This post is intended only for the folks who care about where their money goes once spent! If that's not you - don't come at me because we disagree :)

Betterday Coffee is run by a notoriously abrasive, aggressive, and mean man who does not even live full-time in the state of New Mexico. He did, but he doesn't anymore. He tells virtually no one this because his coffee shop is a "locally owned business" (that's just my perception, of course). His employees are very skilled and held to a high standard. Like, you will be doing everything you can, busting your ass managing sixteen tasks at once and making great drinks, and he'll just straight up tell you that you fucking suck and are an idiot who he could replace in two seconds. Which is laughably untrue, given their extreme struggle to retain people past the interview stage.

The pay for baristas? Well, there's a base of 4.50/HOUR + tips. The absolute MAXIMUM a barista can make before tips is 5/HOUR. That is heinous!!! Your tips are literally making up the majority of their wage (>75% if they're pulling in 20+ an hour)!

BTW, there was a cockroach infestation directly under the barista prep counter next to the reg that was atrocious and, from the employee perspective, it truly seemed like nothing was being done - like legitimately nothing effective was done beyond a handful of sticky traps. After months of this, it was FINALLY resolved. Fun story, I had a cockroach crawl out of the coffee grinder onto me while I was working 😭 but anytime i brought up the roaches? like, hey this is fucking gross? dismissiveness. I made no effort to conceal it to the customers because it's deceptive and they have the right to informed consent when ordering food - that was also something that got me in trouble. I wasn't shouting through the shop that we had roaches or anything, but if there was one out in the open that a customer saw I wouldn't rush to do damage control. Like, yes, there are roaches. If you think it's gross, I recommend you leave a review. I get it, restaurants in Santa Fe are famously gross and bug-infested, but just because its happening everywhere else doesn't mean you shouldn't care.

Final note, there are tons of reviews about the employees and managers being grumpy and rude, which can be true depending on the person behind the bar. It for sure sucks to be a customer and the person behind the bar seems like they just hate you lol. I made an effort to always meet people with kindness and good energy, but it was sooooo draining. Point being, it is so hard to have a high vibe and a smile when you are being drained by your boss and job (and when everyone else you're working with is also low morale).

TLDR; Betterday suffers from bad pay and a trash boss; support your local baristas and be nice to each other :)

EDIT TO ADD: my statement about all restaurants in SF being gross is hyperbolic and mostly an acknowledgement that, of course, betterday isn’t the only place with roaches. lots of places are clean :) but also there are lots of things service employees see on a daily basis that are not shared w the public that are in fact very very nasty

Is it just me or does anyone else get the automatic ick when they see that Robert McCormick is representing a restaurant online? I was super excited about area 505. My hairstylist turned me onto Bonita and for a very inexpensive low end experience, it’s a great restaurant and I thought that they had stopped using McCormick for their advertising, but then I noticed he was advertising for area 505 and now I just don’t even want to eat at either place at all. It seems like every time that he represents any kind of restaurant that it’s some overpriced uninspired crap . I’ve noticed that the best restaurants in town don’t use him such as Santa Café, Coyote, Leo’s, market steer, Martine, etc…
Why do restaurant owners think he’s going to help when the best restaurants in town refuse to be associated with him.
Does anyone else feel this way or am I just a hater?

I am hoping that people who know more about this can shed light on it.

Apparently William Shuster and friends used to sneak up to the private Penitente events. These are events where New Mexican Catholics would whip themselves as a show of faith. Hence the name.

They would hide behind trees and brush and draw the private event with charcoal on trees. Sounds like they had a blast on their fun little night adventure

Later they would sell these private moments to people from the east coast profiting off these moments.

This started a fad where people would hunt these events down to laugh and gawk and mock them

It got so bad that the New Mexicans went to judge Miguel Otero that people where driving up and shining their headlights on the event.

The New Mexicans started to station armed guards to turn them away.

The men would often have to confront the tourists and force them to leave.

One time the tourists threw rocks at the men and the men fired their rifles at them.

Mable Dodge Lujan was also said to be a part of this.

The only things I can find are these two links

https://time.com/archive/6767565/religion-blood-in-new-mexico/

. https://elpalacio.org/2019/12/the-mystery-of-the-penitentes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Does any one know anything more?

Beautiful picture I call the flight of the Phoenix (I'm not the OP)

Four year old, energetic, beautiful Lilibet is waiting for you at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter. She’s a queen! Just head on over to the shelter and ask to meet her. You won’t be able to resist!

Nothing like some excitement driving from Santa Fe to Albuquerque...hope everyone is ok!

Unless otherwise noted, the food service establishment has “approved” status from the New Mexico Environment Department. Violations of the New Mexico Food Code are often corrected on-site during an inspection. Some require a reinspection within three business days. Others require a corrective action response outlining the establishment’s plan to address the violation and how long the corrective measure will take.
Annual inspections
BODY of Santa Fe, 333 W. Cordova Road, Sept. 8: No violations.

Capital High School, 4851 Paseo Del Sol, Sept. 8: No violations.
Early College Opportunities, 2301 W. Zia Road, Sept. 8: No violations.
La Cocina de Doña Clara, 4350 Airport Road, Sept. 8: Cited for some expired food handler cards; a screw-top beverage with no straw in use; a dirty can-opener blade and ice scoop; mineral buildup growing bacteria in the ice machine; no sanitizer in the dish machine; ice pooling on and dropping in food boxes in the chest freezer; cold food in the temperature danger zone; no date labels on food; storing poisonous or toxic materials alongside cleaning and sanitizing chemicals; improper cooling of food; improper thawing of frozen food; storing knives in between equipment; grease absorbing into a wood shelf particle board and cinder and wood blocks holding up equipment; sinks not being sealed to the wall; an unapproved microwave, crock pot and refrigerator; the refrigerator not maintaining 41 degrees; broken equipment; heavy carbon buildup on stovetop grates, mold growing on particle board wrapped in plastic wrap being used as a tabletop and grease buildup on shelving next to the stove; no records for the maintenance of water filters and back-flow prevention devices; a non-self-closing door in the restroom; toilet paper not being stored in a sanitary dispenser; no covered receptacle for menstrual products; missing paint from the top of chest freezers, a degraded sheet of metal next to the stove; a hole in the wall; grease buildup on the concrete outside the doorway; unshielded lightbulbs in the refrigerator and dry storage area; a dirty vent next to the exhaust hood and lint buildup on vents and fan-guards in the kitchen area and refrigeration units. Reinspection required.
Natural Grocers, 1090 S. St. Francis Drive, Sept. 8: Cited for having no hand-washing signage; ice pooling on and dropping in food boxes in the freezer; black mold growth on the water machine; sinks not being sealed to the wall; no covered receptacle for menstrual products; the drain line for the three-bin sink/ice machine sitting inside the floor sink with no 1-inch air gap; food on the pre-rinse sprayer nozzle; chipped paint on the nut grinder and dust and debris buildup on refrigerators throughout the facility. Corrective action response required.
Sweeney Elementary School, 501 Airport Road, Sept. 8: No violations.
Chaparral Elementary School, 2451 Avenida Chaparral, Sept. 9: Cited for cleaning needed high and low.
Piñon Elementary School, 2921 Camino de Los Caballos, Sept. 9: No violations.
Ramirez Thomas Elementary School, 3200 Calle Po Ae Pi, Sept. 9: Cited for no date-markings on some containers in coolers; no internal temperature device in coolers; unlabeled food storage containers; condensation on the floor of the walk-in freezer; no sanitation buckets; cleaning needed high and low.
Santa Fe High School, 2100 Yucca St., Sept. 9: No violations.

Sweeney Head Start, 501 Airport Road, Sept. 9: Cited for food without date markings; unlabeled food containers; no shielding on lights in the kitchen and dry storage area; no 1-inch air gap on the three-bin sink and dish machine; holes in the wall; peeling paint/crumbling tape/bubbling texture at the three-bin sink faucet; improper use of gloves; open dumpster lids; unnecessary items around the dumpster.
Carlos Gilbert Elementary School, 300 Griffin St., Sept. 10: No violations.
Kearny Elementary School, 901 Avenida Las Campanas, Sept. 10: Cited for storing paper towels on top of the dispenser; holes in walls and ceilings; peeling paint and exposed sheetrock; two sinks not being sealed to the wall; a broken light shield in the dry storage area; damaged ceiling tiles throughout the facility; broken tiles; no base-coving on floors next to the mop sink; an inadequately sealed outer back door; grease accumulation on a bolt above a mixing bowl; a dirty can-opener blade; storing clean utensils in an unclean area; dirty fan-guards in the walk-in refrigerator; unlabeled food containers; no date markings on food containers in the walk-in fridge; open dumpster lids.
Oppies, 109 E. Palace Ave., Sept. 10: No violations.
Ortiz Middle School, 4164 S. Meadows Road, Sept. 10: No violations.
Second Street Brewery at the Railyard, 1607 Paseo de Peralta, Sept. 10: Cited for a burnt-out lightbulb under the hood.
Savvor Kitchen, various locations, Sept. 10: Cited for no employee hair restraints.
Shake Foundation, 631 Cerrillos Road, Sept. 10: Cited for particle accumulation on the wall below the preparation sink.
Complaint inspections
Sam's Club Cafe, 4201 Rodeo Road, Sept. 8: Cited for cleaning needed high and low.
Betterday Coffee, 905 W. Alameda St., Sept. 9: Cited for no employee hair restraints; no 1-inch air gap on the drain line in the coffee area; old food debris behind, under and on the sides of equipment and on floors; holes in ceilings. Reinspection required.
Inn and Spa at Loretto, 211 Old Santa Fe Trail, Sept. 11: Cited for storing clean utensils in an unclean container; a dirty hand-wash sink; no base-coving on floors in the banquet wait station/room; crumbling plaster; excess dust buildup and debris on walls and ceiling air vents; an employee cooking without gloves; deep cuts and stains on cutting boards; a dirty salamander; exposed sheetrock on wall bull noses; open doors with no screens; mouse droppings present throughout the facility; debris under and behind the three-door refrigerator; exposed absorbent styrofoam on the lowboy refrigerator door; open food containers in the downstairs dry storage area; holes in the walls and ceiling; exposed, absorbent concrete flooring in the downstairs dry storage area; unfinished walls/ceiling in the downstairs dry storage area; food residue on the floor in the downstairs dry storage area; unshielded liquid waste pipes; four drain lines sitting inside the floor sink with no 1-inch air gap; ice in the hand-wash sink; no paper towels available at hand-wash sinks; a dusty air vent above a hand-wash sink; a missing or broken light shield in the main wait station; sinks not being sealed to the wall; a dirty meat slicer; dirty fan-guards in the walk-in freezer; grease accumulation on a bolt above a mixing bowl; no lids on bulk food storage bins; storing a cup in bulk product; food on the floor in the walk-in freezer; an unshielded condensation line in the walk-in freezer; an employee eating in the kitchen while cooking. Establishment plans to close for a remodel Oct. 31, according to the inspection.

Lily Alexander is a state accountability reporter for The New Mexican and Searchlight New Mexico, focusing on equity and transparency. Her position is part of the New Mexican Public Service Journalism Fund, and her stories are available to all readers without a paywall.

Up in La Tierra. Loud boom, and I mean loud. Windows visibly shook.

The Santa Fe quotes I have gotten are enough to make me gasp in shock...
I am wondering if anyone has a recommendation for re stucco on a house , that is reasonable and well done.
I am definitely open also to recommendations from Albuquerque.

Thank you in advance for any possible good recommendations❗️🩵

My beautiful girlfriend and dance partner are coming to Santa Fe for Tommy Castro at Tumbleroot on Sunday and would love to go dancing on Saturday night. We are accomplished swing dancers with a penchant for blues music and can dance country if that is all that is available. Thanks!

I am trying to collect some data on some social spaces in santa fe and what is lacking in the community. I would really appreciate feedback from other santa fe locals. It's only 10 questions!

If you have a few minutes, please consider taking this short survey. Your response is very important and matters to us!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KKQCFTL

A night of spooky fun awaits you!

I want to say upfront: I am not an anti AI crusader. I use AI, mostly to do mathy or computer type things that i can do anyways, since that’s the only way to make sure the ai is doing what you want- to be able to do it yourself so you can check the work. If the task can be done by a human, and I can’t do it, I hire someone to do it. When you account for labor time, it’s always cheaper and better than using AI. Always.

So here is my real rant:

Dear Santa Fe Business Owners:

Your AI slop makes me want to not spend money at your store or restaurant. Makes me not want to hire you for a service.

When I see it on social media, I scroll past or block. When I see it in your window or on a display stand outside (that cost more than hiring someone to make the sign) i walk by, I take note, I don’t support. Especially signs, artwork, and marketing.

Why?

Because Santa Fe, and New Mexico in general has so much artistic talent, and so much of that talent struggles to make a living with their art.

Most artists do not survive alone off of their “fine art” production, but rather use commercial gigs and jobs to make money to support the other art. Even wildly famous artists do this, and have forever. Da Vinci was commissioned for the Mona Lisa, Michelangelo for the Sistine Chappel, Kieth herring did commissioned advertising work, Warhol, you name a famous artist, and commercial work helped them survive.

When I walk by one of those piss yellow flyers, it makes me so mad. That could be something beautiful and creative, from a human mind and hand, adding to our beautiful city instead of making it gross and commercial. I expect that’s hit in New York City, or Dallas, or some other place where the commercial aesthetic reigns supreme, but not here. Here, I expect someone to find an artist to make your poster, your ad, your flyer. I know so many people with talent. Are they Michelangelo? No, of course not. But can they make an amazing flyer or ad material for your store or event? Absolutely.

All of these big corporations make it clear: we are the product, and separating us from our money for the least amount of value in exchange is the game.

I shop locally, which costs me more time and money than doing a one stop shop at Walmart. I do this because I care about the local businesses and how they contribute to what makes this town magical. How Is it fair to ask me to go out of my way and expend more resources than necessary to support your small business, when you don’t even show me you care enough to have a human convince me to come into your store or to your event? If you want robots in your shop, use robots to advertise. If you want people in your shop, try hiring people to create something real for you.

So I’m done. This holiday season, whatever you’re selling, if you have ai do your advertising, I’m not buying. I’ll find somewhere or something else. I will happily support your competitors who support local creatives and artists. The money will stay in Santa Fe.

Maybe I’m overreacting, but I’m just so sick of it. It feels offensive to me at this point, every time I see a frivolous ai thing that has escaped a screen, I want to tear it down.

Does anyone else feel the same?

Everyone rallying today was beautiful. Amongst other extensive destruction to my property I had a tree uprooted that landed on a wall causing it to collapse and total my neighbors car and she was only concerned if I was ok ❤️ (her car port ended up on my roof lol)

Some options to get you out of the house this winter. Want to stay in? An all-new online sketch-writing course.

LEVEL ONE: Introduction To Improv- now starts 11/8

Sundays (November 8- December 13)

1-3pm, 6 consecutive weeks

Instructor: Mercedes Murray

Level One focuses on two-person scenes. Two-person scenes are the core building block of almost all improvisation. In Level One, you will learn to be comfortable on stage and how to draw inspiration from your real-life experiences.

Key skills include establishing a base reality (who, what, and where) and discovering an emotional reality (how your character feels about the other character and the context of the scene).

LEVEL TWO: Monologue, Premise, and Discovery - starts 10/25

Sundays (October 25- December 13). 

1-3pm, 8 consecutive weeks.  

Instructor: James Howat  

This class introduces the monologue as a way to create premise-based longform improv sets. Develop the ability to make premise-based initiations that help jump start your scene. Build on the fundamentals of creating a base reality (who, what, where) and emotional reality. Revisit and heighten scenes later in the set with second beats. Other things explored in this level are framing and justification.  

How To Write Sketch Comedy

Thursdays (October 29th - December 17th, no class on Thanksgiving).

6-7:30pm, 7 week class.

Instructor: Benjamin E. Taxy.

A story-focused approach to sketch comedy that emphasizes idea selection and development, self-discovery, and becoming a better storyteller and writer.

Trying to make a dish and need some plantains.