Red or Green

The only state with an official question is New Mexico.  What question would that be?  Let me enlighten you. 

Red or green sauce?

Went with red sauce today.

It refers to a question commonly heard in restaurants, at food carts, and in homes all over the state.  Essentially, how hot and what kind of hot do you want your food?  Tonight, I answered red... a week and a half ago, I answered green.  You have to love a state that is so proud of their cuisine, that they created a state question associated with it.

When I was in Albuquerque, most of the town was shut down.  It was Sunday, and I was staying near the historic district.  My gut told me that beer was calling.... somewhere in town was a bar with some craft with my name on it, and I was going to find it. 

Downtown Santa Fe.

While journeying towards Marble Brewery, I found myself cruising through downtown Albuquerque in the middle of a cruise night.  Old cars were driving a loop, others were parked on the side of the street with their hoods up... a whole vintage car culture emerged animating the city streets and I was inadvertently in the midst of it. 

Leaving the main drag behind me, I rolled up to Marble Brewing Company to find a party.  Outside, they were throwing a benefit with a live band and some stand up.  Inside was fairly quiet and I found my way to the end of the bar in a open seat.  Eventually conversations begin, like they tend to do in bars like these.  I was told I must go to Santa Fe, to even think of bypassing it would be a slight on the entire state, because... as a writer and lover of art... I would appreciate the beauty that was Santa Fe.

I hadn't thought to spend any real time in the Santa Fe, but when I got there... no pictures could describe the beauty I saw, and no words could appropriately describe the feeling you get when you wander through the dated streets.  New meets old meets older here, and there is mystery to the history, and a majesty to ... well, I can't think of a rhyme, but...

It has been said of the New Mexico sky, that no painter has ever felt like they truly captured the blue you see in the New Mexican sky.  There's no truer statement to be said about Santa Fe's sky, or the entire state of New Mexico for that matter, about it's sky or the wondrous landscape filled with the bold colors of the southwest and the sharp contrasts of a hot southern sun. 



Cruise night in Santa Fe.



Here too, is a sense of vehicular pride, and while my first trip was filled with art and history, my return trip was about timelines merging: vintage cars, traditional dances, old cobblestone streets, tourists and locals joining together to celebrate what is and once was.  Rain and shine, it was a party, and I feel fortunate to have seen it and shared it with Sam.  

Back in my festive Albuquerque bar, I was also told that New Mexico is, in a sense, still an undiscovered frontier... a land with its own rules and laws and customs still foreign to those outside it's borders.  On a night like tonight, it is hard to believe, but when you walk out far enough... to where the noises of the city disappear and signs of civilization are scarce... when you stand alone to find yourself sandwiched between a big vast turquoise sky and the rough and ragged sage brush spotted red mesas, that idea all falls into place. 

Like many, many artists before me, I'm in love with Santa Fe.  Hell, I may just be in love with New Mexico.

And now, thanks to me, my sister is, too.

There are worse things in life. :)

B.

Music listened to:

Daniels Mix which, I cringe to admit, was rather super fresh.

Mr. Jlsh's Disc #1 which was great for some country driving

Greg's disc... one?  I think?  Not sure, Sam picked it out.  We're still listening to it, but it was a nice soundtrack for our drive into the downtown area. :)