Ever wondered where Tom Selleck and Val Kilmer go incognito, or where Tom Ford chills when he's not at the design board? These boys have put their cowboy boots on in New Mexico and are taking it nice and easy in America's oldest capital city.

With not a skyscraper in sight, terracotta-coloured Spanish pueblo dwellings nestled at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains greet you in this artist's mecca that has come to be known as "City Different".

If you're not meandering through the sculpture gardens and galleries of Canyon Road, tucking into New Mexico Green Chilli Stew at The Pink Adobe restaurant, or exploring on horseback, come November you'll be taking it all in from the slopes at Ski Santa Fe. It's the perfect breath of fresh air.

While you're there

Book Inn
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner Costner celebrated their three-year wedding anniversary at the Inn of Anasazi last month. With hand-crafted furnishings and woven rugs at the foot of kiva fireplaces, it doesn't get cosier... and it offers a babysitting service, perfect for their five-month-old, Cayden Wyatt. Rooms are Dhs1,100-4,300 a night. Go to www.innoftheanasazi.com

Eagles'Eye View
A balloon trip over the Rio Grande will cost you around Dhs2,200 and can be organised through the Inn of the Anasazi.

Ski Santa Fe
For something a little more secluded than Aspen and Whisler, just 25km from the main town, the slopes of Sangre de Cristo are the place to be from November to April. Check out www.skisantafe.com