Albuquerque The Magazine, August 2021 by Albuquerque The Magazine

THE O T N I E V I D L E A W C 4 O 5 L . P HE S T R O F T O S CE N A STORY E HI S O O H C I W X E S E M LI W E N FAMI E P A H S Y. D A E D P O L T E S H I T I T A H NTO W I

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AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

With the summer season finally here, it’s time for you to start living more and cleaning less! Leave the housekeeping chores to Merry Maids and spend more time enjoying what you love, with who you love.

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FEATURE

PG 23, 24, 25, There’s just something about summer, all the sunshine and outdoor activity. Oh, and the barbecue! Because we can’t get enough of the slow-cooked meat and tangy sauce, here’s a few plates of ABQ BBQ info put together just for you.

PG 54

ped a h s ’t n s o wa c i x e M oks. ew o N b f y o r o y t r s o in hi s e r The hist u also g i s l f a e u h d t i indiv d only by n a s lped e i e l i h t m a a f h t Ordinary erous key roles ome. h m l l u a n c d l l e play we a e t a t s ies. e r h o t s r i e build t of th w e f a ’s Here

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DEPARTMENTS 20 Publisher’s Note 23 Tapas

P. 32 P. 110

Chef Marc Quiñones of Mas Tapas Y Vino shares a BBQ sauce recipe; UNM researches help find a new planet; Summer Wings returns to the Rio Grande Nature Center; NM United partners with local artists; ABQ’s Incredible Kids.

32 Bucket List

Our Associate Publisher Gena Salazar and her family paid a visit to black light painting spot Chatter Paint.

34 Faces and Places 77 Datebook

109 People

110 Albuquerque the Interview A 30-year veteran of Albuquerque Public Schools, Scott Elder is bringing his insights and experience to a new role: APS Superintendent.

P.120

116 Personality

Louisiana transplant Lauren Tobey fell in love with New Mexico’s natural beauty—and stuck around to forge a career as a gifted silversmith.

120 Behind the Scenes

Local filmmakers Julian Nuñez, Matt Holguin, and Luke Hawthorne used a grant from the City of Albuquerque to make a documentary about local culinary culture.

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AUGUST 2021 Volume XVIII Number IV PHOTO DIRECTOR

Don James don@abqthemag.com LEAD DESIGNER

Sheridan Young sheridan@abqthemag.com

EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF SLEEP DRE AM UP YOUR NEW BEDROOM WITH THE HELP OF OUR DESIG NERS; THEIR SERVICES ARE ALWAYS COMPLIMENTARY !

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Candice Callado candice@abqthemag.com FOOD EDITOR

Zane Beal zane@abqthemag.com DATEBOOK EDITOR

Denise Meyer datebook@abqthemag.com EDITORIAL INTERN

Elizabeth Groening elizabeth@abqthemag.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Michael Jacobs michael@abqthemag.com CONTRIBUTORS

Tristen Critchfield Ashley M. Biggers Mel Minter Frank Gutierrez

Albuquerque The Magazine (ISSN 1936-4350) is published monthly except January by Albuquerque The Media Corporation, 1550 Mercantile Ave. NE, Top Floor, Albuquerque, NM 87107. Periodicals Postage Paid at Albuquerque, NM 87101, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Albuquerque The Magazine, 1550 Mercantile Ave. NE, Top Floor, Albuquerque, NM 87107.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome letters to the Editor. You may e-mail yours to editor@abqthemag.com, or submit it directly from our website, or via snail mail. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Our editorial calendar is available online at www.abqthemag.com/MediaKit.pdf. No phone calls, please. Unsolicited manuscripts require a SASE.

DEPARTMENTS

P. 132 P. 124 123 Culture

P. 144

124 Creatives

Growing up in Santa Fe, Reyes Padilla cut his own path as an artist, letting his synesthesia guide his work.

P. 136

126 Shelflife

In Crossing Borders, author Craig Harris and Albuquerque-born musician Max Baca explore this history and evolution of Tejano music—and Baca’s experience as an icon of the form.

128 Tiempo

A monthly check-in with longtime Tiempo editor Mel Minter on the new performers—and familiar faces—making waves in ABQ’s thriving local music scene.

131 Dish

132 Eats Review

Hidden away down a quiet street off Old Town Plaza, Antiquity Restaurant remains one of ABQ’s premier fine dining destinations.

136 Eats, Etc.

Tako Ten reminds us why we love tacos; A Taste of the Caribbean explores the flavors of tropical paradise; Rutilio’s brings the homestyle NM eats of a Belen icon to ABQ.

138 From the Vine

At Happy Accidents, a team of renowned bartenders are reimagining the cocktail-bar experience; We take a moment to get to know Bosque Brewing Brewmaster John Bullard.

144 My Favorite Recipe

Poston and Associates CEO and Native Women Lead co-founder Stephanie Poston shares her recipe for green chile stew.

150 Bites

Info-filled nuggets about the city’s restaurants to take on the go.

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DEPARTMENTS 171 Fun

172 ‘Til You Drop

Sweet Sparrow Market & Boutique transports visitors to a world of period glassware, antique furnishings, and vintage clothing.

174 Paws Button

K9 Resorts and Luxury Pet Hotels launches an ABQ facility, giving ABQ dog parents a daycare/boarding option that doesn’t skimp on bells and whistles.

179 Piece of the Past In 1923, New York-born Joseph Barnett aimed to build ABQ’s biggest theater. Nearly a century later, the Sunshine Theater is still open as a concert venue.

176 ABQ’s Amazing Pets This month’s winners: Attia, Buddha, Dunkin, and Titus.

180 Passenger Window

P. 172

Called the “Tree of Life,” the mosaic tower sculpture on Montaño and Fourth is the work of artist Beverley Magennis.

183 Photo Contest

This month’s winner: “Coming Home,” By Delila Baldonado

184 A Few Things

KOAT-TV Ch. 7 President and General Manager Lori Waldon shares a few things about her life and work.

P. 180 18

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AUGUST 2021 Volume 18 Number 4 PUBLISHER

Larryl Lynch larryl@abqthemag.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Gena Salazar gena@abqthemag.com

SENIOR ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES

Philip Kjelland philip@abqthemag.com Megan Life megan@abqthemag.com PUBLISHING ASSISTANT

Dakota-Lynn McCaffrey dakota@abqthemag.com BUSINESS MANAGER

Renee Martinez business@abqthemag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER EMERITUS

Scott Davis (1966–2004)

SUBSCRIBE!

Annual subscriptions to Albuquerque The Magazine are $19 for 11 issues. You may subscribe directly from our website. Send check or money order to:

Albuquerque The Magazine 1550 Mercantile Ave. NE, Top Floor Albuquerque, NM 87107 phone: 505-842-1110 • fax: 505-842-1119 www.abqthemag.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

or years, we’ve had this crazy notion here at Albuquerque The Magazine to do a scratch-n-sniff cover. No, we didn’t do it this month, but it would’ve been a fun bonus to scratch your nail and get the aroma of slow-cooked, sweet and smoky meat, am I right? Okay, so here’s the next best thing: we chose to bring you a few tidbits of info about local BBQ, given that summer is in full swing and so, yes, BBQ. We open on page 23, with a teaser on Guava Barbecue Sauce. It’s a creation of Chef Marc Quiñones of Mas Tapas Y Vino restaurant downtown. Guava is a staple in Puerto Rican cuisine, which happens to be Quiñones’ heritage. It’s sooooo tasty, the kind of recipe you wish you had—and now you do. Flip to page 24, and you have the playbook on how to make your own batch, along with our inside scoop on all the barbecue-forward spots in ABQ. But wait, that’s not all. Read this magazine today, and you also get write-ups on a great BBQ brisket sandwich (p. 151); pulled pork BBQ sliders (p. 154); a Hawaiian BBQ chicken dish (p. 159); and, just for good measure, baby back BBQ ribs (p. 162). The only thing we couldn’t get you is napkins. Enjoy! Our feature story this month is a collection of tales from locals who have families and ancestors who contributed to our state’s history. The stories are diverse, from a father who used his engineering skills to work on a government project so top-secret that he wasn’t clued in (you know which project), to a family that founded a tiny town high in the west central New Mexico mountains. These folks were kind enough to share their family history, and a few historical photos, to boot. Turn to page 54 to turn our state’s clock back a few years. Like each August, this is back-to-school month—although for the past year and a half, students and teachers globally have had to create entirely new processes of learning, thanks to the pandemic. That’s no different for the Albuquerque Public Schools system. What is different for APS is that it has a new (familiar) face as Superintendent. Flip to page 110 for a chat with Scott Elder, the new boss who has actually been employed by the district for 30 years.

We also profile Lauren Tobey, the owner of Meltdown Studio, where she shares her space and expertise with students and fellow silversmiths and jewelry makers. The pandemic obviously threw many businesses into a tizzy, but she adapted nicely, incorporating smaller class sizes and virtual learning into the mix. Check out what else is new at her Old Town operation in this month’s Personality profile on page 116. For this month’s A Few Things column, I can honestly say it’s the first-ever in which we didn’t have to edit a single sentence—that’s how well it was written! We invited Lori Waldon, the General Manager of Ch. 7, to submit a few fun facts about herself, and the lifelong journalist didn’t disappoint, giving us entertaining and beautifully-written factoids (here’s one: she was born on the same day as President Barack Obama). The rest of her previously little-known trivia is on page 184. Lastly, a quick intro for our summer writing intern, Elizabeth Groening, an ABQ native (and Hope Christian School alum) who graduated with her master’s degree from the University of Oregon in June. Look for her prose throughout this issue, including an insightful write-up on page 172 about Sweet Sparrow Market & Boutique. Her debut in this issue has been marked by good writing and awesome enterprising skills—and she’s also been more than patient with the ATM staff through our bungle-her-name period (it’s pronounced GRAY-neen). Welcome, Elizabeth. We hope you enjoy this issue of ATM. We’re already working on the next one for you!

Sincerely,

Larryl Lynch Publisher

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TINY BITES OF EVERYTHING TO SEE, DO AND BUY IN ALBUQUERQUE

EXOTIC & SAUCY

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

heritage with American smoked meats. “I wanted to introduce a bit of the Caribbean into our menu,” says Quiñones. “Anyone from any culture can emotionally connect with barbecue, and quite frankly, I think that’s just so exciting and fun.” At Mas, Quiñones created the sauce to pair with the bone marrow dish, so that the richness of the marrow becomes contrasted against the tropical sweetness of the ripe guava. Turn the page for the recipe. Provecho!

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Summer means barbecue, and barbecue means sauce. And who doesn’t want to serve amazing and unique sauce at their outdoor get-together? We needed some inspiration here, so we picked the brain of Chef Marc Quiñones of Mas Tapas y Vino (and the most recent season of Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen”). His passion for global flavors is well-known, with dishes like the Iberico Black Pig Secreto and the Jerusalem Artichoke Bisque. That sets the stage for his Guava Barbecue Sauce, which links Quiñones’ Puerto Rican

The extraordinary, fall-off-the-bone goodness we currently recognize as barbecue first emerged in the 15th century. Back then, Spanish visitors to the Americas brought back reports of indigenous tribes using raised platforms made of green wood to cook meat over indirect heat. Now fully blossomed into something between a high art and a careful science, barbecue has become an unmissable staple of summer living. Here, for your delectation, is an exploration of Albuquerque’s wondrous offerings in the world of barbecued meats. Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ 10136 Coors Blvd NW (plus 1 other location) rudysbbq.com

A chain restaurant has to be close to home to make this list, and that certainly describes Rudy’s. The operation has Texas roots of slow-cooked, oak-smoked brilliance. Oh, and their breakfast tacos rock.

Mr. Powdrell’s BBQ 5209 4th St NW (plus 1 other location) bbqandsoulfoodabq.com ABQ’s Powdrell family has been preaching the gospel of hickory smoked meats for nearly 70 years. Here, quality meats and low temperature smoke conspire in some truly mouth-watering eats—pushed to extraordinary heights by their signature barbecue sauce.

Nexus Blue Smokehouse 1511 Broadway Blvd SE nexusbrewery.com

Fat T’s 308 Rio Grande Blvd NW fattsfood.com

The cornerstone here is soulfood, but in 2019, they ex-

Chef Tylor Torres specializes in fork-tender meat cooked

panded their repertoire with the addition of Nexus Blue Smokehouse. As the name implies, this is an operation dedicated to the wonderful things that happen when meat is exposed to smoke for just the right length of time.

over white oak. And his talents are now reaching a wider

S-A BBQ 3600 Cutler Ave NE (plus 1 other location) s-abbq.com Owners Leo Savedra and Gabriel Amador shake up tradition with a dose of New Mexico flavor. Sparks fly at the intersection of carefully smoked meats—brisket, pork shoulder, chicken—and a selection of signature NM-style barbecue sauces, like their Spicy Zia Gold.

Chef Marc’s Guava Barbecue Sauce 2 Cups Guava Puree 1 Cup Tomato Sauce 1 Cup Ketchup ½ Cup Worcestershire Sauce 7 Cloves of Fresh Smashed Garlic ½ of a Spanish Onion Diced 1 Tbsp of Dried Crushed Mexican Oregano Salt & Pepper to Taste Start with a medium sized sauce pot. On medium heat, sautée onion & garlic until aromatic. Add oregano and sautée until you can smell the floral aroma. Deglaze with guava puree, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 32 minutes. Blend and enjoy!! Chef Marc Quiñones Mas Tapas Y Vino

audience—he launched a food truck over a year back before moving into an Old Town storefront this spring.

Golden Pride 10101 Central NE (plus 3 other locations) goldenprideabq.com

Over the past five decades, Golden Pride locations have come to feel as much like ABQ as the Sandias. And, while barbecue is only a portion of the menu, they still know how to elevate a piece of chicken or a slab of ribs into something truly extraordinary.

Whole Hog Cafe 9880 Montgomery Blvd wholehogcafenm.com Pigs were first domesticated about 10,000 years ago— likely in direct anticipation of what’s going on at Whole Hog Cafe. This joint has been serving up Memphis-style barbecue in ABQ since 2006—turning out not just pork, but also brisket and chicken, to considerable local and national acclaim.

Quarters BBQ 801 Yale Blvd SE thequartersonyaleblvd.com At first glance, it’s a package liquor store. Move a bit closer, and you can’t help but smell the BBQ, too. Now pushing into its 51st year of operation, Quarters BBQ traffics in many of the classics—spare ribs, chicken, hot links—alongside a wide selection of non-barbecue options.

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Pull up a barstool for simple cooking and wide-open spaces that define life west of the Mississippi. In addition to classics like pulled pork, brisket, and ribs, you’ll find a quality grill game here, serving up cooked-to-order steak and chicken dishes.

Black Mesa BBQ 6301 Coors Blvd SW orderblackmesabbq.com

Just before your southbound car hits the Middle Rio Grande Valley, you’ll find this stellar BBQ joint. Despite the low profile, the business of barbecue is taken seriously here, even offering turkey legs and jerk chicken to go with pork and beef ribs, pulled pork, and brisket.

Nomad’s BBQ 3851 Rio Grande Blvd NW nomadsbbqmenu.com

Barbecue might be the perfect nomad food: heat and meat, plus knowhow and ingenuity. Of course, at Nomad’s BBQ, things are a bit more complex than that. Here, pork and beef are smoked to juicy perfection and accompanied by killer sides like baked beans and pineapple slaw.

The Hot Mess 13025 Lomas Blvd NE Ste C dahotmess.com

Pandemic be damned, the Hot Mess opened in June of 2020, a project of South Carolina natives Larry M. Jenkins and Alzander Zanwé Staley Sr. Brisket, pulled pork, baby back ribs, and smoked chicken wings are served with a touch of South Carolina flavor—alongside unmissable Southern-style sides like fried okra and baked mac and cheese.

Kimo’s Hawaiian 3239 Girard Blvd NE kimosabq.com

While the geography that first springs to mind when contemplating barbecue has more to do with Texas, the Mississippi Delta, and the Carolinas, the fact of the matter is that some of the best barbecue in the States comes from a string of islands in the middle of the north Pacific. As a reminder, look no further than Kimo’s Hawaiin BBQ, where chef and owner James Strange brings the confluence of flavor and culture to Albuquerque in the form of dishes like Huli Huli Chicken and Kalua Pork.

UNM RESEARCHERS FIND NEW PLANET S

potting planets outside our resident solar system is hard. Really hard. So much so that it wasn’t until 1992 that we had our first confirmed detection of a planet spinning around a star other than our own. Nearly 30 years down the line, it’s become clear that exoplanets are everywhere. Scientists have detected and confirmed 4,777 exoplanets across 3,534 planetary systems as of early July 2021—and researchers at UNM are part of these efforts. Working off data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), NASA JPL’s Jennifer Burt and UNM’s Diana Dragomir—together with a large team of collaborators—recently discovered a planet slightly smaller than Neptune orbiting a not-too-distant star (relatively speaking). The planet, catchily designated TOI-1231b, orbits its home star in a swift 24 days. And, compared to a lot of other exoplanets, the temperature here is almost welcoming, hovering around a bracing 140 degrees Fahrenheit. “Even though TOI-1231b is eight times closer to its star than the Earth is to the Sun, its temperature is similar to that of Earth, thanks to its cooler and less bright host star,” Dragomir said in a press release. The discovery is a continuation of research Burt and Dragomir started when they were fellows together at MIT’s Kavli Institute. With an atmosphere ripe for study, the research on TOI-1231b is just getting started. —ZB

Mighty Mike’s Meats Food Truck/Trailer mightymikesmeats.com

Mike Mondrago travels to Albuquerque hotspots to share the good word of smoked meats to saints and sinners alike. Focused on quality, locally sourced meats cooked over local fruitwood, Mighty Mike’s is quickly cementing a reputation as one of the mobile food operations to watch for in ABQ.

Big John’s BBQ Food Truck/Trailer Corner of San Mateo and Kathryn

90 light-years from Earth

Big John’s RV and smoke trailer has been a longtime fixture at the intersection of Montgomery and Carlisle. But since a gas station now occupies that corner, his operation can now be found at San Mateo Boulevard and Kathryn Avenue. The spot is fresh, just like the smoked turkey legs, ribs, brisket, chicken, sausages, chicken wings and catfish.

Smoking Wet BBQ Food Truck/Trailer Corner of Rio Bravo and Coors

This Westside mobile BBQ outfit keeps things the operation simple, focusing on turkey legs, brisket, pulled pork, and sausage. But the menu also expands to nachos with pulled pork or brisket, or Smoking Wet Brisket Tacos.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Mass: 15.4 Earths

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA/JPL-CALTECH

County Line 9600 Tramway Blvd NE countyline.com

s g n i W r e Summ ATURE CENTER is B

ANDE N R G O I R e th t a ACK ON

ummer Wings is back on at the Rio Grande Nature Center. A celebration of the many winged creatures that call the Middle Rio Grande Valley home, Summer Wings is an annual festival hosted by the Friends of the Rio Grande Nature Center (FRGNC), a nonprofit support group dedicated to helping the Nature Center fulfill its mission. Though somewhat modified from previous years, this summer’s event offers the public a chance to explore the behavior and ecology of birds, bats, bees, dragonflies, and other flying critters that can be found at the Rio Grande Nature Center. Throughout the year, the Nature Center plays host to over 300 species of resident and migratory bird species alone. Scheduled for Saturday, August 14, this

year’s festival will feature bird walks, nature walks, and multiple citizen science opportunities. Meanwhile, Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico will present educational experiences with their raptors, and the local Audubon Society and FRGNC volunteers will share their knowledge of local wildlife in the Nature Center’s observation room. Originally opened in 1982, the Rio Grande Nature Center occupies nearly 40 acres of prime Bosque habitat. Featuring a visitor center designed by renowned architect Antoine Predock, the Nature Center is an ideal spot to get in touch with some of New Mexico’s natural wonders. For more information on Summer Wings and a precise schedule of events, visit rgnc.org. —ZB

START BR A GGING

ABQ

Adrien Lawyer

Executive Director and Co-Founder Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico “It’s fun to live in a city where so much film production takes place. My ABQ home is in the same neighborhood as the fictional home of Gustavo Fring from “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” and we’ve been able to watch some scenes filmed up close!” Start Bragging ABQ is a campaign to tell everyone what you love about our city. Got a brag about ABQ? Send it to us at editor@abqthemag.com.

Jace VanNess AGE: 6 SCHOOL: Annunciation Catholic School LIKES: Books, Dinosaurs, Earth, and Science FROWNS UPON: Pollution FUTURE PLANS: Jace wants to be a paleontologist while creating new technology to protect our environment. HIS STORY: “Jace’s heart is bigger than Mother Earth herself,” says Rick VanNess, Jace’s father. “His laugh is infectious as he continuously uses his curiosity to grow with everything around him.” At just 4 years old Jace started to read and now just two years later he is at a really high reading level for his age. It all started when he would be up at 5 am and his parents would tell him to just go read a book. He would gravitate more towards dinosaur books and can name a dinosaur for every letter of the alphabet! Jace likes to borrow books from the library about mammals, night animals, and volcanos. Not only is he “crazy smart” but he is curious. Anytime he has a question for his parents, they use Alexa or Google to answer him, he then shares the answers with just about everyone he encounters. —DLM

Submit your Incredible Kids at incrediblekids@abqthemag.com 26

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Liam, Kayde & Finlay Keffer

PHOTO BY MILTON IAU PHOTOGRAPHY

AGE: Liam & Kayde 12, Finlay 15 SCHOOL: All 3 boys are home schooled LIKES: Liam and Kayde are really into scootering, running, and music. Finlay is into scootering, swimming, and traveling. FROWNS UPON: Liam doesn’t like tomatoes, insects, and watery hot chocolate. Kayde doesn’t like gloomy weather, turkey sandwiches, and swimming as a sport. Finlay doesn’t like watching tv, squash, teenage stereotypes. FUTURE PLANS: Liam and Kayde want to be Action Sports professionals. Finlay would like to attend Grand Canyon University or fly in the Military. THEIR STORY: The three boys are sponsored scooter riders for the local shop, Kryptic Pro Scooters, which is the next big action sport. Liam and Kayde are twins and do everything together and have the same mindset on just about everything. The two boys recently took home trophies from their first ever competition in Arizona where Liam did a double back flip on his scooter. They represent the Cougar Track Club in Albuquerque and are ranked 2nd and 3rd in the nation on Mile Split among 1000 6th grade boys in cross country for the 3k. Finlay, the oldest of the Keffer boys, also competed in Arizona and did a double back flip on his scooter. When he isn’t riding scooters, he swims competitively for MAKO in Albuquerque. All three boys will be going to an action sports camp in West Virginia where they will be junior coaches and councilors. This is a great opportunity for them to serve as leaders and have a positive influence on the next generation. —DLM

Submit your Incredible Kids at incrediblekids@abqthemag.com

ntertainment is reentering the Land of Enchantment with a big bite. After 16 months of staring at our small screens, we once again have access to the five-story Dynatheater at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science. Albuquerque’s only giant theater officially reopened its doors to the public on July 8 with a limited schedule and reduced seating and is showing two short films daily—Hidden Pacific at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and In Saturn’s Rings at noon and 2 p.m. Dynatheater tickets are free for ages 2 and under, $5 for children (3-17), $7 for adults (18-59), and $6 for seniors (60+). To purchase tickets, visit nmnaturalhistory.org.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

START BR A GGING

ABQ

Eddie Nuñez

Director of Athletics University of New Mexico “On Saturdays, my family and I enjoy visiting the downtown Farmers Market at Robinson Park. It’s great to see homegrown vegetables, food and handmade items, and spend time appreciating each other and the small-town feel we get from living here. Of course, the most important piece of living in ABQ is the people and their passion for our New Mexico Lobos.” Start Bragging ABQ is a campaign to tell everyone what you love about our city. Got a brag about ABQ? Send it to us at editor@abqthemag.com.

TRULY BOUTIQUE PHOTOGRAPHY

505.453.7811

frankgz64@gmail.com frankgutierrezphotography frankgz64

Albuquerque’s wettest monsoon season came in 2006, with 9.42 inches of precipitation. Its driest? Three years earlier, in 2003, with 1.46 inches of rain.

PARTNERS WITH LOCAL ARTISTS With their bicycle kicks and back-of-the-net worldies, some could say that New Mexico United’s players are artists on the field. But the soccer club with the Meow Wolf logo on the front of one of its kits is taking art and sport off the pitch, too. Since the Artist Series’ 2019 founding, the USL team has partnered with 11 local artists in its official series of merchandise. Additional creatives have stepped in with watch party demonstrations on Civic Plaza and other one-off pieces, like the low rider crew t-shirt artist Josh Patterson designed in spring 2021. Initially, the Artist Series proceeds benefitted the High-Performance Program, which trains New Mexico youth of all income levels; it built a pathway to establishing the Somos Unidos Foundation, which aims to be a force of positivity and progress for the state. “From day one, we have focused on combining art and sport in ways that no team has ever done,” says Director of Communications David Carl. “We have also always had a focus on supporting local first. All of our partners are local companies or local franchises. Our employees are New Mexicans, and we have eight players on our first team roster that are born and raised New Mexicans. The Artists Series is the perfect amalgamation of our love of art and our love of local.” Here are a few artists in the series: Rashan Jones, of High Desert Flameworks, hand blows glass pieces including custom barware. For New Mexico United, he created glass Christmas ornaments the black-and-yellow army adored, as well as a set of stemware featuring swirling canary yellow and galaxy black (with a bit of sparkle). Jones appreciates United’s community mindedness. “From the inception, they wanted to use their platform to elevate others,” Jones says. Lindsey Allen, vice president of The Curse supporters’ group, helms Downright Nerdy Designs and 3-D printed dangly black and yellow earrings featuring the United shield. For Allen, it was all about giving back. “The best part about it was knowing that the money is going to support youth soccer in the state,” she says. Shane Silva, of Shane Silva Pottery, pulled a series of ceramic mugs off his studio wheel featuring the New Mexico United shield. Sherry Lopez, the founder of Lovishly, a jewelry company that gives back, crafted gold-plated and silver necklaces pressed with the United logo.

ATM DEFINITION OF THE MONTH 30

Blair Conditioning (v.)

The act of blasting the air conditioner in your car on a hot day. ex: When I gave my boss a ride to lunch he yelled, “BLAIR” after being outside for less than a minute in this heat.

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START BR A GGING

ABQ

Justina Grant

Director of Athletics University of New Mexico

IF YOUR POSTS OF ABQ ARE AWESOME ENOUGH TO PRINT, TAG THEM!

“On Saturdays, I love walking through the Downtown Growers Market, drinking a cup of Castle Coffee and petting other people’s dogs. On Mondays, I love to go to comedy night at Inside Out, order an Elevated IPA and laugh my heart out with my friends.” Start Bragging ABQ is a campaign to tell everyone what you love about our city. Got a brag about ABQ? Send it to us at editor@abqthemag.com.

175 years ago this month, New Mexico became part of the United States. On August 15, 1846, just a few months into the Mexican-America War, General Stephen W. Kearny rode into Santa Fe and claimed New Mexico territory without firing a shot.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Each month, we go out into the city to observe an activity that perhaps we (or you) have always wanted to try. Then we talk to the people who did it.

CHATTER PAINT

Meet The

Participants

NAME: Adrian Salazar II (son) STRENGTHS: Spontaneous, master of making messes WEAKNESSES: Easily distracted by paint guns PRIOR EXPERIENCE: Finger paints & plays with legos

NAME: Gena & Adrian Salazar (mom & dad) STRENGTHS: Artistic & open-minded WEAKNESSES: Gena doesn’t like getting messy; Adrian likes to keep things inside the lines PRIOR EXPERIENCE: Gena paints as a hobby; Adrian paints for a living

ATM’s Associate Publisher, Gena Salazar, and her family embarked upon an unconventional painting journey, and had a (very messy) blast.

PHOOTOS BY THE SALAZAR FAMILY

Rules and regulations have been everywhere this past year. We wore masks and stayed home. We waited in line at Trader Joe’s, standing six feet apart. We obsessively cleaned surfaces, washed our hands, and took temperatures. Now, however, as many Albuquerqueans are fully vaccinated and shedding those COVID-19 restrictions, some free-for-all fun is in order. We deserve to let loose! Luckily, there’s a new paint shop in town that encourages freedom of expression for people of all ages and backgrounds. Chatter Paint, located in the Bridges on Tramway shopping center, is a safe space for creatives and non-creatives to paint outside the lines. As New Mexico’s first DIY splatter paint studio, Chatter seeks to combine art and recreation. Co-owner, William Ng, explains, “We’re not your typical wine and paint place, where it’s really structured. Chatter is all about self-instructed, uninhibited creative freedom, where you can paint however you like and have fun.” Ng and his wife, Myra Lai, got the idea for Chatter during their travels in Singapore, where they saw families enjoying a similar artistic escape. Thoroughly inspired, the couple were eager to bring a similar unusual art experience to Albuquerque. Initially—and unfortunately— WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

they opened Chatter in March 2020, a few days before businesses were forced to shut down. Nevertheless, Chatter was able to officially open in June 2020, and has been welcoming self-expression ever since. “It’s like a smash house, but with paint,” says Ng. “Some people create beautiful works of art, while others just throw paint at each other, the wall, or the canvas.” Stepping into the alternative paint studio with her husband, Adrian, and their 11-year-old son, Adrian II, ATM Associate Publisher Gena Salazar had no idea

how much fun they were in for—or how messy their clothes were about to get! First things first, Gena and her family upgraded their painting packages to the large option ($55 per person), so that they would each have access to party paint guns. Chatter offers two other packages, including regular ($25 per person) and small, for ages 12 and under ($15 per person). Every option comes with a canvas, paint, paint tools, and protective wear (e.g. clear plastic panchos). A range of untraditional paint tools are up for grabs, so our girl Gena grabbed some beads and syringes and proceeded to go wild. Once Gena and her family entered the ‘Chaos Room,’ things went dark. “Music was blasting and all I could see were our canvases and the glow paint,” she recalls. While the Salazar family booked a black light session with fluorescent paint, using regular paint under ordinay light is also an option. However, Ng says the intense reaction that neon colors and white paint have with black light has been a huge hit, especially with kids and teenagers. Once they were set free in the dark room, Gena and her family spent the next 45 minutes shooting paint at their canvases—and throwing it at each other. “Be sure to wear your play clothes,” she advises. Chatter offers clear ponchos and shoe covers to help keep clothing items clean. Plus, the liquid paint is high-quality, childsafe, non-toxic, and water-based, which means it washes out relatively easily. This rang true for Gena, who immediately washed her feet and clothes when they got home. Even though she doesn’t like

messes, she genuinely enjoyed escaping from the digital world to create something with her loved ones. Gena describes her family’s time at Chatter as a “fun creative outlet.” For her, it was almost like an informal therapy session. Creating art with no expectations allowed her to free her mind. There are many beautiful messes waiting to be made at Chatter. They welcome birthday parties and field trips, as well as spontaneous nights out with friends and family. Book your splatter session at chatterpaint.com/book. —ELIZABETH GROENING

Gena’s Reaction RECOMMENDATION: “Definitely let loose!” BIGGEST SURPRISE: “The mess. Oh, the mess.” DO IT AGAIN?: “Heck yah!”

Adrian’s Reaction RECOMMENDATION: “Do this in your oldest clothes.” BIGGEST SURPRISE: “That you can throw paint at each other!” DO IT AGAIN?: “Can’t wait!”

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

NOT LONG AGO

Bling for Boobs On July 30, 2019 at El Pinto Restaurant, the National Association of Woman Business Owners NM joined forces with the American Cancer Society, Premier Designs, and the people of Albuquerque to sell jewelry, eat some good food, and help fight breast cancer. 1. Dena Crain, Lorie Guthrie 2. Jennifer Jaciw, Jeanette Sisson 3. Ann Shubert, Melissa McCurley 4. Angie Thurman, Satenik Thurman, John Thurman 5. Felicia Cortez, Aleitress Owens 6. Jan Happ, Hank Happ

7. Amanda Davis, Leigh Mahnesmith

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At Glam Nail Bar & Spa, we will pamper and keep your hands, feet and nails... HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUL & ATTRACTIVE !!!

Walk-ins and Appointments Welcome 8224 MENAUL BLVD NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87110

(505) 835-5040

Science of Wine On August 2, 2019, Albuquerqueans came out to Explora for an event that was part science experiment and part wine drinking fun. Proceeds went to help Explora’s education programs and promote local wine. Attendees learned how wine is made, how to properly pair wine and food, and how to remove those pesky wine stains. 1. Alex Tappan, Alexis Tappan, Henry Chynoweth, Hilma Chynoweth 2. Laurel Meister, Amy Carr, Trisha Pillars 3. Yvette Sandoval, Mitchell Whittier, Tory Hajny 4. John Meister, Meg Meister 5. Keith Lidke, Diane Lidke, Jack Surek 6. Jennifer Gillette, Russ Morton 7. Craig Trojahn, Lynn Trojahn, Joanie Griffin, Rob Durham

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NOT LONG AGO

Chic-I-Boom Ball Dressed in their best colorful Carmen Miranda clothes, Albuquerqueans turned out at the Balloon Museum on July 31, 2019 for a night of calypso music, good eats, and a silent auction, all benefitting the Balloon Museum Foundation. Special note: The Carmen Miranda balloon was the first special shapes balloon at the Balloon Fiesta. 1. Kelly Schodde, Emily Romero, Amanda Molina 2. Melanie Frassanito, Chris Frassanito 3. Amanda Warren, Marissa Benton 4. Barb Attwood, Karen Brown, Chip Kamber 5. John Lopez, Erica Lopez 6. Carol Ritchie, Betty Housholder

7. Olivia Gutierrez, Ryan Gutierrez

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NOT LONG AGO

2019 New Mexico Humane Conference Animal care professionals like trainers and advocates came together on August 8, 2019 for the start of a two-day event. The conference was a sharing of minds and a chance to learn about new techniques, technology, and challenges in the care of our animal friends. It was also a ton of fun! 1. Carol Kroner, Tony Brozena, Amy Adair, Chandra Bales 2. Tammy Fiebelkorn, Dr. Kris Bannon, Amanda Eggebrecht 3. Sena Fitzpatrick, Jane Carson 4. Nicole Ortiz, Stacie Voss, Adam Teran, Alexandria Chavez 5. Mike Martinez, Martina Holguin, Marshall Poole 6. Mikela Zozaya, Fernanda Mendizabal, Allyson Pangborn, James Bonecutter

7. Patrick Fisk, Juan De La Rosa, Joshua Gomez

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AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

NOT LONG AGO

A Night For Sight It was an elegant evening of dinner and dancing at Sandia Resort and Casino on August 9, 2019 as Albuquerqueans came out to help raise money for vision research and to honor amazing vision-impaired college students who overcame tremendous odds. 1. Jason King, Ariana Argueta, Rob Melendez, Paula Strosnider 2. Delores Stewart, Trish Stewart 3. Karissa Boese, David Boese 4. Ina Fryar, Mona Romero, Linda Anaya 5. Aaron LaRiva, Kristin Strosnider, Richard LaRiva 6. Patty Erickson, Zach Erickson

7. Jessica Patterson, Jasmine Pitcher, Lisa Potter, Jaxson Patterson

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Montessori One ACADEMY 9360 Holly Avenue NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122 (505) 822-5150 · montessorione.net

child born 100 years ago and a child born today start from about the same place, developmentally speaking. They’ve both got a lot of growing and learning to do. But in order to grow into a successful adult and navigate the complexities of the modern world, a child born today has a whole lot more to learn. That makes securing a first-rate education both more challenging and more important than ever before. Albuquerque’s Montessori ONE Academy meets these challenges head-on, offering children an environment where they can build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning and growth. Originally opened in 2007, starting with Montessori ONE Preschool Academy, Montessori ONE Academy has continued to expand its capacity and services. In 2015, they opened Montessori ONE Elementary Academy. Then, in 2019, they launched Montessori ONE NIDO Academy, affording parents a safe, nurturing environment for their infants aged six weeks to 14 months to play and explore. Rooted in the Montessori Method—an educational approach pioneered by Italian physician Maria Montessori—Montessori ONE Academy delivers a holistic education, allowing children space to explore and learn at their own pace. This approach, driven substantially by each child's individual interests and curiosity,

places equal emphasis on all their needs, and therefore neglects none. Unhindered by cumbersome grade-level curricula and guided by highly trained educators, children learn that education can be a thrilling, open-ended adventure. Students—and, by extension, parents— at Montessori ONE Academy benefit from a sweeping collection of edifying and enriching programs and services. These include on-site before and after care; onsite extracurricular activities like physical education and dance; Spanish language training throughout school classrooms; community service projects; and an emphasis on developing “soft skills” like self-confidence, a passion for learning, compassion, collaboration skills, and a courteous disposition. Students also enjoy extracurriculars like gardening and tending the chicken coop, while summer program attendees can take part in classes in drama, cooking, and ceramics, alongside academic training. This past year, Montessori ONE Academy partnered with AMARAN Senior Living, to bring intergenerational programming options to both the school and AMARAN’s residents—one of only a handful of similar programs in the nation. They have also made it easier for parents to engage with their children’s education, through the introduction of a multi-tiered app. With the app, parents can moni-

tor their child’s progress, communicate with the school more easily, access video demonstrations of Montessori lessons, and monitor attendance. Montessori ONE Academy is not your typical learning environment. Far from it. Here, educators and administrators recognize the inherent diversity among children of all ages. Students are not slotted into potentially ill-fitting educational brackets based on age. Instead, they are allowed to be themselves, to follow their interests and passions to the subjects that captivate them and develop the skills that will support a lifetime of growth and learning at their own rate.

About Montessori ONE Academy Montessori ONE Academy is Albuquerque's only AMI-recognized authentic Montessori school. Children at Montessori ONE Academy are encouraged to explore, investigate and fulfill their natural curiosity about the world around them. Under the guidance of our Montessori-certified teachers, children develop at their own pace and consistently exceed benchmarks and traditional standards. Our elementary students graduate emotionally and academically prepared to succeed at the city's best middle and high schools.

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new mexico highlands university 1700 Grande Blvd. SE #100, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 (505) 891-6900 · nmhu.edu/riorancho

t New Mexico Highlands University, you’re more than a student— you’re family. And with multiple locations in the Albuquerque-Rio Rancho metropolitan area, you’re never far from achieving your dreams and goals. NMHU offers programs in business administration, criminal justice, psychology, social work, software systems design, early childhood multicultural education, elementary education, special education, social work, and a dual degree in elementary and special education.

Student Testimonials Eve Shenale

An enrolled member of the Navajo (Diné) Nation, Eve Shenale discovered a personal passion for helping children, families, and her community while working as a Teen Court Coordinator for the Navajo Judicial Branch-Alamo and To’Hajiilee Judicial District, and as Community Services Coordinator for To’Hajiilee Chapter of the Navajo Nation. Now a full-time graduate student and mother of four, Shenale is pursuing a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Clinical Practice at NMHU’s Facundo Valdez School of Social Work. “NMHU has provided me with a great opportunity to apply my classroom education to practice at my Children, Youth, and Families Department (CFYD) practicum placement site,” says Shenale. “I gained work experience in the follow-

ing CYFD service units: Permanency and Placement, In-home Services, and Indian Child Welfare. This experience enhanced my professional development and judgement, ethical responsibilities, and confidence as a future social worker. This has been the best educational experience. I feel I have the access to my professors, agency instructor, and peers to be successful.”

Mark A. Montoya

Born and raised in Santa Fe, Mark Montoya currently works as a Senior Investment Account Manager in the Investments Division of the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico. Here, he’s cultivated a long held interest in the world of business and finance. Father of two and husband to a fellow NMHU graduate, Montoya graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2021. Now, he has set his sights on earning his MBA, with coursework planned for 2023-2024. “In working towards my BBA, everyone I encountered expressed a vested interest in my success,” says Montoya. “This included counselors, librarians, the registrar’s office, and the professors. I never felt like just a nameless face in the crowd. I had meaningful conversations and had assignments that were interesting and that applied to the career that I am pursuing. NMHU makes it possible for students with full time jobs to also be full time students. The required courses are available in many different formats and at varying

times. It was always possible to figure out a way to take a full course load.”

Roberta Sanchez

Rio Rancho resident Roberta Sanchez worked at an early childhood center, where she was fascinated and, frankly, amazed at the kinds of opportunities and experiences children were having in the classroom. This view at what was possible—at how thrilling and enriching education could be for young children— proved inspirational. A mother to three and grandmother to six, Sanchez will earn a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Multicultural Education for children aged 3 to grade 3 from NMHU in the spring of 2022. “Earning a degree from NMHU has been a wonderful experience,” says Sanchez. “I enjoy my courses, professors, and the challenging projects that they offer their students. Not only have my courses been challenging, they are interesting and offer a vast array of theory, philosophy, research-based methods and strategies that will be useful in the early childhood classroom. As a student at NMHU, I have been given the opportunity for professional reflection and development as well as to enjoy the research behind early childhood education.”

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Mark A. Montoya

Business Administration

Eve Shenale Social Work

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Roberta Sanchez

Early Childhood Multicultural Education

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manzano day school 1801 Central Avenue, NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104 (505) 243-6659 · manzanodayschool.org

ounded in 1938, Manzano Day School is a nonprofit independent elementary school for children in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. While much has changed over its 83-year history, the school continues to provide unique educational opportunities for its students. As Head of School Cathy Hubbard explains, “For over 80 years, Manzano Day School has lived its mission of being dedicated to innovative child-centered education, excellence in teaching, and Joy in Learning® to prepare children for a life of discovery and community involvement in our diverse world.” Manzano Day School offers a dynamic, rigorous, and well-rounded curriculum in a nurturing environment, which prepares students for a lifetime of learning. The five-acre campus in West Downtown blends charming historic adobes with modern architecture and facilities. As an independent school, the dedicated faculty have the flexibility to create educational experiences that meet students’ needs. The school’s core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, and striving for excellence are central to the school’s ethos and create

the foundation for social-emotional learning. It is the community's aim to celebrate families from all backgrounds and walks of life. In addition to the core academic subjects of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies, the co-curricular areas of art, library, music, PE, Spanish, and technology are part of every student’s schedule. Manzano Day School offers many experiences that are not typically found in most elementary schools such as: an overnight environmental education program hosted at Fenton Ranch, the school’s scenic property in the Jemez Mountains; a community service project at each grade level; and time to learn about and care for the school garden.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To learn more about Manzano Day School or to schedule a tour of campus, please call or email the Admission Office at (505) 243-6659 or admission@manzanodayschool.org. Financial aid is available. WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

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osque School students are gaining real-life medical experience and advancing their experiential learning by providing medical care to the Bosque School community and serving on the front lines of COVID-19 vaccine administration through their involvement in the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) program.

The MRC program is a student-created and student-led organization through which students aged 16+ become first responders. Under the supervision of the school nurse and a physician medical director, students provide emergency medical care to injured and sick students and staff at Bosque School. They also contribute to public health initiatives and deploy to FEMA disaster relief sites. MRC students complete 100 hours of training at Bosque School and three college-level courses at Central New Mexico Community College in addition to managing their rigorous academic coursework. This year, Bosque School MRC students assisted medical professionals from Albertsons pharmacy and Rio Rancho emergency management with COVID-19 vaccine administration at dozens of vaccination clinics across the state. “MRC is a signature program at Bosque School, providing our students the opportunity to develop relevant and very applicable skills in medicine, leadership, communication, and resilience,” says Head of School Dr. Jessie Barrie. “Watching our MRC students in action, on the front line of history, contributing to the administration of thousands of vaccinations with poise, confidence, and competence, is an impressive manifestation of our mission to compassionately contribute to a more just world.”

ABOUT BOSQUE SCHOOL

bosquE SCHOOL

Medical Reserve Corps Students in Action 4000 Bosque School Road NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 (505) 898-6388 · bosqueschool.org AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Bosque School is an independent college preparatory school in Albuquerque, serving students in grades 6-12. The school’s dynamic, immersive, interdisciplinary learning environment challenges each student to think critically, creatively approach problems, and collaborate effectively with cultural competence. Schedule a private tour and see for yourself how Bosque School is Challenging Education.

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solare collegiate charter school 8801 Gibson Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87121 (505) 554-1513 · solarecollegiate.org

olare Collegiate is a grades five through eight middle school in Albuquerque's Southwest Mesa. Our mission is to equip our scholars with the academic and personal skills to excel at the high schools and colleges of their choice. Solare Collegiate does this through an extended school day and extended school year model, where our scholars receive rigorous, grade level instruction in all content area classes, as well as individualized support in reading and math, based on each scholar’s need. Our longer school day ensures that we can meet the academic needs of our scholars, as well as provide our scholars with elective and social emotional learning programs. Best of all, Solare Collegiate is a no-homework school! Our longer school day enables us to keep the schoolwork at school.

Solare Collegiate has a brand new 21,000 square foot facility in the heart of Albuquerque's Southwest Mesa. We provide free uniforms, free school supplies, free breakfast, lunch, and snack, and free transportation. Solare Collegiate keeps class sizes small. We maintain a maximum of 26 students per classroom, allowing us

to ensure that our scholars receive the support they need. We also make sure our teachers receive the support they need to continue to grow and succeed. At Solare Collegiate, we maintain a rigorous teacher coaching and support cycle, making sure our educators receive as much professional development and coaching as the typical teacher receives over the course of an entire career. At Solare Collegiate, we prepare our scholars for high school and college with a program designed around six core beliefs. We believe that Voice Strengthens Community, Character is Critical, Literacy is Foundational, Instruction Should Be Rigorous, Structure Supports Learning, and Data Should Drive Decisions.

THE MORE YOU KNOW • • • •

School begins on August 9, 2021 Seats available for the 2021-2022 school year Grades 5-8 Established in 2019 WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

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riginally founded in a spot nestled in “dead man’s curve” on Isleta Boulevard, in the heart of Albuquer-

que’s South Valley, Mark Armijo Academy was founded on the principle of providing an education in a non-traditional setting. Formerly known as Nuestros Valores Charter High School, the Academy was one of the first charter schools in Albuquerque. At the time, Nuestros Valores emphasized the importance of community in its founding, and this has remained a guiding principle for the school moving forward. A small group of dedicated individuals committed to their community had a simple idea. They envisioned providing a quality education to those students seeking a more private, one-on-one approach in a small school setting. The founders of the school wanted to be different from other, traditional schools. Over the years, as Nuestros Valores grew in size and changed location, those foundational principles have not changed— nor has the school wavered away from them. Now, operating as Mark Armijo Academy, the school still emphasizes community and still provides a personal approach to education—something that most other schools just cannot offer. The name change was initiated to honor one of the men that was instrumental in creating and transforming the school over the years, Mark Armijo. At Mark Armijo Academy, we look forward to expanding our vision and goal of educating young people in a quality, rele-

mark armijo Academy

vant, and individual approach—and hope to continue this idea for years to come. AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

6800 Gonzales Rd. SW, Albuquerque, NM 87121 (505) 873-7758 · markarmijo.com 53

H T I W S L LOCA T A H T S E I L I M FA . M . N D E P SHA hfield c t i r C n Triste Y B S E I ames J n o STOR D BY milies a F PHOTOS e h t sy of e t r u o C and

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he history of New Mexico runs deep. People have been living in this part of the globe for at least 12,000 years. Commonly, it’s told as a story of sweeping changes and grand narratives, towering figures and momentous turning points. But that story leaves a lot out. History is about what ordinary people—people who are often invisible in history books—do every day. As much of New Mexico’s history as you can find in books, there’s still a lot more to found in the personal histories of families who still call this place home. These are some of those stories. The great grandfather who drove a supply wagon throughout the American Southwest. The small town city marshal and police chief who bore witness to gunfights. The ancestor who carved a life in New Mexico back when the territory was ruled by Mexico. A great great grandfather who palled around with Kit Carson and served in the 1st New Mexicao Volunteer Infantry. The grandfather who helped build and shape Albuquerque’s Martineztown. A father who designed bunkers that would eventually be used in the Trinity Test. The great aunt who served as New Mexico’s first female Secretary of State back in the Roaring Twenties. A general contractor who helped build Los Alamos National Labs. The great great grandfather who helped found the tiny town of Quemado back in the late 19th century. These, by and large, are the stories of ordinary people living ordinary lives—and make a lasting impact on the evolving trajectory of New Mexico history in the process.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Bringing Dry Goods to the Wild West Kim Goodson holds a published pic of her greatgrandparents, the Teagues.

s a fourth-generation New Mexican, Kim Gardner Goodson’s roots run deep in the Land of Enchantment. Her great-grandfather, Redden Teague, drove a supply wagon throughout the region. He would bring dry goods from Kansas and Texas to New Mexico, which was used as stock for the general store in Knowles, N.M., just north of Hobbs.

"NEW MEXICO IS HOME, AND I'M PROUD OF WHAT'S HERE." “I’m a proud New Mexican,” says Goodson. “Heritage is so important. It was always interesting to listen to my grandmother talk about their past.” Goodson, who lives in Los Lunas, possesses qualities that largely stem

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from hearing about her family’s history. Her great-grandmother died in childbirth, leaving Goodson’s grandmother to raise seven of her brothers and sisters when she was only 14 years old. “It instilled in me a sense of work ethic,” Goodson says. Many moons ago, Goodson traveled to the areas of her ancestors. Teague, her great-grandfather’s surname, became the namesake for a tiny town located north of Jal, N.M.

Goodson believes this came about as a result of her family homesteading in that location for many years. To find such an obscure spot, you have to know what you’re looking for. “It’s not recognized as a town,” explains Goodson. “But it’s still on a few maps.” When she ventured through the land 30 years ago, there was still a sign that read: ‘Teague.’ But she doesn’t know if it’s there anymore.

Goodson’s ancestors used horse-drawn wagons to bring supplies to NM from Kansas and Texas.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Goodson, who worked for 28 years at the University of New Mexico’s ticketing office, believes it’s utterly important to take pride in one’s roots. “New Mexico is home and I’m proud of what’s here,” she says. “We could always do better, but we have a lot to be proud of. People should investigate a little bit about where they came from, so they can be proud of it.”

The Teagues helped settle a namesake town near what is now Jal, in the far southeastern corner of NM.

Grandpa Was Shot 13 Times in Gunfights Her grandpa used to tell Margie McCurry about his wild times as a Roswell peace officer.

ike every previous generation has done—and will likely continue to do until the end of time—Margie McCurry’s grandfather would tell her how different life used to be when she would visit her grandparents’ small farm outside of Artesia. McCurry loved those trips. She ate

it up when “Grandpa Gordon,” in his baggy all-tan clothes, would quip: “Sure, there were more gunfights and cussing then, but folks seemed more honest. If they didn’t like you, they didn’t pretend like they did.” At the time, young McCurry only had an inkling just how embedded into New Mexico’s Wild West cul-

ture Gordon truly was. “I loved him and was fascinated by him,” says McCurry. “I didn’t know what a role he’d played in my state’s early history... but I sure wasn’t surprised.” In the early 1900s, James Carl Gordon Sr. certainly saw his share of gun fights and bar fights in the small

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towns that existed throughout New Mexico, including Pecos City, La Luz, Clayton and Carlsbad. Over the years, his roles ranged from Carlsbad City Marshall to prohibition agent to Roswell Chief of Police. All in all, Gordon was shot 13 times during his 35 years as a peace officer in New Mexico. McCurry, who was part of the first four-year class to attend Highland High School, was eventually inspired to pursue a career in journalism because of her Grandpa Gordon’s exploits. Her resume includes

stints with the Albuquerque Tribune, Roswell Record, and San Antonio Light. She was named director of the University of New Mexico News Bureau in 1967. She credits her grandfather’s background and his penchant for storytelling as her push into a career that celebrates stories and gives people a voice. “I became a journalist because I always wanted to know more about people,” she says. “To listen to their stories and tell them in the best possible, honest light.”

McCurry as a young girl posing with Grandpa and Grandma Gordon near the family farm in Artesia.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

"I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A ROLE HE'D PLAYED IN MY STATE'S EARLY HISTORY... BUT I SURE WASN'T SURPRISED."

James Gordon, McCurry’s grandpa, served 35 years as a NM peace officer, mostly during Prohibition.

Bridging the Old West’s Languages & Cultures Jon Harrison’s great grandpa spoke six languages, facilitating communication on the frontier of New Mexico in the 1800s.

on Harrison spent the better part of a quarter century researching the history of his great grandfather, Hezekiah Henry Clay Harrison. The fruits of that labor include one partially fictional book that is completely written, as well as a more historically-accurate offering in the works.

KI'S LIFE "WAS STRAIGHT OUT OF A MOVIE." “The more I discovered about him, he’s led quite the life,” said Harrison. “His life was straight out of a movie.” Hezekiah H.C. Harrison, or “Ki” as he was more commonly known, built his reputation on the plains of New Mexico in the 1800s. After forging a friendship with legendary American frontiersman, Kit Carson during the Mexican War, “Ki” joined the 1st New Mexico Volunteer Infantry. He was stationed at Fort

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Craig, Fort Union, and Fort Stanton during the Indian Wars. Because he was already familiar with the New Mexico plains and spoke numerous languages — English, Spanish, Latin, Apache, Comanche and Kiowa — he often served as a buffer between U.S. military forces and Native American tribes. “He had a lot of empathy for the Natives because he had known them for so long,” said Harrison. “As a result, that’s why Kit Carson brought him in. Not only to communicate, but because he had empathy for them. What they tried to do is keep things calm, settle things down, and make peace with everybody.” “Ki” ended up marrying a woman named Nabora and settling in White Oaks, before moving to a ranch at Las Tablas on the east side of the

Hezekiah Harrison (also known as “Ki”) with his wife, Nabora.

The tombstone of Ki Harrison, who served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the New Mexican Volunteers during the War of the Rebellion.

Capitan Mountains. The ranch was later sold to William C. McDonald, the first governor of New Mexico. Ki and Nabora relocated to Lincoln, N.M., where they resided until his death in 1899. During their time together, Ki and Nabora had one son, John Ernest Harrison, who had a family of seven children — including Jon Harrison’s father — and briefly lived in Albuquerque prior to moving to Los Angeles in 1926. Jon Harrison himself was born in L.A. and is currently living in Las Vegas. He has returned to New Mexico on numerous occasions over the years. First, for visits as a kid and later, for this exhaustive project. “It’s been quite an ordeal to re-

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search my family line,” he said. During the pandemic, Jon wrote and released “Stagecoach to White Oaks,” a pulp fiction novel that embellishes some of the exploits of his great-grandfather. “Some of the book is the gospel truth and some of it is not,” said Harrison. “I make a point of that in the disclaimer. I wrote that book to get people to take their mind off COVID.” The more serious genealogy book is still in the works, and Harrison’s efforts are starting to attract attention. “I’ve even had the History Channel nosing around about him,” he said.

A Big Family from the Roads of Martineztown Lissa Sedillo’s family has deep roots in the origins of ABQ’s Martineztown.

issa Sedillo has fond childhood memories that stem from spending her summers in Martineztown, where her grandparents once owned a large piece of land.

"ANYTIME I HEAR ANYBODY TALK ABOUT MARTINEZTOWN, IT TRIGGERS ME TO SAY, 'I HAVE A CONNECTION TO THAT.'"

David and Maria Sedillo in Jemez, with their oldest son, Albert.

Dump trucks from the family business, Sedillo Sand & Gravel.

“We were there a lot of the time,” says Sedillo. “That big park had a lot of meaning to us. We would play in the sprinklers in the summertime and would go get free lunches at the playground. I was always there with all of our cousins because all of us were around the same age. We would always be at our grandparents’ house.”

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Located in central Albuquerque just northeast of downtown, Martineztown is one of the Albuquerque’s oldest neighborhoods. It originated from a small farming village in the 1850s and is characterized by unique winding roads and adobe buildings. The area features several significant landmarks, including Albuquerque High School, Old St. Joseph Hospital, San Ignacio Church, and Second United Presbyterian Church. Sedillo has deep ties to the community, because her grandfather, David Martinez-Sedillo, came from the family that became Martineztown’s namesake. The agricultural community developed when the Martín

family settled in the area around 1850. It is believed that Martín eventually evolved into Martineztown as an alternate form of Los Martines. Multiple generations of the family lived there until the property was sold approximately 10 years ago, following the death of Sedillo’s grandparents. “Anytime I hear anybody talk about Martineztown, it triggers me to say, ‘I have a connection to that.’ I feel the need to say something about it because it connects me with Albuquerque,” says Sedillo, who now resides in Las Vegas. “It’s where my grandpa grew up, so it’s cool.”

Lissa Sedillo said her grandpa, David, often talked of the history of Martineztown.

David Martinez-Sedillo, posing with his grandchildren at the family home in Martineztown in the early 1980s.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

David and Maria Sedillo.

Curiousity Led Dad To Become an Engineer

The Gallegos siblings in Alamogordo, with Ralph in the back row (mustache).

t the time, Christopher L. Gallegos was an unwitting accomplice to history. When all was said and done, the work he did designing bunkers and a platform was integral to the Trinity project, which marked the first nuclear bomb test conducted in the United States at the Alamogordo Bombing Range on July 16, 1945. According to his son, Ralph Gallegos, Christopher started out work-

"HE HAD NO CLUE HE WAS WORKING ON THE MANHATTAN PROJECT."

ing as a “grunt” with the Corps of Engineers while taking mail-order correspondence courses to further his education in architecture and engineering. That led to a position with the Army Air Corps and eventually, a mysterious directive. “They just gave him the specifications of what they needed for these bunkers and the pressures they were gonna have to resist,” says Ralph. “At the time, he had no clue he was

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actually even working on anything for the Manhattan Project because it was all secret.” Ralph explained that it was only after his father finished the experiment that he was told what he’d been working on. This level of project is relatively advanced for a young architect in his early thirties. “They kept a lot of people in the dark about that until it actually went off six months to a year later, then everybody found out what they were doing,” Ralph says. Although Christopher eschewed a formal university education for the aforementioned correspondence courses, his intelligence was always evident — even dating back to when he took his parents’ clock apart at 10

years old to see how it worked. Later, he served as a de facto math teacher for Ralph during his son’s high school years. “I’d go to him for questions and I’d get a better schooling from him than I did in the class I was taking,” he recalls. Christopher eventually moved on to work at Holloman Air Force Base, where he had a hand in the engineering or design of virtually every building on site. In retirement, he dipped his toes in the watch repair business, a nod to his childhood curiosity. Still, it’s tough to top being part of a top-secret military operation. “I think that impressed him, that he had a part in that even though at the time he didn’t know what he was doing,” Ralph says. “Once it hit the

news, he was like, ‘That’s what I was working on.’”

News clippings of Christopher’s honor of breaking ground on Holloman Air Force Base.

Starting with mail-order classes, Christopher Gallegos became an engineer working on one of the world’s biggest top-secret projects.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Christopher and his wife, Josephine, with Chris, Jr.

Thanks to her dad, Felina Marie Chacón embraced the exploits of her great-greataunt.

Soledad Chávez de Chacón was America’s first Hispanic female elected to statewide office.

The Trailblazing Aunt Left an Uplifting Path

f it weren’t for the accomplishments of her great-great-aunt, Felina Marie Chacón might not have found the drive to become a small business owner in Albuquerque today. Felina initially learned about Soledad Chávez de Chacón from her father, who she says was always more than willing to share exploits from their history. “My dad really likes to brag about the family,” Felina says. “When I was in high school, I remember my dad always telling me we come from a line of people that helped build New Mexico … and we’ve been here since the 1400s and 1500s.” Chávez de Chacón, or “Lala,” as she was sometimes known, certainly fits the bill. The Albuquerque High School graduate was the first woman to be elected Secretary of

State in New Mexico (1923-1926), which at the time also made her the first Hispanic female to be elected to a statewide office in the entire country. Additionally, she served as acting governor of New Mexico for two weeks in June 1924 while then New Mexico Gov. James F. Hinkle attended the Democratic National Convention in New York. “Being a Hispanic woman in New Mexico, I thought it was really amazing to know that I am somehow related to a woman that accomplished that when it was a time that never happened,” Felina says. “You didn’t hear about stuff like that back then.” Today, Felina Marie Chacón is a cosmetologist who has run her own salon, The Color Suite, in Albuquerque for the past six years. She credits “Lala” for providing at least some of the impetus behind that endeavor.

"SHE INSPIRED ME TO BE MY OWN BUSINESS OWNER." “She inspired me to be my own business owner,” Felina says. “In my profession, you can work for someone else, or you can be on your own and run your own salon. It inspired me to go on my own and know that I can do it, no matter what.”

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Matt Harriman says his grandpa was surprised to learn that his work was being watched.

Charles Jiron of Isleta Pueblo, and his wife, Reycita, of Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo.

Even the FBI Could Spot Grandpa’s Skills

harles Jiron impressed the United States government with his work ethic so much that he was invited to return home to New Mexico from Los Angeles to help build the Los Alamos National Labs during World War II. According to his grandson, Matt Harriman, Jiron was a jack of all trades. He was a general contractor who specialized in painting homes and businesses. Initially, Jiron became irritated when he noticed a man watching him work on a job site in Los Angeles for multiple days. “One day, this car pulls up and parks across the street, and the guy just sits there and watches him all day long,” Harriman says. “He keeps on doing what he’s doing. The next day, he’s painting more window frames and the guy pulls up, parks, and watches all day long again. He’s just there working by himself and doing his thing. That’s just weird. Next day again — same thing. He gets upset at this, asking, “‘Why is this guy keeping an eye on him?’” Harriman explains that when Jiron

confronted the man, he found out that he was an FBI agent, who told him they’d soon be in contact. “Next thing you know, they’re asking him to come back to New Mexico and work in Los Alamos, building the labs. That was his story,” Harriman says. Originally constructed for the design of nuclear weapons as part of the Manhattan Project in 1943, LANL is northern New Mexico’s largest institution and employer today. During its inception, the Labs were a top-secret location that housed numerous Nobel Prize winning scientists and eventually launched the first nuclear bomb test. Harriman says that Jiron was a master at mixing paints, able to match colors without having to go through the formula required at large chain stores today, like Lowes or Home Depot. His talent for painting, along with his ability to manage crews—Jiron was trilingual—made him a valuable member of the LANL building team. “He was able to talk to the workers

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

"NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ASKING HIM TO COME BACK TO NEW MEXICO AND HELP BUILD THE LABS." and get the job done quickly,” Harriman says. Since Jiron wasn’t able to serve in the military, Harriman says his grandfather was proud to be able to help the cause in the best way he knew how. “We had other families that served in the Pacific during World War II, but he wasn’t able to go. To him, this is one small contribution that he could do. He was able to contribute in some small way to end the war,” Harriman says.

Returning to the Town Founded by Her Forefather

tiny town — population 228, according to a recent Census — located in Catron Country in southwest New Mexico, Quemado has charms most appreciated by those who call it home. “When I was growing up here, my grandmother and great aunt were still alive. They still lived in adobes with outhouses and wells. We lived in a mobile home next to them,” says native Marilyn Lyons. “The feeling of stability is what brings me back. It’s just all those memories of growing up here with a lot of freedom. We have a lot of mountains and mesas, so it’s a great place for a kid to grow up.”

"MOUNTAINS AND MESAS MADE IT A GREAT PLACE TO GROW UP." Lyons was born and raised in Quemado before following her high school sweetheart to San Diego,

where he served in the Coast Guard. Both Lyons and her husband were teachers, and they eventually returned to their hometown to teach. “It’s generational. I’m teaching now and I have some of my friends’ grandkids as my students. You just keep knowing the families for such a long time,” she says. Lyons plans to retire there, as well, because, as she says, “The beauty of New Mexico always has me coming back.” Her connection to Quemado runs deeper than just an affection for home. Lyons’ great-great-grandfather, Jose ( Jesus) Francisco Padilla, helped found the town along with Jose Madrid as its first settlers in approximately 1885, when they established a post office. The original settlement was located just north of the current town before it was relocated due to the construction of U.S. Highway 60. Lyons takes great pride in her ties to the town, even if she doesn’t know a lot about her grandpa’s grandfather. “It makes me really proud,” she says. “It’s been interesting too, because I came back to teach the last two years. Some of the new teachers that are not from around here, they don’t know that I’m from here. It’s interesting to hear them talk and then when you bring up, ‘Well, my great-great-grandfather was the founder of Quemado.’ Then, their eyes get all big. It’s a pride point for sure. It’s pretty cool.”

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Marilyn Lyons returned to her hometown of Quemado to teach art.

Sofia Gutierrez, center, married Felipe Padilla, son of Jose Padilla. Behind her are daughters Josephita (Marilyn Lyon’s grandma) and Ana Maria. The photo was taken at the family home in Quemado.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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HOME &

Garden QR CODES

HOW TO SCAN: Open, Aim + Tap WEBSITE

Open the camera on your phone

Aim it at the Flowcode

Tap the banner that appears

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To be included in Home & Garden QR Codes contact: advertising@abqthemag.com or call us at: 505-842-1110

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To be included in Home & Garden QR Codes contact: advertising@abqthemag.com or call us at: 505-842-1110 74

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We're looking to shine a light on Albuquerque's amazing young people.

Know some good ones? Let us know! Send your nominations and detailed info to us at incrediblekids@abqthemag.com for our upcoming new feature

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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THE BUZZ AROUND ALBUQUERQUE: YOUR GUIDE TO EVERYTHING HAPPENING THIS MONTH

TOP PICK saturday 28 | 2–4 pm Open House for Rio Rancho Youth Chorus. RRYC welcomes all singers of all backgrounds, styles, cultures, orientations, abilities, identities (grades 6-12). Come see our rehearsal space, meet our team and the returning chorus members. No one is turned away. Info: Avix Art, 4311 Sara Road SE, rr-yc. org, 977-4160. $100 membership fee.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

sunday 1 8–10:30 pm Foreigner in Concert. The Greatest Hits of Foreigner On Tour presents one of the most popular rock acts in the world with hits such as “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Urgent,” and worldwide #1 hit, “I Want To Know What Love Is.” Info: Rio Rancho Events Center, 3001 Civic Center Circle, Rio Rancho. Tickets: start at $39.50 plus fees. VIP packages available: foreigneronline.com.

thursday 12, 19, and 26 | 8 pm

Duke City Repertory Theatre. DCRT presents “Sheets Tango Tangled Like, How to People Again” by Stephanie Grilo. Part live performance, audio play, and gallery experience, “Sheets Tango Tangled” playfully examines where and how we unite when connection is lost. Info: Performed on the farm, Farm and Table Restaurant, 8917 4th Street NW, dukecityrep.com, 797-7081. Tickets: Pay-What-It’s-Worth, suggested price $15.

saturday 7 through saturday, september 25 3–5 pm

Revising Fiction. SouthWest Writers presents Kurt Hickman as he teaches an 8-week course, “Revising Fiction-Making Sense of the Madness.” Info: live, via Zoom, 830-6034, email info@swwriters. com. Cost: $80 SWW members age 70 or older; $120 SWW members under 70; $320 all others. Preregistration required.

wednesday 25 | 3–4 pm

Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body: Tips from the Latest Research. This free webinar explores how lifestyle habits may help keep our brains healthy as we age and possibly delay the onset of cognitive decline. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter, nmprograms@alz.org, 800-272-3900. Free.

tuesday 17 6:30–8:30 pm

Researching Your Novel. SouthWest Writers presents James McGrath Morris, biographer of novelist Tony Hillerman, as he explains how to do research for a novel. Info: live, via Zoom, 830-6034, email info@ swwriters.com. Free but pre-registration required.

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please note

At the time this listing was produced, many events were being cancelled due to the COVID-19 virus. Please be sure to check the status of any event and venue to ensure that the event is still being held as scheduled. Trust us, these are but a few ABQ events YOU CAN'T MISS. 7

friday 20–saturday 21 | friday 5–10 pm, saturday 10 am– 8:30 pm

Bubonicon 52: Take Two. This annual science fiction convention focuses on science fiction, fantasy, and horror literature and art. Two days of virtual events includes readings, panel discussions, the Green Slime Awards, a science presentation, an art demo, and many celebrity guests-of-honor. The theme is “A Game of Cards (Playing with a Full Deck).” Info: online locations are facebook. com/bubonicon, youtube. com, 559-0931 or 266-8905, email bubonicon@gmail.com, bubonicon.com. Free for viewers.

saturday 21 | 4 pm

Artist Hung Liu in Conversation with Turner, Moss and Schnitzer. Hung Liu is a Chinese-born American contemporary artist. Her paintings typically feature layered brushstrokes combined with linseed oil washes, and most often depict the people of China and the American dustbowl. Info: virtual program from Tamarind Institute and Turner Carroll Gallery, tamarind.unm.edu, 277-3901. Tickets: Free.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

monday 2 10–11 am

The Secret to Attracting Birds, Bees and Butterflies to Your Backyard. This educational tour of the Xeric Garden Club’s habitat garden with docent Janet Herbst provides information on how to create a habitat garden in your backyard. Info: Albuquerque Garden Center ,10120 Lomas Blvd. NE, albuquerquegardencenter.org, 296-6020. Free.

saturday 14 | 7 pm

Maroon 5 in Concert. The members of this American pop rock band from California have collaborated since 1994. The band has won multiple awards and boasts many hits worldwide such as “Moves Like Jagger” and “One More Night.” Info: Isleta Amphitheater, 5601 University Blvd. SE, livenation. com.

sunday 1 | 9 am–12 noon

sunday 1 | 6:05 pm

tuesday 3 | 10 am

sunday 1–sunday 8 | 10 am–5 pm, on august 6–open until 8 pm

tuesday 3–tuesday 31 | 9 am–5 pm

wednesday 4 | 10–11 am

Guided Bosque Hike. Enjoy a Sunday morning guided hike of the bosque with Trail Watch volunteer stewards. Bring water, comfortable shoes, cameras and binoculars if you’ve got them. Info: Meet in the lobby of the Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd. NW. Space is limited. Call 768-4950 to sign up. Free.

Amapola Gallery. The gallery is planning a “40+1” anniversary, a do-over of the 40th. During our week-long celebration, we will participate in arts crawl and have artist demonstrations, live music, and special promotions. Info: Amapola Gallery Co-Op, 205 Romero Street, Old Town, amapolagallery.com, 242-4311.

Albuquerque Isotopes Baseball. The Isotopes have a busy month with home games August 1–3 versus Salt Lake, August 5–10 versus Oklahoma City and August 26–31 versus Round Rock. Check the schedule to see promotions and game times for each night or afternoon. Info: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, 1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE, milb. com for details and tickets.

Art Exhibit with Gwen Peterson. Working predominately with serigraphy, the artist strives to show the diverse beauty of the Southwest with its large skies, mesas, mountains and canyons. The gallery is open Tuesdays through Saturdays. Info: Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd. NW, 884-4529. Free admission.

Albuquerque Newcomers’ Club Welcome Coffee. Come learn of the club’s varied activities. Membership is open to residents of Albuquerque for less than five years or residents experiencing major changes in their lives. The club is not affiliated with the church. Info: Sandia Presbyterian Church, 10704 Paseo del Norte NE, albuquerquenewcomersclub. org, 321-6970. Effective Communication Strategies. This free webinar teaches how to decode changes in behavior to better connect and communicate with individuals living with dementia. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter, nmprograms@alz.org, 800272-3900. Free.

wednesday 4, 11, 18, and 25 | 5:30–7:30 pm

4 Poets. SouthWest Writers presents Poetry Fireside Chats with poets Mary Oishi (4th); Bill Nevins (11th); Prestin H. Hood III (18th) and Lisa C Taylor (25th). Info: live, via Zoom, 830-6034, email info@ swwriters.com. Free to members; $20 each session for all others.

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friday 6 | 8 pm

Lane 8 in Concert. Daniel Goldstein, better known by his stage name Lane 8, is an American musician, electronic music producer, and DJ. His music is described as melodic house and techno. Info: El Rey Theater, 622 Central Ave. SW, elreylive. com, 510-2582.

saturday 7 | 10 am–12 noon

Self-Publishing How-To. SouthWest Writers presents Robin Cutler, Director of the IngramSpark Content Group who will demystify the process of self-publishing and book distribution to buyers and libraries using the IngramSpark platform. Info: live, via Zoom, 830-6034, email info@ swwriters.com. Free but pre-registration is required.

saturday 7 | 7 pm

ZAPP, Brenton Wood, Stevie B, Mc Magic, Baby Bash, Amanda Perez and more in Concert. This concert features a great line up of R&B, Soul, Latin, rap and pop musicians. Info: Rio Rancho Events Center, 3001 Civic Center Circle NE, Rio Rancho, rioranchoeventscenter.com, 891-3826.

saturday 7 | 7:05 pm

Duke City Gladiators. The Duke City Gladiators are a Professional Indoor Football Team. The indoor field scale makes the games fast and intense. This game is against the Northern Arizona Wranglers, and the game on August 21st is a matchup against the Bismarck Bucks. Info: Tingley Coliseum, 300 San Pedro Drive NE, dukecitygladiators.com, 2268006.

saturday 7 | 8 pm, doors open at 6:30 pm

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. All ages will enjoy this movie in the Santa Fe Railyard at the intersection of Paseo De Peralta and Cerrillos Road. Info: Reservations are required and are free— they can be made at ampconcerts.org. Suggested minimum donation: $10.

sunday 8 | 2–6 pm

Get Outta Town. Celebrate live music on the patio with Juanita. Come on up the canyon to our roadhouse and catch some Desert Zydeco Blues: roots rockers, blues burners, and zydeco stompers. Molly’s is the place to let your hair down. No cover, 21 and over. Info: Molly’s, 546 NM-333, Tijeras, mollys-music.com, 281-9911.

monday 9 | 7:30 pm

Foo Fighters in Concert. Foo Fighters is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1994. They have won several prestigious awards and have sold over 12 million albums in the US. Hits include “Learn To Fly” and “All My Life.” Info: Isleta Amphitheater, 5601 University Blvd. SE, livenation.com.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

wednesday 11 | 6 pm

Atmosphere and Cypress Hill in Concert. Atmosphere is known as a dance and pop music duo and has released eleven albums. Cypress Hill is a hip hop group from California that has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. Info: Villa Hispana at Expo New Mexico, 324-398 San Pedro Drive NE, exponm.com, 222-9700.

thursday 12 | 2–4 pm

Living with Alzheimer’s for Caregivers - Late Stage. This webinar addresses questions that arise in the later stages of the disease. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter, nmprograms@alx.org, 800272-3900. Free.

friday 13–sunday 22 | any time

Adobe Theater Video On Demand. The Adobe Theater in association with Two Worlds NM present “Native American Voices.” These are six short plays written and directed by Native Americans. Each play expresses the humanity that we all share and that ultimately brings us closer together. Info: The Adobe Theater, adobetheater.org, 898-9222. Tickets: $15, $10 senior and military, plus fee.

friday 13–sunday, january 23 | monday, wednesday–saturday 10 am–5 pm, sunday 11 am–4 pm

Exposure: Native Art and Political Ecology. This traveling exhibition documents international Indigenous artists’ responses to the impacts of nuclear testing, nuclear accidents, and uranium mining on Native peoples and the environment. Info: IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, The Anne and Loren Kieve Gallery, 108 Cathedral Place, Santa Fe, 428-5912, iaia.edu.

friday 13 | 7:30 pm

Albuquerque Science Fiction Society Meeting. If possible, this will be an inperson meeting with the club including a possible preview of the Bubonicon 52 Virtual programming schedule and socializing. This NM science fiction club has author readings, science talks, films and discussions. Info: virtual or Activity Room, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, 5301 Ponderosa Ave. NE, bubonicon.com, 266-8905. Free to newcomers.

saturday 14 | 7:30 pm

New Mexico United Soccer. Our New Mexico United team is host to 2 home games this month. On August 14 they take on El Paso Locomotive and on August 18 they play the Oakland Roots team. Info: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, 1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE. For tickets and details: newmexicoutd.com, 209-7529.

wednesday 18 | 4–6 pm

Wheelwright Museum Annual Benefit Event. Early Bird tickets ($20) allow the holder to view and purchase Native American works in a private event. Then on Thursday, the 19th and Friday, the 20th, 10 am to 4 pm, all are invited. The Museum’s mission is to support the living traditions and creative expressions of Native American peoples. Info: Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, 704 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, wheelwright.org, 982-4636. General admission: free.

friday 20 | 7 pm

Rebelution in Concert. Rebelution is a reggae rock music band formed in Isla Vista, California. In 2017 their album “Falling Into Place” was nominated for the “Best Reggae Album” award. Info: Isleta Amphitheater, 5601 University Blvd. SE, livenation.com.

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AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

friday 20–saturday 21 | 8 am–4 pm

Artist market at the Wheelwright Museum. The Case Trading Post, the Wheelwright Museum’s sales shop, was built in 1975 as a replica of a Navajo Reservation trading post. It presents established and emerging artists during this special event. Info: Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, 704 Camino Lejo, Santa Fe, wheelwright.org, 982-4636. General Admission: Free.

saturday 21 | 2–4 pm

Auditions for Rio Rancho Youth Chorus. RRYC welcomes all singers of all backgrounds, styles, cultures, orientations, abilities, and identities (grades 6-12) who audition with us. No one is turned away. Info: Avix Art, 4311 Sara Road SE, rr-yc.org, 977-4160. $100 membership fee.

ONE COMMUNITY... ONE FAMILY... THANK YOU ALBUQUERQUE!

sunday 22 | 7 pm, doors open at 5:00 pm

Mt. Joy and Trampled by Turtles in Concert. The band Mt. Joy started as a rekindling of shared musical ambitions between Philadelphia high school friends and are deemed “new folk-rock heroes.” Trampled by Turtles, from Duluth, is a bluegrass band known for their contemporary sound bridging from their background in rock music. Info: HIPICO, 100 South Polo Drive, Santa Fe. Tickets: holdmyticket.com.

wednesday 25 | 5:30 pm

Iration in Concert. Iration is a reggae/pop group from Santa Barbara. All members originally hail from Hawaii. They play a mix of reggae, dub, pop and rock. The group is one of the leading bands in the genre of sunshine reggae. Info: Villa Hispana at Expo New Mexico, 324-398 San Pedro Drive NE, exponm.com, 222-9700.

wednesday 25 | 7 pm, doors open at 6 pm

The Mavericks in Concert. The Mavericks is an eclectic rock and country group known for crisscrossing musical boundaries with abandon, from tender boleros to brassy mariachi to reimagined Afro-Cuban classics. Good for all ages. Info: HIPICO, 100 South Polo Drive, Santa Fe. Tickets: holdmyticket.com.

thursday 26 | 2-4 pm

Living with Alzheimer’s for Caregivers Early Stage. This free webinar addresses questions that arise in the early stages of the disease, and tips on how to prepare for the journey. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter, nmprograms@alz.org, 800272-3900. Free.

saturday 28 and sunday 29 | 10 am–5 pm

wall to wall flatscreens bold burgers STONE BAKED pizzas ice cold beer at 33° 33°

Placitas Studio Tour. The free, self-guided tour features artwork in painting, steel, pottery, glass, fiber, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, wood, photography, and mixed medias. Purchase art directly from over fifty artists. Info: I-25 north from Albuquerque, exit #242, Highway 165 to Placitas, placitasstudiotour.com for the map or follow tour signs, 515-4323. Free to visit studios, register at eventbrite.com.

saturday 28 | 7 pm

Dierks Bentley in concert. Since 2001, Dierks Bentley has released award winning American country music, featuring guitar, banjo and vocals. He has had 17 #1 hits including “5-1-5-0”, “What Was I Thinkin” and “How Am I Doin.” Info: Isleta Amphitheater, 5601 University Blvd. SE, livenation.com.

4861 Pan American Freeway NE Albuquerque,, NM 87109 Albuquerque 505.. 344 505 344.. 7427 www.. bubbas33 www bubbas33.. com 84

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saturday 28 | 8:30

Manuel Mijares in Concert. Mijares, as he is usually billed, is an adult-contemporary pop singer from Mexico City. He began his career at age 23 and achieved high popularity from the mid-80s to mid 90s in America and Japan mainly. Info: Kiva Auditorium, Convention Center, 401 2nd Street NW, vividseats.com.

daily

Agora Crisis Center Volunteers. Are you a compassionate, non-judgmental person who wants to help others? Learn new skills, make friends, earn class credit, and be a part of a rewarding organization. Info: Agora Crisis Center, agoracares.org.

ONGOING:

daily

Animal Humane’s Free Behavioral Helpline. This free service is available to all pet owners who are experiencing behavior problems with their dogs and cats. Animal Humane New Mexico’s trained behavior coaches answer questions and provide tips on everything from housetraining to living toerther with multiple animals. Info: 938-7900.

daily | any time

At-Home Movies. Enjoy a variety of streamed movies and documentaries presented by Guild Cinema. Keif Henley, the cinema owner, reminds folks that the streaming option offers a safe home viewing experience while a portion of the online streaming fee goes directly to the local independent cinema. Info: guildcinema.com.

daily | various times

NAMI NM and NAMI Albuquerque. We have many support programs available weekly through zoom, at no charge. We also offer 8-week classes on mental illness that are available at no charge to family members and people with a mental health condition diagnosis. During trying times, stress, anxiety, depression and anger are prevalent. Info: naminewmexico.org, namialbuquerque.org, 260-0154. Free.

daily | various times

Al-Anon Family Groups and Alateen– Meetings. This is an anonymous fellowship of relatives and friends of problem drinkers. Meetings are held on various days and times throughout Albuquerque and New Mexico. We come together to share our experience, strength and hope to recover from the effects of another person’s drinking. Info: Al-Anon Information Service, aisnm.org, 262-2177.

daily

Lovelace Silver Elite. Lovelace Silver Elite offers informative videos that address health issues such as Osteoarthritis, Sleep Apnea, Cardiovascular Issues, Parkinson’s Disease and Treatment Options for Male Lower UTI’s and BPH, and are presented by Lovelace doctors that are experts in the subject fields. Lovelace Silver Elite also offers free seminars and VIP benefits. Info: lovelacesilverelite.com, 727-5502.

daily

Albuquerque Apparel Center and AAC School of Fashion Design. Melissa Lea, president and founder of AAC and awardwinning fashion designer, offers a variety of industry-based fashion design classes, seminars, retreats, and more. Couture, costume, and custom clothing design services, alterations, and patternmaking services are also available. Info: abqapparelcenter.com, 803-6966.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

daily

Donate Blood. Someone needs it every day. Please donate if you can. Info: unitedbloodservices.org, 843-6227.

daily

Epilepsy Support and Education Services— Meeting. For meeting time and place, please contact the office at 243-9119 or check the website for more details. Info: epilepsysupportnm.org.

daily

Rattlesnakes. See different species of live rattlesnakes displayed in recreated natural landscapes. We are dedicated to conservation and preservation through education. Info: American International Rattlesnake Museum, 202 San Felipe Road NW, rattlesnakes.com. Tickets: adults, $6; seniors, military, students, teachers $5; children, $4.

daily

Roadrunner Food Bank. Volunteers are needed to help prep food for distribution, repack and sort items, and other activities while helping New Mexico’s hungry. The gift of your precious time helps solve hunger for so many people. Volunteers must register in advance. Shifts are available in two-hour increments, Mondays–Saturdays. Info: 5840 Office Blvd. NE, givetime@rrfb.org, 349-5358.

daily

Ronald McDonald House Charities of New Mexico. We provide a “home-awayfrom-home” for families whose children are in medical treatment. Operating the 30-guest-room Yale House, 20-guestroom Highlands House, and the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at UNM and Presbyterian Hospitals, volunteers make a vital difference in the lives of the people they serve. Info: Volunteer Coordinator, rmhc-nm.org, 842-8960, volunteer@ rmhc-nm.org.

daily

Explora. The museum brings out new activities in the “Working Together to Build a Village” exhibit area in its Rotary Pavilion, offering hands-on activities related to construction, architecture, and engineering, and Sketch Aquarium and Curious Bubbles in the Explora Theater. Info: Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Cost: Included in admission.

daily

“We Are of This Place: The Pueblo Story” Art Exhibit. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center celebrates its 40th anniversary with this permanent museum exhibit that represents all 19 Pueblos and builds upon the IPCC’s 40-year history of telling the story of Pueblo people in their own voices. Hear stories in Pueblo languages from artists and elders, interact with art and artifacts, learn about the Pueblo people’s history of resilience, and experience traditions that have been passed down for generations. Info: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, indianpueblo.org, 843-7270. Free with museum admission.

daily | 7 am–8 pm

Free Fishing. From sun-up to sun-down, practice your basic fly-tying methods, flyrod casting techniques, fishing etiquette, effective catch-and-release practices and enhancement of advanced skills. Bring your own equipment and refreshments as the store and cafes are currently closed. Info: Tingley Beach, 1800 Tingley Drive SW, call 311 or 768-2000. Free.

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daily | 8 am–5 pm

Albuquerque Art App-led Scavenger Hunt. Albuquerque boasts incredible sculptures. On this fun-filled walking scavenger hunt, journey around downtown’s historic buildings, green spaces and meet the locals who built the city. Info: Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts, starting point - 391 3rd Street NW, letsroam.com, 833-202-7626. Tickets: $13.

daily | various times

Explora’s STEAM Enrichment Programs. Explora has limited in-person and virtual STEAM enrichment programs happening throughout the year. Info: explora.us for details. Prices vary.

daily | 9 am–3 pm

Veterans Presentation. Listen to veterans tell about historical events or their personal experience in the service to our country. Speakers represent WWII, Korean, Vietnam, and War on Terror experiences. Also tour the museum, gardens and amphitheater. Info: New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park, 1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE, 256-2042. Free admission. Donations requested.

daily | 9 am–5 pm

“The Original Instructions: Pueblo Sovereignty and Governance” Exhibit. This Indian Pueblo Cultural Center exhibit reexamines the role and symbolism of the Lincoln canes in the history of Pueblo people, within a larger discussion about sovereignty, governance, and leadership from a Pueblo perspective. Info: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, indianpueblo.org, 843-7270. Free with museum admission.

daily | 10 am–5 pm

Adopt a Pet. Find your best pet ever. Adopt a dog, cat, puppy or kitten from Animal Humane New Mexico. Adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccinations, and a microchip. Info: 615 Virginia Street SE, and west side at 10141 Coors Blvd. NW, animalhumanenm.org.

daily | 10 am

Watermelon Mountain Ranch Animal Center. New Mexico’s largest no-kill animal shelter seeks loving homes for rescued dogs and cats. Adoptions are at select Petsmart locations and Watermelon Mountain Ranch on various days from 10 am–8 pm. Donations, fosters, and volunteers are always welcome. Info: wmranch.org, wmranchnm@aol.com, 771-0140.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

daily | various times

Explora’s Experiment Bar. Fruit and veggie batteries, thaumatropes, invisible writing, electromagnetics, DNA extraction or spin art? Visit Explora’s website to see which of our hands-on activities are happening. Activities change weekly. Mondays through Saturdays at 10 am and Sundays at noon. Info: Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Free with general admission.

mondays and sundays | mondays 12 noon–1 pm and sundays 1:30–2:30 pm

Japanese Garden Tours. Join docents on the Hanami Flower Tours through the Sasebo Japanese Garden. Learn about the garden’s many varieties of flowering cherries and other blossoms, and the history of Japan’s Hanami celebrations. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, abqbiopark.com, 311.

mondays | 5–6 pm

Geeks Who Drink. Test your knowledge while enjoying a unique evening’s experience. Free of charge and open to anyone 21 and older. Prizes awarded to winning teams. Only one table allowed per team. Warning: this quiz contains adult themes and adult language. Info: O’Niell’s Heights, 3301 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, oniells. com, 293-1122.

every second monday | 6:30–8 pm

Outcomes Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Come for discussion and support groups. Info: Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 8600 Academy Road NE, 243-2551 to reserve a space. Free childcare provided. Free.

every third monday | 6–7:30 pm

Outcomes Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Attend discussion and support groups. Info: West Mesa Community Center, 5500 Glenrio NW, 243-2551 to reserve a space. Free childcare provided. Free.

every fourth monday | 6:30– 8:30 pm

Bead Society of New Mexico Monthly Membership Meeting. The BSNM’s purpose is to promote the members’ and the public education, appreciation, and involvement in the field of beads and bead-related subjects. No meeting in July or December. Info: North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, 7521 Carmel Drive NE, beadsocietynm.org.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

mondays–fridays | various times

Ninja Park Obstacle Course Fitness Center. TAK Fit is Ninja Park’s fun and functional fitness style that utilizes calisthenics exercise, dynamic lifts, and obstacles to create a unique and balanced workout that you will not find anywhere else. Join and have fun getting fit. Ages 16 and older. Classes are 6:30 to 7 am, 12:30 am to 1 pm, and 6:30 to 7 pm. Info: ninjaparkabq.com, 883-9203.

mondays–saturdays | 10 am–5 pm

Exquisite Turquoise in the Castle. This extraordinary German-style castle is the museum setting, featuring rare turquoise specimens, lapidary demos, history and geology, a mine tunnel replica, hands-on activities for kids, and silver smithing. Info: The Turquoise Museum, 400 2nd Street SW, turquoisemuseum.com, 433-3684. Tickets: $16, discounts for AAA, over 55 and military.

tuesdays | 12 noon

Kiwanis Club of Albuquerque Zoom Meeting. Come join us every Tuesday for a lunch meeting with interesting speakers to learn how you can help the children of Albuquerque and surrounding communities live better lives. Info: Currently on Zoom, when meeting in person: Embassy Suites Hotel, 1000 Woodward Pl. NE, facebook.com/Kiwanis-Club-ofAlbuquerque-1495809687323742/

tuesdays | 2–3 pm

Caregiver Support Group. Caregiving for a loved one can be overwhelming and isolating. This group provides a compassionate space for caregivers to gain emotional support and information. Facilitated by Erin Tarica, LMSW. Info: Jewish Community Center, 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE. Preregistration required, call 348-4451. Free.

tuesdays | 6 pm

ABQ Scrabble Club. We have been playing weekly for over 30 years. Come join us. Info: Chili’s, 6909 Menaul Blvd. NE.

tuesdays | 6:30–9:30 pm

Beginning Square Dance Lessons. Lessons are available for singles, couples, and families. Dress is casual and no experience is required; offered by the Crazy Eights Square Dance Club. Info: Albuquerque Square Dance Center, 4915 Hawkins Street NE, 345-9797, hornytoad@q.com.

tuesdays | 6:30–9:30 pm

Open Drawing with the Model. Info: Harwood Art Studio, 1029 6th Street NW, harwoodartcenter.org. Admission: $10 per session; five sessions for $35.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

tuesdays | 7:30–10 pm

Tango Club of Albuquerque’s Weekly Milonga. This is an Argentine Tango social dance party. Info: Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal Ave. SE, abqtango.org. Guided Practica, 7:30 to 8 pm; Milonga 8 to 10:30 pm. Tickets: $3-$5.

tuesdays–saturdays | 9 am–5 pm

Art and History Exhibitions at Albuquerque Museum. See our website for the current listing of exhibitions. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, 243-7255. General Museum admission: $3-$6. $5 exhibition surcharge applies.

tuesdays–saturdays | tuesday–fridays 9:30 am, 1:30 pm, saturdays 10:30 am, 12 noon, 1:30 pm

Casa San Ysidro Tours. Take a tour of this late 19th century building in Corrales filled with an excellent collection of New Mexico vernacular art. Info: Casa San Ysidro, 973 Old Church Road, Corrales, cabq.gov/ casasanysidro, 898-3915.

tuesdays–sundays | 10 am–5 pm

National Hispanic Cultural Center Exhibits. See our website for the current listing of exhibitions. Info: National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 Fourth Street SW, 246-2261, nhccnm.org.

tuesdays, thursdays, fridays, sundays | 11 am

Historic Old Town Tours. Explore historic Old Town on foot with our informative docents who will provide insight into the people and places that shaped our early community. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, 2437255. Tour included with paid Museum admission, $4-$6, Sundays free.

tuesdays, thursdays, and saturdays | various times

Ninja Park Obstacle Course Fitness Center. First place winner of the 2015 Women’s Area Qualifier in the Ultimate Ninja Athlete Association (UNAA) competition, Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor Jessica Lucero teaches fun and challenging back-to-back classes every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: Body Blast, 6 to 7 pm; Obstacle Technique and Efficiency, 7 to 7:30 pm; and Foam Rolling and Stretching, 7 to 7:30. Try one, two, or all three classes for free (firsttime participants only). Info: 883-9203, ninjaparkabq.com.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

every first tuesday | 1–2:30 pm

wednesdays and saturdays | 11 am

every first and fourth tuesday | 10 am–2 pm

wednesdays | 12 noon–1 pm

Spanish Language Alzheimer’s Support Group. This meeting is for Spanishspeaking individuals caring for a family member with dementia. Info: Alamosa Community Center, 6900 Gonzales Road SW, Suite C, 363-8499 or 800-272-3900.

Rug Hookers Demonstration. Join the Adobe Wool Arts Guild for a monthly demonstration of rug hooking in the Heritage Farmhouse. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7180, abqbiopark.com. Tickets: Included with admission.

every second tuesday | 11 am–1 pm

Stitching Group. Knitting, crocheting, embroidering, tatting, spinning, crossstitching and more. Join in the fun, share ideas, patterns, and experiences. All ages and experience levels welcome. Info: Wyoming/Hillerman Library, 8205 Apache Ave. NE, 291-6264.

Sculpture Garden Tours at Albuquerque Museum. Enjoy a pleasant stroll in our sculpture garden with a friendly docent who will share stories on the artists and their works. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, 2437255. Tour included with paid general admission. Kiwanis Club of Sandia. Join in for lunch, listen to interesting speakers, and learn how you, too, can help the children of Albuquerque and surrounding communities live better lives. Info: Wecks, 3913 Louisiana Blvd. NE, facebook.com/ sandiakiwanis.

wednesdays | 12:30 pm

Stories in the Sky: Weekly Story Time. Activities for toddlers and parents include stories about science, flight, geography, the seasons, the environment, astronomy and more. For toddlers through age 6. Info: Balloon Museum, 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, 768-6020. Admission is free for the children and an adult.

every second tuesday | 6–7 pm

wednesdays |

Rotary Club of Albuquerque Del Norte Club Meetings. The Club welcomes visitors and community partners interested in joining online for fellowship, traditions, songs, and uplifting presentations. New members are welcomed into committees which suit their interests and skills. Hybrid meetings will begin soon. Info and schedule: rotarydelnorte.org, email rotarydelnorteabq@gmail.com for the Zoom link.

wednesdays | 12:30 and 1:30 pm

Music in the Sky: Weekly Music Time. Activities for toddlers and parents include music and movements. Info: Balloon Museum, 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, 768-6020. Admission is free for the children and an adult.

wednesdays | 6–9 pm

Albuquerque Dance Club. ADC offers social dancing every Wednesday to a variety of music mix including swing, country, Latin, ballroom, and tango. No partner needed, over 21 only, ID required. Info: The Dirty Bourbon, 9800 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 299-3737. $5 cover.

Outcomes Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Attend for discussion and support groups. Info: Tijeras-East Mountains, Los Vecinos Community Center, 478 1/2 Old Highway 66, Tijeras, 243-2551 to reserve a space. Free childcare provided. Free.

every fourth tuesday | 10 am

Science Story Time. Sing songs and read stories, some super silly, to learn about different science subjects. Explore the topic of the day with handson demonstrations and perform kid friendly experiments. Ages 0-12. Info: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Road NW, nmnaturalhistory.org, 841-2800.

every fourth tuesday | 7–9 pm

Duke City Story Slam. This monthly storytelling event is where people tell true-life stories, without notes, on that month’s theme. Attendees can reserve a 5-min Open Mic slot between the featured storytellers. A friendly panel of judges scores each story; the winner takes home a prize. Info: Canteen Brewhouse, 2381 Aztec Road NE, storytellersofnewmexico.com, facebook. com/newmexicostorytellers.

every last tuesday | 6–7 pm

Murderinos Book Club. This free true crime book club meets monthly and Book Club purchasers get 10% discount at Bookworks. Info: Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, bkwrks.com, 344-8139. Free to attend.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

wednesdays | 9 pm

Geeks Who Drink. Join the best Pub Quiz in town. Bring your friends and create a team of up to six people. Info: O’Niell’s Nob Hill, 4310 Central Ave. SE, 256-0564, geekswhodrink.com/blog, oniells.com.

wednesdays–sundays | 10 am–4 pm

Natural History Museum. Explore the most dynamic dinosaurs that roamed New Mexico. Learn to balance like Seismosaurus, hunt like Coelophysis, and stomp like Tyrannosaurus. Info: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Road NW, nmnaturalhistory.org, 841-2848. Tickets: see cost information online.

wednesdays–sundays | 11 am–5 pm

Cat adoptions. Come enjoy some drinks, snacks, and time with adorable adoptable cats at Catopia Cat Cafe. Your visit will support their foster home and keep them company until they find their permanent homes, maybe with you. Info: catopiacatcafe.com, 508-4278.

every first wednesday | 9 am–5 pm

Free First Wednesday. Start your month off right with free admission to Albuquerque Museum and sculpture garden tour. $5 additional special exhibit surcharge may apply. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NE, cabq. gov, 243-7255. Free general admission.

every second wednesday | 6–8 pm

Visionary Arts and Crafts Guild Membership Meeting. VACG’s mission is to develop fellowship among craftspeople and facilitate a market for crafts through exhibitions, education, promoting the development and appreciation of craftspeople and their work. Meet monthly. Info: based in Rio Rancho, vacgnm.com, 340-5846.

every second wednesday | 6:30–7:30 pm

Bookworks Book Club. Bookworks Book Club meets monthly and Book Club purchasers receive a 10% discount at Bookworks. Info: Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, bkwrks.com, 344-8139. Free and open to the public.

every second wednesday | 6:30 pm–8:30 pm

every thursday | 6–9 pm

Rio Rancho Art Association (RRAA) Monthly Membership Meeting. RRAA’s mission is the cultural and educational enrichment of the community and surrounding areas by providing opportunities for artists and the public to collectively participate in fine art events and programs. Info: Don Chalmers Ford Community Room, 2500 Rio Rancho Blvd., 301-2009, rraausa.org.

every second and fourth wednesday | 10 am–2 pm

Quilters Demonstration. The New Mexico Quilters will be working on their Botanic Garden quilt and other projects in the Heritage Farmhouse. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7180, abqbiopark.com. Tickets: Included with admission.

every fourth wednesday and thursday | 12 noon–2 pm and 6–8 pm

Polka Dot Powerhouse Albuquerque Monthly Business Connects. Polka Dot Powerhouse is a closely linked family of extraordinary women—a world of fun, business growth, and connection. Learn, network, and be inspired with other area professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. Guests are invited to attend their first meeting for free. Info: Managing Director Barbra Portzline, bportzline@comcast.net. Register at polkadotpowerhouse.com.

thursdays | 10:30 am

Story Time at the Zoo. Info: ABQ BioPark Zoo, 903 10th Street SW, abqbiopark.com, 764-6200. Included in admission.

thursdays | 3–5 pm

Class with Explora Maker-in-Residence. Explore the science of sound and make a musical instrument with Daveed Korup. Most Thursdays 3-5 pm; call to confirm. Limited places, first-come first-served at class time. Info: Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Included with general admission $6-$10.

every thursday | 6 pm

Stand-up Comedy at The Stage. This is a fun date night. Enjoy great food and drinks, and the nation’s best comics. Seating is first come, first served. Doors open at 6 pm, comedy starts at 7:30 pm. 21 and over. Info: Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel, 54 Jemez Canyon Dam Road, Santa Ana Pueblo, 771-5680. Tickets: $10.

Dance Club. Albuquerque Dance Club offers social dance classes in two-step, waltz, country western swing and a few other styles to country western music. No partner needed, space is limited. Info: Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal Ave. SE. Pre-registration is required: glkello@ nmia.com or 299-3737.

every first thursday | 9:30 am–12 noon

Colcheras Demonstration. Learn to appreciate this Hispanic art form by watching El Arco Iris: Sociedad de Colcheras members at work in the Heritage Farmhouse. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7180, abqbiopark.com. Tickets: Included with admission.

every first thursday | 6:30– 8:30 pm

Albuquerque Modern Quilt Guild. Explore modern quilting, charity work and a working modern quilting group. Info: 5901 Wyoming Blvd. NE #J3003, albuquerquemqg@gmail.com. Cost: membership, $40/year.

every thursday, friday and saturday | 6–9:30 pm

Party in the Fireroom or on the Patio. Indian Pueblo Kitchen hosts live music in its cozy Fireroom or on the patio. While you listen and dance, enjoy a taco bar, all-you-can-eat horno-baked pizza, handcrafted cocktails, local craft beer, and a creative menu of appetizers from our acclaimed culinary team. Info: Indian Pueblo Kitchen, 2401 12th Street NW, indianpueblokitchen.org, 724-3510. No cover.

fridays | 11:30 am

Story Time at the Botanic Garden. Info: ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden, 2601 Central Ave. NW, abqbiopark.com, or dial 311.

fridays | 12 noon–1:30 pm

Grief and Loss Support Group. Grief is a natural process that can often be eased through sharing with others who have experienced the loss of a loved one or any other significant loss. Info: Jewish Community Center, 5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE. Preregistration required by calling 348-4451. Free.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

fridays | 1 pm

Mural Discovery Tour. The IPCC houses 19 murals by Pueblo artists. Our guided tour introduces the art, traditions, and core values of Pueblo culture, and a who’s who of Pueblo artists, such as Pablita Velarde, Helen Hardin, and Jose Rey Toledo. Reflect upon the murals and uncover layers of meaning in each, with representations of traditional Pueblo life, including dance, the seasons, and our connection to animals, as well as the contemporary vision of emerging artists. Tours can be scheduled for groups in advance by calling 212-7052. Info: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, 843-7270, indianpueblo. org. Free with museum admission.

fridays | 1–5 pm

Tamarind Institute. See the workshop facility, learn about fine art lithography, the current programs and the history of Tamarind (a division within the College of Fine Arts at UNM), a collaborative process video, and a printing demonstration. The public is welcome, no reservation required; reservation for other times: tamarind. unm.edu. Info: Tamarind Institute, 2500 Central Ave. SE, 277-3901. Free.

fridays | 7–10 pm

Dance Party. Learn a new dance and meet new people each week at ABQ’s newest studio, with three beautiful ballrooms and state-of-the-art floating dance floors. Enjoy refreshments and an introductory dance class from 7–8 pm. Info: Holiday Dance Studio, 5200 Eubank Blvd. NE, 508-4020, call to confirm schedule, holidaydancestudio.com. $10.

every first friday |

Free Admission Day at Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. Check out this award-winning, world-class facility highlighting the art, culture, history, science and sport of ballooning and other lighter-than-air craft. Info: 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE (North of Alameda), cabq.gov/balloon, 768-6020.

third friday | 7–9 pm

Cactus and Succulent Society of New Mexico. Discuss cacti and succulents; enjoy a program presented on a particular subject relevant to these plants. Program usually involves a slideshow. Not necessary to be a member to attend. Info: Albuquerque Garden Center, 10120 Lomas Blvd. NE, new-mexico.cactus-society.org, 296-6020.

every saturday | 8–11

Los Ranchos Growers’ Market. Fresh local produce and products, plants, and more. COVID 19 protocols - wear masks, keep social distancing, and no pets. Handicapped accessible, family and pet friendly. Info: 6718 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 610-9591. Free admission.

saturdays | 10:30 am

Story Time at the Aquarium. Info: ABQ BioPark Aquarium, 2601 Central Ave. NW, abqbiopark.com, 768-2000. Included in admission.

saturdays | 12 noon–1 pm

Watermelon Mountain Ranch Volunteer Orientation. Come to the main facility in Northern Rio Rancho to find out all about the volunteer program and the opportunities to work with the animals in our care. Info: Watermelon Mountain Ranch, 3251 Westphalia Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho, wmranch.org. Reservations required: volunteerwmr@gmail.com.

saturdays | 12 noon–2 pm

Acting for Writers. Award-winning director and Meisner acting teacher Lois Hall teaches Acting for Writers in a supportive environment. The class is devoted to writers breathing life into their characters by learning the actors’ secrets. Info: 715-2801, actingforwritersloishall. com. RSVP required.

every saturday and sunday | 12 noon and 2 pm

Traditional Native Dance Performances. The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is the only place in North America to offer traditional Native American dances every week year-round. Performances outdoor or indoor depending on weather. Info: Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th Street NW, indianpueblo.org, 843-7270. Free with museum admission.

every saturday and sunday | various times

Albuquerque Garden Center. Our events include the Cactus and Succulent Society Show and Sale, the African Violet Show and Sale, and the Annual Spring Plant Sale, and the Aril and Iris Show. The Shop features local artists all month. Info: Albuquerque Garden Center, 10120 Lomas Blvd. NE. Free.

every first saturday | 10– 11:30 am

saturdays | 12 noon–3 pm

Support Group for women with any GYN cancer plus concurrent group for families/ caregivers. The Gynecological Cancer Awareness Project holds these peerled groups at the People Living Through Cancer Office. Info: 3411 Candelaria Road NE, Suite M, theGCAP.org.

saturdays | 1–2:30 pm

every first saturday | 10 am–12 noon

Class with Explora Maker-in-Residence. See description above on Thursdays 3–5 pm. Most Saturdays. Info: Explora, 1701 Mountain Road NW, explora.us, 224-8300. Included with general admission. Family Art Workshops. Families create a work of art inspired by what they see at Albuquerque Museum. A different project every week. Try your hand working with a variety of art mediums. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, 243-7255, cabq.gov. Free with Museum admission.

saturdays | 2–5 pm

Art in the Afternoon. Wrap up your shopping in Historic Old Town with free admission into the museum, live local music, and great food and drink specials amid a wealth of cultural and historical artifacts and works of art. Info: Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, dial 311. Free.

saturdays | 2:30–4:30 pm

Tango Club of Albuquerque’s Weekly Practica. At this Argentine Tango practice no partner is necessary. Info: Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal Ave. SE, abqtango.org. Tickets: $2.

saturdays | 5–8 pm

Cooking Classes at Cinnamon Sugar and Spice Café. Try a fun and exciting handson cooking class. Enjoy a meal prepared by you in a commercial kitchen with the guidance of a chef, sip wine, and top it off with dessert. Info: 5809 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, 492-2119, cinnamoncafeabq.com.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Military History Lecture. Listen to an interesting presentation of military history events and activities that affected New Mexico. Lectures include the History of the NM National Guard, Bataan Death March, WWII Army Air Corp bases in New Mexico, and others. Info: New Mexico Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE, 256-2042. Admission: Free. Donations requested.

every first saturday | 12 noon–3 pm

First Saturday of the Month Shot Clinic For Your Dogs And Cats. No appointment needed. Info: 3251 Westphalia Road SE, wmranch.org.

every second saturday | 10–11:30 am

Outcomes Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Come for discussion and support groups. Info: St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 2701 American Road, Rio Rancho, 243-2551 to reserve a space. Free childcare provided. Free.

every second saturday | 1 pm

Read to the Dogs. Registered therapy dogs sit calmly and quietly for a story so children can practice reading out loud without fear of judgment. It’s a great way for children to gain confidence in their reading. Several libraries. Please register in advance. Info: Southwest Canine Corps of Volunteers, 768-5136.

every second and fourth saturday | 7–10:30 pm

ABQ Dance Club. This non-profit dance club provides dancing to a variety of music - swing, country, ballroom, Latin. Couples and singles are welcome, no partner or experience needed. Lessons and refreshments included. Info: Albuquerque Square Dance Center, 4915 Hawkins Street NE, asdc.org, 345-9797. Fee $8.

every last saturday | 7–9 pm

Saturday Night Swing. Good listening and dancing music of live tunes from the ’40s and ’50s. Remember to wear your dancing shoes. Info: New Mexico Veterans Memorial, 1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE, 256-2042. Free admission. Donations requested.

sundays | 9 am–1 pm

Free Sunday Mornings at Albuquerque Museum. Admission is free every Sunday morning. View the latest exhibition, try out interactive displays, stroll through the sculpture garden, and stop by the cafe for brunch. Info: Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road NW, cabq.gov, 2437255. Free. $5 exhibition surcharge applies during free days at Albuquerque Museum.

sundays | 1–4 pm

Old San Ysidro Church Tours. See the beauty and learn the history of one of Corrales’ most significant historic buildings. Historical Society Docents are on hand to welcome guests, give tours, and answer questions. Watch the Old Church video, view historical artifacts, and take home souvenirs ranging from local flavor cookbooks to church retablos, jewelry, and more. Info: 966 Old Church Road, Corrales, 890-3846, corraleshistory.org. Free.

sundays | 8 pm

Geeks Who Drink. Join in best Pub Quiz in town. Bring your friends and create a team of up to six people. Info: O’Niell’s Nob Hill, 4310 Central Ave. SE, 256-0564, geekswhodrink.com/blog, oniells.com.

every first, third and fifth sunday | 6–9 pm

Ballroom, Latin and Swing Dancing. Join USA Ballroom Dance. Free beginner lessons start at 5:30 pm. Info: Albuquerque Square Dance Center, 4915 Hawkins Street NE, 345-9797. Cost: members, $5; non-member, $8.

every second and fourth sunday | 2–4 pm

Stitching Group. Knitting, crocheting, embroidering, tatting, spinning, crossstitching and more. Join in the fun, share ideas, patterns, experiences and more. All ages and experience levels welcome. Info: Erna Fergusson Library, 3700 San Mateo Blvd. NE, 888-8100.

various days | various times

sundays | 9 am–1 pm

Free Admission Day. Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. Check out this award-winning, world-class facility highlighting the art, culture, history, science and sport of ballooning and other lighter-than-air craft. Info: 9201 Balloon Museum Drive NE, 7686020, cabq.gov/balloon.

Albuquerque Dolls. We have ongoing social events for women, including dinners, dancing, movies, volunteering, crafts and trips, and we are having a blast. We encourage women to join together to support each other and learn more about New Mexico. Join: Meet Ups/Albuquerque. Also, on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

sundays | 10:30 am

Chatter Sunday. These Sunday morning concerts include readings and refreshments. Info: Las Puertas, 1512 First Street NW, chatterabq.com. Cost: regular, $15; 30 and under and students, $9; children under 13, $5.

sundays | 12 noon–5 pm

Save Lucky Paws Information Table at Lucky Paws Adoption Site. T-shirts and wristbands for sale. Info: Coronado Mall, saveluckypaws.org.

INCLUDE YOUR EVENTS IN THE DATEBOOK! Please send an e-mail with the date, time, and event description to datebook@abqthemag. com. If available, include a high-resolution digital photograph or image. Listing information deadline is the 10th two months prior to publication (e.g.—all MAY events must be submitted by March 10, etc.). All events are subject to change. Please call event organization for final verification on events, times, dates, prices, and ticket availability.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

THE 2021 FACES OF ABQ

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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THE FACE OF SECURITY

INTERNATIONAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE, INC. AARON T. JONES | PRESIDENT & CEO 4901 MCLEOD RD NE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87109 (505) 897-2420 IPSGLOBAL.COM

aron T. Jones has an instinct to protect the little guy. That urge led him into a career in the security industry, followed by a decorated law enforcement career working some of the LAPD’s toughest beats. In 2006, the Four Hills Community sought to start a 24-hour security operation. Jones—then a New Mexico Deputy Sheriff—saw an opportunity to serve his community. International Protective Service, Inc. (IPS) was born. At IPS, nothing is more important than ensuring clients’ safety and wellbeing. They have a track record of success rooted in professionalism, exceptional performance, and dedication. IPS earned its place as an industry leader by hiring the best, drawing talent from both the security industry and the ranks of former law enforcement professionals. “We don’t run IPS like a traditional security company,” says Jones. “We run it like a law enforcement agency with really good manners.” Since its founding, IPS has doubled in size nearly every year. Most of this growth has been fueled by the demands of VIP, commercial, and residential clients. With offices in several states, IPS regularly

works extremely high-profile bodyguarding and security details—including for the late Senator John McCain. At IPS, going the extra mile for clients is essential. For residential clients, IPS proactively patrols, responds to alarms or distress calls, and offers comprehensive vacation check-ins. This includes physical and drive-by property checks, mail, paper and package pickup, and even trash service when you are out of town. “You don’t just have to be at home to get our service,” Jones explains. “We will come to you. If you break down, or are out walking and need our help, we will come at a call and make sure you get home safely.” On the commercial front, IPS provides seasoned guards for any professional facility you can imagine (banks, retail stores, churches, theaters, etc.). They also handle threat management or mitigation in situations in which someone may have made a threat against an individual or a business. IPS’ Los Angeles office—operating from Malibu to Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, and offering the same services available in the Albuquerque area for both residential and commercial clients—has continued to expand, adding new clients

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and additional officers to meet their demands. Last year, IPS expanded into Florida, bringing their security standards and expertise to clients in the Sunshine State with an office in Naples. Retired military, former law enforcement, and top-notch security personnel continue to join the IPS ranks. Their Special Investigations Division—designed to help with private investigations involving anything from missing persons to cold case homicides—has continued to expand, adding several new agents and a special facility dedicated exclusively to their work. IPS has also launched a Critical Response Team. Similar to a SWAT team, the CRT will work with IPS’ existing K-9 Unit (eight dogs trained to detect explosives and narcotics, together with their handler teams) to ensure client safety, regardless of circumstance. Ever seeking to expand their services, IPS has recently begun offering alarm, camera, monitoring, video surveillance, and access control services. Available under the umbrella of IPS Technologies, these services are presently only available in New Mexico. However, they will expand into other states in the coming months.

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THE FACE OF CANNABIS

THE VERDES FOUNDATION RACHAEL SPEEGLE | RN & CEO 7301 SAN ANTONIO DR. NE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87109 2320 GRANDE BLVD SE, SUITE B RIO RANCHO, NM 87124 COMING SOON! 220 SHELBY ST. SANTA FE, NM 87501 (505) 280-2814 WWW.VERDESFOUNDATION.ORG

How has being a nurse influenced hike, or elevate your sexual health, Verdes sibility. People are putting these products is here to partner with you. Everyone in and on their bodies, never take that your cannabis journey? As a nurse, I have always believed my main responsibility is to protect a person’s will to have a voice in their own healthcare decisions. Our nursing services began by protecting that right through education and access to real information. By 2015, our nurses had over 800 patient consultations to draw real data from and create cannabis protocols for Verdes’ clients. We are committed to helping people get more from life in everything we do; we have had three nurses on staff for many years, in order to educate our team in integrity, and the true meaning of customer support. I believe that nurses are the most trusted profession for a reason, and I never take that trust for granted.

This is an exciting time for cannabis in New Mexico. What role do you see Verdes serving in a recreational market? We look forward to enriching the lives of anyone wanting to enhance their lifestyle through cannabis. Whether you are looking for a product to reduce social anxiety, reduce your sore knees after a weekend

wants a product with a purpose, and we will continue to be the best in the state by only offering fully vetted, efficacious products with comprehensive education for all.

for granted! If you are in this industry for the money, you don’t belong here. I would tell anyone looking to work in cannabis to educate themselves, be persistent, patient, and stay adaptable. Ask for help and use the New Mexico Cannabis Chamber of Commerce as a place for What is the best part your job? I smile knowing that our purpose of ele- trustable information, because there are vating lives through cannabis starts inside a lot of predators in this space looking to our walls. We love what we do and have take advantage of people. created 100 jobs with 75 more to come in 2022. By creating careers that are family I may have been a resident of New Mexfriendly and winning Best Places to Work ico prior to Verdes, but it was this comtwo years in a row, I can let go of the little pany and the trust of my staff and my stuff and know that I will leave my NM community, that gifted me purpose and community a little better through my responsibility like never before. My work leadership. I love being a nurse and feel at Verdes inspired me to join the New deeply responsible for the health of my Mexico Medical Reserve Corps and to community, Verdes allows me to touch have served in 2020 as a COVID nurse in the lives of thousands of people daily, Gallup, NM. I have been mentored and which I could never have done in hospi- raised by the people of New Mexico and I will always work to be my best self for tal nursing. them. Verdes is an expression of my love.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to join this industry professionally? With great privilege comes great respon-

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THE FACE OF ROOFING

NATIONAL ROOFING CO.

JACKSON JOHNS | PRESIDENT & CEO BILL YOUNTS | RESIDENTIAL DIVISION MANAGER JOSUEL MARTINEZ | ESTIMATOR 6821 ACADEMY PKWY W NE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87109 (505) 883-3000 NATIONALROOFING.COM

or 45 years, the Johns family has brought high-quality commercial roofing services to New Mexico building owners. President and CEO Jackson Johns saw residential as the next step for the company’s growing portfolio of services. “Regrettably, we've spent the last several decades turning residential calls away," says Johns. “I view our mission here as making our community a better place by offering high-quality craftsmanship, and we are now able to extend that to homeowners—a group we feel has been underserved in this regard.” In April 2021, National Roofing officially opened its doors to residential roofing services, bringing the same ‘National’ quality roofs they’re known for to New Mexico homeowners. How does a company driven strictly by commercial roofing expand to residential? “Entrust someone who knows residential roofing, and embodies our company’s core values—gratitude, resilience, achievement, consistency, and excellence—to lead the division”, says Johns. For that, National Roofing has turned to Bill Younts. Younts’ number one priority is the

home owner. His goal: build both a relationship and a quality roof they’ll never have to replace. “People work extremely hard to put a good roof over those they love,” says Younts. “I want to make sure that the roof we provide is worth every second of their hard work.” After being in the industry for almost four decades, Younts knows that when the roof is built right the first time—to a high standard, with quality materials—the client will never have to buy another one. “I could not have chosen someone better to add to our team,” says Johns. “And, based on his experience, I am confident he’ll lead the residential department to unmeasurable success.” Johns is a firm believer in the idea that companies are successful based not on how big they are, or how much money they make, but how companies live up to their values and how they improve the lives of their employees, their customers, and their communities. Younts leads the new residential roofing department with Josuel Martinez, an experienced estimator who has worked in National Roofing’s commercial department for years. In addition to his passion and dedication for learning,

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Martinez has a newfound passion for the importance of what a “good” roof means. “Becoming a dad has taught me that the roof over my daughter’s head is the most important aspect of safety—especially during the time of year with monsoons, storms, and hail,” says Martinez. “I want our customers to feel the same security I feel when I go to work; knowing she has a good roof over her head.” “We’re honored to be leading the residential department at National Roofing,” Younts and Martinez agree. “Our clients are like family.” National Roofing’s new 46,000-squarefoot space has allowed the company to expand beyond roofing to the entire building envelope. Today, with full commercial roofing services, interior and exterior cladding, UAV drone services, a 24/7 service department for leaks and repairs, and now a residential division, National Roofing has become a multi-service, one-stopquality-shop for New Mexico.

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THE FACE OF AESTHETICS

DR. NICHOLAS LAM ALLURADERM MD MED SPA OWNER & MEDICAL DIRECTOR 9501 PASEO DEL NORTE NE, STE B, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87122 (505) 821-9630 | ALLURADERM.COM Dr. Nicholas Lam, the owner and medical director of AlluraDerm MD Med Spa, is the Face of Aesthetics for Albuquerque yet again! Since he is the #1 injector of Botox® and Juvéderm Collection of Fillers in the entire state of New Mexico, he was the natural choice. In addition, he is also the only injector in New Mexico to be one of the TOP 50 in the country for Botox and Juvéderm portfolio of fillers and is TOP 50 once again in 2021. “Dr. Lam was his usual Michael Angelo with a needle in hand!” remarked one patient. “This place is a gift to Albuquerque!!! I’ve been coming here for a few years and they always exceed my expectations. The entire staff is always professional, courteous, knowledgeable, and fun! I had my cheeks filled and some Botox with Dr. Lam (or should I say the ‘god of fillers’). He is amazing! He makes you feel comfortable and explains everything as he is doing it. Every time I go there, I leave feeling like a queen. To be honest...he’s the reason I’d never move from Albuquerque. After having him as my doctor, I’m not willing to trust anyone else. The AlluraDerm team is truly amazing!” raved another. Despite all the praise and achievements, Dr. Lam remains surprisingly humble. “I aim to bring my patient’s inner beauty to the surface so they can feel more confident in how they look and bring that positivity into the rest of their lives,” he explains. “I just feel lucky that I get to play a role in that and help build that confidence and positivity.” When asked how he became so successful, he replies, “I have the privilege of working with a fantastic team who deeply care about our patients, and share my same passion and values regarding patient care. They are an amazing team who push me to do better every day!”

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THE FACE OF SUCCESS

JACK T. VIGIL

FOUNDER - CEO

HARMONIX TECHNOLOGIES, INC. HMXTECH.COM YOUNG MILLIONAIRES (YM) YOUNGMILLIONAIRES.LIFE 4915 PASEO DEL NORTE, STE A ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87113 (505) 205-1585

It’s easy to call yourself an entrepreneur. All it takes is the right words. But to be a true blue, bona fide entrepreneur? That takes a little more. Hard work, dedication, drive, and vision are all useful traits when it comes to building a new enterprise. But for Jack T. Vigil, it’s that desire to build itself that forms the backbone of his success. “I have always wanted to help people and found ways throughout my youth to offer services such as chopping wood, fixing computers, mowing lawns,” says Vigil, founder and CEO of Harmonix Technologies, Inc. and Young Millionaires.Life. “I love building anything from a house to a business and I love

providing solutions of value to others.” Born and raised in the tiny northern New Mexican hamlet of Peñasco, just a little west of the Sangre de Cristos, Vigil launched Harmonix Technologies, Inc. in 2005. There, Vigil has built an expert team of IT professionals, serving clients across a range of commercial, educational, local, state, and federal contracts. “We pride ourselves on having a strong culture internally that has a major focus on craftsmanship,” says Vigil. “We live and breathe our craft. It is not a hobby for us. We master what we do and we have teams that are incredibly adept at what they do in every department in our organization.”

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Not content to rest on the fruits of one successful venture, Vigil recently launched Young Millionaires.Life With Young Millionaires, Vigil helps young people develop the right mix of passion and skills to lead lives of entrepreneurial success and personal enrichment. “My mission has always been and will always be to grow to be a billion-dollar corporation founded in New Mexico, to create a foundation that supports and fosters the leaders of our state’s future and to create opportunities for employment for long-lasting careers in the technology field and beyond,” reflects Vigil. “This is my passion and what drives me every single day.”

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THE FACE OF FERTILITY

DR. JIM THOMPSON, MD Achieving parenthood through the miracle of medicine is complicated. It is the sort of thing one trusts to experts—and in Albuquerque, that’s Dr. Jim Thompson, Director of the Fertility Center of New Mexico. “I have been practicing advanced reproductive medicine in New Mexico for 36 years,” says Dr. Thompson, whose innovations include both the first in vitro fertilization pregnancy and the first frozen embryo pregnancy in New Mexico. The Fertility Center of New Mexico provides a wide range of fertility procedures and services, including in vitro fertilization, egg donation, artificial insemination, male factor infertility, assisted hatching, embryo cryopreservation, fertility preservation, tubal reversal surgery, and more.

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THE FERTILITY CENTER OF NM LLC

DIRECTOR OF THE FERTILITY CENTER OF NEW MEXICO 201 CEDAR ST SE, SUITE S1-20 ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87106 (505) 248-0000 | NMFERTILITY.COM Dr. Thompson has been voted by his medical peers as the top Reproductive Doctor in New Mexico for 16 consecutive years per the annual Albuquerque the Magazine survey. Dr. Thompson has also been selected by Child Magazine as Director of one of the top 10 fertility clinics in America. And the Fertility Center is the only fertility practice in New Mexico that is a member of SART, has an onsite PhD lab director, and features state of the art lab equipment such as the time lapse incubator. “There are no guarantees we can make when it comes to fertility treatments, but we are proud of the success rate we have with our patients,” says Dr. Thompson. “It starts with couples who are patient and understanding of the process. Add to that

our caring and compassionate staff, and it’s a formula for success.” The staff at the Fertility Center of New Mexico has an outstanding record of longevity. The lab director has been there for 25 years, and other staff members have been there for three decades. Dr. Thompson is now seeing a second generation of patients, the daughters of patients he helped many years earlier. “We feel tremendous satisfaction here at the Fertility Center of New Mexico when we help someone on their journey towards parenthood,” reflects Dr. Thompson. “Every day there is joy and happiness, and it puts a big smile on our faces and in our hearts.”

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THE FACE OF FINANCE

BRENTON L. FEWOX

ANTHEM FINANCIAL SERVICES OWNER RIO RANCHO BLVD NE, SUITE 102 RIO RANCHO, NM 87124 (505) 338-0206 | ANTHEMFINANCIAL.US

It’s hard to overstate the importance of financial planning. People work hard to earn an income, and making the best use of the fruits of that labor takes insight and deliberation. Here, expertise and experience prove invaluable. With over 28 years of professional financial services practice behind him, Anthem Financial Services, Inc. owner Brenton L. Fewox is precisely the sort of person you want in your corner when it comes time to make important decisions about your financial future. Anthem Financial Services is an independent consulting and advisory firm focused on estate preservation and distribution, risk management, and supplemental insurance services. “We have committed ourselves to always making decisions that

are in the best interests of our clients,” explains Fewox. “In turn, we have been able to establish a healthy book of business with loyal clients who continually refer new business to us—something for which we are incredibly grateful.” Life frequently moves at its own rhythm. Anthem Financial Services affords clients the advice they need to navigate important life events—getting married, building a family, preparing for retirement, or retirement proper—with confidence, knowing that, whatever else may come, they are on firm financial footing. “My staff work harder and provide service better than anyone I know,” says Fewox. “We also take a leadership approach with our clients. At the end of the

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day, we believe our clients just want to cut through the noise and have their financial lives protected.” At Anthem Financial Services, Fewox and his team provide guidance to businesses both large and small, as well as individuals, with special emphasis on helping veterans and first responders. “Knowing that what we do here changes people’s lives is what keeps me going every day,” says Fewox. “Planning for the unexpected is crucial. What we do here to educate clients about financial planning for them and their families is imperative, because you just never know what life is going to bring.”

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THE FACE OF TATTOOING

ARCHETYPE TATTOO Archetype Tattoo is more than a tattoo shop - it’s 2900 square feet of heart and soul. This tattoo shop, nestled on Menaul near University (2019 Menaul Blvd. NE... to be exact) is pumping out prime work in permanent ink, while creating a footprint in the community that most would not be expecting from a bunch of ink slingers. Just like the rest of the world, Archetype made adjustments to weather the glob-

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2019 MENAUL BLVD. NE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87107 (505) 265-0972 | ARCHETYPETATTOO.COM ARCHETYPE.TATTOO@YAHOO.COM al pandemic. Some of the new additions include an improved client lounge with complimentary beverages and snacks, high-quality curtain systems for improved privacy, and an appointment-only system complete with a new buzz-in lock. This allows Archetype to make its clients feel safe and comfortable while getting tattooed at one of the cleanest shops in town. Of course this tattoo studio is still jam-

packed with the same talented artists: shop owner Ben Shaw, Aldo Gallegos, Carlos Cordova, Chelsey Moore, Eddie Gutierrez, and Meghan Mund. Archetype has also introduced a new client liaison, Marina Palacios. The Archetype crew is ready to take your body art desires and turn them into a reality - all in a place that respects your health, safety, and privacy.

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THE FACE OF GARAGE DOOR REPAIR & INSTALLATION

GARAGE DOOR DOCTOR

5901-J WYOMING BLVD. NE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87109 (505) 977-8004 | GARAGEDOORDOCTORNM.COM

Garage Door Doctor opened in April of 2012. Even though it’s only been 9 years, our team has over 40 years combined experience in the garage door repair business. We sell, install, repair and replace garage doors and openers. At Garage Door Doctor we take pride in taking care of people. The uniqueness of our company sets us apart. We point out what we find broken or incorrect, then we repair and or replace parts and adjust the door and opener. AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

We are a full service garage door company and our products include a full line of garage door and electric openers along with springs, rollers, cables, hinges and remote controls (clickers). We carry the newest garage door openers including openers with Wi-Fi. At Garage Door Doctor we enjoy what we do! For us there is a pride in helping someone get the correct emergency repair or find the perfect new garage door. Estimates are always free!

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ABQ THE INTERVIEW P. 110 | PERSONALITY P. 116 | BEHIND THE SCENES P. 120

RINGS OF HONOR Artist Lauren Tobey used the pandemic slow-down to re-tool her Meltdown Studio, adding more mentoring and online events to her shared-space Old Town jewelry workshop (p. 116).

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

STORIES BEHIND INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE ALBUQUERQUE GREAT

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH OUR LEADERS AND DIFFERENCE-MAKERS

The Ultimate Insider After three decades and scores of jobs within the Albuquerque Public School District, Scott Elder found his calling: APS Superintendent.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

uperintendent Scott Elder has been a fixture of the Albuquerque Public School system for 30 years, starting out as a bright-eyed English as a second language teacher at Highland High School in 1991. A third-generation New Mexican, Elder is a hometown guy, through and through. But just over a year ago, he was considering the possibility of leaving Albuquerque for other pastures. That, you’ll all recall, is around the time an overly ambitious pathogen started wrecking up the global economy and making us all rethink everything, from shopping for toilet paper, to how we go about securing an education for our kids. At the time, Elder was working as the APS Chief Development Officer and the district was already knee-deep in a search for a new superintendent. Recognizing the need for competent, experienced leadership, the district turned to Elder—and Elder accepted. This past March, the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education made things official, boosting Elder from interim to permanent APS Superintendent. ATM: When did you first decide that you wanted to pursue a career in education? SCOTT ELDER: Back in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s. I had graduated college with a degree in political science and really thought

that I was going to go to law school. Then I did some substitute teaching and discovered that I like the classroom. I thought, “well, maybe I’ll teach for a few years and then I’ll go to law school,” because I had just finished school. I didn’t know if I really wanted to go back immediately.

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But I wasn’t doing anything and felt like I needed to do something other than wait tables. So, I went back to school and got a teacher’s license. In 1991, I was hired at Highland High School as an English as a second language teacher. I ran their speech and debate team...and I never left [laughs]. ATM: What inspired you to make the transition from teaching students to more of an administrative/leadership role? SE: In 1997, I moved from the classroom

to be the dean of students at Highland. Technically, you’re still paid like a teacher, but you act in an administrative role. I did a lot of work with the ninth graders in terms of attendance and discipline. That was really my entry point into administration. After doing that for a couple of years, I

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thought, “gee, I’d really like to be at least an assistant principal, or maybe even a principal.” You have to have an administrator’s license [for that], so I went back to school and got my master’s degree in secondary education. I picked up my administrator’s license, and in 2000, I was hired as an assistant principal of Eldorado High School. ATM: Taking a step back, can you talk more broadly about the importance of public education in our communities? SE: Well, I think it’s the most important

investment that we make as a community because education drives so much. Obviously, for individuals, it drives their outcome. Economically, politically, ethically—public education sets up people for life. For the community at large, investing in the public schools is extremely important. The reason why—and people really need to remember this—is that public schools take everyone. There is no entry

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ABQ

test. There is no lottery. There is no differentiation. We take everyone. As comprehensive schools, we try to do a little bit of everything. We expose our students to a wide variety of opportunities so that they can pursue their own individual interests. This allows kids to start thinking about what they’d like to do for the remainder of their lives. While I was in school, I learned that I had a passion for performance, which is an aspect of teaching that I really like. Every day, I got to perform for my own audience. But I soon discovered how interactive teaching was and that I was learning from the students, and that they had a role in that performance as well. When I think about public school in general, it really is the single most important investment we make in our community. It’s going to drive so many outcomes in terms of health, finance, and the general quality of life in the city. ATM: Public schools are a place where kids spend a big chunk of their time, so they wind up playing

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an outsized role in how those kids grow up in and engage with the world? SE: If you want to make a difference in a

child’s life, there’s no single more important person than a teacher. As far as the school at large, it’s the principal, because the principal sets the tone and develops the expectations. But for that individual child, it’s going to be that one-on-one connection with the teacher. That’s how it should be. There should be these great role models—people who are out there working, doing the best they can, and creating environments where kids can learn, feel safe, and get excited about life.

ATM: Shifting back to something less abstract, you assumed the mantle of superintendent in the middle of a pandemic? SE: Yes sir. My predecessor retired and

they were doing a job hunt. I actually had not even applied. I seriously consid-

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ered it, but some things had come up and there was a possibility that my wife and I weren’t going to remain in Albuquerque. So, I thought, “I better not go after a job that’s going to keep me here for a while.” And then the pandemic hit, and everything changed. They suspended the search and needed somebody to step in as an interim, and that was me.

out a way to do it and did it. Every kid had a device, and it became a question of accessibility, and somehow, we helped with that.

but we did some amazing work. I’m very proud of both my leadership team and the people that made the plans work. We did amazing things throughout this year.

It involved a lot of great partnerships, including the city, the county, some of the tribal governments. Here, in the last six, seven months, it’s been the vaccination effort. I don’t think people realize how deeply ingrained we’ve been with the city, the county, and the Department of Health vaccinations. We’ve had some of the largest sites, such as the Berna Facio Center and one at Albuquerque High. Plus, we’ve hosted smaller clinics around the city. So, you know, the schools were directly involved in this effort to get us to this point, which is pretty amazing.

We were providing 52,000 meals for children twice a day. We were feeding them breakfast and lunch. Then, as [the pandemic] progressed, we had to get the technology. We weren’t really prepared to be a one-to-one district, but we figured

ATM: Do you think the challenges of the past year have given educators and support staff any useful insights about how to better educate and interact with students that might

ATM: And what has the experience of navigating COVID been like for eductors and administrators? SE: It has been an incredibly difficult year,

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prove useful or improve outcomes going forward? SE: Our teachers spend a lot of time in-

dividualizing. They teach classes of thirty kids and make an effort to reach every single one. But because they had the capacity, with the parents right there, teachers could sometimes individualize subjects in a new way and could talk to the parents about how to do so. The parents learned, to some extent, how to teach their kids. By doing so, they came to realize how challenging teaching can be. It’s not as easy as telling kids what to do. Teaching addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division is tough.

ATM: Are there plans to address any educational slippage students might have experienced? SE: We’re going to assess in the fall, and

then we’ll measure growth in the middle of the year, and then again at the end of the year. I’m sure our students did not have a full educational experience, just because of the difficulty of being online. What we had to do [during COVID] is, we had to identify what we call the central standards. We said, “These are the central standards, you need to be able to do these five things by the end of fifth grade,” and really focused on those. So our kids will have some gaps that they would not normally have had, but the way to address that is through acceleration and staying the course with the essential standards.

ATM: What has the process of bringing students back to the classroom been like? SE: Really, it’s been great. I’m going to

be really honest. I know there were some people who were nervous and concerned. But the more students came back, and the more time they spent together, the happier they were. It got better. We’re looking forward to the fall and being able to bring— hopefully—everybody back, face to face.

—ZB

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A LOOK AT THE LIFE & WORK OF ALBUQUERQUEANS WHO DESERVE A TOAST

A Shiny Pivot Lauren Tobey felt the heat when COVID-19 pumped the brakes on her shared jewelry studio. Luckily, her mettle paved the way for even bigger things.

S PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

ilversmith Lauren Tobey’s creations are staples along the shaded lanes of the Downtown Grower’s Market. Earrings, bracelets, and necklaces reflect both typical and atypical forms of her adopted New Mexico home, from silver-and-turquoise stamped cuffs to a cast finch skull turned pendant. “Having moved here from a completely different environment in the deep south, I fell in love with the natural landscape,” she says. “I’m a runner and hiker, and love going around and finding beautiful specimens that I can cast. Nature does it best, then I add my own perspective.” Tobey is a gifted silversmith, though she often thinks of herself as more of a technician. But she’s more than a technician, too. She shares her space and knowledge with studio bench mates, students, and now, mentees at her Meltdown Studio in Old Town. Growing up in Louisiana, Tobey remembers stringing beads and forming clay ornaments from an early age. By high school, the now 41-year-old was bending wire into jewelry for a local clothing store. After her first metal smithing lesson, she was smitten. “I loved working with a torch,” she recalls. “Jewelry making is a combination of creativity on the one hand and precision on the other because

it requires so much measuring and math. Coupled together, it was the perfect combination for me.” A music scholarship to the University of New Mexico brought her to Albuquerque. “I took a chance by coming here. I didn’t know anyone or anything, but I knew it was a great place for jewelry making and the arts,” she says. She took advantage of the university’s silversmithing courses, working on and off for local jewelry maker Susan Skinner (of the now shuttered Fibula Studio) for a decade. After a stint teaching English in Costa Rica, Tobey returned to ABQ to open Meltdown in 2006. From the outset, she saw it as more

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than solo studio space. Silversmithing requires expensive tools and equipment, and access sets a high bar for entry into the field. After graduating from UNM, Tobey—and her pocketbook—had experienced building a studio from scratch. She wanted to make the art form more accessible by providing an experimental space. “I wanted to provide the tools and equipment so they could see if they liked it before investing,” she says. Today, she has between 20 and 25 people who rent at her space, as well as members who come in for open studio days. Several of her bench studio mates have created their own independent jewelry businesses, including Margie Weinstein, who taught art at Sandia High School and now sells her work in galleries and shops, and Sarah Diddy, who assists with Meltdown Studio Jewelry production and sells her own jewelry designs online. Both also teach classes to the public, which is another aspect of Tobey’s offerings at Meltdown Studio.

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As much as teaching involves paying it forward, it has also given back to Tobey by reinspiring her work. “It’s been an incredibly unique opportunity to take people from never having held a torch to being skilled and talented enough to open their own businesses,” she says. “Whenever I experience burnout or fatigue, seeing my studio mates at the beginning of their journeys recharges me. It reminds me what it’s like to discover that you can pursue your passion, your creativity, and create a livelihood for yourself.” Tobey says she also excels at the business aspects of jewelry making, including bookkeeping, website building, and social media— qualities that don’t always come naturally for creatives—which she imparts on her studio mates. As it did for many artists, the pandem-

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ic required Tobey to pivot her business. Concerns over the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 initially shuttered the studio. But with new sanitization practices, air filters, and smaller class sizes, she slowly reopened to students. “People would tell us, ‘I haven’t thought about COVID once since I’ve been making things,’” she remembers. “Any doubts I had about teaching were obliterated at that point. I could take them to a place where they felt creative and could let their stress take a back seat. Their appreciation helped me to relax, too.” The pandemic also inspired a new program that Tobey anticipates will have staying power. Seeing students trapped on Zoom calls all day while she was in the studio working with her hands led Tobey to invite applications for a mentorship

program. The studio accepted 18 people, from high schoolers to retirees. All the studio artists mentor them when they come in two at a time for month-long stints shadowing artists, having free open studio access, and attending the small classes on certain tools or techniques. As in-person markets and shows were cancelled throughout 2020, Tobey also leaned into her online sales platforms. She listed all her available pieces online, utilized the email list she’d been cultivating for a decade, and even created live First Friday Facebook events. “The biggest thing was just to keep creating. I came to work every day last year. I just soldered my way through the year. It’s really what kept me going, and kept me positive and engaged,” she says. “It wasn’t a seamless transition, but I learned a lot of new skills

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39th ANNUAL

DOGGIE DASH & DAWDLE... from a distance!

In 2021, Doggie Dash & Dawdle will be a hybrid event featuring both virtual & in-person components

and methods along the way that I’m still going to utilize coming out of the pandemic.” Moving forward, she anticipates artists will take more advantage of online events and sales opportunities, but those events will never fully replace in-person shopping. “There’s something to be said about seeing art in person. I think it’s going to be a hybrid,” she says. Coming out of the pandemic, she sees the Duke City’s artistic community as hopeful. “I, and a lot of businesses, experienced a level of support beyond what was expected,” she says. “Now, everyone’s just trying to incorporate all their new ideas for the future.” —ASHLEY M. BIGGERS

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BEHIND SCENES THE

YOUR SNEAK PEEK AT JOBS THAT FLY BELOW THE RADAR

Three to Tango A trio of filmmaking buddies turned a pandemic grant to film the culinary delights of ABQ into a pilot TV episode—with possibly more to come.

ndependent filmmakers are notorious for their creativity when it comes to getting low-budget productions from idea to screen. The pandemic—during which filmmakers couldn’t work in close quarters and faced even more funding challenges—called upon them to be even scrappier. However, the trio of film production buffs behind La Vida Buena traveled a smooth road in creating the pilot for this food-centric show, now screening on Albuquerque’s public access station (Channel 27). It just took a decade of prior experience for them to do it.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

The show is the brainchild of Julian Nuñez (pictured on opposite page). Hailing from small-town Columbus, New Mexico, Nuñez grew up with a lot of room to make noise. He did so via his band and soon found himself producing and filming the group’s music videos. He eventually followed his heart into studying filmmaking and met fellow film buffs Luke Hawthorne and Matt Holguin at the Creative Media Institute for Film and Digital Arts at New Mexico State University. Hawthorne had done his own DIY skate videos in his Farmington hometown. In Deming, Holguin had taken digital filmmaking classes in high school and been bitten by the filmmaking bug when he served as a stand-in on 2009’s Year One when it filmed in New Mexico. Since their 2012 NMSU graduation, the three have pursued divergent paths; however, they’ve continued to pull each other into projects whenever possible. Hawthorne has worked in the film industry as a location scout and manager,

including on big-budget films such as Jumanji: The Next Level. He’s also pursued his own films, including 2017’s Agnostic, a narrative short that he wrote, directed, produced, and edited. Holguin started out in the film industry as an office production assistant on Hollywood films such as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Logan. He currently works for Amazon Studios, where he’s worked in a number of departments, including transportation logistics, art, and camera and electric. In 2019, he picked

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

up the camera again to begin filming short social media videos for artists highlighting their passions. Meantime, Nuñez veered into real estate and eventually opened his own marketing agency, Line In Media. On the side, he’s continued to create passion projects such as De La Luz, a 21-minute short film he produced about a Mexican immigrant family who risks crossing the border in search of a better life. The film is making the rounds through the independent film festival circuit, including screening at the El Paso Film Festival this October. “I want to create the films that I want to make and write. That’s what got us here today, seeing a need for these projects,” he says. Nuñez saw a need for a show about New Mexico’s—and specifically Albuquerque’s—local food well before the pandemic. However, the public health crisis made the topic even more timely. “Food and beer are things that I’ve always been passionate about,” Nuñez says. A hobby brewer turned part-time professional at B2B Bistronomy, Nuñez says, “I was on the frontlines of the restaurant in-

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THE

BEHIND SCENES

Luke Hawthorne handled cinematography on the project.

dustry when the pandemic hit. I saw how all of this was affecting local businesses.” To help the restaurants recover, he envisioned a show highlighting the chefs’ diverse backgrounds and signature dishes. Nuñez applied and landed funding from the City of Albuquerque Virtual Visionaries grant program, which invited pitches for original video content for the government-run public access Channel 27. It wasn’t the typical path for an indie film production, which the trio says often involves self-funding and asking rich neighbors to invest in their projects. With $2,600 in his pocket to film the pilot, Nuñez called up Hawthorne to oversee cinematography and Holguin to direct. Each also wore multiple hats during the production, which had only two other crew: a sound specialist and production assistant. The crew used their own equipment for the shoot, which they’d gathered from years of other indie productions. “I don’t want to say it’s not hard to create digital media, but the tools we have are

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Producer and host Julian Nunez (l), with director Matt Holguin (r).

completely different from what it was before,” Nuñez says. “We have cameras and have drones that can shoot high def. The technology available makes it less challenging.” Much of the budget went to paying the restaurants where they filmed for their meals. Nuñez didn’t want to ask for freebies from the already cash-strapped restaurants during the pandemic. The show fell into place in a matter of days over a handful of pre-production Zoom meetings. “I came on two weeks before the shoot,” Hawthorne remembers. “We only had three Zoom meetings where we hashed out all the details. I knew we were going to run and gun this, but it came together so smoothly.” Filming at the four locations featured in the show—Tako Ten, 505 Central, B2B, and Farm & Table—took place over a single day and eight hours of shooting. “We felt like when we were back in college doing a class production,” Holguin says. The only concessions to the pandemic were the crew wearing face masks (Nuñez

removed his to host the show) and a production assistant standing by with hand sanitizer. “Our team was composed of true professionals and that allowed us to create this project so quickly,” Nuñez says. The production didn’t want to interfere with the restaurants’ regular customers, so they kept their crew small, and shot in corners and during the slow times of the restaurants’ service. Turns out, food and film production have a lot in common. “We’re bakers,” Holguin says. “We have all the ingredients and put them together in production to tell the story, then we just have to put it out there for people to try it.” The pilot episode debuted on Channel 27 on May 8. The team hopes to film additional episodes in the future and screen the pilot at festivals, including the Albuquerque Indie Film Festival and Albuquerque Film + Music Experience. —ASHLEY M. BIGGERS

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CREATIVES P. 124 | SHELFLIFE P. 126 | TIEMPO P. 128

CULTURE

ARTISTIC DISTANCING Reyes Padilla was nearing completion on a downtown mural last year when the pandemic halted the planet. After realizing he could adhere to health guidelines since he worked solo, he completed the art piece (p. 124).

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

A PULSE CHECK ON ALBUQUERQUE’S ART, MUSIC AND THEATER SCENE

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PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

DIP INTO THE PERFECTLY MIXED PALETTE OF ABQ’S ART AND ARTISTS

THE MUSIC PAINTER A Santa Fe-born artist channels unusual sensory perceptions into stunning murals and paintings.

hen many people were perfecting their sourdough starters and binging “Tiger King” during the early days of the pandemic lockdown, artist Reyes Padilla was completing a 25-by-65-foot mural. Planning for the kinetic mural on Gorman Industries’ building in Wells Park had begun before the pandemic; however, when the novel coronavirus swept across the globe, Padilla stopped working. Eager to complete the piece, Padilla decided after a couple of weeks that painting a mural alone and outside would still adhere to the health guidelines. He completed the mural in mid-April 2020. Its title, “Sentimiento,” is borrowed by the Al Hurricane song of the same name W

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that roused the swirling black, white, and turquoise shapes that make up the mural. Padilla’s synesthesia, which allows him to see music, inspires the oil-on-canvas and large-scale murals that have taken him from the halls of the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, in Arizona, to the streets of Barelas. Padilla’s earliest memory of influential art is the graffitied fence of his daycare. Even at four years old, he began mimicking the bubble letters and line-art shapes of the tags. As he was growing up, the native Santa Fean often felt ostracized by the City Different’s art scene. “There was a lot of art, but it seemed completely inaccessible to a local like me,” he remembers. “It seemed mainly put there for the tourists. It showed a very polished side of my hometown.” As he leaned into his art, he continued to buck expectation. He saw many of his

family members creating art for the Traditional Spanish Market, one of the capital city’s signature summer markets that celebrates Spanish colonial art forms such as retablo painting, punched tin, and straw applique. “Art almost lost its fun thinking you had to do things traditionally,” he says. Instead, he pursued non-traditional forms like music and oil-painting. However, his family members’ art did prove to him that he could create for a buying audience. “It was inspiring to see you could make a living off of art, when you so often hear that’s not possible,” the 33-year-old says. “But for me, I had to find my own path.” Pursuing a professional career in art seemed like an inevitability. “I had no Plan B. It was scary because it seemed like my only route. But it was something I could trust in myself,” he says. Soon, his music and painting didn’t

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seem like separate pursuits. When he played music, he would get lost inside it. Happenstance led him to attend a musical appreciation class with a friend, where the professor discussed synesthesia. Padilla realized the phenomenon he thought of as common was actually a unique gift. It took a few years until he leaned into his ability. His pivot came after months of working non-stop creating 2015’s “¡Mira, Look!”, a series of hyper realistic paintings of eyes that Explora later acquired for its permanent collection. He came back from the opening and began painting the door to his studio with loose, amorphous forms. “It started to click that to be successful, I don’t have to try to create this idea of what is a successful art piece. I can just let it flow naturally,” he says. He now allows his synesthesia to guide him, painting the colors and movement he sees as he plays hip hop, electronica, or, a perennial favorite for him, songs from Radiohead. The Central New Mexico Community College graduate’s work now appears in the permanent collections for the State of New Mexico and City of Albuquerque. A

temporary mural he created on-site also starred in a Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum exhibition celebrating jazz in honor of that city’s annual music festival. In another recent pandemic project, Padilla teamed with teens from The Barelas Youth Team on a street mural in the intersection of Fourth and Hazeldine SW in Barelas. Again, his process began with music. To bring the students together over Zoom, through which they held their planning meetings during the shutdown, Padilla had them create a shared playlist. It includes everything from a mariachi version of “Cielito Lindo’ to modern hits like Alabama Shakes’ “Sound & Color.” The playlist, called “Sunset Mix,” embodied the group of teens, who considered themselves different people growing up under one sunset, and became the mural’s name as well. The mural is a type of visual playlist, too, with each aspect of its design pulled from images the students drew. The aerial view of a Meso American pyramid incorporates clouds, birds, leaves, and other references to the neighborhood. “It was important because it’s

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

their neighborhood, and I wanted them to see themselves in it,” Padilla says. Padilla’s work with the students is influencing his current artistic journey as he’s revisiting inspiration points from his childhood. He recently completed a painting that’s textured with mica shale gathered from the arroyo he played in as a kid. “It’s bringing me back to my roots and who I really am,” he says. “Seeing things that inspired me as a kid and turning that into how I’m living and producing work today is really fulfilling.” —ASHLEY M. BIGGERS

SYNESTHESIA This is a perceptual phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to experiences in a second. People who experience this phenomenon, called synesthetes, can feel it in many ways and often experience more than one form. They may feel written letters on their skin; they may taste in color; or, in the case of Albuquerque artist Reyes Padilla, they may have a visual perception of music.

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TURN A PAGE WITH OUR LOCAL AUTHORS

EXPLORING THE RANGE OF TEX-MEX By Craig Harris UNM Press, 2021 184 pages $19.95

Author and musician Craig Harris.

Baxo sexto master and Tejano music icon Max Baca.

here’s something special about T authentic musical expression. It cuts across genres, yet is fleeting and

elusive. You can’t quite pin it down, but you know it when you hear it. Playing music since the age of five, Max Baca has always been drawn to that unnameable pulse of raw musical artistry, be it in the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival or the Tejano flavors of his mentor and collaborator, Flaco Jiménez. Mastering the bajo sexto—what Baca calls “the grizzly bear of guitars”—he’s turned his passion and talent into a profession, forging along the way a signature style that seasons Tex-Mex music with flourishes of blues and jazz. Drawing on his own experience as a musician—and innumerable hours of interviews with Max Baca and other key figures in the Tejano and conjunto music

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scene—Craig Harris has written a book that captures the stories, events, and culture that shaped the Albuquerque-born Baca into one of the most well-respected Tex-Mex artists. It’s a story of hard work, long nights, good luck, natural talent, and good friends, anchored in a history that cuts back more than a century. ATM: Where did the inspiration for putting together a book come from? MAX BACA: Well, my good friend Craig Harris. It came about while we were doing the Rhythm and Roots Festival in Rhode Island with my band the Texmaniacs. Craig called me—he was working with Chuck, the director of the festival—and he was interviewing bands. Craig said he’d like to do an interview with me. Because he’s a musician, he was asking me

all the right questions. About 30 or 40 minutes into the interview, Craig said, “Stop, Max. We need to write a book on you, man. Your stories are too good. And I said, “Well, that’d be a dream come true.” And he said, “Well, give me a couple of weeks to pitch it and let’s see if we could get someone to bite on it.” Two days later, he called me back and said, “Hey, man, we have two people interested in it and one of them is University of New Mexico.” I told him that I’d love to go with UNM, since I’m from New Mexico and it would just make sense. Sure enough, man, it happened. CRAIG HARRIS: Yeah, I was in between

projects and needed something that sounded wonderful. And Max and I con-

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COURTESY PHOTOS

CROSSING BORDERS

SHELFLIFE

nected and I had such a fascination about the music. Plus, Max had the patience to teach it to me. The book gives people a chance to read and learn what we experienced. ATM: What was the process of putting the book together like? How did you two collaborate? MB: The book is hours and hours of Craig

interviewing me over the phone. Countless hours. After that, he came down to San Antonio, stayed with me a week, and interviewed me some more. He also interviewed Flaco [ Jiménez], because Flaco plays a big part in the book. A lot of people don’t understand. Sometimes, I’ve had people say, “Max is too young to have a book out, he’s only 53. But I started playing music when I was five years old, so I’ve been at it for 48 years already. That’s a long time of faithfully playing music. All my life, music is all I’ve eve done. I’ve been blessed and fortunate to make a living doing what I love. Playing music, you meet so many wonderful people along the way. So this is not only a book about Max Baca and his journey through music, but it’s also educational for folks that don’t really know what and how Tex-Mex music came about.

ATM: Max, you were born and raised in Albuquerque and got your start in New Mexico. Can you talk a little bit about those early years? MB: Growing up in Albuquerque, I was

drawn to the accordion and the bajo sexto. I heard it for the first time through Flaco on television. My dad called me into a room and I’m seven or eight years old and I was really attracted to it. I dug it, man.

It was hard, because in New Mexico, there wasn’t that much of that style of music. It was more of the old, old style—the original New Mexico style music—which was just guitar and fiddle or violin. So it was different playing Tex-Mex music and

it was kind of hard to get accepted in some places. They would say, “Hey, why are you playing that Mexican music from Mexico? And it’s like, it’s not really from Mexico. ATM: What are things like when you come back to Albuquerque these days? MB: We played at Sadie’s two weeks ago

and there were so many musicians that came out to hear us play. They said, “Hey Max, congratulations!” They had the book and wanted me to sign it for them, which felt good because these are musicians that I grew up with and played with. A lot of them played in mine and my brother’s band—the Baca Brothers Band—and I was really surprised to see so many musicians come out and give that support. That made me happy, man.

ATM: Craig, you’ve covered a pretty wide range of artists and musical styles. Is there something in particular that draws you to a given genre or artist? CH: When I do one of my “Drum Away The Blues” programs, I like to tell audiences: “We have a magnificent tapestry of music on this planet. I don’t understand why you should only like the oranges. There are beauties in every one of those shades. We’re only that much richer when we can appreciate it all and not be closed to any of it.”

My radio show, Friday nights on Bluegrass Country, is a very, very eclectic show—and probably a throwback to the old freeform radio programs of the late sixties. They brought me on because my love of music is wide and diverse. When we come down to it, all we have is 13 different notes and different combinations of playing those same notes.

with Max, I knew what Tex-Mex, Tejano, and conjunto music was on a surface level. Whereas now, having gone through this learning process, I can talk to you knowledgeably about it. The same with the new book on indigenous music. I had 48 of the top Native musicians telling me not only about their music, but about what it’s like to be Indigenous in this country. ATM: What was your exposure to this kind of music—Tex-Mex, Tejano, conjunto—prior to writing the book? CH: Other than seeing Los Texmaniacs and the Texas Tornadoes perform, not much. Everything was brand new, from Narciso Martínez, to Santiago Almeida, to the people that are making music now. Not only in conjunto, but also in Tejano. I didn’t know the difference between the two of them before. It was a complete learning experience. And I love going into experiences where I don’t know anything—being a blank slate—and filling it in as a portrait painter. You fill in those spaces. And Max’s story, like he said, is much bigger than Max and the Texmaniacs. ATM: Max, how do you see yourself within the history and heritage of this kind of music? MB: I’m very blessed and fortunate to be

considered one of the ambassadors that was documented by the Smithsonian. That’s an honor man. Growing up in Albuquerque and playing all the cantinas around, and then I had a big break with the Texas Tornadoes, I just stayed true to the music and to the style of music. I’m blessed to be a part of that. We’ve been to Russia and China several times. We’ve toured all over the world. —ZB

It’s all connected. All the writing and interviewing that I do has been to learn the vocabulary and language of music. For example, before I wrote the book

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by mel minter

ABQ’S THRIVING LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

LATE AND EARLY ARRIVALS

A WILD RIDE

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Marion Carrillo refocused his sights on music after some setbacks.

he decided to get back to school and take music more seriously. A short time later, Anthony Bourdain killed himself. “Bourdain had been a major inspiration and influence in my life. . . . I see the news on the phone, and the first thought through my mind with no emotion attached whatsoever is, ‘Well, I’m going to do that someday.’ ” That thought stopped him cold, and he stopped drinking. “I just walked away from it,” he says. He went back to school at Highlands and then UNM. Along the way, he met Ed Harrington of Hurt Mesa Music, who produced Full Glory, and at Highlands, he met Al Schackman, Nina Simone’s guitar player of 30 years, who plays on the EP, along with Noland Harmon on cajón and harmonica. Unlike most musicians, who start working seriously on their craft at an early age, Carrillo did not get going until his mid-

20s, after dodging various life-threatening obstacles. But he got going in a hurry and now has some 20 polished originals to show for it, along with an evening’s worth of covers. His music draws on his highly varied life experiences, with remarkable and unsparing personal insight and a good dose of humor. Sober for three years now and grateful for the support network—parents, fiancée, therapist, dog—that helps him stay that way, Carrillo is about to complete his bachelor’s degree and is planning to pursue a master’s in social work. He’s booking postpandemic gigs, filling rooms with his big personality, confident baritone, and booming laughter. “It’s been a wild ride, man, it has been a wild ride so far,” he says. He looks to be riding on the right road these days, and you can ride with him at marioncarrillo.com or on Instagram at themore_themarion.

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

s singer/songwriter Maríon Carrillo was driving to work one day last year, he had the master recordings of Full Glory, the EP he released in January 2021, cranked up on the car’s sound system. “I stopped at a stoplight, and there’s a dude next to me, standing in the median asking for money. He said, “Hey, man, who is that?’ I said, ‘It’s me.’ ‘Aw, dude, it’s really good!’ A total stranger who has zero reason whatsoever to be polite to me validating my experience,” says Carrillo, who took it as confirmation of his decision to get serious about his music. It was a long, strange trip to get to that point, and yet it happened pretty quickly once it happened. “For whatever reason, I was a very angry young adult,” says Carrillo, who is now 29 years old. At the age of 13, he started to abuse substances, “and by the time I was asked to leave school, I was a career alcoholic already, and I was like 15 or 16.” He got a GED and started studying philosophy at CNM. He also got involved with the Guerilla Photo Group (GPG), which serves the photographic arts community. A job opportunity in sales opened up for him in Australia and with the blessing of his folks and the urging of his philosophy professor, he took it. When that did not pan out as expected and he finally got back home, he found work in the film industry and continued working with GPG. A trip to Europe to visit his girlfriend’s brother in Wales turned into a year-long sojourn. On their return, he and his girlfriend settled down in Taos, running a graphic arts business. Around that time, Carrillo had written his first song, “RV Built for Two,” but music didn’t really enter his life in a more serious way until he was gifted with a nice guitar—just five years ago. By 2017, he was doing open mics in Taos. He returned to Albuquerque in 2018 girlfriend-less and received a wakeup call by way of a serious E. coli infection. That was when

Roger Baker was exposed to music early on—first by a trumpet-playing father, and second by trips into New York City from the family’s home in White Plains, NY, to hear live jazz in the iconic clubs on 52nd Street. “It was great because I had a sense that the music was coming from real people, which is not what you get much as a kid on the radio,” says Baker, who makes music as the pianist and arranger for Entourage Jazz. In high school, Baker was already playing keyboards, guitar, and sax and performing in dance bands, “crossing the threshold into ‘professional’ when getting five dollars each one night,” he says. An unproductive year at Dartmouth helped convince his parents that music was the right career path for him, and Baker transferred to Berklee College of Music in Boston, earning a degree in arranging and composition. In Boston, Baker was playing gigs on

his Wurlitzer piano from the get-go. “The only excuse you could possibly have for not showing up for a class was that you had a gig,” he says. “I started getting into what was current, which was the rhythm and blues scene.” Baker had his own group, which backed up traveling acts such as Little Richard, who stole Baker’s saxophonist. Upon graduation, he consulted “Music” in the Yellow Pages and found work writing music for a company called Five Star Music, which solicited poems from people and put them to music. “I was writing like 100 songs a week,” he says—for $3.50 per song. “Great learning experience.” Baker also began working in recording studios, an attraction that he explains by saying that he still has model trains. “I always loved anything with lights on it,” he says. (Anytime a new piece of studio equipment was acquired, the standing joke was “What’s the LPD factor on this?”—meaning “lights per dollar.”) Before long, he opened his own place, Baker St. Studios, which also included a

Roger Baker has lent his talents to hundreds of albums and singles.

pro video studio. At Baker St., he recorded over 200 albums and singles, working with a wide range of artists (including Tracey Chapman and Jean Ritchie) and genres, and he arranged music for everything from Las Vegas shows to movie soundtracks and musical comedy. Baker met his wife, vocalist Rita Newton, in Boston. “She could sing anything,” says Baker, and their quartet presented the same, playing weddings and clubs. They also led a seven-piece band, Savoy, and played together from 1975 to 2010. They moved to Albuquerque in 1990, attracted by the great outdoors and by the opportunity the city’s music scene offered. Baker first hooked up with the late Eric Larsen at Quincy Street Sound. When Larsen sold his studio, Baker opened Winfield Sound Studios, with help from his friend Steve Winfield, which he operated till 1995, when he retired—temporarily. Producing an album for a Brazilian singer took Baker to Eagle Rock Studios in 2000, and that was the end of retirement. He’s been there ever since and has built himself a compact home studio, as well. At Eagle Rock, he met Emerson Corley of Entourage Jazz, and for the last five years, he’s been the recording engineer, arranger, and pianist for the band. Along the way, he’s collected three Best Recording Engineer Awards from the New Mexico Music Awards, two of them for Entourage albums. Even after a half-century of work, Baker still has unbridled enthusiasm for the process of making music. “There’s nothing like spending six or eight months writing charts, and you get those 24 string players there, and you go like this”—he raises his hands as if holding a conductor’s baton—“and this sound comes out,” he says, wide-eyed. You can see what Baker might be able to do for your sound if you drop him a note at bakerroger9@aol.com.

Be sure to check out Musically Speaking, Mel’s online music journal, at www.melminter.com. If you’d like to share something with “¡tiempo!” readers, e-mail tiempo@abqthemag.com.

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PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

A LIFE IN MUSIC

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DISH

SLOW-ROASTED SAUCINESS They myriad styles of BBQ in our city are explored in this month’s In The Kitchen spotlights, beginning with this saucelaced, slow-cooked brisket sandwich from Fat T’s BBQ in Old Town (p. 151).

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

A TASTE OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ABQ’S WORLD OF WINE, SPIRITS, AND CULINARY DELIGHTS

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Eats PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

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ANTIQUITY RESTAURANT

Fine dining and romance never go out of style in Old Town.

ne of the first things you’re likely to notice upon entering Antiquity Restaurant is the hulking charcoal grill towering behind the bar. A brick monolith that looks like the type of cooking and roasting apparatus used to prepare the meals of kings and queens in some other-worldly era. As importantly, it gives you a pretty solid clue about what Antiquity is all about: exceptional food cooked to exacting standards and delivered with impeccable service. “We do things kind of old style,” says Antiquity owner Steve Salazar. “We don’t have walk-in refrigerators or coolers here.

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We have a very small kitchen. Our restaurant is not about volume. It’s about quality and service.” As far as that massive charcoal grill? “We’ve got pictures of that thing going back 60, 70 years,” says Salazar. “We use 100 percent charcoal, no wood. As far as our steaks, nine-tenths of them are cooked over the charcoal. Sometimes we do a little fish and sometimes we do a little lamb. So, we have a menu, and then we do nightly specials.” To call Antiquity “exclusive” is to partially miss the point. For Salazar, this is a place for everyone. But it’s also a place

that operates across 14 tables in a building better than a century old. In practice, that means Antiquity is very exclusive in a very strict sense: at any given time, only a select few can get in. “I like everybody to be treated to a great time when they come to Antiquity,” says Salazar. “Service is really demanded because we’re a small restaurant. Very rarely do my waiters have a section larger than four-tables, so they’re able to spend time with our guests, taling to them about wine and food options. We’re not a turn-andburn restaurant.” Which is to say, guests at Antiquity

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DISH

NIGHTLY SPECIALS Though Antiquity has a menu loaded with perennial favorites, Salazar and his chefs are constantly innovating with plates of new, thrilling flavors.

HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD Located in an Old Town building that’s been around longer than New Mexico has been a state, Antiquity Restaurant brims with charm and character—as does the surrounding neighborhood. DELICIOUS, DELECTABLE DESSERTS Cap off your meal with something sweet and indulgent, like a sweet, silky, and rich chocolate mousse.

BREWS AND VINO Wine aficionados can dip into Antiquity’s reserve list for elegant options like Opus One and Dom Perignon.

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Restaurant are afforded the opportunity to savor their experience, lingering over a perfectly cooked Henry IV, a bacon wrapped filet mignon that’s topped with artichoke heart over a bed of artichoke leaves and crowned with a béarnaise sauce—paired with a full-bodied pinot noir while soaking up the singular atmosphere of a building steeped in history, culture, and character. Salazar took over Antiquity about 23 years ago, continuing a culinary tradition that goes back nearly four decades. “I have a great tenured staff,” he says. “I also have a chef who cooked in Seattle for 30 years.” Bringing in that coastal touch pairs nicely with one of Salazar’s specialties: world class seafood. “I used to sell fish,” he explains. “I know a lot about fish and love everything about fish—except for

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Antiquity Restaurant 112 Romero St NW 247-3545 antiquityrestaurant.com

bad fish. I’m really picky about fish. Great lobster tail and great king crab legs. Only wild caught shrimp and only wild caught scallops. We do lots of other fish--Chilean sea bass, salmon, tuna, swordfish, marlin, grouper. The name of the game in the restaurant is, you bring it in, you sell, and you get more tomorrow.” All things considered, it’s a simple formula. There’s really no secret to it. Serve great food—fresh, quality ingredients, prepared with the right mix of skill and care—and elevate it with earnest, diligent, and welcoming service. For Salazar and his team, success is just a matter of executing that relatively simple formula to demanding standards. And then, of course, coming back the next day and doing it again. —ZB

FEATURED DISHES HENRY IV, $35.95

Filet mignon, wrapped in bacon and placed over a bed of artichoke leaves, then topped with an artichoke heart and a crown of béarnaise sauce.

CHATEAUBRIAND FOR TWO, $74.95

Slowly grilled 16-ounce beef tenderloin is carved tableside and served with béarnaise sauce alongside fresh vegetables and sauteed mushroom

AUSTRALIAN LOBSTER, MARKET PRICE

A jumbo cold water lobster tail, seasoned, baked, then lightly grilled over charcoal and served with drawn butter.

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DISH

Eats, Etc.

A quick glance at three local eateries that you may or may not already know about.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

The “Circle of Friends” takes you on tour of Valenzula’s takos.

t’s easy to get your hands on a taco. Even the Alaskan village of Utqiagvik—the northernmost city in the United States, located on the banks of the Arctic Ocean and about 400 miles into the Arctic Circle—has a taco joint. That ubiquity suggests something commonplace. Don’t let it fool you. Sure, tacos are everywhere. But they’re still one of the greatest food items humans have ever devised. At Tako Ten, chef and owner Dominic Valenzuela serves up ten reminders of just how extraordinary tacos can be. Of course, this is far from Valenzuela’s first taco venture. He launched and stewarded Dia De Los Takos as both a food truck and storefront operation. Tako Ten carries on Valenzuela’s habit of constantly innovating and pushing the bounds of what makes a world class taco, just in a new spot.

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With Tako Ten, Valenzuela has refocused his attention on the craft of taco creation, stripping away any excess or distraction and curating a simple menu designed to satisfy staunch traditionalists and culinary adventurers alike. Here, classic carne asada tacos—or, in this case, takos—share menu space—and frequently plates—with innovative surprise favorites like Valenzuela’s Vegan Sweet Potato Tako. “We have sweet potato fries that we dress with what’s called a non-bee honey—a conflict free honey, so no bees are harmed—and also guacamole, some five spice salt, and hummus,” says Valenzuela. “It’s really like this world inspired taco, where you get all these different flavors. It has its own following.” And not just among vegans. “We have the Tako Ten Circle of Friends—so that’s

one of each of our tacos—served in a circle with some chips and then one of each of our eight different salsas,” says Valenzuela. “[Guests] usually go through that and then decide which was their favorite. A lot of people have come back and said, ‘I actually really liked the sweet potato taco.’ That’s always great to hear.” —ZB

TAKO TEN 1250 Candelaria Rd NE, Suite B 508-3518

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DISH

100,000-square miles of ocean. Here, dozens of cultures live at the forefront of centuries with a variously rich and turbulent history. With recipes inspired by and infused with flavors from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Trinidad, and a host of other places, A Taste of the Caribbean offers a sampling of their culinary bounty. “If someone likes spicy food, they should try the Jerk Chicken or the Jamaican Patties,” says Williams Stapleton, offering some advice to help customers unfamiliar with Caribbean cuisine navigate

New Mexico-style comfort food is the name of the game at Rutilio’s.

utilio’s seems like a relatively recent addition to the Duke City dining scene, first opening the doors on their Juan Tabo location in spring 2019. But this New Mexico comfort food operation has roots in the Middle Rio Grande Valley running back decades, with founder Rutilio “Rudy” Jaramillo running a Belen-based eatery since the 1980s. Look back still further and you’ll see that Rutilio’s Albuquerque location isn’t exactly a debut, but a return, with Jaramillo briefly

running a restaurant here in the 1970s. “[These are] 50-year-old recipes,” says Dan Silva, Jaramillo’s son and a 10-year Marine Corps veteran, who runs the Albuquerque storefront with his wife, Dinica. “So, you know, they’ve been around for a while.” Traditional, scratch-made eats in cozy, neighborly digs. It’s a place that speaks to the long histories and deep roots some families trace through the Middle Rio Grande Valley, and their capacity to turn

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the menu. “If they like empanadas, they should try the Puerto Rican empanadas. [If they’re vegetarian] they could try the Antigua Pepper Pot, which is like what we call in the Virgin Islands callaloo. It’s spinach, okra, and eggplant.” —ZB

A TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN 2720 Central Ave SE 503-8428 tasteofthecaribbeanalb.com simple recipes and humble ingredients to extraordinary ends. “Being a native New Mexican, that’s what I’m all about,” says Dan. “We treat everybody like family.” “The red chile, the green chile, the rice, the beans—the majority of the stuff we serve here, we make from scratch,” notes Dinica. With a menu overflowing with classic New Mexican eats and diner-style favorites, it can be hard to know where to begin. For first timers, the carne adovada serves as a reliably pleasing point of entry. “The meat is lean,” says Dinica, describing a dish that is at once rich, savory, and fiery, without that heat turning completely overwhelming. “It doesn’t have fats and gristle and stuff like that. I had never really eaten it before until I tried it at his [Dan’s] dad’s. I was like, ‘wow.’”—ZB

RUTILIO’S NEW MEXICAN FOOD 1605 Juan Tabo Blvd NE 503-8629

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

Dishes like Ackee & Saltfish fill the menu at A Taste of the Caribbean.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

oogle the word “globalization” and you’ll get a handful of dry, jargon-laden descriptive articles and a plethora of critical essays discussing the pros and cons of the phenomenon. Good or bad, there’s no clear verdict—but one benefit of the process is that adventurous eaters don’t always have to hop a plane to some fresh locale to uncover new flavors. In Albuquerque, for example, one need look no further for a taste of the Caribbean than 2720 Central Ave Southeast. “The flavor profile from the Caribbean, it’s not only the spiciness of it, but it’s the texture of how the meat and curry chicken is cooked and the way a Trinidad roti is made,” explains Sheryl Williams Stapleton, whose family runs A Taste of the Caribbean (and whose biography, as current majority floor chair in the New Mexico House of Representatives, is worth an article of its own). “It’s how you blend the spices with meat or chicken or fish that gives it that Caribbean flavor.” Far more than home for animatronic pirates, the Caribbean is a vast region, comprising around 700 islands, islays, reefs, and cays spread across more than

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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ABQ’S BEER, WINE, AND SPIRITS SCENE

Renowned local bartenders Kate Gerwin (center), Blaze Montana (arms folded), and Adrienne Miller (elbows on floor) recently moved back to ABQ to launch a craft cocktail-forward bar in Nob Hill.

SOME FAMILIAR MIXOLOGISTS ARE SHAKING UP THE NOB HILL BAR SCENE You probably remember that scene from pretty much every heist movie ever made. The one where they get the team back together, retrieving the safecracker from his beach hideaway, then convincing the online hacker to solve his boredom by signing on for another adventurous job. Now, imagine that same scene—but with bartenders. That, as near as we can tell, is how Happy Accidents got started. Three of Albuquerque’s most recognized and decorated bartenders of the past decade or so—Kate Gerwin, Blaze Montana, and Adrienne Miller, each with an arm-length resume—de-

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cided to launch a bar together in the heart of Nob Hill. So doing, they may have created one of New Mexico’s most unique and thrilling drinking experiences. (For confirmation, take a quick glance at the cocktail pics on the opposite page.) “I kind of knew I would always end up back here,” says Gerwin, who had left Albuquerque for several years to pursue a successful career as a consultant in the bar and spirits world. “I had an opportunity to go to Louisiana, but I just wasn’t sure about it. And I was talking to my daughter, and she said, “Mom why don’t you just come back here and open a bar?” There was a clear element of fortune in how things eventually fell into place—and thus the name. “Right before the pandemic, we actually found a space downtown and started building

it out. It had a different name and it didn’t come to fruition,” recalls Gerwin. “I started looking again for a spot, which is why this is called Happy Accidents. Because this spot really worked out well for us. My grandma was a school bus driver and an art teacher. She used to watch Bob Ross every single day, and she’d always say, ‘Turn your mistakes into happy accidents.’” Of course, there’s another sense in which the name is a bit of a misnomer. Gerwin, Montana, and Miller have been in this game for a while now, so it’s no surprise that they had a pretty clear vision for what they wanted to achieve in a bar of their own. “So we are 100 percent bartender owned,” says Gerwin. “We are all about equity. We hope that all of our bartenders, should they choose to, can become partners. Blaze and I are the

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PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

NOT BY ACCIDENT

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‘Happy Accidents’ is an ode to painter Bob Ross, whose image graces some of the 50+ cocktails at the new bar.

owners, technically, but we like to consider all of our bartenders as partners. Everybody has a say—it’s a very equitable work environment. We pay a living wage, everyone gets health insurance. Everyone gets profit sharing at the end of the year.” In other words, one of the primary aims of Happy Accidents is to build a business that sees its workforce as more than tools for crafting and selling a product. “I mean, we were staff members at one point in time,” says Gerwin. “So, yeah—we try to do things a little bit differently here. When we bring someone on as a staff member, they try out for the whole team. The whole staff makes a decision about whether we bring them on.” While employee equity makes for a happy staff (and, by extension, happy customers), what fills out the picture here is the promise of amazing craft cocktails—sort of like those cool pine trees Ross uses to finish off his landscapes. In short, Gerwin and her team know how to shine with a tin shaker. “Right now, we have 50 (or so) cocktails

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Livin’ On A Pear, a Happy cocktail made with vodka, white wine, pear, lemon— and green apple smoke.

on the menu,” says Gerwin. “When I’m done, we’ll have about 150. I’ve been consulting for 15 years. When we started this place, we took what we call the bangers from the last 10 years of cocktails in the 27 bars that we’ve opened and were like, ‘Alright, what cocktails were knock them out of the park hits?’ We basically cherry-picked from all the cocktails that we’ve done before and started off with that, and then as staff has gotten to know those and memorize those, we sprinkle in more.” Maintaining such an expansive cocktail menu isn’t easy—the Happy Accidents crew accomplished it through a careful application of ingenuity and technical know-how. “My business partner, Blaze, is a very, very smart guy,” says Gerwin. “He used to be an engineering major before I grabbed him out and pulled him into the bar world. So he’s designed some really cool draft and keg systems or self-circulating systems that are constantly mixing, and we have a pretty good system for what type of cocktails we want on draft.”

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Consider a simple illustration. Your typical soda and whiskey comes with three components: ice, soda, and whiskey. When your bartender pours that whiskey over ice, it becomes diluted. From there, the soda—typically dispensed at room temperature out of a post-mix soda gun—further dilutes everything, and the drink can quickly turn flat as the little carbonation that survived the soda gun escapes into the atmosphere. At Happy Accidents, things work a little differently. “What we do is, we take our whiskey and make a homemade hickory smoked cola syrup,” explains Gerwin. “We make the cocktail, we throw it in a keg, and then we charge all of that with CO2. So everything’s chilled, everything’s carbonated, it’s all effervescent. It goes into the cooler— which runs at about 30 to 34 degrees, so it’s ice cold. It comes out of the tap, it’s foamy, it hits the ice, and it does not dilute, because the ice is almost at the same temperature.” It’s an ethos that carries over into other aspects of the business. As much

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John Bullard, Chief Production Officer and Brewmaster at Bosque Brewing.

as their name implies a measure of serendipity—and clearly their story wouldn’t be complete, or have brought them to where they are today without it—Happy Accidents is about exercising as much control over their products and process as possible. Ethanol, in myriad wondrous forms, is always a star player at bars. And with hundreds of competing distributors, it’s pretty easy to come by. But determined to deliver the highest quality, most ethically crafted product possible, Happy Accidents cut a wide course around traditional booze producers and distributors. Instead, they’ve opted to operate as their own distillery, sourcing and blending the spirits they need to meet the desired flavor profiles without sacrificing an ounce of conscience. “I have like the golden use story for every bartender that’s ever worked under the sun,” says Gerwin. “My investors on this—the people who gave me

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the opportunity to open this place— were guests at my bar, Casa Vieja, 10 years ago. They used to tell me, ‘whenever you want to open a bar, just let us know.’ I didn’t know if that was ever a thing or if it was just lip service, but when I moved back, the first thing they said to me was, ‘ready to open a bar?’” A lucky encounter—a happy accident, even. Thankfully for the people of Albuquerque, Gerwin’s answer was “yes.”

GET TO KNOW YOUR BREWER John Bullard Brewmaster, Bosque Brewing Hometown: Edgewood, NM First Brew: Honey Brown, JW Dundee First Car: Dodge Caravan Dream Car: Dodge Ram 2500 Family: Two kids

Growing up in a small town can be a little rough. It’s not so much that there’s necessarily anything wrong with small-town living—it can, in fact, actually be quite pleasant. But there can be a dearth of options when it comes to experiencing the wider fruits of society and culture. Your first beer, by way of example, might not be from the upper echelons of the brewer’s art. It might just be whatever happens to be available. For John Bullard, Chief Production Officer and Brewmaster at Bosque Brewing, his introduction to the magical world of fermented beverages came by way of JW Dundee’s Honey Brown. “I don’t even know if it’s around anymore,” says Bullard, who was born and raised in Edgewood, on the opposite side of the Sandias. “We drank a lot of that. I don’t even know why we got hooked on it, but that was our thing for a while.” Like a lot of people who eventually

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find their passion—and profession— turning yeast and grain into world class suds, Bullard got his start at home. “I was in my early twenties,” he recalls. “I was going to college, taking some classes and trying to figure out what I was going to do as a career. Nothing was very interesting until I got a homebrew kit for my birthday one year. I started brewing and just fell in love with it and decided, if I could turn that into a job, there’s a good chance I’d probably enjoy what I was doing.” From there, it wasn’t long before Bullard started to actively pursue work in the brewing industry, taking a job outside of production just to get a toehold in the business. “I think I only home-brewed for about a year before I got my first job in a brewery,” he says. “I delivered beer for a year before I got into the back to at least start cleaning tanks and transferring beer and stuff.” Gaining access to a full-scale professional brewing operation proved eye-opening. “I mean, I wasn’t a very good homebrewer,” says Bullard, laughing. “I really started to learn what beer was about when I was working in breweries. That’s where it really started to come together as much more fun, too, working with industrial equipment to make beer. [As a home brewer], I didn’t have much money, so I was just kind of scraping things together to make beer. I made some okay brews, but nothing was amazing.” Since 2014, Bullard has been at Bosque, where he has played a pivotal role in crafting some of the Duke City’s favorite brews. “Here, we love to make traditional beers,” he says. “And when we do, we try our hardest to make them as traditional as possible, sourcing ingredients from the region the beer was developed in. And then we go clear to the other side of that, where we are creative and have fun doing this. We don’t take ourselves too seriously—we’re willing to throw all kinds of adjuncts into beers just to make things fun.” —ZB

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SPIRIT SPOTLIGHT Tart

Woody

Effervescent Brrrrrr

HIBISCUS WHISKEY SODA

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Hibiscus Whiskey Soda, $10 Happy Accidents 3225 Central Ave NE

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PHOTO BY REECE MARTINEZ/ATM

Highballs are usually pretty simple cocktails. You start with some kind of ethanol base, grab some kind of mixer, blend them together in a tall glass, and voila—you’ve got yourself a highball. At Happy Accidents, that’s still true. But between those discernable ingredients, you’ve got the accumulated knowledge of the expert bartenders who run the place. And that, folks, makes all the difference. “We really love improving upon the simple drinks, so to speak,” says Happy Accidents co-owner Kate Gerwin. “So this is our house whiskey, soda, and a hibiscus syrup, garnished with a candied hibiscus flower.” Interesting, but also deceptively simple. The magic is in the details. “Our highballs are unique, because they are all served off draft from the keg,” says Gerwin. “So instead of getting room temperature spirit poured over ice, which causes dilution of the spirit and the carbonation to fall flat, the spirit and mixer are all ice cold and charged with CO2— so the whiskey is carbonated too.”—ZB

DISH

Favorite

with Stephine Poston CEO, Poston and Associates and

“

When you look at Native women, we’re the breadwinners and the bread makers,” says Stephine Poston, CEO of Poston and Associates and a co-founder of Native Women Lead. “We’re the heads of household, yet all the odds are stacked against us. We can’t access capital for our business. Employer pay scales take us a while to catch up to our white, male counterparts. We’re balancing raising children, running our businesses, and being involved in our communities.” Poston knows this balance well herself as a Native woman, entrepreneur, and mother of two sons. After two decades of working for the federal government and the tribal government of her native Sandia Pueblo, she founded her own company. With experience as a public affairs officer, she was drawn to public relations and marketing. She works primarily with tribal governments and organizations across the U.S. She’s expanded into other areas, such as strategic planning, and high-level event planning. Her most notable event to date was the reception for then-Representative (and now Secretary) Deb Haaland and Representative Sharice Davids when the two were elected as the first Native American women representatives to congress in U.S. history. Her business leadership role led her to become a panelist along with five other

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Native women at a 2017 global women’s conference at Mesa del Sol in Albuquerque. The only problem? No one showed up to hear the panel present. “We could see clearly that the women on the panel had a passion for business, tribal communities, and helping other Native women start and own businesses to close the wealth gap,” says Poston. “We decided instead of asking people to come to the table, we’d build our own table.” Since the founding of Native Women Lead, the organization has presented two summits for women entrepreneurs. Although the pandemic derailed plans for a 2020 event, it presented six mini retreats online. The organization also issued grants to help Native women business owners, particularly artisans, survive the pandemic financially. Their work is garnering national attention. At the time of this writing, the organization was a top-10 finalist in the 2021 Equity Can’t Wait Challenge, in which a trio of philanthropic organizations are aiming to give

$40 million by 2030 to expand women’s power and influence in the U.S. “We know that when women are safe and secure economically, their children are safe and secure and that translates into community,” Poston says. Community is paramount to Poston, which is why she decided to share her mother’s green chile stew recipe. The recipe is a feast day staple in their family. Poston has fond memories of her mother, Santanita Kick, cooking the dish on Christmas Eve and eating it before leaving to attend church and traditional dances. “If you have been away, it’s something to look forward to,” she says. “I always make sure I have my container to take some home. I love it over fried eggs the next day. Having hot chile in the morning with your eggs really fires you up for the day.” —ASHLEY M. BIGGERS

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PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

Co-Founder, Native Women Lead

DISH

Green Chile Stew Ingredients

Directions

Makes an 8-quart pot

Cook ground beef until brown. When ground beef is cooked add onions and garlic, and continue to sauté till you smell the garlic. Add the green chile, tomatoes, corn, salt, and water. The water amount depends on how soupy you want your chile stew to be. You can also add diced potatoes if you wish. Once it gets to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about one hour.

3 to 4 pounds of ground beef or cubed pork 1 medium onion, diced 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, run through a garlic press 1 pound fresh roasted hot chile or two large tubs of green chile chopped Bueno Autumn Roast hot chile 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 1 can of snow peg white corn (need to drain) 1.5 tablespoons salt

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BITES

OUR EATS ALUMNI, CONDENSED INTO PERFECTLY SIZED SNACKS TO TAKE WITH YOU ON THE GO

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ALQUDS MEDITERRANEAN GRILL & GROCERY

AL’S BIG DIPPER

5555 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 888-2921 Owner Mohamad Abdel Jalil and his sons run this all-in-one operation—a small grocery store and Middle East restaurant—seven days a week. This family team makes fresh pita bread every day and serves platefuls of their delicious hummus. It’s a great spot for lunch on-the-go.

“Bites” is a guide to Albuquerque-area eating establishments compiled by Albuquerque The Magazine’s editorial staff. These restaurants have been featured previously in the “Eats” department of the magazine. Restaurants may or may not

501 Copper Ave. NW 314-1118, alsbigdipper.com From the beginning, Al’s Big Dipper has been a family affair. Every sandwich is named after a family member, and the owners test every soup they make. Try the 505 Lunch Deal—a cup of soup, a grilled cheese sandwich and a homemade cookie for only $5.05.

accept reservations or major credit cards, so call before visiting.

CORRECTIONS: Please send corrections and suggestions to bites@abqthemag.com.

ALDO’S NEW YORK STYLE PIZZERIA $ FIVE STAR BURGERS

5901 Wyoming Blvd. NE 821-1909, 5starburgers.com From bison, salmon, turkey and crab to lamb, chicken and Black Angus beef, burger addicts will love Five Star’s 100 percent natural meat. Handformed patties or vegetarian options paired with wine from St. Clair Winery or beer from Marble Brewery are a match made in heaven.

66 DINER

1405 Central Ave. NE 247-1421, 66diner.com This blast from the past specializes in burgers, chicken fried steak, liver and onions, and blue-plate specials, including the Pile Up: a mound of pan-fried potatoes, chopped bacon, green chile, two eggs, cheddar cheese, and red or green chile sauce on top.

ABC CAKE SHOP

1690 Pat D’Arco Hwy. Unit E plus 1 other metro location 892-2026, aldosalbuquerque.com With handmade lasagna and pizza dough, among other items, Aldo’s New York Style Pizzeria shares family recipes with its customers. From the buttermilk ranch dressing to the Eggplant and Chicken Parmigianas, homemade cooking is not too far away.

ALICEA’S NY BAGELS & SUBS

1009 Golf Course Rd. SE, Ste 103, 896-4555 This East Coast–style deli on ABQ’s Westside is serving up 20 different sandwiches to Rio Rancho’s hungriest diners, using fresh-baked New York–style bagels and meats prepared in house for the likes of its Philly Steak and Cheese or the Cuban. Come hungry, because Alicea’s portions are not for the faint of heart. Can’t get out? Delivery options in Rio Rancho and parts of ABQ are also available when that hunger pang strikes.

AMADEO’S PIZZA AND SUBS

1830 San Pedro Dr. NE 255-5080, abccakeshop.com Specializing in custom cakes and baked goods for all occasions, this bakery focuses on freshness and flavor. Everything is made from scratch, including the cupcakes, cookies, pies, Danishes, pastries, and other desserts.

585 Osuna Rd. NE plus 2 other metro locations 344-5555, amadeospizza.com This family-run pizza place believes that there truly are a million different ways to make a pizza. Using fresh, high-quality ingredients, they specialize in pizzas, subs, pasta, and fresh salads.

THE ACRE

AMERASIA-SUMO SUSHI

4410 Wyoming Blvd. NE 299-6973, theacrerestaurant.com The Acre Restaurant specializes in comfort vegetarian cuisine with a goal to challenge meateaters and question what vegetarian food is, all while creating healthy, sustainable dishes.

ABUELITA’S NEW MEXICAN KITCHEN $

6083 Isleta Blvd. SW, 877-5700 Kathy Martinez’s brother, Chris Romero, opened Abuelita’s New Mexican Kitchen in Bernalillo 26 years ago. Since then, nothing has changed. The Huevos Rancheros are a best seller, as is the Kitchen’s signature dish, the Tacopilla.

AJIACO COLOMBIAN BISTRO

3216 Silver Ave. SE 266-2305, ajiacobistro.com Inside the intimate space, you’ll find combination plates, arroz con pollo, arepas, plantains, and of course, a great cup of Colombian coffee. The dishes at Ajiaco combine indigenous Colombian, Spanish, African, and Arab flavors for a truly thrilling experience.

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800 3rd St. NW 246-1615, amerasia-sumosushi.net Dim sum—which means “small piece of your heart” in Chinese—takes on a bigger meaning at AmerAsia, where everything is made from scratch daily. Try the fried beef and garlic dumplings, pork and ginger potstickers, or scallion pancakes.

AMORE NEAPOLITAN PIZZERIA

3600 Cutler Ave. NE #3 plus 1 other metro location 554-1967, amoreabq.com After relocating to Albuquerque from Naples, Italy, Gabriel and Kimberly Amador missed Neapolitan pizza. The husband and wife team, certified by the Association of Neapolitan Pizzaiuoli (APN), opened Amore, bringing a slice of Italy to Albuquerque. A Neapolitan brick oven fires delicious pizzas, such as the Margherita and the Zia, for 60 to 90 seconds at 905 degrees Fahrenheit. Local beer and wine compliment the pies perfectly.

ANATOLIA TURKISH MEDITERRANEAN GRILL

2132 Central Ave. SE, Ste C, 242-6718 The specialty is the Doner Kebab, seasoned meat in the shape of an inverted cone, slow-cooked to perfection rotisserie style, and always freshly prepared. Whether you choose the Adana Spicy Ground Lamb or the ‘Burque Kebab, try the “baklove-ah” for dessert.

AN HY QUAN VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT

1450 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, 332-8565 This vegetarian Vietnamese spot is also veganfriendly. Pho fans don’t fret; Thai and wonton soup will satisfy any meat eater.

ANNAPURNA’S WORLD VEGETARIAN CAFÉ

ANNIE’S SOUP KITCHEN

5200 Eubank NE, Ste E7, plus 2 other metro locations, 275-2424, chaishoppe.com Annapurna offers some of the most enlightened, health-conscious vegetarian and vegan plates in the city, with plenty of options for people suffering from food allergies or Celiac disease. And the menu is world-class, with options from virtually every continent. 3107 Eubank Blvd. NE 296-8601, anniessoupkitchen.com With four homemade soups made fresh every day, and home-style favorites such as avocado and bacon omelets and piles of potatoes topped with melted cheese, chile and eggs, Annie’s specializes in comfort.

ANTIQUITY RESTAURANT

$$$$

112 Romero St. NW 247-3545, antiquityrestaurant.com Antiquity Restaurant is located just off historic Old Town Plaza. Antiquity holds the distinction of being the only restaurant in Albuquerque to serve the Henry IV—a bacon-wrapped filet mignon placed on a bed of artichoke leaves, topped with an artichoke heart and covered with béarnaise sauce.

ARTICHOKE CAFÉ

$$$

424 Central Ave. SE 243-0200, artichokecafe.com This EDo fine-dining spot boasts a Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence,” and for good reason. A veteran of the Duke City’s fine dining scene, Artichoke Café remains the best bet for a great evening out. Innovative dishes and European aperitifs served by staff that takes ownership of the experience, the location is also an ideal launchpad for downtown adventures.

ASIAN NOODLE BAR

318 Central Ave. SW 224-9119, asiannoodlebar.com Every kind of noodle awaits at this Downtown eatery, from spicy sesame udon noodles to chicken pho with cilantro, jalapeños, and lime. Slurping has never been so tasty.

ASIAN PEAR

8101 San Pedro Dr. NE, Ste D 766-9405, asianpearabq.com Specializing in healthy, authentic, Korean-style eats, this shop pleases the palate with delicious takes on BBQ chicken, kimchi pancakes, and flavorful bowls.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

BITES

FLAVORS THAT KICK IN AFTER MIDNIGHT It’s unclear exactly how the word “brisket” got into the English language. One popular hypothesis is that it came from the Old Norse word brjósk, meaning “gristle” or “cartilage”. It makes sense. The brisket, coming from the cow’s lower chest, can be a sinewy cut of meat. But in skilled hands, it can be transformed into something truly extraordinary. That, distilled to its essence, is what chef Tylor Torres is up to at Fat T’s BBQ in Old Town. He’s been busily suffusing the charming antiquity of the old plaza with the enchanting aroma of smoking meat—an olfactory siren song to hungry carnivores. For the brisket, things get started early in the morning (or late at night, depending on how you like to look at these things). The magic kicks off around 2 a.m., with Torres patiently smoking the beef between 210 to 2300F. “The white oak that I use comes from east Texas,” he explains.

Fat T’s BBQ 308 Rio Grande Blvd NW 718-1727, fattsfood.com

AZUMA SUSHI & TEPPAN

Brisket Sandwich, $10

4701 San Mateo Blvd. NE plus 1 other metro location 880-9800 azuma-sushi-teppan-abq.com From flame-flipped teppan grill items to a substantial sushi selection, the menus at Azuma Sushi & Teppan have something for everyone. The green chile-infused New Mexico Roll and Filet Mignon Steak please palates daily and are perfect when washed down with an imported Japanese sake, soda, or beer.

B2B BISTRONOMY

3118 Central Ave. SE 262-2222, bistronomyb2b.com Highlighting all-local ingredients (including New Mexico beef and Hatch green chile), B2B serves up a wide variety of tasty burgers—including plenty of veggie options.

BACKSTREET GRILL

1919 Old Town Rd. NW 842-5434, backstreetgrillot.com/home Originally a test outlet for local palates in a tourist mecca (Old Town), word spread fast about the Baja-inspired tacos and creative New Mexicanpeppered dishes (check out the gumbo). This locale is expansive, great for families, and the patio hosts music and dancing on weekends.

BARELAS COFFEE HOUSE

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

The flavor thereby imparted is milder than what you might get from a mesquite, allowing the flavor of his Idaho-grown Black Angus beef to speak for itself. Drizzled with sauce and sandwiched in a toasted baguette from Sergio’s Bakery, it makes for the perfect handheld answer to your summertime BBQ cravings. —ZB

1502 4th St. SW, 843-7577 This legendary neighborhood restaurant serves New Mexican dishes from the Gonzales family cookbook: menudo, posole, chicharrone burritos, and huevos rancheros -- all smothered with its famous red or green chile.

BASIL LEAF VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT $$

1225 Eubank Blvd. NE 323-2594, basilleaf.us Sure, Albuquerque offers a variety of Vietnamese eateries, but Basil Leaf elevates the everyday with healthy and fragrant versions of traditional noodle and soup selections. They’ll even modify for any dietary desire. Celiacs and vegans, rejoice!

BEN MICHAEL’S RESTAURANT

2404 Pueblo Bonito Ct. NW, 267-6827 The food at Ben Michael’s is fresh, preservative-free and takes its roots from the owner’s family’s New Mexican recipes. Try the salmon or the steak served with a side of calabacitas, papas, and sautéed mushrooms.

BENNY’S MEXICAN KITCHEN

1675 Bosque Farms Blvd. 869-2210 Since 1972, Benny’s has obliged countless stomachs with delicious New Mexican treats, which include red-chile smothered enchiladas and deep-fried burritos. Don’t let the Benny Burger—a doublemeat, double-cheese beauty—intimidate you. And, don’t forget to save room for that vanilla ice-cream shake.

BLACK BIRD SALOON

28 Main St., Cerillos, 438-1821, blackbirdsaloon.com Black Bird Saloon is not just a popular Northern New Mexico eatery (located in Cerillos, NM), it’s also a time warp back through the building’s long and varied history. Items like the Miner’s Hand Warmer Breakfast Burrito or the Tumbleweed Salad stick out like a turquoise on a tourist.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

BLACK MESA COFFEE COMPANY

Albuquerque International Sunport 220 Sunport Blvd. SE, 842-4305 With two Sunport locations, flight delays are easier when you’re close to Black Mesa. The house coffee and vanilla latte are sure to perk you up pre-flight. The made-to-order turkey sandwich will fill you up far more reliably than the bag of pretzels you’ll get on the plane. Baked goods, including the popular banana bread, are made in-house daily. Five menu items, including brownies and cookies, are glutenfree.

BLADES’ BISTRO

$$$

221 NM Hwy. 165, Ste L, Placitas 771-0695, bladesbistro.com Owner and chef Kevin Bladergroen’s restaurant offers a culinary journey from his 30-plus years of experience in restaurants across the country and Europe, serving up steak and seafood with a twist.

BLAKE’S LOTABURGER

3806 Montgomery Blvd. NE plus 30 other metro locations 883-7615, lotaburger.com Blake’s became an Albuquerque establishment more than 30 years ago, and almost immediately garnered kudos for its out-of-this-world green chile cheeseburgers (the restaurant has since scored spots on National Geographic’s “top hamburgers in the nation” list and Albuquerque The Magazine’s Best of the City list). Everything is made from scratch as soon as it’s ordered—and not a second before.

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BITES BOCADILLOS $

200 Lomas Blvd. NW, Suite 110 243-3995, bocadillos505.com Slow-roasted meats are the highlight of the Food Network “Chopped” winner, Marie Yniguez. Open for breakfast, lunch, or dinner on Wednesdays– Saturdays, pop in for a burrito or sandwich filled to the brim with pork, chicken, turkey or corned beef.

BOSQUE BREWING CO.

106 Girard Blvd. SE, B, plus 1 other location 508-5967, bosquebrewing.com Another favorite on the ever-growing ABQ brewery scene, Bosque Brewing Co. is the product of three NMSU grads’ love for brew. With 10-12 of Bosque’s own sudsy creations on tap every day, the brewery is teeming with options to pair with seasoned fries, daily specials, or an array of other appetizers, soups, salads, and sandwiches.

BUDAI GOURMET CHINESE

6300 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Suite H-1 797-7898, budaigourmet.com The menu features specialties from different regions of China and Taiwan, all painstakingly prepared by chef Hsia Fang. The Crispy Flounder Filet is sure to please diners from both the East and the West. The Mini Steamed Pork Buns shouldn’t be missed.

CAFE 6855

BURGER BOY

CAFÉ BELLA COFFEE

THE BURRITO LADY

CAFÉ CUBANO

2216 Central Ave. SE 262-2216, brickyardpizza.com Three very important pizza points rule supreme here: quantity, quality, and value. Enjoy handtossed, homemade pizza with fresh sauce in a spicand-span, laid-back atmosphere.

938 Eubank Blvd. NE, 271-2268 The Burrito Lady—otherwise known as Consuelo Flores—cooks every one of her huge burritos herself, made-to-order. That means you should be prepared to wait (the line here can often go out the door). It’s worth it—ask for your burrito smothered if you want to really heat things up.

BRIXENS $$$

BURRITOS ALINSTANTE

CAFÉ LUSH

BRICKYARD PIZZA

400 Central Ave. SW 242-2400, brixens.com A creative spin on American bar fare inspired by New Mexican culture, the restaurant serves 99 bottles of beer, literally on the wall, and a range of food items. Brixens has many unique qualities, but a couple notable qualities include its all-day happy hour on Sundays and 3-6 p.m. daily.

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12023 New Mexico 14, 281-3949 burgerboynm.com Everything in this tried-and-true staple is made from scratch: enchiladas, breakfast burritos, tacos and burgers (of course!). Fans are especially enamored with the green chile cheeseburger.

2101 Broadway Blvd. SE plus 5 other metro locations 242-0966, burritosalinstante.com A paradise for anyone who loves wrapping tasty things (chicharrones, carne adovada, bacon, cheese, potatoes—you get the picture) up inside of locally made tortillas, this operation maintains a half dozen storefronts between Belen and Albuquerque.

6855 4th St. NW, 890-9150 cafe6855.com A sister restaurant to Vernon’s Speakeasy, Café 6855 has gourmet dishes, expertly prepared and served in an elegant atmosphere. The menu is populated with gourmet sandwiches, salads, and cafe specialties that redeploy Vernon’s ingredients to thrilling effect.

2115 Golf Course Rd. SE 306-6974, cafebellacoffee.com With made-to-order panini and tasty salads filled with the freshest seasonal ingredients, this restaurant’s farm-to-table concept is a smart—and delicious—one.

At Laru Ni Hati Salon 3413 Central Ave. NE 255-1575, larunihati.com Who would guess that an upscale hair salon such as Laru Ni Hati would also be home to delicious Cuban food—platanos, Cuban sandwiches, dirty rice, and even espresso and hand-rolled cigars?

700 Tijeras Ave. NW 508-0164, cafelushabq.com Located on a quiet neighborhood corner, this café is perfect for a nice brunch or lunch and your wallet will not be hurt after your visit. The menu is glutenconscious, vegetarian-friendly and has some of the best gluten-free red chile in town.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

LA BAREN RESTAURANT

CAKE FETISH

230 Louisiana Blvd. SE, Ste A 232-6764, labarenrestaurant.com The pho and spring rolls have a die-hard following of Kirtland Airforce Base employees. Located across the parking lot from Talin Market, experience an extensive menu of traditional Vietnamese cuisine inside this dine-in and takeout eatery. 2665 Louisiana Blvd. NE 883-0670, cakefetish.com Cake Fetish specializes in baker’s cups filled with heaven, such as the Sleepless in Albuquerque (chocolate cake with mocha French buttercream frosting) and the Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake (coconut and pecans and crowned with chocolate French buttercream).

CAMPO AT LOS POBLANOS

$$$

4803 Rio Grande Blvd. NW 344-9297, lospoblanos.com Beautifully situated in the heart of Los Ranchos, Campo is the newly renovated and reimagined fine dining establishment at Los Poblanos. A top-of-theline menu mixes with fresh ingredients from the Los Poblanos Farm and a quiet, rustic atmosphere to make for one of the city’s best dining experiences.

CANVAS ARTISTRY

CASA DE BENAVIDEZ

CASA TACO

3120 Central Ave. SE 639-5214, canvas-artistry.com Specializing in international street food with a local twist, expect seasonally rotating artsy fare made with local produce, daily and weekly specials, and art to boot. A great late-night spot with live spinning DJs featuring different genres each night. 8032 4th St. NW, 898-3311 casadebenavidez.com One of the original New Mexican eateries in the North Valley, this expansive property boasts a lush patio, fabled margaritas and authentic eats, including a trademark on the sopaipilla burger. 5801 Academy Rd. NE plus 1 other metro location 821-8226, casa-taco.com Both Casa Taco locations offer a window into owner James Pecherski’s signature take on the U.S. Southwest—a strange place where you could picture a classic John Wayne character lingering over a plate of Jamaican jerk chicken and Yucatan pork tacos. Casa Taco defies expectations.

CECILIA’S CAFÉ

CENTRAL GRILL & COFFEE HOUSE

230 6th St. SW, 243-7070 Recognized on the Food Network’s “Diners, DriveIns & Dives,” and ranked No. 45 on the Travel Channel’s “101 Tastiest Places to Chow Down,” Cecilia’s Café offers tasty New Mexican treats, such as their Fireman’s Burrito or homemade chicharrones in a cozy atmosphere. 2056 Central Ave. SW 554-1424, centralgrillandcoffeehouse.com This local favorite on Route 66, adjacent to Old Town, offers a bevy of breakfast and lunch options that will comfort your belly and your wallet. Here, you’ll find traditional New Mexican favorites, serious sammies, and solid caffeine with a staff famous for their classic Southwestern hospitality.

CERVANTES NEW MEXICAN RESTAURANT $$

5801 Gibson Blvd. SE 262-2253, cervantesabq.com Old-world style meets traditional New Mexican fare at this family-owned restaurant. Go for the madefrom-scratch chile rellenos, tamales, and carne adovada.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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IT’S IN THE CUT, NOT THE NAME

In the United States, beef is king. It wasn’t alway thus. In fact, you don’t even have to rewind the clock all that far to get to a time when pork—America’s founding meat—still reigned supreme. That’s right—from about 1776 to 1946, pork dominated the American dinner table. These days, you need look no further than the pulled pork at S-A BBQ for a solid clue as to why. Pork, it turns out, can reach stratospheric levels of flavor, texture, and complexity. It just takes the right mix of talent and know-how. Here, the critical transformation from a cold chunk of pork butt (which comes from the shoulder of the animal—pigs are confusing) to savory cut of fall-apart-if-a-fork-evencomes-near pulled pork tends to take about eight to nine hours. All brought to you by the slow magic of hot smoke.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

“We really set out to try and establish a New Mexico-style BBQ spot,” explains Gabriel Amador, who puts the “A” in S-A BBQ. Rather than merely stick to the tried and true flavors of Texas or South Carolina, Amador and his business partner Leo Savedra have forged recipes that pay homage to the Land of Enchantment. Delivered as a slider, S-A BBQ’s pulled pork is seasoned simply and doused in your choice of one of their four New Mexico-style BBQ sauces. The Zia Gold, for instance, takes the base flavor profile of Memphis gold and elevates it with a kick of chile. —ZB S-A BBQ 3600 Cutler Ave 9 (Plus one other location) 313-0046, s-abbq.com

Pulled Pork Slider, $4.39 each

CESAR’S MEXICAN & GREEK

CHOCGLITZ & CREAM

CHEBA HUT

CHRISTY MAE’S RESTAURANT

5300 Lomas Blvd. NE 256-8017, cesarsmexicanandgreek.com Both the drive-thru and the dining room at Cesar’s are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On the Mexican menu, try the No. 15, a chile rellenos plate. Popular Greek items include the No. 64 Gyros sandwich and the No. 78 Chicken pita sandwich. 115 Harvard Dr. SE plus 1 other metro location 232-2432, chebahut.com Located next to UNM, Cheba Hut serves up toasted subs made from quality ingredients. Try sandwiches loaded with everything from guacamole, olives, mushrooms, cheeses, meats and much more.

CHEESE AND COFFEE

2679 Louisiana Blvd. NE plus 1 other metro location 883-1226, cheeseandcoffee.com There’s more than just cheese and coffee here— think homemade soups, sandwiches, salads and specials. At lunch, the line often goes out the door, so it’s worth getting there early.

CHEZ AXEL

$$$

6209 Montgomery Blvd. NE 881-8104, chezaxelrestaurant.com At Chez Axel, classical music is played at dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and the food has a decidedly French twist: cassoulet, trout amandine, chocolate mousse, and authentic French onion soup. Reservations are recommended.

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10660 Unser Blvd. NW 898-4589, chocglitzandcream.com Certified fair-trade chocolate and a chocolatier with 45 years of experience means you’ll find some of the best sweet-tooth satisfying offerings (including ice cream flavors such as raspberry red chile and Mexican coffee). 1400 San Pedro Dr. NE 255-4740, christymaes.com “Hearty” and “homestyle” are the key words here, a hands-down favorite of early-dinner lovers. Oldfashioned staples are the standards, so look for chicken salad, potpies, country-fried steak with homemade mashed potatoes, and beef stew.

CHURCH STREET CAFÉ

2111 Church St. NW 247-8522, churchstreetcafe.com Calling the oldest residence in Albuquerque its home, this café serves up favorites ranging from natillas to margaritas. They also sell their own bottled salsa and cookbooks with recipes from the restaurant.

CINNAMON SUGAR & SPICE CAFÉ

5809 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE plus 1 other metro location 492-2119, cinnamoncafeabq.com Featuring breakfast and lunch options, endless baked goodies, friendly staff and regular cooking classes, this place puts the “everything nice” in the well-worn phrase.

COCINA AZUL

CODA BAKERY

CONCHITA’S CAFÉ

4243 Montgomery Blvd. NE plus 2 other metro locations 831-2600, cocinaazul.com The newest location of the Old Town favorite serves up the same tried and true home-cooked recipes you’ve come to love. Don’t miss location specific specials and local brews amid New Mexican staples. 230 Louisiana Blvd. SE, Ste C, 232-0085 Wrap your hands around one of Coda Bakery’s unique, Vietnamese-inspired sandwiches. Beyond its popular lineup of sammies, Coda Bakery also puts a distinctive twist on Vietnamese street food, using from-scratch recipes, including the bread, its deli meats, and its desserts. 400 Gold Ave. SW, Ste 119 339-6774, conchitascafe.com What began as the food truck, Conchita’s Creations became a downtown café with breakfast, sandwiches, and salads. New Mexican favorites shine here, just like abuela made them—including tacos, Frito pie, and burritos.

CORN MAIDEN

$$$

1300 Tuyuna Trail, 771-6060 tamaya.hyatt.com For a special dinner or celebration, look no further. Boasting a view of the Sandia Mountains, this restaurant will leave you breathless as you enjoy three-course meals with sweet potato Granny Smith apple soup, lavender salted shrimp or the classic crème brulee.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | AUGUST 2021

BITES CORRALES BISTRO BREWERY

4908 Corrales Rd. NW 897-1036 cbbistro.com Brews from all over the region make this Corrales bistro a must-visit for the affordable fare, killer atmosphere, and music seven days a week.

THE COUNTY LINE BBQ

9600 Tramway Blvd. NE 856-7477 countyline.com It doesn’t take long for the barbecue to arrive at your dinner table, whether it’s wood-burning oven cooked and slow-roasted brisket, ribs, or sausage. Throw in the Rib King Platter, green-chile stuffed pork loin, live music, and two stepping, and at The County Line, everybody wins.

CRACKIN’ CRAB

2100 Louisiana Blvd. NE plus 2 other metro locations 433-4611, crackincrababq.com Their headline seafood boils are super customizable, allowing you to choose from a trio of house combinations or mix and match your own selection of crab, lobster, mussels, scallops, clams, or shrimp by the pound.

CRAVIN’ COOKIES AND MORE

10420 4th St. NW 298-2597 cravincookiesandmore.com Serving up specialty cookies, muffins, breads, pies, and pretty much any dessert you can dream of, Cravin’ Cookies and More offers dine-in and to go orders to satisfy any sweet tooth, with coffee and hot tea to match.

CRAZY FISH SUSHI BAR AND RESTAURANT

THE DAILY GRIND

3015 Central Ave. NE 232-3474 crazyfishabq.com Tasty, fresh sushi and sashimi await you in this sleek Central Avenue restaurant, along with kitchenmade favorites such as tempura and crispy chicken.

4360a Cutler Ave. NE 883-8310, dailygrindabq.net This family-friendly restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, including huevos rancheros and a huge assortment of baked goods. On Friday and Saturday, look for spontaneous specials, such as stuffed French toast or steak and eggs.

THE CROWN ROOM

DELICIAS CAFÉ

DG’S DELI

$$$$

145 Louisiana Blvd. NE 767-7171 abqdowns.com/crown-room Perhaps Albuquerque’s best-kept fine dining secret, this gem is tucked away in the newly remodeled Downs Casino. With an incredible selection of liquors and wines, gourmet dishes, tableside Bananas Foster, and Dom Pérignon palate cleansers, this special occasion hideout is hard to beat, anywhere in the 505.

CURRY LEAF

6910-C Montgomery Blvd. NE 881-3663, curryleafrestaurant.us Curry Leaf is the only restaurant in New Mexico to offer both North and South India cuisine. This means that, while you can get familiar favorites like tandoori chicken, you can also explore the world of chicken chettinad and dosas—a type of crepe made with fermented lentil and rice flour, filled with stuffing like potato, spiced vegetables, or ground lamb.

6001 San Mateo Blvd. NE, 830-6561 Named after the city in Chihuahua, Mexico, Delicias delivers traditional fare of the region, like caldo de res (beef stew), gorditas, carnitas, flautas, and horchata. 1418 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Ave. NE 247-3354, dgsdeli.com With 31 cold sandwich options and a wide variety of grilled hot sandwiches—ranging in size from mini to jumbo—there’s something for everyone here. Try the Green Chile Philly or the Lobo Club.

D.H. LESCOMBES WINERY & BISTRO $$

901 Rio Grande Blvd. NW 243-9916, lescombeswinery.com With generations of experience in winemaking coursing through this North Valley staple’s doors, D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro specializes in pairing wine with its expertly crafted and entirely house-made menu, with a local twist. Themed events and giving back to its community are big parts of this eatery’s success, not to mention popular dishes such as its Chicken Picado, Mac and Cheese Bites, and Ghirardelli Port Brownie.

B e skte n

C h i cn g s

Wi s 2 yaeraorw! in

WINNER

2003 Southern Blvd . SE , Su i te 1 3 9 | Ri o Ra nch o

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BITES DION’S $

6308 Fourth St. NW plus 14 other metro locations 345-4900, dionspizza.com Launched in 1978, Dion’s aims to keep your wallet and tummy full with build-your-own pizzas, gourmet pizzas, slices, salads, and subs. The ranch and Greek dressings are homemade from secret recipes, and everything on the menu is tried and true.

DOG HOUSE DRIVE IN

1216 Central Ave. SW, 243-1019 An ABQ landmark since the 1940s, the eat-inyour-car Dog House serves grilled footlongs and halflongs topped with red chile, cheese, onions, and more. Enjoy your dog with a side of chili-cheese fries and a thick shake.

DONUT MART

4501 Montgomery Blvd. NE plus 1 other metro location 292-6278, donutmartusa.com Multiple locations sprinkled around town means a donut lover can always get a sweet fix. Find apple strudels, piñon coffee, green chile bialys, croissants, muffins, and even a Peanut Butter and Jelly donut.

DOWN N DIRTY SEAFOOD BOIL

6100 4th St. NW, 345-0595 Southern transplants who make their way to ABQ have a new spot for traditional seafood boil. From dry rub to a spicy, buttery fusion sauce, your tastebuds will dance with delight when you feast on this eatery’s collection of crawfish, rock shrimp, crab legs, and more.

DUGGAN’S $

227 Lead Ave. SE 312-7257, dugganscoffeeshop.com This breakfast and lunch spot serves up newsthemed entrees like the Journalist Salad and Fact Checker Green Chile Chicken Soup in an intimate setting. Cups are filled with locally roasted Trifecta coffee.

DURAN’S CENTRAL PHARMACY

1815 Central Ave. NW 247-4141, duransrx.com Where in the city can you get amazing huevos, kitschy printed dish towels, an emergency rubber chicken in a box, and a flu shot? There is only one answer, Duran’s Central Pharmacy.

EAST OCEAN CHINESE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT $$

3601 Carlisle Blvd. NE 889-9315, eastoceanalbq.com East Ocean Chinese Seafood Restaurant was the first of its kind in Albuquerque. Most dishes are served family style and are made fresh to order. Those looking for traditional Chinese dishes should try the Roast Duck. Seafood eaters will enjoy the Honey Crispy Walnut Shrimp.

EL BRUNO’S RESTAURANTE Y CANTINA

8806 4th St. NW, 897-0444, elbrunos.com El Bruno’s got its start in Cuba, NM, in 1975. At the Albuquerque location, the tried-and-true family recipes are still the focus of the menu. The Ceviche, Pollo Adovo, and the Deep Fried Spinach are a few items guests can look forward to.

EL CAMINO DINING ROOM

EL COTORRO

EL PATIO DE ALBUQUERQUE

6800 4th St. NW, 344-0448 Those with a bottomless appetite might meet their match with any of El Camino’s breakfast burrito options. These plate-sized behemoths are filled with eggs, hashbrowns or home-fries, and your choice of meat, then smothered in red or green chile. 111 Carlisle Blvd. NE 503-6202, elcotorroabq.com Made to order gourmet tacos are on full display among classic Mexican street food like elotes and ceviche. A full salsa bar lets you spice up your meat, fish, vegetarian, or vegan tacos. Taco Tuesdays feature $2 tacos and bottled Mexican beers. 142 Harvard Dr. SE plus 1 other metro location 268-4245, elpatioabq.com A UNM favorite since 1977, this family-owned restaurant uses local ingredients and makes everything fresh daily in small batches. The No. 10 Green Chicken Enchiladas have won rave reviews for years, as have the tasty salsa and pillow-soft sopaipillas.

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EL PATRON

10551 Montgomery Blvd. NE plus 1 other metro location 275-0223, elpatronabq.com A customer favorite, El Patron’s menu includes dishes such as mouthwatering tacos, enchiladas, chile rellenos, and housemade chips. Wash them down with a tasty margarita.

EL PINTO

$$$

10500 4th St. NW, 898-1771, elpinto.com Food and atmosphere go hand-in-hand at this Duke City staple, ensuring an unforgettable experience. Enjoy fresh salsa, enchiladas, burritos, carne adovada, and many more New Mexican dishes while sipping a margarita on one of the many beautiful patios. Reservations are recommended.

EL SABOR DE JUAREZ

3527 Gibson Blvd. SE, 265-3338 Its name means “the flavor of Juarez,” and since 1980, this restaurant has served just that. Try the family recipes for menudo and carne desebrada (shredded roast beef sautéed with jalapeño, tomato, and onions).

EL SARAPE

3248 Isleta Blvd. SW, elsarapeabq.com Specializing in authentic food from all regions of Mexico, you can count on dishes such as nopalitos (cactus sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and garlic), fresh salsa, burritos, chile rellenos, and seafood specials with shrimp, oysters, calamari, and fish.

ELOY’S NEW MEXICAN RESTAURANT $

1508 Wyoming Blvd. NE, 293-6018 Opening 36 years ago, Eloy’s New Mexican Restaurant’s claim to fame is its consistent food and service, offering the same recipes that made it famous all those years ago. Try the No. 1 Eloy’s Deluxe Dinner, with a little bit of everything.

EMBER’S STEAK & SEAFOOD

$$$

11000 Broadway Blvd. SE 244-8288, isleta.com Whether you are dining inside or al fresco on the rooftop patio, Ember’s boasts some of Albuquerque’s most beautiful 180-degree views of the Bosque, making for the perfect setting to catch the sunset next to the warmth of the glowing fire pits.

FANO BREAD COMPANY

4605 McLeod Rd, NE 884-5555, fanobread.com For more than 16 years, Fano has made the freshest bread in the city. Whether it’s the rustic loaf, the green chile cheese bread or raisin cinnamon bread, you’ll think you’re touring the streets of Italy with each bite.

FAN TANG

FAREAST FUZION SUSHI BAR & LOUNGE

3523 Central Ave. NE 266-3566, fan-tang.com With authentic family recipes that include coffee chicken (rubbed in Satellite coffee, then stir-fried with flavorful sauce) and creative additions like soul dumplings (made with tofu, kimchi, and cashew pesto), this spot is sure to satisfy.

5901 Central Ave. NE, 255-2910 The sushi is served aplenty, but those who shy from raw fish can flirt with some Thai or Chinese cuisine. This might be one of the only places where a “Heart-Attack”—a sushi roll with deep-fried spicy tuna, jalapeños, mushrooms, and cream cheese—is a good thing.

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FARINA ALTO PIZZERIA & WINE BAR $$

10721 Montgomery Blvd. NE 298-0035, farinaalto.com The Northeast Heights version of Farina offers the same urban atmosphere as the East Downtown (EDo) Farina, minus the elbow-to-elbow seating. Alto offers every pizza on the EDo menu, such as the Formaggio di Capra and the Carne, but includes unique dishes—Eggplant Parmesan Napoleon and Oven-Roasted Chicken Wings. Alto’s wine room is stocked with more than 300 bottles of wine.

FARINA PIZZERIA

Feb. 1 – March 1

HEALTHCARE HEROES & TOP-NOTCH NURSE AWARDS If we didn’t already know, 2020 has shown us the true heroism and value of our local nurses. HOW TO NOMINATE: Go to abqthemag.com

TOP DENTISTS: VOTING BY DENTISTS ONLY

April 1 – may 1

There are few things more important than proper dental care, and so every year we ask local dentists to vote on those they trust most to care for a loved one. HOW TO VOTE: Go to abqthemag.com

BEST OF THE CITY

May 1 – AUGUST 1

It’s your city, so who better than you to tell us the best places to eat, shop, play and spend in ABQ? More than 6 million votes have been cast since Best of the City launched in 2005, and we feature the winners in our huge annual December/January Double Issue. HOW TO VOTE: Go to abqthemag.com

sept. 1 – oct. 1

ALBUQUERQUE’S HOT SINGLES Upload a photo and a brief description of the eligible single you think would make one of ABQ’s HOTTEST Singles. HOW TO NOMINATE: Go to abqthemag.com

TOP DOCS: VOTING BY DOCTORS ONLY

oct. 1 – nov. 1

How do you get to know a good healthcare provider? Every year we ask the city’s doctors to vote for their peers, and we publish the list of winners, just for you. HOW TO VOTE: Go to abqthemag.com

NOV. 1 – DEC. 1

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510 Central Ave. SE 243-0130, farinapizzeria.com Whether you like yours bianco or covered in carne, you’ll get a pie cooked to perfection at this relaxedbut-hip urban eatery.

FARM & TABLE

$$$

THE FARMACY

8917 4th St. NW 503-7124, farmandtablenm.com This North Valley eatery’s ever-changing menu features seasonal produce, which often comes from the restaurant’s own farm. If the produce doesn’t come from the farm, it’s sourced from a slew of local vendors. Enjoy grass-and-alfalfa-fed steaks and produce-focused dishes that use local kale, chard, okra, chile, and tomatoes. 3718 Central Ave. SE, 227-0330 The Farmacy takes the idea of organic and local ingredients, and presents them in a way that tastes like comfort. The Farmacy provides a tasty menu of eight breakfast items, as well as eight sandwiches for lunch.

FIESTA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT & CANTINA

4400 Carlisle Blvd. NE, 881-0478 Fiesta’s Restaurant & Cantina has been familyowned and operated since 1986, making it an Albuquerque go-to for quality New Mexican cuisine. With its family dining area, outdoor patio, lively bar and banquet room, Fiesta’s has something for everyone.

FLIX BREWHOUSE

FLYING STAR CAFÉ

FORQUE KITCHEN AND BAR

3258 La Orilla Rd. NW, B-1 445-8500, flixbrewhouse.com Flix is a one-of-a-kind concept; a movie theater that serves full meals and an in-house brewed beer menu in its stadium-seating “dining rooms.” The dream is real, Albuquerque–you can catch the latest blockbuster in theaters while knocking back a pint and having dinner brought to you. 8001 Menaul Blvd. NE plus 5 other metro locations 293-6911, flyingstarcafe.com With handmade desserts to die for, artisan breads, and a menu filled with everything from eggs to enchiladas, Flying Star offers plenty of options for every meal (and snack time) of the day. 330 Tijeras Ave. NW 842-1234, albuquerque.hyatt.com Forque’s multi-level, tastefully decorated dining room features floor-to-ceiling windows and makes it easy to forget you’re dining at a Downtown hotel. The elegant presentation extends to the regional cuisine, which is prepared in the restaurant’s open kitchen by executive chef Eli White and his staff.

BITES

A SAUCY CHICK FROM THE ISLANDS

Unlike a lot of other dishes, the origins of huli-huli chicken aren’t tangled in a web of rumor and hearsay. Turns out, there’s a pretty widespread consensus that this Pacific Island dish originated in the middle 1950s in a collaboration between a former U.S. naval intelligence officer and an ‘Ewa, Hawaii chicken farmer. The dish was a hit, spawning a sauce line and regularly populating plates at fundraisers before eventually escaping to the mainland. At Kimo’s Hawaiian BBQ, chef and owner James Strange brings his own signature take on the classic Hawaiian chicken dish to Duke City diners. Strange’s Huli Huli Chicken is a product of near constant motion, turned to and fro on a searing flattop until it picks up just the right balance of char (“huli”, it’s worth noting, is the Hawaiian word for “turn”).

Kimo’s Hawaiian BBQ 3239 Girard Blvd. NE (check social media for food truck schedule) 264-2103 kimosabq.com

FORK & FIG

6904 Menaul Blvd. NE, Ste C 881-5293, forkfig.com Upscale, but surprisingly down-home, Fork & Fig dishes offer up a streamlined menu of favorites, including burgers, sandwiches, and salads, with surprising artistry along the way. Sweet potato tots, anyone?

FOURTH AND ROMA CAFÉ

500 4th St. NW, #106, 245-7662 Delicious chai, coffee, sandwiches, salads, and occasional East-Indian specials conveniently located in the old Bank of America building downtown.

FRANK’S FAMOUS CHICKEN AND WAFFLES

400 Washington St. SE, 712-5109 franksfamouschickenandwaffles.com Owner and former Lobo basketball player Frank Willis wanted to give Albuquerque the soul food he had while growing up in Los Angeles. He fiddled with flavors, making sure they were perfect, before opening his restaurant to dish out favorites like chicken and waffles, fried pickles, mac ‘n cheese, and collard greens.

FRENCHISH $$$

3509 Central Ave. NE 433-5911, frenchish.com Envisioned as a casual neighborhood restaurant, frenchish’s menu draws inspiration from an eclectic mix of French and Midwestern U.S. cuisines, with an active focus on clean, simple foods.

Huli Huli Chicken, $10

FRIENDS COFFEE & SANDWICH SHOP $

200 3rd St. NW 243-4801, fcass.com Every cup of coffee served at Friends Coffee & Sandwich Shop is from New Mexico Coffee Company, and a different flavor is showcased each day of the week. Local favorites such as the quesadilla and the Taco Burger are dependable lunch choices.

FRONTIER RESTAURANT

2400 Central Ave. SE 266-0550, frontierrestaurant.com Famous for its legendary Frontier Rolls, hot-off-theiron tortillas, burgers, New Mexican favorites, hash browns, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and more, the Frontier is Albuquerque’s melting pot—it’s a guarantee you’ll see someone you know there.

GARCIA’S KITCHEN

2924 San Mateo NE plus 5 other metro locations 888-3488, garciaskitchen.com This Albuquerque institution serves up classic New Mexican dishes, from freshly made tortillas to an extensive burrito list. You’ll leave one of the multiple locations with a full belly and content heart.

GARDUÑO’S OF MEXICO RESTAURANT AND CANTINA $$ 10031 Coors Blvd. NW plus 1 other metro locations 880-0055, gardunosrestaurants.com

Garduño’s consistently earns enthusiastic kudos for its mouthwatering enchiladas, burritos, salsa, and knockyour-socks-off margaritas. And, with three locations around town, you’re always near a fiesta.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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Already on the road to becoming an unmissable chicken dish, the real magic happens with the addition of the sauce. Marinated on the grill during the final few turns, the chicken sucks up all the sweet, tangy deliciousness of Strange’s proprietary sauce. With just the right touch of heat, the sauce picks up a brilliant caramelization—turning the chicken into a crisp, sticky, Pacific Island treat. —ZB

GECKO’S BAR AND TAPAS

5801 Academy Rd. NE 821-8291, geckosbar.com Plenty of tasty tapas—including Southwestern Krab Taquitos and Red Molé Grilled Sirloin Tacos—and hearty salads and sandwiches, too.

GINO’S NEW YORK STYLE PIZZA

GIOVANNI’S PIZZERIA

GOLDEN CROWN PANADERIA

3908 San Mateo Blvd. NE 883-6000, ginosnystylepizza.com With handmade lasagna and pizza dough, among other items, Gino’s New York Style Pizza shares family recipes with its customers. From the buttermilk ranch dressing to the Eggplant and Chicken Parmigianas, homemade cooking is not too far away. 921 San Pedro Dr. SE, 255-1233 giovannispizzaalbuquerque.com Giovanni’s isn’t easy to spot at first, but once you’ve had a big slice of fold-in-half New York-style pie, you’ll never miss it again. Whether you like it covered in spinach, pesto and tomatoes, cheeseonly, no cheese at all, or plain pepperoni, you’re sure to find your pizza match. 1103 Mountain Rd. NW, 243-2424, goldencrown.biz Golden Crown Panaderia is known for taking creativity in baking to the next level. Try the original biscochitos or cappuccino, chocolate and sugarfree versions. Don’t miss out on homemade green chile bread, pizza, and creative bread sculptures.

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BITES GRASSBURGER $

THE GRILL ON SAN MATEO

GREENSIDE CAFÉ

THE GROVE CAFÉ AND MARKET

5600 Coors Blvd. NW, Ste C3 plus 1 other metro location 361-2368, eatgrassburger.com There’s a lot that sets the burger joint apart— including its community involvement, its vegan and gluten-free burger options, and its commitment to a no-corn syrup menu.

$$$

12165 NM-14, Cedar Crest 286-2684, greenside.cafe This Cedar Crest café offers a casual family atmosphere with large portions of gourmet-quality food: French toast made with orange and vanilla batter, Turquoise Trail Trout, rich homemade ice cream, and a Monte Cristo sandwich with green chile.

3300 San Mateo Blvd. NE, 872-9772 A choice of mesquite-grilled chicken, rib eye, hot dogs, and burgers (beef and garden) accompany bottomless house-made chips and salsa, complete with sides like classic fries and fried zucchini, and fresh fixings are on a build-your-own basis offering a completely customizable burger.

600 Central Ave. SE, Ste A 248-9800, thegrovecafemarket.com The brunch and lunch favorite is well-known for its exceptional dishes made from local and organic ingredients, and it now offers a newly expanded menu, with additions such as the French Ham & Cheese with d’affinois cheese, mostarda, and caper mustard sauce.

GYROS MEDITERRANEAN

HANNAH & NATE’S MARKET CAFÉ

106 Cornell Dr. SE, 255-4401, egyros.com Tried-and-true Greek recipes, such as traditional Kota Reganato (oven-roasted chicken with oregano, garlic and lemon), fresh Greek salads, Patates, and, of course, sweet baklava, served in a friendly, laidback collegial atmosphere. 4512 Corrales Rd, plus 1 other metro location 898-2370 Offering breakfast and lunch, Hannah & Nate’s is all about flavor—whether it’s the flavor of traditional New Mexican cuisine, cuisines from throughout the world or the family recipes served.

HELLO DELI

HIBACHI ONE

HIGH POINT GRILL

7600 Jefferson St. NE 797-3354, hellodeliabq.com Home to one of the most delicious breakfast burritos around, Hello Deli serves sandwiches and even Frontier’s sweet rolls. 3230 Coors Blvd. NE 839-0808, hibachioneabq.com In addition to their tableside teppanyaki service, Hibachi One visitors can take advantage of private rooms. Hibachi options like shrimp, scallops, and filet mignon are available wherever you’re sitting in the house, as is a full menu of sushi, sashimi, and rolls. 9780 Coors Blvd. NW 312-8519, highpointgrill.com Those perpetually on the hunt for the perfect burger will find plenty to love at High Point. With a foundation of 100-percent Akaushi, American Prime Wagyu beef, the burgers at High Point Grill are some of the city’s most popular. Its Southwest burger, for instance, features a red chile crusted patty, extra hot local green chile and cheddar cheese.

HIGH NOON RESTAURANT AND SALOON

$$$

425 San Felipe St. NW 765-1455, highnoonrestaurant.com Located in a 300-year-old house in the heart of Old Town, High Noon has a menu stocked with New Mexican fare such as burritos and enchiladas, but you can also find baked brie and buffalo burgers here. Reservations are recommended.

HOLY BURGER

700 Central Ave. SE 242-2991, holyburgernm.com Originally a Route 66 diner with a carport, and later Bob’s Fish and Chips, Holy Burger now boasts some of the juiciest burgers in town, as well as one of the breeziest and most boppin’ patios in the city.

HORSE AND ANGEL TAVERN

HOT PINK THAI

5809 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, 299-0225 Whether you want a simple sandwich for lunch, appetizers and a beer in the afternoon, or steak and enchiladas at midnight, this Heights tavern is the place to be any time of the day. 2626 San Pedro Dr. NE, 872-2296 For dine in or takeout, at lunchtime, you’ll get $1.50 off dishes over $10 and a free vegetable egg roll. Favorites include pumpkin curry, pad thai, and drunken noodles. Most dishes are customized with your choice of protein and spice level, from no chili at all to Thai hot.

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BITES HOT TAMALES

JIMMY’S CAFÉ ON JEFFERSON

HURRICANE’S CAFE

JINJA BAR AND BISTRO

JOE’S PASTA HOUSE

I SCREAM ICE CREAM

1520 Rio Rancho Blvd. SE. Rio Rancho 962-0123, hottamalesnmrestaurant.com This Rio Rancho restaurant serves bona fide New Mexican with hand-blended red chile and fireroasted green chile: Green Chile Stew Omelet, Hot Tamale Bowl, and Fajitas are just a few of the spicy dishes. 4330 Lomas Blvd. NE, 255-4248 With Route 66 serving as the city’s heart, it’s always good to hop over to a good ol’ fashioned diner. Pick out a classic dish, such as pancakes or omelets from the lengthy breakfast menu, or chow down on a burger, enchilada, or chicken fried steak. Of course, you can take a stab at the hearty Disaster Burrito, but you’d better make plenty of room if that’s on your agenda. 2000 Carlisle Blvd. NE, 268-0139 The cozy dessert shop is filled with toys, gadgets, board games, and—oh yeah—34 flavors of ice cream and 28 different toppings. Each scoop comes with a free mix-in, and there are fresh mini doughnuts available on weekends.

IL VICINO

3403 Central Ave. NE plus 2 other metro locations 266-7855, ilvicino.com Using wood ovens to bake its thin-crust pizzas, Il Vicino (which means “The Neighbor”) also offers hearty calzones and award-winning brews from its own brewery.

INDIGO CROW CAFÉ

$$$

4515 Corrales Rd. 585-3061, indigocrowcafe.net This café is cozy, thanks to the fact that it’s housed in an old adobe building. When it’s cold, patrons warm up by the indoor fireplace; when it’s warm, they enjoy meals such as lobster ravioli, tarragon chicken salad, and New Mexico chicken fried steak under the stars on the outdoor patio. Reservations are recommended.

7007 Jefferson St. NE 341-2546 jimmyscafeonjefferson.com The menu here lists more than 100 items, most of them mouthwatering comfort foods: sandwiches, burgers, New Mexican dishes, handmade pizza, and breakfast served all day long. 8900 Holly Ave. NE, B plus 1 other metro location 856-1413, jinjabistro.com Evoking a vintage ambiance, Jinja serves inspired and mouthwatering pan-Asian cuisine, such as Kung Pow Chicken (a Thai version of the Chinese favorite) and Home-Style Chicken Udon Wok Bowl. 3201 Southern Blvd. SE 892-3333, joespastahouse.com A neighborhood Italian-American joint with an incredible dose of warmth and personality, Joe’s offers a terrific lunch buffet and an expansive dinner menu to please every palate in la mia famiglia: steaks, pasta, and some of the best cannelloni and tiramisu anywhere.

KABAB HOUSE: AUTHENTIC PERSIAN CUISINE $

301 Cornell Dr. SE 312-8949 Authentic, made-to-order Persian food is constantly sizzling on the grill here. The koobideh kabab is made with minced ground beef or ground chicken, onion, and house spices. Each dish is a healthy size and comes with soup, salad, and rice. Top everything off with a glass of delicious banana milk, or majoun, which is banana milk with almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and honey.

KAKTUS BREWING CO.

5740 Night Whisper Rd. NW, Ste 250 890-4488, ironwoodkitchen.com This family operation’s goal: to serve meals made with whole foods at affordable prices. Try the green chile cheeseburger, with freshly-ground chuck, topped with fresh vegetables and roasted green chile.

KATHY’S CARRY OUT

JAPANESE KITCHEN

KATRINAH’S EAST MOUNTAIN GRILL $$

IRONWOOD KITCHEN

$$$

6521 America’s Parkway plus 1 other metro location 884-8937, japanesekitchen.com Entertainment is the main course at this teppanyaki grill restaurant. The cooks, who are at your table, can be caught tossing shrimp into their pockets and creating to-die-for dishes from the classic teriyaki chicken, to seafood or steak, and everything in between.

JAVA JOE’S

906 Park Ave. SW 765-1514, downtownjavajoes.com You’ll find all walks of life at this relaxing Downtown joint, enjoying freshly made sandwiches, breakfast burritos, green chile chicken melts, coffee drinks and more.

JC’S NEW YORK PIZZA DEPARTMENT $$

215 Central Ave. NW, Ste B 766-6973, jcnypd.com New York-style pizza, pasta, salads, and fully-loaded pasta and calzone dishes, all in a laid-back lounge. During lunch hour, the line goes out the door.

471 S Hill Rd, 818-7285, kaktusbrewery.com Tucked away from it all, Kaktus specializes in European-style pints, and a menu featuring pizzas and apps uniquely topped with game meats like elk, boar, bison, and duck. Special events on weekends abound. 823 Isleta Blvd. SW, 873-3472 This carry out has been a South Valley favorite for 38 years. Look for the chicharron burrito with egg, fresh hand-cut fries, and the daily special—you just might land on a seems-too-good-to-be-true deal, such as three tacos for $3. 150 State Rd. 344 A 281-9111, eastmountaingrill.com This contemporary diner specializes in homemade dishes, such as gyros, hand-cut steaks and burgers, and the best-selling Southern Salad (with fried green beans, bacon, cheddar cheese, tomato, and fried or grilled chicken or steak).

KIMO’S HAWAIIAN BBQ

3239 Girard Blvd. NE, 582-2797 kimosabq.com Hawaii comes home. What began as a food truck is now a brick-and-mortar location also. Try freshfrom-the-isles Kalua Pork and Huli Huli Chicken plates served with sides like steamed cabbage, rice, and macaroni salad.

KOLACHE FACTORY

LA QUICHE PARISIENNE BISTRO

5850 Eubank Blvd. NE, Ste 17 242-2808, laquicheparisiennebistro.com Long considered an authentic French staple of downtown ABQ, La Quiche has comfortably settled into the Heights and the baked goods will comfort your lazy weekend brunch cravings with true Parisian cuisine from the mainland.

LA REFORMA

8900 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Ste I 717-1361, lareformabrewery.com On the taco front, La Reforma is virtually unimpeachable, offering options like braised pork shoulder carnitas, tempura-battered white fish pescado, and rotisserie-broiled al pastor for carnivores, along with tempura-battered avocado (aguacate) for those looking for something plantbased.

LA SALITA

LAGUNA BURGER

THE LAST CALL

1950 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE 299-9968, lasalita.com The name may mean “little room,” but this New Mexican restaurant always has a full house. The chile rellenos, chile con queso, sopaipillas, and shredded beef burrito (a Wednesday special) have earned loyal customers for 37 years. 2400 12th St. NW plus 2 other metro locations 352-8282, thelagunaburger.com Every half-pound burger is made fresh upon ordering, topped with Hatch green chile, and slipped on a butter-toasted bun made specifically for Laguna Burger by Sara Lee. Also on the menu: freshly-cut fries, foot-long chile cheese dogs, and zingy breakfast burritos. 6261 Riverside Plaza Ln. NW, Ste A1 717-1207, lastcallabq.com This late-night eatery specializes in freshly-made Baja Mexican street cuisine (think: carne asada fries). If you’re lucky, you just might run into the “Taco Box” while out on the town: a mobile extension of the restaurant that brings the food to you.

LAVA ROCK BREWING COMPANY $$ 2220 Unser Blvd. NE 836-1022 lavarockbrewpub.com

The casual brewpub on Unser currently has 7 of their own beers available on tap, with several other local guest taps as well. Standard bar fare gets gussied up here, like the housemade hot sauces on the wings and the fries loaded with green chile and queso.

LAZY LIZARD GRILL

12480 North Hwy. 14, Sandia Park 281-9122, lazylizardgrill.com From the King Cobra Pizza and made-fromscratch Jalapeño Poppers to their impressive selection of microbrews, the Lazy Lizard Grill has customers always coming back for more— and has the food and atmosphere to back it up.

LE BISTRO VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

1313 San Pedro Dr. NE, 266-6118 Le Bistro Vietnamese Restaurant is just as much a bakery as it is a restaurant, specializing in traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

8001 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Ste B3 856-3430, locations.kolachefactory.com The Kolache Factory franchise out of Texas focuses on Czech style Kolaches that were traditionally a warm, semi-sweet pastry filled with sausage, cheese, or fruit and originated in Eastern Europe dating as far back as the 1700s.

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BITES

THE GRANDDADDY OF LOCAL BBQ

Barbeque, at its root, is all about the extraordinary, mouth-watering transformations that happen when a chunk of meat is treated to a relatively low temperature heat source for a relatively long stretch of time. In Albuquerque, the gold standard for doing just that was set by Pete Powdrell, the second-generation sharecropper who moved to Albuquerque in the late ‘50s to set about building a better life in a fresh place. Though Pete passed away in 2007, the legacy he built at Mr. Powdrell’s lives on, shepherded by Pete’s son, Joe. Here, it’s hard to find a better example of the magic prolonged exposure to some fairly low temperature smoke can work on a cut of meat than the baby back ribs.

Mr. Powdrell’s 5209 4th St NW (and one other location) 345-8086, bbqandsoulfoodabq.com

LE CHANTILLY FINE PASTRIES

Baby Back Ribs, $12.95 Half Rack

8216 Menaul Blvd. NE 293-7057, lechantillybakery.com This French-style bakery features breakfast pastries, muffins, strudel, cookies, and tarts—not to mention delicious quiche, croissants, sandwiches and cakes. Try homemade soups such as creamy chicken and artichoke, then satisfy your sweet tooth with a tower of chocolate decadence.

LE TROQUET

LIMONATA ITALIAN STREET CAFÉ

LINDY’S DINER

LEVEL 5 AT HOTEL CHACO

LITTLE BEAR COFFEE

$$$

2000 Bellamah Ave. NW 318-3998, hotelchaco.com The food here needs be good, because first and foremost, it competes with the view. Like the name implies, Level 5 sits on the 5th floor of Hotel Chaco and offers a near-360 degree view of the city.

312 Central Ave. SW 242-2992, library-abq.com Featuring more than a great party, the Library offers drink specials and half-priced appetizers during happy hour, as well as salads, hamburgers, sandwiches, wraps, and specialty items.

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3222 Silver Ave. SE 266-0607, limonatanobhill.com Channel your inner Italian at this street foodinspired café, where the breakfast and lunch menus feature perfect pastries, craveable cappuccino and trattoria-inspired lunches. The chef makes every dish from scratch and insists that everything about the restaurant, from the menu to the atmosphere, be done just as it would in Italy.

228 Gold Ave. SW 508-1166 www.abqfrenchrestaurant.com The Parisian bistro, open for lunch or dinner, offers classically simple French dishes made by Chef Jean Pierre Gozard. From Boeuf Bourguignon to quiche and delectable desserts, expect a tres bien atmosphere with a comprehensive wine list.

THE LIBRARY BAR & GRILL

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

Contrary to popular belief, baby back ribs do not in fact come from babies. In reality, baby back ribs are the same thing as pork loin ribs, cut away from the juncture of the spine and ribs. At Mr. Powdrell’s they’re served as half or full racks (depending on how hungry you feel, or how much faith you’re willing to put in your own self-control). From there, deciding on how best to enjoy the smokey, savory, fall-offthe-bone goodness is up to you.—ZB

500 Central Ave. SW 242-2582, lindysdinerabq.com Lindy’s is a neighborhood joint, through and through. The sort of place where, even if they don’t know your name, you’ll feel like they do anyway. The owners recommend the Ultimate Burger for that classic American diner experience.

2632 Pennsylvania St. NE 917-8902, littlebearcoffeeco.com Located near Uptown, Little Bear is not just serving up quality brew, but also providing an outpost for the neighborhood and coffee community.

LOS COMPADRES RESTAURANT

2437 Central Ave. NW 452-8091, compadresabq.com Family recipes like the No. 16 Taco Plate, tacos with carne y papas (beef and potatoes) and the restaurant’s Menudo, have kept locals coming back for more than 15 years.

LOS CUATES

LOYOLA’S FAMILY RESTAURANT

8700 Menual Blvd. NE plus 2 other metro locations 237-2800, loscuatesrestaurants.com Popular since it opened over 25 years ago, Los Cuates serves its own ancho-chile salsa and tons of delicious New Mexican dishes in humongous portions. 4500 Central Ave. SE, 268-6478 loyolasfamilyrestaurant.com You’ll find both American and New Mexican goodies here, from fried chicken, roast beef and sandwiches to tasty local favorites such as burritos and posole.

LUIGI’S RISTORANTE AND PIZZERIA $$

6225 4th St. NW 343-0466, luigisitalianfood.com Enjoy more than 250 made-from-scratch Italian dishes, including pizza, chicken Florentine, spaghetti and meatballs, and green chile chicken lasagna.

M’TUCCI’S ITALIAN

6001 Winter Haven Rd. NW plus 2 other metro locations 503-7327, mtuccis.com The menu at the Westside’s authentic Italian staple features refined comfort food classics, from meatball marinara to pot roast. Other menu items are crafted from choice Berkshire pigs that the eatery imports from northern Iowa and southern Minnesota farms. In fact, a unique pork dish is incorporated into a featured dinner special every night. Wash down your pasta, pizza, or salad with a carefully crafted cocktail from the bar.

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BITES MAC’S STEAK IN THE ROUGH

4515 Menaul Blvd. NE plus 1 other metro location, 888-3611, macsnm.com Taquitas, onion rings, guacamole salad, and an original “steak in the rough”—slivers of beef served with French fries, coleslaw, a roll, catsup, and a fresh green scallion… these are just a few of the reasons Mac’s has been in business for so many years.

MAGOKORO $$ 5614 Menaul Blvd. NE 830-2061, magokoroabq.com

Magakoro pushes well beyond the bounds of ramen and sushi, treating visitors to a thrilling selection of flavors. They’ve also cultivated a reputation for elevating the bento box—commonly available at Japanese-inspired restaurants throughout Albuquerque—into a sensorial cultural experience.

MANZANO GRILLE AT THE CANYON CLUB AT FOUR HILLS $$ 911 Four Hills Rd. SE 299-9555, canyonclubgolf.com

This newly remodeled property was rejuvenated thanks to its own club members, and now boasts modern décor, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Members can enjoy creative dishes like Pork Alexander, New Mexico Eggs Benedict with green chile Hollandaise sauce, or the Turkey Lurkey, including green chile and Pepper Jack cheese in the dining room or al fresco on its large, shaded patio overlooking the mountain vistas. Dining-only memberships available.

MARIO’S PIZZA

2401 San Pedro NE plus 3 other metro locations 883-4414, mariospizzaabq.com Gourmet pizzas, big bowls of pasta, custom calzones and New York-style sandwiches are the norm at this tasty Italian eatery.

MARISCOS ALTAMAR

1517 Coors Blvd. NW plus 1 other metro location 831-1496, mariscosaltamarabq.com With live music on the weekends, colorful murals, and authentic Mexican seafood dishes such as tostada de ceviche with shrimp, fish, and snow crab, dining at Mariscos Altamar is well worth the trip.

MARY & TITO’S CAFÉ

2711 4th St. NW 344-6266, maryandtitos.com From their famous carne adovada to their authentic New Mexican chips and salsa, Mary & Tito’s Café makes sure guests leave full and happy. This homey café also became the only Albuquerque restaurant to win a James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award in 2010.

MAY CAFÉ

111 Louisiana Blvd. SE 265-4448, maycafenm.com Traditional Vietnamese cuisine is easily customizable, fresh and healthy. The café’s spring rolls, made fresh to order, are popular with diners new and old. Try the pho or the bún.

MAZAYA CAFÉ

120 Harvard Dr. SE 582-2447, mazayacafe.com Mazaya Café is dedicated to adding an authentic Mediterranean dining experience to the medley of options in the Nob Hill area–without breaking the bank for its diners. If you are looking to fill up, freshgrilled kebabs, a half-dozen wraps, shawarma, and three kinds of fried or steamed dumpling plates headline the restaurant’s entrée menu.

MICHAEL THOMAS COFFEE ROASTERS $

202 Bryn Mawr Dr. SE plus 2 other metro locations 504-7078, michaelthomascoffee.com Michael Thomas’ fresh-roasted coffees can be purchased in bulk or by the cup. Favorites include the Banda Bear Blend and the Duke’s Runners’ Blend. If you prefer to let them make your cup of Joe, try an espresso-based drink such as a Double Espresso, a Macchiato, or a Cubano.

MICK’S CHILE FIX

3351 Candelaria Rd. NE, Ste A 881-2233, mickschilefix.com One of the city’s true spots for getting something hot: try The Shocker (an eight-pound breakfast burrito), huevos rancheros, or the Frito pie, all with homemade red or green chile.

MILLY’S $

2100 Candelaria Rd. NE plus 1 other metro location 884-0707, millysrestaurants.com If you’re not sure what to eat, have a little of everything with an American-New Mexican–Greek menu. This breakfast and lunch spot melds salads and sandwiches with traditional New Mexican and Greek entrees.

MONICA’S EL PORTAL RESTAURANT

321 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 247-9625 Traditional New Mexican favorites make up the menu at this Old Town staple that has been around for 34 years. Monica’s roasts its own green chile, makes biscochitos from scratch and offers red chile straight from the pod.

QUE

ALBUQUER

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BITES MONROE’S RESTAURANT

6051 Osuna Rd. NE plus 1 other metro location 881-4224, monroeschile.com More than 50 years after opening its doors south of Old Town, Monroe’s continues to serve reliable New Mexican favorites to a local fan base, and service around here is a team effort, so no glass goes unfilled.

NICK AND JIMMY’S RESTAURANT AND BAR

5021 Pan American Freeway NE 344-9169, nickandjimmysrestaurant.com Nick and Jimmy’s vision was a comfortable atmosphere with comfortable food. They blend traditional foods with new twists and serve everything from enchiladas to green chile meatloaf.

O RAMEN

ORCHID THAI CUISINE

2114 Central Ave. SE, 508-1897 Yes, the Duke City has the real thing. O Ramen’s Tonkotsu (pork bone broth) spends 18 hours on the stovetop before it blesses your bowl; expect plenty of options for vegetarians and Japanese curry lovers, to boot.

3916 Central Ave. SW, 836-9886 The iconic steakhouse meets liquor store has been featured on the Food Network and boasts some of the best steaks in the city. Since 1971, locals always come back for hand-cut steaks, house-made Greek salad dressing, freshly cut fries, and a mean green chile cheeseburger.

3128 Central Ave. SE 266-4455, upscalejoint.com This restaurant manages to be simultaneously upscale and laid back, gourmet and down-home, visionary and traditional. Not to mention delicious: the Buffalo Calamari, Dirty “Kobe” Burger, Pineapple Chipotle BBQ Baby Back Ribs, and a slew of amazing cocktails make every visit exceptional.

4300 Central Ave. SE 265-4047, orchidabq.com Orchid Thai has been serving hungry Albuquerqueans traditional dishes like Pad Thai at its Nob Hill location for more than a decade. But this award-winning eatery goes beyond the traditional with unique dishes like deep-fried sesame duck, green tea curry, and Szechwan eggplant, all made from scratch.

MONTE VISTA FIRE STATION

NOMAD’S BBQ FOOD TRUCK

THE OWL CAFÉ

MONTE CARLO STEAKHOUSE

3201 Central Ave. NE, 255-2424

$$$

Once an actual working fire station, this second-floor restaurant now offers traditional bar food, wings, and nightly specials. Choose from tasty chicken wings and burgers, or order from the restaurant downstairs— they’ll bring your steak to you.

MR. TOKYO

11200 Montgomery Blvd. NE, 292-4728 Soak up the cool Zen-like atmosphere while enjoying six versions of fried rice, sushi, sashimi, tempura, hibachi, grilled udon, soups, and teriyaki spiced with fiery Thai chili peppers.

MUSTANG CAFÉ

NOB HILL BAR AND GRILL

206-7654

OAK TREE CAFÉ

4545 Alameda Blvd. NE 830-2233, cafeoaktree.com

NAGOMI RESTAURANT

OLD TOWN PIZZA PARLOR

NAMASTE

1580 Deborah Rd. SE plus 1 other metro location 896-3126, namastenm.net Offering authentic Nepalese and Indian dishes— including chicken tikka masala and lamb curry— Namaste also serves traditional food with a New Mexico twist, such as the green chile chicken curry.

$$$

This hometown café has served a lot of locales over the past 30 years, and the current venue on Alameda is great at the basics, including burgers, sandwiches, and salads, made fresh, in-house every day.

OHANA HUT

Authentic, smoky goodness, Nomad’s BBQ sammies— including pulled pork and hotlink varieties—are succulent and feature its homemade sauce. This roving BBQ hut definitely knows how to do a quality turkey leg and rib tips, too.

8601 Lomas Blvd. NE, 275-4477 Perfect for anyone shopping at the Rich Ford car dealership—or anyone at all—is this auto-themed restaurant, which serves up homemade breakfast burritos, papitas, enchiladas, rellenos, tamales, and the Dennis Snyder Favorite: a 16-oz. sirloin patty with cheese and chile. 2400 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, 298-3081 nagomirestaurantabq.com The Nagomi menu is virtually overrun with Japanese culinary classics. Nagomi is also one of the few places in Albuquerque where you can go to indulge in shabu-shabu, a Japanese-style hot pot.

$$$

5740 Night Whisper Rd. NW 508-4439, ohanahut.com Family owned and operated Ohana Hut means “Family Hut.” It specializes in Hawaiian, Japanese, and Korean flavors to create an Asian fusion menu with a New Mexican twist.

108 Rio Grande Blvd. NW 999-1949, oldtownpizzaabq.com This comfy, funky, family-owned restaurant serves tasty pies, huge calzones, and portions of pasta that won’t ever leave you hungry.

OLO YOGURT STUDIO IN NOB HILL

3339 Central Ave. NE, Ste C 718-4656, oloyogurt.com Nothing is as sweet as a guilt-free treat. In the same building as Staples in Nob Hill, Olo features a Candyland-esque interior, complete with 10 flavor choices and a salad-bar-sized toppings bar.

O’HARE’S GRILLE & PUB

2110 Central Ave. SE 369-1039, narutonoodle.com Who knew Ramen noodles could be so creative, so diverse, and so darn good. Naruto is reinventing the Ramen noodle with specialized dishes that can’t be found anywhere else in the city.

4100 Southern Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho 896-0123, oharesgrillepub.com With a menu that is centered around the idea that variety is the key to success, O’Hare’s offers pub fare in a family-friendly atmosphere. Try the Corned Beef and Cabbage special, O’Hare’s Double Decker Reuben, or the staple Fish and Chips, for a truly Irish experience.

NEXUS BREWERY

O’NIELL’S PUB

NARUTO $

4730 Pan American Fwy NE, Ste D plus 1 other metro location, 242-4100 nexusbrewery.com If the made-to-order fried chicken and waffles and mac and cheese has you drooling, reach for one of Nexus’ brewed in-house beers.

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4310 Central Ave. SE plus 1 other metro location 255-6782, oniells.com O’Niell’s boasts the same neighborhood feeling, many of the same staffers, and virtually the same menu (including the “weird sandwich,” the “burger in paradise,” and homemade fish and chips). Added: an outdoor patio and more beer choices.

800 Eubank Blvd. NE 291-4900, owlcafealbuquerque.com World-famous green chile cheeseburgers, milkshakes, fajitas, quesadillas, meatloaf, burritos, fries… the list of drool-worthy dishes goes on and on.

PACIFIC PARADISE TROPICAL GRILL AND SUSHI BAR $$

3000 San Pedro Dr. NE, 881-0999 pacific-paradise-restaurant-abq.com Faux palms and tiki huts frame a menu filled with more than 100 options: salads, soups, stir-fry, seafood, fried rice, noodles, sushi, and dessert menu. Try the Seafood Rice Pizza or Rock ‘n’ Roll Sushi.

PADILLA’S MEXICAN KITCHEN

1510 Girard Blvd. NE, 262-0115 It might not get any more New Mexican than it does at Padilla’s—from huevos rancheros and tamales to chile rellenos and egg-topped blue corn enchiladas. You may have to shake your head after a taste of the chile just to remind yourself you’re not in your grandmother’s kitchen. A sopaipilla dripping with honey will seal the deal for your traditional meal.

PAISANO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

1935 Eubank Blvd. NE 298-7541, paisanosabq.com Family recipes have kept Paisano’s going for more than 35 years, but the hand-rolled pasta, handstuffed ravioli, homemade sausage and marinara haven’t hurt business, either. It’s also the only place in town to get wheat-free pizza and pasta.

THE PALETA BAR

2325 San Pedro Dr. NE plus 12 other metro locations 884-0049, thepaletabar.com A hidden Albuquerque gem, The Paleta Bar has taken a tried-and-true, frozen Mexican dessert to new heights. Since 2017, this paleta wonderland has been slinging refreshing Mexican popsicles in endless combinations of flavors.

PAPA FELIPE’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT $$

9800 Menaul Blvd. NE 292-8877, papafelipes.com Papa Felipe’s exceeds expectations by offering traditional New Mexican cuisine (enchiladas, stuffed sopaipillas, tacos) as well as simple twists on favorite dishes (green chile carne adovada, Tampico Tacos, Green Tamale Pie).

PAPA NACHOS

7648 Louisiana Blvd. NE 821-4900, papanachosfood.com Great homemade Mexican food based on tried-andtrue family recipes is the specialty here: burritos, fish tacos, and the namesake nachos will all make your panza happy.

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BITES PARS CUISINE

4320 The 25 Way NE, Ste 100 345-5156, parscuisine.us For more than 20 years, Pars has served Persian and Mediterranean menu items in a unique atmosphere. Choose to sit on the floor under a large tent, and enjoy the talents of belly dancers, and enjoy tasty kebabs, gyros and more.

PELICAN’S RESTAURANT

$$$

9800 Montgomery Blvd. NE plus 1 other metro location, 298-7678 pelicansabq.com For 30 years, customers have fallen for Pelican’s— hook, line and sinker. Favorite entrées include Alaskan king crab, Australian lobster tail, and prime rib.

PEREA’S TIJUANA BAR

4590 Corrales Rd., 898-2442 Open for lunch only, the family-owned and -operated business specializes in real, home-cooked New Mexican food that’s consistently earned kudos from customers who can’t say “no” to the Frito pie, carne adovada, and green chile cheeseburgers.

PERICO’S $

10401 Golf Course Rd. NW plus 3 other metro locations 792-5255 pericosmexicanrestaurant.com Serving delicious New Mexican food at affordable prices made Perico’s instantly popular, and the “home of the ½ lb burrito” is now an Albuquerque institution with three locations, catering services, and 22 different burritos.

PHO LINH

9100 Central Ave. SE 266-3368, pholinhabq.com Authentic Vietnamese cuisine is the name of the game at this restaurant. Look for pad thai, special noodles (with grilled barbecue shrimp), spring rolls, curry, and papaya salad.

PIATANZI $$

1403 Girard Blvd. NE 792-1700 piatanzi.com A neighborhood Italian eatery with artisan flair, Piatanzi serves up big bites on smallish plates that please families and adventurous foodies alike, in a venue that scores big points.

PIZZA 9

4000 Louisiana Blvd. NE plus 12 other metro locations 883-6463, pizzanine.com Chicago-style pizza at 10 locations around the city, along with the option of gluten-free crust—that’s what Pizza 9 brings to the, er, table. Don’t forget the wings, salads, breadsticks and calzones to complement any meal.

PIZZERIA LUCA

POKI POKI CEVICHERIA

3422 Central Ave. NE plus 1 other metro location 503-1077, pokipokinm.com Think deconstructed sushi if you’ve never had the traditionally Hawaiian poké. Completely customizable bowls with Latin and Asian fusion are the specialty here. Seven types of fish, 12 sauces, and 22 toppings make for endless combinations atop rice, chips, or a salad.

POLLITO CON PAPAS

6105 Gibson Blvd. SE 765-5486, pollitoconpapas.com Get ready for a punch of Peruvian cuisine. The menu is dotted with combinations of chicken, potatoes, and cilantro rice. The chicken is brined in vinegar and cumin for about 10 hours, then fired on a spit. The traditional drink, chicha, makes the perfect complement to any dish. The southeast part of town just inched a bit closer to South America.

PONDEROSA BREWING CO.

1761 Bellamah Ave. NW 639-5941, ponderosabrewing.net A sister brew pub to Pints Brewing in Portland, Oregon, Ponderosa features a wide selection of American and German standard beers, with a classic menu of burgers, salads, and innovative appetizers.

POP FIZZ

6770 Fourth St. NW plus 1 other metro location 433-5440, pop-fizz.net Made in-house from all natural ingredients, kids can’t miss the Mexican paletas (popsicles) and ice cream tacos. For adults, boozy pops, shakes, and beer complement the small but substantial menu of sandwiches, burritos, and the coveted carne asada fries. Located at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the patio is dog-friendly, and you might see its ice cream truck around the city at summer events.

PRAIRIE STAR RESTAURANT

288 Prairie Star Rd. 867-3327, mynewmexicogolf.com Taking a drive past Bernalillo is a pleasure when you know the visit will include amazing made-fromscratch dishes such as herb-grilled ribeye with chipotle cheddar gratin and New Mexico bisonraised tenderloin. Reservations are recommended.

INDIAN PUEBLO KITCHEN

$$$

2401 12th St. NW 724-3510, puebloharvestcafe.com The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center is the perfect backdrop for the Native American-inspired cuisine prepared in the café, serving traditional and innovative dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Reservations are recommended.

PUPUSERIA Y RESTAURANTE SALVADOREÑO $

8850 Holly Ave. NE 797-8086, pizzerialuca.com With imported Italian flour, cheese, and pepperoni, Pizzeria Luca offers authentic Italian cuisine. The restaurant has a subway-inspired interior and features delicious and affordable lunch specials.

1701 Bridge Blvd. SW, 243-8194 In El Salvador, pupusas (stuffed corn tortillas) are found on every street corner. In Albuquerque, they can only be found in the South Valley, stuffed with shrimp, calabacitas, cheese, beans, or guacamole and served with a side of fresh salsa and curtidos (a spicy cabbage salad garnish).

PLANTY SWEET

QUARTER CELTIC BREWPUB

2506 Washington St. NE 433-7111, plantysweet.weebly.com Planty Sweet is the city’s first 100% vegan and gluten-free bakery and dessert shop, and the quality of the products available is hard to deny. Not only do their artisanal baked goods taste fantastic, they are impeccably presented, each crafted to please the eye as much as the taste buds.

1100 San Mateo Blvd. NE, #50, plus 1 other metro location, 503-1387, quartercelticbrewpub.com Irish brews like the Crimson Lass and Rye’t Side of Dublin are paired nicely with Celtic pub fare with a New Mexico twist. Must-tries include the classic fish and chips, ruben, shepherd’s pie, and poutine with green chile.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

QUARTERS BBQ

801 Yale Blvd. SE, 843-6949 thequartersonyaleblvd.com Feeling hungry? How about 187,000 pounds of ribs and 15,000 pounds of Alaskan King Crab a year, an attached packaged liquor store, a secret sauce recipe, and customers hungry for more? Try the pork spare ribs or hot links.

RANCHERS CLUB OF NEW MEXICO $$$

1901 University Blvd. NE 889-8071, theranchersclubofnm.com With more fine dining awards on their wall than years they’re been in business, the Ranchers Club of New Mexico inside the Crowne Plaza Albuquerque is a meat lovers’ paradise and wine connoisseurs’ promised land. Reservations are recommended.

THE RANGE CAFÉ

320 Central SE plus 5 other metro locations 243-1440, rangecafe.com Locals flock to The Range Café when they’re in search of good, made-from-scratch comfort food, including meatloaf sandwiches, huevos rancheros, enchiladas, ice cream, and the gooey Life by Chocolate dessert.

REBEL DONUT

2435 Wyoming Blvd. NE plus 1 other metro location 293-0553, rebeldonut.com Not only can you find their set flavors, including their raised glazed, chocolate cake glazed, rebel red velvet, birthday cake, and toasted coconut, but you can also order custom-made donuts or choose to experiment with their daily creations.

RELISH GOURMET SANDWICHES

8019 Menaul Blvd. NE 299-0001, relishsandwichesabq.com It’s no wonder this sandwich shop has been voted “best” by publications throughout Albuquerque— it serves only the best Boar’s Head meats and all of their dishes are accompanied by homemade sides or soups. Try the Cubano. You won’t be disappointed.

RESTORATION PIZZA

5161 Lang Ave. NE, Ste A 582-2720, restorationpizza.com Here, good food and positive works—delivered simultaneously—is in the very nature of the business. The idea is to provide patrons with top-notch pies and first-rate beers while giving traditionally underemployed individuals work opportunities they would otherwise miss.

RICHARD’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT $$

3301 Menaul Blvd. NE, 881-1039 Mexican favorites—such as carne adovada, relleño, tacos, and green chile enchiladas—cooked in the healthiest, most nutritious, yummiest way possible. Open for breakfast and lunch.

RICHIE B’S PIZZA

7200 Montgomery Blvd. NE, Ste A-2 312-8579, richiebsabq.com New York-style pizza has come home to roost in Albuquerque’s Northeast Heights. Whether by the slice or by the pie—some of which measure 25 inches in diameter—you’ll need every bit of your appetite when you visit Richie B’s. Not in the mood for pizza? Wrap your hands around a turkey, cheesesteak, or Italian sandwich, topped with its signature Viper sauce, or tempt your sweet tooth with traditional cannoli or New York-style cheesecake

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BITES RIO BRAVO BREWING COMPANY

ROCKIN’ TACO

1912 2nd St. NW 900-3909 riobravobrewing.com The pub and grill is bright and airy with high ceilings and a modern industrial style, mixed with the cozy rustic feel of a neighborhood bar, with 32 taps, including their award winning La Luz Lager. 3600 Cutler Ave NE 401-1000 greenjeansfarmery.org Rockin’ Taco is housed inside of Albuquerque’s premier indoor/outdoor gathering place, Green Jeans Farmery. With a food truck vibe and an East Coast flare, this hidden gem is elevating the street taco.

ROMA BAKERY & DELI

501 Roma Ave. NW 843-9418, romabakeryanddeli.com You’ll find more than fresh-baked cookies and pastries at this bakery—feast your eyes (and taste buds) on grilled sandwiches and eight fresh deli salads and soups.

ROSEMARY $$

4565 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Ste A 361-1842, rosemaryabq.com This plant-forward restaurant offers a soothing atmosphere, creative menu, and amazing food. Any menu item can be adaped to meet personal preferences and dietary restrictions.

RUDY’S COUNTRY STORE AND BAR-B-Q

2321 Carlisle NE plus 1 other metro location 884-4000 rudys.com Texas-style slow cooking over oak is what makes Rudy’s brisket, ribs and sausage so mouthwatering—not to mention the “sause.” Every serving comes with paper towels, unlimited sliced onions and pickles, and bread to mop up the leftover BBQ.

RUSTIC BUBBLE TEA CAFE

840 Juan Tabo Blvd. Ste B 505-1813 rusticbubbleteacafe.com Rustic Bubble Tea Café has all of the fundamentals of a bubble tea shop down, of course–the hint is in the name, after all–but what sets the independent Albuquerque startup apart is the Vietnameseinspired menu that accompanies its decadent beverages.

RUSTIC ON THE GREEN

3600 Cutler Ave. NE 315-1148, rusticburger505.com Rustic simplicity is the key for this burger joint at Green Jeans Farmery, serving up five equallycraveable burger options and two different kinds of fries from its minimalist menu. Don’t let the simplicity fool you: this unique eatery does gourmet burgers that has fans coming back for more, including its Day of the Dead burger with a secret “Diablo” puree and the Divine Intervention, topped with bleu cheese and caramelized onions.

RUTILIO’S NEW MEXICAN FOODS

455 N. Main St., Belen 864-0093 Belen Mayor Rudy Jaramillo’s carne adovada is what put Rutilio’s on the map. This hangout serves their perfect pork with rice and beans, stuffed inside burritos and sopaipillas, and layered inside enchiladas and quesadillas. Add Rutilio’s breakfast burritos and classic New Mexican combos, and guests are sure to find something worth campaigning for.

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SADIE’S OF NEW MEXICO

15 Hotel Circle NE plus 2 other metro locations 296-6940 sadiesofnewmexico.com A staple in New Mexican cuisine, Sadie’s features enchiladas, carne adovada ribs, tacos, burritos, and of course, world-famous chips and salsa. Reservations are recommended.

SAHARA MIDDLE EASTERN EATERY

2622 Central Ave. SE 255-5400 saharamiddleeasterneatery.com Delectable Middle Eastern plates served up Manhattan-deli style. The chicken shawarma plate, complete with greens, pita, hummus, and awardwinning tabbouleh, is always a good bet. Complete with beer and wine, and belly dancing on weekends, this is a fave of students, locals, and out-of-towners alike.

SAIGON RESTAURANT

6001 San Mateo Blvd. D4, NE plus 1 other metro location 884-0706, saigonrestaurantnm.com Vicky Truong’s secret to 12 years of success has been consistency. Truong maintains an extensive menu that caters to every type of eater. From summer dishes such as noodle bowls to winter mainstays like beef noodle soup, Truong will make sure you find your favorites.

SAKURA SUSHI & GRILL

6241 Riverside Plaza NW 890-2838, abqsakurasushingrill.com Favorites at Sakura are the Stone Pot Bibimbap (which is cooked at the table in a stone pot), the Tiger Roll, the Short Rib, the Baked Lobster Roll, the Sushi Tacos, and the impressive list of sake imported from Japan.

SALATHAI $

3619 Copper Ave. NE, 265-9330 Made-from-scratch, fresh, ingredients and keeping it simple are owner Pitak Pitakkan’s rules to cook by. Pitakkan cooks every menu item himself so don’t go to Salathai in a hurry. Pitakkan’s grandmother taught him to make curry and his curries are a longtime customer favorite.

THE SALT YARD

6001 Osuna Rd. NE plus 1 other metro location 750-9273, thesaltyardnm.com A multi-concept bar and restaurant, The Salt Yard is

equipped with games, dozens of televisions, great food, drinks, and plenty of space to stretch your legs. This unique location is a great place for parties, trying the newest beer and tequila (Blue Agave Republic is now a part of it), or just watching the game.

SAMURAI GRILL AND SUSHI BAR

$$$

9500 Montgomery Blvd. NE 275-6601, abqsamurai.com What’s your pleasure, sushi or teppan? Here, you can have either expertly crafted right in front of you. It’s also where you can get fresh sushi favorites such as the California roll, the dragon roll, and a veggies-and-sushi “Viagra salad” special.

SANTA FE BITE-ABQ

3407 Central Ave. NE 369-1621, santafebite-abq.com

At Santa Fe Bite-ABQ, the green chile cheeseburger is treated with the reverence it deserves, presenting a precision crafted recipe. The details, in fact, are so carefully crafted that even the grilling surface needs to meet certain criteria. Absent a turn on the surface of a custom cast iron grill, it’s just not a Santa Fe Bite burger.

SANTIAGO’S NEW MEXICAN GRILL

1911 Eubank Blvd. NE, 292-8226 It’s in the sauce—Papa Jim’s Taco Sauce, at least— which comes with items such as burritos, tacos, and salsa. This Santiago Scramble—a pile of scrambled eggs, cheese, corn tortillas, chorizo, and hash browns—is great morning fuel. The tamale and enchilada take-and-bake casseroles will please any partygoer. And take a jar of that taco sauce home— after all, you can.

SAVOY BAR & GRILL

$$$

10601 Montgomery Blvd. NE 294-9463, savoyabq.com Resembling a California wine-country bistro, Savoy Bar & Grill is one of Albuquerque’s premier finedining establishments. Specializing in food and wine pairing, Savoy’s menu is a toast to the art of balance of food and wine.

SCARPAS BRICK OVEN PIZZA

5500 Academy Rd. NE 821-1885, scarpaspizza.com That brick oven is cornerstone to this neighborhood favorite, producing pizzas such as the shrimp pesto, the Greek, and the chipotle chicken. But Scarpas also knows pasta, including red chile cream pasta and pasta sorento with oak-roasted chicken.

SEARED $$

119 San Pasquale Ave. SW 999-8414, searedabq.com During the day, the space is Cheese & Coffee, but at night, it gets a makeover and becomes Seared, a fine dining establishment serving up steak, pork loin, and Atlantic Salmon among other things.

SEASONS ROTISSERIE AND GRILL $$$

2031 Mountain Rd. NW 766-5100, seasonsabq.com As the name suggests, Seasons varies its menu in accordance with what’s going on throughout the year, using the finest, freshest ingredients. Depending on what time of year you venture in, you’ll find butternut squash ravioli, grilled Atlantic salmon, and bleu cheese-crusted beef filet. Reservations are recommended.

SERGIO’S LA DOLCE VITA

SHARK REEF CAFÉ

SHARKY’S FISH & SHRIMP

2740 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Ste 8, 554-2602 Fresh, made-from-scratch cookies, donuts, breads, pastries, cakes, and cannoli are on the mouthwatering menu at this Italian bakery. 2601 Central Ave. NW, 848-7182 To conclude your tour of the Albuquerque Aquarium, grab a seat at this full-service restaurant, where the dining room features a view of the oceanic reef exhibit. Catering to visitors, families, and daytime dates, the menu offers simple, fun options. Call ahead for special events, like themed dinners and holiday celebrations. 5420 Central Ave. SW, 831-8905 Slip on your flip-flops and enjoy some Baja–inspired seafood, tacos, and carefree beach house ambiance in this roadside outdoor eatery. Sharky’s won acclaim as the little food truck that could, and this brick-and-mortar locale delivers the goods.

SHOGUN JAPANESE RESTAURANT

3310 Central Ave. SE, 265-9166 When your order of sushi comes around the bend on its floating wooden boat, you couldn’t be happier, whether you’ve ordered the “Super Crunch” (shrimp tempura roll), or the “TNT Roll” (fish, zucchini and onion, baked with spicy mayo and smothered on a California roll).

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BITES THE SHOP BREAKFAST & LUNCH

2933 Monte Vista Blvd. NE, 433-2795 Breakfast and lunch at The Shop guarantees a plethora of flavors and textures that are tough to find in the Duke City. Combining down-home Southern staples with Mexican and New Mexican traditions, you’re bound to discover a new appreciation for bacon and eggs.

SIAM CAFÉ

5500 San Mateo Blvd. NE, Ste 101 883-7334, siamcafeabq.com With its array of freshly-made curries—all made with coconut milk and a wide variety of luscious spices—this restaurant scores high marks with Albuquerqueans who love Thai food.

SIXTY-SIX ACRES

2400 12th St. NW 243-2230, sixtysixacres.com If you had to boil Sixty-Six Acres down to two words, they would be “casual” and “classy.” Featuring craft cocktails and a wealth of locally sourced, globallyinspired dishes, Sixty-Six Acres is the ideal spot to grab a relaxed, refined meal.

SLAPFISH $$

6400 Holly Ave. NE plus 1 other metro location 503-1645, slapfishrestaurant.com Have you ever had fish so fresh that it jumped up and tail slapped you in the face? Well, that’s the joke behind the very popular eatery, Slapfish, located in Holly Square. This fast casual gem has gained a great reputation for efficiency, service, flavor combos, and the freshness of their seafood.

SLATE STREET BILLIARDS

2003 Southern Blvd., Ste 139 994-0363, slatestreetbilliards.com Come for the pool, stay for the nachos, and the burgers, and the wings. Rio Rancho’s favorite pool hall also offers has great Happy Hour pricing and plenty of special events.

SLATE STREET CAFÉ

515 Slate Ave. NW, 243-2210 slatestreetcafe.com Slate Street Cafe is a sleek, contemporary eatery that combines big city ambience with inspired, modern cuisine. From the smoked salmon frittata to build-your-own bruschetta to mouthwatering Ahi tuna, their culinary flair will tantalize and delight from breakfast through dinner.

SLICE AND DICE PIZZERIA

5720 McMahon Blvd. Ste B 261-2058, sliceanddicepizzeria.com With both a sweeping library of board games and full menu of hot pies and subs, Slice and Dice is a venue for everyone from seasoned players to wideeyed beginners (or people just hungry for some pizza). They provide a space where you can gather with a few friends and take in the twin delights of pizza and board games.

SLICE PARLOR

9904 Montgomery Blvd. NE, plus 1 other metro location, 232-2808, sliceparlor.com Made-from-scratch pizza dough that is hand stretched daily and cooked on a pizza stone. Have a slice of the old faithful pepperoni pizza; try the Pesto Pizza or the House Calzone. Don’t forget to enjoy the local artwork hanging on the walls.

SOO BAK

111 Hermosa Dr. SE 268-0017, soobakfoods.com Serving up a style of food known as “koi fusion”, Soo Bak offers a wide variety of delicious entrees including eight different varieties of kimichi. Try the Soy Crunch Kimichi, which comes with pickled chayote squash, onions, some jalapenos, and fish sauce, apple juice, soy sauce, and vinegar.

SPINN’S BURGER & BEER

SQUEEZED JUICE BAR

4411 Montaño Rd. NW 899-6180, spinnsrestaurant.com Every burger served at Spinn’s is made with never-frozen, fresh-ground Angus beef. Try the restaurant’s signature Armadillo Burger. Spinn’s fries are cut and fried when you order them. 7900 San Pedro NE, Ste A-12, plus 2 other metro locations, 821-1437 squeezedjuicebars.com

Incredibly innovative, modern mixed juices, smoothies, and other healthy delights for people on the move and looking for exercise recovery. Three to five pounds of fruit are squeezed into every drink, and it’s all extract, no fillers, and sure to brighten your day.

STEEL BENDER BREWYARD

8305 2nd St. NW 433-3537, steelbenderbrewyard.com The 275-seat brewery has an industrial vibe with cozy undertones. But the Los Ranchos brewery stands apart from competitors based on its wide selection of house made beers and its gourmet menu.

ST. JAMES TEAROOM

$$$

320 Osuna Road NE, Ste D 242-3752, stjamestearoom.com Albuquerque’s long-standing, go-to teahouse, this enveloping, intricately detailed, and authentically British tearoom provides old-fashioned conversation and honest service.

STARR BROS. BREWING

5700 San Antonio Dr. NE, Ste B1 492-2752, starrbrothersbrewing.com With dishes ranging from American favorites to Southern fare, Starr Bros. Brewing is more than an award-winning brewery. It’s turned heads with Poutine Burqueño, a New Mexican take on the Canadian, greasy-spoon classic. The house burger, with high-quality beef and homemade green chile aioli, is a customer favorite.

STEVE’S ICE CREAM AND JAVA

323 Romero St. NW # 16, 242-8445 In addition to a dozen ice cream flavors and an array of sherbets, the ‘chill’ side of the menu boasts delightfully smooth malts and fountain drinks. For those looking for a good cup of Joe, Steve’s also delivers–offering a broad selection of coffees and a full set of espressos.

STICKY RICE

7600 Jefferson St. SE, Ste 5, 797-1288 Likely the only authentic Laotian sticky rice to be found anywhere in ABQ, this simple menu offers moist, slow roasted chicken and a few frills at prices you can’t beat with a chopstick. The family meal is a steal.

STORMING CRAB

5001 San Mateo Blvd. NE 407-2032, albuquerque.stormingcrab.us Specializing in large, customizable seafood boils rich in Cajun and Atlantic coast flavor, Storming Crab’s selection of dinner combos are encouraged to build their own. Black and green mussels, shrimp, crawfish, white clams, and crab legs can be ordered by the pound.

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

STRAIGHT UP PIZZA

2801 Eubank Blvd. NE, Ste G 796-9343, straightuppizza.com Offering New York style pizza with a New Mexican edge, Straight Up Pizza serves the Northeast Heights with specialty pizzas, unique toppings, and a plethora of options for any pizza connoisseur.

STUFYS $

1107 Candelaria Rd. NW, plus 2 other metro locations 344-1207, stufys.com Tasty stuffed sopaipillas are on the menu of this customer favorite, which has been around since 1968. Each sopaipilla is made with a custom machine invented by the owners, then stuffed with savory fillings.

SUSHI & SAKE

SUSHI KING

SUSHI XUAN

4214 Central Ave. SE 797-8000, abqsushiandsake.com With specialty sushi rolls, select Korean favorites, and a family-friendly atmosphere, Sushi & Sake specializes in Asian food with a Korean flair. Also look for non-sushi options, such as teriyaki chicken. 9421 Coors Blvd. NW, plus 2 other metro locations 890-6200, sushikingnm.com With three locations around Albuquerque, Sushi King proves day-after-day that it is king of the sea, boasting a large variety of specialty sushi rolls, Japanese curry dishes, and monthly menu revisions to keep the options fresh and appealing. Reservations are recommended. 417 Tramway Blvd NE #3 200-2477, sushixuannm.com

You’ll find more than tasty sushi here. Diners dig into Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai dishes, too. Sushi Xuan has multiple shipments of fresh fish during the week, and only uses Japanese Kokoro rice, and organic veggies whenever possible.

SUSHIYA $$

2906 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE, Ste D 275-4777, nmsushiya.com This family-owned and operated restaurant strives to serve up sushi the way you’d find it on the southern California coast. A clean and comfortable atmosphere pairs well with friendly service and some of the thickest cuts of sashimi in the city.

SWISS ALPS BAKERY

TAAJ PALACE

TACO SAL

3000 San Pedro Dr. NE 881-3063, swissalpsbakery.com Desserts rule, but the sandwiches hit it out of the park. Endless flavors of pastries, tiramisu, and over a dozen cookies line the bakery case. Everything is scratch made including the many varieties of bread and authentic Bavarian style pretzels available on Saturdays. Paninis, grilled, and cold sandwiches round out the sweets with a full espresso bar. 1435 Eubank Blvd NE 296-0109, taajpalacenm.com Taaj Palace is a multifaceted field of flavor and texture, built around the fiery core of the tandoor oven, that serves up a variety of delicious curries, including the widely popular chicken makhani (butter chicken), where tandoori chicken is presented swimming in a creamy tomato sauce. 9621 Menaul Blvd. NE, 298-2210 This family-owned and operated restaurant offers tasty, traditional New Mexican (burritos, chile rellenos, enchiladas, tacos, huevos rancheros and more) with its very own chunky salsa, made with real green chile.

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BITES TAJ MAHAL CUISINE OF INDIA

TALKING DRUMS

1430 Carlisle Blvd. NE 255-1994, tajmahalabq.com Taj Mahal is filled with all of your Indian favorites, from fresh naan (try the garlic version) to tasty saag paneer. The line goes out the door for the popular lunch buffet. 1606 Central Ave. SE 792-3221, talkingdrumsabq.com Talking Drums restaurant is serving up some unique African and Caribbean fare inspired by a form of communication expressed through specific drumbeats. Though most of the items are traditional, keep an eye out for some New Mexican flare.

TASTE OF INDIA

1605 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE 294-6342, tasteofindiaabq.com Family recipes modified for American tastes; Taste of India typically dials back the spice a bit. But it’s no misnomer to think of Taste of India as just what the name advertises: a taste of regional flavors, conveyed by people who grew up with them

TEOFILOS $$

144 Main St. NW, Los Lunas 865-5511, teofilos.com The restaurant’s generations-old made-fromscratch recipes will draw you to Los Lunas, along with the warm chips, chile rellenos, crème cake, enchiladas, and more, all handmade from scratch.

THAI BORAN

3236 La Orilla Rd. NW 492-2244, thaiborannm.com Steeped in spicy tradition, Thai Boran has quickly gained traction as one of the top Thai restaurants Albuquerque has to offer. Thai Boran, which means “Old Thai”, features 53 items on its menu, including five soups, six curries, and five unique dishes off the “Chef’s Collection” section.

THAI CUISINE 2

4201 Central Ave. NE 232-3200, thaicuisinenm.com thaicuisinenm.com/home2 Housed in perhaps the most curious A-frame along Route 66, this is the second-coming of a muchbeloved Westside Thai staple, and judging by the fandom, it’s simply better. Be wary of the heat in these dishes, and if you’re vegan/vegetarian, be very, very thankful.

THAI KITCHEN

10701 Corrales Rd. NW 890-0059, thaikitchenabq.com Art Xaiyasiha is one of two siblings who crafted one of the Duke City’s first great Thai restaurants, Siam Café. Thai Kitchen is his very own venture, featuring his takes on authentic dishes that taste “just like they do back home.”

THAI SPICE

7441 Paseo Del Norte NE 503-1521, thaispiceabq.com An extensive menu features authentic Thai favorites like Pad Thai or Thai fried rice. Lunch special includes an egg roll, entrée, and coconut milk tapioca pudding punctuated with an origami rose–topped straw.

THAI TIP RESTAURANT

1512 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Ste E, 323-7447 The folks at Thai Tip make grocery store runs three times a day to ensure they have enough fresh ingredients for their delicious rice, Thai-style noodle dishes, stir-fries, and salads.

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THAI VEGAN

5505 Osuna Rd. NE plus 1 other metro location 884-4610, thaivegannm.com Utilizing local organic produce, you’ll get some of the healthiest food around, all without sacrificing taste. This non-vegan favorite has hearty offerings and a soy chicken that satisfies even the pickiest of meat eaters.

THEOBROMA CHOCOLATIER

TOLTEC BREWING

10250 Cottonwood Park NW 890-1455, toltecbrewing.com Culinary duties at Toltec fall to Executive Chef Emma Gibson, who brings her own sophisticated flare to the rich world of pub grub. Regardless of food cravings, be sure to pair your order with a brew. The Cactus Warrior is brewed with agave nectar for a smooth, easy to drink, endlessly approachable pint.

12611 Montgomery Blvd. NE 293-6545, theobromachocolatier.com More than 20 years of experience goes into every morsel of European–inspired chocolate and sweet treat at this 505 sweet-tooth savior. Streamlined and polished, Theobroma has the look of a franchise, but everything is hand-crafted and produced on-site.

TOMASITA’S $$

THUNDER ROAD STEAKHOUSE AND CANTINA AT ROUTE 66 CASINO HOTEL

7900 San Pedro Dr. NE 821-9300, tomatocafe.com A buffet-style, all-you-can-eat, sit-down restaurant where you create the menu: thin-crust pizzas, pastas, meatballs, steamed broccoli, and Italian green beans cooked over an open flame are just some of the treats.

14500 Central Ave. SW, Laguna Pueblo 352-7888, rt66casino.com Nestled inside this busy casino, you’ll find dishes that are a confluence of cultures at Thunder Road: made-from-scratch salsas, fresh tortillas, Pastel de Tres Leches Cake, Yucatan Tacos, Smoked Baby Back Pork Ribs, and much more.

TIA BETTY BLUE’S

1248 San Mateo Blvd. SE 268-1955, tiabettyblues.com 1940s influence is sprinkled throughout this gem, from the décor to the food. The chile, red or green, is nice and spicy, just like your grandma made it. New Mexican breakfast and lunch items dot the menu (including many gluten-free and vegetarian options), but often have a unique twist, like ranchero blue corn waffles piled high with eggs, carne adovada, and chile. The coffee is fresh, and numerous specialty beverages are poured up daily.

TIA B’S LA WAFFLERIA

3710 Campus Blvd. NE 492-2007, lawaffleriaabq.com You’ve never experienced waffles of this magnitude. A residential home-turned-restaurant, anticipate artisan flare (lavender whipped cream, goat cheese, and caramel apple toppings) and plenty of goods for vegans and celiacs.

TIA JUANITA’S

Albuquerque International Sunport 2200 Sunport Blvd. SE 842-4280, fresquezcompanies.com Headed on a flight out of ABQ? Stop here for your New Mexican food fix: breakfast burritos, green chile chicken enchiladas, carne adovada. You can even take your green chile to go with the restaurant’s special “thermal bags” for travel.

TINGLEY BEACH CAFÉ

1800 Tingley Dr. SW 248-8524, cabq.gov For runners and bikers along the Bosque Trail, or for the fishermen that frequent Tingley Beach lakes, the Tingley Beach Café is a well-kept secret for snack seekers, offering fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, pickles, and more.

TIO DAVID’S

3409 Central Ave NE 433-4438, tiodavids.com The food offered at Tio David’s shares notes of similarity with other cuisines, but is an altogether fresh and distinctive entry to the Albuquerque food scene. On the more familiar side of things, they do a first rate Ceviche de Pescado—a dish popular across the globe that originated in Peru.

4949 Pan American Fwy. NE 344-1204, tomasitas.com Serving family recipes and making traditional dishes with local ingredients, Tomasita’s has been one of the state’s most popular local spots since Georgia Maryol opened it in Santa Fe in 1974.

TOMATO CAFÉ

TORTA WAY

TROMBINO’S BISTRO ITALIANO

400 Dolores Dr. NW 319-2844, torta-way.edan.io The name tells you most of what you need to know. In particular, that this ought to be your go-to spot for Mexican-style sandwiches loaded with options like al pastor, carne asada, or jamon. As if that weren’t enough, they also do house-made ice cream and paletas, with flavors like mango, piña colada, pistachio, and oreo. 5415 Academy Rd. NE 821-5974, bistroitaliano.com

The former Trattoria Trombino cooks up Italiano autentico, with huge dishes of pasta with homemade sauces, grilled meats and fish, and veal marsala. The cool atmosphere lends relaxation, turning any meal into a vacation. Reservations are recommended.

TSAI’S CHINESE BISTRO

TULLY’S ITALIAN DELI

2325 San Pedro Dr. NE, Ste 1E 508-2925, tsaischinese.com Tsai’s offerings range wide across the traditional (diners especially recommend favorites like the Shrimp Kung Pao or Orange Beef) but those looking for something new to try should make for the Chef’s Specials. 1425 San Mateo Blvd. NE 255-5370, tullysdeli.com This Italian deli serves two dozen subs for dine-in or pick-up lunch. A fully stocked market features Italian pantry goods from pasta to olive oil. Don’t forget a box of pastries, cookies, biscotti, cake, or a famous cannoli on your way out.

TURTLE MOUNTAIN BREWING COMPANY $$

905 36th Pl. SE, Rio Rancho 994-9497, turtlemountainbrewing.com turtlemountainbrewing.com Known for its handcrafted ales and lagers, which are brewed on the premises, this is more than just a place to enjoy a few drinks. It’s also a great place to enjoy wood-fired pizzas and calzones in a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere.

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BITES TWO BOYS DONUTS

VINAIGRETTE $$

Getting in touch with your “green” side has never been as hip as it is at Albuquerque’s newest go-to salad bistro. Vinaigrette offers a menu full of unique salads made with fresh produce from owner Erin Wade’s farm in Nambè. Items like The Nutty Pear-Fessor and the Asian Chopped Salad don’t sacrifice deliciousness just because they’re healthy. Expect one of 17 vinaigrette dressings to be perfectly paired with your salad.

6400 Holly Ave. NE, Ste H 302-0102, twoboysdonuts.com Regularly stocking more than 30 flavors of donut, Two Boys has particular favorites—like their blueberry cake donut with maple icing and cinnamon sugar—and also brews up Villa Myriam coffee, giving you everything you need for a fullcourse wake-up.

TWO FOOLS TAVERN

3211 Central Ave. NE 265-7447, 2foolstavern.com A taste of the Emerald Isle: fish and chips, bangers and mash, bread pudding, Guinness on tap, and live Celtic music on Sunday afternoons.

UPTOWN SPORTS BAR

6601 Uptown Blvd. NE 884-4714, uptown-sportsbar.com A huge sports venue with wall-to-wall televisions and all the extras—solid American fare alongside a wide selection of local and national beers.

URBAN HOTDOG COMPANY

10250 Cottonwood Park NW, Ste. 440 898-5671, urbanhotdogcompany.com With about 20 choices—and even a vegetarian option—this restaurant has become a dog-lover’s go-to. Look for Chicago and NYC classics, plus adventurous temptations like the Crafty Dog (topped with mac ‘n’ cheese and bacon).

VERNON’S HIDDEN VALLEY STEAKHOUSE $$$

6855 4th St. NW 341-0831, thehiddensteakhouse.com This unmarked restaurant requires a secret password to gain entrance. Once inside, you’ll discover a world of perfect steaks and gourmet seafood, paired with an unbeatable loungey atmosphere. Reservations are recommended.

VIC’S DAILY CAFÉ

3600 Osuna Rd. NE 341-9710, vicsdailycafe.com With a full range of breakfast items, New Mexican favorites, and comfort food, this is a one-stop shop for tasty options like breakfast burritos, meatloaf, and coconut cream pie.

VICK’S VITTLES COUNTRY KITCHEN

8810 Central Ave. SE 298-5143, vicksvittles.com Rustle up your posse and head to Vick’s for heaping helpings of Texas-New Mexico fusion and breakfast served all day. Country comfort meets southwestern flair in an environment that welcomes suits and cowboys alike. Prepare to be stuffed.

VIET TASTE

5721 Menaul Blvd. NE, 888-0101 pwbportal.us/viet-taste-abq With more than 100 menu options—noodle and rice dishes, eight varieties of Pho, coconut shakes, and many more—this restaurant is true to its name, offering a real taste of Vietnamese cuisine.

VIET PHO

4208 Menaul Blvd. NE, 717-2359 This Vietnamese-based cuisine restaurant offers a homey feel and Southeast Asian comfort food. Try the popular Beef Pho Soup or go for a lighter dish like the Shrimp Spring Rolls.

VILLAGE PIZZA

3200 La Orilla Rd. NW, E-2 plus 1 other metro location 219-3766, villagepizzanm.com Family owned and operated, Village Pizza offers salads, nachos, calzones, pasta, and of course, signature pizzas, along with an all-you-can-eat buffet.

1828 Central Ave. SW 842-5507, vinaigretteonline.com

VINTAGE 423

8000 Paseo Del Norte Blvd. NE 821-1918, vintage-423.com

Decorated with plush booths, black and white photos of vintage cars, a glass wine cellar wall, and an outdoor patio with couches and fireplaces, Vintage 423 is a goto location for good eats and happy hour—all year long.

ZINC WINE BAR AND BISTRO

$$$

3009 Central Ave. NE 254-9462, zincabq.com Imaginative, gourmet cuisine (think: duck confit eggrolls, chicken skewer salad, and pine nut spanakopita) and an out-of-this-world wine list meets a friendly, laid-back atmosphere at this Nob Hill favorite. Reservations are recommended.

ZORBA’S FINE GREEK CUISINE

11225 Montgomery Blvd. NE 323-2695, zorbasabq.com The family behind University area favorite, Olympia Café, have relocated their tasty homemade Greek food to the Northeast Heights. Try the Southwestern Gyros or the enduring customer favorite, the pork, chicken, or lamb kebob.

WECK’S $$

4500 Osuna Rd. NE, #100, plus 9 other metro locations, 344-1472, wecksinc.com For nearly 20 years, Weck’s has served up huge, tasty portions of breakfast and lunch. Examples: The Original comes with one pound of potatoes mixed with eggs, cheese, and chile; the “Scratch Made” Buttermilk Pancakes are more than seven inches wide.

WESTERN VIEW

6411 Central Ave. NW, 836-2200 With a cozy diner feel and a long history, Western View is turning out plates of diner classics and New Mexican staples—finely seasoned with a sprinkling of Greek options—for diners hungry for both hearty home cooked meals and classic countertop service.

WHICH WICH

WHOLE HOG CAFÉ

8110 Louisiana Blvd. NE plus 2 other metro locations 856-1617, whichwich.com A national brand with local twists, list your favorites on the bag and await a sammie that edges the competition. The UNM location is a student mainstay. 9880 Montgomery Blvd. plus 1 other metro location 323-1688, wholehogcafenm.com Get award-winning Memphis-style barbecue in a family-friendly atmosphere. Can’t-miss items include the pulled pork, potato salad, and the homemade banana pudding.

YANNI’S MODERN MEDITERRANEAN $$

3109 Central Ave. SE 268-9250, yannisabq.com Impeccable Mediterranean cuisine paired with a fresh atmosphere that whisks you away to Grecian shores, you can always count on Yanni’s for savory spanakopita, perfect pasta, and other delicious treats. Reservations are recommended.

YASMINE’S CAFÉ

THE YELLER SUB

1600 Central Ave. SE, 242-1980 Yasmine’s is one of the few places in Albuquerque with shawarma—pitas filled with marinated chicken or beef that’s been pressed, stacked and cooked slowly on a rotisserie. Also try lamb and beef shish kababs, baba ghanoush, fatah, and four varieties of baklava. 7200 Montgomery Blvd. NE 888-9784, yellersub.com Owner Mark Roerick has been perfecting his sandwiches since 1979 and the customer favorite, Steak & Grilled Onions Sub proves it. The potato chips, fries, and onion rings made from scratch the old-fashioned way sure won’t let you down.

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THE FUNNER THINGS IN LIFE It wasn’t until they got past their fiftieth birthdays that sisters Loretta Arguello and Patricia Chavez decided what they really wanted in life was to open a whimsical, classy retail shop. The result? Sweet Sparrow Market & Boutique. (p. 172).

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

OUT AND ABOUT: YOUR GUIDE TO SHOPPING IN THE DUKE CITY

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Shop Talk

Sweet Sparrow Market & Boutique 2616 Pennsylvania St. NE, Albuquerque, NM 505-814-8913 facebook.com/sweetsparrowmarketboutique

elcome to the tea party of your childhood dreams—the grown-up version, that is. Twisting the golden knobs on the turquoise doors of Sweet Sparrow Market & Boutique is like activating a portal. You’re instantly transported into a world filled with period glassware illuminated by twinkly chandeliers, where leopard print clothes reflect in vintage mirrors. For those seeking treasures, the options and inspirations are endless at this Uptown shop. “We want people to walk in and instantly feel welcomed and lifted up,” says Loretta Arguello, 58, who co-owns the store with her sister, Patricia Chavez, and her daughter-in-law, Bridgette Arguello. “It’s called a market and a boutique because it is both. The market is a fun place to buy

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Taking a modern twist on vintage, this shop is a reminder that life’s short. Use the fine china.

home décor and get ideas, while the boutique is for our love of clothes.” Patricia and Loretta were raised in a creative household, learning from their mom how to strip the finish off kitchen cabinets when they were barely teenagers. Although much of their youth was spent painting and refurbishing furniture, both sisters ended up working highly technical jobs before deciding to leap into this innovative business together. “Loretta and I had to get to our fifties to figure out what we wanted to be when we grew up,” says Patricia, 60. “It can be long days on our feet, but we have so much fun being together and finally doing what we love.” Bridgette, who is a professional home stager and redesigner, joined their creative team when they relocated to Albu-

querque in February of 2020 — yes, right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Prior to that, Sweet Sparrow Market & Boutique spent six and a half years in a metal warehouse in Bosque Farms. After spending much time in prayer, the owners say it was God who led them to move the shop to its current Albuquerque location, into a space that was previously a salon. “It was a scary time for us, so we walked in faith,” says Patricia. “It not only gave us time together but allowed us to rest and dream more about what we wanted the shop to look like.” They were in the middle of renovating their new space when the world shut down. Nonetheless, through resilience and teamwork, they celebrated their grand opening in June of 2020. Since then, the three women have been working

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PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS /ATM

‘TIL YOU DROP

tirelessly, visiting estate sales near and far to fill their shop with eclectic stock. Their aim is to hunt for things that push lines and trespass boundaries, with a particular knack for finding beautiful barware, furniture, and china. Thanks to Bridgette’s artistic eye, they are utilizing every inch of the shop and displaying everything in an intriguing and aesthetically pleasing manner, with new items constantly being shuffled into the mix. “With each section and season of the shop, we look around and go, ‘I love this,’” says Loretta. “We’re always trying to grow and improve.” When inside, you’ll be met with a unique combination of vintage collectibles, sleek contemporary pieces, and locally sourced goods. The store is also committed to supporting similar businesses throughout Albuquerque, so much so that every purchase includes a flyer with a list of other female-owned shops in ABQ. Their thought process is that if Sweet Sparrow doesn’t have something that someone’s looking for, one of these other stores is bound to. “The vendors for our soaps, toffee, candles, and earrings are all local,” says Bridgette, 37. “We are passionate about supporting small business owners like us.” Patricia added, “We hope to be inspirational to other small, women-owned businesses. We’re always open to helping others to push towards their dream.” Another primary goal of their shop is to motivate anyone who steps inside. The comforting warmth that effortlessly exudes from these three women has not only encouraged loyal customers to follow them from Bosque, but has attracted new ones. Through hosting events (like the Cherry Blossom Gala they had in April), Sweet Sparrow is actively trying to connect with their shoppers. Now that New Mexico is fully open once again, they’ll be planning more fun events for the Albuquerque community. “After last year, so many women come in who are starving for conversation and interaction,” says Patricia. “Since we believe in the importance of connecting with other women, we’ll continue to make it a priority to make them feel loved.” —ELIZABETH GROENING

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THE

PAWS BUTTON

KEEPING TABS ON ABQ’S FURRY FRIENDS

PUTTING ON THE CANINE RITZ

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just need a little extra pampering. “Overall, it’s an all-inclusive practice,” says Lindsey. “If your dog is boarding here, the food is included, the play is included, the walks are included—all of that. We don’t nickel and dime you. That’s our idea—every dog gets treated like they’re a VIP.” Of course, there are exceptions to that rule. Some dogs need a lot of special attention. Nothing wrong with that of course, but it does take a fair bit of extra

time and effort, which naturally translates into additional costs. “The day boarders that need personal attention, they get four or five times a day where they’re taken out, they’re played with—so they need more individual attention like that,” says Laurie, referring to situations where, due to health or disposition, a dog can’t be in larger play group. The goal, across the board, is to see to it that each dog has the best resort experience possible. Setting up shop in 7000-square-foot

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COURTESY PHOTOS

ots of things have changed over the past 10,000 years of human history. In fact, were some average workaday Americans transported that far back, they’d likely find life practically unrecognizable—and virtually unbearable. One thing, however, would be familiar. By 10,000 years ago, people had already been hanging out with dogs for millenia, and had already settled on a fury, four-legged best friend. With a relationship that long, it’s no wonder dogs and people build such strong interspecies bonds together. Both species have, in a very literal sense, evolved that way. In fact, experiments have shown that humans and dogs can enter into an oxytocin-fueled positive feedback loop just from looking at each other, with prolonged gazing increasing the amount of “love hormone” present in subjects. Point being, humans love their canine companions—and all indications are that they love us right back. So, when it comes time to trust your dog’s care to someone else, it makes sense to be a little picky—which is more or less precisely the thinking behind K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel. “We started visiting dog kennels in the area and realized that there’s this huge demand for this kind of top quality, best in class dog kennel,” says Lindsey Gilbert, who built and operates Albuquerque’s first K9 Resorts Luxury Pet Hotel with his wife, Laurie. “That’s what [K9 Resorts] is—we’re the Ritz Carlton of dog kennels.” Aiming for an early August opening, the Gilberts and a team of skilled contractors have been hard at work putting the finishing touches on what will soon be one of Albuquerque’s premier dog daycare and boarding facilities. Like other K9 Resorts, the Albuquerque location will offer a variety of boarding options, allowing them to accommodate the needs of your pooch, whatever they may be. At the top end of the spectrum, pet parents can book their special pup a spot in an eightfoot by eight-foot luxury suite—a spacious, sound resistant environment ideal for multiple pets, or individual dogs that

facility off Pan American Freeway, just a shuffle north of Nexus Brewery and right across the freeway from REI, the Giffords are putting together an operation that will be able to safely and comfortably board 100 to 110 dogs. Dogs will have access to indoor and outdoor play and relief spaces, the former of which are constructed with special drainage layers to ensure a sanitary environment. In play groups, dogs will be attended by staff trained in making sure the occasional dog-on-dog conflict—which sometimes arises even among the cheeriest, most well-behaved canines—doesn’t escalate into something serious. “They’re monitored and if they get out of hand, that gets stopped and everybody gets a timeout— so they get taken back to their kennel where they can relax for a bit,” says Lindsey, who also notes that staff are trained in dog CPR—should the need ever arise. For the Gilberts, the new venture is an expression of a lifelong passion. “We’re lifetime educators,” says Lindsey. “I’m head of Menaul School and Laurie just retired as a middle school STEM teacher [also at Menaul] this year. I like to tell people, I’ve had two passions in my life growing up: dogs and kids. We’ve spent the last 40 years working with kids, and now we want to do this.” Not a crazy career transition, when you think about it. While there’s no solid scientific evidence that children are humanity’s best friends, folks do seem awfully fond of them. Why not trade a career caring for one kind of precious lifeform for another—albeit one a lot hairier and, typically, far easier to please?—ZB AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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ABQ’s AMAZING PETS

By Elizabeth Groening

Attia, the Richter family’s brown-eyed bestie, is a total snuggle bug. Her name literally means “gift,” which accurately describes what she has been to the Richters since her 2017 adoption. According to her dog mom, Brande, Attia’s calm demeanor is living proof that pit-mixes aren’t dangerous. “A guard dog she is not,” says Brande. “A lover of belly pats, she is.” When their daughter plays Minecraft, Attia curls up right next to her. When the family takes trips, Attia acts as Brande’s emotional support animal in cars, trains, and planes. Brande is hopeful that precious dogs like hers will encourage others to realize that pitbulls should not be feared, but rescued and loved.

When Patrick Hayes’ reporting gig at KOB went remote during the pandemic, he was eager for companionship. So right before New Mexico went into lockdown, he adopted a beautiful shepherd mix named Dunkin from the Espanola Humane Society. Known for their intelligence and loyalty, the American Kennel Club tags the shepherd breed as a “dog lover’s delight.” Indeed, one-yearold Dunkin quickly became the yin to Patrick’s yang. The pointy-eared pooch is always eager to play at dog parks or embark upon hikes with his active owner. Dunkin also has a chill side, being a super fan of belly rubs and watching his owner’s favorite show, Law and Order: SVU. Thanks to their shared interests, Patrick has no time for loneliness.

They say love can be found just around the corner, often in the unlikeliest of places. This rang true for hairstylist Victor De La Peña, who found the love of his life meowing behind a wrought iron fence on his patio. To his surprise, the mysterious meows weren’t coming from any of the shy neighborhood cats that he’s fed for years. Instead, the whoos stemmed from a small green-eyed, racoon-colored kitten, who Victor instinctively swept up, took inside, and named Buddha. Buddha’s joyful, mischievous spirit has brightened Victor’s days ever since. Whether the beautiful cat is peeking through blinds or popping out of packages, his playfulness has transformed his owner from a dog person into a cat lover. “Buddha was and is my comfort throughout this pandemic,” says Victor.

Titus the pugapoo may be small, but his personality is mighty. He’s an adventurous pup with an adorable underbite. Titus is always up for long hikes and intense games of tag with his owner and best friend, Walker Marion. Titus and Walker do everything together—even birthdays. This past March, Titus turned one year old on the day before Walker’s birthday, so naturally, the pair threw a joint birthday bash. Titus loves hanging out with his owner so much that he doesn’t seem to sleep when the two are at home together, in fear of missing out on any fun to be had. “As a puppy, he would always get the zoomies and they haven’t stopped since,” says Walker. “He’s a very energetic and wild little dude.”

BUDDH

UN K IN

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Is your pet ATM’s next Pet of the Month? Send a photo and short story about why you think your pet belongs in these pages to petofthemonth@abqthemag.com.

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PIECE OF T H E PAST

SUNSHINE BUILDING Albuquerque’s eclectic Downtown live concert venue wasn’t always a space for music.

first film showing of Scaramouche was accompanied by a special orchestra. Sunshine’s large seating capacity, central heating and cooling, and Renaissance Revival architecture prompted the Albuquerque Journal to name it “the most modern and beautiful theater in the southwest.” Throughout the thirties and forties, the theater showed mostly classic and Spanish-language films. The theater underwent an extreme interior remodeling in the ‘60s, allowing an installation of a massive movie screen, and continued to screen films until the 1980s. The building was threatened with demolition in 1983. Thanks to “Save the Sunshine” activists, however, it was saved

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

and transformed into a live music venue, which we now know and love as the Sunshine Theater. The building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985 and has been designated as a Historic Landmark by the city. The Sunshine Theater is now immensely popular amongst the youth of Albuquerque, seeing as it’s one of the only concert venues for ages 18 and under. It was closed for the majority of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s bringing the sunshine back to ABQ with All Time Low, lovelytheband, and more musical acts scheduled for this year. Tickets can be purchased at sunshinetheaterlive.com. —ELIZABETH GROENING

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

ears before the Sunshine Theater was hosting notable acts, like Panic! At The Disco, Ice Cube, The Neighbourhood, and even the late Mac Miller, it was Albuquerque’s first major cinematic palace. Not only that, it was also one of the earliest skyscrapers in the city. The historic six-story Sunshine Building resembles the glitzy, old-fashioned skyscrapers you’d expect to see in New York City, largely because it was built by native New Yorker Joseph Barnett, who moved to Albuquerque from the Big Apple with his poverty-stricken family in 1883. However, it didn’t take long for him to get involved in the saloon and theater real estate business, quickly making a name for himself as an entertainment entrepreneur. According to HistoricalABQ.org, at one time, Joseph owned every theater in the city. Around 1923, he decided to build the biggest theater Albuquerque had ever seen, the Sunshine Building, located on the southeast corner of Second Street and Central Avenue. The Sunshine Theater’s website states that the 85-foot-tall Sunshine structure was designed by renowned architect, Henry C. Trost of Trost & Trost in El Paso, who was famous for introducing the use of reinforced concrete throughout the Southwest. Trost’s original plans included an elaborate facade of yellow brick, ornate windows, and even an attendant-operated elevator, which was staffed until 1989. Meanwhile, his designs also called for marble and oak in the interior of the lobby, which has since been restored to recreate the original look. Additionally, the building was built with a ground floor of commercial space and five floors of office rooms. Throughout the first three decades of the 20th century, Trost designed other downtown Albuquerque structures, including the Rosenwald Building and First National Bank Building. To much excitement, the Sunshine Building opened its doors on May 1, 1924, as a 920-seat movie theater. Foreshadowing its affiliation with music, the

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THE TREE OF LIFE

A towering monument that pairs well with your motoring

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unique ambience and significance,” says Magennis. “the prehistoric people who inhabited our territory, as well as those who used the El Camino Real, whose roots stemmed from the Mayan culture.” El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro was a historical route of trade and migration that passed through the North Valley. The structure’s front has a curved face with red branches and different animals hanging from green leaves. On each side of the black dome is a blue background with black and white animals. The back of the sculpture has a red line going down the middle between more green leaves. Each side of the blue tile features black and white animals, like the front. “The designs on the piece are representations from Mimbres pottery and the Mayan

Calendar,” says Magennis. She has worked on many other local projects, including the Tile House, her personal residence in the North Valley which she covered completely in tiles pieces over the course of 11 years. She has also written books inspired by Apache Creek, a town in the mountains of west central New Mexico, where Magennis lived for 17 years. “The experience was truly unique,” she says, adding that she had always dreamed to live there. “The stories and people are fictional, but I tried to depict the landscape realistically.” The Tree of Life, which sits in the middle of a concrete park landscaped with trees, also has a seating bench at its base. —DLM

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

he morning commute becomes a bit less mundane at the corner of Montaño Road and Fourth Street. That’s because passing drivers get a closeup view of the 22-foot-tall mosaic tower adorned with animals, known as the Tree of Life. The artist, Beverly Magennis, has also taken a winding road to Albuquerque. Originally from Toronto, Canada, she moved to New Mexico in 1975. But prior to that, Magennis was living in North Carolina when a gentleman named Donald Anderson purchased three of her ceramic pieces from a gallery in Winston Salem. As it turned out, Anderson happened to be the founder and benefactor of the Roswell Artist in Residency grant. Magennis put in an application, and was awarded the grant for the year of 1975-1976. After the year was up, she was offered a position with the New Mexico Arts Division as Artist-in-Residence in the northern New Mexico towns of Chama, Tierra Amarilla, and Canjilon. In 1977, Magennis moved to Albuquerque. The Tree of Life was a project born in the 1990s from the AIPP (Art In Public Places) program administered by the city of Albuquerque, which commissioned Magennis as the visionary and designer. She began by ordering all of the tile for the project, and then spent the next year working on the mosaic design in her studio. Meanwhile, the concrete base structure was built by a contractor, with oversite from husband-and-wife artists Jim Kraft and Judy Booth from the Unified Arts collaborative. “Once the form was constructed, I laid out the design, and Jim and Judy worked with me for several months over the summer on the mosaic tilework,” says Magennis, who is close friends with the couple ( Jim Kraft passed away in 2007). The project was completed in August of 1999. “I wanted to honor the indigenous cultures that contribute to New Mexico’s

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ADVERTISING REGISTRY 3 Advertising........................................................................................................34 Academy Dental.................................................................................................2,3 Albuquerque Florist..........................................................................................156 Albuquerque Isotopes Baseball........................................................................ 8,9 Albuquerque Plumbing Heating & Cooling.....................................................22 AlluraDerm Med Spa....................................................................................... 102 Animal Humane Association............................................................................ 119 Anthem Financial Services................................................................................105 Archetype Tattoo...............................................................................................106 Assistance League..............................................................................................163 Blue Rose Photography...................................................................................... 87 Bosque Aesthetics...............................................................................................35 Bosque School.....................................................................................................51 Bubba's 33............................................................................................................ 84 BumbleBee Fab & Powder Coating...................................................72,73,157,177 California Closets............................................................................................... 76 Casa Taco...........................................................................................................130 Central Grill and Coffee House........................................................................130 Chocglitz & Cream............................................................................................130 CNM....................................................................................................................21 Coyote 102.5...................................................................................................... 173 CPR Cell Phone Repair......................................................................................175 Crystal Springs.................................................................................................. 112 Duke City Software............................................................................................90 Ethan Allen Furniture.........................................................................................15 Exhibit Solutions of New Mexico...................................................................... 13 Facility Pump Repair..........................................................................................113 Fairwinds Rio Rancho........................................................................................ 44

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PHOTO CONTEST

COMING HOME By Delila Baldonado

or longtime residents of Albuquerque, seeing the Sandia Mountains means you’re home. That’s certainly the case with Delila Baldonado, who has lived in ABQ her entire life, and says the city will always be her home. She works for Sandia Labs and Cumulus Media, and when she’s not on the job, travel is often on her mind. But with travel restricted by COVID-19, she was unable to take any trips for more than a year. So Baldonado’s recent trip to Alaska to visit a friend was extra special. “I usually take a few trips a year and this was

the first trip I was able to take,” she said. After a few weeks of cold weather, rain, and no sunsets, Baldonado was ready to come home to the pink hues cast on the Sandias at dusk. On June 25, Baldonado made her way home. She was approaching ABQ Sunport aboard an Alaskan Airlines flight from Seattle when she noticed the thick, white clouds over our mountains. “The clouds are different here,” she says. “My sister and I call them ‘Toy Story’ clouds.” Baldonado says she knew she was home because of the perfect shadows from the

clouds that cast over her landmark Sandias. “They give me a sense of direction and guidance,” she says, mentioning that she tends to lose her sense of direction away from Albuquerque when she doesn’t have the Sandia’s to her east. Although Baldonado had her Nikon camera with her when she spotted the cloud formation through the plane window, she opted to use her iPhone 8 plus to capture the beauty of the clouds over the Sandias. Or, as she puts it, “home.” —DLM

Enter ATM’s photo contest and see your photo featured in our PHOTO OF THE MONTH! Submissions should include one high-resolution digital file sent by email. All photos sent to ATM will be property of the magazine and will not be mailed back to sender. All entries should include your name and phone number. Please include a bio and a brief description of how the photo was taken. Email entries to: photocontest@abqthemag.com

AUGUST 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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7. I met my husband Ted at a journalists’ party 35 years ago in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was a newspaper reporter and I was a TV reporter. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

8. Ted and I watch “It’s a

Lori Waldon

President and General Manager KOAT-TV, Ch. 7 Back when she was a journalism student at the University of Southern California, Lori Waldon helped produce a student-run TV newscast. Since news anchors in those days read from typed copy, Waldon routinely bugged L.A. newsrooms for used scripts for practice. “All the stations were like, ‘Who is this? Go away,’” she recalls, laughing. “Finally, someone at KTLA said I could have their old scripts.” When Waldon went to retrieve them, an assistant news director asked her, ‘Are you the one who keeps calling us about these scripts?’ The exec, impressed with Waldon’s persistence and determination, proceeded to offer her a job. After a few years (and cities) as a reporter—plus a master’s degree in journalism—Waldon again had to call on some determination when her station in Charlotte, N.C. was sold, putting her TV reporter job at risk. “I said I’m never going to be at the mercy of anyone again,” she says. “I re-invented myself.” Waldon switched to the management side of TV news, and never looked back. After stints as a News Director in Milwaukee and Sacramento, she took the reins of Ch. 7 in 2018 as President and G.M.—a position that fits perfectly in her career arc. “I love teaching and mentoring,” she says. “I love broadcasting.”

Wonderful Life” every December. We quote lines from the movie to each other all year round.

9. I love to cook. One of my favorite gifts? My husband surprised me with weekend cooking classes at San Francisco’s California Culinary Institute. 10. Despite my love of cooking, I am deathly afraid of sharp knives. I absolutely cannot watch a slasher movie.

11. When I was a television news director, whenever I wore red shoes we’d get hit with big breaking news. I loved it. My newsroom? Not so much.

12.

My husband and I are passionate about travel. We’ve worn out several suitcases. I definitely overpack.

13. If I wasn’t in television, my dream job would be to run a presidential campaign. 14. I have a fascination with

stargazing and all things celestial. New Mexico skies are just beautiful. My bucket list includes travelling to see the Northern Lights.

15. Red or green chile? I love red chile. Green... not so much. Please don’t judge me. (smile)

—JANE CRAIG

Berkeley, California during the 1960’s and 1970’s. That place and time in history has shaped much of who I am.

2. When I was a kid I wrote to Paramount Studios and said I noticed that Marcia and Jan on “The Brady Bunch” didn’t have any black friends. I asked if I could come to Hollywood and audition for a part? They sent me a signed copy of that iconic picture of the Brady kids standing on the stairs.

3. 184

Barack Obama and I were both born on August 4, 1961. I am six hours and 58 minutes older.

When I was an undergrad at the University of Southern California, I wanted to be a lawyer. For fun, I took a few journalism classes. I was hooked.

5. My first job in television was as a production assistant at KTLA in Los Angeles. I once had to drive to Yoko Ono’s house one Saturday night and pick up a video tape. The security was unreal. 6. My all-time favorite TV show is “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”. Sometimes I laugh to myself and think, “Wow – right now, I’d actually be Lou Grant’s boss. Me!! ”

PHOTO BY FRANK GUTIERREZ

1. I was born and grew up in

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