TalkingSantaFe.com

Santa Fe in U.S. News & World Report’s 10 Housing Markets for the Next Decade (March, 2010)

Karen Meredith — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:10:17 +0000

In the March, 2010 issue of U.S. News & World Report (the 2010 Money Guide), Santa Fe, New Mexico was ranked fourth on their list of 10 housing markets that should see above-average annual price gains from the second quarter of 2009 to the second quarter of 2019.

The top ten markets that made U.S. News & World Report’s list, with median home prices from the second quarter of 2009 and expected annual appreciation are below, followed by the accompanying article by Luke Mullins:

City Median Price Annual % increase*

Silverdale, WA $250,000 over 9%
Glens Falls, NY $178,950 over 7%
Corvallis, OR $232,000 over 5%
Santa Fe $262,250 over 5%
Decatur, IL $92,900 nearly 5%
Duluth, MN $129,550 over 5%
Charleston, SC $210,000 over 5%
Pittsburgh, PA $95,500 nearly 5%
Fort Collins, CO $208,000 nearly 4%
Charlotte, NC $150,000 over 3%

*U.S. News & World Report cited home price projections from Moody’s Economy.com.

10 Housing Markets for the Next Decade


By: Luke Mullins, U.S. News & World Report (March, 2010).


Just as the real estate bust slammed different parts of the country with unequal force, each local housing market will emerge from the rubble at its own pace. The recovery in Detroit will look much different from the rebound in Denver.
To get a sense of which markets will see stronger home price appreciation over the next 10 years, U.S. News turned to Moody's Economy.com. The economics firm sifted through employment and population data and analyzed geographic and industry trends to generate 10-year home price projections for each of the nation's 384 distinct metropolitan statistical areas -- everywhere from Abilene, Texas, to Yuma, Ariz.  Using these data, U.S. News compiled a list of 10 housing markets that should see above-average annual price gains from the second quarter of 2009 to the same period of 2019.
The neighboring cities of Bremerton and Silverdale, Wash., are located on the Kitsap Peninsula, a slip of land surrounded by more than 300 miles of coastline on Puget Sound.  Although the Pacific Northwest greenery is enticing, it's the area's stable economy that should drive home price gains in the coming years. A large military presence -- of the Navy in particular -- helps insulate the local economy from volatility. Moody's Economy.com expects home prices in the Bremerton-Silverdale area to increase by an average of nearly 9 percent annually from the second quarter of 2009 through the same period of 2019.
At the foot of the Adirondack Mountains of New York you'll find Glens Falls. With attractions like Lake George just a short drive away, tourism has long played a key role in the local economy. But the area, which has about 130,000 residents, is also considered "catheter valley" because of its thriving medical device manufacturing industry. Companies like Covidien, AngioDynamics, and C. R. Bard have outposts in the area, which has become a popular lower-cost alternative to nearby Saratoga County, N.Y., and a bedroom community for the state capital of Albany. Home prices in the area will increase an average of more than 7 percent a year over the next 10 years, Moody's Economy.com projects.
Corvallis, a town of about 48,000 residents, is home to Oregon State University as well as numerous public agencies. About a third of the area's workers are employed by the government, says Mysty Rusk, the president of the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition.
At the same time, the people of this university town have long possessed a creative, entrepreneurial spark. According to Rusk, Corvallis has the highest number of patents per capita in the United States. Large companies like Hewlett-Packard and Samaritan Health Services are among the region's leading private employers. Area home prices should increase an average of more than 5 percent annually over the next 10 years, Moody's Economy.com projects.
Founded in the early 1600s, Santa Fe, N.M., has a mix of history, art, and outdoor wonders that attracts more than 1 million visitors to the city annually. Santa Fe also boasts 300 days of sunshine a year. While tourism helps juice the local economy, the city's favorable employment outlook is linked to its abundance of more stable government jobs. "We are a government town," says Simon Brackley, the president and CEO of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce. "We are the state capital, and we also have Los Alamos National Lab 30 miles away, which brings in a lot of federal government money and probably about 12,000 jobs." Moody's Economy.com expects area home prices to increase by an average of more than 5 percent annually over the next 10 years.
With Caterpillar and Archer Daniels Midland serving as its largest employers, Decatur, Ill., considers itself "America's agribusiness center," says Randy Prince, the president of the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce. Leveraging its crop-rearing expertise, Decatur hopes to emerge as a key player in the green-energy industry.
Because home prices in Decatur never exploded as they did in other parts of the country, its downturn has been relatively benign. And while the long-term economic outlook is tepid, less aggressive home building should enable real estate prices to increase an average of nearly 5 percent annually over the next 10 years, according to Moody's Economy.com.
Duluth, Minn., has a similar outlook. Although demand will be restrained by weak population growth, affordable prices and manageable supplies should lead to gains of more than 5 percent annually over the next 10 years, Moody's Economy.com projects.
Charleston, S.C.'s charming architecture has helped make this port city on the Atlantic coast a popular tourist destination, attracting more than 5 million visitors a year. "A lot of cities in America would love to have a couple of blocks with historic buildings," says Charles Van Rysselberge, the president and CEO of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. "In our case, we have miles of those."
A strong military presence brings stability to Charleston's local economy. And Boeing recently announced plans to build a plant in Charleston that will bring in thousands of higher-paying jobs. Home prices in the Charleston area should increase an average of more than 5 percent annually over the next 10 years, Moody's Economy.com projects.
For the past 30 years, Pittsburgh has struggled to transform itself from a rusting steel town to a dynamic center of forward-looking job providers. Its selection as the site of the 2009 Group of 20 summit -- bringing together the world's most powerful economies -- seemed to validate this remarkable turnaround.
With a low cost of living and a strong network of universities, Pittsburgh is home to 1,500 high-tech firms, 500 biotechnology companies, and a robotics cluster, as well as a number of solar and wind energy firms. "You don't have any one sector that is as dominant as it was before," says Dennis Yablonsky, the CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. Home prices in the Pittsburgh area should increase an average of nearly 5 percent annually over the next 10 years, Moody's Economy.com projects.
Not far from Colorado's breathtaking Rocky Mountain National Park are the neighboring cities of Fort Collins and Loveland. Thanks to university research, local support, and private investment, this area of roughly 300,000 residents is evolving into a leading center for traditional and renewable energy, says Brian Willms, the president and CEO of the Loveland Chamber of Commerce. "We have this fantastic wind corridor to produce wind energy, over 300 days of sunshine a year -- so it's a great place for solar energy -- and we have some of the most productive natural gas reserves in the country," he says. Home prices in the Fort Collins-Loveland area should rise an average of nearly 4 percent annually over the next 10 years, Moody's Economy.com projects.
Although the recent financial turmoil has hurt, Charlotte, N.C., remains the nation's second-leading banking center and home to corporate giant Bank of America, says Bob Morgan, the president of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. Charlotte's low-cost, business-friendly climate and diverse economic base should help push home prices higher. Home prices in the Charlotte area should increase an average of more than 3 percent annually over the next 10 years, Moody's Economy.com projects.



59th Traditional Spanish Market To Be Held July 24 and 25, 2010
Karen Meredith — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:39:02 +0000

	
	Spanish Market street scene

The 59th Traditional Spanish Market will be held on July 24 and 25, 2010 on the Santa Fe Plaza. This popular event celebrates the vibrant Hispanic culture of Northern New Mexico, both past and present. Visitors are provided with a unique opportunity to purchase a dazzling array of Spanish Colonial art works produced by over 200 traditional Hispanic artists, sample mouth-watering regional food specialties, attend art demonstrations and workshops and enjoy continuous live music and dance entertainment.  A separate youth exhibition area will line the side streets just off the Plaza and will feature the work of some 100 emerging artists. This is the oldest and largest Hispanic market in the United States. Admission is free.
For more information about Spanish Market contact the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art  at 505-982-2226 or  e-mail info@spanishcolonial.org.
Glossary of terms used, and art forms found, at Spanish Market

Santos – originally produced in New Mexico between the 1700s and late 1800s, these are depictions of religious figures in the forms of bultos (three dimensional wood carvings) and retablos (paintings on wooden panels).  Most materials used to make santos were indigenous to New Mexico: pine, cottonwood root, gypsum, pinion sap, yucca fibers and horse and human hair for paintbrushes, and natural home-ground pigments made from the vegetation, clays, ocres and minerals. Although New Mexico became part of the Republic of Mexico in 1821, it still remained isolated from the outside world. Consequently, most New Mexicans artists in the nineteenth century were self-taught or apprentices who learned from their local masters.   Santos played an important part of the religious lives of New Mexicans in the colonial period.   Retablos and bultos adorned local churches and families had private devotional altars graced with Santos. Santos convey the spirit of Hispanic New Mexico through their unique style, traditional Catholic subject-matter and the materials used to create them.
Straw Appliqué – crosses, chests and boxes decorated with applied wheat straw and corn husks which are adhered to the wood with resin.
Textiles – hand-woven on looms using handspun and vegetable dyed yarns
Tinwork – decorative and utilitarian objects of cut and punched tin.  Frames, mirrors, switchplates, candle holders, sconces, mirrors and crosses are examples of tin art. Tin art, especially in religious form, began to flourish after the United States Army occupied New Mexico in 1846 and the appearance of imported tin cans. 
Furniture – usually made from pine using mortise and tenon joints
Embroidery – unique regional embroideries employing the colcha stitch which was used for centuries to embellish priest garments, altar cloths and coverlets and produces rich and colorful textiles and tapestries
Ironwork – tools, fastenings, and household objects forged from iron
Precious Metals – silver or gold jewelry, utilitarian and devotional objects
Pottery – hand-sculpted bowls, pots, and other ware made from micaceous clay
Bonework – decorative items, anillos (rings) and tool handles carved from bones
Ramilletes – decorative paper garlands
Basketry – baskets handwoven from red and brown river willow


	
	Retablos at Spanish Market

The Spanish Colonial Arts Society screens all of the artwork shown at Spanish Market for authenticity and requires that all artwork be handmade by artists practicing their craft in the context of their community.  Some families are represented by three or four generations
For more about the art you can see at Spanish Market visit the Collectors Guide.
History of Spanish Market 
The Spanish Colonial Arts Society first sponsored Spanish Market in 1926 and continued to hold it until the mid-1930s.  In 1965 the Spanish Colonial Arts Society revived Spanish Market, which was held in conjunction with the annual Indian Market until 1972.  In 1973 Spanish Market became its own distinct event taking place on Santa Fe Plaza during the last full weekend in July. 
Since 1985 Contemporary Hispanic Market has been held at the same time as, and in conjunction with, Spanish Market.  It is sponsored by El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe and is located northwest of Santa Fe Plaza along Lincoln Avenue.   In 2009 Contemporary Hispanic Market showcased contemporary fine art such as photography, weaving, glass work, paintings, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry, textiles and mixed media from over 130 artists.  For more information call (505) 992-0591 or e-mail info@elmuseocultural.org.   
Awards

	
	Grand Prize, Best of Show Winner - 2002 Federico Prudencio, Spanish Hope Chest 

The Society honors artistic excellence at Spanish Market by awarding prizes and purchasing outstanding works of art for its collection.  Its grand prize, first prize and other special awards recognize distinctive skill and innovation in various media.   The Society’s collection of more than 3500 objects is housed at the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, 750 Camino Lejo (Museum Hill) in Santa Fe.   The collection includes Spanish Colonial art forms spanning four centuries and four continents.
Insider’s Tip
On Friday, July 23, 2010 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm the Spanish Market Preview takes place at the Santa Fe Convention Center for members only.  Be the first to see this year’s Spanish Market art and meet the artists.  Early Preview starts at 6 pm for upper level members ($300 – $5,000).  General Preview starts at 7 pm for all members.  Memberships are available at the door.
Food at Spanish Market
Vendors offer Spanish Colonial and Northern New Mexican specialties such as carnitas, carne adovada, stuffed sopaipillas, chile rellenos, fajitas, tamales, empanaditas, chile stew, taquitos, burritos, enchiladas and tacos.



Paula Berthelot Interiors
Paula Berthelot — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:57:29 +0000

			

				

			
		
Casa Las Artes
This is the living room of a home I did for a client………which included a complete redecorating including purchase of furniture, art etc. I’m available to help you with your home.  You can contact me through this blog or e-mail me……..pberthelot@prusantafe.com.




Canyon Road
Paula Berthelot — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:28:02 +0000

			

				

			
		
 Santa Fe’s Burro Alley


The unique mingling of fine art galleries with gracious adobe homes on winding, shaded streets is the essence of Canyon Road’s charm. Although it is just blocks from Santa Fe’s busy plaza, Canyon Road’s special quality arises from its history as a rural neighborhood of small farms scattered along an old Indian trail.
The oldest adobe houses on Canyon Road date at least to the 1750s, built as modest, two or three-room dwellings by early Spanish settlers. Each house was the center of a family farm that raised corn and wheat and vegetables on the fertile patches of land bordering the Santa Fe River. In those days it would not have been unusual to see a small flock of sheep being driven up the Road on the way to green, mountain pastures deeper in the Canyon.
Farming in this high desert climate was always a challenge. Shortly after founding Santa Fe in 1610, the Spanish built an irrigation canal above the River, parallel to Canyon Road. Still in use, this Acequia Madre, or “mother ditch,” brought precious water out of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to sustain crops, livestock, and people in the Canyon Road neighborhood. Present day visitors should take a stroll down shaded Acequia Madre Street (just one block south of Canyon Road) to enjoy the ancient stone-lined canal and the beautiful adobe homes which have depended on it for centuries.
Since the earliest days of Spanish settlement, enterprising Santa Feans had walked their burros up the old “Road of the Canyon” to gather firewood in the mountain forests. Late in the day, residents would see the burros lumbering back down Canyon Road, laden with impossibly large stacks of split pinon wood that were destined for delivery to customers in town or for sale in Santa Fe’s Burro Alley.



The Southern Way of the Cross
Paula Berthelot — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:46:28 +0000

			

				

			
		
I want to share this interesting article with you that was written by my friend Patricia LaFarge.  It was originally published in The Collectors Guide.
The Southern Way of the Cross
There are myriad forms of—and uses for—the cross

throughout history and across cultures.






Humans have always used symbols as instruments of knowledge and as means of expression. Lower animals have signs; humans have symbols, which ultimately transcend them. Symbols span the ages and are international as well, contributing to humankind’s self knowledge.
One of our most persistent and ancient symbols is that of the Cross, which is both the quintessential cosmic symbol and the symbol of universal, archetypal man. Its vertical line is considered male and spiritual; its horizontal line, female and earthly. It is the solstitial axis (North-South) and the equinoctial axis (East-West). It is the symbol of duality and the union of opposites.
One of the earliest forms is the Tau Cross, basically a “T” shape. It was used by the Vikings and the Druids; in Christian times it has been associated with both St Anthony and St Francis. The caduceus, a Tau Cross with winged staff and two intertwined snakes, is the symbol of modern medicine. The Tau Cross is associated with Abraham, and is believed by some to have been used by the Jews in Egypt to mark their doors at the original Passover. The Tau with a circle (symbol of the universe) is called an Ankh.
The two basic cross shapes are the Greek, with arms of equal length, and the Roman, with the bottom of the vertical line elongated; the Tau cross is the Roman type. Variations of the Greek and Roman crosses (including the Tau) can be found throughout Latin America.
The Indians of the Americas used the Greek-style cross to represent the sun, the morning star and the four directions. It was their principal cosmological symbol, and it remains so today. Many of the Indian crosses contain combinations of old and new symbols, such as the sacred squash blossom motif, the dragonfly, and the swastika. Among the Maya, the cross is a symbol of Quetzalcoatl, in whose arms were birds and plants representing the four seasons

, thus associating the cross with the Tree of Life.






Strongly linked to the ancient Tree of Life is the crucified Christ on a cross. To quote Joseph Campbell, “. . . Christ restored to man immortality. His cross . . . was equated with the tree of immortal life, and the fruit of that tree was the crucified Savior himself.”
The Cross as Art
Many Latin American folk artists’ crosses depict the devotional representation known as the Arma Christi – the Arms of Christ or Instruments of the Passion (the ladder, dice, nails, robe, etc). A Franciscan devotion depicting the crucified Christ accompanied by the instruments of the Passion is also represented in House Blessings, Road Crosses and others.
Road Crosses (Cruces del Camino)
Wayside crosses, where the wayfarer could stop to rest or to pray, are common both in Europe and in the New World. They are used as guideposts and as sites for religious ceremonies in the Andean world. They are related to weathervanes, and there is speculation that the Pre-Christian peoples used them to determine wind direction. Sometimes road crosses mark the spot of a wayfarer’s accidental death, such as the descansos in northern New Mexico.
Jungle Crosses
The mola is a traditional reverse appliqué craft of the Kuna Indian women of the San Blas Islands, Panama; the cross is prominently depicted in mola design. Visually, it shares the basic characteristics of Kuna verbal art and thought: repetition, parallelism and symmetry. There are wide differences of opinion among the Kuna women about the symbology. Shipibo and Canela Quichua groups of the Amazon employ the ancient cross symbol in their bark-dyed and painted hand-stitched skirts and in their pottery. The Jungle Cross is most prominent and conspicuous in the crafts of these two groups, sharing with the Kuna crosses the visual characteristics of repetition, parallelism, and symmetry.
Cross Milagros and Milagro Crosses
The cross has been employed throughout the ages to seek protection: we still cross our fingers as a prevention and a hope; “cross-your-heart” verifies the truth of an utterance; burying a metal cross with the dead is an ancient and persistent custom, as is marking a grave with a cross. In Mexican culture, the metal milagro in its many forms (body parts, undedicated human figures, etc) is used to make requests of, or give thanks to, Christ or a saint, and modern adaptations of the milagro-encrusted cross have become popular decorative art. In Peru, the curandero crosses contain magical amulets, herbs, seeds, colored water, and plants, to seek or assure physical and psychological health.
The Cross in Traditional Peruvian Retablo Style
The Peruvian Retablero sculpts or molds religious figures created from his own recipe of a potato-based paste, which probably includes ground huamanga stone and peach juice. He uses an identical technique to make crosses depicting the Passion.
House Blessing(Cruces de Casa)
Throughout Latin America, the protection of home, family, and animals is sought by means of roof crosses, which are installed on the ridgepole at a roof-raising. Among the Zinacantan of Chiapas, Mexico, the crosses of various materials are adorned or replaced periodically, an event which is part of a larger religious celebration. Metal house blessings from Azuay Province, Ecuador, include a wide variety of designs, including Passion symbols, birds, angels, and bullfighters. Most are hand-forged, employing techniques introduced by the Spaniards in the 1500s. In San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, the blacksmiths produce iron crosses that seem to be most commonly used as decorative house blessings. Most of these contain syncretic combinations of Indian and Christian symbols.
Crosses for House Altars
In Latin America, house altar pieces have been made by folk artists emulating academic works and utilizing commonly available materials. For several centuries many have employed tin, which is painted or worked sculpturally. With industrialization of printmaking in the 19th century, prescribed Christian iconography was made readily available to the folk artist. He was essentially a copyist who could bring individual creativity and innovation to his work since it was domestic and out of the reach of ecclesiastical control. Therein lies much of its charm and uniqueness.
New Mexico Decorative Crosses
In New Mexico, the cross figures importantly in a rich variety of religious folk art. Tinwork, which originated during the Moorish occupation of Spain and was brought to our region by Franciscans, has been a principal medium for decorative crosses and house altar crosses. The tin cross, of many styles, is currently very popular in New Mexico. Crosses made of distressed wood, emulating or interpreting old designs, are also being made by local artisans. Another Hispanic New Mexican folk art which dates back to the Moors, and which is currently being executed with great virtuosity, is straw inlay. A design is cut into the wood, and wheat, corn or oak stalks are laid into it. Straw overlay, in which the design is glued on top of the surface, is more popular today. Some artists still use the traditional pine pitch adhesive and varnish, but many have turned to modern glue and store-bought paint. Nonetheless, the tradition remains, uniting the new Hispanic artisan with his forebears.
The Cross in Folk Jewelry
Jewelry crosses were not worn in the Americas until the Conquest. Since then, jewelry crosses of fantastic variety have adorned many “Americans,” be they South, Central, or North Americans. Among the most interesting is the Yalalag Cross of San Juan Yalalag, Sierra de Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico. Its basic design, which predates the Conquest, consists of a central cross from which hang three lesser crosses. The decorative elements in the design can be Indian in origin (usually geometric) or Christian (wings, hearts, flowers). A neighboring town, Choapan, uses a cross depicting Christ’s head and a pictograph of the Passion (Arma Christi), a Franciscan representation. A cross with two arms in the upper half is called a Patriarchal Cross. This design, combined with two angels, the Caravaca Cross, is found not only in Spain but also in many parts of Mexico and South America. The Maya traditionally used an equilateral cross (the Greek form), representing the four directions or cardinal points. This cross is associated with astronomical / religious orientation and with the Tree of Life. Despite this strong visual tradition, the jewelry cross of Guatemala is usually of the Roman type.
The crucified Jesus has long been interpreted according to local custom and racial origin. His is shown in many diverse styles, the principal idea always being to show “God as Man.” The missionaries were adaptable in their interpretations of Christ, following in general the color, style, or manner of those being proselytized. Thus, in contrast with the more austere European Christ, the Latin American Cristo is of a more relaxed, naive and sensual form, as seen in Peruvian and Bolivian jewelry crucifixes.
So the Cross symbol, like all symbols, is “a key to a realm greater than itself and greater than the man who employs it,” to quote symbolist JC Cooper. It is a simpler, lower expression of a higher truth. Throughout all of the Americas, the cross remains, in all its forms and interpretations—be they native cosmological or European-derived Christian—a potent symbol and force.







Written by Patricia LaFarge to accompany an exhibition at El Rancho de las Golondrinas  a living-history museum in La Cienega, NM, south of Santa Fe.
Patricia LaFarge is the owner of que tenga BUENA MANO  a private gallery of Latin American folk art, Santa Fe, NM 505-982-2912
Originally appeared in

The Collector’s Guide to Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque – Volume 13







Snowshoe Valentine’s Day-Video
Grace Berge — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:07:37 +0000




A “South Texas” Casserole
Paula Berthelot — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:39:02 +0000

			

				

			
		
This is a great dish…….a fancy version of the “King Ranch Casserole”  that is quite famous in Texas.  It is always liked by everyone and is  terrific for entertaining.
1   ½ pounds of chicken, without skin and bones
4   teaspoons of lime juice
1/4  cup of olive oil
3   cloves of garlic, minced
4   tablespoons butter
1/2  onion, diced
1   red bell pepper, diced
1   poblano pepper, diced
1   10 oz. can of Ro-tel tomatoes
4    teaspoons ancho chile powder
1    teaspoon   of cumin
1    cup of chicken broth
2    tablespoons of flour
1/2   teaspoon of cayenne pepper
l/2    cup of half & half
1/3   cup of sour cream
1/2   cup of cilantro, chopped
3   cups of grated pepper jack and cheddar or just cheddar
10 corn tortillas
Salt and pepper to taste
*Cook the chicken in the olive oil on medium, adding 2 teaspoons of lime juice, 2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder and salt to taste. When chicken is done, shred it with two forks and set aside.
Should yield about 3 cups.
Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the onions, red bell pepper and poblano pepper.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Add the garlic, flour, cumin cayenne pepper and 2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder and cook for 1 minute.  Add the chicken broth, and cook on low until mixture is thickened.  Stir in the half & half and Rotel, cover the pot and simmer for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Uncover the pot, and add the sour cream, 2 teaspoons of lime juice and ¼ cup of cilantro.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat up the tortillas (you can do this by adding a bit of oil in a skillet and then cooking the tortillas for about 30 seconds).
Ladle 1/2 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of an 11×17 baking pan.  Layer half the tortillas along the bottom of the pan on top of the sauce.  Add half the chicken, half the remaining sauce, half the remaining cilantro and 1 1/2 cups of grated cheese.  Repeat the layering, leaving the cheese layer on top.  Cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling.  Serves 6-12, depending on the portion size.  Goes great with sour cream on top.
You can add sautéed mushrooms to the casserole if you like.
*Sometimes I roast whole chicken breasts with the seasoning,  removing the skin and deboning after cooking.
*I also have roasted whole chicken breasts in the oven with the seasoning and then removed skin and bones)



“America’s Top Places for Boomers to Retire” and Santa Fe, NM is one of them!
Paula Berthelot — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:31:25 +0000

			

				

			
		

Selected by     AARP The Magazine as one of the healthiest hometowns and one of the best places to reinvent your life, Santa Fe, New Mexico is definitely among the top relocation destinations for retirees………..read more……. http://www.cnbc.com/id/35259928/
and tonight, March 4th at 9:00 PM, NBC News’ Tom Brokaw takes you on a journey down memory lane through the eyes of history’s wealthiest and most influential generation



The Santa Fe River-The Neighborhoods of Santa Fe, New Mexico
michaelumphrey — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:43:20 +0000
The Santa Fe River-The Neighborhoods of Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is still celebrating its 400th year anniversary and is the oldest capital in the United States.  Here is an exuberant location where sumptuous elegance can hold the eyes of all who walk these narrow streets into Santa Fe’s little world of light, color and magic.  1500 years ago small groups of people were planting and cultivating corn in the fragility of existence along the Santa Fe River. The water’s source  is the ski slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The 46 mile long river gives 40% of the city’s water supply and was a tributary of the Rio Grande until the Cochiti Dam was built.  FEMA has nation-wide designations for levels of flood emergency such as areas of 100 year floodzones and 500 year flood zones. In 1767  much of the colonial portion of Santa Fe was devasted  by what could be called a 500 year flood, (meaning one could expect a flood once every 500 years). Flow is now released from the McClure Reservoir and the Nichols Reservoir. The lush, natural beauty of the silver threads of water nourish not only the soul of those who come to visit the city but the abundant wildlife, flora and fauna who depend on the living river. And it’s really going to flow this spring!  The Santa Fe Ski Basin will be closing for the season on the 4^th of April.  Click here to see  The Live Web Camera at Ski Santa Fe.  The packed powder base  is 110 inches. 
Be sure to take a look at Homes For Sale On The Santa Fe River
Let me introduce you to something extraordinary.  Kitchen Angels is an organization dedicated to providing free, nutritious, hot meals to our neighbors in Santa Fe who are homebound and facing life-challenging conditions.  To volunteer to cook or deliver, call Joy Martindell at 505.471.7780 and on the web at www.KitchenAngels.org. You’ll be glad you did.

If you need anything at all, feel feel free to call me at 505.470.4180
I’ll see you in the neighborhood,
Michael



Vista Redondo – The Neighborhoods of Santa Fe, New Mexico
michaelumphrey — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:22:49 +0000
Vista Redondo – The Neighborhoods of Santa Fe, New Mexico
This week let’s  ease into a gentle stream of traffic and in just 12 minutes emerge onto a majestic New Mexico landscape and a neighborhood called Vista Redonda. It’s perched upon four mesas above the Village of Tesuque with spellbinding vistas of the snow capped mountains and staggeringly brilliant sunsets.  Home to movie stars and captains of industry, the upscale, water-wise community totals almost 700 acres and 82 luxury homes.  There is also easy access to the adjacent National Forest. My wife doesn’t know it yet but I’ll be taking her to the fabulous Terra Restaurant for our 14^th wedding anniversary next week.  Located next to Vista Redondo, the restaurant is part of Encantado- an Auberge Resort and member of  The Leading Hotels of the World.   I’ll be having the Roasted Rack of Lamb Duo with gaujillo chili jus, a lamb shank tamale and tomato-tomatillo sauce.  George Stumpp is back from Panama.  He is the bartender  at Encantado and I’ve never met a better one.  Be sure to tell him I sent you and he’ll give you extra special care.
 Be sure to visit Luxury Homes For Sale In Vista Redondo

Michael’s Minute of Real Estate
Predatory Lending Schemes- According to the FBI, mortgage related schemes are up 173% from last year. Beware of lenders who tell you that they are your only chance of getting a loan or owning your own home, and avoid “no money down” loans.  This is a gimmick used to entice consumers to purchase property that they likely cannot afford or are not qualified to purchase.  Be wary of mortgage professionals who falsely alter information to qualify a consumer for a loan.  Do not let anyone persuade you into making a false statement, such as overstating your income, the source of your down-payment or the nature and length of your employment.  Never sign a blank document or a document containing blanks.
My Business-To-Business Referral
Each week I present to you an outstanding business.  Let me introduce to you Brian Bodei, owner of Adobe Paint & Decorating.  Family owned and operated for 18 years, Brian and his crew are not likely to let you get away with a drab color selection or miss any detail.  My clients love his work and he’ll be more than happy to give you an estimate on a room or the whole house.  Let him know I referred you and he’ll take extra special care of you.  Brian can be reached at 505.438.8336 and is located at 25 Bisbee Court, Unit E, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  If you need something, please call me on my cell at 505.470.4180.
Continued success,
Michael Umphrey