Sunday, May 4, 2014

Santa Fe Getaway 2014


Table of Contents:

(I've already mentioned going to Santa Fe, but here's a bit more info.)

Two years ago, on my way to Design Outside the Lines in Taos, New Mexico, I squeezed in a lightning fast visit to Santa Fe. (I wrote a blog post about it.)

And I loved it!

I was thrilled to have another opportunity to spend more time in Santa Fe. Last weekend, a small group of sewers rendezvoused in Santa Fe at the La Fonda hotel. Margy, of course, I have spent time with, but the others I knew only in cyberspace.

It was such a delight to meet Ann, Liana, Nancy, Patti, and Jan, in person!

It was four days of great food and drink, great shopping, great conversation, beautiful art, comfy accommodations, excellent company... and even some singing.

Here are a few pics.

Friends!

Nancy, Liana, Patti, Ann, me, Margy, Jan
Hanging in the La Fonda bar

With Ann, Margy and Jan

Lovely Ann, owner of Gorgeous Fabrics

Nancy and Liana

Stopping for Prickly Pear Arnold Palmers while shopping

Snow!

We had nice weather in Santa Fe.

Mostly.

On our last day, Margy and I decided to walk to Canyon Road. I love Canyon Road. It's approximately half a mile from downtown Santa Fe and it's a long street full of art galleries, restaurants, and shops. There are many outside art installations along this charming street and I love looking at them.

It was a chilly morning and, while I didn't bring any really warm clothes, I bundled up as best as I could.

As we left the hotel, I noted the flower petals that were gently falling. I was enchanted by these petals. We walked the half mile to Canyon Road and the petals continued to fall. After half an hour or so, Margy pointed out that these weren't flower petals, they were snow.

I didn't believe her.

For one thing, it didn't seem cold enough for snow.

For another, this was totally unlike any snow I have experienced.

I walked up to several of these "petals" and started squishing them with my thumb. They were large, like tapioca beads. But they were snow! Little beads of snow. I squished them (this was not icy, like hail), and they were dry and crunchy.

I have never experienced snow like this before.

Margy called it Tapioca Snow.

Is that a thing?

Margy is sporting beads of snow in her hair

The snow "petals" are a bit harder to see on my jacket

As the day progressed, the snow started coming down harder and harder. We stopped for lunch at a charming cafe called The Tea Room where we had panini, soup, and salad in front of a fire.

Outside the snow was coming down more insistently. It was difficult to believe that it had been sunny the days before.

After lunch, it was coming down quite hard. As we walked into the snow (it was now falling into my boots, into my mouth, and up Margy's sleeves), it was starting to sting, more like hail.

But I loved it - I was completely enchanted. I kept stopping to take pictures and then I'd run (in my Trippen boots) to catch up with Margy.

The snow settled on my "shelf"

We returned to the hotel for some coffee and a roaring fire.

Margy makes a mean fire!

What a magical experience! I never thought I'd be in Santa Fe during snow! Especially not at the end of April.

Art!

Santa Fe is just chock full of art. Art is everywhere - inside and outside. I particularly love the outside art!

About the enter one of the galleries


Others have also posted about the weekend:

Prickly Pear Margarita at Blue Corn Cafe.
Yum!

18 comments:

  1. Thanks for the super pics! Hollywood makes better looking phony snow than that real stuff you experienced. Santa Fe sounds like a great place to visit.

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  2. Santa Fe is so enchanting! I loved my one week visit there many years ago! got some lovely silver/onyx earrings from an Indian artist. I still love them!

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  3. I love Santa Fe - I had a once in a lifetime experience there --- a totally out-of-the-blue chance to life in a small adobe house, on a small farm, right off of Canyon Rd. It's quite a famous garden, and the woman who owns it - Elspeth Bobb - rented me the most perfect little house there for 6 months. Truly a special time.
    Love your snow pictures! Any precipitation is good precipitation in New Mexico.

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    1. Wow, Caroline, what an amazing opportunity!

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  4. Thanks for the wonderful photo essay. I feel as though I shared with you!

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  5. Wow, tapioca snow! Looks like a great place to visit. Glad you had a great time with sewing friends!

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  6. Shams,
    Thank you for taking me back to Santa Fe. We moved from Los Alamos to Bend, OR last summer and while it's fab here, there arethings I miss about NM.
    I was introduced to graupel this spring - that's the pelletized snow you discovered.
    You don't know me from beans, of course, but I feel that I know you well. So what I would only tell a friend- no "the" before La Fonda.
    When are you coming for tea?
    Shari
    .

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    1. Graupel! I knew someone could tell me about this form of snow.

      I was hoping to plan a (work) trip to Portland and Seattle in the near future, but right now I'm too swamped at work. At any rate, Bend is not very near - I hope you enjoy it there!

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  7. Santa Fe is both higher and dryer than Denver, which adds to your graupel. I don't mean to be a baby, but waaaah, sob, moan. Want to go with you guys next time, I miss it so much. I can smell the pinyon now.

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    1. That is true - Santa Fe is something like 7000 feet and I had the dry lips to prove it. I can see why you miss it! (I loved Taos, too, but we didn't make it there this time.)

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  8. Love Santa Fe. Thanks for reminding me I need to go back. So cool, the dry powder snow. I didn't know the name for it but now I do. Looks like you all had a blast. Love your blog and your attitude toward life.

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  9. Santa Fe is definitely on my travel list, and my place of cities to think of relocating to if SF turns out to be just too expensive (ha). It looks like you had an amazing trip!

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  10. What an amazing, fun, exhilaration and totally ace weekend!

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  11. What a fabulous time it looks like you had! I'm super jealous, naturally. To be in such an artistic locale with a group of artistic women must have been a blast.
    It's been some time since I was in Santa Fe. It needs to go back on my bucket list!

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  12. My dad's spring show was at Manitou Gallery on Canyon Road last Friday night...small world! And my sister owns a restaurant downtown but it's closed while my dad is painting murals for them. I am glad you had snow!

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  13. I would love to visit this town and I have never seen snow like that either. Or that drink come to think of it! It all looks so exotic. I swear we have the US's weather and you have ours this year.

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  14. Wow! What fun!
    We haven't had a flake of snow, tapioca or otherwise, here in the North West of England this year. I can't believe how much you guys are having over there. And so late in the year.

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  15. Taos and Santa Fe are definitely among my favorite cities in the US. I travel there whenever I can to enjoy all the fabulous art and garments. The flea market in Santa Fe is a must see!

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