LOCALS’ PICKS FOR NEW MEXICAN SOUL FOOD Joan and Lowlow Medina La Cocina (Española) lacocinanewmexico.com Rose Simpson The Sopaipilla Factory (Pojoaque) sopaipillafactory.com Pam Jaramillo El Farolito (El Rito) Facebook: El Farolito Diego Lopez El Paragua (Española) elparagua.com Ralph Martinez JoAnn’s Ranch O Casados (Española) joannsranchocasados.com
ALSO FROM THE STORY Chile rellenos at Angelina's Restaurant. Photo by Stephanie Cameron.
the red bright, and I like the simplicity of the unsmothered sides. Started by former employees of Tomasita’s in Santa Fe, the Sopaipilla Factory is notable for the range of its vegetarian dishes—a testament to the valley’s Sikh community. When I arrive at San Pedro Plaza, I’m met with a visual feast. Runof-the-mill traffic empties out of the huge lot as metal-flaked Cadillacs muscle in, showing off their hydraulics. “From dark to light,” Rob Vanderslice says, running his hand from the cool dark fuchsias and blues that stripe one side of his Cadillac to the warm yellows and reds on the other, explaining how the design was inspired by his recovery. The mood is glorious. A bunch of kids are playing in a pink 1959 Impala that turns out to belong to Pam Jaramillo and Bobby Chacon, of Los Guys car club. Three of the kids are theirs, too—a point Chacon makes to emphasize the family-friendliness of the event. They are part of a strong community network that has been working diligently toward the establishment of the soon-to-be-a-reality Española Lowrider Museum. “Our older daughter is already doing pinstripes,” Joan Medina later tells me. “The younger wants to learn airbrushing.” Like Chacon and so many others I talk to, Medina and her husband, Lowlow, are dedicated to sharing their skill and passion with their children, the younger generation, and anyone who takes an interest. She tells me that on top of working on the museum and Lowrider Weekend (July 18–20), the Española Lowrider Association is trying to get cruising back on the weekends. “We’re working with
rosebsimpson.com, elparasol.com, Facebook: Angelinas Restaurant Española
the police, firefighters, gaining respect,” she says, “all working as one big community.” Nowadays, police officers will pass by playing “Lowrider” from their megaphones, she says. Local businesses support the community by letting them park and sit outside, putting out lawn chairs, chatting with anyone who wants to check out their cars. And you can drop the stereotypical image of homeboys enveloped in smoke, passing forties back and forth; the Medinas are more likely to hand out blankets, pizzas, Bible stories, and advice on staying sober. Later, when I talk with Ralph Martinez, founder of the annual Española Community Matanza (now in its third year), he explains how the tradition of coming together for feasts inspired him to create an event that would bring together all the people of Española. He’s just finished eating breakfast with executive chef Fernando Ruiz of Chama Land & Cattle, who is judging the salsa competition at this year’s matanza. Three cultural committees, each headed by a community member—one Hispanic, one Native American, one Sikh—are collaborating on the entertainment lineup and menu for this year’s event, where they’ll cook, Martinez emphasizes, under one tent. “We all live under the sky in Española,” Martinez tells me. “We all hold a lot of the same passions in our hearts.” My next time up, I’ll take the backroads and visit the Puye Cliffs. In the meantime, I’m going to take a swing at making my refrigerator beautiful. WWW.EDIBLENM.COM
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