I was supposed to fly home from New Mexico this morning, but I fell in love with Ghost Ranch and arranged to stay on. I had no idea the place was about to fill up with musicians for its first-ever Bluegrass Camp & Extravaganza. Tonight, the valley swelled with the sounds of plucked strings [...]

When I think of what I would have missed if I’d ignored The Dish n’ Spoon Café today. I was walking into Santa Fe along old Route 66 and I’d gotten myself all turned around. I wandered in big, unintentional loops, appreciating how this town was built around a network of old trails, but desperately wishing for a grid to help me find my way. I’d planned to eat somewhere downtown, but I was famished and confused and still had far to go when I found myself standing in front of a funky old storefront with a bunch of interesting junk outside. I wanted to go in. “No,” said the voice in my head, “That’s not the plan.” I walked away, then stopped and turned around. I wanted to go in, dammit. So I did. [...]