Photography by Michael Weidemann
Fly to Table in Taos, New Mexico
All around the world, on any given evening, thousands of stories are being swapped across bar tops and counters. Even more, are being swapped behind them. That’s how Michael first met Chris Castro, a local designer turned cocktail and food writer turned restaurant owner. They sat down as Michael interviewed for a job to work as a barista for Castro’s newly-opened
Kitchen at Commonplace in Oklahoma City. Soon after they found a common bond over their California roots and fascination with film photography; but the thing Michael would hear over and over again was a single word – Taos.
“I GREW UP PRETTY POOR, SO IT WAS EASY TO PACK UP FOR THE WEEKEND AND GO CAMPING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. COFFEE AND EGGS IN THE MORNING, AND IN THE AFTERNOON IT MIGHT BE GRILLED HAM IN BREAD FOR A SANDWICH. FOR US, CAMPING TRIPS LIKE THAT WERE INEXPENSIVE. WE’D THROW WHAT FOOD WE HAD IN THE HOUSE IN THE COOLER AND DRIVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS TO HIKE.”