Sobremesa

(n., Spanish): the time after a meal is finished — plates cleared, forks down — when no one leaves the table. The conversation that only starts once the eating stops.

That's the whole idea behind this gathering: three nights in Santa Fe where a small group cooks together, writes, and works through embodied awareness and mindfulness practice — a slowed-way-down story exchange, with a kitchen and a landscape attached.

Thursday, January 14 – Sunday, January 17, 2027, at a private home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Register Here

You Shape The Stories With Recipes from Your Life

As a participant, you’ll bring one recipe, for a breakfast, a lunch, a dinner or our final brunch. That recipe will be connected to a theme, related to family, to culture, to discovery, to joy, to resistance, whatever. Prompts will grow from you theme, and after each meal, we’ll write into those themes, and share our stories in a sobremesa session.

What we'll do

Each day moves the same way: we cook together, we eat together, and then we don't leave the table. A chef and a rotating crew of helpers lead the kitchen; everyone else has yoga, free time, or a walk while the meal comes together. Then, after the plates are cleared, we gather for Sobremesa — a theme, a fifteen-minute writing prompt, and the sharing and discussion that follows.

Six of these sessions unfold over the weekend, each with its own theme. Saturday night trades the usual format for an open mic — story, music, a little dancing, a little goofiness — and Sunday closes gently, after brunch, before everyone heads home.

AGENDA (subject to updates)

Thursday, January 14

  • 3–5 pm: Arrive

  • 5–6 pm: First dinner prep (chef + 3 helpers)

  • 6–7:15 pm: Dinner and clean-up (everyone)

  • 7–9 pm: First Sobremesa

Friday, January 15

  • 8–9 am: Breakfast prep (chef + 2 helpers); yoga or optional activity for everyone else

  • 9–10 am: Breakfast and clean-up (everyone)

  • 10 am–12 noon: Second Sobremesa

  • 12–1 pm: Lunch prep (chef + 2 assistants); free time for everyone else

  • 1–2:15 pm: Lunch and clean-up (everyone)

  • 2:15–3:30 pm: Free time

  • 3:30–5:30 pm: Third Sobremesa

  • 5:30–6:30 pm: Dinner prep (chef + 3 assistants); free time for everyone else

  • 6:30–7:45 pm: Dinner and clean-up (everyone)

  • 7:45–9 pm: Fourth Sobremesa

Saturday, January 16

  • 8–9 am: Breakfast prep (chef + 2 helpers); yoga or optional activity for everyone else

  • 9–10 am: Breakfast and clean-up (everyone)

  • 10 am–12 noon: Fifth Sobremesa

  • 12–1 pm: Lunch prep (chef + 2 assistants); free time for everyone else

  • 1–2:15 pm: Lunch and clean-up (everyone)

  • 2:15–3:30 pm: Free time

  • 3:30–5:30 pm: Sixth Sobremesa

  • 5:30–6:30 pm: Dinner prep (chef + 3 assistants); free time for everyone else

  • 6:30–7:45 pm: Dinner and clean-up (everyone)

  • 7:45–9 pm: Open Mic — story, music, goofiness, dancing

Sunday, January 17

  • 9:30–10:30 am: Brunch prep (chef + 2 helpers); yoga or optional activity for everyone else

  • 10:30–11:45 am: Brunch and clean-up (everyone)

  • 11:45 am–12:30 pm: Closing activity

The costs

This covers everything for the weekend — lodging, all meals, and the retreat itself:

  • Private room (queen or king bed): $1,000 per person

  • Couple sharing a room (queen or king bed): $600 per person ($1,200 total for the couple)

  • Shared room, two twin beds: $600 per person

  • Local participation (join us for the days and meals, no overnight stay): $275

Space is intentionally small: maximum 8 people staying onsite, maximum 4 local participants. (A couple of us — me, Brooke, and one additional helper — will also be there running things, outside that count.)

Register Here