back from our Albuquerque adventure!
Jun 27th, 2007, 03:23 PM
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back from our Albuquerque adventure!
Well, here's my belated Albuquerque & Santa Fe trip report!
I'll preface by saying that we wanted to drive from Sacramento and back. I hadn’t seen the Grand Canyon, and I wanted to stop at as many roadside attractions as we could, given our travel time constraints - but I'll spare you all the road-trip details & get right to the food & lodging high-points...
I had looked on the internet some months back for a week-long rental so that my wife and I could have a comfortable retreat while we attended workshops at the Flamenco Festival. I lucked-out by checking Craigslist and finding La Casita B&B (www.lacasitabb.com). The owners were listing on CL while their website was being finalized. The unit is a wonderful adobe very near Old Town with a charming “home away from home” feel to it. I really appreciated the koi-pond lounge area they had created on the far side of the property – very private and relaxing. Air conditioning is limited to the "swamp cooler", but it was easily capable of keeping the unit in the mid/high 70s throughout our June stay. From breakfast to dining tips, I can’t say enough about the hospitality and attention to detail that the owners take with this property!
A big thanks to Debi and all of the other posters who gave their recommendations on sites, eats, etc. We tried to get to’em all! Our daily flamenco workshops were located at the UNM campus, and we did a little hunting around for lunch spots: we liked Kelly’s, the brewpub located in the old deco auto dealership on Central, and stopped by almost daily for a pick-me-up brew out in their expansive patio. The Red Brick pizza place had a nice margherita pizza & Caesar salad that we split a couple of times over the 8 days we were in town. My favorite place was Saggio’s – a very kitschy place (if you’re into Louis Prima, Frank Sinatra, Dino, etc., like I am - you’ll LOVE it) across Central from UNM – that had the best salads, sandwiches & espresso in the area… I ate there several times & still saw new funny decorations & artwork each time. Monroe’s on Lomas is an old New Mexico stand-by (right across the street from La Casita), and came in very handy for those “chips & salsa”, or carne adovado urges.
Some dinners were strictly based on our location at the dinner hour, but we enjoyed all of them thoroughly! La Hacienda was a no-brainer in Old Town the first night in town, and I couldn’t get enough of the hot salsa. I had the carnitas with red sauce & didn’t regret it.
My wife wanted to get back to High Noon Restaurant in Old Town, which she had visited with her parents in the late 70’s… still sublime, and the kiva-art in the lounge is really mesmerizing. We split the tomato-mozzarella salad 3 ways with a friend, and it was a great appetizer. The duck & vegetarian paella got raves, and I cleared my pesto chicken plate – which is a clear sign that I loved the food & was famished.
We went to Santa Fe one night mid-week to see a flamenco show at the Lensic Theater, and I made reservations at El Ferol on Canyon Rd. to keep the evening in a Spanish theme. There’s a handy paid-parking lot directly across the street, which was worth twice the price after a few hours in Santa Fe trying to park near the old town. The tapas were very good, and they had pulpo (octopus)! The only disappointments were the olives (very salty and unvaried) and my wife’s espresso – which she insisted must’ve been made from the grinds from my cup – which as incredible. Ah, well… she didn’t want to send it back and her impression of the place probably suffered for it.
Against all of our intentions to avoid being tourists, we wound up eating at High Finance on Sandia Peak, and I actually enjoyed the meal very much. A generous pour of Sterling cabernet made me instantly more comfortable, and the only reservation I could mention about the meal itself is that it’s almost impossible to SEE your food in the sunlight just before sunset. ;-)
Artichoke lived up to its reputation and was the most simply elegant meal of our trip. We started with the requisite artichoke appetizer with dipping sauces/aioli’s, though to be honest, artichokes aren’t fascinating to Californians used to eating them often! I had the prawns over fettucini, DW had the veal marsala, and our vegetarian guest had the Vegetable Napoleon. The wine list is extensive here, and certainly pricey, but I found a Barbera (Australian?) on the by-the-glass list that didn’t break the bank, and went very well with my dish.
Our last dinner would’ve made a local proud – after a final Flamenco Spectacular at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, we inadvertently got caught-up in the Central Friday night cruise… ouch! Now after 11 p.m. and starving, we made our way over to the Frontier for an authentic slice-of-life dining experience. Green chili stew, burritos & chips… a true capper for the trip!
Favorite shopping experiences were Saints & Martyrs in Old Town (didn’t buy much, but loved looking), and Mask & Mas on Central, where I did try to buy the store. Dia de Los Muertos stuff for days, and Tara’s a great shopkeeper!
I'll preface by saying that we wanted to drive from Sacramento and back. I hadn’t seen the Grand Canyon, and I wanted to stop at as many roadside attractions as we could, given our travel time constraints - but I'll spare you all the road-trip details & get right to the food & lodging high-points...
I had looked on the internet some months back for a week-long rental so that my wife and I could have a comfortable retreat while we attended workshops at the Flamenco Festival. I lucked-out by checking Craigslist and finding La Casita B&B (www.lacasitabb.com). The owners were listing on CL while their website was being finalized. The unit is a wonderful adobe very near Old Town with a charming “home away from home” feel to it. I really appreciated the koi-pond lounge area they had created on the far side of the property – very private and relaxing. Air conditioning is limited to the "swamp cooler", but it was easily capable of keeping the unit in the mid/high 70s throughout our June stay. From breakfast to dining tips, I can’t say enough about the hospitality and attention to detail that the owners take with this property!
A big thanks to Debi and all of the other posters who gave their recommendations on sites, eats, etc. We tried to get to’em all! Our daily flamenco workshops were located at the UNM campus, and we did a little hunting around for lunch spots: we liked Kelly’s, the brewpub located in the old deco auto dealership on Central, and stopped by almost daily for a pick-me-up brew out in their expansive patio. The Red Brick pizza place had a nice margherita pizza & Caesar salad that we split a couple of times over the 8 days we were in town. My favorite place was Saggio’s – a very kitschy place (if you’re into Louis Prima, Frank Sinatra, Dino, etc., like I am - you’ll LOVE it) across Central from UNM – that had the best salads, sandwiches & espresso in the area… I ate there several times & still saw new funny decorations & artwork each time. Monroe’s on Lomas is an old New Mexico stand-by (right across the street from La Casita), and came in very handy for those “chips & salsa”, or carne adovado urges.
Some dinners were strictly based on our location at the dinner hour, but we enjoyed all of them thoroughly! La Hacienda was a no-brainer in Old Town the first night in town, and I couldn’t get enough of the hot salsa. I had the carnitas with red sauce & didn’t regret it.
My wife wanted to get back to High Noon Restaurant in Old Town, which she had visited with her parents in the late 70’s… still sublime, and the kiva-art in the lounge is really mesmerizing. We split the tomato-mozzarella salad 3 ways with a friend, and it was a great appetizer. The duck & vegetarian paella got raves, and I cleared my pesto chicken plate – which is a clear sign that I loved the food & was famished.
We went to Santa Fe one night mid-week to see a flamenco show at the Lensic Theater, and I made reservations at El Ferol on Canyon Rd. to keep the evening in a Spanish theme. There’s a handy paid-parking lot directly across the street, which was worth twice the price after a few hours in Santa Fe trying to park near the old town. The tapas were very good, and they had pulpo (octopus)! The only disappointments were the olives (very salty and unvaried) and my wife’s espresso – which she insisted must’ve been made from the grinds from my cup – which as incredible. Ah, well… she didn’t want to send it back and her impression of the place probably suffered for it.
Against all of our intentions to avoid being tourists, we wound up eating at High Finance on Sandia Peak, and I actually enjoyed the meal very much. A generous pour of Sterling cabernet made me instantly more comfortable, and the only reservation I could mention about the meal itself is that it’s almost impossible to SEE your food in the sunlight just before sunset. ;-)
Artichoke lived up to its reputation and was the most simply elegant meal of our trip. We started with the requisite artichoke appetizer with dipping sauces/aioli’s, though to be honest, artichokes aren’t fascinating to Californians used to eating them often! I had the prawns over fettucini, DW had the veal marsala, and our vegetarian guest had the Vegetable Napoleon. The wine list is extensive here, and certainly pricey, but I found a Barbera (Australian?) on the by-the-glass list that didn’t break the bank, and went very well with my dish.
Our last dinner would’ve made a local proud – after a final Flamenco Spectacular at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, we inadvertently got caught-up in the Central Friday night cruise… ouch! Now after 11 p.m. and starving, we made our way over to the Frontier for an authentic slice-of-life dining experience. Green chili stew, burritos & chips… a true capper for the trip!
Favorite shopping experiences were Saints & Martyrs in Old Town (didn’t buy much, but loved looking), and Mask & Mas on Central, where I did try to buy the store. Dia de Los Muertos stuff for days, and Tara’s a great shopkeeper!
Jun 28th, 2007, 10:54 AM
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Hi all,
Ronin, I know what you mean about avoiding being "tourists". However, I have learned over the years of traveling that the reason some places are "touristy" is because they are special in some way. I try to remember this as I am planning a trip and not automatically eliminate them from my trip.
Ronin, I know what you mean about avoiding being "tourists". However, I have learned over the years of traveling that the reason some places are "touristy" is because they are special in some way. I try to remember this as I am planning a trip and not automatically eliminate them from my trip.
Jun 29th, 2007, 07:54 AM
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Thanks for the comments! I plan to come back for the Flamenco Fest again, maybe annually, and I can hit all the spots I missed this trip...
As for local Albuquerque attractions, I forgot to gush about the Bart Prince house - anyone know who did his iron-work sculptures? Oh, and the heat-lightning show a couple weekends back from "Pill Hill", where all the medical offices are, was incredible!
My wife had stopped at every 40/66 roadside attraction on her 1st trip to New Mexico in '78, but had blown past'em every subsequent time she drove her hot air balloon to the big Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque. She made it a point to make sure I saw'em on my first Southwest roadtrip...
Twin Arrows has fallen into disrepair, but we noted (after trespassing) that the site is in a protected status.
You can be "standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ" if you choose - order a chef's salad in town, if you dare! ;-)
I've got a photo of my salad for comic relief...
Wigwam Village in Holbrook is big fun. We stayed in Kingman, off 66, on our trip out - but this would've been a memorable motel stay.
The 50-ft Teepee across the NM border in Gallup was a trinket-buyer's dream. And the humidor was cigar nirvana!
We rolled past the Jackrabbit, Meteor City & the Petrified Wood dinosaur stop - my Mom even chided me for not stopping - but I'd just seen a lenghty segment on the place on a Roadside America show on cable.
The "Bedrock" Flinstones village in Valle was too kooky, but I was whipped and wanted to get to the South Rim of the Canyon, so we cut that short, but visited the gift shop (of course!).
We hit a few truckstops (who doesn't need a new mudflap silhouette?) and bought truckstop artifacts, and a big surprise was The Apple Shedd in Tehachapi... great food & a wild gift array. OK, enough about that, enjoy your summer travels, y'all!
As for local Albuquerque attractions, I forgot to gush about the Bart Prince house - anyone know who did his iron-work sculptures? Oh, and the heat-lightning show a couple weekends back from "Pill Hill", where all the medical offices are, was incredible!
My wife had stopped at every 40/66 roadside attraction on her 1st trip to New Mexico in '78, but had blown past'em every subsequent time she drove her hot air balloon to the big Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque. She made it a point to make sure I saw'em on my first Southwest roadtrip...
Twin Arrows has fallen into disrepair, but we noted (after trespassing) that the site is in a protected status.
You can be "standing on a corner in Winslow, AZ" if you choose - order a chef's salad in town, if you dare! ;-)
I've got a photo of my salad for comic relief...
Wigwam Village in Holbrook is big fun. We stayed in Kingman, off 66, on our trip out - but this would've been a memorable motel stay.
The 50-ft Teepee across the NM border in Gallup was a trinket-buyer's dream. And the humidor was cigar nirvana!
We rolled past the Jackrabbit, Meteor City & the Petrified Wood dinosaur stop - my Mom even chided me for not stopping - but I'd just seen a lenghty segment on the place on a Roadside America show on cable.
The "Bedrock" Flinstones village in Valle was too kooky, but I was whipped and wanted to get to the South Rim of the Canyon, so we cut that short, but visited the gift shop (of course!).
We hit a few truckstops (who doesn't need a new mudflap silhouette?) and bought truckstop artifacts, and a big surprise was The Apple Shedd in Tehachapi... great food & a wild gift array. OK, enough about that, enjoy your summer travels, y'all!
Jun 29th, 2007, 08:08 AM
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You have some things listed I'd never heard of:
Bart Prince house - don't know anything about it or where it is
"Pill Hill" where is this? I have never heard of any place called by that name.
Red Brick pizza place - is that the name or a description?
Debi
Bart Prince house - don't know anything about it or where it is
"Pill Hill" where is this? I have never heard of any place called by that name.
Red Brick pizza place - is that the name or a description?
Debi
Jun 29th, 2007, 09:57 AM
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Debi - happy to pass on some archane local info to a power-user! ;-)
The “spaceship” house is Bart Prince’s personal residence, and a breakthrough design for any setting, let alone Albuquerque. It’s on Monte Vista at Marquette (between Lomas and Central), and he and the neighborhood are hopefully OK with the inevitable gawkers (me included!).
I’m kinda confused about the pizza place name that I thought was Red Brick Pizza – there are a few “Brick” and “Oven” named joints very near the UNM campus… the place I’m talking about is on Harvard, across from the very bohemian Winning Coffee Co (also great espresso’s), and had the odd distinction of having individual TV panels at each table (we ate outside – I know how I am when there’s a video screen nearby).
Pill Hill (at least that’s what our local tourguide called it) is the corner formed by Lomas & Hwy 25 – where all of the medical offices are near the UNM hospital. It might not be the highest point in town, but you can get an almost unobstructed night skyline view from there. The heat-lightning storm that blew in the night before we left had me speechless… I wish my camera could’ve captured what we saw. Only a few ground strikes, but hundreds of cloud discharges!
The “spaceship” house is Bart Prince’s personal residence, and a breakthrough design for any setting, let alone Albuquerque. It’s on Monte Vista at Marquette (between Lomas and Central), and he and the neighborhood are hopefully OK with the inevitable gawkers (me included!).
I’m kinda confused about the pizza place name that I thought was Red Brick Pizza – there are a few “Brick” and “Oven” named joints very near the UNM campus… the place I’m talking about is on Harvard, across from the very bohemian Winning Coffee Co (also great espresso’s), and had the odd distinction of having individual TV panels at each table (we ate outside – I know how I am when there’s a video screen nearby).
Pill Hill (at least that’s what our local tourguide called it) is the corner formed by Lomas & Hwy 25 – where all of the medical offices are near the UNM hospital. It might not be the highest point in town, but you can get an almost unobstructed night skyline view from there. The heat-lightning storm that blew in the night before we left had me speechless… I wish my camera could’ve captured what we saw. Only a few ground strikes, but hundreds of cloud discharges!
Jun 29th, 2007, 10:27 AM
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Ahhhh- I know the Bart Prince house. I just didn't know it had a name! It is a strange looking house indeed. It has been on HGTV before.
I do know the pizza place you are talking about, just didn't recognize name. That is a curse of being local, not knowing names of things -- just what they are and where they are located.
I also know where "Pill Hill" is; I had never heard it called by that name. Funny, DH had an office there before we met. I go to a great compounding pharmacy there, so I know it well.
Debi
I do know the pizza place you are talking about, just didn't recognize name. That is a curse of being local, not knowing names of things -- just what they are and where they are located.
I also know where "Pill Hill" is; I had never heard it called by that name. Funny, DH had an office there before we met. I go to a great compounding pharmacy there, so I know it well.
Debi
Jun 29th, 2007, 11:21 AM
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I figured you must know those places, Debi - I'm tested when visitors come to visit us and I have to name a landmark I've passed for years! uh... the Stanford Mansion? er... Governor's Mansion? OK... "one of our notable post-Gold Rush era mansions!"
Jun 29th, 2007, 03:06 PM
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My kids call Bart Prince's house the UFO house. 
I think the pizza place you mentioned is called Red Brick Pizza. It's fairly new, and I haven't eaten there yet.
We've driven past most of your roadside attraction sites (my dad lives in California) but never actually stopped at any of them.
Lee Ann
I think the pizza place you mentioned is called Red Brick Pizza. It's fairly new, and I haven't eaten there yet.
We've driven past most of your roadside attraction sites (my dad lives in California) but never actually stopped at any of them.
Lee Ann
