Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
196
try the
combinación picante
(carne adovada, tamale, enchilada, beans, and posole). Each
plate comes with a
sopaipilla.
With a little honey, who needs dessert? The full bar serves
delicious margaritas.
300 County Rd. 98 (
1
/
4
mile west of the Santuario), Chimayo, NM 87522.
&
505/351-4444.
www.
ranchodechimayo.com. Reservations recommended. Lunch $7.50-$13; dinner $11-$21. AE, DC, DISC,
MC, V. Daily May-Oct 11:30am-9pm; Sat-Sun breakfast 8:30-10:30am. Nov 1-Apr 30 closed Mon.
CORDOVA
Just as Chimayo is famous for its weaving, the village of Cordova, about 7 miles east on
NM 76, is noted for its woodcarving. It's easy to whiz by this village, nestled below the
High Road, but don't. Just a short way through this truly traditional northern New
Mexico town is a gem: The
Castillo Gallery
(
&
505/351-4067
), a mile into the
village of Cordova, carries moody and colorful acrylic paintings by Paula Castillo, as well
as her metal welded sculptures. It also carries the work of Terry Enseñat Mulert, whose
contemporary woodcarvings are treasures of the high country. En route to the Castillo,
you may want to stop in at two other local carvers' galleries. The first you'll come to is
that of
Sabinita Lopez Ortiz;
the second belongs to her cousin,
Gloria Ortiz.
Both are
descendants of the well-noted José Dolores Lopez. Carved from cedar wood and aspen,
their works range from simple statues of saints
(santos)
to elaborate scenes of birds.
TRUCHAS
Robert Redford's 1988 movie
The Milagro Beanfield War
featured the town of Truchas
(which means “trout”). A former Spanish colonial outpost built on top of an 8,000-foot
mesa, 4 miles east of Cordova, it was chosen as the site for the film in part because tra-
ditional Hispanic culture is still very much in evidence. Subsistence farming is prevalent
here. The scenery is spectacular: 13,101-foot Truchas Peak dominates one side of the
mesa, and the broad Rio Grande Valley dominates the other.
Look for the
High Road Marketplace
(
&
866/343-5381
or 505/351-1078), an
artists' co-op gallery with a variety of offerings ranging from jewelry to landscape paint-
ings to a broad range of crosses made from tin, rusted metal, and nails. Be sure to find
your way into the
Cordovas' Handweaving Workshop
(
&
505/689-1124
). In the
center of town, this tiny shop is run by Harry Cordova, a fourth-generation weaver with
a unique style. His works tend to be simpler than many Rio Grande weavings, utilizing
mainly stripes in the designs.
Just down the road from Cordovas' is
Hand Artes Gallery
(
&
800/689-2441
or
505/689-2443), a definite surprise in this remote region. Here you'll find an array of con-
temporary as well as representational art from noted regional artists. Look for Sheila
Keeffe's worldly painted panels, and Norbert Voelkel's colorful paintings and monoprints.
About 6 miles east of Truchas on NM 76 is the small town of
Las Trampas,
noted for
its 1780
San José de Gracia Church,
which, with its thick walls and elegant lines, might
possibly be the most beautiful of all New Mexico churches built during the Spanish
colonial period.
PICURIS
SAN LORENZO
PUEBLO
Not far from the regional education center of Peñasco, about 24 miles from Chimayo,
near the intersection of NM 75 and NM 76, is the Picuris (San Lorenzo) Pueblo
(
&
505/587-2519;
www.picurispueblo.net). The 375 citizens of this 15,000-acre moun-
tain pueblo, native Tewa speakers, consider themselves a sovereign nation: Their forebears
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