Samantha Brown's Places to Love

-I'm in a city that began as the original cultural crossroads of the United States, with an enviable confluence of Native American, Spanish, Western, and even Eastern influence.

It's a destination where traditions are strong and artistic boundaries are always pushed.

Whether it's the quality of the light, mountains, or margaritas, people have been drawn to this city that has been in a state of evolution for 400 years.

I'm in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

I'm Samantha Brown, and I've traveled all over this world.

And I'm always looking to find the destinations, the experiences, and, most importantly, the people who make us feel like we're really a part of a place.

That's why I have a love of travel and why these are my places to love.

Samantha Brown's "Places to Love" is made possible by... -We believe watching the world go by isn't enough.

That's why we climb... pedal... and journey beyond the beaten path, on storied rivers, with a goal of making sure that every mile traveled turns into another memory.

You can find out more at amawaterways.com.

-To travel is to live, and at AAA, we've been passionate about travel for over 100 years.

That's why we created AAA Vacations, member travel experiences around the world.

Learn more at AAA.com/LiveTV.

-Out of all the places I've been lucky enough to travel to, the one city that I have returned to most is Santa Fe.

I've been here like six times.

I've brought my mom here, my sister here, just so they could experience the city different.

So, when I come back, there are always those things that I want to do that really represent the traditions of Santa Fe, but then I also want to go to those places and meet the people who are changing those traditions.

One tradition in Santa Fe is breakfast at Tia Sophia's.

Opened in 1975, its breakfast burrito is the gold standard.

And I'm enjoying breakfast like I used to, when I was 9 -- over the funnies.

[ Laughing ] -So, uh... -[ Laughs ] -This one, I was just working on a while ago.

-"Somebody, I won't say who, has no rhythm."

[ Laughs ] -My name is Ricardo Cat.

I'm from Santo Domingo Pueblo here in New Mexico, and I draw the only Native cartoon in the United States that's in a mainstream newspaper as a daily.

-And your cartoons appear in the Santa Fe New Mexican?

-Yeah.

I usually draw these cartoons on a single sheet.

There's six different cartoons.

There's Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

-Do you, as a cartoonist, have to get funnier as the week gets long?

Do you feel like you build to Saturday, and Saturday is sort of your masterpiece of that week?

-Well, I keep in mind that most people read them Friday and Saturday, so I try to get the funnier ones towards the end.

-And how did you get this gig, as it were, in a daily newspaper?

-I walked in, and I originally went in to get a job as a writer.

But they didn't need any freelance writers, and so, just as an afterthought, I had my sketchbook with me, and I said, "Well, do you need a cartoonist?"

We went back and forth for about 10, 15 minutes, and finally she says, "Okay, let me see the cartoon."

And her reaction was your reaction.

-Was my reaction.

-Same thing, yeah.

-This is really good.

-And so that's what she said, "We have to have this cartoon in here.

The country has been waiting 500-plus years for this cartoon."

The General is one of my main characters, and the Chief is also one of my main characters.

-So this is your protagonist, and he's just known as the Chief?

-Yeah.

It worked out because now the General speaks for the dominant society, and the Chief speaks from the Native point of view.

-Uh-huh.

-And that's where the magic happens.

It's pretty amazing.

-Because of the experience here -- the Native American experience here -- this could be very dark, but you've chosen humor.

Why is humor important?

-Humor breaks the ice between people, and so, when I first started, a lot of the jokes were from a Native point of view, and I needed to make them more universal, so not only do Natives get it but non-Natives, as well.

And so that's what I've been doing these past few years, is tweaking the cartoon to where now everyone gets it.

I'm not speaking for any tribe or any individual.

I answer to myself, and so I'm okay with that, you know?

I think the country is ready for it now.

I think the country needs this right now.

-Santa Fe is most famous for its intensity of great art, shown in over 300 galleries, museums, and shops.

But one of its best collections of art also happens to be completely under the radar because it resides in a most unlikely place -- the State Capitol building.

Cynthia, this is just a stunning building.

-Yeah.

Isn't it?

-How many visitors a year do you get to the art collection?

-We get about 1,500 per week.

-And right now, we're in the rotunda of the State Capitol?

-Yes, we're in the rotunda.

There is no art in this area, but there is on the existing floors above us.

The collection does exist throughout the entire Capitol complex, which includes this main building, the Capitol walkway, and the Capitol North building.

-Dr. Sanchez has been with the collection since its inception in 1990, and she's helped nurture it from a handful of items to over 900 works of art.

All the artists here, are they from New Mexico?

-Not necessarily from.

We feature artists that have lived and worked in New Mexico.

-I see.

-Some of them have lived in other areas and then have come to New Mexico.

They have to have lived and worked in the state to be part of the collection.

-Ah, okay, so they have to have some sort of connection to this state?

-Yes, or have done a body of work here.

-Oh, now, this is stunning.

-Yes, done by John Nieto -- a triptych, "Man's Best Friend," and he's a contemporary Native American artist.

-And does this artist know that they're right next to the House Appropriations & Finance Committee?

[ Laughs ] -Probably not.

He probably would want to be taken down if he did.

[ Both laugh ] -I love the juxtaposition.

-Oh, yeah.

-I really do.

-It's great.

It's great.

These are Douglas Johnson's depiction of a Navajo ceremony, "Harmonious Way."

These portals are openings in the heavens for rain to fall into the ceremonial vessels.

-Ohh.

Mm-hmm.

So, who created this?

-This was done by Holly Hughes, an artist that lived in New Mexico for a long period of time.

And she primarily, in her work, uses recycled materials.

-Is that right?

I mean, I'm looking at him like, "Is that a fishing reel for his eye?"

-That's a fishing reel for one eye, and a lantern here for the other eye.

-Oh, wow.

-She wanted to use the paintbrushes as a reference to how the buffalo was used with cave-painting, as well.

-Oh, okay.

-So she wanted to make tat little reference there.

But, for her, the buffalo is a very important icon for the West, a symbol of strength, of freedom.

So this is her tribute to the buffalo.

-There's such an interesting relationship between art and politics.

They don't always get along.

You know, artists are there to challenge politics.

-Right.

-Politicians are there sometimes to take away the funding of artists.

-Right, and there are no tax dollars spent on the collection.

-Oh, okay.

-Everything is gifted.

People can't stop in here and say, "I don't want my tax dollars spent on that art!"

-Mm-hmm.

-It's not.

-[ Chuckles ] -Everything is gifted.

-What an amazing thing you have created here.

What is the overall mission of having a permanent collection like this?

-Just like Douglas Johnson's piece "Harmonious Way," I feel like these two entities are existing in harmony, really.

The lawmaking that goes on, the politics that go on in the building, as well as the art collection and the dialogues that happen about the art and about the politics.

I think they're existing and living peacefully, coexisting in this building, you know, working hand-in-hand here.

-That's right, that's right, and it all goes hand-in-hand.

I mean, it's the natural beauty that really contributed to the whole art scene and a lot of the historic preservation relates to the trails.

There's historic trails.

-So, Tim, we're still within the city limits of Santa Fe?

-Yep.

Most of the Dale Ball Trails is within city limits.

It's 25 miles of trails right on the eastern edge of town.

You can be downtown in less than 10 minutes.

It's actually kind of...

This side of Santa Fe is lesser-known, you know?

Everybody knows about the art scene and some of the history, of course, but we have a pretty good outdoors scene.

The hiking and biking and skiing and all those things are great parts of Santa Fe that complement the art and the history.

-But you have a real connection to these trails in particular.

Like, you help maintain them.

-Yes.

I come out with volunteers who help maintain these trails, and I also take kids out on field trips on these trails, and... -What do you show the kids?

What do you hope that children take away from having this sort of access?

-Well, you know, we want them to be the next generation of conservationists, so, actually, really, I want them to understand that these are public trails that are in public open space.

It belongs to everyone.

It belongs to them.

-So, you were telling me about a vista that I was going to hike onto.

-Yes.

Yeah, we're here at junction 8, and so we have these nifty way-finding signs that help you figure out which way to go.

The vista is just above junction 7, and so... -So I should go in the direction of 7?

-Yeah.

It's about 3/10 mile.

-Nice.

-And when you get to 7, you can head right.

Look up, you'll see a high spot.

That's where the bench and the view are.

-Oh, nice.

- Thought about you at sunset And I thought about you at dawn Moon so bright, I could've drove all night With just my flashers on -There's another art form in Santa Fe -- one that's celebrated throughout the city and known around the world.

It's the margarita.

And if you're gonna walk the Santa Fe Margarita Trail, one of the prime watering holes is this one -- the Cowgirl.

Ho-ho!

Thank you.

-There it is.

-All right.

-Yeah, not a problem.

-I have been looking forward to this all day.

-It's a good one.

The red chili rim... -Yeah.

-...kind of adds a whole other layer to the margarita, definitely.

-Just to say, "You're in New Mexico."

-I know.

The Southwest is known for margaritas.

We're known for that flavor, that Southwestern kind of spice.

And so they come in here looking for a margarita.

- I turn my headlights on -How many tequilas do you have here at the Cowgirl?

-We have over 40.

So more than enough.

[ Laughs ] Yeah.

-Oh, my gosh!

-Yeah.

It's a lot.

-Do you know that you're in this passport book?

-Yeah.

We get those a lot.

It's really cool having people come from, you know, all over the world, and they have this Margarita Trail, and they've tried them everywhere else, and the best is when they try ours, and they say it's the best.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-I love how it just legitimizes drinking.

-Yeah.

Oh -- -I've got this little book, so it's totally studious.

-Yeah.

-And I'm just here for, like, research purposes.

-Exactly, that's the whole point.

-And I just need to get a little stamp for my cute little book.

-Yes, you do.

Let me stamp that for you.

-[ Chuckles ] -It's your first one.

That's exciting.

-It's my only one.

-Yeah.

[ Laughs ] - The sky turns red, and the radio is dead And it's snowing on a ton -This is a place that celebrates the inner cowgirl in all of us -- great food, great drinks, great live music every night.

[ Music stops ] [ Cheers and applause ] -[ Chuckling ] Thank you so much.

-Whoo!

-Thank you.

-Have a good one.

-We are here to solve a mystery.

This is the home of a family, but the family has disappeared, and every now-empty room has a clue to what happened.

But within the rooms, there are various passageways -- portals if you will -- that lead to magical, almost inexplicable worlds.

I've slid into a truly unique experience.

This is a 20,000-square-foot art installation and storytelling experience called House of Eternal Return.

-I'm Wylla Skye.

I'm an artist.

Currently, I'm working with other artists collaboratively on an immersive interactive art installation.

-It was created inside of a derelict bowling alley, here in Santa Fe, by the artist collective known as Meow Wolf.

How do you describe what this is to people?

-I usually say it's a new format for storytelling, as well as a new point to access art.

You know, in Santa Fe, where there's so many galleries, it's easy to get in that mind-set of, like, "Oh, I'm gonna go see art."

And you're looking at things on a white wall, and this is art you can step inside of.

[ Piano notes play ] -It's art you can step inside of, play within, and touch.

[ Piano notes continue ] There are light designers, and there's visual artists.

I mean, I'm hearing music composition.

How many artists did it take to create this?

-There are about 500 total people that worked on this project, including volunteers, and everyone started as a volunteer.

-Why was the subject of the family important to that?

-It's relatable.

Most people who come here are coming with their families.

You recognize a house.

You walk in, and, sure, it might not look like your house.

It doesn't look like any of the houses in Santa Fe.

And then you walk through the house, and you're, you know, recognizing elements of what you might see in your own home, but then things just start to get a little wonky.

-Mm-hmm.

-So you're more a part of the greater narrative if you start at that point of accessibility through relatability.

-You implore people to touch and feel and participate in this story.

-The children, you know, who wouldn't normally enjoy a museum or a gallery that they're dragged to with their parents, are just running free, gleeful.

-Whoa!

-I feel like it takes people out of this desire to escape into a video game or their cellphones or the Internet or TV and actually be in a space where they can touch and feel and sense and enjoy it together.

-Right.

-Yeah.

-And I feel like it's this art installation that it's so explorable, and yet what you've tapped into is everyone's innate desire to snoop in other people's homes, right?

-Oh, yeah.

-To open up the medicine cabinet, to check out behind, and then to open the doors and closets.

And, of course... -Right.

-...they lead to wormholes that take you into these new universes.

-I guess we hope to, when people leave here, to give them this sense of possibility and the sense that, you know, that strange door that looks like a fake door on the side of some building might open up into another portal.

And who knows?

-Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

But then what did happen to that family?

The only thing to do is look for more clues and be open to trying a new path.

The restaurant scene in Santa Fe rivals cities three times its size, but no one would fault you for eating great Mexican food every night.

-[ Speaking indistinctly ] -Actually, make that great Northern New Mexican food, which you can find here at Tomasita's.

I'm joining Georgia Maryol, who opened this Santa Fe institution over 45 years ago.

Her background may surprise you.

-You are a daughter of Greek immigrants.

-That's right.

-Your father came through Ellis Island.

-That's right.

My father was in the restaurant business.

He had this place in Albuquerque, and he passed away and left my mother with six of us.

-So, then who is Tomasita?

-What happened was, her daughter had run this restaurant.

It was called Flora's.

Her daughter and her husband didn't know anything about restaurants and blew it.

So then I went to eat there, and the food was like, "God, just what I've always had" -- you know, just how I grew up with.

So I took over.

I go in, my first day out, and Tomasita is in there, cooking.

So, she says, "Are you going to keep me or fire me?"

I said, "I think I'm going to keep you."

-[ Laughs ] -It's Northern New Mexican-style cooking.

-What is that?

What does that mean?

-Red and green.

-Red and green.

-Pure red and green.

-Red chili peppers and green chili peppers?

-Yes.

-Okay.

The red and green chili peppers are also known as Christmas when you order them together, and the enchiladas aren't rolled but layered and flat.

So, what does a young woman of Greek immigrants know about Northern New Mexican cuisine?

-Here's what I know about it.

This red and green chili is New Mexico's soul food.

So if you want to be very successful in the restaurant business, that's what you need to serve, and I love it 'cause I grew up with it.

-Well, Georgia, this is fantastic.

-Well, thank you.

-Gracias and parakal.

-Oh, [Speaks Greek] [ Both laugh ] -I've been coming here for close to 20 years because there's just no place like it in the world.

The baths are all open to nature.

You are surrounded by a mountain landscape where you not only smell the pion and the juniper trees, but you can feel the air and the wind.

This goes way behind relaxation for me.

It's that more, you know, challenging-to-get-to sense of inner peace within yourself, and Santa Fe as a whole is a mecca for the therapeutic arts.

People from all disciplines come from all over to practice here.

And so, for me, this city, whenever I come here, I make this sense of inner peace a big part of my experience.

-Bodywork, as I see it, is bigger than massage therapy.

I'm Mark Hess.

I'm a bodyworker here in Santa Fe.

I've been doing this for 27 years.

In my practice, when I meet somebody and bring someone into my treatment room, I'm starting to assess them as they're approaching me -- how they walk, how they're moving.

-Hello.

-Hi, Samantha.

I'm Mark, your therapist today.

-Oh, nice to meet you.

-Yeah.

You're here for the traditional Japanese Shiatsu massage?

-Yes, I am.

-Great.

Come on in.

All these things calculate into how I'm going to initially begin the treatment.

The big piece of the bodywork I do is called Anma.

We call it, in general terms, Shiatsu, but it's actually a tradition from Japan, and it's done throughout Asia.

If you know anything about Shiatsu, it's a rubbing, pulsing, moving down meridians, and covering the whole body.

It's done clothed, and in Anma-Shiatsu, we're working on mechanical lines of strain.

And the body will tell you.

Our bodies will tell us.

And that's what I love about bodywork.

When I'm receiving, I'm listening.

It's always in inventory.

When I'm receiving, I'm wondering, "I wonder how that got there?

I didn't know that hurt," or, "Am I really relaxed?

Is this as far as I can relax?"

So I'm carrying that dialogue with my clients with my hands and sometimes, quite often, verbally.

But quite often, it's a physical dialogue, a physical exchange we're having.

And their bodies, to watch them go from the place they started to the place that they are trying to get to, and the process of dropping into their bodies, that's a game-changer.

That itself is a game-changer, so that's just where we start.

And I think that's where we're all trying to get to, is this place of just feeling ourselves and knowing ourselves.

-You could say that people have been trying to get to know themselves for centuries by coming to Santa Fe, and the Transcontinental Railroad made that even more possible.

If you were coming to this city back then, most likely you were staying here on this corner, at the La Fonda Hotel.

City records show that this has been the site of a hotel for 400 years, and today, travelers not only enjoy its history but the romance of its original 1920s style.

But for those who really love the unknown gems of history, La Fonda was once a Harvey House.

Fred Harvey was the first person to start a chain of hotels and restaurants in the West that standardized excellent service.

And although there are no more Harvey hotels, a part of his legacy still survives -- the Harvey Girls.

-We really weren't aware of what we were, you know, what it was all about.

We just needed a job.

We were going to spend the winter and see the world, you know?

We were 18 years old.

We were ready for adventure, you know?

-Harvey Girls were waitresses -- skilled, gracious, and impeccably dressed.

The Harvey Girl legacy spans from 1880 to 1965.

So, who was the clientele here?

Who did you wait on?

-If they were filming a movie at that time, the movie stars stayed here.

-I remember waiting on Glenn Ford when he was filming "Cowboy" here.

And he looked up with those blue eyes, and I thought I was going to go through the floor, you know?

[ Laughter ] -You came here to Santa Fe in 1955?

-Correct.

-Is that it?

-Yeah.

-And you were from where?

-Minnesota.

-Minnesota.

-We were born and raised on a dairy farm, small.

-This was one of the few jobs available to a young woman who was independent and wanted to travel.

The Harvey Girls were instrumental in implementing what our idea of friendly service is today, at a time when there probably wasn't a lot of it.

And you must still live in Santa Fe.

-That's right.

-Why'd you stay?

-The climate is superb.

-The culture, the beauty, the mountains.

It's just a lovely city.

-If you're really looking for somewhere to just quiet your mind and heal yourself, this is definitely a place to do that.

I think that's why there's a high influx of artists and writers and people who are searching for some sort of inner peace or contemplative journey.

-You also find people who come here looking for something in their lives, and Santa Fe has a weird way of putting you to task.

-There's three different cultures that are here -- the white culture, the Hispanic culture, and Natives.

And I think we could serve as a model for the rest of the country or even the rest of the world, where three different cultures can live together.

-When you get to taste the food of a region that cannot be replicated anywhere else, when you are challenged by a diversity of art that is more than a scene but offers a new way of seeing, when a city allows you to be at a cultural crossroads and then all by yourself, that is when we share a love of travel, and that's why Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a place to love.

-For more information about this and other episodes, destination guides, or links to follow me on social media, log on to placestolove.com.

"Samantha Brown's Places to Love" was made possible by... -We believe watching the world go by isn't enough.

That's why we climb... pedal... and journey beyond the beaten path, on storied rivers, with a goal of making sure that every mile traveled turns into another memory.

You can find out more at amawaterways.com.

-To travel is to live, and at AAA, we've been passionate about travel for over 100 years.

That's why we created AAA Vacations, member travel experiences around the world.

Learn more at AAA.com/LiveTV.