Human Rights Day
Saturday, December 10, 2011 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Free, everyone welcome

Taos Public Library, 402 Camino De La Placita, Taos, New Mexico 87571 (Near Taos City Hall )

“I wanted to write and express my sincere thanks for sending me the new Food Not Bombs book. It’s beautifully written and was a great inspiration to me. There aren’t many books that made me cry and be encouraged at the same time. Ironically, as I was reading I was also watching the police tear down the kitchen at Occupy Denver.” – Hillary, Boulder Colorado

Food Not Bombs has proven to be an effective project for social change and has introduced several generations to the power of nonviolent direct action. Keith McHenry’s first book helped inspire the formation of hundreds of Food Not Bombs chapters around the world. It sold 10,000 copies in English and thousands more in Spanish, Italian, French and Russian. His new book, “Hungry For Peace,” will encourage another generation to take action collecting, cooking and sharing vegan meals and groceries in protest of a political and economic system that causes massive suffering.

“Hungry For Peace” makes a passionate case that we should take action to end hunger, poverty and war, and provides shocking evidence that our future is in peril if we sit by and do nothing. This book will motivate you to take action and provides hope that you can make a difference. This 180-page Food Not Bombs handbook includes 120 photos and illustrations, vegan recipes to provide meals for groups of 100 (and families of six people) with metric and U.S. measurements, as well as a 30-year history of the movement, including time line of major events in the history of the Food Not Bombs movement.

Keith has been traveling across the United States helping collect, cook and share meals at a number of occupations including Occupy Wall Street, Occupy DC, Occupy Philly, Occupy Boston, Occupy Miami, Occupy Norfolk, and Occupy Chicago. He also helped may other people organize kitchens and food collect at their local occupations. The process of consensus used by the general assemblies is one of many details described in this powerful book edited by Taos editor Shawna Williams. The first editions were published by Levine Mesa Press of Taos. Taos resident Keith McHenry wrote, illustrated and designed the book at many Taos cafe’s, restaurants and the North Side Spa since he lived without electrically in a pasture in El Prado. Keith can’t thank Taos enough for all the support provided by the local community during the three years he worked on this project.

Keith will sign copies of his book after the presentation and donate two copies to the Taos Public Library making it available for the public to read for free.

To see a pdf of the new book visit:

HUNGRY FOR PEACE – How you can help end poverty and war with Food Not Bombs – ISBN 978-1-937276-06-5
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/hungry_for_peace_promotional.html

Snowboarding in Angel Fire’s Lowrider Park
Now through December 15, 2011

Enchanted Circle Ski Resort Openings

The Enchanted Circle Ski season kicks off at Sipapu Ski Resort on November 19, followed by Red River Ski Resort on the 23, Taos Ski Valley on the 24, and Angel Fire Resort opens on December 15.

Taos Ski Valley has already received 12 inches of snow with more on the way!

http://www.sipapunm.com/

http://www.redriverskiarea.com/

http://www.skitaos.org/

http://www.angelfireresort.com/

November 25, 2011 – TaosFolk

On Friday at 10 am, Taos Folk will be opening their doors for the second year at the Stables Gallery. Visitors can expect a variety of work by 40 Taos artists. An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 pm on the 25th as well. The gallery will be open every day from Friday, November 25th through Saturday, December 24th from 10 am to 5:30 pm. For more information visit www.taosfolk.com or call Georgia Page at 575-613-3697 or Abby Salsbury at 575-751-3752.
Location: The Stables Gallery, 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte

November 25, 2011

Launching November 25th and Running through Christmas Day—Tax Free Holiday Shopping From Select Taos Merchants!

Start your value-added holiday shopping early this weekend as Taos starts its Tax Free Holiday promotion, combined with two hour free parking throughout the Downtown Historic District. Plus, make sure to visit the Annual Town of Taos Arts & Crafts Fair Fri., Sat., and Sun. over Thanksgiving weekend at the Town of Taos Convention Center on Civic Plaza Dr. Unique, hand-made holiday offerings everywhere —plus refreshments, music and fun supplied by the Taos Youth & Family Center.

Ongoing

Give the Gift of Travel

For a wonderful holiday gift your loved ones will never forget, visit www.giftnm.com and Give the Gift of Travel for Under $100. Travel to North Central New Mexico can be redeemed throughout much of 2012. Certain restrictions apply. See individual offers for details.

December 3, 2011

Amazon Voices: Inaugural Fundraiser for Kipatsi Indigenous Inc.

Ashéninka Mino (Ashéninka Nation) and Emilio Salvatierra (Yánesha Nation) are ambassadors of the Central Jungle region of Perú and are members of Kipatsi. Ashéninka Mino will present how the impact of invasion by outsiders on their indigenous territories causes a threat of rapid deterioration to the culture, tradition and ancestral roots.

Presentation on how these communities are creating their own initiatives and solutions to the problems faced. Katia T. Delgado (Qechua/Mestiza) will present on how the promulgated law of “previous and informed consent” towards indigenous communities which was recently approved by the Peruvian Government creates an opportunity for the recuperation of indigenous lands. There will also be a general orientation to Andean cosmovision and the resurgence of indigenous knowledge.

Emilio Salvatierra will present on the richness of Yánesha culture, language and issues of biodiversity of the Amazon region of Perú. There will be Peruvian food for sale and a raffle of an Amazon jewelry piece.

Suggested Donation: $10.00 or more goes towards supporting Indigenous projects of communities in the Peruvian Amazon. Contact Katia T. Delgado 575-613-0582, katia@kipatsi.org or Nyna Matysiak at 575-758-3219, livingearthgarden@gmail.com.
Location: Optymism, 314-G Paseo del Pueblo Norte

Taos Express Shuttle Offers More Stops & Departure Times

Effective October 1, 2011, the popular Taos Express bus service will offer two additional stops in Taos. Taos Express will also implement a few minor schedule changes to coincide with the New Mexico Railrunner’s modified weekend schedule. See www.TaosExpress.com for details about this nonstop weekend bus service between Santa Fe and Taos including cost, schedule and to make reservations or call 575-751-4459.

Eligibility period: Initial date of broadcast or theatrical release between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011

Entry details and form can be found at www.gabrielawards.com

Categories range from religious, ecumenical or interreligious, arts and entertainment, news and informational to children’s program. These categories are also broken down according to national or local distribution. Several categories are even broken down by market size.

This is the 47th year that the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals has sponsored the Gabriel Awards, honoring the best in film, radio and television programs, features, spots and stations. The Gabriel Award honorees are recognized as leaders in reaching out to their audiences through a value-centered vision of humankind and reporting with a clear and positive treatment of issues.

Each year special awards are given to Radio and Television Stations of the Year in the categories of Commercial/Public and Religious stations, which demonstrate outstanding achievement in their overall efforts. The winning stations take community service seriously, which is reflected in all that they do. I would encourage you to enter in that category with an audio CD/tape (radio) or DVD/video tape that captures the essence of your day-to-day commitment.

The single most important criterion of a Gabriel winning program is its ability to uplift and nourish the human spirit. A Gabriel-worthy program affirms the dignity of human beings; it recognizes and upholds universally-recognized human values such as community, creativity, tolerance, justice, compassion and the dedication to excellence.

For more information and entry form, go to www.gabrielawards.com.
John E. Kearns, Jr.
Gabriel Awards Chair

Sponsored by the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals, Inc.,
1645 Brook Lynn Dr., Ste 2, Dayton, Ohio, 45432-1944, 937-458-0265

January 25, 2012, Gabriel Awards entry deadline

2012 Catholic Media Convention, June 20-22, Crown Plaza at Union Station, Indianapolis

Our upcoming November & December classes are not to be missed and are filling up fast. The schedule is below, please inquire for specific menus (which I will also post to our website and FB page ASAP). Grab a friend, come alone and make new friends – all in a wonderfully delicious atmosphere!

Private classes for individuals, families and groups at our location OR YOURS are always an option as well as company team building or COMPANY HOLIDAY PARTIES! Chris teaches on location as well, TX, CO, CA, etc. Please inquire for availability and schedule…

Give the GIFT of COOKING! What could be more fun than a gift certificate for a cooking class that can be mailed/emailed? A wonderful way to give something fun that your friends and family will remember forever, valid for one year.

Our CALEB&MILO specialty spreads and salsas are fabulous for holiday parties and get togethers and can also be shipped! List of products: TAOS RED SALSA – Mild, Medium & Hot, TOMATILLO SALSA, BLACK BEAN DIP, SPICY EGGPLANT SPREAD, CILANTRO, MINT, JALAPENO PESTO, TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SPREAD, MEDITERRANEAN RED PEPPER SPREAD…. yummy!!!

Cheers and Happy Holiday Season!
Valerie & Chris

Call 575 776 COOK(2665) / email / FB to reserve your space(s)

Sat. Nov 26th NEW MEXICAN Cuisine 1:00pm
Sun. Nov 27th GREEK Cuisine 1:00pm
Sat.Dec. 3rd FRENCH Cuisine 1:00pm
Sat. Dec. 10th NEW MEXICAN Cuisine 5:00pm, on location Amarillo, TX
Sat.Dec. 3rd FRENCH Cuisine 1:00pm
Dec. 17th VIETNAMESE Cuisine 1:00pm
Dec. 18th CROQUEMBOUCHE & SAVORY SOUFFLES 1:00pm

Dec. 26th Hearty Winter HORS d’OEUVRES 1:00pm
Dec. 27th ELEGANT NEW YEARS Menu 1:00pm
Dec. 28th NEW MEXICAN Cuisine 1:00pm
Dec. 29th WINTER SOUPS Cuisine 1:00pm
Dec. 30th CENTRAL ITALIAN Cuisine 1:00pm

All classes are 100% hands on participation and learning covering a wide variety of cuisines. The length of each class is approximately 4 hours, and all levels of cooks are welcome! Cost for each class is $98, which includes all food, instruction, recipes to take home and a beautiful, seated meal at the end of each class, paired with wines. Each class is limited to 12 individuals on a first come first serve basis, we so reserve your space(s) in advance to get the class you most want. Private classes are also always an option – individuals, families and groups – call for availability and pricing.

Here is a fantastic video of a recent Thai class at our facility at our Blackstone Ranch facility:
Cooking Studio Taos hosts Gone With the Wynns for a Thai Cooking Class….YUM!
www.gonewiththewynns.net

Recent article posted following an on-location cooking class Chris taught in Berkely, CA:

Chris Maher Marathon | Dactyls & Drakes
www.dactyls-and-drakes.com
Remember the chef who came to dinner? Chris Maher, the chef, was teaching some cooking classes in LA, and arranged to teach a Thai cooking class on Sunday at my house. There were eight of us, learning everything from how to hold a knife and chop an onion, to tricks for making Thai green chile paste …

We’re serving it up in two different places and in two different formats to help you find music easily.

Bookmark these two links:

Taos Experience Mobile Calendar

Taos Experience Features Music Calendar

If you’d like to participate in Taos Experience events, listings and advertisements, email taosexperience@gmail.com

Dear Alley Cantina,

I believe Axel Dirksen sometimes played at your place in recent years.

I am very sorry to inform you of Axel’s sudden passing. She died alone on her sailboat last Thursday night and was not discovered by me until nine the next morning. When Axel did not show up for a coffee meeting with me on Friday at 8:00 when were going to set up a rehearsal. I got worried because it had been very cold Thursday nightt, and she usually drank several glasses of wine before going back to her marina about a mile from downtown Friday Harbor. Also she always kept her cell charged and was very good about staying touch with friends.

At this point, the cause of her death has not been determined. When I found her she was sitting slumped over on the floor of the galley in her boat. Her sudden passing was a great blow to me and to the friends she made here.

Last Saturday night was to be her first gig as a headliner at our local bar/restaurant The Rumor Mill. Over the past few months she’d been coming to open mic and began to build up a following with each appearance.

On Friday morning a sheriff came quickly to the boat and went down in Axel’s boat to make sure it was not just a concussion.

He came back up to tell me sadly that she was definitely gone. He also said that when someone dies unattended and with no local kin, that the coroner usually requests an autopsy to determine cause of death.

Axel told me not long ago that she had a younger sister in Germany, but I never learned the sister’s name or home town.

Today, Sunday, the county coroner called me hoping I could give him information about the sister. So far the Sheriffs here have not been able to find anything on her phone or on her computer, or in her personal effects to help them reach Axel’s sister, so if you or any friends of Axel’s in N.M. might be able to give some useful information, please have them write me an email and I will forward it to the coroner here.

Last night, Saturday, the musicians who would have accompanied Axel, played at her wake. The place was full. And we all knew how much we would miss her and her music.

From Jim McCormick in Port Townsend, Washington

Here are a few recordings I managed to make of Axel on the sly. At first, she was not happy I had recorded, but eventually she was proud of them.

And also:

http://vimeo.com/8297467

http://romancito.com/sounds/axel/awesome_run.mp3
http://romancito.com/sounds/axel/summertime.mp3
http://romancito.com/sounds/axel/nobody.mp3