Santa Fe Travelers

Free things to do in Sydney

Varied — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 17:13:09 +0000

Australia, and in particular Sydney, is an expensive place to visit. Luckily there are plenty of free things to do in Sydney so you can enjoy exploring this fabulous city even on a small budget. The city has many museums you can enjoy for free and there are parks, beaches and great walks – many of which are free. Here are some cool free things to do in Sydney.

The Rocks and the Rocks Discovery Museum

The Rocks Market on a beautiful late-summer day in mid-March, photo Henry Lee

Sydney’s museums are a great way to discover the city on a budget and many are free. At the Rocks Discovery Museum, housed in an 1850s sandstone warehouse in The Rocks, the oldest part of Sydney, you can learn about the city’s history and people The first Europeans arrived in Sydney in 1788 shortly after the penal colony was established and settled in The Rocks. The museum houses an interesting collection of images and archaeological artifacts that were found in the area. There are also interactive touch screens as well as audio and visual displays that help bring the history to life. After visiting the museum explore the steep lanes, historic houses, shops and pubs of this historic district.

Take a free walking tour

The free walking tour meets at. Andrew’s Cathedral, photo/Anna Phipps

What better way to get your bearings in Sydney than by taking a walking tour. Luckily, if you’re on a budget there is an excellent free walking tour everyday 10.30am and 2.30pm departing from Town Hall Square on George Street adjacent to St Andrew’s Cathedral. The cathedral itself is historic. Completed in 1868, it is the oldest cathedral in Australia. The free walking tour lasts about three hours and is packed with historical and other interesting facts about the city. The guides also give you handy tips about transport, culture, restaurants, nightlife and events in the city. The tour takes you from Sydney’s convict beginnings right up to the modern day and includes the iconic sights of the harbour and opera house. During the tour you’ll see The Rocks District, Hyde Park Barracks, Customs House, St Mary’s Cathedral, Queen Victoria Building, Circular Quay, Sydney Opera House and underground tunnels.

Soak up the Iconic Sights

The Sydney Opera House, photo/Anna Phipps

You can’t visit Sydney without seeing the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Unfortunately, the only way to get inside the Opera House is to take a tour or buy a ticket for a performance, but you can enjoy it from the outside for free. Central Quay is a lovely area to walk around. You’ll discover memorable views of the opera house and the bridge. There’s also a nice bar outside the Opera House which is quite reasonably priced considering the location but the best views are from the Botanical Gardens which are free to enter and enjoy.

Relax in the Royal Botanical Gardens

Birds and flowers at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydmey, photo Sue Slaght

Sydney’s Royal Botanical Gardens are a great way to relax in nature and escape the hustle and bustle of the city. You’ll also get great views (and photo opportunities) of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The gardens, a short walk from Circular Quay and Hyde Park, have thousands of plants and birds to enjoy. Go all the way around to Mrs. Macquaries Point for the best photo opportunities of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The Government House is located in the Botanical Gardens and is free to explore. Volunteer guides lead free walks through the gardens every day (click here for schedule).

Walk over the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge

You can walk across the Harbor Bridge, photo/Anna Phipps

There are two ways you can enjoy the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, one is by doing the bridge climb which is pricey; the other is by walking or cycling over the bridge for free while soaking up the gorgeous harbour views and getting amazing photos of the Sydney Opera House. You can access the bridge either from Cumberland Street in The Rocks or near Milsons Point jetty. It takes about 20 minutes to walk across.

Spend the day at the Beach

Spend a day at Bondi Beach, photo Anna Phipps

Australia is famous for its beaches and Sydney is blessed with a gorgeous harbour and coastline. Some of the best beaches in the world are close to Sydney; best of all a day at the beach is free and they are all easily accessible by public transport. Manly and Palm Beach are two of the best in the North. The South is home to quieter beaches like Cronulla. Bondi Beach is Sydney’s most famous; it can get pretty crowded but it’s something you don’t want to miss when in Sydney. Relax on the beach, surf, swim or chill out on the grassy hill that rises above the stunning bay while watching the bronzed surfers.

Enjoy stunning coastal walks

The Bondi to Coogee walk, photo/Anna Phipps

Another way to enjoy Sydney’s natural beauty and its dramatic coastline is by taking a coastal walk. The two I recommend are from Manly to Spit Bridge and the famous Bondi to Coogee walk. The Manly to Spit walk is an easy 10km jaunt that rises and dips over the cliffs and hugs the shore line as it passes through some of North Sydney’s most stunning beaches, bays and inlets. You’ll also pass glamorous harbour-facing houses, boat clubs and scenic deserted coves and beaches. It takes about three hours to complete. If you want to spend money, take the ferry to Manly ($14 return); it’s is a beautiful experience. The Bondi to Coogee walk is 6 km long and features stunning coastal views, beaches, parks, cliffs, bays and rock pools. You can feel the exhilarating force of the waves crashing below as you follow the path as it winds around the headland revealing ever more glorious views. Looking out to sea, you may even spot a humpback whale. The walk takes about two hours to complete. Stop to have a swim along the way or enjoy one of the cafes you pass along the way.

Art Gallery of NSW

Art Gallery of New South Wales, photo;Henry Lee

The Art Gallery of New South Wales, one of the best art collections in all of Australia, is free. The museum is a beautiful space with plenty of natural light and lovely views over Sydney and the harbour. The galleries have great collections of modern and contemporary Australian and International art including Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander art, Asian, colonial, and 19th century Australian and European art. Visitors can also explore temporary exhibitions, events, tours, talks, music and films.

This is the best of the many free things to do in Sydney. The city is blessed with stunning natural beauty, a great climate, iconic sites and world class museums making it easy to enjoy on a budget.

Want to know where to eat in Sydney? Read our post.

Anna Phipps is a travel writer, blogger and digital nomad who quit her job in the UK in 2012 to travel full time, independently and on a budget across Europe, India, Southeast Asia and Australia. She spent a year working and traveling around Australia in a campervan. The result: her and wrote a free e book about how to make the most of your working holiday in Australia. She is now based in Goa, India and shares her tips on traveling on a budget and working around the world on her blog , Global Gallivanting You can also follow her adventures on Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks to Sue Slaght of Travel Tales of Life for the Royal Botanic Garden photo and to Henry Lee of Fotoeins Fotografie for The Range Market and Art Gallery of New South Wales photos.

What are your favorite free things to do in Sydney?

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Tidbits: can’t beat August in Santa Fe; Indian Market and more…

Billie Frank — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 20:00:38 +0000

August is the busiest month of the year in Santa Fe. The Santa Fe Opera and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival are in full swing, bringing people to Santa Fe from around the country and even the world. The peak week for visitors is Indian Market Week, the lead up to the prestigious Indian Market, the largest market of its kind in the world, bringing American Indian and First Nation artists and artisans to The City Different from the U.S and Canada. Lots of other events including annual art and antique shows and gallery openings are happening as well. Here is a round-up of some of what’s going on in Santa Fe this August.

Santa Fe shout-outs

One of the luxury private soaking tub at Sunrise Springs, photo/Steve Collins

Kudos to the City of Santa Fe for being named the number two city on Travel + Leisure Magazine’s Top 15 Cities in the United States list for 2017 and the number 11 slot on The World’s Top 15 Cities list. And congrats to Santa Fe’s Sunrise Springs Spa Resort and its sister property, Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs & Spa for both nabbing a place on T + L’s Top 10 Destination Spas list for 2017. Sunrise nabbed the number two spot and Ojo the number four. Both properties offer guests a chance to relax and rejuvenate. The historic Ojo has been completely renovated and expanded over the last decade. Sunrise Springs was opened in 2015.

Food and dining news

The Pueblo Food Experience

Bison and Blue Corn Posole, photo Raymond Naranjo, courtesy the Pueblo Food Experience

Several years ago Santa Clara artist Roxanne Swentzell along with a group of fellow Pueblo people took part in a food experiment. They limited their diets to the foods their ancestors were eating when the Spanish came to New Mexico introducing new foods. More dietary changes came with the arrival of Anglos. Pueblo Food Experience participants returned to the traditional foods of their ancestors: corn, beans and squash, supplemented by game. After several months the group reported their health improvements, noting many positive results. In 2016 Swentzell published the Pueblo Food Experience, her book about the project. Inspired by this, Swentzell and Santa Clara chef Raymond Naranjo created the Pueblo Food Experience. They plan to hold monthly presentations including a meal, featuring the ancient foods and cooking traditions of the Pueblo people, on the last Sunday of each month at Swentzell’s Tower Gallery in Pojoaque. You can find more information on their Facebook page. Cost for these events is $65.

Changes and arrivals

El Nido

El Nido’s main dining room, photo Steve Collins

The Santa Fe chef dance continues. Chef Enrique Guerrero, who reopened El Nido in Tesuque late last fall has left to devote himself to his food truck business. Chef Cristian Pontiggia, formerly of Osteria d’ Assisi has taken over the helm of the mostly wood-fired kitchen.

Arable

Arable, Loyal Hound’s new Eldorado restaurant, photo courtesy Arable

The Eldorado area in on its way to becoming a dining destination. The popular Café Fina has been drawing people for years, last month in Tidbits we announced the revival of Bobcat Bites slated for 2018. The newest addition to the Eldorado restaurant scene is Arable. Dave Readyhough and Renee Fox of Loyal Hound opened their new eatery last week. The comfort food inspired menu made from local organic ingredients when possible. They also feature the state’s largest selection of wines “on tap” as well as a selection of craft beer and hard cider. The state’s largest offering of “tap wines’ as well as a selection of craft beer and hard cider. will be on offer. The contemporary dining room was designed to create a farmhouse feeling reflecting the couple’s commitment to locally sourced foods.

Other openings

Dolina Cafe and Bakery, photo Steve Collins

The New Santa Fe Baking company is finally open for business at the Cordova Road location of the original Santa Fe Baking Company. It’s run by former Baking Company cook, Filiberto Rodriguez and some of his family members. The menu, modeled after that of its predecessor, will feature soup from former Back Street Bistro owner David Jacobi. One new restaurant has resurrected two beloved Santa Fe dining spots.

Another veteran of the Santa Fe food scene has opened a new place. Ana Maria O’Brien, who opened Café Fina with her former husband, is back with Dolina, a new bakery café in Clafoutis’ former Guadalupe Street digs.

Indian Market Week

Indian Market Week is a vibrant time in Santa Fe. What started as a market to showcase the arts of the indigenous people and their handcrafted works has grown. There are several annual art events along with gallery openings held to take of art buyers who come to Santa Fe for Indian Market. There are two additional indigenous markets: WE ARE THE SEEDS and the Zuni Show that have sprung as well.

The Markets

Indian Market

Indian Market is almost here again, photo/Steve Collins

The 96^th annual Santa Fe Indian Market, presented by Southwest Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA), takes place Saturday, August 19^th and Sunday, August 20^thin and around the historic Santa Fe Plaza. The event, the largest show of its kind in the world, attracts dealers, collectors, art lovers and the curious from all over the globe. Saturday hours are from 7am to 5pm; Sunday the market is open from 8am to 5pm. No art may be sold before the official opening. Serious collectors line up early at award-winners’ booths, especially those belonging to really collectable artists. Even if you’re not going to buy, it’s fascinating to watch the action. SWAIA’s pre-market start Tuesday, August 15^th. A full schedule is on their website.

We are the Seeds

Rabbett Strickland’s “Nomadic Mnidoos”, photo courtesy We are the Seeds

The WE ARE THE SEEDS of Culture Trust will present WE ARE THE SEEDS, a three-day event, from Thursday, August 17^th to Saturday, August 19^that the Santa Fe Railyard. The juried market will feature contemporary and traditional indigenous art from approximately 100 artists from diverse cultures and regions. In addition, Seeds will honor indigenous woman artists; featured artists will give demonstrations sharing the techniques they use to create their art. The festive event also includes musical performances including blues, R&B, rock, classical music as well as dancing, a fashion show and a poetry workshop. Bring your appetite. There will be food booths including one offering Native American foods as well as food trucks on site. Sunset Park Jam, with DJ Brian Frejo and special featured guests, kicks off the event with music and dancing on Wednesday, August 16^th from 6 to 9pm.

The Zuni Show

Zuni show exhibitors Tim Edaakie and Bobby Silas display their fine pottery photo courtesy Zuni Show

The Keshi Foundation presents the 2^nd annual Zuni Show at the the Scottish Rite Temple, 463 Paseo de Peralta, on Saturday, August 19^th from 9am to 5pm and Sunday, August 20^th from 9am to 4pm. More than 100 Zuni jewelers, carvers, and potters will presented their handcrafted wares for sale. In addition, there will be information about the Zuni people and their culture, traditional food along with Zuni singing and dancing. Admission is free.

Other Indian Market Week Events

Objects of Art Santa Fe and Antique American Indian Art Show

Americana at Objects of Art Santa Fe photo/Steve Collins

Promoters Kim Martindale and John Morris have two events both El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe. Their first event, the 8^th annual Objects of Art Santa Fe (formerly The Santa Fe Show), will be held from Thursday, August 10^th to Sunday, August 13^th. More than 70 dealers from around the country will exhibit what the show’s promoters call “unique, one-of-a-kind historic and contemporary works from around the world.” Thursday night’s opening gala is from 6 to 9pm. Proceeds benefit New Mexico PBS station, KNME. Show hours Friday through Sunday are from 11am to 5pm.

Antique American Indian Art Show

Their Antique American Indian Art Show Santa Fe 2017 takes place from Tuesday, August 15^th through Friday, August 18^th at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe. Almost 70 exhibitors that promoters call “the world’s most knowledgeable experts in American Indian art” are bringing thousands of historic art objects from indigenous cultures throughout North America. The show kicks off on Tuesday evening with another benefit opening gala from 6 to 9pm. Show hours Wednesday through Friday from 11am to 5pm.

Tickets are $15 per show and good for all three days. Tickets to the opening galas are $50 per show.

Antique Indian and Ethnographic Art Show

Apache water basket at the Whitehawk Ethnographic Show, photo/Steve Collins

Whitehawk Antique Shows presents their Antique Indian and Ethnographic Art Show at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center from Saturday, August 12^th through Monday, August 14^th. Hours all three days are 10am to 5pm. There will be an Opening Night Party on Friday August 11^th from 6pm to 9:30pm. Show admission is $10 per day or $17 for a two-day ticket. Preview Party tickets, $75, include admission to the show on all days.

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian Annual Auction

The Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian opens their 42^nd Annual Benefit Auction on Thursday, August 17^th with a silent auction from 3 to 5pm as well as a preview of the items that will be sold at Friday’s live auction. Friday’s events start off with the Youth and Adult Artist Demonstrations from 9am to noon. The live auction preview is between 10am and noon when the auction begins. Items offered for sale include contemporary Native American jewelry, pottery, textiles, katsina figures, basketry, beadwork, fetishes as well as other art forms. There will be a food truck will be on-site on Friday. Because parking on Museum Hill is at a premium there will be additional parking with shuttle service to the museum from both the First Baptist Church on 1605 Old Pecos Trail and St. John’s United Methodist Church at 1200 Old Pecos Trail.

Ship Rock Santa Fe

Detail of collaborative work by SONWAI and Ken Williams, Jr.
photo photo/courtesy of Shiprock Santa Fe

Shiprock Santa Fe has two events planned for August. There will be an opening reception for Sonwai and Ken Williams Jr on Thursday, August 17^th from 2 to 4pm. On Friday, August 18^thsilversmith and renowned turquoise expert Yasutomo Kodera of Skystone Trading will be at the gallery from 2 to 4pm with pieces from his Sky Blue Hawk Collection. He will also be available to identify turquoise stones.

Santa Fe Art

MILL Contemporary

Angela To “Meadow”, photo courtesy MILL Contemporary

MILL Contemporary opens ELEMENTS: An Exploration of Fragile Environments, an exhibition showcasing the works of three artists: Allison Stewart, Patrick Adams, and Angela To on Friday, August 4th, from 5 to 7pm. The paintings reflect the artists’ concerns for nature. The exhibition runs through Monday, August 28^th.

Tansey Contemporary

“Unfolding 1,” Melinda Rosenberg, photo courtesy Tansey Contemporary

Tansey Contemporary presents Found and Made, a solo exhibition by wood sculptor Melinda Rosenberg, on Friday, August 4^th from 5 to 7pm. The show will feature the Rosenberg’s three-dimensional wall sculptures made from new and found wood objects. The exhibition runs through Friday, August 25^th.

Sorrel Sky Gallery

“Crow Indians Returning to Camp” Kevin Red Star, photo courtesy Sorrel Sky Gallery

Sorrel Sky Gallery opens Horse People, a one-man show of Crow artist Kevin Red Star’s work on Friday, August 4^th from 5 to 7:30pm. The exhibit highlights the works of the nationally and internationally acclaimed artist, who is said to fully capture the essence of his culture, providing the viewer with a visual history and authentic insights into the “Horse People.” The show continues through August.

Patina Gallery

From the exhibit, Tonal Elegance, Peter Schmid, jewels of Atelier Zobel, photo courtesy Patina Gallery

Patina Gallery opens Tonal Elegance, an exhibition of Peter Schmid’s striking, expressive and ultramodern jewelry, on Friday, August 11^th from 5 to 7:30 pm. Schmid is the creative force behind Atelier Zobel, a well-known German jewelry design studio. This will be his 16^th exhibition at the gallery. The show runs through Sunday, September 10^th.

Santa Fe Music

Santa Fe Desert Chorale

The Santa Fe Desert Chorale presents Liberté: Music of Resistance and Revolution at St. Francis Cathedral on Tuesday, August 1^st and Friday, August 11^th at 8pm. There will be a free pre-concert talk 90 minutes before the performance by Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival executive director Steven Ovitsky (registration required). Tickets, $20 to 75 are available on their website or by phone. There are disconnt tickets for students and groups of 10 or more.

The Lensic Presents

Chris Botti to play at the Lensic, courtesy Lensic Performing Arts Center

Lensic Presents the programing arm of the Lensic Performing Arts Center is bringing Grammy-winning trumpeter and composer Chris Botti to Santa Fe on Saturday, August 5^th at 7:30pm. Botti, America’s top-selling instrumental artist, has been nominated for four Grammies since 2008. and his album Impressions won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2013. Tickets are $52 to $86.

They will present blue grass legend Ricky Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder on Saturday, August 26^th at 7:30pm also at the Lensic. Skaggs, a leader in the roots revival movement has won Fourteen Grammys and, eight CMAs. Tickets are $46 to $75.

Tickets to both shows are available at the Lensic Box Office online at Tickets Santa Fe. Great news: all Lensic Presents events allow patrons to bring their drinks, purchased at the Lensic bar, into the theater in special no-spill cups.

Garrison Keillor is coming to town

Garrison Keillor from his Prairie Home “Love and Comedy” Tour photo Emporium Presents

Emporium Presents brings Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home “Love and Comedy” Tour to the Santa Fe Opera on Sunday, August 27^th at 7pm. Keillor, well-known for his books, including Lake Wobegon Days, is the creator and former host NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion. He will be joined onstag by Richard Dworsky & The Roadhounds, Aoife O’Donovan, and Fred Newman. Tickets, $5 to $85, are available at Ticketmaster. Call 800-745-3000 for more details.

Northern New Mexico

Angel Fire Food and Wine Roundup

There will be dancing at the Angel Fire Food and Wine Roundup, photo courtesy of Angel Fire

Angel Fire Resort in Angel Fire, NM will host the first Angel Fire Food and Wine Roundup from Thursday, August 24^th through Sunday, August 27^th at the resort. The four-day western-themed event, sponsored by Texas-based A Bar N Ranch, will offer attendees the best in western cuisine, Wagyu beef, fine wines, craft brews, artisanal spirits and western hospitality with famous chefs, winemakers, brewers, and distillers. Events include guest chef luncheons, cooking demos by top chefs from around the country, Dutch oven cooking demos, a Reserve Tasting, a Grand Tasting,

wine seminars, mushroom hunts, guest chef dinners in private residences, silent auction events and tastings of artisanal spirits and craft brews. In addition, there will be a Boot Scootin’ BBQ and Western Dance at the Angel Fire Resort Country Club, a benefit golf tournament, a Bloody Good Bacon Brunch and Chuck Wagon Breakfast event. Guest chefs include Chicago’s Meathead Goldwyn, Texan Cowboy Gourmet Chefs, Tom and Lisa Perini along with Harry Soo, Head Chef at LA-based Slap Yo Daddy BBQ. Santa Fe’s own. James Beard Award-winning cookbook author, food writer and radio personality Cheryl Jamison will emcee cooking demonstrations. You’ll find a full festival schedule of the, attending chefs, on the Angel Fire Food and Wine Roundup website. Tickets can be purchased there as well.

And there’s lots more happening in Santa Fe in August; we just hit the tip of the iceberg. Let us help you plan your perfect visit to The City Different.

That’s it for August Tidbits will be back on the last Tuesday in August to fill you in on September happenings. ¡Hasta Luego!

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Pie-O-Neer Pies, putting the pie in Pie Town

Billie Frank — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 02:37:37 +0000

Pie Town has been on our radar since we moved to New Mexico in 2004, but at three-and-a-half hours from Santa Fe, it’s a bit too far for a day trip. Ever since we met Kathy Knapp and fell in love with her at an event promoting The Pie Lady of Pie Town, Santa Fean Jane Rosemont’s award-winning short documentary about Knapp and Pie-O-Neer Pies, we’ve wanted to get there for some of her homemade pie. My birthday which was last Saturday. We have a tradition of taking a jaunt each year to celebrate. on. Nothing was jelling and the on Friday, in a flash I knew what I wanted to do: get a birthday piece of pie at Pie-O-Neer Pies. I message Kathy on Facebook to let her know we were headed her way and made my birthday pie request: chocolate pecan.

Heading to Pie Town

View of the VLA shot from the moving car photo Billie Frank

We awoke early Saturday morning so we could arrive in Pie Town around lunch time. As Pie-O-Neer Pies no longer serves food, we stopped for sandwiches before leaving Santa Fe. It was an uneventful journey, I-25 to Socorro about an hour south of Albuquerque and then U.S. 60 for the rest of the way. The landscape for much of the ride is stark and unmemorable. That changes just west of the VLA (Very Large Array) about 45 minutes west of Socorro. If you haven’t been there (we have) it’s well worth taking the time to stop. West of here the road starts going through the scenic Saw Tooth Mountains on the way to the Continental Divide. Pie Town is a mile west of the Divide.

Vintage windmills at the now-closed Dan Cyn’s Windmill Museum photo Billie Frank

Coming into Pie Town we saw a bunch of vintage windmills at a now-closed windmill museum and former pie café and had to stop and take a few photos before continuing down the road to Pie-O-Neer Pies. We were, after all these years of anticipation, there.

How Pie Town got its name

How Pie Town got its name -sign at Pie-O-Neer Pies, photo Steve Collins

There are a few stories about how Pie Town became Pie Town. Most agree that a prospector named Clyde Norman arrived in the 1920s looking for gold. His 40-acre claim comprised what became Pie Town. He didn’t find any gold. Needing a way to earn money he opened a gas station serving travelers on U.S. 60, the country’s first coast to coast highway opened in 1922. He carried groceries and eventually added fresh-baked pies. In 1924, Norman sold half his interest in the town to Harmon L. Craig who became the town’s sole owner when Norman returned to Texas. During the Dust Bowl years people from Texas and Oklahoma settled in Pie Town. In 19 small town asked for their own post office in 1927; residents wanted the town to be called Pie Town and met with government resistance. According to Smithsonian Magazine, “The Pie Towners said it would be PieTown or no to town.” They won.

A short history of Pie-0-Neer Pies

Pie-O-Neer Pies, Pie Town, NM, photo Steve Collins

When Kathy Knapp and her family drove through Pie Town in 1995 there weren’t any pies to be found. They spotted a sign on the closed Thunderbird Trading Post, a derelict building: “There used to be pie in Pie Town, but there ain’t no more — 4 SALE.” Knapp’s mother, Mary, was an experienced pie baker. She’d baked pies with her mother at the Cozy Corner Café in Rochelle, Illinois. Mary saw a need to put the pie back in Pie Town. Kathy, who lived in Dallas at the time, bought the café for her mother who moved to Pie Town, began feeding locals and travelers and most importantly, started baking pies. Two years later when she was diagnosed with emphysema and needed to move to a place at lower altitude (Pie Town is almost 8,000 feet above sea level), she reluctantly left the town she’d come to love. This left Kathy with a pie place and no one to run it. She tried hiring people but it didn’t work. She left her life in Dallas and moved to Pie Town and took over. Her pie-baking skills were almost nonexistent; she learned how to make pies through trial and error. She mastered the craft! Today she is indeed the Pie Lady of Pie Town.

Coming home to Pie-O-Neer Pies

Entering the Pie-O-Neer is like coming home. Kathy, Stanley King (who she calls her “partner in all things”) or one of the friendly staff will great you and get you started on your pie adventure. If you saw Pie-O-Neer on CBS Sunday Morning (it’s airing created a business boom and a few more pie shops in Pie Town) or saw the Pie Lady of Pie Town, you may do a double-take; something has changed. When Kathy decided to give up the food portion of the business and concentrate on all pies, all the time, the original counter was replaced with the Pie Bar, a cafeteria-style buffet featuring between 10 and 20 varieties of pie at any given time. The missing counter aside, the interior is homey.

An assortment of pies on the Pie Bar at Pie-O-Neer Pies , photo/Steve Collins

Mismatched tables and chairs are scattered around the room, there’s a wood burning stove for really cold days and an old wringer washer. The walls are covered in art photos and historic ones as well; just outside the bathroom, the wall is covered with clips of media coverage of Pie Town and Pie-O-Neer from a host of publications including Sunset Magazine, Travel + Leisure, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker and New Mexico Magazine. It’s also been featured on many websites including Santa Fe Travelers. Besides the CBS show, Pie town and/or Kathy have been on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, and the Travel Channel’s Hungrytown.

The Wall of Fame at Pie-O-Neer Pies, photo Billie Frank

With 15 to 20 different pies to choose from choosing a piece of pie can be a daunting task with 15 to 20 different pies to choose from. Peruse all the offerings, each with its name on a tag in front of it. Want to taste several different ones? Go with a few people and trade bites. If you are a pie purist and will only eat apple, blueberry or pecan, call the day before you come or early in the day of your visit and request your fave. If Kathy has the time and the ingredients she’ll make it and save you a slice or you can order an entire pie and take it home with you or buy one of their Take and Bake Pies and bake it at home. When asked how many pies are in the Pie-o-Neer’s repertory, Kathy says they have name tags for over 70 but she estimates it’s closer to 100.

Steve chose the Peach,, Plum, ,Almond Crumb, photo/Billie Frank

That’s a LOT of pie! And they keep coming up with new ones. Pies emerge from the oven throughout the day, “I tell people It’s like LAX,“ Kathy quipped in a note to me, “a new one arrives at the gate every few minutes!” Once you choose your pie, proceed to the register. Let the cashier know if you want your pie a la mode and he/she will oblige. Want a drink to go with your piece of pie or “☮ of π” as they jokingly refer to it on the tee-shirts they offer for sale? Tell the cashier and then head to the a do-it-yourself drink station where you’ll find coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk or lemonade.

Kathy Knapp with a fresh out of the oven pie at Pie-O-Neer Pies, photo/Billie Frank

We loved seeing Kathy in action. She really knows how to work a room and she made my birthday. The lights went out – she acted like there was a power outage and then appeared from the back with my requested piece of chocolate pecan pie with a candle in it. She got everyone in the place singing Happy Birthday. She presented me with a tiara that said “Happy New Year,” and quipped, “After all, it is a new year for you.” Filled with pie and good feelings it was time to get back on the road.

Leaving Pie Town

Sacred Heart Catholic Church Quemado, NM, photo/Billie Frank

We planned to return via El Malpais National Monument and Stan sent us off with a map and suggestions for a few places to check out there. He also suggested that we drive by the VLBA (Very Long Baseline Array), large dish down a dirt road not far off the highway. We took a drive through the town and saw two additional pie shops. Kathy noted that they open on different days and that Pie Town gets enough traffic to support them all. We then headed west on U.S. 60 to Quemado where we discovered a charming adobe church as we turned onto NM 36. Stay on that until NM 117 goes off to the right. Just follow the signs to Grants and you’ll get to El Malpais.

La Vantana at El Malpais National Monument photo/Billie Frank

El Malpais is composed by black lava formations, lava tubes and caves that can be explored with a permit. Overseeing it all is a bank of beautiful sandstone cliffs with stunning rock formations. Stop at the pullout on the east side of the road and look for La Ventana, an arch in the high cliff. We also detoured to the Sandstone Bluffs accessed via a dirt road on the west side of the highway before heading back to Santa Fe.

Sandstone Bluffs at El Malpais, photo/Steve Collins

Have you been to the Very Large Array, Pie Town, Quamado or El Malpais National Monument?

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“The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” at the Santa Fe Opera

Billie Frank — Sat, 22 Jul 2017 02:29:01 +0000

So much for predictions. I went to the dress rehearsal for the world premiere of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs at the Santa Fe Opera prepared to hate it for a number of reasons. I’m not a fan of contemporary music or contemporary operas, I didn’t particularly like Steve Jobs and I don’t like high-tech projections. I am, basically, a Luddite; I still have a flip phone. To my surprise, I fell in love with The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.

The Music

Mark Campbell (left) Daisy Geoffrey, Santa Fe Opera’s Communicstions Director and Mason Bates talk to our group, photo Steve Collins

The music, a mix of orchestral and technological, worked well. Mark Campbell’s libretto for the 90-minute, one-act opera is witty, poignant and fast paced. Composer Mason Bates, who spoke to our press group (made up mostly of Instagrammers) before the rehearsal, said that he would be in the pit each performance with his drum pad and two Mac laptops. Campbell, who also spoke to the group, is both introspective and very funny. It was after hearing these two speak that I began to think I might like the (R)evolution of Steve Jobs better than I expected. We also heard from set designer Vita Tzykun and lighting designer Japhy Weideman. The sets, which range from stark and utilitarian to wildly colorful along with the technological projections greatly enhanced the opera.

The timeline of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs

Woz and Jobs in the Los Altos, California garage they invented the Apple computer, photo/Steve Collins

The opera opens in 2007, the day Jobs announced the iPhone at the Macworld Convention. The timeline moves back and forth between significant events in Job’ ‘life. It’s a bit like Scrooge’s journey into the past in A Christmas Carol but because Jobs has terminal cancer, there’s no journey into the future. One of the scenes is of a 1974 acid trip Jobs took in a apricot orchard (we may be lucky we’re not computing on Apricots). While tripping on the LSD he heard the world as Bach music.

Throughout the opera, the on stage presence of Kobun Chino Otogawa, Buddhist monk and Job’s friend for over two decades, on the stage reminds the viewer of Jobs’ commitment to Buddhism and his inevitable humanity. According to Bates (on his website), “Jobs’ search for inner peace is the story of the opera – which, in a sentence, is about a man who learns to be human again.” Bates, and the opera, credit Jobs’ wife Laurene with grounding the frenetic visionary reminding him “of the importance of the human connection.” Jobs was not a compassionate or likeable man until he faced his imminent mortality but none of us can deny the impact his genius and tenacity has had on the world.

The people behind The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs

Buddhism was central to Jobs’ life, photo/teve Collins

The stellar cast (they got a standing ovation from the audience) was headed by Edward Parks, dressed in a black turtleneck, in the title role (he didn’t leave the stage once during the entire 90 minutes), Sasha Cooke as Laurene Powell Jobs, Wei Wu as Kobun Chino Otogawa, Garrett Sorenson as Woz, Jessica Jones as Chrisann Brennan and Kelly Markgraf as Paul Jobs. The production was ably directed by Kevin Newberry.

Jobs and Laurene in 2007 photo/Steve Collins

The evening flew, bringing a lot of laughter from the audience and at least for me, tears. Get your tickets now, the opera, commissioned by the Santa Fe Opera, is sure to be a sell-out once word gets out.

You don’t have to be an opera fan to enjoy this one. It speaks eloquently to the humanity in zll of us. That’s the true revolution of Steve Jobs.

Free things to do in Geneva, Switzerland

Varied — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 17:16:06 +0000

Geneva has a well-deserved reputation for being ultra-expensive. If you want to take a break from all that spending and enjoy some of the city’s sights, there are plenty of free things to do in Geneva.

Check out my favorite free things to do in Geneva.

Stroll around the Jardin Anglais

The Flower Clock at the Jardin Anglais, photo/Leyla Giray Alyanak

The Jardin Anglais (English Garden) is a glorious lake walkway that takes you through greenery, fountains and perky sailboats waiting to be freed from their moorings. By far the most famous landmark in this patch of park is the Flower Clock, created in 1995 in honor of Geneva’s watchmakers. If there’s one spot for selfies in this city, this is it, and everyone partakes. The clock is a magnificent horticultural work of art; with over 12,000 thousand flowers and shrubs that are changed five times a year (once per season and twice in spring). You’ll never see the same arrangement twice.

The Jet d’Eau

The Jet d’Eau in Lake Geneva photo Leyla Giray Alyanak

Walking along the lake from the Jardin Anglais is Geneva’s other iconic landmark: the Jet d’Eau (the giant water spout). It certainly didn’t start life as a tourist attraction, however. In the 19^th century, a rapidly industrializing Geneva needed water; a hydro-power plant was built near the lake. The excess pressure required an outlet and the first Jet d’Eau was born, some distance from its present-day location and a third of its 90-meter size. The Jet d’Eau was inaugurated in 1891 to celebrate Switzerland’s 600^th anniversary; at night it glows with white light. If you’ve ever landed in Geneva on a clear day you’ve probably seen its characteristic flume high above the lake.

Wander over to Carouge

Sidewalk spillover of one of the many quaint antique shops in Carouge photo/Leyla Giray Alyanak

This may sound odd but one of the best parts of Geneva, in my opinion, isn’t in Geneva at all but a tram ride away, in the nearby town of Carouge. Along its old-fashioned and narrow streets you’ll find all manner of artisans, cafés and antique shops, a village feel just steps from the big city. Carouge’s history has guaranteed its diversity – it has in turn come under the rule of Sardinia, Savoy, Geneva and France and today is the open-minded and cheerful cousin to Geneva’s more serious Calvinist vibe.

Visit the Reformation Wall

The Reformation Wall in in the Parc des Bastions photo,/Leyla Giray Alyanak

The Reformation Wall, in the Parc des Bastions behind the University of Geneva, has an unusual series of sculptures of ten men, all Protestant religious reformers. Their names – Calvin, Cromwell, Luther, Knox and others – read like a who’s who of Protestant history. The statues were created in 1909 to celebrate Calvin’s 400^th birthday and the university’s 350^th anniversary. Once you’ve admired the statues’ reflection in the pool of water that flows at their feet, you can return to the park’s entrance for a free game of giant chess.

Borrow a bike

Borrow a bike and peddle along the lake photo
Leyla Giray Alyanak

Throughout the summer, you can borrow a city bike for four hours and it’s free. You’ll need a valid ID and a cash deposit. Geneva has some fantastic bike routes and picturesque country roads that criss-cross not only the city but its neighboring countryside. Because Geneva is relatively compact, you can see quite a bit in four hours. If you want to see more, you can always rent a bicycle for several days, or all week.

These five are my favorites but there are plenty of other free things to do in Geneva. Do discover them on your own!

Leyla Giray Alyanak publishes Women on the Road, for women who travel smart, safe and solo. She recently celebrated ten years online. Join her on Facebook and Pinterest.

What are your favorite things to do in Geneva?

Read more of posts in our free things to do series:

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National Park Senior Pass price increase on August 28th

Billie Frank — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 13:55:48 +0000

When we posted this in early April, no date had been set for the National Park Senior Pass price increase. The date has been announced. The current $10 lifetime National Park Senior Pass will increase to $80 on August 28, 2017. Get yours today!

It was the best $10 we ever spent! I’m talking about our lifetime National Park Senior Pass, available the US citizens or permanent residents the day they hit their 62^nd birthday. You know that old adage about all good things coming to an end? The writing is on the wall for the $10 National Park Senior Pass. It’s not going away; it’s just getting a lot more expensive. The fee for the lifetime National Park Senior Pass will be going up to $80. If you want to take advantage of the $10 rate, buy your lifetime National Park Senior Pass now. When is the price going up? According to the National Park Service no date has yet been set, but it will be sometime after October. Don’t say we didn’t give you a lot of warning.

Once the rate goes up there will be two options to buy your National Park Senior Pass: pay $80 for a lifetime pass or buy an annual Senior Passes for $20. After you buy four passes the fifth one will be free and forever. They’re currently trying to work out the logistics on this. It’s the government so it’s not simple. Of course, with the current anti-public lands atmosphere in Washington, things could change on a dime.

How to buy your National Park Senior Pass

Remains of Nuestra Senora de los Angeles at Pecos National Historical Park, photo/Steve Collins

You can buy passes at any National Park office, National Park, National Monument, National Historic Park, online or by mail. Both the Internet and mail-in options have an additional $10 fee, but if you’re not near a National Parks office or site, it’s worth it. Not all sites sell the passes, check out this list of places, state by state, where you can purchase your National Park Senior Pass. (Check with the place before going as the list says it’s subject to change.)

When one of us hit 62 (I won’t say which one) we headed for our local National Parks office and bought our lifetime National Parks Senior Pass. Over the years, we’ve saved a lot of money on admissions to National Parks, National Monuments and National Historical Parks. Once, when we were traveling and had left the pass at home so we purchased a second one (it was cheaper than the park admission). Now we each have one. And since the person named on the pass has to be present, it’s a good idea for each member of a couple to have one in case you travel separately. And really good news: one pass admits everyone in a car (up to 15 people) and will admit the owner and three additional people at sites that charge a per person fee.

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Adobe shells are all that’s left of the once-thriving Fort Union in Northern NM, photo/Steve Collins

While New Mexico only has two National Parks there are a number of National Monuments and National Historical Parks. We love being able to go visit National Park sites and not think about what it’s going to cost. While not everyone has this richness of National Park sites as close as we do, it’s great to have a National Parks Senior Pass if you’re planning any US travel.

In 2016, the National Park Centennial, we wanted to get to as many National Park sites as we could. The first half of the year, we weren’t able to leave home but we made up for it in the fall with a road trip through Colorado, Utah and Southern California. We put our pass to good use and saved a lot of money. Here are the places we visited on our National Park Senior Pass in the last year. (We got the most use out of it in Utah on our epic Colorado-Utah-California road trip last fall.

New Mexico

Bandelier National Monument

Bandelier National Monument is known for its cliff dwellings, photo/Steve Collins

Bandelier National Monument at about 45 minutes from Santa Fe is easy to visit. Besides ancient cliff dwellings to see, the visitors’ center offers a small museum and videos to watch. There are also extensive hiking trails and campsites available. Between mid-May and mid-October, vehicles (unless they have a disability pass) are not permitted at the site. The exception: cars that arrive before 9am or after 3pm. All others have to board shuttle buses at the White Rock Visitors Center. Bandelier is a great getaway for us; not having to pay admission makes it very inviting for us to go as often as we like. Admission is $20 for everyone traveling in a single vehicle and $10 for people traveling alone. Every time we went our pass saved us $20.

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Remains of an ancestral pueblo at Aztec National Monument, Aztec, NM photo/Billie Frank

We made a quick stop at Aztec Ruins National Monument home of a 900-year-old great house. The site is small and didn’t require a lot of time to see. Our National Park Senior Pass saved the $5.00 per person admission charge. We saved $10.

Colorado

Mesa Verde

One of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, photo/Billie Frank

Mesa Verde National Monument is bigger than most National Monuments we’ve visited. It is home to the pueblo-style “apartment buildings” that communally housed many people. While most of these can only be viewed from afar, they are a spectacular site. They offer ranger tours seasonally and one site can be visited without a guide, also seasonally. Depending on the season the entrance fee for a carload of up to 15 people is either $15 or $20. Our pass saved us $15.

Utah

Hovenweep National Monument

Stone tower at Hovenweep, photo/Steve Collins

Hovenweep National Monument, a bit off the beaten path on the Utah/Colorado border, offers a historic ancestral pueblo without crowds. The site consists of six prehistoric villages built between 1200 and 1300 AD. The loop trail from the Visitors Center takes you on a 90-minute walk around the Square Tower Ruin. We did part of it and only saw a handful of other people as we walked. (We were there off-season; it may get busier in tourist season.) There are four other villages that are located away from the main site. Get directions at the Visitors Center. We didn’t visit these but a volunteer I spoke with suggested people should plan an entire day to see it all. Currently Hovenweep is fee-free, but we didn’t know that until we got there. Since we have our National Park Senior Pass we didn’t even have to think about it.

Arches National Park

One of the arches at Arches National Park photo/Steve Collins

Arches National Park is one of the most amazing natural sites we’re ever visited. The stunning red rock formations and arches, formed by erosion and other natural events, may literally take your breath away. Even at the end of October it was jammed. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in high season. Besides a scenic drive that will make you ooh and ahh, there are hiking trails. Our drive, with a few stops, took about two hours. Their website says to allow four hours with a ten minute stop at each site (note that parking lots will sometimes be full). If you want to hike allow more time. Go early in the morning to beat the crowds. $25 admits one vehicle. Our National Park Senior Pass saved us $25.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Some of the spectacular hoodoos at Bryce Canyon, photo/Billie Frank

Bryce Canyon National Park, is another spectacular place that took our breath away. Those Utah red rock formations are spectacular. Drive up to the top and then drive back down stpping at each pullout to view the stunning rock formations known as hoodoos formed through millennia of erosion and other natural factors. At each stop you get a different view of the canyon. Words and even photos cannot capture the magic of being there in person. Just go! Admission for a carload is $30; our savings $30.

Zion National Park

Driving through Zion National Park you pass one rock formation after another, photo/Billie Frank

Zion National Park was the most crowded park we’ve visited. We followed a long line of cars crawling up the road. The good news: it was easy to capture photos from the car. We were able to stop at a few pullouts. There is a scenic drive that is closed to cars and accessible only by shuttle bus from mid-March until late November. We wanted to take the shuttle but the park was too busy, even at the end of October, to find a parking spot in the huge lot. We would like to go back early some day and arrive early in the morning before the crowds. Another way to deal with the crowds is by staying at their lodge. You can board a shuttle at the hotel. Access to that area is limited to registered guests only. Plan ahead; it books up way in advance. The fee for a carload is $30. We saved $30.

Arizona

Grand Canyon North Rim

Grand Canyon from the North Rim, photo/Steve Collins

We visited Grand Canyon’s North Rim after it was officially closed for the season so admission was free. Had we arrived a few weeks earlier, we would have saved the $30 admission fee.

California

Cabrillo National Monument

The new lighthouse at Cabrillo Point seen from then Pacific photo/Steve Collins

Cabrillo National Monument, at the end of San Diego’s Point Loma is a great place to visit tide pools. You can also climb to the top of the restored 1855 Old Point Loma Lighthouse. The entrance fee for a carload is $10. Our savings: $10.

We’re sure getting our money’s worth from our $10 lifetime National Park’s Senior Pass. If we did the math over the years, it probably costs us pennies per visit. If you’re 62 or older and don’t yet own a National Park Senior Pass get it now before the price increase. If you turn 62 before it goes up, get it immediately. If you turn 62 after it goes up to $80, it’s still a good deal, especially if you travel a lot. You don’t have to pop for the entire fee at once. You can go with the annual $20 option. It’s well worth it. In 2016 our National Park Senior Pass saved us $140. Not bad! The National Parks are a national treasure; visit as many as you can.

Note: all admission fees at parks and monuments are good for seven days; save your receipt.

Have a permanent disability? You can get a National Park Pass for free no matter what your age.

One of our travel-blogging friends shared this post and got a question about where this can be used in her area which is Northern Oregon/Southern Washington. She wrote this blog post in response.

Do you have a National Parks Senior Pass? These boomer travel bloggers do:

Tom Bartels and Kristin Henning of Travel Past 50: Confessions of a Serial National Park Visitor
Donna Meyer of Nomad Woman not only has a pass, she wrote about the new increase.
Donna and Alan of My Itchy Travel Feet: Try a self-guided Canyonlands National Park photography tour.
Travel writer and blogger Elizabeth R. Rose wrote this Utah’s Mighty 5: Discovering Arches National Park for Wonder with Wonder.

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Use Flagstaff as your base for exploring Northern Arizona

Billie Frank — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 22:41:44 +0000

There are a lot of interesting cities and towns along Historic Route 66 in Northern Arizona. Flagstaff, located almost dead-center east to west is the biggest on the stretch. Flagstaff offers a range of interesting attractions for visitors to check out. Want to explore further afield? If you’re like us, you may not want to change lodgings every night and want to have a base. Flagstaff, because of its central location, was perfect for our Northern Arizona explorations. Here are places that can be easily get to (what’s a few hours to die-hard road-trippers) using Flagstaff as your base for exploring Northern Arizona.

Grand Canyon

A view from the canyon’s rim near El Tovar, photo/Billie Frank

Grand Canyon is one of our favorite spots on the planet. If you’re only planning a daytrip to the canyon’s South Rim, Flagstaff is a great base. Although it’s only about an hour and fifteen minutes away from the South Rim (with no traffic), Flagstaff offers more lodging and dining options than the small gateway town of Tusayan a few miles from the park. If you plan to stay several days, we recommend finding lodging (or a campsite) within the park. We recommend going early in the morning, as depending on the season, there can be a long wait at the gate. On a holiday Monday in mid-October we waited over 45 minutes to get in.

The first thing to do on arrival is look at the view. You’ve seen it in photos but they don’t capture the awe that the actual view does. Check out El Tovar, the former Fred Harvey grand, yet rustic hotel. The canyon views from their back dining room are spectacular. Next head to the Grand Canyon Historical Village with its wood and stone buildings dating to the canyon’s beginnings as tourist destination. If you have time, take a drive east along the canyon and visit the Desert View Watchtower. The Hopi wall art, some by renowned Hopi artist, Fred Kaboti, is amazing; the expansive (180 degree) views are breath-taking.

Explore Route 66

If you traveled on US roads pre-1970s you’ll remember the Burma Shave signs, photo/Billie Frank

If like us, you’re big Route 66 fans, you’ll want to see it all. Depending on what direction you’re coming from, you could trace parts of the mother road, as John Steinbeck dubbed it, on your way to Flagstaff.. You can also explore to the east and to the west from your Flag (as the locals call it) base. We recommend taking a full day for each direction. They both offer a lot to see and explore.

To the west

Hackberry General Store on Arizona’s Historic Route 66 photo/Billie Frank

Much of Route 66 west of Flagstaff still driveable. First take I-40 to Williams. This town, home to the last completed stretch part of I-40, is home to the historic Grand Canyon Railway. It’s a fun place to check out. Get back on I-40 heading west and exit at Crooktown Road. From here you can follow Historic Route 66 until you reach the Colorado River, Arizona’s western border. One of our favorite things was the Burma Shave signs, set at five mile intervals, between Crooktown Road and Seligman. One group read:

He tried to cross
As fast train neared
Death didn’t draft him
He volunteered
Burma Shave

Other favorite stops are Seligman’s Snow Cap Drive-in opened in 1953; the Hackberry General Store; Andy Devine Boulevard, a stretch with vintage neon and historic buildings and Arizona Powerhouse Route 66 Museum in Kingman. The stretch from Kingman to the border is rough and mostly boring except for Oatman, a wild west town that boasts wild burros walking free in the street. It’s fun, but the ride is a bit long and once you’re on that stretch there are no roads leading back to I-40 until just before the California border.

To the east

Billie standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona, photo/Steve Collins

You access most of eastbound from I-40, portion by portion, exiting at towns where Historic Route 66 still exists. If you’re big on natural phenomena, make a stop at Meteor Crater the WHAT. If not, stay on the highway and exit at Winslow. Two things here really stand out. La Posada, one of the Harvey House hotels has been restored to its former glory. You can check out the public areas on your own. If like us, you’re a big Fred Harvey fan, book the hotel tour led by a member of the Winslow Harvey girls. The Turquoise Room, the hotel’s restaurant, is a great place for lunch. The other attraction in town is Standing on the Corner Park, complete with a flatbed Ford. If you’re into old neon a cruise through Holbrook is worth the time. The town is also home to the kitschy Wigwam Motel. The two other not-to-miss stops on this stretch are Petrified Forest National Park and the Painted Desert which is part of the park. Besides the petrified wood you will see otherworldly rock formations and petroglyphs. Fred Harvey fans will enjoy the Painted Desert Inn, a Fred Harvey property from 1940 to 1963. Today it’s a museum with a replica of the original lunch room and artwork from Hopi artist Fred Kaboti.

Sedona

You’ll be surrounded by red rocks in Sedona, photo/Steve Collins

Sedona is most famous for its red rocks and vortices but the small village nestled at the bottom of Walnut Canyon offers more to travelers. Check out the town’s famous vortices. Maybe you’ll feel the energy emanating from these energy centers. If, like us, you’re a fan of ancestral pueblos, check out Palatki, where you can visit cliff dwellings and pictographs. Take a Jeep tour or just enjoy the serenity of the outdoors. You can read more about Sedona here.

Phoenix

Phoenix is a sprawling. We had two things that were must-dos and we discovered a third thing that should be on everyone’s Phoenix itinerary.

Frank Lloyd Wright

Dining area at Taliesin West photo Billie Frank

We’re long-time fans of Frank Lloyd Wright and have wanted to go to Taliesin West for a really long time. When researching Wright for a post I was writing I discovered architect Arnold Roy, who was a Wright apprentice in the 1950s and lives and works at Taliesin. He offered to give us a tour if we ever visited and of course we took him up on the invitation. Touring this once cutting-edge house and property with its spectacular views was a highlight of our trip. The view of the desert landscape is marred by see electrical wires in the distance. Wright really battled against these and lost. If you’re in the area and are a fan of architecture in general or just a Wright fan, book a tour. It’s just right!

We stayed at the Arizona Biltmore, a luxury resort opened in 1929. Not only did Wright have a hand in the resort’s design, his “Biltmore blocks,” cast from desert sand, are an important design element at the resort. There is also an amazing stained glass work, Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers, in the hotel’s lobby. It was donated by Wright’s widow. You can also visit one more Wright work in Phoenix, the house the architect designed a house for his son. The David and Gladys Wright House is usually open to visitors, by prearranged tour only so you’ll need to reserve it in advance. We were all set to go, but unexpected damage to the home caused our tour to be cancelled. We have to go back!

The Heard Museum

Frida Kahlo welcoming visitors to the Heard Museum, photo/Billie Frank

We wanted to visit to the Heard Museum for years. It was one of the reasons I wanted to go to Phoenix. Part of their mission is to “be the world’s preeminent museum for the presentation, interpretation and advancement of American Indian art.” It has one of the best collections of American Indian art (historic and contemporary) and artifacts in the world. Over 4,000 pieces of Native American art was donated by hospitality icon Fred Harvey’s family from a collection amassed by the hospitality company in the early 1900s. We also saw art from contemporary Santa Fe and New Mexico artists on display. The Heard is a must for any lovers of American Indian art and culture.

The Musical Instrument Museum

Harmonicas on display at the Musical Instrument Museum, photo Steve Collins

We hadn’t heard of the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). I discovered this gem from the media person at the Phoenix tourism office. A phone call to the museum to discover what it was about cemented its place on our itinerary and we’re glad it did! This is a treasure. We spent about two hours there and just scratched the surface. After a short stop in the Mechanical Music Gallery where we got to hear vintage instruments that that play themselves, we spent our time in the United States /Canada Gallery listening to music at interactive exhibits that cover a lot of music genres. Our last stop was the Artist’s Gallery, their “hall of fame area,” where they have changing exhibits of memorabilia including instruments, costumes and ephemera from iconic musicians. We missed a LOT! We really need to go back. To avoid being overwhelmed, plan to visit a few times.

Where to stay

The start to a great breakfast at the Inn at 410, photo/Steve Collins

Flagstaff hotels are mostly the usual chains. If you want to minimize dining out while using Flagstaff as a base to explore Northern Arizona, there are a few extended stay Flagstaff hotels that offer kitchenettes. There are also several historic hotels downtown. We experienced two very different Flagstaff properties. If big works for you. we enjoyed staying at Little America, part of a small western hotel chain. The newly refurbished property is set amid a 500 acre Ponderosa Pine forest. If you prefer the charm and intimacy of a B & B, we loved our stay at The Inn at 410. Innkeeper Gordon Watkins was available during out delicious daily breakfast to answer any questions about the area we had. He made us feel very welcome.

Perhaps, unlike us, you like moving from one hotels to another each night to be closer to your next day’s destination. Even if you don’t use Flagstaff as your base for exploring Northern Arizona, spend at least a night there so you can explore the city and surrounding area a bit.

Would you consider using Flagstaff as your base for exploring Northern Arizona?

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Should the Forrest Fenn treasure hunt be called off?

Billie Frank — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 22:26:51 +0000

Should the Forrest Fenn treasure hunt be ended? New Mexico State Police Chief, Pete Kassetas, has asked Fenn to discourage treasure hunters searching for the valuable hidden treasure mentioned in Fenn’s 2010 memoir The Thrill of the Chase.

Fenn’s treasure appears on the back cover of The Thrill of the Chase

Local and national news outlets have been buzzing about this for the last week. Two weeks ago a treasure hunter’s body was discovered by white-water rafters in the Rio Grande River between Taos and Española. He was the second man (both from Colorado) to die in the last two years while searching for the treasure. Both perished in the river. Our answer to the question is a resounding, “NO!” Fenn, who was 80 when he hid the treasure, has repeatedly stated that the treasure is not in a dangerous place. When we last visited with him in 2014, he advised, “Don’t be a daredevil!” He wasn’t when he hid it. “I want all the people that are looking for the treasure chest to understand that they should not go looking anywhere where a 79 or 80 year old man could not carry a 42 pound box,” he added. (Fenn’s latest comments on the treasure can be found here.)

The request for Fenn to terminate the treasure hunt seems a bit unreasonable. Do they ask that rafting be stopped if there’s a fatal rafting accident? Of ask that rock-climbing be banned if a climber has a fatality? Did they outlaw hunting for mushrooms when a woman perished in the Santa Fe National Forest several years ago? Last night’s local news had a story about Search and Rescue out looking for lost hikers. Is a ban on hiking being considered? The answer to all of these is no. So why take a stand on treasure hunting? You’ll have to ask Chief Kassetas.

Want your own copy of The Thrill of the Chase? We’re giving one away. Details at the bottom of this post.

The back story

Steve (left) and Forrest Fenn in Fenn’s study in 2014, photo/Billie Frank

Forrest Fenn has led an interesting life. Some of it is recounted in The Thrill of the Chase, along with clues about where to find the treasure. The book has nine clues. When we last spoke to him, Fenn, a man who plays his cards tight to his vest gave us a few additional clues and an important statement about starting the search. He said that people are missing the most important clue; “begin it where warm waters halt”. When you solve this clue,” he shared, “the others will fall into place. “If you don’t know ‘where warm water halts,’ Fenn said, “You don’t have anything.” The additional clues:

Clue 10
The treasure is hidden higher than 5,000 feet above sea level.
Clue 11
No need to dig up the old outhouses, the treasure is not associated with any structure.
Clue 12
The treasure is not in a graveyard
Clue 13
The treasure is not hidden in Idaho or Utah

Fenn maintains the treasure is still out there. He told us that the person who finds it will be someone with an analytical mind. In his 2013 book, Too Far to Walk Fenn gave yet another clue. He wrote that the treasure is somewhere on the fold-out map in the book. It’s not much of a clue; as the map is only of the US Rockies, but, it eliminates Canada. He said he didn’t realize that he’d done it but, after spending time with Fenn, you wonder. He’s a very deliberate man.

Fenn estimates that over 250,000 people have looked for the treasure. Now that the story has hit the media again, in time for the summer vacation season, a lot more folks will follow. Good news for Fenn who said that one of the reasons he hid the treasure was to get families out into the great outdoors together. The Forrest Fenn treasure is still out there. Will you join the hunt?

If you go

Don’t get done in by Mother Nature, plan carefully when you go out into New Mexico’s wild, photo/Steve Collins

Hunt responsibly. New Mexico’s wild areas, just like ones elsewhere in the Rockies demand respect. Make sure to take lots of water, a healthy snack, sunscreen, a hat and your cell phone. If you get lost and there’s service, your phone may save your life. It can pinpoint your location to aid rescue workers. Better yet, don’t get lost. We recommend using a guide if you’re really planning to go off the beaten path. Also be aware that there are rattlesnakes and other critters such as bears out there. Do some research about how to handle animal encounters before you go out there. Good luck and stay safe.

Want to win a copy of The Thrill of the Chase?

We’re giving away a copy of the Forest Fenn treasure hunt book. If you want to enter to win, like us on Facebook and leave a comment here telling us that you’ve liked us and why you want to win the book. We’ll hold a random drawing at the end of July. (Giveaway only open to people living in the US.)

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Free things to do in New York City

Varied — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 23:29:01 +0000

Free things to do in New York City was written by travel blogger Shobha George of Just Go Places.

A visit to New York City is on many travelers’ bucket lists. But, visiting the Big Apple can be an expensive proposition. It’s always good to know where you can cut costs when you are visiting. It’s a fabulous walking city with hidden treasures jammed into nooks and crannies. I encourage you to put on your walking shoes and explore these free things to do in New York City.

Visit Central Park

There are lots of great free things to do in Central Park, photo Just Go Places

Central Park is the most visited park in the USA. It’s also a firm favourite with locals. Although it gets crowded, you can find spaces to chill out in the park. My kids love the playgrounds especially the Hecksher Playground (it’s on the west side of the park between 61^st and 63^rd streets) The best access is the park entrance at 7^th Avenue and Central Park South). People bike, skate, skateboard, run and walk around Central Park. The Mall, with its grand trees, is the lead up to Bethesda Fountain. You will no doubt recognise the fountain which has appeared in many movies. It’s perfect for people watching and for watching the buskers and skateboarders do their thing. There is so much to see that you can easily spend a day strolling through the park. For example, there is the Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon, the Loeb Boathouse, a vintage Carousel, ice skating rinks in winter and The Tavern on the Green restaurant. Every summer the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park gives out free tickets for their plays. You can bet there will be a long ticket line outside the Delacourte Theater as to these as their productions are excellent. Like the locals grab your New York Times and a picnic and hang out waiting for your free tickets, given out starting at noon. There really are worse ways to spend a day!

Walk the High Line

Walking the High Line, photo/Just Go Places

The High Line is a park that runs along a former elevated railroad track on the lower West side of Manhattan. It was inspired by the Promenade Plantee in Paris. The High Line has inspired other former railroad parks in cities including Chicago and Philadelphia. It runs from the Meatpacking District to West 34^th Street between 10^th and 12^th avenues. Along the High Line there are lookout points, gardens, public artworks, and restaurants. Best of all are the lounge chairs that enable you to sit and to watch the world go by.

Browse the Public Art

Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture at the corner of 6th Avenue and 55th Street, photo/Just Go Places

New York City has an amazing collection of public art along its streets. For example, you have Robert Indiana’s famous LOVE sculpture at the corner of 6^th Avenue and 55^th street and Isaumu Noguchi’s Red Cube sculpture at 140^th and Broadway. The famous Charging Bull statute at Bowling Green started off as guerrilla art in 1987. Now, it is a famous landmark of its own. The world’s largest chessboard is on the wall at 767 Third Avenue. Check out the New York City’s public art and map guide for the hundreds of works that you will come across as you walk through the city. You will also find artworks that are in private spaces but free for the public to view. For example, there are two giant Marc Chagall works at the Metropolitan Museum of Opera at Lincoln Center. You can find more public art here.

Stroll Fifth Avenue

St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Fifth Avenue, photo/Nat @acooknotmad

Fifth Avenue runs the length of Manhattan from Harlem to Washington Square in Greenwich Village. From 110^th Street to 59^th Street, it goes along the east side of Central Park. Along the way there are eight museums that make up Museum Mile (including the Guggenheim Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art) as well as the side of Central Park. The windows of the luxury stores that line Fifth Avenue are a window-shopping treat. From the Apple Store to Tiffany’s and Bergdorf Goodman, the world’s biggest names make their presence felt on this street. Further down Fifth Avenue, you have the edge of Rockefeller Center and the landmark St. Patricks’ Cathedral; both are free to visit. Next door you have Saks Fifth Avenue and The American Girl Store. Keep walking and you will get to the New York Public Library with its giant lion statues; Lord and Taylor, another famous American department store; the Empire State Building and the Flatiron Building.

Explore Rockefeller Center

Radio City Music Hall at the western edge of Rockefeller Center, photo/Just Go Places

Rockefeller Center is 22 acres of prime real estate in the middle of Manhattan, developed by the Rockefeller family. Even if you are visiting outside of the extra busy Christmas season when everyone and their mother shows up to see the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas Tree, Rockefeller Center is a popular place. Hang out outside the NBC studios and watch the Today Show being filmed. Maybe you’ll be lucky and get onto the show. My children adore the Nintendo Store at 10 Rockefeller Plaza. They have lots of consoles where you can play Nintendo games for free. Unfortunately, there are no seats for the parents. Another kiddie favourite is the LEGO store which showcases a replica Rockefeller Plaza made entirely of LEGO blocks. The Rockefellers commissioned a lot of public art for their development. Among other works, you have Lee Lawrie’s statue of Atlas on Fifth Avenue, Paul Manship’s Prometheus statue in the lower plaza just above the skating rink and Joseph Maria Sert’s giant mural American Progress in the lobby of 30 Rockefeller Plaza (aka 30 Rock).

Tour Times Square

Times Square at night, photo/Just Go Places

Times Square, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, is a cacophony of sights, sounds and smells. With its neon signs, the people rushing around and the cartoon characters trying to get you to pay for a photo with them, this place could only exist in Manhattan. Have a browse around this playground for adults and children alike. Visit shops such as the M&M store, the Disney store, Sephora and Forever 21.

Get cultured at a Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th Avenue, photo Just Go Places

There are many New York City museums that offer free entry all the time or on specific days/hours. For example, the American Folk Art Museum and the New York City Public Library are always free. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is free on Tuesdays from 5pm to 9pm and the Museum of Modern Art is free every Friday evening from 4 to 8 pm. In addition, certain museums are pay-what-you-wish all of the time or at certain times. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a suggested admission price of $25/adult but it is clear that the amount you pay is up to you. As an impoverished student, I have waltzed through the doors without paying many a time. The Bronx Zoo offers pay-what-you-wish admission on Wednesdays.

Parades and festivals

Balloons getting blown up for Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade Nat @acooknotmad

If you are in New York City for any of the holidays, check out if there are any parades. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Easter Parade on Fifth Avenue, the Halloween parade in the Village, and the Thanksgiving Parade on Central Park West are highlights of the year for both tourists and locals. New York City also has a lot of annual festivals and parades including the Coney Island Mermaid Parade and the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, both in June as well as the San Gennaro Festival in Little Italy in September.

Be Part of an TV Audience

My New York, Radio City, Illustration by Christina Dallorso image/courtesy Christina Dallorso

A lot of American talk shows are filmed in New York City. Get online and see if you can be part of their audience. These shows always have great guest stars and they need audiences. You can request tickets to shows like The View, and LIVE with Kelly and Ryan. Other shows that work with free tickets for audience members include The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live. This website shows you what shows are available but keep in mind that you don’t need to pay their $3 registration fee. Just check online for the show that you are interested in and find out how to get their audience tickets for free.

There are so many free things to do in New York City that you don’t need to pay too much to entertain yourself. Trust me, the hotels are expensive enough!

What are your free favorite free things to do in New York City?

Shobha George is an ex-New Yorker living currently in London. She writes at Just Go Places about culture, luxury and family travel. You can like her Facebook page and follow her on Instagram.

Thanks to Nathalie M. Harris of A Cook Not Mad for the St. Patrick’s Day and Macy’s Parade photos and to Santa Fe artist and renaissance woman Christina Dallorso for her Radio City illustration.

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Tidbits: Sizzling hot: July in Santa Fe

Billie Frank — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 22:48:18 +0000

July is so packed it’s almost overwhelming to share it with you. We’re coming off of a heat spell and ready to enjoy summer in Santa Fe. The City Different is already hopping.

Before getting into what’s going on, we want to share another honor The City Different has garnered. Outside Magazine (who makes its home here) named Santa Fe as the city with the “Best Combination of Mountains and Margaritas” its 25 Best Towns in America. Fitting for a city that has its own Margarita Trail!

Santa Fe food

New Mexico Fine Dining

Chef Charles Dale of the New Mexico Fine Dining, photo/courtesy of Charles Dale

There have been rumors floating around Santa Fe for weeks. Finally they’re confirmed. There’s an exciting new restaurant group in town. San Antonio transplants Jennifer and Jimmy Day have acquired four Santa Fe eateries their new enterprise, New Mexico Fine Dining. The restaurants are Bouche, Galisteo Bistro, Georgia and Bobcat Bite. The restaurant neophytes have chosen well. Santa Fe Chef and restaurateur, Charles Dale will be at the helm. Each restaurant has a distinct concept. Bouche will remain exactly as it’s been since Dale opened in 2013. Galisteo Bistro will feature “handmade Italian food,” and a new name, A Mano. The name reflects that commitment to handcrafted food. Georgia will be a showcase for what Dale calls “a fresh look at Southwest regional cooking.” It’s jumping off point will be corn, a food central to the diets of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Its new name, Maze, emphasizes that focus. Georgia’s bar and patio will remain open for the summer and Maize will open around Labor Day. Bobcat Bite, which will open sometime in 2018, takes its inspiration from the iconic green chile cheeseburger that made the restaurant a favorite of locals and visitors over the years. Its menu will reflect traditional American foods. We’ll do share a more informative post on this in the near future. Stay tuned.

Clafoutis

Clafoutis’ new location is already hopping, photo Steve Collins

Everyone’s favorite French bakery has reopened in its new digs at 333 Cordova Road (entrance off Don Diego) at the south end of Body’s building. The space is huge, about four times the size of the original location, and there’s lots of parking. Garage-style doors in front open to a dining patio. Inside the spacious café there are several dining areas. On a Saturday morning at 10:30 the place was packed and we were told the wait for a table was half-hour. Luckily, one freed up in 15 minutes. The menu seems to be pretty much as it was at the old location. Breakfast is available all day and lunch from 11:30am to 3pm. They are now also open on Sundays. We asked the hostess if they’re always so busy or was it just because it was Saturday. She said that when they open at 7am there’s already a line of people waiting to get in. It typically gets really busy at about 8am and stays that way until around 2pm so be prepared to wait.

Detour Kitchen

Detour Kitchen replaces Omira, photo/Steve Collins

Omira Grill, the Argentinean grill restaurant in the strip mall at the intersection of Cerrillos Road and St. Francis Drive (home to Susan’s Fine Wines and Tiny’s), quietly closed a few weeks ago. In its place, the enterprising Ziggy Rzig, owner of Omira and Pyramid Café, realized the Churasco-style dining concept was played out. In its place he’s opened Detour Kitchen, a well-priced eatery with an eclectic menu that includes New Mexican, Mexican and American offerings with entrees ranging from $7.95 to $25.95. We think he’s on to something.

Santa Fe music

Santa Fe Opera

Santa Fe Opera photo/Robert Reck, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera

The Santa Fe Opera opens its 2017 season on Friday, June 30^th with Die Fledermaus. We saw the dress rehearsal last night. It was a fun evening and this light operetta is a great introduction to opera for hesitant people. The audience was packed with school who seemed to love it as much as we did.

NM Jazz Festival

Pharoah Sanders will be part of this year’s
New Mexico Jazz Festival

The 12^th Annual New Mexico Jazz Festival runs from Thursday, July 13^th through Saturday, August 5^th. Concerts, both in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, feature a range of jazz musicians. Santa Fe events kick off on Wednesday, July 19^th at 6pm. Jane Bunnett & Maqueque will give a free concert at St John’s College’s Music on Hill series. Davina & the Vagabonds with opening act, Banda Atómica will perform another free concert on Tuesday, July 25^th at 6pm on the Santa Fe Plaza as part of the Santa Fe Bandstand’s summer line-up. On Friday, July 28^th at 7:30pm Buika will take the stage at the Lensic. And last, but certainly not least, jazz great Pharaoh Sanders and his quartet will appear at the Lensic on Saturday, July 29^th at 7:30pm. Tickets for all the Santa Fe concerts are available at the Outpost Performance Space box office in Albuquerque, the Lensic box office in Santa Fe as well as online at the NM Jazz Festivals’ website as well as on Tickets Santa Fe*.

Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival

Santa Fe Music Festival Mozart Quartet, photo/ courtesy Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival

The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival 45th season starts on Sunday, July 16^th and runs through August 21^st .The group will present over 40 concerts performed by more than 80 top classical musicians and ensembles in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Santa Fe concert venues are St. Francis Auditorium at the New Mexico Art Museum and the Lensic Performing Arts Center. The Festival’s repertoire includes classic chamber works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms and Dvořák as well as commissioned pieces by William Bolcom (U.S), Brett Dean (Australia) and Julian Anderson (England). Tickets are available at the Lensic box office and online at both the Festival’s website and Tickets Santa Fe*.

Santa Fe Desert Chorale

The Santa Fe Desert Chorale presents The Hope of Loving in Palen Hall at the Church of the Holy Faith in Santa Fe on Thursday, July 27^th at 8pm and Sunday, July 30^th at 4pm. Music Director Joshua Habermann will conduct pianist Nathan Salazar, a string septet from the Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale. The group is performing John Corigliano’s “Fern Hill.” Assistant Music Director Dr. Matthew Tresler will give a free pre-concert talk 90 minutes before each performance. Tickets, $20 to$75, are available on their website. Student tickets (with ID) are available; there is special ticket pricing for groups of 10 or more.

*Tickets Santa Fe

Santa Fe art

There’s always a lot of art in Santa Fe, but this summer the city has outdone itself. We’ve dubbed it the “Santa Fe Summer of Art.” In addition to museum shows and art markets there are a lot of gallery shows.

Art markets and annual shows

Folk Art Market

Rugs at the Folk Art Market, photo/Steve Collins

The 14^th International Folk Art Market opens on Museum Hill on Friday, July 14^th with a benefit Preview Party. The market opens to the public on Saturday, July 15^th and Sunday July 16^th from 10am to 5pm. You can avoid the big crowds with Early Bird shopping (special ticket needed) on Saturday from 7:30 to 9am. Over 160 artisans from over 50 countries will bring their handcrafted art which includes such treasures as textiles (rugs, clothing, accessories, mats and more), jewelry, baskets, masks, wood carvings and metal work. Read more about the 2017 market here.

Art Santa Fe

People looking at the works on the wall at Art Santa Fe photo/courtesy of Art Santa Fe

Art Santa Fe, celebrating its 17^th anniversary this year, opens its four-day juried contemporary show at the Santa Fe Convention Center on Thursday, July 13^th. The show runs through Sunday, July 16^th. It will feature “extraordinary art” from around the world, specially curated programming, special events and entertainment. The Opening Night Preview Party takes place on Thursday, July 13^th from 5 to 9pm. The show opens on Friday, July 14^th from 11am to 8pm. Saturday hours are the same. Sunday hours are from 11am to 5pm. Information about tickets, $20 to $100, (with discounts for students and seniors), is on the Art Santa Fe website.

Traditional Spanish Market

Bultos (wood carvings of saints) at Spanish Market, photo/Steve Collins

Traditional Spanish Market celebrates the Hispanic heritage of Santa Fe and New Mexico. Artists practicing traditional New Mexican Spanish Colonial Art gather in and around the historic Plaza on Saturday, July 30^th and Sunday, July 31^st to show and sell their handcrafted work. Hours are from 8am to 5pm. There’s a ticketed preview event at the Santa Fe Convention Center on Friday evening. For more information on Spanish Colonial art click here. Contemporary artists of Hispanic descent have their own show, Contemporary Hispanic Market, on Lincoln Avenue just north of the Plaza.

Gallery shows

Turner Carroll

Hung Liu’s diptych “Dirty Pink”, photo/courtesy Turner Carroll

Turner Carroll opens American Dreams, an exhibition of work by artist Hung Liu, on Wednesday, June 28^th with an opening reception on Friday, July 5^th from 5 to 7pm. The Chinese native explores her American identity through the iconic imagery of Dust Bowl Era in her newest body of work. The show runs through Monday, July 24th.

photo-eye Gallery

Maggie Taylor, “But a dream”, photo (C)Maggie Taylor, photo/courtesy photo-eye Gallery

photo-eye Gallery opens A tale begun in other days, an exhibition of color photomontages from artist Maggie Taylor on Friday, July 7^th from 5 to 7pm. Taylor utilizes digital technology to portray “dreamlike worlds inhabited by everyday objects.” Her works often begin as pastel background drawings, with added components such as 19th century photographs, vintage toys, seashells and feathers. The exhibition runs through Saturday, September 2^nd.

Tansey Contemporary

Noel Hart, “Looking for Swift Parrots Near Apollo Bay,”photo courtesy/Tansey Contemporary

Tansey Contemporary presents The Rewilding, a solo exhibition by Australian glass artist Noel Hart on Friday, July 7^th from 5 to 7pm. The exhibition will include colorful hand-blown glass vessels portraying endangered species of birds reflecting his passion for preservation, nature, and ecology. The show runs through Sunday, July 30^th.

Sorrel Sky Gallery

Fred Ortiz, “Pewter Vessel No. 2 with Turquoise”, photo/courtesy Sorrel Sky Gallery

Sorrel Sky Gallery opens Bridging Worlds – Human, Animal, Divine, a one-woman show featuring work from artist Star Liana York on Friday, July 7^th from 5 to 7:30pm. The show highlights York’s bronze works, reflecting her interest in the people, animals, the environment, and the culture of the Southwest. The show runs through Monday, July 31^st.

On Thursday, July 27^th, in conjunction with Spanish Market, the gallery will host a two-man show by father and son artists: Lawrence Baca’s showcasing his jewelry and Fred Ortiz’s showing his bronze vessels.

Patina Gallery

“Ninety Hours a Week to Change the World, Palo Alto, California, 1986”. photo/Doug Menuez, courtesy Patina Gallery

Patina Gallery opens Fearless Genius: The Digital Revolution in Silicon Valley, an exhibition of work by acclaimed photojournalist Doug Menuez on Friday, July 14th. Menuez’s body of work presents the definitive inside story of Steve Jobs. This exhibition opens a week before The Santa Fe Opera’s world premiere of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs on Saturday, July 22nd. The exhibition runs through Sunday, August 13th.

In conjunction with Fearless Genius, photojournalist Doug Menuez will do a presentation at the Lensic Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, July 19^th at 7pm. He’ll talk about his rare, behind-the-scenes photos of important moments in the careers of Apple’s Steve Jobs, Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Sun Microsystem’s Bill Joy Adobe’s John Warnock. Post-presentation he’ll be signing his book Fearless Genius in the Lensic lobby. Tickets, $22, are available online at Tickets Santa Fe (see the link in the music section above), or at the Lensic box office.

7 Arts Gallery

Angel Wynn’s “Adelita: Women Soldiers of the Mexican Revolution”, photo/Angel Wynn

We love Angel Wynn’s wonderful art. Her new show, ADELITA: Women Soldiers of the Mexican Revolution, opens at 7 Arts Gallery, 125 Lincoln Avenue on Friday, July 21^st from 5to 7pm. What are the Adelitas? Wynn writes: “Adelita was the name given to the women who followed husbands, lovers and family members to war during the uprising of the Mexican Revolution. From 1910-1920, these camp followers cooked, cleaned and nursed wounds. When it came time for military combat, Adelitas bravely picked up guns and fought. In many respects, the Mexican Revolution was not only a men’s but also a women’s revolution.” The show runs through August 9^th.

Owen Contemporary

Martha Rea Baker, “Desert Cadence,” photo/courtesy Owen Contemporary

Owen Contemporary opens Shapes and Surfaces, an exhibition of paintings and sculpture by Martha Rea Baker and Bret Price, on Friday, July 21^st from 5 to 7pm. Baker is a New Mexico abstract painter; Price is a California-based sculptor. The exhibition runs through Thursday, August 3^rd.

Canyon Road Contemporary Art

Kathy Beekman, “Looking Toward the Mountains”, courtesy Canyon Road Contemporary Art

Canyon Road Contemporary Art premiers Stone Creations, a mixed media show by husband and wife artists Marlys Mallet and Michael Redhawk, on Friday, July 21^st from 5 to 7pm. The couple combines acrylic paint with stones and fossils to produce their unique collaborative wall hangings.

The gallery opens Landscape’s Edge, an exhibition of the pastel American landscapes by Kathy Beekman on Friday, July 28^th from 5 to 7pm, with an artist’s demonstration on Saturday, July 29th, from 11am to 2pm. The exhibit runs through Sunday, August 6th.

Mill Contemporary

Jamie Chase, “Stretch”, courtesy MILL Contemporary

Mill Contemporary presents RECONFIGURED: New Realism in the 21st Century, an exhibition showcasing the works of four abstract figurative painters, on Friday, June 30^th from 5 to 7pm. Artists Jennifer Pochinski, Melinda Cootsona, Jamie Chase, and Lisa Noonis each have their own approach to contemporary realism. The show runs through Saturday, July 22nd.

And there’s lots more happening in Santa Fe in July; we just hit the tip of the iceberg. Let us help you plan your perfect visit to The City Different.

That’s it for July. Tidbits will be back on the last Tuesday in July to fill you in on August happenings. ¡Hasta Luego!

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Santa Fe Travelers

Free things to do in Sydney

The Rocks and the Rocks Discovery Museum

Take a free walking tour

Soak up the Iconic Sights

Relax in the Royal Botanical Gardens

Walk over the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge

Spend the day at the Beach

Enjoy stunning coastal walks

Art Gallery of NSW

What are your favorite free things to do in Sydney?

Tidbits: can’t beat August in Santa Fe; Indian Market and more…

Santa Fe shout-outs

Food and dining news

The Pueblo Food Experience

Changes and arrivals

El Nido

Arable

Other openings

Indian Market Week

The Markets

Indian Market

We are the Seeds

The Zuni Show

Other Indian Market Week Events

Objects of Art Santa Fe and Antique American Indian Art Show

Antique American Indian Art Show

Antique Indian and Ethnographic Art Show

Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian Annual Auction

Ship Rock Santa Fe

Santa Fe Art

MILL Contemporary

Tansey Contemporary

Sorrel Sky Gallery

Patina Gallery

Santa Fe Music

Santa Fe Desert Chorale

The Lensic Presents

Garrison Keillor is coming to town

Northern New Mexico

Angel Fire Food and Wine Roundup

Pie-O-Neer Pies, putting the pie in Pie Town

Heading to Pie Town

How Pie Town got its name

A short history of Pie-0-Neer Pies

Coming home to Pie-O-Neer Pies

Leaving Pie Town

“The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” at the Santa Fe Opera

The Music

The timeline of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs

The people behind The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs

Read more about the Santa Fe Opera

Free things to do in Geneva, Switzerland

Stroll around the Jardin Anglais

The Jet d’Eau

Wander over to Carouge

Visit the Reformation Wall

Borrow a bike

What are your favorite things to do in Geneva?

National Park Senior Pass price increase on August 28th

How to buy your National Park Senior Pass

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New Mexico

Bandelier National Monument

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Colorado

Mesa Verde

Utah

Hovenweep National Monument

Arches National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Zion National Park

Arizona

Grand Canyon North Rim

California

Cabrillo National Monument

Use Flagstaff as your base for exploring Northern Arizona

Grand Canyon

Explore Route 66

To the west