A Weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico
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| The staircase at Loretto Chapel makes two
360-degree turns. |
The ladies of faith had placed the construction of
their chapel under the patronage of Saint Joseph, the patron saint
of carpenters. Logically, they decided to pray to St. Joseph for
help.
It arrived in the person of an old gray-haired,
gray-bearded carpenter who offered to build the much-needed
staircase and disappeared without asking for pay, not even leaving
lumber bills. So the legend quickly formed that Saint Joseph himself
had come to construct the stairwell.
Then again, there are
32 other claims from those who assert their father or grandfather
built the stairs, chuckles Reverend Bill Brokaw, who is the chapel’s
curator today. “But I don’t care who built it. That the sisters got
an answer to their prayers, that’s a miracle in itself.”
Resting solely on its base and against the choir
loft, the stairway makes over two complete 360-degree turns, is 20
feet (6 m) tall and has no center support. Supposedly it is made
from an unknown wood species — perhaps extinct, perhaps a miraculous
material to hold up the wondrous construction.
Sante Fe, which means City of Holy Faith, has its
name for good reason. People are attracted by the spirituality here
and come for soul-searching of all kinds. Most religions of the
world are represented here and psychic consultants and spiritual
healers abound. And there are plenty of churches here, the Cathedral
Church of St. Francis of Assisi (231 Cathedral Place, 505-982-5619)
being the largest one.
The present structure is the third one on the same
spot. Father Jean Baptiste Lamy, a Frenchman who became Santa Fe’s
first archbishop, allegedly never liked the earlier adobe building
and began the construction of a new stone cathedral in 1869,
choosing a curious mix of French Gothic and Romanesque styles to
create a building quite alien to the Spanish Heritage of Santa Fe,
yet it is one of its greatest landmarks.
Lamy ran out of money and to this day, the
cathedral is missing the intended two spires. Two chapels are
connected to the main structure. La Conquistadora Chapel houses
Nuestra Señora de la Paz (Our Lady of Peace), possibly the
oldest Madonna statue in the United States, which was brought to
Santa Fe in 1625.
San Miguel Mission Church (401 Old Santa Fe Trail,
505-983-3974) is the oldest church in Sante Fe. Its adobe walls were
built by Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico under direction of Franciscan
Padres circa 1610. The area around the mission church had been part
of an abandoned pueblo dating back to about 1100, portions of which
were included into the chapel. Nothing of the original building
remains today. Legend has it that the Pueblo Revolt started with
burning down San Miguel. The present structure was completely
rebuilt in 1710.
As the sun sets on your first day in Santa Fe, head
back to the hotel, change and make your way back downstairs to The
Old House Restaurant (309 West San Francisco Avenue at Eldorado
Hotel, 505-995-4530). Chef Martin Rios’ outstanding contemporary
American menu has won numerous awards. The Japanese Chile and Acacia
Honey-glazed Ahi Tuna is outstanding.
Saturday
Plot your day over breakfast. Today you will
explore the artsy side of Santa Fe. Take your pick from several
museums.
The Museum of International Folk Art (706 Camino
Lejo, Museum Hill, 505-476-1200; http://www.moifa.org/) features two
permanent exhibits: “Multiple Visions: A Common Bond” is a colorful
display of toys, traditional arts and textiles covering more than
100 countries. “Familia y Fe/Family and Faith” documents the two
major sources of strength and continuity in Hispanic New Mexico by
illuminating this theme through displays of religious imagery to
household utensils, jewelry and architectural elements.
The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture (710 Camino
Lejo, Museum Hill, 505-476-1250; http://www.miaclab.org/) tells
the stories of the people of the Southwest from pre-history through
contemporary art.
The Museum of Fine Arts (107 West Palace Avenue,
505-476-5059; http://www.mfasantafe.org/),
founded in 1917, is housed in a beautiful Pueblo Revival adobe
building with a lovely tranquil courtyard. The museum's
architecture, including façade elements of Spanish mission churches,
sparked the construction of many more buildings in this mode that
has come to be known as “Santa Fe Style.” On display are paintings,
photographs and sculptures by artists from New Mexico and elsewhere.
Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1984) is probably the artist
that first comes to mind. Like many of her colleagues forming the
Santa Fe artist colony, O’Keeffe was drawn to high desert New Mexico
by the magical light, the power of the land and exotic motifs.
In 1929, she spent her first summer painting here.
In 1940, she permanently moved to her Ghost Ranch house at Abiquiu,
north of Santa Fe. And in 1997, the intimate Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
( 217 Johnson Street, 505-946-1000; http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/)
was dedicated. Excellent exhibits not only show her trademark
large-scale close-ups of flowers, but also lesser-known paintings of
animal bones and abstract charcoal drawings.
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| Santa Fe has developed
its own cuisine, not Tex-Mex, not Mex-Mex, but culturally
unique and very different from traditional Hispanic
cooking. |
The O’Keeffe Café (217 Johnson Street,
505-946-1065; http://www.okeeffecafe.com/)
adjacent to the museum is your destination for lunch. It’s a trendy
little place. Black and white photographs of Georgia O’Keeffe
cooking adorn the walls. Have a seat in the bright red leather
armchairs that match the color of roses gracing every table and
choose from an eclectic menu.
After lunch, take a stroll up Canyon Road (between
Paseo del Peralta and East Alameda) dubbed the “Art and Soul of
Santa Fe.” Native Americans have used this narrow thoroughfare for
centuries, and it later became a trail for woodcutters en route to
the piñon-studded hills. In the 1920’s, a handful of writers,
artists and painters settled in this former low-cost area of
secluded residential compounds and small studios and started selling
art out of their homes.
Now, there are about 80 mostly professional
galleries, perhaps the highest concentration of this kind anywhere.
(Altogether, there are 245 galleries sprinkled around Santa Fe
representing roughly 3,000 artists.) You will find anything from
12th century Native American pottery, handmade turquoise jewelry,
cowboy art, paintings in any style and crazy sculptures like the
life-size woman seemingly taking a bath in the sidewalk’s brick.
Retail space has become expensive and many
galleries have no choice but to sell works of already
well-established artists. The Baca Street Area southwest of downtown
has emerged as an alternative arts district.
Dinner tonight is at La Choza Restaurant (905
Alarid Street, 505-982-0909). Santa Fe has developed its own
cuisine, not Tex-Mex, not Mex-Mex, but culturally unique and very
different from traditional Hispanic cooking. Flat enchiladas served
at La Choza about a mile (1.6 km) southeast of downtown will give
you a good example of this New Mexican fare: two flat blue
corn tortillas with cheese, onions and the official state vegetable,
red or green chiles.
Sunday
Start your last day with a little bit of pampering
before heading back to your busy life tomorrow. The Nidah Spa at
Eldorado Hotel (309 West San Francisco Street, 505-995-4535) pays
homage to the Native American Medicine Wheel and its Sacred
Directions. The fresh treatment ingredients are prepared daily and
are inspired from the natural healing properties of plants, legumes
and herbs indigenous to New Mexico. The signature chocolate mud wrap
features natural clays from the Southwest blended with cocoa powder
and regional spices of cumin, nutmeg and cinnamon to purify and
nourish the skin. And the best part: This chocolate treat has zero
calories!
This is something that unfortunately doesn’t apply
to the famous Sunday brunch at the Eldorado hotel. There’s fresh
fish, seafood, chicken and sliced roast beef, salad, a dessert and
fajita station, in addition to the “typical” breakfast stuff of eggs
in all thinkable va
riations with sausage, bacon or just plain toast.
Already hooked on Santa Fe’s art of cooking? Why
not try to bring the taste home and take lessons at the Santa Fe
School of Cooking (116 West San Francisco Street, 505-983-4511; http://www.santafeschoolofcooking.com/)
this afternoon? You will learn to master the unusual flavors and
special ingredients that contribute to the incomparable experiences
that is Southwestern food in hands-on and demonstration classes.
If you are more inclined to leading the paintbrush
than the spatula, then a personal instruction in drawing and pastels
might be right for you. Apollo Art Studios (227 Don Gaspar Avenue,
505-983-4155; http://www.apolloartstudios.com/)
offer daily classes for the entire family.
This weekend has passed so quickly. It’s already
time for your grand finale dinner at the Fuego Restaurant (330 East Palace Avenue at La Posada de Santa Fe Resort &
Spa, 505-954-9659 or 866-331-7625; file:///D|/JUNE/ARTICLES/www.rockresorts.com).
Executive chef Rahm Fama is a true wizard in the kitchen. Try his
acorn squash gnocchi in rosemary caramel sauce. And don’t miss the
amazing “cheese cart” before dessert, featuring the world’s finest
artesian creations.
Did you know that there is an old lady in the
French Alps who owns a handful of cows that produces only nine
wheels of cheese per year? There is a long list of restaurants
worldwide standing in line to receive a chunk. Taste this limited
cheese edition at the Fuego. The restaurant alone is enough reason
to plan for another visit to enchanted Santa Fe!
If You Go
Santa Fe Convention & Visitors Bureau
http://www.santafe.org/
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