How many times do you say, gee I’d like to do that? How long does it take before you actually follow through? Sometimes fleeting whims fall by the wayside since the idea is impulsive and lacks necessity. Other times nothing materializes. An inability to set priorities, a lack of available funds, conflicting events, or a loss of interest are the usual culprits.
I have a whole list of places I’d like to see. With no children left at home, I’m optimistic that I’ll satisfy some of these whims.
I have always wanted to visit Santa Fe, New Mexico, the oldest capital in the U.S., but somehow never made an effort. An email from Jetsetter.com became the impetus for the fulfillment of this wish. For months, I ogled at hotel accommodations on emails from Jetsetter and daydreamed about making a reservation for a spectacular destination. Fanciful thoughts, right. A few months ago, I asked Ira to follow through. We weren’t going thousands of miles away. Instead, we were driving 400+ miles to Santa Fe.
The Hotel Chimayo de Santa Fe was adjacent to the Sante Fe Plaza and was a short walk to Canyon Road, a mecca for art lovers. The Trip Advisor reviews were positive. Yes, we did follow the advice for requesting a room away from the lobby, preferably on the 2nd or 3rd floor. Neither of our requests was honored. Instead, we had the noisy handicap accessible room, the one closest to the restaurant with live music that played until midnight. Disappointingly, we had to request our complimentary split of Gruet more than one time. Oh well.
Hours were spent walking in and out of galleries. It was similar to visiting different rooms of a major art museum. The amount of artistic talent within such a condensed area was a delightful treat. If you’re in the market for museum quality art or love to browse for hours, this is the place to come.
We visited Raymond Nordwall’s Gallery, a few steps away from the famous Canyon Road. It is one of the few shops where the artist is actually on site. Many of the Canyon Road stores are galleries hosting the work of several artists. I prefer to meet an artist rather than talk to a salesperson or gallery owner. Nordwall, the great grandson of a turn-of-the-century Pawnee religious leader, has been painting and selling his Native American artwork since his childhood. Nordwall’s portraits, wildlife pictures, and nature scenes would be welcome additions to anyone who treasures Native American art. He has passed his talent down to his son who is already selling his award winning work at the Indian Market and elsewhere.
Two blocks from Nordwall, we came upon Sara M.Novenson’s Studio/Gallery, another solo shop. Her Great Women of the Bible series and landscape art with Hebrew psalms and blessings immediately captured our imagination. The mixture of colors and the mystical nature of her work made us contemplate a purchase. Some day in the future, we will definitely add a piece to our growing collection of artwork. It will not be easy to choose between one of her muted landscapes and one of her biblical women.
Pottery is ubiquitous in Santa Fe. Price tags in the $20,000-$30,000 range caused a double take and we wondered why anyone would spend so much. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery located in the Plaza area. The saleswoman patiently explained the background on several pieces.
I was drawn to the Pueblo pottery tradition of creating storyteller figures. For years, I have searched for a figure that had 4 boys. I always walked away disappointed since none fit that description. Six sat on an adjacent counter. All were made at a local pueblo. Patience paid off. I finally was able to purchase one with 4 boys.
Sandra Bornstein is the author of MAY THIS BE THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE. It is available on Amazon.
Sandra’s book chronicles her expat teaching experience at a notable international school in Bangalore, India. She is a certified Colorado teacher.
The memoir was a finalist in the Travel category for the 2013 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the 2013 International Book Awards, and the 2013 National Indie Book Excellence Awards.
If you enjoyed reading the memoir, consider posting a review on Amazon, Goodreads, LibraryThing and/or AskDavid.com.
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