Celebrations in Santa Fe

November 25~26

It's our ninth anniversary and there's to be nothing but fun today.  We're going to keep it casual today though, since tomorrow's Thanksgiving and we're eating at highly acclaimed, fancy restaurant. 

Brunch is at the very popular, just off the plaza, Cafe Pasqual (pasquals.com), a former James Beard Southwest Award winner..  We tried to get in on Sunday and it was mobbed...we're hoping Wednesday morning isn't as bad. Only had to wait about 10 minutes and get a great table. It's a fun place decorated with Southwestern art and our waiter, Bill, must have a second life as a very dry-witted stand-up comic.

Mimosas are the order of the day...mine pomegranite, which is great.  Rick devours his Durango Omlette, filled with ham, Jack cheese, scallions, guac, sour cream, mushrooms and topped with red and green chile sauce (known locally as Christmas).  He is one happy camper!  My Huevos Rancheros would be wonderful if you happen to like cilantro....I cannot abide it, so unfortunatelly, I just pick at the eggs.

The Cathedral Basillica of St. Francis of Assisi (cbsfa.org) is spectacular.  As we were taking it all in, a woman came up to us and began giving us an amazingly interesting backstory on everything.

 The current Church itself was not built until the late 1800's, featuring a two-story carved altar piece.  It's very striking but our "guide" says it's not all that old has been renovated repeatedly and directs our attention to the small, side La Conquistadora Chapel which was built about 1620 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Our Lady of Peace, a statute carried from Mexico to Santa Fe in 1625, is the center of the elaborately carved altar piece.  The figure of Christ beneath her looks rather evil to me.  Our new friend says everybody says that, "but it's folk-art, like a Valentine your child makes for you.  You have to love it." A current parishoner makes Our Lady's dresses and the one pictured is made of the woman's wedding dress.

We learn that many of 2,000 parishoners take a very active part in the upkeep and decoration of the Church. The Stations of the Cross have been painted by another member. We are so glad that this woman, for whatever reason, chose to stop and talk to us. 

From the Cathedral, we walk to the Loretto Chapel, (lorettochapel.com) which houses the "Miraculous Staircase."  Everyone tells us we have to see this.

The church built in the 1870's had a huge design flaw...no way to get to the choir loft.  Legend has it that the nuns that ran the church prayed for an answer.  It is said a mysterious carpenter arrived and built a circular staircase with just a saw, a square, a hammer and tubs to soak the wood.  It has 33 steps in two 360 degree turns without center or side support, nor nails .   The carpenter left as mysteriously as he came without seeking any payment.  Railings and a side support  have subsequently been installed. 

It's pretty, but we find the whole thing rather crass.  The chapel is now privately owned and is used  only for weddings and other events.  The gift shop is much larger than the church and it's attached to to hotel. While the admission (which real churches never have) is only $3, we were mad at ourselves for doing it.

We decide to go to a funky place for an anniversary dinner...the Cowgirl Bar and Grille (cowgirlsantafe.com) This place is down and dirty and fun!  I had to have something called a Frito Pie.  What this is, believe it or not, is a small bag of fritos, slit open and laid, bag and all in a bowl, topped with chili and served with sour cream, onions, jalepenos and jack and cheddar cheese.  It is divine!  And the margaritas the best I've ever tasted.  Rick loves his chili rellenos.  Our intention is to stay until the music starts at 9.  We can't make it that late to start partying! Pathetic, but true!

Thanksgiving Day

I am a parade freak.  A particular favorite is the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade which I've taken Kelly to many times as a youth and young adult.  This year they are going and it's Ian's and Chip's first time.  We spend the morning eating quiche and salad, watching the parade and unsuccessfully trying to find them in the crowd on TV.

We are dining at The Compound (compoundrestaurant.com) this afternoon. This is another highly acclaimed James Beard Award winner.  Bottom line, while very expensive, it's worth every cent.....wonderful food with pure, uncontrived flavors in a very lovely setting.

We both choose the traditional turkey dinner with Spanish chorizo stuffing, root vegetables, mashed potatoes, carmelized onion giblet gravy and cranberry relish. Rick starts with diver scallops and I have what is described as a potato/leek soup with a warmed salad.  What it turns out to be is a warmed potato and greens salad presented in the middle of a large bowl.  The waiter then pours the soup over the salad from a beautiful copper vessel.  Both appetizers are beautiful, elegant and marvelous. 

Over the starters, we are bemoaning the fact we won't get any turkey sandwiches this year.  Well, we're served such ample portions of turkey, we're able to take enough back with us for multiple sandwiches. Everything on the plate is picture and taste perfect! We're stuffed and choose to share an apple tart with ice cream and carmel sauce.  It is too good  for words!  We ask that maple bourbon pecan pie be packed up for another day. 

We miss being home for Thanksgiving, but couldn't have chosen a better restaurant to spend the holiday.

A Quiet Day at Our Santa Fe "Home"

November 24

We're staying at Santa Fe Skies RV Park (santafeskiesrvpark.com) which ultimately we end up liking quite a bit.  But when we first drove in, we thought we landed in the middle of a junk yard!  Turns out all the rusted engines and trucks are an art installation!  Who knew!  We grow to appreciate it.

They've done a nice job in their clubhouse, though we never seem to take advantage of those things.  There's a big lounge with a fireplace and outside a nice bar, patio and outdoor fireplace.  We'd probably use the patio if it were warmer.  It's in the 50's during the day, but the minute that sun goes down, watch out, it drops 30 degrees in a heartbeat.

I guess beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder.  I don't think I could ever call New Mexico beautiful...brown, scrub, rocks.  It's very rugged country.  Don't think I could make my home in a place without green or trees, but we love our view for this week.

After a very quite, restful morning, we go to the outlet center to find me a decent pair of walking shoes.  Walking through dirt and rocks at the Taos Pueblo in patent leather flats just didn't cut it.  Simply can't bring myself to do the clunky hiking boots thing, but find cute pair of short boots with decent soles on them.  They don't look bad and the bonus is that they are really comfortable. 

Tomorrow is our ninth anniversary and we have a full, fun-filled day planned.

O'Keefe & Taos

November 21~22

After viewing a striking sunrise, our full attention on Sunday morning is devoted to the New York Times and the political talk shows.  We've been running around so much, we just needed to fix a late breakfast and breath a little.



But enough of that!  We go to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum (okeeffemuseum.org), which unfortunately allows no photographs. The  new exhibit, "New Mexico and New York," gives a vivid insight into her life, her loves and is integrated with photographs done by  her  husband, Alfred Stieglitz and friend, Ansel Adams.  The introductory visitor's film is excellent, with interviews with O'Keeffe not long before she dies.  I like her paintings, but I love her words....that girl had spunk! Rick is feeling inspired to pick up his brushes again.

Taos

Our day-trip to Taos dawns sunny, windy and really cold.  By the time we leave it has just broken the 20 degree mark and we really don't have the right clothes for this.  We layer and layer and layer. We're still freezing.

We've been advised by many people and guide books to take "the High Road" to Taos, which, of course, we find ironic....we see a few pretty vistas and a gallery we find amusing, but mostly there is very little to see and this route takes an hour longer.  We must be philistines....we don't get it. We plan on taking the "Low Road"   on the way back.

We plan to go to the Taos Pueblo (taospueblo.com) first, then to the heart of town.  The Pueblo is the largest and oldest of the eight in the area.  It was built over 1,000 years ago and is considered the oldest continually inhabited community in the country.  Forty families live here today, a fact we find simply stunning.

Speaking to some of the villagers, we learn that repairs are done regularly, but the Pueblo essentially remains unchanged except for the introduction of doors.  The original residents accessed their homes by ladders through holes in the roof.  Since it is also so cold, we learn the value of the thick adobe walls that catch and hold the heat of the sun.

The village is separated in half by the Red River Creek and is crossed by wooden foot bridges made of huge logs.  The river is still the only source of water and is carried by pottery or pails to the homes.


Shops that have been set up in some of the adobe homes are marked for visitors.  Some of the interiors have been floored with linoleum, others remain dirt.  But one thing is constant, the wonderfully efficient fireplaces that provide the only heat.

The Saint Geronimo Chapel, built in 1850 is one of the newest buildings on site and is a Registered National Historic Landmark.  It is simple and stunning.  The stark white accents against the reddish adobe walls set it apart from everything else in the village. Sky blue stained glass windows  add grace to the the long, hard expanse of adobe.

The interior, which is not allowed to be photographed, is intimate, featuring carved wood ceiling beams.  The Santos, or Virgin Mary, is the dominate decorative figure.

The burial ground is on the site of the original Saint Geronimo Chapel built in 1619 by Spanish priests with Indian labor that were forced into slavery and Catholicism.  It remains in use today.

Leaving the Pueblo, we have a late lunch at the Adobe Bar in the Taos Inn (taosinn.com).  It is the perfect after-ski or after-touring place...big fireplace and good food...very comfy. My chicken burrito is great, as is Rick's taco platter.

Roam the Plaza, which is not as chic as the one in Santa Fe, but find a couple of cute Christmas gifts, then to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge.  This structure, built in 1965 hovers 650 feet above the river and spans 2000 feet.  It's hard to see the majesty of it all, but the aerial photos we've seen in books are quite amazing.

We take the "Low Road" back and are so glad we did!  I would advise if you take this trip to take the Low Road both ways.  It hugs the Rio Grande and is gorgeous both ways for quite a bit of the trip back to Santa Fe. We catch the last fading glances of the sunset.

It was a great and very long day.  Can see a down day in our future tomorrow!

First Glimpse of Santa Fe

November 20

Santa Fe has been on my "to do" list forever.  Now we're here!  We arrive too late in the afternoon to do anything...but do catch a wonderful sunset.

Jump up in the morning to catch the last day of the Farmer's Market on Guadalupe in the Railyard District, an area described as home to some of the "quirkier"  dining spots in town.  We'll have to investigate. 

The Market is great.  Buy the best "just cut" flat iron steaks (grilled that evening and fab), fajita-cut steak, short ribs, some veggies and a marvelous roasted garlic flat bread.

On to The Plaza, the middle-of-town square laid out by the Spanish in 1610 as the focal point of the community, which it remains.  The Palace of The Governors, (palaceofthegovernors.org) former seat of the Santa Fe government and now a museum, is the site where Native American vendors have been laying out their wares daily for over 80 years.  There are over a 1,000 licensed vendors who vie for 63 slots handed out each morning by lottery. 

Most of the items are jewelry with a bit pottery on display on the day we are there.  Most items are not inexpensive, but they are beautifully done and the vendors are a delight to talk to.  I pick up a couple of pairs of earrings that I just love, one hammered silver representing the circle of life with a small piece of turquoise in the center; the other hammered copper.  I'm thrilled with them both.

We wander the streets around The Plaza poking into boutiques and galleries. As to be expected the shops run the gambit from the luxurious to cheap souvenirs.  We stop for lunch at the Plaza Cafe. While I don't shy from spicy flavoring and Rick is a big fan, this is just too much....all heat, no depth of flavor in Rick's enchilada, nor my tortilla soup.

The Plaza is such a lovely area, perfect for walking.  I suspect you could look about for weeks without being able to take it all in.  We are so glad to be here we decide to spend the entire week.  Will have to scramble in the morning to find us a great place to have Thanksgiving dinner.

Boulder & Denver

November 11 ~ 19

 The Jim Cunnigham family has kept us hopping for the last 10 days!  To get to Boulder we spent  three very dreary days driving through Oklahoma, Kansas and the Colorado plains.  'Nuf said!

Immediately upon getting there the party began!  Rick's almost 95 year old father was grinning from ear to ear and Jim and Linda were definitely the hosts with the most!

Where to leave Tor in a Boulder suburban setting could  have been a real challenge.  Fortunately dear friends of the family, let us park it on their ranch outside of town. A terrific offer!  It's nearing 70 degrees when we arrive, but a frigid spell is on the way and Rick worries about Tor's pipes bursting and various other not good things.  Gail and Harley let us plug Tor into their garage power so we can run the heat...then it gets really cold and we're greeted with 9" of snow.

Rick comes up with an elegant solution which, in short, means placing exterior garden lights in each underneath storage area on a timer....these 50 watt bulbs keep things from going very awry!  Maybe he gets these brillant ideas while zoning out in the hot tub!

The Kyer family has been, in essence, a part of the Cunningham family since Rick et al were very little.  The Boulder contingent is coming to dinner, but first we host a cocktail party out at Tor for everyone to see.  Unfortunately, we were having such a good time, we forgot to take pictures.

Actually, the entire visit in Boulder is one big party...had a great time with Jim and Linda's kids, Jason and Erin and met my nephew, Nicholas, at a great restaurant named The Kitchen Cafe (thekitchencafe.com) near the Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder.  The area is filled with bars, restaurants, boutiques and street musicians...it is vibrant and definitely appeals to a youthful, free-thinking crowd.

As many times as we've been to Boulder, we never "do" Denver.  I hadn't been there in over 15 years when it was a rather depressed, very quiet little city.  That has changed quite a bit.  Construction is going on everywhere, the streets and sidewalks are filled with people and pockets of restaurants, galleries and boutiques have sprung up.

One thing that was very striking to me was the large number of public sculptures scattered throughout the city.  They are really welcoming and dot the landscape with interesting pieces.  To appreciate the scale of this one, look at the runner in the foreground behind the fence.

The Denver Art Museum was a public relations client of mine many years ago. It was a pretty weird looking structure then and I was very interested in seeing how it had/hadn't grown.  Well, it's monumentally large now with a new wing designed by Daniel Libeskind that is quite startling.  The original fortress-looking wing is on the right.

Stopped at the Capitol, an absolutely gorgeous building.  As in Texas, there is not a full time legislative body, so it's rather deserted and perfect for wandering about.

Opened in 1894, it is based on the design of the National Capitol and  features building materials from throughout the state; granite, sandstone marble and rose onyx are generously used with the exterior dome finished with 200 ounces of Colorado gold.

We sadly leave Boulder after a terrific visit...but we're very excited to get to Santa Fe where we've never been.

Texas Round-up ~ Part 3 ~ Dallas/Fort Worth

November 6~ 9

Stopping at the Wildflower Center causes us to have to drive after dark....we hate that in this thing.  Finally arrive in Arlington, TX at another of the Carefree Resorts, this one called Treetops (carefreervresorts.com).  While these are far from fancy, we've learned they are well-cared for and staffed with very friendly and helpful people.  This location has six "Presidential Sites" that are far from that but are very spacious, with a patio and a little garden.  The best part is there is no one next to you in these sites.

In the literature they give us, we read about the Fort Worth Stockyards (fortworthstockyards.org) which sounds like a hoot.  Head there the next morning and enter a time warp!  Looks like an old West town with everyone fully decked out....but the stores are selling $10,000 boots and saddles....bikers are on the curb....there is obviously no open container laws.....and they are going to have a cattle drive down the main street.

It's not exactly Pamplona...these bulls kind of amble....but it's fun and we talk for "a good piece" to one of the cowboys who's name is Kiltie Oglee...he says he has a "bit of the Irish in him" which is no surprise.  He tells us of his childhood in rural Texas raised by a moonshining family.  When the product of choice switched to marijuan, Kiltie's father wasn't comfortable with that and moved to Fort Worth.  He tells us he's just had a granddaughter and exclaims "I found a piece of my heart, I didn't know was there".  How beautiful is that!

We pack as much of Dallas as we possibly can the next day.  First stop, the Cowboys new stadium....(yes, Ian, we just might have picked up a few things for you from your favorite team). The stadium is huge and pretty good looking...guess that's what over a billion dollars buys these days.

We need to see the Book Depository and walk around the area of the Kennedy assasination.  It seems so undistinguished and being there I feel removed from what shook our world in 1963.  There's a sign on the grassy knoll that simply cannot be an official marker.  It diminishes the solemnity of the site...I wish someone would take it down.

The Texas Book Despository (jfk.org) is now a civic administrative building except for the sixth floor museum.  The window on the far right of the next to top floor is where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots.

There's not much in the way of landmarks or memorials.  A faded "X" marks the spot in the street.  One rather odd sculpture by Philip Johnson commerates the President.

Rick reads about another Cattle Drive....a large bronze sculpture installation in Pioneer Plaza is the biggest bronze sculpture of its type in the world, or so they say.  Don't know what classifies as it's "type",  since this is of 50 head of cattle and three cowboys herding them across the park.  Probably not too many like that. It 's really very cool!

We're having dinner at the home of a good friend of mine from New York and on the way stop at the Nasher Sculpture Center (nashersculpturecenter.org).  This new outdoor oasis is opposite the Dallas Art Museum and is small, but extremely tranquil.  Though I think the $10 per head charge is pretty high, we enjoy it greatly.  Founder, Raymond Nasher, intends it to become an international focal point for the appreciation of modern sculpture.

"Walking to the Sky" was inspired by the artist's memories of a childhood story about a giant who lived in the sky. It's 100 feet high and is at a 75 degree angle.

On to see Bliss and Pelham and their children.  So great to catch up with them.  Unfortunately their son is not feeling well, but 7-year-old, Coryell, is a delightful hostess who proudly produces original works of art for our refrigerator.

The next three days are going to be dreary.  We will deadhead the 900+ miles through Kansas and Colorado to Boulder to visit Rick's Dad, brother and sister-in-law.  Can't wait to see them, but wish we had a transporter to get us there!