Around the second week of January I start to get cabin fever and long for warmer climes. Happily, I had a trip south to Las Cruces planned to teach cooking for a week, and I decided to add an overnight stay to the journey and check out the town of Truth or Consequences. The weather cooperated, and it was a balmy 69 degrees when we arrived on a Friday afternoon to check into the historic Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa (501 McAdoo Street, 575-894-6976). This stately retreat just off Main Street is well worth a visit; it's situated directly over natural hot springs that bubble up and fill the whirlpool bathtub when you turn on a special faucet in many of the lodge's neat and comfy rooms.

The decor and architecture hearken back to 1929, the year the lodge was built, but a massive renovation by its owners, New York City restaurateurs Serge and Guy Raoul, has brought it up to modern comfort. A half-hour soak in an outdoor hot tub in the warm sun and a vigorous hour-long deep-tissue massage melted my Santa Fe freeze and made me hungry for dinner.

The lodge has a restaurant that serves an included breakfast, but it's not open in the evenings at present. Opt rather to walk two blocks to the trendy Café Bellaluca (303 Jones St., 575-894-9866) and enjoy a menu of Italian goodies so sophisticated and progressive in its preparations, I daresay it was as good as any of our town's best Italian restaurants' offerings.

Service was professional and friendly, and everything my dining trio shared was scrumptious, including dishes of wild mushroom ravioli ($12.95) and lobster ravioli ($16.95) made fresh that day by Chef Byron Harrel-Mackenzie's grandmother-in-law, Rusty. A Ceasar salad ($7.95) was perfectly garlicky and laden with anchovies; and a plump, moist, pan-roasted grouper fillet ($19.95) was topped with roasted peppers, artichokes and olives — perfecto! Boozy tiramisú ($5.95) and creamy gelato ($3.95) closed our extraordinary meal.

As we wandered back to the hotel, we happened upon the Senior Citizens Community Center, where a live band was playing Western swing music for two dozen or so two-stepping couples. An elderly gentleman beckoned to us as we peered through the window, and we were warmly invited to join in the dancing; a lovely gesture that made us feel like locals (albeit youthful ones) as we swung with T or C's finest citizens. It was a great way to work off that meal, and let me tell you: The octogenarian I danced with had pep! What fun to explore the other unique regions of our beautiful state and see and taste what lies beyond the horizon.

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Vegans, vegetarians, raw food lovers and curious carnivores should check out Vegan Santa Fe at 323 McKenzie St., 920-1270; a tiny casita that serves very good lunches that just happen to be healthy, too. I admit I went with trepidation, fearful that food prepared without virtue of butter, cream, eggs and animal proteins would pale next to what I like to eat, but I'm happy to report the menu here is straightforward, tasty food, creatively prepared.

A curried carrot soup was creamed-up with coconut milk and a healthy hit of curry powder — yum. A raw vegan nori wrap was stuffed with fresh greens and a delicious nut pâté and served with a zippy chipotle dressing for dipping. The Indian curried vegetables served with coconut rice ($8) and warm, homemade chapati bread ($2) had small cubes of potatoes and eggplant as its base, and when simmered with exotic Indian spices, I certainly didn't miss the lamb or chicken I would normally prepare it with. Charming Chef Mariela Rodriguez hails from Puerto Rico and admits to growing up with lots of pork dishes in her family traditions, but now, as a vegan, she is happy to explain the merits of vegan and raw living as she takes the orders and then pops back to the kitchen to prepare them.

Rodriguez also does catering and teaches cooking classes. Information is available on her Web site at www.vegansantafe.com. If you happen to be dating a vegan, you can bring him or her to the restaurant on Valentine's Day for a romantic vegan dinner served from 5 to 9 p.m. on Feb. 14, or you can send your sweetie a heart-shaped vegan "cheese" cake. Vegan Santa Fe is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday. Seating is limited, so I would suggest calling ahead to reserve a table.

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There are two worthy fundraising events happening Saturday, Feb. 7: the fourth annual Sweetheart Benefit Auction for the Cancer Institute Foundation and the Folk Art Committee's Fabled Table Dinner to benefit the educational programs and exhibits of the Museum of International Folk Art.

The Sweetheart Benefit is being held at the new Santa Fe Community Convention Center and commences at 5 p.m. There will be a silent auction, dinner stations with food by Peas 'n' Pod Catering, and wine, as well as a live auction called by Hotel Santa Fe General Manager Paul Margetson. Tickets are $34 and can be acquired by calling 955-7956 or visiting www.cancerinstitutefoundation.org.

For the Folk Arts evening, "Fabled Italy & Cucina Italiano," the atrium at the Museum of International Folk Art will be transformed into an Italian trattoria, and attendees will feast on antipasti, pollo alla Marsala and dolci (provided by Angel Food Catering) and, of course, vino. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by calling 992-2715, ext. 3. The evening kicks off at 6 p.m., so get out and support one of these great causes — and have fun!

To share a tip or dish about the local food scene, send an e-mail to chefjohnnyvee@aol.com or call 505-699-3419.