Can I Tell You About ... Santa Fe, New Mexico
Rafe Totengco
STAY
We stayed at La Posada de Santa Fe, a luxury hotel and spa. Originally built in 1882 as a Victorian mansion, the hotel was later renovated to resemble Santa Fe's historic adobe architecture. It is conveniently located just 3 blocks from the main square and has free shuttle service to anywhere in the city.
EAT
The most charming spot for breakfast is Cafe Pasquals located in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. The boisterous, festive restaurant is adorned with murals by renowned painter Leovigildo Martinez, Mexican tiles and paper banners. I had the trout hash and it was by far the best breakfast I've enjoyed this year!
MUST SEE
The Girard wing of the Museum of International Folk Art, named after architect and textile designer Alexander Girard, holds the long-term exhibit Multiple Visions: A Common Bond. The room is a cornucopia of more than one hundred thousand toys, figurines and dioramas collected from over a hundred countries on six continents by Alexander and Susan Girard. Each vignette tells a different story with intricate, awe-inspiring dioramas. The exhibit is absorbing and fascinating for both young and old, and certainly brought out the child in me. Be sure to watch for my personal favorite, The Vision of Heaven and Hell.
SHOP
I was eager to stroll along the Palace of the Governors. The area is lined with boutiques, art galleries and the Santa Fe Indian Market, which is a highly acclaimed Native American arts show dedicated to the preservation and understanding of the American Indian culture. I saw artists from nearby pueblos showcasing their silver and turquoise jewelry, hand-woven blankets and pottery. I was especially drawn to the black on black pottery of Marvin Martinez. He learned the craft from his great grandmother Maria Martinez, a famed potter from the San Ildefonso pueblo, where Marvin and his wife still live and work on their historical craft.
WHAT I LOVED MOST
Centinela Traditional Arts is the result of seven generations of northern New Mexican Hispanic folk art/fiber weaving passed down within the Trujillo family. Irvin and Lisa are both celebrated and award-winning master weavers with work on display at the Smithsonian and various other museums all over the world. What sets them apart from other weavers is their ability to blend traditional patterns with modern themes and elements creating a new vocabulary of design and jaw dropping works of art. I was very touched and inspired by their designs.