life on location…

12.15.11
22 comments

-NEW MEXICO-

LIFE ON LOCATION-as a photographer i am often on the road
i thought i’d be fun to start sharing some of my personal experiences….i’ll let you know about
the hotels i visit, sweet spots to eat & any other little details that might help you on your travels

it may come as a surprise to some, but NEW MEXICO is a second home to me…i grew up between CALIFORNIA & NEW MEXICO, my father still lives there & over the years i have been lucky enough to find some wonderful little gems, places to see & things to eat…so here is my insiders guide…

1st up…you must eat at THE SHED in SANTA FE….

now, usually i am a green chili kinda girl but on my last visit i ordered the chicken enchiladas with red chili…(they are known for their red chili) & let me just say it was pure deliciousness & spice…check out the MENU…(i also highly recommend the posole & green chili stew)…truth be told, you can’t go wrong…between the good food, mellow atmosphere & fabulous location, it is the perfect pitstop with a mix of travelers & locals alike…after lunch i recommend taking a stroll through SANTA FE…

2nd…look up…the light in NEW MEXICO is incandessent….
so beautiful & abundant & ever changing…a dream for a photographer…

3rd the sweetest ALPACA FARM called VICTORY RANCH….ever nestled in the hills outside of SANTA FE….ALPACAS are the sweetest softest creatures….after feeding & petting them for a while you can go to their gift shop & get yourself an ALPACA hat or sweater or some other cozy souvenier

4th the amazing EL SANTUARIO DE CHIMAYO

….this lovely church is one of my favorite places ever….

one of the most magical places i’ve been to…in the back of the chapel is
a little room with a small hole filled with dirt in the middle…this is sacred dirt
& people come from all over to take a little bit of it & say a prayer….there are many
crutches & noted that line the wall from all of the miracles that have taken place…

CHIMAYO is definitely worth a visist

the NEW MEXICO dessert mountain landscape is stunning….
fyi…much of TRUE GRIT was filmed in MORRA, filled beautiful
lush landscape just about 2 hours outside of SANTA FE….

& 5th…take a little walk through the ZOO in ALBUQUERQUE
(aka life on location meets life as a mother)

truth be told i am really not a big fan of zoo’s…in general they make
me sad & i have visions of setting the animals free…but as a mother of three
i find my children learn so much from a trip to the zoo…the ALBUQUERQUE
ZOO touches my heart because i remember going there as a little girl…there
are lovely grass areas you can sit in the afternoon sun & my children love
to feed the ducks…it is a literal feeding frenzy…

although new mexico is mostly dessert, there is
so much beautiful natural beauty everywhere…

simply put NEW MEXICO is a gem…well worth a road trip

please take a minute & let me know some of your favorite new mexico sweet spots
_______________________________

xoxo….elizabeth

a little more sweetness...

shoelove
Christian Louboutin Wedding Shoes
happiness
soul mate….
adream
dare to dream….
22 comments
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  1. melanie mauer:
    Dec 12-2011 , 05:17PM
    oooh, i love this new feature...and i love new mexico (particularly santa fe & white sands). warmly, -melanie-
  2. angel swanson: loveandsplendor.com
    Dec 15-2011 , 06:39PM
    LOVE this new feature, elizabeth <3 i did a wedding in NM this year so i was able to visit numerous times this year. i adore the pink adobe in santa fe as well as farina pizzeria in albuquerque. xox
  3. Alex:
    Dec 15-2011 , 07:09PM
    New Mexico is such an enchanted place. The skies are breathtaking! One of my favorites
  4. Sarah{thegreendandelion}: thegreendandelion.blogspot.com
    Dec 15-2011 , 07:14PM
    i grew up in albuquerque...so needless to say, i LOVED this post. i sure do miss the red and green chile...and the turquoise. did you do any shopping? :)
    beautiful post.
  5. elizabeth: kissthegroom.com
    Dec 15-2011 , 07:18PM
    i want to add....that the tortillas in new mexico are sublime...new mexican food is different than mexican food....i grew up on tortillas & butter+divine...thanks for the sweet words everyone....xoxo
  6. tru: trudypettit.com
    Dec 15-2011 , 07:39PM
    I had to move back East years ago, in my early 20s and I drove through NM. It was at sunrise and I remember the vivid reds and the fading mountains in the horizon. Definitely on my to-do list for a road trip. Your images are so lovely! My favorite is the one of the church~~thank you for sharing.
  7. Tanya Malott: tanyamalott.com
    Dec 15-2011 , 07:40PM
    I love the galleries, and just walking the old streets of town. For me, no visit is complete without going to Photoeye bookstore. And I dream of going to Ghost Ranch one day. My uncle has a house on Acequia Madre, so I really have no excuse not to go more often. That, and the Santa Fe Workshops are always inspiring to me. I have an enormous painting from Santa Fe in my office, so the place is with me every day....and the painting is of Italy....two of my favorite places in one! Another MUST SEE spot: Bandolier National Monument for the cliff dwellings!
  8. Sarah Kehl:
    Dec 15-2011 , 07:50PM
    I just moved away from New Mexico this summer, and boy do I miss it! Sophia's Place in Albuquerque is my and my husband's favorite restaurant for breakfast. Also, at least once in your life you have to experience the Balloon Fiesta in October.
  9. elizabeth: kissthegroom.com
    Dec 15-2011 , 07:55PM
    ohhhh sophia's place....i want to have breakfast there next trip...& yes the galleries & feeling of old town are fabulous...xoxo
  10. Dana: danaeason.blogspot.com
    Dec 15-2011 , 08:44PM
    i LOVE these images Elizabeth!!! never been to NM... but it's definitely on my list of places to visit! xo
  11. Misty Bradley: REVELphoto.com
    Dec 15-2011 , 08:45PM
    Elizabeth, your beautiful, soulful photography is such a reflection of you. Loved this little peek into your "stomping grounds".
  12. Rachel: theorangebeachdaily.com
    Dec 16-2011 , 05:01AM
    Oh, Elizabeth! Your photography is always a dream! So lovely and I can always pick it out whenever I run across it on the web and say, "Elizabeth did that!" - One of my favorite places in New Mexico is the Earthship Community right outside of Taos. The Earthship houses look so unearthly and the landscape adds to the feeling of being on another planet. We rented one and stayed in it the last time we were there and we got to tour a huge one called "The Angel's Nest."
  13. Reverie Magazine: reveriemag.com
    Dec 16-2011 , 10:03AM
    The photos of the llamas & zebras are so lovely! Such beautiful work, Elizabeth. xoxo
  14. Susan Baker: susanbakerphotography.com
    Dec 16-2011 , 10:55AM
    Cafe Pasquale and Oje Caliente Mineral Springs and of course Ten Thousand Waves!!
    Wish I could be there now!
    Love your work always..
    Susan
  15. Tammy Jolley: jolleyphotography.com
    Dec 16-2011 , 11:58AM
    Taos at Christmas is magical!
  16. Plum Pretty Sugar Loungerie: plumprettysugar.blogspot.com
    Dec 16-2011 , 04:41PM
    Soooooo dreamy and pretty!!!!

    xo

    www.PlumPrettySugar.blogspot.com
  17. nadia: laporterouge.blogspot.com
    Dec 16-2011 , 07:05PM
    I love Santa Fe i spend a month there every spring. El Santuario de Chimayo is a place i visit every time. I also Like the Tea House on Canyon road. I also Love Going t o the open air Opera, beautiful venue.
  18. ramon garher: ramongarher.com
    Dec 17-2011 , 12:38PM
    it, s beautiful and elegant... love color in your pics.
  19. amanda waltman: artofsubtlety.com
    Dec 18-2011 , 01:55AM
    I made a trip to NM last year and it was one of the best trips I have ever taken! It was just me and my camera and a rental car. I drove through so much and even ended up in texas at one point (oops)! ;) I LOVED White Sands. It made me feel something I had never felt before. I also LOVED the people and everywhere I went I met wonderful ones who invited me into their homes and showed me their favorite places. I can't wait to go back someday and explore again!
  20. Melissa: perfectlylovelyphotography.com
    Dec 19-2011 , 02:55PM
    And just like that... I am a little homesick. Beautiful images! As always.
  21. kate holt: flowerwild.com
    Dec 20-2011 , 05:58PM
    this doesn't surprise me about you ...i fell in love with the open skies and light of new mexico, on a train, as a young girl. All the way from chicago on the train. I was like nothing else i had seen, far away plateaus with dark rain clouds hovering, sheets of water pouring down from them, lighting breaking thru, and then blue skies all around, in a sort of luminescent light. So odd. I was used to just flat.
    anyway - my parents live in santa fe now. they are following their bliss and I am glad that i now have many good reasons to visit.

    maybe we have a reason to meet and make beautiful things there? xoxoxo
  22. barbara dieppa: aarondieppa.com
    Jan 07-2012 , 06:43PM
    You have me reminiscing about sopapillas, green chile, and my family! Thank you for those images of Chimayo...I love it there ..many special memories there. I hope you have been to Taos, because there are so many beautiful things to see there. LOVE LOVE LOVE