Hello From…. is a series of bloggers talking about the impact of the Corona virus on their towns and lives. Here are some perspectives on life in the time of Corona. See how people all over the world are adjusting their lives:
Santa Fe is my city in a way no place else has ever been. I love it here, and it is heart breaking to see this town of 70,000+ people in lock down.
Looking from the Plaza up to Basilica Cathedral St. Francis of Assisi
The New Mexico Countryside-Photo Credit: David Hoptman
Chimayo scenes, a healing Mecca just north of Santa Feat the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountains
Road tripping New Mexico
Everyone is good humored; we all wave or say hi from six feet away, as we pass on trails and city streets. But as a tourist destination, this lockdown is having serious repercussions on our community.
When you think of Santa Fe, you think restaurants galore, amazing museums and shops, and festivals that go non-stop from spring to fall.
For the moment, all is on hold.
Closed!
Closed!
Closed!
I walk almost every day. My usual loop is to head north, then over to Canyon Road. Canyon Road is a magical half mile lined with over 80 art galleries and more than a few restaurants. With Santa Fe being the third largest art market in the U.S. (behind New York and Los Angeles), art is a part of life here.
But the streets are deserted. The galleries are closed. The restaurants, still.
Down on the Plaza, the Indian tribes usually line up with jewelry for sale. It’s now empty, eerily quiet. The shops brimming with turquoise and silver are shut. And most restaurants are offering takeout, and most of us are supporting them as much as possible.
Indians line up to sell jewelry along the plaza in Santa Fe
Santa Fe is a town that has been around as long as the Pueblo Indians that settled here in 1050 or so. It weathered the Spanish rule in the early 1700’s. We’ll weather this too.
The Serendipity of Santa Fe
I hadn’t intended to land in Santa Fe (this story starts like so may others where serendipity and adventure meet). I was tired of the heat and humidity in Central and South America, and pondered my next move. I’d go to Santa Fe for Christmas!
And I never left.
I first started visiting this Spanish city in the 1990’s and always loved it. And a wonderful confluence of events came together when I landed here just over 2 years ago. It is said that Santa Fe either welcomes you or spits you out. I have been profoundly welcomed.
I have great friends. I’m on the Board of New Mexico Women in Film. I’ve taken classes, joined MeetUp groups, supported local museums and arts through memberships, and have two photo clubs. It is simply the right place at the right time for me.
And I’m profoundly grateful for all of it.
Coping With Corona In Santa Fe
As a single person (and a bit of an introvert at heart), I’m happy working alone. But this quarantine is pushing the limits. I’m usually out and about with friends and events a few times a week.
I miss that.
Zoom helps, but I long for a meeting at one of my favorite restaurants, perhaps a bit of tapas with some guitar music in the background. Or that amazing sea bass in miso from Geronimo’s. Or maybe just a simple cup of tea at Iconic on Lena or at the Teahouse on Canyon Road.
Corona has made me pause (see Silver Linings in The Time of Corona). I recognize that things may be very different on the other side of this. I am watching things carefully and as a result, I’m thoughtful about not planning too far out.
“Things they are a changin’ “
-Bob Dylan
The corporate sponsors we’ve been in discussion with in the travel and health sectors are consumed by the events of this virus, so our funding for our retreats is currently on hold.
As a result, for the first time in two and a half years of building CancerRoadTrip, I have a bit of time on my hands.
So I’m starting a podcast. “Bump In The Road” is the title and it’s a series of interviews with people who have managed their own bumps in the road. My wish is that it brings inspiration and perseverance to all of us, through Corona and beyond.
Health is obviously a priority, especially now. I’ve revamped my routine to include more breaks and movement. More self care. And I intend on keeping this new schedule beyond Corona.
I’ve always been a morning person and I continue to get up at 5:30 am. I find five things to be grateful for and I meditate for 20-30 minutes.
Then I browse the news and my email, shower and get to work. Work right now is sorting through a gazillion technical options for the podcast, ordering the equipment, making decisions about editing and distribution, lining up people to interview, continuing to do interviews with publications and podcasters about CancerRoadTrip, networking and adding some new photo galleries to the site.
I have a set of weights that goes up to 40 pounds (plenty for my needs); resistance bands to get more of a workout out of each step and curl; and I’ve added a second meditation session each afternoon.
I’m working on integrating a yoga routine into my schedule. I know its benefits; yoga has saved me many times, but it’s never been a natural for me. Even so, I started some on-line classes and have set aside time each afternoon to “go to class”.
I cook every night. Partly as self care; partly to pass the time. I’ve been using delivery services for food shopping once a week and my freezer is well stocked with wild fish and whatnot. I’ve always loved to cook (and eat) and I’m enjoying the time to be a bit creative and self nurturing.
And finally, as a “bone” to my creativity, I treated myself to a macro lens (a Nikon 105mm f/2.8). If I can’t travel out to a broader world, perhaps I can travel deeper within the world immediately around me as spring starts to blossom.
Because spring always comes after winter.
“Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius.”
-Pietro Aretino
Spring trees starting to bloom
Final Corona Thoughts
At the end of February, I was in Sacramento for a TV interview about CancerRoadTrip. Afterwards I went down to Sonoma for two nights. The day I departed, I didn’t feel well and by the time I got to the airport, I was coughing terribly. And I was sick for 2-3 weeks afterwards. Given my symptoms, I’m wondering if I didn’t have the Corona virus. It had yet to really hit the news and our consciousness.
A friend sent me an article just this morning talking about how many flus may have been misdiagnosed (USAToday). At some point I want to get tested to see if I have the antibodies. But right now, other people need access to testing more than me, so I’m just sitting tight. And staying safe.
More Reading on Santa Fe and Environs
If we can’t travel in person, let’s travel vicariously! Here’s some New Mexico travel to inspire and amuse:
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Zozobra, or Old Man Gloom as the creature is known, was created long before Burning Man was even an idea. Each year, residents of Santa Fe write down their woes on pieces of paper, which are then stuffed into the fifty foot figure made of wood, chicken wire, and papier mache. Everything from pathology reports, to mortgage papers to cremated ashes finds its way to Zozobra.
Then, on the Friday before Labor Day, Zozobra is set spectacularly ablaze. In the fire, all the gloom and doom contributed by residents, perishes for the year.
The event traces its roots back to William Howard Shuster, Jr. who, in 1924, started Zozobra with a private party. His inspiration for Zozobra came from the Holy Week celebrations of the Yaqui Indians of Mexico; an effigy of Judas, filled with firecrackers, was led around the village on a donkey and later burned. Shuster added some personal touches, like a costumed dog parade and the Hysterical-Historical Parade
Zozobra may have started as a bit of a spoof, but it’s now thoughougly ingrained in the Santa Fe calendar. Accompanied by the the Desfile de LosNiños––the Pet Parade––and the Hysterical-Historical Parade, Zozobra opens the celebration of Fiestas which date back to 1712.
This year for Zozobra, I avoided the crowds of 50,000+ people and watched from a nearby hillside house. It’s an annual event that allows your worries to go up in flames, with the hope of a bright and unencumbered future. What more could one ask for? Absolution from worry (if not sin) for the remainder of the year, wrapped in a Santa Fe party!
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
“Labyrinth” according to Merriam-Webster, is defined as a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze.
But the labyrinths in my travels are not mazes, but uni-directional paths that offer a very soulful, and some would say spiritual, experience.
Labyrinths are said to date back to the Greeks in Knossos where designs started to appear in the 5th to third century B.C. Later, in the 12th century they would start to appear in Europe and elsewhere. From Egypt to India, to the Hopi Mesas, to English village greens, the labyrinth became a world wide architectural and artistic phenomena. Perhaps one of the most famous is at Chartres which measures 42 feet in diameter and whose construction dates to 1201.
Labyrinths, often constructed of simple stones, create a path that twists and turns, seemingly doubling back on itself, while always moving forward. The meandering walkway follows a precise path, offering an opportunity to take a journey within and reflect upon whatever arises.
The experience of walking a labyrinth is simultaneously thoughtful and mindless. It is mindless in that you are not required to think, but just to be in the moment and follow the carefully laid out path before you.
It is thoughtful in that it is essentially a silent meditation.
Walking is a chance to pause, to reflect, to not think if you choose.
And in entering this space, time disappears. Here, now, one’s focus is simply on the present.
***
There are many theories about these curious structures. They appear in drawings, mosaics, as imprints in coins and art, in gardens and on land. The Greeks used a labyrinth symbol in their coins on Knossos:
Labyrinth on a Knossos silver coin 400 B.C.
The famous labyrinth in the Chartres Cathedral, 1750
This coin is an example of the seven circuit style, aka the classic labyrinth (versus the Medieval labyrinth). The Medieval pattern was often embedded in church floors such as at the Cathedral at Chartres, and was said to represent the intersection of faith, life and philosophy.
As colonial influences spread, so did the labyrinth. But many labyrinths seem to predate these migration patterns. From Wikipedia:
Equally puzzling are the labyrinths found carved and painted on cave and temple walls in India and on tribal objects from Sumatra and Java – how and when the labyrinth reached these remote areas remains difficult to fully explain. Likewise the occurrence of the symbol amongst rock art in the American Southwest – was this an independent discovery of the design, or a European introduction?
A Trail of Travel Serendipity
Labyrinth at Ghost Ranch, NM
On a recent trip to Ghost Ranch I came upon a labyrinth; and then I met a woman in Santa Fe who was part of the Labyrinth Society. And on this summer day, the Labyrinth Society has a walk at Museum Hill. So I thought I’d attend.
Music accompanies the labyrinth walk outside the Folk Art Museum on Museum Hill
Serendipity seems to unfold before me. I walked up to the table where I was greeted. And I got talking to one of the women at the welcoming desk.
The woman, it turns out, also had cancer some years ago. “It changed my life for the better,” she confided. I knew what she meant. Knowing that one’s time is limited, makes us appreciate the great gift of life.
And labyrinths are part of that gift. They are an opportunity to stop, to reflect and to simply be. It’s a time out in a busy day. This day at Museum Hill, at mid-day, the leaves tussle in the afternoon breeze carrying the soft melody of the guitar, and twenty people or so slowly weave their way through the green and red pavers of the labyrinth in front of the Folk Art Museum.
The Labyrinth Society has an online labyrinth you can “walk” with your mouse. But if at all possible, I suggest you go exploring for a real labyrinth experience. As I got to. My chance conversation led to a morning with Santa Fe Labyrinth Resource Group founder, Marge McCarthy.
Exploring the Labyrinths of Santa Fe
The official list of labyrinths in Santa Fe includes about a dozen different sites. In addition to the public sites, labyrinths can also be found in communities and private yards.
Perhaps the most prominent labyrinth is the one at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, downtown.
The labyrinth at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi lies under the left(eastern) bell tower.
Evening light spreads across the stone labyrinth at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
A bench offers a place to pause at the church’s labyrinth.
This particular labyrinth is set off to the side so the casual visitor might overlook it. It’s a classic Chartres style labyrinth, that is found throughout Europe, Scandinavia, India and North Africa.
Labyrinth historians categorize these circuitous paths based on their shape, the number of circuits and the time period. They can be left handed or right handed; have 7, 9, 11 or more (or fewer) circuits. But all labyrinths have one thing common: the are unicursal, ie. a single path that takes an pre-planned and intricate path into the center and back again.
Labyrinth Construction
Labyrinth construction varies widely. Some labyrinths are more formal, made of carefully laid stone as part of a plaza. Some are casual, rocks in concentric circles in a field or even ridges of earth. Some are cut into turf. They can be permanent or temporary, as in the case of a labyrinth on canvas.
All labyrinths follow basic rules of construction, where the labyrinth is carefully measured and laid out, prior to building.
And, according to Marge McCarthy, a dowser should be employed to determine the location and entrance of the labyrinth.
Dowsing involves not water, but energy. The person or shaman doing the dousing is seeking to align the energetic center of the labyrinth with the energy of the earth. Marge tells an interesting story of having several dowsers out to a particular labyrinth. And each found the exact same location.
Once the center is established, the lines are carefully measured and laid out. Depending on the size of the construction team and location, hours (or even days!) are then spent bringing the labyrinth to life, as the concentric rings are carefully constructed. Exacting measurements at the beginning of the process insure a properly aligned end product.
If you’ve never walked a labyrinth, it’s something to put on your list of things to try. It’s experiential. The emotion of finding oneself “lost” while on the path; the turning points; the arrival at the center and the act of departing can have deep impact. I know that these curious pathways are now on my travel list. Here are a a few of my favorites from the Santa Fe area to date:
Aldea Labyrinth
Aldea is a residential community north of Santa Fe, and the labyrinth here was spearheaded as a community effort some years ago. Marge hadn’t been out recently, so we weren’t sure what we would find. But we found a well cared for labyrinth in a field with views of the distant mountains:
Aldea labyrinth was a community effort.
Aldea Labyrinth
There is something a bit magical about finding a labyrinth where one might not expect it. Who built it? Why here? Every labyrinth has a story.
Frenchy’s Field
The Frenchy’s Field Labyrinth is made of clay and straw. It requires frequent maintenance.
The Santa Fe Interfaith Council sponsored this labyrinth in 1998. This seven circuit labyrinth (there are seven concentric circles, thus a seven circuit labyrinth) is high maintenance. The combination of adobe type materials, hot sun and torrential downpours weathers the ridges that make up the pathways.
It’s located in Frenchy’s Field, on Agua Fria which runs along the river. The park has been owned by a host of owners, starting with the Pueblo people and more recently, many recall Frenchy’s Sunshine Dairy, which lent their name to the park. It’s a gathering place for everything from walks along the river, to laughter yoga, to Tai Chi.
Prayer flags wave from a primitive shelter at the start of the labyrinth.
Public and Hidden Labyrinths
Some of the better know labyrinths around town include the Christ Lutheran Church at 1701 Arroyo Chamiso Road, a modified seven circuit Chartres style; the labyrinth at the Museum of International Folk Art; the Railyard; the Santa Fe Community Yoga Center; Southwestern College and Community Church.
At a busy intersection, surrounded by trees is the labyrinth at Christ Lutheran Church, Santa Fe, NM
But tucked away, just to the north of Santa Fe is my favorite labyrinth. It’s small and nestles near an arroyo. The location I cannot disclose. But the pictures I can share:
The path to the hidden labyrinth
“Those that don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
–Roald Dahl
A small 5 circuit Labyrinth tucked away near Santa Fe
There is something magical about coming across a labyrinth in the middle of nowhere. Mind, body and spirit join the earth in a walk as old as the ages.
May you discover the wonder of labyrinth walking in your travels.
Labyrinth Walks in Santa Fe
Upcoming Labyrinth Walk in Santa Fe
Path of Forgiveness Sunday, August 26, 5:00pm Harp music by Kathleen Cosgrove
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, 131 Cathedral Place
A short Ted talk on the impact of labyrinths on one young woman:
More Reading on Labyrinths
Lauren Artress reintroduces the ancient labyrinth, a walking meditation that trancends the limits of still meditation, and shows us the possibilities it brings for renewal and change.
‘Walking the Labyrinth’ has reemerged today as a metaphor for the spiritual journey and a powerful tool for transformation. This walking meditation is an archetype, a mystical ritual found in all religious traditions. It quiets the mind and opens the soul. Walking a Sacred Path explores the historical origins of this divine imprint and shares the discoveries of modern day seekers. It shows us the potential of the Labyrinth to inspire change and renewal, and serves as a guide to help us develop the higher level of human awareness we need to survive in the twenty-first century.
The first time Helen Curry walked a labyrinth she was moved to tears and then “was filled with peace and possibilities.” Here, she shares her years of experience with labyrinth meditation and shows how others can find serenity and guidance by adopting this increasingly popular practice. Unlike mazes, which force choices and can create fear and confusion, labyrinths are designed to “embrace” and guide individuals through a calming, meditative walk on a single circular path. The Way of the Labyrinth includes meditations, prayers, questions for enhancing labyrinth walks, guidelines for ceremonies, instructions for finger meditations, and extensive resources. This enchanting, practical, and exquisitely packaged guide helps both novice and experienced readers enjoy the benefits of labyrinth meditation, from problem-solving to stress reduction to personal transformation. Includes a foreword by Jean Houston, the renowned author and leader in the field of humanistic psychology, who is considered the grandmother of the current labyrinth revival.
Laybrinths and mazes are found all over the world and have been a source of wonder throughout history. This work explores the many aspects of labyrinths from their architectural, astrological and mythological significance to their iconographical , mathematical and artistic fascination. It is an introduction to such different labyrinth forms as rock engravings on Trojan castles, medieval manuscripts, church labyrinths and Baroque garden mazes. He traces the origins, developments and changing meanings of this mystic form from the Bronze Age to the present day. The labyrinth’s dominant position in Western civilization is supplemented by explorations in other cultures around the globe, including those of Egypt, India and North America. By taking a close look through the centuries at different cultures and across the continents, the cultural and historical significance of the maze takes on a new light.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence.
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Everyone can’t necessarily make Restaurant Week, but one can take a tour with Food Tour New Mexico anytime.
I signed up with Food Tour New Mexico for a day on the culinary trail to get a different perspective of Santa Fe cuisine. The tour included three restaurants (all of which were new to me) , a stop at an olive oil store, and the perfect end to a perfect day– a sampling of Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerican, Mayan and Aztec drinking chocolate elixirs.
I seldom take tours; I prefer to wander, but the prospect of food and stories lured me in. And Carlos Zozaya, our culinary guide for the day with Food Tour New Mexico, was the perfect person to combine both.
Native Americans sell jewelry at the Palace of the Governors
Food Tour New Mexico
The day for the restaurant tour arrived and a northerly wind swept the Plaza. Indians with their hand crafted jewelry lined up beneath the portico at the Palace of the Governors. Every day spots are allocated by a lottery system. Some artists travel hours to claim a place, but today many were empty. It’s not tourist season; it is winter and it is cold.
A curly haired, friendly fellow smiled and approached me. It was Carlos. Carlos is a big man, his size outweighed only by his friendliness. He puts everyone immediately at ease as he starts telling the tales of New Mexico’s food scene. He’s apprenticed in various restaurants; left New Mexico; returned to New Mexico; and is now firmly entrenched in the New Mexico culinary world.
Carlos discussing the merits of New Mexican Chile at the San Francisco Bar and Grill
As the group assembled, Carlos asked if we could handle margaritas before noon. Had he hinted that this would be the most perfect margarita, with the most perfect balance of slightly sweet, lime and tequila, no one could have said no.
And no one did.
The San Francisco Bar and Grill overlooks the Plaza
San Francisco Bar and Grill
Food Tour New Mexico started with a bit of traditional New Mexican food at San Francisco Bar and Grill on the corner of Don Gaspar Avenue and East San Francisco Street.
Carlos’ enthusiasm is boundless and his culinary knowledge deep.
Cooking has always been his passion. As a child, he helped his grandmother in the kitchen. But as a young man, the world of New Mexico seemed too small and he left.
Carlos’ good nature and expertise made each stop an experience.
Now he laughs at his attempts to leave. “New Mexico is the Land of Entrapment!” he proclaims, echoing a local theme that mocks the state motto “Land of Enchantment”.
Because once New Mexico is in your blood, it is always so. When you try to leave, the indescribable pull of this remarkable place quietly, subtly, persistently pulls you back.
Carlos came back because leaving New Mexico made him realize just how special the local history, culture and food really are.
A mingling of Spanish, Mexican and Indian cultures has produced a place like no other. The Mexican traditions brought traditional foods and salsas (not red or green chile). The Indians brought native foods. A typical food might be Indian tacos fried like naan bread, topped with beans, according to Carlos.
The Spanish brought spices–paprika, cumin, cilantro–and smaller portions in tapas, and perhaps most importantly, in the 1600’s, the papilla pepper arrived. The climate in the Rio Grande Valleys was perfect: Hot days, warm nights mixed with the mineral content of the water and land gave the New Mexican chile a unique flavor profile that can’t be transported.
Chile preferences are a topic of passionate discussion in New Mexico.
How hot. How to prepare, store them and cook them. Ultimately the discussion comes to a pivotal question:
Red or Green?
Photo by Calum Lewis on Unsplash
This is a serious topic of debate.
Some say green chile is for chicken and pork. Some prefer red. Or red chile with meat, but certainly not green.
The difficulty of deciding has led to a compromise solution that everyone seems to accept:
Both Red and Green
AKA, Christmas style. That way everyday is a holiday in your mouth.
Why all the brouhaha? What’s the difference? Is it just heat? Flavor? Preference? Or perhaps a combination of all the above?
Let me see if I can summarize the dissertation of red versus green chile.
There are several cultivars of chile including New Mexico 6-4′, ‘Big Jim’, ‘Sandia’, and ‘No. 6’ and ‘No. 9’ . All chile start off green. When they’re allowed to ripen further they become red.
Same pepper, but two different products.
The Green Chile
The green chile is often eaten as a pepper. They may be layered with eggs, on burgers and made into sauces. Some say that the green chile tends to be a bit hotter, although I am inclined to believe it really depends on the preparation. I can’t eat anything too hot, but I adore green chile.
The skin of either the red or green chile isn’t digestible, so the pepper has to be roasted then peeled.
In Carlos’ house, his mother would purchase fifty pound bags of fresh green chile. They were roasted and sweated in large plastic bags. The sweating helps the skins slide off easily.
There are several methods to preparing chile. They can be roasted, peeled and frozen. They can be frozen with the skin in place. (The skins then pull off easily when defrosted.) One cook claims this leads to superior flavor.
Green chile can also be freeze dried, made into a powder, packaged and shipped. Green chile is often associated with chicken or pork, although there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to chile preferences.
The Red Chile
Red chile is a slightly different animal. Here is where the techniques start to differ. It is usually dried for storage. It then needs to be reconstituted.
The Santa Fe chile hangs outside at the Farmers Market
Carlos explained that his mother would buy an edible (not lacquered) chile rista. The individual chile would be boiled in water, the water and stems discarded. Then she would fill the blender with garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano; blend it; strain it to catch seeds and skin; and pour the mixture into a pot and let it simmer. It would then be reduced or thickened with a cornstarch roux and served as a gravy. Some people sauté onions or garlic separately. There would appear to be as many variations as there are cooks.
The flavor of the New Mexican red chile can also be found in powder form, but to bring out the flavor, it needs to be bloomed, much like curry powder, by sautéing it first in oil.
Hatch chile have gained renown largely through a marketing program sponsored by the State of New Mexico. Why Hatch, New Mexico when chile are grown all along the Rio Grande? Hatch simply had a lot of land available!
The fame of the Hatch chile is what most people are most familiar with. The success of the New Mexican pepper has led to wannabe competitors. One town, Hatch, Colorado has tried to cash in on the growing popularity of Hatch chile by (legally) marketing peppers grown in Colorado as “Hatch Chile”. But only chile grown in New Mexico, and particularly the Rio Grande Valley, have the authentic flavor profile so prized.
The food at San Francisco Bar and Grill was simple New Mexican food: Chicken Enchiladas served with yellow rice and beans. And red chile sauce. And, of course, a most perfect margarita, made with good tequila, a nice squeeze of lime and lemon, and house made lemonade as a sweetener rather than triple sec.
Traditional New Mexican food
As we ate, Carlos continued with his tale.
Leaving New Mexico, he explained, was kind of a blessing in disguise because it took leaving to appreciate that the rich history, the culture and the food simply doesn’t exist elsewhere. And sure enough, the Enchanted Land of Entrapment worked its magic, and thankfully for us, Carlos returned to his roots.
***
Santacafe
Santacafe has indoor and outdoor courtyard dining during the warmer months
The Santa Fe restaurant scene is diverse, with everything from pan-Asian to traditional New Mexican.
Santacafe started with famed chef Ming Tsai overseeing the kitchen and is a Santa Fe favorite for good reason. It’s low key elegance with little decor, the historic building and the farm fresh, creative food will bring you back again and again. Located at 231 Washington Avenue, just a few blocks from the Plaza, the house was built between 1857 and 1862 by Jose Manuel Gallegos, a controversial defrocked priest cum politician. The property has been used as a church, a brothel, government offices, and now a beloved local restaurant.
A sampling at Santacafe with Food Tour New Mexico
The restored property has a patio for summer dining as well as two deep wells, one in the outdoor courtyard and one in the bar. And naturally, there is a story behind this.
The original outdoor well was publicly accessible and given Jose Gallegos’ sometimes controversial activities, there was concern over the safety of the drinking water. So an interior well was also built. It was rediscovered after a fire in the property, and is now (with a plexiglass top to prevent any patrons from taking a spill down the forty foot drop) part of the bar area, as well as the lore of the historic property .
Inside the decor is intentionally minimalistic, so that the food takes center stage. Crisp white table cloths and glistening glasses await the diner. We started with a New Zealand Savignon Blanc which paired perfectly with a butternut squash soup, followed by Shiitake Mushroom & Cactus Spring Rolls w/ Southwestern Ponzu (a dipping sauce of soy, cilantro and red pepper flakes) and some Greek Salad, The ingredients are locally and carefully sourced and the attention to detail shows in every dish.
Bobby Morean, the owner since 1982, busily moves through the restaurant, making sure everything was perfect, from the homemade green chile bread and crackers, to the wine selection. His sense of fun and passion are intoxicating, as is the food. When in Santa Fe, this is a place to put on your dining list, either through the restaurant tour or on your own.
Owner Bobby Morean busily moving about at Santacafe
***
Eloisa
I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying this Santa Fe restaurant tour with Food Tour New Mexico. The food is fabulous, the stories told by Carlos are too much fun, and the breadth and scope of places offers a wonderful sampling of the culinary range in “The City Different”.
Next up is Eloisa, located on the ground floor of the Drury Plaza Hotel. The hotel has been recently renovated. In previous incarnations, it has been a hospital, a nursing home, government offices, and the basement was used to store Indian artifacts for a while.
The entrance to Eloisa
It is also rumored to be haunted. Apparitions, voices and noises are said to inhabit the property.
But we experienced no such events. At least not on this day.
One enters through a foyer lined with from floor to ceiling with pictures of indigenous foods. The “Hall of History” is a fascinating photo homage to the indigenous food of several hundred years ago.
The “Hall of History” chronicles many of the indigenous foods of the New Mexican people
Some of the foods were familiar: fish, chicken, tamales. Others were more exotic: cactus, chile, prickly pears. And one was truly unique: Ants filled with honey nectar. The bloated ant pouches were allowed to harden and given to children as a sweet treat.
Ants filled with honey nectar
At this point after two previous stops, I have to admit that I’m slowing down a bit. But the food at Eloisa is not to be missed.
Blue corn muffins made without sugar have a natural sweetness from the flour. And accompanying them on our tasting menu is a Chile Relleno, stuffed with guyere cheese, mushroom, chorizo garbanzo and puree frise salad tossed in a vinagraitte. And the creative piece de resistance: Pastrami Tacos, made with spicy smoked beef, sauerkraut, pickled chiles, and ballpark mustard. Both served with a Spanish White wine.
Sugarless but sweet, blue corn muffins with chile butter
Pastrami taco and a cheese and mushroom stuffed enchilada
As if this weren’t enough, we were treated to a taste of the mole the kitchen was preparing to serve with a deconstructed salmon pot pie for dinner. And perhaps the mole would find its way into a chocolate ice cream desert as well.
The sauce was wonderful. And there were two bowls for the table, which meant leftovers. Dianne, another woman on the tour, looked at me. I looked back. We both smiled, and divided up the left over mole to take home.
***
Santa Fe Olive Oil and Balsamic Company
Balsamic vinegars as far as the eye can see at Santa Fe Olive Oil and Balsamic Company
Next stop on Food Tour New Mexico: Santa Fe Olive Oil and Balsamic Company where oil and balsamic vinegar come to dance. The selection is second to none and the range of vinegars will satisfy anyone’s palate, including locally inspired flavors such as prickly pear balsamic vinegar. It’s the prefect respite before desert.
Kakawa Chocolate House is just a bit off the beaten tourist path
Now I am not a big chocolate person. Some would consider this a character defect. But Kakawa has moved me closer to becoming a chocolate aficionado.
This is not your typical chocolatier. From their website:
“Our passion is authentic and historic drinking chocolates elixirs. Historic drinking chocolate elixirs include traditional Pre-Columbian, Mesoamerican, Mayan and Aztec drinking chocolate elixirs; 1600’s European drinking chocolate elixirs, Colonial American and Colonial Mexican drinking chocolate elixirs. Kakawa Chocolate House drinking chocolate elixirs are representative of these historic recipes and span the time period 1000 BC to the mid-1900s AD.”
Choose your chocolate!
The ultimate chocolate drink. Seriously.
Chocolate elixirs are listed on the board as you enter. We sampled several to choose a favorite. But equally amazing are the chocolate truffles. Dark chocolate and goat cheese rocked my boat. And there are dozens of combinations to choose from.
A goat cheese truffle at Kakawa Chocolate House. #Foodgasm
Kakawa is located on the Paseo de Peralta (the road that rings old Santa Fe) in a small house, just a bit off the tourist track. Make it a point to seek this place out. You’ll be glad you did.
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Remember what I said about touristy things in Seattle? If sampling some great food in Santa Fe is of interest, Food Tour New Mexico is a must do.
Dinner restaurant tours in Santa Fe and Alburquerque are also available. More information on Food Tour New Mexico is available at www.FoodTourNewMexico.com.
Song and sound travel with me, in my memory and in the wind chimes outside the kitchen window.
Wind chimes sway at the entry to the casita
I have settled in Santa Fe for a bit. I’ve found a wonderful casita, this one large enough to live in for a while. It is in the country, just eight minutes from the plaza, but in a different direction than the AirBnB where I first landed, and more affordable.
There is a master bedroom, bath and walk in closet; a kitchen/family room with a fireplace; and an office/bedroom with a second bath. I’ve moved some of my things from storage into this casita. It’s interesting to be reunited with some of my possessions since I am not in a possessive state of mind.
Which brings me to my wind chimes. To some degree, whatever came out of the storage pod is what I have. I have some things that I truly enjoy; others are still somewhere in a box. It doesn’t matter. I have enough.
One box I happened to open contained several sets of wind chimes. Not my favorite Maine chime whose sonorous voice is that of Mt. Desert Island harbor buoy. That chime gongs mightily in a deep wind, and although its sound pleases me, it may not please others. But my three other wind chimes appeared and I have them strategically placed.
One which lived in my former garden is now outside the kitchen window. I love its soft lilting chime and because it’s small, it readily sings.
The larger chimes that used to live on my front porch are again on my front porch, welcoming everyone who enters.
And the chimes that once hung on the trellis outside my bedroom, are again outside my bedroom window. They hold memories of lying in bed during chemo, listening to the birds, wanting to be well. Every morning and night they accompanied me and they do so again.
Timeless music to my ears; past and present; the wind moves with me. Or perhaps I move with the wind. Either way, we find ourselves together in a new place.
Santa Fe is a fascinating town. It’s healing cultures run deep; its depth of thought is far ranging; and the artistic presence is second to none. It’s beautiful, soulful and welcoming. It’s a perfect place to launch CancerRoadTrip.
And it’s restaurant per capita ratio is outstanding, a fact not lost on me. There are seemingly endless places to explore, in town and in the general area. More culinary travels to follow.
Santa Fe is a #foodie delight
(Please note that my foodie tendencies are not my doing. I really had no choice in the matter. I inherited my father’s mother’s sense of cooking and puttering the kitchen; and the travels of my younger years firmly cemented my interest in food. I once tried to count how many times I’d been to Paris and it seems to me that once the count got over 30, I gave up counting. Needless to say, I love French food.)
But back to Santa Fe, where I’d like to share some of my healing adventures. One is a recent visit to Ojo Caliente.
It was a cool day; the temperature would reach the fifties, and a wind was forecast for the next day. Indeed, I watched as lenticular clouds lined up on the mountain ranges, presaging a change in weather. A front that would bring some much needed moisture was on its way.
The view from the top of the mountain near the P’osi Pueblo site
But today, it is fairly still. I arrive at Ojo Caliente with a new Santa Fe friend, and we set off to hike before submerging ourselves in the mineral waters.
The walk to the trailhead passes a wooden fence, a coyote fence, typical of this part of New Mexico. But on this fence balance sets of stones. And stacks of stones appear here and there throughout the hike to the top of the mesa. I have no idea what they symbolize, but they seem to provide a sense of companionship and community as they share our trek.
Stones balance on a coyote fence en route to the trailhead
Ojo Caliente has a rich Native American history of being a gathering place. For centuries people have come to the mineral waters to heal mind, body and spirit. It’s located at the base of a spectacular rock formation. Pools with varying blends of waters, minerals and purposes tuck into the base of the cliff.
There is something ancient and earthy about Ojo Caliente. And it is the stuff of legends, as well as the location of past civilizations.
Before entering the spa, it is time for a hike, to the P’osi Pueblo and back, and then up the river and back. Both are beautiful, but if you have to choose one, and can navigate the steep, rocky terrain, you want to visit the Pueblo site.
The map from the Ojo Caliente website with hiking directions for the cliffs behind the spa
The initial climb is a bit steep and requires sure footing, but it’s not that far, and after that, the path levels off. I have my Urban Poles, a gift from the company, that help me navigate the landscape.
Deep gorges carved by water wind along the path and the flat expanse of the arroyos beckons for exploration.
Deep gorges parallel the hike above Ojo Caliente
The mountain top plateaus and here is where the P’osi Pueblo once stood. The Pueblo was built using many of the same methods as the Taos Pueblo. You can click here to get a visual image of that community.
This was one of eight Pueblos along the Rio Grande during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and it was estimated to have had 10,000 inhabitants. The Pueblo was believed to be three stories, with 2-3,000 rooms. The Tewa, descendants of prehistoric people, lived here for two hundred years before an epidemic forced them to move. They disappeared just before the Spanish arrived searching for gold.
The stories of the Tewa people say that this is the Pueblo where the Summer and Winter people came together, and farmed the lush, fertile valley of the river, growing cotton, corn, beans and squash. “Tewa” includes the people of the Taos, Santa Clara, Okhkay Owingeh (San Juan), Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Nambe, Pojoaque and Tesuque Pueblos who all share a common language. Summer and Winter people refer to the two groups of Tewa that traveled the Rio Grande and the Rio Chama. When they reunited, they built Posiouinge.
Literally translated Poseouinge (P’osi for short) becomes “village at the place of the green bubbling hot springs” or it is also referred to as the “Greenest Pueblo”. It is a sacred place. The Pueblo was originally sited on the mesa overlooking the river, but today, nothing of the building remains, but scattered over the mesa are chards of pottery dating back hundreds of years. This sacred land is a modern day archeological treasure.
Chards of pottery litter the old Pueblo grounds.
For me, the site had a very personal feel. The various chards of pottery conjured up images of women creating and decorating the vessels for everyday use. Who were they? What actually happened to them? Where are their descendants?
After a self-guided tour of the mesa, compliments of a Bureau of Land Management pamphlet, it was time to visit the river. A path along the water yielded some beautiful views, even in winter:
The bridge into the spa, over the river
Reflections in the river.
The road along the river, even in winter, is stunning.
But it is time to spa.
Warm mineral water from deep in the earth pours into the Arsenic Pool.
There are four pools, each with a specialized mineral content to address specific ailments:
The Arsenic Spring helps with arthritis, stomach ulcers and to heal a variety of skin conditions. It is tucked into the base of towering cliffs, whose coloring changes with the angle of the sun.
The Lithia Spring is believed to relieve depression and aid digestion.
The towering cliffs adjacent to the mineral pools
The Soda Spring addresses digestion. It is housed in a small house that offers silent soaking and contemplation.
The Iron Spring is, of course, rich in iron, to bolster the blood and immune systems. The warm water bubbles up through a natural pebble floor that gives beneath your feet. A Native American legend has the large rock in the pool is guarding the spring, to be sure it remains accessible to everyone.
The Mud Pool Slather yourself with mud, bake until dry, soak and rinse! The mud is said to pull toxins from the body.
Over 100,000 gallons of water bubble up through the Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs daily, ranging in temperature from 80 up to 109 degrees. Pool hop, slather yourself in mud, or book any of the spa services. Choose from a Native Blue Corn and Prickly Pear Salt Scrub, a Milagro Relaxation Wrap, or a more typical range of spa pleasures.
Whatever one decides, it is a good choice.
Ojo Caliente is a unique blend of spa indulgence and earthiness. It retains the sense of connection to the earth, wind and time. It isn’t overly glitzy and it certainly isn’t manufactured. Yet it offers a full range of spa services, in addition to the mineral pools, and a restaurant and wine bar. There is also lodging available.
The Restaurant at Ojo Caliente
And believe it or not, I did not try the restaurant (this visit). My friend’s husband’s home smoked some extraordinary salmon, and we indulged in smoked salmon wraps pool-side.
Ojo Caliente has passes for locals that bring the cost of a visit down to under $20. If you bring your own towel and robe (and you are welcome to do so), it’s not a budget breaker. But it certainly is an indulgence.
One you should seriously consider should your healing travels bring you this way.
Inspiration, joy & discovery through travel. Oh, did I mention with supposedly incurable cancer?
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CancerRoadTrip is about making lemonade out of lemons.
As you read my story, you may want to start at the beginning to "grok" how CancerRoadTrip came to be. You can click here to start at the end (which is actually the beginning) and read forward! The posts are chronological, with the most recent posts appearing on the front page.
The first time Helen Curry walked a labyrinth she was moved to tears and then “was filled with peace and possibilities.” Here, she shares her years of experience with labyrinth meditation and shows how others can find serenity and guidance by adopting this increasingly popular practice. Unlike mazes, which force choices and can create fear and confusion, labyrinths are designed to “embrace” and guide individuals through a calming, meditative walk on a single circular path. The Way of the Labyrinth includes meditations, prayers, questions for enhancing labyrinth walks, guidelines for ceremonies, instructions for finger meditations, and extensive resources. This enchanting, practical, and exquisitely packaged guide helps both novice and experienced readers enjoy the benefits of labyrinth meditation, from problem-solving to stress reduction to personal transformation. Includes a foreword by Jean Houston, the renowned author and leader in the field of humanistic psychology, who is considered the grandmother of the current labyrinth revival.
