This article by Natalie Bovis first appeared in Spirited Business Magazine in June 2019
History is a theme that runs deep in Santa Fe, and one way locals define a geographic location is that it exists where something else “used to be.” So it goes with the Drury Plaza Hotel, the beautifully reimagined space that was once the city’s only hospital. Today, visitors would never know that sterile environment existed when entering the wood-and-tile lobby whose roaring fireplace and overstuffed leather chairs feel like a rustic hunting lodge, or while dining in the sumptuous eatery by James Beard award-winning Executive Chef John Sedlar at the other end of an art-filled hall.
Sedlar gained fame for his restaurants in Los Angeles before coming home to create Eloisa, named for his New Mexican grandmother. The menu reflects the epitome of Modern Southwestern cuisine by blending traditional dishes with updated, fresh ingredients. The bar staff looks to the kitchen’s spices, herbs and produce to create cohesion between the cocktails and food, sometimes incorporating fruit from the apricot trees which grow on-property. Beverage Manager,Andrea Duran, is herself a twelfth generation New Mexicanwhose aunts and uncles were all born under the very same roof which is now home to Bar Alto – a space where thirsty sunset-worshippers marvel at endless views of the city and mountains.
Duran oversees liquid offerings for both venues, and attributes her bar savvy to growing up doing homework in the restaurant where her mother worked. She started her bartending career at age 18 in Key West, and has since padded her skills by reading about mixology and spirits. “The more I learned and watched those around me, the more it all just kind of clicked.”
I’ve known Andrea for several years and she is one of those people who has grown her career by reading, watching, and jumping from strength to strength. It’s exciting to see female bartenders leading the way in New Mexico’s bartending world. So, it was very exciting for me, personally, when she won the NM Cocktails & Culture Culinary Festival’s “Bartender of the Year” competition in 2018, beating out several worthy opponents.
Like many women in the bar industry, Andrea (“Dre” as friends call her) is also a mom, and manages to shine in both arenas.Her sentiments echo those of many be-everything-to-everyonemothers balancing careers, “I do my best to be completely present when I'm with my son but I definitely couldn't get through the week without the help of family. There's always guilt but I make small sacrifices for the bigger picture, a better life, better schooling, more vacations, and I can't accomplish all those things without working hard.”
Still, this is the profession for her and Dre dreams of having her own bar, one day. “I love the constant chaos of a bar, it just has this rhythm to it thats like nothing else, it challenges every part of your mind and body and patience.” As with many small towns, Santa Fe is still developing its identity as a cocktail destination. As Andrea puts it, “We're all stepping up our game a little to match the amazing culinary scene that has been here for so long...It's a fun time to be in the bar business.”
Cocktail Recipe: RYE NOT (Andrea’s take on a Brown Derby)
“It's a nice drink for all seasons really, the raspberry honey syrup really creates a nice backdrop for the Rye whiskey to shine without being overwhelming. It's currently the staff favorite at the restaurant and it translates really well with our food.”
2oz Sazerac Rye
1oz Raspberry Honey Syrup
1oz Grapefruit Juice
4 dashes Orange Bitters
Shake with ice, strain and garnish with orange zest