This semester, Jackalope staff member Sandra Schoenenstein will regularly profile interesting and accessible off-campus spots for students. This week’s pick is Iconik Coffee Roasters.

In the first of a series of interviews with student bands at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, Jackalope Magazine talked with the musicians from Venus and the Lion.

The African Drum Ensemble lead by Fred Simpson transported the audience in the O’Shaughnessy Performance Space.

Located in a basement, right beneath West San Francisco Street in the heart of downtown Santa Fe, lies The Matador bar & lounge, (The Matador, 116 W San Francisco St, 984-5050). It’s easy to miss the cement stairs that lead you below unless there’s a bartender on shift, and then you’ll be sure to hear music blaring up through the stairwell. The staff at the Matador is a group of uniquely diverse individuals and each one provides something for just about everyone. Some of them are experts in culinary arts and could teach you how to properly butcher your own pig, while others can offer mechanical advice on how to build a motorcycle. An added bonus is the varying musical preferences from the bar that range from outlaw country to funk and soul, which brings in a wide range of customers. The Matador is great place to grab a drink and take a break from Santa Fe, all while being taken back to that bar that reminds you of home. It’s a little divey, but isn’t that what makes it feel like our...