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I moved north of Santa Fe back in the 80s after visiting every year. I pictured myself another Georgia O'Keefe. I worked at a law firm in town and roamed the plaza every noon. I ran around the Jimez mountains in my little Suburu looking for color, wood, rocks, etc. I cruised Taos, Red River, etc. I had a ball. I loved it there; my now ex-husband hated it. He hated the people, the climate, the traffic, etc. ad nauseum. So, I think it depends on the viewpoint of the person. I've been back twice and am going again next month. I live in Texas now, and my creative energy is almost non-existent. I don't know if that is age, or because I no longer live in the Land of Enchantment. If you are looking for Utopia, you'll never find it in a physical location until you find it inside of you. Just a few thoughts!
It means a lot to me to read something positive since there is so much negative stuff about Santa Fe that gets posted here.
I thought I was another Georgia OKeeffe, not because I am any kind of an artist at all .... but because I will be 62 when we move to NM ... the very same age she was when she moved there permanently. I often think about her and what thoughts and experiences she might have had as she lived out the last years of her life in Abiquiu.
Now if I can just make it for as many years as she did.
I didn't realize George O'Keefe was 62 when she moved to Santa Fe. She was one of the most beautiful women who ever lived. I moved to Santa Fe the year she passed on, 1988 I believe. I think she did ok out there. She had a darn good looking young man as a companion and only moved into Santa Fe when she became too ill to be far from the hospital. There are many other wonderful things I could say. I have newspaper clippings from those days. I remember the young lady protestor who lived in a tree in town for months. I remember a mother bear falling from a telephone pole in fright and how the whole state rallied around her and her cubs until she got well. I remember laying out in a bikini in a chase lounge, in March, surrounded by snow and looking at the mountain views I'm not a poet but northern New Mexico is the most beautiful country in the world and I literally cried when I had to leave. I left because my son had a serious wreck down in Texas which required I return to the state. His recovery took years. Otherwise, I would never have left. The people I met, artists, locals, old timers, etc. were some of the most interesting and fascinating I've ever encountered. The smell of pinion still haunts me. And the coffee!!! There is nothing like sipping hot coffee on a Saturday morning, looking out the window at the Sangre de Cristos or Jimez Mountains, while snow drifts softly to the ground. I can't wait to get back!
There is nothing like sipping hot coffee on a Saturday morning, looking out the window at the Sangre de Cristos or Jimez Mountains, while snow drifts softly to the ground. I can't wait to get back!
BluesConnect:
The dining room and also the front portal of my new house looks out to a great view of the Sangre de Cristos.
One of the things I am looking forward to the very most is my morning coffee in my dining room or my portal just soaking up that great view.
I hope you can get back to Santa Fe soon, BluesConnect.
This Summer, I am going to Ohio and I am counting the days!
If this puts things in perspecitve for anyone, I would rather live in Youngstown, OH than Santa Fe, NM.
In case you don't know... most of Y-Town is not a nice place. However: their roads aren't filled with ice in the winter; I can actually go to a McDonalds and get a combo meal for under $4; I don't have to go to another state to see Football, Baseball, or Basketball; I will not be taunted if I have a Bush sticker on my car; and get this... here are two other tidbits not on my list... Everyone there speaks English and probably 90% of the people there have American cars! I spent a month out there I didn't see one damn Japanesse Hybrid! If I go to the grocery store in Santa Fe I will see four of those damn things in thr parking lot... just one of those little things that kind of "irk" me.
Again, Santa Fe is a nice place to visit. What scares me about New Mexico is that so many people comment on what a good job Gov. Richardson has done and how much things have improved... my God, what was it like before?
I wouldn't be too sure about finding anyplace where people won't jeer at that bumpersticker.
Take it from me, this place sucks!!! Here are some facts for you about this corrupt and stupid state; and this is from somebody who actually LIVES HERE!!
1) Politics here is the most currupt in the country.
2) It Ranks almost #1 as the DUMBEST STATE in the Country(Last year we were #1 as the Dumbest State).
3) The Police are little short guys with an attitude.
4) The Traffic system is a complete joke.
5) Tons of Mental Illness and Alcoholism per Capita.
6) Do you like Mexican Food? Forget it, NOT HERE!! It seems like all the Resturants shared the same recipe for this so called NEW MEXICAN FOOD, No Creativity, No substance and MOST OF ALL NO TASTE!!! Fast Food? Forget it also; these people would'nt know what hit them if they saw an In-N-Out Burger, Jack in the Box, Chinesse Food or even a DELI!!!!!
7) You want a job? The criteria here is NOT WHAT YOU KNOW (god forbid you actually have somebody that knows what there doing and every other word is not UH or EEEE!!), IT'S WHO YOU KNOW!!! You better have an UNCLE an AUNT or a BROTHER on the inside.
8) If your car breaks down on the side of the Road or you run out of gas without a cell phone, well you better start walking!! Because the odds are nobody will stop for you to help. But they will toss there garbage at you from Taco Bell as you walk for help, as I have seen that a few times (ah yes there is a Taco Bell here!!)
This just a few things from somebody who ACTUALLY LIVES HERE!! I have lived here 20 Miles from Santa Fe for about 13 years now, I am originally from Marina del rey California. I dream of going back to the Ocean EVERYDAY; but my job keeps me here for now! Seattle, Vermont, Maine, San Diego, Mexico and Oregon are GREAT PLACES TO LIVE!! California has bacame way to crowded!!
Manofthesea
1) Washington D.C. will be happy to learned they've moved into second place
7) If you didn't get a job, why did you stay there so long?
8) It's the bumper sticker.
I noticed one really doesn't need to be English-speaking, as the population is largely Hispanic. Lots of rich folks from Chihuahua, Mexico. ---------------------------------
I had to laugh at this one. I've lived here for many years and not met any rich folks from Chihuahua, Mexico. I'm not saying you didn't. Santa Fe is a world wide destination for tourists from around the world, and yup, probably a higher percentage of rich ones too. In 1992, a small flood of movie stars and very rich people moved here, but it still hasn't turned into Aspen for goodness sake.
Santa Fe is not a resort town or an amusement park. It is a city steeped in deep historical and cultural history. I laughed at the person complaining about the fake adobes. If you want fake, man, go to Vail or Disneyland for that. Santa Fe is real and authentic compared to those places, and more authentic than all but a few U.S. cities.
Approximately half of the population in Santa Fe is of Hispanic ORIGIN. And of those, most of the younger ones, don't speak Spanish well or at all. The problem of illegal immigration from Mexico and points South is worse in Arizona or parts of New Mexico closer to the border. Santa Fe is simply too small and expensive for a large immigrant population.
Santa Fe has its wealthy neighborhoods, but they are all Anglo.
Gangs are a much bigger problem in Albuquerque. There are no doubt a few gangs in Santa Fe but they aren't mowing down innocent bystanders or engaged in open gun fights.
Property crimes are something annoying that are a higher than average, for a city of this size. But it is not dangerous and crime ridden. The public schools are not good here.
I think it would be much easier to get along speaking English in Paris, Puerto Vallarta or Cancun or Lake Chapala, than it would be speaking Spanish only in Santa Fe. Not an issue for me, I speak four languages.
It seems that cities that are geared towards tourism, somehow neglect the locals. I have Italian friends in Florence who complain a lot, about the rising prices in housing and first necessity articles. Other friends in Pisa told me that in their city, they have to pay even for the air they breath. They resent the hordes of tourists for tearing down their beautiful cities. In Florence, there is recent ondinance that prohibits to sit down on the steps of their cathedral because they are already very worn out. I guess Santa Fe might be heading in the same direction. Of course, this is the opinion of an outsider who has never lived in Santa Fe, forgive me if I'm off the mark.
Tourists don't overrun the places where people live in Santa Fe, nor are they trampling the architecture. I've been near sports stadiums that had a much worse traffic problem for a small city, than Santa Fe near their two peak events of the year: Spanish Market and Indian Market.
Santa Fe would be dead without tourists. The infrastructure would get worse. We have nothing like the problem of a crush of tourists, like in Pisa, Venice or Florence.
Some tourists might have a problem, after they see the plaza (which is worth seeing incidentally), and get a buzz off the high trinket and art prices, what they are supposed to "hit" next. In Pisa, they can hit the tower, and in Florence they can hit churches and the art, but here the average tourist might have a problem trying to figure out what to do and what to hit.
Like most residents of Santa Fe, we don't think of tourists as being an annoyance or issue at all. New residents are a different issue. Pretty much everyone who moves here wouldn't mind if they were the last in. It has to do with fears over the lack of water and/or spoiling the natural beauty.
For the Bush lover, who complains about Santa Fe not having a Circuit City, or people not having enough respect for a Bush bumper sticker, after all the president has done to crush the economy and start useless war without end, well, what can you say! I think you are funny in complaining about traffic and icy roads too.
And another poster that lamented the lack of a $4 McDonald's combo, presumably on the Plaza, since there are more than a few McDonald's in other parts of the city, with the same prices as Youngstown , OH, or any other cesspool.
Other than the Bush comments , I enjoyed your posts, Vertigo7, and am giving you some rep points for your discussion on Santa Fe. You made a lot of interesting observations that I agree with.
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I thought I was another Georgia OKeeffe, not because I am any kind of an artist at all .... but because I will be 62 when we move to NM ... the very same age she was when she moved there permanently. I often think about her and what thoughts and experiences she might have had as she lived out the last years of her life in Abiquiu.
