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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 2011)
J«L1É AUGUST 19, 2011 • travel • WWW.JUSTOUT.COM S o u th w e s t S o jo u rn Exploring Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos BY ANDREW COLLINS tìO W H v /TLL noi) S ££ (joue A couple of weeks ago, I received the latest version of the Fodor's New Mexico— I wrote and updated half of the chapters o f this guide book arid edited all of the others. Its one of my favorite freelance gigs, as I began working on these books back when I lived in Santa Fe (and later Albuquerque) for seven years begin ning in 2000. Now that I live in Oregon, writ ing about this land of expansive high deserts and soaring mountain peaks gives me plenty of opportunities to make return visits— and to satisfy my lust for singularly delicious and spicy New Mexico green chiles (never to be spelled “chili” in this part of the world). In fact, North Central New Mexico makes for an enchanting vacation from Oregon— there are direct flights daily on Southwest Air lines from Portland to Albuquerque, and the other big carriers can get you there with a sim ple connection. The Albuquerque-Santa Fe- Taos corridor is highly popular with LGBT travelers and contains a remarkable variety of visit Vision 162.COm for details 360 . 944.1911 LOpiJflí/of Your Mom I> P oppy ■ Ship A Copy ■ N eighborhood S h o p p . MOVED 4784 N. Lombard Suite B Portland, OR. 97203 Corner of Fiske & Lombard AUGUST 1st PHONE :503 - 283 - 7767 FAX : 503 - 283 - 2745 www.copypilot.com Above: Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in historic Santa Fe Below: The picturesque Santuario de Chimayo. a favorite stop on the High Road between Santa Fe and Taos first-rate art museums and galleries, dramatic scenery for outdoor recreation, sophisticated inns and B&Bs and a stellar culinary scene. You can find plenty o f travel advice on the region’s key attractions and activities in typi cal guidebooks and by checking out the web sites o f the three main tourism offices in Al buquerque (itsatrip.org), Santa Fe (santafe. org) and Taos (taoschamber.com). But here’s my quick-and-dirty insider’s take on what you absolutely must see when visiting North Central New Mexico, including a few rela tively hidden gems and local favorites: Georgia O’Keeffe’s former home and studio. I t’s about a 50-mile drive northwest o f Santa Fe to reach the rambling Spanish Colonial compound the legendary artist in habited for more than 40 years until shortly before she passed away in 1986 at age 98. Relatively few visitors take the thorough tours given o f this home (okeeffemuseum. org), as they’re ex- % pensive (S30-S40 per g person, depending on S the time o f year) and necessitate advance reservations o f at least a few weeks. But these tours are fascinating— her home and studio retain the furnishings and design of when she lived here throughout the late 20th century, and you come away with an incredibly rich sense of the strong personality and vision behind O ’Keeffe’s thousands o f creations. Back in Santa Fe, you can view an impressive collection o f her work at the Georgia O ’Keeffe Museum, which ad ministers the studio tours. Nob Hill in Albuquerque. W hether you spend a few days or just a few hours in New Mexico’s largest city, don’t miss its coolest dis trict (rt66central.com), which is also home to more gay-owned and -frequented businesses than anywhere else in the state. Head for the main commercial corridor, Central Avenue (aka “Historic Route 66”), which lies just west o f the University of New Mexico and is lined with retro boutiques, hip cafes, nifty design stores and fun bars and lounges. Restaurants like Zinc, Nob Hill Bar and Grill and El Patio (for delicious though fiery hot New Mexican fare) are well worth seeking out. Rouge Cat and Effex. Despite being home to the 32nd largest city in the country and such popular gay vacation destinations as Santa Fe and Taos, N orth Central New Mexico lacks significantly when it comes to gay nightlife. However, in 2010, the region saw the opening o f two lively LG B T estab lishments. The largest, Effex, is in downtown Albuquerque, just off Route 66, and it’s a great spot for dancing, with a high-quality sound system, talented deejays and— my favorite feature— a large roof deck. I t’s the most notable o f Albuquerque’s few gay bars. Up in Santa Fe, the lesbian-owned Rouge C at is just a block from the historic Plaza in downtown Santa Fe and cultivates a cozy, sophisticated vibe in the main floor lounge. Head downstairs to the basement and you’ll find a small, pulsing dance floor th at’s packed on weekends. The crowd is extremely eclectic, generally fairly mixed gay-straight. Arroyo Seco. A tiny, 180-year-old village situated at a bend in the scenic road that eventually winds its way to Taos Ski Valley, quirky Arroyo Seco (visitseco.com) provides a distinctive, less-crowded alternative to the touristy flavor o f Taos Plaza and its predict able souvenir shops. I t’s a 15-minute drive north to reach this community o f genuinely unique galleries, the retro-cool Arroyo Seco Mercantile (an old-school dry goods store with a curious inventory o f pottery, cookware and gifts), and the best ice cream shop in the state, Taos Cow, which is renowned for such inventive flavors as pinon caramel and cin namon-chocolate chunk (it’s also a worthy source o f sandwiches, soups and breakfast burritos). The scenic drives. Even Interstate 25, the quickest route from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, offers plenty o f magnificent panoramas. But to soak up the best o f the region’s spectacular scenery— from the snow-capped 12,000-foot Sangre de Cristo Mountains to seemingly endless sagebrush-studded mesas— take your time and choose the more beautiful two-lane scenic roads that crisscross North Central New Mexico. The best alternative to Interstate 25 is N.M. 14, known more poetically as the Turquoise Trail (turquoisetrail.org). This 70-mile route winds up around the city’s Sandia Mountains and through the former mining villages of M a drid (here its pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable) and Cerrillos. In Madrid, the LGBT-owned Mine Shaft Tavern serves exceptionally tasty green-chile cheeseburgers. The other “must” when it comes to memo rable drives is the “High Road” between Taos and Santa Fe (highroadnewmexico.com). The drive is prettiest when it’s experienced in a southerly direction, from Taos down to Santa Fe, so when driving north toward Taos, take
