Good morning, Santa Fe! In today’s edition: An Esquire best new restaurant pick, a total lunar eclipse, WinterBrew 2026, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

From auto shop to standout: Santa Fe’s Leo’s, a Thai-Malay spot opened in August, was the only New Mexico pick on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants list in December, led by James Beard winner Zakary Pelaccio — learn about its origins and team.

A landmark community milestone: Las Campanas Realty will debut The Village, the final and largest neighborhood, in early 2026, adding custom homes, mountain and golf course views, and a dedicated resident amenity — get all the details.

Prime viewing conditions ahead: Arizona and New Mexico will see a total lunar eclipse in March, with the Moon high in the sky and a deep red Blood Moon visible over Phoenix and Albuquerque — get all the eclipse details.

Building community legal capacity: New Mexico is offering a 40-hour immigration law training for non-lawyers to help with naturalization and work permit applications, aiming to expand affordable services as immigrant workers seek legal support — get all the details.

Community generosity fuels care: Santa Fe Animal Shelter received a surprise $100,000 donation from a family on Christmas Eve, supporting animals as the shelter plans to raise its fundraising goal to $1 million — read the full story.

Sip, sample, and celebrate: WinterBrew 2026 will take place January 23 at the Santa Fe Farmers Market Pavilion, showcasing over 20 local breweries pouring seasonal and unique beers. Hosted by the New Mexico Brewers Guild, it will feature food vendors, live music, and both VIP and general admission ticket options. Get all the details.

Are you overpaying? The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. I was paying over $300 for ONE car until I checked out various quotes, switched providers, and ultimately cut my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably losing money too — this free comparison tool makes it easy.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had it’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).

📆 Sneak peek at next week

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🚗 AARP Smart Driver @ Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center | Tuesday (1/13) at 9:00 AM – Tune up your road smarts at Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center with AARP’s Smart Driver class, no pre-registration required. Perfect for conquering the Cerrillos crawl with style. Costs $20 for AARP members, $25 for non-members, cash or check only, call Dominic at 505 490 2489.

🎸 Santa Fe Guitar Ensemble @ Santa Fe Public Library – La Farge Branch | Tuesday (1/13) at 10:00 AM – Play guitar and read music? Join the Santa Fe Guitar Ensemble, a weekly meet-up at La Farge Library where locals make real harmonies, not campfire chaos. Friendly vibes, sheet music, and ensemble fun, with solos strictly optional and bragging rights earned the old-fashioned way.

🏛 Fred Friedman Salon @ Historic Santa Fe Foundation | Thursday (1/15) at 3:00 PM – Historic Santa Fe Foundation hosts Fred Friedman on how railroads shaped Santa Fe, including the train that never quite got here. Whether you collect timetables or love origin stories, expect sharp insights, a few myths punctured, and that click of local history snapping into place.

🖌 Create with O’Keeffe @ Santa Fe Public Library – Southside Branch | Thursday (1/15) at 3:30 PM – Remember when art time didn’t require a studio or a trust fund? Create with O’Keeffe brings free, drop-in creativity to local libraries, in partnership with Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, on the second, third, and fourth Thursdays each month. No pressure, just supplies, curiosity, and good company.

🎷 Anat Cohen Quartetinho @ Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe | Thursday (1/15) at 7:30 PM – Upgrade your week at CCA with Anat Cohen’s Quartetinho, led by a world-class clarinetist mixing modern jazz, African grooves, and Brazilian joy. No opener, just virtuosic, soulful grooves that prove the clarinet still steals the room. Grab GA at $59, or sit pretty up front.

🍓 Yagody @ St. Francis Auditorium | Friday (1/16) at 7:30 PM – Skip the usual bar band loop for Yagody, a Ukrainian folk powerhouse that turns concerts into ritual journeys. Ancient love songs, soaring voices, vibrant theater, and real goosebumps. It is soulful, human, and the cultural reset your week could use.

🎸 Madison Cunningham @ Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery | Friday (1/16) at 7:30 PM – Ready to feel feelings in public? GRAMMY winner Madison Cunningham brings Ace to Tumbleroot, all lush piano, sharp lyrics, and the kind of heartbreak you actually signed up for. Limited seating, good drinks, and yes, you might cameo in a marketing photo.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

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📻 Santa Fe report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 35°F – Low: 19°F – Precip: 0%

Sunny, with a high near 35. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Later: Clear, with a low around 19. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 42°F – Low: 23°F – Precip: 1%

Sunny, with a high near 42. Northwest wind 0 to 10 mph. Later: Mostly clear, with a low around 23. Northeast wind 0 to 10 mph.

Most popular house this week

Minutes from the Plaza, this freestanding 1-bed condo with no shared walls blends privacy and Santa Fe style. Open living anchored by a kiva fireplace, vigas, tongue and groove ceilings, smooth plaster, and concrete floors. Kitchen with granite and stainless. Bath with tiger’s eye sink on white quartz. Mini split heating and cooling, plus in-unit washer and dryer.

A charming loft with wood flooring opens to a small private deck, a flexible spot for reading or meditation. The courtyard, enclosed by classic coyote fencing, suits alfresco meals under Santa Fe skies. Casa Solana, the Santa Fe River, and trails to downtown sit close by.

Take a peek inside →