1 step to a frugal vacation:
Step 1: mooch off your richer sister.
(thanks!)
That's all the steps.
She's working from home and decided to do that from Santa Fe. Rented a condo. Offered me a free ticket and a couch and bingo-bango-bongo...free vacation.
Almost free. Pretty frugal.
An Aunt (Hi Chris) sponsored a dinner. YUM. We chose La Plazuela at La Fonda. Super good and nicely spaced out.
Which reminds me: I'm fully vaccined. Thanks to the Tribe I work for who are super cool and generous. Hence, traveled. I know Fauci was saying it's not a license to travel, but it totes is. Because I was going bonkers and offered a free vacation. Some people....yes, you middle aged white conservative males!...were not masking on the airplanes, which were mostly packed. At least I was vaccined. Hope they didn't spread the 'rona to too many people. And, yes, I know the real word is "vaccinated" but I do not care.
ANYHOO, great vacation. Ate most of the food in Santa Fe so don't bother going there now.
I loved that the museums that were open, mostly took timed appointments for entry. It made for an old school, quiet, calm visit rather than the usual being run over by strollers full of toddlers piloted by privileged asshole parents who ram walls and damage art and talk loud. ONE place, the Wheelwright, had people in there being loud IDIOTS, though there were limited timed entry tickets. Oh well.
The farmers market and art market were done well especially when I went early to the farmers market. People in Santa Fe are not, as a group, early risers. The market doesn't start until 8am. My day is half over by then. By 10am it is getting crowded and the sellers are getting sick of people. At 8, still not crowded and sellers still cheerful.
The art market folks...super appreciate them...are struggling with sales but hanging in there. We bought a few significant pieces and I indulged in some amazing lotions/potions from Angela (Angelina?). I shipped them to myself so can put the real contact when I get them. She is amazing and gives great free, individually packed, samples. I JUST ran out of her orange hand lotion before I went back down so now, have presents for 2 people and more lotion for me.
The farmers market...beware the eggs. Some are 8$ a dozen, some are 3$ a dozen. Tried both. Get the 3$. All are fine. The 3$ had much less poo on them. I'm not against poo, but the expensive ones took me forever to wash up.
We toured Tsankawi twice, Bandelier once, the Pecos and Rio Grande river areas with artists (Hi guys!) and it was lovely. Saw relatives (also vaccined) and again, ate and ate and ate.
Castro's is my new favorite. Best sopapillas on the planet. Taosenos, at Taos, also amazing. And then there is Santarepa...just eat there. Eat whatever the owner says you should eat. Tea House, fab. Kakawa chocolate house, just eat there and drink the chocolate. LOTS of non-dairy options! Woot woot! Amazing. Not fast, amazing. Also, the little concession at Bandelier National Monument serves Kakawa hot chocolate so you can have some there too.
At the farmers market we got goat meat and buffalo meat. Both excellent. Made some epically good meatloaf.
Pam (hi Pam!) was teaching me keto-ish stuff so I made a blueberry clafoutis (I know, not REALLY a clafoutis if it's not cherry but I was in France and they make non-cherry clafoutis too so shut up). I substituted EVERY ingredient except the eggs and blueberries from a Jacques Pepin recipe and it was still delicious. I will be eating that a lot.
I'm not going keto, but am interested in getting away from so much carb-y, especially processed white carb-y, food.
Maybe I will post pictures later but right now, I might need a nap.
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