Dash Cam—Winter Edition

After the huge box office success of my last film titled "Commuting in Santa Fe" (it has had over fifty views so far!!), I have decided to release a Director's Cut sequel titled "Commuting in Santa Fe—Winter".

This new release contains never seen before footage revealing the intimate and often disturbing world of one man's winter commute within Santa Fe County. This critically acclaimed thrill-a-minute feature is both shockingly real and emotionally poignant and will leave audiences questioning their own drive-time and wanting more.

This film is not yet rated but is intended for mature audiences.

Snowy Commute in Santa Fe

Courtyard Snow, Santa Fe

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Santa Fe Smells...

Piñon incense (L) and Horno burner on the mantle of my kiva fireplace (R)

Santa Fe is known for the fresh clean mountain air that our altitude (7000ft+) and our relatively small population density provides. It is a luxury that I sometimes take for granted until I have to travel to a large metropolitan area and am reminded that as Santa Feans, we are for the most part pollution-free.

That being said, Santa Fe does have unique odors that come and go with each season. Spring brings us the scent of broom, lilac and lavender. Summer the air is heavy with sweetgrass and sage, especially after a monsoon rain. Late summer and fall brings the distinctive aroma of roasting green chile.

Late fall and winter days and nights are filled with the scent of piñon.

Piñon is a pine tree that grows throughout the mountains of the southwest and is a primary component of the Santa Fe National Forest. Piñon has traditionally been used in New Mexico for building material, arts and crafts and, of course firewood in the winter. We also use the Piñon pine nuts in many New Mexico recipes.

Piñon Trees outside Santa Fe

Every year, (usually in mid October), when the evening temperatures start to dip, people begin to light their fireplaces all over town—and the wood of choice to burn is Piñon. Piñon has a distinct scent that blankets Santa Fe all winter.

Just about everyone that visits me during the winter months comments about the way Santa Fe smells.

Fortunately, if you would like to smell like Santa Fe this winter, Incense of the West has a solution. They offer many types of wood incense, including piñon.

Box of piñon incense from Incense of the West

One of the cool things about the incense is that you don't have to build a fire, although lighting piñon incense can be a little tricky.

The incense comes in small blocks (pictured at the top of this post) instead of cones or sticks and is basically compressed piñon sawdust. The block must remain in the flame until the sawdust begins to glow.

Once the incense is lit, you can place it on any surface that won't burn, but here in Santa Fe, we have special incense burners specifically for piñon.

These burners are shaped like mini hornos. Incense of the West makes a kind of cheesy rendition for the tourists, but you can find hand-made (and much nicer) horno incense burners at many of the pueblos.

My horno incense burner

My horno incense burner was a gift that I received before I moved to Santa Fe. It is made of micaceous clay and was purchased at the Taos pueblo. It is one of my favorite things because when I start to get bummed about the passing of summer, I can light a little piñon, sit back and look forward to another great Santa Fe winter—maybe this year I will learn to ski.

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The Sultan's Elephant by Royale de Luxe

I ran across this video on Be quiet Angela, you were never baptized (moondropsandteacakes.blogspot).

The performance art was created by a French mechanical marionette theater company named Royale de Luxe. The company was founded in 1979 by Jean Luc Courcoult in Nantes and has performed in Europe, Chile and Australia.

The Sultan's Elephant is the fifth in a series of performances that utilizes giant puppets—it is really beautiful and kind of creepy.

If you speak French you may want to check out the Royale de Luxe website here.

There is a photoblog of the performance in Nantes at Revolte des Mannequines here.

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Bert likes it when I drink a little too much and sit on it...I like it too

I love Bert. Bert waits patiently for me by the door each day. Bert accepts deliveries when I am gone. Bert cradles my ass on those warm summer evenings after a long day at work. Bert holds me steady on the occasion that I have had too much to drink. Most importantly, Bert is really good looking.

This isn't Bert.

This is the man who is responsible for bringing Bert into my life—Harry Bertoia. Harry was born in Italy in 1915 and died in Pennsylvania in 1978. Bertoia was many things: artist, sculptor, furniture designer and, so I have been told, singer. Harry even created the wedding rings for the iconic designers Charles and Ray Eames.

In 1950 Harry moved to Pennsylvania to work with Hans and Florence Knoll. During this period Harry designed five wire pieces that became known as the Bertoia Collection for Knoll Furniture. Among them my beloved Bert—the famous Diamond Chair. The Diamond chair is a fluid, sculptural form made from a molded lattice work of welded steel.

In Bertoia's own words, "If you look at these chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes right through them."

In my friends words, "It looks kinda sharp and pokey—I ain't sittin' on that."

My response, "Good, Bert is all mine."

In reality, the Diamond chair is quite comfortable. Even for someone like me (my ass is kind of sharp and pokey).

My Bert is dressed in the seat cushion only since he remains outside all year, but you can get a nifty full seat cover for a little more modesty—your call.

You can get your own Bert at Knoll Furniture.

This is Bert, my Bertoia Diamond Chair

Here is Bert keeping my packages safe, or perhaps displaying them for thieves.

Here is Bert waiting for me with a nice cold beer.

I have other chairs in my courtyard, but I think Bert is my favorite.

Naming my furniture does not necessarily indicate that I am insane.

Drinking with my furniture probably does indicate that I am insane, possibly dangerous, and definitely lonely.

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