Sabbatikos

We set out on an early morning adventure, eager to get in a hike before diving into the wonders of Meow Wolf—the interactive art labyrinth—followed by a highly anticipated Caroline Rose concert, the catalyst for our Santa Fe journey. As dawn broke, we ventured a short drive from Santa Fe to the Dorothy Stewart Big-Loop trail, nestled within the Dale Ball trail system. This nearly three-mile trek through cactus and pinion-juniper woodlands at a breathtaking elevation of 7,500 feet promised us a challenging trek of serenity and solitude, offering us a moment of contemplation before the day’s vibrant escapes.

We made it back to Santa Fe just in time for Sunday brunch, our sights set on Tia Sophia’s (where the breakfast burritos was conceived). After our morning hike, those well-earned breakfast burritos, drenched in the spicy red and green “Christmas-style” chile (another Tia Sophia original), were the perfect reward.

We had an exciting day lined up: afternoon reservations for Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return, where we planned to lose ourselves in the mesmerizing interactive art installation for a few hours. Afterward, we would grab dinner and return to Meow Wolf for the highly anticipated Caroline Rose show. As we stepped into Meow Wolf, fate played its hand—we spotted Caroline Rose at the venue, fresh from their own first-time visit to the exhibit. OMG! Our hearts raced with exhilaration at the unexpected encounter, adding an extra layer of magic to our adventure.

Describing Meow Wolf is no easy feat. It’s a sensory overload, a kaleidoscope for all your senses, and a space-time mystery to unravel. Imagine a blend of avant-garde art, mind-bending escape room, and the surreal visions of an otherworldly dreamscape crafted by brilliantly deranged minds. There were probably drugs involved. It has to be experienced to be appreciated.

We saw Caroline Rose again! She was with her band setting up for the show.

Overwhelmed by exhibits and excited for the show we decided to step out of Meow Wolf and find some dinner. We ended up at nearby Second Street Brewery where we had some excellent pints and very memorable Alien Burger.

With time to kill before the doors opened, we set out to find a nearby bar. We stumbled upon one that looked so sketchy and rundown we couldn’t muster the courage to step inside. Defeated, we ended up nursing margaritas at Tortilla Flats 😦 before finally lining up for the show.

Back inside Meow Wolf, we snagged an upstairs spot to catch the opening act, Ian Sweet. Her band absolutely killed their set. We hadn’t heard Ian Sweet before, but after their performance, we were instant fans. As they wrapped up, I managed to snatch a setlist from the stage. Then we bolted to grab some of her merch, meet the Ian Sweet (Jilian Medford), and score some autographs. It was pure small-venue rock magic!

We returned to the venue inside the House of Eternal Return greeted by the otherworldly atmosphere of neon-lit installations and fantastical designs as the backdrop to this small stage. The venue’s intimate setting allows for an up-close and personal concert experience. It’s a concert environment like no other, where the boundary between performer and audience blurs. We shimmied our way into the front on the side of the stage as close as we could get.

Video edited by Clara.

As Caroline Rose wrapped up their set and encore, they reached out to shake a few hands. Both Clara and I got the thrilling experience of shaking hers. Pre-COVID, I would’ve joked, “I’m not washing this hand for a week,” but in today’s world, I just savored the moment but sanitized my hands, then reached forward and managed to snag the bass player’s setlist from the stage.

We then headed out for more merch, scoring a poster and a t-shirt. Hanging around like excited teenagers, we eventually spotted Caroline leaving the venue. They graciously indulged our starstruck Instagram moment and chatted with us for a bit. Caroline is truly a lovely, down-to-earth person who made the culmination of our Santa Fe trip unforgettable.