7000 feet above sea level, I sit on my deck looking out over the dessert floor watching the Santa Fe sun set low over the mountains.  The colors appear almost magically, brilliantly before me. The bright reds and oranges have erupted filling the sky as if lava burst from a volcano. It takes my breath away.

And as quickly as it formed in my vision, it has now transformed into yellows and reds without me seeing nature’s illusion.  Alive and breathing like living art, the sun sinks lower into the mountains as it prepares for its final act.

I take another sip of my wine and calmly wait with anticipation as the colors change into hues of pinks, purples and blues while it slips away altogether. It is at this moment I realize I have just witnessed a rainbow of colors, my second of the day and think back to the rainbow of colors from today’s Santa Fe Pride events.

As years in past and those to come, Santa Fe’s pride colors were represented all around; the parade, the floats, the gay pride train and costumes, (those intentional and those not). Dorothy and her friends undoubtedly enjoyed all the events including the music, the dancers, the food booths and street party.  And as quickly as you could say “Toto, I have a feeling we‘re not in Kansas anymore,” Santa Fe has transformed herself back in to the City Different for which she is known.

Save The Date: Saturday, June 19th

3:30 – 5:00 pm

Let’s get the party started early – just one block from the train!!

Join us for champagne cocktails…gemstones & jewels…old friends & new at Marc Howard Exceptional Jewelry Designs. Come whether you’re riding the train or not! There will be great Door Prizes, including (2) $100 Marc Howard Gift Certificates, several Naughty Gay Gift Baskets and $50 to spend at Unity, Fashion For All!  (Drawing at 4:45 pm.)

In honor of Pride week, print this invite to receive 20% off any custom or showcase jewelry pieces during the month of June.

Details:

3:30 – 5:00 pm
Saturday, June 19th
Marc Howard Exceptional Jewelry Designs
328 S. Guadalupe St., Ste. E
(Entrance on Montezuma)
505.820.1080

See the full list of Santa Fe Gay Pride Events.

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 onboard 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

As one of the main arteries through Santa Fe, Cerrillos Road stretches nearly from the heart of the Santa Fe Plaza to its southern most reaches to Interest 25 where at this point it turns into the scenic Turquoise Trail winding its way south through canyons and mountain passes.

Cerrillos is a hustling and bustling road filled with local shops, dining and tourist gatherings. In recent times it is growing into a destination unto itself including movie theaters, upscale dining and all the necessary chain stores.

Conveniently located throughout this thriving commercial areas are many neighborhoods consisting of affordable priced single family homes, condos and town homes. As many of these neighborhoods are within walking distance to creature comforts it makes an affordable option for gay full time residents and seasonal residents alike.

At the heart of the Cerrillos Road region sits a delightful Santa Fe town home close to everything! This 2 bedroom, 1 ½ bath home is a large end unit with great outdoor spaces, oversized yard with a storage shed and mountain views. Inside, views can also be enjoyed from the open concept, kitchen-living-dining rooms down and from the upstairs deck off the large master.

Go to Santa Fe Neighborhoods.

Be sure to take a look at Homes For Sale in the Camino Carlos Rey area.

Welcome to Arroyo

An exciting new gallery in Santa Fe, Arroyo exhibits fine art, photography, sculpture, pottery and more, all with a distinctive western-influence.

Arroyo is home to an eclectic and ever-evolving collection of artworks and artifacts. All pieces featured exhibit inviting texture, captivating detail, and inspiring form. From the rugged rainforest coastline of Haida Gwaii on Canada’s west coast to the arid interior mesa of Mexico’s northern Chihuahua state, Arroyo celebrates the artistic expression of the west – old and new, traditional and contemporary.

(Canyon @ Delgado), 241 Delgado Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Welcome to Fire God Gallery

Fire God Gallery is now open in Santa Fe, New Mexico exhibiting artwork and jewelry by Native American artists. Come explore interpretations on traditional Native American themes and contemporary pieces by local, New Mexican artists.

217 East Palace Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87505            505.252.3330

debe holland

garden design studio

santa fe – new mexico

A landscape design firm specializing in intimate southwest gardens by incorporating xeriscape, feng shui, zen living, stone, boulder and creative water elements into their projects. debe holland associates pride themselves on customer service for over 20 years.

debe holland holds an Associates of Arts Degree in Landscape Design & Associate s of Arts in Management/ Business.  She has owned her own landscape design firm for over 25 years.  She incorporates natural architecture, 5 element Feng Shui and Zen living into her clients gardens to create a contemplative and intimate space for the whole family!

In addtition she is an avid photographer specializing in nature and macro photography.  She has served on the Beaverton, Oregon Design Review Board for 5 years, an exhibit designer for the Seattle Garden Show, a Street of Dreams Designer and has taught at Santa Fe Community College, Portland Commnity College and Maui Community College,  also featured in newspaper, radio and local television.  She is a Certified Member of APLD, (Association of Professional Landscape Designers).

www.DebeHolland.com

Who are the “Friends of Dorothy” anyway? And why does this mysterious lady seem to be popular enough to have friends in Santa Fe?   Actually it is a special interest group that host informal gatherings for gay and lesbians to meet and mingle and enjoy the gay life in Santa Fe. The term Friends of Dorothy, often abbreviated as FOD, became popular in the 50’s as the LGBT community felt a special connection to Judy Garland.  And thus became a secret code word that gays used in discreetly identifying other gays to socialize with.

Fast forward to the present. We are here! And we are queer! No longer feeling the need for secrecy, Friends of Dorothy gatherings have become a huge social network across the globe and its presence in Santa Fe is no different. The group meets once a month on Friday’s at 6pm onwards and is attended by 200 – 250 members of Santa Fe’s gay community.

For several reasons, many members of the gay community have chosen to call Rancho Viejo home. The 11,000 acre master planned community of Rancho Viejo has been in development for over 10 years and features homes in a variety of price ranges and styles.  The community is surrounded by open space with views of the Sangre de Cristos, Jemez and Sandia mountain ranges and miles of paved trails to enjoy them from.

The Village Center will soon have a new addition to offer their residents with the soon to be opened Village Market offering an array of  foods to make living in Rancho Viejo more convenient and will be located next to the delightful Coffee Shop.

On the south side of Santa Fe, the community of Rancho Viejo blends with the scenic beauty of the Southwestern landscape & reflects the rich cultural heritage of New Mexico. Nestled among the 3 parks, hiking trails, local coffee shop stands a charming home at 6 Victorio Peak. You’ve never experienced an Aspen model that boast these upgrades: 30+K custom cooks kitchen with quartz counters & stainless appliances, diamond plaster walls, elegant custom drapery, flagstone patios & overlooks a lovely park.

A short 20 minute drive to The Plaza in the heart of Santa Fe, Rancho Viejo is conveniently located to shopping, food and entertainment and the new Rail Runner station at Interstate 25 and 599    making it an easy commute for residents to travel between Santa Fe and Albuquerque.  Nearby is the Santa Fe Community College which offers an array of classes for those continuing their education or those just wanted to learn something new. Also, located in Rancho Viejo is the Institute of American Indian Arts. (IAIA)

Go back to Santa Fe Neighborhoods.

Be sure to take a look at Homes For Sale in Rancho Viejo

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There are a lot of good reasons to live in Santa Fe. But one of my favorites is for the snow skiing and there are a lot of choices when doing so.  An hour and a half from Santa Fe is Taos Ski Valley, and in 2 hours you can be at both Angel Fire Resort or Red River ski areas.  But for us Santa Feans,  Ski Santa Fe is just a 15 mile drive  from the Plaza at Santa Fe boasting some of the best skiing in the Southwest. Just another way to enjoy the Gay Life in Santa Fe.

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