Take Me Away to Santa Fe

Hiking Dale Ball Trails affords beautiful views. 

In July, I went to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to speak at a conference. I'd never been there before, but I'd heard glowing reviews. So, I decided to take a few days off and stay in the city on my own dime.

It was, in a word, magical. Just magical.

Hotel grounds at La Posada

Day 1

The night I came in, I first checked into our conference hotel - La Posada de Santa Fe. This was a gorgeous property in a fantastic location. It was just far enough from the Plaza to be quiet, but close enough that everything there was easy to walk to. Plus, the grounds were beautifully landscaped. They had a nice, small pool and a jacuzzi. I was put in the Julia Suite, a large, lovely room in the main part of the hotel. I had a roomy sitting area, a large closet and bath, and a comfy bedroom with a four-poster king bed and a fireplace. It was beautiful!

This property is full of gorgeous art. It's everywhere you look, and it gives the place such warmth and character. In addition, the hotel has an on-site spa, restaurant and bar. Everything you could want, and in a gorgeous setting.

That evening, the conference sponsored a lovely cocktail reception, and then some of the attendees and I peeled off to get dinner afterward. We got a table at La Plazuela at La Fonda. First of all, it's in a great location. Right on the Plaza, and in a beautiful hotel. The dining room looks like an outdoor courtyard a bit, with trees, twinkling lights and vibrant colors. Service was extremely prompt and

The La Plazuela dining room is incredibly atmospheric.

very friendly. I the steak fajitas, and the food was wonderful! (It also came with a little so papilla tucked inside the tortilla basket, with a side of honey! Yum!) We loved this place and would highly recommend.

After dinner, several of us had a drink in the hotel bar together. I'd had a low-grade headache all night, so I excused myself fairly early to go to bed. (I think this had something to do with the altitude. My home altitude is roughly 300 feet. Santa Fe sits at 7,000 feet. So acclimating might be a little different for everyone.)

Day 2

The next day, I woke up early to hit the gym. The hotel's on-site gym had several cardio and weight machines, in addition to some free weights and exercise balls. My headache was gone, but I definitely noticed the oxygen deficit a bit on the treadmill! I was able to crank out my same workout, but it was tougher!

Dinner at Eloisa! Yum!

After cleaning up, it was off for a day at the conference. I had a great time learning from the other participants, and I tried to make my presentation as interesting and informative as possible. (And also entertaining. Giving away prizes really helps!) This conference was focused on industrywide data and benchmarking, and it was fascinating to get a glimpse into that world.

Then, we all had a break before a group dinner that night. Myself and another conference attendee decided to stretch our legs a bit by walking to the Plaza. It's quite charming! You'll find shops, restaurants, art galleries, food trucks and live music there. There are benches and some green space for relaxing. (We loved the Chocolate + Cashmere shop. We stopped in to sample the candies, and I sheepishly admit to returning there a few times during my stay in Santa Fe. Irresistible!)

Then, it was off to Eloisa for our group dinner. We got a big, lovely table on the patio and ordered some drinks and small plates for the table - a sweet corn flan and some stuffed piquillo peppers. For dinner, I had a gorgeous brisket enchilada with a lovely green sauce. And then we got dessert! We all sampled several different sweets. I was enchanted by the brioche with the popcorn ice cream. So inventive!

We stayed at Eloisa for a while, laughing, talking and taking in the night air. Conversation and laughter flowed like water. When we finally got up to leave, we decided to zip up to the top of the hotel Eloisa is located in to Bar Alto, a gorgeous open air rooftop bar. They had the fire pits flickering for us, and we talked and enjoyed the evening a bit more before heading back to the hotel for a well-deserved rest.

Day 3

Have ball cap. Will hike.

This was the first day that I was on my own recognizance. I decided to start early with a hike. I caught a quick Uber to Dale Ball Trails, which is only 3-4 miles outside of town. Because I was out early, temperatures were still cool, and I still had the trails largely to myself. I picked a hike that promised good views from the information the concierge had provided at the hotel and hit the trail.

Beautiful. Just beautiful. Cool and green in the foothills, with the mountains rising around you. Great views of town and nearby elevations. I wore sunscreen, sturdy shoes and a ball cap, and I brought some water. I hiked for a little over 2 hours before finding my way back to the trailhead.

I didn't have great service at the trail head, so I walked a bit further back towards town (maybe half a mile?) before I got enough bars to get a car back. If I were to do it again, I might rent a bike, bike out there, hike, and then bike back. It's really not that far. (I would've walked back, but I was STARVING by this time.)

Staircases and stained glass at Loretto Chapel

I had the car drop me right at Chez Mamou, a perfect little French restaurant mere steps from the hotel. I returned here several times for breakfast during my stay in town. I got a table in the shaded courtyard and ordered the wonderful mushroom and cheese omelette, which came with a side salad, and a big cup of coffee. Then, I relaxed, ate and read my book.

Sated, I went back to the hotel to get cleaned up and checked out. I was spending the next few nights at another location just around the street - La Casa des Tres Lunas. I'd made the decision to stay a few extra days in town a bit late. By the time I was ready to book additional lodging, La Posada had no availability. No worries. This charming inn was right around the corner, and I booked the honeymoon suite! (What? I love myself! Heh.) I had a full kitchen, a small dining area, the bedroom, and a closet and bath. It was incredibly comfortable, and check-in was a breeze.

Meow Wolf is utterly unique.

Once I got situated in my new lodgings, I walked to Loretto Chapel. You can pay a small fee and access the interior of the historic chapel, which features saturated stained glass windows and a beautiful winding staircase to the upper choir loft. The staircase is built snugly into an impossibly small footprint, and there are those who say it's a miracle of architecture, as no easily visible support for the structure can be found.

Then, it was back to the Plaza for more exploring. I wasn't incredibly hungry, having had a large, late breakfast, so I sampled some ice cream and did some window shopping. Then, I caught a car to Meow Wolf, where I had a timed entry ticket for afternoon admission. (And I was really glad I did. The line of those who'd not pre-purchased timed tickets was loooooong.)

Once inside, you exchange your ticket for an entry bracelet, and you can get 3-D glasses that make the ultraviolet colors you'll see pop. Then, you're off to explore.

I don't know how to describe this experience. When you first walk in, it looks as though you are on a suburban street. There's astroturf underfoot. You see house fronts and porches. But it becomes clear, rather quickly, that all is not what it seems. It's almost as if the barrier that separates dimensions has been dissolved somehow, and there are places where you can punch through to alternate realities. I walked through the back of a fridge and found myself in a wormhole. I slid down a dryer into an inter dimensional forest. I saw a crawl space, went though it, and exited through a fireplace in someone's living room. I played music on the
glowing, fossilized bones of a mastodon.

This inter dimensional forest was
one of my favorite spaces at Meow Wolf.

All through the facility, there are clues to the story behind this place - videos, papers, photos, news clippings, etc. I spent some time piecing together the story, but mostly I just threw myself into the experience and tried to make sure I saw the whole thing. (There are moments when you'll think to yourself, "Have I seen 30% of this place? 50%? 10%? The rooms and hallways fold in on one another, and it takes a while to orient yourself sometimes.)

There are people who will tell you to take drugs before you go to Meow Wolf. I disagree. Meow Wolf *is* drugs. It's the trippiest place I've been, bar none. AND I LOVED IT. I've been to so, so many museums, folks. And this place is utterly unique.

If you go, plan to spend around 3 hours there, at least. Wear clothes and shoes designed for movement. Pre-purchase a timed ticket so you don't have to wait in line. And HAVE FUN!

When I exited, I took a moment to admire a couple of large art pieces installed in the parking lot, then caught a car back to my hotel to freshen up. I was meeting another couple of conference attendees for dinner at Terra Cotta Wine Bistro. We were seated on the back patio. We started with glasses of wine and the cheese board, then moved on to entrees. The menu had a ton of great-looking options, and it was hard to choose! I finally settled on the roasted 1/2 spring chicken, and it was a delight! (Super-juicy and way more than I could eat, but I made a valiant effort.)

Before coming to Santa Fe, I'd downloaded a free app on the city's margarita trail. We decided to hit a few stops on it and see what all the fuss was about. We started at the Anasazi Bar and Lounge. Their Sandia Y Pepino margarita ended up being my favorite of the night, with watermelon, cucumber and lime salt. Next up was the Nooner margarita at La Casa Sena. First of all, this dining area at night is just magical. It's in an outdoor courtyard surrounded by trees strung with lights. It feels like a fairyland. The Nooner was a sweeter margarita, with elderflower liqueur and orange juice, served in a tall glass. Mmmmm! Then, lastly, we went to the Low 'N Slow Lowrider Bar for their Chimayoso Margarita. This one had a spicy kick to it.

After all of that tequila, I was ready to hit the hay! We returned back to our respective hotels, and I slept deeply that night.

More to come . . .