Last weekend two of my friends and I flew in to Santa Fe (well, actually, Albuquerque) for a fun-filled couple of days. We only get to see each other every few years, and this was a great choice for one of those weekends. So much so, that we are already trying to figure out when we might return, and we all wished we had arranged for a few more days.
Here's what we did, what was really great, what we would have done differently.
Travel
We all flew in to ABQ then used a shuttle to go to Santa Fe and back to the airport. For some reason I was under the impression there wasn't parking at the hotel (I don't know, a complete brain failure I guess) and kept reading that parking was difficult, so we decided against renting a car.
If we went again we would either fly all the way to Santa Fe, or fly into ABQ and rent a car. The shuttle was 48 round trip x 3 of us, so nearly $150. In addition, it's hourly, so if you just miss one (which is what happened to us as our flights were late) you are sitting at the airport for another hour, then have a minimum 70 minutes to Santa Fe. In addition, the shuttle drivers have taken speed lessons from turtles.
Still, if you don't want to rent a car it is easy enough to use The Sandia Shuttle www.sandiashuttle.com. You are able to make reservations online, and it seems like they go to most of the hotels in Santa Fe. In town, the taxis are quick to come, and every driver we had was really nice and friendly. Plus, Friday night was $1 cab night where they would pick you up at any restaurant or bar and take you home for $1 (per person). I don't know if that is every Friday or not. There is only one cab company in town: http://www.capitalcitycab.com/
Hotel
We wanted some place central so we could walk everywhere, and we wanted something where the three of us could talk well into the night (we knew it would happen, like I said, we only see each other every few years) and not have to go out into the hallway and around etc. Ideally we would have liked something like a one bedroom suite with an extra pullout sofa in the living area.
I looked at several lovely places in the area, but ultimately settled on the Inn on the Alameda. I think a number of other places would have worked out too, but here is what settled it. Every single interaction I had with the Inn on the Alameda, both before we arrived and while we were there, they were just so helpful and (seemingly) interested in our having a great time. I can't say this enough. The staff at the Inn on the Alameda are what made it so special in my opinion.
When I called to talk to them about what I wanted, they spent time on the phone and advised what they thought would work best (and no, it wasn't the most expensive option). They gave me a few other tips as well. And, two weeks before we were due, they sent us a really nice Santa Fe Guidebook. When one of our group was going to arrive much earlier than the rest of us, I called and put her on the reservation and they were very nice and accommodating, never acted put out.
The rooms are very nice, the beds very comfortable, nice amenities. There is a wine and cheese happy hour from four to five every evening, and the Happy Hour Guy (as we dubbed him) was just a sweetheart, and it was a real social hour . People weren't sitting in their corners, they were chatting and sharing their days.
The breakfast is included, and is decent. There's quite a spread and you should be able to find something to satisfy you, from sweets to egg dishes to healthy stuff. The Breakfast Lady (we couldn't remember any names, we are terrible people) was also a total sweetheart.
We got adjoining rooms, one with two queens and one with a queen. The rate per room, per night, was $210.
It is right around the corner from Canyon Road, and very easy walking distance to The Plaza.
http://innonthealameda.com/
My weekend in Santa Fe, March 2013
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Am interested to hear more, toucan2.
Did it snow?
Yay! Your trip report! Love Santa Fe. Can't wait to hear more
Sorry for the interruption, life intervened. But at least it wasn't a long interruption!
Sopapillas were served to the table as well, and were very good and fresh. A cold Negra Modelo rounded out the meal.
Dining
As mentioned, breakfast was included with the hotel. I had green chili breakfast burritos both mornings. Wonderful Texas red grapefruit as well, and although I normally don't have sweet stuff at breakfast, they had these small chocolate chip scones, and they were very good! I can't tell you what B and R had, but they both enjoyed as well.
Tomasitas
B and I ended up arriving fairly late, and very hungry, on Friday night. R had been chatting up the Happy Hour Guy and he had suggested to her Tomasita's. They called a cab for us as we ran up and dropped our bags in the room, and off we went to the restaurant. Dustin at the Inn had also called ahead to put us on the waiting lists (apparently they don't have reservations?) so when we arrived we had only a very short wait.
It is a more family style restaurant, and it was pretty packed, so it seems like it must be pretty popular. HHG had suggested the "swirl" and R had to try one. I think it is a frozen margarita with sangria swirled at the top. They will only sell you two of them. B and I both had a sip, and it was pretty strong!
We had really good guacamole and blue corn tortilla chips, and both R and I had the Friday night special which was Carne Adovada (their description - pork marinated in red chili then baked in the oven) served with rice and beans. The chili flavor was really really good. One nice thing to note was that the servings were not gigantic, so it was a reasonable amount to eat. B had a chicken quesadilla I think, but R and I were ignoring her meal because ours was much better.
Reviews online seem mixed, but we had a decent meal, for not very much at all (the special was $12.50), great service, and they kindly called a cab for us at the end of the evening.
Lunch
This is terrible, but I can't remember the name of the place where we ate lunch on Saturday. It had started snowing very heavily and we had just walked past all the jewelry vendors on the Plaza and R needed time to think about what she wanted, we wanted to get out of the snow, so we turned the corner, saw a cafe, and it looked like it would work out just fine. More guac, R&B shared a taco platter, and I had a bowl of pork green chili stew. It was hot and hit the spot before we went back out in the snow!
El Farol
Saturday night we did the flamenco dinner show at El Farol. From the web site I thought it was $25 each plus dinner, but we actually only got charged what we ordered off the menu. We got tapas for 2 (six small plates) leaving plenty of room for R to have a couple of beers and B and I to have dessert.
I would probably say the food was good, not great. But it WAS extremely reasonable. Tapas for 2, 2 beers, dessert for two and the total came to only $105 (including tip).
The highlights from the plates were the pork dish (for the life of me I can't remember what the name of it was and what was included) and the duck, which was served with figs. We had a nice salad, mushrooms, a slightly lower than mediocre spanish tortilla, and something else I can't remember.
The flamenco was energetic, and a lot of fun.
http://www.elfarolsf.com/
Next....what we did!
Sounds terrific, sorry to have missed you!
It would have been great to meet you Deb.
Jubi, yes, it snowed both days, but it didn't stop us, and it was actually kind of fun.
As mentioned, all three of us flew into ABQ. My trip started Friday afternoon with a direct flight on Southwest. Now that Southwest has such an organized way of seating I have become a big fan of flying them domestically. I carried on, but unfortunately the flight was slightly late, as was B's (R had arrived right before noon and gone on to Santa Fe). This meant that we missed the 4:45 shuttle to Santa Fe by mere minutes.
Oh well, B and I met in front of the shuttle counter, hugged and squealed a little, then I checked us in with the shuttle. We had an hour to wait, but we also had a lot of catching up to do. We talked our way through the hour, then we talked our way through the drive to Santa Fe.
Another note or two here about the shuttle. You need to check in at the shuttle counter, then you are to sit in the area over by the escalator. They didn't tell R where to wait, and she waited outside and missed her shuttle. She was not particularly happy about that. It's also quite a walk from the terminal to where the shuttles are parked, so you'll want to take advantage of having wheelie luggage if you can.
We didn't get to see a lot as dark fell on the drive. About halfway through the drive, something must have caught the attention of the young woman sitting in front of us as she turned around and we got into a big discussion about Pinterest. B's not on it yet (she should be!) and Shuttle Girl and I shared a love of the Sock Bun, I shared a new Messy Bun method, and the really good roasted broccoli recipe I found, but don't try the beef and broccoli recipe, she loved some kind of breakfast cupcake, and so on. B seemed somewhat bemused.
We were the first stop, Yay! We blew into the Inn, registered, decided on Tomasita's, threw our bags in the room and got in the taxi with Danny the Cab Driver. We chit chatted with Danny on our way to the restaurant. Danny had a massage that day and was trying to hydrate. Just one of the fun facts we picked up on our way. Danny dropped us off and told us to ask for him on our return.
We had dinner as described above, continued getting caught up. R decided to have a beer after the swirl. The waitress asked if she wanted a glass, R responded no, I'm white trash I'll drink it out of the bottle. The waitress threw over her shoulder, I'm brown trash, I drink it out of a bottle too. She was a kick. We tipped her well and headed back to the hotel.
Lots more talking and chatting, R is going through menopause, B is jealous as she wants to do it to and be done with it, I've already done it. R is hot, they decide to open the door to the balcony and leave it open all night. I figure out how to turn off the heat (it was tricky). We finally go to bed and I move to close the door between the rooms, but R was all plaintive so I left it open. This is all important because....
Overnight it snowed! I woke about 5 am and it was freezing in the room. I looked out the balcony window and there was a beautiful layer of snow outlining the trees and the chili ristras hanging outside the balconies opposite us. I closed that darned adjoining door, turned the heat on in my room, and made myself a cup of coffee!
After breakfast we bundled up and headed out. Is there anything more beautiful than a fresh layer of snow? Especially when you don't have to drive in it or shovel it?
Our first stop was the Loretto Chapel. Someone here suggested it. It is so beautiful. It is patterned after Ste Chappele in Paris, one of my favorite churches there. There is a spectacular staircase that is a feat of engineering with no visible means of support. Lots of beautiful details, and it cost all of $3 to enter. http://www.lorettochapel.com/history.html
Most of what we did after this was shop! A textile shop caught my eye, we had to go in. Beautiful molas, fabrics, embroidered pieces, and more. No purchases yet. Reached the plaza, heavy duty window shopping. A beautiful purse caught our eye. Entered shop and browed, arguments (discussion?) about the perfect purse ensued. No one won, no one bought anything. Someone (cough, cough R) needed more coffee so we stopped at Starbucks, where I bought a New Mexico mug. (I should count how many Starbucks mugs I have from all around the world. Too many I am sure)
Jewelry shops, shoe shops, general merchandise shops, hunt for a ladies room, then to the Native American vendors lining one side of the plaza. We looked and looked, pretty much checked out everything. It had started spitting a few snow flakes earlier, and now it was coming down in earnest. We decided to have lunch, and return to get the things we had decided on. But first, we had to take pictures of us in the snow
After lunch we started spending money. Back to the vendors for some jewelry purchases. Back to one of the jewelery stores we had visited for some more purchases. Some inexpensive scarves and postcards. And so on. We stopped in Lucchese because R had purchased some cowboy boots last summer at a vintage shop for just $100. They are Lucchese and R (who is notoriously frugal) was rather stunned at retail prices. They are incredibly beautiful boots though.
It was by then snowing so hard that B and I put on our sunglasses just to keep the snow out of our eyes! R and B had hoods, I did not. This seemed like a good time to head back towards the Inn as happy hour was not too far off. But first we detoured up Canyon Road just to get a taste of it.
I so want to go back and just spend all day and more on Canyon Road. We stopped in one art gallery, and the pieces were gorgeous. We stopped in Pachamamas, and bought a few small pieces. But I was dripping (actually dripping as the snow melted off my hair) and it was now time for Happy Hour!
The Inn on the Alameda is right at the start of Canyon Road, so a great location. We dried off in the room then joined others in common area. They have a wonderful pinyon fire burning all the time, and we nabbed the rocking chairs right in front of it. R had told us how the night before people really throwing back the wine, and she was right! It was pretty funny. We each had a glass, and some grapes and cheese, chatting and getting warm again.
It was a nice social hour tool. A very nice couple from Minnesota started talking with us, asking about our day and telling us what they had done. They wanted to know what our dinner plans were and I told them about El Farol. Their eyes lit up, and soon they were making plans to go as well. Another couple joined on the other side, and all in all, a true Happy Hour was had!
Well, don't keep us hanging. Did you get a visit from a wild critter?
I think the cafe you mentioned was Plaza Cafe located on the square.
Great report!
Unsure about the weather, we took a cab up to El Farol. As we dined, I spotted the couple from Minnesota across from us. Then I spotted the couple I sat next to on the flight (I had shared the guidebook and talked about plans for the weekend with them). So all in all, I was responsible for three tables that night
I don't know enough about Flamenco to know how good it was, but we certainly enjoyed the dances. I know the dances tell a story, and I wished I knew a little more about that. There were two guitar players and one vocalist, along with the two dancers. The one guitar player/vocalist was the leader, and made for an entertaining evening.
There was also a band playing as we ended our evening, but we decided to head back. There was no snow, and the sky was clear (even if it was cold) so we walked back via Canyon Road to the Inn. it was a different experience to see Canyon Road at night. A lot was lit up, and there were so many sculptures outside that it was almost as good as shopping!
We stopped at the fireplace at the Inn for awhile, and persuaded Dustin to take pictures of the three of us. He was accommodating as always.
More chatting and at last to bed, but this time we closed the balcony doors.
Beachgirl, no wild critters, but a bit of snow blew in. I just shut the door on R&B and left them to their open door and snow at the sill
Because of the timing of the shuttle, and daylight savings time, we really had a pretty short period of time on Sunday. We decided to take a cab up to Museum Hill and visit the International Folk Art Museum. What a wonderful setting on a hilltop (thus, Museum Hill I'm sure!) where if the skies were clear I am sure you could see a very long way.
But guess what?! It was snowing! First stop was the cafe where someone (cough, cough, R) needed coffee. We had our respective lattes and espressos, then walked around the plaza area between the three museums for a bit first. Such lovely outdoor art, and a sculpture garden to boot. jubilada had mentioned how much she had enjoyed the International Folk Art Museum, and that there was an Amish Quilt exhibit, so we headed that way.
What a wonderful museum. Dustin at the Inn was very excited that we were going and told us about the origins of the museum. Whoops, I just realized that I have been calling it the wrong thing. I went to get you the web site and it is actually the Museum of International Folk Art. You can read about it here: http://www.internationalfolkart.org/about/about.html.
I really enjoyed the quilt exhibit, and continue to marvel at all the handwork. There was a fun exhibit with an ipad where you could design your own quilts. We wandered through as many of the galleries as time would allow, and by no means saw everything. So many interesting pieces, I can't begin to describe it all. So, when you are in Santa Fe, go.
We were pretty much out of time now. Cab back to the hotel, sit in front of the fireplace a bit longer, get on the shuttle.
Oh, and this shuttle driver! 60 mph in the 75 mph zone. Longest. Shuttle drive. Ever. People started muttering about how slow it was, and the driver turned up the music! It was so funny. But, we had plenty of time, and it was daylight, so it was fun to look at the countryside go by (slowly).
And that's it! It sure seems like a long trip report for such a short trip
We absolutely loved it, it was a perfect weekend get away. We all wished we had taken a few more days so we could see and do more. Go. You won't regret it.
Come back when I am home!
I am glad you liked the Folk Art Museum!
Sounds like a great trip!
Lee Ann
I hope you will be home next time we come Deb.
Jubi, I could have spent so much more time there. We did really enjoy it.
Thanks Lee Ann! My husband would really like to visit NM sometime, and visit ABQ. He lived there for a shortwhile when he was young, and has fond memories of that time.
Thank you so much for the memorable report..Been there, done that and just loved it all. Nothing is more beautiful than Santa Fe in the new snow or maybe Santa Fe in the wonderfully golden fall or Santa Fe in the blossoming spring or etc, etc, etc. If you can get back try to attend an opera. 'twill be awesome!!!
Fun report Toucan2, and I got some great ideas for a possible fall trip. Thanks for taking the time to post it!
amer_can, I suspect it is indeed beautiful in all seasons.
I'm glad you enjoyed it happycheesehead, You will have a great time in Santa Fe I'm sure.