A Castle Ranch Steak house, owned by Ardent Hotels, has opened in the Santa Fe Courtyard at 3347 Cerrillos Road.

Hotel general manager Mike Shoffit said the new eatery is part of "a continuing plan to upgrade every aspect of the Courtyard by Marriott" and has proven popular with hotel guests and locals.

Las Cruces transplant Ronald Quintana is the head chef.

The restaurant features a full bar menu and a children's menu as well. The steaks served at the steakhouse are from beef raised on Idaho grains and are the only source-certified steaks in the business, Shoffit said.

Hours are 5:30 to 9 p.m. daily. For more information or to make reservations, call
473-2800, ext. 1421.


Santa Fe Bliss, a new integrative health day spa, will hold a grand opening from
5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 2. The spa is at 301 E. Palace Ave., Suite C.

Santa Fe Bliss is the creation of Wyatt Wegrzyn, Janice Bequette and Yvette Powell. The three are experienced in the areas of massage, acupuncture, detoxification treatments and other healing methods.

For more information, call 820-1572.


Santa Fe's hotel/motel occupancy rate for August, the busiest month of the year, came in at 75.8 percent — good, but not as good as last year, when the rate was 80.1 percent. That's according to the Rocky Mountain Lodging Report.

For the first eight months of the year, the rate is 58 percent, compared with 65 percent for the same period in 2008.


Business consultant and trainer Bryan Williams, who specializes in helping businesses develop what he calls a "world-class service experience," will be in Santa Fe at Encantado on Nov. 5.

Both half-day sessions will be open to community businesses. For more information, visit www.encantado.eventbrite.com or call Williams at 240-401-6958.


At 3 p.m. Thursday, the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce's Economic Development Committee will host a two-hour program called Federal Assistance for Small B Business through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

John Woosley, New Mexico district director of the Small Business Administration, will speak about the SBA's economic recovery efforts and the programs they have implemented.

Century Bank representatives will talk about their participation in the interest-free America's Recovery Capital loan program. And a representative from Enchanted land Certified Development Co. will discuss its participation in an SBA low-interest commercial real estate program.

For more information, call Lacie Mackey at 988-3279.