So many of my childhood memories involve food, family + home. These things have always been one and the same to me.
I grew up in a beautiful bucolic valley in Slovakia . That’s what DOLINA means in Slovak – valley. It’s a word mentioned in so many traditional songs and folklore. It’s where people meet; it’s where things grow.
ALL ABOUT ZOZOBRA
What –– or
Who –– Is Zozobra?
The Burning of Zozobra is a unique cultural event staged annually by the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe on the Friday of Labor Day weekend as an exciting and fiery finale to the last days of summer.
Read MoreNatural Qualities of the Jemez Mountain Trail
You'll find many wonders along the Jemez Mountain Trail. For example, the history of the Jemez Mountains goes back one million years to a volcano's eruption. The eruption created an area of mountains, mesas, and canyons the size of a small eastern state.
Dominating the western half of the Santa Fe National Forest, the Jemez Mountains resemble a wagon wheel on a topographic map. The hub is formed by the giant Valles Caldera (a crater created by the volcano's violent explosion), and the spokes are made by the mesas built of volcanic tuft. Elevations in the range from 6,000 to 11,000 feet. One of the legacies of the volcano is the canyons' Swiss cheeselike rock cliffs and strange cone-shaped tent rocks.
Read MoreTHE CERRILLOS HILLS IN NORTH-CENTRAL New Mexico—a mere 20 miles from Santa Fe—is one of the oldest historically documented mining districts in the United States. Keres and Tano Puebloans from the nearby Rio Grande and Galisteo Basins began mining turquoise in 900 CE, which was used for medicinal and ritual purposes.
By the early 1300s, Pueblo potters from the central Río Grande area were mining galena (lead sulfide), which was the source of glaze paint used to decorate pottery. This ceased after 1700 when the Spanish inhabitants, who worked many of the mines in the Cerrillos Hills for their silver and lead content, cut off Puebloan access.
Read MoreThe venerable Spanish village of Tesuque was founded in 1740 and is situated a few miles south of the current Pueblo and just north of Santa Fe, the heart of Spanish colonial occupation.
Tesuque is a Tewa word which refers to the village’s river’s alternating from and disappearance into the sand.
Read MoreI need ro tell you guys that I’ve never felt so open and free in my life, and it’s amazing what starts to happen when you are living so in flow. I feel like life started to dance through me and became a string of synchronistic and serendipitous moments. New Mexico really changes you when you are here for a period of time. I’m doing everything I can to embody this feeling and bring elements of this life back home with me end September. One thing I have really been practicing (and it is that, a practice!) is being fully present with whatever task I am doing.
Read MoreWelcoming you to a small corner of New Mexico with a mighty history today!
This quaint railway town was born in 1879 when the Santa Fe railroad laid it’s tracks through New Mexico. All though just 18 miles south of Santa Fe, Lamy is surrounded by wilderness, big clear, star filled-skies, and plenty of Western charm. ( You will love the provided telescopes in The Rail House which I am going to tell you about shortly)
Read Morefirst explored Madrid in 2016! And it was so great to return with my daughter Zoë! She loves art and has the soul of a gypsy so I knew this tiny little town outside of Santa Fe would very much appeal to her!!! Plus she was on a mission to find some turquoise jewelry!
First things first - Madrid…. (pronounced with the accent on the first syllable: MAD-rid, not Ma-DRID) is an artist community of some 400 p
Read MoreAuthentic, vibrant, and unlike any other – Albuquerque is a dream destination for lovers of cuisine, culture and exciting activities. I’ll begin by saying The ABQ is always a glorious little escape as it’s only about an hour or so from Santa Fe!
CHECKING IN: WHERE TO STAY
Read MoreBienvenidos ~a~ Arroyo Seco!
Adore this quaint colorful village so very much! Always nice to enjoy our favorites here …..Taos Cow and the Arroyo Seco Mercantile! Taos Cow makes all natural, rBGH free, super premium ice cream and has been doing to for 20 years. Try a traditional flavor or something uniquely Southwestern. I absolutely love the lavender made with New Mexican lavender flowers!!
Hola, mis amigos!
Sharing some new Taos content today. For older Taos content….click here.
Always lovely to visit Chokola Bean To Bar, Op.cit Books, Taos Pizza OutBack, and the very new-to-me Manzanita Market!! I look forward to trying their sister restaurant The Love Apple 🍎 ( la pomme d’amour )
One week ago today we arrived at the Modern Taos House waking up to the sun cresting over the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, slowly filling this exquisite solar powered luxury home with morning light. The Modern Taos House features The Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument as your own personal backyard and the Sangre De Cristo Mountain as your playground. I
Read MoreMedicine Park, whilst on my doorstep ( well admittedly, about 4 or so hours away from Tulsa) is somewhere that I really haven't any time exploring. Not out of not-wanting to but I guess I just did not know what to expect and then travel was put on pause for two long years with the pandemic. That said I'm making it my mission to explore more of my own beautiful state. I want to spend more time exploring each nook and cranny of Oklahoma! We are quite spoiled and yet many of us, so oblivious as to what's right in front of our eyes.
Read MoreJust spent the morning in India- 🇮🇳
But from this cozy chair!
Thanks Atlas Coffee Club ☕️ 🗺 🏤 I do love these coffee adventures we are embarking on together. It was such an easy decision to partner!
Such a lovely small and beautifully pared back restaurant! The distinctive attitude towards food and interiors is at the heart of La Tertulia and make each visit exciting, intimate and unforgettable. The kind of place you could linger over a glass of sangria or a pitcher of margaritas and dinner for hours and hours…
Anyone who has read this blog a few times knows I’ve had a very long love affair with Santa Fe and New Mexican cuisine. And I am already having a massive love affair with Tulsa based La Tertulia. I love any and all New Mexican cuisine! There is nothing like Northern New Mexican food for spicy, earthy comfort food. I simply can’t get enough of it!
As you may know Tulsa’s restaurants are open for indoor dining and outdoor dining and people are getting vaccinated - but if you’re sticking with takeout still like me- then add La Tertulia to your list! Going out to eat is what you do and well, this is rough. I get teary eyed reading about restaurants and thinking back to my fond memories of eating delicious dinners with friends but I am happy I can still support my local faves and take a break from cooking! I really am not sure when I will be ready for indoor dining again. (Just being honest here)
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