Best Biking or Hiking Trail
The Dale Ball Trails
Since its inception by namesake Dale Ball, these trails—which feature almost 25 miles of paths that have been efficiently interwoven into the infrastructure of the City Different—have been one of the quickest routes from the city to the mountains and have helped residents appreciate the breathtaking beauty of the local scenery.
Trailheads at Sierra del Norte and at Upper Canyon Road, 989-7019
sfct.org/dale-ball-trails
2. Atalaya Trail
St. John’s College parking lot, 989-7019
3. Aspen Vista
Hyde Park Road
Best Business in the Railyard
Santa Fe Farmers Market
For fresh produce, the place to go has always been the Farmers Market. The market represents over 100 vendors (the number of vendors peaks in late August) all located in Northern New Mexico, meaning all food sold at the market is local. There are few businesses that do so much to promote sustainable, community-driven practices.
1607 Paseo de Peralta, 983-7726
santafefarmersmarket.com
2. Jean Cocteau Cinema
418 Montezuma Ave., 466-5528
jeancocteaucinema.com
3. Second Street Brewery at the Railyard
1607 Paseo de Peralta, Ste. 10, 989-3278
secondstreetbrewery.com
Best Business on Cerrillos Road
Jambo Café
Head chef and owner Ahmed Obo’s Swahili fusion cuisine, known for its intricate spicing, has been a jewel of Cerrillos Road since it opened in 2009. Offering quality exotic food at a great price, Jambo gives local residents an opportunity to enjoy complex flavors found nowhere else.
2010 Cerrillos Road, 473-1269
jambocafe.net
2. The Pantry Restaurant
1820 Cerrillos Road, 986-0022
pantrysantafe.com
3. Dr. Field Goods Restaurant
2860 Cerrillos Road, 471-0043
drfieldgoods.com
Best Business on St. Michael’s Drive
The Candyman Strings & Things
Since 1969, the Candyman has serviced professional musicians and novices alike (and all in between). Winner of the 2014 “Dealer of the Year” award by the National Association of Music Merchants, here you’ll find top-of-the-line instruments, excellent instruction and a knowledgeable staff to help with all music-related inquiries.
851 St. Michael’s Drive, 983-5906
candymansf.com
2. Felipe’s Tacos
1711 Llano St., Stes. A-B, 473-9397
felipestacos.com
3. Loyal Hound
730 St. Michael’s Drive, 471-0440
loyalhoundpub.com
Best Business on the Southside
Southside Plaza Café
An offshoot of the Plaza Café, the Southside Plaza Café brings the same classic American diner experience to the other side of town. It moved to its current location in 2009 and has since brought an invaluable all-American dining experience to an often overlooked part of the city.
3466 Zafarano Drive, 424-0755
plazacafesouthside.com
2. Look What the Cat Dragged In
2570 Camino Entrada, 474-6300
sfhumanesociety.org
3. The Ranch House
2571 Cristo’s Road, 424-8900
theranchhousesantafe.com
Best Elementary School
Wood Gormley Elementary School
With its high parental involvement, annually high standardized test scores and the lowest student-to-teacher ratio (18.6:1) in Santa Fe County, it’s no wonder to see the school top this list. What’s striking is that Wood Gormley is a public school, offering a free and high-quality education to all its students.
141 E Booth St., 467-4800
sfps.info/woodgormley
2. Carlos Gilbert Elementary School
300 Griffin St., 467-4700
sfps.info/carlosgilbert
3. Turquoise Trail Charter School
13A San Marcos Loop, 986-4000
turquoisetrailcharterschool.org
Best Environmental Group
The Santa Fe Watershed Association
Established in 1997, it has been the mission of this nonprofit to protect and restore the living Santa Fe River. A big component of their project has been to educate the public on water use and the effects of human impact on local ecosystems—engaging the community for the sake of a local icon.
1413 2nd St., Ste. 3, 820-1696
santafewatershed.org
2. Wild Earth Guardians
516 Alto St., 988-9126
wildearthguardians.org
3. Sierra Club, Rio Grande Chapter
1807 2nd St., Ste. 45, 983-2703
nmsierraclub.org
Best High School
New Mexico School for the Arts
NM School for the Arts opened in August 2010 to promote young performance and visual artists as well as encourage lifelong relationships with art. With its statewide enrollment, the school has already had success in developing the talents of young New Mexicans (with accolades to prove it), providing solid foundations for future careers.
275 E Alameda St., 310-4194
nmschoolforthearts.org
2. Santa Fe Preparatory School
1101 Camino De Cruz Blanca, 982-1829
sfprep.org
3. Santa Fe High School
2100 Yucca St., 467-2400
sfps.info/sfhs
Best Hotel, Inn or B&B for Out-of-Town Guests
La Fonda
For over 90 years, the Inn at the End of the Santa Fe Trail, a historic landmark, has offered quality service, accommodations and an excellent restaurant for all guests who’ve been privileged to stay there. All this in one of the most beautiful buildings in town and located in a historic neighborhood.
100 E San Francisco St., 982-5511
lafondasantafe.com
2. La Posada
330 E Palace Ave., 986-0000
laposadadesantafe.com
3. El Rey Inn
1862 Cerrillos Road, 982-1931
elreyinnsantafe.com
Best Middle School
Santa Fe School for the Arts and Sciences
This school practices the method of expeditionary learning, a curriculum that combines rigorous academics with real-world projects. Their lesson plans are integrated and immersive, which promotes the development of the whole child and learning through exploration. As opposed to schools that teach toward standardized tests, students here remain curious as a result of their engaging strategy.
5912 Jaguar Drive, 438-8585
santafeschool.org
2. Santa Fe Preparatory School
1101 Camino De Cruz Blanca, 982-1829
sfprep.org
3. Capshaw Middle School
351 W Zia Road, 467-4300
sfps.info/capshaw
Best Nonprofit
The Food Depot
The Food Depot reminds you that “Hunger is closer than you think.” With the help of over 1,600 volunteers and donations from the general public, it has helped many stave off hunger. It’s a harsh but noble project to remind us that, even in a country as affluent as America, people go hungry. The Food Depot also shows that the fight isn’t hopeless.
1222 Siler Road, Ste. B, 471-1633
thefooddepot.org
2. St. Elizabeth Shelter
804 Alarid St., 982-6611
steshelter.org
3. Kitchen Angels
1222 Siler Road, Ste. A, 471-7780
kitchenangels.org
Best Nonprofit for Animals
Santa Fe Humane Society and Shelter
The Humane Society has done a lot to curb the overpopulation of domesticated animals. But more importantly, it has done much to teach compassion and promote healthy relationships. And officials practice what they preach: The 100-acre campus and kind staff make the Humane Society one of the most progressive shelters in the nation.
100 Caja del Rio Road, 983-4309
sfhumanesociety.org
2. Española Valley Humane Society
108 Hamm Pkwy., Española, 753-8662
evalleyshelter.org
3. Kindred Spirits Animal Sanctuary
3749-A Hwy. 14, 471-5366
kindredspiritsnm.org
Best Nursery School
Desert Montessori School
The Montessori method is based largely on the idea that we learn at our own pace. The Desert Montessori School provides young children with an open and free environment that promotes this idea. Children here are able to learn in a way that best suits their individual needs.
316 Camino Delora, 983-8212
desertmontessori.com
2. Little Earth School
321 W Zia Road, 988-1968
LittleEarthSchool.org
3. Santa Fe Waldorf School
26 Puesta Del Sol, 983-9727
\santafewaldorf.org
Best Outdoor Space
Santa Fe Plaza
The traditional center of Santa Fe is 1.1 of the busiest acres around. It is often the first place that tourists visit; it is near some of the finest restaurants and galleries; but most of all, it is a great place to sit, slow down and take in the movements of the city.
63 Lincoln Ave.
santafenm.gov/district_1_parks
2. The Railyard Park
600 S Guadalupe St., 982-3373
railyardsantafe.com
3. Randall Davey Audubon Center
1800 Upper Canyon Road, 983-4609
nm.audubon.org
Best Place to Meet Singles
Cowgirl BBQ
The Cowgirl serves tasty barbecue, offers a wide selection of beer and has one of the best billiards halls in town. Not to mention music almost every day, including all the Americana you could ever hope and dream for—you know, something to bond over with your fellow singles.
319 S Guadalupe St., 982-2565
cowgirlsantafe.com
2. Skylight
139 W San Francisco St., 982-0775
skylightsantafe.com
3. The Palace Saloon
142 W Palace Ave., 428-0690
palacesantafe.com
Best Public Servant
Mayor Javier Gonzales
Since taking office in early 2014, Mayor Javier Gonzales has done his best to bring progressive politics to Santa Fe, which includes a much-needed focus on education and green economy. Apart from his politics, he’s a lifelong resident and the first of his family to graduate from college; he’s a person citizens can relate to.
200 Lincoln Ave., 955-6590
santafenm.gov/mayor_javier_m_gonzales
2. US Sen. Tom Udall
120 S Federal Place, 988-6511
tomudall.senate.gov
3. New Mexico Sen. Peter Wirth
708 Paseo de Peralta, 988-1668
senatorpeterwirth.com
Best Radio Personality
Mary Charlotte Domandi, KSFR
Since 2003, Domandi has both produced and hosted her community-minded radio program. Broadcasted on KSFR early weekday mornings from what is another longtime local establishment, the Santa Fe Baking Co., Radio Café works from the community for the community. And the ever-present, ever-caring host has consistently given us meaningful local programming.
6401 Richards Ave., 428-1527
santaferadiocafe.org
2. Honey Harris, KBAC
2502 Camino Entrada, 988-5222
santafe.com/kbac/djs/honey-harris
3. Kidd Corona, Outlaw Country
2502 Camino Entrada, 473-5722
santafe.com/outlaw/djs/kidd-corona2
Best Youth Program
Warehouse 21
Warehouse 21 has provided community involvement in performing, media and visual arts for all ages since 1997. From screen printing workshops to concerts, it gives youth access to artistic resources and instruction that would otherwise be lacking, encouraging expression at an age that most needs it.
1614 Paseo de Peralta, 989-4423
warehouse21.org
2. National Dance Institute of New Mexico
1140 Alto St., 983-7646
ndi-nm.org
3. Girls Inc. of Santa Fe
301 Hillside Ave., 982-2042
girlsincofsantafe.org
Best Wedding Venue
Loretto Chapel
The beautiful Loretto Chapel, built in 1878, offers great scenery for any couple-to-be-betrothed. Not sure if you’re capable of planning your wedding and being emotionally stable enough to handle the big day? The chapel offers excellent professional services, from flower arrangements to musical accompaniment—freeing you to stress out about the dreaded seating chart.
207 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-0092
lorettochapel.com
2. Randall Davey Audubon Center
1800 Upper Canyon Road, 983-4609
nm.audubon.org
3. Bishop’s Lodge
1297 Bishop’s Lodge Road, 983-6377
bishopslodge.com
Santa Fe Reporter