The City Different
Written: Aug 22 '08
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Picturesque, clean air, artsy
Cons: Expensive, high altitude might cause headaches
The Bottom Line: A great little town for a long weekend
|
|
|
| ladygumby's Full Review: Santa Fe |
My first sojourn to Santa Fe, New Mexico took place back in November, 1997. Having had a childhood fascination with Native American culture, it was only natural to eventually be lead to Santa Fe, a city awash with Native American, Spanish and Western influences.
My return visit was more recent – in December of 2005. In actuality, though, this second Santa Fe trip was originally a New Orleans trip. Once Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, my plans had to be changed; it seemed as good a time as any to make a second foray to Santa Fe.
In December, many of the town buildings were lined with farolitos (as they are known in Santa Fe), which are also widely known as luminarias. Building poles were adorned with fragrant cedar boughs, which added to the festive holiday spirit. While wandering the streets of Santa Fe for a few hours trying to reacquaint myself with the surroundings, I realized that the high altitude gave me a slight headache, which had not happened before.
Transportation
On both trips, I actually flew into the Albuquerque Airport, then caught shuttles to Santa Fe. I distinctly remember that the first shuttle was called Shuttle Jack, but they have now either gone out of business or changed their name. This time around, Santa Fe Shuttle (888-833-2300) was my choice. Their adult rates are $21 one-way and $38 round-trip, plus a $2.00 gas surcharge per ticket. Not only were they on-time, but the vans were relatively comfortable.
Though Santa Fe itself has a bus line, the main parts of Old Santa Fe are easily accessible by foot.
Accommodations
My first stay in Santa Fe had been at La Posada Santa Fe Resort & Spa. They have since renovated their rooms and grounds, and raised their prices accordingly (i.e. not within my budget).
I decided on Las Palomas for this trip and booked on-line. This hotel is not advertised as much as others, so there were a few doubts, which (happily) were unfounded. Las Palomas is associated with the Inn of the Anasazi. My first clue about the service came upon check-in. I was immediately offered warm, home-made chocolate chip cookies which were kept in a tagine at the front desk. Check-in was quick and efficient. The hotel offers Pueblo style and Territorial style casitas. The Pueblo style casitas feature wood-burning kiva fireplaces, vigas, and wooden furniture and cabinetry fashioned by local artisans. The Territorial style casitas are more contemporary, with gas-lit stove fireplaces, wood-beam ceilings, hand-woven rugs and feather beds. Though my original request had been for a pueblo style casita, I was given a Territorial style one. It was more than adequate, however, so I kept it in lieu of changing.
I was up bright and early on Saturday to face the day, beginning my morning with the deluxe continental breakfast offered by Las Palomas, which is complimentary to guests. It is offered from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. daily and includes muffins, bagels, waffles, yogurt, cereal, fresh fruit, coffee and juice. Everything was served up with a smile. On that first morning, since rain was predicted, the staff even loaned me an umbrella emblazoned with "Inn of the Anasazi," with whom they are associated.
Sights
Upon arrival in Santa Fe on Friday evening, I hurried to the Georgia O'Keefe Museum immediately after checking in to the hotel. On my initial trip to Santa Fe, I had missed the Georgia O'Keefe Museum because it was closed the day I had decided to go. I was determined that it be the FIRST thing I see this time. Another reason for rushing over there is because the museum is free on Fridays between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Normally, admission is $4 for New Mexico residents and $8 for other adults. The Georgia O'Keefe Museum has 182 works in its permanent collection, and obviously showcases the premiere collection of her works throughout the world. I watched a short film about her life before wandering through the museum. During my visit, one of the exhibitions was "Georgia O'Keeffe & Andy Warhol - Flowers of Distinction." The museum shop is filled with many interesting objects that make great souvenirs, so I purchased a few notecards and prints.
Sunday morning found me off to the Museum of Fine Arts, after another satisfying breakfast at Las Palomas. This museum is located right off of the Plaza, even closer than the Georgia O'Keefe Museum. Like the Georgia O'Keefe Museum, it is free on Fridays between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Beings it was Sunday, I paid my $7.00 and wandered through the exhibits. In December, these included: A Juried and Invitational Exhibition of New Mexico Women Artists, Strokes of Genius: Masterworks from the New Britain Museum of American Art, and Who's Who and What's What – New Mexico Connections. The Museum of Fine Arts boasts a beautiful inner courtyard, as well as the St. Francis Auditorium. Both facilities are often used for weddings.
Later that afternoon I stopped in at the Loretto Chapel, which I had actually seen on my first trip. This chapel, begun in 1873 and finished five years later, was fashioned after Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Its claim to fame is the Miraculous Staircase, constructed sometime between 1877 and 1881. The staircase features two 360-degree turns with no visible means of support. Only wooden pegs were used; no nails. The legend is that a wanderer built the staircase for the nuns, then simply disappeared.
The oldest shrine to the Virgin in the United States happens to be situated in Santa Fe – La Sanctuario de Guadalupe. This adobe structure was built by the Franciscan missionaries in the late 1700's and is free to view, though donations are suggested.
Another interesting little spot is Burro Alley, also very close to the Plaza. This small pedestrian alley contains a few restaurants today, but was named for the burros that carried firewood to be sold back in the 1800's.
An additional museum that I had visited before is the Institute of American Indian Arts. Also off of the Plaza, this museum features over 8000 pieces of Native American paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs, as well as traditional crafts (beadwork, pottery, weaving and basketry).
Shopping
The Winter Spanish Market was my primary reason for choosing the first weekend of December for this trip. The market was held at the Convention Center on both Saturday and Sunday. I arrived about 30 minutes after it had opened and walked into a packed room, stuffed with vendors and tourists, and pulsing with live Spanish music on the small stage. This was my chance to begin a little Christmas shopping. I did the once-around and, honestly, didn't find an overwhelming amount of affordable items. I bought a few tin Christmas ornaments, as well as a couple of tin frames – one with a religious picture inside and the other with a picture of Frida Kahlo.
On my walk, I stopped in at Cutlery of Santa Fe, a shop which specializes in all types of inlaid items. The place was filled with letter openers, flatware sets, manicure sets, money clips, salad sets and so forth, many inlaid with turquoise, jet, coral, amber and mother of pearl. Prices were fair, considering the quality of the work. I purchased a unique inlaid wine opener. While getting ready to pay, I jokingly asked the sales clerk why they weren't having a holiday sale. She was amused and gave me a 10% discount just for asking! So, you see, it REALLY does not hurt to ask!
A large part of my walk involved trekking down Canyon Road and checking out all of the art galleries located there. This mile-long historical street, located east of the Plaza, is lined with the highest concentration of art galleries, boutiques and restaurants in the city. Galleries feature sculpture, paintings, native American crafts, mixed media, photography and antiques. I browsed and had intentions of stopping for lunch somewhere along the way. Unfortunately, the large majority of restaurants were not open for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Thus, I wandered back to the Plaza area for lunch at Tia Sophia's.
The Plaza is famous for the Native American vendors who set up their wares on blankets in front of the Palace of the Governors. Being an aficionado of Native American jewelry, I perused them several times throughout the course of the day! If you are looking to buy something, be aware that items sold in front of the Palace of the Governors must be stamped with the artist's name/initials for authenticity. Their prices are nearly always more competitive than the ones in surrounding retail stores, though the vendors prefer cash over credit cards. In addition, if you would like to take a photo of the vendors, be sure and ask their permission first.
I searched high and low for a retail store with decent prices on authentic Native American products. Dressman's Gifts was the result of that search. Not only is the staff happy and friendly, but the majority of pieces are stamped for authenticity. Prices were very fair. As an example, I naively thought I could find a silver Navajo conch belt around town for a few hundred dollars. While other stores sold them for upwards of $1900, Dressman's silver Navajo conch belts began around $350.
In case that "cowboy" fever hits you while you are in town, stop by Tom Taylor Co. for belts, buckles and boots.
Food
Along with New Orleans, Santa Fe is one of my favorites cities when it comes to cuisine. I choose my restaurants with relish!
For dinner one evening, I chose the Guadalupe Café on Old Santa Fe Trail. I had the El Pollo de Guadalupe, a boneless breast of chicken breaded in corn flour spiced with red chile, served with green chile mashed potatoes and corn pudding ($9.75). Other viable choices were portobello mushroom and roasted garlic enchiladas, guacamole enchiladas and roast beef burritos with Anasazi beans. What's interesting about Santa Fe is that most restaurant tables have honey (for sopapillas) and hot sauce on the tables. For those of you unfamiliar with sopapillas, these crisp, puffy deep-fried pastries are like little pillows filled with air. A popular way of eating them is to tear off a corner, fill the inside with honey and enjoy!
Another place I dined was at Tia Sophia's, a downtown restaurant decorated with serapes, Mexican dresses and sombreros specializing in New Mexican food. There was a 10 minute wait for a table during lunch. They are famous for the breakfast burritos. In fact, legend has it that the breakfast burrito was invented here. The atmosphere was lively & crowded. Prices are inexpensive and they offer blue plate specials. No alcohol is served, however.
One evening I splurged on dinner at Bistro 315, a more upscale restaurant featuring creative cuisine. There is outside patio seating available and smoke-free dining inside. Dinner is offered 5 nights a week, and lunch on Tuesday through Saturdays. The interior is filled with wood chairs, Provencal fabrics (i.e. souleiado) and pastoral paintings. The ladies' room is labeled "Femmes." At the time, $27 prix fixe menu were offered from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. nightly. My dinner consisted of wild mushroom and chicken ravioli with roasted garlic pesto broth and parmesan cheese; a potato horseradish crusted salmon with fennel, leek, endive and beurre rouge; and a cheese plate with brie, morbier and Saint Andre.
A few other places where I dined were Cottonwoods Diner and The Shed. Cottonwoods Diner offers affordable New Mexican specialties, and I was served a burrito as big as my head! The Shed is a Santa Fe institution, famed for their red chile enchiladas with blue corn tortillas. The 17th century hacienda where they are located is filled with colorful folk art.
In Closing
Santa Fe is the perfect spot for a long weekend. It's filled with culture and wonderful restaurants, though shopping for Western wear and Native American Indian clothing could easily max out one's credit card. As much as I enjoyed both trips in the winter, I would love to return for Indian summer.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
ladygumby
|
|
Member: Tina
Location: San Francisco, California, USA
Reviews written: 49
Trusted by: 13 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.