Retiring in Santa Fe NM

[REWahoo]

I drove to New Mexico today, it's only the fourth time I've been there. People I didn't know did unspeakable things to me. I don't suggest going there.

Colonoscopy?

 

[MRG]

Wow! Sounds bad.

We've visited New Mexico many times, and several different parts of it, and never had a bad experience.

It was unbelievable. A urologist appointment.

 

[MRG]

Colonoscopy?

Worse, cystoscopy. Least with a colonoscopy I'm pretty out. For giggles they did an ultrasound to measure my prostate. Your know where that probe went? I'm thinking the stories about New Mexico alien abduction and human testing might all true.

Good thing is I can drive myself 100 miles home.[emoji23]

 

[audreyh1]

It was unbelievable. A urologist appointment.

Oh - well that does sound very, very bad.

But you can't blame New Mexico, can you?

Still, if it was anywhere near Roswell, I'd be a bit freaked out.

 

[aja8888]

It is in a state that is consistently tied with Mississippi for the poorest. The doctors in the hospitals down there joke that the unbelted kid crashing through the windshield of a car is the state bird. This was the state that first deployed Breathalyzer-ignition interlocks in cars. Have fun...

FYI: NM is one of the top ten states in the country for DUI's per capita (it's no. 7):

https://www.intoxalock.com/blog/pos...ate-top-10-states-with-the-most-dui-problems/

The DUI death rate in New Mexico is 4.71 per 100,000. 98 deaths occurred in 2016 along with 8,542 DUI arrests. In New Mexico, a first-time DUI conviction automatically leads to the installation of an ignition interlock device.

 

[Huston55]

OP-

The author of the book “Can I Retire Yet?” & founder of the FIRE blog linked below (Darrow Kirkpatrick) moved from eastern TN to Santa Fe, NM several years ago for FIRE.

Darrow Kirkpatrick - Can I Retire Yet?

He’s a very nice guy, did lots of research to choose Santa Fe & might be willing to share his views on Santa Fe with you. There’s already some Santa Fe info on his blog site.

Best of luck.

 

[Dash man]

Wow! Sounds bad.



We've visited New Mexico many times, and several different parts of it, and never had a bad experience.

My DIL was a store manager and her store was robbed at gunpoint three times. Crime is really getting out of hand there.

 

[MRG]

FYI: NM is one of the top ten states in the country for DUI's per capita (it's no. 7):

https://www.intoxalock.com/blog/pos...ate-top-10-states-with-the-most-dui-problems/

They even have a *DWI number to call. I don't recall seeing those in other places. Prominent signs as you enter the state.

 

[MichaelB]

I love having my food Christmas style*!


*with red and green chili!

Yum. What wines do you pair with that?

 

[REWahoo]

I love having my food Christmas style*!


*with red and green chili!

Yum. What wines do you pair with that?

This looks like it would go perfectly...

 

[Dash man]

Yum. What wines do you pair with that?

Sangria!

 

[Winemaker]

Depends on the heat factor,type of protein, cheese. A lot of chiles add depth of flavor and not necessary heat. Some Cabs are robust, and have a touch of green bell pepper, which some people like and others consider a fault. I would prefer a Malbec, Grenache or a Zin. Whenever heat is involved, sweetness is the preferred pairing, hence Dash man's Sangria choice. Most Zins have a touch of residual sweetness that would be great, IMO.

Sangria at a restaurant usually comprises of all the undrunk opened bottles of wine that have accumulated of a few days. Mix 'em all together, add some 7-up or ginger ale, some fruit slices and Voila!

When DW and I visited NM a few years back, we visited a winery/distillery outside Los Alamos. They had a great bourbon made of blue corn and aged for 7 years, yum! The wines on the other hand were made for the locals and were all sweet. Cabs, Merlots, Malbecs, all your normal dry reds, were all sweet to go with the local hot spicy food.

If you prefer whites, I would recommend Gewurztraminer. It has a floral, spicy note that goes well with any spicy foods, including Thai.

 

[audreyh1]

Margaritas or beer go better with spicy Mexican food IMO.

 

[MRG]

Margaritas or beer go better with spicy Mexican food IMO.

+1000

 

[MichaelB]

Beer? Check. But it fills me up quickly. Margaritas? Check, but I haven’t quite found the right way to make a good one at home. Sangria? Check. That’s one of our go-to drinks for family get-together, and we have multiple good recipes. REW’s suggestion is interesting, but there’s something about it ...

When I saw a post about food - technically, sauce - that I really enjoy, from someone who makes and knows a lot about wine, I had to ask the pairing question, and I’m not disappointed with his response, or any other.

 

[Christine]

I drove to New Mexico today, it's only the fourth time I've been there. People I didn't know did unspeakable things to me. I don't suggest going there.

It was unbelievable. A urologist appointment.

Oh - well that does sound very, very bad.

But you can't blame New Mexico, can you?

Still, if it was anywhere near Roswell, I'd be a bit freaked out.

A Roswell style urologist? I do not want to think about what that implies!

 

[SeattleRocks]

I did some more research and the drug and crime rate are very high in NM, even in Santa Fe. Pity, it is an amazing town. I am now re-considering my choice and will most likely visit often, but probably not live there part time.

And somebody posted Seattle is getting expensive - which is absolutely the case. Plus the ridiculous government Seattle has is destroying the place. Local news station just did a major story titled "Seattle is Dying" and I am glad they finally exposed what is happening here.


Homeless and lawlessness has taken over. People pitching tents all over the place. Drugs are rampant and all city council wants to do is use tax payer money for injection sites so heroin addicts can "inject safely".

But I guess Santa Fe isn't much better...so back to the drawing board.

 

[RunningBum]

Beer? Check. But it fills me up quickly. Margaritas? Check, but I haven’t quite found the right way to make a good one at home. Sangria? Check. That’s one of our go-to drinks for family get-together, and we have multiple good recipes. REW’s suggestion is interesting, but there’s something about it ...

Obviously you need a Keurig Cocktail maker! http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/k-cups-for-booze-whats-next-96926.html

 

[zinger1457]

And somebody posted Seattle is getting expensive - which is absolutely the case. Plus the ridiculous government Seattle has is destroying the place. Local news station just did a major story titled "Seattle is Dying" and I am glad they finally exposed what is happening here.

I guess you came up with your user name before the downward spiral.

 

[SeattleRocks]

I guess you came up with your user name before the downward spiral.

Actually my user name refers to the music scene in Seattle, not the city itself. Although I love Seattle and have been a lifelong resident. But the last 5 years have been a disaster. And you cannot blame this on Amazon. Has nothing to do with that.


The "Seattle is Dying" video is 100% accurate and it is about time that the media released a fair and non-biased reporting of what is really going on and what the root cause is. Every single Seattle City Council person needs to be voted out and we need a complete re-set. The city is in crisis mode. The entire West Coast is a dumpster fire. I just went to San Francisco on a business trip and it is even worse then Seattle if you can believe that. I hear Portland OR isn't too far behind that. And LA? That city was lost a long time ago and will never recover.


But Seattle's music still rocks!

 

[RunningBum]

Actually my user name refers to the music scene in Seattle, not the city itself. Although I love Seattle and have been a lifelong resident. But the last 5 years have been a disaster. And you cannot blame this on Amazon. Has nothing to do with that.


The "Seattle is Dying" video is 100% accurate and it is about time that the media released a fair and non-biased reporting of what is really going on and what the root cause is. Every single Seattle City Council person needs to be voted out and we need a complete re-set. The city is in crisis mode. The entire West Coast is a dumpster fire. I just went to San Francisco on a business trip and it is even worse then Seattle if you can believe that. I hear Portland OR isn't too far behind that. And LA? That city was lost a long time ago and will never recover.

I googled the video, but it's an hour long. How about a synopsis about what is so wrong with Seattle, and perhaps SF, Portland, and LA. The only concrete thing I've heard is how expensive it is. Everything else you've said like "dumpster fire", "crisis mode" and "disaster" is vague. Not saying it isn't (or is) accurate, but what specifically are the problems?

 

[gerntz]

I enjoyed Taos as well. Ski mountain nearby.

 

[Ian S]

...so back to the drawing board.

Have you considered Sedona AZ? Beautiful location. 45 minutes from Flagstaff, a bustling college town with skiing nearby.

 

[plex]

Visited there since I have some family living there. It is pretty nice, and there are definitely a lot of options if you like the art scene.

That said, I have sensitive ear drums, and the altitude is indeed noticeable, there are also some areas where the altitude climbs/drops significantly. I basically can't live there for that reason alone.

I ran into the dehydration problem on one of the days, almost blacked out when I visited a hot spring without drinking more than 1 cup in the morning, had to drink a bunch of liquid immediately after that.

Also, it is basically a desert area, there is some growth, but it is basically just little bushes/tumbleweeds, golf courses will be really limited in numbers/size, as there is pretty strict water control there.

Finally, it is about average cost-wise, it will be much cheaper than the coasts, but that goes for almost everywhere else too. There are areas with very diverse food options, are warm in winter, and have a big art scene, Austin for example, though that has long lost its town feel.

 

[COcheesehead]

Have you considered Sedona AZ? Beautiful location. 45 minutes from Flagstaff, a bustling college town with skiing nearby.

Sedona today isn’t what Sedona was 15 years ago. It is being loved to death.