a portion of revenue from every room night to culturally and artistically significant endeavors.”

At Hotel Chimayó de Santa Fe, Heritage works with the 6

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Artist Guest Rooms at Nativo Lodge feature contemporary Native American artwork.

Chimayó Cultural Preservation Association to highlight that village’s intriguing blend of spirituality and lowrider culture.

The hotel’s popular Low ’n Slow Lowrider Bar honors the village’s creative tradition of painting and decorating vintage cars, a practice that has its roots in the early Spanish settlers’ penchant for ornamenting their horses’ bridles, saddles, and stirrups. The rooms and suites feature original artwork and furnishings created by more than 70 local artists. “We initially met with the Chimayó community to obtain their blessing to tell their story,” says Long. “We support a program, Los Maestros, that links village elders with younger residents to share their communities’ cultural and artistic traditions to reinforce cultural continuity.”

Low ‘n Slow Lowrider bar at Hotel Chimayó de Santa Fe celebrates the artistry of lowriding.

Heritage’s other Santa Fe properties also offer distinctive perspectives on culture. The Lodge at Santa Fe launched its Heritage Performance Series to showcase renowned flamenco dance companies, among others. The Hotel St. Francis works with Cornerstones Community Partnerships to support their restoration of New Mexico’s historically significant churches, schoolhouses, WPA buildings, penitente moradas, and Native American religious structures. At the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, the preservation partner is the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, the only museum in the country dedicated to exhibiting and interpreting the art of the Spanish Colonial period. Heritage Hotels annually hosts markets in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Las Cruces for living artists that continue to work in the traditional Spanish Colonial art form.

Heritage’s smallest property is Palacio de Marquesa, formerly Casa de las Chimeneas, in Taos. This collection of eight guest rooms and suites honors the contributions of the noble women of Taos—Mabel Dodge Luhan, Millicent Rogers, Agnes Martin, Dorothy Brett, and others—through décor and artwork reflecting their unique personalities. The Palacio partners with the Harwood Museum of Art, whose mission is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the arts of northern New Mexico. In 2015, Heritage also acquired the award-winning luxury resort, El Monte Sagrado in Taos, and is developing a number of new programs and initiatives at that property to further celebrate the culture of New Mexico.

The Las Cruces member of the group, Hotel Encanto, offers Spanish Colonial grandeur in both its interior and exterior spaces and has adopted the Rio Grande Theatre as its cultural preservation project, supporting this nonprofit’s performing arts and education.

The next property will open in 2017. Hotel Chaco was conceived as a luxury hotel that will honor Native American spirituality. “We hired the architecture firm Gensler, which

The pool and gardens at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces were designed by an award-winning landscape designer.

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The serene lobby in the Hotel St. Francis in Santa Fe tells the story of the Franciscian missionaries’ journey through New Mexico.

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The contemporary chapel at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe features a custom-carved gold-leafed alter.

is known for transformative design and considered one of the top hotel design firms in the world,” says Long, “and we sent them to Chaco to experience the inspiration behind the concept for this property. We wanted to capture the ancient qualities of Chaco Canyon in a historically relevant but modern experience. Like Chaco Canyon, this hotel is aligned with the solar cycles so the property’s orientation can make the most of the heat in the winter and the coolness in the summer.”

Adam Gumowski, design director at Gensler, says, “Heritage’s conceptual vision for the hotel is a one-of-a-kind property that embraces the spirituality, sensibility, and legacy of the indigenous ruins of Chaco Canyon, while simultaneously striving for a contemporary sophistication.”

A large part of culture in New Mexico has spirituality at its heart, and religious iconography is a part of its artistic legacy. While the décor of some of the properties includes objects of faith like handmade crosses and, in the case of Hotel St. Francis, monastic interior design, it’s not Heritage’s intention to promote any particular belief system. “Religion has been an important part of the local Hispanic culture for centuries, and we want to reflect that aspect,” says Long. “You don’t have to be religious to appreciate the serenity of a monastery or the talent of local artisans who lovingly craft traditional symbols of their faith. It’s a cultural expression.”

Another of the company’s initiatives is the Local Treasures program, which works with restaurants, bars, shops, galleries, and attractions to offer all guests a 15% discount as they experience the best of local goods, services, and activities. Heritage undertakes other culturally related projects as well, providing

financial support and leadership for diverse efforts. It reestablished the historic Montezuma Ball in Albuquerque, originally begun in 1902 and inspired by a book written by former Territorial Governor Lew Wallace. The ball has raised several million dollars to support New Mexican charities. The company is also embarking on new world-class performance art venues at the properties. The new Flamenco Tablao at Hotel Albuquerque will showcase and support the flamenco industry in New Mexico.

An exclusive performance venue is being developed at El Monte Sagrado for the two-time Grammy award-winning artist from Taos Pueblo, Robert Mirabal.

The philosophy driving all this activity is a simple one: “To preserve culture we must advance it,” says Long. “I see myself as a cultural editor and our company as a community leader in this effort. We have so many advantages here in New Mexico that no other place has, and for too long these advantages have been ignored. There’s a bigger opportunity here for the state as a whole to define its uniqueness—culturally, historically, geographically.”

The world of travel is changing, he notes, and people are increasingly looking for more authentic experiences, eschewing corporate chain hotels and the standard shopping-sightseeing-dining circuits in favor of a richer, more in-depth adventure.

In part, says Long, this desire for authenticity may be a response to an increasingly technological world. “The experience needs to be unique and dynamic,” he says. “Technology can facilitate that, but it can also make things impersonal, so the companies that succeed must link technology with humanity, to let the technology intersect with art and culture. That’s our goal at Heritage. Ultimately, we need to feed our souls.”

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Nidah Spa Located in Eldorado Hotel & Spa, Santa Fe 505.995.4535 | EldoradoHotel.com/Nidah

The Living Spa Located in El Monte Sagrado Resort and Spa, Taos 575.758.3502 | ElMonteSagrado/LivingSpa

Gruet Winery

N

EW MEXICO IS THE OLDEST wineToday, the Gruet wine legacy continues with the Gruet producing region in the United States. The children taking the lead of the winery and expanding both Franciscan monks traveling from Spain their distribution and varietals. planted grapes along “We are so proud of our French winethe fertile Rio Grande Valley as early as making heritage and are pleased to have the 1500s. Today, that tradition continues built a life that brings our passion for craftCarrying on New with a variety of local wineries producing ing beautiful sparkling wines to the United Mexico’s Tradition award-winning vintages. One of the most States,” Winemaker Laurent Gruet says. of Award-Winning celebrated is Gruet Winery.

“However, nothing pleases us more than Originally born and raised in France, being able to pass this knowledge from one Winemaking Gilbert Gruet, founder of Gruet Winery, generation to the next and watch our legaproduced fine Champagne since the 1950s. cy grow through our children.”

In 1984, the Gruet family found the perfect soil and condiThe winery produces nine sparkling wines, includtions in the United States for fine wines and opened Gruet ing three vintage varietals, three reds and one white wine.

Winery based in Albuquerque.

Look for Gruet wines at all Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Gruet has an award-winning legacy of more than 25 Inc., as well as other fine restaurants around the counyears of producing outstanding American sparkling wines try. A custom Gruet tasting room and outdoor patio is that adhere to strict Méthode Champenoise guidelines. featured at Hotel St. Francis in Santa Fe. Learn more at Therefore, their sparkling wines have the most resemblance gruetwinery.com. to French Champagne.

The wines are so highly regarded that Wine Spectator ranked the Gruet Sauvage among the Top 100 Values of 2015, and the Gruet Blanc de Noirs among their Top 100 Wines of the World in 2011. Similarly, Wine & Spirits also ranked the Gruet Blanc de Noirs among its Top 100 Best Buys of 2015 and it is consistently among the magazine’s Top 5 Preferred Sparkling Wines.

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When visiting the Southwest, the margarita is the regional drink of choice, and there are many varieties to try.

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LIBATIONS HHANDR.COM

NEW MEXICO STYLE

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OST PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE that the Land of Creek bourbon together with muddled oranges and Luxardo cherEnchantment is the oldest winemaking region in ries for a new take on the traditional cocktail. the United States. When Spanish colonists travLow ‘n Slow Lowrider Bar at the Hotel Chimayó takes its name eled up El Camino Real from Mexico into the and unique décor from the lowrider car culture of Northern New Rio Grande Valley in the late 1500s, they brought grapevines with Mexico. The distinctive lowrider style is evident in the diamond-tuck them. Lucky for them, New Mexico’s upholstered seats, hubcaps and creative higher elevation, warm days and cool photos, while tables made of chromed nights are well suited to grape growing, chain-link steering wheels decorate both and the climate and environment are the outdoor patio and indoor dining area. similar to some of the finest winemaking Specialty cocktails crafted by professional areas of Europe. mixologists add to the atmosphere and The New Mexico Wine and Grape help create an unforgettable car-themed Growers Association counts more than experience.

50 wineries and vineyards across the And did you know Santa Fe was the state. New Mexico is also at the forefront first place in the country where tequila of the booming craft beer and cider was imported from Mexico? There is no trend, with local artisans’ craft on tap. better place to enjoy a margarita than Local spirits distillers are also making a along the Santa Fe Margarita Trail— name for themselves, winning regional more than 30 different bars and restauand national competitions with their rants that each mix, shake or freeze up locally created gins, whiskeys, brandies their twist on this classic cocktail.

GARDUÑO’S and other beverages. Ask your concierge “Tequila is surrounded by romance,” PERFECT MARGARITA about a wine and spirits tasting tour to says Patrick Hendricks, director of outIt’s simple to recreate the flavor of a visit and sample these tasty libations lets and beverage for Hotel AlbuquerGarduño’s margarita at home, especially made right here in New Mexico. que. “It takes up to 10 years to grow a with the Garduño’s Perfect Margarita recipe.

Naturally, the bars and restaurants red or blue agave. Then comes the proEnjoy with chips and salsa or guacamole. of Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., take cess of creating the liquor—the smoke full advantage of local wines, brews and and heat—it’s magical. That’s why we • 1 1/2 ounces Patrón Barrel Select spirits on their menus. Secreto Lounge had Patrón create a tequila exclusively “Eldorado Blend” Reposado tequila* in Hotel St. Francis in Santa Fe, for exfor Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc: the ample, specializes in award-winning Barrel Select ‘Eldorado Blend’ Reposa• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice “Garden-to-Glass” and vintage cocktails, do. This delicious tequila is aged in • 1/2 ounce Cointreau (not Triple Sec) created using local fruits, vegetables, new American and French oak barrels, • Salt, for rimming the glass (optional) herbs and often with local spirits and producing 384 bottles exclusively for bitters. Secreto’s signature drink, the • Fresh lime wedge for garnish Heritage Hotels and Resorts, Inc.” Spicy Secreto, took first place at the Las Don’t worry if you don’t know your COMBINE tequila, lime juice and Cointreau Vegas 2010 “Shake It Up” competition. añejo from your reposado; the staff at in a cocktail shaker.

This tantalizing blend of Cabana CachaGarduño’s Restaurants offers one of the ça and St. Germain elderflower liqueur largest tequila and margarita selections SHAKE AND STRAIN into a cocktail glass, with fresh cucumber, jalapeño, lime in the state—and they are happy to recover ice or straight up. juice, and cane syrup is rimmed with ommend the perfect, always hand-made *Substitute Sauza Reposado spicy red chile salt. Lip-smacking good! margarita for your taste.

At the Anaconda Bar at El Monte SaIn fact, Garduño’s won the Albuquergrado in Taos, the craft cocktail menu que Hot Plate competition in 2015 for includes an exciting selection of natural fruit infusions that find its margarita flights, an easy way to find your ideal choice. Flights their way into creations like Texas Tea. This drink combines bell of four tastes change monthly, always including a house margarita pepper-infused vodka, muddled cucumbers and peppers, and agamade with Sauza Blue Reposado. Summer months include frozen ve syrup for a slightly sweet, always-refreshing drink. The Sagrado’s selections, while winter’s choices feature bolder flavors such as Old Fashioned brings the vanilla notes of whole-bean infused Knob mint and berry.

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“Red or Green?” is the official New Mexico State question.

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SHUTTERSTOCK

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Red or Green?

New Mexico’s culinary culture reflects its historical roots.

by Kelly Koepke

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NCE UPON A TIME, there were three sisters. The tallest sister, corn, spread her wide leaves to shade her small siblings, beans and squash. Beans shared her nitrogen-rich nutrition with corn, and twined her vines up and among corn’s sturdy stalks, supporting them. Squash ran through and among the feet of her sisters, providing shade for the soil so it retained precious moisture for all of them.

In times of drought, corn sent her deep roots in search of water, and survived. In times of deluge, squash drank deeply while her sisters drowned. When winds came to shred corn and squash’s leaves, bean’s woody stems endured.

Together, they fed the people of the land for thousands of years.

One day, the three welcomed a new sister, capsicum, commonly known as chile. Chile came from faraway southern lands, carried by the Spanish conquistadors up El Camino Real—whether the famous Hatch green chile that finds its way into almost every dish (including dessert), or the Chimayó red, known for its complex, earthy flavor.

The four ingredients—corn, beans, squash and chile—provide the base from which New Mexican cuisine is built. Corn tortillas and tamales (made from masa—a corn flour), refritos (refried beans), and a sautéed squash, onion and corn combo called calabacitas are common on New Mexico menus. Most of those examples can be found at Garduño’s restaurants around the state, including

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PHOTOS: New Mexico Tourism Department, Dan Monaghan Chile ristras hang from patios all over New Mexico and are freshest after the fall harvest.

the locations at Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces and at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. Garduños has been New Mexico’s favorite home-grown brand for over 40 years. The restaurants’ award-winning recipes feature authentic, traditional favorites like burritos, tacos, fajitas and enchiladas, as well as modern twists on these classics.

“Part of Heritage Hotels & Resorts’ mission is to preserve the culture of New Mexico,” Patrick Hendricks, director of outlets and beverage for Hotel Albuquerque, explains.

“Garduño’s is well known for its fresh food and fun, fiesta-like atmosphere. It’s a true local treasure and an ideal partnership,” he says.

Hendricks recommends those unfamiliar with New Mexico cuisine try the Garduño’s Favoritos, an appetizer sampler that includes a carne adovada chimi, a chicken quesadilla, chicken and beef taquitos and nachos, served with freshmade guacamole, sour cream and a queso cheese dip to share. “Paired with one of Garduño’s signature margaritas, this sampler of fantastic flavors helps people learn what kind 16

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of New Mexican food they prefer and eases people into the heat of red and green chile.”

CHILI OR CHILE? Speaking of chile, let’s clear up any confusion about the spelling of chile. In New Mexico, chile with an “e” refers to the pepper, a soup or stew made with green or red chiles, and a sauce of either color. Chili is a dish of meat and beans that may or may not include peppers.

New Mexicans’ chile pepper obsession permeates life here, so much so that the state decreed an official question, one that you’ll hear routinely in restaurants: “Red or green?” So how should you answer? That depends. The best response, especially if spice level is a concern, is to ask which one is hotter and for a sample before you commit, because it changes depending on the season, the batch of chiles and the chef’s preferences. And if you want both, tell the waiter you’d like “Christmas,” a combination of red and green.

“Chile growing in New Mexico goes back before the 1880s,

A RA GON FA M I LY RE D C HI L E RE C I PE Green chile is roasted over fire and then peeled.

HERITAGE HOTELS & RESORTS FOUNDER AND CEO Jim Long is a twelfth-generation New Mexican whose family (Aragon) arrived in 1598 with the first Spanish colonists. In the past 75 years, only three family members have been the designated chile makers for family events. Jim’s grandmother, Guadalupe Aragon, passed her red chile recipe down to her daughter, Prajedes, who passed the chile-making torch to her nephew Jim.

INGREDIENTS • 1½ to 2 lbs.

• 30 dried red chiles (buy loose or cut from

mixed sirloin beef

an untreated ristra)

and pork, cubed • Salt and pepper

• 6 to 8 cloves of garlic, peeled

• One tablespoon of flour

• 1 quart chicken

• Olive oil or vegetable oil

broth, warm

METHOD PREHEAT oven to 200ºF. BRING a pot of water to a boil and then turn off heat.

WASH chiles, remove seeds and stems and rinse inside.

when it was mainly a local crop, farmed mostly by Pueblo tribes and Hispanic farmers,” says Dr. Paul Bosland, Regents Professor of Horticulture at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. He’s also director of the Chile Pepper Institute, the only international, non-profit organization devoted to education and research related to chile peppers.

Although chiles may have been introduced to the state as early as 1582 by the Spanish explorers, the New Mexico chile as we know it today was born in the 20th century. In 1906, the young agricultural scientist Fabian Garcia became a professor of horticulture at what is now New Mexico State University (then called New Mexico A&M). Called the father of the chile pepper, Garcia standardized the shape, heat and yield of the plants in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He introduced New Mexico No. 9, what we recognize as the traditional New Mexico green chile shape, Bosland explains.

Mature chile pepper pods picked green are called green chile. Smaller ones remain on the plant to continue growing.

When they turn red, they take the name red chile. They are the

pepper and add a tablespoon of flour. Heat the oil in a large and deep sauté pan or Dutch oven. Sauté the meat until brown but not fully cooked. Add remaining

PLACE chiles on baking

broth to pan and scrape

sheet in the oven for approx-

bottom of pan to release

imately five minutes, until

browned bits.

chiles have softened to the touch. Turn frequently to avoid burning.

ADD the smooth chile mixture to the meat. Add additional broth or water

REMOVE chiles and place

to achieve the thickness of

in pot of warm water. Soak

sauce you desire.

for about 30 to 40 minutes until chiles are very soft.

Discard any portion of chiles that is not red in color.

SIMMER on low heat for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt. If chile flavor is too spicy for your taste,

DRAIN the chiles and place

add a teaspoon of honey to

in a blender with a portion

slightly reduce the heat.

of warm chicken broth, salt and garlic. Blend at least five minutes to achieve a very smooth texture.

MEANWHILE, season the meat well with salt and

FOR A VEGETARIAN CHILE, eliminate the meat. Prepare a roux with flour and olive oil.

Add chile sauce to the roux.

Substitute vegetable broth.

Serves 6 to 8.

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Chef Estevan Garcia’s famous Chile Relleno is filled with mushrooms and served with a pinto bean and garlic demi-glace.

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KATE RUSSELL

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Chile is a staple in a variety of New Mexican foods.

VISITALBUQUERQUE.ORG

DAN MONAGHAN NEW MEXICO TOURISM DEPARTMENT

same plant, though. Now, different strains are grown specifically for their red and green (and other) colors and for wildly varying heat levels.

Many people mistakenly think “Hatch” green chile is a type of plant—it’s not. Hatch is a town in southern New Mexico between Albuquerque and Las Cruces off Interstate 25.

It’s one of the key chile growing areas in the state.

“New Mexico also grows a lot of different varieties of chiles called land races,” says Dave DeWitt, a New Mexican known as the “Pope of Peppers” for his nearly encyclopedic knowledge of all things spicy. Founder of the annual Fiery Foods Show, DeWitt brings an international host of heat enthusiasts to share their love of capsicum to Albuquerque every year.

“These are chiles grown in the same fields for more than 100 to 200 years, where farmers save the seeds from this year’s crop to grow next year’s.”

Another example of a land race is the Chimayó chile. The Village of Chimayó, north of Santa Fe on the way to Taos, actually has a trademark on it, says DeWitt. “They are trying to do what Hatch has done with green—use it as a marketing tool.”

Of course, New Mexican cuisine is much more than chile, squash, beans and corn. The very first settlers probably brought pecan trees with them from their native Mississippi River Valley around the turn of the 20th century. “We try to use everything we can on a local level in our hotel,” says JR Rodriguez, general manager of the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces. “We use pecans, a big local crop, from the pecan farms.

Flavored pecans (candied and/or dusted with red and green chile) are in-room amenities and find their way into many of our menu items in the Azul Lounge. Of course, the tapas

Roasting green chile over an open fire is a tradition every autumn all over New Mexico.

menu there is a nod to our Spanish heritage.” Azul’s honey pecan pie, made with pecans from nearby Legacy Farms, is a delicious, must-experience dessert.

New Mexico also has a proud ranching tradition, one that produces natural beef, lamb, poultry and pork. Excellent examples of all of these can be found at the Old House and Agave Lounge at Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe. Under the capable direction of Chef Anthony Smith, a Londoner with the soul of a New Mexican, the upscale Old House and the casual modern Agave Lounge present seasonal menus sourced with ingredients from local farms and ranches: sliders, pork carnitas, and street tacos, as well as more sophisticated takes on steaks, chicken, fish and salads.

“All our food is flavorful, modern, local, approachable, affordable and prepared from our hearts,” says Smith. “We use as much local as possible and buy from the farmer’s markets all the time. Our beef for burgers, steaks and fajitas is from New Mexico, and certainly the green and red chile are local. We also use cheeses from Tucumcari and Estancia. We believe in spending our money locally to support our local food systems.”

The Eldorado Hotel & Spa is famous for the awardwinning Agave Lounge green chile cheeseburger, a showcase for the diversity of New Mexico’s local farms and ranches.

This 50% Kobe beef, 50% Northern New Mexico Niman Ranch beef burger is seasoned with New Mexico red chile, then stuffed with local Windmill Farms green chile goat cheese. Topped with bacon, local cheddar cheese and the Agave’s secret Hatch green chile sauce and more chopped green chile, this behemoth burger rests on a toasted brioche HHANDR.COM

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STEPHANIE CAMERON, EDIBLE SANTA FE

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2015 Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown People’s Choice Award at Agave Lounge at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe.

Estevan Restaurant in Hotel Chimayó de Santa Fe features authentic New Mexican food.

JEFF CAVEN

THE TASTE OF HERITAGE ONE OF THE FEW PLACES OUTSIDE OF CHIMAYÓ ITSELF to taste Chimayó’s distinctive chile is Estevan Restaurant at Hotel Chimayó de Santa Fe. This cozy restaurant’s eclectic menu features a legendary chile relleño (a chile pepper stuffed with cheese), as well as produce and meats sourced from local farms and farmers. Dishes like chicos (dried corn), posole (stewed pork with hominy in red chile broth), calabacitas, and organic goat’s milk flan grace the menu.

Chef Estevan Garcia and Chimayó chile farmer Cencho Ocha.

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JOCELYN BARKER

bun. It won the People’s Choice award at the 2015 Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown.

Heading north from Santa Fe brings one to the mountains and fertile river valleys of northern New Mexico. This gorgeous landscape benefits from warm days and cool nights, perfect terrain for stone fruit and berries, wild game and fish.

Another Heritage Hotels’ property, El Monte Sagrado in Taos, includes an apple orchard and other fruit trees, and three acres of arable land where the hotel is now growing vegetables for its restaurant.

The menu at El Monte Sagrado already incorporates indigenous ingredients like blue corn, buffalo and rabbit into its offerings. Abraham Juarez, General Manager, holds the blue corn waffles and fried rabbit as an example, as well as the charcuterie plate that features buffalo, lamb and salmon, not just beef.

“Our menu is approachable and incorporates indigenous cuisine in a modern way,” Juarez says. “The reception has been great, and we’re putting more of these elements into our dining options,” he says. “Plus, we’re working to obtain certified organic status to our apple orchard so we can use the fruit in the restaurant.” From chile to pecans, produce to papas (potatoes), New Mexican cuisine has a rich, local and tasty history.

Many visitors come to New Mexico for conventions or special events like weddings. Executive Chef of Hotel Albuquerque, Gilbert Aragon, has perfected the art of serving large numbers of people while showcasing the rich heritage of New Mexico cuisine. By using the great bounty that New Mexico has to offer, Aragon demonstrates the pride in New Mexico’s traditional food culture that is evident across the Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., family.

“We’ve forged relationships with local farmers to build menus around what’s available each season,” he says. “And everyone has been responsive to the idea of local. The everyday diner has more education about food, chefs and cooking, generally, and many people are more conscious of where their food is coming from. It lets guests know that we have as much respect for food as they do.”

For example, the catering options at Hotel Albuquerque (one of the largest conference facilities in the state), includes milk from local dairies, organic and hormone-free pork from a farm just minutes away and vegetables and fruit delivered by growers who can practically see the hotel from their farms.

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WWW.GREATCHEFS.COM

RED HOT CHEF

by Kelly Koepke

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Mark Miller has had a huge inflluence on New Mexico’s culinary scene.

“I was delighted to find a company and individuals personally interested in the historic culinary culture of the Southwest and who want to lead by example.”

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ften called “The Founder of Modern Southwest Cuisine,” Santa Fe resident Mark Miller introduced the world to Southwestern tastes as the chef-founder of Santa Fe’s seminal Coyote Café. His first cookbook, “Coyote Café: Foods from the Great Southwest,” has sold over 200,000 copies and features recipes boasting bold flavors and indigenous ingredients of the Southwest. The author of eleven best-selling books and cookbooks, Miller’s “The Great Chile Book,” “The Great Salsa Book” and “Red Sage: Contemporary Western Cuisine,” are perennial best sellers.

Life Magazine recently named Miller one of the most influential chefs in the country, an accolade that sits nicely beside his James Beard Award for Best American Chef: Southwest and Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurant Award.

Today, Miller’s influence on the culinary scene continues via public speaking and consulting with restaurants, food companies and hospitality groups around the world. “I continue to be immersed in the subject of food and food education, as I have been for more than 40 years. Since I was a child I have been fascinated and captivated by the topic of food, eating and discovering new flavors and ingredients, and how cooking transforms and creates flavors—and also the history and culture of food and particularly the cultural perception of food,” he says.

Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., is fortunate to draw on Miller’s deep knowledge and respect for authentic cuisine as he consults on a number of new culinary concepts for its restaurants, bars and lounges.

“I was delighted to find a company and individuals personally interested in the historic culinary culture of the Southwest and who want to lead by example. Both Adrian Perez (Heritage President) and CEO Jim Long have deep roots in the local culture and have a vision of creating the best experiences … and a sense of place … for their guests, one that is differentiated from all the national brands of hotels,” he says.

S IF THE CHOICES FOR DINING WITH HERITAGE HOTELS & RESORTS, INC. were not enough to send any guest home satisfied and well acquainted with the cuisine of the Land of Enchantment, the Heritage Local Treasures card offers a 15% discount at local restaurants. These best of category, locally owned choices have been personally curated as favorite places to experience the depth, breadth and variety of New Mexico cuisine—whether it relies on the three sisters plus chile or offers choices as diverse as Thai, French, Italian, and New American, from hole in the wall joints to white linen fine dining.

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Garduño’s at Old Town Located in Hotel Albuquerque Garduño’s at Old Town 505.222.8766 | HotelABQ.com/Gardunos

Garduño’s Las Cruces Located in Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces Garduño’s Las Cruces 575.532.4277 | HotelEncanto.com/Gardunos

Located in Hotel Albuquerque Located in Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces 505.222.8766 | HotelABQ.com/Gardunos HotelEncanto.com/Gardunos Visit our Albuquerque Winrock 575.532.4277 & Cottonwood| Locations Visit our Albuquerque Winrock & Cottonwood Locations

Low ‘n Slow Lowrider Bar

Live Entertainment | Craft Cocktails | Lowrider Style Located in Hotel Chimayo de Santa Fe 505.988.4900 | HotelChimayo.com/Dining-Nightlife

Secreto Lounge

Garden-to-Glass Craft Cocktails | Happy Hour Located in Hotel St. Francis, Santa Fe 505.983.5700 | SecretoLounge.com

The family-owned Palms Trading Company offers Native American jewelry, pottery and more at the Eldorado Hotel and Hotel St. Francis.

A Jewel in Santa Fe

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OR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, Palms Trading Company has been a purveyor of authentic, quality Native American jewelry, pottery and more in Albuquerque. The family-owned Palms Trading Company can be found at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe on West San Francisco Street and pieces from Palms will also be sold at Hotel St. Francis on Don Gaspar Avenue.

“We want people to know that this is authentic merchandise, and we wouldn’t do it any other way,” says Palms owner Guy Berger.

The necklaces, earrings and other items in the Santa Fe gallery represent a careful selection of high-quality and unique pieces. The new gallery also features fine Hispanic jewelry crafted by the award-winning jewelry designer and silversmith Lawrence Baca as well as by artists Rachel Montoya and Juan Lopez. Berger hopes to expand his

selection to include wood-carved pieces.

He says the quality and mix of Native American and Hispanic jewelry, and addition of wood carvings, at the new Palms gallery set it apart from other area galleries.

The family business started in 1933 as a deli and food market and was run as a food and liquor store for several years. In the late 1960s or early 1970s it transformed into Palms Trading Company that is known and loved today. Now, Berger’s son and daughter are part of the business, too.

“To have a family business last that long is quite an accomplishment, and we are immensely proud to continue that tradition,” Berger says. “It’s still a very nice family operation.”

MORE:

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A SPANISH TRADITION FINDS A SECOND HOME Flamenco’s New Mexico family sustains this age-old performance art.

by Mele Martinez

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MARESA THOMPSON

GREAT SPANISH ART FORM that echoes New Mexico’s early history has embedded deeply into the cultural heart of the state. For locals, its seems as if flamenco has always been a part of the New Mexican performing arts landscape—a natural extension of the state’s Spanish heritage.

“New Mexico is the perfect breeding place for this art form,” says flamenco artist and educator Marisol Encinias. In fact, the state hosts the highest number of flamenco companies, artists, and studios per capita outside of Spain, and the city of Albuquerque hosts the oldest-running flamenco festival in the Western Hemisphere.

Some call flamenco a dance, but it is really much richer than choreographed steps. This three-part art includes dance, of course, but also guitar music and song, plus the toque des palmas—a rhythmic hand-clapping that adds to the total experience. The form originated in southern regions of Spain.

Though written records documenting flamenco origins are few, and the earliest definitions of flamenco are difficult to pinpoint, most flamencologists agree that the art form was forged in Andalusia, the southern region of the Iberian Peninsula, in the 19th century. The Romani are most often credited with flamenco’s invention. Since the musical and cultural influences of flamenco are so incredibly rich, drawing from a blend of Moorish, Jewish, Sub-Saharan African, and Roma or “Gypsy” traditions, many see flamenco as a culture of organic and diverse interpretations.

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Guests get up close and personal with intimate, world-class flamenco performances at the new Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque in Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town.

FLAMENCO MECCA Enthusiasts from all over North America travel to New Mexico to immerse themselves in flamenco. The University of New Mexico even offers the only accredited dance program in the world with an undergraduate- and graduate-level flamenco concentration. It is as if New Mexico is saturated with flamenco, and each season a fresh sprig of the art form emerges to grace the New Mexican landscape.

What is it about New Mexico that makes space for an art form created halfway around the world? Perhaps it is a desire to reconnect to Hispanic heritage, or a desire to return to the customs of a mother country. Perhaps it is a search for identity—a way into cultural pride. Maybe it is the idea of a culture that migrates and flourishes on the other side of the globe that is a familiar concept to New Mexicans, many of whom claim Spanish explorers in their ancestry. Or perhaps it is a familiarity with “Gypsyism,” a concept overly romanticized by American culture, yet so identifiable for Americans: people from nowhere in particular, free to move, free to self-define, not always belonging, and yet belonging everywhere. Essentially, no one knows for sure how flamenco arrived in New Mexico, but there is at least one reason it did: because New Mexico had flamenco fans, lovers of the art form, and these lovers were brave enough to embrace flamenco, weaving it into the fabric of their land.

COURTESY ENCINIAS FAMILY

LEFT: Clarita Garcia de Aranda opened her own studio in the 1940s. CENTER AND RIGHT: By the time she was 22, Eva Encinias had her own company, Ritmo Flamenco.

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New Mexico’s interpretation of the art form can be dated to at least the mid-20th century. Legend has it that one of the first native New Mexican gypsies was Juana Lopez Candelaria Martinez, Marisol Encinias’ great-grandmother. Though she remains a mysterious figure in New Mexico’s history, Juana’s children, both Antonio and Clarita Garcia, were some of the first interpreters of flamenco in the region. In the 1940s, Antonio Garcia opened the family’s first dance studio in downtown Albuquerque on the corner of Lead and 2nd Street. Clarita Garcia de Aranda went on to open her own home-based flamenco studio in Albuquerque’s North Valley. Clarita, in particular, represented flamenco for the Albuquerque community. “She was arguably New Mexico’s first professional flamenco dancer,” says Marisol, “performing traditional pieces such as verdiales, farruca, and zapateado” in many of Albuquerque’s legendary events, including the Fiestas at San Felipe, the opening of the Winrock Center shopping center northeast of downtown, and performances with the symphony at Albuquerque’s Civic Auditorium. “Her style of movement was different than what we see today, but it was flamenco, and even though she had limited access to the flamenco of Spain, she was an outrageously talented dancer with a powerful presence,” says Marisol of her grandmother.

Perhaps Clarita’s greatest contribution to flamenco in New Mexico was provided through her daughter, Eva Encinias, who went on to become one of the most important curators of flamenco in the United States.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

SUSTAINING THE CULTURE Each year at Festival Flamenco, more and more artists were invited, and year after year the culture of flamenco rained upon the city, soaking the foundation with flamenco culture, eventually creating a bubbling oasis of flamenco art for both the community of Albuquerque and its visitors. Otherwise known only as a marketed romantic and often stereotypical image of a lady stomping in a red dress, accompanied by a dancing

COURTESY ENCINIAS FAMILY

Clarita raised Eva to be a dancer, and she made a career educating and performing as a young woman. But Eva’s love for flamenco held more than what a single lifetime could house.

Eva made it her mission to bring flamenco to New Mexico in a way that no one had ever imagined. Her work would translate into a model of flamenco sustainability.

In 1961, when Eva was just eight years old, she traveled with Clarita to Madrid, Spain, for the first time. There she was exposed to a glowing flamenco renaissance. During the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, many prominent Spanish artists left Spain. Some of the most important flamenco artists of the time had dispersed, and their presence and influence throughout the world suddenly invited what historians call the Spanish Craze: a period when all things Spanish, including flamenco culture, became internationally popularized.

This movement turned flamenco into a globally appreciated art form, and foreigners later flocked to Spain in search of “authentic” flamenco. In response, Spanish venues popped up offering intimate performance spaces called tablaos, featuring flamenco music and dance. Eva visited these tablaos in Madrid every night for a month. Her imagination sparked when she watched the legendary dancer La Tati. Eva’s daughter Marisol recalls, “The image of La Tati was forever imprinted on my mother. La Tati became her definition of flamenco.” From the moment she saw this cultural icon in tablao, Eva was enamored with flamenco, and she would bring her love home with her.

By the time she was 22 years old, Eva had her own company, Ritmo Flamenco. A year later, she began teaching flamenco at the University of New Mexico and soon developed a full flamenco program of study in the Theater and Dance Department. But her vision for New Mexico was just getting started.

In 1987, Eva partnered with the university to inaugurate the first Annual Festival Flamenco de Alburquerque. The event’s fifth annual installment featured the festival’s first international artist, La Tati—Eva had realized her lifelong dream.

Professor Eva Encinias from the National Institute of Flamenco and the University of New Mexico teaches flamenco’s next generation of dancers.

matador, the American portrait of flamenco transformed in the heart of Albuquerque. Eva’s productions worked like truth serum, and soon New Mexicans were privy to flamenco in flesh and blood—without ever setting foot in Spain. And Eva’s work paved the way for hundreds of apprentices in the art form.

New Mexicans began to speak the language of flamenco. Budding dancers and musicians who studied from visiting artists soon joined the multicultural milieu that has historically influenced the art form. Amazingly, New Mexicans were slowly being grafted into flamenco’s branches.

Eva Encinias, more devoted to flamenco than ever, made it her mission to promote and preserve the art, especially through education. Along with classes at the University of New Mexico and Festival Flamenco Internacional, she founded the National Conservatory of Flamenco in downtown Albuquerque, just steps away from where her uncle had first established a dance studio more than 50 years earlier. The Conservatory became a breeding ground for several local HHANDR.COM

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dance companies, also training visiting students who initiated flamenco companies around the country. Flamenco education in Albuquerque was soon cultivated in the schools, and eventually the city offered a charter school flamenco curriculum spearheaded by Eva’s son, Joaquin Encinias, who also directs Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, in residence at the University of New Mexico dance program.

This educational slant has been the impetus for flamenco’s developing culture in the state. “Education is not as shiny as flamenco stardom,” says Marisol, “but it is the essence of flamenco as a craft to be learned, and it is the secret to sustaining the art form for generations to come.” Though Eva has not marketed herself as a “flamenco figura,” she has indeed become the model of a message: Flamenco is relevant to our culture and a method of expression we can fall in love with.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Now, New Mexico’s laudable education programming is providing an artist base that can support ongoing performances, alongside seasonal productions. This June, Albuquerque will become host to the very first performance space built specifically for flamenco presentation. Just as Spain responded to the influx of flamenco seekers in the last century, Albuquerque is now responding to the influx of flamenco on

MARESA THOMPSON

Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., Founder/CEO Jim Long, Interior Designer Adriana Long, and Mark Miller, culinary consultant, are the visionaries behind the new Tablao Flamenco at Hotel Albuquerque. Sixty percent of the proceeds go to the National Institute of Flamenco.

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New World soil. Hotel Albuquerque has partnered with the National Institute of Flamenco, a non-profit directed by Eva Encinias overseeing flamenco programming, to open Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque. Presentations in tablao will showcase the cultural prowess now recognizable in flamenco’s American hotbed. “[Tablao] requires a wealth of skill, improvisation abilities, musicality, communication, all in addition to dancer awareness—knowing how to use your body in a technical craft that is an art unto itself. These are the requirements of the dancer, not to mention the skills necessary from the cuadro (the singer, the guitarist, and the accompanying percussionists or palmeras),” says Marisol.

In many respects, Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque will be an outgrowth of what the Encinias family has been working toward for decades. Joaquin Encinias remembers the family’s first homemade stage: “My grandfather was an engineer by trade. He actually designed a raised floorboard that served as a theater performance space for my grandmother, Clarita.

If you can imagine, it was in the middle of our living room.

That performance space, that environment in the home, is one of my most vivid memories from childhood.” Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque is meeting the challenges of housing an old-world concept for a modern audience. Design and production elements in the space will be cutting edge. The notion of creating a cultural space from the ground up has opened a dialogue between business leaders, experts, and artists within the community. “That to me is exciting,” says Joaquin, “and this space will be very special.”

MARESA THOMPSON

Performances at the tablao will be held Thursdays through Sundays, making flamenco even more accessible than ever to locals and visitors. It will feature local, national, and international artists. There are also plans for a Sunday youth tablao program, a training experience for young men and women fresh in their studies to foster the art of tablao. “This is a real culture changer,” says Joaquin. “There is a fine line between artist and entertainer, and tablao can help artists learn this delicate balance.”

Practicing the art form in these intimate venues has a profound affect on flamenco artists. Tablaos are avenues toward artistic experimentation, toward craft development, and even musical and movement experimentation. It is no wonder that many of the world’s most respected flamenco artists all honed their craft in tablao. Joaquin shares, “I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for 20 years. I think you are a real flamenco artist when you are participating in tablao performance on a weekly basis. You begin to discover your voice and who you really are.

MARESA THOMPSON

All year long, guests can experience world-class flamenco at the new tablao, featuring guest performers and those from the acclaimed National Institute of Flamenco.

This is the biggest piece of the puzzle that has been missing for our community.” His sister, Marisol, agrees. “Tablao is the most important context for flamenco,” says Marisol.

Tablao is a place where dancers and musicians are both vulnerable and empowered. In the sacred cuadro, the circle of accompanying artists on a stage, individuals move into positions of accountability, yet they are supported by each other at every step. In essence, the tablao functions as a microcommunity. A support group. A mix of roles and talents. All pouring joy and fury and fervor onto the stage and into the hearts of onlookers, a dose of succulent flamenco that eventually seeps into the land itself. Tablao is certainly the next step of flamenco sustainability for New Mexico, just another graceful move towards what has become both new and natural.

Mele Martinez is a Tucson-born dancer, choreographer, and writer. She also co-owns Tucson Flamenco Studio and writes a blog called Flamenco Family with her husband, Jason.

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PHOTO CREDIT

Audiences get a personal view of flamenco at the new Tablao in Hotel Albuquerque.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR FLAMENCO

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lamenco has a new home at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town. For the first time in New Mexico, a space has been constructed from the ground up with the specific purpose of presenting an art form New Mexicans have been preserving and cultivating for the past 75 years. In fact, the endeavor is a premier concept for the whole country: “We are excited to offer visitors and locals this new premium, immersive performance venue to showcase flamenco, one of the most unique performing arts,” says Jim Long, CEO and founder of Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc. “We hope that guests to the tablao come away with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the art and culture of flamenco and Spain that have such an extensive and rich history in New Mexico. Tablao Flamenco continues the work of Heritage Hotels to provide its guests an opportunity to experience our cultural heritage in the most authentic way

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The Tablao features a community table and full bar featuring custom, authentic Sevillian tapas, house-made sangria and specialty cocktails.

A Santa Fe Tradition

MARESA THOMPSON MARESA THOMPSON

possible. This will be the first of many such cultural performance collaborations that Heritage will undertake.” The space will be another chapter in 300 years of cultural history of Old Town.

In partnership with the National Institute of Flamenco, Heritage Hotels opened Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque in June 2016. Derived from the term tablado or floorboard, a tablao is a stage meant to host flamenco dance and music in an intimate setting. Just as tablaos in Spain offer opportunities to thousands of tourists each year to see flamenco up close, Albuquerque’s tablao will give visitors a truly flamenco and truly New Mexican experience. Along with innovations in sound and lighting designed for flamenco in the space, Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque will marry contemporary and old-world flavors in its architecture and design. The venue features elements of both raw and rough interiors alongside vibrantly Spanish expressions. “We wanted the space to reflect not only the rich and raw Gypsy influences of flamenco but also a contemporary take on Spanish Colonial design elements blended with modern design aesthetic,” says Adriana Long, interior designer for Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc. “The entire space was intentionally designed to highlight the performance stage space, and there are views from the entire room of the stage.”

Guests to the Tablao are immersed in Spanish culture through authentic Spanish cuisine and beverages created by the world-renowned Chef Mark Miller of Santa Fe’s Coyote Café and Hotel Albuquerque’s Chef Gilbert Aragon. The food menu features a variety of authentic Sevillian tapas with the finest quality ingredients—iberco ham, nora chiles, and imported cheeses—sourced from Spain. The beverage menu features multiple Spanish Sangria recipes as well as a variety of gin and tonic combinations that are also popular in the Seville region of Spain.

A large patio invites visitors to enjoy New Mexico’s landscape and architecture. Spanish tapas and cocktails will be offered nightly, and of course, Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque will feature top-notch artists. Local, national, and international musicians and dancers, night by night, will continue to lay the foundation of this distinctively New Mexican tradition.

INTERNATIONALLY

beauty, colors, and textures

RECOGNIZED FLAMENCO

of New Mexico’s “paisajes”

DANCER Maria Benitez

flamenco artist, Antonio

calls New Mexico home.

Granjero, has produced

An icon of Spanish arts,

shows for Maria Benitez

Benitez has often expressed

Cabaret Theater featuring

how her love of the New

new choreographies, cos-

Mexican landscape inspires

tuming, and original lighting

her artistically, so too has

design. Granjero’s company,

New Mexico been inspired

Entreflamenco, co-directed

by Benitez. In 1970, Maria

by award-winning flamenco

Benitez founded the Santa

dancer and choreographer

Fe-based Institute of Spanish

Stephanie Ramirez, com-

Art with her husband, Cecilio

pletes its seventh season this

Benitez of Barcelona, Spain.

summer in Santa Fe. “We

This nonprofit organization

consider the Maria Benitez

preserves Spanish culture

Cabaret a second home,” says Ramirez. Born in Jerez de la Frontera, Granjero was first invited from Spain to the United States to join the Maria Benitez Flamenco Company as a soloist and choreographer in the sum-

Antonio Granjero and Stephanie Ramirez with Entreflamenco in Santa Fe.

mer of 1994 and has been a mainstay for flamenco influence in northern New Mexico. Nearly a decade and a half after the disbanding of the Maria Benitez Company,

and arts. Together, the couple

Entreflamenco was named

led a flamenco performing

the residence company of

company that toured all 50

the Maria Benitez Cabaret

states and produced dance

in partnership with Heritage

theater in New Mexico for

Hotels & Resorts, Inc., in

more than three decades.

2014. Shows are held nightly

In honor of this legacy,

(except Sundays) at 8:00 pm.

the Maria Benitez Cabaret

The Maria Benitez Cabaret

Theatre opened in the Lodge

Theater will offer a variety

at Santa Fe in 1997 to show-

of performances and events

case the incredible artistic

throughout the year. For a

talents of the legendary Maria

schedule of upcoming events

Benitez. Inspired by the

visit lodgeatsantafe.com.

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HERITAGE CULTRUAL CAUSES

When you make a reservation at Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., you make a difference.

Guests at Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., support a variety of local nonprofit cultural organizations, programs, and artists.

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HERITAGE HOTELS & RESORTS, INC., has an established history of cultural preservation initiatives. When you stay in any of our one-of-a-kind properties, you encounter a distinctive story that celebrates New Mexico’s rich, multicultural legacy. This is what makes us different. Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., has been supporting cultural and artistic ventures for more than a decade by featuring regionally inspired design, custom artwork, décor, cuisine, music, and entertainment in our hotels. We also sponsor cultural programs and events, participate in community involvement, and support various local organizations, nonprofits, and scholarship programs. As a continuation of this tradition of supporting cultural preservation and advancement, we also donate a portion of revenue from every room night to culturally and artistically significant endeavors.

HOTEL ALBUQUERQUE AT OLD TOWN SUPPORTS

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FLAMENCO Founded by the Encinias family in 1987, the National Institute of Flamenco (NIF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting world-class flamenco. Each year, the Institute serves over 1,000 students through educational initiatives and reaches an audience of 100,000 through performance outreach.

Master instructors and performers flock to Albuquerque each year to NIF’s Festival Flamenco and the Artist-inResidence Program. Students ages 3-80 study year-round at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts, where professional artists perform and train with Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company.

In December of 2013, the National Institute of Flamenco’s home of 15 years in downtown Albuquerque was destroyed in a tragic fire. While the loss was devastating for our community, we are excited to rebuild a landmark center for flamenco education and begin a new chapter of flamenco in New Mexico. In summer of 2016, the Southwest’s first Flamenco Tablao in Hotel Albuquerque opened. This unique performance space is a partnership between the hotel and the NIF to bring world-class flamenco year-round in an intimate performace space designed to showcase the unique art of flamenco. Learn more: nationalinstituteofflamenco.org.

ELDORADO HOTEL & SPA SUPPORTS

THE SPANISH COLONIAL ARTS SOCIETY Writer Mary Austin and artist/writer Frank G. Applegate founded the Spanish Colonial Arts Society (SCAS) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1925. The organization was created to preserve and showcase the Hispano art forms that have been produced in New Mexico and southern Colorado since the region was colonized by Spain in 1598. The SCAS’s goal is to educate the public through art forms from Spanish colonies.

More than 90 years later, the organization has fulfilled its mission and continues to grow in its endeavors. The SCAS is now a leader in the public education of traditional Spanish Colonial art and culture through sponsorship of Spanish Colonial art and collections at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art in Santa Fe and a range of educational outreach programs.

The SCAS hosts three world-class “Spanish Market” exhibitions and events in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Las Cruces in conjunction with Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc. Learn more about the Spanish Colonial Arts Society: spanishcolonial.org.

HOTEL CHIMAYÓ DE SANTA FE SUPPORTS

THE CHIMAYÓ CULTURAL PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION The Chimayó Cultural Preservation Association was created to document and preserve the unique history of the Chimayó community. The association is working to build an archive of historical photographs and documents, gather oral histories, maintain historic buildings, and increase community awareness of Chimayó history, culture and traditions.

Los Maestros is an ongoing program of the Chimayó Cultural Preservation Association. It is designed to teach children the hands-on skills of New Mexican folk art, an artistic heritage that has been passed down for many generations. The art classes are held once a month at the Chimayó Museum. Subjects taught include tinwork, straw applique, traditional wood carving, weaving, micaceous pottery, colcha embroidery, and traditional painting on wood and hide. The students range in age between nine and seventeen. They pledge to stay in school, resist drugs, and to be respectful and well-mannered during all activities. Los Maestros partners with Hotel Chimayó for their students to sell their artwork at the hotel at semi-annual art fairs and is also connected with the Spanish Colonial Arts Society and Spanish Market. For more information or to donate to the Chimayó Cultural Preservation Association contact 505.351.0945 or visit Chimayomuseum.com.

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HERITAGE CULTRUAL CAUSES

Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces.

TINA LARKIN

Agnes Martin Gallery at Harwood Museum of Art.

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Adobe brick building

by Cornerstones Community Partnerships.

HOTEL ST. FRANCIS SUPPORTS

PALACIO DE MARQUESA TAOS SUPPORTS

THE SAN MIGUEL MISSION CHAPEL THROUGH CORNERSTONES COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

THE HARWOOD MUSEUM OF ART

This New Mexico non-profit organization works together with community members and leaders to preserve important community-owned, historic buildings, including 17th and 18th century churches, schoolhouses, WPA buildings, penitente moradas and oratorios, Native American religious structures and other historic sites that are central to cultural heritage and community life. For more information, to volunteer, or to donate to Cornerstones Community Partnerships contact 505.982.9521 or visit cstones.org.

The San Miguel Mission Chapel, the oldest church in the country, is the key site to the Barrio de Analco. This National Landmark barrio was founded by a group of Mexican Indians from Tlaxcala. The adobe church was constructed under the direction of Franciscan friars to serve a small congregation of soldiers, laborers, and Indians who lived in the Analco Barrio. It was partially destroyed during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. By the early 18th century, San Miguel had become one of the principal ecclesiastical buildings in the provincial capital. The present building dates from 1710, although it has undergone significant structural changes. This San Miguel Mission Chapel is located at the corner of East De Vargas Street and Old Santa Fe Trail, just four blocks from Hotel St. Francis and is open for visitors. Call for Catholic mass schedule: 505.983.3974.

HOTEL ENCANTO DE LAS CRUCES SUPPORTS

THE RIO GRANDE THEATRE The Rio Grande Theatre was established in 1926. The theatre was originally the Hacker Hotel until it was acquired and later transformed by Southwest architect Otto Thorman. He designed the building to resemble the Italian Renaissance Revival style, which was popular in the 1920s and ’30s. The building would later survive an earthquake and a fire in the early ’30s.

Today, the Rio Grande Theatre is the only remaining twostory adobe theatre in the country. It has been in operation for more than 70 years. The performing arts venue has been home to the Doña Ana Arts Council since it was reopened 2005.

Located in the heart of downtown Las Cruces, the 422-seat, state-of-the-art facility is used for events and rented by performance groups. In a partnership with Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., the theatre brings a number of unique New Mexican cultural performances to the Las Cruces area.

The Rio Grande Theatre, a nonprofit charitable organization, was formed for the purpose of creating a performing arts and education venue. Learn more at RioGrandeTheatre.com.

In the early 20th century, many artists were drawn to Taos for its unique scenery. In fact, the art that emerged was influenced

by New Mexico’s landscape and light and the traditional Native American and Hispanic cultures of the region.

Burt and Elizabeth Harwood founded The Harwood Museum of Art in 1916. The Harwoods moved to Taos from France and purchased the Ledoux Street property, which contained several small adobe buildings. The Harwood complex was a part of the Pueblo/Spanish Revival movement in New Mexico.

Visit the The Harwood Museum to see collections of artistic convergence from its beginnings to the present day. Learn more at harwoodmuseum.org.

NATIVO LODGE SUPPORTS

CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN ARTISTS AND THE INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN INDIAN ART (IAIA) Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the IAIA is the only fouryear-degree-granting fine arts institution in the nation devoted to contemporary Native American arts. IAIA also operates the Center for Lifelong Education and the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts in Santa Fe. Nativo Lodge has partnered with IAIA to feature a number of emerging and rising contemporary Native American artists at our hotel. Several Native American contemporary artists transformed our guest rooms into works of art at Nativo Lodge. Each featured artist has gone through a juried submission process to showcase their art at Nativo Lodge. Learn more at iaia.edu LODGE AT SANTA FE SUPPORTS

PERFORMING ARTS AND THE NEW MEXICO MULTICULTURAL FOUNDATION AT THE MARIA BENITEZ THEATRE Located at the Lodge at Santa Fe, the theatre was named after the legendary flamenco artist Maria Benitez. It hosts many worldclass flamenco and theater performances in an intimate 160-seat cabaret environment. We offer events in the theatre year-round.

The Heritage Performance Series, offered seasonally in the summer through fall, has included renowned performers such as Antonio Granjero and Entreflamenco Company, Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre Company, Maria Benitez Flamenco’s Next Generation Performances, Grammy award-winning performers Shelley Morningsong, Fabian Fontenelle, and Robert Mirabal, awardwinning comedian Goldie Garcia, and many others. These artists bring to life the roots of New Mexico’s community and culture.

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San Francisco de Assisi Mission Church in Ranchos de Taos is an early example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the Southwest.

Echoes of the

PAst

by Marya Errin Jones

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New Mexico’s design ethos reflects the state’s cultural roots.

The influence of ancient Taos Pueblo is evident in modern-day New Mexico architecture.

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

N

LIVING HISTORY The year was 1598. That spring, the Edict of Nantes was signed

by King Henry IV of France, astronomer Tycho Brahe published his catalog of 1004 stars, and the world-renowned sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini was born in Italy. That same year, Don Juan de OĂąate, along with his expedition, stood along the south bank of the Rio Grande River, led his party in prayer, and then claimed

Adobe bricks and vigas are still used in the design of many New Mexico buildings.

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

EW MEXICO IS A RICH BRAID of ancient civilizations, modern cultural influences, and the spiritual life its citizens brought with them. And with the exception of the original 13 colonies in the east, there are few places in the United States so steeped in history carved from occupation, migration, and the enduring grace of artistic expression.

The march of Spanish conquistadors across the Americas left its mark on the Pueblo people who refused to be conquered. The culture of Mexico came with its own brand of resistance, and early communities such as Chaco Canyon and Taos Pueblo (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites) silently witnessed it all. The result is a cultural churning, evident in the architecture of New Mexico’s towns and cities, and in color palettes, textiles, and pottery that adorn our homes.

all of the territory across the river, bringing with them the unrelenting presence of the Spanish Crown and remnants of the papal Inquisition. The centuries to come were tumultuous to say the least. The founding of Santa Fe in 1610 brought wealth and commerce to the area, further establishing the strength of Spain.

Much blood was spilt, culminating in the hard-fought battle for independence won by Mexico in 1821. The land was claimed from Spain, and the road of commerce we know as the Santa Fe Trail was established, bringing more wealth to the provinces, this time for Mexican landowners.

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lonial, Pueblo, and Mexican influences. The rough-hewn beams known as vigas, found in today’s traditional Pueblo Revival style, date back to the architecture of the ancient cliff dwellers at locales such as Bandelier National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park. The hacienda (Spanish for estate) is a colonial invention developed as a means to integrate market-based economy with the home and stronghold of the landowner, not unlike the plantations of the American South. The gilded, Spanish Baroque style of intricate tendrils, braids, and filigree can be seen throughout the delicate architectural touches through Southwestern design, married to the tinsmithing of Mexican milagros—the imprint of the past is everywhere present.

Let’s not forget the weaving: The fiber arts of northern New Mexico, once an art of the individual, were driven toward more commercial applications by the Spanish Crown

NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

Thick adobe walls and ladders can be seen in many New Mexican buildings.

itself. Today, the art of weaving continues to develop and evolve—it is the very definition of modern art.

By the time the modern age laid its railroad tracks through desert towns and along ancient trails bringing new settlers to the area in the 1880s, some of the most exquisite buildings were being constructed, and some of the finest craftspeople called New Mexico home. Today, Pueblo, Mexican, and Spanish colonial art is alive and well and available to tourists, collectors, and travelers alike.

FROM PAST TO PRESENT Perhaps the finest examples of Southwestern design within public reach can be found at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art in Santa Fe, the seasonal Spanish Market, and the locally owned Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., which dedicates the design of each of its hotels to the vibrancy of New Mexican art across the state.

Simply stated, the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, founded in 1925 by author Mary Austin and artist/writer Frank G. Applegate, and its Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, is the only museum in the country dedicated to the exhibition and interpretation of art from the Spanish colonial period. From furniture to pottery, woodcarving to iron and tinwork, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art in Santa Fe preserves the past, present, and future Southwestern art for all to behold.

For those who seek to build their own private collections, The Spanish Colonial Arts Society produces a juried art market on the historic Santa Fe Plaza. This year marks the 65th An-

MUSEUM OF SPANISH COLONIAL ART

MUSEUM OF SPANISH COLONIAL ART

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KIP MALONE

BELOW: Tin light fixture, circa 1937, at Bandelier National Monument.

RIGHT: A gallery at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art in Santa Fe touches on the history of the Spanish in New Mexico and their influence on art, design, and architecture.

Spanish Influence is seen throughout New Mexico in traditional woodworking techniques and crafts.

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nual Traditional Spanish Market, held July 30-31, 2016, and the Winter Market at the Hotel Albuquerque at historic Old Town in November, with the third-annual Las Cruces Market held in 2017. Traditional artists from across the state gather on the Santa Fe Plaza and in Albuquerque’s historic Old Town, respectively, to sell their craft, share their skills, and provide a glimpse of traditonal craftwork.

As old as the Southwest itself is the act of weaving, a skill born of necessity that developed into a highly prized art form. Throughout the world, there are few places like the centuries-old village of Chimayó, known for its miracles of faith and of art. According to legend, some 5,000 churro sheep made the journey to New Mexico with the Coronado expedition in the 16th century, establishing an abundant supply of fiber needed for weaving that was already part of the daily life of those living from the land.

Irvin Trujillo is a master weaver with Centinela Traditional Arts in the historic town of Chimayó. Trujillo is one of the art form’s most prolific artisans. “[Weaving] is a part of life—it’s what I grew up with,” Trujillo says in a recent interview, “how life was in the old days.”

Trujillo explains that due to Spanish Colonial influences, local weavers began to sell and trade blankets not only for survival during those high-desert winters, but for commercial gain.

Trujillo says that before the arrival of the Conquistadors and Spanish rule, weaving was a way of life and, as he says, “a path of discovery. Weaving has survived the changes in government—it’s still here—it has survived history and the

many changes in history.”

The history of weaving in Trujillo’s family goes back seven generations. He learned to weave from his father and treasures the remnants of weaving his descendants left behind. “[The fragments] contain the old feeling,” he explains. “The spirit has stayed here—the weaving is a part of me; I grew up with the pieces from my grandmother and great-grandmother.”

Trujillo, also an engineer, explains that there is an art to interpreting the design of any piece. Unlike some weavers who repeat designs over and over, Trujillo never crosses the same river twice. He says that weaving, “is like playing jazz.

I know all the scales. The overall appearance I don’t know. I have to be in the present. It’s a dynamic thing.” Each work comes from a unique inspiration. Trujillo adds that, “[each piece] has a piece of my spirit in it; where it goes from there, I don’t know. When I weave, I am putting my soul into it.”

Trujillo’s artwork, along with that of other craftspeople from the Centinela Chimayó Weavers, is part of the design and traditional beauty of the Heritage Hotels & Resort, Inc., property of Hotel Chimayó in Santa Fe. From Pueblo Indian culture in Taos to the north, to the Spanish cultural and religious iconography in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, to the more Mexican-influenced Las Cruces to the south, the past reverberates through New Mexico.

Marya Errin Jones is an Albuquerque-based writer, social media strategist, traveler, curator, and creative nonfiction writer. You can find her at maryaerrinjones.com

Several hundred artists sell traditional Spanish Colonial art at Santa Fe’s Spanish Market.

PHOTOS ©STEVE LARESE

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New Mexico is truly a four-season destination with landscapes that will stir your soul.

Get Out and About Sunshine, mountains, rivers, and bike trails mean adventure for all.

by Cristina Olds

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New Mexico’s enchantment is ideally experienced from the back of a bicycle. Travel the miles of breathtaking routes ridden and mapped by thousands of other cyclists.

VISITALBUQUERQUE.ORG JAY BLACKWOOD SANDIA PEAK TRAMWAY

N

ew Mexico is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream destination: You can ski in the morning, golf in the afternoon. Get up before dawn for a hot air balloon ride and rent a bike for a leisurely cruise in the afternoon. You can even go llama trekking. Home of the southern spur of the majestic Rocky Mountain Range, New Mexico boasts several high-elevation peaks for year-round recreation and acres and acres of public lands for hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, and backcountry skiing. And although New Mexico’s terrain is considered the high desert, there are also beautiful rivers and lakes for rafting and paddle boarding.

ALBUQUERQUE: BIKE, HIKE, BALLOON

The Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, the longest tram in the world, suspends 2.7 miles across deep canyons and breathtaking terrain.

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KIP MALONE

In Albuquerque, the state’s largest city, a plethora of outdoor fun awaits. Take a bike ride along the uninterrupted 16-mile paved multi-use Paseo del Bosque Trail with bicycles and local city guides from Routes Rentals (routesrentals.com). While rolling alongside the Rio Grande Valley State Park and the Rio Grande Nature Center, wildlife sightings abound. Slow down for the iconic roadrunner crossing the path; his friend coyote

may be nearby along with porcupines, ducks, egrets, and even bald eagles dwelling amid the cottonwood-lined trails that parallel this stretch of the Rio Grande.

To the east of the city, the world’s longest single-span tram (sandiapeak.com) carries visitors to the top of the Sandia Mountains at 10,400 feet. Be sure to pack a jacket for the cooler temps and don proper shoes for a 1.5-mile round-trip hike to the 1930s CCC Kiwanis Cabin to the south. Especially rewarding in the fall, the 3.2-mile North Crest Trail hike offers a glimpse of the aspen leaves changing from green to gold.

With temperate weather and a unique “box” air-flow pattern, Albuquerque is ideal for hot air ballooning. The big little city is its most beautiful at sunrise and sunset, when two ride options are offered by the people’s choice Best of Albuquerque winner, Rainbow Ryders (rainbowryders.com). This bucket list activity is not to be missed during the International Balloon Fiesta in October, when you’ll share the sky with a panoply of colorful balloons. No matter the season, a hot air balloon adventure is fun all year long. “Flying above Albuquerque, riders will see mountains, mesas, cityscapes, wildlife, and the Rio Grande Valley,” says Scott Appleman, president of Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Ride Company. “Ballooning is like gliding

through the air on a magic carpet, an experience unlike any most people have ever experienced.”

SANTA FE: SKI, HIKE, FISH, BIKE If it’s wintertime during your visit to the City Different, plan to hit the slopes at Ski Santa Fe where the sun is almost always shining on their 79 runs. Or take a hike or a snowshoe stroll along the accessible and moderately challenging Aspen Vista Trail halfway up Hyde Park Road (which ends at the ski area). During the fall, swaths of golden aspen groves contrast with the deep green pines along this spectacular drive. Pull over along the journey for views of the surrounding Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Sandias and Manzanos to the south, and Mount Taylor and the Jemez Mountains to the west.

For the anglers in your group, Rio en Medio is a short drive past Tesuque to the north of Santa Fe. The small river is full of shady fishing holes where wild rainbow trout await your bait. Follow the riverside hiking trail for a mile or so to a refreshing waterfall or continue farther to sample more high-alpine fishing at Nambé Lake.

One can’t visit the ballooning capital of the world and not experience the spectacular views and serenity of a hot air balloon ride.

New Mexico is known for quality fishing waters from fly fishing to bass and trout fishing.

JEFF CAVEN

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TAOS TOURISM DEPARTMENT

Santa Fe’s 17 miles of Rail Trail runs from the Railyard Park in town through the village of Eldorado to the historic community of Lamy, where you can hop on a train that returns to Santa Fe. The mostly flat and mixed pavement and gravel trail follows the former Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway line, and has several access points for rides of varying lengths. In spring, join hundreds of cyclists riding the 31-year-old Santa Fe Century bike race that traces the Turquoise Trail. Ride through the mining towns of Madrid, Cerrillos, and Galisteo while enjoying spectacular views and long, challenging stretches of iconic road riding.

TAOS: SKI, HIKE, TREK, FLOAT Get the lay of the land with a drive to the Taos Ski Valley for New Mexico’s premier skiing in the winter and mountain biking, hiking, and chairlift rides in the summer. A 1.9-mile hike from the Bavarian Lodge at the ski area winds through pine forests to Williams Lake at the foot of Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico at 13,161 feet. The surrounding peaks—Kachina, Simpson, Old Mike, and Wheeler—form a glacial cirque where snow remains late into the spring.

For some contrasting terrain, the Rio Grande Gorge West Rim Trail is fairly flat and boasts views of the deeply carved river’s path. The llamas do the heavy lifting for guests on a Wild Earth Llama Adventure (llamaadventures.com), which offers day hikes with gourmet lunches along the Gorge and multi-day, fully supported treks in the wilderness around Taos.

“People immediately fall in love with the llamas with their sweet, gentle nature and curious, amusing personalities,” says Stuart Wilde, director and head wilderness guide with Wild Earth Llama Adventures. “Taos has an incredible diversity of pristine wilderness environments to explore, from the 800-foot deep Rio Grande Gorge, to the alpine splendor and snow-capped peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. We lead our llama trekking adventures to seldom-visited, off-the-beatenpath destinations for a true wilderness experience.”

Another great way to drink in the spectacular Taos environs is from the seat of a bicycle while riding the Enchanted Circle. A Backroads bike tour (backroads.com/trips/BNMI/new-mexicotaos-santa-fe-biking-tour) circles the Taos Ski Area and passes through Angel Fire, Red River, and Taos. The Enchanted Circle is also a popular 108-mile race held in September, which can just as easily be enjoyed from inside a vehicle any time of year.

As the snow melts high in the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountains, the rivers swell to provide plentiful rafting and stand-up paddle boarding, complete with amazing views.

Heritage Inspirations LOCALLY LED TOURS UNVEIL THE NATURAL WONDERS OF NEW MEXICO OWNER AND GUIDE FOR

unique trips, try her “Eat

THE NEW HERITAGE

Pray Love” three-day tour

INSPIRATIONS tour com-

around the Taos and Santa

pany (heritageinspirations.

Fe areas. Travelers get a

com), Angelisa Espinoza,

rare visit to the ancient

wants to share the New

petroglyphs at Black Mesa

Mexico treasures she loves

and to the Earth Cave

with you. With 10 years'

Sanctuary created by

experience designing

sculptor Ra Paulette. Day

tours and guiding visitors

two includes a trip to Taos

in northern New Mexico,

Pueblo followed by a cook-

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ing lesson in the home of

unforgettable experience

an award-winning local

blending outdoor activities

chef. The journey winds

and cultural highlights.

down with yoga, stand-up

"From start to end, I take

Rio Grande River paddle

care of everything on my

boarding, and a wine tast-

all-inclusive trips,” An-

ing at a local vineyard.

gelisa says. “On Heritage

Angelisa partners with

Inspirations tours, I am

local outfitters to offer a

the expert for my guests

range of activities includ-

in every area: planner,

ing biking, rafting, hiking,

hiking guide, geologist,

and more. The Heritage

flora/fauna interpreter, and

Inspirations tours serve

historian.” She also enjoys

4-12 guests with a focus

sharing personal stories

on each participant’s par-

based on her Hispanic

ticular interests. Smaller

upbringing in the area.

and customized tours are

For a taste of Angelisa’s

available as well.

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Sandia Peak Ski Area doubles as a winter wonderland for skiers and as a summer biker’s challenge for riders of all skill levels.

From serene float trips with Pueblo Indian guides on the Rio Chama to white-knuckle wild rides down the infamous “Rio Grande box,” Los Rios River Runners (losriosriverrunners. com) hosts a range of trips.

For many other quintessential Taos and Santa Fe tours, see the sidebar for Heritage Inspirations by seasoned local guide Angelisa Espinoza.

nic and spend time in the gardens and peruse the visitor center exhibits while you’re there.

For something completely unique to New Mexico, take a 45mile drive to White Sands National Monument, the world’s largest gypsum dune field. Bring some cardboard boxes or a plastic sled and “sand surf” the dunes. Tours, nature walks, full moon programs, and other special events are available as well.

LAS CRUCES: HIKE, HORSEBACK RIDE, BIRD, SLED

Cristina Olds is a writer, designer, teacher, and creative thinker who lives in New Mexico.

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Sled the dunes at White Sands National Monument.

PHOTOS THIS PAGE AND PREVIOUS PAGE, NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

Three mountain ranges offer recreation near Las Cruces: the Organ, Robledo, and Doña Ana. Historical and archaeological sites including thousands of petroglyphs and pictographs were recently protected with the national monument designation granted the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks (organmountains. org). The dramatic and rugged Organ Mountains tower over the Mesilla Valley and Tularosa Basin at 9,000 feet and are home to two life zones and the Rio Grande where antelope, birds of prey, and various lizards dwell. Day hikes to Aguirre Springs and Achenbach Canyon are popular choices, or stroll the four miles of the Dripping Springs Natural Area.

Maybe exploring the routes of the Butterfield and Overland Stages by horseback on one of the many trail rides available in Las Cruces is more your speed. Equestrians can pass beside the ancient rock art created by the Apaches, the Spaniards, and the cowboys as these early settlers followed the trade routes in the Sierra de las Uvas.

Hundreds of species of migratory birds converge at the Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park near historic Mesilla and just minutes from Las Cruces. Ranger-led tours and self-guided nature walks are sure to inspire wildlife sightings. Bring a pic-

Taos native Robert Mirabal’s music comes from the earth.

T

HE CELL PHONE CONNECTION WITH two-time Grammy-winning recording artist Robert Mirabal is a bit choppy. He calls as he and his daughters are working in an apple orchard at Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the longest inhabited communities in the world. Mirabal farms traditional crops indigenous to the area in plots throughout the Pueblo, assisting his neighbors and helping the Pueblo continue its ancestral history of working the land. Working and tuning into the land has affected his remarkable music and career. “It’s all a reflection of my life and connecting people with the earth,” he says.

Mirabal borrowed money from his grandmother to purchase his first flute at age 18. He went on to record dozens of albums influenced by the spirits of the earth and the ceremonial music he grew up hearing at the pueblo. Over his career, in addition to his two Grammy awards for “Johnny Whitehorse: Totemic Flute Chants” and a compilation album, he’s twice been named the Native American Artist of the Year and is a three-time Songwriter of the Year. Easily one of the most accomplished Native American musicians today, he travels the world to share flute songs and storytelling. These journeys have influenced him as well, as he’s blended his indigenous

KATE RUSSELL

Deeply Rooted American sound with those of Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean to become a leader in world music. “When I travel, I want to be with a gypsy; I want to be with the people. I feel like in this day and age we have no excuse to not understand and become educated in other cultures,” he says.

Despite his travel and global influence, he continues to call Taos Pueblo home. Robert is now performing just a few miles away at an intimiate venue at El Monte Sagrado on select weekends. It’s a more direct, more meaningful interaction than the typical concert. Mirabal plays music—perhaps songs from his groundbreaking 2002 PBS Special “Music From a Painted Cave” and accompanying album—tells stories, and speaks with the audience. “My goal is to find the personal relationship between the audience and myself and how we can help each other. We create a friendship,” he says. In turn, audience members connect authentically with Taos’ history, Pueblo culture, and Mirabal’s many creative endeavors.

While perhaps best known as a flute player and craftsman, he’s a true Renaissance man. He authored “A Skeleton of a Bridge,” a collection of poetry, and his memoir “Running Alone in Photographs.” He’s an actor, a composer, a visual artist, and, of course, a farmer.

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by Rena Distasio

Enchanted ChAco

I

T IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHEN ancient humans began to ponder the workings of the heavens, but even the most focused of our hunter–gatherer ancestors likely paused on occasion to look up and utter a contemplative “hmm.” What did they think as they watched the comings and goings of the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets?

ABOVE: Fajada Butte contains cliff dwellings used between the 10th and 12th centuries. LEFT: The placement of the structures at Chaco hint at a keen knowledge of astronomy.

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Reprinted by permission of the author from Trend magazine Fall 2014 issue, trendmagazineglobal.com. Photos from thinkstock.com.

The great kiva at Chetro Ketl symbolizes the portal out of which humankind first emerged from the lower to the upper world.

The ruins at Chaco suggest it was a ceremonial center or a hub of trade, but Chaco’s true use remains a mystery.

By the time we settled into agrarian-based communities, we had ritualized looking up. Societies as diverse as those in ancient Britain, Babylonia, Egypt, and Mesoamerica left behind towering ziggurats and pyramids, massive stone edifices, and imposing temples decorated with murals and hieroglyphics from which they observed the movements of the sun, moon, and planets. From their observations arose not only calendars governing day-to-day activities but also complex cosmologies of the origins of the universe and humankind’s place within it.

We have a similar construct here in New Mexico—a massive complex comprised of more than a dozen stone “great

houses” situated among five square miles inside a remote section of the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico. Built by the Anasazi (likely the ancestors of today’s Hopi, Navajo, and Puebloan peoples) between ~850 and 1150 A.D., Chaco Canyon has fascinated archaeologists since its discovery in the early 1800s.

Theories about Chaco’s establishment abound. Was it a population center and, if so, were some of the meticulously engineered roads that radiate outward vehicles of trade in the quest to feed the estimated 2,000 people living in the stark, infertile canyon? Or was Chaco instead a ceremonial center, occupied only intermittently but built to exacting architectural standards in order to observe the movements of the sun and moon? And did those observations serve a spiritual as well as practical purpose?

The latter theory was sparked by a pivotal discovery in late June 1977 by Anna Sofaer, a young artist who climbed a remote butte at the northwestern edge of the canyon during a trip to record Chaco petroglyphs. Once there, she spotted three sandstone slabs perched against a cliff face into which two spiral symbols are carved. Upon her return around noon the next day, she peered between the slabs to discover that HHANDR.COM

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A Hotel Honors Ancient Cultures FOR OVER 1,000 YEARS,

is New Mexico’s modern

Pueblo peoples occupied a

day Chaco—a crossroads

vast region of what is now

of commerce and culture

the southwestern United

celebrating the extraordi-

States. Chaco Canyon, a

nary site and our state’s

major center of ancestral

rich heritage. Just as the

Pueblo culture between

ancient kivas and buildings

850 and 1250, was a focus

of Chaco were in alignment

of ceremonies, trade, and

with the movements of the

political activity in the

sun, Hotel Chaco celebrates

prehistoric Four Corners re-

the daily movements of

gion. Chaco is remarkable

the planets and the stars

for its monumental and

throughout the year.

ceremonial buildings and Precise stone masonry and the T-shaped door are signatures of this great ancient monument.

the sun shone through such that it cast a slim, vertical “dagger” of HOTEL CHACO light through the center of the OPENING SPRING OF 2017 largest spiral—what her knowledge of ancient astronomy led her to believe was a marking of the summer solstice.

No doubt, the Chacoans were sun- and moon-watchers. They also regarded the cardinal directions as sacred, as revealed by Sofaer’s later discoveries with the Solstice Project, the collaborative research organization she founded that continues to bring us fascinating insights into Chacoan cosmology.

The Chacoans are not the only culture whose genius still mystifies us, and Chaco Canyon is not the only profound spot on earth. As with Stonehenge, Chichen Itza, and the Varanasi sun temples, we sense Chaco’s grander purpose, one not based solely on what the Chacoans built and investigated, but what those investigations meant to their relationship with the Earth, its rhythms, and ultimately with each other. It’s why people continue to go to Chaco, searching for answers to something bigger than themselves.

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its distinctive architecture.

Many historians believe

Guests will enter the lobby of the hotel through a kiva vestibule, a round, recessed

that the great pueblos of

space typically used by

Chaco Canyon are exam-

Puebloans for spiritual

ples of public architecture

purposes. Renowned interior designer Kris Lajeskie (Kris Lajeskie Design) designed Hotel Chaco’s 118 rooms with subdued hues inspired by the natural wool variations used by Navajo weavers. The interiors juxtapose ancestral references with contemporary materials, furnishings, and original artwork. “My challenge was to create interior spaces that capture the essence of mother earth

serving as temporary

and the indigenous native

gathering places for people

culture. From the moment

during times of ceremony

you enter, you will know you

and trade.

are in a very special place,”

Is it possible that Chaco Canyon was the state’s first hotel?

Heritage Hotels & Resorts,

says Lajeskie.

Hotel Chaco, located near Old Town Albuquerque, creates a calming sanctuary

Inc.’s Hotel Chaco will open

of cultural significance for

in the spring of 2017. It

the modern-day traveler.

Heritage Hotels and Resorts, Inc.’s first property built from the ground up in historic Old Town Albuquerque will open in the spring of 2017. hotelchaco.com

The lobby will feature a large sculpture by Joe Cajero of Jemez Pueblo called “Oneness.”

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H ERI TAGE W EDDING S

Stunning locations, meticulous planning, flawless execution

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HERITAGE HOTELS & RESORTS, INC., has made it a shapes offer customizable LED lighting, while asymmetrical, point to be the standout company for New Mexico weddings. deep-set windows allow natural light to illuminate the space.

With each property representing the culture, heritage, and It is the first ceremony space in the state to offer live streaming beauty of the state, it is no wonder that so many couples dream for guests who are unable to attend. Reception spaces include of getting married at a Heritage hotel. Highly experienced staff the grand ballroom for up to 500 guests, the Presidential Suite and dedicated event management ensure that any vision or reand Patio for up to 200 guests, and two smaller, intimate ballquest is met. rooms. Already a Santa Fe establishment, this hotel is known After Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town was acquired, Herfor its well-planned, expertly managed weddings. itage built a Southwestern-style chapel, San Isidro de Capilla.

Located in Taos at the base of the Sangre de Cristo MounWith three-foot-thick adobe walls, antique wooden chandetains, El Monte Sagrado blends rustic and sophisticated design. liers, hand-carved pews, and 19th century furnishings, it feels Located in the center of the property, the Sacred Circle hosts original to the area. guests under a canopy of cottonwood With year-round sunshine, an outtrees. With a picturesque view of the door ceremony and reception space mountains, the Taos Mountain Lawn The perfect event begins seemed a natural addition to this is another exquisite place to exchange property. Among the trumpet vine and with the perfect location and vows or host a reception. The Rio fragrant wisteria, up to 300 guests can Grande Ballroom can accommodate Heritage Hotels & Resorts, be seated under the outdoor pavilion. up to 180 guests and has stunning Additionally, this property offers an Inc., has made sure there are crystal chandeliers, imported doors, array of reception options—an outand hand-carved columns. Adjacent door garden for up to 350 guests, the plenty from which to choose. is a sprawling terrace where guests grand ballroom with capacity for 800 can enjoy lush scenery by day and guests, a smaller ballroom for 180 stars at night. A smaller ballroom can guests, the Fireplace Room for up to 60 guests, and a detached be set for up to 75 guests. The Gallery, overlooking the Sacred 18th century adobe home for non-traditional-style receptions.

Circle, can hold up to 50 guests while the library and wine When acquired in 2014, The Eldorado Hotel & Spa underrooms offer intimate spaces to host gatherings. went a renovation, including the addition of a stunning wedding In Las Cruces, Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces oozes oldchapel, La Capilla de Oro. A simplistic and modern space, it world charm and modern amenities. Ceremony space includes is ideal for ceremonies in Santa Fe. Impressive design elements a fountain terrace overlooking the sparkling pool and a flowinclude white tile flooring, modern white Kartell chairs, and a er-filled garden. Two ballrooms and an outdoor garden setting contrasting, hand-carved, gilded altar. can accommodate guest lists of varying sizes. With its soaring The chapel seats up to 150 guests. Recessed candelabra palm trees, resort-style pool, and manicured grounds, it is truly a desert oasis.

The Heritage portfolio can cater to any size wedding and vision. In addition to the aforementioned properties, there are several boutique properties perfect for smaller ceremonies and receptions. Hotel St. Francis and Hotel Chimayó, both located in Santa Fe, are perfectly situated just off the plaza. Palacio de Marquesa, an eight-bedroom bed and breakfast in Taos, features beautiful décor and curated artwork as an homage to great women artists of northern New Mexico.

Set to open in 2017, Hotel Chaco will offer yet another spectacular wedding location. The grand patio and VIP Suite will overlook Old Town and will allow guests to experience an unforgettable evening as the sun sets.

The perfect event begins with the perfect location, and Heritage Hotels & Resorts Inc., has made sure there are plenty from which to choose.

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Four Days in New Mexico A day in each of the Land of Enchantment’s major cities offers unique adventures.

LAS CRUCES Las Cruces blends university hip with old Mexican charm. Just a half hour from the Mexican border, Las Cruces sizzles with the smoky heat of green chile (much of New Mexico’s famous crop comes from the nearby Mexican heritage.

Las Cruces, New Mexico’s southernmost city, is a mixture of Old West and on-theborder charm.

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AFTERNOON

Start the day with a New Mexican power breakfast: huevos rancheros—eggs, potatoes, and beans over corn tortillas, smothered in chile. Once you’ve stoked the breakfast fires, stroll though Old Mesilla, a historic plaza of low-slung adobes filled with galleries and shops, including Heart of the Desert, where you can taste local pistachios and wine.

Next, head to the Organ Mountain foothills, where a tranquil desert trail at Dripping Springs Natural Area will rope in some of the area’s history as it passes a stagecoach stop and other sights. On your way back to the city, lasso Old West history and today’s ranching culture at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.

With 300 days of sunshine on the calendar each year in Las Cruces, it seems almost required you hit the golf course and soak in some sun by the pool. Tee off at Red Hawk Golf Club, a perennial winner of best-in-state from Golf Digest. Before dinner, relax by Hotel Encanto’s palm-tree lined pool.

EVENING Return to Mesilla for a classic New Mexican dinner (e.g., tamales and a margarita) at Double Eagle, a landmark restaurant in town and a recent addition to Las Cruces’s “Walk of Flame” Green Chile Trail.

The renovated Rio Grande Theatre is your next stop for live music. Grab a nightcap—or keep the day going—at Hotel Encanto’s Azul Ultralounge.

PHOTOS FOR FOUR DAYS: ALBUQUERQUE CVB, LAS CRUCES CVB AND NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

Hatch Valley), Old West ranching history, and

MORNING

TAOS From New Mexico’s grandest canyon to some of the highest

MORNING

peaks in the state, and from rich indigenous culture to

After a plate of regionally sourced eggs Benedict (complete with a spark of chipotle chile) from De La Tierra at El Monte Sagrado, explore the Harwood Museum of Art’s galleries. Its collection delves into the work of the Taos Society of Artists, who in 1915 established this mountain town as a creative haven, and explores the work of modern masters and local residents such as Agnes Martin.

Take a short drive to Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and tour the ancient buildings of one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in North America. If you happen to arrive on a Feast Day, take in the mesmerizing traditional dances.

Return to the Taos Plaza for local favorite blue-corn chicken enchiladas at Doc Martin’s Restaurant.

modern art history, Taos and its environs are endlessly fascinating. These are fertile grounds for any kind of vacation—family friendly, arts weekend, outdoors getaway, spiritual retreat. What’s a perfect Taos day? That depends on whom you ask. This agenda gives a taste of it all.

From the fascinating Taos Pueblo to outdoor adventures in the mountains, a day in Taos suits many tastes.

mountain bike in the vast national forest surrounding the valley. During winter, skiers and boarders take on Taos Ski Valley’s legendary challenging terrain in more than 300 inches a year of fluffy Rocky Mountain powder.

Or head south of town, for dizzying views of the Rio Grande Gorge from the 565-foot-high bridge, which spans the crevasse and rushing river below. As the golden hour for photography approaches, visit the San Francisco de Asis church which Ansel Adams captured on film.

EVENING Head back to El Monte Sagrado for superior De La Tierra cuisine, with drinks at the Anaconda Bar. Or complete your perfect day with an unforgettable evening performance by two-time Grammy-winning artist Robert Mirabal.

AFTERNOON Hop in the car and travel 15 minutes to the world-famous Taos Ski Valley for four-season fun: Fall, spring, and summer adventurers can hike and

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SANTA FE Legendary Santa Fe brims with history, heritage and art. For more than four centuries,

Santa Fe’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, fascinating museums, and legenday shopping require more than a single day for exploration.

Pueblo, Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo cultures have left their architectural, historical, and culinary marks on Santa Fe. A perfect day in Santa Fe includes strolling the capital city, exploring art galleries, and tasting the only-in-New Mexico cuisine found here.

MORNING Start the day in the Santa Fe Plaza, a living center of New Mexican history and culture. It’s also home to eclectic shops, live music at the bandstand on summer evenings, and Fiestas de Santa Fe each September.

The Palace of the Governors, the building in longest continuous public use in the country, borders the north side of the plaza.

Underneath its portal, shop for authentic Native American jewelry or step inside to begin exploring the New Mexico History Museum.

Continue your stroll up Canyon Road—a milelong stretch of Western and modern galleries that helps make Santa Fe the third-largest art market in the United States. Dip inside the galleries to see

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how Santa Fe’s famous light, landscape, and people have influenced visual artists for centuries. Lunch at The Compound or Geronimo, two landmark, fine-dining restaurants along this famous road.

AFTERNOON Hop in the car for a short drive to Museum Hill. Although you can’t possibly see all the attractions here in one day, pick among the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, Museum of International Folk Art, and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, all of which feature world-class collections. On the city’s south side, explore the state-of-

the-art “House of Eternal Return” at the Meow Wolf Art Complex, an immersive installation that sprawls through a former bowling alley. While playing the laser harp here, you’ll see how Santa Fe earned the moniker “The City Different.”

EVENING In summer, you’ll want to pack a tailgate dinner (check with your concierge) for a must-do in Santa Fe: The Santa Fe Opera. The pre-opera parking lot is an ele-

gant outdoor party, and the opera house itself is world-renowned for its architecture and performances. For another vibrant cultural experience, enjoy a world-class flamenco performance at the Maria Benitez Cabaret Theatre located in the Lodge at Santa Fe. Or enjoy a cocktail at Agave Lounge at Eldorado Hotel & Spa before taking your seat in the lovingly restored Lensic Theater for live classical music or a talk by a world-renowned luminary.

Albuquerque is a culturally diverse, historically fascinating metropolis.

ALBUQUERQUE New Mexico’s largest city (pop. 560,000) is not only the state’s metropolis, it’s also one of the most culturally diverse and historic in North America. Puebloans have farmed the fertile Rio Grande Valley for hundreds of years; modern Albuquerque was founded in 1706 as a Spanish settlement on the banks of the Rio Grande and named for the Spanish Duke of Alburquerque.

MORNING

AFTERNOON

After a breakfast burrito at Garduño’s at Hotel Albuquerque, hop on a tour with ABQ Trolley Co. Noted as the “best first thing to do in the Duke City,” the open-air, stucco-covered trolleys depart from Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town and take you to the best of Burque (as locals call it), from top attractions to neighborhoods, including Nob Hill, where Route 66’s vintage vibe meets eclectic galleries and shops. Back at the hotel, stroll to Old Town where the modern city was founded and, today, narrow streets lead to shops and galleries. Join Tours of Old Town to discover the plaza’s hidden history.

Get an aerial city view during the 2.7-mile ride up the Sandia Peak Tramway, North America’s longest aerial tram. From the more than 10,000foot crest of the Sandia Mountains, take in the scenic Rio Grande Valley or hike Cibola National Forest trails from short and easy to strenuous.

Back in town, explore Native American cultures at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, owned by the state’s 19 pueblos.

In 2016, the museum’s permanent history exhibit was completely refreshed, with new interactive exhibits that related Puebloan history and culture.

If time allows, take a tour

of the art gallery at the National Hispanic Cultural Center; it’s just a taste of what this top center has in store.

EVENING Back at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, enjoy classic New Mexican fare at Garduño’s and check out some of the best al fresco patio dining in the city. After dinner, sip sangria or nibble authentic Spanish tapas during a world-class dance performance at the new Flamenco Tablao. By the end of this perfect day, you’ll know why residents and visitors alike so fiercely love the Duke City.

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H ERI TAGE M EETING S

New Mexico becomes a destination for meetings that mean more.

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TRANSFORMING SOME OF NEW MEXICO’S PREEMIThe Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one NENT HOTELS in the four major markets of the state has of the company’s more recent acquisitions, joining the portfolio taken more than a decade. Now fully equipped for meetings in 2014. With a total of 22,000 square feet of meeting and event of all sizes and interests, the properties of Heritage Hotels and space, 219 guest rooms, and with its Pueblo Revival architecture Resorts Inc., have so much more to offer than meets the eye. and décor, this landmark property located just off of the plaza is The impressive portfolio, now consisting of nine properties, a Santa Fe institution. Once under the Heritage brand, several with a tenth under construction, showcases Native American, of its meeting spaces were updated, making them even more Mexican, and Spanish style through the architecture, interior functional and appealing and adding Santa Fe’s largest ballroom, design, landscaping, cuisine, art, and entertainment unique to pre-event hallway, and a modern wedding chapel. This premier, each property. In addition, each hotel donates a portion of its AAA 4-Diamond resort also offers award-winning, worldrevenue to a specific cultural cause. renowned dining and spa accommodations.

What does this mean for meetings? With the emergence Acquired in October of 2015, El Monte Sagrado Living of the “un-convention,” meeting planners are looking for outResort & Spa in Taos, New Mexico, was a natural fit for the of-the-box ways to simultaneously increase attendance and Heritage portfolio. A luxury resort in the heart of the city, it engagement. Any chance to give back to the greater good means is situated just three blocks from the plaza and resides on 10 a regular gathering becomes about acres of beautifully landscaped and more than just a company or attendees. partially natural land. With 7,000 Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Heritage has a large group hotel square feet of meeting space and 84 in each of the four major markets of guest rooms, it is a perfect location Inc., offers unique meeting New Mexico—Albuquerque, Santa Fe, for a meeting off the beaten path. The space and guest experiences, on-site restaurant, bar, and living spa Taos, and Las Cruces. Its flagship property, Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, all boast numerous accolades. The inspired design, one-of-a-kind aesthetic will leave you feeling inoffers over 62,000 square feet of total meeting and event space. With 188 spired and refreshed. Its opulent cuisine and the opportunity guest rooms, this property exemplifies interior design and stunning outAlbuquerque style with a unique blend door spaces offer guests a tranquil for a gathering you of New Mexico’s Pueblo, Spanish Terrisanctuary where they can actually wouldn’t soon forget. torial, and Western cultural influences. unwind—a concept foreign to most It has three bars and a restaurant on meeting or convention attendees. site, two night clubs, a new flamenco Tablao, an outdoor pool, Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, located in Las Cruces, New jetted hot tub, and wedding chapel. Located in the historic Old Mexico, has an inspired design that reflects the area’s Mexican Town district, it is within walking distance of great shopping, and Spanish Colonial traditions. The hotel is located convedining, and museums. Hotel Chaco will be adjacent to Hotel niently near two major interstates overlooking the fertile Mesilla Albuquerque and add another 118 guestrooms and additional Valley, home of New Mexico’s famed green chile. In addition conference board rooms to accommodate up to 100 people, as to its 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space and 202 well as a luxurious VIP patio and suite available for rental. guest rooms, this property offers a resort-style pool and lush Spanish gardens featuring several outdoor event spaces and poolside reception areas, making it the oasis of southern New Mexico. Named the official hotel of Virgin Galactic, this property is pleased to be a part of the evolution of galactic travel.

From the mountain ranges of northern New Mexico, down along the Rio Grande Valley, into the heartland of New Mexico agriculture, Heritage Hotels & Resorts Inc., offers unique meeting space and guest experiences, inspired design, oneof-a-kind cuisine and the opportunity for a gathering you wouldn’t soon forget.

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CULTURALLY DISTINCT NEW MEXICO HOTELS Each of our hotels and resorts in New Mexico celebrates the rich, multicultural heritage of the Southwestern United States, drawing from our unique blend of Native American, Mexican, Spanish, and American Western cultural and historical influences. Through our architecture, interior design, original artwork, landscaping, entertainment, and cuisine, Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc., provides guests with an authentic cultural experience in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, and Las Cruces.

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Hotel Chaco

El Monte Sagrado

Eldorado Hotel & Spa

(Opening in Spring 2017) 2000 Bellamah Ave. NW Albuquerque, NM 505.247.0708 • hotelchaco.com

317 Kit Carson Rd. Taos, NM 575.758.3502 • ElMonteSagrado.com

309 W. San Francisco St. Santa Fe, NM 505.988.4455 • EldoradoHotel.com

El Monte Sagrado: the best lodging in Taos,

Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe is one of the

This contemporary boutique hotel will be a

exceptional service, unique meetings, flawless

premier Santa Fe hotels. Our grand hotel is

contrast of ancient and modern elements. Hotel

weddings, customized special events, and

conveniently located near the historic Santa Fe

Chaco will be the first New Mexico property

superior guest amenities. Located just steps from

Plaza. Guests experience luxury amenities

designed by legendary global design firm Gensler,

the Taos Plaza but surrounded by nature,

including an on-site restaurant and bars, rooftop

who drew inspiration from the Anasazi people

El Monte Sagrado is a cherished destination.

pool, and more than 22,000 square feet of

and the ruins of Chaco Canyon.

Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town

indoor and outdoor event space.

Hotel St. Francis

Hotel Chimayó de Santa Fe

210 Don Gaspar Ave. Santa Fe, NM 505.983.5700 • HotelStFrancis.com

125 Washington Ave. Santa Fe, NM 505.988.4900 • HotelChimayo.com

This boutique, historic hotel embodies the spirit

Hotel Chimayó de Santa Fe is a boutique hotel in

Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town exemplifies

of old Santa Fe and is named for the city’s patron

the heart of downtown. This picturesque property

Albuquerque style with an historic grandeur

saint. The décor features authentic, handcrafted

is conveniently located half a block from the

and comfort. An on-site restaurant and bars,

wood furniture by local artisans and simple,

historic Santa Fe Plaza. Hotel Chimayó is a

an outdoor swimming pool, a romantic wedding

elegant design. Hotel St. Francis is listed on the

part of New Mexico history, as it celebrates the

chapel, and more than 62,000 square feet of indoor

National Register of Historic Places and sits just

magical culture of Chimayó, a distinctive northern

and outdoor meeting and event space.

one block from the Santa Fe Plaza.

New Mexico town not far from Santa Fe.

800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW Albuquerque, NM 505.843.6300 • HotelABQ.com

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Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces

Palacio de Marquesa

705 S. Telshor Blvd.

Las Cruces, NM 575.522.4300 • HotelEncanto.com

405 Cordoba Rd. Taos, NM 575.758.4777 • MarquesaTaos.com

Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces is a unique

Palacio de Marquesa boutique property in Taos is

New Mexico hotel reflective of Spanish

conveniently located near the historic Taos Plaza.

and Mexican Colonial history and tradition.

The design pays tribute to the remarkable

This property is located minutes from

women artists of Taos.

New Mexico State University.

CONNECT WITH US

@HeritageHotelsandResorts @HeritageHtls

Nativo Lodge

Lodge at Santa Fe

6000 Pan American Fwy. NE Albuquerque, NM 505.798.4300 • NativoLodge.com

750 N. St. Francis Dr. Santa Fe, NM 505.992.5800 • LodgeAtSantaFe.com

Nativo Lodge is inspired by vibrant Native

The Lodge at Santa Fe, on a hilltop overlooking

Heritage Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

American culture and traditions, providing guests

downtown, is just five minutes from the Santa Fe

201 Third St. NW, Ste. 1140

with a memorable experience. Our hotel is the

Plaza and a few minutes from Ski Santa Fe and

first property operated by Heritage Hotels &

the Santa Fe Opera. Experience rooms furnished

Resorts, Inc., to include contemporary

with custom Southwest-inspired décor and

Native American Artist Rooms where you can

deluxe details. Some guestrooms are equipped

stay in large-scale installation art.

with fireplaces and balconies.

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Heritage Hotels & Resorts @heritagehtls

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 hhandr.com Email: contactus@hhandr.com

CAVA Santa Fe Lounge

Live Entertainment | Inspired Cuisine | Extensive Wine List Located in Eldorado Hotel & Spa, Santa Fe 505.988.4455 | EldoradoHotel.com/CAVA

AGAVE Lounge

Exciting Cuisine | Craft Cocktails | Weekend Brunch | Happy Hour Located in Eldorado Hotel & Spa, Santa Fe 505.988.4455 | EldoradoHotel.com/AGAVE

An Exclusive Discount at over 100 of New Mexico’s Best Local Restaurants, Galleries, Boutiques & Attractions Only For Heritage Hotels & Resorts Guests HHandR.com/Local-Treasures

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