Spending Time (& Money) in Santa Fe, New Mexico
A city full of interesting things you’ve never heard about…
Founded in 1610, Santa Fe is the oldest state capital in America, and with an elevation 7,199 feet above sea level, its also the highest. I had fears about bringing a notorious ex-chain smoker with me after reading warnings about altitude sickness. (He was totally fine.)
Do you know the way?
Our room at the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi was a two minute walk to the historic plaza, which has been the heart of downtown Santa Fe for over 400 years. Shopping here is a unique experience. Spaces on the floor lining the perimeter of the plaza are granted each morning by lottery wherein licensed craftsmen can sell art and jewelry made by a family member, if not by the vendor themselves. These merchants may change daily, so if you see something you like, don’t hesitate. And bring cash.
Undisputed, the best place to shop is Jackalope, a massive mercantile a short drive from downtown. I dragged Danny back to this wonderland not twice, but four times. I walked away with colorful placemats, turquoise jewelry, handmade clothing, baskets, dreamcatchers, and a travel bag made out of a repurposed rug that I am completely obsessed with. Danny ended up with a silver guitar pic and ceramic hand-painted skulls.
Chiles for days
Throughout the week, we chose a mix of fine dining, casual spots, and street food. From the fry bread topped with a pork chop (who uses a pork chop as a topping?!) from a stand in the plaza to Geronimo, an upscale restaurant in a circa-1756 adobe home, we were not disappointed. Order “Christmas style” and your burrito, omelette, whatever you’ve got will show up covered in both red and green chile sauce. New Mexicans sure know how to utilize this amazing ingredient.
Danny was hooked on the chile caramel corn from The Chile Shop. They also sell a killer spicy chile hot chocolate. Then there’s the green chile beef jerky. Not gonna lie, we spent close to $200 on these treats to share back at home.
Bus tour nerds
Sometimes this is the best way to see things. The tour makes an 8 mile loop, sharing the history and beauty of a place that has attracted artists and writers for hundreds of years. Georgia O’Keeffe was famously drawn to and inspired by the landscape. For a small town of about 83,000 people, Santa Fe has more art galleries than Los Angeles and only a few less than New York. On Canyon Road alone, you’ll find over 100 galleries in a magical half-mile. I don’t fancy myself an art person, so was happy to discover this picturesque trail has plenty to offer even to the unsophisticated visitor such as myself.
A miracle in the desert
Probably my favorite thing about this trip was Loretto Chapel and the “Miraculous Stairway.” According to legend, the Sisters of the Chapel needed a stairway built as a solution to a seating problem, prayed about it, and, low and behold, a man with very few tools showed up, built it, and then left before receiving payment or fanfare. The design, which has two 360° turns and no visible means of support, continues to perplex experts to this day. We went back to marvel it a second time.
I’m the one who knocks
Wanting to get the full New Mexico experience, we made a quick stop in Albuquerque to visit the other Jackalope store. The one in Santa Fe is way better but that didn’t stop me from buying more stuff. And you know we had to drive by Walter White’s house from Breaking Bad. The house is fairly unimpressive but at least we got to see it before a wall goes up. Apparently the owners have had enough of people throwing pizzas on their roof.
See you next time, Santa Fe
After a truly enjoyable week of high altitude and endless art, we found ourselves out of breath and sufficiently cultured.
