Welcome to New Mexico!

Lee Ann

Bienvenidos a Nuevo México !

How fun. We love New Mexico! How long do you have in the area? A place we love with hot springs is Ojo Caliente, about an hour north of Santa Fe.

That place looks great!

I always love it when hatch chilis appear on the menu.

We will be here for a week and have been to Ojo Caliente on previous trips. Not sure as we are based in ALbuquerque and it is far. We did love it but have read they have made renovations which have destroyed it cha. Does anyone have recent experience?

I was there mis summer last year for the first time, so I don't know what it was like before ,but we enjoyed it. Ten Thousand Waves is nice too.

Was just at Ojo earlier this month. Our second time and enjoyed it very much. I never went when it was less upscale. We splurged on a cliffside suite and now I am spoiled.

My only complaint is that some people don't observe the "whisper zone" signs, making the supposedly peaceful soaks not nearly as tranquil.

I think we would not like Ojo as upscaleale Is not what we liked about it. Sigh.

We awoke and took another soak at Riverbend after a good breakfast at the Happy Belly Deli.
We looked around T&C a bit. The highlight
Being the Black Cat a wonderful used way to Albubookstore where we got lost for an hour or so. The owner also sells wonderful coffee and baked goods. She is open Thurs through Sunday at eight a.m. We checked out of Riverbend giving them kudos for everything except our bed which was awful.

On our way to Albuquerque we stopped for a couple of hours of bird watching at Bosque del Apache wildlife area.
Alas the Sandhills cranes were gone by a few days but we saw several eagles, hawks,hundreds of snow geese, some herons cormorants and roadrunners in addition to countless ducks and several large turtles. After AZ it was great to see waterfowl and, well, water!

We arrived mid afternoon at LosPoblanos LosPoblanos.com where we checked into our delightful suite. It is elegant and beautiful without being at all stuffy. The bed will make up for Riverbend. We spent the afternoon exploring the 25 acre grounds and greeting the many goats pigs chickens miniature horses and peacocks which share this land.
We had an excellent farm to table dinner ( details on what's foot dinner thread in the lounge). We cannot believe our good fortune that we have a week here. It reminds me of agroturismi in Tuscany except it is right in the city, which one would never know. We hope to be hungry I time for the sumptuous breakfast served each morning.

Enjoy Los Poblanos! I have always wanted to stay there; every time I drive by, I imagine how tranquil and stress free it must be - all that lavender.

Debit, you will not be disappointed if you do.
I now have opinions about rooms so check with me.

That sounds lovely!

Lee Ann

What a great trip!

Yes, it does sound great. We are jealous. It sounds like Riverbend won't be a place you want to return to?

Keep writing!

We'll be there two weeks from now and hope to hear more of what you think about what to see and do.

Fyb, I loved the outdoor spaces and both the public and private pools at Riverbend and the settingis beautiful along the river. The rooms are very quirky which we didn't mind at all and it is very reasonable with a very warm and accommodating staff. We are inordinately fussy about beds so most people would be fine probably. I think I would sleep somewhere else and buy a day pass to Riverbend.

I would love to hear more about Truth or Consequences. Have always wanted to go but still not made it there. Is it worth more than a day's visit?

Jayne for us one day was enough though we did not poke around in all the stores.

Today after another excessive and delicious breakfast we spent theorizing at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
IndianPueblo.org. We saw an exhibit exploring the impact of state and federal governments on native people and emphasizing the import of maintains cultural values and of living in the pueblos. It was very affecting.
We also were treated to a special exhibit of paintings made recently by Zuni peopleapping their world. Although we had already seen an incredible amount we also explored the permanent collection of artifacts from each of the nineteen pueblos this is an expertly curateduse imbued with spirit. Not to be missed.

We then drove north to the village of Corrales where we gallery hopped, impressed with the general high level of the art. We were too late for lunch at a place recommended by debitNM so will have to return.

We then returned to our neighborhood to go to the Rio Grande state park to look at birds and turtles along the river. The visitor center is set out into the water so it feels like you are on a boat. Will return to walk se of the Bosque trails.

We finally got hungry and ate a late lunch/early dinner at Flyong Star one of a small local chain with an eclectic menu. We liked it a lot and will return Thursday when we attend a reading later this week at the excellent Bookworks bookstore adjacent to the restaurant. They seem to have a constant stream of interesting events. We have been lucky on this trip to find two really fine independent bookstores.

Zuni people MAPPING. ...

So nice to find any independent bookstores, and especially really good ones.

You know I am jealous of your stops at Bosque del Apache and the Rio Grande state park.

Toucan I have thought of you at the birds places. Here I have been enamored of the peacocks.

The Rio Grande Nature Center is sort of off the beaten path, but we've always enjoyed going there, especially when the kids are younger. When it's cold, you can sit in the observation room and watch the wildlife, and there are plenty of places outside to watch when it's nice. The hiking trails along there are worth returning for, jubilada.

Lee Ann

Lee Ann
My better half is more of a hiker than I but I think she plans on returning. We found the Rio Grande nature center because it is in the neighborhood of Los Poblanos. I really like this area.

We had a wonderful day today driving the Jemez trail. We stopped frequently for photo ops of the red rocks and other gorgeous sights along the way. We visited many pottery shops in the Jemez pueblo and enjoyed speaking with the artists about their work both in terms of their traditional methods and the spiritual significance of the symbols. We bought only one small very beautiful pot but wanted more. We stopped in the small town of Jemez Springs noting the Zen Center as well as the monastery of the handmaidens of the blood.

We kept driving to where the snow was about six inches deep.

jubi, my husband is determined to do a program at that zen center. For future reference, there is a natural hot springs that you can hike to in Jemez Springs.

We knew but were not up for a hike. Another time

Today was our day to get up early to go to Santa Fe to visit an old friend. We went by way of the Turquoise trail following the old mining towns. The scenery was gorgeous climbing up through the mountains. The Tinkertown museum was closed for the season. We stopped briefly in Madrid to soak in the miner meets artist meets hippie ambiance. I'd love to go back there when things are open.

In Santa Fe our first stop was my favorite museum
Ever the Folk art museum. In addition to the vast permanent. Collection of folk art from every culture on earth there was a gorgeous Amish quilt show with bold colors and designs which seemed completely modern despite their nineteenth century origins. After a very fruitful trip to the marvelous gift shop in which we bought a wonderful beaded doll from Mexico we found our friend's home.

She took us to a delicious nachos and enchiladas lunch at the Zia Diner and we them saw the Amnie Liebovitz show at the Georgia O'Keefe museum which I highly recommend. We spent the rest of the afternoon. Walking and driving around with our friend showing us her favorite places in town. There was much more sprawl than at our last visit a decade ago .

We drove home during a pink and orange sunset. Our brains and cameras are full of visual delights.

tt sounds like a beautiful day. I'm hoping to visit the Georgia O'Keefe museum this weekend. I will look up the folk art museum as I love quilting.

Still sorry that our paths are not going to cross

Toucan I am sorry too. It sounds like you will have a stormy weekend in Santa Fe. I hope not!!

uh oh, I haven't looked recently, I saw there might be snow and 40s, I better go check it out.

We spent much of the afternoon at the National Hispanic Culture Center nhcc.org seeing the exhibit Stiching Resistence. This is a large group of appilleras which are stitched panels created by wen in Chile from 1975 through the present to grieve protest and raise consciousness about the men and wen who disappeared during Pinochet's rule. They are profoundly affecting and I urge anyone within driving distance of here to see it

We then drove and walked around town nod had a very disappointing Mexican lunch at Mary and Tito's which has been highly recommended. Meh. We miss the food in Tucson which we liked way betters except here at Los Poblanos.

We saw about 20 sand hill cranes in our neighborhood today. Very cool.

We are going out to a reading at a local bookstore tonight.

We were lucky to see

I enjoy reading about your wonderful vacation.

Me, too!!

Jubi, it's wonderful to "hear" how happy you've been in your potential snowbird location (Tucson) and to learn more about New Mexico, a place I know very little about but you've certainly piqued my interest. Hope you have safe travels back to snowy New England.

We are struggling to decide about our trip for next winter. We will have only two weeks and Tucson is likely to be warmer so we will probably go there. But ABQIs somewhen think I could live year round.

Sounds wonderful, jubi.

By any chance were there any with and without makeup photos of a Las Vegas show girl in the Lebovitz exhibit?

So glad that you have had a great trip. I have never been to the Tucson area but have visited New Mexico and find it beautiful and fascinating.

Sounds like a wonderful trip, jub. I'm saving the info on Riverbend and Los Poblanos for future reference.

I'd been planning a trip to NM for May, centered around Ojo Caliente, but eschewed it for Utah.

Debit, how does Ojo compare to Red Mountain Resort in Utah? I think you've been to both, yes?

They both look beautiful but Red Mt. seems to offer so much more for the money, so I recently canceled Ojo in favor of Red Mt. for this coming May. It seems to offer an endless list of outdoor activities.

TDu
I don't think so but there some photos I did not see because there were tour groups blocking them. However this show was not mostly people but places and objects like Freud's couch and dresses belonging to Emily Dickenson.

Panecott I don't think you would like Riverbend but there are other places in t and c

I cannot recommend Los on lamps more highly but I really liked the old inn rooms much better than the new ones which are more modern but have much less character IMO.

Why don't you think I'd like Riverbend? It looks very charming and the locale looks great.

Re Los P., I'm sure I would prefer the old inn rooms as well. Thanks for the heads up.

I think that if Ojo and Red Mountain appeal to you Riverbend would not, Panecott. But perhaps I am mistaken...

Ah, I see. In fact, I've never been on a spa vacation before and I'm mainly going to Red Mt. b/c of the wealth and variety of physical activities available to guests, and the beautiful location.

I'm very adaptable and don't require luxury. Clean and comfortable is usually fine with me.

You should see the sculling camp I go to in the summer!

Riverbend is clean and located beautifully and has wonderful pools for soaking. Comfortable, not so much.

Well, we keep following you around, from Anna Maria to Vieques and now I suppose we'll have to go to New Mexico. There are worse fates.

And don't forget Tucson. We liked it there way more than expected and just rented for next winter ev and think it will become our snowbird destination, despite the political climate. At least Ticson is reasonably progressive. It does make us sad that our marriage is not recognized there.

Did you see my TR from there?

Make sure you visit during Tucson's Festival of Books which takes place during U of A spring break.

Not next year, HappyTravlr as we have only two weeks and I must escape New england in February. But perhaps another year when we can stay longer.

jubilada, Your trip report brings back fond memories.
I feel the same way about NY weather. By february I have enough of the cold weather and the storm and feel I have to go to the tropics.
I really enjoyed hiking the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, I think there are many monuments in the region but I chose that one because I make scultures and they actually look like those rock formation(it's out of my subconscious). It was great walking and touching those rocks.

mohan, I would love to see those sculptures!

HappyTravlr, my Tucson friend called last night to tell her experiences at the book Festival. Hopefully in 2015 when I hope to be there for 8 weeks. If i can find a rental. aargh.

Sending good rental vibes your way....Book .Festival was amazing this year. Try to get a copy of "Lady at the OK Corral" with your interest in Jewish, Womens' and Southwestern history.

I will do that HappyTrvlr, thanks.

HappyTrvler, I have some tucson questions for you. Would you mind sending me contact info for you at my screen name at icloud dot com?

I will understand if you would prefer not to in which case I will ask here or in my AZ Tucson trip report. thanks, jubi

panecott, I haven't been to Red Mountain Lodge but I've been to Ojo several times in the last few years. Perhaps Debitnm will chime in but until then, I'll say that it does appear that Red Mtn has a lot more in the way of activities. There are a few hikes around Ojo, but it's not really the place to go for outdoor adventure.

Geez, I did not mean to hit submit.

There's no outdoor concierge or equivalent at Ojo, it's more designed for relaxation around the hot springs. Also, it's less exclusive because people can pay for the day and gain entrance. I don't see anything similar at Red Mountain, but I could be wrong. Anyway, I like that, but some people may not.