Is art a form of spiritual expression, a mode of social commentary, or a path of personal expression? Ponder all of the above at these must-see New Mexico gallery shows this winter.
In this expressive group show, cultures, experiences, and ideas are woven together through the language of clothing. Garments become symbols, asking us to consider how what we wear can act as protest, embody resilience, and unify collective voices. A bold display of pride in the face of censorship, this exhibition brings together multiple artists whose stories intertwine to create a shared narrative of strength and resistance.
A large group exhibition highlights ten diverse artists, each bringing their own unique vision to the gallery. The show spans a wide range of art forms such as glass, fiber, leather, and more. This year’s feature artist is ceramicist Laura McIndoo, whose work embraces bold textures and vibrant colors. Through her innovative use of glaze and surface, McIndoo explores the dynamic relationship between light, form, and color, transforming functional ceramics into expressive works of art.
203 Gallery, November 8, 2025 – January 31, Opening reception November 8th, 4-6pm
Explore abstract artist Beatrice Mandelman’s vibrant and expressive paintings and collages which come directly from her estate. The artist, who died in 1998, was a member of the Taos Moderns. Intertwined in shapes and colors, these layered pieces are from Mandelman’s “Sun Series.”
Santa Fe
Nicolas Otero-Nuestra Señora de San Jaun de Los Lagos
Santero artists Nicolas Otero and Gustavo Victor Goler celebrate the enduring beauty of traditional Spanish art with their newest bultos and retablos. Crafted with hand-carved panels, natural pigments, and intricate detail, these works transform sacred themes into vibrant expressions of devotion, bridging centuries of artistry with a contemporary sensibility.
Obscura Gallery, November 22 – January 17, Open House Saturday, November 29, 2-5pm
Obscura returns with its third annual photography exhibition, “One-of-a-Kind III” which brings together striking works by Susan Burnstine, Lou Peralta, and many more. This curated selection showcases unique perspectives and artistic voices, with all pieces priced under $1,500, making it a dream come true for both art collectors and photography enthusiasts.
Using distressed photographs of abandoned spaces, Noh explores themes of trauma and separation from one’s culture. These reconstructed images—burnt, torn, and stitched—represent the process of recovery. Her works create a space in which she examines, transforms, and ultimately reclaims her mind and body.
Sometimes necessity is truly the mother of invention. When award-winning pastry chef Rebecca Freeman of Coyote Café and Santacafé found out her husband had celiac disease, she was devastated. “As a pastry chef, I love sharing my creations with the people around me. He now couldn’t eat half of my desserts, so I began searching out desserts that were naturally gluten free.” She came up with this Gluten-Free Maple Budino so that he – and everyone else – could have a pie-free holiday. Serve with a scoop of sorbet and a tuile, if you’re so inclined. “This Maple Budino with cranberries and pecan crumble tastes like all the Thanksgiving desserts rolled into one.” After a bite – okay, we polished it all off – we agree one hundred percent.
This gluten-free Maple Budino by pastry chef Rebecca Freeman of Coyote Café layers creamy maple custard with tart cranberries and buttery pecan crumble for a dessert that tastes like Thanksgiving in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
½ cup maple syrup
¾ cup milk
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Maple Poached Cranberries:
1 lb fresh cranberries
1 cup maple syrup
For The Ginger Mascarpone:
½ cup mascarpone
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp vanilla extract
For The Pecan Crumble:
2 cups almond flour
½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
½ cup finely chopped pecans
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Place the maple syrup in saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the maple syrup to a light caramel.
Carefully whisk in milk and heavy cream. Bring this mixture to a simmer.
Whisk whole egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch together in a mixing bowl.
Slowly whisk in hot cream mixture to temper the egg mixture. Pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and bring to a simmer while whisking, until mixture thickens.
Remove from heat and add butter, vanilla, and salt.
Pour into 4 serving bowls. Let cool to room temperature, refrigerating until thoroughly chilled, 3 to 4 hours.
For the Maple Poached Cranberries:
Combine cranberries and maple syrup in a small saucepan. On the lowest heat possible cook the mixture for 20 minutes, making sure to not to overheat, so the cranberries do not burst.
These can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.
For the Ginger Mascarpone:
Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl and reserve until needed.
For The Pecan Crumble:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Combine all ingredients together until a soft dough forms.
Divide the dough into 20 pieces.
Bake on a lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes or until golden brown. These cookies keep for a week in a sealed container at room temperature.
Blitz the cookies to form a rough crumble topping for the maple budino.
Recipe by Rebecca Freeman, Coyote Café Story and Styling by Julia Platt Leonard Photography by Tira Howard
Santa Fe Biscochito Company’s artisanal cookies will sweeten your day.
A Cookie for Every Season at Santa Fe Biscochito Company
’Tis the season for biscochitos, a traditional holiday cookie of northern New Mexico. However, biscochito buffs will be thrilled to know that the official state cookie of New Mexico is always in season at Santa Fe Biscochito Company, where the handcrafted cookies are delightfully crisp and brimming with the flavor of both whole and crushed anise.
“It’s such a humble cookie,” says owner and baker Richard Perea, a Santa Fe native who knows the deep significance these cookies carry for generations of New Mexicans who bake them for weddings, anniversaries, and other events. Moreover, he adds, “It’s special to different people in different ways. It’s not the ingredients. It’s the way it makes you feel. It reminds me of my childhood.”
Finding the Perfect Recipe
Perea grew up helping his grandmother make tortillas, which she would sell to local businesses. Because her recipe repertoire didn’t include biscochitos, Perea had to experiment to find a perfect version that worked for him. Therefore, he began to test batch after batch. “I tried to reinvent the biscochito, with red wine, sangria, orange zest,” he says, laughing. “I tested and tested and shared with friends.”
Ultimately, a simple recipe won out — a combination of eggs, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, whole and crushed anise, brandy, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, and lard. Yes, lard, because it’s long been an essential ingredient to the cookie’s flaky texture and rich flavor.
Located in downtown Santa Fe in the former Primo Cigar Company building, the Santa Fe Biscochito Company offers a trio of biscochito varieties: traditional with cinnamon and sugar; dusted with green chile powder; and dusted with red chile powder. Additionally, each cookie is shaped in 3-inch squares and stamped with a Zia symbol — perhaps as a nod to Perea’s skill as a silversmith and jewelry designer. (The traditional version is also available in a circular shape.)
The Biscochito, Reinvented
Perea has taken the biscochito to new heights with his invention of the Biscookie. It’s a tantalizing ice cream sandwich made with two biscochitos and a generous scoop of small-batch ice cream such as Java Chip, Chingon Piñon, and — for serious biscochito fans — Biscochito ice cream flecked with biscochito bits. As a result, what was once a humble cookie has become a full-fledged dessert experience.
The Santa Fe Biscochito Company also serves breakfast burritos, bagel sandwiches, and coffee drinks. Meanwhile, the sweet, living room-style space is great for relaxing and savoring every blissful biscochito bite. Moreover, if you need a holiday gift to go, the cookies are available in festive packages that you’ll want to gift to yourself. Try “Little Biscuits” of Joy at Santa Fe Biscochito Company today!
Craving a biscochito right this second? Make a batch in the meantime using our various Holiday Bake-Off recipes to hold over your hunger.
Whether you love it or loathe it, the New Year holiday is an opportunity for a fresh start and to gather close friends and family together. And if the menu celebrates foods that are believed to augur good luck, then surely the year is off to a fortuitous start.
Jessie Baca and Marijke Uleman.
A Dinner Party with a Good Luck Menu for the New Year
New Year’s is polarizing. Embraced by some, eschewed by others, it’s a day and night that perhaps carries more weight than a single twenty-four-hour period should – the weight of what was and what will be…the desire for new beginnings and letting go of the past. Cultures around the world have grappled with this duality and set intentions for the future through traditions, not least of which are the foods we eat to create good fortune, whether that’s health, happiness, or our financial wellbeing.
When tasked to create a meal rich in good luck foods from around the world, Marijke Uleman was in her element. The Dutch-born, Santa Fe-based chef has traveled widely and embraces not only her own cultural roots but that of her wife, Mexican-born Erika Bautista.
Left: Preparing tamales. Right: A colorful tablescape at The Ridge.
Building a Sacred Space
The setting was The Ridge, a territorial-style hacienda tucked into an idyllic spot in the high desert foothills of Santa Fe. The space is filled with courtyards, decks, portals, patios, and a warming firepit – it’s the ideal spot to welcome winter sunlight and set eyes as well as appetites on the new year.
It’s a one-of-a-kind location that proprietor Irene Hofmann has filled with art and love – a perfectly appointed 8,000 square foot space available for stays of 8-12 people in the main house and poolside casita. Not to mention, Hofmann has launched Desert Sabbatical to make the location available for people in the arts, for gatherings, workshops, professional development, or simply for quiet moments of reflection and renewal. Hofmann’s goal is to create an environment that’s peaceful, welcoming, as well as a tonic from the chaos of modern life. “That’s why we imagine every corner of this house as a retreat,” she says.
The group toasts the New Year.
Embracing Creativity in the Menu
For such a unique experience, Uleman created an equally unique menu that draws on her uncanny ability to see flavors and imagine combinations before she ever picks up a chef’s knife or wooden spoon.
“This is my canvas,” she says of the food she cooks, “so when I have the paints and colors of the ingredients in front of me, that’s when it all starts to come together.” Like all of the meals she creates, this was a one-off. “Because each dinner and meal is a sense of place and time, it will never be the same again,” she says.
Left: Jessie Baca fills glasses for the arriving guests. Right: Marijke Uleman shares the menu with guests.
The jumping-off point for this New Year’s luncheon was thinking about cultures and connections as well as what good luck means. “I started thinking about my friends – who would I seat around a table and what kind of cultural connections do they have?”
A delicious Grapefruit Chai Masala “Mimosa.”
Cheers-ing to Good Fortune
To kick-start the festivities, Uleman welcomed guests with a riff on a classic mimosa, minus the alcohol and using grapefruit instead of orange juice. “In many cultures around the world, citrus fruits are symbols of good luck and prosperity,” Uleman says. The alcohol-free drink was a nod to the fact that many people – including Uleman – cut out alcohol in January.
Helping out was Jessie Baca – artist, stylist, and creative powerhouse behind Mexi-Modern – who works on many events hosted by Uleman’s food experience company, Cocoon. The two work in perfect harmony, transforming each dish into work of art. A seemingly simple plate of pickled baby carrots then emerged from the kitchen looking like glistening gems. Served with lentils – their coin shape denoting financial wealth as well as security – smoked labneh, and a sourdough cracker – the dish was the perfect combination of creaminess, sharpness, sweetness, and crunch.
Left: Lentils, Pickled Carrots, Smoked Labneh, and Sourdough Cracker. Right: Sweet Potato Waffle with Roasted Fennel, Dill, and Citrus Curd.
Golden foods like a citrus curd paired with sweet potato waffles and cornbread croutons that topped a black-eyed pea salad (a Southern United States New Year’s must) were nods to gold as well as financial well-being in the new year.
As guests passed a platter filled with pink-hued tamales – their rosy color thanks to Jamaica flowers (hibiscus) – the talk then turned to favorite New Year’s traditions.
Taking in the Future
Jenn Molinari traded in the glitz and glamor of New Year’s parties for a sunrise visit to the Grand Canyon with three girlfriends. “I want to carry forward starting the day with the sunrise at some beautiful, nature spot with people I love,” she says. Nelly Joy Irakoze is also keeping it simple – ditching detailed plans for the New Year and focusing on the moment instead. “I’m just trusting the process of each day, you know, just moving through each day,” she says.
Marja Martin, Erika Bautista, as well as Sean Ham.
For restauranteur Marja Martin, the ideal New Year’s would be simple and also decadent. “I would like to be at home with a bottle of champagne to myself – really good champagne – and a tin of caviar and something like caviar on potato chips.” For Hofmann, a night in with her husband and a feast – perhaps a raw bar with snow crab, oysters, as well as other crustaceans – is the ideal New Year’s celebration.
Uleman then finished the meal off with oliebollen – a treasured new year’s treat in the Netherlands. These deep-fried balls of dough, dusted with sugar, symbolize a sweet start to the new year. Guests gathered around the fire pit, enjoying the last of the winter sun, and nibbling another oliebollen before heading out to start the new year in earnest – warmed by good food and company—and filled with the sense of good luck that comes from both. Perhaps Erika Bautista captured it best when she said, “It’s a moment of gathering together and staring your year right by having those that you love around you.”
Left: Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Cornbread Croutons as well as an Orange Citrus Vinaigrette. Right: Oliebollen.
The Good Luck Menu for the New Year
Make your own good luck meal for the New Year with the following recipes!
TABLE Magazine and Century Bank convened a behind-the-scenes dinner with some of Santa Fe’s most respected nonprofit leaders to learn about the vast landscape of challenges and opportunities they encounter in New Mexico.
Linda Myers, our hostess.
A Look Inside New Mexico’s Nonprofits and Their Encounters
Understanding the critical role nonprofits play by bridging the gaps between what a community needs and what the government cannot always supply, made a gathering of some of Santa Fe’s most revered nonprofit leaders a rare and important opportunity. The group convened at the home of Linda and Max Myers over wine and a delicious dinner prepared by La Posada’s Chef Israel Castro. Lively conversations sparked deep connections and compassion and reminded us all why we live here.
Linda is a former teacher at Santa Fe High School and Max is the Vice Chairman of the Board for Century Bank, one of Santa Fe’s most vocal nonprofit supporters. According to Anna Maggiore, Vice-President/Director of Marketing, in 2024, Century Bank donated more than $300,000 to over 150 nonprofits across the state. The bank’s generosity is a model for other businesses of how to actively support nonprofits.
More delicious fare from Chef Castro.
Great Food and Community Gather Around the Table
Known for creating bold flavors that deliciously celebrate his Mexican heritage and his love of New Mexico, Chef Israel delivered a spectacular feast in appreciation of the tireless work the guests and their organizations do to enhance the quality of life in our community. Throughout the night, he tantalized our tastebuds to honor the extraordinary work for people, animals, art, nature, and the underserved these organizations provide.
Jill Dixon (The Food Depot) ,Keith Recker (TABLE Magazine), Linda Milanesi (Assistance Dogs of the West), and David Young (Santa Fe Botanical Garden).
While everyone was sipping wine and bubbles and getting to know one another, Chef Israel’s team passed scrumptious appetizers including stuffed mushrooms, steak tartare over crostini, and crispy tortilla chips topped with tuna tartare. Everyone’s palates were piqued with curiosity and anticipation of what was already setting up to be a magnificent evening of comestibles and community.
When we settled around the large dining room table, TABLE’s Editor in Chief, Keith Recker, facilitated the conversation and reminded us why we were together. He said, “TABLE Magazine is about living a great life and taking care of the people around you. And this was the inspiration behind this dinner party—to explore what is currently happening in the nonprofit sector in northern New Mexico, what your organizations are doing to improve quality of life, and to inspire readers on the ways they can offer support through volunteering and charitable contributions, as well as talking to their friends about nonprofit jewels like yours that are doing the heavy lifting for our community.”
Jill Dixon (The Food Depot) and Angie Chandler (The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum).
New Mexico’s Nonprofit Realities
Jill Dixon, who became The Food Depot’s Executive Director in 2024 after serving as the Director of Development for almost a decade as well as Deputy Director for three years, jumped in to start the conversation.
Left: Max Myers (Century Bank). Right: Linda Myers.
“We serve nine counties and 40,000 people receive food assistance from us and our 80 partners. Resilient is the word I like to use. But I know everyone is tired of having to be resilient. It’s not a badge of honor anymore. People are trying to find a way to feed their children and prices have exploded. But in a world that feels incredibly unkind, we see so much kindness. People who are in line at 3 a.m. for their neighbors and elderly parents, people sharing scarce resources, volunteers who show up when it’s too cold, and recipients who say thank you. It is this incredible kindness and philanthropy that keeps giving. This is an incredible place to live in an unkind moment.”
A fresh as well as delicious first course from Chef Israel Castro (La Posada).
Keeping a Positive Note
David Young, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, says his organization struggles with a different problem as they work to change their image so that all people feel welcome at the Garden. “We have a lot of hope and are focusing on building a healthy community by highlighting the benefits of being in nature. We also are working to connect with the younger generations, so they understand the impact of climate challenges we face. As an educational institution, we want everyone to feel welcome and know they are welcome at the Garden,” he says.
Cynthia Delgado, Development Director for NDI-New Mexico (National Dance Institute) also sees hope. She says, “Northern New Mexico is a region of deep family and cultural roots, and I see fear, the worry of being able to take care of your family and help them succeed and stay in this beautiful place. I also see hope. Hope that our kids succeed because at NDI, our kids are joyful, sweaty, and they don’t give up. Dance is scary and yet they accomplish the challenge, and this provides hope for them—one day, and one dance, at a time.”
Heather Hunter, Cynthia Delgado (NDI-New Mexico), and Justin Matase (TABLE Magazine).
Why Keep Going?
THINK New Mexico is a results-oriented think tank led by Fred Nathan who says, “We live in a state that is 49th or 50th in ranking and we focus on enduring solutions rather than political ideology. We see the stats that are not encouraging, but there is a lot of reason for hope. We are rich in a lot of ways. The philanthropy of giving in northern New Mexico is extraordinary.”
And the food was also extraordinary, as we enjoyed Chef Israel’s interpretation of green chili pork posole with cabbage, lime, crispy corn tortilla, dried oregano, and pickled red onion. The table was quiet for a moment as we savored this delicious soup.
Hors d’oeuvres from Chef Castro.
Collaboration and Compassion Are the Keys
Representing the Georgia O’Keefe Museum was Angie Chandler who comes to Santa Fe from Los Angeles, and said, “My area is engagement with college students and lifelong learning, and I have seen a hunger for knowledge. The schools are hungry and the students are hungry, and so my job is to meet them where they are and bring Georgia’s story to life for them and collaboration is critical.”
Linda Milanesi, with Assistance Dogs of the West, reminded us of the important role animals play in our lives. “We are celebrating our 30th year working an in-depth education program where elementary through high school and other populations work with our professional dog trainers to reinforce the cues. Through this experience, they learn compassion and consistency and sometimes this is the first time they have given and received love. We have challenges but I am ready to meet that challenge.”
Left: Anna Maggiore (Century Bank). Right: Jill Dixon (The Food Depot).
Next, we settled into La Posada’s spinach salad with bacon, red onion, candied walnuts, blue cheese, as well as a red wine-poached pear, all dressed with a warm maple bacon vinaigrette. We paused to enjoy our salads and mingle before diving into the exquisite entrée Chef Israel prepared—a Chimayo red chile birria short ribs over polenta, with avocado, pickled red onions, and cilantro.
Generosity, Kindness, Advocacy, and Volunteers Lift New Mexico’s Nonprofits
Recker next asked the group what is working well and what makes their work essential in northern New Mexico. The answers were vastly different but interconnected to creating compassionate and capable humans.
Nathan started by reminding the group how many nonprofits we have in this region. “It is harder to run a nonprofit than a business because we rely on donors, and this reflects that our people are kind and generous.”
Angie Chandler (Georgia O’Keeffe Museum) and Fred Nathan (THINK New Mexico).
Chandler echoed this sentiment and said, “We are producing kinder people. And integrating arts makes learning impactful. Everything we do is free and that’s the magic!”
A strong sense of belonging is at the heart of what these nonprofits do every single day. Their advice to the community? Donate, volunteer, and then advocate.
Delgado says, “Learn about the organization you are interested in and what the needs and complexities are. Get to know the staff and the people who are doing the work. We appreciate the charitable gifts but commit to sustainability and long-term.”
Because only through sustainable contributions and long-term investments will northern New Mexico’s nonprofits and residents succeed.
The Santa Fe Railyard played host to the International Folk Art Market of 2025 and welcomed around 150 artists and cooperatives from close to 60 countries who proudly shared their work – everything from textiles, to rugs, jewelry, and ceramics. Established in 2004, the market welcomed around 20,000 visitors this year who came to meet artists, learn about their craft, and purchase one-of-a-kind pieces.
The atmosphere was buzzy with food and drink to keep spirits and energy levels high and live music to round out the days and nights. Visitors came to reestablish connections with artists they’d met at past markets and to forge relationships with first time exhibitors. The quality of the work was outstanding and visitors showed their support with an estimated $3.88 million in sales – money that goes back to the artists’ communities and helps keep valued artisan traditions alive and thriving.
International Folk Art Market Recap, July 11-13, 2025
2025 IFAM Insider Talks with National Geographic Explorer and Cultural Sanctuaries Founder, Chris Rainier at Evoke Gallery
Folk Art Innovation Award Winners (L to R) Luis Méndez, Agus Ismoyo Isnugroho, Tetyan Skoromna, award sponsors JoAnn Balzer and Bob Balzer, Artisans Sustainable Development Association representative, award winners Anitha N, and Jeronimo Coll y Familia representative Jenny Kimball, artist
IFAM Artist Assistant at Hocine Bazine’s booth featuring Berber rugs from Algeria
An IFAM guest stays cool
Cody Hartley, Jamie Cohen, Jen Wilson, Ginger Williams, Kim Brown, and Adrienne Murray
A stroll on IFAM opening night
Jenny Kimball, artisan Puja Bhargave, and Ali McGraw
Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez
Photography by Daniel Quat, Thomas Kelly, Jane Bernard, Ellen Crosby, David Moore, and Ava Kane
Robert Mirabal (Taos Pueblo) and his band at the SWAIA Fundraising Gala
One thousand Native North American artists from the 200 tribal nations in the U.S. and Canada came together in Santa Fe for Indian Market, a favorite fixture on the summer cultural calendar. The SWAIA (Southwestern Association for Indian Arts) Gala was a sold out success, featuring Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo) and musician Robert Mirabal (Taos Pubelo). Weekend highlights include SWAIA artist Naomi Glasses launching her Home Collection with Ralph Lauren, the third year of the hugely popular ‘Get Indigenous Film Festival’, and the SWAIA Native Fashion Show – both of which sold out.
What began in 1922 as the Southwest Indian Art Fair and Industrial Arts and Crafts Exposition has grown to become the largest juried Native art shown in the world, attracting over 100,000 visitors to Santa Fe each August who come to see and shop for outstanding jewelry, pottery, paintings, sculpture, and more and to meet the artists and makers.
Santa Fe Indian Market Recap, August 16-17, 2025
Santa Fe Indian Market 2025
Adrian Matthias Stevens, Shawn Snyder, Zanders Thomas and friends at the SWAIA Artist and Media Party
Robert Mirabal (Taos Pueblo) and his band at the SWAIA Fundraising Gala
Bree Blackhorse (Seminole) and Derek Red Arrow (Nez Perce) at NARS
(Native American Regalia Showcase)
Kiowa Gordon, Steven Paul Judd, Dallin Maybee, and Gene Brave Rock at SWAIA Native Fashion Show at Indian Market
Dancers at SWAIA's Fundraising Gala
Photography by Amanda Maria, Charles Montoya, and Kitty Leaken
Opening night at the Santa Fe Opera drew the opera faithful to celebrate the much anticipated launch of the 2025 season of sublime singing under the stars. It was a time to shine whether the evening attire was black tie and boutonnière or cowboy hat and concha belt. Opera patrons celebrated in style with tailgating parties and champagne toasts to ring in a glorious summer of opera featuring 27 debut artists, 29 returning artists, a host of apprentices, and of course the always impressive Santa Fe Opera Orchestra.
The season kicked off with a sumptuously staged production of La bohème and continued with The Marriage of Figaro, Die Walküre, Rigoletto, and the suitably chilling tale of the Turn of the Screw. Work is already underway for the 2026 season that opens on July 3 and 4 with a revival of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and a hotly anticipated new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. That should be just enough time to get your beaded ballgown or boots and bolo ready for another opening night to remember.
Santa Fe Opera Season Start, June 27-August 23, 2025
Photography Courtesy of Bronwen Sharp for the Santa Fe Opera
This Apple Cider Margarita is a fall-inspired twist on a classic cocktail recipe. Who says that a margarita is only for the summer? With the addition of apple cider, this cocktail blends the refreshing tang of lime, the warmth of cinnamon, and the intriguing distilled citrus of the Cointreau. Serve in a spooky-inspired goblet as a Halloween cocktail and enjoy! Also check out our other apple cider recipes, including Vegan Apple Cider Muffins and CranberryKombucha Apple Cider Rum Punch.
Using Mulling Spicesin Our Apple Cider Margarita
This Apple Cider Margarita calls for mulling spices, which are a combination of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. If you have those in your kitchen, you can make mulling spices yourself and customize with your favorite other spices like cardamom and star anise. But you can also buy a mix at the store and use it in other fall recipes like mulled wine as the days get shorter!
New York is all about reinvention. Its neighborhoods rise and fall in popularity, only to be reborn as something else. In the process, historic buildings magnetize towards repurposing. They end up as condos or hotels. So it is with Nomad, the area to the north of Madison Square Park and home to Fifth Avenue Hotel.
Taking a Staycation at The Fifth Avenue Hotel
In what was originally the Second National Bank, a five-story Renaissance-style palazzo built in 1907 and designed by McKim, Mead, & White, the glitzy new Fifth Avenue Hotel bucks the trend of bland, blond and ivory luxury hotels. In interior designer Martin Brudnizki’s, spaces are luscious and lavish, filled with a confident meeting of texture, hue, and pattern. Rare is the surface that isn’t painted a rich color, inlaid, gilded, covered with exotic-patterned wallpaper, or decorated with an elaborately hand-knotted rug.
The 153 rooms manage that difficult balance between resembling something out of a Henry James novel and being modern and comfortable, while the public areas have that vibe that makes you feel as if you’ve arrived, although your destination is nothing like what you imagined.
The History of Nomad
The area has a history of attracting high society and creative types, as it does today. Located on what was formerly swampy hunting ground, Madison Square Park opened in 1847. And although the area had originally been filled with dark and narrow row houses, it was soon surrounded by mansions—including the residences of Teddy Roosevelt and Edith Wharton.
A luxury property, also called the Fifth Avenue Hotel, existed on the west side of the park from 1859 to 1908. (It was the first hotel in the US with elevators!). The hotel’s guests include the likes of Mark Twain and numerous presidents including Abraham Lincoln, but, it eventually closed and demolished, but a number of other hotels sprang up nearby.
The site of the current Fifth Avenue Hotel, a couple of blocks north, was originally the home of Mrs. Charlotte Goodridge, a prominent society figure during the Gilded Age, when the area was a hub for the literati—including Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens. The current former bank building required a 10-year restoration, including the addition of modern amenities. A 24-story glass tower designed by Perkins Eastman and PBDW Architects was also added.
What Awaits Inside
As you enter the hotel, a dazzling mix of faceted mirrors, burled wood panels, and a huge tapestry by artist Pae White await—it takes your eyes a moment to adjust to it all. The restaurant, Café Carmellini, is a cozy yet opulent mix of dark wood, mustard-colored leather, and blue velvet, while it’s seemingly infinite lightbulbs in chandeliers, sconces, and table lamps fill the space with an inviting atmosphere that’s convivial yet intimate and sexy.
Afterwards, head to the dark and moody Portrait Bar for a destination-named cocktail, such as the “Oaxaca”, which contains Oaxacan gin, Empirical Ayuuk, Contratto aperitif, lime sherbet, hibiscus, and chocolate. If you can still walk, the journey to your room will take you through dimly-lit, rosy-colored corridors clad in a mix of striped and tropical papers with bordered blue carpets underfoot.
Restaurants Near Fifth Avenue Hotel
If you’re in the mood to actually leave the hotel, there are several exquisite restaurants nearby, including Eleven Madison Park (Michelin 3-star, plant-based), Scarpetta (refined Italian in a beautiful space), and Junoon (upscale, modern Indian). It’s always worth checking out if there is an art installation in Madison Square Park. (The original Shake Shake location is in the corner of the park in case you have a sudden craving for fries.) Although it isn’t nearby, the reopened Frick Collection, among the best museums in New York, is a must see for anyone coming to visit.
Story by Stephen Treffinger Hotel Photos by William Abranowicz Food Photos by Evan Sung
