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How a Visit
to Santa Fe New Mexico Just Might Change
Your Life By Aysha
Griffin
Adobe walls line the streets
and lanes of Santa Fe’s historic districts.
(Santa Fe, New Mexico) No
matter where in the world I travel – from
Amsterdam to Tasmania – when I say I’m from
Santa Fe, people light up with recognition
of the name. Some have visited here and seen
first hand our unique Pueblo-style
architecture, visited some of our more than
200 art galleries, wandered our meandering,
European-like lanes, delighted in our
multi-cultural festivals, skied or hiked our
mountains, eaten green chili, and
experienced the quality of the light made
famous by generations of artists. Others
have simply heard about it, and whatever
they have heard is positive.
Such rumors have
inspired many travelers and
residents, from 16th
century Conquistadores seeking the
Seven Cities of Gold to a 21st
century Eastern European artist who
moved here to fulfill a lifelong
dream of “living near the Rio
Grande,” made legendary by John
Wayne movies from his youth.
Word travels about
good and unusual places to visit and
live, and Santa Fe is consistently
ranked among the top places. In
2006, Santa Fe was voted the #2
Destination in the U.S. by Conde
Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice
Awards, surpassed only by San
Francisco. While it is not unusual
for a major metropolitan area to
boast a vibrant arts, cultural and
culinary scene, it is unique for a
city of less than 70,000
inhabitants, located at 7,000-feet
elevation, with the closest major
airport 60 miles away, to enjoy a
similar notoriety. In every way,
Santa Fe lives up to its moniker:
City Different.
It is a complex
city that nurtures both the old and
the new in an effort to retain its
rich multi-cultural history and
heritage while addressing modern-day
concerns. Santa Fe is renowned its
friendly people, religious
tolerance, progressive politics and
social consciousness.
Chilies, one of New Mexico’s largest
agricultural crops and a pervasive
ingredient in local cuisine, hang as
decorative and practical “ristras”
in front of many homes.
Lately, it has
become a center for alternatives in
health care, energy and solutions to
social issues. With a mild
four-season climate that averages
300 days of sunshine a year, easy
access to outdoor recreation and
more arts and cultural events than
one could possibly attend, and it’s
easy to see why Santa Fe attracts a
creative, active populace.
Whatever your interests, The
City Different offers something for
everyone. There is a plethora of information
online (see links below) and in print, yet
nothing substitutes for the surprising and
delightful discoveries like wandering the
Plaza and surrounding historic districts
(either self-guided or via a walking or bus
tour); taking in art of all varieties at the
many galleries and 14 museums; catching a
world-class performance of music, dance,
theatre or film at the restored Lensic
Theatre; attending the Santa Fe Opera (which
celebrated its 50th season in
2006); sampling cuisine from 5-star
restaurants or more than 200 diverse
eateries; experiencing the many festivals
throughout the year; visiting the eight
nearby Native American pueblos; hitting the
trails, golf courses or ski slopes; or,
finally, shopping in a mind-boggling array
of boutiques and galleries.
Santa Fe is renowned for the
quality of it awe-inspiring light,
as seen here in the “golden hour” just prior
to sunset.
To understand what makes
Santa Fe such a popular destination, we need
to examine the various aspects that capture
the attention and imagination of visitors
and residents alike. In subsequent articles
we will take an in-depth look at the history
and heritage, arts and culture,
architecture, recreational opportunities,
the changing real estate market and new
developments (commercial and residential)
that are reshaping the City Different.
Meanwhile, by way of introduction, it may be
useful to gain insight into how a visit to
Santa Fe can change your life.
Ferolitos, also called luminarias,
are traditionally brown bags filled
with sand and a votive candle.
During winter, and particularly on
Christmas Eve when Canyon Road
celebrates the season, adobe walls,
rooftops and streets are lined with
these distinctively New Mexican
holiday lights.
Often, one visit will
lead to another or many others and,
sometimes, the clear desire to move
here. A common saying is that “Santa
Fe either embraces you or spits you
out,” which is to say you will
either love it, or not. While many
residents can trace their roots back
some 400 years to original Land
Grants from King Ferdinand of Spain,
each more-recently relocated
resident has a story of how Santa Fe
enchanted and embraced them. As a
real estate broker specializing in
helping out-of-state buyers and
investors, here are a few stories
cited by our clients:
“I didn’t intend to
move here,” says Martha, who bought
a house with a rental property in
2003. “I had been living in Los
Angeles for 20 years, renting, and
not thinking there was any place
else to be. I didn’t consider buying
there because it was so expensive.
I
came to Santa Fe for a weekend to
visit friends and was so amazed at
how friendly people were and how
easy it was to get around, and, of
course, the clean air was a
revelation. When I saw the price on
some properties, I realized I could
buy something here and, being
self-employed, I could work from
home anywhere and bring my clients
with me. They didn’t care where I
lived. After finding my house with
an income-producing casita in an old
part of town, I just went for it and
was totally moved within 2 months.
It all happened so quickly. Now I’m
involved in many community
organizations, like restoring the
Santa Fe River and the annual film
festival. I love my neighbors, all
of whom are large families who’ve
lived here forever. Although I’m a
newcomer, it seems like I’ve lived
here all my life. I can’t believe it
was so easy to create a new life.”
Jim
and Marilyn, both professionals with
20-year careers, relocated from
Washington, D.C. in 2004 with the
intention of reinventing their
lives: “We visited Santa Fe in late
1999.
The images of ferolitos on the
adobe walls, people with kids and
dogs all bundled up and strolling
Canyon Road on Christmas eve singing
Christmas carols around bon-fires,
the deep blue skies, the mountains
right at the edge of the city, the
smell of pinon wood burning in kiva
fireplaces all over town…these
images stayed with us.
We set a goal
to continue working for 5 years,
save our money, sell our house and
move to Santa Fe. We did it, and
bought a house on a mountaintop just
north of the city.” Marilyn now
rides horses with her neighbors,
works part-time at a high-end
clothing store and is selling her
pottery at a local gallery, while
Jim trained and joined the Search
and Rescue Team and has developed an
on-line business.
With
art abounding in galleries, museum
and on the streets, the author’s
family enjoys the sculpture gardens
at Shidoni, a foundry and gallery in
Tesuque, five miles north of Santa
Fe Plaza.
Gina, who relocated
from the Bay Area in 2006, recalls,
“I’d been to Santa Fe several times
over the past 10 years to take an
art class. I loved it and just
wanted to be here, even though I
didn’t know a soul and I had no idea
how it would work out. It took a
while from the time I decided to
go-for-it, but now I have a house I
love (on the south side of town with
a large landscaped yard and sunset
views), I’ve met some great people
and now I’m sharing a studio and
painting full-time. This is exactly
what I wanted. It’s beyond
wonderful!”
Unlike many who are
sure of their connection to The City
Different, Donna and Richard spent a
year traveling around the west,
considering possible places to live
as soon as he retired from a
professorship at a New York City
college. The short-list
included Sedona, AZ and Pagosa
Springs, CO, but Santa Fe won out.
“We realized we wanted a place that
had enough interesting and varied
social and cultural events to keep
us active for years to come. Santa
Fe is a lot like Manhattan, without
all the people, pollution and
expense,” muses Richard.
The
Pet Parade, part of the Fiesta
celebrations in early September,
draws thousands to watch and
participate in this whimsical
community street party as it winds
through the downtown with dogs,
cats, birds, reptiles, goats,
horses, marching bands and acrobats.
Fiesta kicks off with the burning of
Zozobra, old man gloom, and
culminates with the Fiesta Parade
celebrating local Spanish heritage.
Photo by Ginger Casey
For this writer and
her partner, David, an architectural
designer-builder, the defining
moment for choosing Santa Fe
occurred on an airplane in its final
approach to our then-home in
Colorado Springs. Returning from
David’s first trip to Europe and
seven days in Paris, he asked aloud,
“Can’t we move someplace
architecturally interesting?”
When
you think about it, there are only a
handful of places in the U.S. that
would be immediately recognizable
from their architecture if one were
set down there. Most are major
metropolitan areas, and we are not
urbanites. We are also western
people who like our proximity to
great skiing and hiking. We are
accustomed to sunshine, dry weather
and large vistas.
We wondered if living
in Santa Fe would be as good and
engaging as it was to visit for a
weekend, but after six years of life
here, our appreciation of the beauty
and subtle details of the vernacular
architecture only increases, as the
light, at varying times of day and
year, causes us to notice what we
had not before.
The charm of this
city with buildings dating to 1610,
the lively arts scene and beloved
traditions, the laid-back pace of
life and the ease with which
friendships are forged continue to
reinforce our decision that in lieu
of Paris (where we don’t speak the
language), Santa Fe is our best
choice, and an extraordinary place
to call home.
Information and photos submitted
by:
Article:
Aysha Griffin
All photos by: Aysha Griffin (except as noted)
Aysha Griffin is owner and Qualifying Broker
of Go
Realty, an independent real estate agency
specializing in helping out-of-state buyers and investors
Inhabit Your Dreams!® She may be contacted by calling (505)
995-0195
GO
Realty 830 Paseo de Don Carlos
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505 995-0195
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