The Final Day Away

Thursday was a day with no plan, but as I am sure you can imagine, we started the day with a complimentary breakfast laced with green chile's in various forms.  After that, we headed to Canyon Road for a gallery tour followed by an afternoon of shoe shopping.

Later that evening, we were joined by Mike Sconzo and Paige, who drove up from Albuquerque for dinner.  After dinner, we headed back to the plaza and hit up the Marble Brewery 


that had just opened up for business earlier that day.  Also if you are lucky as we were , you can pick up a table on the patio and get a free concert from the plaza.  We were surprised to quickly find out that the server was just transplanted from Austin and had us try out the Cirta Ale which was tasty, as he had guaranteed.  After closing out the night with a tasty oatmeal stout, the visitors headed home and we called it a night.  We had 700+ miles to cover the next day, but we had a great week in Santa Fe, as well as a quick stop in to see the parents.  


As you can expect, we had a busy next week coming up with going back to work and Cristina's Big "30" as she describes it.  I am sure as soon as this weekend hits and since I now have you all caught up I will have more to come....  

On the Road Again

On Wednesday, after breakfast, we hopped in the car to head north to Taos, NM.  After the just over an hour drive to Taos from Santa Fe, we headed just north of town to the Taos Pueblo.  The Taos Pueblo is home of the Tiwa Indians who many of still live in the same way their ancestors lived hundreds of years ago.

After we arrived, we headed out and found Cristina's mom a handmade nativity scene that was made in a pottery style that used the native soil to create the pieces.  To recharge ourselves, we made a stop and picked up some Indian Fried Bread from one of the locals on the pueblo.  For anyone who is not familiar with Indian Fried Bread (not that I was either until we found it this morning), it is similar to a funnel cake but it looks like a large four tortilla before it is fried to perfection.  I might add, that if this is something you have never had, and you are presented the opportunity I would not pass it up.

After spending most of the morning at the pueblo, we headed back in to town to make a round in old downtown Taos.  After some browsing and lunch, it was time to had back to Santa Fe for a dinner we had planned for the evening.

On the way back, we made a few stops at the scenic look outs that are along the road to take a look at the people rafting in the Rio Grande River.  Then we made one final stop at the Black Mesa Winery where Cristina did a wine tasting.  She is now a big fan of Black Beauty, the signature wine of the estate that is flavored with chocolate for a sweet taste.

Following dinner, we headed back to our new found home away from the motel to the downtown plaza for another free concert.  The music was a little different tonight, but the scene was fun as usual.

The Second Day Away

After a good nights sleep, we started the day with a complimentary breakfast composed of green chile topped eggs and green chile and cheese quesadillas on the patio.
                                

Upon completion of breakfast, we immediately headed towards old downtown to the plaza so Cristina could get a good look at all the handmade jewelry from the Indians who come to town daily from the surrounding pueblos.  After stopping by and browsing, we continued on foot around the surrounding area to various attractions including the Loretto Chapel to view the mysterious staircase, various buildings at the state capitol complex and the US Courthouse.

After a long day of exploration, we headed back to where we started today at the plaza downtown for a jazz concert that marked the beginning of the New Mexico Jazz Festival.

Day 1 - Vacation 2010

Monday morning, moving at a leisurely pace, Cristina and I got up and packed the car to depart Shamrock for our vacation destination of Santa Fe, NM.  After getting sent off from the parents house, we made a quick move through the McDonald's drive through to get a drink.  Not to be let down by the service, they made one of the drinks wrong but quickly replaced it with the correct order and we departed.

Upon arriving at our home for the coming week (The Inn of the Governor) in Santa Fe,
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we got checked in and unpacked and began to look for a few staples we would need in the coming week.  We departed on foot (which was one of the highlights of the week in my opinion) to find the Whole Foods Market that was a 10 - 15 minute walk from where we were staying.  After making a stroll around the store and picking up a couple of things we needed, we made a move to our next destination REI which was on the way back to the hotel.  Aside from almost being run over while crossing the street (I was on the crosswalk and using the direction of the light to cross) by a driver on a cell phone the day was pretty uneventful.


For dinner, we headed out to Tomasita's for our first round of red and green chile seasoned New Mexican cuisine.  After receiving our plates, we were not disappointed by the local fare and needed a Kleenex for our runny nose by the end of the meal.  We did come across another great perk at the end of the meal which was warm, fluffy sopapillas topped with honey and butter that were included as part of the meal.  After dinner, we took a stroll to the plaza to work off the dinner then shut it down to get ready for day 2.  

---All vacation photos are now up on Flickr so just hit the link on the page to view them.

The Days Before

The morning of July 10 (the first day of vacation 2010), Cristina and I made an early departure from San Antonio on the way to Shamrock to stop in and see the parents.  As can be expected, we arrived in Shamrock early afternoon to find that my mom had picked up root beer and nacho's from the local hamburger joint to snack on.  To close the day, we had dinner out and just took time to relax after the drive.  I did give my dad his birthday gift from Derek and I (a new Scotty Cameron putter) before shutting it down for the night.

On July 11, the real reason for the stop in Shamrock on the way to vacation, was my dad's birthday.  To celebrate, my mom made the family favorite strawberry cake and my dad fired up the grill with a variety of options -- chicken kabobs, hamburgers and pork chops.  It is a shame to have to cook for yourself on your birthday, but we all enjoyed the good food.