ART IS AS SPICY HOT OR SOOTHINGLY SWEET IN SANTA FE AS NEW MEXICO’S CHILE PEPPERS

/0 Comments/in , /by

Native American statue on Museum Hill, Santa Fe, NM

Native American statue on Museum Hill, Santa Fe, NM. photo by Karen Kuzsel


The rich, the famous and the infamous pinned Santa Fe, NM to the pages of history, but it’s the arts that have solidified its reputation for the future. Whether we’re talking about paintings, sculptures, Native American handcrafted jewelry, bohemian clothing, books, movies or its distinctive cuisine, Santa Fe’s art rises from the desert floor like scented steam from one of its many spiritually sacred spas. You can see it. You can breathe it. But what matters is how it makes you feel.
The Southwestern city of 70,000 is a smorgasbord for the senses wrapped in an eclectic blanket of Spanish, Cowboy and Native American influences. It made me feel alive, refreshed, awakened, attuned, energized and wired during my recent visit. (And that’s without the light-headedness that comes from being at 7,000-ft elevation. Drink water until you feel squishy to avoid headaches or nausea.) I felt it immediately upon reaching the city limits, an hour’s drive from the easy-to-maneuver Albuquerque International Airport (20 from the Santa Fe Airport) and saw how the zoning-mandated and culturally-authentic brown adobe buildings that blend seamlessly into the inescapable desert terrain also serve as a blank canvas to the vibrant displays of art bursting like wildflowers in the Spring.  
In this flourishing city now ranked as the third largest art market in the world, there are 250 art galleries (more than a 100 of which cram the one mile stretch known as Canyon Road), 250 restaurants, 1,400 (mostly boutique) hotel rooms, and statues elegantly defining its cultural roots. My beaded braids, gypsy attire and personal spirited philosophy of life fit into the landscape as if I were a resident.
The core of the oldest U.S. Capital city, established in 1610, is a squared plaza and the oldest marketplace in the country. Across the street, Read more

OZARK MOUNTAINS STEEPED IN DIVERSE TASTES AND CULTURAL TEXTURES

/2 Comments/in , /by

Goat cheese salad with Yukon gold potatoes from James at the Mill, AR

Goat cheese salad with Yukon gold potatoes from James at the Mill, AR. photo by Karen Kuzsel


The last things I expected from a weeklong trip to the Arkansas Ozarks were haute cuisine or elegant, preserved Victorian architecture in a city seemingly populated by a contrasting mix of retro hippies, spiritual wellness gurus and European fashionistas. Nor did I expect to be awed by the largest museum in the country dedicated to American art.
So, you’re probably wondering what I did expect. My husband and I were in AR for a family vacation. Usually when visiting those family members we stay in the Little Rock area. From those repeated trips, I can testify that none of the restaurant meals we’ve eaten would even be considered mediocre by Orlando standards. This time we were meeting family in the mountains, to lodge for four days in a cabin not far from the Buffalo River. To translate that into terms most of you will relate to, we were miles from the nearest cell phone service and a good half-hour drive to a grocery store.
The cabin was loaded with amenities like cookware (no dishwasher), flat screen  (DVD’s,no TV), comfy bedding, plush towels and the requisite dead animal skins and carcasses lining the two-story dark wood walls. The weather was chillier and grayer than hoped for, but not as bad as predicted. (Do weathermen ever get it right?) We soaked in the hot tub, charred s’mores over the outside fire pit, hiked to waterfalls over rocky terrains and steep slick steps, read, played games, and spent quality time with one another.
All that was terrific, but what I want to share is the Arkansas I didn’t know was there.
My husband is a primo travel guide and arrangements-maker. He studiously researches roadways, attractions, weather patterns Read more

Napa City: a gem in the heart of Napa Valley

/0 Comments/in , , /by

PART 2: where to stay
In the first of this three-part series on Napa City, in the heart of the famed Napa Valley, I told you what to see and do in this city of 75,000. In Part 2, the focus is on lodging, from intimate B&B’s to grand resorts.

The history of Napa Valley and Napa River plays out in a meandering river of Italian mosaic tile leading to this fountain and the Napa River Inn. photo by Karen Kuzsel


 An intricately-woven mosaic-tiled river meanders lazily across the outside courtyard of the Napa River Inn, telling the history of Napa as it routes to a steep climb up and across a bubbling fountain, designed and constructed by Napa artist Alan Shepp. The Italian glass-tiled mosaic led from the Napa General Store (originally a mill)– where my party had just eaten a hearty breakfast in the middle of the store, and across the courtyard, where we were headed outside to gaze at the Napa River. My first thought was what a charming place to hold a reception. In fact, the Napa River Inn frequently uses the exquisite courtyard for receptions up to 250 people. My personal preference when travelling is to stay at B&B’s, particularly those with quaint, historic charm, individually-decorated rooms, lavish custom breakfasts with hot-from-the-oven muffins and piping hot coffee, and other amenities that make me feel as if I’m partaking in an experience I couldn’t find elsewhere. While larger than a typical B&B, the pet-friendly 66-room Michelin-starred independently-owned boutique hotel (the only one in Napa) qualifies for stardom on so many other levels. The re-imagined 1884 Hatt Building now houses three separate buildings, individually decorated and themed. I lost my heart in the Victorian-era decorated building with its beaded lamps, laced curtains, and dark wood furniture. Although small corporate groups and wedding parties succumb to the beauty of the Hatt Hall as an event space, with its 14’ high ceiling of original pressed tin Read more