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Hi Daisy,
I'm a 50+ single woman living in SW Santa Fe. Three years ago I moved back to SF and bought a small home thru the affordable housing program (not just for low income.) Before leaving in 2003 I owned a 1,000 sq ft house in Eldorado so there are small houses out there. Eldorado was a place I left windows open at night. I definitely felt safer there than I do living in town. I would have moved back there but I couldn't afford it three years ago. I've heard prices have dropped since then.
I don't necessarily feel unsafe where I am now but I am more cautious--it is city living. I've lived in larger cities with much more crime. So far the biggest problem has been graffiti on my masonry wall and someone broke into the cars in the loop one night. But that seems to happen all over Santa Fe, not just on the SW side.
I considered living in White Rock or LA but didn't want to commute and it doesn't have much going on for singles. I'd prefer the drive to Eldorado over White Rock or LA anyday.
As highmesa mentioned the singles meetup and hikeup group are very active. SF is not great for meeting someone to date unless you are a man. When I've gone to the SF Singles functions it's typically 4 men to 25-30 women.
There are many things that don't cost a lot--many museums are free to NM residents on Sunday and of course the hiking is wonderful. There are free cultural events, and Pay-What-You-Want days at the SF Playhouse. Sometimes I volunteer at different events and get in free. Yoga is popular. And there is a movie theater that is always $3.50 a movie and $1 on Wednesdays. ABQ is not that far--lots more to do there and you can now take the train for the day. They also have a couple very active singles groups. The community college is my favorite place and very reasonable. I've made some friends taking classes.
I would highly suggest renting when you move here to test the waters and see how you like it. Where you will feel safe is relevant to what you have experienced in your life. If you've lived in big cities you'll probably feel safe anywhere in Santa Fe except a few spots--some apartment buildings and mobile home parks. A woman at work who moved here from NYC told me she left her doors unlocked all the time since moving here -- she was living on Canyon Road. Not a good idea in spite of the very expensive homes. Personally I think Eldorado is the safest place; way in the back where I use to live. If you want safety over convenience of city living and can afford it that is the place I'd choose.
As highmesa mentioned the singles meetup and hikeup group are very active. SF is not great for meeting someone to date unless you are a man. When I've gone to the SF Singles functions it's typically 4 men to 25-30 women.
Wow! I'm a single man and senior citizen (barely) and considering moving to SF. I did a few tests on match.com and other dating sites and didn't find anything. There were NO dates! However I'm not stuck on online dating and in fact have never tried that, but I was somewhat dejected when it appeared to me that online sites would be useless to me to meet available women in my desired age range (50s). You didn't mention age ranges in your post (4 men : 25 women) but I hope the statistic holds irrespective of age cohort.
I'm intending on attending classes (art, cooking, yoga, tai chi), hiking clubs, etc. That's if I move to SF and I'm not sure at all. I'm planning a visit in the next few months and hope to explore some of the dating and meet opportunities, not necessarily to meet anybody but just to see if there are reasonable possibilities. I'm single (as I said) and I don't want to live the rest of my life alone, so I won't move to SF unless it appears that meeting women is possible.
Maybe might even get interested in pottery making. (Hiya DE, I remember you!)
Hubba hubba Lovehound, You will have no problem finding women mid 50s to date in Santa Fe (I remember you too.) I tell a male friend in PA who complains about not finding women to move here. Join the Santa Fe Singles meetup group and you'll see what I mean.
It's been a long time since I visited CD but I'm waiting for the next semester at the college to start (yep, still pottery) so I had some time to check in again.
Wow! I'm a single man and senior citizen (barely) and considering moving to SF.
I'm planning a visit in the next few months and hope to explore some of the dating and meet opportunities, not necessarily to meet anybody but just to see if there are reasonable possibilities.
I would include also visiting Albuquerque if you have not done so.
Thanks for the comments DE. You're inspiring my optimism, a commodity I've had in short supply lately. Hoping to get my house on the market this month, then depending on selling it my trip to SF will follow soon. I haven't decided on any relocation destination yet but SF is high on my list.
Poncho, I have been to Albuquerque and I just didn't like it. I mean no slight to Albuquerque lovers but it didn't inspire me at all, unlike Santa Fe. I'm retired and I want to make art one of my major activities (looking at it, doing it myself) and that's one reason SF attracts me, because of the art galleries and I presume there are local artists including amateur artists like myself. I'm also interested in handicrafts and many other hobbies and I hope to make my new friends from those also interested in these subjects. (Cooking and camping are my other big interests.)
I am probably wrong but I feel like Santa Fe is more of a fun city and Albuquerque is more of a work city. Also, I'm coming from one of the biggest cities in the nation and that's a major reason for leaving, noting that SF has a population of about 60K+ where Albuquerque is 500K+. I want to live in the smallest city that has barely enough to suit me (shopping, things to do, people to meet).
Contrast that to where I live now, the San Fernando Valley (part of L.A.) with 1.75M+ population! I have almost as many people living within 10-15 miles of me as the entire state of New Mexico! (~2M) Is there any wonder that being crowded is freaking me out?
Which would you call a bigger art center? Duke City or the City Different?
ABQ is great to visit. A couple of weeks ago a friend took me to the Church of Beehoven in ABQ--love the building and music. I like that ABQ is close enough to go do things especially now that the Rail Runner is running but I have found I like a city around 60K.
I am hooked on the Santa Fe Community College. When my daughter tries to get me back to PA I tell her I can't leave SFCC (that and my job and I love the West.) People come up from ABQ for the ceramic studio and professional potters take classes because of the kilns they have. Also SFCC has other great art classes. The cost is very reasonable and the teachers are great. I have also taken Beginning Drawing and Tinwork. Santa Fe isn't perfect but I don't know where else I would want to live so as long as I have a job I'll be here.
Poncho, I have been to Albuquerque and I just didn't like it. I mean no slight to Albuquerque lovers but it didn't inspire me at all, unlike Santa Fe. I'm retired and I want to make art one of my major activities (looking at it, doing it myself) and that's one reason SF attracts me, because of the art galleries and I presume there are local artists including amateur artists like myself.
Which would you call a bigger art center? Duke City or the City Different?
I completely understand. I live in the ABQ area (Rio Rancho)
Which has the bigger art center? I really don't know, but going to various events for 10+ years, I have found artists who live in ABQ, Belen, Los Lunas, Tijeras, Edgewood, Madrid, El Paso, etc. I seldom go to art galleries. I really never met local amateur artists who live in Santa Fe. I am sure they exist.
Thanks DE and Poncho. Yeah, it's "fer sure" that if I move to SF that I'll be visiting ABQ and other nearby areas as day trips, which is part of the reason SF interests me because of interesting nearby places to visit. Also I'm a very enthusiastic camper and SF is quite close to many of my favorite camping areas in NM, AZ, UT and CO. That's another reason I like that part of the country.
And DE, thanks for the comments on SFCC. If I move to SF it's a certainty that I'll be taking some classes there. I'm totally nuts for anything along the lines of art, handicrafts, etc. I checked out SFCC's website and found several art and craft classes I'd surely take, although unfortunately their cooking classes aren't quite sufficiently advanced for me (I might need a few tips on high altitude baking, something I can learn on the Internet). Do you (or anybody) know if there are more advanced cooking classes elsewhere? I'm particularly interested in learning New Mexican Cuisine although I can teach myself if I can't find any classes.
Getting back to the OP, if she is interested in taking classes I'm sure she'll have some opportunities to meet people and make friends. At least I sure hope so because that applies equally well to me.
Thanks Beezle! That's exactly what I had in mind. I'll have to read up on the site. The classes appear to be one session only about $75/class but I'd be game to try them at least once or try them a few times. I'd look at it as "edu-tainment!"
I have an idea to start a cooking club or maybe some exist. Several or a dozen members take turns inviting the class over to their house to demonstrate recipes and then have a party after and eat the results. This idea seems obvious to me but if there aren't any maybe I'll try and interest people in my idea. Really what this is is a party for "foodies" with a flimsy excuse that it's to learn stuff.
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I'm a single man and senior citizen (barely) and considering moving to SF. I did a few tests on match.com and other dating sites and didn't find anything. There were NO dates! However I'm not stuck on online dating and in fact have never tried that, but I was somewhat dejected when it appeared to me that online sites would be useless to me to meet available women in my desired age range (50s). You didn't mention age ranges in your post (4 men : 25 women) but I hope the statistic holds irrespective of age cohort.
Lovehound, You will have no problem finding women mid 50s to date in Santa Fe (I remember you too.) I tell a male friend in PA who complains about not finding women to move here. Join the Santa Fe Singles meetup group and you'll see what I mean. 
