
Gentlemen who make Albuquerque a more interesting city




Gentlemen who make Albuquerque a more interesting city
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I can’t believe it’s already June! For our June issue we interviewed, Kenth Fallen USA BMX Grand Nationals Champion, Reggie Mitchell fifth-generation Navajo “sand and tufa” casting jeweler, Steve Riley of Mesa Provisions who is up for a James Beard Award, Allisun Hull of Allisun Hull Hypnotherapy, David Baca from Enchanted Roofing and Enchanted Mechanical, and George Boese of Boese Brothers Brewery. It continues to be an honor to publish Albuquerque City Lifestyle and bring you positive and uplifting stories from around the area. This issue is dedicated to the memory of Karen Kyle.
PUBLISHER
Rich Ringrose | rich.ringrose@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Richard Lakin | richard.lakin@citylifestyle.com
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Alexandria Gonzalez
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Denise Husted
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Andrea Jacquin, Alexandria Gonzalez, Richard Lakin, Allisun Hull, Rich Ringrose
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Alexandria Gonzalez, Rich Ringrose, Explore and Adore Creative Agency, Casey Thomas Photography, Richard Lakin
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Rachel Collins
LAYOUT DESIGNER Andi Foster
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DARK HORSE
NATIVE JEWELRY AND RICHARD LAKIN
Reggie Mitchell and his son Bronson are fifth and sixth-generation Navajo “sand and tufa” casting jewelers. Using Sand and “Tufa” (a type of volcanic stone) to melt down silver is a traditional Navajo method. “Reggie was raised in the heart of the Navajo Nation and learned metalworking from his father, a master silversmith named Eugene Mitchell. Reggie says he
“Dad, we are making museum pieces. They will be around longer than us.”
learned the technique from his father and says,” He is unbelievably talented.” Reggie and his son now create jewelry for their family-run business “Dark Horse Navajo Jewelry.”
Dark Horse Navajo Jewelry produces heirloom quality pieces like turquoise cuffs, rings, and pendants. Mitchell selects gems like turquoise, sugilite, onyx, and coral for his pieces. The gems are bought directly from the mines and those who have claims to the mines. Mitchell works out of his home studio and believes in “building a legacy for his 29-year-old son to pass it on to the next generation.” He believes in leading and teaching all four of his children life skills.
Leadership is deeply rooted in Navajo culture. Mitchell says, “We are at the forefront of taking care of people. Those principals I still carry and want to pass that on to my children.” Growing up with little wealth instilled a persistent work ethic in Mitchell. ”I do come from humble beginnings. My main driving force is to never put my family in
that position.” Mitchell believes his old-school work ethic helps him to be successful. He says, ”I know I can be honest with my own efforts, and I don’t believe anyone can outwork me.”
Mitchell believes that artists must be paid fairly for their work. Native jewelry has been exploited in the past and even today. He says art and jewelry should not be sold at wholesale prices when countless hours, expert craftsmanship, and Native influences are used to create these masterpieces.
Mitchell’s favorite part of his craft is creating high-quality items. He likes to ensure that each piece of jewelry is built to the highest standard. He encourages shoppers to buy directly from Native jewelers. Native artists’ designs have been copied without permission, and non-Natives have sold discounted or wholesale jewelry and devalued the art. “My passion is to bring awareness but also shed light on the beauty of our work to make sure people know they are getting a better fair deal when they buy directly from us.”
Mitchell remembers when trading was the main transaction on Navajo lands. Just a few decades ago, Native Americans “weren’t using a traditional system for currency.” The Navajos were focused on serving and helping others, trading necessities, and owning livestock. ”We knew money was valuable to non-Indians at the time, so we melted down coins to make jewelry. We wore our wealth, and that was how we traded and bartered with people at that time.” Mitchell still believes it doesn’t take money to love and care for each other. He says, “Indigenous people had a healthy balance in caring for it all.”
Today, every piece of jewelry made by Dark Horse Navajo Jewelers has a special meaning behind it. “Whether it be the four directions, four mountains, creation stories, or weaponry—we put a lot of those Navajo influences into our designs,“ says Mitchell. His business model is not based on wholesale. Dark Horse Navajo Jewelry sells directly to its customers “to be fair and honest in both directions and connect to customers in a way they know they are being treated fair.”
Mitchell has sold his jewelry at local and nationwide shows like the Tuscon Gem and Mineral Show, and at The Gene Autry Museum. His jewelry was also featured in The Curse starring Emma Stone.
Mitchell was asked to create a custom keychain depicting a snake with turquoise for the TV show. The keychain is seen in episode six when Emma Stone explains the Navajo meaning behind the jewelry. Turquoise gems represent life, and coral represents nurturing and acceptance. The snake on the custom keychain signifies rebirth.
“We knew money was valuable to non-Indians at the time, so we melted down coins to make jewelry. We wore our wealth, and that was how we traded and bartered with people at that time.”
Mitchell says his son is passionate and creative and proudly follows in his grandfather’s footsteps as a silversmith. Mitchell’s son, Bronson Rogue Mitchell, developed a unique style that incorporates both the artistry and technical mastery of his forefathers with a modern aesthetic.
Bronson says, “Dad, we are making museum pieces. They will be around longer than us.” Passing that legacy on using techniques that have been used by six generations is something Mitchell believes in. He says, “There’s a lot of beauty to Indian art. Here at Dark Horse, we pride ourselves in our silverwork. Each cast silver piece is handmade, taking many hours to
complete through a rigorous process of carving, casting, filing, stamping, and an extensive finishing sequence. And because of the exquisite quality of the metalwork, only the best stones will do justice to the silver they’re encased in.”
In the future, Mitchell would like his open his own shop with space for other Native artists to create their art as well.
You can visit Mitchell and buy his heirloom jewelry at the Native Treasures Market in Santa Fe on Memorial Day weekend. For more information go to https://darkhorsemitchell.com/ or visit Reggie’s Instagram @darkhorsenavajojewerly or Bronson’s Instagram @ogrogue
ARTICLE BY ANDREA JACQUIN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY EXPLORE AND ADORE CREATIVE AGENCY
Mesa Provisions is not pretentious. In fact, the restaurant’s name says it all: “Mesa”, which means table in Spanish, and “provisions”, meaning “we provide for the table”. Restaurant owner Steve
drawing a lot of attention. Riley takes on two roles as restaurant owner and chef. Now, as a self-taught chef, he has earned a spot in the finals for the coveted James Beard awards. He plans
“THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT I COULD
COOK WAS WHEN MY MOM WORKED THE
Riley’s vision is to be at the crossroads of fine dining and mom-and-pop restaurants. He aims for carefully curated meals you’d expect at a fancy restaurant with a welcoming environment you’d find at a family business. Riley says, “We are a very small restaurant.” At its fullest capacity, Mesa Provisions can seat about 80 guests. Riley enjoys the restaurant’s manageable size, which ensures the quality of food and a high level of customer service.
The chef pays close attention to the details. Riley’s goal is to serve a good meal cooked properly every time. Mesa Provisions’ motto is to serve great food inspired by the Southwest in a comfortable and casual environment. The public seems to agree. Riley says, “It’s really great that we have very solid regulars who come all the time. They enjoy what we are doing.”
The restaurant has been open for the past two and a half years and is already
on attending the awards ceremony in Chicago this summer. “It’s a once-ina-lifetime opportunity,” says Riley who found out about the nomination when people kept tagging him on social media. He says, “I was pretty stoked! I’ve been working in the kitchen for a very long time, and to be recognized by your peers on a national level is amazing. It just reiterates all that hard work that you put in for a long time, and someone has recognized it.”
Riley was born and raised in Albuquerque. He says, “Santa Fe gets more recognition food-wise, but I think Albuquerque is starting to have a bit more recognition.” Mesa Provisions now gets to be a part of that honor. Riley says, “What I’m trying to do here is different… going against the idea of the white tablecloth, fine dining, establishment. Food does not have to always be pretentious or stuffy. It can be fun, enjoyable, and approachable to everybody.”
Since the restaurant opened, the green chili cheddar biscuits and smoked half chicken with beans and tortillas have been fan favorites. Riley believes his food is “a little bit different… you won’t find it anywhere.” Experimenting at home with different flavors and techniques is Riley’s tried-and-true way to add new items to his constantly evolving menu. He says, “I cook what I want to eat, basically. I love to eat and always seek out new and different cuisines.”
Riley’s confidence in cooking came out of necessity. He says, “The first time I thought I could cook was when my mom worked the graveyard shift. So I would make dinner for me and my brother.” He was only 14 at the time. Later, he landed his first restaurant job as a dishwasher. Even then, he knew he liked working in a restaurant.
He later moved to Los Angeles for 17 years to broaden his horizons and culinary experience. Eventually, Riley moved back to Albuquerque. “I wanted to come home to Albuquerque and live a simpler life.” Now, he enjoys Albuquerque’s bigcity feel with a close-knit community. “It’s my home, and it has that feeling of this is the place where I want to be.”
Opening his restaurant has shown the chef how supportive the Albuquerque community can be. Riley says, “Every day since I was nominated, people have come into the restaurant and said congratulations, and we are so proud!” He believes that with a packed dining room and a James Beard nomination, “My crew is just as much responsible for this as I am.”
“IT’S MY HOME, AND IT HAS THAT FEELING OF THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE I WANT TO BE.”
Some may say Albuquerque has a big gap between higher-end restaurants and mom-and-pop options. Mesa Provisions is trying to be in the middle of that. Riley hopes diners will feel relaxed and comfortable at his restaurant. The goal is to eat, have a good time with their friends, and enjoy something they may not usually enjoy. “I hope they walk away with a different view on food and dining in general.”
At 6 a.m. the Mesa Provisions’ crew is already hard at work preparing for dinner service. Riley says, “Everything we can make in-house is done here.” With long hours and a popular restaurant to run, Riley’s next goal is to “get a vacation.” Lucky for him, he has a James Beard event to attend in Chicago. It may be a working vacation, but it is a new and welcomed experience.
Mesa Provisions can be booked out for two weeks or more, so reservations are recommended. Visit Mesa Provisions at 3120 Central Avenue. www.mesaprovisions.com
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David Baca, the CEO for both Enchanted Roofing and Enchanted Mechanical started out as a solo handyman. Today, he works out of a two-story office with over 30 employees and has doubled his yearly gross since 2020. He attributes his business’ growth to his company values. He told us, “A lot of our success depends on us
doing the right thing. We give our customers an honest deal and quality work. That brings us a lot of referrals and repeat business.”
The immediate impression you get when you interact with his staff is that these values are a major factor in their business practices. David says, “You’ll see values
that we as a staff came up with…not just me. We all came together with the values that we practice daily and hold each other accountable for this.”
The company has over 30 years of roofing experience and has expanded into mechanical contracting. They’ve taken on large commercial projects in addition to their residential work and are working on several big jobs at Kirtland AFB.
Committed to the community CONTINUED
David maintains a ranch near Amalia, NM. When we were at his office for this interview, he was raising an adorable Blue Heeler puppy as a ranch dog. They search the mountainside together, looking for shed Elk antlers.
“You’ll see values that we as a staff came up with…not just me. We all came together with the values that we practice daily and hold each other accountable for this.”
For years David was doing general construction and built about 100 houses between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, but in 2015 decided that specialization was the future of the company, so he started Enchanted Roofing. A lot of their residential work comes from real estate professionals prompted by word-of-mouth referrals. His marketing manager, Kaitlyn D’Arcangeli, uses social media and Google Ads to increase the visibility of their services.
Kaitlyn also is involved in the company’s substantial efforts to better the community, both locally and globally. They are a sponsor of Cuidando Los Niños, an organization that provides charitable donations to school children and their families.
Kaitlyn told us, “It’s for children and families that don’t really have the money
to afford housing or schooling, so the organization gives them packages to take home to their families that don’t have food for over the weekend because they know that they may not be able to eat. They also provide clothes for the kids.”
Cuidando Los Niños is just one of the non-profits that Enchanted Roofing supports. They also sponsor efforts to help substance abusers and food insecurity locally as well as provide assistance for women’s empowerment in the Middle East and Africa. The company’s social responsibility endeavors are extraordinary.
Enchanted Roofing and Enchanted Mechanical are located at 5801 Mcleod Road, Suite A in Albuquerque. Their phone number is 505.321.4177. Their website is www.enchantedroofingnm.com
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“As a society, we need to put the negative stigma of mental health to rest once and for all. Taking care of your mind is as important as taking care of your health.”
Allisun Hull is an IBH-Clinical Certified Hypnotherapist, Yoga Instructor, Mentor, and Licensed Health, Wellness, and Spirituality Coach, and conducts yoga retreats in Costa Rica.
A personal trainer and yoga instructor since 2006, Allisun found hypnotherapy in 2017 with the intention of deepening and expanding her knowledge and expertise in healing others through the mind-body connection. She quickly realized hypnotherapy was the perfect addition to her offerings.
Blending different techniques, Allisun practices a unique and intuitive style of hypnotherapy that she has personalized and honed over the past 7 years of practice. “I always start by telling people,” Allisun says. “Hypnosis is not like the movies. It’s not brainwashing. I have no power over you. It’s not something I am doing to you; it is something we are doing together. Hypnosis is a natural state of being with numerous beneficial characteristics.
Many of my clients come to hypnotherapy after years of talk therapy, which has served them well, but they are now ready to go further or explore other healing modalities. Hypnotherapy provides opportunities to access and replace deeply held, limiting beliefs or ideas in the subconscious mind. These limiting beliefs contribute to patterns of thought and behavior that may be standing in your way and preventing you from realizing your full potential and succeeding in various endeavors.
Mental, physical, and emotional health are so important now more than ever, as we find ourselves existing in our current world, one in which we are constantly inundated with information, distractions, and stimuli.
Hypnotherapy regulates the nervous system and realigns us with our natural state of wellness.”
“Mental health impacts everyone. Whether we are dealing with current trauma, past trauma, or family members and friends are, mental health touches everyone in one way or another,” says Rich Ringrose. “Mental health has dramatically affected family members closest to me in very serious ways. So much so that it’s caused me trauma throughout my life. I’m not embarrassed or afraid to admit this. As a society, we need to put the negative stigma of mental health to rest once and for all. Taking care of your mind is as important as taking care of your health.”
After many years of seeing talk therapists, I realized I needed something more. My subconscious mind was holding on to trauma and past beliefs, and I felt I needed a different type of therapy to deal with this. This is when I found Allisun Hull. Allisun explained things to me about the subconscious that had never been explained to me before and quickly made me feel very comfortable. Never once have I felt forced or that I wasn’t in complete control. My work with Allisun has been a profound and life-changing experience that has opened my eyes and raised my awareness of true healing. I know I’m on the right path now with Allisun.”
Talking about mental health will be a regular topic of Albuquerque City Lifestyle from now on, with the hope that more people will talk about their trauma and seek out a professional like Allisun Hull.
Visit allisunhullhypnotherapy.com to book a free 20 minute consultation. Learn more about Allisun’s Cost Rica Retreat at truenaturestravels.com/retreats/ costa-rica-allisun-2024 Phone: 505-382-4413
USING HIS EXPERIENCE TO COACH THE NEXT GENERATION
In 5th grade, after submitting an assignment on his career goals, Kenth Fallen’s teacher pulled him aside and said, “You are kind of a little guy and the chances of you being a pro athlete are slim to none. And you can’t really make a living doing PE.” But if you ask Fallen now, he’d tell you that he is currently living out his dream career.
Fallen started BMX racing when he was 10 years old and would later become the first person from New Mexico to win a professional championship title in the sport. In 1989, he started racing in the USA BMX Grand Nationals – the largest race in the world. He spent years competing in the event as an amateur, but never made the finals until 2002. “It took me 13 years of going to that race and that’s the only time I made it to the main event.” He turned pro in 2002 and continued to race at the Grand Nationals for several years. As a pro, he didn’t make the finals again until 2008 when he went on to win the overall championship. It wasn’t easy for Fallen to get to the pro level. The biggest challenge he faced as a BMX racer was a lack of resources. Early on in his racing career, the sport was still in its infancy, and he didn’t have access to many coaches or scientific information that could help him develop his racing skills quickly.
CONTINUED >
“Any success always comes from the pursuit of knowledge. Pursuit of being better. And taking multiple resources from other sports and from other coaches.”
In his first year of college, he started weight training and that took him from being nationally competitive to nationally dominate as an amateur. This intrigued him and he wanted to learn more about weight training and other skills that he could implement to improve his racing abilities. “Any success always comes from the pursuit of knowledge. Pursuit of being better. And taking multiple resources from other sports and from other coaches.”
His racing career spurred his interest in exercise science, and he used his BMX racing income to pay for his master’s degree. He wanted to continue to learn so he could become a better pro athlete. But Fallen realized that eventually his professional career would end, and he would need to find a new profession. Everything he learned about himself, and the sport led to his decision to start coaching.
He started his coaching business, LifeSport as a way to help young BMXers advance in the sport. He likes to scout athletes that already have an advanced skillset so he can help push them to the next level. When families ask him why their children should train with him, his response is, “I’ve already done all the research and development. I’ve already made all the mistakes. I already have all the science to back up what I’ve been doing. And if you guys
Kenth Fallen
experiment long enough, you’ll get it, or we can just cut to the chase and we can start day one with what I know actually works and is scientifically proven.” He wants to give racers a pathway to get to the same national race that he won 16 years ago. In addition to training athletes one on one, he has coached the USA BMX World Championship Team since 2008, and even served as the head coach up until 2020.
LifeSport has grown beyond just training BMX racers. Fallen has built a team comprised of personal trainers and a physical therapist, all with different fitness and health backgrounds. The LifeSport team provides high-level training for people of all ages, genders, skillsets, and goals. He knows that anyone starting their fitness journey will face challenges, it’s not easy, but he wants LifeSport to be a resource for people. He doesn’t want his clients to hold themselves back from their full potential. “Start with something. You don’t need to be all in or all out. Even if it’s going to the gym for 20 minutes, that’s way better than nothing.” He wants his clients to have realistic expectations for themselves, so he starts off by identifying small milestones that they can work towards. His philosophy is that working towards small progress is better than no progress. He learned this early on in his racing career and he carried that with him into his coaching career.
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POURING A LONG ONE
Boese Brothers Brewery is a family and veteran-owned local business that started its first taproom in downtown Albuquerque in 2015. Over the years, brothers George and Sam have added to their locations with taprooms in Albuquerque’s NE Heights, Santa Fe, and Los Alamos. Boese Brothers’ mission is to provide Albuquerque with unique beers of the highest quality, offering a fresh interpretation of classic styles.
George Boese told us, “For the nearly 10 years that we’ve been doing this, we haven’t chased too many trendy-type things. We started off making classic examples of beers with real attention to detail in our processes. We’ve kept it simple and over the years and we’ve refined those recipes to make a high-quality product that’s also very consistent.”
The brothers have, however, had to keep their eyes on customer preferences in a changing market. George said, “We were on the tail end of probably seven or eight years of craft beer experiencing very robust growth. We were seeing 20% ranges in craft beer sales…so crazy growth, and now we’re seeing kind of a correction in our industry. Fewer people are drinking craft beers and a lot more are leaning to what I would say are kind of lighter more palatable flavors than craft beer. Some customers were turning to pre-mixed RTDs or ready-to-drink cocktails…also some alcohol drinks with artificial fruit flavoring.”
The brothers delved into distillation, and they now produce vodka, gin, bourbon, and agave spirits to offer classic cocktails. They also offer sandwiches and a variety of bar food at most of their taprooms.
We asked George to enlighten us on the company philosophy. He said, “Family, quality, and good times.” Boese Brothers Brewery does make their taprooms fun with karaoke, holiday events (St. Patrick’s Day, Oktoberfest, et al), and live music. An extremely varied menu of libations, including seasonal specialties, is available at all their taprooms.
“We’ve kept it simple and over the years and we’ve refined those recipes to make a high-quality product that’s also very consistent.”
Their website lists all their locations, menus, hours, events, and phone numbers: https://www. boesebrothersbrewery.com/
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A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
JUNE 2ND
2024 Albuquerque Super Show Lowrider Experience
Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 2nd St NW Albuquerque, NM 87102 | 12:00 PM
Cars and music! 505.730.6527. https:// newmexicosupershow.com/
JUNE 6TH
Albuquerque Job FairAlbuquerque Career Fairs
virtual | 10:00 AM
VIRTUAL ALBUQUERQUE JOB FAIRS
A virtual job fair offers an exceptional opportunity to meet with decision-making hiring managers in your area. You no longer need to waste countless hours submitting resumes without receiving any responses. Take this chance to update your resume and bring your best self forward – it's time to truly stand out.
JUNE 21ST-29TH
37th Festival Flamenco Alburquerque
National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Presented by the National Institute of Flamenco, the University of New Mexico, PNC Bank and the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Festival Flamenco Alburquerque will include 20 performances, over 60 free and paid workshops, 13 internationally based performance companies, one New Mexican company, two world premiere shows, and over 90 performers. https://www. nifnm.org/festival-flamenco-interna cional-de-alburquerque