How to Spend a Long Weekend with Friends in Santa Fe

Issue #133: And tips for packing and avoiding friend fights.

Morning Person is a weekly newsletter packed with obsessively-curated recommendations and ideas—let’s get to it!

📚 Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xóchitl González, on Audiobook: Gonzalez’s latest novel, following her popular debut Olga Dies Dreaming, weaves the intertwining stories of Raquel, a Brooklyn-born Puerto Rican student attending a predominantly white Ivy League college in the ‘90s, and Anita, a Cuban artist who was found dead in the ‘80s in New York (inspired by Ana Mendieta’s devastating story). As Raquel navigates micro-aggressions and the cruel “Art History Girls,” history begins to repeat itself when her social star is elevated by the attention of a wealthy white man (and subsequent self-erasure to fit in). I listened to it on audiobook, which I highly recommend, for the cast, especially Anita’s voice.

🥗 Broccoli Slaw with Spicy Cashew Turmeric Dressing: When we weren’t eating out in Santa Fe, the friend I stayed with and I cooked recipes from

Mia Rigden

’s cookbook Foodwise—which is at the top of my list to buy next time I’m at Powell’s. When I got back home last night, I was craving something fresh and simple, so I made this broccoli slaw, swapping most of the greens for a tossed mix of Trader Joe’s broccoli slaw and cruciferous crunch. I also didn’t soak the cashews, but it worked just fine! A fresh and delicious post-trip meal. I’m also eager to make this hummus bowl from

Caroline Chambers

.

🎥 Perfect Days, available on Apple TV+: This slow, contemplative movie about a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo is a meditation on the little things—the sound of a brush sweeping the street, shadows formed by leaves, and other moments of sublimity in the mundane, if you’ll excuse the philosophical expression. Each day is mostly the same, with the exception of a family disruption, and an ode to an analog life full of awareness. I watched it on my flight home from Santa Fe after writing down the quote “Generosity is the path to abundance” from this interview, which made for the perfect pairing. (Found this recommendation via

Platonic Love

here!)

P.S. Our book club book is Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering! Pencil in a Zoom chat on Wednesday, April 3rd at 5 PM, PST with some chats in the app before then! Other things on my radar... I’m eager to see ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ starring Kristen Stewart. And I keep seeing good things about the podcast “Who Trolled Amber?”

Lunch at Uzo, wearing the beloved top I bought last time I was in Santa Fe (!)

I had never been to Santa Fe when two of my best friends moved there in 2020, but have since made an annual tradition of returning. The high desert vistas and weather remind me of where I grew up, in Reno, and, though it’s a small town, it has an impressive range of hikes, museums, and restaurants that make it the perfect destination for a long weekend getaway! This time around, I stayed for an entire week with my friend Betsy to have some un-rushed catch-up time. We packed in our time together, yet I still feel like I only just scratched the surface (!). Below, I condensed some of my favorite stops into an itinerary for a three-day weekend in Santa Fe and Taos. You’ll also find a downloadable map, plus tips for packing and traveling with friends!