EMPOWERED RESILIENCE
Dear Friends,
What is resilience?
At La Fonda, resilience is the nonstop effort it takes to keep our community healthy, engaged, inspired, and motivated to keep showing up with pride and integrity. It means dedication on an individual level, generating the contagious inspiration for our communal success. It is self-respect and pride in our work while caring for our colleagues and families. It is empathy for those among us confronting life’s obstacles with strength and dignity. Resilience is part of the very fiber of Santa Fe and what keeps La Fonda’s spirit of hospitality vibrant. We are a resilient crew that shows up for one another and it’s my deepest honor to be part of this special family.
Throughout our lobby and bar renovation process, our team has worked tirelessly to ensure every guest continues to experience the hospitality that defines La Fonda. We’re now just weeks away from unveiling our beautifully reimagined lobby and bar, complete with inviting new gathering spaces. I can’t wait to welcome you back to experience it.
Every August, La Fonda becomes home base for the remarkable Santa Fe Indian Market. Artists, collectors and visitors from around the world gather here to meet old friends, buy unique art, recharge, reconnect, and experience the warmth of our hospitality just steps from the nation’s largest Indigenous art market.
This year the market celebrates 104 years of Empowered Resilience, a theme that highlights the autonomy and creative resilience of indigenous peoples. The theme resonates across the Pueblos of Northern New Mexico. It is in the tribes’ resilience and steadfast commitment to one another that their traditions and creativity have flourished. The Santa Fe Plaza and surrounding streets become an international stage for artists representing more than 220 federally recognized Tribes and First Nations from across the United States and Canada.
And right here at La Fonda, the Sovereign Art Show returns, taking place in our Lumpkins Ballroom. Presented by FaraHNHeight Fine Art, Sovereign Santa Fe (8/14-16) is a free exhibition dedicated to showcasing the next generation of Indigenous artistic expression. The event brings together established and emerging artists, creating a platform where tradition meets innovation to celebrate the dynamic relationship between collective cultural heritage and individual creative vision. We were honored to recently acquire Craig George’s painting, Market Gathering, in celebration of the annual market, featuring the hotel and La Fonda’s Bell Tower. It’s incredibly special to us. We think you’ll love his work as much as we do.
Also this month, we look forward to hosting an evening dedicated to celebrating and supporting the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) – one of our favorite arts education institutions. Join IAIA leadership, alumni, students and supporters—including me and other La Fonda guests—for an inspiring evening filled with art, cuisine, entertainment, and a shared commitment to providing essential scholarship support for IAIA students. I hope to see you! To get on the waitlist or register for the auction, click here.
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for two wonderful culinary events. Our annual Fred Harvey Foodie Dinner on November 7 celebrates the legendary hotelier’s classic cuisine and is always a favorite among history lovers and food enthusiasts. Then on November 11, La Fonda welcomes the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America dinner featuring our own Chef Marc Quiñones alongside Chef Raymond Naranjo. This unforgettable four-course dinner with expertly paired wines is expected to sell out quickly. Purchase tickets here.
August reminds us that resilience is found in community—in showing up for one another with kindness, respect and generosity. Whether you’re joining us for Indian Market, one of our special events, or simply a weekend away, I hope you’ll feel that spirit throughout every corner of La Fonda. We look forward to welcoming you.
With love,
Jenny
Jennifer Kimball
Ambassador and Board Chair Emerita
La Fonda on the Plaza
DETOURS AT LA FONDA
With a diverse collection of Jan Barboglio home goods, Detours is the ideal spot to select elevated wares for your home. Explore and shop online!
PIÑON COURT BY LA FONDA
Join us on the patio at Piñon Court for a special menu showcasing fresh flavors, thoughtful ingredients, and the warm hospitality that defines Piñon Court. Don’t miss Happy Hour, 4-6pm daily.
CYNDE ROOF FINE ART
during the month of August in honor of Indian Market.
Cynde Roof
105 Old Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505-365-2758
GEMSONG GALLERY
Discover Santa Fe’s largest collection of turquoise at Gemsong Gallery, next to Detours at La Fonda.
Learn about the history of turquoise through Gemsong’s “Turquoise 101 Tour” guided by Peter Vajda, an industry icon and a unique resource in Santa Fe, who:
- Led the jewelry and gemstone trades for over six decades
- Operated on every level of trade from mining to retail
- Is a world recognized expert in colored gems, has lectured widely and advised gemstone laboratories around the globe
- Wrote definitions concerning the proper disclosure and sales of turquoise and other gems, definitions related to authentic Native American jewelry and other Native American Arts and Crafts for both state and federal laws (testifying before the US Congress twice)
- Was intermittently the largest international turquoise dealer during his career (acquiring over 10 billion carats of turquoise from virtually every iconic turquoise mine in the world)
- Specializes in collectable American Turquoise and Native American Jewelry
- Served as a board member for the New Mexico Better Business Bureau and a member of Ethical Trade Organization
- Featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal
To book a tour, inquire at the gallery or call:
505.819.7227 or 505.988.5536
EXPLORE THE SHOPS
