Issuu

Ageless Living Today

Ever More

BEAUTIFUL

My Take

2026

Philanthropy is at the heart of everything we do at CHRISTUS St. Vincent. No matter the size, your gift strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional care to the community we serve. It also supports the education, training, and growth opportunities that keep our talented associates engaged and thriving. Every contribution benefits CHRISTUS St. Vincent in full, from the bedside to the broader mission. We are deeply grateful to the donors, community members, and partners whose generosity makes our work possible.

SHOP

Shop the St. Vincent Hospital Foundation Gift Shop at 455 St. Michaels Drive! Grab everyday essentials, New Mexico-made treats like Cornivore Popcorn and El Toro Beef Jerky, greeting cards handmade by one of our nurses, and gifts made for baskets and stocking stuffers. Every purchase supports the Wig Salon, which has given 100+ cancer patients wigs, scarves, beanies, and care packages—all at no cost to the patients—since opening in October 2025.

EAT OUT

Come out for a Dine & Donate! Every month, some of your favorite spots—Tomasita’s, Joe’s Tequila Bar, Sweet Water Harvest, Boxcar, Santa Fe Brewing Co., and more—donate a share of the proceeds to the Foundation. Eat well, catch up with friends, and support local. Follow us on Facebook at St. Vincent Hospital Foundation Santa Fe and Instagram @stvinhospitalfoundation for dates on upcoming Dine & Donate events!

SPONSOR

Sponsor an event or volunteer: We’re known for throwing unforgettable celebrations! Our three annual events include the St. Vincent Hospital Foundation Gala; Sinatra, Schnitzel, & Champagne hosted by The Compound Restaurant; and our Tales & Trails 5K supporting our Reach Out and Read program. We team up with sponsors months ahead, and together these events raise over $1M annually—with every dollar giving back to patients and healthcare providers in our community. Want to jump in? Individuals can volunteer, too! SCAN TO DONATE

ONE M ISS I O N . Y O U R SUP P ORT. A H E ALTH IE R C OMMUNITY. STVINFOUNDATION.ORG | 505.913.5209

VIDA 2026

URGENT CARE

Walk-ins 7 Days a Week at our Convenient Downtown Location Altitude Sickness • Acute Injuries and Illnesses • Minor Emergencies • Fractures/Sprains X-rays • Lacerations • Eye problems • Cough/Cold/Asthma • Basic Lab Testing Earaches/Sore throats • Urinary tract infections • Flu & Covid shots • Work/School/Sports physicals And be sure to ask about our new ultiViva Intravenous (iv) Infusion Therapy!

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Medical Aesthetics & Optimal Aging Management

Drs. Lesa Fraker & Julie Keiffer and their team of professionals invite you to ultiSkin’s premiere downtown location to experience luxurious & result-driven offerings:

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On View

Museum Galleries | Santa Fe M Visit gokm.org 'r m're in 'rmati'n ,

Michael Namingha Disaster #8 il#+c*een 'n can.a+ × in e'*gia Keeffe Pelvis Series, Red with Yellow 1945 "$ '& &. + × 4 "& /, & ' & *". , '$$ ,"'& Gift of the Georgia O Keeffe Foundation © Georgia O Keeffe useu% L 1997 3 4 Jason Garcia TEWA TALES OF SUSPENSE ! #134 Fogeri 1977 ‘Welcome to Tewa Country ’ 2025 and processed clay %ineral pig%ents traditional outdoor firing using ue lo pottery techni)ues 5 × 13 in | Georgia O Keeffe Pedernal 1941 Oil on can.as 19 × 30 1/4 in Georgia O Keeffe useu% Gift of the Georgia O Keeffe Foundation © Georgia O Keeffe useu% 2006 5 172 .

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Property Tax Exemptions & Benefits

Save on Your Property Taxes Did you know the Santa Fe County Assessor’s Office offers programs that may help reduce your property taxes or limit future increases? These programs are designed to provide support and financial relief to eligible property owners. Whether you are a long-time resident or new to the area, take a moment to see if you qualify. Applications are available online at www.santafecountynm.gov/assessor, and our team is here to answer questions and help guide you through the process. Head of Family Exemption The Head of Family Exemption provides a $2,000 reduction in the taxable value of your primary residential property. Any New Mexico resident who owns and occupies their primary residence may qualify. Only one person per household may claim this exemption, and it may only be applied in one county within the state. The amount you save on your property taxes will vary depending on the tax district where your property is located. Veterans’ Exemption The Veterans’ Exemption provides a $10,000 reduction in the taxable value of real property. Honorably discharged veterans, or an unmarried surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran, may be eligible. Applicants must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility through the New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services and provide it to the Assessor’s Office, in person, to apply.

Valuation Freeze Program Available to any New Mexico resident who is age 65 or older, or permanently disabled at any age, with a qualifying modified gross income in the prior tax year. This program prevents the taxable valuation of your primary residential real estate from increasing each year. Disabled Veterans’ Exemption The Disabled Veterans’ Exemption provides a reduction in the taxable value of real property based on a veteran’s service-connected disability rating. Qualified veterans, or an unmarried surviving spouse of a qualifying veteran, may be eligible for up to a 100% exemption on their primary residence. Applicants must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility through the New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services and provide it to the Assessor’s Office, in person, to apply.

Important Deadlines Applications for exemptions and other property tax programs must be submitted within 30 days of the mailing of the Notice of Value (NOV). The NOV is typically mailed on April 1 each year. Stay Connected – Keep Your Mailing Address Up to Date Once you’ve applied for and received your exemptions, make sure you don’t miss important notices from our office. Tax bills, Notices of Value, and application reminders are all sent to the mailing address we have on file. If your address is outdated, your mail could be returned and you might miss critical deadlines. 240 Grant Ave. • PO Box 126 • Santa Fe, NM 87504 • Phone 505-986-6300 assessor@santafecountynm.gov • www.santafecountynm.gov/assessor AGELESS LIVING TODAY

A destination life plan community in historic Santa Fe.

At El Castillo, wellness begins your day, the Plaza is your backyard, and sunsets are your daily retirement ritual.

Explore the Lifestyle

elcastilloretirement.com 505.988.2877

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

2026-2027 Season

Ageless Living Today OWNER Robin Martin PUBLISHER Patrick Dorsey Béla Fleck

Democratic Vistas I Sep 26 | Sep 27

Brooklyn Rider Oct 4

Attacca Quartet Oct 25

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bill Church EDITORIAL Magazine Editor, Ashley M. Biggers abiggers@sfnewmexican.com Designer, Linda M. Peters linda@swelldesign.net Copy Editor, Peg Goldstein CONTRIBUTORS Devon Jackson, Cheryl Alters Jamison, Kelly Koepke, Jennifer Levin, Gabriella Marks, Douglas Merriam, Elizabeth Miller, Stephanie Nakhleh

Benjamin Hochman

Dan Tepfer

Colin Jacobsen

Fall Orchestra Nov 14 | Nov 15

Bach Festival Dec 18 - Dec 30

Winter Orchestra Jan 16 | Jan 17

ADVERTISING Chief Advertising and Marketing Director, Wendy Ortega Classified Advertising Manager, Laura Harding Multimedia Sales Manager, Ryan Tremont ADVERTISING SALES Mayra Aldaz, Maria Lopez Garcia, Deb Meyers, Vanessa Ruedeman ADVERTISING ART DEPARTMENT Designers Elspeth Hilbert, Rick Artiaga, Justin Bixler

Borromeo String Quartet Feb 14

Eric Jacobsen

Democratic Vistas II Feb 28

Chiaroscuro Quartet Mar 8

PRODUCTION Operations Director, Robert Bauwens Prepress Manager, Anthony Welch Assistant Production Director, Brenda Shaffer DISTRIBUTION Circulation Director, Michael Reichard TECHNOLOGY Technology Director, Michael Campbell WEB santafenewmexican.com

Ariadne Greif

Holy Week Baroque Mar 20 | Mar 21

Brentano String Quartet Apr 11

Tessa Lark

Democratic Vistas III May 1 | May 2

Tickets on sale sfpromusica.org 8

VIDA 2026

Office: 150 Washington Ave. #105 Hours: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday Advertising Information: 505-995-3852 Delivery: 505-986-3010, 800-873-3372 For copies of this magazine and to subscribe to The New Mexican, call 505-986-3010 or email circulation@sfnewmexican.com. ON THE COVER Photographed at VANNA Curated Living, Latondra Newton wears a 1980s brown fringed kaftan by Crane Day, a Tucson designer, sourced from Lust and Fond Vintage. Read more about Newton’s creative journey on page 31. Cover photo by Gabriella Marks

We’re in Your Corner! The vast majority of people age 50 and older want to stay in their homes and neighborhoods for as long as possible. That's why AARP works to promote communities that enable people to live safely, comfortably and independently for as long as possible. AARP Livable Communities supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and rural areas to be great places for people of all ages. Learn more at www.aarp.org/livable-communities/

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AGELESS LIVING TODAY

Modernist Style

101 W. Marcy Street, #2 Downtown Santa Fe tokosantafe@gmail.com 505-470-4425 tokosantafe.com

Stories Behind the Southwest Join us for a guided tour of SAR’s Historic Campus or the Indian Arts Research Center and experience one of Santa Fe’s most distinctive cultural destinations.

Historic Campus Tours

Indian Arts Research Center Tours

Travel though the historic buildings and gardens of SAR’s storied campus.

Experience the openshelf storage of 12,000 works of Native American art.

Fridays at 10 AM (year-round)

Fridays at 2 PM (year-round)

Wednesdays at 10 AM (July–October only)

SAR members attend free. Native visitors admitted free. Reduced admission available for eligible educators and SNAP/EBT participants.

VIDA 2026

Book your tour at

sarsf.org/tours

Published September 20, 2026

Inside This Issue DEPARTMENTS 13

My Take

Michael Clinton on the changing science and art of longevity

16 Out on the Town Santa Fe’s Spanish treasure, La Boca, honors its past while looking ahead.

20 Aficionado

Karen Lievense shares expert tips for being intentional with your belongings.

Giving

JoAnn and Bob Balzer fund creative innovation across the City Different.

24 Next Phase

Former Maria’s restaurant owner and Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta co-founder Al Lucero is still toasting the city.

26 Style at Any Age

Ann Caldwell embraces luxurious textiles and classic design at TOKo Santa Fe.

48 Health

Tai chi offers physical and mental benefits.

50 Wellness

Writer Stephanie Nakhleh shares her journey ditching alcohol during menopause.

Photos (clockwise): By Gabriella Marks, by Douglas Merriam, by Gabriela Campos x2

52 Polish

Cosmetic skin laser treatments can reduce the signs of aging skin, from pigmentation to wrinkles. Here’s what to know.

54 Fitness

Personal trainer Gary Schneider helps Santa Feans get — and stay — fit as they age.

FEATURES 31

Ever More Beautiful

Light Catcher

Latondra Newton followed her intuition from a corporate career to a creative life — and a new hometown. By Ashley M. Biggers | Photography by Gabriella Marks Photographer Nevada Wier makes photographs that illuminate the diversity of the world. By Elizabeth Miller Portrait by Gabriella Marks, photography by Nevada Wier

42 Silver Anniversary

As the Lensic Performing Arts Center turns 25, Vida sits down with two of its longtime leaders: Nancy Zeckendorf and Joel Aalberts. As told to Ashley M. Biggers | Photography by Gabriella Marks AGELESS LIVING TODAY

ARTFUL GIFTS WILLISON WEST ART SPACE proudly supporting community. Come by and find out more!

Willison West Art & gifts also available at Pilar’s on Canyon Road 729 Canyon Rd. Santa Fe Guitar Gallery 328 S. Guadalupe, Ste. H 12

VIDA 2026

1189 Parkway Dr., #E4 (Plenty of FREE parking!), Santa Fe Hours: Wed/Thursday 9-2, Fri/Saturday 9-5 505-238-6469 | www.willisonwest.com

MY TAKE

JUST THE START

Michael Clinton on the changing science and art of longevity

As told to Jennifer Levin Portraits by Gabriella Marks

century ago, when life expectancy in the United Stated was about 62, most people worked until they died. Now that most people live into their 80s, they have decades to fill after retirement, and for many in their 60s and 70s, the idea that their best years are already gone is ludicrous. “I’m healthy. I’m motivated. I’m getting a master’s degree and hiking Everest, not riding off into the sunset,” says Michael Clinton, a true believer in living your best life for as long as possible. When the part-time Santa Fe resident stepped away from his more than 40-year career in publishing at age 65, he bristled whenever someone assumed he was going to golf and nap himself into oblivion. The former president and publisher of Hearst Magazines was “ready for his next chapter,” so he wrote Roar, a self-help book about enthusiastically embracing vibrant aging. In the process, he discovered an emerging science and social movement that led to his second book: Longevity Nation: The People, Ideas, and Trends Changing the Second Half of Our Lives (Atria Books). In it Clinton explores numerous areas under the longevity umbrella, from new medical frontiers to realistic portrayals of older people in advertising. How is longevity different from aging? It’s a start instead of an end, says Clinton. Words matter, especially in a society where aging comes with so much baggage. Longevity changes the conversation. In Western cultures, especially in America, there’s so much inherent discrimination about aging, the assumption that you’re not keeping up with the world. We all have our own personal circumstances to cope with — health, socioeconomic background, lack of income — but longevity is a movement forward to give people more positive possibilities.

Michael Clinton strolls in Santa Fe.

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

MY TAKE I call it a social movement happening in real time because it’s the annoying boomers who are really driving the change. They were the original activists who marched against Vietnam, supported the women’s movement and other social movements. Now we are 60, 70, 80 and starting new businesses, new fitness regimens, getting re-partnered. I equate the longevity movement to the women’s movement. When my mother was young, she was told to be a teacher or a secretary. Now a young woman looks at the world around her and has a huge number of role models. Whether we like it or not, we take so many of our cultural cues and clues from television, movies, celebrities, advertising, which often depict older people as not even knowing how to text, or actors are given grandmotherly roles. But look at Helen Mirren playing a bad-ass assassin. When I was younger, you never saw role models who were dynamic, engaged 70-year-olds. My parents drank, didn’t exercise, and ate processed food. Boomers were the first generation to stop smoking and focus more on their health. If you’re healthy and you’re going to live longer, you have to have opportunities to reinvent yourself. Long-distance running was always my moving meditation. I was a marathon runner when I was younger, but when I was 54, my sister, who was in her early 40s, asked me to run a marathon with her. Since then I’ve run 15 more. When I turned 60, I ran on my seventh continent: Antarctica. I did the nine-day hike to the Everest base camp and then ran the marathon back down to celebrate turning 70. Not everyone can run marathons. But my message is to find your movement, because movement is such an important part of being healthy. When I was 65, I got a master’s degree in nonprofit philanthropy. But to be a lifelong learner, you can take a couple of classes or take an online course. I started as a writer, gave it up for the publishing side, and reclaimed it in my 60s. I write for Esquire. I’ve written for Men’s Health. It’s a great message — reclaiming something you left behind, especially when you know you’re good at it. Reinvention is relative to someone’s individual life. I talk about it with a small “r.” You don’t have to run a 10K. Go to the track at the local high school and walk one lap around. Reinvention can be a baby step into something that’s going to be good for you. You can pick up good habits or stop bad ones. I was invited to speak to an independent living community. A third of them were in wheelchairs, a number of them in their 90s. We talked about how, with our laptops today, we have so much opportunity to plug into the world. Free courses online. Virtual tours of cities around the world. Tours of museums. We can enrich our brains. We’re at a really interesting juncture of medicines and technologies that will manifest longer life expectancies for the next generation, if not the current generation. Have you heard of exoskeleton technology? It’s out of Japan. You put on this suit and your mobility improves. Have you heard about the digital twin? With AI, they’re going to create a digital twin of your biology, and as they develop medications for you individually, they’re going to test the drug on your digital twin. That’s pretty far-out stuff. Everyone asks me if they should take peptides or supplements. I say stop. What are your core habits? Movement — as much as one can within their individual capacity. Next, what are you eating? How is your sleep? What is your purpose? And prevention is everything. Get your scans, your colonoscopies. Make sure what you’re doing has scientific backup. In a post-65 life, you need some purpose. My friend is 78 and rides his horse six days a week, so it doesn’t have to be work. It just has to be something you’re passionate about. Santa Fe is one of the best places in the world for longevity. We love the outdoors, the light, the pace of life, the food. Participating in the arts is great for brain health, and creativity thrives in Santa Fe. It’s an engaged community. When I go to Santa Fe, I’m always amazed at how many people I run into on the trails who are fit, healthy, and 80. Jennifer Levin is a freelance writer and communications professional in Santa Fe.

Learn more about Michael Clinton’s work at roarforward.com.

VIDA 2026

We all have our own personal circumstances to cope with — health, socioeconomic background, lack of income — but longevity is a movement forward to give people more positive possibilities.

Clinton keeps a second home in Santa Fe , where he enjoys visiting local landmarks such as Canyon Road.

OUT ON THE TOWN

James Campbell Caruso presides over La Boca, which serves dishes such as mushroom fideuà with fideo pasta cooked in porcini broth with trumpet, crimini, and shiitake mushrooms and local kale.

GREATEST HITS

Santa Fe’s Spanish treasure, La Boca, honors its past while looking ahead.

By Cheryl Alters Jamison

Photography by Douglas Merriam

20-year-old restaurant must be doing something right. In the notoriously turbulent restaurant industry, Santa Fe’s Spanish treasure has achieved remarkable longevity. Under the watchful eyes of owner-chef James Campbell Caruso, La Boca honors its past while being poised for the future. “It’s the people — the staff and the guests. Our staff — you can’t fake enthusiasm like this. We’re at our best when on fire with a full house,” Caruso says when reflecting on the restaurant’s greatest strength. He reminisces, “When I opened in 2006, I really didn’t have a long-term goal. I just hoped that I’d get through the first few months. Once we got on an even footing, I tried to add new projects, like taking the concept to Albuquerque [in the early 2010s] or opening a Spanish-inspired deli [a few years ago]. However, each time I attempted to add a new eatery to La Boca, the original got busier and busier, and I realized I needed to focus my full attention on it.”

VIDA 2026

That focus has rewarded him with recognition including eight James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest nominations. The restaurant also supports another generation of the family. Since the early days, Caruso’s wife, Leslie Campbell, has been a part of the business. They first met when Leslie made a cake for a wedding he was catering, so it was natural for her to develop La Boca’s dessert offerings. Her gâteau Basque, with its classic cream filling and cherry compote topping, has been perennially popular. These days the couple’s daughter, Emma Campbell, is the restaurant’s vivacious and unflappable general manager. She returned to the family business after spending a couple of years in Barcelona as a nanny, soaking up the language and diving into the food culture, following that experience with stints in restaurant management in Boston and San Francisco. Son Liam Campbell has worked at La Boca too, in the kitchen, on the floor, and even in maintenance.

While Caruso is proud of what he has accomplished over the years, his smile is broadest as he enthuses about the youthful energy brought by his daughter and his newish executive chef, Gabriela Pineda. Pineda came up through the culinary program at Santa Fe Community College, where Leslie Campbell originally developed the pastry curriculum. Emma and Gabriela have already proved to be great collaborators, creating events like this summer’s monthly brunch social, a sellout from its initial June date through the last brunch in September. Live music, tapas, pastries, wine, and cocktails were all part of the midday soirées. La Boca remains a simple space, with a front room of blond wood tables and contrasting black chairs, dark brick floors, and a wall of wines and sherries across the back at the small bar. To me, this space resembles a sleek Euro wine bar. The back room, called Taberna, feels more like a vintage tavern, with a striking antique wooden bar as its most prominent feature. When he acquired the space, Caruso briefly tried offering a separate Basque menu there, drawing on the small-dish pintxo tradition of that area of Spain and France. It confused the guests though, so he ended up just adding some of those delightful little bites to the overall menu. Speaking of the Taberna room, its patio is about to overlook the new Santa Fe Market food hall, opening this fall in the surrounding building at Marcy and Washington Streets. Caruso looks forward

to his new neighbors, feeling they will complement each other. He thinks of his location as truly optimum. While locals can walk in from downtown, there’s street and underground parking around him, and business visitors often meander the block from the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. The new wing of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, opening in 2028, will be only a few steps farther. Caruso’s own appetite was first nurtured at home in Boston, where it seemed like everyone in his extended Italian and Basque family cooked. He learned his way around the kitchen with his mother and grandmother. When the latter declared to the family that 10-yearold James was destined to become a chef, his reaction was surprise. “I remember thinking that everybody must know how to cook. It didn’t seem like a profession per se,” he says. The study of culinary anthropology brought Caruso to the University of New Mexico in his mid-20s, which led to further focus on the roots of Spanish cuisine and the cultures that have influenced it. He began eating and drinking his way through Spain and was particularly taken with the energy of the shared tapas experience, as well as the sherries that paired with the foods. He was further able to develop his passion for these while executive chef at Canyon Road’s El Farol (which shuttered in fall 2025 but now has new ownership) before opening his own restaurant.

La Boca's seared ahi tuna with a piparra emulsion, roasted fennel, and a garlic potato purée

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

La Boca's dining room is often packed with guests enjoying dishes such as smoked trout tortilla española.

With his daughter and Pineda running the front and back of the house so well, he’s at ease heading off to discover more of Spain. “After 20 years, I feel I’ve only scratched the surface of the cuisine, including those magnificent sherries. I’m proud that I have one of the largest collections of the country’s signature fortified wines outside of Spain. I love that we can feature them in periodic wine dinners,” he says. 18

VIDA 2026

Caruso and I mused about how hard it is to retire long-beloved dishes to make room for the new. Caruso, a noted rock and country musician in his spare time, quipped that the worst thing a musician can say to the audience is “Here’s something off the new album.” He reminds himself that he’s blessed with return guests who appreciate his greatest hits, like serrano ham croquetas, patatas bravas, and grilled artichokes with creamy goat cheese, all of which are perennially available. Fortunately, his clientele will also accept new dishes that might become the hits of the future. This fall’s new lineup includes house-smoked trout rillettes topping a mini Spanish tortilla encasing tender potato slices, accompanied by a bouncy goldenorange egg yolk to mix in for added richness; sliced seared ruby tuna with a green herb emulsion and piquant guindilla chiles, a Basque favorite, looking very much like a classic Basque pintxo plate; and fideuà, a pasta dish prepared similarly to paella. The skinny little noodles soak up a deeply flavored porcini broth and are dotted with slices of trumpet and cremini mushrooms. A final dollop of aioli melts into the mixture. What’s still to come for the 62-year-old chef? He’s working on a cookbook with Santa Fe photographer Douglas Merriam. Perhaps the very best news of all is that Caruso just signed another 10-year lease, so we’ll be able to enjoy La Boca for many more years to come. Cheryl Alters Jamison is a multi-time James Beard Award–winning food writer based in Santa Fe. Learn more at excitedaboutfood.com.

IF YOU GO: 72 W. Marcy St., 505-982-3433, labocasantafe.com The Taberna dining room features live music Wednesday to Sunday. See the performance schedule online.

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

AFICIONADO

Rightsizing Karen Lievense shares expert tips for being intentional with belongings.

Karen Lievense of Downsizing Made Simple

ownsizing can be vital step toward creating a space that truly supports well-being, whether you want to live comfortably in the space you have or are preparing to move to a smaller home. Optimizing one’s living environment by decluttering can seem overwhelming though. For many, there are memories — good and bad — or even grief attached to objects. On the other hand, trimming belongings can significantly reduce stress, enhance safety, and foster a renewed sense of purpose.

LIVING WELL IN YOUR CURRENT SPACE If the goal is to maximize the functionality and comfort of your existing home, Karen Lievense of Downsizing Made Simple emphasizes the importance of being intentional with belongings by focusing on what you love, use, and need daily. “Start by tackling one drawer at a time. Remove everything, look at it, and then sort items by like. How many ladles or knives do you actually use? Put the extras in a box outside. Do the same with closets. Set aside anything that’s stained, doesn’t match your style now, or doesn’t fit,” she says, noting that this process not only clears space; it also provides a sense of accomplishment that encourages continued progress. Emotional attachment can make streamlining possessions challenging, especially for items that represent past roles or memories. Lievense suggests viewing belongings as part of your story but not the story itself. Trimming excess or outdated items can symbolize embracing your current or next chapter. “Letting go of things that no longer align with your current identity, such as outdated clothes or unused athletic gear, can be a path to self-discovery. This creates physical space but also clears mental space, reduces daily stress, and fosters a sense of control and peace,” she says. PREPARING FOR A SMALLER HOME OR ASSISTED LIVING Planning a move to a smaller home or an assisted living facility requires a more strategic approach. Lievense stresses the importance of knowing your future space parameters, exactly how much room you’ll have, and what will comfortably fit. This clarity guides decisions about what to keep, sell, donate, or discard. “People tend to be more decisive when they know the parameters. Having a furniture plan means you won’t pack something without 20

VIDA 2026

knowing where and how it fits. I never tell a client they can’t take something — I ask where will it go,” she says. This prevents packing items that won’t fit or serve a purpose in the smaller environment and ensures the new home remains functional, safe, and personalized. It not only simplifies the move but also provides a fresh start, fostering independence and dignity in later years. Whether you’re simplifying your current home or transitioning to a smaller space, deliberate streamlining can be a gift to your family and friends too. By freeing yourself (and them) from unnecessary possessions, you can help them avoid the cost — in money, time, and emotional energy — of disposing of things after you’re gone, all while transforming your living environment into a sanctuary that supports your health, happiness, and sense of control as you age gracefully. Kelly Koepke is a Santa Fe–based freelance writer.

For more information on Downsizing Made Simple, visit downsizing-made-simple.com.

Photos (left to right): Courtesy Karen Lievense, DepositPhotos.com

By Kelly Koepke

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Santa Fe Harvest Festival October 3 & 4 10 am–4 pm Fall Fun with Santa Fe’s Favorite Pumpkin Patch, Hayrides, Grape Stomping, Artisan Vendors & Entertainment Tickets at golondrinas.org

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Partially funded by the city of Santa Fe Arts Commission and the 1% Lodgers’ Tax, County of Santa Fe Lodgers’ Tax, and New Mexico Arts.

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

GIVING

Champions of the Arts

JoAnn and Bob Balzer fund creative innovation across the City Different. As told to Ashley M. Biggers

Portrait by Gabriela Campos

JoAnn and Bob Balzer among their extensive art collection

VIDA 2026

oAnn and Bob Balzer’s names pop up across Santa Fe. They’re emblazoned on their eponymous Native Market and Contemporary Art Gallery at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and on the International Folk Art Market’s Folk Art Innovation Awards program, which they sponsor. “Neither of us came from an artistic background or artistic families,” says JoAnn. “Both of us came from pretty average, humble families. We’re both techies.” JoAnn, who holds a master’s degree in mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University, spent decades as an executive at IBM before becoming a nonprofit leader in Santa Fe. Bob holds a PhD in computer science, also from Carnegie Mellon University, was the chief technology officer for TeKnowledge, and co-founded the University of Southern California’s Information Sciences Institute. After first attending Indian Market in 1972, the duo was hooked. The market transformed their lives. “We’ve been to 55 straight markets this year. It’s the first thing that goes on our calendar every year,” Bob says. They have long sponsored the market's annual best of show ceremony. Beyond Indian Market, they have funded IFAM's Innovation Tent, have sponsored an annual purchase prize with a selection from the market going to the Museum of International Folk Art, and are set to fund the Gallery for Cultural Pathways in the new wing of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. JoAnn serves as a trustee at the Institute of American Indian Arts, where the duo sponsors the Balzer Contemporary Edge Gallery and the Balzer Alumni Gallery. JoAnn is also on the New Mexico Arts Commission and the boards of IFAM and the Museum of New Mexico Foundation. While they’ve provided immense support for artists, they also count themselves grateful for the creatives they’ve met along the way. What sparked your interest in the arts?

Bob: We took a six-month leave of absence to go over to Europe because I had speaking commitments six months apart and neither of us had ever been out of the country. I couldn’t conceive of going over there twice in one year. JoAnn: People go over there now for the weekend, right? But then it was a big deal. Bob: We bought a car over there and spent two weeks in every country, and we collected a lot of folk art. That was our first pivot away from techiness. How were you introduced to Indian Market?

JoAnn: When we went to Los Angeles, I got involved in the Southwest Museum, which had not yet merged with the Autry Museum of the American West. I started a collector’s club, and we used to bring people from Santa Fe. Allan Houser came, and others, and so

people said to us, “Well, if you like this Native art — they didn’t call it Indigenous — you should go to Santa Fe.” How do you continue to support that market?

Bob: We support SWAIA with the awards ceremony, where all the artists receive their awards for the top 12 classifications. JoAnn: I think that simple award ceremony really speaks volumes as to who we are and what we believe in. You bring your tissues with you every time. The artists bring their families, and they — I’m gonna cry right now — they stand up there and get their awards, and you see how much it means for them. It’s like their Academy Awards. It’s among the biggest awards they can receive as an artist, so it’s a big moment in their lives. We just are so lucky to be able to see that. What convinced you to move to Santa Fe?

Bob: We thought this would be a good place to retire to, so we bought a house and rented it out. A couple years later JoAnn had the opportunity through [an IBM program] that lent out executives to minority educational institutions. IAIA was one of those institutions. They asked to have JoAnn help them open up the downtown museum. JoAnn: When I got the loan in 1991, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It was a dream come true to be able to do that. When it was over, I felt I was going to go back to IBM in LA, but then they offered a bridge to retirement, which was just so perfect for me. So I took their five-year bridge and I never had to go back to LA. I was getting so involved with all these organizations in Santa Fe, so we decided to stay in Santa Fe. Bob: She moved here into the house that we had previously bought, but much earlier than expected. Then I started commuting [to] Marina del Rey every week and I did it for 19 years. Southwest had a direct flight from Albuquerque. On a Monday morning, the flight left at 6:30 a.m., and because of the time change, I was in my office by 8 a.m. No one else even came in until 9 a.m. And then on Thursday, I left the office at 5 p.m. for a 5:30 p.m. flight — that was before TSA — so I spent four nights in Santa Fe every week. JoAnn: We’ve been married 62 years, so you know some of this separation maybe was good. I didn’t have to have anyone saying, “What are you making for dinner?” I could do my professional work. Then we would get together on the weekends in this rich, vibrant city we love so much. Why focus on innovation with your support?

JoAnn: We feel that without innovation, folk art . . . isn’t going to survive long-term. We’re

interested in . . . supporting living artists. . . . It’s very important for us to further their careers, to give them museum exposure and recognition. The folk art awards mean so much to the artists. We were just astonished to learn how much $1,000 or $5,000 means to them.

Bob: The artists are wonderful people to get to know. We have friendships with many of the Native and folk artists. Their outlooks are so different from the capitalistic outlook. . . . We’ve purchased a lot of things directly from the artists, and that relationship has been great. We enjoy following their careers as they change and mature. JoAnn: They enrich our lives. We hope by supporting them we enrich their lives. We’ve had so many artists come to us and say, “Oh, you bought my first piece” or “You supported me during COVID, when there were no markets for my art.” There’s a great sense of satisfaction for us to be able to do that. But it’s [not] just buying from them. We have them in our galleries. We send out emails about their exhibits. We promote them in as many ways as we can. How do you decide which organizations to support?

JoAnn: We’re also interested in conservation and animal welfare. Now we’re getting involved with the Cancer Foundation for New Mexico. We support worthwhile organizations that are represented by good people. We try to educate ourselves on the organizations to make sure that they’re doing the kind of work we support and [have] the values and the ethics we support and that they’re making a difference. What advice do you have for people who want to get involved?

JoAnn: Never feel that you can’t make a difference. The mantra that one person can make a difference is so true. There are so many ways you can get involved and you can join likeminded people. You can’t sit and wait for [the nonprofit organizations] to come to you. You have to go to the dance, is what I would say. And there’s enough of them around that you can almost pick and choose where you want to get involved. Another benefit of volunteering that often gets overlooked is meeting other volunteers. It’s a great meeting place for building friends within the community. The thing I want to stress is that we’re philanthropists. We’re blessed to be able to support things with our time, talent, and our resources. But . . . it’s about giving of yourself. I don’t want anybody to think, just because we’ve been able to name galleries and things like that, that you can’t get involved in so many ways. Your enthusiasm for wanting to help is really your ticket. AGELESS LIVING TODAY

NEXT PHASE

Al Lucero

The former Maria’s restaurant owner and Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta co-founder is still toasting the city.

By Cheryl Alters Jamison

l Lucero, approaching his 88th year, is an icon of Santa Fe’s food and beverage scene. With his wife, Laurie, he made Maria’s New Mexican Kitchen a “don’t miss” dining destination. In a town overflowing with margaritas, Lucero literally wrote the book on Santa Fe’s signature cocktail. He cofounded the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta and still sits on its board. The former broadcaster and New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame member may officially be retired, but he still has plans for his next phase. You’re best known in Santa Fe as the proprietor of Maria’s restaurant, but you had another extensive career before that?

My early career, some 30 years, was in broadcasting. As a kid growing up in Santa Fe, I dreamed of being a radio sportscaster. Instead I became a rock-and-roll DJ, first in Albuquerque. Then I found my way into management for radio and TV stations across the country. In the early 1980s, I had the opportunity to launch an independent TV station here in Santa Fe with some business partners. I was uncertain as to whether a station could work in this small city but jumped at the chance to return home. My initial reaction was right. The project failed and the partnership sold it. After all those years of working for others, Laurie and I thought, well, why not be in business for ourselves here in my hometown. You chose to run a restaurant next? Now there’s a tough business!

It was the mid-1980s. I thought Tex-Mex fajitas, then creating a sensation elsewhere, could distinguish a new restaurant here. Laurie and I visited San Antonio and saw lines out the door of restaurants for fajitas, and for their margaritas too. My idea was to

Portrait by Douglas Merriam

open a place here called Fajitas Canyon and promote margaritas in a big way, but liquor licenses were hard to acquire and wildly expensive. The opportunity came along to buy Maria’s, which came with a full liquor license. We added fajitas to its menu of New Mexican specialties and began building the tequila and margarita selections. We ended up running Maria’s for nearly three decades — a second 30-year career — before selling it in 2013. Tell us more about the role of margaritas in the restaurant’s success.

The margaritas most people knew then were the syrupy, frozen machine variety made with poor-quality liquor. We went down to Jalisco [Mexico], the source of most tequila, learned everything we could, and decided we’d only serve 100 percent blue agave tequilas in our drinks. I had this idea to copy the big padded books of wine labels I had seen in the supper clubs of the upper Midwest. We took photos of every margarita with its tequila bottle and presented guests our big list of them along with our menu. Maria’s had more brands of the spirit, by far, than anyplace at the time. Initially we made the restaurant’s drinks with fresh lime juice, but we actually outstripped the availability of the fruit and, after taste testing, switched to more easily found lemon juice. And then you wrote a book on the subject?

One night the publisher for Ten Speed Press came in and suggested that I author [Maria’s] Real Margarita Book, based on our signature drink. As I was getting started on it, Robert Redford, a frequent patron, offered to write a foreword for the book, first published in 1999. In total, there were three different versions.

How did Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta start?

Mark Miller, founder of Coyote Café, was complaining to then La Casa Sena manager Gordon Heiss and me that people thought Santa Fe restaurants served only tacos and enchiladas. So to showcase the richer food scene, in September 1991 we created the fiesta with 20 restaurants and a similar number of wineries. It was one afternoon, held in the parking lot where the New Mexico School for the Arts is today. The New Mexican’s food editor dismissed it as “an elitist idea that would never work.” That first year we lost $10,000. I ended up personally signing the note for our debt, which by year three we paid off. More than 30 years later, the festival has grown to a five-day celebration with nearly 100 wineries and 65 local restaurants. What came after Maria’s?

I spent almost a decade handling public relations and marketing for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits before officially retiring in 2024. It wasn’t 30 years this time, but it was a good run. What’s still to come?

Most immediately, Laurie and I will celebrate our 50th anniversary in September. I’d like to write about growing up in Santa Fe, what it was like in the 1940s and beyond. I was actually born at home in 1938, right across from what’s now the Cowgirl, at 324 Aztec Street. The Manhattan Project was underway when I was a kid, and munitions trucks rolled right down Guadalupe Street beside our house. When it came to food, we ate mostly red chile because people didn’t yet have freezers large enough to hold a load of green chile after its fresh season. Every home had a dangling chile ristra or two, not for decoration but as the source for making red chile. A different time, for sure.

The 35th annual Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta runs September 22–27, featuring wine tastings and dinners, culinary tours, a celebration

of New Mexican chile, and other events. Some 80 wineries and 60 Santa Fe restaurants showcase their best at the Grand Tasting — one of the fiesta’s signature events — September 26, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Fort Marcy Park.

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Al Lucero holds his ode to the city's favorite cocktail, The Great Margarita Book, in his Santa Fe home.

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

STYLE AT ANY AGE

The former teacher embraces luxurious textiles and classic design at TOKo Santa Fe. By Ashley M. Biggers

Photography by Gabriella Marks

Caldwell wears a long-sleeve, high-neck blouse by Art Point of Vienna with silk-cotton woven ikat pants by Bibi Hanum from Tashkent, Uzbekistan — both from TOKo Santa Fe.

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Ann Caldwell wears a silk top with a digital print from French-born designer and artist Isabelle Gougenheim paired with black technical stretch fabric pants by Raffaello Rossi from Italy — both from TOKo Santa Fe.

nn Caldwell says she hails from a long line of women who “loved fixing up and wearing cute clothes.” The Dallas transplant, who has resided in Santa Fe part-time since 2005 and full-time since 2021, says she dresses in classic clothes, though she wears them with stylistic touches. “My mother would pop her collar and roll up her sleeves. You look younger,” the 81-year-old laughs. She loves pairing classic items with bohemian tops from Oaxaca and Guatemala, silk dresses from India, and luxurious scarves from France. She often finds special pieces for her wardrobe at TOKo Santa Fe, where owner Jill Heppenheimer curates items that illustrate a love of textiles and an appreciation for modernist Japanese design. “While 95 percent of our designers are Asian (Japanese, Indian, Thai, Uzbekistani, Korean) or European (British, French, German, Italian, Austrian), they share a common design aesthetic — architectural, detail-centric, textile forward. We singularly curate small-batch international studio design,” Heppenheimer says. Caldwell has followed Heppenheimer since she operated the original Santa Fe Weaving Gallery, which she founded in 1992. Heppenheimer sold that business in 2014 and, after a brief hiatus to run another clothing-related business, opened TOKo in 2019. She features brands that can’t be found elsewhere in town, such as Yoshi Kondo (France), YaccoMaricard (Tokyo), and Chinalai Modern (Thailand). The store’s mix of local and visiting clients — who are often repeat shoppers — dress smartly, like to maximize their individuality, and are frequently the most “turned out” at the table, Heppenheimer says. “The TOKo look leans into fluid silhouettes, rich textures, and architectural lines that balance comfort with high design. . . . We aren’t ‘on trend’ as much as we celebrate the enlightened woman of Santa Fe and beyond and dress her life.” That aesthetic resonated with Caldwell, who for a time in her youth aspired to be a fashion editor. After stints at Mademoiselle and Vogue, she decided she wasn’t cut out for the New York fashion world. Still, fashion has “given a lot of joy to me in my life,” she observes. “The times we’re living in are very trying. Clothing and dressing is not a real serious thing — and shopping too much is not something you want to focus your whole life on.” But she says that wearing something you feel good in can change your attitude: “You’re able to bring more light and joy to the world. I really do feel it’s important, especially as you feel older, to get dressed. You feel better and healthier.” Ashley M. Biggers serves as magazine editor for “The New Mexican.”

IF YOU GO: TOKo Santa Fe: 101 W. Marcy Street, Suite 2; 505-470-4425; tokosantafe.com

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Trust your hearing care to Santa Fe’s only comprehensive ENT physician-led audiology team.

David Brown, MD

Santa Fe Ear, Nose & Throat

Hearing loss isn’t always just a natural part of aging or the result of loud noise exposure. It can also stem from an underlying medical condition like ear infections or benign tumors, which require expert medical diagnosis and treatment from an ENT doctor. At Southwestern Hearing & Balance, we’re proud to be Santa Fe’s only ENT-physician-integrated hearing health team. That means our audiologists work closely with local ENT doctors to provide comprehensive hearing care to patients. If our team suspects an ear-related medical issue is contributing to a patient’s hearing loss, we will refer them to one of our trusted ENT partners for further evaluation. Similarly, if one of our partner ENT doctors has a patient with a risk factor for hearing loss, such as high blood pressure or taking ototoxic (hearing-damaging) medications, they can easily refer them to Southwestern Hearing & Balance for a hearing test.

Nizhoni Denipah, MD

Santa Fe Ear, Nose & Throat

Lily Love, MD

Christus St. Vincent Medical Group

This strong collaboration between our audiologists and local ENT physicians ensures every patient receives the most thorough and best coordinated health care possible.

HEARING & BALANCE www.HearSantaFe.com

David Gallegos, MD

National Sinus Institute

The Southwestern Hearing & Balance team not only monitors, maintains and improves your hearing but also identifies and treats any physical abnormalities or illnesses of your ear and auditory system. Our independent center is dedicated to the principle that hearing loss and balance issues are medical problems that require collaboration between ENT physicians and audiologists to provide patients with the best coordinated care. Our team dispenses hearing aids from the top manufacturers in the industry. These manufacturers provide not only technology but also excellent service based on our standards. We are committed to providing compassionate, comprehensive care for you and your family.

Southwestern Hearing & Balance Services Include: •

Diagnostic and hearing aid services performed by doctors of audiology (AuD)

•

Repair and maintenance of hearing aids from most manufacturers

•

ENT physician partners for timely and comprehensive medical evaluation

•

Comprehensive diagnostic hearing exams

•

Clinical protocols that follow best practice guidelines

•

Follow-up care for rehabilitation of hearing loss

•

Hearing aid dispensing and fitting using Real-Ear Verification

•

Tinnitus evaluation and management strategies

•

Vestibular diagnostic assessments

Ready to learn more about the latest hearing technology or take the first step toward treating your hearing loss? Southwestern Hearing & Balance is now accepting new patients. Call to schedule an appointment (505) 946-3955 or visit our website to learn more.

Rooted in Santa Fe, Led by Physicians, Centered on You.

AGING LIFE CARE SERVICES Professional Advocacy / Practical Support for Older Adults

+ healthcare advocacy + medical appointment coordination + caregiver support + community resources + solo aging + fall prevention / home safety + care coordination + family communication

SOLO SANTA S FE Convenient Daily Check-In + Local Presence Daily check-in via text. Each day, you’ll receive a short text message. Simply reply ‘OK’ to let us know you’re fine. If there’s no response, we follow up to make sure you are ok. Solo Santa Fe provides reassurance for people who do not have adult children or others to serve as local support. It’s simple, app-free, and provides peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

505.670.3312 Sun and Moon Eldercare helps navigate the challenges of growing older by serving as an advocate to preserve and promote dignity and quality of life.

505 670-3312 www.sunandmooneldercare.com 30

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www.sunandmooneldercare.com Solo Santa Fe is a program of Sun and Moon Eldercare and powered by CheckinBee - trusted by families and professionals nationwide. Location:

EVER MORE BEAUTIFUL Latondra Newton followed her intuition from a corporate career to a creative life — and a new hometown. By Ashley M. Biggers

Photography by Gabriella Marks

Latondra Newton helped design VANNA Curated Living — one of many of her creative endeavors.

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

oman-era glass bottle scraps. A feather. Pieces of sea pottery from the UK. Latondra Newton has repurposed all these objects into fine jewelry — a pursuit that’s far from the her former 35-year corporate career. After decades working for two of the world’s largest brands, Newton followed her gut to launch Latondra Newton Studio in 2023. As she works in her adopted hometown of Santa Fe, she observes that she has “creative deficit disorder,” skipping between pursuits designing jewelry, furniture, lighting, and interiors; merchandizing spaces; and more. “I’ve always been someone who operates at the intersection of material, space, and moment,” she says of the throughline of her endeavors. Newton was a naturally creative child. She has an early memory of repurposing her housekeeper mother’s regifted rhinestonestudded house slippers into an imaginative game of gemstone mining for her four siblings. “Forty years before I started a jewelry business, there was something in me that wanted to get my hands dirty and unearth the beauty in something,” she says. “I come

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from a lineage of people who built houses and furniture, who made quilts. I couldn’t help but inherit that creative bent.” Despite these leanings, her professional life took her in a different direction. With a bachelor’s degree in management systems from Kettering University in hand, Newton launched her career at Toyota in 1991 and rose to hold a variety of senior executive positions, including group vice president for social innovation and chief diversity officer for Toyota Motor North America and chief program officer for the Toyota Mobility Foundation. In 2017 she joined Walt Disney Company, where for six years she served as senior vice president and chief diversity officer. “I feel very fortunate to have worked for such iconic brands that care about people and are doing things well,” she says. “I learned so much growing up in that world.” Throughout her corporate career, creativity tapped her on the shoulder. For a time at Toyota, she lived in Tokyo but spent 70 percent of the time jet-setting around the globe for work. A few months into that rigorous schedule, she found herself craving something new. She began flying into Los

Angeles (her husband then lived in Manhattan Beach), spending Saturday and Sunday in jewelry classes, and taking a Sunday night red-eye back to Tokyo or wherever her work obligations required. Her jewelry instructor encouraged her to take the art form seriously. “In spite of how much work it was, I had more energy than I ever had before,” she remembers. Eventually, she could no longer ignore creativity’s nudge. “There was a day I felt if I didn’t embrace the creative side I’d largely been ignoring, I would be shriveling away and shrinking,” she recalls. “I walked into my boss’s office and let him know I was going to be doing something different. It was quite a surprise. [Most people] assume if you achieve a certain level of success, you’ll retire doing that. That’s not what I wanted.” Her jewelry line, STŌN, which she founded in 2017, bucks industry standards around the types of metals and gemstones that make jewelry “fine.” “For me, it’s more about quality and something that is timeless and will be passed from generation to generation. That’s what heirloom should be. It doesn’t have to be shiny

and showy,” Newton says. Her aesthetic leans into 18-karat gold and oxidized sterling silver, the latter of which changes color with wear. “It’s always alive,” she observes. Her recent collections have included uncut stones and items from nature either used in their original form, such as feathers, or as a point of inspiration for cast objects, such as lotus seed pods. Increasingly, she’s reached for vintage or antiquity items that she upcycles. “I love minimizing my footprint on the earth and creating in a way that feels more responsible,” she says. She frequently wears a ring that incorporates a Byzantine-era coin. “It has thousands of years of history to it. I feel those generations when I wear it. I love creating pieces like that,” she says. Her practice always involves thinking about the person who will ultimately wear the finished creation. She prototypes her designs and wears them herself before finalizing them. “I want them to feel comfortable on the body. I think of the integrity of the piece before I think about the finery of the piece,” she

Regardless of the medium, Newton says her work lives at the intersection of objects, environments, and experiences. “I absorb inspiration so intensely. I have to have multiple outlets to feel good,” she observes. observes. “I also want them to have fun. I don’t want them to take it too seriously. The art form is a serious endeavor, but there’s a little whimsy in my designs.” She embraces the art of handmade, often leaving an imperfection or a fingerprint in the metal as a mark of her artist’s hand. She launched her pieces at Patina Gallery in April 2025 and followed up with Vestiges at the artisan jewelry and functional object store in July of this year. She also shows at galleries in Newport Beach, California, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Her artistic vision has taken her into new spaces. She’s long designed her own home

interiors, but she hadn’t designed for clients until Abby Allen, owner of Cincinnati’s Sweetgum Manor, approached her about helping to create the urban wellness oasis. When they met in Newton’s Pasadena home, Allen immediately said, “I think you’re supposed to design the space.” Newton too felt intuitively that she should be involved in the project when she returned the visit and toured the 6,500-square-foot house. “I could see how the rooms wanted to be,” she remembers. Although she had no formal training as an interior designer, she felt she could make her way. “I’m not shy about finding mentors,” she says.

Above: Latondra Newton helped design VANNA Curated Living. Left: Newton helps a client make selections from her Vestiges collection this summer at Patina Gallery. The collection included (left to right) a driftwood neck cuff, a fan collar, and a pyritized sand dollar necklace.

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When she couldn’t find the exact pieces to fit a space or solve a problem either in her own home or in projects such as Sweetgum Manor, she created them, which led her into lighting and furniture design. Newton embraces her role in helping other people realize their vision, especially when that vision has a purpose. Doing so, however, requires a conversation with her ego. “My purpose is to make diamonds shine. . . . At the beginning, I was so worried that it diminished me a little bit because it often means I’m not necessarily out front on things. I’m behind the scenes. And I’m helping people create something big. . . . Once I grew comfortable with realizing that not having my name in lights was okay, I felt really good about it. I was so proud of the person or the space. Then it became easier to accept what’s right and what’s not right for me at this time,” she says. That dynamic also unfolded in her relationship with VANNA Curated Living, a home decor studio and modern salon, founded by Nelly-Joy Irakoze, which opened in the Railyard this summer. Newton helped design and merchandize the store, and in August she brought in her dear friend Monisha Chandanani to host one of the store’s many workshops. SEE. LOVE. CHOOSE. was a daylong immersive personal development workshop with coaching, movement, and other transformative practices. Regardless of the medium, Newton says her work lives at the intersection of objects, environments, and experiences. “I absorb inspiration so intensely. I have to have multiple outlets to feel good,” she observes. She seeks to elevate the everyday and make even the smallest experience more beautiful, whether through a cocktail pick set with sapphires or a chandelier made of vintage glass rods rescued from the dumpster. 34

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Santa Fe emerged as the place to base these new pursuits. Newton initially visited the City Different on a girlfriend trip and felt an immediate connection. “The moment my feet touched the ground, I had this feeling that was quite overwhelming. It was a spiritual experience,” she recalls. She vowed to return. And she did. Two weeks later, she visited again with her husband and lived in the city for a time during COVID. Then they officially relocated. Santa Feans’ approach to life resonates with her. While there are a lot of “mature” people in Santa Fe, “they don’t lead with their age as a number. They lead with rich life experience. I love the way people age in Santa Fe — with vitality, curiosity, and relevance. You don’t see that in other parts of the country,” she observes. Throughout her career pivot, Newton has followed her intuition. “We’re all born with intuition, but it matters the degree to which we listen to it. Over the years, I’ve honed the

practice of accepting intuition for what it is: life guidance bringing us more attuned to our true purpose,” she says. At this point in her journey, Newton doesn’t miss the daily grind of corporate work and adhering to a rhythm that’s not her own. However, there was a certainty about the corporate world, both in performance standards and a paycheck, that was reassuring. “As an independent artist, I rely on how well people connect with my creations, which is highly subjective. It doesn’t, however, frighten me enough to go back!”

See Latondra Newton’s creations online at latondranewtonstudio.com. Shop her jewelry at Patina Gallery (131 W. Palace Ave., 505-9863432, patina-gallery.com), and see her design and merchandizing at VANNA Curated Living (530 S. Guadalupe St., Suite E; 505-231-4747; vannacuratedliving.com).

Newton often incorporates found and natural objects into her jewelry, which redefines the category for her growing number of collectors. Left: Newton's twin stone neck cuff featuring Lake Superior beach stones.

Newton wears a 1984 gray and blue knit kaftan by Japanese designer Issey Miyake, sourced from Lust and Fond Vintage where she often shops. Eddie Friend and Lamartine Neto relocated Lust and Fond (339 W. Manhattan Ave., 561-906-7115, lustandfond.com) to Santa Fe in 2022. Their thoughtful, intentional curation has quickly made the vintage boutique a must-visit for collectors. “We seek pieces that feel relevant to the contemporary world or hold lasting significance in fashion and popular culture. We value designers who have made a lasting impact on fashion history, alongside lesser-known makers whose work exemplifies exceptional craftsmanship. Preservation and restoration are equally important to us, and we strive to ensure every piece is ready to be worn and enjoyed,” Friend says.

Nevada Wier captured this image of a Moken diver, a member of a semi-nomadic Indigenous tribe, in the Mergui Archipelago in Myanmar in 2016.

LightCatcher

Photographer Nevada Wier makes photographs that illuminate the diversity of the world. By Elizabeth Miller

Portrait by Gabriella Marks, photography by Nevada Wier

ust as China began opening to Western visitors in the 1980s, Nevada Wier began chasing her curiosity for diverse cultures there. She felt sure she could surmount any challenge in her pursuit, even deep in the country’s remote and rugged western reaches. She’d read books about British explorers traveling through the region and followed their footsteps across decades-old maps like breadcrumbs, venturing far into a country that had sealed itself off from Westerners in 1949. On one trip, she and some friends set off toward the Chinese border with Pakistan, hoping to travel the Karatash Pass in the Kongur Alps south of Kashgar. They had, she says, “somewhat of a permit” to go to the Pakistan border, if not necessarily into that area, and one of them spoke a little Chinese, so “we thought we could do it.” In addition to some nearly off-the-map exploring, Wier also hoped to photograph the Kashgar Sunday Bazaar, a bustling market since the Silk Road’s heyday.

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“We kind of hopped off the bus with all of our gear, and we went to this village and hired these guys with these camels,” she says. But they reached a point where the guide they’d hired would go no farther, leaving them to find their own way over a high mountain pass. They strayed through untracked terrain and spent a night in an ice cave before descending into a Kyrgyz village. “To the Kyrgyz, it was like we had come from Mars, and then we just kind of made our way along — until we met up with the police, who were looking for four Russian spies,” she says. “Of course, they were delighted we weren’t, but nevertheless we were escorted out.” After she signed a statement and handed over some rolls of film, the police sent her on her way. That was good in part because she had another trip to get to, guiding in Nepal. Wier has built her life like this, stacking one trip after another. At 74, she still travels six to eight months of the year, keeping Santa Fe as her home base. She hauls three cameras along, two digital cameras

Nevada Wier in her Santa Fe studio

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

Wier photographed these women in Chunnar Village in the state of Uttar Pradesh along the Ganges River in India.

for documentary travel photography and a third camera she’s modified to catch light in the infrared spectrum, using it to produce the real images that now appear in art galleries. It’s typical for Wier to have a hand in multiple spaces. Her career has seen her work as a photographer, an instructor, and a guide, with one effort often supporting another. Wier grew up in Washington, DC, and moved to Arizona for college, enchanted by the state’s aridity and vastness. At Prescott College, an experiential educational path led her to studying geology at the Grand Canyon. She began to hike, rock climb, and kayak. As she did, “an itch that I never knew was there emerged,” she says. “I am born to roam! Why? No one in my family understands!” After graduation, she parlayed her outdoors skills into a job with the Southwest Outward Bound School in Santa Fe, leading courses in the wilderness. She wandered up the spine of the Sangre de Cristos and down the Colorado River. Soon, a Pentax camera joined her on those trips. Everything that followed in her life would draw on her abilities in the outdoors and the confidence that came with them — the confidence to hike long days in rugged terrain, sleep in wild places, haul a heavy pack, and follow aged maps and occasionally bewildered guides. “I don’t think I could be the photographer I am now without those early trips,” she says. “But that feels like another person when I talk about it.” 38

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In 1978 she and friends had a wild idea to climb peaks in Bolivia, but en route, their climbing gear was confiscated. So they commissioned a boat builder to construct a reed boat and spent three months circumnavigating Lake Titicaca through Bolivia and Peru instead, rowing the sailboat since none of them knew how to sail. Wier had a borrowed camera and 30 rolls of color film. She documented both the journey and Bolivian weavers, learning from them how colors work in patterns and proportions. The fortitude and adventurousness she demonstrated landed her a job with Outward Bound leading the organization’s first trips to Nepal. She’d go for six months at a time, learning conversational Nepali, making friends, and trekking constantly. When that program shuttered, she returned to Santa Fe and took a job as a photojournalist with the Santa Fe Reporter, but after a year, the urge to be on the move again set in. “I’m more of a traveler than a photographer,” she says. Photography became a way of making travel possible, so that she could experience what’s well beyond the image — the scents, the sounds, the wind — and get to know people, their stories, and the diverse cultures of the world. She pared down her life, living out of a storage closet and in cheap rentals. For a time, she developed her film in a darkroom at the Center for Contemporary Arts that she shared with Edward T. Hall, an American anthropologist and cross-cultural researcher, who helped her learn to synchronize with

It’s typical for Wier to have a hand in multiple spaces. Her career has seen her work as a photographer, an instructor, and a guide, with one effort often supporting another.

says Jennifer Schlesinger, owner of Obscura Gallery, who has shown the cultures she traveled among. She studied other people’s photogWier’s photography in galleries for two decades. “A lot of the people raphy at galleries and read books to teach herself. that are in her photographs she’s known for years, so her work feels “There’s a big difference between picturesque and photogenic — very personal. It doesn’t feel like she’s just taking snapshots of people.” very big difference,” she says. “I didn’t understand that, and it took Her photographs of Vietnam filled an award-winning book, Land of me a while to really figure it out.” Nine Dragons: Vietnam Today, named the Lowell Thomas Best Travel Publications such as National Geographic, National Geographic Book of 1992. She also contributed to the books Planet Vegas and Traveler, The New York Times Magazine, Outside, and Smithsonian A Day in the Life of Thailand. have published her images. Her editors understood her tolerance for the unexpected: Working for Islands magazine, she never went to beachside resorts. Instead, she went to Borneo and looked for tattoo artists and headhunters. “I got all the sweaty assignments,” she says. She began to recognize, early in those ambitious mountaineering expeditions to places like the Celestial Mountains in China, that pure outdoor pursuits weren’t as captivating to her: “I was realizing, I don’t want to climb that mountain,” she says. “I’m in this monastery, doing pujas with everybody, following these nomads around on their pilgrimages, photographing.” Since then, she has photographed Moken sea gypsies in Myanmar; young monks in Bhutan; salt miners in Peru; students in Iran; fishermen in Vietnam; the splash of color at India’s Holi, a festival of colors; pyrotechnics at Mexican celebrations of St. Michael; and Carnival in Colombia. She’s documented wedding ceremonies and funeral rites. She’s traveled by camel through the precipitous Altai Mountains in Central Asia and seen sky burials in Tibet. She’s traveled for days by jeep when that’s what it took to visit tribes in India’s tangled corners. She’s returned to some places, such as Guizhou, China, a dozen times. She went to Myanmar almost every year from 1986 to 2019. Photography offered a challenge in ways that summits didn’t. “There’s no top of the mountain in any art form, and I think that’s why I’ve stayed with it for so long,” she says. “Because [with] a lot of things, I’m like, ‘That’s good enough.’ Skiing I’m good enough. Kayaking I’m good enough. Climbing I’m good enough. And photography, I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m good, but I could get better at this or this.’ And I love that.” She drew from her time kayaking to learn how to move fast while thinking slowly, searching for the next perfect image in a rapidly changing situation, like a winter festival in Japan. She deploys that ability dodging sprays of colored powder, foam, and black paint at festivals around the world, which she still loves to photograph. But she also looks for the “in between moments,” like people dressing for or walking through the mountains to those festivals, and environmental portraits, where the place in which the portrait is made is as relevant as the subject, even — or perhaps especially — when it’s a mundane space like a kitchen. “She doesn’t just go and photograph people. She gets to know people. She’s interacting with them,” Wier photographed this member of the Konyak Naga tribe in Wakching Village, Nagaland, India. AGELESS LIVING TODAY

Wier photographed these young monks in Bhutan.

She speaks about photography widely and has appeared on TV shows such as Canon Photo Safari for the Outdoor Life Network. She serves as a photography expert on National Geographic Expedition tours and has given lectures and workshops for National Geographic. She is a photography instructor for many different workshop programs, including Santa Fe Workshops and the Los Angeles Center of Photography. Teaching, she says, has made her a better photographer. Wier began working with infrared film in the mid-1990s and in 2007 modified a digital camera to capture that near-visible spectrum of light, which involved swapping camera sensors and learning which lenses would work. (She now teaches a two-day online seminar on the basics.) “It’s so poetic that we’re such limited creatures in many ways, and so this technology that allows me to, like, join the insect world was 40

VIDA 2026

infinitely fascinating to me,” she says. She didn’t expect the infrared images to ever sell to a magazine, but she enjoyed the work, so she continued. Processing and printing an infrared image can take days, if not weeks, as she adjusts hue or saturation on the computer and fine-tunes the picture. The photographs often shift to subtler tones or move along the spectrum. Pine trees fade to pale blue or gray. A giraffe’s black and sienna burnished sides wash out while its eye pops as blue. Red maple leaves by a Japanese shrine dim to pink. Blemishes vanish from human skin. Scenes are rendered in a dream state. “She’s just got such a unique approach to infrared color. I think she’s kind of the master of it,” says Schlesinger, who curated Wier’s latest show at Obscura, Veiled Reveries, which this summer featured her infrared photography. “There’s just something about the palette that she’s honed.” Much of her life has been honed like that. She chooses from options based on which will be the most fun. In 2008 she phased out magazine assignments and has since leaned into personal projects, printing for exhibitions, personal travel, and serving as a photography expert on tours. For someone who had spent half the year abroad for decades, March 2020 brought major changes. Wier returned from Cuba just as a novel coronavirus was prompting lockdowns and border closures. By autumn, with global travel remaining stalled, she asked a friend what she did for fun in winter. Her friend said she skied. Wier hadn’t really been on skis since an ill-fated ski mountaineering trip to China in the 1980s, so the two of them enrolled in ski lessons in Santa Fe — which is where they met me, working as a ski instructor. “I just wanted the enjoyment. I wanted to be outdoors. I wanted to learn how to ski gracefully,” she says. Her regrets are few: that she didn’t keep up skiing, that she doesn’t speak better Spanish, that she never learned to play tennis. Having wrapped up work for Veiled Reveries, she lined out months of travel this fall: Iceland and Greenland for her 74th birthday, projects in South Africa, teaching in Mexico for Santa Fe Workshops. She’ll also return to an area in northeastern India long off-limits to outsiders, perhaps nudging along her project on the country’s many tribes before jetting off to Bangladesh in December and returning to Japan in January 2027. “I’m just going to keep walking and traveling until I collapse,” she says. “That’s all I want to do. And I feel really lucky, because I really wanted this life.” Freelance journalist Elizabeth Miller has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of American Travel Writers.

Learn more about Nevada Wier’s work, travels, and workshops at nevadawier.com. See her work at Obscura Gallery (225 Delgado St., 505-577-6708, obscuragallery.net).

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Silver Anniversary As the Lensic Performing Arts Center turns 25, Vida sits down with two of its longtime leaders. As told to Ashley M. Biggers

Photography by Gabriella Marks

Nancy Zeckendorf

ancy Zeckendorf (nee King) pirouetted from small-town Pennsylvania to the Metropolitan Opera stage, where she performed as one of its principal dancers. She first came to Santa Fe as a ballerina for the Santa Fe Opera in 1962. In the 1980s she and her husband, Bill Zeckendorf Jr. (1929–2014), a well-known New York real estate developer, began splitting their time between the Big Apple and the City Different. As they continued developing real estate — they were involved in projects such as the Eldorado Hotel, Hotel Santa Fe, and Los Miradores residential compound — Nancy joined the board of the Santa Fe Opera and served as its chairperson for more than a decade. She was instrumental in raising funds for the opera’s landmark open-air theater. The two then collaborated on the reinvention of downtown’s historic movie house, which reopened as the nonprofit Lensic Performing Arts Center on April 22, 2001. Now 92, Zeckendorf serves as the Lensic’s emeritus chairperson. Here she reflects on the journey, which is also chronicled in her memoir Small Town Big Dreams: The Life of Nancy Zeckendorf. I started dancing because I wanted to be the music. Dancing with the Metropolitan Opera for nine years was pretty spectacular. Anybody who’s ever been on that stage has a very special feeling about what it is like, what a great privilege it is. No matter if you’re just standing there doing nothing, it’s still very impressive.

I think it’s the best place in the world to live. I keep saying that, and I really mean it. My husband and I started this whole thing. It was apparent that Santa Fe needed a performing arts space for all the wonderful things that were already here. It came to my husband’s attention . . . that somebody needed to take a look at the Lensic Theater and see if it couldn’t be developed into a real performing space. Because it was just a movie house then. So something just had to be done. So we did it. Isn’t that what you do in life? He was very capable. That was the kind of business he was in. And once he started in, he wasn’t going to stop. He enlisted me and told me I had to raise the money. It was about $9 million, and that doesn’t sound as much today as it did then. But we were starting from scratch. It’s the first time I know of in Santa Fe that everybody seemed to have been all for it instead of complaining. I think being a performer was helpful not only in fundraising but in knowing what we really needed here. At one point a guy came up to me and said, “You know, we need to spend $40,000 more on lighting because if we don’t, everybody that comes in here is going to have to bring their own lights.” And I said, “Okay, we’re going to do it. We’ll find the money somehow.” We had to make it a state-ofthe-art theater.

I danced a lot in Carmen, so I’ve always been particularly fond of that. We did a lot of dancing in Samson and Delilah, Aida, La Gioconda, and the list goes on. I can’t say there’s just one favorite. In those days we were on stage almost every night, so we sort of lived at the opera house. In between we’d have ballet class and rehearsal. We had a cot in the dressing room so we could take a nap in between occasionally.

When you have a performance space like this, people want to want to come and perform. Everybody that comes here is thrilled.

When they came and said to us at the Metropolitan Opera, “Did we want to come to Santa Fe for the summer?” I told [Santa Fe Opera director] John Crosby I would . . . have done it for nothing or paid them to do it. There’s something that attracts so many people to the spirit of Santa Fe. People who come to dance or perform at the Santa Fe Opera, many of them end up living here.

A milestone for me was when we had a wonderful ballet company here performing one of [George] Balanchine’s ballets. Suzanne Farrell, who was one of Balanchine’s major ballerinas, performed, and I couldn’t believe I sat here.

Everything that captivated me then [about Santa Fe] is what still captivates me now: the people, the weather, the culture, the opportunities for so many different cultures here. It’s just unbelievable.

If we could be doing for this community [in 15 or 20 years] what we’re doing right now, if we could stay as good as that, I would be very happy.

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For several years starting out, I was the president. Then I stayed on the board and built the board up. Once you put your heart and soul into something like this, you don’t just say, “Well, I’m taking a vacation now.”

I’ve stepped back a little bit. At this age, it’s time to let other people run the show, but I’ve been involved since the very beginning. I’ll always be involved as long as I’m walking around.

Lensic Performing Arts Center founder and chairperson emeritus Nancy Zeckendorf

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

Lensic Performing Arts Center executive director Joel Aalberts

VIDA 2026

Joel Aalberts

s the Lensic Performing Arts Center celebrates its 25th anniversary, its executive director, Joel Aalberts, marks a decade of leadership. The 32-year veteran of arts administration previously served as executive director at the Eastern Kentucky University Center for the Arts and director of the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts in Illinois and held other arts management jobs at state universities in Iowa, Michigan, and Arizona. The University of Iowa grad succeeded Robert Martin, the center’s first director, joining the staff in September 2016. (His wife, Amy, is from Santa Fe.) Last year the Lensic oversaw 415 events and engaged just under 300,000 people both within the theater and via its external programs. Here, the music lover, dance aficionado, and long-distance runner reflects on the theater’s role in the community as it heads into a silver anniversary year that includes performances by three Marsalis brothers and a co-commissioning of The Surge: An Ode to Sinéad O’Connor. The arts were always a part of my life. We sang in church and on car trips. My parents put me through piano lessons. But singing was what felt best, was where I had the greatest affinity. Over the next 20 years there were show choirs, musicals, operas, a cappella groups, a symphony chorus, and singing in a professional group for a time. It was a huge part of my social life. In retrospect, it feels like so many things in my life guided me [to a career in arts administration]: my interest in the arts and popular culture, as well as my experiences through the many performances I had participated in and attended. My dad is a retired minister, and growing up in a church also taught me a lot about the sense of community we prioritize in all the Lensic’s programs today. I paid attention to everything once I had my foot in the door. And when you love something, you’ll learn whatever you need to know to make it more successful. If I had to make my top 10 list of favorite performances, around half of them would be dance, including American Ballet Theatre, Cloud Gate from Taiwan, Ailey, and Sankai Juku. Dominique FilsAimé’s concert last year felt perfect [she returned on September 5, 2026], as have many performances by Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis. I’ll never forget the first time I saw Kodo or the magic that happened in school programs with Christian McBride and the Paul Taylor Dance Company. And, oh yes, front-row seats at a Prince concert. They don’t build theaters like this anymore. It has a spirit to it. It’s beautiful. It’s an intimate enough space. It’s a perfect space for Santa Fe for the size of our community. When you come in, you see people you know. You are seen. You have a connection point with people who are also at these events. . . . And, particularly postpandemic this has really resonated with me, you’re creating a community with the artist when they’re here also. They need you as much as you need them. Every time someone comes and performs, they leave a piece of themselves. And when you think about the number of people who have appeared here — Yo-Yo Ma, Ruth Bader Ginsburg — all of these people have been in this building, and they’ve left a piece of that creative energy. And I think that of the audience too. . . . The Lensic has been part of the community for 95 years. Long before it was a performing arts space, it was a place the community came for movies. It’s a place that Santa Fe has shared experiences for generations. One of the biggest things in my tenure was the COVID blip. After the 18 months of not doing shows . . . when you come back to hearing

Aalberts and Zeckendorf in the performance hall of the 1931 theater

live music again, seeing dance on stage, sitting next to people, you start to realize how important those opportunities are in your life. Our education numbers actually grew over the course of that year. We were able to do online programs that reached outside of our normal territory because of the technology that was available at that time. But when it was time to return to the theater, we’d established trust with our audience that we were still engaged. We’re aware of the economy. We’re aware of politics. We’re aware of the other major things that are going on and are being responsive to that. It is a great opportunity as a nonprofit that when you see how the winds are blowing on a national level, we can continue to do what’s right by our community. We can provide programs that are as diverse as our community and [allow the audience] to see themselves reflected on the stage and in the programming we do. We really lead with our heart with the work that we do. We’re doing this because we want to create opportunities for our community to engage with the performing arts, and we’re always attentive to prices and accessibility, to how we can improve the quality of life for people in the community. I’ve run 47 marathons and still run about 50 miles a week. For me, running is deeply meditative and I don’t listen to music. I think through a lot of things, though. It’s the best way to start the day. AGELESS LIVING TODAY

A crowd jammed San Francisco Street in front of the Lensic on December 13, 1940, waiting to see and hear Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and others from the big stagecoach in the middle of the street as they promoted their film Santa Fe Trail.

SEPTEMBER 26, 1930

Key Moments in the Lensic’s History

Syria-born merchant Na’aman Soleiman (later Nathan Salmon) and his son-in-law E. John Greer broke ground on a movie palace designed by the Boller Brothers of Los Angeles and Kansas City, who had designed similar theaters across the Southwest, including Albuquerque’s KiMo Theatre. The same day, Salmon announced a contest to name the 800-seat theater with a $25 prize. The winning name was an acronym based on Salmon’s grandchildren’s names (Lila, Elias John, Nathan, Sara, Mary Irene, and Charles) and also nods to the lens of a movie projector.

JUNE 24, 1931

The Lensic opened its doors as a movie palace. A marble cornerstone, which is still visible near the Spanish-Moorish-style theater’s main entry, dedicated the building to the people of Santa Fe. For decades, the theater was the hub of Santa Fe social life, even through the Great Depression and World War II. Some 60,000 fans flocked to the theater to see Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan, and Olivia de Havilland in the premiere of Santa Fe Trail in 1940. In what would become one of the original building’s last landmark moments, Robert Redford debuted The Milagro Beanfield War at the theater in 1988. The Lensic also added vaudeville, variety acts, live theater, and later classical music to its offerings.

1999

The Lensic closed its doors. Nancy and Bill Zeckendorf worked with eight Santa Fe performing arts groups, including the Santa Fe

VIDA 2026

Symphony and Santa Fe Pro Musica; government entities; and business leaders to reimagine the theater.

DECEMBER 2000

The National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized the Lensic as an official project of Save America’s Treasures. Renovations began.

APRIL 2001

The theater reopened as the nonprofit The Lensic Performing Arts Center.

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HEALTH

Tai chi instructor Jill Basso leads a group in sword form in July 2026 at Harvey Cornell Rose Park.

Meditation in Motion Tai chi offers physical and mental benefits. By Kelly Koepke

Photography by Nathan Burton

icki MacCulloch was 60 when she fell in love with tai chi. A Santa Fe resident since 1964, she had been walking with her sister, who was exhibiting balance issues. “She was tripping and her balance wasn’t good. I had just read an article about how tai chi was good for balance. I signed us both up for a class at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center. I didn’t realize the class was for people with arthritis and other disabilities, but it was a good starting point for me. My sister didn’t warm to the classes, but I did. I immediately saw the benefits,” MacCulloch says. That was 12 years ago. Now 72, MacCulloch practices the Chinese martial art every morning for 90 minutes before she even has a cup of coffee. She attends classes six days per week. “I do it because of how good it makes me feel. Within five minutes my lower back feels better, my posture is straighter, my body is flexing, and I feel great,” she says.

VIDA 2026

After about 18 months of practicing at the Chavez Center, MacCulloch learned about classes with Jill Basso, proprietor of Desert Sage Tai Chi, with whom MacCulloch has been studying for the past decade. Basso previously lived in Chatham, New York, where she founded Hudson Valley Tai Chi in 1996. She moved to Santa Fe in 2007. Her classes for adults meet primarily outdoors at Harvey Cornell Rose Park; she offers one indoor beginning class from October to March. Basso teaches yang style, the most popular form of tai chi worldwide. This gentle exercise routine was developed in the 19th century, and its slow, graceful, and fluid movements can help maintain strength, flexibility, and balance. It is often described as “meditation in motion.” According to Harvard Medical School, there is growing evidence that this mind-body practice can assist with many health issues. The Cleveland Clinic cites several health benefits of tai chi,

According to Harvard Medical School, there is growing

evidence that this mind-body practice can assist with many health issues. The Cleveland Clinic cites

several health benefits of tai chi, including reducing stress, preventing falls, improved memory and cogni-

tive function, stronger lung health, and healthier joints. including reducing stress, preventing falls, improved memory and cognitive function, stronger lung health, and healthier joints. “Yang tai chi has short and long forms,” says Basso, who has competed in different tai chi forms, was a judge at the 2025 World Open Martial Arts Championship, and has been published in the Journal of Taiji Science. “The short form is 37 postures and takes anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to practice. The long form is 108 postures that takes about 20 to 25 minutes.” Basso’s typical tai chi class begins with preliminary exercises to warm up the body. She instructs students to move slowly and deliberately. The feet act as balance points for structured motions that flow continuously from one pose to another. When one body part moves, all parts move, Basso says, with the directive to move from the feet up in a way that’s cohesive. Basso then guides students through different postures, with students breaking into small groups to practice them. With repetition, tai chi students say their knee, hip, and shoulder pain improves, as does their posture and flexibility. “When I started, I noticed that I was getting a little more flexible. I thought I would never see my toes again, and now I can almost touch them. I can go to the ground in a squat and come up without any problems. My balance is spot on,” says MacCulloch. She has also experienced a marked difference in her energy level when walking and hiking with her dogs. She says her breathing has improved because practicing tai chi has expanded her lung capacity. MacCulloch has also seen mental benefits. “I could tell that mentally it was really helping me,” she says. “I used to be so angry. Now I don’t let things get to me. I let them roll off. Now you really have to push me for me to get angry. I can look at people, take a deep

Teaching assistant Vicki MacCulloch does tai chi at Harvey Cornell Rose Park with a group of practitioners.

Basso, who has been teaching tai chi for 30 years, leads a class.

breath, and talk in a calm way. I don’t necessarily agree with them but don’t feel the need to argue and confront them anymore.” When asked if there are any challenges to the practice, Basso says that sometimes beginners are nervous to be in a large class. They might not have exercised in a while. They might be recovering from an injury or illness, or have a condition like Parkinson’s disease that causes tremors or balance issues. She suggests taking a few private lessons to build confidence before joining a larger class. “Tai chi classes are usually a safe, comfortable place to learn. I have people in their 80s and 90s in class. And if you need help standing or walking, bring a cane, use a chair, or stand on a firm surface in good footwear. You can always modify a practice,” she says. Patience is definitely a requirement for the practice of tai chi, adds MacCulloch. “A lot of people come to class and think it should be faster. But tai chi is a slow-moving form. You’re not going to learn it in a week. It takes years to learn, and I do it every day. I’m always learning something new, and that’s what I like as well. I’m constantly expanding my knowledge and awakening my body.” Four years ago, MacCulloch became an assistant instructor, helping Basso demonstrate postures and guide classes. “This is an older group of people, and we’re not judgmental. We’re all starting from scratch and learning together. Because of tai chi, I feel fabulous at 72.” For more information on Desert Sage Tai Chi, visit desertsagetaichi.com.

AGELESS LIVING TODAY

WELLNESS

FROM

Happy Hour TO A

HAPPIER Hour

One writer’s journey ditching alcohol during menopause.

By Stephanie Nakhleh

Photography by Nathan Burton

or years, my evening wind-down ritual began with NPR’s All Things Considered. Like Pavlov’s pups, I was trained to hear the theme music as a sort of dinner bell — but for me it was a wine bell. I’d begin my dinner prep and reach, almost without thinking, for a glass of red. Cooking and sipping was a ritual that signaled the day is done. Last September I decided to have one more glass with friends on a Friday night and then stop. Nothing dramatic had happened, but alcohol had stopped agreeing with me. I didn’t yet understand why, but I was finally done. I had already spent years cutting back. The first to go was beer, which made me feel lightheaded and queasy. Then brown liquor, then all liquor, and finally wine. Wine didn’t make me feel bad immediately, but my smartwatch showed that any night I had a glass, my sleep score cratered and my “body battery” — the watch’s well-being metric — was in the tank. I didn’t know what was going on, but about a decade earlier, I had developed a few food intolerances. I put my new reaction to alcohol in the same bucket. The mechanism isn’t identical, but the analogy helped me. Something I used to enjoy had started to cost more than it gave. I had had to give up onions too — not because I was addicted to them but because they made me feel bad. Alcohol felt like the same kind of problem. Food intolerance is not a bad analogy for what I was experiencing, but it’s missing a key ingredient: hormones. By the time I quit drinking, I was about three years into menopause — and it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize how alcohol and estrogen were connected. Dr. Madhavi Garimella, an endocrinologist at Medical Associates of Northern New Mexico, confirmed what my body had been trying to tell me for years.

VIDA 2026

Jinja Bar & Bistroʼs sunset margarita mocktail

“Estrogen is the big driver,” she tells me. “It’s a benefit, and so the biggest problem is the lack of estrogen. It’s surprising, but estrogen receptors are found everywhere, from your brain to your bones to your salivary glands to your liver.” Declining estrogen during menopause alters how alcohol affects all these body parts. Alcohol dehydrogenase, the liver enzyme responsible for breaking down alcohol, is already lower in women than in men. Menopausal hormonal changes compound that disparity, making processing alcohol even more difficult. Meanwhile, “the body’s fat-to-water ratio shifts with age,” says Garimella. (Women store more fat and less water.) “And because alcohol is excreted through water, less water means more alcohol stays in circulation longer.” Even a woman’s sense of taste changes, she says: “Women have drier mouths because of a deficiency of estrogen. They may [also] have a more metallic taste in their mouth because of a deficiency of estrogen.” This can make alcohol less appealing than it used to be. But not all these new symptoms turn drinkers off. When I started researching this article, I figured my experience — quitting alcohol because it was no longer fun to drink — would be common enough, but it’s actually the exception. Garimella told me that most women drink more as estrogen wanes, not less. A 2025 peer-reviewed study published in Women’s Health — the medical journal, not the magazine — surveyed 936 women aged 40–65 and found that perimenopausal women reported the highest levels of menopause symptoms, the most negative reinforcement drinking motives (in other words, drinking to cope), and the lowest well-being scores of any group in the study. Garimella wasn’t surprised. Perimenopause, she explained, involves erratic estrogen swings rather than a linear decline. “It’s almost like Jekyll and Hyde. You feel that you become this different person,” she says.

“If somebody doesn’t know how to cope with it, they turn to the nearest thing that’s going to give them comfort.” Alcohol starts as a relaxation technique. Before long it’s a habit. But drinking to cope with menopause can exacerbate symptoms — particularly hot flashes, which alcohol is known to trigger, and sleep disruption. The good news is that quitting alcohol can manage many menopause symptoms, which is particularly useful for women who can’t take hormone replacement therapy (HRT). I have a condition that prohibits me from taking estrogen. When I quit drinking, I was surprised to notice that my hot flashes stopped. My sleep improved — not to premenopausal levels but measurably. My smartwatch, which had been giving me bad news every morning, confirmed that every metric improved without alcohol. As a sort of experiment, I enjoyed a Rioja red blend during a recent trip to Spain — and my metrics tanked again. “Definitely, alcohol makes symptoms worse,” Garimella says, adding that if someone is having significant menopausal symptoms, quitting alcohol makes sense before adding medication like HRT — though the two approaches can also work in tandem. However, given the relative scarcity of research on the subject, she’d like to see a formal study comparing the two. Quitting alcohol was easy to do, indicating that I wasn’t dependent on it, which is good. But quitting it didn’t transform my life. I didn’t lose 10 pounds. My skin didn’t suddenly glow, and my sleep problems weren’t miraculously solved. But my quality of life improved, and that’s still a win. The payoff is proportional to the hold the substance has on you. What has changed is culture. The wine-mom era — the cheerful meme that two glasses every night are a stressed parent’s right and possibly duty to consume — is dated now. Most of my friends have cut back or quit. Nonalcoholic options are widely available and actually

A lava flow mocktail with a black salt rim from Jinja

yummy. Nobody looks at you sideways for ordering a club soda and cranberry. When five o’clock rolls around, All Things Considered still plays on my smart speaker. I still chop the veggies — at least the ones I can eat now that I’ve figured out my intolerances. These days, my glass is filled with sparkling water. My workday is over and my shoulders can still relax. It was never the wine that made my shoulders relax: I just needed a new ritual. Stephanie Nakhleh is a Los Alamos journalist covering how policy shapes daily life.

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Writer Stephanie Nakhleh’s favorite places for nonalcoholic drinks JINJA BAR & BISTRO One of our favorite bars when I was still

drinking, it remains a solid first-place winner for me with its extensive mocktail menu. My favorite is the piña colada. 510 N. Guadalupe St., Suite P I 505-982-4321 I jinjabistro.com

TONIC This bar doesn’t have a mocktail menu, which I noted with a

hint of sadness when we arrived. But the server cheerfully exclaimed, “Throw some adjectives at me and I will whip something up for you!” The result had no name, but it was delicious. My advice: Arrive with adjectives. 103 E. Water St. I tonicsantafe.com

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW This was another of my favorite spots back

in the day for its craft cocktails and witchy vibe. I was very happy to keep it in my rotation once I learned it applies the same care to mocktails as it does to cocktails. 545 Camino de la Familia I 505-916-8596 I aasbdistillery.com

APOTHECARY This funky place near the Plaza has only zero-proof

cocktails, which is nice for people trying to avoid a bar. I enjoyed the blueberry lavender coconut kava. 133 W. San Francisco St. I 505-986-5037 I onesacred.com

BAR NONE This new pop-up bar features, according to its Instagram Writer Stephanie Nakleh stopped drinking alcohol but still enjoys mocktails at City Different bars such as Jinja.

page, “Thoughtfully curated zero-proof cocktails, botanical spirits, and shrubs. The mission is to revolutionize socializing for sober, sober-curious, and mindful drinkers.” Track its events on Instagram: @barnone_santafe

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POLISH

LAYER

Cosmetic skin laser treatments can reduce the signs of aging skin, from pigmentation to wrinkles. Here’s what to know. By Kelly Koepke

Photography by Nathan Burton

e may not feel our age, but often our skin does. As we age, the loss of elastin and collagen can cause skin to appear older and lead to wrinkles. Sun exposure — a particular concern in the high desert — can damage the skin, leading to changes in texture, age spots, and premature wrinkles. Cosmetic laser skin treatments can counteract these conditions and others. In 2024 nearly 7 million such treatments were performed in the U.S. according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. These cornerstones of modern aesthetic medicine allow dermatology clinics and med-spas to offer options to quickly improve skin appearance. To make an informed decision about what’s best for your skin, here are a few basics about the treatment options. PHOTO THERAPIES (NON-ABLATIVE) VS. LASER (ABLATIVE) THERAPIES Photo therapies, such as intense pulsed light (IPL) and broadband light (BBL), use broad-spectrum or specific wavelengths of light to target skin issues. These non-ablative treatments heat deeper skin layers without damaging the surface. Though called laser technologies because they use light, they are not true laser therapies. These treatments are often used to address age or other dark spots. Ablative lasers, which use intense wavelengths of light to remove the outer layer of skin and heat the underlying layers to stimulate collagen growth, yield more dramatic improvements, but treatment with these lasers involves a longer recovery. Ablative treatments like the Sciton HALO and Fraxel Re:pair better address deep wrinkles, extensive sun damage, scars, or the resurfacing of textured skin, as well as the removal of permanent makeup or tattoos. CHOOSING THE RIGHT TREATMENT The best laser treatment choice depends on your skin concerns and lifestyle. The first step, a thorough consultation, involves reviewing your medical history, skin type, and goals with an esthetician and/or physician. Advanced imaging tools, like the VISIA 3D camera used by Dr. Richard Lieberman, a board-certified family medicine specialist, member of the Aesthetic Multispecialty Society, and director of Santa Fe Light and Laser, evaluate skin condition, pigmentation, and texture. From there, patients receive a tailored treatment plan that covers what will happen and instructions for preparation and post-treatment care. In New Mexico, estheticians work under the supervision of physicians, ensuring proper oversight. Entry-level photo therapies like IPL and BBL work best for those with light to medium skin tones, Jessica Holmes, an esthetician with Seamless Skin, explains. “Photo therapies can target sun damage, broken capillaries, and rosacea to improve skin color, with minimal downtime because they don’t remove the skin’s top layer.”

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Dr. Richard Lieberman (right) treats pigmentation on a patient with the HALO TRIBRID Laser by Sciton at Ageless MD Solutions.

For deeper wrinkles, scars, significant sun damage, or permanent makeup or tattoo removal, laser resurfacing may be recommended. Fractional lasers like the HALO target skin texture and scars with less downtime than full-field lasers because they leave pockets of untreated skin to aid healing (like aerating your lawn, says Lieberman). Full-field ablative laser treatments produce more noticeable results more quickly but come with longer recovery times.

Some results can be spectacular and some not so much. Everyone has to manage their expectations. But lasers absolutely work; it’s just a question of which one you use. Sunspots and hair are realistic to remove with one or a series of treatments. Resurfacing lasers are great for lines around the lips, but you have to hate the lines more than you hate sitting in the dark for a week or two. There can be a lot of downtime with a full-field resurfacing laser. It’s painful, so we use numbing cream and nerve blocks.” Individuals with darker skin tones are not ideal candidates for photo or laser treatments due to the risk of pigment changes. Pregnant women, those on photosensitive medications or chemotherapy, people with active cold sores, or those with certain autoimmune conditions should consult their health care provider before proceeding with any skin treatment.

Holmes advises, “During any laser treatment, patients are more sensitive to sunlight, so avoiding sun exposure, applying sunscreen, and wearing hats are essential. Photo treatments usually improve pigmentation and redness by 60 to 80 percent after a series, with the most dramatic results after the first session.” Laser resurfacing goes one step further to reduce wrinkles, improve skin texture, and remove unwanted hair or pigmentation. While complete wrinkle removal is unlikely, many patients present a smoother, refreshed appearance. Results vary based on the depth of treatment, skin type, and adherence to aftercare. Lieberman emphasizes managing expectations. “Aesthetics have a lot of mystery to them — why some people do well and others don’t.

COST AND SESSIONS Treatment costs vary widely based on the target area and procedure type. Patients often need multiple treatments spaced several weeks apart for issues like hair removal, tattoo or sunspot removal, and reducing acne scars or skin irregularities. Less invasive treatments like hair removal can start at about $150 per session, while deep facial resurfacing can cost up to $2,000 per session. Many patients return for annual or semiannual touch-ups, especially for pigmentation management. As the technology around lasers improves, more people are reaching for noninvasive cosmetic treatments. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that the number of procedures increased 6 percent in 2024 (the latest year for which statistics are available) and expects the trend to continue.

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FITNESS

Certified personal trainer Gary Schneider works out in his home gym.

AT THE

CORE

Personal trainer Gary Schneider helps Santa Feans get — and stay — fit as they age.

By Devon Jackson

Photography by Gabriela Campos

ot to be presumptuous, but Gary Schneider probably looks pretty much the same today as he did at 25, 45, and 55. More telling, Schneider, who’s 67, could probably fit into the same pair of pants he wore in college. He exudes confidence — and not just the confidence of a one-time media executive in one of the country’s bigger markets but the confidence that comes from a man who’s comfortable in his body. He looks like he knows a thing or two about working out, and nutrition, and how to stay physically fit. In fact, after coming out of retirement a couple years ago, that’s exactly what he does: He’s a personal trainer whose clientele consists almost exclusively of people in his age range and older. As a grandfather and a retiree, Schneider originally thought he’d play tennis and bang on his drums throughout his golden years. (Lately, he’s played in a local Neil Young tribute band.) But then his wife, Carol, a formerly retired schoolteacher, started teaching again at Acequia Madre Elementary School shortly after the two of them relocated to Eldorado from Dallas. “If you’re going back to work,” he recalls saying to his wife, “well, then, I need to stay busy.”

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Schneider became a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and six months later he had not only his credentials but also more clients than he could comfortably handle. Schneider operates Santa Fe Senior Fit almost exclusively out of his home gym — a onetime garage that now has pretty much every type of equipment anyone could possibly desire, from Rogue and RAC machines to benches, pullies, bands, and kettlebells. As well as weights, a treadmill, ropes, and smaller objects used for balance and getting at specific muscles. “I focus on balance,” says Schneider. He points out one of the primary dangers for people 65 and older: If you fall or break your hip or femur, you have a 27 percent mortality rate in the first year. And half of those who live past the injury don’t regain full functionality. Schneider’s clients are also battling chronic conditions, which, according to the National Council on Aging, more than 90 percent of seniors live with. The Centers for Disease Control notes other side effects of aging: gradual loss of muscle mass; reduced bone density (particularly among women); stiffer arteries, which can affect blood

pressure; and — one of Schneider’s specialties — loss of balance. “Balance is your foundation. You can never do too many movement exercises,” he says. The concern over arteries hits close to home for Schneider. His father, who grew up poor and worked hard on an Oklahoma farm, died of a heart attack when he was 64. After his father’s heart attack, Schneider started going to the gym even more and with more focus. Born in Oklahoma City and raised in Amarillo, Schneider grew up playing sports and earned varsity letters in baseball and basketball at Tascosa High School. Schneider earned his bachelor of science degree in radio, TV, and film from the University of Texas–Austin in 1981. Although he remained active by working out in the early morning and playing tennis, he focused on his family and career, during which he rose up from advertising sales to, starting in 2010, serving as president and general manager of CBS’s Dallas-Fort Worth affiliates KTVT and KTXA, until his retirement in 2021. After retiring, and moving to the Santa Fe area a year after that, he started going to the gym. A lot. And playing more tennis, lately at Forked Lightning Racquet Club. After receiving his National Academy of Sports Medicine certification, Schneider built a website, did some online marketing, and, in what was probably the shrewdest promotional move, posted business cards at Harry’s Roadhouse. Now one year into life as an official trainer, half his clients come from Eldorado and half from Santa Fe. He only recently stopped training people at Quail Run, which became overwhelming. (He was working almost 50 hours a week there by the end.) But he still leads chair exercises at senior facilities around town as part of Fit Group USA. Schneider tailors his approach to his clients. “Training is different for everybody. Everybody’s body type is different, as is their metabolism,” he says. “Most of my clients want to keep and improve their

strength and mobility.” He specializes in working with people with osteoporosis, but with any client, he uses activation, resistance, and movement (ARM) exercises that build muscle and bone density and improve cardiovascular health. He pays special attention, before and during training, to areas of the body that tend to break down over the years, shoulders in particular. “Seniors first tend to get sore in the shoulders, so I do not do a lot of shoulder work,” he emphasizes. “Since I’m in that age range, I can relate more to their needs.” He also favors resistance bands, tennis drills, lunges, circuit training, not going below a certain number of reps (and fewer sets), and a talk test. “If you can’t talk while you’re doing an aerobic exercise,” Schneider explains, “then your heart rate’s too high.” He continues, “My past job involved a lot of listening, taking feedback, decision making. It’s very similar in training: not being afraid to tell a client to step up. Encouraging them — you can do more. It’s communication — listening to people’s goals and needs.” He’s never had a trainer himself. And compared to most other cities, he notices more older hikers and cyclists here — as opposed to golfers. As for his age group, “Seniors can sometimes be more serious because they’re seeing a decline in strength and mobility, and it scares them,” Schneider says. “So they have a different motive when they age and see a decline. The ones who make [fitness] part of their lifestyle will stick with it longer.” He adds, “I enjoy seeing people making gains and getting stronger. It’s not just to look good and be stronger. It’s also about getting a different perspective. It’s all about movement and keeping yourself in motion. You can start exercising at any age. As a senior I can relate. And I’m walking proof that exercise has helped.” Learn more about Gary Schneider at santafeseniorfit.com.

Schneider tailors workouts to the needs of seniors, which includes shoulder work.

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FITNESS

GARY SCHNEIDER’S TIPS FOR GETTING AND STAYING FIT

• S ometimes, personal trainer Gary Schneider says, the biggest chal-

lenges are the most basic: desire and commitment. He advises finding a workout partner or a trainer to help with your commitment and accountability. Another challenge is knowing where and how to start. (Trainers can help with that too.)

• Schneider suggests starting out simple — with 30 minutes a day

of whatever exercise feels good, such as walking, swimming, hiking, and/or using a rower. The key, he says, is to keep moving.

• There are also different ways to exercise — from one-on-one

training to group classes. Find the one that works best for you. And look for ways to pivot. If weights bother your joints, advises Schneider, try resistance bands.

He also recommends these basics to improve your overall health:

• Sleep. Try to get at least seven hours of consistent sleep a night. • Decrease stress. Stress plays a big role in your health, affecting everything from cardiovascular disease to bone loss.

• Hydrate. Especially here in the high desert, make sure to stay

hydrated (even when it’s colder). The body uses water to lubricate the joints and bones. Schneider suggests drinking 0.5 to 0.75 ounces of water a day per pound of body weight.

• Get good nutrition. Limit your sodium (salt) intake and don’t overdo it on portions.

• Limit alcohol and do not smoke.

Schneider trainsIOS people in his age group. BI E NVEND HH

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