It is what it is. Maria Martinez’s pots are kind of the standard bearer for Ildefonso pottery, and Pueblo blackware in general. And since she died a while back, it’s not like they’re making anymore of hers. You really don’t want to see the prices for some of her larger ollas, particularly if Julian did the painting. I just like looking at their form and sheen; it’s not like I can come close to affording them. The MFA Houston has a very large jar from them that’s absolutely gorgeous.
Fisher is a touch high too, but OTOH, you’ll get enough provenance buying from her to be able to convince another collector sometime down the road to pay similar prices should you wish to sell. The few times I’ve bought, I’ve done it either at the Pueblo itself, or from one of the trading posts in Gallup, NM. Still kicking myself for not getting a beautiful green-slip Erik Fender jar from the post just outside Ildefonso’s gate. The guy whose stuff though I’d really like a piece from is Hubert Candelario. I’d love to commission a piece from him based on a Sierpinski carpet.
You have to remember that New Mexican cuisine is not Mexican. There are similarities, but the biggest difference is in the sauce. Mexican sauces will tend to be tomato based with chiles added for flavor. New Mexican sauces are made from ground up chiles and other spices.
Tomasitas (railyard) and the Shed (east of plaza) are two of my favorite places to eat and are fantastic examples of New Mexican cuisine.
Tia Sophia’s (west of plaza) is great for breakfast.
Taxes, what can you do? Seems like a nice problem to have.
Ima—yeah, that was her name, from a poem her dad liked—was quite the art collector and patron of the MFA Houston. (The wiki states there was never a sister named “Ura.”) When your dad is a former Governor of Texas and you have oil wells on your property, it’s probably easier to be a big art patron. One of her houses was donated to the MFAH and serves as their Bayou Bend museum branch to this day. Gorgeous collection of American furniture inside.
From what I’d heard, the fire wasn’t that big (someone left a stick of butter on a stove over a pilot light overnight), but caused just enough damage that they needed to do some interior restoration which would have been done long ago except that doing that meant they had to bring a lot of other issues up to code where they previously had been grandfathered in.
The southside one is bigger, but doesn’t have the plaza atmosphere.
Personally, I eat at Whole Hog whenever I’m in Santa Fe. If you are looking for some decent (by New Mexican standards) ribs or pulled pork/sausages/brisket then it’s pretty good. There are a couple of Mexican/South Western restaurants in old town that aren’t too bad (though I don’t remember their names off the top of my head), if you are going to walk around a bit and take in the sights (and buy some touristy stuff :p).
Honestly, to my taste at least, New Mexican ‘Mexican’ food isn’t all that great, so I don’t have any favorites. If you go to Tucson though I can give you a list of really good places.
Sorry for the hijack, but 20 years ago I ate at a nice restaurant in downtown Sante Fe, but I forget what it was called. (Not even sure if it’s still there.) The ceiling used tree logs for support (or decoration?), and the wait staff would take turns singing songs.
Go to Maria’s on Cordova for a margarita - the food’s pretty decent; their massive maragrita selection is wonderful. Or go to Del Charro, just off the Plaza - I know some of my friends swear by their burgers (I am of the veggie persuasion and so cannot say either way), and the house margarita is fantastic.
For your beer needs, you want to go to any of the following: Blue Corn (there is a plaza location as well as the one down by the mall on Cerrillos), Marble (on the plaza), Second Street (on, um, Second Street or the Railyard) or Santa Fe Brewing. All of them are lovely.
For your non-alcoholic needs, I echo just about every suggestion made here and would also like to add: Tomasitas for your New Mexican, Santa Fe Baking Co. for your head-sized breakfast burritos and coffee, Clofoutis for your taste of France (also a great breakfast place), and Upper Crust for your pizza needs.
If I had to give you a day of food, it would probably be breakfast at Santa Fe Baking Co., a slice for lunch at Upper Crust, dinner at Tomasitas, drinks just down the road at Second Street.
(Goddamn it, now I’m going to be moping about the fact that I no longer live in Santa Fe and instead in a terrible backwater village of a country which has been forsaken by the culinary gods.)
Specifically La Cantina at La Casa Sena (important if you’re making reservations – if you don’t specifically say you want the singing they’ll put you in the non-singing main dining room, which is less fun).
Thanks all for the suggestions, people. I wish we had time to hit all these places, but only one more day here, so it just can’t happen. We had a good day at Bandelier today and had made-at-table guacamole at a place called Gabriel’s just off the highway.
We had a good day at Bandelier today and had made-at-table guacamole at a place called Gabriel’s just off the highway.