November 14, 2015 ~ Today's adventure would be awesome so we got up a little early so we could head to Santa Fe, New Mexico
for a class I signed us up for! Santa Fe is about an hour drive from Albuquerque so it would be a perfect time to get the sleepers outta our peepers and be ready to have fun!
We arrived early enough that we had time to grab
some breakfast. I did my research and I found this place so we thought we would give it a
try!
I knew we picked a good spot when they brought out fresh homemade biscuits and chocolate chip muffins... Oh my yummy goodness!
Brandon and momma got some sort of an omelet. Brandon couldn't understand our waitress and said "Sure" so he got a "Christmas Omelet" which has 1/2 red chili and 1/2 green chili sauce on it. I kept thinking to myself this isn't going to be good.... (Y'all know he can't hear very good and he can't understand those that don't speak really good English. I did my best to help him understand... bless his little heart! Ha!)
I went with a safer approach... Pancakes!
(They were excellent!)
Tecolote Cafe
1616 St Michael's Drive
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
505-988-1362
I was really excited to take a class at this place! We were going to make our own paperweights! When I was researching fun things to do in Santa Fe, New Mexico this place popped up several times and I figured it would be a really cool experience and a great memory from our trip!
There was 8 of us in this 10:30 AM class. Of course we were from Missouri and the other ladies were from Illinois! I can say that we were all excited to be trying our hand at this craft!
We would get to pick out whatever colors we wanted in our paperweight!
Then you got to pick out the shape you wanted and the style you wanted!
This is our instructor, Cia Thorne!
She explained what the process of today's class would look like and explained what our role would be as we created these masterpieces! First they would get some glass from this oven to get us started!
We would then be choosing colors for our paperweight but first she explained the various colors and how they would be important in the style, color and design of each paperweight.
Now it's our turn to see what we can create!
Momma trying her hand at this artsy fun stuff with a little help from Al Leedom!
Mixing a few colors....
Melting those colors to get ready to blend....
Time to make some colors mix...
Getting ready to watch Cia shape the paperweight while momma holds the mold!
Go Momma Go!
Next momma hit the metal shaft with a tool to knock the paperweight off the metal....
Pretty cool to see this project start to almost finish! Just a little more and it will be ready to go into a big fire-pit to slowly cool down over the next 24 hours!
Next up Brandon's turn....
Awesome job Brandon! You looked like a professional babe!
(I think secretly he had fun)
I would end up making a paperweight for Mommy-Dearest as she wouldn't be able to stand and do this without assistance. So she picked out her colors and I went to work on mine and her's!
Working on Mommy-Dearest's paperweight!
(Such serious business!)
Now my own paperweight!
This was so much fun! Huge thank you to Cia and Al for their help and teaching all of us how to make paperweights! Now we have a really unique and cool piece of artwork that we created to remember our trip to New Mexico! (They would have to mail them to us on Monday as they weren't ready to take home just yet. I can't wait to see the finished projects!)
The store was filled with so many neat pieces and it's hard to imagine creating this in a similar way to what we just did! Certainly a lot of talent goes into each piece! (I might have ordered these dinosaur eggs that look like robin eggs.... too cool to not have them!)
Liquid Light Glass
926 Baca Street #3
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
Now it's time to hit the road and see what we might find next!
See those snow capped mountains in the background....
Seems like a perfect spot to check out!
First time I have seen a sign like this...
but we were excited to see this sign!
Crazy how the landscape is changing and temps were getting cooler!
We've reached snow!
Sounds fun!
Although we couldn't talk Mommy-Dearest into skiing ....
we did stop for a few quick photos!
Funny how we could be somewhere that was high 60's and go up to a spot that had snow and was 40 degrees! It was pretty and reminded me of Colorado!
Now it was time to get out and take a family photo!
Mommy-Dearest thought I was crazy that we would lean against this rock. She just knew it would roll down the big hill and we would have a heck of time getting back up it!
Across the street was a neat scene...
so I grabbed the hubby for a quick photo! Awww!
Just as we were getting ready to load up Brandon and Momma start a little snowball fight!
These two kids were laughing and trying to see who could throw the most snowballs....
Just as soon as Momma reached the back door to take shelter....
Brandon launched a good snowball and hit just inside the back seat blasting both of our mom's! Mommy-Dearest was screaming and hollering... it was hilarious! You wouldn't think that little woman can move but she was ready to get him! Ha!
It was time to visit the oldest church and the oldest house!
This is the San Miguel Church the oldest church in the USA!
Information taken from a flyer: Few people question whether or not the San Miguel Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico is the oldest church in the United States, but many do question just how old is it. It is not easy task to sift historical fact from traditional belief. The earliest documentation we have of the existence of San Miguel Chapel is from 1628, so we know it was built sometime before then. Oral history holds that San Miguel Chapel was built around 1610, and it has been rebuilt and restored several times over the past 400 years. The original church, the "Hermita de San Miguel", was built on the site of an ancient kiva of the Analco Indians. It is believed that it was constructed by the Talaxcalan (Tas-cal'-en) Indians, who came to New Mexico from old Mexico in 1598 with a Spanish contingent led by Don Juan Onate. In its early years, the church served a small group of the Tlaxcalan Indians, laborers and Spanish soldiers who lived in this area on the south side of the Santa Fe River.
Continued from the flyer: The church was partially destroyed in 1640 at the hands of Luis de Rojas, a provincial governor who feuded with church authorities. It was reconstructed but was severely damaged again during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Twelve years after the Pueblo Revolt drove them out, the Spanish returned to Santa Fe, led by the Governor General Don Diego de Vargas, who ordered the repair and restoration of San Miguel Chapel. By the end of 1710, the work was completed and a new roof was in place. In 1798, the mayor of Santa Fe helped fund major repair and the construction of the beautiful altar screen in the front of the church. An elaborate three-tiered bell tower was erected around 1848, followed by the installation of the 780-pound San Jose Bell in the bell tower around 1856.
Continued from the flyer: In 1859 Archbishop Jean Baptist Lamy purchase the Chapel and adjacent land for the De LaSalle Christian Brothers, who developed a school on the adjacent site. Repairs were initiated again in 1862 by the Christian Brothers. A wooden floor was added, as well as the Communion Rain and large door at the entrance. In 1872 a strong storm struck Santa Fe and brought down the bell tower and along with it the San Jose Bell, which is now on display inside the Chapel. By 1887 the Chapel was in serious need of repair, but with no funds available, the Christian Brothers came to a painful decision to demolish the structure. When the local community learned of its plight, many people came to the rescue. At this time, the first of two stone buttresses were built on the front of the building to shore up the adobe walls, and the interior and exterior walls were plastered. A tar and gravel roof replaced the old mud roof and a new smaller bell tower was added. Two years later, two additional buttresses were added on the north wall.
In 1955, a major restoration was carried out under the direction of Ms. E. Boyd, a Santa Fe painter and Spanish Colonial art expert. The original dirt floor and sanctuary steps were uncovered and can be seen today just beyond the Communion Rail. During this investigation, many human remains and pieces of pottery were found buried under the church floor.
San Miguel Chapel
401 Old Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505-983-3974
Next up... The oldest house!
(While we do understand this isn't "the oldest house" in the US it's still an old house!)
This was neat and something to see. While I wouldn't plan a trip just for this it was right next to the San Miguel Chapel and was worth checking out. No fee to enter but they do suggest a small donation.
The Oldest House
215 E De Vargas Street
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
505-988-1944
It was time to get moving as we were burning daylight!
Next we stopped by to see Camel Rock Monument!
(It was a pretty good hike up to it and Mommy-Dearest needed a smoke and to pee so we grabbed a quick picture instead and drove off into the sunset)
Camel Rock Monument
17500 US 84 Frontage Road
Santa Fe, New Mexico
I will say the sunsets were beautiful but very quick!
Next up... dinner time!
So I was back to researching places to eat in Albuquerque, New Mexico since we would be flying out in the morning. So I stumbled across a unique dinning experience and figured let's give it a try! I called the restaurant and made reservations in turn they gave me an e-mail with specific instructions and a pass code to use at the door. Mommy-Dearest and Momma were already thinking about this place and were we going to a strip club with instructions like this.... "
We are located at 6855 4th St. NW, 1/4 mile north of Osuna on the westside of the street. You will see a sign for PRIME indicating the entrance for the Village Shops of Los Ranchos. You will see a large black door under a RED light. Please knock on the door. The Doorman will open the grate and ask for your password."
Once you give them the correct pass code (leave it to me to screw it up) you enter the building. You are in a small room and this bruiser will give you the run down. Awesome experience and behind these bookcases you would enter the restaurant!
From the wait staff to the General Manager giving us a complete tour after dinner this place was awesome! The food was excellent and what a fun place! I have never heard of a speak easy and was impressed! This whole place was Al Capone inspired and seriously a really cool place! Highly recommend this place if you want something different, unique and dang good food!
Vernon's Speakeasy
6855 4th Street
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87107
505-341-0831
http://www.thehiddensteakhouse.com/black-diamond-lounge
Since we fly out in the morning we headed back to the hotel with our bellies stuffed and ready for a good night's sleep!
You've got mail....
Update... I received our paperweights in the mail! They turned out awesome and now we have something fun to remember our trip!
