(By Josh)

Having caught the last possible lift at 3:59pm up the mtn at Sipapu, I gleefully boarded down and landed the last jump of the season. I unstrapped and tip toed in my new white boots through the muddy puddles in the parking lot. Then we packed into my black 96 accord and tried to figure out which way was north. We discussed the rising and setting of the sun during winter, but the sun seemed to have risen and set in basically the same place. Our bodies were still buzzing from 3 days of boarding…a tired, satisfied, happy to be alive kind of feeling. We got our maps straight, figured out North was the way we had come, and set off on the 518 toward Taos. To my knowledge, I had never been there and Edie had only been once as a kid, so this was new territory.

The 518 wound its way up and down the Santo De Cristo Mountains, eventually giving way to the Taos valley. I had recently been considering Taos as a good spot to buy 50 acres and build my dream house, so I was eager to explore the area, its landscapes, architecture, art, people, health food stores, etc.

Our first impressions coming through a town called Truchas were of scant and sketchy rustic dwellings. We followed our directions through a series of roads leading to the Blueberry Hill area of Taos. Most of the roads, including Blueberry Hill Rd itself, were lacking in street signs at major intersections. “What kind of community doesn’t label its roads?” I asked Edie. We couldn’t figure it out, and ended up guessing which turns to take.

The sun was on its way down as we eased along dirt roads past adobe houses spread out on acreage. A couple of barking dogs began running dangerously close alongside my car, despite my honking. I began to see some Taosesque architecture, the north facing passive solar windows, solar panels, wind generators, and eclectic designs. Most of the houses and drives had no numbers. Luckily, 53 Sugar Lane was marked and we turned up the dirt driveway to see a tall black French poodle bouncing around waiting for us, along with her owner and our host, Deahni Kipnis. Behind them lay a beautiful landscaped adobe house, Casa Serena.

Deahni greeted us warmly and gave us a tour. The property contains 2 structures, one of which is Deahni’s house and the other a luxury vacation rental. On the side of the rental is an addition, which serves as Deahni’s office. She led us over a smooth wooden walkway past white barked trees on the right and a Jacuzzi patio on the left. Deahni landscaped the property herself and her attention to detail and artistic touch permeate the tranquility and sacredness surrounding the house. Outside the master bedroom, a patio dining area leads down a stairway next to a stone waterfall, bubbling into a sleeping Koi pond. A Buddhist goddess statue stands in an alcove, granting eternal blessing to all those who traverse her stepping stone pathway. Toward the rear of the big back yard, there is a shaded area with chairs and a hammock that can be positioned to one’s liking. The property is surrounded 360 degrees by beautiful New Mexico valley and
mountains, which were snow capped during our March visit. There is a noticeable lack of high rises, industrial buildings, ticky-tacky back to back condos, or anything else which might obstruct the view and the feeling of being surrounded by nature.

Our eyes lit up upon entering Casa Serena. The high ceilings with exposed natural wood beams give the house a tremendous feeling of space and grandeur. The spacious dining room is designed around a large dining table, an adobe fireplace, and a spectacular view of the valley and mountains. It connects to the kitchen, which is a traveling cook’s dream: big, open, high ceilings, skylight, great views, a hanging rack of pots and pans, and state of the art stainless steel appliances. I’ve personally never used a gas range with such precision and snap. (At home, I turn my burner knobs to “Lite” and pray the burner will ignite before enough gas has leaked out to blow my face off. After about 6 seconds without ignition, I usually duck down to dodge the huge ball of fiery gas that inevitably comes.) There’s a huge pantry with restaurant style glass and dinnerware and custom carved wooden doors that look to be about 10 feet tall. I also really liked the orange glass tiles above the sink, framing a window that looks out on the solar water heating panels and sunsets.

Between two stone Greek style columns and down a flight of stone steps from the dining room is the grand foyer; a huge, artful space with skylights, a large iron candelabrum, and giant hand carved wooden doors. It gives one the feeling of being in a modern castle. Beyond that is the den, a warm and cozy red room with a fireplace, a giant Amethyst geode, two couches, a coffee table, rustic shuttered windows, a stained glass window facing the sunset, and a door leading out the Jacuzzi patio. It’s a perfect spot to cozy up and hang out with people you like.

On the other side of the dining room is a huge hallway with several alcoves filled with art. The entire house is filled with a wonderful mix of Asian, African, Native American, Southwestern, classical, and other arts. Deahni has traveled the world to exotic ports like Bali to bring back some of the pieces. She has also collected crystals and loads of other cool stuff to inspect as you wonder around this huge, beautiful house. At the end of the hall is a stairway to the master and guest bedrooms.

The house utilizes 4 large solar arrays on two moving trackers, as well as an entire array for solar water heating. There is a back-up power system as well to ensure niceties such as hot water during cloudy spells.

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(By Edie)

After the sunset I thought it would be nice to take a long soak in the bathtub I had seen earlier on our tour of the house. I ran a steamy bath and relaxed as I gazed at the art above the tub, lit softly by an antique chandelier. The bathroom overlooks snow-covered mountains and opens onto a private patio. While I could have soaked here forever I thought it best to dry off and climb into bed for a much-needed sleep.

The master bedroom is a spacious suite with doors opening to scenic landscapes, a cozy sitting area, an oversized fireplace and the most magnificent bed I have ever laid eyes on. Straight from a fairy tale, this four-postered bed was hand sculpted to look as though it is amidst a forest of willow trees, each branch extending and twisting toward the ceiling. The warm yellow ochre walls are hand-painted with meandering vines and the occasional bird or butterfly. This bedroom truly feels otherworldly.

In the morning, after much difficulty, I got out of the wonderfully comfortable bed. The room stayed fairly dark throughout the early morning hours but I could see the light peeking in through the curtains. I feared it might be nearing 11am. That would be far too late for any respectable travel reviewer to rise. I opened the curtains and looked out to the mountains. I decided that no matter how late it was I would make the most of the shortened day.

I walked downstairs to find Josh making tea in the kitchen. It was so dark; I opened the enormous curtains on the sliding glass doors. The view of the Taos Valley and the other mountain ranges took my breath away. What a lucky girl I am, I thought to myself.

After finding out that it was only 9am I was relieved and decided that breakfast was in order. We made eggs and toast and dined in front of the picturesque Taos landscape.

The day went by slowly as the clouds crossed the mountains and seemed to produce snow on the peaks above. After a light sprinkle we ventured to the Jacuzzi. I knew it would be cold outside but the warmth of the water would take away the icy temperature. We enjoyed each other’s company as we soaked away our snowboarding aches and pains.

Just as I had imagined it was very cold outside, particularly after soaking in a nice toasty Jacuzzi. Luckily, the experience outweighed the temperature. We made it back inside and warmed up.

Josh treated me to an amazing massage on the “dream catcher” bed and I drifted away, enveloped in the beauty of the day.

After deciding to spend the rest of the day in the house we perused an abundant collection of books, got a snack from he kitchen, and began to read; every once in a while sharing juicy bits of our chosen reads with each other. The selection of books ranges anywhere from Feng Shui to Health and Healing to Erotica.

As evening approached, Josh and I made another delicious dinner together. We dined while savoring our last sunset at Casa Serena. We talked and enjoyed each other’s company until, finally, it was time to cuddle up in the magical dream bed.

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(By Josh)

On our second day, we decided to just lounge. We found ourselves just hanging out, lying on the magic dream catcher bed, listening to the wind whisper past the house. At home I live on a busy street with noisy traffic speeding by, rattling my windows. Here at Casa Serena, there was a majestic and peaceful silence, which together with the great calming energy of the house nurtured a very special kind of day for us. A sacred day, empty with possibility. I don’t usually wear a watch and there were no clocks around and I was content not knowing what time it was. No schedules. Just time to leisure away in the Jacuzzi, sitting around reading, talking about meaningful stuff, watching the jack rabbits in the back yard and the ravens flying and gazing out at the mountains. Perfect vacation type stuff. The kind of day you need to restore your sanity.

I’m always drawn to “escapes” and the idea of escape. Today I realized that what I really want is not to escape life but to escape all the things that keep me from living life in the moment, like overworking and stress. Today was a day when we escaped back into the moment and that’s where we stayed for the entire day. I have Casa Serena to thank with its welcoming wide open spaces and panoramic views.

"A beautiful, warm, luxurious solar home with spectacular views of the Taos Valley and Santo De Cristo Mountains. The master bedroom features the dreamisest bed we’ve ever seen. If you go to Taos and have the means, this is the home to stay in."

Casa Serena
Web Site
Taos, New Mexico
505.751.1872
Nightly Rate: $450 - $750

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(By Edie)

Driving through Taos on Friday morning was quite an adventure. Due to the lack of visibly named streets we managed to find ourselves lost, driving back and forth from Paseo del Pueblo Sur and Paseo del Pueblo Norte (this is the same street, going different directions). After laughing about this ridiculous predicament we found our way to Kit Carson Rd and Casa De Los Pasajeros, which is conveniently located in the heart of Taos. The name means “House of the Wayfarers.”

We met Tony Marvin, the extremely unique owner of Casa De Los Pasajeros, and instantly felt a connection with him. He gave us a tour of the cottage and offered lots of information on Taos and the surrounding area.

(By Josh)

Tony is a cultural gem in Taos who has dedicated his passion and soul to preserving, sharing, and exploring the true sacred culture of the area in all its forms. This man has intimate knowledge of artists who made Taos known as an art community, such as Georgia O’Keeffe and Milicent Rogers. He also has intimate knowledge of the Pueblo and its people, their traditions, ceremonies, and artistry, the architecture and sustainable movement that has risen in Taos, the unique culinary fusion of the area, native dances, festivals, and much more.

Tony offers one of a kind cultural experiences in Taos which he calls Inner Passages. They are in-depth explorations of Taos culture that make use of salon discussions and encounters with living cultural legends and their descendants.

(By Edie)

As we toured the home, Tony pointed out various pieces of art, from his own collection, that he had adorned the house with, beautiful creations each holding a precious story within their presence. There was a library of interesting books in the den/bedroom, some of which are now out of print. The entire home had a warm feeling, I felt lucky to be in such a welcoming and cozy environment. The kitchen was well equipped for anyone from the morning coffee drinker to the serious chef. Leading out of the kitchen was a large backyard, with several sitting areas and chimineas for warm Taos evenings.

Instead of using a traditional water heater, the hot water came directly from a Heat On Demand system that saved energy by running only when the hot water faucet was turned on. We found Taos to be quite an environmentally conscious town.

I really felt like Tony was a generous person, not only with his time, but also with his knowledge of Taos. He gave us the inside scoop on galleries to visit, restaurants to dine at, and directed us to a great health food store for lunch called Cid’s.

As we drove to Cid’s we were awestruck by the kind energy that greeted us throughout Taos. We made conversation with people we met and always felt right at home, even when we were so far away from home. After my delightful facial appointment at Taos Skin Care we headed out into the wilderness to check out some real estate Josh had been researching.

The views around the Taos area were breathtaking! We drove up into the mountains above Arroyo Seco, and were quickly surrounded by tall pines and snow covered cabins. The mountain road was icy, muddy, and poorly maintained. Josh expertly maneuvered his Honda Accord, the “Black Horse” as Tony called it, up the mountain. Everyone who passed us was driving a Range Rover or other monstrous off road vehicle. Although at the time, I didn’t appreciate sliding around on the ice while at the edge of a steep mountain drop, in retrospect, it was a great experience. As the sun started to set, Josh eventually became weary of getting stuck in the mud as the road worsened and decided it was time to turn around and head back to the cottage.

We made yet another delicious meal and had a quiet dinner discussing the possibility of one day moving to Taos. We had fallen so much in love with the landscape and friendly community we decided that Taos was among the places we’d love to live.

After dinner, we both decided to settle in, Josh had some things to take care of online (the house was equipped with wireless internet), and I relaxed on the living room couch while reading one of the books from the library. Josh eventually joined me with a book on ancient trees in his hands. He then started sharing interesting facts with me about the world’s oldest living trees, which led to a discussion about the redwoods and dreams of a tree house, and then to the fate of the planet.

(By Josh)

Year after year, we have both become more concerned with the condition of Mother Earth. The pollution, green house gasses, global warming, wars, corruption, rape of natural resources, overpopulation, rampant consumerism, political corruption. Sometimes it seems humanity has been moving in the wrong direction since the beginning and is dangerously close to self-destruction on a global scale. It’s so difficult these days to find true balance and sustainable living, especially in cities. Even our smallish, isolated city in the desert, Tucson, is now covered with a fog of pollution. But it’s really only noticeable when you have been away, in the fresh air for a while. Then you return and you can see and smell the smog hovering over the city. Factories, power plants, jet chem. trails, car and truck exhaust. You see trucks and buses on the roads spewing out black exhaust and realize it’s poison and it doesn’t just disappear. The mother and child walking on the sidewalk are breathing that poison, and so are we.

So how can earth-loving people find a sustainable lifestyle, share it with others, and make a real difference in time for it to matter? Can we reverse our self-destructive habits? How can anything feel right other than total revolution by the masses, investigation and prosecution of corrupt government officials, a massive investment in and transfer to sustainable energy, the taming of capitalism gone mad, population limits, a new constitution that restores freedom and protects not only personal rights but the planet as well?

And how are we to feel about the state of things? Fearlessly hopeful? Realistically aware of our doom? Sometimes it seems that humanity is inevitably going to destroy Mother Earth and there is nothing we can do to stop it. It’s like our civilization is a big party that is raging on, burning the earth to ashes, and all we can really do is try to enjoy the few moments we have left before it’s over. And even though our government is warring, killing, and raping the people of this earth and the earth itself just for profit, even though the elite 1% owns everything and the vast majority of humans on earth are really slaves serving to fatten that 1%, even though our democracy is dying and almost dead, even though we drive around in poison spraying cars and breath that poison, we can harbor a highly functional ignorance to the deep crushing pain in our hearts about the fate of life. We can shop online and watch movies, we can consume and drink wine and try to love our loved ones until some moron pushes the red button or peak oil knocks our global system on its ass. We can mutate and keep sucking polluted air until it’s all over.

Most people don’t even think about it. They’re too busy watching tv, working for slave’s wages, drowning in debt, arguing about who really messed up: Britney or K Fed.

The other approach for those who have their eyes open to the true state of things is to not only live life to the fullest while we are still here, but to also fearlessly and tirelessly work to change things. To start the revolution and keep it going. In Taos, you see people doing just that, in communities like the Greater World Community of totally self-sustaining Earthships. Tony lives in an Earthship there that he bought from the founder of Earthship technology, the legendary Mike Reynolds. On the morrow, we would head out to the GWC to see some Earthships in the flesh.

Upon our arrival at Artist B we were greeted with a breathtaking view of a snow-covered Santa Fe. The warm tones of the adobe architecture below were complimented with fresh glistening snow. From the yard, we watched the magical New Mexico sunset, sparkling on the winter desert.

Wendy at Two Casitas had left a key for us and we promptly let ourselves in, looking forward to a warm and cozy evening. A helpful list of instructions led us to the thermostat, which controlled an environmentally friendly and very effective radiant floor heating system.

As the floors began to warm we looked through the guestbook to find a list of suggested restaurants for a tasty take-out meal. The guestbook contained information on many activities in the Santa Fe area, including hiking, biking, and art viewing. On our way to the restaurant Josh commented on what a beautiful town Santa Fe is; the architecture, landscaping, and energy really added to the magical atmosphere we experienced.

Luckily, Artist B was close enough to the center of town that we managed to go to the local grocery store for firewood and pick up our dinner in a short amount of time. When we arrived back at our cottage we made a fire in the beautiful kiva-style fireplace in the bedroom and toasted to another amazing destination.

I awoke early the following morning having had a wonderful sleep. The four-poster king-size bed was the perfect ending to the perfect day. I have to mention that I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped, bare-footed, on the tile floor to find that the tiles were warm from the radiant floor heating. How delightful!

We decided to venture to Canyon Road to check out the Santa Fe art scene. Canyon Road alone has close to 100 galleries; Santa Fe really is an art lover’s paradise!

On our way home from our wonderful art day we stopped at the Whole Foods Market to pick up a few things to make dinner at Artist B. The studio comes with a mini kitchen, complete with a gas stove, refrigerator, and microwave. However, with so many delicious restaurants, we also found Santa Fe an ideal place to dine out.

Throughout our visit to Santa Fe we felt captivated by the beauty and energy found at Artist B. Both Josh and I felt that it is an amazing place to surrender to the Southwest and is without a doubt a shining TravelStar destination that we recommend any time of year.

"From the heated floors to the exposed beamed ceilings in the bedroom and even the close proximity to central Santa Fe we felt that Artist B was an exquisite place to stay while enjoying the many offerings of Santa Fe."

Two Casitas, Artist B and Other Rentals
www.twocasitas.com
Santa Fe, New Mexico
866.832.0589
Rentals: $110 - $360

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Luna is a stunning vineyard set on the largest single planting of Pinot Grigio grapes in Northern California. As we stepped up to the tasting bar in Luna’s lovely hospitality room, our host, Joyce McCollum, poured us some of Luna’s trademark wines and told us about the winery.

The adventurous wine makers at Luna have been making bold advances, taking more risks than other wineries to experiment with over 15 types of grapes and a variety of exciting wine making techniques.

Whereas most wineries ferment each variety of grapes individually, and then mix them together at the end to make their wines, Luna makes some of its mixing decisions in the beginning, and co-ferments several varieties of grapes together, to give their wines a more thoroughly blended structure.

One of the fine wines Joyce poured for us was the 1999 vintage Sangiovesse Riserva, a lush ruby red wine with hints of black cherry and blueberry.

She then took us up to Luna’s observation deck, where we got an amazing view of Luna’s vineyard. It’s a great spot to sip wine!

Our host then led us out to the wine making facilities, where we met Grayson, Luna’s Viticultural Assistant. Grayson gave us a first hand tour of their fermentation room, where he had been working to fill huge stainless steel tanks with the latest vintage of 2003 Pinot Grigio. The wine is 80% Pinot Grigio, mixed with much smaller percentages of varietals like Sauvignon Blanc and Toca Friulano. Each of the huge tanks contained a slightly different version of the wine due to variations in the barrel fermentation process. When the wine is ready, all the tanks will be mixed to homogenize the vintage before bottling.

Grayson gave us tastes directly from two tanks, allowing us to taste the differences within the vintage. The fresh wine had yet to be cold filtered and had a bold, crisp taste. The wine from the first tank tasted a little drier and the second tank was much sweeter. Both were delicious, and we predict Luna’s 2003 Pinot Grigio will be outstanding!

The passion that wine makers exhibit in their craft is inspiring…it
made us want to start our own winery! As you drive through wine country, you’ll see that many people share this feeling and plant mini vineyards in their front and back yards! Even if you only produce one barrel of wine, it’s still a fascinating endeavor and something you can share with your friends and loved ones!

"The bold wine makers at Luna Vineyards offer rare and stunning varietals. Try their 2003 Pinot Grigio and 2002 Tocai Fruilano!"

Luna Vineyards
www.lunavineyards.com
2921 Silverado Trail Napa, California 94558
707-255-5862
Tasting $5
Wines $18 - $105

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The story of Darioush winery is one of passion and dreams. Darioush Khaledi grew up in Iran’s Shiraz region. His father made wine as a hobby, and as young boy, Khaledi used to sneak sips from the barrel. As an adult, he became a devoted collector of fine wines.

Trained as an engineer and with a career in construction, Darioush left Iran in 1976 and emigrated to Los Angeles where he was forced to rebuild his life. He and his brother-in-law pooled their resources and purchased a dilapidated grocery store in the city of Los Angeles. Business was very good and 30 years later they now operate one of the most successful independently owned grocery chains in the United States employing over 1500 people. For them, the American Dream come true.

Darioush opened its doors to the public in 2000 and have since been designing and building their new facilities.

We arrived at Darioush and found our way to the trailer where the tasting room and offices are housed. They estimate that the new winery building will be completed in late July early August 2004.

We were treated to a private tasting of several of Darioush’s fine red wines, including the 1999 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001 Signature Shiraz, 2001 Signature Merlot, and 2000 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon. All the wines are barreled in 100% French Oak.

They were all superb. We found Darioush’s vintages to be some of the most finely crafted red wines in all of Napa Valley.

After the tasting, we received a fascinating tour of Darioush’s new facilities, currently still under construction but nearing completion. The new 22,000 square-foot state-of-the-art winery facility has been designed in classic Persian style, utilizing stone blocks from the same quarry in Iran as the the Persepolis, the ancient city founded by Darius I, the first king of Persia.

The beige-orange marble colored stones were shipped to Italy to be cut, and then imported to Napa. The building itself incorporates classic Persian details, including a sweeping entryway with tall columns, tall windows that narrow toward the bottom, and a small amphitheater where the winery will host concerts and poetry readings. The new facility will serve as a functioning winery, barrel storage, tasting and hospitality rooms, offices, and the personal residence of Mr. Darioush and his family.

"Darioush Winery offers some of the most finely crafted red wines in the Napa Valley! This exquisite new winery will be a Napa highlight
in the years to come!"

Darioush Winery
www.Darioush.com
4240 Silverado Trail Napa, California 94558
707-257-3132
Tasting $5
Wines $20 -$64

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