Travel: Saturday Night Live Alum Ana Gasteyer`s Guide to New

Travel: Saturday Night Live Alum Ana Gasteyer’s Guide to New ...
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/where-i-go/2013/01/travel-ana-g...
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Januar y 25, 2013
Where I Go: Ana Gasteyer
Saturday Night Live alumna Ana Gasteyer, now a star of ABC’s
Suburgatory, spends her holidays trekking the desert of Corrales, New
Mexico, where she hikes, indulges in wine tastings, and helps herself to
local fare. Her guide to the region.
By Andrea Cuttler AND Erica Singleton
To get away from it all, I go to . . .
Corrales, New Mexico—a village just
north of Albuquerque. After I
graduated from college, my parents
lost their minds and spontaneously
moved to the desert. We were all
utterly mystified by their lapse of
reason and then, upon our first visit,
fell madly in love with the place. It is
rural, sophisticated, earthy, beautiful,
quaint, and expansive all at once. My
Sandia Mountains, as seen from Corrales.
dad’s the mayor of the place. Not
figuratively. Literally. He loves it so
much he was elected the actual mayor. He’s in his second term.
The best way to get there is . . . From New York, we take two planes. Then it’s a
30-minute drive from the Albuquerque airport.
My favorite place to stay is . . . My parents’ house. It’s a sprawling old adobe house,
typical of the Southwest, with brick floors and kiva fireplaces. My mother is a ceramic
artist and a collector of everything from ironstone to Turkish rugs, so the house includes a
studio, a couple kilns, a couple fridges, a lot of yarn, hanging pots, books, plants,
miscellaneous pets, and so on.
My ideal travel companions are . . . My family. There are countless things to do with
kids—there are more animals per capita than people in Corrales. There are goats, llamas,
horses at every turn.
When I’m in the mood for room service, my go-to order is . . . Tamales and
posole, the green-chile stew of choice and luck in the Southwest.
My favorite place to indulge in a
delicious meal is . . . Perea’s Tijuana
Bar for sour-cream enchiladas. I don’t
think I need to explain that one. Also
sopapillas—these pillowy fried-dough
balls that you fill with honey. For finer
fare, hit Indigo Crow. Village Pizza is
yummy when you need something
familiar.
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Travel: Saturday Night Live Alum Ana Gasteyer’s Guide to New ...
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/where-i-go/2013/01/travel-ana-g...
To stay in shape, my on-the-go
fitness regime includes . . . Walking
and hiking. The expansive sky and the
view of the Sandia Mountains are
stunning. And in the high altitude, I like
to assume that I’m burning more calories
just trying to breathe.
My suitcase absolutely must contain
. . . Sun protection and moisturizer. It’s
cold in the winter, but it’s sunny and
bright, and you can get fried.
Top, El Pinto restaurant; bottom, an entrée served at Indigo Crow.
When it comes to packing, I’m an . . . Overpacker. I almost always bring something
too New York Fancy but then wear jeans and boots the whole time. It’s the West. Dudes
wear bolo ties.
The best-kept secret about Corrales is . . . The Milagro Vineyard produces a lovely
red table wine from Corrales grapes and they do tastings by appointment.
When I’m in the mood for retail
therapy, I visit . . . Ambiente offers
really cool Southwestern treasures, and
the Corrales Bosque Gallery features
the work of local artists and craftsmen.
If you want a souvenir that lasts, hit
Star Tattoo—their work is great.
To paint the town red, I hit . . . El
Pinto on North Fourth for margaritas
and for amazing green-chile rellenos.
The Corrales Bistro Brewery offers good
local beer.
Corrales Bistro Brewery.
My favorite travel pastime is . . . I
eat. Then I take a walk. Then I think about where I’m going to eat next.
Upon arrival in Corrales, I most look forward to . . . Reading. Something about the
quiet keeps me up at night, so I dig into a great novel whenever I’m there. So many
bedrooms have fireplaces, too. So cozy. Sometimes the coyotes howl and I have a panic
attack, but I’m so relaxed, I recover quickly.
Upon departing, I am most happy to leave behind . . . The dust. The desert may be
beautiful, but it’s a sneeze-o-rama.
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF ANA GASTEYER, BY DANIEL CUMMINS/GETTY IMAGES,
COURTESY OF EL PINTO, BY KRISTINA HUFFMAN/ELOISE PHOTOGRAPHY,
COURTESY OF CORRALES BISTRO BREWERY (2).
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