Real Estate Information Archive

People usually think of Santa Fe as a mecca of Southwestern art, jewelry, and spiritualism.  But that image is beginning to evolve, thanks to a group of oddball artists and entrepreneurs. 

One of these entrepreneurs has introduced a new cultural destination, called The House of Eternal Return.  It’s a 2-story Victorian built inside a converted old bowling alley owned by Game of thrones author George R.R. Martin.  It was built by art collective Meow Wolf and looks like something out of the 1970’s with its faux wood paneling and afghan covered beds.

What do you do in this house? You go through the various passageways and enter into different worlds, like a forest of neon trees or a spaceship that looks like something out of Star Trek, or a mobile home stuck out in the dessert.

You follow clues in the house to find out the mysterious fate of the family that lived there.  You can simply enjoy the visual elements, or unravel the mystery. It’s become quite the attraction and has brought in 350,000 visitors and $4 million since it opened in March!

No doubt when you considered buying a home in Santa Fe, no doubt you envisioned all of the great things there are to do here.  Santa Fe is a unique and culturally rich city, and so are its attractions. Take a look a just a very small sampling of all that awaits you here in Santa Fe!

Meow Wolf: This is a newly opened venue for the Santa Fe art collective Meow Wolf.  Meow Wolf’s immersive experiences will transport you to fantastic realms.

The Santa Fe Opera: Come here for the music experience of a lifetime.  This open air theater is a magnificent piece of modern architecture.

Santa Fe Indian Market: This market has brought together the most gifted Native American artists from around the US for over 90 years.

Spanish Market: The Santa Fe Spanish Market combines traditional and contemporary Spanish Colonial arts and culture with several hundred artists selling a wide variety of items.

New Mexico Museum of Art: Both the art and the building are works to behold.  Detailed murals inside and out capture New Mexico history and culture.

Of course this is only the beginning. Santa Fe’s rich culture and heritage is showcased in its many attractions.  Check back on our blog each week for more fun ideas and real estate information.

As this Thursday is Turkey Day in Santa Fe, I thought I would like to remind you all of one of one of the best benefits to living in Santa Fe Real Estate - The City Different is known to be one of the country's most famous walking cities. That means that after that big meal of turkey, potatoes, and chile stuffing, there is no better way to burn it off than to go for a walk.

Small enough to navigate on foot, it's easy to get lost in its miles and miles of winding streets peppered with shops, characteristically Southwestern Santa Fe homes, historic buildings, art galleries, and restaurants. Whether you attempt to explore your new Santa Fe Neighborhood on your own, or you choose to take advantage of one of Santa Fe's famous walking tours - your body and mind will thank you for it.

Literary Landmarks Tour
Santa Fe's majestic landscape, cultural diversity and rugged setting, not surprisingly, can really inspire a curious author to write great literature. As a result, many bestselling books, articles, essays and poems have been written about the City Different. From famous novelists to playwrights, essayists to poets - these are the people who wandered the same streets you may walk every day, but didn't know it. The tour includes the VIllagra, a famous gathering spot for visiting writers to  sip martinis and gossip - the inspiration for the classic novel Death Comes for the Archbishop. The Plaza is also a stop, which was the setting for the popular mystery, Ride the Pink Horse. To do your own search of works by Santa Fe authors, stop at the Southwest Reading Room of the Santa Fe Public Library on 145 Washington Ave.

Sculpture Garden Tour
Nothing will work off that Thanksgiving dinner faster than walking 10 acres of trails, across juniper covered hills between the villages of Cerrillos and Galisteo. Allan Hauzous and his son Philip had a vision to create a family compound, constructing a series of studios and residences, then sculpture gardens, dance grounds and amphitheaters. The sculpture gardens present the family collection - 85 outdoor works total. Because the Allan Houser Compound is a private facility, tours are arranged by appointment only. This breathtaking facility is well worth the call; you may see Santa Fe in a whole new light.

Chocolate Lover's Odyssey
Okay. So I know the whole point of this walking was to burn off your turkey, but sometimes a big meal still leaves your sweet tooth wanting more. If this is the case, then Santa Fe's Chocolate Lover's Odyssey should be your next stop. Start off downtown Santa Fe in the Santa Fe Plaza at Todos Santos for chocolate milagros, dark chocolate truffles and whimsical "After Dinner Saints." Get a taste of true Santa Fe flavor at the Chocolate Smith at 851A Cerrillos Road. Green Chile Pistachio Bark and White Chocolate Lemon Lavender Bark are just a few flavors worth exploring. Without a doubt, you'll have to make a stop at the Kakawa Chocolate House at 1050 East Paseo de Peralta. If you've never tried hand-crafted European and Meso-American Aztec drinking chocolate - this is your chance.

If you are new to Santa Fe Real Estate, and you are still trying to get your bearings, check out my website for an explanation on the Santa Fe MLS Areas. I also added a Santa Fe MLS Area Map to give Santa Fe Homebuyers and Santa Fe Home Sellers a better idea of what they are working with. The city of Santa Fe may not be large, but somehow, a lot of culture, landscape and character come together to form one perfectly-sized City Different. As a Santa Fe Real Estate agent, I know this city well. I would love to take you for a walk, give you a tour, and show you why I love this city so much.

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

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

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