2023 - Santa Fe

Day 1 - Arrival in Albuquerque

We had originally planned to celebrate Keith's 60th birthday in San Miguel de Allenda, Mexico... but the timing and travel distance didn't work with the rest of the family, so we moved the party to Santa Fe, New Mexico - which has a similar vibe. Our son's mother-in-law also has a milestone birthday this month, so both families have come together to celebrate and explore together.

After multiple flights, half of the group arrived in time to grab a vegan dinner at Vegos (which was fantastic!) and get settled into the VRBO. This rental is in Old Town and was a good place to stay for access to the airport and great coffee! Slow Burn Coffee is a quick 0.3 mile walk through quintessential Albuquerque architecture (adobe homes)  and the coffee and pastries were amazing.

The rest of the party arrives this morning and we'll head to Santa Fe!

Day 2 - Petroglyphs and Santa Fe

After coffee at Slow Burn Coffee, we played some games at the condo while the rest of the group arrived in ABQ, then we met them at Annapurna's World Vegetarian Cafe for lunch. Before heading to Santa Fe, we completed a 2.5 mile hike to see ancient petroglyphs etched into stone at Petroglyph National Monument. The sites were beautiful, but catching up with family was the best part. A lot of laugher, hugs, and joy.

We arrived in Santa Fe at 4pm to find that our VRBO (217 Sena) was even better than described! The main house (3 bed/3 bath) is where the kids will stay, then there are two individual casitas in the back (1 bed/1 bath each) where the elders will stay. After grocery shopping and dinner, we are all headed to bed to try to adjust our circadian rhythms!

Day 3 - Architectural Tour of Santa Fe

We started the day with an enriching 3-hour architectural tour, then enjoyed a late lunch at Cafe Pasqual's.  Although the tiny dining room (and claustrophobic tunnel to the restrooms) were a little off-putting, the food and service was amazing. Just don't plan to move freely while inside the restaurant. After afternoon naps, we headed out for dinner at Paper Dosa (highly recommend!).

Day 4 - Cooking Class, Scavenger Hunt, Hiking, and the IAIA

Today we all separated into different activities: Keith and Bonnie learned how to make tamales at the Santa Fe School of Cooking; I did the Santa Fe scavenger hunt (Keith bought me an annual pass to do them in any city we're visiting!); Connor and Zoë met up with Dave and Daniel for a hike; and Cary, Alan, and Eli explored the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA).

Since a lot of restaurants are closed on Sunday, we ordered in pizza and played MIND THE GAP this evening. Lots of laughter.

Day 5 - Canyon Road

Santa Fe is a town filled with artists, and Canyon Road is one of the locations where galleries are located. We've been here before when the road was packed with throngs of people, but today we were almost the only ones walking it! Beautiful sculptures and art and on a stunningly beautiful, cool, crisp day.

For dinner we went to Tomasita's, which had the hottest salsa I've ever tasted. Wow.

Day 6 - Taos, Earthship, and Ojo Caliente

Today we split up into separate activities again. Alan, Cary, Zoë, and I went to explore the Taos Pueblo and Earthship - while Keith, Connor, Bonnie, and Eli soaked in the hot mineral springs at Ojo Caliente. We all then met up at the restaurant at Ojo Caliente for a late lunch.

We ended the day at Geronimo for dinner - fine dining in a 1756 adobe home... absolutely exquisite. 

Day 7 - Restaurant Tour

This afternoon we embarked on a restaurant tour, organized and led by the Santa Fe School of Cooking. We explored four restaurants:

Pranzo

Horno

Tres Colores

Sazon

Each owner or executive chef served a dish and told us the story of their restaurant -- absolutely amazing tour.

Day 8 - Meow Wolf

Since we had hit all of the fun places and adventures on our list, we decided to try Meow Wolf (recommended by a friend). I honestly don't even know how to describe it... part fun house, part "solve the mystery," and part art exhibit. It was fun... if you don't mind sensory overload (and a little claustrophobia).