SANTA FE, N.M. — A balmy October evening in the hills overlooking our town, Cabella C. Langsam greeted all the guests at the front path of her hideaway view house with a huge smile and a sturdy handshake, welcoming us to the annual Keep Santa Fe Beautiful Benefit.
The house was filled with musical paraphernalia and memorabilia, and I thought, “These folks must somehow be really connected to the music industry.” Famous posters, framed musical scores and a fancy piano … . I was surely the last to know that she was named for her famous father, Mr. Hi De Hi De Ho, Cabell Calloway.
She and her engaging emergency room physician husband Andy graciously hosted 280 guests for the annual Wine Tasting & Auction. (I know! Another wine event! Santa Fe sure loves our vino!) It was another picture book sunset, no shawl needed – soft autumn evenings like this are what we all moved to Santa Fe for – standing on the portal over yellow treetops, sipping splendid wines provided once again by the generosity of Al and Laurie Lucero, and nibbling delicious poached salmon, mini-capreses and scrumptious cheeses, given by the Lodge of Santa Fe. This silent auction is always fun, with items ranging from the practical (a year’s worth of the “Mountain of Love” washes from the Squeaky Clean Car Wash) to the exotic (a handsome green antique ceramic pot from Asian Adobe) and the whimsical (a replica of the historic caboose at the intersection of St. Francis and Cerrillos, both hand-painted by Rick Martinez).
Keep Santa Fe Beautiful is the nonprofit organization that provides the trash bags to visitors prior to Zozobra, as prevention rather than clean-up, and recycling containers and service to places the city doesn’t; it also coordinates the semi-annual Great American Clean-Up throughout Santa Fe neighborhoods. Its program of “Adopt-A-Median” is a meaningful way to advertise your business, and all you have to do is landscape the median and keep it maintained. You don’t have to be Kendall McCumber to do a median, but driving on the Paseo, her lovely medians do delight the eye and enrich the ride.
The $10,000 raised will be used to keep on keeping Santa Fe Beautiful!
Breaking news alert: Where there was no notice, no word, nothing letting people know they’d made it to Santa Fe, there will now be tasteful, dramatic, stone entrances with lovely landscaping announcing the destination! New “Welcome to Santa Fe” greetings on the southern and northern auto entrances to town have been approved, and these funds will go towards their construction. Finally, folks will know they have arrived at fabulous, special, beautiful Santa Fe!
Ashley Margetson has a BA in English from UCLA, is a senior real estate broker with Sotheby’s International Realty and has a finger on the pulse of philanthropic activities in Santa Fe. To tell us about an upcoming event, email apm@ashleymargetson.com.
Sisters Lorraine Rotunno and Gilda Montaño of Keep Santa Fe Beautiful at the organization’s fundraiser.
From left, Lisa Van Sickle with Keep Santa Fe Beautiful board members Harvey Van Sickle and Kendall McCumber.
Board member, Christopher Vigil with brother, Salvador Vigil.
Auction bidders Pat Stanely, left and Brenda Yates, right, with Rick Martinez.
Jay and Jane Winter at KSB’s fundraiser.