Symbol of a Never-Ending Journey

Traveling shows us new ways of living, thinking, and viewing the world. Such is the case with this business card whose logo I chose 4-5 years ago. It took a trip to New Mexico before I learned how appropriate this logo was to my current writing focus.

While visiting Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa two falls ago I met the resort's general manager and we traded business cards. I had only recently begun to put a major emphasis on travel writing when he pointed at the spiral in the logo's center and asked, "Did you know this symbol means 'the journey'?" My jaw dropped as I thanked him for the information.

Since that meeting I have seen the spiral many times throughout the Southwest, from Petroglyph National Monument outside of Albuquerque to Enchantment Resort in Sedona's stunning Boynton Canyon. But the most beautiful representation of the spiral I've seen, so far, was in the lobby ceiling at Taos' El Monte Sagrado resort.

The enormous crystal mounted in the center seemed to produce palpable positive energy and I took every opportunity to stand below and gaze at it. And, each time I see another spiral during my travels, it seems to verify that I've chosen the right writing - and life - track.

The Road to Taos

It's been 27 years since I first saw the Rio Grande River coursing through the center of New Mexico, on its way from Colorado's San Juan Mountains. With my car windows open and the radio turned off, I occasionally heard rushing water and glimpsed the glistening river as it catapulted through the ancient stream bed and I sped along interstate 25 towards Taos.

When I drove the 'road to Taos' with my best friend, during our first travel adventure together, the river rolled along to our left as the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo mountains rose majestically beyond our passenger window. Brilliant sun cast sparkles across the Rio Grande and crisp spring air filled the car.

I returned with my family several years later, and we drove through a flat, sage-brush topped landscape on our way to the Rio Grande Gorge - a seemingly bottomless rock cavern in the midst of high desert, and waded, elsewhere, in the shallows. Then, last October, as my husband and I traveled from Santa Fe to Taos, the rushing river greeted us again, a permanent fixture in an ever-changing landscape.

Grown in New Mexico

Melinda Bateman holds a plump carnival acorn squash and a magenta-hued, fresh-cut beet while she describes her life as a Northern New Mexico farmer. Garlic bulbs the size of fists lie on the front porch. "I love to be outside, eating the fruits of my labor," says the owner of 10-year-old Morning Star Farm, located in the village of Arroyo Seco.

Bateman supplies biodynamically grown, pesticide-free produce to upscale Taos restaurants, Doc Martin’s and Lambert’s, and serves as a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) source for area residents. Each week’s delivery reflects what Bateman has recently harvested and, over the course of a year, the variety is astonishing.

By late September, enormous kale leaves and plump carrots are ready for harvest. Through wintertime, customers also may receive leeks, potatoes, parsnips, onions, turnips, pumpkins, winter squash, cabbage and rutabagas. Spring deliveries may feature a salad mix, herbs, radishes, spinach, and turnips. And Bateman’s summer deliveries often include Swiss chard, bok choy, heirloom lettuce, green beans, fennel, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, summer squash, and peas; plus basil, sage, dill, oregano, thyme and tarragon.

“The idea of a CSA is to create a partnership between growers and consumers in which the bounty and the risks of the farm are shared,” says Bateman, in her brochure. “By purchasing food at a local farm your food dollars stay in the local economy [which] further helps to promote and preserve agriculture in the Taos Valley.”

Morning at El Monte Sagrado

I tell my husband and grown daughters I am staying at the 'rock star of resorts' during the two nights I spend at El Monte Sagrado, in Taos. Vibrantly colored bathroom tiles, salmon-painted adobe walls, hand-carved wooden headboards and indigenous folk art characterize my Mexican-inspired suite, while several other suites pay homage to the Orient, the American west and the Kama Sutra.


But there's more to El Monte Sagrado than luxurious rooms. Nature and nurture intertwine here, from the lush spa and indoor aquacenter to elegant dining, sculpted fountains, and meticulously maintained grounds. Turquoise doors mirror the early morning sky that surrounds majestic Taos Mountain, as fall temperatures paint the foliage crimson and butter yellow. And as the sun's rays grow in intensity, they cast an ethereal glow on even the simplest furnishings.

New Mexican Ingredients at Michael's Kitchen

I love eating big breakfasts in restaurants - especially restaurants with longstanding ties to the places where they operate. One of these is Michael's Kitchen. Located on the 'main drag' of Taos, New Mexico, this cozy spot has been a local favorite for more than 30 years.

And when it comes to breakfast, you can't get more New Mexican than a plate of the Atole-Pinon Pancakes at Michael's Kitchen. Roasted pinon/pine nuts are ground into and sprinkled on top of pancakes made with blue corn meal. Add a bottomless cup of coffee and breakfast will satisfy your hunger until dinnertime. Sweets lovers will also appreciate this restaurant's huge, fresh cinnamon rolls, but be sure to eat yours quickly, before the heat and pillowy softness disappear.


Not a sweets fan? Try Martin's Breakfast Burrito, the Spanish Style Omelette or Tortilla Rellenada - a flour tortilla that enfolds ham, eggs scrambled with chives, and choice of cheese or chile (red or green). Or go for old standbys such as Blueberry Pancakes, custom-crafted omelettes, and buttermilk biscuits slathered in rich cream gravy full of bite-sized sausage chunks. You'll be ready for your next visit before your first one ends.

New Mexico Light

Ever since Georgia O'Keefe painted Northern New Mexico images in bright, bold brush strokes, the area has been known for the natural light that suffuses every element of life throughout this area. Whether snow blankets the streets of Santa Fe, cholla bloom bright pink against spindly, spiked branches near Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs, mid-summer heat bakes the town of Taos or golden leaves decorate trees along the road to Chimayo, bright blue skies provide a frequent backdrop.

Sometimes man-made color pops against Northern New Mexico's natural beauty too. One day, as a friend and I departed a Taos cafe on a surprisingly warm September day, we noticed pink umbrellas above the sunken front patio. My camera and I could not resist this shot.