Dreaming of My Return to the “Land of Enchantment”

When I started dating my now-husband 11 years ago, he talked a lot about his annual pilgrimage out west for a few weeks on his motorcycle.  I was somewhat taken aback when he suggested one day I go with him on his next trip.  While it definitely sounded like an adventure, I was not entirely sure it would be my scene at all.  My close friends were even more opinionated about it, and the general consensus was “you’re going to hate it.  Period.”

My friends had a point.  I’m a stiletto-loving clotheshorse whose idea of relaxation is reading a good book while I sip tea from my vintage tea set – NOT wearing unflattering motorcycle boots, t-shirts, & slathering myself in sunscreen.  However, I was really into my then-boyfriend and did not want to disappoint him, so off we went.

I’d be lying if I said that the first trip did not have its challenges.  That first couple of days brought ungodly heat, sun poisoning which resulted in a left eye so swollen I could not see out of it for a few days, and I had never felt that exhausted in my entire life.  My husband knew I was suffering and was giving me worried looks, but I’m nothing if not stubborn & maintained a cheery façade.  I no longer had to pretend, though, when we got to New Mexico on the 3rd day, and it was stunningly gorgeous.  The landscape had entirely changed:  red rock, cacti, real mountains, and a lovely breeze.  I understood immediately why the State motto is “Land of enchantment.”

To this day, I still believe my husband took me to the town of Taos, New Mexico, on that first trip as a reward for me being a trooper and not complaining.  He knew I’d love it.  Taos is a funky, artsy town in the high desert – great dining, plenty of galleries and museums, and historic adobe buildings, which gives the town its own charm and character.  

There are several dining establishments located in Taos I could discuss, but the standout for me time and again has been Lambert’s of Taos.  Lambert’s is fine dining, but it does not feel pretentious.  The staff is beyond accommodating, and there is no dress code.  Their menu is never the same when we go, so it is always a real treat to see what is on the seasonal menu, or what the specials are that particular day – last time, their dinner specials included an offering of kangaroo fillet.  I chose not to sample the marsupial, but I appreciated the option nonetheless.

I have eaten many wonderful dinners at Lambert’s (no bad meals there), including a mouth-watering Caesar salad followed by a southern fried Cornish game hen with collard greens, and a bison ribeye with arugula salad, just to name a few things.  And the wine never disappoints me.

It deserves 5 out of 5 pours. 

That first trip out west was a learning experience, to be sure, but I knew I’d go back again after that first trip, & my love of it all started in New Mexico.  After 11 years together, 8 years of marriage, it is not even a question anymore of whether the hubs and I are heading west on the motorcycle at the end of the Summer but, rather, WHEN are we heading west?  It’s a good life, kids….