Visiting New Mexico for the first time is like seeing a color you’ve never seen before.
Or, rather, the many colors that paint the high desert sky above the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the sunbaked adobe houses in the foothills below. Out here, dusk is an ever changing canvas of gold, burnt orange and dusty pink, before descending into a starry night of cobalt blue.
It is a timeless Southwestern scene stolen straight from the movies Easy Rider (1969) or City Slickers (1991), which both capture the wild spirit of the place with its Native American heritage and John Wayne swagger. This spring, film crews will return to shoot the story of Los Alamos Laboratory and the top secret Manhattan Project, a research and development mission during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It’s a shocking story, and it all went down less than an hour from Santa Fe. Los Alamos Laboratory is still the largest employer in the state, supporting deep space research, nanotechnology, gene sequencing, nuclear weapons research and other critical studies, including variants of coronavirus.
Luckily, you don’t need a Phd to experience the best of it. For tourists, it is an adventurous and welcoming place. They may call it a city, but Santa Fe is really a small town with big hearted, hot-chili energy.
Sunset at Terra Restaurant
Plan on spending cocktail hour at the outdoor lounge of Terra restaurant. As the sun dips below the mountain peaks, the scent of piñon woodsmoke fills the air and time seems to slow to the strum of a Spanish guitar. Sitting here, you can see why in 1967, the late owner Elizabeth Egan from Ohio was so charmed by this place she packed up her kids, bought this 57-acre ranch and named it “Rancho Encantado.”
Dinner at Sazón
Chef Fernando Olea is a mustachioed Mexican hombre who sidles up to your table in boots and a cowboy hat to personally greet you and position your plate the way he intended it to be presented. He alone is a reason to visit Sazón, as are the knock-your-socks off mezcal flights, spicy margaritas rimmed with red chili salt, and award-winning moles. These vibrant, complex sauces lend a new dimension to traditional Mexican dishes such as Chiles en Nogada (chilies in walnut sauce) and Enmolado de Pato (duck tortillas blanketed in mole poblano).
Boot Scootin’ Back at the Ranch
The best way to step out in Santa Fe is to step into a new pair of leather cowboy boots. And everyone in town knows the best place to get them: Wendy Lane Henry’s adobe shop on Marcy street called Back at the Ranch, which specializes in exotic skins. Here, you’ll find every imaginable pairing of python, pig skin, calf skin, and ostrich leather to fashion a hand-stitched boot that could make a wallflower two-step or Reba McEntire sing.
The Hot Springs of Ojo Caliente
The mineral springs at Ojo Caliente have been a gathering place and source of healing for thousands of years. In 1868, the site became the first formal spa to be built on a hot spring in America. Today over 100,000 gallons a day of water rich in lithium, iron, and arsenic still come steaming to the surface — promising to aid digestion, relieve arthritic pain, boost the immune system, and improve your mood. Who knows if all that really works, but I can tell you I left feeling happy. While Covid is still with us, I recommend booking a private bath, lighting the kiva, and letting the elements of fire and ice work their magic.
Ghost Ranch
Out here there is so much land for the light to paint. It’s no wonder that the artist Georgia O'Keeffe bought Ghost Ranch in 1940 and used it as the subject for her own personal canvas. Now, the ranch is a 21,000 acre retreat and education center where you can hike to your heart’s content or saddle up for a horseback trail ride to reenact your favorite scenes from City Slickers (filmed here in 1991). What you’ll find are majestic canyons and cliffs, juniper trees, ponderosa pines and sagebrush, all growing up toward the wide open sky.
Rooms at the Four Seasons
Check into one of the casitas or suites at the Four Seasons resort to experience the epitome of dude ranch glamour. With heated stone floors, deep soaking tubs, ensuite wood burning fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows, this is about as luxurious as New Mexican hospitality gets. If you’re into stargazing, the property’s 57 acres in the Sangre de Cristo foothills offer ample opportunity to look up and spot Jupiter, Orion, and Taurus — and sometimes all three from the comfort of your own balcony.
Plaza Blanca (The White Place)
These stunning white gypsum rock formations create a dramatic backdrop for a slow hike through the high desert terrain, which blooms with prickly cactus and yellow chamisa flowers even in winter. The site is located near the village of Abiquiu on the private grounds of the Dar al Islam campus, which allows visitors on a limited basis to protect the natural wonder that inspired famous works by local painter Georgia O’Keeffe.
72-Hour Sous Vide Short Ribs
One of the most refined meals in Santa Fe is executive chef Sllin Cruz’s 72-Hour sous vide short ribs served with crispy potato terrine, roasted shallots and wild mushrooms topped with shavings of Italian truffle. It’s one of the best selling dishes at Geronimo restaurant, which applies French and Italian technique to Southwestern fare. “We’re not looking for your typical fall-apart short ribs. After the sous-vide, we pan sear it and then we finish in a 500 degree oven, so you get a nice crust from the heat. It’s all about creating the right texture and look,” said Cruz, holding court in the middle of a busy dining room. Outfitted comfortably with bourbon leather booths and white table cloths, it’s the kind of place you could propose. Or, at least, impress your date by pretending to know how to order a perfect wine pairing.
Bubbles at Gruet Winery
Welcome to the Gruet Winery tasting room, inside the Hotel St. Francis in downtown Santa Fe. This is the best spot to brush up on your working knowledge of Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines, the specialty of this family run business since 1984. The New Mexico-based winery produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay-based sparkling wines, with roots originating from Gilbert Gruet’s Champagne house in Bethon, France.
Mexican Hot Chocolate
The tequila-spiked Mexican hot chocolate enjoyed by the fire at the Four Seasons is the nightcap everyone needs right now. And if that strikes your fancy, take a 15-minute drive downtown to the Kakawa Chocolate House, which specializes in drinking chocolate “elixirs” derived from ancient Mayan and Aztec traditions. For something more contemporary, the cherry chili and prickly pear truffles are decadent and delightful... Like I said, the place has hot-chili energy.
