Tracing his lineage back over 300 years in Northern New Mexico, Business Manager Facundo Garcia may be the newest addition to the SFPW staff but is no stranger to Santa Fe. A graduate of Santa Fe High School, Facundo left Santa Fe for 25 years. While away, he set up accounting departments, centralized administrative and accounting functions for various companies throughout the United States, and managed an environmental laboratory in northern California. His desire to be closer to his father brought him back home.
Facundo joined Susan Hayre Thelwell under a cottonwood on campus for a chat about his experiences, past and present, in Santa Fe.
Susan: What do you like best about living in Santa Fe?
Facundo: There is a wonderful selection of cuisine. I was terrified that Mexican food would be the only choice. I have traveled a fair amount and I’ve learned food is the key to everyone's heart.
S: So, then what is your favorite place to eat in Santa Fe?
F: That's a tough one. Hmm... Amavi's is good. I love Amavi's, although it is a little on the expensive end. On the more affordable side, there is this really great little place that looks like a fast food joint called Piccolinos on Agua Fria and Siler. I discovered it when I returned. It's a great Italian restaurant. Nothing formal, but good food. Also, Mu Du Noodles. Wonderful, fresh organic food.
S: What do you find most challenging about being back in Santa Fe?
F: On one level you could say lack of humidity. On a more constructive and personal level is the displacement of the sort of culture that was here. When I was growing up I remember locals walking to the Plaza and enjoying evenings with their families on the park benches. And I say displacement as in all the native people have been moved to the south side of town away from the Plaza.
S: Native? You mean the people who lived here 50 years ago, 100 years?
F: Yeah, I think a fair amount of the native Santa Feans - if you think about the Latino culture - go back easily hundreds of years. My father is 78 , he has been here in Santa Fe since he was 9 years old, and his friends are the people who have been moved to the south side of town. They've lost the use of the plaza. The plaza was a place where families got together and sat around in the evening and ate ice cream and the kids played in the park. Now it is a tourist trap. That culture is what was lost.
S: What inspires you?
F: Definitely I love to travel. I have a long list of international destination travel plans. The top places I want to go are Australia and New Zealand. Also, the United Kingdom and Brazil. I have just started traveling south. Just got back from Costa Rica in May and had a wonderful time. It inspired me to go more to that part of the world.
S: What do you do for fun in SF?
F: I like to hike. I like to travel around the area. I like going to the Lensic for music and dance. I like entertainment. I love Sara K. She’s a wonderful local person. Well known in Europe, she used to play a lot at Cowgirl and the last time I saw her was in Madrid or Mad-rid. Yeah, she's great.
S: If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
F: I'd be two types. One would be a bird because I’d love to be able to fly, and I'd be a fish to explore the ocean floors.
S: If you didn't have to be here today, what would you be doing?
F: I like to do a lot of volunteer stuff so that is probably what I would focus on, if I didn’t have to earn a living. Currently I do some stuff with Creativity for Peace. It is a camp that brings groups of Middle Eastern teenage girls to Santa Fe for two to three week stays. They are Arab, Palestinian, Jewish girls being brought together. The idea is to teach the girls to be peaceful with each other and they will then spread the message. They learn they are all alike; there are no differences between them. They all like to shop, they all like boys, they love to sing and dance. A very painful dialogue process goes on between them during camp, but by the time they leave they are all sisters. It is a really great non-profit organization that I like to support. I also like to do work with Kitchen Angels and most recently worked for the Folk Art Festival.
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