Posts Tagged ‘plaza’



Collaborative Art Santa Fe, Pt. I

Posted Friday August 5 2011 by in Art
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Michael Rohner/Gwen A.P.: Collaboration in Process

Collaborative Art: What springs to mind?  The Dadaists of Cabaret Voltaire? Andy Warhol’s Factory? Jeff Koon’s Studio? (or any number of less famous examples.) I’m used to the idea of collaboration in the workplace, or in improvisational theater, where good work can become great work when spontaneous sharing reigns and egos take a back seat. But co-production of an art piece opens the door to a crowd of questions: Who owns the work? Who’s the author (of particular concern where one talent has the idea which another talent executes)? Where is the work made?  Your place or mine?  Same time or consecutively?

Mark Dunhill and Tamiko O’Brien reflect thoughtfully on issues central to the process of artistic collaboration in their blog Collaborative Arts: Conversations on Collaborative Arts Practise  And truly, there are no static, definitive answers. There is, however, rich potential.  Two outstanding local examples are Meow Wolf’s Due Return, showing through August 21st at the CCA and Interference: an interactive video environment created by Brian Bixby, Charles Buckingham and Mike Root, featured at Currents 2011 in June. Watch for reviews of both productions in upcoming posts.

Bonnaroo Tree, Michael Rohner/Gwen A.P., On Site Collaboration

This weekend, delight yourself with a first hand look at spontaneous co-creation at the 39th Annual Girl’s Inc. Arts and Crafts Show on The Plaza. Look for Booth G-18, near the intersection of Old Santa Fe Trail and San Francisco. Santa Fe Emerging Artist, Mike Rohner will be painting with Gwen AP, of Pittsburg PA. The pair met in Tennessee, at the Bonnaroo music festival. “Our artistic vibes clicked,” says Michael,”and we began immediately collaborating on paintings, taking turns working at the canvas in front of the main stage and thousands of music fans.” After each went home, they started a long-distance venture, where one of them would begin painting a canvas and the other would finish it up. To the right is a sample of what happened in Tennessee, since sold. Below are the fruits of the pair’s long-distance efforts. You’ll have your chance to pick up a Santa Fe spawned collaboration tomorrow and meet the gracious and ever-amiable Rohner in the bargain.

Calvin Tree, Michael Rohner/Gwen A.P., via long distance collaboration

Santa Fe Daytripping: Taos

Posted Thursday December 30 2010 by in Santa Fe Restaurant Reviews
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Taos is tiny.  The population of the entire county is well under half that of the city of Santa Fe. But like Santa Fe, Taos packs a powerful per capita punch of  character and appeal. People know Taos for the world class skiing, Taos Pueblo, and the famous Rio Grande Gorge. But you won’t taste the full flavor of Taos with your first sip. It’s a rural, rooted, art-centric intersection of Spanish, Native, counterculture hippies, recreationalists and ranchers: much too much to capture in a single draught.

For good, general information on what to see and do in Taos, consult the Taos Vacation Guide website. Following are a few tips from our recent visit.

Start your day at one of two standout breakfast spots. At Doc Martin’s, the coffee is strong and the fare filling at a reasonable price.  Locals recommend the Kit Carson (poached eggs on a yam biscuit with red chile.) Gutiz, with its Latin-French fusion cuisine, is an absolute “must-try.” I ordered the Tortilla: a Spanish Frittata with potatoes, onions, cucumber salad and savory tapenade. Excellent, though the tidy, tapas-sized portion might not sate a heartier appetite. Joshua picked the Taoseña (eggs, red beans, green chile, potatoes), also quite good. The orange-cinnamon battered French toast with strawberries and bananas is a reputed treat. Plus, the staff was over-the-top pleasant and welcoming.

The Plaza is a point of orientation and good for a sit or stroll, but less imaginative for shopping (though admittedly, we are not power shoppers.) One exception was the upscale consignment boutique, Re-Neux, at 126 B West Plaza Drive. With modest prices relative to quality, Re-Neux is a destination of merit for current women’s fashions, designer labels and vintage.  If you’re a book lover, don’t miss independent icon Moby Dickens Bookshop, on Bent Street, offering rare and out-of-print Western and New Mexico titles on site, and the willing ability to hunt down your desired treasure.

15 minutes north of Taos, on SR 150, is the tiny town of Arroyo Seco. The Taos Cow Ice Cream Scoop Shop, Cafe and Deli has creekside outdoor seating in clement weather. Across the street is our pick of the town’s shops, Rottenstone Pottery: an eclectic gathering of wood-fired pottery in an inviting studio/gallery.  There’s no website at present, so check out Scott Rutherford’s Facebook Page for up-to-date info on events and hours.

We ended our day at the luxe Anaconda Bar at El Monte Sagrado–easy walking distance from our outstanding VRBO rental, Artists Atelier. Anaconda’s Perfect Margarita was a little sweet for me, but pleasantly strong. We ballasted with a plate of Kessler Calamari served on a bed of Moroccan aioli, green olives and cilantro, rich enough to ruin us for dinner.  Before heading back to our digs, we took a quick walk around the hotel’s fragrant, lusciously humid atrium. I found and bruised a Bay Rum leaf. Its warm, spicy redolence is at once nothing and everything like Taos: sensuous, different, restorative and well-worth seeking out.

The Care & Feeding of Santa Fe’s Creative Class

the Reciprocal Value of Supporting the Local Alt/Indie Creative Scene
Posted Friday September 24 2010 by in Art, Art Galleries, Local Events
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Places that succeed in attracting and retaining creative class people prosper; those that fail don’t. –Richard Florida, The Rise of the Creative Class

A thriving music and nightlife scene is critical to attracting and retaining the young, brilliant, awesome people that Santa Fe needs. –After Hours Alliance

Musical Expression, Josh Gallegos

Last Wednesday, Joshua and I sat in on a meeting of the After Hours Alliance (AHA), a volunteer consortium of local music and art promoters dedicated to supporting and sustaining a vibrant, dimensional night scene for the younger set in Santa Fe. Even if you’re neither young, nor interested in the city’s nightlife, here are a few things you should know about the group. AHA supports all-ages access to night time events.  It is dedicated to promoting responsible alcohol consumption at the events it sponsors and has concrete ideas as to how to make this happen (read more on this topic at Activate or Deteriorate).

Its backbone support players are hardworking, resourceful actioneers: people like Shannon Murphy, Dan Werwath, and the folks behind High Mayhem, Meow Wolf, Little Wing, Team Everything and The Process, among others.  All are people who consistently make art and music events happen with or without time, money or a dedicated home.

This weekend, help make Santa Fe a friendly incubator of creative young talent by going where you’ve never gone before: get off the Canyon Road/Santa Fe Plaza art circuit and check out a new venue.  See the list below for alt/indie art and music options worth investigating. Good for you; good for them; good for the city.

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This Friday evening, from 4-7 PM, head over to the Railyard Arts District for a double axle delight from Axle Contemporary. If you haven’t seen this marvelously creative mobile gallery, make the detour. Axle Contemporary (the shiny, tricked-out van) will showcase ongoing exhibit, Transmissions.  Axle Annex will be featuring  Sun, Flower, Seed a vehicular installation by Matthew Chase-Daniel.  Transmissions will continue to roll its way around Santa Fe through October 14th, but you have just three days to see Sun, Flower Seed.

Axle Art's Gallery on Wheels

Also on Friday the 24th, from 6-9 PM, for ONE night only, view Conglomerate Perception, at popup gallery, Symphonic Soul, located at 1012 Marquez Place, Unit #108B in Santa Fe (next to Valdez Glass.)  Show features the work of emerging and independent artists Josh Gallegos, Cotton Miller, Mike Rohner, David Hyams, Anne Kelly, Carolyn Wright and Michael Webb. Swing by for food, music and a chance to meet and mingle with artists.

Wish Santa Fe had a better music scene? Then show your support for still young performance and educational space, Little Wing, with a weekend lineup that spans a variety of tastes.

Tomorrow night, check out THE NEXT REVOLUTION Hip Hop Art/Music show presented by TNR Crew with Casuno, DJ Meshak, Galley Cat, DJ Shakedown, Perish and more TBA :::6:30-9pm :::cost TBA

And on Sunday the 26th, don’t miss Pillars & Tongues, Aaron Martin, Secret Spells presented by Red Cell’s, The Process :::8pm $5

Little Wing is located next to the CandyMan, at 851 St. Michael’s Drive. 505.983.5906.

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If your musical taste runs avant garde, don’t miss Saturday’s full banquet concert at High Mayhem, 2811 Siler Lane, 505.501.3333  Get an advance-rundown on the show at The Santa Fe Reporter

** Congratulations to Axle Contemporary for today’s write up in the culture section of the New York Times.  “We’re blending the high and the low, the exclusive and the democratic, and taking those boundaries and crossing them,” says Axle’s co-founder Matthew Chase-Daniel of the old Hostess delivery truck — refashioned with track lighting, plastered walls and skylights — that serves as his gallery. Read the full article at Let It Roll: Santa Fe’s Art A Go-Go

I loved hearing the NYT refer to Santa Fe’s art scene as “robust,” referencing last year’s piece, The Art of Being Santa Fe.  There are certainly many working to make the Santa Fe art world ever more broad and vigorous.

Santa Fe Artist’s Boot Camp + Art Scene Updates

Posted Wednesday May 5 2010 by in Art, Cultural & Community Events, Local Events
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Emerging and independent artists have a low cost opportunity to step up their game with the Artist’s Boot Camp series starting Thursday, May 6th at Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa.   Sponsored by the Santa Fe Small Business Development Center and Creative Santa Fe, the weekly workshops focus on issues central to successful sales.  The courses run from 8:15 to noon.  The $25 fee covers tuition and a continental breakfast, courtesy of the City of Santa Fe and Bishop’s Lodge. Register online, or call: 505. 428.1343

This week on the Emerging and Independent Art Scene….

Friday, May 7th is the LAST night to catch Brittany Linkenheimer’s installation, Class, at the MOV-iN Gallery, 1600 Saint Michael’s Drive
on the College of Santa Fe campus. Class, an interactive installation, “provides the viewer with an experience that goes beyond the visual realm to include tactile and auditory components…a world of uncertainty and attempted self-reassurance [where] the only comfort comes in the form of consistency and repetition.” Produced by Andrew Dawson. Call: 505.982.0389 for more info.

On May 8th, from 7:00-9:00 PM, The College of Santa Fe Art Department presents “¡OINK!” a collaborative event featuring the sculpture, performance art, light installation, video art, sound sculpture and site-specific installation art of 16 CSF students including the man we fan, Red Cell.  Look for  “installations/objects [that] can be probed by the public as well as performances both staged and interactive.” ¡OINK! takes place at the Thaw Art Building on the CSF campus, 1600 St. Michael’s Drive. Call 505.471.2554 for more info.

On Sunday, May 9th, head to The Screen to see Late Bloomer, Go Shibata’s award-winning cult horror hit. Late Bloomer, is the first film in The Asia Now Film Series, presented by The Process and Tidepoint Pictures. The series runs the Second Sunday of Each Month at The Screen, 1600 St. Michael’s Dr. Film begins at 8:00 PM.  Call 505.473.6494 for details. A short Q & A session follows the film.

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Last Saturday, we found ourselves shivering in the blustery winds blowing around the St. Francis Cathedral-Basilica near the Plaza in downtown Santa Fe.  May 1st was World Labyrinth Day . We were there to support independent musician, Michael Tait Tafoya, who froze his digits supplying the sonorous soundtrack for the labyrinth meditative walk. Read more about last weekend’s observation in the Santa Fe New Mexican piece Taos Celebrates World Labyrinth Day May 1 And check out Mike’s new, independently produced album, Beyond the Horizon, a multi-layered, all instrumental guitar album.  Mike’s both a terrific talent and a fine guy whose smile and pacific spirit run soul deep.

For a tangential, but very cool blogbit on Labyrinths in architecture, read this picture-rich post,  The Switching Labyrinth.

Santa Fe Neighborhood Quick Sketch: South Capitol

Posted Thursday February 4 2010 by in Real Estate, Santa Fe Downtown, Santa Fe Neighborhoods
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Rail traffic and an expanding middle class fueled the development of South Capitol in the early twentieth century. A rich and appealing collection of single family homes, condos, and small compounds, South Capitol charms with its architectural diversity. Craftsman bungalows intermingle with Pueblo Revivals, Victorians and Territorials. Construction materials run the Santa Fe gamut: adobe, brick, Pen-tile (a term for hollow bricks formerly made at the State Penitentiary) and framed stucco.   Mature trees abound thanks, in part, to the WPA.  Yards range in size from postage stamp patios to 1 acre spreads.

The district takes its name from its dominant landmark: the State Capitol AKA The Roundhouse, on Paseo de Peralta east of Don Gaspar.  Roughly bounded by Paseo de Peralta on the North, Old Santa Fe Trail on the East, and Cordova on the South, South Capitol’s western edge is less clearly defined.  Don Diego is the main artery yet the neighborhood breaks its line to include pockets of streets just west of Don Diego.

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation and  Temple Beth Shalom are both within the neighborhood’s confines. Nearby, on Old Pecos Trail, are the Santa Fe Children’s Museum, The Center for Contemporary Arts,  and The Armory for the Arts.  The elementary school that serves much of the area is Wood Gormley; Capshaw Middle School and Santa Fe High School serve the upper grades.

Great amenities abound in easy walking distance. What’s available depends on where you’re located. The Santa Fe Railyard is an intersection of galleries, shops, housing and public spaces.  Kaune’s Neighborhood Market and O’horis Coffee, on Old Santa Fe Trail, are an easy walk from the neighborhood’s eastern end.  Cordova offers a superabundance of restaurants and shopping including several of our favorite dining spots: The Pyramid Cafe, Saigon Cafe, Backstreet Bistro, and Maria’s. For groceries, head to Trader Joe’s and Wild Oats.  The neighborhood’s Northern end is just blocks from the Plaza with its trove of dining, coffee houses and shopping.  Walkability is high for Santa Fe.  Check out the Walk Score of our listings at 111 East Santa Fe Ave., The Bella Donna. Unit #4 is one of five contemporary restorations.

For a deeper look at issues of interest to homebuyers, check out the following resources. CrimeReports.com is self explanatory.  Usually, I turn to city-data.com for its fascinating compilation of demographic data and statistics. However, city-data.com does not recognize South Capitol as a neighborhood. Instead, it creates a statistical profile for what it terms the Don Gaspar Neighborhood which covers the bulk, but not the entirety, of this historic district.

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SOUTH CAPITOL UPDATE

Below are market stats for the South Capitol Neighborhood reflecting the state of the real estate market on July 16th, 2010.

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Santa Fe Real Estate News. Stories, Trends and More

South Capitol Area, Looking Up in YTD Residential Sales.

Santa Fe Market Report
Featuring South Capitol Area
Presented by Prudential Santa Fe

Active SFAR Listings
All Santa Fe Listings (7/16/10)
Residential: 2805
Residential Land: 1546
Farm & Ranch: 134
Commercial Buildings: 199
Commercial Land: 77
Live/Work: 21
Multi Family: 36

South Capitol Area Snapshot
Residential Listings (7/16/10)
Active: 86
Pending: 4
Sold: 54*
Average DOM: 218*
Average Listing Price: $591,081*
Average Listing Price Per Sq.ft: $277*
Average Selling Price: $543,175*
Average Selling Price Per Sq.ft.: $255*
% of List Price: 92%*

*Sold (7/17/09-7/16/10)

Days on Market (DOM)
South Capitol Area – Residential Sold*
Days on the Market

Selling Price: % of List Price
South Capitol Area – Residential Sold*
Percentage of asking price

MLS Comparison, Sales Year To Date
South Capitol Area – Residential – 2009 v. 2010
(1/1/09-7/7/09) – (1/1/10-7/7/10)
Year To Date Comparison

Real estate agents Malissa Kullberg and Joshua Maes, AKA Changing Gallery, use their listings, where appropriate, to showcase the art, photography, sculpture and other creations of emerging and independent talents. Artists receive 100% of the proceeds from any sale. For up-to-date market info and full access to the MLS, visit: Santa Fe Real Estate Downtown.

Dining Santa Fe: Best New Mexican

Posted Wednesday July 29 2009 by in Santa Fe Restaurant Reviews
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Last week, The Santa Fe Reporter released its much anticipated Best of Santa Fe issue, the results of an annual reader poll ( SFReporter.com.) While we share a number of favorites, our short list for best New Mexican does not include this year’s multiple-category winner, Tomasita’s (although they do make fine sopapillas and fabulous honey butter.)  Check them all out and  send us your vote.

The Shed: Dependable excellence and charming atmosphere make this downtown spot just a block off The Plaza a mainstay for locals and tourists alike.  Good selection of non New Mexican fare if your party includes both the chile seeking and the chile adverse. We like the #10–one, blue corn, cheese enchilada and one, blue corn taco with chicken or beef.  The Chicken Enchilada Verde, with roasted chicken, is also quite good.  Carne Adovada with its deep red chile flavor is a popular item. The chile–especially, the red, is hot. If your palate or stomach favors milder fare, try the excellent Grilled Chicken, Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad, or the mushroom soup– light, creamy and nicely textured with bits of fresh mushroom.  Garlic bread is a surprisingly but pleasant side. Posole is regretably bland.  Expect a wait of at least 40 minutes for dinner, a little less for lunch, but don’t let that deter you from trying what is arguably Santa Fe’s best New Mexican restaurant. * Lunch: 11:00-2:30; Dinner: 5:30-9:00 RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED * 113 1/2 E. Palace Ave. * 982.9030

Marias: Famous for its 100+ margaritas, Maria’s  takes the crown for the best local posole: full flavored, not too spicy, graced with chunks of braised pork and slivers of menudo.  We like the open faced tacos with beef and chicken as well as the enchiladas. The fajitas, served on a sizzling iron platter, have bright, deep flavor, and come with sides of tasty guacamole, fresh pico de gallo, and house made flour tortillas. The Garlic Butter New York (steak) also gets high marks.  Vegetarians have a few options, including cheese enchiladas, bean burritos and guacamole tacos.  Re: margaritas: Maria’s consistently wins polls for best margarita,  even earning the moniker “The Motherlode of Margaritas” from the Seattle Times. The range and variety of offerings bedazzle, like the flashing legs of a chorus line, but it’s the quality of ingredients that really brings home the accolades.  Maria’s only uses “real” tequila (made with at least 51% agave juice, although I’ve never had a Maria’s marg made with less than 100%) distilled and produced in Mexico and shuns mixes and flavorings in preference for freshly squeezed lemon juice and triple sec, etc. To avoid watering down the final product, the margaritas are shaken, not blended.  Denizen’s of lower altitudes, be forewarned, Maria’s margaritas are strong. Drink with restraint and respect.   555 W. Cordova Rd. *983.7929

To Market, to Market

Posted Friday July 3 2009 by in Santa Fe Downtown
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Santa Fe New Mexico

Santa Fe ranks among the The Top Ten Housing Markets for the Next 10Years, according to a US News and World Report article published last month. The rankings were based on a Moody’s Economy analysis of employment data, population figures and industry trends in 384 distinct metropolitan statistical areas. The eclectic assembly starts with Bermerton-Silverdale, Washington and ends in Decatur, Illinois. Santa Fe itself is tucked modestly between Sandusky Ohio and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It’s a basket of apples and oranges. But on the short list of cities whose economies are considered sufficiently diverse and vigorous to bode growth, Santa Fe is a relative plum for its rich vein of culture, excellent restaurants, recreational activities and fabulous weather.

Many people assume they cannot afford a home in Santa Fe. And while it’s true that property values tend to run high and that we haven’t suffered the bottomed-out prices and foreclosures of many locales around the country, there are an impressive number of affordable properties on the Santa Fe Market right now. Combine those with low interest rates and, for first-time home buyers, the $8000 tax credit and you have a golden moment to grab a slice of the City Different.

At this writing there are over 219 single family homes, condos and townhomes priced under $250,000 available within the city limits–46 of these are single family homes. Drop the price point to $225,000 and the total number of homes is still 169 of which 20 are single family homes. Add Area 13, off Airport Road (an area which straddles city and county and was, therefore, left off the original reckoning) and the number of homes under $250K grows by an additional 59 homes of which 54 are single family dwellings, starting as low as 169 K.

Currently, we have three active listings priced under $200,000. 1713 Calle de Oriente Norte , listed at $148,900, is a sun-filled corner unit that shines with fresh paint and the owners’ loving care. The enclosed patio off the kitchen is ideal for al fresco dining or as a play area for toddlers or dogs. With a small terrace off the East-facing Master, plenty of storage and an office nook, this pleasant, modestly priced home is a terrific value.

111 East Santa Fe Ave., unit #3 and unit #4 offer affordable luxury just two blocks from the Plaza. These renovations of a original 1912 Pueblo Deco structure blend the best of contemporary beauty and Old World grace. Jaw-dropping granite counters, appliances by luxury vendors like ASKO and Sub-Zero, designer finishes, good storage, and smart floor plans make these small but exquisite units little miracles of comfort, convenience and visual appeal.

To Market, To Market to buy a fat pig

Home again, home again, jiggety jig….

–Mother Goose

HOUSING MARKET UPDATE, July 2010:

Bloomberg Businessweek report places Santa Fe among Housing Markets That Will Be Strongest By 2014 Click the link to read the full article.

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For full access to the MLS, visit our website at www.santafedowntownrealestate.com. Or to obtain straight-shooting, experience-backed advice on buying or selling a home in Santa Fe, please contact me, Malissa Kullberg, or my business partner, Joshua Maes via phone, text or e-mail.

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