The Chocolate Maven

A secret that I have discovered about Santa Fe is that the best restaurants are almost hidden and they never advertise. The Chocolate Maven is in an industrial area where I went to get my car fixed. You can't even see it from the street, but it has incredible food, great service, and baked goods, even including a British tea serving with scones and finger sandwiches. In the restaurant area you can see the 24 hour bakery at work. I tried to get them to let me live there but was unsuccessful.

The Chocolate Maven in Santa Fe

The "Alice in Wonderland" great adventure started with breakfast at the Chocolate Maven and this nice couple from Wisconsin sitting next to me. They were visiting Santa Fe and started talking about "the white place." It wasn't long before half of the restaurant was involved in the discussion. Doesn't the "white place" sound like something that the Jefferson Airplane would sing about?
It turned out to be an off-the-map place that the famous artist Georgia O'Keeffe discovered. It became the subject of many of her paintings.
With directions from the kind couple I set out on an adventure that led to the white place, a Ghost ranch, dinosaurs, Muslim Mosques, a very modernized Benedictine Monastary, and Georgia O'Keefe's home, as well as a host of fascinating people along the way.

Georgia O'Keeffe

Georgia O'Keefe was one of the greatest American artists and, like so many artists, she was drawn to this area to live and work. Rt 84 north from Santa Fe takes you to O'Keeffe country and the inspiration for so much of her work.

Entering Albiquiu

The sign for the village directs you to a left hand turn off of Rt 84, but as soon as you make the turn, the highway turns into a dirt road. It is impossible to distinguish between the dirt road and the dirt yards. I explored the entire area but it was nervewracking worrying about accidently driving into someone's yard. Also, I was told that the locals will drive you away if you stop and get out of your car or try to take pictures.

Abiquiu; Georgia O'Keeffe's Home

After a lot of asking around, I finally found out that Georgia O'Keefe's home is the first home on the left as you drive into the village. Here you can see it at the top of the hill from the highway leading to the village. The view must be spectacular, but there is a 4 month waiting list to actually tour the house

Sentinels on Rt 155

House on the Chama

From Rt 155 (which is a dirt road), you need to take a left turn onto an even smaller dirt road to get to the White Place and also the Muslim Mosque. This beautiful home on the Chalma River is at the turn-off point. The actors Marsha Mason and also Shirley McLaine are supposed to have ranches on Rt 155. Could this be one of them???

View From The Mosque

The Mosque sits at the top of the mountain of its 1,000 acre property, overlooking the mountains that have remnants of snow.

The Dar al-Islam Mosque

Dar al-Islam Mosque

Even though northern New Mexico is predominantly Catholic, I'm learning that people of diverse religions and spiritual paths are accepted here. Even so, it's wild to think of finding a Muslim mosque in the middle of Georgia O'Keeffe country.
The name Dar al-Islam means "place of surrender" which aptly desribes the beautiful 1000 acre site of the mosque. The place was bought in 1979 by Nurideen Durkee (of the famous spice family) for
$1, 372,000. It was established as a foundation to further the understanding of Islamic life and education.

Entry to Plaza Blanca; the White Space

At a fork in the road the road to the right goes to Plaza Blanca, Georgia O'Keeffe's White Place. The road to the left goes to the Muslim Mosque, Dar al-Islam.

Georgia O'Keefe's "The White Space"

Georgia O'Keeffe's painting titled "The White Space in Shadow" 1942.

The White Place

Hiking through Georgia O'Keefe's White Place is magical. You can see why it was so special to her.

Abiquiu Lake

Abiquiu Lake is man made. It extend for miles and is a rarety in this area; a place to go boating and fishing in an otherwise very dry land.

Ghost Ranch and Its Layers of History

Today Ghost Ranch looks like an enormous conference center located in a beautiful valley, but it started out as a ranch won in a poker game. One of its most famous regular visitors was the famous artist Georgia O'keeffe, who rented the same cabin each year. She roamed the surrounding countryside, and many of her paintings were of this area.
Another interesting note is that in 1947 the bones of one of the earliest dinosaurs ever found in North America, were discovered on this ranch. "Hundreds of complete Coelophysis skeletons were found here in a once-marshy grave." (From the book "From Santa Fe to O'Keefe Country.")

Ghost Ranch

Near the entrance of Ghost Ranch is an old abandoned log cabin which was used in the movie "City Slickers." In the background you can see the Abiquiu Lake and Pedernal Peak, (the mountain that looks like the top has been sheared off). The lake extends for miles and was made by daming up the river. Padernal peak can be found in many of Georgia O'Keefe's paintings.

Georgia O'Keefe's "Padernal and Red Hills" 1936

In the background you can see the flattened top of the Padernal mountain which Georgia O'Keefe painted in blue.

The Chama River Route

Not far from Ghost Ranch is the microscopic sign to Rt 151. There is nothing else to tell you that this is the route to the enigmatic Monastary of Christ in the Desert. You will not believe what they do in order to be self sustaining!
The route follows along the Chama River as it winds around the mountains. The river was one of Georgia Okeefe's favorite subjects for her paintings.

My New Favorite Route - #151 in NM

All of the area that you pass through on Rt 151 is government protected wilderness and it is spectacular. With all my gaping, I'm thankful that I didn't meet anyone coming from the opposite direction on the one lane road.

First Glimpse of the Monastary

After miles of bumpy road, driving for over an hour, it was a relief to drive around a curve and finally see the monastary.

A Modern Twist on a Monastary

When you think of monastaries, probably the first thing that comes to mind is monks toiling away by candlelight on ancient manuscripts, beautifully illuminating pages of scriptures. Christ in the Desert is very much a modern version of this idea.
First, they are concerned with ecology and the preservation of natural resources. They did operate with no power until recently when donated photoelectric cells were installed and they are now running on solar power. In everything they do and through the architecture itself and the use of renewable energy, they are commited to protecting the environment.
Secondly, instead of illuminating ancient manuscripts, they are designing modern websites. This is how they are self sustaining. They even designed the website for the Vatican. Check out their website at www.christdesert.org .

Monastary of Christ of the Desert

It is exquisite and looks like a natural extension of its surroundings.

View from the Chapel

From the Chapel there is vivid view of the striped mountains and the Chama River. The only sound is from Canadian geese and the cows answering them. The monks have created rock covered trails and prayer staions throughout the grounds surrounding the chapel. It is a perfect place for meditation and reflection.

Sunset on the Chapel

As the sun sets on the chapel of the Monastary of Christ in the Desert, you can see through the windows and the magnificant view they afford.

A Message of Peace

As you leave the Monastary. a message of peace is spelled out in stone.