Real Estate Information Archive

New Years Eve in Santa Fe New Mexico is not your typical wild and crazy night filled with big crowds and sparkly dresses; it is so much better than that. Santa Fe, as you may know, is very well known for its restaurants. Fine dining comes in all shapes and sizes here, and does not necessarily have to be expensive. But it is definitely always an experience. Here are a few suggestions for New Year's Eve dining specials to help you bring in 2011 like only Santa Fe can…

Luminaria
A modern Santa Fe restaurant influenced by the past. Inspired by the Anasazi "Children of the Light," New Mexico's first inhabitants, the decor and the design are all inspired by the magic of Santa Fe. The cuisine is modern American with a Santa Fe flair.
New Years Eve Menu
Grilled black grouper with American xavier, ancho rubbed beef, grilled black grouper with American cavier, ancho rubbed beef tenderloin with lobster goat cheese grits, and gingerbread pudding with pumpkin ice cream.
Reservations: 505-984-7915

El Farol
Santa Fe's oldest restaurant and cantina serves up so much more than food. The music and entertainment really make this the Santa Fe staple that it has become. The New York Times literally once quoted this restaurant as being "one of the best bars on earth."Their flamenco dinner show is always booked solid, and their tapas are out of this world.
New Years Eve Special
El Farol will be featuring two bands this New Years Eve. One of which is Clean Slate, a 6 piece rockin' blues band that is recognized for their high energy performances and powerful sounds. While Clean Slate will be playing in the Cantina area, the other band (TBA) will be on the covered and heated patio in the back. El Farol offers their New Years Eve Tapas Buffet to include mouthwatering pieces like the Pollo Curri, the Salmon Al La Plancha & Paella, and a Choclate Tort & Flan Carmelo.
Reservations: (505) 983-9912

The Compound
This Santa Fe gem has been serving Santa Fe in style and elegance since the 1960's. The Compound has seen a lot of changes throughout the years. They now feature a more modern menu, but still keep their historical culinary traditions. The Compound is more than just a restaurant; it's a piece of history. Before it was turned into a restaurant, it was the centerpiece of a group of houses on Canyon Road known as the McComb Compound.
New Year's Eve Menu
The holiday menus provided by the Compound feature the very best of local and seasonal fare. Best of all, located at the heart of Canyon Road, it is the perfect place to be in the midst of the holidays in Santa Fe.
- 1st Seating: 6:00 pm - 3 course pre-fixe menu
- 2nd seating: 8:00 pm - 4 course pré fixe; featuring performances by the "No Exit" Jazz Trio
Reservations: (505) 982-4353

Your Santa Fe Home
Sometimes there is nothing better than enjoying a quiet evening at home, even if it is New Year's Eve. You can still decorate with a little sparkly decor, light some candles for that moon-lit atmosphere, and dress up to put yourself in the party mood. Invite a few friends over who may not have dinner plans, or just spend the time with your family. I am in the business of Santa Fe home buying and selling. Finding a place you are proud to call home, that you are happy to begin and end your day in, that fulfills everything that you imagine when you think of your dream home, is what I do for people. To me, there is no better place than Santa Fe to do it.
Potential New Years Eve Plans
Spend New Year's Eve in your new Santa Fe home - 4 Sierra Verde, Santa Fe, NM. This beautiful mountain view compound was made for entertaining. There are great finishes throughout like hardwood flooring and vigas along with a gorgeous formal dining room that is just waiting to be set for an intimate dinner.
Reservations: 505-216-6535 (This is our number so you can call us whenever you're ready to take the next step to the Santa Fe Home of your dreams)

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

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Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast

I know there are some of you out there who are incredibly organized, started your shopping two months ago, and are just putting the finishing touches on your gift wrap tonight. But then there's those of you who are just getting started tonight. This particular Santa Fe blog is for the latter.

Santa Fe, New Mexico is actually a very popular shopping destination, known for its unique stores and small boutiques. In Santa Fe, even when you do last minute shopping, you can still get a very personal, one-of-a-kind gift...

For your Mom, the Art lover
Canyon Road
This is Santa Fe's historic shopping center, known for its numerous art galleries (more than 100), unique specialty shops, restaurants, and historic adobe architecture. The best part is, the galleries are open late just for holiday shopping!

For your sister, the decorator
Jackalope
2820 Cerrillos Rd
Santa Fe, NM 87507
Find imports from Mexico like inexpensive woven rugs, recycled glassware, pottery, and handmade ornaments from Indonesia.

For your aunt, the Native American art lover
The Rainbow Man
107 E. Palace
Santa Fe, NM
A trusted source for Native American and Hispanic arts and gifts, it is known for its unique collection of Edward S. Curtis photography.

For your brother, the musician
Galerie Estaban
A mix of modern/classic Spanish guitar music and local art.

For your best friend, the die hard line dancer
Back at the Ranch
209 East Marcy Street
Santa Fe, NM 87501
What's Santa Fe without a good Cowboy store? Specializing in the largest collection of handmade cowboy boots in the world, Back at the Ranch is a high-end Western boutique known throughout the world for its custom-made and in-stock boots. You can even custom design your own logo, brand or theme!

For your girlfriend (you can never go wrong with jewelry)
Charlotte Jewelry
66 E San Francisco Street
Santa Fe, NM 87591
Stunning stainless steel, sterling silver, 18K gold, palladium and platinum jewelry. You can make a gift really personal by creating your own jewelry piece, by changing it from a ring into a pendant or bracelet.

For your co-worker, you didn't realize she was going to get you something!
Maya
108 Galisteo Street
Santa Fe, NM 87501
This is the everything store of Santa Fe. It's a mix between a boutique, a general store, a shoe store, a jewelry store, and a clothing store. Find everything from fashion, jewelry, and folk art to unusual kitchen and table top decor.  They have a ton of holiday discounts running right now so it's a great place to stop before Christmas.

The one thing you never have to worry about in Santa Fe New Mexico is the "every day" or the "mass produced." Santa Fe, the City Different, is all about being just that - different!  Whether that be the shops, or the Santa Fe homes and the communities that surround them. For example, the traditional and historical setting of the Tesuque Village, home to the Tesuque Pueblo, but also home to stunning real estate of other Santa Fe homeowners. Or what about Railyard Real Estate, which boasts live-in art studios, but also 13 acres of open space. Words really do not do Santa Fe Real Estate justice. You have to come see it for yourself. When you're ready to take the next step to buy or sell your Santa Fe home, please give me a call.

Until then, wishing you a very Merry Santa Fe Christmas!

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

SantaFeHomeStore.com
Santa Fe Homes
Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast

Santa Fe New Mexico is definitely a one-of-a-kind place. Although part of the States, it boasts a culture all its own, especially at the holidays. After all, it is called "The City Different."  Now that you are thinking about moving to Santa Fe (or maybe you already live here and you are just following this Santa Fe Realtor for the fun of learning what's going on around town), you are going to have to become acclimated to the Holiday traditions in the Land of Enchantment…

Candles in Bags: Also known as "Farolitos."  Fill small bags with sand and light them with votive candles and voila! You have a Farolito. This is New Mexico's version of the traditional Christmas decoration. You will find them sprinkled throughout Santa Fe, around buildings, in trees, on walls, and along sidewalks.

Winter Spanish Market: The Spanish Colonial Arts Society's annual winter market held in early December is an extravagant display of traditional Spanish Colonial artwork such as tin work, furniture, straw applique and Santos carving. Doing your holiday shopping here is sure to get you a one-of-a-kind, only-in-santa-fe, gift from the heart.

Christmas Eve, Noche Buena service: The midnight mass of the Rooster commemorates the folk story of the animals in the manger which were upset that no humans had come to see the Christ child. The story goes that an old rooster flew to a high point and announced the coming of the Messiah.

Christmas Eve at the Santa Fe Plaza: Adorned with thousands of farolitos (see above) that light up the city center, the Plaza is definitely the place to be on Christmas Eve. Apple cider is served while carolers fill the air with holiday music and the Santa Fe community strolls through to the nearby Cross of the Martyrs - also outlined in farolitos.

The Weather: Temperatures in December are normally in the low 40's during the day and the low 20's during the evening. However, don't shutter too much. With the sun still shining an average of 300 days a year, it never feels as bad as it sounds. In fact, it doesn't stop golfers from golfing and residents from hiking.

Skiing: The Sangre de Cristos Mountains, where Santa Fe sits at the base of, are covered in snow. Sixteen miles from the Plaza is the Santa Fe ski area (also known as Ski Santa Fe). This is the popular place to be around this time of the year. With 3,000 feet of height, 225 inches of snow, and a festive atmosphere, you can see why.

Native American Dances: See my previous blog to learn all about the Winter Dances of the Indian Pueblos.

Feast: Take a wild guess at the most popular ingredient in our Holiday dishes? That's right - Chile!  The traditional Christmas Eve meal is posole - dried corn fixed in a thick soup or stew with chiles. Other popular dishes include tamales, blue corn tortillas, and bizcochitos (tiny anise Christmas cookies that are the official state cookie of New Mexico).

Take all of this together and you get a city filled with sunny days, warm glowing lighting at night, culture and tradition, amazing food, fun things to do, and an overall festive atmosphere. What do you think? Do you think you could spend your holidays - and the rest of the year - in Santa Fe New Mexico Real Estate? If the answer is yes, then give us a call. We would be happy to find you the Santa Fe home of your dreams and make you an official Santa Fe resident. Before you know it, you could be enjoying all of these Christmas traditions in Santa Fe by next year!

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

SantaFeHomeStore.com
Santa Fe Homes
Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast

Winter dances of the Pueblos have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries. These profoundly moving ceremonies are defined by heart-beating drums, voices raised in prayer and the movements of the sacred dance. The dances are essentially prayers - prayers for good weather, good health, good friends, individual members of the Pueblo, all the people on the earth.

This celebration is something unique to Santa Fe New Mexico because the Indian Pueblos are located in the majestic mountain landscape between Santa Fe and Colorado. The Land of Enchantment is so rich in culture and diversity, events like the Dance for the Northern Pueblos are not hard to come by. With that said, these dances are an incredible, one-of-a-kind experience and highly recommended.

Dance Schedule for the Northern Pueblos for December

December 11, 12
POJOAQUE PUEBLO
Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day with vespers and procession
JEMEZ PUEBLO
Matachines Dances

December 24 - Christmas Eve
PICURIS and OHKAY OWINGEH
Torchlight Procession, Vespers and Matachines Dance
Dances after midnight Mass at TESUQUE PUEBLO
Buffalo, Deer and Antelope dances at NABE PUEBLO
Also after Mass TAOS PUEBLO Vespers and Procession of the Virgin Mary with dancers and bonfires

December 25 - Christmas Day
JEMEZ, TESUQUE, TAOS, OHKAY OWINGEH, SANTA CLARA and PICURIS various dances

December 25 - 27
OHKAY OWINGEH Turtle Dance

December 28
PICURIS PUEBLO Holy Innocents' Day
Children's Dance

Please note that Pueblo dances are religious ceremonies, not performances. They should be treated the same as a church service. There are a few more rules about etiquette that can be found here.

Typical Holiday celebrations like visiting Santa, decorating the tree and lighting the Menorah are always fun, but there's something exhilarating about participating in another culture's traditions.  These dances hold great importance to the Pueblos and, whether you believe with them or not, you cannot deny their beauty.

That is the thing about living in Santa Fe New Mexico. Beauty is all around you.  Buying a home in Santa Fe is truly an investment because the land that it sits on is so rich in so many ways.  When you're ready to make the move, or even sell your Santa Fe home to a deserving buyer, give me a call.

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

SantaFeHomeStore.com
Santa Fe Homes
Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast

When you live in Santa Fe, outdoor activities like hiking and biking are not just something you do on a trip or something you see in a magazine advertisement. These are the everyday activities that make Santa Fe New Mexico such a fantastic place to wake up to every morning.

A couple weeks back, I hiked the Blue Dot Trail down to the Rio Grande River. I went about 800 feet down in one mile. Being that the trail is a virtual rock staircase, I made my way up…slowly.

Here are the stats of the trail:

    •    Distance: 1.1-mile (1.8 km) one way
    •    Elevation: 5,450 to 6,250 feet (1,910 m)
    •    Elevation Change: 800 feet (240 m)
    •    Fitness Level: Strenuous, but short
    •    Seasons: All seasons, except after heavy snow
    •    Trail Surface: Rocky and steep trail

The trailhead begins about 100 yards southwest of the overlook viewing platform. It is accessible from a small parking lot at the end of the last side road branching east off Overlook Road.

On the way to the river, you will come across a large Toreva block bench. This is basically a large piece of land that has moved downhill as a unit.

Midway through the trail, the ground you walk on actually changes from dark salt basaltic rock to light round granite stones.

As the trail nears the Rio Grande River, the trail passes a large spring seeping from rock fragments called Scree. Don't get too excited here - this water is not safe to drink. But it sure does look pretty.

This is such a gorgeous hike. You can't help but be enchanted by its timeless beauty. After all, this is the Land of Enchantment. As my two dogs Rubi and Chaco (it was Chaco's 2nd birthday) played around in the river, and I looked out at the magnificent view, I couldn't help but think how lucky I am to live in Santa Fe.

If you are considering moving to Santa Fe Real, I highly recommend exploring some of its trails.  They really bring you to the heart of Santa Fe and give you a taste of what it could be like to live here. We are experienced Santa Fe Real Estate brokers, yet still learn new things about this city everyday, each time finding something else to love.  When you're ready to buy a Santa Fe home, give us a call.

Susan Orth & Isabella Luconi
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
City Different Realty

Phone: 505-216-6535
Email: [email protected]

SantaFeHomeStore.com
Santa Fe Homes
Santa Fe Real Estate Podcast