Rule number one on a trip to Santa Fe – be your own muse.
The wide, blue New Mexico skies have been the inspiration for many an artist; after all, Santa Fe has the highest per capita population of writers and artists in the country. But a luxurious Santa Fe escape with the girls should be lead by indulgence – in the mind, body and spirit that embody all that is Santa Fe.While it’s always important to book ahead when travelling, nowhere is that more true than Santa Fe; whether a spa treatment, cooking class or dinner reservation – get on the phone and make those appointments well in advance of your trip.
DAY 1: Get your gourmet bearings with a dine-around lunch at a few of the city’s most talked about (and loved) white-tablecloth eateries, like Amavi, Coyote Café and Rio Chayma. Led by one of the industry insiders from the Santa Fe School of Cooking, you’ll have access not only to a great dish (and often wine pairings) from each of the four restaurants, but you’ll be pampered by the chefs themselves. With scrumptious squash blossom benigets served up by chef David Sellers at the relatively new Amavi, and elk tenderloin and fingerling potatoes from Eric Di Stefano at the venerable Coyote Café, this walking gastronomic tour is an affordable luxury at $115 per person. Rather get the hands dirty? Then sign up (in advance – they’re popular) for a hands-on cooking class at the school. 
Walk off a bit of lunch either browsing through the offerings from Native American craftspeople just outside the Palace of the Governors (they’re all vetted by the museum to ensure you’re buying authentic, hand-crafted products) or stroll over the O’Keeffe Museum to ponder the age old question: What do those flowers really represent? Hmmm. Day 2: High-tech meets hiking in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, where a modern-day treasure hunt awaits. 
Grab your own GPS or hook up with a guide from Santa Fe Mountain Adventures on a geocaching challenge. Using the GPS, choose various waypoints – longitude and latitude settings – and set out through the trails to find a treasure, be it an incredible view or a little trinket. Guided tours run from $25 - $50 per person, while the do-it-yourself version for the more adventurous can be found online from the city’s convention and visitor’s bureau. Those who want a bit more of a cultural slant to their adventure can choose a city tour instead, where clues will help lead you to your location. That afternoon, it’s time to chill.
The pool at La Posada is inviting enough, but I’ve always found it an indulgence to have a massage then curl up in bed with a good book and a glass of wine. So book a late massage, order a treat from room service and hit the sack.
Day 3: Spend the day gallery-hopping. Canyon Road is a good place to start when it comes to Santa Fe art scene; the little homes-turned-galleries interesting to navigate. But don’t overlook the new contemporary movement that’s helping to turn the city from an arts destination with just a Southwestern and Native American focus into a place where collectors can find contemporary offerings from local, national and international artists. 
The Railyard Galleries – just outside the historic downtown area – are a collection of three contemporary galleries; just down the street is Zane Bennett, and nearby is SITE Santa Fe, a huge venue dedicated to cutting edge exhibits.
MUST STAY: La Posada de Santa Fe. Just a few blocks off the plaza, La Posada’s a world of its own, with six lushly landscaped acres and casita-type rooms featuring traditional Santa Fe furnishings without overdoing it. The Staab House lounge is a perfect spot for drinkies, while the casual outside dining area serves up small plates in addition to Southwest-inspired entrees.
July 11th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
It’s been a while since I lived in sf so hopefully everything is still where I left it. =^) All these suggestions are largely hidden from tourists and all of them are somewhat less foo-foo than the suggestions in the article:
While traipsing around on Canyon Road, eat at Andrea’s. Good chile rellenos and absolutely the world’s best salsa, bar none.
Bobcat Bite, out some from town on the Las Vegas highway, has outstanding green chile burgers. Just incredible burgers. The place has very limited hours so make sure it’s open before you go. Tourists are not allowed to know about it.
The bar in Cerillos (there is only one bar in Cerillos, in fact there is only one business establishment in Cerillos, which the intelligent reader will have ascertained, is a bar) has got to be the coolest bar ever. If you crave authentic old west stuff but hate contrived old west tourist tableaux, you owe it to yourself to spend an afternoon drinking Tecate here.
Galisteo is like Cerillos but with galleries.
Anything that happens in Madrid is always way cool, dusty, funky, real people Northern New Mexico.
Stay the hell out of Espanola, it looks dangerous and it’s actually way worse than it looks. Tesuque is boring. Nambe is boring and dismal. Cochiti is boring unless there is some specific reason you want to go there (for instance if you insist on boating for some reason–boating is virtually unknown in NM). However the dirt road up into the mountains behind Cochiti leads to some beautiful views.
Rodeo de Taos is the best rodeo ever, bar none. I think it’s always in June. Long drive to Taos though.
A drive up Rt 76 starting at Chimayo and going north past Truchas as far as your schedule will let you, will give you the most awesome landscapes for the least distance travelled probably in all of northern NM. Superb scenery entirely hidden from Santa Fe. Rancho de Chimayo is one of the best restaurants in northern NM since you’re going that way anyway.
That’s all I can think of right now. =^6
July 16th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Ken - awesome suggestions, I love the Turquoise Trail - and know exactly that bar in Cerillos about which you speak!
But this was kind of a foo-foo getaway, for sure! Down the road, however, I’ll be doing another SF piece and might just focus on the really hidden SF.
Thanks!
swd