We’re gearing up for tourist season in Santa Fe and it should be a good one based on advance reports. New Mexico is celebrating 100 years of Statehood this year; there are many events planned. It’s a great year to visit the Land of Enchantment and The City Different. If you don’t have plans for Memorial Day Weekend, plan a last minute Santa Fe getaway. We’d love to help you plan it or give you a tour of our beautiful city.
Museums:
The big new this week in Santa Fe comes from the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Barbara Buhler Lynes, the museum’s curator and director of their research center resigned. The announcement was made the same day the museum’s new exhibition, Georgia O’Keeffe and the Faraway opened. She’s been in that position since the local institution opened its doors in July, 1997 and is considered to be one of the world’s foremost experts on O’Keeffe (and her art) in the world. Both sides are silent on the reason for the curator’s departure.
The official launch of the new book, Tasting New Mexico: Recipes Celebrating 100 Years of Distinctive Home Cooking from award-winning cookbook authors Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison takes place at the New Mexico History Museum on Sunday, May 20th from 2 to 4pm. The Santa Fe couple, authors of 12 other cookbooks, will speak about New Mexico’s distinctive culinary traditions that they have written so eloquently about. After the 45 minute talk. they’ll be signing copies of the new book. There will be some local goodies to nibble on donated by The Shed. The event, in the museum’s auditorium, is free. Remember, admission to all State museums is free to New Mexico residents with ID on Sundays.
2:00pm — 4:00pm
.More Comings and Goings aka The Santa Fe Shuffle:
Santa Fe is a tourist town. Tourism is one of the town’s top industries and is a driving force for the local economy. It’s a small town and often hospitality industry people move from hotel to hotel, restaurant to restaurant, etc. It’s an on-going process. Here’s a bit of what’s going on lately.
Kitchen news: Chef Matt Ostrander has left Luminaria at the Inn and Spa at Loretto. The kitchen is currently under the helm of Brett Sparman, Ostrander’s sous chef. Haven’t tried the food, yet, but Ostrander was promoted from that position and did a great job. Word has it that Sparman is, too. Perhaps he’ll be promoted to Executive Chef. Stay tuned.
The entrance to Staab House at La Posada de Santa Fe, photo/Steve Collins
Another sous chef running a kitchen these days is a familiar name to Santa Fe Foodies. Carmen Rodriquez has temporarily assumed the helm in La Posada de Santa Fe’s kitchen after Chef Eric Hall’s departure. The talented interim chef is turning out food for the hotel’s up-scale Fuego and both their casual venues, The Patio and The Staab House. Rodriquez was Executive Chef at Pranzo and Bishops Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa. He’s also taught at the Santa Fe School of Cooking and Santa Fe Community College. We discovered he was in the kitchen when we dined in the hotel’s intimate library on a rainy night last week. We were going to try The Patio, but the best laid plans…Our dinner, off Fuego’s menu, was wonderful.
Lodging news:
Yet another Santa Fe hotel will be under new management. Encantado, north of Santa Fe, was opened by Auberge Resorts in 2008 and that company has run by them until now. Their tenure ends on May 31st, and rumor has it the reins will be taken up by the venerable up-scale chain, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, based in Toronto. This is the latest in management changes in high-end Santa Fe hotels. The Eldorado Hotel and Spa, Bishops Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa and La Posada de Santa Fe have all undergone management changes recently. That darned economy!
Music and Dance:
Julia Chacon, photo/Kate Russell
If you’re a fan of flamenco or want to see what all the hoopla’s about, local dancer, Julia Chacon is coming back to town after touring the country and will be at La Boca Friday, May 25th. Seating for the 10pm show begins at 9:30. Reservations for the show, which has a $10 cover charge, are highly recommended. The La Boca tapas menu will be available throughout the show and in addition, there will be La Baila specials offered. Call 505.982.3433 or by email [email protected] to secure your space.
The New Mexico Bach Chorale and Players present am all-Bach program on Friday, May 25, 2012 at 7 PM at The Immaculate Heart Chapel on 50 Mount Carmel Road. The programs includes two motets, Jesu meine Freude and Singet dem Herrn and the J. S. Bach Suite No. 3 in C major for solo cello. The professional Bach Chorale is led by Artistic Director Franz Vote, and they are joined on the program by cellist Sally Guenther. Tickets are $25 for Adults, $22 for Seniors and $15 for students (tickets for parents who accompany students are $17). Reservations can be made at 505-474-4513 or by emailing Linda Marianiello at [email protected]
New Mexico Bach Chorale rehearsing, photo/courtesy New Mexico Bach Chorale
And more:
The 2012 Gumball Rally 3000, an event that attracts famous names and luxury cars heads cross country starting in NYC’s Times Square on May 24th with stops in Toronto, Indianapolis (where they’ll watch the annual 500) and Kansas City on their way to Santa Fe. They arrive at the historic Santa Fe Plaza at about 8pm on Tuesday, May 29th. Car enthusiasts and, anyone who wants to are welcome to view the array of luxury cars that will be on view. You can also see them on Wednesday morning between 8 and 9pm before they continue on their way west. From here, the rally goes to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and then on to their last stop, LA. The variety of the 100 cars participating is boggling. There will be Lamborghinis, Porsches, Ferraris and Aston Martins. Some special cars including: Bugatti Veyron Super Sports, Pagani Zondas, Lamborghini Aventadors, Aston Martin One-77s and Ferrari 458s will also take part. What a great opportunity to see these fabulous cars and perhaps spot a celebrity.
Gumball Rally 2009, Photo/Steve Lewis
Have a great week. See you next Tuesday. If you have Santa Fe news to share, let us know.
Thanks for this update and cool photos..
Cheers..