Jenny's View

Friends,

At La Fonda on the Plaza, we pride ourselves on being the go-to Santa Fe hotel for romantic weekends, engagements, weddings and anniversaries. And it seems the hotel is even responsible for more than a handful of passionate couplings among the staff over the years.

Because there are several couples who met here and still continue to work together. Some met here, like Peter Vigil in banquets. He found Maria, the love of his life, at La Fonda when she was a housekeeper. Peter remembers telling his brother-in-law Irenio, who also works here, that he was going to marry Irenio's sister. “I definitely had my eye on her. It was exciting because I could see her every day. Then I heard that she liked me, too. Word gets around at the hotel.” He and Maria worked together two years before they got hitched and Maria left when they started having children. They now have two children and have been married 15 years!

A Group Of People Posing For A Photo

Peter and Maria Vigil (upper right) with their extended family

Another La Fonda couple, John and Mary Nuanez, have been married for 35 years. They were both in housekeeping (she is now the executive housekeeper and manages the department) when they first met, but didn’t start courting until after John moved to our maintenance department. He’s also now the chief engineer of his department. Both are going on 4 decades with the hotel, and we’d like to think the romantic spirit of La Fonda has kept them together so long.

A Group Of People Posing For The Camera

John and Mary Nuanez - La Fonda 50's Themed Christmas Party

Melissa Tapia says that without La Fonda, she never would have met her husband Victor Serna. She was only 14 years old and would occasionally come to work with her mother in housekeeping when she first met him. She’s quick to point out that they were only friends and remained so after she left high school. She returned in 2007 as an adult, quickly moving up to become reservations manager. She and Victor, who is a stalwart of the maintenance department, connected as more than friends in late 2015, and tied the knot in 2016.

A Man Standing Next To A Body Of Water

Victor and Melissa Serna

And, we want to throw a special air-kiss to Bill Hearne, who has been playing in La Fiesta for more than 25 years, many of them with his beloved, late wife Bonnie. The recent one-year anniversary of Bonnie’s passing reminded me that the pair was so entwined for more than 47 years that it is hard to even today to think of one without the other.

A Man Driving A Car

Bill & Bonnie Hearne

We’re not saying that you or someone you know will find your life partner at La Fonda. But we’re not NOT saying that, either. So book your romantic getaway today!

Here’s to romance new and enduring.

Jenny


Detours at La Fonda

Vuarnet has a story...it’s unique.

In 1957, Roger Pouilloux, an avant-garde optician and ski enthusiast revolutionized the sunglass world by inventing an exceptional glass that was able to both protect him on the slopes and provide a clear vision of the relief in overcast weather...thus, the invention of the Skilynx mineral glass lens.

A Man That Is Standing In The Snow
Roger Pouilloux

In 1960, the Vuarnet brand was born.

In 1984, Vuarnet was the official sponsor of the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles where the weather newscaster created the slogan “It’s a Vuarnet day today” meaning it’s a sunny day!

Detours joins in Vuarnet’s mission of community engagement to charitable giving in support of the charity association SHADES OF LOVE, which provides sunglasses to people in need that are exposed to intense sunlight and thus harmful UV rays year round in remote areas of the Himalaya and the Andes. About 80% of the population suffers from eye damage and serious eye disease.

A Group Of People Standing In Front Of A Mountain

For each pair of Vuarnet sunglasses purchased, we join Vuarnet in the commitment to offer, on your behalf, a new pair of sunglasses to the SHADES OF LOVE association. 

♥️What a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day!♥️

Stop by to experience our varied selection of Vuarnet sunglasses. Whether heading for the ski slopes here in New Mexico or escaping to a warmer climate by the sea, we have a selection of lenses that offer specific benefits to enhance your vision. It’s up to you to choose the lens that will help you see the beauty of life in Vuarnet.

Detours Website

A Man Wearing Glasses Talking On A Cell Phone
A Man Wearing Sunglasses And A Hat

A Bowl Of Food

Recipe for Adventure

La Fonda's House Salsa

The nectar of the gods in New Mexico! Fresh salsa tastes great with tortilla chips, served with guacamole, on a salad or even as a topping for your favorite proteins...and, with few calories! So dig in! 

INGREDIENTS - Makes One Quart

  • 1 Cup crushed tomatillos
  • 1 1/2 Cups crushed tomatoes
  • 1 Tablespoon chipotle puree
  • 1 tablespoon Tapatio brand hot sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
  • 1/4 Cup onions, diced small
  • 1 jalepeño, roasted, peeled, seeded and minced
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 Cup V8 Vegetable Juice
  • Pinch of dried oregano
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • To Taste, salt and white pepper
  • To Taste, Worcestershire sauce 
  • 2 Tablespoons diced onions, for garnish

METHOD

  • Puree all ingredients well in a blender.
  • Add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste.
  • Serve and top with diced onion for garnish.

A Man Wearing A Hat And Holding A Guitar

Live at La Fonda

Robert Marcum

The first time singer-songwriter Robert Marcum visited to La Fonda was in the 1970s. His wife, who is from Los Alamos, introduced him to La Fiesta Lounge while the couple was vacationing from their home in San Francisco. “It’s one of those places where they give the musicians an actual stage, a really nice venue,” he says, comparing it to other places where the entertainment is shoehorned into a corner. “For the musician, it’s a wonderful place to play. I would never have guessed the first time I came to La Fiesta in the 1970s that I’d be playing here now.”

After he and his wife retired to Santa Fe four years ago, he started playing his brand of folk/rock in the tradition of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. “A song is anything that can walk by itself, to quote Bob Dylan,” he says, of the meaningful words that can stand alone as poetry of that era.

Marcum, mostly a rhythm guitarist, is joined by bass player, Brian Dear, another California transplant. The two bonded over their love of cars at a local car club, and then discovered their musical compatibility. The duo places an emphasis on the lyrics of songwriters like Jackson Brown, Paul Simon, and Gordon Lightfoot. Plus some originals, he adds, inspired by the landscape of New Mexico, but always with a focus on the voice.

Audiences can expect to hear plenty of radio favorites in the singer/songwriter tradition, all acoustic and with the mellow tones of 6 and 12 string guitars. Sounds perfect for snowy day at the cozy La Fiesta Lounge. See you all there from noon to 2:30PM, prior to the Super Bowl.(Feb 3)


It's A Good Time To....

Eat for a good cause at the 25th annual Souper Bowl at the Santa Fe Convention Center, where La Fonda’s own Chef Lane is sure to impress in a slurp-off of soups for charity (Feb. 2). Fill your belly and celebrate the silver anniversary of this community fundraiser that makes a difference for those in need. And make your Valentine’s dinner plans early, because La Plazuela swells with suitors, lovers and loved ones for our Valentine’s Day prix fixe dinner (Feb. 14).

A Bowl Filled With Different Types Of Food On A Table

Known as one of Santa Fe’s largest and most popular charity affairs, the 14th Annual Sweetheart Auction is the Cancer Foundation for New Mexico’s major fundraising event to support essential patient services and programs. Join the crowd for dinner and dessert buffets, a fantastic Silent Auction and one-of-a-kind Live Auction (Feb. 9), all for a good cause and maybe you could win the special Fred Harvey Travel Package that includes a 2 night stay and dinner for two at each of the Harvey hotels, including La Fonda.

A Person Holding A Sign

Eagerly anticipated by foodies every year, Santa Fe Restaurant Week (Feb. 22-Mar. 3) presents a roster of top local eateries offering bargain-priced prix-fixe menus, including a $45 prix fixe dinner at La Plazuela featuring your choice of starters, entrees and desserts. Make your reservations early! Taos and Albuquerque follow with their own Restaurant Weeks in March.

A Close Up Of A Sign

And, don’t forget to follow La Fonda’s Artists in Residence every weekend until the end of the month. If you are in need of a romantic Staycation, it’s not too late to book an Artist-in-Residence weekend and take advantage of special rates at La Fonda. Or just stop in from 4pm to 7pm, Friday through Saturday and Sunday noon to 3pm, through February 28. 

A Close Up Of Food

Mark your calendars for another evening of celebration for a great cause with ARTsmart’s Annual Dinner & Auction to support art in schools. La Fonda On the Plaza is chuffed to be the elegant venue for this year’s event, with Honorary Artist Heidi Loewen, ceramics artist and gallery owner, and special guest, Katarina Pittis, ARTsmart’s 2014 Art Changes Lives Scholarship winner and photographer/videographer. Enjoy great food, great friends, and fun with the live and silent auction (Mar. 2). Then lace up your boots for the Art of Home Tour to see how some of Santa Fe’s best art galleries have filled homes listed in Santa Fe county with beautiful artwork for you to enjoy on this self-guided tour (Mar. 2-3).

Heidi Loewen

A Woman Standing In Front Of A Table

Katarina Pittis

A Woman Holding A Camera

Art of Home Tour

A Living Room Filled With Furniture On Top Of A Wooden Floor

A Group Of Teddy Bears Sitting On Top Of A Stuffed Toy
A Close Up Of A Bowl

Artists in Residence Photos Above: Randy Chitto, Clay Sculpture; Jeff Dement, Tufa Silversmith


A Close Up Of A Black Bag

The Shops at La Fonda

Tom Taylor

Let it snow! We’re having a great ski season here in Santa Fe (60" base), so if you’re planning a visit be sure to come into our La Fonda store to see our stunning collection of one-of-a-kind belts, buckles, and bags, all handcrafted by our world renowned New Mexican silversmiths and leather artists. Stop in and say hello, or check out our collection online at Tom Taylor and subscribe to our newsletter for a personal invitation to our upcoming Spring Sales event.

Visit us in La Fonda on the Plaza or call us at 505-989-9540.

A Close Up Of A Bag

A Pair Of Sunglasses On A Table

Things Finer


Things Finer

With two locations inside La Fonda, Things Finer has been Santa Fe's premier source for Fine Antique and Contemporary Jewelry for 25 years. With over 60 years of expertise, as a family enterprise, Things Finer make acquisition of a unique treasures, exciting, fulfilling, and lots of fun. 

Unique gifts can be found for your Valentine at Things Finer. Available now by calling 505-983-5552 or visit the website below

.A Group Of Stuffed Animals Sitting On Top Of A Table


Laura Randolph Gallery

Love is in the air! This year, skip the gifts of candy and flowers on Valentine’s Day. Visit the Laura Randolph Gallery and find a gift as unique as your Valentine. Laura Randolph introduces a collection of Mother Earth’s most spectacular specimens artfully curated from around the globe - a showcase of the most unique and interesting fossils, minerals and crystals that encapsulate ancient stories of our planet. Select one of nature’s most striking works of art for your Valentine's private residence or corporate space. Visit our website below or call 505-988-1651.


Film & Performance 

Wildearth Guardians presents the Telluride Mountainfilm documentary film festival on tour at the Lensic, showcasing nonfiction stories about environmental, cultural, climbing, political and social justice issues that matter (Feb. 1). Then the annual Santa Fe Film Festival (Feb. 13-17) offers the best in cinematic arts, with over 100 films, narrative and documentary features, shorts of all types, as well as a spotlight on local filmmakers. Don’t miss the panels, workshops and parties during this annual five-day event.

Telluride Mountainfilm

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A Drawing Of A Face

The National Theatre Live series heats up with I’m Not Running, an explosive new play by David Hare (Feb. 7). The Lensic’s new Great Art On Screen series premieres with Van Gogh: Of Wheat Fields and Clouded Skies (Feb. 21). The Met Live in HD opera series continues with the much-beloved Bizet’s Carmen (Feb. 2) with mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine, and La Fille du Regiment (Mar. 2).

I'm Not Running

A Man Looking At The Camera

Van Gogh: Of Wheat Fields and Clouded Skies

A Close Up Of A Sign

Clémentine Margaine in Carmen

A Person Wearing A Black Shirt

Shakespeare lovers will fall for Oasis Theatre’s version of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale (through Feb. 17). Just Say It Theater’s production of The Big Heartless, a new play written by Dale Dunn and directed by Lynn Goodwin follows Mac, a reclusive wildlife biologist who has retreated to the backwoods of Montana to lead a hermetic lifestyle but tolerates interruptions from his neighbors and family (Feb. 14-Mar. 3).

The Winter's Tale

A Group Of People Standing In Front Of A Crowd

The Big Heartless

A Dog Sitting In Front Of A Wolf

Teatro Paraguas presents We Are Hispanic-American Women…Okay? Staged ten years ago to the month, this revival is a hilarious, heartfelt romp about sisterhood, generational wisdom, and body politics (Feb. 8-24). Paraguas also gives Mary Rives a stage for #MeToo True Stories (Feb. 10).  

We Are Hispanic-American Women...Okay?

A Group Of People Posing For The Camera

The Theatre Lovers Club (TLC)invites discussion of Ironweed Productions upcoming show, Hidden Treasure: A Georgian Immigrant's Story (Mar. 7-17 on Feb. 26).Ironweed’s Artistic Director Scott Harrison and playwright Ketevan Kharshiladze Ussery will talk about her remarkable journey immigrating to the United States from Georgia.

A Person Holding A Book


Out & About

Um…It’s an Art Show at the Santa Fe Convention Center features art (visual art, sculptures, comics, poetry, drawings, masks, portraits, and more) from New Mexico youth, their triumphant experiences and difficult truths, as a window into what it means to grow up in the Land of Enchantment. Feb. 1 is the opening, Feb. 2 is drop-in family art workshops and kid friendly projects.

Art Show

A Man Wearing A Black Shirt

The Chinese Year of the Pig begins February 5, so why not try a virtual race to celebrate? Compete 2.019 miles, 20.19 miles, or 201.9 miles (yikes!) between January 1 and February 5, 2019, with proceeds benefiting Parkinson’s research.

A Close Up Of A Sign

Then celebrate your achievement and the Lunar New Year at the Museum of International Folk’s Annual Lunar New Year Celebration (Feb. 10) with free fun for all ages. Like the traditional Lion Dance and parade, Mocha Tsuki rice cake pounding presentation by Santa Fe JIN and hands on making of paper lanterns and paper drums.

IFAM Lunar New Year

A Group Of People Standing In Front Of A Crowd

Mocha Rice Cakes

A Vase Of Flowers On A Display Screen

Regional seed stewards will gather for their second Mountain West Seed Summit at the Institute of American Indian Arts (Feb. 21-24). The conference agenda includes panels, seminars, workshops and tours, as well as cooking (and eating) demos, all focusing on creating a resilient Rocky Mountain West by connecting communities with the seeds that sustain them.

The Pastel Society of New Mexico’s 27th Annual National Pastel Painting exhibition offers free admission and a chance to see some exceptional artists working in pastels from around the state, country and world (Mar. 1-31). The Lensic’s free Family Fun Day features the Grammy nominated music and fun of Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players (Mar. 3). Because everyone needs a nap!

Pastel Society "Cracked Eggs" 

A Bowl Of Fruit

Justin Roberts Not Ready for Naptime Players

A Man Holding A Banana


Music & Dance 

Performance Santa Fe continues its programming with dance sensation Bodytraffic, a young, internationally acclaimed company from Los Angeles (Feb. 5), then switches gears with trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis with The Uptown Jazz Orchestra (Mar. 1). Then they welcome Irish musicians Danú for beautifully crafted vocals in both Irish and English (Mar. 7).

Local darlings Aspen Santa Fe Ballet give us a big February hug with a special one-night-only performance of fan favorites from its repertoire (Feb. 23). Santa Fe Pro Musica welcome Barcelona-based Cuarteto Casals at the NM Museum of Art (Feb. 24).

Bodytraffic

A Man Jumping In The Dark

Delfeayo Marsalis

A Man Wearing Glasses

Cuarteto Casals

A Group Of People Sitting Posing For The Camera

The Choir of Man hits the Lensic stage, a runaway hit at numerous international music festivals on its first U.S. tour. It’s a party. It’s a concert. It’s interactive Broadway (Feb. 20)! Then put on your dancing shoes for the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, an 18-piece band celebrating the legacy of its namesake (Feb. 28).

The Santa Fe Symphony presents the Symphony’s concertmaster, David Felberg, who takes center stage in an evening of passionate musical story telling, joined by the luminous soprano voice of Mary Wilson (Feb. 17)

The Choir of Man

A Group Of People Posing For The Camera

Glenn Miller Orchestra

A Group Of People Posing For A Photo

David Felberg

A Man Holding A Violin

Mary Wilson

A Woman Talking On A Cell Phone

Richard Thompson Electric Trio comes to town courtesy of AMP Concerts for a Valentine’s Day treat (Feb. 14). Then catch pedal steel guitarist Roosevelt Collier (Feb. 21) and Southern blues-rock guitar wizard and vocalist Tinsley Ellis (Feb. 25), both at Tumbleroot Brewery. Over at The Bridge see Bulgarian multi-instrumentalist Yuri Yunakov (Feb. 23) and one half of the Indigo Girls Amy Ray with her eponymous Amy Ray Band (Feb 27).

Richard Thompson Electric Trio

A Man Sitting On A Stage

Tinsley Ellis

A Man Holding A Guitar

Amy Ray Band

Rosie Batty Standing On A Stage

Meow Wolf’s line up heats up February, too. Start with Still Woozy (Feb. 1), The Knocks (Feb. 5), Fruition (Feb. 6), and Kongos (Feb. 11). The comedy stylings of The Quinn Fontaine Experience look fun (Feb. 16), as do The Infamous Stringdusters (Feb. 20). The month wraps with STRFKR on Feb. 27.

The Knocks

A Man And A Woman Talking On A Cell Phone

Kongos

A Man Standing In Front Of A Group Of People Posing For The Camera

The Quinn Fontaine Experience

A Person Jumping Up In The Air

Stringdusters

A Group Of People Standing On A Stage Posing For The Camera

Gig Performance Space continues its eclectic schedule with AZA – Music from Morocco with internationally renowned musicians Brahim Fribgane, Fattah Abbou and Mohamed Aoualou (Feb. 15). Then head way north to Ireland for Bays & Coyne – Irish fiddle and bouzouki (Feb. 16).

AZA

A Group Of People Standing On A Stage In Front Of A Curtain

Bays & Coyne

A Man Holding A Guitar


At the Museums

The New Mexico History Museum opens a year long exhibition featuring 23 original graphic history art works by Santa Fe artist Turner Avery Mark-Jacobs. The display, The Massacre of Don Pedro Villasur, narrates the history of an ill-fated Spanish colonial military expedition which set out from Santa Fe in 1720, a story that is also depicted in the History Museum’s Segesser Hide paintings (Feb. 1).

Turner Avery Mark-Jacobs - The Massacre of Don Pedro Villasur

A Close Up Of Text On A White Background

The International Museum of Folk Art invites you for a lecture by Earl Kessler And What Else About Beads (Feb. 3) in conjunction with the Beadwork Adorns the World exhibit. Over at the New Mexico Museum of Art, join in the Valentine Extravaganza on the free day of heart-themed art making with hands-on experiences creating cards, special heart ornaments and one of a kind collages (Feb. 10).

And What Else About Beads

A Fabric Surface

Valentine Extravaganza at NM Museum of Art

A Close Up Of Food

The IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts current exhibit, Art for a New Understanding: Native Perspectives 1950 to Now, seeks to expand and reposition art in the U.S. and Canada since 1950. It is the first exhibition to chart the development of contemporary indigenous art from the United States and Canada, beginning when artists moved from more regionally based conversations and practices to an increased agency within national and global contemporary art (through July 19, 2019).

Art for a New Understanding: Native Perspectives 1950 to Now

A Person Wearing A Costume

The Wheelwright Museum has two dynamite shows right now. LIT: The Work of Rose B. Simpson is the first major solo exhibition to highlight the artistic career of mixed-media artist Rose B. Simpson (through Oct. 6, 2019). Bob Haozous is best known for monumental sculpture, but he works in other media as well. Old Man Looking Backward is a group of monoprints, illustrations, and human-sized steel cutouts that represent his private collection—pieces that have not been for sale—through which he tackles ideas about Native identity, cultural appropriation, and the responsibility of artists to address uncomfortable truths about contemporary life (through May 2019).

LIT:The Work of Rose Simpson

A Man Wearing A Mask

Bob Haozous: Old Man Looking Backward

A Person Posing For The Camera


Speakers

Lannan Foundation Readings & Conversations series continues with U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith in conversation with Joy Harjo (Feb. 6), followed by Richard Powers with Tayari Jones (Feb. 27). Powers is the author of 12 novels covering topics as disparate as photography, artificial intelligence, musical composition, genomics, game theory, virtual reality, race, business, and ecology. His most recent novel, The Overstory, is a tale of activism and resistance about the secret language of trees and the people they bring together to save them.

Tracy K. Smith

Tracy K. Smith Smiling For The Camera

Joy Harjo

A Person Wearing A Costume

Tayari Jones and Richard Jones 

A Man And A Woman Looking At The Camera

Learn about the influential Taos Society of Artists and their collective impact in this free lecture by Davison Packard Koenig, Executive Director of the Couse-Sharp Historic Site in Taos, at the New Mexico Museum of Art (Feb. 13). Then shatter your conceptions of slavery in North America with The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America, a talk by Andrés Reséndez (Feb. 26), who builds the incisive case that it was mass slavery—more than epidemics—that decimated Indian populations across North America.

Davison Packard Koenig

A Man Standing In A Room

Andrés Reséndez

A Man Sitting In Front Of A Book Shelf


La Fonda and Santa Fe in the News

Samantha Brown and the La Fonda Harvey Twins, Beverly and Bernette

Roger Taylor, Samantha Brown Sitting Posing For The Camera

Samantha Brown Show: Watch for the upcoming Santa Fe episode 4 on Feb 9th (KENW) at 8PM or March 8 (KNMD) at 9:30PM VIEW TRAILER

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