This week it's been raining blessings. My book Backroads & Byways of New Mexico: Drives, Day Trips and Weekend Excursions was named a winner in the New Mexico Book Awards. The publisher is The Countryman Press, a division of W.W. Norton, and the guide is available through bookstores and on-line.
In addition, I received notice that I had been awarded writer of the year in "2008 Best of Albuqueque," sponsored by the U.S. Local Business Association. I am honored to receive the accolade because no matter where I roam in my writing career, Albuquerque is home--my favorite place on earth.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
International Gastromony & Tourism
Put a dozen or so international foodies in a room, give them a couple hours to discuss their culinary traditions, and you have a fascinating afternoon. During the UNESCO International Conference on Creative Tourism, I participated in a symposium on gastronomy and how it influences travel.
Within the circle of experts, the lively discussion hit on diverse topics. After briefly introducing ourselves, we discussed our favorite food cities and why their food appealed so strongly. As with many such interactions, the primaries lead quickly into the discussion of culinary issues.
One of the first to speak was Julia Chiu from Toronto, who concentrated on the social aspect new regulations had on Japan, especially the inferior material found recently in imports from China. She also touched on the Japanese custom of producing special foods which Asian custom believes a benefit to the elderly.
Benedetto Zacchiroli, from the Bologna Mayor’s office, entertained us with tales of his experiences with Italian food in the U.S. Now we know real pasta Bolognese is not made with spaghetti but tagliatelli, the meat is never beef but pork, and the sauce is called ragu. The American version, he commented, is but one example of the globalization of traditional dishes.
A representative from Santiago de Compostela provided insights in Galician cuisine, generally misunderstood outside her country. The foods of Spain’s northwestern peninsula are not, as often portrayed, Mediterranean, but Atlantic. The Galician’s catch over 80 different types of saltwater fish, both along their coast and world-wide as well as a tremendous quantity of mussels and other shellfish. Vigo, the largest city in Galicia, is Spain’s most important fishing port and the third largest in Europe.
George Poussin, who oversees UNESCO Creative Cities program, spoke of the cult dimension of gastronomy and the “intangible heritage” of traditional cooking. Emphasizing the difference being creativity, he said we need not only protect the past but open new culinary criteria.
In addition, he mentioned how difficult it was, especially in developing, countries, to initiate the Creative Cities plan. Currently, there are only 12: Aswan, Egypt; Berlin: Bologna: Buenos Aires: Edinburgh;: Glasgow; Lyon; Melbourne; Montreal; Seville; Popayan, Columbia; and Santa Fe, the only U.S. representative.
Perhaps Jo Harvey Allen of Santa Fe voiced the most interesting topic. She has been instrumental in a program electronically joining farmer’s markets around the world. Dubbed “SEE,” it involves ten mammoth LCD screens to be mounted in select growers’ markets, starting with Santa Fe’s well-known Railyard Market. “Markets are the heartbeat of a whole city,” she said, “and we plan to connect time-zone adjusted video installations. If you’re in Barcelona’s Boqueria, you can see the action in Santa Fe.” The program has been funded and a committee is considering appropriate locations.
Summing up our feelings as we dispersed to the ballroom to hear Geoffrey Godbey speak, Duncan Sill of the Santa Fe County Planning & Development Division, said, “As travelers, gastronomy is a good way to engage in the human condition.” Amen to that!
Within the circle of experts, the lively discussion hit on diverse topics. After briefly introducing ourselves, we discussed our favorite food cities and why their food appealed so strongly. As with many such interactions, the primaries lead quickly into the discussion of culinary issues.
One of the first to speak was Julia Chiu from Toronto, who concentrated on the social aspect new regulations had on Japan, especially the inferior material found recently in imports from China. She also touched on the Japanese custom of producing special foods which Asian custom believes a benefit to the elderly.
Benedetto Zacchiroli, from the Bologna Mayor’s office, entertained us with tales of his experiences with Italian food in the U.S. Now we know real pasta Bolognese is not made with spaghetti but tagliatelli, the meat is never beef but pork, and the sauce is called ragu. The American version, he commented, is but one example of the globalization of traditional dishes.
A representative from Santiago de Compostela provided insights in Galician cuisine, generally misunderstood outside her country. The foods of Spain’s northwestern peninsula are not, as often portrayed, Mediterranean, but Atlantic. The Galician’s catch over 80 different types of saltwater fish, both along their coast and world-wide as well as a tremendous quantity of mussels and other shellfish. Vigo, the largest city in Galicia, is Spain’s most important fishing port and the third largest in Europe.
George Poussin, who oversees UNESCO Creative Cities program, spoke of the cult dimension of gastronomy and the “intangible heritage” of traditional cooking. Emphasizing the difference being creativity, he said we need not only protect the past but open new culinary criteria.
In addition, he mentioned how difficult it was, especially in developing, countries, to initiate the Creative Cities plan. Currently, there are only 12: Aswan, Egypt; Berlin: Bologna: Buenos Aires: Edinburgh;: Glasgow; Lyon; Melbourne; Montreal; Seville; Popayan, Columbia; and Santa Fe, the only U.S. representative.
Perhaps Jo Harvey Allen of Santa Fe voiced the most interesting topic. She has been instrumental in a program electronically joining farmer’s markets around the world. Dubbed “SEE,” it involves ten mammoth LCD screens to be mounted in select growers’ markets, starting with Santa Fe’s well-known Railyard Market. “Markets are the heartbeat of a whole city,” she said, “and we plan to connect time-zone adjusted video installations. If you’re in Barcelona’s Boqueria, you can see the action in Santa Fe.” The program has been funded and a committee is considering appropriate locations.
Summing up our feelings as we dispersed to the ballroom to hear Geoffrey Godbey speak, Duncan Sill of the Santa Fe County Planning & Development Division, said, “As travelers, gastronomy is a good way to engage in the human condition.” Amen to that!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Conference on Creative Tourism
In the first global gathering of its kind, delegates from around the world met in Santa Fe this week to explore the concept of Creative Tourism. The comprehensive program included talks, seminars, and interaction with Santa Fe artists, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, craftspeople, and business experts.
What is creative tourism? The definition developed cooperatively by UNESCO’s Creative Cities is “engaging travelers in a community’s culture through active participation which provides the visitor an authentic experience of a community’s heritage”. The goal is to promote the social, economic, and cultural development of municipalities in both the developed and developing world.
Why did UNESCO choose the city format?
1. Cities harbor the entire range of cultural actors throughout the creative industry chain from the creative act to production and distribution.
2. As breeding grounds for creative clusters, cities have great potential to harness creativity, and connecting cities can mobilize this potential for global impact
3. Cities are small enough to affect local cultural industries but also large enough to serve as gateways to international markets.
Santa Fe holds the distinction of being the only Creative City in the U.S., joining Aswan, Berlin, Bologna, Buenos Aires, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lyon, Melbourne, Montreal, Popayan, Columbia, and Seville.
I was able to attend the Wednesday session, and in the following days, I will discuss our roundtable on Gastronomy, which attracted delegates from Japan, France, Santiago de Compostela, Barcelona, Bologna, as well as several of us New Mexicans.
In addition, I hope to share with you ideas from a fascinating lunch speaker, Geoffrey Godbey, a specialist on re-positioning of leisure and tourism services for the future.
Stay tuned!
What is creative tourism? The definition developed cooperatively by UNESCO’s Creative Cities is “engaging travelers in a community’s culture through active participation which provides the visitor an authentic experience of a community’s heritage”. The goal is to promote the social, economic, and cultural development of municipalities in both the developed and developing world.
Why did UNESCO choose the city format?
1. Cities harbor the entire range of cultural actors throughout the creative industry chain from the creative act to production and distribution.
2. As breeding grounds for creative clusters, cities have great potential to harness creativity, and connecting cities can mobilize this potential for global impact
3. Cities are small enough to affect local cultural industries but also large enough to serve as gateways to international markets.
Santa Fe holds the distinction of being the only Creative City in the U.S., joining Aswan, Berlin, Bologna, Buenos Aires, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lyon, Melbourne, Montreal, Popayan, Columbia, and Seville.
I was able to attend the Wednesday session, and in the following days, I will discuss our roundtable on Gastronomy, which attracted delegates from Japan, France, Santiago de Compostela, Barcelona, Bologna, as well as several of us New Mexicans.
In addition, I hope to share with you ideas from a fascinating lunch speaker, Geoffrey Godbey, a specialist on re-positioning of leisure and tourism services for the future.
Stay tuned!
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