Santa Fe Weekend, December 2012
Dec 17th, 2012, 09:31 AM
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Santa Fe Weekend, December 2012
Mr. Pickle and I spent December 7-9 in Santa Fe. I'll have a little more to say in another post, but for now here are my thoughts on where we stayed this time (copied and pasted from TA, sue me). 
My husband and I took advantage of a Groupon offer to book two nights at Fort Marcy Hotel Suites. We spend a weekend in Santa Fe once a year, usually staying at a B&B, but this was too good a deal to pass up.
We had a one-bedroom suite which was very comfortable. Some of the furnishings (kitchen counters, bathroom tile) were a little dated, but everything was spotlessly clean and in excellent condition. Some of the units have fireplaces; ours didn't, but we will request one if we stay here again.
As others have mentioned, Fort Marcy Park is across the street, and you get lovely sunsets and views of Santa Fe. You're located within pretty easy walking distance of downtown as well, but we were both a little under the weather so drove where we needed to go.
We were really pleased with this property and will definitely consider it for next year's Santa Fe weekend.
Lee Ann
My husband and I took advantage of a Groupon offer to book two nights at Fort Marcy Hotel Suites. We spend a weekend in Santa Fe once a year, usually staying at a B&B, but this was too good a deal to pass up.
We had a one-bedroom suite which was very comfortable. Some of the furnishings (kitchen counters, bathroom tile) were a little dated, but everything was spotlessly clean and in excellent condition. Some of the units have fireplaces; ours didn't, but we will request one if we stay here again.
As others have mentioned, Fort Marcy Park is across the street, and you get lovely sunsets and views of Santa Fe. You're located within pretty easy walking distance of downtown as well, but we were both a little under the weather so drove where we needed to go.
We were really pleased with this property and will definitely consider it for next year's Santa Fe weekend.
Lee Ann
Dec 17th, 2012, 10:12 AM
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If you stay on the side facing Kearney Rd., you should have a view, especially if you're in a second floor suite.
I should also mention that if you choose to walk downtown, you'll have a bit of an uphill walk to get back to the property.
Lee Ann
I should also mention that if you choose to walk downtown, you'll have a bit of an uphill walk to get back to the property.
Lee Ann
Dec 18th, 2012, 12:23 PM
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Hi Lee Ann, wonder if we passed on the street.
We used to stay at Ft Marcy with friends many moons ago. Good location and convenient to walking downtown and going up Hyde Park Road to Ten Thousand Waves Spa and the ski resort.
It is uphill going up Kearny but after all the food we would eat I needed to walk it off!
Where'd you eat and visit?
We used to stay at Ft Marcy with friends many moons ago. Good location and convenient to walking downtown and going up Hyde Park Road to Ten Thousand Waves Spa and the ski resort.
It is uphill going up Kearny but after all the food we would eat I needed to walk it off!
Where'd you eat and visit?
Dec 18th, 2012, 09:05 PM
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Usually, we do our Santa Fe weekend in January (the B&B where we usually stay has low rates then), but we had tickets for Chanticleer, one of the best a capella men's choruses in the United States, on the 7th. When the Groupon deal for Fort Marcy Hotel Suites came up, we decided to combine the two and enjoy a pre-Christmas getaway.
Unfortunately, I started feeling sick on Friday - stomach yuck, a low fever, etc. But I decided I wasn't feeling bad enough to cancel our plans.
We had general admission tickets for the concert, which was held in St. Francis Cathedral. We'd seen the King's Singers there a couple of years ago, and the acoustics are excellent no matter where you sit.
I started feeling bad again partway through the first half of the concert, but I just closed my eyes and let the music sort of wash over me. Thankfully, I felt better after about 20 minutes.
By the time we got to our suite, Mr. Pickle was feeling a little under the weather as well.
We slept in Saturday morning and took our time getting ready for the day. By now, we were both feeling quite a bit better.
We brought breakfast food, but decided to go out for brunch instead. The Tune Up Cafe had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives the night before, and I've heard a lot of good things about the restaurant, so we headed there.
All the good reviews are spot on! Mr. Pickle had pupusas, and I enjoyed their fruit compote stuffed French toast. http://tuneupsantafe.com/
We walked around the Railyard area for a while, but didn't see anything that caught our fancy, so we drove downtown and walked around doing touristy stuff - looking in galleries, etc. We bought a couple of Christmas ornaments at The Shop http://www.theshopchristmas.com/ Richard Gabriel, Jr., who makes lovely tin ornaments, was working in the store that day. He helped us find an ornament he made with a picture of one of the churches near where my father-in-law used to live in northern NM, and even autographed it. What a nice guy!
After returning to the suite for a nap and to check our email, plus fielding a car emergency call from our daughter, we went back downtown for dinner at Tanti Luce 221. http://tantiluce221.com/ Mr. Pickle had pappardelle with a bolognese sauce, and I had their duck two ways. Everything was very good, but we didn't think it was as tasty as Andiamo.
The temperature was dropping, so rather than walk around more, we drove to La Posada, where a singer and a jazz guitarist were performing. It was a small room with a very intimate feel. The guitarist was excellent, as were our drinks - a spicy margarita for Mr. P and a hot cider with Frangelico and a shot of rum for me. The cider was organic, so it was healthy.
We asked for a late checkout Sunday, took our time again having breakfast and packing up, and decided to hit the Turquoise Trail and head for home.
We stopped in Madrid at one of our favorite quirky stores, Weasel and Fitz http://www.weaselandfitz.com/ They have some really fun art pieces, and we picked up a necklace for PickleGirl's roommate.
We spent about five minutes in another shop, and discovered it was snowing as we exited. It was a lovely drive back to town with the snow falling.
Lee Ann
Unfortunately, I started feeling sick on Friday - stomach yuck, a low fever, etc. But I decided I wasn't feeling bad enough to cancel our plans.
We had general admission tickets for the concert, which was held in St. Francis Cathedral. We'd seen the King's Singers there a couple of years ago, and the acoustics are excellent no matter where you sit.
I started feeling bad again partway through the first half of the concert, but I just closed my eyes and let the music sort of wash over me. Thankfully, I felt better after about 20 minutes.
By the time we got to our suite, Mr. Pickle was feeling a little under the weather as well.
We slept in Saturday morning and took our time getting ready for the day. By now, we were both feeling quite a bit better.
We brought breakfast food, but decided to go out for brunch instead. The Tune Up Cafe had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives the night before, and I've heard a lot of good things about the restaurant, so we headed there.
All the good reviews are spot on! Mr. Pickle had pupusas, and I enjoyed their fruit compote stuffed French toast. http://tuneupsantafe.com/
We walked around the Railyard area for a while, but didn't see anything that caught our fancy, so we drove downtown and walked around doing touristy stuff - looking in galleries, etc. We bought a couple of Christmas ornaments at The Shop http://www.theshopchristmas.com/ Richard Gabriel, Jr., who makes lovely tin ornaments, was working in the store that day. He helped us find an ornament he made with a picture of one of the churches near where my father-in-law used to live in northern NM, and even autographed it. What a nice guy!
After returning to the suite for a nap and to check our email, plus fielding a car emergency call from our daughter, we went back downtown for dinner at Tanti Luce 221. http://tantiluce221.com/ Mr. Pickle had pappardelle with a bolognese sauce, and I had their duck two ways. Everything was very good, but we didn't think it was as tasty as Andiamo.
The temperature was dropping, so rather than walk around more, we drove to La Posada, where a singer and a jazz guitarist were performing. It was a small room with a very intimate feel. The guitarist was excellent, as were our drinks - a spicy margarita for Mr. P and a hot cider with Frangelico and a shot of rum for me. The cider was organic, so it was healthy.
We asked for a late checkout Sunday, took our time again having breakfast and packing up, and decided to hit the Turquoise Trail and head for home.
We stopped in Madrid at one of our favorite quirky stores, Weasel and Fitz http://www.weaselandfitz.com/ They have some really fun art pieces, and we picked up a necklace for PickleGirl's roommate.
We spent about five minutes in another shop, and discovered it was snowing as we exited. It was a lovely drive back to town with the snow falling.
Lee Ann
Dec 21st, 2012, 04:38 AM
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CityofSantaFe, I am very curious, who are you? I see from a fodors travel blog link at bottom of your porfile page that you are Kristine Hansen, and when I click on your fodors travel blog posts it shows you have written many different travel blog postings on many different cities and countries for fodors.
Are you a travel blogger who gets paid to post on fodors travel blog?
Your info is great. I esp. like your blog post on where to drink wine in Santa Fe! It is spot on.
Are you a travel blogger who gets paid to post on fodors travel blog?
Your info is great. I esp. like your blog post on where to drink wine in Santa Fe! It is spot on.
Dec 21st, 2012, 05:02 AM
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I *think* CityofSantaFe may work in the tourist office for the city or in a similar position. [I see no *fodors travel blog link* at bottom of their profile page, nor any mention of Kristine Hansen.]
Dec 21st, 2012, 09:41 AM
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Lee Ann,
It must have been amazing to hear a performance at St Francis. I absolutely loved the interior of the cathedral when we were there. Even if I was feeling well, I could imagine just letting the singing wash over me in such a setting.
It must have been amazing to hear a performance at St Francis. I absolutely loved the interior of the cathedral when we were there. Even if I was feeling well, I could imagine just letting the singing wash over me in such a setting.
Dec 21st, 2012, 10:31 AM
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Clousie, it is really lovely. Acoustically, there isn't a bad seat in the house. Besides Chanticleer and the King's Singers, we've also heard the Santa Fe Desert Chorale sing in the basilica, and each performance has been wonderful.
DebitNM, that's my thought as well.
Lee An
DebitNM, that's my thought as well.
Lee An
Dec 21st, 2012, 05:22 PM
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Dec 21st, 2012, 06:22 PM
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It is somewhat irritating when people speak for others, esp. when the question was asked pointedly to a particular poster about what they do, not to anyone about what they feel the person does, even if they are sure of it. It is kind of like a few wks ago when I was talking to a pair of sisters ages 8 and 10, asking them about their likes/dislikes, what they are good at, what they do with their time. Their Mom kept answering for them. She got impatient bc they weren't answering fast enough (which was fine w/me, I had time) I thought, but then it seemed maybe she didn't trust them to answer well enough or something. I asked her nicely to let them speak for themselves, and to please give them time to respond to my questions.
Dec 21st, 2012, 09:30 PM
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Just clarifying that I asked another poster the question and would like to give her a chance to answer, and do not need instruction on what is clear to someone else. There is no arguing intended or going on.
Dec 21st, 2012, 09:44 PM
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I looked back again and see now that CityofSantaFe commented on a travel blog posting by Ms. Hansen (her wine in SF article, which is very good, btw). Mea culpa, I misunderstood who the author was and who the commenter was on that fodors blog entry. But would still like to hear from CityofSantaFe and thanks to her for her helpful posts. It isn't often on here that we get someone who seems to have travel affiliation job of some sort who gives us unbiased advice on their city.
