As Autumn firmly takes hold, I have friends and family who think a trip to the southwest is a great option for Thanksgiving, whether you are alone or with a large family and I couldn’t agree more.  From the fresh scent of roasting green chile at roadside stands to the glorious golden leaves of the aspen trees, there’s no other place like it.  After all, Santa Fe was founded well before the pilgrims landed in Plymouth.

For those who just adore southwestern cuisine, you may want to look for a restaurant presenting a Thanksgiving meal that will feature cornbread, chilis, and, if the weather is right, a meal in front of an outdoor kiva fireplace.

Here are three choices offering specialty dining on Thanksgiving Day.

La Casa Sena  – Built in 1868, Sena Plaza is one of the oldest surviving houses in Santa Fe and located 1 block off the plaza. Click HERE to see the Thanksgiving menu.

Terra – Ecantado’s signature restaurant features majestic views of the surrounding vistas, offering an inventive interpretation of American Cuisine with regional influence. Click HERE to see the Thanksgiving menu.

The Anasazi Restaurant  - Offering a fine dining atmosphere that is welcoming, elegant and rusticly Southwestern. Regional artistry is tastefully displayed throughout this Santa Fe restaurant for patrons to enjoy.  Click HERE to see the Thanksgiving menu.

For a real southwest treat, visit the Santa Fe Plaza for the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting celebration held annually the Friday after Thanksgiving Day.

 The aspens have begun to change on the mountain displaying their brilliant oranges and yellows. The temperatures have settled into the 50’s and kiva fireplaces are ablaze with our native pinon wood. The fragrance of pinion wood, especially when burned, is unmistakable.

Bundled up with a scarf securely around my neck and latte in hand, I walk down Guadalupe Street while enjoying the magical fragrance of pinon as it wafts in the air over the village of Santa Fe. I stop for a second, close my eyes and let it seep in. There is no other place I would rather be.

Pinon pine is a small, slow growing evergreen tree, usually only 10-30 feet in height. The seeds are edible and important for wildlife.  For more than 2,000 years Pinon nuts have been used by Native American peoples of the Southwest, including Pueblo, Navajo, Ute, Shoshone, Cahuilla and Paiute. The fall harvest of these nuts was an occasion for great festivity. Surpluses were stored for winter food supply. The pine nuts you buy in the store are usually from pinon pine trees.

This dense, slow growing southwestern pinewood is a favorite among wood burners. Well known for its wonderful fragrance, pinon wood has become a must for those looking to enjoy the warmth and aroma of a wood burning fire.

Visit Santa Fe, and you’ll see why fall has it all: perfect climate, lots to do, lighter crowds. Autumn is the perfect time to start making travel plans to Santa Fe for the coming months

This year will mark the 40th time that the Balloon Fiesta

has filled Albuquerque’s crystal blue skies!

The Balloon Fiesta is still the premier international ballooning event,
powered by the perfect October climate and a phenomenon called the
“Albuquerque Box,” (a combination of weather patterns and geographic
landscape, the box allows balloonists to control and even retrace their
adventure).

The place to be in October is at Balloon Fiesta Park. The 200 acres of
grass and booths will be filled with balloons and vendors selling everything
from traditional New Mexican food to Balloon memorabilia._

Each year balloon teams from around the world participate in the event and
news coverage originates from more than 50 countries. It has become the most
photographed event in the world.

CLICK HERE for event schedule.

Gay Pride in Santa Fe is a highly celebrated event. In fact, it is spread over ten days with lots of fun usually beginning with the third weekend of June and ending on the  fourth weekend. There are events for all tastes. One of my most favorite Pride events is the Pride train to Lamy. It starts at the Santa Fe historic depot where you board an old freight train that is adorned in rainbow flags.

Once on board you can choose to ride in the vintage dome car, traditional passenger cars each equipped with a cash bar to purchase cocktails. For the more adventurous, you can stand outside on the cattle car as the train winds its way through Santa Fe before embracing the scenic countryside.

After swaying back and forth for just over an hour we debark in the little village of Lamy for an outdoor catered BBQ around a mini bonfire.  While dining on picnic tables, we enjoy listening to music from a live band before we board for our trip back to Santa Fe.

As we watch the sun set and the sky darken from the cattle car,  we wind our way through the countryside for our return trip. It is now you will notice that one of the cargo cars has been transformed into a dance club where disco music is blaring and you might even see a drag queen performing.

It is a great deal of fun to enjoy this gay train ride in the middle of nowhere full of Santa Fe Pride.

See the full list of Santa Fe Gay Pride Events.

More Information on Gay Santa Fe

The Santa Fe Plaza is located at the end of the Old Santa Fe Trail and the Old Pecos Trail. While much is known about the history of the Old Santa Fe Trail, the history of the Old Pecos Trail is not as clear.

Pecos, NM is located in the midst of piñon, juniper, and pine woodlands in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains 25 miles southeast of Santa Fe. It is here where the ruins of the ancient Pecos Pueblo remain to this day.

Pecos was a major trading center, a cultural melting pot and a dominating force in the Pueblo world. This trail may have been the precursor of the major trade trails used by Native American traders going to Pecos, and eventually Hispanic explorers and traders going from Santa Fe to Pecos and out onto the Plains.

Today the Old Pecos Trail is a modern road that has kept its rustic charm with Pueblo Style homes at “one” with the surrounding landscape. Sited on one acre, the residence located at 502 Corte de Pinon is an example of this style of home. Surrounded by piñon and juniper, this five-home compound is nestled in a  private gated community and is conveniently located just minutes from the Plaza.

This home’s design creates the desired feeling of harmony with ones surroundings. It is here, on the portals, where you can relax and enjoy. Should you close your eyes you just might be able to hear the wheels from the wagons of the past, loaded with hides, pottery and turquoise rolling down the Old Pecos Trail bringing wares into the Santa Fe Plaza for trade.

CLICK HERE for the complete home tour of 502 Corte de Pinon.

Tourist come to Santa Fe, from all over to visit, and leave with visions of living or retiring in the “City Different.” And you may be one of them but perhaps the time isn’t right just yet. Or for some, they desire a second home, a little slice of Santa Fe that they can come to visit whenever they wish. If you are one of these people, perhaps purchasing a condo or town home might be the solution for you.

Typically, this type of property is an easy solution for the out-of-town homeowner. Often times exterior maintenance including stucco and roof is included with the monthly dues. Many times, owners of these types of units like to rent them out when they are not in use. Santa Fe has many short and long term rental companies to assist making ownership of a second home hassle free.

Located within walking distance to the Plaza is an abundant choice of condo and town homes to choose from whether your taste leans more to the Traditional Hacienda as found at The Reserve at Santa Fe, a Northside Condominium Community or towards the Contemporary Loft as found at the Lofts at Marquez located in the desirable South Capital area.

Both of these homes are centrally located to dining, shops, the Santa Fe Plaza, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, The Rail Runner, Railyard and Farmers Market!

Be sure to take a look at Condos and Town Homes For Sale around the Santa Fe Plaza.

Go back to the Gay Santa Fe series.

Go back to Santa Fe Neighborhoods.

Santa Fe Dreamin’ ……… On a Fall Day

Indian lore is lovely, mystical and often proves to be true. One bit of lore in the GLBT community has it that if you visit Santa Fe, then go home and dream about it, you will return and stay forever. It happens. In fact, it happens a lot. Countless Gay Texans, New Yorkers, Californians, etc., will say this is exactly what they experienced. One Houstonian said, she drove in through the Plaza, down San Francisco, turned on Water St. then again on Don Gaspar and was hooked. She admits she actually said aloud, “I will one day live here”. Returning home, she had the dream and five years later she bought her home and now calls herself a Santa Fean.

In Santa Fe, the lure of Indian spirit is felt by gay couples on every street, dirt road and mountaintop. Sunsets and rainbows take on a new reverence. Clean, mountain air becomes a deal breaker. One big intake fills your lungs with a life force that can’t be compromised ever again. Once bitten by the assurance of “another day in paradise”, every day, no one can go back. Everyone wants more and more. Everyone seems to be in a constant state of awe. Grateful residents will advise you to grab your own spot and stay forever.

For gay singles and couples, it’s strange, the hold this little place can have on you. When you first arrive, you look up approximately 75% of the time. Stumbling over moss rocks, tumble weeds and something called, Chamisa happens to everyone. You just can’t look down to see where you are going because the sky above is in flames. Purple mountain majesty is no longer just a phrase from a 5th grade song. It is real and right in front of you. Sometimes the sky is hot pink causing the views and the light to take on an almost eerie, chilling effect. It takes hold of a place inside you didn’t even know you had. And, that dream of moving here and taking possession of this grandeur slides back into your consciousness and all that’s left is to give thanks.

Summer sizzles on the Plaza in Santa Fe. For years, locals and tourist flock to the Indian Market and Spanish Market but quickly becoming the highlight of the summer season is the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market. Currently it is the largest folk art market in the world featuring artist from around the globe.

The two day event takes place on Museum Hill, featuring music, food and folk art from around the earth. It is a treat not only for the eyes but the senses. CLICK HERE for more information on more Santa Fe events.

Each October, just as autumn begins to rise in Santa Fe, so do the hot air balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Spectators come from as close as Santa Fe as well as from all parts around the globe. It is considered to be the most photographed event in the world. This magical display is spread over nine days while painting the skies with brilliant colors.

Besides the balloons, there is a stage located in the center of Main Street that schedules various bands and children’s acts. And yes, there are food vendors at Balloon Fiesta Park serving a variety of foods.

My favorite event to attend is the mass ascensions which begin at 7am on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Mass Ascension is when all 500+ balloons launch at the same time. To avoid traffic you will want to be there by 5am. The air is cool and crisp at this time offering a great opportunity for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate to warm you along with a breakfast burrito seasoned with red or green chile.

For more information on Balloon Fiesta CLICK HERE

Santa Fe has no shortage of real estate investment opportunities ranging for from full time residences, part time or seasonal homes. A new investment option in the City Different that is becoming more popular for buyers is to purchase a short sale.  It is a great opportunity to purchase property below market value.  The process can take several months while waiting for the bank to approve but in the end this could make a wise investment for your money.

Pueblos del Sol is a centrally located community in the heart of Santa Fe with an extensive trail system and a neighborhood park. Homes are single or two story and conveniently located to south side shopping as well as a short drive to the Plaza.  For information on a short sale opportunity in Pueblos del Sol CLICK HERE.

Be sure to take a look at Homes For Sale in Pueblos del Sol