'O 'Eating House - O MY!

Just a hop skip & a jump up the road from Santa Fe, along 84/285 in Pojoaque, is this gem of an Italian restaurant. It's changed hands a bit in the last

 few years, but is now owned by Executive Chef Steven Lemon,

who moved on from Pranzo in Santa Fe.

Photos by C. Whitney-Ward

I ate there last week with a friend and it was sensational. Everything was beautifully plated, beautifully prepared and delicious. I could describe the nuances of each dish, but instead I'll show you what we devoured.

The house-made focaccia was lovely...with lemon & rosemary.

How do I describe biting into one of these plump, ricotta and sweet corn

stuffed squash blossoms? Perfect. Then there was the

 cherry & mustard oil compote on the side that was brilliant.

Ah the buratta. Stuffed house-made mozzarella - luscious and spreadable on a simple buttered & grilled disk of bread. I wanted another plate full. It was that good.

Next came the...

Arugula watermelon Salad.

Beet Risotto.

Pan-seared rib eye.

Pan-seared rainbow trout w/ coucous

And, for dessert? Parmesan truffle French fries. 

Well, it was as good as any dessert.

Wonderful ambiance too.

Simple, Fresh & Local.

 Open for lunch & dinner.

'O EATING HOUSE

Owner/Executive Chef, Steven Lemon

GM, David V. Marquez

86 Cities of Gold Rd.

Santa Fe, NM

505.455.2000

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market - Radiant Faces

Photos by C. Whitney-Ward

I spent two glorious hours capturing the  faces of these gracious and talented

 artisans from around the world. I felt like a time traveler and so lucky to

 be living in Santa Fe where the world comes to us.

 Aboubakar Fofana

MAGIC!

Safe journey home and come back next year!

Santa Fe Goes Indigo!

Photos by C. Whitney-Ward

“Indigo presents endless possibilities for learning across various disciplines. Its incredible story is a gateway to connect the personal experiences of our every day lives - for example our own ubiquitous blue jeans - with the history, geography and culture of the whole planet."

                              Yo-Yo Ma,  Cellist and Founder of the Silk Road Project

Indeed there is romance and a kind of poetry to anything Indigo. The deep blue color and it’s alchemy are ancient, dating back to the 4^th and 2^nd millennium B.C.  The art of indigo was a mysterious and highly valuable skill passed on from generation to generation in  Africa, India, Indonesia, and China. Marco Polo referenced it in 1298 and the cultivation of indigo on a large scale began in India in the 16^th century.

In Celebration of this weekend's International Folk Art Market and the premier of Mary Lance's documentary film "Blue Alchemy: Stories of Indigo",  Santa Fe retailers and galleries are displaying their collections of Indigo. You can stroll past window displays at:

SANTA FE WEAVING GALLERY on Galisteo

SPIRIT CLOTHING STORE on W. San Francisco

PACHAMAMA window at La Fonda

.

 Or step inside and see lavish displays of Indigo at:

 SHIPROCK SANTA FE on Old Santa Fe Trail

BELLAS ARTES on Canyon Road

THE ANN LAWRENCE COLLECTION on Baca St

CASA NOVA GALLERY on Guadalupe

JOHN RUDDY TEXTILES on W. San Francisco 

And, THE TRAVELER'S MARKET  at DeVargas Mall

where I snapped all of these lovely  Indigo photographs.

The beautiful feather pen with gold nib is by Margot Guerrero @ Traveler's Market.

 I couldn't resist posing it.

Each Indigo design is unique, even if created with one of these beautiful stamps. Each creation captures the artistry of the individual maker.

And, Alice Helstrom, who has an ethnic textile/clothing studio at Traveler's Market, just happened to be wearing Indigo when I walked by...

And, here are some historical postcards of Indigo sellers and makers in West Africa.