Los Poblanos was the highlight of the trip to New Mexico as far as sight-seeing was concerned. Los Poblanos is an Inn, Cultural Center and Organic Farm and is just down the road from Timmy's house. This place is absolutely magical, located on 25 acres with views of the Sandia Mountains in the background and lavender fields in the foreground. There's even a white peacock who struts around looking quite bridal and dramatic.
The Inn was built by the architect John Gaw Meem, who was very influential in Santa Fe and created the Territorial Revival style, which is the style of both the Inn and La Quinta (the cultural center). The inn was built in the early 1930’s and is amazing. It has a clean yet warm aesthetic. I expected the cultural center to be utilitarian, but it was even more elaborate than the Inn, with lots of craftsmanship from the WPA era. The gardens also had a designer, Rose Greely, a landscape architect from Washington, DC. They have a wonderful irrigation system comprised of irrigation channels and ditches made of upturned roof tiles. On certain days of the week, they have watering day, where they use the channels and ditches to flood the garden.
This place was so fabulous, I can’t even tell you. While the gardens didn’t particular stand out to me, the architecture, art, furnishings, natural landscape and choreography of the space did. In addition, the farm portion of the property was a major highlight. They have a darling farm shop, where they sell their hand-made goods such as lavender soaps and lotions, cards by the modernist Alexander Girard, and home-made pecans and carmels. I sampled the pecans, which were out of this world while the farm shop manager went on and on about how incredible the chef is who makes the breakfasts. They also do on average of 2 public dinners a month called Farm to Fork where they grow much of the produce themselves. Needless to say, we will be back, fork in hand.
Besides the community gardens and the lavender fields, they also had cows, pigs, chickens, who looked like punk-rockers, and goats…baby goats…cute, freakin’ adorable baby goats who almost got stashed into my suitcase because they were so cute. Truth be told, if the only thing Los Poblanos had were baby goats, I’d be just as happy. Darn cute, I’m telling you, with lots of personality.
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