Mabel Dodge Luhan house, Taos

We had a really good time discovering the treasures of La Loma Plaza (click here to see - Taos, a place you will never forget ;)) but ended up going elsewhere to see another Taos landmark.

 

Far away from the center of the town, near the Taos Pueblo border, you can find a large house with a lot of history. This is Mabel Dodge Luhan house. Now a hotel but one day it was a home for artists looking for inspiration...

She was Mabel Ganson Evans Dodge Sterne Luhan – salon hostess, art patroness, writer and self-appointed savior of humanity. She was a woman of profound contradictions. She was generous. She was pretty. Domineering and endearing.

Today as you approach the house of Mabel Dodge Luhan, it’s easy to see why some of the greatest minds of the 20th century were inspired here. Situated at the end of a quiet road not far from the center of town, the house appears much as it did in the days when Mabel admired her views of the sacred Taos Mountain from the third-story solarium.

One can only imagine the tantalizing conversations that must have taken place within these walls. After all, Georgia O’Keeffe stayed here. So did D.H. Lawrence, Ansel Adams and Martha Graham, among many other notables.

Learn more about Mabel and the place here - History of the place.

Today, this place still keeps the spirit of another time... Artists and artisans lived here for decades and left something behind, and you can feel it while walking around and breathing the cold New Mexico air (right, early Fall is the best time to visit ;) ).

Not too long ago, another, larger house was added to the estate. It is used for conferences and meetings, as well as many master classes and workshops in which you can also take part.

The surrounding streets are narrow, dusty and also beautifully decorated. Just look at these mermaids and angels we found on our way back downtown ;)

Before hitting the road, we stopped by and found several gigantic flowers on the streets of the town. Wasn't that a nice touch?

Red is New Mexico's favorite fall color. Look, everyone is wearing something red or riding red bikes ;)

And red chili peppers can be found everywhere! Don't forget to buy a bundle if you are in the area ;)

We only stopped once more that day on our way back to Denver... Not only is San Luis the oldest town in Colorado, it's also home to a beautiful church on top of a hill...

The Church La Capilla de Todos los Santos, however, is not old... It was built in 1996 in a traditional Spanish style and dominates the area beautifully. Every time we drive through the town, we stop and admire it...

Pictures were taken on October 07, 2012.