A Taste of Santa Fe New Mexico

Every time I have visited NM I have those thoughts that inevitably cross my mind when I visit a cool place. I could live here. If you saw my Wednesday Weekly post, you know some of the things I love about NM. The list grew after visiting Santa Fe.

I had always heard Santa Fe is a lovely town. A shoppers dream. It is just 40 minutes north of Tim's house so we took a day trip with my sis-in-law Michelle on Wednesday. Btw, the speed limit is 75mph.

Michelle's friend works at a huge consignment store called Double Take (321 South Guadalupe Street) and said this can't be missed when visiting Santa Fe. The place is packed with vintage finds and ethnic pieces. It took all my strength to resist the fur coats.

There were cases of vintage jewelry, much of it costume and so sparkly

Even if you aren't into vintage, it is still worth a visit. There is something for everyone. You will find a huge selection of Native American jewelry

Plus the biggest selection of western wear I have ever seen

Full of textiles, colorful huilpiles, tunics or blouses worn by indigenous Mayan and Zapotec women in Mexico and the northern part of Central America

Handmade tiles from a local artist, Kathleen Koltes.

Michelle bought the tile she's holding and I ended up getting the blue bird tile show below (top right) as a gift from her. I love it! Thanks Michelle!

Woven rugs and wall hangings are scattered throughout the store. I love the designs and colors.

There is some great iron work. Michelle bought these goaty-goats for her front courtyard.

Ernesto and I found the perfect piece to come home with us to Atlanta. I can't wait to hang it above the couch. I am serious.

We wandered into Sanbusco Market Center (500 Montezuma Ave) just down the street. It houses 22+ stores, one of which is Chapare specializing in South American Imports. Nothing makes me want a house more than when I see great artwork that I don't have room for in our small apartment. These wall hangings are from Bolivia and I will have it eventually. The pieces are ceramic and hanging from a stick. This pic doesn't exactly capture the brilliance of the colors, but they fade from blue to turquoise to purple. Small $150, Large $499. Bigger is better in my opinion.

I love the pinks and oranges in these beautiful handwoven blankets. They will look great on my cream leather couch (that I don't have yet).

Without a doubt my favorite store in this complex was Dell Fox Jewelry. When entering the tiny shop, you really believe 'all that glitters is gold'. I immediately fell in love with several rings. All of the jewelry was 22k gold! Oh my heart be still! 14k gold holds nothing on the bright, rich color of 22k. The artist was in the shop and she is very pleasant and informative. She told us these rings were inspired by ancient Greek, Roman, Etruscan, and Byzantine designs. Many of these are replicas of Jewels at the Met in NY.

I picked out 4 favorites. I am seriously debating whether I want a diamond for my [replacement] wedding ring. I mean look at these beauties! My favorite is the one with a wide ornate band and pink tourmaline. Ps. 22k is not cheap! $3800 for that bad boy! There was a sale going on and is now only $2900, much less than a diamond.

While in the store, Dell Fox recommended a restaurant for lunch. Los Mayas (West Water Street & Guadalupe) is located in an adobe house dating back to 1929, and known for its authentic Mexican food and warm atmosphere. We were the only patrons in the place, which usually turns me off, but the menu was fabulous and in my opinion, recommendations from locals are always the way to go.

The city of Santa Fe enforces rules about the style of buildings so there is a cohesiveness throughout. I highly recommend you check out this unique, rustic town.