We’ve Gone to the Dogs!

Detours at La Fonda

DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION

The Days of the Dead are truly a celebration of life. When children dance with caricatures of death, eat skull sugar molds and learn to respect that life is brief, they learn there is a circle to life and to not fear death and then are free to enjoy and appreciate every moment. Celebrating The Day of the Dead has a long history in Mexican Tradition. The Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 2nd. Sometimes one hears reference to “the days of the Dead” which refers to the Days of October 31 – November 2. October 31 is Halloween or All Hallows Eve. November 1st is “el Dia de los innnocentes” or the day of the children and All Saints Day. November 2nd is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. Altars lovingly created in the home are usually decorated with flowers, candles, pan de muerto, ceramic skulls, and most importantly pictures of loved ones. Food placed on the altar consists of the loved ones’ favorite dishes and treats. Drinks should be placed on the altar to quench the thirst of the dead after their long journey back home. In many villages it is customary to offer alcoholic beverages. Salt is considered the spice of life and is one the staples that are often left at the altar. The scents of marigolds as well as burning copal (a resin of the copal tree) are thought to be most beloved by the spirits of the dead and invite them back home. The rituals used to celebrate the day are varied and colorful; yet, all carry the same message, celebrating that the day of the dead is a true celebration of life.

Please join us early October in preparation for this wonderful, culturally rich holiday for items to add to your collection for altars, party tables as well as gifts. We have a selection of ceramic skulls in various sizes (some brightly painted, others done traditionally in barro negro), paper mache catrinas, skeletons, paintings, candles, flowers, cards, papel picado to string inside or out, jewelry, and of course…locally brewed spirits! Stop by to visit Detours’ front window for ideas to create your own unique creation.

La Plazuela Restaurant offers authentic Santa Fe cuisine

Recipe for Adventure

Braised Elk Osso Bucco - Serves 4 - 6

At this very moment, Chef Lane is out elk hunting, so it seems only fitting to share his recipe for Braised Elk Osso Bucco. He sent this message to us: “Here in New Mexico, the elk shanks are typically tossed aside. The neck meat and shanks are mostly left for the bears & coyotes. These two cuts of meat, if prepared correctly, are super tasty. Work with your meat cutter and if he has a ban saw to cut the shanks, use the fore-shanks as well as hind shanks. There is nothing in this world that makes a better stock/sauce than shanks.

Hope you had and are having a great elk season, eat up!”

INGREDIENTS

8 each 4-6 ounce Elk shanks, cut 2-3” thick
1 gallon beef stock, hot
10 ounces Spanish onion, rough chopped
5 ounces carrot, rough chopped
5 ounces celery, rough chopped
1 ounce garlic, minced
4 each chile chipotles, dry or 2 each if canned in adobo
8 ounces tomatillos, roasted and husk removed
2 each tomatoes, roasted, peeled & seeded
1 Tablespoon fresh epazote, chopped or 2 Tablespoons dry
6 ounces Spanish sherry
2 ounces vegetable oil
To Taste- kosher salt, black pepper and cumin

METHOD

In a two gallon sauce pan, heat the vegetable oil until smoking.
Season elk shanks with salt, pepper and cumin. Sear, remove and set aside.
Add the onions and carrots and caramelize.
Add the celery, garlic, chipotles, tomatoes, tomatillos and epazote, cook this for a few minutes.
Add the Sherry to deglaze the pan
Put the elk back in the pan, add the hot stock and bring to a boil.
Turn down to a simmer, cover and place in a 275 degree oven for a minimum of 3-4 hours or until meat is fork tender.
Remove the meat, strain the stock and then reduce the stock until it’s a saucy consistency.
Plate, and serve meat and sauce with your favorite potatoes and vegetables with stock reduction.

Live at La Fonda

Joaquin Gallegos is an accomplished guitarist, singer, composer and performer who has dazzled audiences in the U.S., Spain and Latin America. He has released two flamenco guitar albums, and is also a world-class jazz and flamenco guitarist, playing and singing music from Latin America and around the world. “I was born and raised in Santa Fe into a family of artists and musicians. I started playing guitar at 9-years-old. I grew up playing electric guitar then moved into other styles of music. I didn’t discover flamenco guitar until I was 19,” he says. Joaquin collaborates with flamenco ensembles as well as flamenco-jazz, Latin, mariachi and soul music groups. Joaquin won first prize at the 2002 EXPO Flamenco Competition at the Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque and was a finalist at the 2007 II Concurso Internacional “Niño Ricardo” de Murcia. His first album, La Jornada, was released in 2005. As a solo performer and singer at La Fiesta Lounge, he’ll blend his styles seamlessly for a dynamic and passionate performance. For a taste of his music, head to his website.

Special Live Guest

La Fiesta is also excited to announce that New Mexico artist,Tiffany Christopher ,will be joining us in La Fiesta Lounge (10/18) while on tour promoting her third album, "Tremendous Heart". The new album is a polished version of the innovative artist’s renowned live arrangements. Using loop techniques and a variety of instruments and effects, she crafts a full sonic environment that provides the foundation for this recording. “‘Tremendous Heart’ showcases a major new talent who's developed a mastery of multi-instrumental musicianship and a fine-tuned skill for songwriting and arranging,” said David Schwartz, former editor-in-chief of Mix Magazine. Don't miss this exciting new addition to our performance venue.

It’s a good time to…

Set your alarms and get up early the first two weekends (and the week between) of October. It’s the annual Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque (Oct 4-14)! Make Santa Fe and La Fonda your home base for the Balloon Fiesta’s daily pre-dawn Mass Ascensions and/or sunset Balloon Glows, and then return from Albuquerque to the relative calm of the City Different. For locals, this marks the official beginning of fall, especially as Ski Santa Fe has music, food and opens the chair lift every day October 6-14 so you can view the brilliant autumn colors and cross your fingers for snow.

A Colorful Flower Garden In Front Of A Building

Make room in your phones and cameras, too, because you’ll be snapping pics of the Review Santa Fe Photo Festival (Oct. 17-21), considered a world-class juried portfolio review, with workshops, lectures, and networking with dozens of editors, publishers, and gallerists. Then head to The Fence, a 700-foot outdoor exhibit of photo art that shows simultaneously in six cities, in this case at the Railyard Park (through Oct 27). Weekly tours are being held from the Farmer’s Market every Saturday at 10 and 11am through October 27th. To join the tour, meet at the FENCE sign by the railway crossing at the beginning of the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market on Paseo de Peralta.

A Close Up Of A White Wall

Dear Fred Heads: Welcome back for Fred Harvey Weekend (Nov 2-4)! We’re delighted to have you back for this annual event celebrating famed 19th century entrepreneur and Santa Fe restaurateur Fred Harvey. There are panels, tours, and events taking place at La Fonda, the NM History Museum and the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas. Join us for a delicious evening of Fred Harvey-inspired cuisine by Santa Fe's boldest chefs (Nov. 3) right here at La Fonda! Tickets can be purchased here. This is a unique foodie event celebrating the culinary innovation of hospitality entrepreneur Fred Harvey who civilized the Wild West, one meal at a time. It’s a benefit for the New Mexico History Museum's exhibitions and public programming, and the Fred Harvey permanent exhibit. Some of Santa Fe’s top chefs will reinterpret classic Fred Harvey dishes from Harvey hotels and restaurants and the dining cars of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. This year’s chefs include Sean Sinclair, Inn & Spa at Loretto; Peyton Young and Andrea Thede, Harry’s Road House; La Fonda’s own Chef Lane Warner; Annamaria O’Brien, Dolina; Matt DiGregory, Range Café (and soon to be chef at the Fred Harvey Castaneda Hotel in Las Vegas); and chef and emcee John Vollertson aka Chef Johnny V. Each dinner guest will also receive an exclusive reproduction Mimbreno china platter originally designed by Mary Colter for the Fred Harvey company in the 1930s, courtesy of the H.F. Coors company in Tucson. Between courses, there will be a cooking demonstration, and short talks on how Fred Harvey brought Southwest’s cuisines to the world, and the world’s cuisines to the Southwest, with bestselling author Stephen Fried and NMSU culinary anthropologist Lois Stanford.

A Group Of People Sitting At A Table In Front Of A Crowd

A Group Of People Standing In A Room

Raise a glass at the Whiskey Classic, an immersive event experience designed for whiskey, bourbon, and scotch aficionados, industry professionals, as well as those who want to discover the art behind these beverages, at Bonanza Creek Movie Ranch (Oct 13). Drink responsibly, people!

A Glass Of Wine

Film & Performance

The Lensic’s eclectic and electric October brings down lightning and thunder with NT Live’s King Lear (Oct. 1), and the returns of last year’s fan favorite Frankenstein (Oct. 29). November’s film fare includes a new play by Alan Bennett, Allelujah! (Nov. 12) and delicious The Madness of Kind George (Nov. 27). The Met Live in HD opera series begins with the opera tragedy of Aida (Oct. 6), Samson et Dalila (Oct. 20) and La Fanciulla del West (Oct. 27), continuing in November with Marnie (Nov. 10).

National Theatre's King Lear

A Close Up Of A Man Looking At The Camera

The Madness of King George

A Man Standing Next To A Woman

The Jean Cocteau delights with Royal Shakespeare Company’s modern film take on The Merry Wives of Windsor (Oct. 7), followed by something completely different, the 2018 Fly Fishing Film Tour (Oct. 9), a benefit for the Truchas Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

The Merry Wives of Windsor

Joe Zawinul Et Al. Around Each Other

Fly Fishing Film Tour

A Close Up Of A Sign

The Jean Cocteau welcomes The Suicide Girls: Blackheart Burlesque (Sept 11) the sexiest, smartest, geekiest, and most fun definitive pop-culture live burlesque show on its 2018 tour. On the opposite side of the spectrum, catch Drilling Mora County, a new documentary covering the first county in the US to ban fracking – right here in New Mexico (Sept 12).

The Suicide Girls

A Group Of People Posing For The Camera

Drilling Mora County

A Group Of People Holding A Sign

Head for the dark of the 10th Annual Santa Fe Independent Film Festival (Oct. 17-21), the state’s largest film fest. Over 100 films will be screened over five days and night of community events, galas, educational panels and discussions, the hottest independent films of 2018 and much more. Special guests this year include writer/director John Sayles and four-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke.

John Sayles

John Sayles Smiling For The Camera

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke Looking At The Camera

Santa Fe Playhouse presents its 2018 Third Annual Different Festival of new plays (through Oct. 21). Featuring the shorts of Benchwarmers and the Different Readings series, this year also includes “Son of Benchwarmers,” a series of short plays written, directed and acted by local high school students.

More theater events include The Theater Lovers Club’s presentation of Brenda Lynn Bynum, Artistic Director of The Oasis Theatre Company (Oct. 2) to discuss the company’s upcoming second season: Uncle Vanya (Oct. 11-28) and Mamet Mania (Nov. 1-18) and more. Meanwhile, Adobe Rose opens its fourth season with Lauren Gunderson’s acclaimed new social commentary, The Revolutionists. Four bad-ass women muse about the meaning of life—and lose their heads—during the French Revolution in this irreverent, female-empowerment comedy set during the Reign of Terror, (Oct. 18-Nov. 4).

Uncle Vanya

A Tree In A Grassy Area

The Revolutionists

Olympe De Gouges Et Al. Posing For A Photo

And then try something absolutely different. Be guided by the enigmatic and charismatic Archivist as one lucky audience member will have the chance to take part in the greatest story ever told: The Saga of The Shining Emblem: Chapter VII: The Legend Of Destiny, a choose-your-own-adventure where anything and everything can happen based on the whims and choices of the audience/hero of the evening (Oct. 24)! The Thanksgiving weekend tradition continues with Wise Fool New Mexico’s Circus Luminous (Nov. 23-25). The acrobats, aerialists, dancers, and musicians never fail to delight with daring yet graceful feats of wonder, visual splendor, and poignant humor. It’s a home-grown circus extravaganza for all ages!

The Saga of the Shining Emblem

A Close Up Of A Sign

Wise Fools New Mexico's Circus Luminous

A Person Jumping Up In The Air

Out & About

There’s nothing better than a great meal and a chance to connect with local culture. So join Chef Ray Naranjo of Santa Clara Pueblo for a delicious Slow Food New Mexico-sponsored lunch based on the traditional foods and cooking traditions of the Pueblo culture (Oct. 7). Roxanne Swentzell, renowned artist and co-author of The Pueblo Food Experience Cookbook: Whole Food of our Ancestors, will present on Pueblo culinary traditions.

Chef Ray Naranjo

A Person Preparing Food In A Restaurant

Roxanne Swentzell

A Group Of People Sitting At A Table With A Blue Umbrella

Mark your calendars for the Farmers’ Market Fall Fiesta, celebrating local food, culture and community (Oct. 6) at the Railyard Market Pavilion. Then join a unique Santa Fe weekend celebration right outside the La Fonda doors - Indigenous Peoples Day (Oct. 6-8) on the Plaza, with entertainment, vendors and pride in our rich cultural diversity.

Artists also head outdoors for the 7th Annual Canyon Road Paint & Sculpt Out (Oct. 20), with plein air demos all along the streets of Santa Fe. Experience art as it comes to life and chat about their creative processes with more than 100 artists creating new works in real time.

Farmer's Fall Fiesta

A Close Up Of A Sign

Canyon Road Paint & Sculpt Out

Nature lovers can visit New Mexico Wildlife Center for its annual family friendly open house featuring live animal demos, crafts, food and activities (Oct. 6-7). And then Santa Fe Comic Con comes to town (Oct. 19-21), featuring actors (Eric Estrada from CHIPS!), entertainers (Mistress of the Dark, Elvira!), comic book artists and more. Cosplay anyone?

Fall is a is a vibrant time at El Rancho de Las Golondrinas. Head out Oct. 6-7 for the Harvest Festival, voted #2 best fall harvest festival in the nation by USA Today. That’s just a prelude to a spookier gathering at the living history museum of legendary ghosts who lived and died in the land of enchantment, Spirits of New Mexico Past (Oct. 27).

Santa Fe Comic Con

A Person With Collar Shirt

Harvest Festival

A House With Trees In The Background

El Rancho de Las Golondrinas

A Close Up Of A Sign

Get a start on holiday shopping with a piece of original art from the Abiquiu Studio tour (Oct. 6-8), and Galisteo Studio Tour (Oct. 13-14). Dixon has their own tour (Nov. 3-4), celebrating the 37th year of tours.

Or take a drive to the annual Taos Wool Festival (Oct. 6-7) and see fiber animals, live demos, tools, beautiful handcrafted goods and more. The Santa Fe Fall Fiber Fiesta brings together the largest local show of traditional and contemporary handmade fiber artwork (Nov. 16-18), while the Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival (Nov. 30-Dec. 2) is the country’s largest and oldest recycled art market, turning trash into treasure for 20 years.

Taos Wool Festival

A Person Sitting At A Table

Santa Fe Fall Fiber Fiesta

A Hand Holding A Blue Object

Book your La Fonda stay now for Winter Indian Market (Dec. 14-16) and you’re steps away from some of the best, most accomplished Native artisans in the world. Yep, we’re hosting the Market again this year in the ballroom and our other event rooms, and our Winter Market special includes breakfast in La Plazuela, tickets to the Friday night preview and the weekend market. But don't wait long, this weekend always sells out!

Winter Indian Market

A Person Wearing A Costume

The city wide, "Artist in Residence" program returns again this year. Well-known artists will be taking up residency every weekend all around Santa Fe. La Fonda will have 12 amazing artists (November 2nd, 2018 through February 24, 2019). Our calendar of artist are posted HERE and our Artists in Residence special will be available online soon. For a list of artists, dates and participating locations, go to santafe.org and enter to win a weekend in Santa Fe.

At the Museums

The Friends of History Lecture Series presents New Mexico, Slavery, and the Confederate Cause (Oct. 3). Speaker Dwight Pitcaithley, Professor of History, NMSU, and retired Chief Historian, National Park Service, will share from his book and expand on the election of 1860 and the issue of the expansion of slavery into the western territories–especially into the New Mexico Territory.

Dwight Pitcaithley

A Man Wearing Glasses And Smiling At The Camera

You’ve got until Oct. 28 to see The Black Place, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum’s installation of photographically based work of Michael Namingha in conversation with Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings and drawings of a western New Mexico landscape she called “The Black Place.” Michael’s work is so ground breaking. Get there!

"The Black Place"

New Mexico Museum of Fine Art opened Good Company: Five Artist Communities in New Mexico (through Mar. 10, 2019), highlighting the role of artist communities in New Mexico. Explore works by members of the Taos Society of Artists, Los Cinco Pintores, Transcendental Painting Group, Rio Grande Painters, and the Stieglitz circle. Despite their shared desire to form a creative community, each of these groups had a distinctive aesthetic and set of guiding principles. The juxtaposition of these five groups offers a closer look at what makes each unique.

Center for Contemporary Art features Three Image Makers: Paul Cava, Janet Russek, David Scheinbaum (Oct. 12-Jan. 6, 2019), photography from these three contemporary artists. Then check out Museum of Spanish Colonial Art’s first comprehensive exhibit of contemporary artists through Nov. 25. GenNext: Future So Bright features 50 pieces from 20 trailblazing artists who blend historical inspiration with spray paint, highway signs, furniture, skateboards, tattoos, political commentary, and indigenous imagery. Also at the Museum Oct. 21, hear about first-hand experience of learning traditional arts from El Rito artists Nicolás Herrera and Vincent Campos.

Paul Cava

A Person Standing Posing For The Camera

Janet Russek

A Person Lying On A Bed

GenNext: Future So Bright

A Close Up Of Blaise Pascal

Nicolas Herrera

A Close Up Of A Person

During International Archaeology Day at the Center for New Mexico Archaeology (Oct. 20), you can tour the primary storage facility for New Mexico’s archaeological collections, and learn about New Mexico’s unique 12,000 year cultural heritage through a wide range of hands-on activities, demonstrations, and interactions with archaeologists. Come throw atlatls, shoot bows, make yucca fiber, learn about rock art, and query archaeologists with all those questions you have always wanted to ask about New Mexico’s ancient archaeological history.

Atlatls Throwing at NM Archaeology

A Man Jumping In The Air

Yucca Fiber Making

A Close Up Of A Green Leaf

If you’re here for Fredhead Weekend (and even if you’re not), hit the New Mexico History Museum’s Setting the Standard: The Fred Harvey Company and Its Legacy section. It uses artifacts from the museum’s collection, images from the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives and loans from other museums and private collectors (including Jenny Kimball and La Fonda) to focus on the rise of the Fred Harvey Company as a family business and what transpired specifically in the Land of Enchantment.

Setting the Standard: The Fred Harvey Company and Its Legacy

A Close Up Of A Bowl

Fred Harvey Ashtray

A Close Up Of A Light Bulb

And while you’re there, see On Exhibit: Designs That Defined the Museum of New Mexico, a fascinating look back at more than a century of changing exhibition design in the historic state museum system. This “exhibit about exhibits” reveals how presentation techniques evolved and helped establish the unique character of the Santa Fe’s museums. These beloved institutions and their exhibitions have long been integral to the fabric of local culture.

On Exhibit: Designs That Defined The Museum of New Mexico

A Man And A Woman Standing In A Room