Randall Davey Audubon Center in Santa Fe

On our last day in Santa Fe, we decided to go all the way to the top of Canyon Road and visit the Randall Davey Audubon Center. This is a lovely spot at the very end of the canyon above the reservoir and covered with trails. We walked a one mile loop trail through chamisa, sagebrush, wildflowers, and even grasses that were blooming, but the only birds that we saw were blue jays and hummingbirds. We did see a horned toad who was not happy with the intrusion and took off right after I got his photo.

We also walked around the home and gardens of Randall Davey who was an artist who had studied and travelled with Robert Henri and also studied with Charles Hawthorne, both of the Ashcan School of Art. Davey moved his family to this home and studio in Santa Fe although he continued to travel to art schools back east where he taught art. In the photo upper right, his studio is to the left of the front gate and the home is to the right. Davey came from a middle class background and became an artist against the wishes of his father and although he had moderate success as an artist, he continued to have to earn a living to have his polo ponies and fast cars. After his death, his home and gardens were donated to the Audubon Center and although his gardens were filled with bird feeders, we did not see many birds as they probably come in the morning or evening and we were there close to noon.

For lunch we traveled back down Canyon Road to El Farol and sat on the patio and order tapas for lunch. After eating every last bit of the halibut with balsamic arugula, pork tenderloin with roasted figs, sweet red peppers with feta, mushrooms in sherry sauce, and deep fried avocados with salsa....we proceeded to order dessert. Of course Allan had to have flan, but this was the all time best ever flan he had ever had. It was a rosemary-lemon infused custard nestled in caramel sauce. He tried to eat it very slowly to make it last. I chose a Raspberry Panna Cotta that was delicious and wolfed it down, it was so good. It was a fabulous lunch to end our stay in Santa Fe. We have had so many good meals here. The Pink Adobe, The Blue Corn Cafe, El Farol, The Pantry, and the Chimayo Inn. We will have to come back again next year and try some more.