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DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory

Monday, 25 January 2010 20:42

The DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory was opened March 18th, 1999 by Johnny DeVargas and family. The business was started to serve the community, to help people through tough times by proving professional, caring service. They offer many different options for funerals, with everything adapted to the individual’s religious beliefs and spiritual needs.

The funeral home relocated to Railroad Avenue shortly after opening. The architecture of the place is stunning. The wooden double doors have etched, stylized wing designs on the windows. Angel figurines line a shelf in the lobby, along with a collection of stunning artwork from local artists throughout the building. There are flower arrangements everywhere. A corner keva fireplace tops off the main lobby as the focal point of the professional, yet casual seating arrangement. There are two chapels for services, each with high pitched roofs and rose windows. The arched supports in each room mimic the vaulted ceilings with a modern twist.

Rosalia Triana

Monday, 18 January 2010 14:50

To a ten-year-old girl growing up in the projects in Cleveland, a field trip to see a play probably didn’t seem like a big deal at first. She had no way of knowing at the time the true significance this simple event would have on her life. She and her class mates sat in the audience, shouting and throwing things. Her attention, however, was fixed on the thin line of light under the closed curtain. The house lights dimmed, the theatre quieted (if only slightly,) and the curtains finally slid open. The cast of adults and children began to unfold their tale to the audience and the young girl had an epiphany. “It was like it hit me like – I don’t know what, like a flash or like lights in the sky. ‘That’s what I’m gonna do!’” This is the story of how Rosalia Triana started on her path to become an actress.

Triana was born in New Mexico, though she did not stay here long as a child. She was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Her mother was Latina, her father Italian, but at this time, these were not things that were widely advertised. “This was the ‘50’s,” Triana reminds us, “People wanted to be American.” Like many families, they were avidly chasing ‘the American dream.’ Being thought of as immigrants was no acceptable and becoming mixed up in something as radical as theatre was certainly not something her parents approved of. “I had to constantly do other things on the surface, like I was ‘normal,’ and meanwhile, I was doing that (acting), too.”

Thunderberry Dog Grooming

Monday, 11 January 2010 12:33

Carol Taschek by Sundancer Studio There’s a cozy trailer park just off of State Road 76, (the road from Espanola to Chimayo,) tucked behind a wooden fence and fairly unnoticeable unless one knows it’s there. A bright orange sign in the shape of a dog marks the place. “You can’t live in this trailer park unless you have a pet and an old trailer,” park and business owner Carol Taschek (right) jokes. The vine-covered final trailer on the right houses Thunderberry Dog Grooming, a business she has been running for 25 years.

“I was camping up in Colorado with a friend of mine,” Taschek explains how her journey to being a dog groomer began, “And I was reading the Rocky Mountian News by the camp fire, and I saw an ad for the Colorado School of Dog Grooming. I said, oh, I’d like to do that.” She is most certainly an animal person and always has been. Taschek says regarding the difference between working with animals and working with people, “They’re not manipulative. They don’t try to cheat you, they don’t swear. Sometimes they do bite. They’re more open and honest than people.” With a smile, she adds, “People are just more difficult to get along with.”

Boomerang Thrift Boutique

Monday, 04 January 2010 17:16

Anna Dillane Boomerang Thrift Boutique is a fantastic shop located in Espanola. Shelves set in the windows make the lovely glass pieces glow in the sunlight. The walls themselves pop with vibrant colors. Music plays through speakers wired in all rooms. There is so much I such a little package, yet it never feels overcrowded.

Boomerang carries used books, clothing and shoes for every member of the family, kitchen items, furniture, home décor, knick-knacks, jewelry and much more. Some of the most unusual donations and consignment pieces that have graced the shop in the past include a dirt bike, wheelchairs, a complete Precious Moments ceramic figures collection, antique tea sets, and an array of local art.

“My favorite part of this business is that every day is like a treasure hunt,” owner Anna Dillane says, “I never know what obscure, amazing thing will walk through the door.” She’s constantly surprised at the things people will donate. “You wouldn’t expect to find items from Poland, Turkey, Afghanistan or Brazil,” she says, amazed that such a little town can be so worldly. “Maybe you’d think you’d find it in downtown Santa Fe, but it’s here. You can walk into a store in Espanola and find it.”

Blue Moon

Monday, 28 December 2009 19:24

We’ve all heard the saying “once in a blue moon” used to express something that happens very rarely. This raises the question; what is a blue moon?

Most months only have one full moon in them. However, about once every three years, that rhythm is thrown off and there will be a month that has two full moons in it. This second full moon is known as a blue moon. The full moon happens about once every 29.5 days, so it’s understandable that blue moons are rare.

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