Place to Meet Singles-Ones you Actually Want to Talk to, That is
Friday Night Gallery Openings
Love is in the Air:
Move over laundromat! Bye-bye produce section! Check out Santa Fe's best single-scene: gallery-hopping on Friday nights. It gives singles a chance to mingle-creating an open discussion on art and individual tastes, thus ensuring that the potential catch does not equate a black velvet hobo paintings to a masterpiece.
Cupid's Arrow:
Here's how it works: Wander down Canyon Road. Pick a gallery. Eye a painting/sculpture/photo and walk across a crowded room and find someone (deserving of you) contemplating the same artwork. Smile invitingly, note the colors, bold lines, etc., and discuss the opening and how it relates to you. Don't forget to get a cell number and take a picture of them next to the artwork discussed. Then it's off to El Farol for drinks.
Who Loves you Baby:
Klaudia Marr of the Klaudia Marr Gallery is happy to see a buzz surrounding the Friday-night scene on Canyon Road. "We love to see the locals out on Canyon. It revives the city and brings out the young people," she says.
Second Place:
Borders
Third Place:
Cowgirl
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Best Flower Shop Where the Stems Say it All
The Flower Market
345 West Manhattan Avenue, 982-9663
Love is in the Air:
With the summer heat bearing down on us, there's nothing like chilling out in the Flower Market's large walk-in cooler filled with fresh, vibrant flowers. Customers take their time shopping and chatting with like-minded flower people. Cut flowers, lined up by the bucketful, await careful arranging by customers' creative hands. Not-so-creative hands can get expert advice from shop staff who know their stuff and like to play with the greenery.
Cupid's Arrow:
New trends show that guys are buying lilies for their hunny-bunnies and the gals are buying tropical flowers in place of the red, red rose. The specials are always a deal, so it's fun to stock up on a bunch.
Who Loves You Baby:
"Seems like every year!" owner Edward Dunaway says upon learning he's won. He especially loves seeing his regulars and meeting new customers, all of whom are always excited to see what's in store at the little white flower shop with the blue trim.
Second Place:
Artichokes and Pomegranates
Third Place:
Fred's Flowers
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Best Romantic Restaurant for Public Displays of Affection
Fuego at La Posada
330 East Palace Avenue, 986-0000
Love is in the Air:
Surroundings are created for a sense of privacy using white linen, leather couches, mood lighting, fresh flowers and a handsome fireplace. The only thing missing is Barry White. Executive Chef Rahm Fama creates sophisticated and original cuisine by using a deconstructionist approach to presentation. Dishes are prepared and consumed in progression, allowing diners to savor each delicate ingredient, such as heirloom tomatoes, milk-fed chickens and Kobe beef.
Cupid's Arrow:
Nothing says "I love you" like sharing a sumptuous meal. The Chateaubriand is carved at the table but if you'd rather share dessert you absolutely shouldn't miss the Louis XVIII hot chocolate. Served with crisp orliettes for dipping and nibbling and maybe some footsy under the table.
Who Loves you Baby:
Food and Beverage Director Michael McPhie says, "We're thrilled!" He and Fama have been a part of Fuego for 2 1/2 years and "feel they've made significant ground in a short period of time."
Second Place:
Julian's
Third Place:
Geronimo
Best Place to Tie the Knot, No Matter Your Sexual Orientation
Loretto Chapel
211 Old Santa Fe Trail, 982-0092
Love is in the Air:
The Loretto Chapel is the wedding hot spot with gorgeous, richly colored stained glass windows, gothic architecture and of course-the staircase. Although use of the staircase is limited, an exception is made, as a treat, to accommodate the bride and groom on their special day for wedding photos.
Cupid's Arrow:
Legend has it that after nine days of prayer, a stranger (perhaps St. Joseph, patron saint of carpenters) appeared one day to build this miraculous staircase, which appears to float to the choir loft. Mystery surrounds the stranger's appearance and disappearance, the origins of the wood he used and the mere physics of such a structure built without ArchiCAD.
Who Loves you Baby:
"People come from all over to get married here," Mark Childers, events coordinator, says. "It's the modern day miracle how much revenue [the weddings] bring in to town." From June to September, the busiest months, there can be as many as 15 ceremonies over a single weekend. This is the quintessential location for a Santa Fe wedding.
Second Place:
Randall Davey Audubon Center
Third Place:
La Posada
