Photo by Valerie Santagto

Though a festival’s debut year is full of learning experiences, organizers of the Latin Dance Festival have all their steps covered

By Jamie Garcia
The National Hispanic Cultural Center will partner with Guanabana Productions this month to bring the Latin Dance Festival to Albuquerque August 23-29. 

This seven-day festival will take advantage of many of Albuquerque’s local dance venues, and will conclude with a weekend of dance workshops, performances and live music at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, as well as venues throughout Downtown Albuquerque.

By Jeff Berg
Recently, the stars aligned for Albuquerque Film Festival (AFF) director Rich Henrich,which subsequently enabled some of the stars to align for this year’s festival. Only in its second year, the festival has certainly exceeded alot of folk’s expectations with its impressive array of films, panels and film personalities.

A five-year stint in LA helped to shed new light on the career of one of Oregon’s best folk-rock acts

By Logan Greely
Even casual observers of the weather know that Los Angeles gets far more sunny days than Portland. And given the bright, sunshiny outlook of Portland folk- rock act, The Parson Redheads, its move to Los Angeles shortly after forming five years ago has to play into lyrics like, “give all the love that you have” and “try waking up with the sun.”

Photos by Wes Naman

A pair of local CSAs are doing their part to narrow the wide food chasm between grower and consumer

By Kay Vinson
Locavore - One who tries to eat only locally grown foods.

Nowadays, it is increasingly easier for foodies to subscribe to the so-called “locavore” movement, which, as its name suggests, emphasizes the consumption of locally produced, sustainable food sources over those that are mass produced and nationally distributed. This becomes especially true during harvest season, when growers’ markets in the city abound and the need to shop at chain supermarkets decreases considerably.

Story by Chef Sam Etheridge • Photos by Wes Naman
I am often asked, “When I make a certain dish at home, why does it not taste like it does at the restaurant?” The answer is usually in the ingredients that are used to impart more flavor into a particular dish. One of the secrets that many chefs use in a professional kitchen is the use of wine. You would be surprised at how much wine is used in the kitchen (mostly for cooking) and how many dishes benefit from wine.

Photo by Wes Naman

Transplant David Kurtz finds comfort in Tijeras, a well-rounded band of local musicians and a pair of scarlet cowboy boots

By Bill Nevins
Whether it’s a hot summer night at the Marble Brewery outdoor stage, a crowded watering hole like Gecko’s, Hallenbrick, the Barley Room or way out in Grants at the Fire and Ice Biker Rally, if the David Kurtz Band is on stage, the atmosphere is much brighter than normal.

Now in its 10th year, Native Cinema Showcase is marked with films of indigenous peoples that are, above all, accurate

By Jeff Berg
There are some mighty fine films at this year’s 2010 Native Cinema Showcase, including two that have connections to our fair state.

Again being presented by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, Center for Contemporary Arts Santa Fe (CCA) and the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA), this year’s installment (its 10th overall) brings 14 films to Santa Fe, all of which tell stories of indigenous people from around the world. Interestingly, New Mexico’s own film industry got its start with a short film made by Thomas Edison at the Isleta Indian School in 1898. First Nations filmmakers and the subject of First Nations people or lifestyles remains strong, as witnessed by two wonderful films in this year’s showcase, which has intrastate connections.

Photo by Wes Naman

A desire to bring authentic Neapolitan-style pizza to Albuquerque leads Lewis Sabert to quit his desk job and go mobile

By Chris Quintana
Most men who experience a mid-life crisis buy a sports car. Lewis Sabert started his own pizza company.

Pizza Van Go, a mobile Neapolitan pizzeria, is Sabert’s answer to years of working as a systems analyst.

Photo by Joy Godfrey

Local web developer spends off time wrangling honey from backyard beehive

Sitting on her backyard porch, sipping a morning cup of coffee, Chantal Foster listens to the buzz of honey bees as they move in and out of their hive. It’s among her favorite things to do. 

Foster is a part-time beekeeper in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill, where she looks after the one hive in her back yard, four hives in neighbors’ back yards, and three hives located in some of Albuquerque city’s open spaces. She is among a growing number of urban beekeepers in the Albuquerque metro area and other cities around the country who believe they are the key to rescuing the country’s declining honey bee population.