Santa Fe with the Fam

Team Bradshaw takes on Meow Wolf!

A couple of years ago, I had the good fortune to be in Santa Fe to speak at a conference. I was so enchanted with the city that I stayed a couple of extra days to explore. I loved every minute of it, and I knew then that I'd be back some day. 

As the pandemic is s-l-o-w-l-y releasing its grip on us, I thought it might be fun to plan a family vacation for Team Bradshaw. Hubs suggested Santa Fe, and I realized he was on to something. We booked tickets, found a great AirBnb, and reserved a car for the week. Pretty soon, we were packing our bags and taking off!

Perfect calamari at Osteria d'Assisi

Day 1

We left the Jackson area a bit later than we typically do (mid-morning instead of reeeeally early), had a layover in DFW (where we had lunch), and arrived in town late afternoon. (Luckily, our flights were smooth and uneventful - just the way I like them.) We retrieved our luggage, picked up our car at the airport and navigated to our rental. It was so charming! About half a mile from the plaza, it featured two nice bedrooms, two baths, a full (and well-stocked) kitchen, a dining area, a cozy sitting room, and a beautiful outdoor deck. There were extra blankets and radiant heating in the floor for cold nights. 

We unpacked and rested a bit, then walked to a indulgent dinner at Osteria d'Assisi, a fantastic Italian place. As we strolled, we saw the cottonwoods and aspens in town aflame with yellow leaves. We also passed some whimsical public art, which can be found nearly everywhere in Santa Fe.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we asked to be seated outside on the patio, as the night was unseasonably temperate. We started with wine (I chose a smooth red Super Tuscan.) and fried calamari (which was served with a glorious pesto aioli and a bright red tomato sauce). Delicious! For dinner, I had a creamy mushroom ravioli as my entree, while hubs got the chicken Parmesan and Clay opted for a pasta special - penne with a red sauce, studded liberally with buffalo meat. Throughout the meal, our server was attentive without being crowding, and he offered great suggestions. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit here. 

After a quick walk back to the rental, we briefly popped out in the car to pick up some necessities for the week - breakfast items, snacks, paper goods, etc. Then, it was to bed!

Meow Wolf is super-trippy.

Day 2

After a filling breakfast at the rental, we drove to Meow Wolf, about 20 minutes away. I'd been to this immersive art experience on my first visit to the area, and I couldn't wait to take hubs and Clay! I'd pre-purchased morning tickets for us, and after we'd oohed and aahed over the large art pieces out front, we got in line for entry. In no time, we were inside. (Note: Meow Wolf, like most indoor attractions and restaurants in the area, requires masks to be worn indoors regardless of vaccination status.)

It was so fun watching Clay and hubs experience this unique attraction for the first time! Clay loved deciphering all of the documents in the house and figuring out the story of the exhibit, while hubs just liked moving through the rooms and interacting with the art pieces. It's just a place unlike any other. We spent at least two hours here (maybe more?) before our stomachs started to rumble. 

New Mexico skies at Pecos National Historical Park

Though the attraction does have a cafe (and some of the drinks they were serving looked appropriately trippy), we'd planned to pop right around the corner for lunch at Tortilla Flats. We were seated immediately and settled down to eat. I got the chicken quesadillas with Christmas chiles on the side, Clay got two soft beef tacos, and hubs chose enchiladas. The food was really yummy here, and the portions are generous. (I could only finish two-thirds of my quesadilla.) And hubs and Clay both got sopapillas with their orders, so we had a sweet treat to finish the meal with. 

After lunch, we headed back to the rental to cool our heels a bit. Since it was a beautiful day, I drove the SUV out to Pecos National Historical Park for the afternoon to take in some hiking, history, and views. Admission to this gem is completely free! There's a small museum in the visitors center that explains the history of the site and helps you interpret what you'll see on the Ancestral Sites Trail, which is a 1.25-mile, largely flat loop trail that takes you past some of the most arresting ruins in the area. 

Inside a restored kiva

I had a particularly fine day for it. The sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, the temperature was ideal, and a light breeze kept me comfortable. Pretty soon, I was examining the remains of low stone walls and ceremonial kivas while taking in sweeping vistas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. They had restored two kivas, and you could descend wooden ladders to explore inside them. The most arresting ruin on site is what remains of the Spanish mission/church. Even now, you can tell what a large an impressive structure it must have been in its day. (This church was burned when the Pueblo Indians rose up against Spanish authority to reassert their independence.) 

Though this is more of a walk than a hike, there were times when I had to stop briefly to catch my breath. My body was still acclimating to the elevation change, and so I was getting less oxygen than I'm used to with each breath. Where I live, we are at about 300 feet above sea level. But Santa Fe is more like 7,000 feet above sea level. Quite a change!) I was lucky this was an easy one! 

On the way back from Pecos, I noticed that sunset was fast approaching. I texted hubs to meet me at Cross of the Martyrs, which sits atop a public park high above Santa Fe, for the 5 p.m. show. I parked the rental car on the street (for free, as it was a Sunday) and made the quick climb to the top. 

It's so pretty up there, particularly at dusk. You can see the city spread out before you, and the sun sets behind distant mountains. There were other tourists up there, to be sure, but it was far from crowded (so you can get some discreet smooching in). As you take in the view, you can read historic plaques about the area's military history. A great stop on a temperate night!

After a quick shower back at the rental, hubs and I walked to Terracotta Wine Bistro for some dinner. A little wine, a little salad, a little crab cake, and we were more than satisfied. We strolled back to our temporary home base and turned in!

Sunset at Cross of the Martyrs

Day 3

Santa Fe is an art town. Art is everywhere you look - galleries, museums, tons of public art. So it stands to reason that, when you're here, you may as well make some yourself! The last time I'd visited, I'd thrown a (very sad and misshapen) bowl at Green River Pottery. This time, I figured we'd try our hands at working with glass. I'd booked us a one-hour class at Liquid Light Glass, and after breakfast at the rental, we headed out.      

Clay was a pro at glass art!

After checking in, our teacher, Sia, had us select what type of piece we'd make. Hubs and I both chose glass birds, and Clay wanted to make a drinking glass. Then, we selected what types of colors we'd like to incorporate into each piece. After that, it was quick! Sia was very patient and encouraging with us, and she also kept us very safe. 

We learned how to handle the pipe, the jacks, the block, and the paddle. Once she loaded the molten glass on the pipe, we added our colors and put the pipe back into the furnace so the colored glass could melt and fuse together. Then, we twisted the colored glass to distribute the color throughout it. After another heat-up, we rounded the glass in the block, did some shaping, and then rotated the glass as it cooled evenly. Then, we removed our piece from the pipe and gave it a flat bottom, so it would sit evenly. 

This was such a fun experience, and we were so quick that Clay got to make a second piece within the hour, so we made four pieces instead of three. (He chose a heart-shaped paperweight for the last one.) 

Such determined pursuit of artistic achievement meant we'd built up an appetite for lunch! We popped over to Clafouti's for a bite. We were seated within minutes, and then we tucked into delicious food. Hubs and Clay both got sandwiches with house-made chips, and I chose a lovely warm goat cheese salad with a cup of onion soup. Perfect for a breezy, beautiful fall day. The food was satisfying, and the service was prompt and friendly. After we ate, we selected a few pastries from the case to sample later in the week. 

O'Keeffe's double cottonwood tree

Then, it was back to the rental for an hour or two of rest. As the afternoon was completely gorgeous, I took a stroll later down to the plaza to shop and people watch. I found a beautiful necklace for a friend, and I re-visited chocolate + cashmere for a soft, warm scarf and two delightful bites of tastiness. 

The sun began to set over the plaza, and the street musicians came out to play. Then, hubs and Clay met up with me for dinner at Cafe Pasqual's, which was an inspired choice! We were seated quickly, and our fantastic waitress provided excellent guidance about the menu. (She knew everything!) Hubs and I decided to split the Cochinita Pibil, a gorgeous plate of spiced pork, cooked in a banana leaf, served with rice, tortillas, marinated onions and fried plantains. Clay had the grilled Carne Asada, which was also very tasty. 

I washed my dinner down with a salty margarita, and then we moved on to dessert. I had the warm quince and mixed apple pie (buttery, with an excellent pastry and tons of fruit), Clay tried the pinyon ice cream (which had a warm spiced quality due to the cinnamon), and hubs got the pear tart (served with a boozy Chantilly cream). The desserts here are excellent and unique, so be sure to safe room for them!

Then, it was back to the rental and to bed! 

More to come . . . 

Perfect dinner at Cafe Paqual's