table of contents 1 from passenger seat to paper | letter from the editor 2 taos | the soul of the southwest 4 art & soul | where family art breathes 5 the people | culture and creativity
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7 santa fe |the city different 10 live santa fe | inn on the alameda 11 sacred ground | peace in ancient ruins 13 color me santa fe | community marketplace 14 local plate | chile molido
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passenger seat to paper letter from the editor I am still on a high from a recent trip I took to my Nana’s hometown in New
Mexico which was originally a spontaneous trip to escape the rat race. Rosina changed her middle name from Eloisa to Yvonne. We still don’t know an answer to this decision but we stepped into her world and learned far more about her life than we expected. Sometimes I wonder why she didn’t talk much about the mountainous deserts, the upbeat personalities of New Mexican natives and the best chile relleno you can find in America. My personal travel guide is a mix of food, art, historical sites and people I discovered along the way. I hope my recommendations help you plan a trip to the southwest while leaving room for spontaneous exploring! Happy trails,
“All good art is an indiscretion.” -Tennessee Williams
|taos
the soul of the southwest
founded 1934
Taos is a northern town of New Mexico that seems small at first encounter. Once you reach the heart of it’s community, you’ll find plenty of art history and a tight-knit community surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Taos means “place of red willows” and is best known for the longest inhabited civilization in the U.S.- Taos Pueblo. When staying in Taos, there are several family owned hotels, bed and breakfasts and inns to choose from! They all have their own unique history and list of legendary celebrities who frequented their services. The Taos Inn, pictured left, is made up of several houses dating back to the 1800’s!
HOTEL LA FONDA DE TAOS My mom and I stayed at Hotel La Fonda for 2 days in Taos. (La Fonda means “the Inn.”) The hotel sits in the Taos Plaza along with local stores, The Gorge Grill restaurant and more art galleries. Expect your room to feel like a home which is uncommon in most inns! On the first and second floor, guests can enjoy Kiva fireplaces and comfortable seating areas. HISTORICAL TIDBIT Hotel La Fonda was known as a gathering place for notable writers, actors and artists like Judy Garland, Georgia O’Keefe, Tennessee Williams, Robert DeNiro, Julia Roberts and Rock Hudson.
LA DOÑA LUZ INN This 200 year old bed and breakfast is known for it’s romantic lookouts and being at the center of Taos’ art community. There’s a cute little coffee shop down the street, a few art galleries and the Kit Carson historical home and museum. HISTORICAL TIDBIT La Doña Luz (“The Lady Light”) was the “it” hostess back in her day, putting together soirees her neighbors raved about.
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|art
& soul where family art breathes
Taos is one of the largest populations of artists in the world! With
over 80 galleries and historic murals throughout the town, you’ll get a taste of both legendary and modern-day art. Most of the paintings and sculptures I saw in Taos seemed heavily influenced by Pueblo Indian history, New Mexico’s famous landscapes and religion. The two biggest art festivals happen in both the spring and the fall!
GALLERIES TO BROWSE RC Gorman Navajo Gallery Taos 210 Ledoux Street
Copper Moon Gallery 105 Kit Carson Road
Robert L. Parsons Gallery 131 Bent Street
Wilder Nightingale Fine Art 119 Kit Carson Road
Taos Fine Art 103 Kit Carson Road
The Harwood Museum of Art 238 Ledoux Street
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|the
people culture and creativity Estevan Castillo is a jewelry designer and store owner of El Rincòn (means “the
corner”). The shop was originally built in 1909 and he kindly showed me a mid-1960’s image of the interior layout. He also told us several stories about the town and the artists he sells!
Left to right: Wood carvings by artist John Garcia and stationary by Gisélla Loeffler
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“Take time to look.” -Georgia O’Keeffe
santa fe
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the city different
founded 1610
The scenic “High Road to Taos” might be ultimate escape in the southwest.
Maybe I haven’t seen enough in the world to the make that call, but if you’ve never seen the desert and mountains together, I highly suggest you plan your getaway! While these sights may be incredible, the photos don’t compare to what I saw in person! Here’s to sharing my top 5 “desert dreams.”
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“Life is a travelling to the edge of knowledge, then a leap taken.� -D.H. Lawrence
|live
santa fe inn on the alameda The Inn On The Alameda is the whole package when it comes to visiting a new place! The staff is by far one of the friendliest and informative that I’ve come in contact with. They know the city well and provide a shuttle service for destinations further than walking distance. Our room included a personal Kiva fireplace, front and back porch seating and a spacious bedroom area! The Alameda offers a complimentary breakfast and happy hour each day for it’s visitors as well as a room service option when their restaurant opens for business!
OTHER HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS TO CHECK OUT INN OF THE FIVE GRACES LA FONDA ON THE PLAZA *POPULAR DINING SPOT SANTA FE SAGE INN AND SUITES LA POSADA DE SANTA FE INN AND SPA AT THE LORETTO OJO CALIENTE MINERAL SPRINGS RESORT & SPA
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|sacred
ground peace in ancient ruins
THE CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF ST. FRANCES DE ASSISI One of the oldest Catholic gatherings in Santa Fe, The Cathedral Basilica houses the Our Lady La Conquistadora shrine brought from Spain in 1625. She is the oldest representation of Virgin Mary in America.
THE LORETTO CHAPEL The Loretto staircase was originally built to provide access to the choir loft. The structure is designed with attention to detail and is held together solely by wooden pegs! The stained glass windows were made by DuBois Studio in Paris and bought by Loretto in 1876.
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San Miguel Mission Chapel is the oldest church structure in the U.S. To think the wood architecture, paintings, tapestries circa 1630s and Indian dwelling floors still exist beautifully, is beyond me. Built in 1610 by Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico, the chapel’s “reredos’ or wooden altar screen (middle picture below) was supposedly designed by Laguna Santero, a popular artist in the 17th and 18th centuries. Richard, the docent we met during our tour was kind enough to give us other sightseeing suggestions and a quick history on the surrounding Santa Fe area!
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|color
me santa fe community marketplace Both the Santa Fe Railyard and Historical Plaza provide some of the best dining, shopping and spots for photography inspiration! Pictured above is the Turquoise Trail Shop with plenty of reasonable jewelry and aztec tapestries to chose from! One of the important tips I can give is to scout your jewelry and souvenir options. With an abundance of turquoise and pottery, some items may not be genuine and overpriced. For the most part though, their shopping selection features incredible makers! BE SURE TO EAT TOMASITA’S THE SHED THE PINK ADOBE MARIA’S NEW MEXICAN KITCHEN MODERN GENERAL VANESSIE SANTA FE
ADD TO YOUR SHOPPING BAG: SANTA FE CULINARIA ARTFULTEA DRESSMAN’S GIFTS CHOCOLATE + CASHMERE TURQUOISE TRAIL TEES AND SKIS
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New Mexicans paint their town red with ristras- a
local plate
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chile molido
common garnish or wreath of dried chiles for decor and consumption. Red chile is largely what makes New Mexican cuisine so popular and I managed to bring a small enough amount for the plane ride home! Just around the corner from Santuario De Chimayo is the El Protrero Trading Post and they are one of the best places to purchase organic dried chile. This family owned business first opened as a grocery store in 1921 and they now offer a variety of folk art and jewelry! El Protrero’s family recipe for chile molido (ground chile powder) has been the missing piece to my home cooking This easy recipe will bring the taste of New Mexico to your home kitchen. *The recipe for chile caribe can be found here. Chile caribe calls for crushed chile and a slightly different preparation method than chile molido.
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INGREDIENTS
●1/2 cups of red chile ●2 garlic cloves ●2 cups of chicken stock (or water) ●2 tbs cooking oil
●1 tsp cumin ●2 tsp oregano (optional) ●2 tbs of flour ●Salt to taste ●Dash of red wine vinegar
DIRECTIONS (SERVES 4)
1. Sauté garlic in oil. I suggest using a mincer to save time. 2. Add flour and brown by pressing flour flat in skillet. 3. Add liquid and chile and remaining ingredients. 4. Stir and simmer. 5. Sauce can be frozen and used later. 6. Add to your favorite dish! Pictured below are toasted corn tortillas with black beans, spanish rice, goat cheese, avocado, and cilantro/red chile as garnish!
San Pascual is considered the “patron saint of kitchen and cooks.” Placing him in your kitchen supposedly gives your culinary skills an extra boost! The artist John Garcia, hand-carved this little guy out of Santos, NM.
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“There was only the stillness and silence of that water: what a mountain and a wasteland and an empty bowl turned into after the healing began.� -Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail