Dear Friends,

The skies above The City Different highlight a constantly changing blend of bright oranges, light pinks, blues, and purple hues each evening – and there’s no better place to witness nature’s incredible display than from the best-looking place in town! From the Bell Tower Rooftop, you have unhindered views of the Jemez mountains and the Sangre de Cristos, making it the perfect place to convene with family and friends for a dose of pure beauty – and great tequila!  

Try one of our mixologist’s favorites, the Mango Margarita, a drink that combines the perfect blend of silver tequila with a fruity tropical purée that is like drinking a sunset! Or try a glass of my favorite bubbly, Vara Sparkling Wine from New Mexico! Up at the Bell Tower, there is no shortage of quality cuisine either. From charcuterie boards filled to the brim to refreshing mint and watermelon salads to our signature chips and guacamole, there is something for everyone. Plan to visit weekdays 3pm to Sunset or noon to sunset on the weekends.    

“When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.”  
― George R.R. Martin  

But perhaps, good literature can!  May also brings us the Santa Fe International Literary Festival. We’re thrilled to sponsor this important event that brings so many luminous minds and thinkers to our community. The power of story allows us to explore issues of politics, race, immigration, and the environment through a creative lens. Explore the lineup of talented authors and purchase tickets if any are left here.   

I can’t wait to attend sessions with some of my favorite authors, Hampton Sides and Tommy Orange among them. Hampton Sides is one of my absolute favorite authors. He is the author of bestselling narrative histories Blood and Thunder, Ghost Soldiers and In the Kingdom of Ice, to name a few. This two-time National Magazine Award finalist and recipient of the PEN USA Award for Nonfiction is also a local Santa Fean. And it’s a small world! His talented son, McCall Sides was the videographer during the production of our documentary, 100 Years of Hospitality, featured on PBS. Tommy Orange, an MFA graduate from the Institute of American Indian Arts, is a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his debut book, There, There. He is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and is a prominent new voice in the Native American literature canon.  

La Fonda’s President, Rik Blyth and I had the chance to enjoy the highly sought after benefit lunch with La Fonda Legends and Harvey Girls Extraordinaire, Bernette Jarvis and Beverly Ireland. The lunch was offered up for bid at last year’s Fred Harvey History Weekend, and, after a tense bidding war between La Fonda and another attendee, the twins agreed to auction off not one, but two lunches!  It was a win–win for the history museum at $4500 a pop! We certainly enjoyed every story recounted with our favorite Harvey Girls and know the lunch was a donation well spent!  

And don’t forget— May kicks off the Santa Fe Reporter “Best of Santa Fe” contest! We’re in the running for Best Lodging (La Fonda has secured the #1 spot for the 12 years in a row), Best Hotel Bar (La Fiesta Lounge), Best Business Downtown, and Best Gift Shop (Detours at La Fonda).  We’d sure appreciate your vote!   

See you at the Bell Tower!  
Jenny