All Photos by Samantha Demangate
Isolating in the rural desert for a pair of ocean-loving Californians proved to be an exciting, yet challenging experience. For my girlfriend, it was a chance to safely see the United States and to help me move to Michigan. For me, it was a mission to return home, to care for an elderly relative, and an opportunity to discover small town America. During the pandemic this remained difficult, yet with a little planning, patience, and the ability to work remotely, it was a huge success. So, we packed up and headed East, isolating in the New Mexican desert and discovering the incredible wilderness that seemed to expand forever. After our peaceful time under the barren high desert skies, there was only one place for outdoor enthusiast foodies to go: Santa Fe. With its famous food scene, vibrant history, and unique culture that has inspired everything from artists, poets, to bank robbers for centuries, we packed up and headed southeast.
Driving into the city on a blustery January evening we stopped off at our charming Airbnb, an airstream with a romantically cosy, 1950’s cottage-esq interior that was a perfect place for two travelers to rest. The sound of Coyotes in the distance and the soothing smell of desert campfires made for a wonderful first night.
In the morning we decided to explore the city center, as anyone visiting Santa Fe for the first time should do. Afterall, all roads once led to Santa Fe’s central plaza and the amount of American, Spanish, and Mexican history within this small geographical area would make any history nerd’s head explode. Also, this being one of America’s most unique and creative food capitals, we went on a mission to sample as much of the city’s famous cuisine as we could in two days.
When we arrived we were expecting socially distant yet stereotypical postcard-like scenes of Spanish arcades brimming with food and art vendors, tourists, exentrics, hustling musicians, and couples out on romantic strolls through centuries old plazas. However, New Mexico’s recent burst in Covid numbers and post holiday stay-at-home orders made for an entirely different experience. The eerie stillness of the central plaza, a scene that should have been filled with tourists and merchants, now hauntingly empty before us. An empty Santa Fe, devoid of the usual lively crowds, was for us a welcome sight. Cautious as we were about staying healthy, it made us feel more comfortable. And on top of that, the photographic opportunities were outstanding.
We started our day at Santafamous Street Eats, a Mexican food truck serving some of the best breakfast burritos we’ve ever tried. The city is the undisputed home of the breakfast burrito and few places can match Santafamous’ weighty morning delights. There are a few food trucks and even a wonderful mobile cafe serving donuts, all within the same parking lot near the state capital. With full bellies and heads full of caffeine we set off on our solo walking tour.
Santa Fe boasts some of the greatest architectural wonders in the country. The Spanish built the city near ancient Tanoan Pueblan ruins, next to the once flowing Santa Fe River. Soon after, the Spaniards chose Santa Fe as their regional capital and slowly built a large settlement around the central palacio. The oldest building in the city and an original remnant from this period is the De Vargas Street House, built in the early 1600’s, it’s one of the oldest buildings in the United States (the oldest Native American structures nearby pre-date it by almost a thousand years). Close by is San Miguel Chapel, the oldest church in the country. Built in the 17th century and later reconstructed in the 18th century, it is the most iconic remnant of the early Spanish pueblo. After the Spanish period, Santa Fe became the capital of the Mexican province of Nuevo Mejico, the American territory of New Mexico, and finally the state of New Mexico in 1912.
After the city switched over to American hands in the mid-19th century its population exploded and its role as the west’s central hub for stagecoaches and railroads grew with it. The first landmark we checked out from this era was a beautiful chapel with a very peculiar feature. The spiral staircase of the beautiful Gothic-Revival Loretto Chapel, was built somewhere around 1877 and 1881, by an unknown architect. Many have described the work as ‘a divine miracle’ due to the staircases’ lack of structural support. Regardless of who the master builder is, it remains one of the state’s most incredible architectural wonders. Nearby, contrasting heavily with the surrounding adobe buildings, is the large 19th century Romanesque Revival style Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis.
Further on, we checked out the vicinity around the central plaza. Here is where travelers from all over the United States, Mexico, and Native American Lands came to settle in, grab a meal and a drink, or to set up for the next stage in their journey. Outlaws like Billy the Kid and Jack Ketchum once made their way through these streets, plotting their next criminal adventures. Regardless of all the characters who entered the city through it, the plaza is most famous for its yearly festivals. In normal years the town thrives off these festivities; the annual Santa Fe Fiesta being the oldest in the nation.
As the sun began to set, we were starving and in need of a meal. Passing the Five and Dime, the original home of Santa Fe’s Frito Pie – chili, cheese, salsa, refried beans, sour cream, onion, jalapeños, all slathered in an open bag of fritos! – we stopped for our first true taste of Santa Fe at El Callejon Taqueria and Grill. We got a heaping portion of Chili Relleno, Christmas style — red and green salsa plus crema — enchiladas, and spicy buffalo wings. The perfectly spiced, richly flavored, southwestern dishes were the perfect fuel after a long day exploring the city.
DAY 2
Waking up early, we charged outside for our second day of discovering Santa Fe. Our first stop was the state capital which, ahead of the recent inauguration and violence at the US Capital, had plenty of police presence. We decided to swing around Paseo De Peralta street and grab some fine chocolate and elixirs from Kakawa Chocolate House. This creative little shop had a wide selection of house made chocolates and chocolate drinks that were, in a word, divine. Heading up Paseo De Peralta we came onto the endless art shops and exhibits on Canyon Road, an area that for art lovers like us was something of a treat to the senses.
As we made our way further west on San Francisco Street, we satisfied our cravings to sample New Mexican wine at Noisy Water Winery. Here we sat outside on the patio as we each did a rotating flight. Their gorgeous, award winning wines kept us surprised throughout the tasting. Our favorites were the savory dark fruit-forward Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, the rich dark cherry chocolate-esque Aglianico, and the intriguingly refreshing Besito Caliente Green Chile Wine. We happily topped it all off with their cherry port.
Blithely moseying down Alameda Street we found ourselves at the historic Santuario De Guadalupe church. Built in 1781, it hosts an impressive collection of classic artwork. From here we journeyed down South Guadalupe Street into what is known as the Railyard District. In the early 20th century the train station and surrounding neighborhood were at the center of Santa Fe’s everyday life. Much like the central plaza during the carriage days, the railyard was the meeting place for all travelers entering and leaving the city. Industries thrived, community gatherings and festivities were held frequently, and the area’s importance, never questioned. That was until Americans began traveling by car and plane. The railyard district floundered into an abandoned and decaying decline until it was deemed virtually uninhabitable.
That was until 2002, when the Railyard master plan was approved by the city, and the area was turned into what it is today. Harking back to its industrial past, the district’s grittiness is preserved in the architecture. New businesses sprang up everywhere, including restaurants, breweries, small boutiques, art stores, and museums. For us the main draw was SITE, a non-profit contemporary arts center featuring world renowned artists with a knack for spurring social change.
The exhibit we saw was called Displaced and was focused on the human migrations and displacement that affects millions of people around the world. The displays were both tragic and beautiful, thoughtful and thought provoking; and challenged us to re-examine our lives and our impact on our community and the world around us. Feeling humbled and inspired we walked through the Santa Fe Railroad Park and checked out the small art exhibits built within the open greenspace. Like an extension of SITE, these installations were also incredibly meaningful and beautiful.
As we made our way around the rail district the sweet smell of burning mesquite crept through the air. This was our call for BBQ, so we went searching for the best in town. We stumbled into Whole Hog BBQ on Guadalupe St, tired from the day’s walking adventure. We ordered a massive serving of their smokey pulled pork and drove up to the Cross of the Martyrs to eat. The cold wind was no match for our appetites and thermal under layers as we sat near the overlook of downtown Santa Fe, gorging ourselves on the delicious food and reflecting on the day.
The sun set behind the distant high desert mountains, a scene that was straight from an old western. We watched the sleepy city below us, its adobe’s turned orange by the descending sunlight, crowds of tourists all but absent in the height of the pandemic. What we saw and experienced was just a taste. It was enough to make us crave to come back. Afterall, there’s infinitely more to discover here than two days can allow. We ate a lot, met some wonderfully kind people, learned about the area’s history, and covered over ten miles by foot each day. The next morning we packed up and hit the road East, excitedly planning our next, post-covid visit to this unforgettable part of the country.
