On the Homefront: Two of Our Favorite Places to Visit in Santa Fe

If you ever get to visit downtown Santa Fe, the two places that my husband and I recommend are the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and the nearby restaurant Fiesta Oaxaca.  We have been fans of the museum since it first opened in 1997.  We got to visit the first week it opened, and it was then that I discovered my favorite artwork by O'Keeffe, her painting entitled "Rust Red Hills" (1930).  Exhibits change on a regular basis, and the artist's works from other museums as well as objects from her Abiquiu house are often displayed in addition to the museum's own collection.  We went to see the recent exhibit "Georgia O'Keeffe: Making a Life" and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I just adore the colorful interior! (from the restaurant website)

The restaurant patio open to the outdoors on a lovely warm day.

Just a short walk away from the museum is one of our favorite restaurants, Fiesta Oaxaca, which features moles, one of my husband's favorite foods.  He loves to order their Mole de Oaxaca, a chicken dish smothered in a dark mole sauce which is rich and deeply flavorful.  My favorites include their Enchiladas de Mole de Oaxaca and Chilpachole de Mariscos, a tasty seafood soup that is so satisfying on a cold day.  Be sure to order their mole tasting appetizer, which includes the five different moles they serve.  (I look forward to trying their mole de verde the next time we dine there!)  The restaurant has a wonderfully colorful interior as well as a patio that is completely enclosed and heated during the cold months but open to the outdoors when it warms up.

Across the street from both the restaurant and the museum is the Santa Fe County John Gaw Meem Historic Building,  designed by Santa Fe's most acclaimed architect and recently restored to its original glory.  It is worthwhile stopping by to visit the beautiful courtyard (shown above) and to admire the wonderful southwestern architecture.

"Homage to the Burro" by Charles Southard (1988)

From the restaurant it is an easy walk to the downtown plaza via historic Burro Alley, which is my favorite street of course (I described it previously here).  As you head to the plaza, be sure to stop by my husband's favorite place, Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery, which has an amazing collection of beautiful southwest Native American pottery, including the works of Maria Martinez.

Right now is a lovely time to visit Santa Fe, as we had a relatively wet spring and wildflowers are blooming everywhere.  The landscape is very green and the mild temperatures are so comfortable for exploring the city.  Oh, and one more activity you may enjoy while on the plaza is a visit to the rooftop bar at the famous La Fonda on the Plaza for a drink, appetizers, and a spectacular overview of the city and surrounding mountains.  The rooftop bar is only open during the warmer months, so if this appeals to you plan your trip accordingly!

This 'n That Thursdays: Spend a Special Night in Lucy the Elephant!

From Weird N.J.

If you plan to be in the New Jersey area on March 17th, 18th, or 19th and would like to find a unique place to spend the night, you may just get lucky and be one of the select few to book a stay in Lucy the Elephant.  Lucy the Elephant is a national historic landmark in Margate, New Jersey, the oldest roadside attraction in the United States and the largest elephant in the world (read about her fascinating history here and here)!  She has not been open to overnight guests in over 100 years and these bookings are a limited time opportunity, so if you are interested read on!

From NJ.com

The Save Lucy Committee, a nonprofit dedicated to Lucy's upkeep, has partnered with AirBnB to provide one-night stays to three couples who are the first to book their reservations, which will become available at noon on March 5th (today!).  For only $138 (the number was chosen because it is Lucy's age this year), each couple will get to spend the night inside Lucy, specially furnished by AirBnb just for these rentals, with access to the entire structure, including her riding carriage rooftop.  They will also receive a guided tour with the mayor of Margate, dinner at a local restaurant, all-night access to Lucy's gift shop, and breakfast in their room before checking out the next morning.

From AirBnb

From NJ.com

The goal of these special one-night stays is to kick off a major fund-raising event for Lucy's upkeep, as she is scheduled for a major renovation later in the spring.  Should you not end up not being one of the lucky few to schedule a stay, Lucy the Elephant is also open for tours.  If you are anywhere in the area, be sure to visit this one-of-a-kind public attraction, and/or consider making a donation to help preserve this historic attraction for future generations to enjoy!

From NJ.com

             

This 'n That Thursdays: The Big Idaho Potato Hotel - a Unique Airbnb Experience!

From USA Today

Should you happen to find yourself in the vicinity of Boise, Idaho, and want to experience a unique Airbnb stay, why not book a night at the Big Idaho Potato Hotel?

From Laughing Squid

Originally commissioned by the Idaho Potato Commission to promote their 75th anniversary Famous Idaho Potato Tour, the giant 6-ton potato was recently replaced with a newer version.  After some consideration as to what to do with the original, the Idaho Potato Commission decided to let Kristie Wolfe, a tiny house builder and two-year spokesperson for the Big Idaho Potato Tour, recycle it as an Airbnb rental on her 400-acre farm about 25 miles east of Boise, Idaho.  Watch the story of the potato's transformation in the YouTube video below:

The big potato houses the bedroom and sitting area, decorated with soothingly sophisticated millennial-style décor:

From USA Today

From Idaho Potato Commission

A small but comfortably efficient bathroom (with fireplace!) was installed in a recycled silo a short distance from the big potato:

From George Takei

From George Takei

There are even potato plants surrounding the structure, and a Jersey cow on the property for company!

From Instagram

So what do you think?  Does a stay in a giant potato sound "a-peeling" to you?  If so, the cost is $200 per night for two people (no "small fries" allowed), plus an extra $47 in taxes and fees, which is not exactly "small potatoes".  However, for the right person, it might be worth cashing in some "chips" for a s-"mash"-ing good time!

(I'm so sorry - that was a "latke" potato puns!)

From Cell Code

               

This 'n That Thursdays: Buy A Home In Sambuca di Sicilia for About a Dollar

Have you ever dreamed of owning an Italian villa in the picturesque countryside?  Well, your dream may not be as inaccessible as it sounds, provided you can meet the terms of sale on some properties in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy!  The population in this Italian village has been dwindling over the years, to the point that the local government is willing to sell potential buyers a home for one euro (just over a dollar) just to keep the town alive.

From The Irish Times

Not surprisingly, hover, there are certain conditions which must be met.  The two-story Moorish stone homes, which range in size from 430 to 1,610 square feet, are in dire need of renovation, so you must be willing to spend a minimum of about $17,100 to make your house livable again within three years after purchase.  A $5,700 deposit is also required, to be fully refunded when the renovations are complete, presumably to the satisfaction of the local government, which owns all of the houses.  Deals that seem too good to be true usually are, so I would make sure to get in writing exactly what these satisfactory renovations entail, and would also check in to any taxes, fees, penalties, etc., that may apply (for example, what happens if, for reasons beyond your control, the house renovations are not completed within the three-year limit?).  It would not be a waste of money to hire a lawyer to look into the details should you want to seriously consider this offer.

That said, if you are willing to take a gamble and have the time, money, and willingness to deal with a major building renovation, then this may just be the project for you!  Sambuca really does seem to be a lovely town, located on the island of Sicily and perched on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.  Just remember that such an undertaking will not be easy.  Remember the travails of Frances Mayes in Under the Tuscan Sun, but also remember that, for her, in the end the frustrations where worth suffering, and such may be the case for you as well!

Personally, I would live anywhere that donkeys are welcome!
(from CNN)

               

This 'n That Thursdays: A Beautiful Santa Fe Contemporary Adobe Home for Sale

From Santa Fe Properties

My husband and I try to make at least one trip a year to New Mexico to look at homes for sale, as we hope to retire there in the near future.  We are looking for properties with acreage that allow horses, which really limits our prospects, but sometimes I can't help checking out some of the wonderful properties available that do not permit horses.  One such property, south of downtown Santa Fe, is shown above.  This contemporary one-story adobe is decorated in a style I wish I could emulate (unfortunately, the two of us accumulate way too much stuff to successfully pull off such a minimalist esthetic).  Even though I know that our style will never be so clean and spare, I can still admire the look!

My (possibly overoptimistic) goal for the rather distant future is to pare down our possessions enough so that we can achieve a similar look, although probably with a slightly more rustic feel and definitely not quite so austere.  Like I said, we tend to be collectors (I am more of a binge and purge type, while my husband has true hoarding tendencies) so I have resigned myself to the fact that we will never be able to minimize our belongings to the extent to which I aspire!
             

This 'n That Thursdays: Vacation in a Restored Frank Lloyd Wright House

The Eppstein House (from realtor.com)

The very first house I ever admired was Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, which I visited with my Girl Scout troop when I was a young girl.  I loved the way the home seemed to be part of its habitat rather than dominating it, and I was especially enamored of the opening in the living room floor where you could watch the river flow under the building.  I think I became a fan of modern architecture at that moment, and to this day I still love the style.

I know that I will never live in a Frank Lloyd Wright house, but thanks to Airbnb I could seize the opportunity to rent one for a vacation.  The Eppstein house in Galesburg, Michigan, has been thoroughly renovated, and the owners are renting it out right now.  Check out their Project Eppstein blog to follow the process as they purchase the neglected property and painstakingly restore it to its former glory.  All modern amenities have been added, but the look and feel of the house is rooted in the 1950s when the house was built.  Wherever possible original Frank Lloyd Wright pieces or items from the same time period have been included.

The three bedroom, two bathroom house can accommodate up to six guests.  For $340 a night you can rent this architecturally unique home and have it all to yourself.  Just head to the Airbnb listing and choose your dates.  Future plans include opening the house to the public once a year, but if you have your heart set on an overnight or longer stay in a Frank Lloyd Wright home then this is your chance!
             

This 'n That Thursdays: Haunted Lighthouse Tours

From Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque

If you are fascinated by lighthouses like I am, then you may also be interested in touring these structures.  Some of the lighthouses open for tours even have a reputation for being haunted, according to the Parade Magazine article "5 Haunted Lighthouses to Climb if You Dare".  Let's take a  closer look:

From Travel Channel

1) Point Sur Lightstation, Big Sur, California - this remote and isolated building is located in an area where numerous shipwrecks occurred, despite the strong beacon of light warning ships away.  Do the spirits of the lost seamen haunt this place?  You can check it out for yourself on one of the regularly scheduled tours, or if you are lucky you may be able to reserve a spot on next year's Halloween Tour (this year's tours are sold out).

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From Florida's Historic Coast

2) St. Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida - a number of ghostly hauntings have been reported at the St. Augustine Lighthouse, including those by two former lighthouse keepers and also two young sisters who perished at the site.  Tours can be booked for this structure, including private tours, Sunset/Moonrise Tours, and a special Dark of the Moon Tour, advertised as "St. Augustine's only all ghosts, no gimmicks paranormal tour"!

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From scoopcharlotte

3) St. Simons Lighthouse, St. Simons Island, Georgia - the haunting of the St. Simons Lighthouse is one of the most well-known ghost stories of the South.  In 1880, lighthouse keeper Frederick Osborne got into an altercation with his assistant John Stephens over an "inappropriate" conversation with the latter's wife.  The assistant shot and killed Osborne, but was acquitted of all charges.  Since then it is alleged that Osborne continues his nightly rounds in the lighthouse from beyond the grave.  The lighthouse and keeper's dwelling are open to the public every day of the week, and special group tours can be requested for a minimum of ten people per tour.

From Imagekind

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From MLive

4) White River Light Station, Whitehall, Michigan - Captain William Robinson was instrumental in getting the White River Light Station built, and served as its first keeper.  He stayed at this post for 47 years, and died the day before he was to have moved out.  Some say that he has never left, and that his footsteps and tapping cane can be heard at night.  His wife may also still assist him from the realm of the supernatural, as there have been occasions when a certain room in the lighthouse has been tidied up though no living being was present!  The lighthouse is open to visitors from the end of May until the beginning of November, with diminished hours starting in October.

Keeper William Robinson (from Angels & Ghosts)

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From Shore News Today

5) Cape May Lighthouse, Cape May, New Jersey - The town of Cape May, New Jersey, is said to be chock full of ghosts, and their lighthouse is no exception.  Two spirits that are supposed to haunt the premises are a woman in white who resides on the first landing of the spiral staircase, holding a lantern in one hand and a child in the other, and a man who committed suicide by jumping from the lighthouse in 1995.  The Mid-Atlantic Centers for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) sponsors the Ghosts of the Lighthouse Trolley Tour, which visits several ghostly locations and features the Cape May Lighthouse as its final stop.

The Cape May tour trolley (from TripAdvisor)

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From Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse

I was surprised that this list of haunted lighthouse tours did not include any New England lighthouses.  A brief search turned up information on ghost tours of the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New Castle, New Hampshire (which are already over for the year).  This facility is said to be haunted by the spirit of former lighthouse keeper Joshua K. Card.  There will also be a ghost hunt at the lighthouse on Saturday, October 7th, and it looks like tickets are still available!

Keeper Joshua K. Card (from New England Lighthouse Stories)

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And finally, for those lighthouse aficionados not yet suffering from information overload, you can watch the YouTube video below entitled "Haunted Lighthouses of America" to learn about even more haunted lighthouses (enjoy!):