English Breakfast and tickets readied for impending weird and witty trip two. Go west we were told and west we went. Landing in the middle of the historic Santa Fe, New Mexico, bags stowed we meandered the downtown to see what they offered.
First to catch our eye was a big metal Crow sits above the word bar on the sign. The Crowbar seemed worth a look. We step in, and it could have been the late nighties with Nirvana playing, the red pleather booths, pools table and a distinct smell of an old local pub. The bar had no empty seats and looked like these folks were regulars by the tone and conversation. It was three in the afternoon. We decided to move on. The next storefront had a carnival barker out front, “Hey, don’t walk by. Give this to your girlfriend” as he hands me a coupon for a spa delight. I look at my husband with a smirk, and he barks back, “brought the wife this time.”
The next storefront had a young lady standing a podium with tiny purple liquid in shot glasses. Sounding like she skilled therapist, without pushing a narrative, she described that the drink was made inhouse, “Martini” with lime and pomegranate seeds – refreshing and immune-boosting. I asked if there was booze in it, and she answered plainly, no. As I swig my no booze purple martini, I wondered what else they offer. She went through the list; Nourishing Cocktails, Teas and Warm Elixirs. Pure Oxygen, Tarot readings… Da hubby starting to walk away and sees that I am still engaged with this unfamiliar conversation. Turning my head sideways and squinting a bit, ask Oxygen? They are an Apothecary and Oxygen Bar.
Choose your own adventure time. You can choose to skip to the next paragraph and find us at the Georgia O’Keefe museum or stay at the oxygen bar for two hours.
The young lady (our new therapist) brought us to what was reminiscent of a long jewelry case from Kay’s and offered us two bar stools with a contraption that obviously Doc Brown misplaced and needed to get back to the future. Derek passed on the Oxygen even after she noted it was 95 percent pure hospital grade. Before handing me the nasal tubing for my nose, I was offered a variety of infusions for my Oxygen from CBD to Dragons Blood. I preferred for my Oxygen straight up. As it was an unfamiliar sight to see me attached to an oxygen device, hubby found it a bit disturbing. I did the full twenty minutes, and it absolutely cured my jetlag and headache. I would categorically pay for Oxygen again. After being served warm tap water (better for the body), we were asked what else we would like and as they say “while in Rome” we order avocado toast and Tarot card readings. Our reader arrived shortly, a polite young gentleman and described the process, and I went first. I shuffled the cards to put my energy on them and pick my cards. While this was happening, I was to think of questions for the cards. We both sat stoically to offer not any clues. We occasionally nodded in agreement. Those who disbelieve start rolling eyes now, but his reading was spot on and not a generically broad answer, these were specific issues that have been occurring that I am trying to remedy. The broad strokes were, take care of myself first, trust what I can do when I start to delegate and focus, the universe will answer. I know that sounds universal; however, his detail was shockingly close to my reality. Derek’s reading was vastly different than mine but sprinkled with the precise advice. We ventured in as skeptics and left refreshed body and soul.
Welcome back to those who skipped the last adventure. We are blissfully at the Georgia O’Keeffe museum. What a beautiful museum about such a fine spirited woman. Having only known of the large upscale flower paintings, I found pieces I was completely unfamiliar with such as the watercolors and shapes. She was complicated, cool, frank, and filled with self-reliance. Her life was so fascinating.
The original weird place – Meow Wolf was brought to my attention when we watched a series on Rooster Teeth, a favorite at Nerdz Garage.
Rooster Teeth is a pioneering media and entertainment company responsible for some of the biggest online series in history, such as the award-winning and web series, Red vs. Blue and RWBY.
The concept of the Weird Place series was if your friends went through a mysterious door and got lost in an alternate universe, would you come to their rescue? An adventure so unique and psychedelic that it could only come from a collaboration with the art collective Meow Wolf.
Sound fun? Did to me! The next adventure was on the docket.
What is Meow Wolf?
Meow Wolf creates immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. This includes art installations, video, and music production, and extended reality content.
Opened March 2016 with support from Game of Thrones creator, George R.R. Martin. Inside, guests discover a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and an expansive narrative amidst surreal, maximalist, and mesmerizing art exhibits.
Knowing some of what to expect from the series, I gleefully watched da hubby experience each fantastical room. But there was plenty that was new to me. You can go through the entire funhouse, trying to find clues of where they could be and why the disappearance. Literally, pull out drawers, read their journals, watch the TVs, etc. or go through the portals to the fantastical. It seriously is one-part funhouse and one-part interactive theater with a bar. Experience Meow Wolf at least once in your lifetime. It is one of the most unique adventures. It’s hard to describe, and we do not want to give too much away, but once you visit it, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
The remainder of the trip was spent with the parents in Taos. My husbands’ parents are one of the kinds. His dad the onetime sheep farmer from Vermont, race car driver (looking like Steve McQueen), now spends his time at the Taos Neem Karoli Baba Ashram & Hanuman temple. He is beyond wise and filled with wondrous tales.
Derek’s mother grew up in Berlin during and after WWII and has written about those times in her book “After Bombs- My Berlin “and the book is flying off the shelves these days. It is an honest telling of that time. Then classically trained chef to entrepreneur and now a self-taught painter thriving in Taos.
We cherished the home cook meals from Heidi and sitting on their back porch watching the hummingbirds and bees dancing.
The next day she took us to Taos Ski Valley to take the chair lift to the near top of the mountain. Just shy of 11,000 feet at where we hiked and some small patches of snow still clinging to the ground. I have never been up to that high, and it was breathtaking. A bit hard on the lungs since I am unusually at sea level.
Our last day we drove back to Albuquerque and had a few hours to kill before our flight and happenstanced into a pinball arcade that had award-winning tacos. What?? I know!
It is, Sister Bar
The bartender did not lie, the food was inventive and yummy. The pinball ranged from old classics, ones we played when we courted and to the new.
I will write about that weird experience next time!
Till Next Time We When We Get Weird.
SuZann
Nerdz Garage