From: Taos News - 2005 Success Stories El Torreon Hacienda Revives the Spirit of Old Taos By Jai Cross

Built in 1847, El Torreon Hacienda is the ancestral home of the Valdez and Cardenas families in El Prado, on the north side of Taos. Living nearby, Allyn Ransom often drove by the decaying hacienda complex and realized that it was one of the gems of Taos that deserved to be saved. The renovated structure preserves its 158-year old feeling by retaining all but one of the original walls and restoring the windows with handmade replicas.

"The success of El Torreon Hacienda is a story about El Prado's historic relevance," said Ransom. "Our purpose in the 'commercial' renovation of this magnificently built hacienda was to retain its family character and to honor its historic integrity."

"The hacienda is now home to five businesses. Shop owners and their customers experience this fine architectural example from early El Prado history. So, come enjoy the special feeling of El Torreon Hacienda and see for yourself how great 'old' can feel."

Taos MultiMedia Studio, a company of Taos Music & Art, Inc., (taosmultimedia.com) is the brainchild of J. R. Ransom, Allyn's husband, and its office is located in the rear of El Torreon Hacienda. J. R. Ransom has amassed an impressive collection of media credentials that include producing 33 music albums, recording five albums of his own urban/country folk music, making numerous television commercials, and pioneering many local on-line innovations.

The Taos MultiMedia Studio undertakes varied audio, video, and web projects. It was established as a production facility that serves as a mother ship specializing in the fields of entertainment, information, and eCommerce. Information on a digital camera, CD, DVD, cassette, or hard copy can be processed onto websites that attract a large clientele.

Using dynamic web technology, the Taosplaza.com is an online video magazine and a cluster of web portals that was developed to sort and collate tremendous amounts of user-friendly data. Taoslink.com is another Taos MultiMedia Studio portal with links to about 1,600 Taos web locations and is the largest Internet directory of businesses and individuals based in Taos. Taosmusic.com displays the recordings of many local artists and offers their songs for direct download and autographed CDs for easy on-line purchase.

"We are revolutionaries that think globally and act locally," said J. R. Ransom. "Our clients want more independence, and we work 24/7 to fulfill that need with some sleep breaks factored in."

Tony Whitecrow Deerskin Art & Design (758-5470 - tonywhitecrow.com) markets handmade Western-style deerskin clothing at his store in El Torreon. Whitecrow envisions each hide that he works with as an opportunity for the deer to continue living in another plane of existence. This deep respect is evident in his unique creations, which often include his trademark twisted fringe that is cut and permanently set with a double twist by hand.

"Following tradition takes extra time," said Whitecrow, "but the finished piece becomes wearable art that is not only fashionable, functional, and durable, it is also authentic to the American West." Many of his pieces are sold privately at the most exclusive homes in the United States, and his clientele include many famous entertainers and musicians, such as Alan Jackson.

Whitecrow receives his inspiration for each individual piece in a dream, and his tasteful designs unfold on the finest quality deerskin hides. He said, "I have been doing my work for almost twenty years here in Taos, and this is my first store, which allows me to sell my work at previous wholesale prices. It also gives me the privilege of featuring the special work of my good friends."

In April, Tony Whitecrow Deerskin Art & Design will expand into another room at El Torreon Hacienda that will feature Western collectibles. The extra space will also allow him to relocate his workshop onto the premises.

The Tupelo Road Gallery (758-0181) occupies three rooms of El Torreon where it presents tasteful fine art and Oriental rugs. Its large rug inventory includes a wide variety of styles, colors, and motifs woven in Afghanistan, Turkey, Persia, and Pakistan. These fascinating weavings often contain elements of the ancient histories of these countries and their native people.

Due to customer demand, the gallery's Seasonal Rug Sale has been extended through February 24, and the entire stock is offered at 50% of its marked price. "This is definitely the time to buy," said gallery director Kathleen Urquhart. "These volume sales move our inventory, and it's good for everyone."

Fourteen artists are currently represented in the Tupelo Road Gallery, which includes an outdoor sculpture garden. The offerings include the large-scale steel sculptures of Claude Bailey, the oil paintings of Jonathan Sobol, the landscapes of Linda Fair, the acrylic paintings and sculpture of Hank Brusselback, and the redeemed metal sculptures of Allan Wilcox. The gallery also represents Pablo Flores, a local artist whose striking crosses of weathered wood are adorned with feathers, antlers, old cans, carvings, rusted tin, broken pottery, and other intriguing materials.

The Texas Bar-B-Q and Baking Company (758-5445) is the newest member of the El Torreon Hacienda family, opening their doors for the first time last December. Their unique dining concept and delicious lunches and dinners have since received overwhelming support from the local community.

James Heaton is responsible for the bar-b-q, which gradually cooks meats from three to eighteen hours in a huge smoker. The process dates back to the Native American practice of placing meats in a pit of glowing coals, covering them with green plants, and cooking them slowly to release the meat's entire flavor. Texas refers to a regional cooking style that is a dry rub bar-b-q as opposed to the Memphis or South Caroline styles that mop the meat with sauce.

The baby back ribs are the best seller at the Texas Bar-B-Q and Baking Company, but the menu also contains beef brisket, pork loin, turkey breast, chicken halves, and sausage. Three daily lunch specials served with home-style vegetables and fresh baked cornbread are available.

Debbe Heiden is the restaurant's baker who creates the award-winning Debbe de Taos desserts that are carried at Cid's Food Market, Raley's Supermarket, and many other outlets. Her carrot cake won first place at the New Mexico State Fair, and many of her other selections have taken numerous awards. Customers can choose from more than twenty dessert delights on the menu including deep-dish pecan pie, luscious German chocolate cake, moist brownies, gluten-free spice cake, and sugar-free lemon cake.