When we decided to buy a second vacation home, we considered several of our favorite travel destinations, places to which we seemed to return repeatedly. For exploration, outdoor activities and relaxation, we love the central Oregon coast, Squaw Valley and North Lake Tahoe, Ruidoso and, of course, Santa Fe/Taos. We evaluated each location for which place offered the most romantic, magic, spiritual qualities and in which location would we be happiest spending time long term. What area offered the most varied, yet agreeable climate year around? Where could we experience the greatest intellectual and recreational stimulation? All of a sudden the answer became obvious: Santa Fe. Where else in the U.S. could one find a settlement with 400 years of history blending three distinct cultures, the Native American, the Spanish Colonial and the northern European? What other place has the combined beauty of the arid northern New Mexican desert, the majesty of the Sangre de Christo, Jemez and Ortiz mountains and the lush, fertile ribbon of the Rio Grande? Where else provides the broad range of archeological sites and cultural traditions to enjoy and explore? In what other resort area can a person find any wider array of educational experiences, arts and entertainment such as Museum Hill, the Santa Fe Opera, the Lensic Performing Arts Center, the new Railyard District and a wide variety of performance venues including theatres, playhouses, and an amphitheatre. How can one compare the scope and variety of restaurants, galleries and shops of Santa Fe to any other place? What other city can match the combination of cultural choices and outdoor recreational opportunities offered by the Santa Fe area: sightseeing, snow skiing, kayaking and rafting, mountain biking, water skiing, fishing, hiking, rock climbing, archeological exploration, hot air ballooning and so on? What other city has a wonderful, 100 year-old neighborhood gourmet market and two Whole Foods Markets? NONE!