Check out the article in the New Mexican about the Green Owl below.

Green Owl aims to revitalize St. Michael’s Drive food scene

By: Candelora Versace | For The New Mexican

April 12th, 2012

With its aging fast-food franchises and worn-out convenience stores, St. Michael’s Drive may not be the first place Santa Feans think of as a mealtime destination. Scattered among the car dealers and empty storefronts, the handful of midprice restaurants along the road are often forgotten by being “out of sight, out of mind.”

Bill Healy, owner of the Green Owl, hopes to change that with his high-profile gas station remodel on the south side of the busy thoroughfare. After an extensive renovation, the space now gleams as a cafe with shiny surfaces and a menu of comfort-food classics. Along with breakfast and lunch menus, the eatery also offers fresh-baked pastries, breads and pretzel rolls, as well as Agapao coffee and Hawaiian-style, soft-serve ice cream.

“I thought maybe it was time to retire,” Healy said as he recounted his decades-long career as a professional baker and cafe owner in Long Island, N.Y. He spent the last 10 years or so coming to Santa Fe to visit his daughters, who now live in Albuquerque, so frequently that he considers the Inn and Spa at Loretto his second home.

“I got an offer for my business in New York, and thought maybe I’d look for a hole-in-the-wall space just to keep busy,” he said.

That search took two years, he said. His son-in-law, a physician at the former St. Vincent Hospital, frequently mentioned the lack of food options on St. Michael’s Drive. The more he researched the area, the more Healy became convinced that the location would be ideal for a culinary endeavor.

“I saw the need for our concept,” Healy said of his vision for fresh, high-quality baked goods, light meals and coffee. The breakfast menu includes breakfast burritos, bagels or rolls topped with eggs and cheese, and baked goods including muffins, morning buns and danishes. The lunch options include: individual pizzas, wraps, paninis, sandwiches, salads and soups.

Healy also offers what may be the only pretzel-roll “snackwich” in Santa Fe. He said he spent two months in Germany perfecting the combination of pretzel and bread for his pretzel rolls. “It’s low in carbs and fat and has such a unique taste.”

While the cafe does not source many of its foods locally, Healy and manager Cindy Sheptow said they are working to scout local vendors for their food sources. “We’re happy to use as many local products as we can find,” Healy said, noting that he’s already in discussion with a local produce farmer.

As for coffee, Healy said he has spent 40 years in the coffee business, starting with Chock Full o’Nuts (“the official coffee of the city that never sleeps”), and he’s confident about his choice.

“I know coffee, and I can’t speak highly enough of Agapao coffee and David Black,” Healy said. “He came out with a special blend for us. He really knows coffee; he may even be a step ahead of me. And the best part is, he’s local and he’s good people.”

Sheptow, formerly the pastry chef at Santacafé, agrees. “I’ve been a coffee snob for 40 years myself,” she said. “It’s clean coffee, it has no aftertaste, and we have some [talented] baristas.”

After eight months of renovation, Healy said, the cafe opened in early February. The building was so decrepit, he said, that it had to be completely gutted and rebuilt, including the wiring and plumbing. “It needed a lot of work,” he said.

After sifting through more than 100 applications, Healy hired 15 workers and has since let one go.

“We love the staff, we love the people that work here,” he said. “People always say that there’s a problem getting good workers here, but we think that’s wrong, dead wrong. We want the residents of the St. Mike’s area to have a nice place to come to, and we’ve already succeeded.”

With a comfortable patio, indoor seating and a drive-thru lane, not to mention eventual catering and delivery, Healy fully intends his big investment to pay off. Healy is so confident in his experience of providing good food and coffee with service to match that he’s already opened a satellite cafe inside the Inn and Spa at Loretto.

“It’s such a great hotel. I’ve been talking to them about it for a while, and a space finally became available,” he said. “We bake everything here and run it downtown. Hopefully, we’ll make a very good team.”

IF YOU GO

Where: 1698 St. Michael’s Drive

Link to the New Mexican Article HERE.

Contact Matt Desmond and Ryan Bolton

ARTICLE:

Infectious confections line Santa Fe’s Chocolate Trail. Santa Fe’s renown chocolate trail is dotted with artisan shops that satisfy the sweet tooth

By: Jill Koenigsdorf | For The New Mexican

Any town that has four world-class chocolate shops in a 5-mile radius is my kind of town. Santa Fe is home to the infamous Chocolate Trail, a cocoa-dusted route that connects four esteemed purveyors of this fine food of the gods. Incredible as it sounds, there are actually some people who eat or give chocolates only on holidays — but now that science has informed us chocolate is chock full of health-giving flavonoids and antioxidants, we can all enjoy some guilt-free trailblazing.

Todos Santos

Entering Hayward Simoneaux’s 11-year-old Todos Santos is like stepping into a chocolate-dappled wonderland. The eyes roam from folk-art Pez dispensers depicting Ganesh and Wonder Woman to a parade of giant lollipops, and then to a case filled with antique chocolate molds in the shape of a crayfish, a skull and even a revolver.

Simoneaux is a New Orleans transplant who became interested in making chocolate in part because
he was collecting old chocolate molds he wanted to put to use. He puts much creativity and care into the presentation of his wares, and you will find delectable chocolates tucked inside anything from miniature Mexican wrestler masks, to containers made from recycled telephone keys, to little boxes that look like ancient books.

And what’s inside the pretty packages transports the taste buds to chocolate nirvana. His truffles are perfumed with rare pairings like tarragon and candied grapefruit peel, or hickory-smoked sea salt. And the pumpkin-seed toffee is to die for.

His chocolate milagros, costing between $12 and $30, are coated in edible silver or gold and are works of art. The shop’s pricing ranges from $1.50 for a playful foil-covered chocolate ring to $125 for a majestic tower.

Elegance meets fun in this festive shop.

Kakawa Chocolate House

What do Marie Antoinette, Thomas Jefferson and Aztec warriors have in common? They all drank elixirs made from chocolate. Peter Wolf, owner of the 5-year-old Kakawa Chocolate House, is doing his best to replicate the same concoctions revered throughout history — when chocolate was for kings and cocoa was so precious it was used as a currency.

But you won’t find anything even remotely resembling Swiss Miss. What you will find is thick, exotic brews flavored with ingredients such as roses, nuts, ancho chile, hibiscus and musk. The drinks are $3.50 for 3 ounces or $6.50 for
6 ounces.

The chocolatiers use mostly organic ingredients, sweeten with agave or honey and often substitute oat or almond milk for dairy. For Valentine’s Day, they offer The Love Potion, a sensuous concoction that uses an herb called damiana, known for its aphrodisiac properties. And if these rich beverages of the ancients still haven’t fully satisfied your yen for chocolate, don’t leave before trying one of the pomegranate or lavender truffles ($3 each).

The chocolatiers at Kakawa are passionate about these creations, so much so that chocolate expert Ariana Rossi has the DNA of chocolate tattooed on her arm.

C.G. Higgins Confections

Over the last 17 years, owner Chuck Higgins routinely has sold about 12,000 caramel apples during the two weeks of the state fair — a feat that requires about two tons of caramel. Knowing that should instill confidence that this man knows his sweets. And if this isn’t enough, C.G. Higgins is the official candymaker for Santa Fe’s 400th anniversary. His Chile Caramel Corn and Chile Pecan Brittle each took home first place at the renowned Fiery Foods show in Albuquerque.

Higgins offers a different take on truffles, using high-quality Guittard chocolate as the base, but omitting the hot cream often found in the chocolate ganache. That gives the treats a longer shelf life.

The center of his truffles — which cost $3 each — has a wonderful fudgy texture, and the
truffles come in tempting flavors like Blackberry Balsamic, Cardamom Raspberry or Jalapeño Lime. And what would Valentine’s Day be without chocolate-dipped strawberries? Higgins is already taking orders for these sexy treats, which are made on-site that very day. They sell for
$3.50 per delight, and six for $20.

If it’s fudge you desire, you’ve come to the right place. Black Forest Cherry, Chocolate Pecan, Raspberry Chipolata, or tried-and-true Maple Nut are all available for $17 per pound. Patrons can also enjoy happy hour in the cozy cafe, with specially priced sipping chocolates and espressos available from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Chocolate Smith

Jeff and Kari Keenan, owners of this 9-year-old confectionery, must know that once customers taste their chocolates, they will be hooked. The Keenans have copious amounts of samples on every flat surface. The aroma of chocolate fills the air, coming from the open kitchen that shares the sales area. Customers can watch the chocolates being made and see the signature pâtés being cut on the marble slabs.

These yummy pâtés are a dense, firm ganache covered in Dutch cheese wax, which makes them perfect for travelers. The Chocolate Smith uses local and organic ingredients whenever possible. The shop’s barks are wildly popular, especially the White Chocolate Lemon Lavender or the Green Chile Pistachio varieties, which cost $8 per quarter-pound.

You can custom-make an assortment for
$29.50 a pound. Were I to do this, it would definitely include the sake-soaked, chocolate-covered ginger; the chocolate-dipped apricots; and the succulent Don Juan Pecan Italian soft-style caramels.

There are many grab-and-go gifts available for under $10. You can also go for the whimsical Day of the Dead tin gift boxes, which cost $24.95.

Link to Original Article

Contact Ryan Bolton and Matt Desmond

With record breaking cold temperatures and a significant amount of snowfall, especially up the mountain at Ski Santa Fe, the city is hunkered down for a long winter nap. The high temperature on Monday was hovering around 12 degrees, which seems balmy compared to today’s predicted high of 5 degrees! There was also supposed to be a fair amount of snow to come with the cold. Thus far we have only seen about 3 inches total scattered throughout town over the past two days. However, there is more snow in the forecast for today and tonight, so totals may reach higher.

Despite the relatively low snowfall numbers in Santa Fe, surrounding areas have seen over a foot of snow and Ski Santa Fe has received a hefty 19 inches.  This is great news for hearty skiers who are willing to brave the cold temps to catch some fresh tracks.

So, what’s in the forcast for the near future? It looks like we’ll return to typical February Santa Fe weather as soon as this weekend with highs in the 40s under partly cloudy conditions. This cold snap may be short lived, but at least we were able to get a small glimpse at what winter looks like.

Contact Ryan Bolton and Matt Desmond

Located on Water street for as long as we can remember, The Catamount Bar and Grill is moving to the Railyard District and will occupy the space formerly known as The Railyard Restaurant (La Stazione). The owners of the Catamount have already begun an extensive renovation of the old Railyard space, and are slated to open by April or May. This weekend will be the last dates they will be open in the former space. 

Serving great beer and food, the Catamount has historically been known as the best bar in Santa Fe to watch a game or catch an occasional show. They also host trivia nights and always run specials on party holidays and big game days (i.e. St. Patricks Day/Superbowl). The new space in the Railyard should be suited even better for the Catamounts’ needs as there is ample parking, outdoor seating, and a newly renovated interior.

So, stop by the new Catamount in a couple of months. You may just find two tired realtors telling stories of the big fish they just caught.

Contact Ryan Bolton and Matt Desmond

This week’s New Mexican has a good profile on Slurp. Check out the full article below:

By Nico Roesler in The New Mexican

With Christmas carols long gone and the cheers of New Year’s Eve surviving as hazy moments in some people’s memories, a new sound is taking over the streets of downtown Santa Fe. Long slurps of homemade soup deliver a wholesome aural experience for those who can trace this noise back to its source.

Just west of the state Capitol on Galisteo Street shines an American symbol of freedom — a refurbished 1967 Airstream trailer. In this case, it is Slurp, a symbol of culinary freedom and soup sovereignty, the first one of its kind (licensed kind, anyway) in Santa Fe. “You can’t get more nutrition than in a homemade soup,” head Chef Jean-Luc Salles said about his soups, which have been ladled out at Slurp since November.

Salles and partners Frances Salles, Carlos Briceno and Rebecca Chastenet bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to their Slurp venture, which originated when Briceno resurrected the Airstream after purchasing it from a seller in Cañoncito. Briceno and his enterprising friends knew they wanted to open an eatery, and the Airstream provided a blank canvas. “It wasn’t going to be a restaurant, it was going to be something fun that we could play with,” Briceno said of the concept.

Chef Salles hails from Bordeaux, France, and brings classical culinary training as well as 30 years in the restaurant business to this comfy camper. Briceno, from Caracas, Venezuela, made his way into the culinary business after stints in graphic design, home building and reconstruction. Chastenet got involved after writing as a food critic and co-author of four cookbooks.

Their mission: simple, fast and wholesome food at an affordable price.

Under a huge, rusted-looking spoon bolted to the top of the trailer like an antenna, their mission begins each morning when Briceno arrives at 5:30 a.m. and starts baking fresh focaccia bread in a small convection oven.

Slurp offers simple breakfasts such as warm croissants with ham and a Tortilla Española — a rib-sticking combination of potatoes, onions and locally sourced eggs. The trio have been working with the Santa Fe Alliance to create a menu that is as locally sourced as possible.

Chef Salles then arrives at 7:30 a.m. to prepare the soups of the day. Slurp offers three soups a day, averaging about 15 different soups per week. Each weekday, Salles prepares 12 gallons of soup in the small trailer heated by bubbling broths. Soup aficionados can look for a daily trio of soups: a vegetarian option, such as their lentil/spinach soup, a hormone- and antibiotic-free meat offering, such as their wild-boar posole, and a cream soup, such as their celery/bleu cheese soup. Each slurp-able item comes in an Earth-friendly bowl ranging from 12 to 32 ounces. One component they are working on is finding an organic spoon that won’t disintegrate in the steamy soups.

“When they have their first cup of our soup, they become attached,” Chef Salles said of his customers.

Although Salles says some of his soups aren’t at the level he would like them to be (chefs tend to be perfectionists), Slurp’s business is meeting and surpassing his expectations. Success came without any advertising besides Facebook and Twitter pages, which update the soups that will be offered each day. The reputation of their soups has spread by word — or slurp — of mouth alone.

“A lot of the same people actually come every day,” Briceno said. “Others that come may be tourists, or just a friend of a friend who heard about us.” Recently, two of the daily soups have run out before closing time. Salles says Slurp will stock up more in the coming weeks because of the legislative session, which begins Jan. 18.

After being denied a parking space at various locations, Slurp finally found its niche and has been anchored at the same location for a few months. If things continue to go well for the cooks as they squeeze by each other in their 8-foot-by-27-foot kitchen, they plan to open a second mobile kitchen with a different concept.

As for Slurp, it’s now venturing into other dishes besides soup. It offers a pulled-pork sandwich and will soon have a mac-and-cheese dish. As Salles describes it, Slurp is a chameleon-type of eatery. He says he and his partners in chrome will have to adapt when summer comes around and offer more seasonal dishes.

This Airstream eatery isn’t a new concept to cities like Austin, Texas; Los Angeles; New York; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle, where these shiny silver bullets can be spotted everywhere filling stomachs with healthier, more affordable, oftentimes quicker meal options. But “for the people of Santa Fe to have something different,” Briceno said, “it gives more ambience, a more out-of-the-box mentality, and that is needed.” He hopes more unique food dispensaries start popping up around town.

 Click Here for the Original Article

Contact Matt Desmond and Ryan Bolton

ARTICLE:

Mountain Man Trade Fair offers trip back in time

Twenty-first century getting you down? Step back to the 19th at the 26th annual Santa Fe Mountain Man Trade Fair that continues through the weekend in the Palace of the Governors courtyard.

You’ll find buffalo, elk and cow pelts, beaded leatherwork, moccasins, antique guns, knives in leather scabbards, tomahawks, hand-forged ironwork, Hudson Bay-style blankets, period campware and cups made of animal horns.

Mark and Sandi Wilkie’s hobby for the last seven years has been trading such merchandise at the Santa Fe rendezvous — one of several mountain-man events around the West.

The rest of the time, they run a cattle ranch near Carlsbad.

Among the items they laid out on a blanket in the far corner of the Palace courtyard Thursday was a tri-cornered hat that seemed oddly out of sync with typical mountain-man attire.

“You’ve got to realize Lewis and Clark went west in 1804,” said Mark Wilkie. “That’s still right on the tail end of the Revolutionary War. That was a common headwear. In fact, you can see a lot of them, even up to the War of 1812, when you start looking at pencil sketches from that time.”

Prices range from $25 for the hat to $800 for a buffalo robe to $1,600 for an antique rifle to $7,000 for a “smoked brain tanned” buckskin gun case with fringe and four beaded U.S. flags with 13 stars in a circle.

But the highest asking price of any item at the fair was $500,000 for a knife that its owner, W. Smith of Polvodero, near Socorro, says once belonged to Kit Carson.

“We’ve been able to trace it all the way back to Kit Carson’s daughter,” he said. “This is the knife he carried when he was guiding the Army here in New Mexico.”

Just out of Smith’s hearing range, Jack Hill of Richmond, Calif., joked that he wouldn’t consider paying “a half million dollars for a rusty old iron knife.”

“Dear, you shouldn’t say so loud ‘rusty old knife,’ ” said his wife, Jean Marie Hill. “These people really honor what they have.”

Kathy Kershaw and Gary Schluter of Madison, Wis., have been coming to the Santa Fe rendezvous since 1990 to show their wares — Kershaw’s beaded, painted leatherwork and Schluter’s decorative, functional ironwork.

The beads sewn onto the hand-painted horses represents hailstones “so they’re blessed by the thunder beings,” Kershaw said. “Crazy Horse used to paint hail on his horse when he went into battle because the thunder beings are thought to be very, very powerful.”

By: Tom Sharpe for The New Mexican

Link to Original Article Here

Contact Ryan Bolton and Matt Desmond

Madame Butterfly: The season opens with a new production of Madame Butterfly, perhaps the most beloved of all operas, which has not been staged here in more than ten years. Kelly Kaduce returns as Puccini’s heartfelt heroine Cio-Cio-San, joined by Elizabeth DeShong as Suzuki and Brandon Jovanovich as Pinkerton. Antony Walker and Lee Blakeley make their Santa Fe debuts as conductor and stage director.

Performance dates: July 2, 7, 10, 16, 23; August 2, 9, 14, 20, 26

The Magic Flute:  The powers of music and of love unite to triumph over evil in The Magic Flute, Mozart’s ultimate opera. Director Tim Albery’s production was a sold-out sensation in 2006 and it returns under conductor Lawrence Renes to cast its radiant harmonies over Santa Fe audiences. Joshua Hopkins and Andrea Silvestrelli return as Papageno and Sarastro, joined by Ekaterina Siurina as Pamina, Erin Morley as the Queen of the Night, and Charles Castronovo as Tamino.

Performance dates: July 3, 9, 14; August 5, 10, 16, 23, 27

The Tales of Hoffmann: The Tales of Hoffmann is Offenbach’s glorious final masterpiece and it has never before been seen in Santa Fe. Tenor Paul Groves stars in the title role, the poet who duels with the unscrupulous Councilor Lindorf over the most glittering of all prizes—the opera star Stella. This new production, conducted by Stephen Lord and directed by Christopher Alden, features Erin Wall as the four heroines, Kate Lindsey as Nicklausse, and Gidon Saks as the four villains.

Performance dates: July 17, 21, 30; August 3, 7, 11, 17, 24, 28

Life is a Dream: Life is a Dream will be The Santa Fe Opera’s newest world premiere. Based on a towering masterpiece from “The Golden Age of Spanish Drama,” the opera by Lewis Spratlan explores provocative questions about the nature of perceptions and reality—and won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize in Music. Conductor Leonard Slatkin and director Kevin Newbury lead a cast that features Ellie Dehn, Roger Honeywell, James Maddalena and John Cheek in the leading roles.

Performance dates: July 24, 28; August 6, 12, 19

Albert Herring: Albert Herring proved that Benjamin Britten could create comedies that were just as successful as his dramatic masterworks such as Peter Grimes and Billy Budd. A turn-of-the-last-century English village is shocked to discover that chaste young women are in perilously short supply, so bashful Albert is crowned “King of the May Festival,” only to launch a night of revelry that leaves his elders aghast and his chums impressed. Fast-rising young tenor Alek Shrader stars in the title role, joined by Christine Brewer as the imperious Lady Billows. This new production is conducted by Sir Andrew Davis and directed by Paul Curran.

Performance dates: July 31; August 4, 13, 18, 21, 25

For schedules, tickets, info, etc. check out the opera website below. And for all of you really big planners, the 2011 season has also been announced. The 2011  line up includes; Faust, La Boheme, Griselda, The Last Savage, and Wozzeck. Have a great season at the Opera!

Link to the Santa Fe Opera Website

Contact Matt Desmond and Ryan Bolton

one of those is the Dale Ball trail system. In Santa Fe, unlike the other fitness “meccas”, you can access the trails within five minutes of downtown. The Dale Ball Trails are 17 miles worth of city own and maintained trails in the foothills of the rockies. This trail system also provides access to the Santa Fe National forest, and endless miles of  hiking, biking, running, snowshoeing, etc.

So please, join us in celebrating and personally thanking Dale, for the gift he has given Santa Fe.

The article features many of Santa Fe’s cultural events and spaces, restaurants, and going ons about town.

ARTICLE

36 Hours in Santa Fe
By Fred Bernstein

The Plaza, the heart of old Santa Fe, hasn’t changed much since the Spanish settled here 400 years ago. But surrounding the Plaza is an increasingly cosmopolitan city. Sure, it’s possible to focus entirely just on the historic center, where Native American handicrafts are for sale on every corner.

A Weekend in Santa Fe But the rest of Santa Fe now offers groovy contemporary art spaces, hot Asian restaurants and a park by a pair of trailblazing architects. Accept that Santa Fe isn’t just tacos and turquoise anymore, and you’ll find yourself loving the New Mexico capital not for what it was, but what it is.

Friday

5 p.m.
1) PUBLIC SPACE

For a beautifully curated introduction to Santa Fe, visit the New Mexico History Museum (113 Lincoln Avenue; 505-476-5200; nmhistorymuseum.org), which opened in 2009 and includes a gripping display about Los Alamos, where the Manhattan Project was conducted in secret during World War II. A large courtyard with ancient walls and shady trees separates the museum from the Palace of the Governors (palaceofthegovernors.org), the Spanish seat of government in the early 1600s and now a small museum of Colonial and Native American history. The two-museum complex is free on Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m.

7 p.m.
2) WHITE WALLS AND WINE

You’d have to be crazy to pay for a glass of white wine on Fridays. Canyon Road, which angles up from the center of town, has more than 100 galleries, and there are openings every Friday night. According to canyonroadarts.com, the largest category is contemporary representational (think brightly colored paintings of the desert). Check out Eight Modern (231 Delgado Street; 505-995-0231; eightmodern.net), where you’ll find the geometric scrap-metal constructions of the Santa Fe artist Ted Larsen. The backyard sculpture garden is a great place to marvel at New Mexico’s amazingly clear sky and savor its piñon-infused air before heading to dinner.

9 p.m.
3) AHI MOMENT

Martín Rios is a hometown boy made good: Born in Mexico and raised in Santa Fe, he apprenticed at the Eldorado Hotel and the Inn of the Anasazi — two local stalwarts — and made a brief appearance on “Iron Chef” before opening his own place, Restaurant Martín (526 Galisteo Street; 505-820-0919; restaurantmartinsantafe.com), in 2009. The main draw is the food — dishes like ahi tuna tartare ($14) and duck breast with smoked bacon polenta and Marcona almonds ($25) offer hints of the Southwest, with a dash of global aspiration. But the homey décor makes you want to stick around even after finishing the bittersweet chocolate truffle cake ($8).

Saturday

10 a.m.
4) SPICE MARKET

The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market (1607 Paseo de Peralta; 505-983-4098; santafefarmersmarket.com) dates back a half-century, but it stepped up a notch when it moved to a permanent building in 2008. Everything sold here, including dried chilies, yogurt and grass-fed meats, is produced in northern New Mexico. The market is part of a bustling district that includes the new Railyard Park by the architect Frederic Schwartz and the landscape architect Ken Smith, both Manhattanites whose taste is anything but quaint. As you wander around, be on the lookout for the Rail Runner, a gleaming new passenger train scheduled to pull in from Albuquerque at 11:08 a.m.

Noon
5) SUSTAINABLE SALADS

Santa Fe residents — as you learned roaming the Farmers’ Market — care where their food comes from. No wonder Vinaigrette (709 Don Cubero Alley; 505-820-9205; vinaigretteonline .com) was an immediate hit when it opened in 2008. The brightly colored cafe has a menu based on organic greens grown in the nearby town of Nambé. Choose a base — Caesar, Cobb and Greek are possibilities (around $10) — then add diver scallops or hibiscus-cured duck confit ($7) for a satisfying meal. Wines by the glass start at a very friendly $6.

2 p.m.
6) RIDING THE SPUR

Thanks to Santa Fe’s sometimes depressing sprawl, it’s getting harder and harder to find wide-open spaces. But drive (or bike) to the corner of Galisteo Street and West Rodeo Road, where there’s a small parking lot — then begin pedaling due south, in the direction of Lamy (about 12 miles away). What starts as an asphalt path morphs into a dirt bike trail that swerves around a 19th-century rail spur. There are some pretty steep hills, but they’re short, and the momentum from a downhill is usually enough to handle the next uphill. (If only life were like that!) The scenery is always gorgeous, especially in late afternoon, when the sun is low in the sky. Mellow Velo (638 Old Santa Fe Trail; 505-995-8356; mellowvelo.com) rents mountain bikes starting at $35 a day.

7 p.m.
7) TAPAS WITH STRANGERS

La Boca (72 West Marcy Street; 505-982-3433; labocasf.com) is one of downtown Santa Fe’s most popular new restaurants — thanks to its contemporary tapas, plus larger dishes like cannelloni filled with crab, scallop and Manchego ($11). You’ll find yourself sharing tips on what to order — and even forkfuls of delicious eats — with strangers.

10 p.m.
8 ) REGGAE FOR ALL AGES

Santa Fe isn’t a night-life town, but Milagro 139 (139 West San Francisco Street; 505-995-0139; milagro139.com) is helping to change that. A building that had housed a coffee shop was recently converted to a restaurant that becomes a club on Friday and Saturday nights. There’s no cover, and the drinks, including a house margarita called Beginner’s Luck ($5), are delicious. A recent visit coincided with performances by Rubixzu, a local band that performed a blend of reggae and Latin hip-hop to a diverse crowd, aged 9 to 90. For a trendier vibe, head to Meow Wolf (1800 Second Street; 505-204-4651; meowwolf.com), an alternative art space, or check its Web site for other parties hosted by Meow Wolf artists.

Sunday

10 a.m.
9) FREE-RANGE PEACOCKS

For a big breakfast and an early start, drive south on Cerrillos Road about 10 miles past the Interstate, until you see a handwritten cardboard sign that reads, “Pine wood stove pellets sold here.” You’ve arrived at the San Marcos Café (3877 State Road 14; 505-471-9298). Dozens of peacocks, turkeys and hens roam the property (which also houses a feed store), providing an Old McDonald-like backdrop for crowd-pleasers like eggs San Marcos, a cheese omelet in a bath of guacamole, beans and salsa ($12).

Noon
10) KITSCH TO CONTEMPORARY

If you ever thought that item you found at a roadside stand was one of a kind, Jackalope (2820 Cerrillos Road; 505-471-8539; jackalope.com), a sprawling, indoor-outdoor flea market, will disabuse you of that notion. There are hundreds of everything, including punched-copper switch plates and tote bags that depict Michelle Obama smiling on a swing. If you need to shake off the kitsch, head to SITE Santa Fe (1606 Paseo De Peralta; 505-989-1199; sitesantafe.org), a contemporary art space where the 2010 biennale, focused on moving image technologies in contemporary art, will run from June 20 to Jan. 2, 2011.

1 p.m.
11) YOUR OWN ADOBE

It’s difficult to spend time in Santa Fe without thinking about buying a home (or second home) here. So check out Zocalo (Avenida Rincon; 505-986-0667; zocalosantafe.com), a striking development by the Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta. He is known for crisp geometry and super-bright colors — a welcome sight in this city of browns and terra cottas. Consider it real estate voyeurism, combined with a crash course in contemporary architecture.

IF YOU GO

Santa Fe has a tiny airport, which offers nonstop service to and from Dallas and Los Angeles on American Eagle. Most visitors fly into the larger Albuquerque airport, about an hour south. A recent Web search found round-trip fares from Kennedy Airport on Delta, from about $260 for travel in June. Sadly, the Rail Runner doesn’t run to the Albuquerque airport.

The Hotel St. Francis (210 Don Gaspar Avenue; 505-983-5700; hotelstfrancis.com), billed as the oldest hotel in Santa Fe, completed a top-to-bottom renovation in 2009, and it looks spectacular. Doubles from $120.

The El Rey Inn (1862 Cerrillos Road, 505-982-1931; elreyinnsantafe.com) is a retro-chic 1930s-style motel, with nicely furnished rooms and beautifully landscaped grounds to go along with the kitschy Native American-themed architecture. Doubles from $99.

Hilton Santa Fe Golf Resort & Spa (30 Buffalo Thunder Trail; 505-455-5555, buffalothunderresort.com) is part of a new casino complex, about 15 minutes north of town. Doubles from $159. Hilton also built a less-expensive Homewood Suites nearby (10 Buffalo Thunder Trail; 505-455-9100, with doubles from $109.

Link to Original Article In The New York Times Here

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Max’s opened in late 2007 and has been building a solid reputation in Santa Fe and beyond ever since. The owner, Max (Maxine), and chef, Brian Rood have created a menu that specializes in sustainable and locally farmed meats and produce. The atmosphere is cozy, sophisticated, yet casual, and certainly has an intimate feel.

A sample of menu items include:

Starters:

• Caramelized Onion and Red Potato Soup with Crouton 
• Hong Kong Style Shrimp with Saifun Noodles in Spicy Chile-Leek Ragout with Fried
• Shallot and Broccoli Florets
• Certified Organic, Grass Fed River Canyon Ranch Beef
• Grilled Sirloin Salad with Crouton and Charred Red Onion and Lime Vinaigrette
•  Homemade Duck Confit and Field Green Salad with Herbed Crouton, Roasted Shallot and Red Wine Vinaigrette
• Field Green Salad with Homemade Applewood Smoked Bacon, Local Farm Eggand Creamy Tarragon Vinaigrette

Mains:

• “Cassoulet”; Homemade Duck Confit, Slow Braised Pork Shoulder, Homemade Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, White Beans, Roasted Mirepoix and Parmesan Bread Crumbs
• Certified Organic, Grass Fed River Canyon Ranch Beef; Dry Aged Sirloin Coulotte with Heirloom Baby Carrots, Marinated Grilled Rapini, Fried Shallot and Veal Pan Sauce
• Pan-Seared Red Grouper with Red Potatoes, Braised Kale, Pickled Red Onion, Carrot Leafand Toasted Coriander-Lime Vinaigrette
• Certified Organic, Grass Fed Shepherd’s Lamb; Grilled Lamb Chop and Leg with Grilled Rapini, Roasted Oyster Mushroom Sweet Onion-Potato Confit, Fresh Herbs and Cider Gastrique
• Roasted Green Chile Shrimp and Grits with Homemade Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, Roasted Garlic and Mirepoix
• Vegetarian Homemade Semolina Pappardelle Pasta with Seasonal Vegetables in White Wine Cream Sauce 

When dining there last night I had the spectacular lamb dish, and my dining partner, Jerry, had the sea scallops (not listed on the menu above). The lamb was perfectly prepared, and the accompaniments were a perfect compliment to this rich dish.  The scallops, a somewhat lighter dish, were very fresh, and melted in your mouth. We both started with the field green salad, and, of course, had a nice bottle of Pinot Noir.

From the atmosphere to the food, everything at Max’s was fantastic.  I would highly recommend this restaurant to locals and visitors alike. They are open 7 nights a week from 5:30 to 9:00, and reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.  For more information on Max’s, click on the link below.

Max’s Restaurant

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