Dear Dear Santa Fe
Travel and design are two of my favorite things. I recently went on an incredible journey across the United States. I visited 19 states and drove 9000 miles (actually 8999) in a month.
To quote Bob Dylan, “Santa Fe, dear, dear, dear, dear, dear Santa Fe.” Those are pretty much the only lyrics of that song that I really understand but I like the song nonetheless and I absolutely LOVED dear, dear, dear, dear, dear Santa Fe. It’s no surprise that this Mecca of art and architecture would be inspiring but truly I hadn’t thought too much about it before the trip. This was one of those under-researched happy surprises.
Santa Fe is the home of the original Meow Wolf. This could be an unpopular confession but I didn’t love it. Maybe it was the altitude and it’s probably just me, but I couldn’t really get into it (kind of like the rest of Bob Dylan’s Santa Fe lyrics—look them up or better yet, listen to the song). I cannot deny that Meow Wolf was amazing and the work of the artists who contributed to it was out of this world but honestly, it made me feel dizzy and slightly claustrophobic. Forgive me Meow Wolf fans, it was probably just the altitude. By the way, Santa Fe is the 3rd highest city in the United States—7000 feet above sea level. Gasp!
I did, however, adore the Georgia O’Keefe museum. Can I just say it….I’m note sure she was painting pictures of flowers… but once again, that might just be me and whatever she had in mind, I love her art so much. Beauty in nature! Her artwork should be displayed in a romantic primary suite or maybe a boudoir—beautiful sexy nature. She was an inspiring independent renaissance woman.
The exhibit in Santa Fe’s Georgia O’Keefe Museum was entitled Georgia O’Keeffe: Making a Life, and according to the museum, it explores the artist’s identity as a “Maker” – an individual who carefully curated her life, personal style and artistic practice.
Let’s read this again: carefully curated her life, personal style and artistic practice. Was G.O. an OG influencer? Perhaps, but obviously the internet did not exist in her lifetime so even if she wanted to, which I don’t really think she did, she would not have been broadcasting how she was curating herself. I think G.O. just did what G.O. wanted to do. I say she was the O.G. You GO Girl.
I really enjoyed the local artists who were displaying and selling their work in the plaza. The food was fabulous in Santa Fe and the weather was in the 70s which was such a nice break from the 100s I had been in for a couple weeks in the south.
I went to an awesome place called the Pottery Pub where you can make your own pottery pieces while you have a drink. I didn’t make my own but I did a tasting of some locally distilled Reposado and coffee liquor, which were both fabulous. I bought a bottle of each and the Western-themed decanters I purchased in Wyoming are the perfect vessels for them in my bar back home. I also bought a beautiful cup made by a local artist. Next time I go back, I will get some lovely companions for it. While it’s often in my hand, it still feels lonely. I can’t have that. I must go back to Santa Fe to find some companions for my new favorite cup.
