Land of Enchantment

I absolutely LOVE New Mexico.  My bf and I recently took a weekend trip to the southern part of the state, which I'd never visited before.  Last year my brother moved to Santa Fe to work at an art gallery there, so I advantageously visited him four times.  The food, the art, the breathtaking scenery, the afternoon storms that roll in...  It was heaven to me, but for my brother who was 24 at the time, it was boring, as the average age of a Santa Fe resident is 70.  He had some incredible opportunities to work with local artists such as Forrest Moses.  It's no wonder Santa Fe is  home to so many creatives.  The surroundings are inspiring and I believe there is something otherworldly that draws people to the Land of Enchantment.  Here are somethings I adore about Santa Fe.  Let's starting with the Great Outdoors.  On one visit, my mom, brother, and I hiked the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument...

Another time my parents, brother, the bf, and I visited Bandelier National Monument to see some Pueblo cliff dwellings...

....and Santa Fe National Forest.

One visit my mom, brother, and I drove to the holy destination of El Chimayo, which was raised in 1816 and is considered the most important Catholic pilgrimage center of the U.S.

Another highlight was a visit to a nearby winery.  We came across some tasty local wines at Estrella Del Norte Vineyard.  Their spicy chipotle chocolates were the perfect accomplice.

Each visit I spent hours strolling Canyon Road.  It's only about a half mile long, but there are so many things to see and little alleyways to explore.  It's easy to lose track of time there.

Another entertaining past time is shopping.  I recommend visiting Jackalope for unique home decor pieces.  There are also tons of cute boutiques on Canyon Road.

My oh my, this is a long post and I didn't even cover my favorite galleries, restaurants, the square... All the more reason to check it out yourself!  You can fly into Albuquerque International Sunport and take a train or rent a car to make the hour drive north.  Happy travels!