A Bit of Southwestern Serendipity

The restaurant reviews in our local newspaper, The El Paso Times, are tailor-made for readers like me.  I love to try out new restaurants, not so much for the food, but more for a different dining experience.

"Indulge your taste buds in Las Cruces" read the article's headline. So much the better, I thought. Here is a good chance to travel to a neighboring city and really try something new.  Las Cruces is located in the state of New Mexico, about 60 miles from my home town of El Paso, Texas. During the hour's drive, the mind relaxes as farms, pecan trees, and homes built with pleasantly rounded corners come into view.

We located the Indulgence Bakery and Cafe in a small shopping center on Main Street. The newspaper article mentioned that the Indulgence had risen from the ashes of a former popular bistro on the same location.  I heard several locals complimenting the restaurant manager and giving best wishes for continued success for the bakery.

The article also mentioned that the Indulgence is like being in a friend's home. I felt it was very much like relaxing in the kitchen of a friend who was a very good cook.  The Indulgence's varied menu made ordering a challenge, a very different experience from eating in chain restaurants that have proliferated in our area, where food is often pre-packaged and, well, boring.

The Indulgence decor was unique as well.  A chalk message on the wall gave a mouthwatering list of baking ingredients, as well as a slogan, "Mind your own biscuits and life will be gravy."

  

The walls were attractively decorated with copper pots and pans

and a old-fashioned coffee poster.

We ordered coffee and made our decisions from the menu.  A new restaurant experience called for a fresh breakfast choice, so I threw dieting to the winds and ordered strawberry blintzes.

My husband, Wayne, the traditionalist, went for biscuits and gravy served with scrambled eggs and hash browns.

The bakery counter had a steady stream of customers.

Maybe it was the cream puffs that were the big draw?  The two lemon ones we ordered for dessert were, in a word, luscious.

I liked the atmosphere of the restaurant, with all types of local customers.  The waitress was friendly and found time to chat with us.

"Serendipity"  (what a great word!) is defined as "good luck in finding things not sought for."  At the Indulgence, we found not only breakfast, but also a relaxing, memorable place to return to soon. Getting out of one's rut is good for the soul!

Escape to the Renaissance Fair

On a cold, blustery November morning, the last thing I wanted to do was leave my warm bed to drive an hour to Las Cruces, New Mexico from my home town of El Paso, Texas to attend the Renaissance Fair, now celebrating its 45th year. And, as is usually the case, I'm really glad my husband, Wayne, and I decided to attend, because the fair provided an afternoon of great escapism (much needed nowadays!).

The Fair was held at Young Park, a spacious, green area set up with numerous booths and pavilions. A dragon in the charming center lake put us in a festive, playful mood.

Dragon in lake

What to do first?  We followed paths around the park to investigate offerings, giving food booths a wide berth so we could maintain our slimming plans.  I  had to avoid booths selling seductive funnel cakes, although I did give in and buy one small bag of cinnamon cashews.

I was impressed by the high quality of arts and crafts offered by local area artisans.  We purchased an attractive French butter dish which allows butter to be kept out of the refrigerator for a whole month. You may be wondering how having softer butter supports our diet plan.  Good question!  We must have been carried away by the spirit of fun that the Fair offered.

Arts and crafts vendor

One of the highlights of the day was the parade which wound its way through the park around noon. The sounds of bagpipes and drums sent our minds drifting to the Highlands of Scotland, one of our favorite vacation spots.

Empyre Pipes and Drums

 Well-dressed pilgrims, and especially their classy dogs, were getting attention from the crowd.

Parade participants

  Some re-enactors were very serious about staying true to their characters.

Authentic parade participants

Others risked life and limb by walking on stilts to provide a wow factor for the admiring crowd.

Parade participants on stilts

The jousting contest was another highlight of the day.

Principal combatants in jousting

My champion was the gentleman standing with his hand on his sword, representing the side dubbed  "Chaos."  He encouraged his supporters to yell unchivalrous phrases like, "Cheat to win, cheat to win."  Female counterparts of the jousters entertained the crowd as well, sparring vigorously with swords.

Female jousters

The crowd watched as the combatants raced menacingly down the field toward each other, mounted on beautiful horses.

Combatants on field

As the day was drawing to a close, we reluctantly located the shuttle bus to take us back to our vehicle and modern day life.  Often we seek escapism from the cares of daily life through travel to other places.  The Las Cruces Renaissance Fair transported us not so much to another place, but to another time, centuries ago, which now lives in myth and legend.   And it was a delightful, relaxing experience.

Ah! Autumn in New Mexico!

Autumn weather has not yet arrived in my home town of El Paso, Texas, even though the calendar says it should have arrived weeks ago.  No worries!  A four-day trip to our neighboring state of New Mexico fulfilled my longing for colorful leaves, crisp air, and fragrant burning piñon wood.

My husband, Wayne, and I recently made a road trip to meet family members in the small town of Chama, New Mexico for a nostalgic ride on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad.

Our first ride on this historic railroad was several years ago.  The experience was so unforgettable that we were inspired to write a novella about a fictional train robbery on the line. (Rails, Robbers and Wraiths, by Wayne and Linda Calk, available on amazon.com)

Chama is within striking distance of El Paso by car, about seven and a half hours as the crow flies. Not being the efficient travelers that crows are, we made the trip in about nine and a half hours, including a stopover for shopping at the REI store in Albuquerque.

Travelers in other parts of the world may consider a road trip of that length too long, but in the Southwest, it is not unusual. Traffic is usually light, and roads are good, that is, with the exception of the unpaved road we encountered between Cuba, New Mexico and Chama.  Our reward for bouncing around in the car for about 20 miles was the view of a large dam and long bridge, which led us to pavement again.

Arriving in Chama, we found our hotel, the Chama Station Inn, and settled in for an evening in front of the kiva fireplace.

The next morning we rode the train from Chama NM to Antonito,CO with a stopover in Osier for a home-style meal for lunch.

The scenery was engaging, with aspens displaying golden autumn finery. Good photo ops were plentiful, especially when the train rounded a curve.

Our next stop was Santa Fe, NM, where we stayed at a new hotel to us, the Hotel Chimayó, well located right off the central plaza. Breakfast the next morning was a splurge at La Plazuela, the dining room of the Hotel La Fonda on the Plaza.

Santa Fe offers a variety of activities for tourists.  In one day, we visited a folk art store, relaxed in the plaza, shopped at a Farmer's Market in the newly developed Railyard District, and even took in a movie in the new Velvet Crown theater.

That evening we were sitting at an outdoor cafe, sharing chips and salsa, when we heard the sound of drums coming from the plaza.  Three young performers were drumming and chanting for a small attentive crowd.  I felt transported to another time and culture.

Another day's drive and we were back in our home town with memories of train whistles, autumn colors, spicy food, and Native American drums.  How fortunate we are to live in the Southwest where a diversity of cultures and experiences can be found within a day's drive.

Can you tell I love New Mexico in autumn?

Where is Corrales, NM? Mystery solved!

Let me begin by giving my husband Wayne his due.  He not only recognized that the charming village of Corrales, New Mexico would make a great weekend vacation spot, but he also took pictures to document our recent visit.

This tale begins several years ago when Wayne and a friend were driving through the Albuquerque area and happened upon a long, tree-filled road that captured his imagination.  For several years, the exact location of the road remained a mystery.  We made two abortive attempts to locate it on subsequent trips to Albuquerque, but to no avail.  Finally, he discovered that what he had fallen in love with was the village of Corrales, New Mexico, located just north of Albuquerque.

The bed and breakfast we chose for our stay from the Internet was the Chocolate Turtle, an award winning bed and breakfast.  First we checked out our room, the Sandia Suite (room, bath and private patio).  Ah, yes, a king-sized bed.  And a very classy southwestern decorating scheme.

Suite at the Chocolate Turtle ( nighttime chocolates were, of course, turtles)

   
The very large back property invited us to sit and watch rabbits and quail feeding in late afternoon.

The rabbits ignored us completely.

A tour of Casa Ortiz was the first stop after breakfast outdoors at the Chocolate Turtle.  Casa Ortiz is a partially restored 19th century home filled with Spanish Colonial artifacts. We were given a private tour by a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic docent.

Patio of Casa Ortiz.  Wish I could grow hollyhocks like these at home!

 An authentic adobe horno (oven) made us proud of a similar one we have in our own back yard.

Imagine the taste of a loaf of bread cooked in this oven!

Saturday evening's entertainment was enjoying the music of a band in the gazebo in Old Town, Albuquerque.  It was a family event, with people of all ages, grandchildren to grandparents, dancing around the gazebo to corridas and cumbias.

Tanya Griego with her band

We ate a late dinner at the Church Street Cafe, where we had been instructed by our b&b hostess, Denise, to ask to be seated in the courtyard. A lovely setting.

Great place to savor my very large serving of guacamole.

It had been a short stay in Corrales, but we may have found the getaway spot we have been looking for. Corrales is enough like our home town of El Paso, Texas to feel familiar; and yet, in this rural setting, I can let my mind drift back to earlier times.  Are the ghosts of conquistadors, soldiers, and laborers still present on the Camino Real?

Serendipity in Santa Fe

"We've definitely got to find an exotic location to celebrate Christmas this year," I complained to my husband Wayne several months ago.  As much as we love our home town of El Paso, Texas, after decades of spending Christmas at home, we had pretty much partaken of all the holiday spirit that is offered locally.

So that's how we found ourselves this December in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  A short drive (in West Texas terms) of six hours took us from an altitude of about 4500 feet to 7000 feet and from about 50 degrees daytime high temperatures to the 20's and 30's. I pulled jackets, sweaters, boots, and gloves out of the back of the closet.  I even found an old pair of long underwear that I tossed in the suitcase at the last minute.

A four day stay at the lively La Fonda Hotel on the Plaza was plenty of time to discover small pleasures that are often not mentioned in travel guides. The first afternoon we sat for a quiet moment in the ornate Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.  Soon the very entertaining dress rehearsal of a Christmas pageant began..The leader instructed children with angel wings to position themselves on the top row of platform, the shepherds to take the middle row, and the animals to position themselves on the bottom row.  Delightful!  

Rehearsal at St. Francis

     

The next stop was the lounge in La Fonda, always an opportunity for great people watching. Chips and salsa and tea sustained us until dinner that evening.

View down the bar at La Fonda Lounge

Dinner  at La Fonda gave us a decorating inspiration for our home.  Why couldn't we (or rather Wayne) paint some of our glass window panels like the ones adorning the hotel dining room?

Decorated glass panels at La Fonda

And why was the guacamole concocted and served fresh at our table so much better than the guacamole we make regularly at home?

Dusk arrived early, but the views around town were memorable.  Our room with a balcony overlooked a quiet side street.

View from our room

The main plaza turned into a wonderland of lights in the evening.

Main plaza

And the Basilica of St. Francis was especially inspiring at night.

St. Francis Basilica

But the highlight of the trip was joining 30,000 revelers in making a Christmas Eve walk, with a full moon adding to the magic. Bundled figures of all ages ( and some magnificent furry dogs) made their way slowly up Canyon Road, stopping to admire houses and art galleries adorned with farolitos and Christmas lights.  Groups of carolers joined in spontaneous singing of Christmas carols around small campfires. The Ghost of Christmas Present must have sprinkled the revelers with magic dust, because a holiday spirit hovered over the crowds.

Canyon Road with moon peeking through tree

We had a memorable Christmas holiday, enjoying the serendipity of small delights in Santa Fe.  I hope your Christmas was a merry one as well.

Three ways to enjoy Santa Fe

Santa Fe, New Mexico, prides itself on being "The City Different"  I certainly found this to be true when my husband Wayne and I spent last weekend in the New Mexico state capital.  Santa Fe has much to be proud of.  It is the oldest state capital in the United States.  Its architecture, art, music, food, and festivals reveal influences from several cultures. It is lively, colorful, and, at an elevation of 7000 feet, cool in the summertime.

Santa Fe also has the reputation of being artsy, expensive, and, well, a little snooty. Where better for Wayne and I to add a little culture to our West Texas lives? Ignoring joking remarks from friends and relatives, we bought tickets to a performance of the opera "Carmen" being presented at the Santa Fe Opera House. What we discovered is that Santa Fe can be enjoyed on several different cultural levels.

Let's start at the highest cultural level - the opera.  The Santa Fe Opera House is located a few miles out of the city, surrounded by wide open spaces and breathtaking mountains.

View from Santa Fe Opera House

The opera house is an open air (but covered seating) structure with a modern architectural design.

Santa Fe Opera House

We arrived early to hear an excellent talk about the opera and then returned to the parking lot to tailgate. Yes, tailgate at the opera! Our dinner was not as fancy as the champagne, fruit and cheese of other diners, but we had stopped by Whole Foods Market earlier for some healthy snacks.  The opera performance was enjoyable, although as the hour was nearing 11:00 pm, both of us later confessed we secretly wished Don José would get on with stabbing his gypsy love, Carmen, so we could get to bed!

On the next level of cultural experience, two typical tourist activities stand out.  One was having breakfast at La Plazuela, the distinctively decorated dining area at La Fonda on the Plaza hotel.

La Plazuela

Another was attending a flamenco dinner show performance at El Farol, the oldest restaurant in Santa Fe. 

El Farol on Canyon Road

It was a whole evening's entertainment, making our way through various tapas and watching the very energetic flamenco show presented on stage.

Fellow diners at El Farol

An example of the third level of cultural entertainment was sitting in the central plaza, just a few steps out of the La Fonda hotel, eating tamales from a stand, listening to accordion music, and, best of all, people watching. 

La Plaza on a Sunday afternoon

Flowers in La Plaza

Musician in La Plaza

So, which level of culture did we enjoy most?  It is difficult to choose, because each type of entertainment had its own charm.  But my mind keeps drifting back to La Plaza, with the happy buzz of people of all ages and all walks of life enjoying life in Santa Fe with friends and family.