One of a Kind
Southwest Tours
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For each creative journey the price is based on the season, number of people and other specifications. Please call us for a quote. Toll free:877.992.6128
Friday Canyon Road Gallery Openings°
Canyon Road is the most visited art market in the USA where one can find paintings depicting Western life, unique Native American artifacts, abstract art and much, much more. Every Friday, this road comes alive with gallery openings and events. In the summer one can hear music from every corner and see the people stroll up and down discussing what they liked and whom they met. It’s an on-going happening.
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CANYON ROAD GALLERY OPENINGS
Duration: 3 hours
Likely participants: people who want to experience what Santa Fe is famous for...art.
Season: Year round
PROGRAM
At 5pm you will begin your walk uphill and stop where you see a gathering of people or music. You can’t miss an opening! Your Guide will inform you about the hottest shows, the artists represented by the galleries, whom you might meet and discuss their works with, and the Who’s Who of Santa Fe. At the top of the walk of the gallery row you will enjoy a drink at Santa Fe's oldest restaurant and legendary bar.
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Pueblo Ceremonial Dances°
The pueblos of New Mexico are the villages ("pueblo" means "village" in Spanish) where native peoples have lived for hundreds of years. Their lives have changed but their spiritual life continues with ceremonies and dances today. The dances are usually held on the pueblo’s Feast day or practiced within a predetermined calendar dictated by seasonal events and activities, and the religious beliefs of each tribe. Usually the dances are held during the time when the Circle of Life needs prayers, whether it is the Hunting Season or the Harvest Season. It is a great privilege to be allowed to participate in these ancient ceremonies, watch the dancers in their authentic costumes and listen to the drummers play and sing. The season around Christmas and the New Year is when most of the pueblos hold Animal Dances as well as The Matachinas of Spanish-Moorish origins. August is the month for Harvest Dances.
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PUEBLO CEREMONIAL DANCES
Duration: 1/2 a DAY
Likely participants: people interested in learning about the people of this region and their timeless rituals
Season:Seasonal
PROGRAM
In the morning you will go, with your Guide, to the pueblo that is having the celebration. Camp chairs will be provided since visitors are not allowed to sit in the chairs prepared for the local people. Dances can go on for a long time, with some intervals and at times they move around the village. Usually in the village there are stands with arts & crafts, which are most interesting. You will have lunch on your way back unless you're lucky enough to be invited by someone in the village. We can’t guarantee you this but we often are able to give you this experience as well. Your Guide will introduce you to the native pueblo culture and talk about ceremonies and the specific dance you will see. It is important to be aware of “Pueblo Etiquette” to fully enjoy the experience without acting in a inappropriate way. Each pueblo operates under its own government and establishes its own rules for visitors.
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New Mexico Herbs * ≠ | make your own ointments!
New Mexico offers pristine landscapes where one can still enjoy natural scents and colors. Mother Nature has given us all the means to create the perfect world for ourselves. We can learn how.
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HERB IT
Duration: 10 am to 5 pm
Likely participants: people who love to smell nature and wear it!
Season: Late Spring to Late Fall
PROGRAM
Your Guide will take you to meet the 'Herb Magician' in one of Santa Fe oldest barrios and to start your 2 hour walk in the fields looking for the best scented herbs. In the lab, you will learn the secrets to make your own personal ointment. Snacks and drinks will be available for a short break. The day will end with the visit to another magic place where new creative scents are incorporated in excellent products for your body and soul.
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New Mexico Photography | point, shoot & talk
New Mexico is the perfect backdrop and a surprising subject for creating an extraordinary set of new shots for your collection. Or to be inspired by the works of famous photographers.
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SHOOT!* ≠
Duration: One Day
Likely participants: people who feel compelled to express their excitement the moment it occurs.
Season: year round
PROGRAM
Bring your camera, no matter the quality or size, and capture the beauty around you. A professional photographer and artist will assist you in conveying your personal feelings in your pictures and teach you the best use of the light. From 11 am to 3 pm you will be out in the landscape, or in case of bad weather, in and around historic buildings. Your mentor will talk to you at 10 am and review your pictures after 3 pm. A Guide will be with you until 11 am and again at 3 pm. Lunch can be at a restaurant or alternatively a brown bag will be provided to take with you.
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PROMENADE THROUGH PHOTGRAPHY°
Duration: One Day
Likely participants: people who wish to see & learn more about the work of great photographers
Season: year round
PROGRAM
The Santa Fe art scene includes numerous galleries that display some of the finest examples of historic & contemporary photography. From 10 am to 4 pm you will be guided through the different art districts to be inspired by the magic of the images. Only a quick stop at a nice café.
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Shop Until You Drop *
A Shopping Day in Santa Fe? Of course!
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SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP
Duration: One Day
Likely participants: Everyone
Season: Year round
PROGRAM
First destination: Canyon Road, the most famous art promenade in the United States. What makes it so special is the history and the historic buildings that line both sides of what was once a trail used to carry wood down from the canyon in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. A visit to a few unique galleries showing different kinds of art, and fashion shops will set the scene and help you understand what you enjoy most and maybe come back to purchase.
A short distance away, still in the historic East side, you will go to the home and studio of an artist and jeweler who has been called a “visionary." Her creations are made of elements from the vast wealth of nature’s treasures, unifying many of the world’s cultures. You will enjoy a truly unique experience for the eyes and the soul. After lunch for a bit of rest, your Guide will then take you to yet another creative environment where you can watch a designer work with her team while you browse through laces, linens, embroideries, tapestries, old tribal textiles and unusual jewelry. You can find one-of-a-kind reconstructed antique, vintage and tribal clothing, and home furnishings created by this studio. Then, onto a tour of the Santa Fe Plaza, which dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. Here you will learn about the City’s history and architecture.
But wait...there's more shopping to do! You can stop at some interesting shops offering everything from Southwestern gear to Zen-style clothing. You will conclude the day inside an extraordinary and colorful boot shop that cannot be missed by any Western fashion victim.
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New Mexico Adornments | jewelry - the Santa Fe way
Ritual or functional, precious or innovative, adornments are as old as humanity. The art of decorating oneself is particularly vibrant in Santa Fe...in fact, it's part of the Santa Fe Style! New Mexico is home of diverse creative minds all producing their own expression of beauty. You will enjoy an intense program with the best of Native and Navajo silver and turquoise jewelry, a unique inspirational artist, and some very different forms of ornaments.
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BY & FOR YOU* ≠
Duration: One Day
Likely participants: people who want to adorn themselves with their own unique pieces
Season: year round
PROGRAM
If you always wanted to express yourself with personal adornments, here's an opportunity to be inspired by the imagination and discipline of working artisans. By seeing their work and, in particular, learning the techniques developed by one of them - who has created a unique genre - you may get closer to your goal. You will be escorted all day by your personal guide and will stop for lunch at a local café’.
Price per person based on a 2 person group: $190
FOR THE PLEASURE OF YOUR EYES°
Duration: One Day
Likely participants: people who want to discover new and exciting forms and shapes, the legacies of ancient civilizations and something new to dream about Season: year round
PROGRAM
From 10 am to 5 pm you will see a variety of jewelry made in different media and with traditional or innovative techniques. The American Southwest is home to the various Native American tribes that made, and still make, highly sought-after jewelry. Zuni, Hopi, Navajo and Pueblo people, all with their own unique style of jewelry making, use beads, shells, copper and silver, ivory, amber, turquoise, coral and other materials most of which were precious trade items since the pre-conquest times. Mexicans have their distinctive and ornate style, Pre-Columbians were masters in working the most precious metal: gold. Today artists have moved into using new materials such as drift wood, glass, threads, found objects, folk pieces, recycled materials. You will be hopping through galleries, artists’ studios, bead shops and markets to make the most out of this illuminating journey. Lunch at a local café’.
Price per person based on a 2 person group: $150
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The Taos Mystique° |the notable glitterati behind it
One hour north of Santa Fe, at the foot of the State’s highest mountain, sits a small village with a history hundreds of years old. The years at the beginning of the 20th century changed its peaceful atmosphere into a mecca for intellectuals, writers and artists from around the world. Discover how it happened and who influenced this pivotal transformation.
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THE TAOS MYSTIQUE
Duration: One Day
Likely participants: people interested in learning about the history and aura of legendary Taos.
Season: Year round
PROGRAM
The day begins with a gorgeous ride along the Rio Grande Canyon that takes to an immense open space with the dramatic gap of the canyon excavated by this river over millions of years. Taos Pueblo, listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, is the most beautiful of all the Indian villages and among the oldest. You will then be guided through the homes that saw the beginning of a special era when intellectuals, artists and outlandish people “discovered” Taos and became inspired by its special atmosphere. Lunch at a central restaurant. Taos museums are gems that can’t be missed.
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New Mexico Native Cuisine * ≠ | ancient recipes, modern taste from Mother Earth!
Every culture has its own gourmet recipe that can transport us to new fascinating worlds we experience through our senses. Native people lived from their land and learned how to prepare superb yet healthy food for centuries.
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NATIVE CUISINE
Duration: 11 AM TO 3 PM
Likely participants: people who want to taste new flavors and discover the ancient ingredients of the first inhabitants of the Southwest
Season: Late Spring to Late Fall
PROGRAM
You will pick your spices directly from the orchard and work with an expert Native chef to create your lunch. This is an extremely engaging and informative experience that you can take home with you. Delight yourself and impress your friends with your new knowledge.
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New Mexico Weaving Traditions | woven stories
Northern New Mexico has a rich heritage of weaving originating from several different cultures, and often the landscape is where the weavers get their inspiration. You will view stunning examples in the exemplary museum collections of Santa Fe; you will also observe celebrated weavers from different cultures, in and around town, while finding out about their work and discussing their techniques, traditions and inspirations. You will even have the opportunity to try your own hand on the loom
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YOUR LOOM: * ≠ OBSERVE & CREATE
Duration: 2 days
Likely participants: people who have interest in learning about and experiencing weaving firsthand. This is not a weaving workshop.
Season: year round
PROGRAM
On Day One you will be met at 9.30 am by your personal guide and go to 2 museums where a docent will take you through the most important textiles collections, also the ones kept in the vaults. After lunch 2 established weavers’ studios will open their doors for you and you will spend time with each of them. One of them will help you experiment on the loom. By 4.30 pm you will go back to your hotel.
On Day Two you will go out of town, starting at 9.30 am, first to a small historic village surrounded by incredible landscapes where you will do some sightseeing and meet with weavers whose works continue the old indigenous Hispanic traditions and who later developed their distinctive design. Lunch will offer you a genuine Northern New Mexican cuisine experience. The afternoon will be your hands-on experience with a skilled weaver who will help you getting started and creating your own piece. Back at your hotel by 4.30 pm for farewell cocktails.
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THREE LOOMS: °AN INITIATION INTO HISPANIC TRADITIONS, THE NAVAJO MATHEMATIC MIND & THE CONTEMPORARY INTRICACIES OF FIBER ART
Duration: 2 days
Likely participants: people who have an interest in textiles and want to learn more about the weaving New Mexican traditions and today’s developments.
Season: year round (some elements of the program can change according to season)PROGRAM
On Day One you will see the Hispanic weaving traditions, known as the Rio Grande Weaving, by walking through collections of old and new masterpieces. You will then see the churro sheeps, with their distinctive long-aired pelt and 2 lengths of fiber that followed the Spanish conquistadores. They are highly valued by the Dine’ (the Navajo people) and highly regarded by all weavers of New Mexico. You will also see a traditional weaving room and textiles woven the old way. In the early evening an interesting stroll through galleries to see precious weavings from different cultures, from baskets to Pre-Columbian textiles.On Day Two you will be introduced to the world of Navajo Weaving. You will see some extraordinary examples of Navajo weavings in one of the Santa Fe’s unique museums, guided by an expert. It will be fascinating to learn about the Dine’s textile lore and tradition, to listen to the story of Spider Woman and understand the strenuous process behind the final product.
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Later you will be introduced to the art of Native Basketry by the most knowledgeable scholars and dealers. Finally the program will take you to a gallery where you can take a glimpse at some of today’s innovative forms of the contemporary fiber art scene.
NOTE: PROGRAM EXTENSION | an additional day and a half can follow the 2-day Program. It will take you to a remote village where the Dine’ weaving tradition is still alive. You will meet with famous Navajo weavers, learn about the typical designs of the area and enjoy a Navajo meal in a spectacular environment. Overnight in a historic hotel in Gallup where you will go to some very interesting Trading Posts to learn about the history of goods exchange and the early frontier years.
Dinner on your own.
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New Mexico Pottery Traditions
Along the Rio Grande and around Northern New Mexico the villages that are home to many different Pueblo Indians and that have been their permanent settlements for hundreds of years are still today active in creating their famous vessels. Each Pueblo is recognizable by a distinctive design. Few objects have received the attention given to Pueblo pottery. The art of pottery making in Santa Fe has become over the years one of the most developed forms of art among artists of every origin. Santa Fe is indeed the perfect showcase for you to discover the best ceramic expressions.
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SECRETS OF THE MASTERS: *≠ a walkthrough the process of pottery-making, the old Native way.
Duration: 2 days
Likely participants: people who have interest in learning about and experiencing pottery firsthand. This is not a Pottery workshop.
Season: year round
PROGRAM
On Day One, an exceptional journey into the Pueblo culture! The program will start at 10 am with a visit to a museum where you will learn about the different Pueblo pottery styles. After lunch you will drive to a pueblo, not far from Santa Fe, where you will be introduced into this very traditional and sacred world and live the process through which a pot comes alive.
On Day Two, the morning of the second day will be dedicated to visit 2 other pueblos to understand the culture behind each distinctive style and their artistic achievement.
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POTTERY-MAKING EVOLUTION:° Explore pottery-making skills among different cultures: Pueblo, functional, whimsical
Duration: One Day
Likely participants: people who love pottery in all its forms
Season: year round
PROGRAM
From 9.30 am to 5 pm you will enjoy a journey through the different expressions in clay. Artists’ studios, museums with knowledgeable guides, world class galleries, atelier in and around Santa Fe will all be part of this day. You will learn about the different traditions and styles and the most recent cutting-edge art forms. A break for lunch will offer you a taste of New Mexican cuisine.
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Yoga in the New Mexico Desert * ≠ | a full cocooning experience
Santa Fe is THE place for spirituality and tranquility where people come to live or to spend time in order to rejuvenate, reach a stress-free level of being and learn how to enjoy a healthy body and a peaceful mind.
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YOGA IN THE DESERT
Duration: 6 hours
Likely participants: people who love Yoga, enjoy open air activity and want to fully experience the New Mexican desert.
Season: Late Spring to Late Fall
PROGRAM
You will join your Yoga teacher, escorted by your Guide, in a tranquil, stunning landscape. You will spend an hour practising gentle Yoga that will release you from any tension your body is retaining. And all this will take place in a most restorative environment. After a light lunch you will be floating in your own tank where you will reach a sense of no gravity. You can complete your Cocooning Day with a body work of your choice (treatment is not included).
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New Mexico Shrines | for your Soul
Northern New Mexico has the largest number of places dedicated in one way or another to spiritual or religious activity. From the Spanish Entrada onward, the Catholic Church established Mission Churches to spread the faith among the native peoples - who still have their own sacred places and kivas (ceremonial places) near their villages and in ancient sites. The penitents’ Moradas, although scarce, are witness to a particular history of this State. Centers dedicated to practice a spiritual way of life have developed in recent years as well as artists’ monuments dedicated to meditation, observation and peace.
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MISSION CHURCHES & THE ART OF RETABLOS * ≠
Duration: One day
Likely participants: people who appreciate religious and folk art and wish to learn how to create their personal altar.
Season: Late Spring to Late Fall
PROGRAM
In the morning you will go out of town to a poetic adobe catholic church with some beautiful original examples of Retablos (literally “behind the altar”) that are centuries old. On the way back to Santa Fe, you will stop at one other important old church to see a restored Penitente Morada. Among the Capital’s churches two are important for their long and fascinating history and art pieces. A beautiful example of what is now the "Santa Fe Style" architecture is a church designed by the father of this Pueblo Revival style, which is worth a visit. After a quick lunch you will spend 3 hours learning about Retablos and making your own to take home.
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CHURCHES & SACRED PLACES IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO °
Duration: 2 days
Likely participants: people who are interested in history, architecture, art and different approaches to spirituality.
Season: Late Spring to Late Fall
PROGRAM
On Day One, you will see examples of XVII Century Spanish Mission Churches and some beautiful replicas of later times, both in Santa Fe, The City of Holy Faith, where you will also make a stop at San Francis Cathedral. On the way to Taos, you will make a stop at a Sikh center then to a 1700’s church with the oldest altar screen in New Mexico and finally, at El Santuario de Chimayo - known as the "Lourdes of America." Along the way, Some of the few places for prayers of los hermanos, the moradas, can be seen here and in Taos. At Taos Pueblo there is a beautiful church and kivas one can see from the distance. Lunch, dinner and overnight in Taos.
On Day Two, you drive 2 hours with your Guide through breathtaking landscapes to get to a Sanctuary designed by a Land Art artist to be a quiet place for reflection for people of all beliefs. Lunch at an historic hotel in an old railroad town. You will also visit an important site containing the remains of an old pueblo where the impressive ruins of a Mission Church still radiates with history & legend. Finally, back in Santa Fe, you will visit a Zen Buddhist practice, service, and training center. Truly a place of beauty and serenity.
CUSTOM TOURS
If you have a particular interest or a specific timeframe we can help you design and organize your ideal tour. Would you like to discover the vibrant contemporary art scene of Santa Fe? Or perhaps understand the current trends of New Music?
Or just a half day tour of the historic town and monuments? And a birds-eye view of Northern New Mexico aboard an observation aircraft? Remember that ballooning is a really great experience! Don’t forget the museums in Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque: we can help you find the ones that are more intriguing for you. And much, much more like for example, a tour to the most inspiring archeological sites and canyons in and beyond New Mexico. Imagine it and we will take you there.Acceptable forms of Payment are:
WIRE TRANSFER ( in USD dollars) to SEVEN DIRECTIONS bank account in Santa Fe, New Mexico ( USA)
CHECK - Cashier's or Certified check- (if drafted within the USA)
PAYPAL by clicking on their logo (you don’t have to join PayPal to use this service)
Seven Directions LLC | Patrizia Antonicelli, 1027B Canyon Road, Santa Fe NM 87501
Tel.+ 1 505 820 3306 | eMail: [email protected]
SKYPE: patrizia.antonicelli | www.sevendirections.net_______________________________________________________________________________
YOUR HOME IN SANTA FE? Once you've visited the City Different, you will dream of a home here where you can escape every time you have a few days for yourself. Learn more: SANTA FE HOMES
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