When one door closes, another one usually blows wide open. And that’s exactly how Chef April Bloomfield ended up the current chef-in-residence at Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection. After her beloved Manhattan gastropub The Breslin closed down last March per COVID protocol, the British-born chef found herself in a position she hadn’t been in for nearly 30 years. “I've been working solidly since I was 16, so of course I didn't really know what to do with myself. I was going stir crazy and feeling a bit restless,” she says. “So when I got the offer I was in the right place to start spreading my wings.”

Settled more than 150 years ago, Bishop’s Lodge is steeped in history and a profound sense of place. As its General Manager, I take special pride in our team’s sensitive restoration and preservation efforts. Authenticity infuses our entire approach, and one extraordinary tribute—both to the diverse native communities that have long made New Mexico their home, as well as to Santa Fe’s deep artistic roots—can be found in our Dining Room. Taking pride of place are four newly restored oil paintings by Warren E. Rollins of Puebloan life from the 1920s.

A comprehensive redesign of a historic inn will always present its share of challenges for even the most unflappable interior designer. Getting it done in the midst of a global pandemic requires nerves of steel. “It was crazy,” says Jenny Wolf, head of Jenny Wolf Interiors, which oversaw the refurbishment of the White Barn Inn and Spa, part of the Auberge Resort Collections, and a beloved local landmark for more than 150 years in Kennebunk, Maine.

Kemble approached the redesign to Mayflower’s historic site with “great trepidation, respect and a sense of enthusiasm.” More than a hotel, she says the Mayflower Inn & Spa feels like someone’s home, with a sense of gracious hosting, comfort and personality. The idea was a refresh, not a demolition.. She picked out the things that were worth preserving, that had aged well and brought a sense of authenticity to the site, including mahogany four-poster beds and lamps, refectory tables, chinoiserie chairs, a papier-mache chinoiserie coffee table and game tables. She mixed in Scandinavian and colonial American design influences with sisal carpets, Turkish rugs, hand-crafted ceramics, wicker, as well as textiles from Schumacher, Sister Parish, and Penny Morrison.

After getting married twenty-eight years ago at the Perry Estate (now Auberge’s Commodore Perry Estate) in Austin, my wife Cara and I honeymooned in Santa Fe over a snowy weekend in January. There was a sense of calm in and around town, and the mountain air was thick with the sweet smell of piñon smoke. Santa Fe is truly a special place for us, so much so that we moved here more than ten years ago to make Santa Fe our home. It’s such an honor to be SkyFire's Executive Chef, and an integral part of Bishop’s Lodge.

As Madeline’s General Manager, I’m pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to winter sports. When I want to feel the thrill of soaring down the mountain, I ski. When I want to explore the deep tranquility of the backcountry, I snowshoe. When I want to feel as if I’m floating over the snow, I hop on my fat tire bike. Now, after an amazing half-day adventure with Mountain Trip, I have an exhilarating new winter sport to add to my repertoire: ice climbing.

THE WELL is the brainchild of co-founders Rebecca Parekh, Kane Sarhan, and Sarrah Hallock, whose health club in New York City brings together all aspects of the wellness journey into a single space. There, doctors, practitioners, and health professionals (including yoga instructors and nutrition experts) treat guest ailments in a pioneering, integrated approach to maximize full-body wellbeing.

After a quick ten-minute flight that skimmed over snow-dusted pine trees and steep crags, our helicopter touched down. We were just above a slope in the Sessions private ski zone in the Wasatch Mountain Range, with nothing but wide- open space and endless horizons stretching in every direction. The small group of skiers I had with me couldn’t wait to hit the pure, untouched powder. But they weren’t extreme skiers, or even expert ones. All four were just intermediate skiers—and they were heli-sking for the first time in their lives.

The holiday season in Santa Fe can be summed up in one word: Magical. Over at Bishop’s Lodge, we’re starting our festive season a day earlier with our Socially- Distanced Thanksgiving Dinner—a take-home meal with a whole or sliced turkey and a host of sides. A lot of our pre-orders have come from our neighbors, and we’re very excited to give them a first taste from the SkyFire kitchen, as well as a first look at the renovated reception area at Bishop’s Lodge when they come to pick up their dinner.

As the Chief Medical Officer of THE WELL at Mayflower Inn, renowned functional medicine doctor Frank Lipman, M.D, has been a pioneer of integrative and functional medicine for almost 40 years. He is also the best-selling author of How to Be Well and The New Rules of Aging Well. Under his guidance, trained health practitioners investigate different areas of guests’ lives during one-on-one coaching sessions, then formulate personalized, adjustable plans that outline attainable actions guests can take in order to achieve their wellness goals, be that improving nutrition, digestion, sleep, or reducing stress. In light of the launch of THE WELL at Mayflower Inn & Spa, we asked Lipman about the importance of functional medicine and ways in which you can increase well-being in your own life.

I’ve created custom ceramics under the Whiskey and Clay line for restaurants in Marfa, Texas to Beverly Hills. But SkyFire at Bishop’s Lodge is the first restaurant in Santa Fe for which I’ve crafted unique pieces. Drawn to Santa Fe by its vibrant arts scene, proximity to nature, and slower pace of life, I moved here a few years ago—so it’s a huge honor to already be a part of such a treasured Santa Fe landmark. (Local friends have shared stories of horseback riding and cherished family holidays at the Lodge, and I hope to create my own memories, too, when it reopens.)

Santa Fe has always had a certain kind of magical hold over me. I have so many memories, with the most amazing being the opening party for Mark Miller’s Coyote Café in the ‘80s—a seminal moment for Southwestern cuisine. A group of us—myself, Mark, Robert del Grande who had Café Annie in Houston at the time, and Stephan Pyles who had just opened up Routh Street Café in Dallas—had started this movement of cooking with indigenous Southwestern ingredients. This was its big moment, when Southwestern cuisine finally got its deserved space in the spotlight.

I’d come to Austin for a chance to kick back and take in some of the stunning hill country scenery but my day soon took a twist I hadn’t anticipated. I’m taken in by the history that surrounds me at the estate – built as a country home by Edgar “Commodore” Perry, a longtime Austin real estate developer in the late 1920s – and I stop to talk with Jackie to learn more.

The moon has great significance in Mexican culture. While the meaning of the word Mexico has never been confirmed, one theory posits that in aztekatl (the language of the Aztecs), meztli means “moon,” and xictli means “navel,” which combined puts the derivation of Mexico as “place in the navel of the moon.” Additionally, one of Mexico’s most important archaeological structures is the Pyramid of the Moon, situated in what once was the ancient Mesoamerican city Teotihuacan. At Cocina del Mar, we celebrate the moon with a Full Moon Dinner series, held monthly under the beautiful lunar glow.

My morning starts with a guided snowshoe adventure exploring The Lodge at Blue Sky’s back country and watching the sun peek over the Wasatch Mountains. Alpine views seem to stretch for miles in every direction and open meadows reveal herds of elk that freely roam throughout the property. The fresh mountain air feels invigorating and exhilarating, while the journey works up my appetite. With only the sound of our snowshoes against the fresh powder, we make our way back to the lodge.

I’ve worked at some incredible places throughout my career, but one reason I love being a part of the Auberge family is their brilliant programming. I’m especially looking forward to hosting Chef Mads Refslund for a special culinary weekend on March 13 to 15, 2020. Chef Mads is best known as a co-founder of the groundbreaking Danish restaurant Noma, which went on to receive two Michelin Stars and become the ranked best restaurant in the world by Restaurant Magazine four times.

I begin to sink into a relaxed state, my body cradled in thick, warm blankets. I gaze out of floor-to-ceiling windows that reveal sweeping mountain views and listen to the gentle, murmuring creek below. The rich, earthy aroma of cleansing sage wafts through the air, purifying the therapy room and preparing my body and mind for my customized healing session. 

I fell in love with Aspen over a decade ago, won over not only by its first-rate powder and wide-open sense of space, but also by its phenomenal cultural and dining scenes. It’s a small town, but one with a world-class sense of self. The latest case in point? One of my favorite restaurants, Prospect, has lured Mads Refslund, an initial partner in the groundbreaking Danish restaurant Noma, to be its chef-in-residence through March.