MomDDTravel

Greetings!

My Mom and I are going away for a long weekend in May. We are booked at the La Posada.

Wanted to see some favorites of everyone in that area -

My Mom is a real "foodie" - I am not but am happy to go along for the ride. Wine by the glass is important as we have different palates generally when it comes to wine. We would also like to take a hike over that weekend if it is a feasible thing that won't take too long. We enjoy shopping, eating, wine, spas, movies/shows/entertainment.

Thanks in advance!

DebitNM

For a hike, one that will leave you with lasting impression is at Tent Rocks. These pics are the hard hike, but there is a nice loop trail that your mom could do.

https://picasaweb.google.com/DebitNM/TentRocksNov2010

Spa - well that would be TenThousandWaves.com There are spas in SF too, but TTW is really nice.

DebitNM

Restaurants:

Dinner -
Max's
Restaurant Martin
Bistro 315
O'Keefe Cafe
Andiamo

Lunch -
The Shed [although locals prefer its sister restaurant, La Choza]
The Ore House
Vinaigrette

DebitNM

http://www.orehouseontheplaza.com/

http://maxssantafe.com/

http://315santafe.com/

http://www.restaurantmartinsantafe.com/

http://www.okeeffecafe.com/

http://www.andiamoonline.com/

DebitNM

For more ideas:

http://www.opentable.com/santa-fe-mo...urant-listings

Uma

Make sure to visit the galleries and shops on Canyon Road, as well as on the Plaza. We enjoyed Bandelier National Monument (Indian ruins). Check out the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, if you are interested in her art. We ate at a terrific little Italian restaurant a few years ago; will try to think of the name.

DebitNM

Here's some thoughts recently posted on things to do in Santa Fe:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ril-advice.cfm

http://www.girlsgetaway.com/2010/12/...t-in-santa-fe/

http://www.museumhill.org/

O'Keefe Musuem, http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/

Palace of The Governors, The New Mexico History Museum http://www.palaceofthegovernors.org/index.php

ElendilPickle

As always, DebitNM has given you some excellent suggestions!

We were just in Santa Fe last month for an overnight getaway. We combined a couple of self-guided walking tours one day, spent part of a day at Shidoni Foundry in Tesuque, and had a lovely time.

We had dinner at Andiamo, which was fabulous, and we had some pretty good BBQ at Cowgirl BBQ. They're both in the Railyard area.

If you like Georgia O'Keeffe, the museum is definitely worth a visit.

And there are a couple of wonderful Fodorites in the area!

Lee Ann

emd3

On our trip last month we tried a restaurant nice called Vanessie. It is on Water St., just off Guadalupe from the Plaza area. It was recommended by the proprietor of the inn we stayed at on this visit.

I believe we were the only tourists there on a Fri. night- lots of locals. There was a piano player who was very good, and he brought up some singers who knew (one of whom was in town after a gig in Albuquerque, she was very good). He did some jazz, some Frank Sinatra, some Broadway tunes and it was very enjoyable.

The food was surprisingly good, considering I have never heard this restaurant recommended here. The menu was continental, with beef dishes (ribeye was amazingly good, they have a filet a a NY strip also), elk, New Zealand rack of lamb, lobster tails, scallops, seared ahi tuna, salmon. The sides and apps were good also. Good wine list and drinks. And the dessert

And the entertainment was free, you could hear it from the lovely bar (where we sat), or many tables. They have different live entertainment EVERY NIGHT, which is unusual for a place like this in Santa Fe. The decor was lovely also. This place was a nice find, and we will definitely go back again. I think this was one of my very favorite evenings in our many visits to Santa Fe.

They have some clips from the live musicians who play there on the website, and the menus of course. Just listening to it brings back nice memories of that evening.

http://www.vanessiesantafe.com/index.html

emd3

Oh, I left off the last part of the line about the desserts - the chocolate pecan pie was to die for as was the coconut cream pie. It is all made on the premises.

Make reservations for dinner unless you want to sit sneak in and sit at the bar, as we did. Although even the abr seating is a front row seat for the music, as the bar is open onto the dining room area.

MomDDTravel

Thank you Deb, Lee Ann and everyone else! I will be going over all of this!!

saige

Tent Rocks and Shidoni are a couple of my favorite places to go on visits to Santa Fe.

starrs

My favorite things to do in Santa Fe = wander along the plaza and shop for silver and turquoise. I bought one of my favorite pottery pieces there when there was a big festival on the plaza. I'm not a big shopper, but I can always seem to find something to buy in Santa Fe
http://www.flickr.com/photos/70467959@N00/2937500175/

The Georgia O'Keefe museum is my #1 favorite.
http://www.ghostranch.org/museums-an...9;keeffe-tours
It's not very big but is delightful. Be sure to watch one of the videos.

Not really a "foodie" choice, but the favorite of my friend who grew up in Alb. is
Gabriels' - http://www.restauranteur.com/gabriels/
She RAVED about their guacamole for years (made at the table) and we (assorted members of her family and I) really enjoyed our time there on my last visit.

I spent NYEve there one time (the snow was melting in Durango) at La Fonda. Nearby was a small shop that sold vintage cowboy boots. They weren't cheap, by any means, but were gorgeous and we spent about an hour trying on options. I mean, you DO live in Texas now

I tried to find it via google just now, with no luck. But there IS a big vintage store in town (not the one we went to) and it looks interesting. Take a look -
http://www.kowboyz.com/
I'm sure it's light years from that small shop but may be worth a look. I rarely regret walking away from a store, but wished I'd bought a pair of boots there.

Consider going out to Abiguiu for a tour -
http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/her-houses.html

In town, be sure to stop by here to see the staircase -
http://www.lorettochapel.com/staircase.html

MomDDTravel

My Mom is a huge Okeeff fan so I am sure we will check that out...Oh I do want some vintage cowboy boots! I have a friend coming to town and we are going to the Rodeo in Ft. worth - wish I could find them before then!!

Thanks so much!!!

emd3

You don't know me, but I have bought several pairs of vintage cowgirl boots in Santa Fe. I lived in TX for 30 yrs before I moved to my current location. If you are looking for vintage boots, go to "The Ranch" at Double Take in Santa Fe. It's a very good place for vintage 2nd hand boots at a good price. My husband and I have both gotten great vintage boots in there. I have bought 3 pairs of vintage boots there. The last ones were red and black snakeskin, for $150, a steal.

BTW, the O'keefe Cafe, next to the O'Keefe Museum, is pretty good and has half priced wines on Monday nights. Not foodie quality, but ok food. Vanessie was better.

DebitNM

Sorry, O'Keeffe Cafe is absolutely foodie quality and service to match.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...n-santa-fe.cfm

The have won Wine Spectators Award of Excellence every year since 2004 and it gets rave reviews:

http://www.allbusiness.com/food-beve...4563189-1.html

Uma

I remembered the name of the Italian restaurant where we ate -- Trattoria Nostrani.

Cali

Dawn, sounds like you and your Mom will have a wonderful trip together. I am taking notes of all the recommendations you are getting as we have never been there (have been to Albequerque but not Santa Fe and have to get there. Enjoy. Is Texas growing on you yet?

Cali

Oops, meant Albuquerque.

emd3

We had lunch at O'Keefe Cafe (a chicken dish and a seafood pasta) and it was ok, not that great. It looks like the dinner menu is much better. And their half price wine night is Sunday, not Monday, sorry about that error.

One other place that no one has mentioned so far is Geronimo on Canyon Rd. Fine dining. I have foodie friends in Albuquerque who go to Santa Fe just to have dinner there.

http://www.geronimorestaurant.com/home.html