the 50 states » Santa Fe, New Mexico

So although we've visited a few states together already, we are hoping to visit each one with fresh eyes & a sense of adventure!  And what better way to start than with an impromptu vacation to visit family… Santa Fe, you say?  The halfway point between 2 houses… sounds perfect!  Plans were made, we arrived, and a few pictures were taken.

There was a wonderful farmer's market to visit… so many yummie aromas to fill the air, including fresh roasted green chiles!  Sadly, we wandered the market prior to purchasing anything, and by the time we made it back to the entrance, the green chiles were sold out.  The hubby was really disappointed to say the least…  So buy them first thing, folks!  In addition to the local flavor, there is also an artist market at the Santa Fe Railyard.  A few other shopping highlights included the Traditional Spanish Market and the Contemporary Hispanic Market, both of which were also happening during our stay there.  Sadly, not pictured are some of the jewelry & textiles I found… but I mean, really good.

While the majority of our snacking was done from our vacation rental… we were able to rest our weary legs during a few of our shopping extravaganzas.  The Coyote Cafe was perfection.  We were able to get out of the heat by visiting their rooftop cafe, where we promptly ordered a few cocktails.  We chatted about the sights as we awaited lunch, and oh boy… we were not disappointed.  The veggie tacos were my choice, and they were mouthwatering.  I may recommend sharing your plate if you still plan to wander the city, because I was really sad not to be able to finish my order (believe me, I tried!!).  Another yummie stop is The Pantry, where I ordered the huevos rancheros, Christmas style (that means covered in both red and green chile sauce) and yumtown.  Lastly, we ventured to Draft Station for a few local brews.  And although we didn't have any, the pizza there looked amazing!!!  The upstairs patio gave us a great view of the Santa Fe Plaza, which of course made for great people-watching.

Now if shopping and stuffing your face isn't your thing… the sights are breathtaking of course.  We did some running, biking, and even brought back the 90s with a little rollerblading on the nearby local trails.  PS, running in the desert is no joke.  Overall, we had a wonderful time in the little artsy town of Santa Fe.  We witnessed gorgeous sunsets and a storm that was something straight out of Oklahoma!!  Stop 1 of our 50 states = success!  And because I couldn't decide between filmstrip size (I'm a sucker for anything miniature, you see) or a little bit larger, here's a closer peek you won't need your glasses for… haha, enjoy!