Old Town Albuquerque - Where Past Meets Present

It's been three years since Albuquerque celebrated its Tricentennial anniversary. In a city full of creative people I found celebratory manhole covers placed throughout Old Town an especially fun idea; a nice mix of new artistry celebrating old heritage. Old Town is a lot like these manhole covers - full of 300-year-old adobe buildings that showcase a wide variety of new art in many different forms.

Hot air balloon enthusiasts enjoy Discovery Balloons, where there's everything from T-shirts to Tiffany-style lamps and wind socks decorated with balloons. In the shops of Plaza Dom Luis, near San Felipe de Neri Church, patrons purchase handcrafted kachina dolls, gorgeous handmade sterling bracelets or handwoven Native American rugs and baskets. And, of course, chile artistry is evident among the ristras, sauces, and rubs available in several shops near the central Plaza.

Old Town is also a place of celebration, from live mariachi music that fills a retail courtyard, to shop owners who 'christen' passers-by with brightly colored beads. And margaritas + enchiladas never taste better than when they're savored on a cozy patio with a view of New Mexican history.

New Mexico's Original Clay Cookers

The clay cooking pot was shades of brown and black with gold flecks throughout - its design, a cousin of cazuelas from Spain and Romertopf terra cotta clay cookers. Available in Cafe Pasqual's Gallery, Santa Fe, above Cafe Pasqual's, it was crafted by Apache medicine man, Felipe Ortega, who has kept the same price on his piece for 14 years. Several shelves in the tiny gallery held his work, while pots created by a student (and slightly less expensive) lined another wall.

Ortega's breath literally shaped these pots, which sell for $100 per quart. Once fired, the indigenous clay makes each pot microwave, oven, and stove-top safe (although they should not be put in a dishwasher), because of silica that naturally occurs in the clay - a precursor to glass which makes it especially sturdy.

Despite their rugged appearance, Ortega's pots were surprisingly lightweight. Their generations-old design included a ridge near the top that remains cold to the touch, even with hot food sitting inside the 'bowl' of each pot. The indigenous clay also is naturally salty, reducing the need for added salt during food preparation; in fact a pot of beans cooked in one of these pots requires almost no seasoning.

Sometimes, old ways of preparing food are definitely worth a second look.

What's In My Food?

The food we buy and eat isn't always what it seems. Take, for instance this loaf of crusty bread. It looks fresh and tasty as it sits on the cutting board. But carve a slice from the end and you quickly discover there's something more to this loaf:


Who knew we'd find a dozen 'bunnies' in this bread? As my husband and I change our food purchases to reflect his new dietary needs, I become increasingly aware that food isn't always what it seems - especially if there's a nutrition label involved.

Our pre-bottled light ranch salad dressing with less fat has 22% of the daily salt RDA per serving; which means my husband must (a) use considerably less than the stated serving amount (b) choose a different dressing (after checking the salt) (c) make his own. The salt content per serving in a large can of imported tomatoes is less than half the level we found in a can from a local discount store. The imported variety costs 3-4 times more but, when you have to watch your salt intake it may be a financial 'sacrifice' you make.

And, when it comes to salt - or sugar - levels in homemade food, you've got to make some trade-offs. To reduce the salt in my spaghetti sauce I (a) used the imported tomatoes (b) added extra garlic to replace some of the flavor that typically comes from salt. Because sugar is another ingredient my husband must now watch in his diet, I lightly sweetened the sauce with four ground baby carrots and 1/4 cup of wine, instead.

We're only getting started, but I already have a clearer picture of how much sense it makes to create our meals from scratch as often as possible. After all, food appearances can be deceiving.

Red Ladder Outside of Albuquerque

I first saw this pueblo ladder glowing red against a star-strewn night sky far from city lights in September 2007. When I returned to Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa near Albuquerque, during last October's Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, this mesmerizing image re-captured my heart - and my camera lens.

During my first visit, I was with a large group of people, while the second included my husband and a couple we've been friends with for many years. During my second visit I had my year-old,10-megapixel SLR in tow rather than the film SLR I'd used for a couple of decades. This image turned out so clear that, when this photo is enlarged, you can even see the knotholes in the wood.

But there's much more to this tribal-owned property than the red ladder. Located on land owned by the Santa Ana Pueblo, this understated adobe resort is a cooperative venture between the tribe and Hyatt corporation's management. During our Fiesta visit we sipped cocktails while watching golfers round the Twin Warriors course, rode horseback through some of the resort's gorgeous backcountry, and toured the swimming area where three different pools and a whirlpool entice guests throughout much of the year.

Next time, we may tour the resort's magnificent art collection, enjoy pampering at Tamaya Mist Spa, or participate in Tamaya's educational program - in which guests may learn to make adobe, craft a drum, or make traditional bread with a tribal member. No matter how often you stay at this one-of-a-kind resort, you'll never run out of things to do.

Happy Hour at Buffalo Thunder Resort

After a long day in which our tour group traveled a handful of different directions, we met at the new *Buffalo Thunder Resort on Pojoaqua Pueblo land outside of Santa Fe for our farewell happy hour and dinner. We arrived on a covered adobe porch where servers offered sangria, wine, and mixed drinks, giant shrimp and bruschetta. Despite the fact that it was late October, early evening began with almost balmy temperatures.

As our now-familiar crowd arrived at staggered intervals, storm clouds thickened and the sky darkened. Only a hint of sunset pierced the gray expanse. The dull roar of thunder accompanied sheets of rain that traveled across the distant sky.

Suddenly, a wave of wind blew across the porch fiercely, carrying the first chilly raindrops of evening. We retrived toppled wine glasses and fallen plates, held down skirt hems, and tried to steady our tables until staff members shooed us inside. A huge wind gust banged the outside door against the inside wall as everyone streamed into the lobby, followed quickly by the rolling bar. Safe inside, we watched, mesmerized, as the storm rolled along before us.

It somehow seemed fitting, given the name of the resort, and a memorable end note to our fabulous week-long adventure.

*Buffalo Thunder Resort is a cooperative venture with Hilton Hotels

Lisa's Gingersnaps

Since a family member recently learned he must watch his sugar, fat, and salt intakes, I'm re-thinking what I bake and what is in it. Because gingersnaps were on his list of 'okay' cookies, I decided to make my first batch with a cookbook recipe as a base. But the original recipe (Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook) asked for shortening, which I don't use, so I substituted 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 butter.

As always, I opted for whole wheat pastry flour rather than regular white flour. I then reduced the sugar by 1/4 cup and substituted ground oatmeal for 1/2 cup of flour - hence the little white flecks in the photo. Finally, I skipped one step altogether; I didn't roll my balls of dough in granulated sugar before baking because it was another easy way to reduce the sugar content.

What I ended up with were perfectly round, slightly soft cookies that tasted as great as they looked, with enough to enjoy now and still stash a few in the freezer. See if you agree:

Lisa's Gingersnaps

Makes approximately 48 cookies

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup oatmeal, ground fine

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/8 cup butter + 3/8 cup olive oil

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ginger (VOE - we'll add an extra 1/2 teaspoon next time)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Melt butter over low stovetop heat or in microwave. Combine oatmeal and flour. In a large mixing bowl, combine about half of the flour/oatmeal mixture, brown sugar, butter, olive oil, molasses, egg, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Mix together thoroughly and then stir in remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets (VOE - the dough will be quite wet as you do this). Bake in a 375-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute then transfer cookies to a wire rack or foil and let cool completely. Store with a piece of bread in air-tight container; this will enhance their softness.

Falling Water at the Westin Crown Center

The sound of rushing water grows louder as you round the bend on your way from Crown Center Shops to the lobby of the Westin Crown Center hotel, in Kansas City, Mo. Within moments the landscape matches the sound, as you find a breathtaking view of the hotel's legendary waterfall within a five-story atrium.

One of the city's most-photographed spots, this indoor waterfall and lush, terraced gardens have delighted visitors and residents since the early '70s, after the 729-room hotel opened. A large hill of natural limestone extends inside the building, providing the perfect backdrop for 60-foot-tall tumbling sheets of water; only underwater lights belie the fact that this was actually a man-made wonder. For a brief moment, city noise and activity melt away in the sight and sound of nature under glass.

But head for the lower level lobby and there's a rather surreal feeling as you step from the escalator onto multi-colored carpet, only yards away from the Westin Crown Center's signature site. As you walk towards the front desk the sound of rushing water gradually fades, conversation rises, and you return to the everyday hustle-bustle - until your next visit.