live. work. dream.

One more word about New Mexico: The food was pretty darn bueno. I guess that’s six words, but even the white people fare there was worth mention. From the tortilla burger and mystery spices and the Frontier’s cinnamon rolls to Hodges breakfast buffet and Bellaluca, we never had a bad dining experience.

We rarely do, but I’m picky. And I picked El Camino resturant in Socorro for our last meal on the road when we left our workamping job at Riverbend in Truth or Consequences. René might have verbally suggested it, but I wanted to go there since we passed their cool sign on the way to the Very Large Array.

(more…)

I’ll never forget doing chile shots with Charles. But I’ll kick myself for not capturing him on film, or CompactFlash media for that matter. Ouch.

By the time we got to El Santuario Chimayó we were starving. We were either lightheaded from hunger, respectful of his culture, or merely too mesmerized by Señor Charles Medina to take out the camera.

A pity really, because words cannot describe this enchanting character.

(more…)

You can’t go anywhere in New Mexico without running into another miraculous historical building or energy vortex. It’s a challenge to pick which ones to visit, but checking out this church was a must for me (the last one for a while, I swear!). Because this church isn’t just any old church, it’s a church built on miraculous dirt.

I first heard about Chimayo through a family friend, who made a pilgrimage there in the 1980s, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She headed there like so many others, in search of the holy spirit that would receive her prayers and aid in her recovery. The magic worked. She beat the cancer, and swears that the reason she’s made it into her 80s is because of her pilgrimage and the miraculous dirt she took home from Chimayo.

Last week, my friend took a bad fall and is now in a rehab hospital. When I heard this news, I decided to make my own pilgrimage to Chimayo, just north of Santa Fe, to get some more of that magic dirt to send to her.

(more…)

When you visit New Mexico, whatever you do, don’t get New Mexican culture confused with Mexican culture. The two are very different, and the locals will let you know it. For starters, the Mexicans I know never eat Sopapillas like this one I had in Albuquerque.

But it goes deeper than the culinary differences. As a California Mexican, I always heard about New Mexicans who insisted they weren’t “Mexican,” they were “Spanish.” Even in my own neighborhood, some fair-skinned kids came from families who preferred this label. I don’t know if their parents came from New Mexico or what, but it didn’t matter; we insisted that by preferring to call themselves “Spanish,” they were in denial about their ethnicity, ashamed to be linked to the Mexican Indian blood that many western Latinos share.

It’s a complicated issue, but ultimately, whatever label we Latinos choose to use, the fact is, we all have our unique ancestral histories, some that we relate to more than others.

(more…)

You might have guessed by now, that I’m not the churchiest person. Spiritual, yes, churchy, no. But, as anyone born into Catholicism can tell you, once you’re in, you’re in for life. You can run away from it, but it never leaves you. Just when you least expect it, you’ll put up a velvet Last Supper painting above the TV, and stick a dashboard Jesus in your SUV.

As a recovering Catholic, I love checking out old churches. Maybe I’m subconsciously facing my fears, but the more realistic Saint statues and lit up candles they have inside, the better.

In Santa Fe, I had no shortage of Catholic churches to choose from, but the Loretto Chapel was first on my list. Briefly, the story about the Chapel’s Miraculous Staircase goes:

(more…)

There are two big events that happen in Truth or Consequences every year. One is the annual New Mexico State Fiddler’s Festival, and the other, is the Fiesta. Last week, the fiddler’s came to town for three days..

It wasn’t the usual alt-country scene that we’re used to, with hippies, rednecks or cool cats from Austin. No, it was more like a retirement village dance. These old folks were dancing to bluegrass and western swing music long before it ever became cool again. And most of them still have their moves down.

Just as the music got swingin’, the oldest folks in the room started to leave. Then, at 9:00 PM, the announcer came out to tell us remaining kids that everyone was tired and they were ending the show early, because they had a long weekend ahead!

We went outside, got on our bikes to ride home, and prayed that none of these old people would run us down on the dark streets of T or C.

The solo performance by classical cellist Brian Patrick Bromberg was the saving grace of our dinner at Bellaluca in Truth or Consequences.

And it made us wonder what on earth brought him to T or C after having been classically trained in Chicago and New Zealand.

But there I go digressing again. About that restaurant review …

(more…)

I hate writing about stuff that happened weeks ago. But then I guess you would never know, if I didn’t tell you! Anyway …

I hadn’t reviewed any biscuits and gravy for a long time.

So I was especially pleased to discover Hodges Corner Restaurant serves up a mean breakfast buffet on Sunday morning.

I was even more pleased – and even more surprised – that René actually suggested we stop for breakfast on our 12 mile bicycle ride from Riverbend Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences up to Elephant Butte. It’s sure a good thing the second six miles were downhill!

(more…)

What is up with this town? I just have to ask myself that.

And now, I guess I’m asking you. Not that I expect you to be able to answer that, if you’ve never been here to this little jewel of the Nile.

OK. It’s not the Nile, it is the Rio Grande. And this gem looks more like a lump of coal than a diamond in the rough. But unless something changes – which may happen very soon – that coal might become a diamond before this town ever grows up.

Having lived for ten years in a town where growth is a bad word, I understand how a community can clash over development. But what I don’t get is why there is absolutely none here in Truth or Consequences, NM. The place has obviously seen its day. But it still seemed to have such potential. Then I spoke with a local developer.

(more…)

We’ve seen many places in the U.S. where human habitats are completely at odds with the environment. In places like Florida, builders continue battling nature, despite all of the evidence that this is a bad idea. Living there is a constant struggle between the land, the animals, and the humans, and as a result, few things about the place feel natural. There is complete and total disharmony with the environment.

But here in the harsh lands of New Mexico, humans seem to do a better job of working with their surroundings. From the ancient style of adobe buildings that naturally insulate homes, to suburbanites doing xeriscape conversions, people seem to be more willing to work with nature.

(more…)