Albuquerque The Magazine, June 2021 by Albuquerque The Magazine

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JUN E 202 1 | ISSU E 6

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FEATURE

PAGE 100

THE NEXT WAVE New Mexico has a vibrant and long-standing music scene. Our city has produced acclaimed acts such as Al Hurricane, Sparx, and The Shins. Heck, Jim Morrison (yes, that Jim Morrison) even grew up in Albuquerque. But the talent doesn’t end there. This month we take a look at 13 artists with ABQ ties who are on the rise, both here and nationally. Artists like sultry singer Delphia, whose music and origin story are both amazing; or Chill House, a group of longtime Albuquerque musicians who have meshed their skills. Longtime ATM music editor Mel Minter introduces you to this select group.

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DEPARTMENTS 28 Publisher’s Note 33 Tapas

Treasure House Books raises the flag for the 47th year running; the ABQ BioPark Zoo gets a new tiger; Animal Humane receives a grant from Petco Love; Spaceport America hosts a student rocketry competition; Pete Villegas retires after 50 years at Frontier Restaurant; local preschools host drive-thru graduations; ABQ’s Incredible Kids: Madyson McFarland, Hannah Ponce and Tina Walsh

50 Faces and Places 65 Datebook

125 People

126 Albuquerque the Interview

P. 33

P. 126

At Working Classroom, executive director Madalena Salazar works to craft a supportive and inclusive community for artists from diverse backgrounds.

132 Personality

After a 25-year career in the corporate world, Mary Schmidt has focused on giving back, shepherding OFFCenter Community Arts through the pandemic as the organization’s executive director.

136 Behind the Scenes

Getting kids into shoes can be shockingly complicated. Local entrepreneur and mother Tina Bagon designed a custom shoehorn to simplify the otherwise challenging process.

P. 132 22

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JUNE 2021 Volume XVIII Number II PHOTO DIRECTOR

Don James don@abqthemag.com LEAD DESIGNER

Sheridan Young sheridan@abqthemag.com

EVERY PIECE MADE TO ORDER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Candice Callado candice@abqthemag.com FOOD EDITOR

Zane Beal zane@abqthemag.com DATEBOOK EDITOR

Denise Meyer datebook@abqthemag.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Michael Jacobs michael@abqthemag.com CONTRIBUTORS

Tristen Critchfield Ashley M. Biggers Mel Minter

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. 146 P. 140 139 Culture

P.152

140 Creatives

Born in Jamaica, Joe Stephenson is an artist and longtime ABQ resident who paints vibrant, culturally rich community murals—helping to educate and inspire youths in the process.

142 Shelflife

Donna Blake Birchell takes readers on a tour of history and culture in New Mexico Mission Churches; in Standoff, Jacqueline Keeler explores the forces behind and responses to confrontations in Oregon and North Dakota.

152 From the Vine

P. 150

Belen-based Jaramillo Vineyards grows Old World grapes in the Middle Rio Grande Valley; also, we explore how local wineries navigated COVID-19.

145 Dish

146 Eats Review

10,300 feet above sea level—and nearly a mile above ABQ—Ten 3 elevates fine dining into bold new territory.

150 Eats, Etc.

K’Lynn’s brings southern-style comfort food to Rio Rancho; Vick’s Vittles serves up a huge menu of homestyle eats; Revel Burger keeps it simple— and delivers a killer burger in the bargain.

158 My Favorite Recipe

Shannon Jacques, CDO at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, shares her family recipe for green chile chicken enchiladas.

164 Bites

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

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DEPARTMENTS 187 Fun

188 ‘Til You Drop

We revisit Lillie’s Handmade Soaps in Old Town, where owners Brian and Kate East make and sell artisanal soaps, skin creams, bath bombs and more.

190 Paws Button

At the American International Rattlesnake Museum, guests experience (safe) close encounters with dozens of venomous snakes—and leave with a fuller and more accurate understanding of their biology and behavior.

192 ABQ’s Amazing Pets This month’s winners: Tinker, Sofie, Buddy, and Daisy

195 Piece of the Past

East of the Manzanos, the Salinas Pueblo Mission at Quarai offers a stunning glimpse of Spanish colonial life 350 years in the past.

196 Passenger Window Artist Mauricio Ramirez captures the romance between Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera on a mural in Downtown ABQ.

P. 190 P. 188

P. 196

199 Photo Contest

This month’s winner: Daughter and Horned Lizard, by Keith Scott

200 A Few Things

A fact-filled trip to census-designated Placitas supplies an overview of the quirky, rustic community at the northern foot of the Sandias.

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JUNE 2021 Volume 18 Number 2 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 ASSISTANTS

Dakota Lynn McCaffrey dakota@abqthemag.com Sakara Griffin sakara@abqthemag.com BUSINESS MANAGER

Renee Martinez business@abqthemag.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER EMERITUS

Scott Davis (1966–2004)

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

on’t look now, but we’re slowly getting back into the groove of life as we once knew it. Okay, maybe that groove isn’t the same one we left back in March of 2020 when COVID-19 arrived in earnest, but it’s a start. As we were editing the final pages of this magazine before press time in mid-May, we took a staff outing for a group lunch. Sure, we had to sit six-to-a-table in an outdoor patio, but it was our first team socializing in more than a year. And it felt fantastic. As we were getting ready to head back to the office, word came down that masks were no longer needed in most environments for those with both doses of the vaccine. More good news! So, in a way, this issue of ATM represents that slow but sure return to normalcy. Last June, we ran a cover story on the endeavors of the city’s most acclaimed local musicians. Music Editor Mel Minter had conceived the story idea several months earlier (before COVID-19), and the idea was to splash the news of these talented artists across our pages for all to celebrate. Then the pandemic hit, and this magazine made the decision to publish only digital versions for the May, June and July issues. But here we are one year later, and we decided these stories needed the magazine’s full audience—and the impact of the printed page. So, we’re reprinting the feature, along with a 2021 update from Mel on each of the 13 artists & groups. They’ve endured and persevered, just like the rest of us, and they are each continuing to pursue the passion of music and art. The kids nowadays use the slang “One hundred” to mean ‘keeping it real.’ Well then, it’s apropos that to read the story, you’ve got to turn to page 100.

Another story of perseverance in this issue is that of Tina Bagon, an ABQ mom who created a nifty invention to get her young sons to fit their tiny feet into shoes. She came up with a mini shoehorn for tykes, and sold a few thousand, mostly through word-of-mouth and social media. That was about 13 years ago. In the years that followed, her kids grew up, and she tapered off her business. But in 2016, she revamped the concept, and this time she went full-bore and hired a company to mold her products in brilliant colors, and began marketing anew. The payoff came this past spring, when Amazon and its subsidiary, Zappos.com, decided to carry Bagon’s line of Little Piggie Kids Shoehorns. Flip to page 137 to get the ‘scoop’ on her success. We’ve got quite a few other feel-good stories to bring you in these pages, some of them because (or even in spite of) the pandemic. On page 40, our Tapas section (the little ‘bites’ of info and stories near the front of every issue) tells us about how some local pre-K schools have pivoted to maintain the very important ritual of preschool graduation (hint: it involves cars). And in our Dish section, we explore the comeback of several local restaurants, including Ten 3, the fine dining spot atop the Sandia Tram which had been in operation only a few months before the pandemic arrived. They’re finally hitting stride, as you’ll see on page 146. 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

AN ABQ TREASURE

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his own hands. After a meeting with local stakeholders, it was decided Hoffsis would take over responsibility for the flags in Old Town Plaza. He’s been raising and lowering them ever since. Now 93, Hoffsis has enlisted his son and Treasure House Books owner John Hoffsis in his duties. It’s not only a matter of patriotism and civic duty, but an homage to the local history and regional pride Treasure House Books endeavors to spread. There, New Mexico authors frequently offer book signings, while John Hoffsis guides readers—both locals and tourists—to fresh insights about Albuquerque and the Land of Enchantment. And both Hoffsises—Jim and John—intend to keep selling books and raising flags for decades to come. —ZB

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

In the spring of 1974, Jim Hoffsis moved his family from Montana to Albuquerque. His reasoning was simple enough—after a career working across several states as an oil industry sales manager, he wanted to settle somewhere he liked. “I traded seven states for six- or seven-hundred square feet,” says Hoffsis, chuckling. Those six- or seven-hundred square feet make up the footprint of Treasure House Books, the current inhabitant of the shop Hoffsis purchased in Old Town. Shortly after settling in, Hoffsis noticed some issues with the state of the flagpoles—and the flags that occupied them—in Old Town Plaza. Being a man of action (and a Third Infantry Division Korean War veteran), Hoffsis took matters into

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ABQ

Madyson McFarland

AGE: 11 SCHOOL: 5th grader at Cielo Azul Elementary MAKES HER SMILE: Hanging out with friends, Tik Tok and A1 Sauce. MAKES HER FROWN: Sushi and negative people. FUTURE PLANS: To become a military lawyer Madyson is a competitive shooter of sporting clays, trap and skeet. In fact, she’s the youngest shooter in the country with a corporate sponsor, Müller (which makes gun ‘chokes’ that help improve accuracy). Madyson competes in various events across the country, traveling with her family to such far-away places as New Jersey, where she participated in a regional shooting tournament last summer. Madyson even earned 3rd Place in her class in the 2020 National Sporting Clays Association World Championship Tour last fall in Texas, where she was the only New Mexican to place in the international event. “I always say she is like the energizer bunny; she never stops,” says her mom, Theresa McFarland. “She is very driven and spirited.” Madyson competes in a highly specialized sport, where girls go headto-head against the boys. But the Rio Rancho youngster encourages others to embrace the idea of trying something new. “I hope I can be an inspiration to other kids to live your life and do what you love,” she says. —SG

SALLY ADAMS Retired

“Our monsoon season is one of my favorite things. The thunder and lightning storms are so nourishing, and we enjoy watching them right from our own backyard in the Anderson fields. I love pretty much everything about this unique city—Albuquerque is full of spirit and humanity.”

Submit your Incredible Kids at incrediblekids@abqthemag.com

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.

TIGER TRANSFER It’s not everyday you get a new tiger. Yet this spring, that’s precisely what the ABQ BioPark Zoo did, swapping Penari—a Malayan tiger—with his sibling Bunga (pronounced “boonya”). Native to Southeast Asia, Malayan tigers are charismatic big cats. Males—like Penaria and Bunga—average about eight feet in length and can weigh anywhere between 104 and 285 pounds. Sadly, they are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List as a critically endangered species—animals at grave risk of going entirely extinct in the wild. The BioPark’s tiger move comes as part of the American Association of

Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, a program designed to increase genetic diversity and boost long term survival prospects among captive animal populations in the United States. Penari will take up residence at the Bronx Zoo, where keepers and curators manage an active Malayan tiger breeding program. Bunga, meanwhile, is stretching his legs in a fresh space, following a transfer from the Dickerson Park Zoo in Missouri. ABQ BioPark visitors can watch and learn about Bunga from the Catwalk. Folks interested in lending a hand in the plight of endangered animals can visit iucn.org for more info. —ZB

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Healing Homeless Pets

Life on the streets is rough. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, about 6.5 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters in the United States each year. And, more often than not, they need some kind of veterinary care to get back on their feet and ready for adoption. Here in Albuquerque, Animal Humane New Mexico works to give homeless and at-risk animals the attention and support they need. Each year, they provide essential medical treatment to nearly 4,500 homeless pets. For the people who do it, this work is first and foremost a labor of love, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come without a price tag. Recognizing this, the freshly rechristened Petco Love (formerly the Petco Foundation) has awarded Animal Humane New Mexico a $10,000 grant. These funds will help support Animal Humane New Mexico’s efforts to give homeless pets potentially life-saving care. Founded in 1999, Petco Love has invested around $300 million in animal welfare programs and helped find loving homes for more than 6.5 million pets. “Petco Love’s generous grant will help our donor-subsidized Veterinary Clinic provide care to prepare dogs and cats in our shelter for adoption into loving homes,” Animal Humane New Mexico Executive Director Donna M. Stumpf said in a press release. “Because almost all pets who come into our shelter require some veterinary care, Petco Love’s investment will give pets in need a second chance at happy, healthy lives.” —ZB

ATM DEFINITION OF THE MONTH 36

STRAWSHANK! (v.)

The act of using a beverage straw as a puncture tool when accessing an unopened container lid. Ex. - I need to strawshank this lid. The manufacturer didn’t make the opening large enough for some reason.

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Hannah Ponce AGE: 14 SCHOOL: 8th grader at Jefferson Middle School SHE TOTALLY DIGS: Science, art and reading. BUT FINDS YUCKY: Math and onions. FUTURE PLANS: Zoologist Hannah is a stellar dancer who takes great interest in community work. She has been part of ABQs National Dance Institute (NDI) for years, and even showed off her fancy footwork during a performance for our Governor at a luncheon for educators. When she’s not shining on stage, Hannah enjoys helping the community. She organized a walk-out for climate change with her Student Council group at school, an event that included posters made by students, and included representatives from the county and city. “We actually got a letter written to us from the Mayor’s wife saying how proud she was of the kids,” says Hannah’s mom, Ashley Griego. Hannah has also volunteered at an animal shelter, donating various items to Bernalillo County Animal Care, which reflects her passion for animals—and her future endeavor of becoming a zoologist. —SG

Submit your Incredible Kids at incrediblekids@abqthemag.com College, for many, is a period of personal milestones and rich extracurricular activities. For participants in the Spaceport America Cup, that means designing, building, and launching rockets 30,000 feet into the atmosphere. A partnership between Spaceport America and the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association (ESRA), the Spaceport America Cup carries on the traditions of ESRA’s Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition, first held in 2005. This year, the competition will be held virtually, June 16th through June 20th—something about a deadly pathogen and associated restrictions on international travel. Teams from colleges in over a dozen countries, spread out across six continents, will gather virtually to test their physics and engineering know-how. For the competition, students will not only blast rockets into the sky, but show their work, delivering poster presentations on the techniques and innovations behind their designs. Winners will claim cash prizes and—perhaps more importantly—indisputable bragging rights. Spaceport America, situated in open desert between Las Cruces and Truth or Consequences, is considered the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport. Owned and operated by the State of New Mexico, it was opened in 2011 and has been hosting the Spaceport America Cup since 2017. —ZB JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

ROCKETING TO SPACE

WATCH

THE COMPETITION VIRTUALLY JUNE 16TH THROUGH JUNE 20TH

50 YEARS

ON THE FRONTIER

Pete Villegas has been a key part of the Frontier Restaurant team for nearly as long as Frontier Restaurant has been a thing. He started work there shortly after the restaurant opened in February 1971. This month—June 30th, in fact— Villegas will retire as general manager, bringing a 50-year career at a celebrated Albuquerque culinary institution to a close. Villegas first started work at Frontier when he was a student at UNM. In those early days, the restaurant was a small operation—five or six people, including the owner and his wife, running a single room. “We opened at 6 a.m. and closed at midnight and it was hard to find good, strong people,” recalls Villegas, who moved to a position managing the night

crew not long after signing on. “For a while there, I was [personally] opening up in the morning and closing at midnight.” Over the years, Villegas—who never once called in sick—helped grow Frontier from a one-room, six-employee business to a five-room restaurant with over 100 employees. The relationships that work produced—with Villegas enthusiastically fostering personal growth and encouraging professional development among staff—are the highlight of his half-century career. “Fifty years went by quickly, because it kept me on my toes, and I liked working with younger people and helping them through their lives,” says Villegas. “I’m glad to say that I’ve made a difference in a lot of people’s lives.” —ZB

Tina Walsh AGE: 14 SCHOOL: 8th grader at Holy Ghost Catholic School SHE’S REALLY INTO: Basketball, track and painting. NOT A FAN OF: Tuna! FUTURE PLANS: Teacher At a young age, Tina was diagnosed with a variant of cerebral palsy. Despite tough circumstances working against her, Tina has persevered and become a role model of success. She earned the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, the nation’s largest program that recognizes youths who make a difference through volunteerism. Tina has been able to use her disability as a way to help empower other youngsters through therapy. “For a few years she was helping all the young children get through their therapies and the kids liked it because they saw one of their own, and she liked it because she could help,” says Tina’s father, Steve Walsh. Tina continues to exceed expectations: she made the school’s track team, and she’s one of the top math students in her class. “I don’t think there’s a day where she doesn’t try to do some service to the community,” says her dad. “You could say persistence is her superpower.” —SG

Submit your Incredible Kids at incrediblekids@abqthemag.com 38

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Mackenzie Bishop Co-Owner Abrazo Homes

“I love the Sandia Mountains from every angle and every vantage point. Whether ascending their heights, or viewing them from afar, the majesty of our beloved mountains is beyond enchanting.” 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.

Brazilian Walter Orthmann holds the world record for working in the same place for the longest stretch of time. Orthmann has been with the same company for 83 years and counting.

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T HE FUN MUST GO ON 5

Even in a pandemic, schools have found ways to celebrate graduates. And that’s the case with local preschools, where graduation ceremonies are among the first moments for parents to celebrate their tykes in a public setting. But with COVID concerns, they’ve had to get creative to keep the fun intact while honoring public social-distancing guidelines. Here’s a look at how a few ABQ pre-K schools celebrated their graduates.

New Mexico Early Learning Academy New Mexico Early Learning Academy launched during the pandemic, as the school began by purchasing an existing preschool on Eubank Boulevard last year. But as restrictions have eased, the school has grown. “I can’t say it enough, but we’ve been extremely blessed,” says Crystal Tapia-Romero, the school’s executive director. “We grew our enrollment by 600 percent from when we first started. I literally started day one with ten children and we’re close to seventy right now.” In the past, graduations usually consisted of a formal ceremony for students, followed by a cap-n-gown performance, plus a slideshow to commemorate the school year. But when COVID-19 hit, the plan changed quickly. Last year, the school did a drive-thru event where students and their families passed through a colorful balloon arch to the sound of music, the staff celebrating each child one-by-one. “It was great,” says Tapia-Romero. “Parents learned to adjust. They’ve been really flexible with us on what we can and can’t do.” This summer’s drive-thru ceremony will be similar to last year, but with the addition of a YouTube link to the slideshow so that families can re-visit the occasion when they please. When looking back at the challenges that came with making the necessary adjustments, Tapia-Romero says, “I would say the biggest lesson learned is to be flexible. Also learning to be innovative and to think outside the box on how you can approach things differently.”

OT HERS

GRADUATION ADJUSTMENTS AT SOME OTHER ABQ PRESCHOOLS

Christina Kent Early Childhood Center 423 3rd St SW 2020: Drive-thru ceremony 2021: A “Stop-n-Go” graduation, where families will come at staggered times so they can safely stop at various stations for snacks, activities and yearbooks. SAFETY FIRST: “We still want to maintain restrictions to keep our group sizes smaller,” says director Sondra Carpenter. HISTORY: The school has been in continuous operation for 101 years.

Kiddie Academy of North Albuquerque 7010 Alameda Blvd. NE 2020: Drive-thru graduation 2021: Will again do a drive-thru ceremony. “It was a blast,” says school director Linda Conjurske. FUN STUFF: Decorated cars, streamers, banners, goodie bags. SPECIAL TOUCH: Hopes to set up an outdoor tent for photos this year. GLITZ: Photos will be posted on social media, and the school’s ceremony will be live-streamed on Facebook.

Paradise Hills Community Preschool 5976 Avenida La Barranca Ct NW 2020: Drive-thru ceremony with balloons, window paint on cars, popsicle bouquets 2021: “Hopefully we’ll do an on-foot parade, so the families can cheer for (graduates), take pictures and celebrate,” says co-director Natalie Chacon. ON HOLD: In normal times, the families gather around a potluck lunch to celebrate. TRADITION: This year (as in years past), the ceremony also includes students who will be back next year.

Wesley Kids Childcare and Preschool 315 Coal Ave SW 2021: Drive-thru ceremony MISSING: In non-COVID times, the school usually hosts a barbecue for the students and parents. YEARBOOKS: The students will continue to make yearbooks, including letters from parents. “That’s a tradition since I got here,” says executive director Pamela Duran, who has been at the school nearly 16 years. POST-GRADUATION: Music and treats for kids and parents.

ABQ Children’s Academy 9924 Menaul Blvd NE 2020: No ceremony, but families were allowed to come by and pick up students’ memorabilia. “We had caps and gowns, along with diplomas with all the goodies we typically give (students),” says director Kirsten Lopez. 2021: A similar ceremony, plus a day at the park for graduates, with social distancing. NEXT YEAR: The school typically holds a jungle-themed ceremony, with lion and giraffe props.

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Trishelle Kirk

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Chief Operating Officer Everest Apothecary “I love riding bikes through the Bosque with my kids in spring and summer, surrounded by the trees and color. I feel really lucky to go from the beauty of the foothills, to building sandcastles next to a river, in 30 minutes.” 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.

In June 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed an act enabling the residents of New Mexico and Arizona territories to form a single, unified southwestern state. In local referendums, New Mexicans approved the idea. Arizonans shot it down.

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A: BioVer-X™️ is a potent molecule derived

from resveratrol — which is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredient found in the skin of grapes and red wine.

K&K Skin Products Dr. Kristina Trujillo, Owner Katie Uilk, Owner (505) 966-6725 info@kkskinproducts.com kkskinproducts.com

Save 20% off your entire order with discount code: ABQmag 46

Resveratrol is a powerful ingredient in skincare, because its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties help fight against signs of aging. But BioVer-X™️ is even MORE potent than resveratrol. In fact, BioVer-X™️ has up to 10x's more anti-inflammatory properties and 6x's more antioxidant properties than resveratrol! That means that BioVer-X™️ is great if you want to give your skin the ability to heal itself naturally. Our BioVer-X™️ Serum is the ONLY skincare product on the market with this effective ingredient.

Q: Does it actually work? How long until I see results?

A: Obviously, we're a bit biased, but the

results we've seen show that BioVer-X™️ actually does work! Most customers start seeing results in about 30 days. Here is a before and after photo from a customer who used BioVerX™️ Wrinkle Repair 3-step routine.

Q: Do all of your products contain BioVer-X™️?

A: They don't. The BioVer-X™️ Serum is the only product that contains BioVer-X™️. All of our other products are made of high-quality, natural ingredients chosen specifically for their ability to nourish and hydrate skin.

Q: Where are your products made and where can I purchase them?

A: All of our products are proudly made

here in New Mexico, USA. You can purchase them online at kkskinproducts.com

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Back to beYOUtiful

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Spa @ WDC Expands It’s Nurse Injector Team – Welcome Carmela! Q: Tell me about yourself. Western Dermatology Consultants - The Spa @ WDC A: My name is Carmela Esquibel. I am origJennifer Otero, RN (Left) Carmela Esquibel, RN (Middle) Bianca Meza, RN (Right)

10151 Montgomery Blvd. NE Bldg. 1, Ste. A Albuquerque, NM 87111 (505) 855-9267 westerndermatology.com

inally from Las Vegas, NM but I have been in Albuquerque for a long time. I graduated from UNM with my BSN, and I have been a nurse for 8 years. I am a mommy of 2 and when I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family outdoors.

Q: Why did you decide on a career

because they empower one another and have a really great team dynamic. I am so excited to be a member of this team and I am excited to continue to grow as a nurse injector.

What can you tell me about your team?

A: The team is great! They are all very

knowledgeable, talented, and amazing at what they do!

as a nurse?

Q: What do you find rewarding

others and felt that nursing was my calling.

A: I absolutely love helping people feel and

A: I have always had a passion for helping Q: What attracted you to the Spa @ WDC?

A: I was attracted to the team at WDC

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

about being a nurse injector?

look their best! If I can help improve someone’s self-confidence, then I feel like I have done my job. It’s so rewarding.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Paixão Nail & Beauty Bar Priscilla Smith, Owner 1100 San Mateo Blvd. NE #28 Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505) 266-6950 • paixaobeautybar.com

Q: What makes Paixão different from other nail salons?

A: We educate our clients. There are so many things that consumers don’t know about the nail industry. We teach people what to look for and what to avoid when picking a nail salon. Q: What should I look for in a nail salon? A: Sanitation is the number one thing you should look for. Are your tools being sterilized? Is your nail tech reusing nail files and other porous tools? These practices can be dangerous. Your safety should always be of utmost importance.

Q: What is Paixão known for? A: Our hot towel pedicures. I created and designed this pedi-

cure so others won’t have to worry about the risks of infection. Not only is this the cleanest pedicure you’ll ever get, it’s also done with products that I’ve personally crafted.

Q: What is Paixão ESNTIALS? A: The products I make are an “Esntial” part of my company.

It took me nearly a year to formulate my recipes, which perfectly fit the services we offer our clients. They’re infused with tons of essential oils and natural ingredients—our clients love it. And, after years of effort and development, our products can now be shipped nationwide. Visit www.paixaoesntials.com.

Q: What is the culture behind Paixão? A: I am actively working on changing the culture of nail sa-

lons, starting right here at home. This means not only changing the culture for clients, but for service providers as well, often by sharing information to help them succeed. This year, Paixão will also embark on a new venture, helping underprivileged women use this industry as an outlet by giving them opportunities they normally would not be able to get anywhere else. This program will change Albuquerque for years to come.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Accounting Cuts Eric Rico, Owner

2001 Mountain Rd NW Bldg. F Ste A Albuquerque, NM 87104 (575) 418-1739 • accountingcuts.com

Q: I’m concerned with hair loss? A:Call me now for a solution to your ongoing issue with hair loss. We can create a precisely tailored program to help.

Q: I love my hair, but with my medical treatment and prescription medications I have noticed extra hair loss. What can I do? A: With a consultation, we can develop a plan. With my

experience and training as a hair loss practitioner specialist and trichologist, we will get to the root of the problem.

Q: How can I retain my youthfulness with my

hair?

A: No matter the issue, there is always a solution. I am also

a hairdresser and barber and my practice is the foundation of youth for hair. We use new, innovative processes to retain your youthfulness while capturing and preserving the essence of your hair.

Q: I have been though chemotherapy. How can you help me?

A: One option is hair prosthesis. With a referral from your

primary care doctor, we can custom tailor the prosthesis to each individual, helping them feel normal and emotionally restored.

Q: How can we contact you? A: Accountingcuts.com or (575)418-1739. I am an expert

in hair and scalp treatments. I try to set my practice apart by working to better understand your problems with hair loss. As both a stylist and trichologist, I have the skills to help you maintain the integrity of your hair and scalp—regardless of your hair type or the condition of your scalp.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

NOT LONG AGO

Heart Walk Albuquerque showed a lot of heart on June 8, 2019 when the city turned out for the Heart Walk. More than $89,000 was raised to help support research into curing heart disease. The event included a 5K walk, a Kids’ Zone, and plenty of food and drink. 1. Terri Archibeque, Nathan Cogburn 2. Tirzah Hall, Christian Tapia-Ramos 3. Richard Benavidez, Divinity Gutierrez 4. Sandra LaPointe, Bailey, Amanda LaPointe 5. Lorry Zaman, Scott Geyer, William Fogleman 6. Audrey Geyer, Raena Kim-Geyer, Logan Geyer

7. Tony Watt, Davida Gallegos, Hailey Smith

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JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

NOT LONG AGO

Pride Fest On June 8, 2019 at Expo New Mexico, Albuquerquean’s came together to celebrate diversity and inclusion at the 43rd annual Pride Fest. This rainbow colored event featured music, art, dancing, and fun, all benefitting Albuquerque Pride. 1. Francesca Flores, Chase McCall 2. Olabumi Brown, Kira Charles 3. Andrew Sanchez, Sara Sanchez 4. Shantell Sanchez, Natalia Sanchez, Crystal Sanchez 5. Mitch Chisholm, Krystal Mondragon-Benavidez, Art Benavidez 6. Bob Woltman, Janet Woltman, David Zaintz, Max Woltman 7. Holly Durante, Jericho Montano, Dakotah Lopez, Dee Large

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JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

NOT LONG AGO

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

NM Desert Fest It was a day of cool cars, loud engines, and fun in the sun at Sandia Resort & Casino on June 9, 2019. The 9th annual NM Desert Fest car show was on full display. With over 400 cars and 8,000 spectators, it was a gearhead’s dream. Proceeds from the event went to benefit Boys and Girls Club of New Mexico. 1. Jesus Sandoval, Ricky Casado 2. Dakotah Lucero, Melissa Lucero, Daniel Lucero 3. Emily Allen, Kayla Manzer, Reese Smith 4. Sonny Duncan, Nina Duncan 5. Isaiah Carmone, Brice Aryce, Nate Dutchover 6. Marisa Valdez, Allara Lovato, Erik Lovato 7. Mariah Vargas, Imari Amor, Andrew Gonzales

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

ExPeRiEnCe WeLl-BeInG The farm’s natural beauty and warm hospitality invite you to transcend the everyday and experience a sense of well-being with a staycation at Los Poblanos. Plan your escape and connect in profound ways with the farm’s mission of preservation, sustainability, community and hospitality.

photo: Maura Jane Photography

Campo’s fully organic menus highlight our dedication to local farming, from our own farm ﬁelds to the many valued relationships with local growers in our neighborhood. Lavender amenities, made from our own plants, stock every guest room and provide a strong sense of comfort and relaxation. This summer, we’ll also announce the opening of our Hacienda Spa, where wellness will be experienced on a whole new level with therapeutic treatments in a truly serene environment.

We’Re So DeLiGhTeD To UsHeR In OuR FaVoRiTe SeAsOn As summer arrives and our beloved lavender fields begin to showcase their shades of purple, life on the farm starts buzzing with excitement. Countless varieties of vegetables and herbs are now ready for harvest, and the flower gardens are bursting with blooms for bouquets around the property. From our field-to-fork menus at Campo to our artisan lavender product line at the Farm Shop, the bounties of summer start making their way throughout the property. JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

We encourage guests to power down, breathe deep and ﬁnd a meditative moment on their patio, explore the neighborhood on a cruiser bicycle or stargaze New Mexico’s incredible night skies. Restorative tranquility and a sense of well-being can be found all around the farm, making summer a season like no other.

ArOuNd ThE FaRm From Campo’s weekly music series and lavender season activities to curated tours for lodging guests, there is so much to experience this summer. Visit our website and check the calendar for details on all that’s going on during this lovely season. lospoblanos.com

NOT LONG AGO

Tamaya Horse Rehabilitation Fundraiser The Tamaya Horse Rehabilitation Fundraiser got off to a galloping start on June 6, 2019 at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa. This was the event’s second year and it managed to raise over $67,000 to help with the rescue and rehab of horses. The event included food, drink and plenty of equine friends. Yee-Haw! 1. Ray Dominguez, Jolene Mauer 2. Deb Livingston, June Gardner, Connie Collis, Nina Massey 3. Julie Walker, Don Walker 4. Mariah Taglialegami, Benjamin Robb 5. Erik Robinson, Kaylee Trainum 6. Laura Anson, Keith Anson

7. Jeff Berry, Diane Berry

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JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

NOT LONG AGO

From Bump to Baby Food trucks, maternity clothes fashion show, face painting, raffles, dog adoption, and so much more. Albuquerque moms got a fun and educational event at Lovelace Women’s Hospital on June 8, 2019. The event went to support health and safety for kids, moms, and moms-to–be. 1. Roberto Anchondo, Leslie Sapon 2. Elisa Devargas, Gabriel Ortega 3. Kimberly Leon, Melonie Gonzales 4. Savannah Lujan, Dominique Gallegos 5. Esperanza Rodriguez, Rosa Chavez 6. Carmen Julian, Martha Pedraza

7. Jaime Poling, Wendy Santiesteban

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

Almost half of women aged 40 to 74 in the U.S. have dense breasts

Women with high breast density are at higher risk for breast cancer

2D mammography alone can miss more than 30% of breast cancers in dense breast tissue

Ultrasound following a mammogram may detect cancer in women with dense breasts

W W W . R A A O N L I N E . C O M59

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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

GARAGE DOOR DOCTOR LLC

californiaclosets.com

garagedoordoctornm.com

temafurniture.com

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

WaterstoneMortgage.com

merrymaids.com/albuquerque/

ethanallen.com/en_US/storedetails?StoreID=832

To be included in Home & Garden QR Codes contact: advertising@abqthemag.com or call us at: 505-842-1110 60

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JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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With a winning combination of experience and dedication to their clients, the loan originators of Waterstone Mortgage have been serving the Albuquerque area and beyond for decades. Whether you're buying your first home, your next home, or refinancing your existing home; you can count on this amazing local group to get the job done!

more experience | better solutions | on-time-closings | local service

Michael Bowen

John Gabaldon

NMLS # 505.

@WaterstoneMortgage.com

Chris Russo

Sue Leydig

NMLS #

@WaterstoneMortgage.com

NMLS # 505.

@WaterstoneMortgage.com

Marty Padilla NMLS # 505.

@WaterstoneMortgage.com

Matt Myers NMLS # 505.

WaterstoneMortgage.com

Subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Equal Housing Lender. Waterstone Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #186434) is a wholly owned subsidiary of WaterStone Bank SSB (NASDAQ: WSBF). New Mexico Mortgage Loan Company Branch License.

NM-ALB-3204-042021

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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

TOP PICK tuesday 1–sunday 6 Live in the MEOW. Animal Humane New Mexico’s Online Feline Fiesta commemorates National Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month. Support our community’s pets and enjoy our Creative Cat Coloring Poster ($10), Kitten Yoga with YogaZo ($10) or celebrate in style with our Purr-sonal Paw-ty Package ($25). Info: felinefiesta.org.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

monday 28 9 am–12 noon

Codename: BOTS. These sessions are a collaboration between Be Greater Than Average and Electric Playhouse and is a variety of weeklong Science and Technology camps culminating with team-based challenges at the end of the week. Info: Electric Playhouse, 5201 Ouray Road NW,

electricplayhouse.com.

friday 18– saturday, september 18 9 am–5 pm

New Mexico Landscape Art Exhibit. The Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center presents an exhibit of serigraphy (silkscreen) works by artist Gwen Peterson entitled “New Mexico Landscape.” Info: Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd. NW, cabq.gov, 768-4950. Free to the public.

saturday 5 8–11 am

Los Ranchos Growers’ Market. Shop for fresh local produce, products, and plants. Handicapped accessible. Market is also open June 12, 19 and 26, same hours. The market received the COVID-Safe Practices Certification - “NM Safe Certified” - from the state; protocols: wear masks, social distancing, no pets. Info: 6718 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 610-9591. Free admission.

saturday 12 and sunday 13 11 am–10 pm

Albuquerque Folk Festival, June 2021. Enjoy performances online, small venues, small in-person performances, jams, sing-alongs to be broadcast virtually. Info: abqfolkfest.org for updates and schedules, presenter and performer biographies, and instructions on how to participate.

sunday 13 9 am–4 pm

47th Annual Albuquerque Garden Tour. Six beautiful gardens, each over one acre, in North Albuquerque Acres will be on display. See several garden “rooms”, fabulous patios, and a unique take on what gardens can be. Info: Ticket $15. Lunch $15. Tickets available at the Albuquerque Garden Center or website:

paradeofgardensinabq.com.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

Trust us, these are but a few ABQ events YOU CAN'T MISS. 7

PHOTO BY JAMES CADY

monday 14–thursday, july 29 | online and by appointment SURFACE: Emerging Artists of NM. Our annual juried exhibition, professional development and cash awards program honors emerging artists in New Mexico. Solo Exhibition Winner of SURFACE 2020, Nate Lemuel will concurrently present his show in our Front Gallery. Info: Harwood Art Center, 1114 7th Street NW, harwoodartcenter.org.

wednesday 2–sunday 6 | 9 am–5 pm

ABQ BioPark. The Zoo, Tingley Beach and Botanic Garden are now open for visits by the public, Wednesdays through Sundays. The Aquarium is still closed as of the date of this listing preparation. Visitors must purchase tickets for specific times, online and in advance. Routes through areas will be designated to ensure social distancing and masks are required. Info: cabq.gov, 311.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

saturday 26 and sunday 27 | saturday 7:30 pm, sunday 2 pm

Two online short plays. “The Last of the Dutch Hotel” is a comedy by Don Nigro, where two over-the-hill aristocrats discuss their relationship and loves. “Homecoming” is a play by Peter Fisk about two GIs who meet on a train coming back from WWII, one black, one white, both going home to the south. Also on Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4, same times. Info: Adobe Theater, adobetheater.org, 898-9222. Tickets: $15 plus fee.

tuesday 1–sunday, october 10 | monday, wednesday–saturday 11 am–4 pm, sunday 10 am–4 pm

2020/2021 IAIA Senior Exhibition. This juried show is co-curated by Joseph Maldonado (Ottawa/ Chippewa) and Ethan Swearengin (Cherokee Nation), and highlights artwork that reflects the diverse backgrounds of this year’s graduating BFA students. Info: IAIA, South Gallery, 108 Cathedral Place, Santa Fe, iaia.edu, 983-8900.

tuesday 1 | 9–11am

Living with Alzheimer's for CaregiversLate Stage. Join us for a helpful discussion of this part of the Alzheimer’s journey. Webinar will also be held Friday, June 18 from 10 am–2 pm and Tuesday, June 29 from 2–4 pm. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter Webinar, nmprograms@alz. org, 800-272-3900. Free.

tuesday 1 and thursday 3– saturday, july 31 9:30–10:30 am

Fine Wine Dance Classes. These weekly online Zoom Classes are specifically for ages 55 and over, exploring movement and choreography as a community. Class focuses on improvisation and body awareness. No experience necessary. Scholarships and subsidized pricing are available. Registration is ongoing. Info: keshetarts.org, email info@keshetarts.org.

tuesday 1–thursday, july 15

Old Church Fine Arts Show Submission Period. Submit artwork for the jury to consider for inclusion in the 33rd annual show, scheduled for October 2–10 in the Old San Ysidro Church in Corrales. High-resolution photos of up to 3 works per category can be submitted electronically to an outside jury service. Info: corralesoldchurchshow.com.

wednesday 2 | 11 am–12 noon

Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia. Everyone is welcome to hear the valuable information to be presented in this webinar. Webinar will also be held on Tuesday, June 29 from 12 noon–1 pm. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter Webinar, nmprograms@alz.org, 800-2723900. Free.

thursday 3 m| 6:35 pm

Isotopes versus Las Vegas. The Isotopes have 2 home game stretches during June, against Las Vegas June 3–8 and Tacoma June 24–29. Come support the home team and enjoy some fresh air. Info: milb. com.

saturday 5 | 10 am–12 noon

Screen Adaptations. Sheryl Brown (President, Real to Reel Productions Inc.) presents advice on adapting writings for the screen courtesy of SouthWest Writers. Get tips from an expert. Info: email info@ swwriters.com, 630-6034.

saturday 5 | 2–4 pm

The ABQ Graphic Novel Book Club. The club will meet virtually on Zoom to discuss “The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir.” Normally, the club meets at the Lomas-Tramway Public Library, 908 Eastridge Drive NE. Info: goodreads.com.

monday 7–saturday, july 31 various times

Keshet Community Dance Classes: Summer Session. Weekly online live Zoom Classes are offered, with an All Abilities, All Ages weekly Dance Party each Thursday at 4:30 pm. Scholarships and subsidized pricing are available. Registration is ongoing. Info: keshetarts.org, email info@ keshetarts.org.

monday 7–friday, july 23 | any time

Harwood Summer Art Camp. Harwood offers one-week sessions for campers ages 6-14. Each session focuses on a specific topic, theme or project taught by our Teaching Artists. The virtual platform can be accessed on demand, whenever it is convenient for the campers. Info: harwoodartcenter.org, 242-6367. Free, contribute what you can.

tuesday 8–sunday 13 | tuesday–thursday 7 pm, saturday and sunday 3 pm

Albuquerque Folk Festival Virtual Master Classes. Learn about banjo, arranging for small ensemble, Inditas, songwriting, bluegrass and fiddle, with a possible virtual Master Class Friday at 7 pm, also. Info: abqfolkfest.org.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

wednesday 9 | 12 noon–10 pm

Rotary Club of Albuquerque Del Norte Club Foundation Grants. The Club welcomes everyone to join online to recognize this year's local grant award recipients. Fellowship, songs, and uplifting presentations are all a part of our virtual and hybrid meetings, and new members are welcome to participate. Info: rotarydelnorte.org, email rotarydelnorteabq@gmail.com for the meeting link.

thursday 10 | 2–4 pm

Living with Alzheimer's for CaregiversMiddle Stage. This webinar will provide support to caregivers in the middle stage of the Alzheimer’s disease. Webinar will also be held Wednesday, June 16 from 4–6 pm. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter Webinar, nmprograms@alz.org, 800-272-3900. Free.

saturday 12 | 9:30–11:30 am

Living with Alzheimer's for CaregiversEarly Stage. Caregivers should not miss this informative session discussing the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter Webinar, nmprograms@alz.org, 800-2723900. Free.

saturday 12 | 12 noon–2 pm

Rio Rancho Players Community Theater Group Pre-Audition Meeting. Learn about Rio Rancho Players, our 2021 production plans, audition details for our 1st performance. Get practice scripts for audition preparation. All ages; Cast, Crew, Production, and Committee members needed. Info: Avix Art, 4311 Sara Road, Suite 201, Rio Rancho, rr-cc.org/riorancho-players, 970-381-1944. Free.

monday 14–friday 18, weekly through july 24 | warmup 10:30–11 am

Summer Zoom "Dance In-a-Bag" Dance Sampler. Dancers ages 4-12 will learn various dance styles including ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop and AfroBrazilian. All ages and abilities. Each bag contains a week's worth of movement supplies, prerecorded dance activities, and crafts. Optional live Zoom performance at 3:30 pm Fridays. Info: Drive through bag pickup each Monday 7:30–9:30 am, Keshet Dance, 4121 Culter Ave. NE. Sliding scale cost: $0-$100 per week. Register: keshetarts.org, email frontdesk@ keshetarts.org.

wednesday 16–thursday 17 | 10–11:30 am

Living with Alzheimer's for CaregiversMiddle Stage. This 2-day webinar will cover helpful information on the middle stage of the Alzheimer’s disease. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter Webinar, nmprograms@alz.org, 800-2723900. Free.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

saturday 19 | 12 noon–3 pm

Rio Rancho Players Community Theater Group Auditions. All ages can audition for our October performance. All experience levels welcome. Info: Avix Art, 4311 Sara Road, Suite 201, Rio Rancho, rr-cc.org/ rio-rancho-players, 970-381-1944. Free to participate.

wednesday 23–thursday 24 | 9–11 am

Living with Alzheimer's for CaregiversEarly Stage. This 2-day webinar will give caregivers valuable insights into early stage care requirements. Info: Alzheimer’s Association, NM Chapter Webinar, nmprograms@alz.org, 800-272-3900. Free.

wednesday 23 | 10 am

Keshet and Israel International Arts Exchange. This virtual show offers conversations and recorded performance footage from Keshet’s Israeli guest artists and friends. Info: Tickets for virtual showing: $0-$10, keshetarts.org.

friday 25 | 7–8:30 pm

New Mexico Performing Arts Society's Season Finale Opera Concert. Enjoy the music of Bellini, Bizet, Gluck, Puccini, Strauss, Verdi and Wagner. Conductor emeritus Franz Vote leads the cast of top New Mexico vocalists. Info: Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, 50 Mount Carmel Road, Santa Fe, nmpas.org. Limited number of in-person tickets available, regulations permitting. Tickets: $25.

sunday 27 | 5:30–7 pm

New Mexico Performing Arts Society's Season Finale Opera Concert. See description on Friday the 25th. Info: St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 601 Montaño Road NW, nmpas.org.

ONGOING: 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. 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 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.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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.

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.

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 with multiple animals. Info: 9387900.

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

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.

“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

daily | 8 am–5 pm

daily

Donate Blood. Someone needs it every day. Info: unitedbloodservices.org, 8436227.

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.

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. $13.

daily | various times

Explora’s STEAM Enrichment Programs. Explora has limited in-person and virtual STEAM enrichment programs happening throughout the fall. 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, 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.

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 | 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.

mondays | 5:30 pm

The Red Bucket Book Club. Join this group and dive into fun-tastic fiction discussing and reading a variety of fabulous books. Info: Barnes & Noble Coronado Center, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, bn.com, 883-8200. Free.

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every second monday 6:30 pm

“The Lyin’ Dog” Interactive Game Show. Aux Dog Theatre Nob Hill, in association with Empire Board Game Library, presents “The Lyin’ Dog,” an interactive game show. Three storytellers—two are real, one’s a liar—can the audience tell the difference? Info: Empire Board Game Library, 3503 Central Ave. NE, auxdog.com, 254-7716. Admission: $5 cash, food and beverages also available.

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.

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.

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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/KiwanisClub-of-Albuquerque.

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 | 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, 881-0137, 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.

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.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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.

every first tuesday 1–2:30 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) 2723900.

every first and fourth tuesday | 10 am–2 pm

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.

every second tuesday 6–7 pm

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 | 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.

wednesdays | 9:30 and 11 am

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.

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wednesdays | 10 and 11 am

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.

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.

wednesdays | 10:30 am

Good Morning Storytime with Miss Dakota. Join us for a story, a snack and a fun activity. For toddlers and preschoolers. Info: Barnes & Noble, Coronado Center, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, bn.com, 8838200. Free.

every second wednesday 6:30 pm–8:30 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.

wednesdays and saturdays 11 am

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.

wednesdays | 12 noon–1 pm

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 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.

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.

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.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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 am–12 noon

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

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.

every thursday | 6–9 pm

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.

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thursdays–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 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: 7001 San Antonio Drive NE, 821-2739, hipstitchabq.com. Cost: membership, $10/ year; guests, may attend one meeting for free, then up to two more meetings for $3 per meeting.

every second thursday 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 except Oct, Nov, Dec. Info: FBCRR Adult Ed Center, 1909 Grande Ave., Rio Rancho, facebook.com/vacgnm, 948-3132.

every fourth thursday 10 am–2 pm

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

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

fridays | 10:30 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.

fridays | 1 pm

Mural Discovery Tour. The IPCC houses 19 murals by Pueblo artists. Our guided tour provides an introduction to 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 | 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, 5084020, 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), 768-6020, cabq.gov/ balloon.

every first friday | 1:30 pm

Tamarind Institute First Friday Tours. 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. Reservations: tamarind. unm.edu. Info: Tamarind Institute, 2500 Central Ave. SE, 453-2159. Free.

every first friday | 8–10 pm

Cristel's Variety Dance Party. Join us on this large wooden dance floor for social dancing to a variety of music - country, ballroom, Latin, and swing. Singles and couples are welcome. Great wood dance floor, music requests taken. Info: Lloyd Shaw Dance Center, 5506 Coal Ave. SE. $5 cover per person.

every other friday | 7–9 pm

saturdays | 2:30–4:30 pm

every third friday | 7–9 pm

saturdays | 3:30 pm

Albuquerque Spanish Meetup. Practice conversational Spanish with a mix of native Spanish speakers and folks learning Spanish. Info: 553-3008, spanish.meetup. com/700/calendar. 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, 296-6020 new-mexico.cactussociety.org.

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. Saturday Storytime. Join Miss Caitlen for new and exciting adventures. Fun for young children and those young at heart. Info: Barnes & Noble, Coronado Center, 6600 Menaul Blvd. NE, 883-8200, bn.com. Free.

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.

saturdays | various times

Prehistoric Preschool for Families. See description on Thursdays 10–12 am. Info: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 1801 Mountain Road NW, 841-2848, nmnaturalhistory.org. Tickets: see cost information online.

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–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.

saturdays | 12 noon–3 pm

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.

saturdays | 1–2:30 pm

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, call 311, cabq. gov. Free.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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

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.

every first saturday 10 am–12 noon

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 10 am–12 noon

Free Fishing Clinic. Instruction available on basic fly-tying methods, fly-rod casting techniques, fishing etiquette, effective catch-and-release practices and enhancement of advanced skills. Equipment and supplies are available free

of charge on a first-come-first-served basis for use during the clinic, or you may bring your own. Tingley Outfitters provides basic equipment for purchase inside the train station. Info: Tingley Beach, 1800 Tingley Drive SW, call 311 or 768-2000.

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.

second and fourth saturday 12 noon–1 pm

Watermelon Mountain Ranch Volunteer Orientation. Come out 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. Near V. Sue Cleveland Highschool.

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, 299-3737. 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 | 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.

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.

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, 288-0313. 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

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.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

REAL

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JEFF ROSE

Given the enormous importance real estate transactions carry in the lives of everyday people—frequently one of their largest single investments—it’s hard to overstate the importance of that kind of experience. Rose’s flexibility and innovative spirit have shaped his over 25 years of success in the New Mexico real estate market. Over the course of that career, he has strived to stay at the leading edge of the industry, constantly seeking new ways to improve and simplify the experience of buying or selling a piece of property. “Seeing how the benefits of cloud technology could benefit my clients, I joined eXp Realty in 2012,” says Rose. “I have proudly participated in its growth to an international company with over 41,000 brokers.” In his time with eXp, Rose has built a reputation for integrity, shrewd judgment, and local stewardship, earning five ICON awards. “[It’s] such a blessing,” says Rose. “We all work to make a positive impact in our community. You have to be a doer, not a talker, to achieve ICON and I’m grateful to the people who helped me achieve this goal.”

Jeff Rose & Associates - EXP Realty 100 Sun Ave NE #650, Albuquerque, NM 87109 Office: 505.872.9373 | Cell: 505.205.4175 e-mail: jeff@jeffroseandassociates.com jeffroseandassociates.com

With grandparents who homesteaded the Estancia Valley way back in the late 19th-century, Rose’s New Mexico roots run deep. Little surprise, then, that his commitment to the state—its culture, land, and history—is unshakeable. “A love of the land and a love for New Mexico is part of my family’s heritage,” he explains. “As a real estate broker, I can continue my family’s stewardship of the land.” WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

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fourth generation New Mexico native with a quarter century of experience in the New Mexico real estate market, Jeff Rose brings a unique vision—bolstered by hard won experience— to his work. “My expertise includes residential, commercial, multi-family, land, ranch properties, and churches,” explains Rose. “I can offer clients creative transaction opportunities that include equity trades, owner financing positions, exchanges, collateralized trades, as well as other creative methods to assist buyers, sellers, and investors.”

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JOHN LOPEz

s an educator and real estate broker, John M. Lopez is not focused on making a commission, but on empowering people with knowledge of the market so that when they are ready to purchase or sell, they will be able to make the right choice for their family’s future. “I started as a real estate sales associate in 1997, one month after I graduated from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor of science,” Lopez says. “I have since changed my position from sales associate to an educator/broker of real estate who helps people understand the complicated work of today’s real estate market. The difference between the two is that a ‘sales person’s’ goal is to make a commission, while an ‘educator’s’ goal is to teach, enlighten, and facilitate.” A native New Mexican, Lopez has a strong entrepreneurial side. “I own Rapid MVD, and Clear Vision Construction Inc.,” Lopez says. “The aspect of my work I enjoy most is the journey my clients and I go through, from the first conversation, to the invitations, to the BBQ after they close on their home. Sometimes we will meet and talk for years before a transaction even arises. During that journey, a friendship develops!” To create those lasting friendships, Lopez combines his positive personality, real estate experience, vast knowledge in construction, and great customer service to ensure his customers receive the best service possible. When he isn’t in the office, Lopez can often be found playing golf, basketball, softball, volleyball, cycling, snow skiing, playing the guitar, or spending time with his kids at the lake. “My unbelievable kids keep me focused and motivated,” Lopez says. “Devon, Isabella, Jacqueline, Aidyn, Demetrius, Johnny, and my better half, Erica, are my world, and my everything. I have been so blessed with a career that gives me the time to always be there for field trips, their activities, and whenever they need me!”

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

John Lopez 8200 Carmel Ave. NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87122 505.991.3386 JohnLopezRealEstate@gmail.com MillionDollarHomesAlbuquerque.com

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Q&A With Realtor®

Daniel W. Martinez

Keller Williams Realty

Q: Why is the real estate market so hot? A: There are many factors that explain

why the real estate market is hot right now. In the United States, for the three decades, there were 27 million houses built each decade. This past decade, only 10 million houses have been built. Low interest rates are also a factor, as is the fact that many people didn’t have a place to spend money this past year. They looked at houses and had enough money saved up for down payments and home improvements.

Q: Why is Albuquerque a hotter market than other cities in the United States.

A: Albuquerque is a hidden gem. It expe-

riences all four seasons, has an international airport, and is fairly centrally located in the United States, so travel is so convenient whether you’re going to the east coast or west coast. We also don’t tend to have any natural disasters.

Q: How is the economy in Albuquer-

A: We are a poor state compared to the rest of the United States because we have had slow job growth. There is a silver lining with that, however, because we have had sustained growth and are not overpopulated. That means we were able to grow at a moderate pace, which has helped make our city special. Q: Will this change with the Big 4 coming in?

A: Having Facebook, Amazon, Intel, and Netflix invest billions of dollars in our economy will have a direct positive effect on our city’s growth. It’s going to be exciting by the year 2026. Q:

Why do you have such a passion for Albuquerque and New Mexico ?

Keller Williams Realty - Riverside 6240 Riverside Plaza Ln Ste 100 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87120 505.610.7827 allstarrealtor@gmail.com

A: Albuquerque is the gateway to my roots in Northern New Mexico. My roots are in Wagon Mound and Ocate, New Mexico. There is so much beauty, culture, and history here. And nothing matches the people and natural beauty this state and city have to offer—something that can’t always be felt in other places in the United States. Our sunsets put on a show every night. It’s like enjoying a new Picasso painting nightly.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

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que, NM?

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2021 UPDATE We introduced “the next wave” of Burque musical ambassadors in the June 2020 issue, but the pandemic temporarily forced the production of an online-only issue that had a limited reach. So we are reprinting the 2020 feature to give these fine artists the full exposure they deserve. We also checked in with them recently to see how they’ve handled the pandemic, which has been particularly hard on musicians, and we’ve added a 2021 update for each.

BY MEL MINTER 101

“I had lots of opportunities, and I said yes to things, even if maybe I thought, ‘I don’t know if I’m ready for this,’ ” she says. Her sweetly resonant voice, her warm stage

Building on the attention earned with her impressive debut album, Land Baby, winner of the New Mexico Music Award for Best Album in 2018, Manzanares took hold of her career in 2019, playing with a variety of different musicians in a variety of genres and learning how to lead a band. Being “open to uncertainty . . . wading into situations that you can’t engineer,” she says, helped fuel her growth.

presence, and her well-crafted songs—playful, poignant, personal, poetic—are ready for any audience anywhere.

2021 UPDATE: Opportunities arose for Manzanares “that probably wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t been in the pandemic,” she says, but she’s found it “spiritually challenging” not to be able to celebrate her successes socially with her colleagues. She supported the census with a self-produced video of her “Census Song,” and backed by Felix Peralta and Jordon Wax, she represented New Mexico for the Kennedy Center’s Arts across America initiative. She and Peralta released their song “Dos Corazones,” which has received wide radio play. Then, there’s the Spanish-language version of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” that she did for a podcast. The census video and the two songs have been nominated for New Mexico Music Awards, and she’s at work on a new album. (laramanzanares.com)

“I had lots of

OPPORTUNITIES,

and I said yes to things.”

Equally comfortable singing the traditional northern New Mexico repertoire or her own tunes, Manzanares is well set to expand her circle of connections and her audience in 2020, and if we are lucky, she’ll begin work on her next album.

MAN ZAN

102

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTO BY MIKE SANDOVAL

arly in the year, singer/songwriter Lara Manzanares, a Tierra Amarilla native and resident of Corrales, sometimes likes to set intentions for the coming months. “For 2019, when I set that intention and I sat down and kind of let myself live in it, it was Shine,” she says. Shine she did, performing at three major festivals: Festival Nuevo Americana, Festival Eclectica, and Globalquerque. The glow carried into 2020, with a March appearance at the Outpost.

Four years later, that independent streak is paying off. On a trip to Los Angeles, he caught the attention of Diane Teran of HipHop Network, who connected him to PR pro Lisa Stewart of Ril Entertainment, and he’s also had Gretchen Slaughter of Slaughter Entertainment come on board, as well as video wizard Jetto of Otteg Records in Miami. “I have really good support now,” says Dremón. The March release of his latest album, Second Nature, and his tour on the Historically Black Colleges and Universities circuit back east had to be postponed due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, his single “Beneficial” has been rotating on Shade 45, Eminem’s XM radio station. His sudden expansion to new audiences “is unexpected to a cer-

tain extent,” says Dremón. But he’s hard at work “solidifying my position as a hip-hop artist from Albuquerque, New Mexico,” and you can expect to see him hitting even more and bigger platforms in the months ahead. 2021 UPDATE: Despite the tour cancellation and the delay of his album’s release, Dremón has been expanding his connections and his audience while practicing COVID precautions. “It’s been quite an adventure,” he says, “finding ways to maneuver through that and be in the right place with the right crowds.” Hitting showcasing events, visiting radio DJs, doing interviews and podcasts, he’s seen his streaming and radio play jump dramatically, in an ever-expanding geographic area, including big cities on the East Coast. He’s recently signed on with Str8up Entertainment (again), SONY, and The Orchard (music distribution) and unleashed a crop of new singles, videos, and The EP on the world.

Speaking of the world, he’s eyeing opportunities in the UK and Africa. (@dremizzie)

“SOLIDIFYING my position as a hip-hop artist from Albuquerque...”

COURTESY PHOTO

etting signed by Jimmy Kang, CEO of Str8up Entertainment and vice president of Wu-Tang Management, was a major coup for award-winning hip-hop artist Dremón, but after three years, Dremón realized that to make the music he wanted to make, he needed to go independent. He wanted to focus on “real life, the stuff that we’re going through here,” he says, “because the music that I fell in love with and that had the emotion, that had the passion, it was very relatable and universal versus, I guess, the lifestyle that some of the newer urban music is selling.”

PHOTO BY BOBBY GUTIERREZ

oulful singer/songwriter Isaac Aragon is about to explode. He lit the fuse in February 2019 when he released the single “Love Bless America.” The old-school soul tune got terrific reviews and went to #16 on the U.K. soul chart. In November, he released “All I Got,” which charted at #4. Back home, he opened for Los Lobos and The Mavericks at Sandia Amphitheater last summer, at the invitation of local promoter John Nichols. The explosion will likely come later this year, when Aragon hopes to release a full-length album of original tunes. “Most likely, I’m going to do the record with a major producer in L.A. His name is Jim Scott,” he

says. The GRAMMY-winning producer, who connected with Aragon through Nichols, has worked with the likes of Sting, Tom Petty, and other heavy hitters. Aragon is planning to use his core local guys: Dee Brown (keyboards), Artha Meadors (bass), and Paul Palmer III (drums), with Ryan Montaño arranging the horns.

“I’ve found somebody who

BELIEVES in what I’m doing...”

He’s been “superpatient” with this record, he says, looking for the right time, place, and producer. “Production is such a huge piece because you’re essentially allowing another member into your band. I’ve found somebody who believes in what I’m doing and wants to be part of it.”

104

Aragon had been scheduled to appear at Sandia last July, but due to Covid, the festival celebrating New Mexico music and art was cancelled. 2021 UPDATE: The pandemic blasted Aragon’s plan to record his upcoming album in LA with a GRAMMY-winning producer Jim Scott. Although initially disappointed, Aragon says, “It was a blessing in disguise,” because he hooked up with Matthew Tobias at Empty House Studio. “I feel like it was the place that we needed to be,” he says, “because he really got the project.” The band—with Kevin Cummings (guitar), Dee Brown (keyboards), Artha Meadors (bass), and Paul Palmer III (drums)—put down 12 songs in five days there last September. “I’m really excited about it,” says Aragon. He’s waiting for a propitious time to release the full album, but you can look for the single and video “We the People,” scheduled for a 2021 release. (isaacaragon.com)

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

hen guitarist Jim Casey, cofounder of Dallas’s famed Buster Brown Band, retired from his day job and moved to Placitas, an old buddy, the late bassist Eric Udell, invited him to play on a couple of gigs. That’s where he first met vocalist Hillary Smith and saxophonist Glenn Kostur. “I said, ‘Hillary, I want to play with you.’ I was kind of joking with her, but fortunately, it didn’t turn out to be a joke,” says Casey.

Smith sat in with Casey and friends on jams at Kaktus Brewing and liked the feel, and the funky, soulful band Chill House was born. Today, the personnel includes Smith, Casey, Kostur (sax and organ), Bryan Abel (bass), and J.D. Davis (drums). What began as a great local gig band morphed into something else when Smith and Casey decided to sit down and write some songs.

“...I started PLAYING my guitar, and she started SINGING”

Casey, with his acoustic guitar, and Davis, with his cajón, joined Smith at her dining room table. “She had all these lyrics written out, and so I started playing my guitar, and she started singing,” Casey says. “We had three or four songs written within about 30 minutes.” A Chill House album is scheduled for release in early summer 2020, and the band will use the album to expand its reach beyond central New Mexico. Meanwhile, they’re scheduled in Santa Fe at Music on the Hill (July 8, 2020) and the Santa Fe Bandstand (July 29, 2020),

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

and in Placitas at the Sandia Chill (July 12, 2020). 2021 UPDATE: Last summer’s release of Chill House’s debut album and the band’s scheduled appearances were all scuttled by the pandemic. Nonetheless, guitarist Jim Casey had about 10 tracks down with keyboards, bass, and drums by early spring 2021 and anticipated getting vocalist Hillary Smith and saxophonist/organist Glenn Kostur into the studio in April, with a release probable by early fall. “The good thing about it, we’ve had such a long time to work on all the songs,” says Casey. “Everything’s coming out really good. It’s like wine. If you let it go long enough, it gets better in time.” The soulful, fun, and funky band, which also now includes Rob “Milo” Jaramillo (bass) and J.D. Davis (drums), has found its way back onstage, so keep an eye out for them. (facebook.com/ chillhouseband/)

PHOTO BY ROB TATE

HOUSE

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His voice, emanating somewhere near the earth’s center, brings a deeply soulful energy to the tablao flamenco at Hotel Albuquerque, Santa Fe’s El Farol, and Tesuque’s El Nido. With his band, ReVóZo, he is experimenting with what he calls “mestizaje flamenco,” music that blends flamenco; the Spanish and Native American traditions of northern New Mexico, his native land; rumba; and a variety of other genres. That approach has captured the ear of academia and garnered ReVóZo an invitation to per-

“You’ve got to have ROOTS to be able to GIVE...”

form at the seventh annual ¡Música del Corazón! concert in November, and a commission for an album to be released there. The band’s most recent release, “Arte del Camino, Andró” (easily found on You Tube), incorporates the poetry of New Mexico Poet Laureate Levi Romero and the Cuban-inflected trombone of Cesar Bauvallet, who has taken on the role of musical director, bringing a welcome discipline to its efforts.

2021 UPDATE: Griego stayed busy over the last year, teaching online, serenading Barelas from a flatbed truck, learning video-editing software. Most important, however, was his ReVóZo trio’s performance at the UNM John Donald Robb Trust’s Música de Corazón series in November, where he grafted the music of New Mexico’s genízaros onto the tree of flamenco, inaugurating a new form: cante de regreso (song of return). “We have 18 songs that we still sing from those [people],” says Griego, “so I’m taking those songs and running them through a straight, hardcore, flamenco puro formula.” Griego is currently working on both a recording Entre guitarra y tombé (Between guitar and drum) and a film that will introduce this new sound to a wider audience. (vicentegriego.com)

COURTESY PHOTO

big man with a big soul and a voice to match, Vicente Griego “El Cartucho” has replanted himself in Albuquerque after 18 years on the road, first as road manager for José Greco II and then as an in-demand cantaor, or flamenco vocalist. “You’ve got to have roots to be able to give fruit, man,” says Griego. Griego’s musical roots fall “entre tombé y guitarra,” he says. “My whole life experience has been between that Indian drum and that guitar,” he says.

VICENTE 106

Validation came from four-time GRAMMY-winning producer Larry Klein, who, in 2018, agreed to produce her next album. “We did as much fund-raising as we could to make sure we were going to have adequate resources to really put into this project,” says Delphia. “It was about a year or so of contact, of developing what our joint vision was.”

PHOTO BY ERIKA CHAMBERS

“ I thought that this is one of those moments that you’re either going to pack it up . . . or you’ll figure something out.” Delphia had collected more than $13,000 via the crowd-funding site PledgeMusic when she learned that the site had declared bankruptcy, and her funds were gone. “It was a pivotal moment,” she says. “I thought that this is one of those moments that you’re either going to pack it up . . . or you’ll figure something out.”

DELPHIA

he was finding growing success as a folk-rockcountry singer/ songwriter until a brutal assault in Nashville left her with deep physical and emotional trauma, drove her from the music business, and led to a years-long, well-hidden addiction to painkillers. In 2015, she got clean and started writing songs to address her experience. Reinventing herself as Delphia, in the adult contemporary/soul genre, she embarked on a new career, with a band of her own.

She figured something out, last summer recording several demos with her band that she is in the process of producing herself. Meanwhile, she continues working with the Artrageous performing troupe, which she counts as a blessing, and planning for her album’s release. Her soulful voice, the empowering message of her songs, and her tenacity will keep Delphia on track for ever greater success. 2021 UPDATE: Over the last year, Delphia continued working on her forthcoming self-produced album. She traveled to Nashville, her former home, where she did some additional recording and reconnected with friends and industry contacts. “I sort of fell in love with the city again, and as a result of that, I’m relocating to Nashville,” she says. The year off from performing imposed by the pandemic helped Delphia define her purpose—storyteller—which she feels she can best fulfill as a performer, songwriter, and producer in Nashville. She hopes to release her album by year’s end.Meanwhile, go to Albuquerque’s Lesmens Proaudio YouTube page, and check out Delphia’s performance (with Vicente Griego and Mark Padilla) on “Hallelujah.” OMG. (delpia.online: coming soon)

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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“I LOVE that MUSIC.”

out for me—I found Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti on vinyl, and I was like Wow! It just pushed me over, man.” That discovery led to a new musical love, and Martin has brought the two together in a style that he calls Westrock, which he defines as a “highly amplified Western-themed honky-tonk style music played in a hard rock format with a heavy beat.” It’s hard to resist, whether he is writing about swaggering male braggadocio (“Big Boy”) or exploring more philosophical territory (“Good Life”), and it’s taken him to gigs from Las Vegas, Nevada, to New York

KYLE

City. You can get a good taste of it on his four albums, including the most recent, Raunchytonk. He’s recently recorded three new tunes. “I cut three acoustic guitar tunes live. No remix, no edit, no dub—nothing like that,” says Martin, who plans to release them later in 2020. Meanwhile, he’s pursuing publishing possibilities and looking forward to getting back on stage when it’s safe. 2021 UPDATE: Martin and his band managed to continue performing into last October, thanks to less-restrictive pandemic measures in Oklahoma and Texas, but he settled in after that and found himself continuing to work in a more acoustic style. He released an EP, Circadian Rhythms, that features those three well-crafted tunes, with him solo on acoustic guitar—a far cry from the thumping Westrock of Raunchytonk. He’s got a new single, “Try the Night,” with fiddler Emily Anslover, that further explores this new sound. “Maybe we’re gonna get close back to medicine music,” he says, “so I wanted to have a vehicle that kind of perpetuates the whole deal.” You can catch him live around town, as he’s been booking solo acoustic gigs recently. (kylemartinmusic.com)

COURTESY PHOTO

rowing up on a ranch near Socorro that his family has been working for 150 years, singer/songwriter Kyle Martin knows hard work and the tough folks who perform it, and they people his songs. With a musical mom and dad, he was playing guitar in his father’s classic country band from age 12. “I love that music,” says Martin. “I grew up playing that music. Then, I remember when I was about 10 or 11 years old going through my mother’s vinyl—and I’ll tell you one that sticks

MARTIN

COURTESY PHOTO

Wallin believes that philosophy and theology—he has a degree from UNM in comparative religion—have strongly influenced his songwriting. “In Buddhism

“I’m trying to bring a certain kind of HAPPINESS to people’s lives...”

and lots of other forms of religion, there’s this idea of karma. So whatever you put out comes back to you,” he says. “I’m trying to bring a certain kind of happiness to people’s lives if I can, and to my life.” He says that he’s always been drawn to a certain kind of romantic music, “whether it be country or blues or soul. I probably got that from my mom.” Wallin and guitarist Ryan Martino have a new project in the works. “It’s a little divergent,” he says. “I wanted it to be a little different

than what I’m working on with The Flood. I try some different things. I stretch myself vocally more.” Look for the EP later this year. 2021 UPDATE: “It was a shock to the system,” says Wallin, whose 250 nights a year onstage were reduced to zero for six months by the pandemic. He’s been busy writing and recording, though. In December 2020, he released a deluxe version of his December 2019 album, The Flood, which includes three new songs. He also dropped two new singles in the pop Americana vein in December and January. Over the last year, Wallin has been writing more in the country Americana style. “I’m going to find a way to start recording some acoustic, very stripped down versions of those songs to release,” he says. He’s happy that “a resemblance of normalcy is coming back” and has begun playing out again. (shanewallinmusic.com)

SHANE

WALLIN

orn in Albuquerque and raised in the East Mountains, singer/songwriter Shane Wallin is happy to sing the praises of New Mexico when he’s on the road—and he’s on the road a lot, touring all over the Southwest and as far away as Montana and Chicago, Illinois. His calling card is a clutch of insightful songs drawn from personal experience, delivered in a soulful voice that elicits a listener’s trust. On his most recent album, The Flood, as on previous releases, many of his songs focus on love—in particular its redemptive quality—and they have found an appreciative audience that keeps Wallin on stage 250 or more nights a year.

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The songs, for the most part, deal with dark subjects, which, Hunton says, reflect his twisted sense of humor: “Violence and sadness and humor—wherever they intersect,” he says. The band’s most recent single—the

toe-tapper “An OK Way to Go” (released, of course, on Friday the 13th), carries that focus forward. “The song is about coughing and dying in the winter cold,” says Hunton with a dry chuckle, a topic that he took to “very naturally.”

“Our online presence really

DRAMATICALLY increased...”

Although Hunton finds songwriting to be “never pleasant,” he’s been “chipping away” at several new songs, he says. So fans can expect more morbidly ironic (or is it ironically morbid?) singles to roll out over the year and likely an EP or full-length album in the fall. The band’s 2020 spring NM/ OK/TX tour had to be bumped

to the fall, so stay tuned for updates on that. 2021 UPDATE: The pandemic busted up the 2020 touring and recording plans of Dust City Opera—now featuring Hunton (lead vocals/songwriter), Putnam (lead guitar), Rourk (trombone), Byom (clarinet, accordion), McLauchlin (synth), Scott Brewer (bass), and Jackie Chacón (drums)—so instead, they planned on a 2021 EP. The first single, “Stars,” dropped earlier this year. Meanwhile, Hunton had been writing new material, and those tunes will be combined with the older songs that were slated for the EP to make a full-length album, now scheduled for a late-summer release. “We’ve got a bunch of stuff coming up this fall that we’re trying to line up now,” says the band’s manager, Sydney Counce, including a short COVID-safe tour. “Like a backyard kind of tour,” she says. (patreon.com/dustcityopera, dustcityopera.com, @ dustcityopera)

COURTESY PHOTO

n 2019, Dust City Opera—fronted by Paul Hunton (vocals, guitar), who handles most of the songwriting, and including Jared Putnam (lead guitar), Travis Roark (trombone and euphonium), Clara Byom (accordion and clarinets), Justin McLauchlin (bass), and Greg Williams (drums)—released its first album, Heaven, and the band has been enjoying a growing fan base ever since. “Our online presence really dramatically increased. I think we went from probably a few hundred followers, and now we’re approaching 10,000,” says Sydney Counce, the band’s manager. She notes that since the release, the band has been playing larger venues and festivals, such as Summerfest, SomosAbq, and the International UFO Festival.

DUST OPERA 110

CITY

PHOTO BY TREVOR MEEIER

hen the continent-hopping trio Engine— Alejandro Tomás Rodriguez (vocals, acoustic guitar) from Argentina, and Robin Gentien (vocals, electric guitar, percussion) and Pierre Lauth-Karson (vocals, harmonica, percussion) from France—arrived in Albuquerque as part of the 2017 Revolutions Festival, they had no sense that this city would become their adoptive home. But then came electrifying performances at ¡Globalquerque! that fall, followed by an invitation to Rodriguez to teach as a visiting professor in the Theater and Dance Department at UNM during the spring 2018 semester. At that point, the trio settled in Albuquerque to write new material. “We were in need of settling down,” says Rodriguez. “We were traveling too much.” That spring, the trio performed seven Encuentros Íntimos, Inti-

mate Encounters, on successive Wednesday nights at Dialogue Brewery that became SRO events. Including poetry and both ancient and original songs, the performances drew on the extensive theatrical training of both Rodriguez and Gentien and the exceptional musicianship of the trio. “It looks like the proposal we bring with us—this musical proposition and also performative proposition—had a good ground here to be perceived. People really liked what we were doing.” The trio functioned as a vessel through which transformative energies were shared with the audience. Engine recorded two albums in Albuquerque and returned in 2019 for another series of encounters. Now, with Rodriguez a newly minted tenure-track professor at UNM and an Albuquerque resident, the

“PEOPLE really LIKED what we were doing.”

trio is likely to be a more regular presence in the city. 2021 UPDATE: For a year, Engine, along with various collaborators, had been planning an ambitious project for March 2020 in Albuquerque. When the pandemic canceled it, Rodriguez was marooned here, the others in Paris. “I wrote many songs,” says Rodriguez. With travel restrictions lifted, Rodriguez flew to Europe, where they crafted material for their upcoming album, Quieto, to be recorded in Paris by Sodi, the producer of many Fela Kuti albums. The trio also performed a livestream for audiences in China, and they’ve been invited to tour that country in each of the next three years. The canceled Albuquerque events are now scheduled for spring 2022. “Music and any art are very essential now, more than ever,” says Rodriguez. (@theengineproject, theengineproject.com, theenginesongs@gmail.com)

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of CDs sold out in a week. “We played a bunch of shows to promote the record, and it seemed like we were getting some pretty good momentum,” says Mays.

“Now that I’m in this

coronavirus quarantine thing, I’ve been WRITING and RECORDING a lot.”

“Now that I’m in this coronavirus quarantine thing, I’ve been writing and recording a lot,” he says. Five new songs are about ready for release, and Mays foresees some new single releases later in 2020 and possibly a new album in 2021. Meanwhile, he is looking to do some live performances from his studio until the band—with Travis Darrah and Bryan Davis (guitars); John Eichleay (pedal steel); Wesley Patton, Jr. (bass); and Dustin Hoag (drums)—is able to get back on stage.

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Mays is ready to help other musicians looking for material. “Because I write songs in so many different genres, I feel like it’s important to try and get those out there. I know there’s a lot of folks who are great singers and amazing instrumentalists, but they don’t write music or they don’t know how to produce it once they’ve got a song they believe in. That’s something that I hope to be involved in for a long time.”

2021 UPDATE: Mays was just getting started, riding the excitement of his eponymous, award-winning first album when the pandemic hit. Unable to perform, he turned his attention to songwriting and recording, and now has two albums’ worth of music in the can. “I have to reintroduce myself back into the market,” he says, so you’ll be seeing some singles soon. The new material features contributions from both local musicians and friends from LA, Nashville, and Sweden, and Mays says it is “sonically superior” to the award-winner. He’s also collaborated on friends’ projects, cowriting some ’80s-type tunes for a Netflix production, and a song in support of Black Lives Matter, “Say Their Names,” which is garnering serious interest. Look for him back onstage this summer. (luckymays.com)

COURTESY PHOTO

Singer/songwriter/band leader Lucky Mays has been writing songs for decades—since the age of three—but it was only in November 2020 that the Albuquerque native produced and released his eponymously titled debut album of original music, along with a killer single, “Already Gone,” that features his cousin, Kayleigh Maes, on vocals. It was worth the wait: the first run

MAYS WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

I COURTESY PHOTO

n 2019, singer/songwriter Chloë Nixon won Best Pop Album at the New Mexico Music Awards for her debut album Anomalous Soul, which features nine original songs. What makes the accomplishment even more remarkable is that when she released the album, the Albuquerque native was just 14 years old—with an amazingly mature voice and with lyrics that reflected a wisdom beyond her years. As she says in one song, “Sometimes I forget that I am still young.”

“It was AWESOME.

They SUPPORTED me right away.”

She started early with music. “I was really influenced by kids’ shows that had to do with music,” says Nixon, to the point that at age five, she informed her parents, Aana and Eric, that she wanted to be a musician. “It was awesome. They supported me right away.” Voice lessons soon followed, and

Nixon picked up the guitar, violin, piano, and ukulele along the way. Nixon employs all her talent and training to deliver a positive message. While her first album was aimed more at a young audience, she’s expanding her scope on her next album, which she hopes to release within the next year. “I’m talking about more things that I think just really matter in the world, from how societal systems affect us to relationships—different things like that,” she says. As unpretentious as she is talented, Nixon is quick to recognize her passionate, hardworking parents as a primary influence, along with Alicia Keys and Lauren Hill, and she give thanks to her fans and supporters. 2021 UPDATE: Nixon had been working on an album focused on social issues but then found herself writing songs about love. “I just decided to follow what my heart was going towards,” says Nixon, who recently released an EP of these songs, Private Dimension, along with couple of videos. She’s still working on the album, though. “I definitely did not want to rush that,” she says. Meanwhile, she opened for Elle King at an AMP drive-in concert, performed in an online celebration of the 100th anniversary of the women’s vote, and

played in Socorro at NM Tech’s live-streamed Women’s Fest and in Zoom performances for local schools there. She was also accepted at Berklee College of Music, where she’ll be matriculating this fall. (chloenixonmusic.com)

Its members hail from North and South America—Nicholas Baker, Paul Gonzales, and Micah Hood (USA); Carlos Noboa and Joseph Altamirano (Ecuador); Kilko Paz (Bolivia); and Jackie Zamora (Perú)—but the band is uniquely Burqueña, having composed the city’s official song, “Rumba de Burque,” and New Mexico United’s anthem. Baracutanga addresses issues such as immigration, the environment, the contributions of undocumented and other marginalized people, and violence, but it does so in a positive and oh-so-danceable way that captured multiple

“Our concept is

moving to the FUTURE with the past in front of you.”

awards for its first album, Importados. Its recent award-winning single, “Cuida Tus Espaldas” (“Watch Your Back”), delivers “the powerful message of keeping families united always,” says Zamora, and it offers a foretaste of the next album, Volver Atrás (Going Back), which the band hopes to release this fall. “We’re looking back to the past for what it is we should do for the future,” says Hood, who notes that the album’s music more deeply explores the band’s South American and Andean roots.

“Volver Atrás means we have gone too far, and we need to go back to see what we have done wrong,” says Paz. “Our concept is

moving to the future with the past in front of you.” With Baracutanga, that movement will be done dancing. 2021 UPDATE: You can’t keep a good band down. As soon as they could, Baracutanga’s members began meeting regularly for masked, socially distanced rehearsals to keep the flame alive. “Trying to focus on the positive,” says vocalist Jackie Zamora, “like the completion of the CD.” The band has been fine-tuning, mixing, and mastering Volver Atrás over the last year. They’ve also been shooting videos that will accompany its release, hopefully sometime this summer, and writing new material. “We’ve pushed a lot of boundaries to come up with a more authentic sound that will define where we’re going musically. It’s an evolution,” she says. The band has started booking gigs, and you can expect more uplifting, socially conscious messages mated to dance-till-you-drop grooves. (baracutanga.com)

PHOTO BY XAVIER OBANDO

lending multicultural influences, modern and folkloric instruments, and irresistible rhythms from across the Americas, the award-winning band Baracutanga has dedicated itself to cultural pluralism—and making people dance. (The band’s name comes from an Africaans voicing that means “people dancing.”)

GIVE YOUR KIDS A BRIGHTER AND BETTER FUTURE WITH A 529 As this school year ends, we look forward to a brighter and better future for our children. Opening a 529 college savings plan with The Education Plan is a step in the right direction. A 529 offers the flexibility to be used for qualified expenses associated with in-person or online college or vocational school including tuition, room & board, books, computers, and so much more. It’s never too late to get started with The Education Plan, New Mexico’s state-sponsored 529 plan.

TheEducationPlan.com | 1-877-337-5268 For more information about The Education Plan, call 1.877.337.5268 or visit theeducationplan.com to obtain a Plan Description and Participation Agreement, which includes investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information; read and consider it carefully before investing. The Education Plan® and The Education Plan® Logo are registered trademarks of The Education Trust Board of New Mexico used under license. TEP.0040.ABQM.0621

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ABQ THE INTERVIEW P. 126 | PERSONALITY P. 132 | BEHIND THE SCENES P. 136

NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION The struggle to get shoes onto her sons’ tiny feet led Tina Bagon to invent a kiddie shoehorn years ago, and now the world—in particular, online giant Amazon—is taking notice (p. 136).

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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

Madalena Salazar Building an inclusive space for artists—and returning to her native Albuquerque—drive the executive director of Working Classroom.

adalena Salazar became executive director of Working Classroom in February 2021. The non-profit arts organization put down roots in Albuquerque in 1987, and over the past 34 years has evolved to include student programs in visual, theater, and media arts; a bilingual theater company; a gallery; and a college scholarship fund. Its students and lead artists have also painted 17 landmark murals across the Duke City and in Toronto, Canada. Salazar previously worked as an adjunct professor of art history at the Community College of Denver, a Latino culture programs coordinator at Denver Art Museum, and a social responsibility and inclusion programs manager at WESTAF. With familial history of social justice work and a career in art history, joining the organization felt like a homecoming for the 40-year-old Albuquerque native. ATM: What did your family teach you about social justice?

PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

MADALENA SALAZAR: I had a single

mom who had a really incredible career here in New Mexico. She and my father—who I didn’t grow up with—were involved with the Chicano movement in the 1970s. They worked in the public health sector and worked on issues of health justice early on, before it was even called that. My family gave us the sense

that we as people in general need to be responsible to the most under-resourced folks in our communities, and, as Mexican Americans, that was other members of our own community. We were responsible for the betterment of community as a whole. ATM: What history?

drew

you

into

art

MS: From my earliest moments, I re-

member being drawn to arts, creativity,

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

and culture. I am fascinated with human history and the fact we make things as human beings. My family always encouraged me in that. But I decided from an early age that I couldn’t be a working artist because that’s a hard career path. I pursued anthropology but there was a tension there for me. We were told we would be “discovering” things. I pursued art history because it felt like a field where we weren’t “discovering” things, but rather interpreting things. We could critique the way we approached history. ATM: How did you become involved with blending art and social justice? MS: I was really lucky to go to the University of New Mexico, which has a strong focus on indigenous art and the art of the Americas, as well the art of social justice. I had a lot of professors of color who had more relatable experiences to someone like me. The arts are a very homogenous and elite profession. I was taught by peo-

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ABQ

ple who knew what that felt like, and who knew working in community and community organizing was an important part of the field. ATM: Why was the executive directorship at Working Classroom appealing? MS: I wanted to get back into a space of

impacting artists and aspiring artists directly. That was a huge deal for me. I’ve spent all of my career advocating for the changes that organizations need to make to be equitable. Now, I have the opportunity to lead in that way and make decisions in that way. I get to be in collaboration with my staff, board, and the folks that we serve, and actually have the decision-making capabilities. That’s really powerful.

ATM: How’s the organization doing at the moment? MS: As a grassroots nonprofit, we’ve his-

torically not been as well-resourced as others. And arts organizations are not as

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ABQ

well-resourced as other nonprofits. As a BIPOC-led and serving organization, we’re the least resourced of other arts organizations. We have also been negatively impacted through the pandemic. It’s a crazy challenge. But it’s also an opportunity to re-envision how we do things. ATM: How are you going to approach things differently post pandemic? MS: It’s not about returning to where we

were or getting back to normal, it’s about thinking intentionally about who we are, who we’re serving, and what’s at the core. It’s about sharing power within the organization with the staff, who are equally valued in decision-making roles, instead of replicating a hierarchical situation. It’s about how we’re bringing together assets as an organization and listening to the needs of those we serve. In terms of our partnerships in the community, it’s about working in collaboration rather than competing and replicating programs.

ATM: What’s your vision of where

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ABQ

you want to take the organization? MS: Right now, my immediate goal is

to ensure we can continue doing what we’re doing as an organization. We had to downgrade over the past year in staff time. We didn’t have to lay off anyone, but we shrunk as an organization. I want to get back up and running on a scale that we’re used to. It’s beneficial for the staff, who deserve and want fulltime work. We also pay our students a living wage so they can continue to explore their art and creativity. Long term, I want to have a more holistic program. Historically, despite the fact that our organization has centered BIPOC communities, the practice has been from a Eurocentric perspective of what arts and culture is. I want to create ways for our student to bring in more of their own cultural values and knowledge. In the Mexican American community, for example, we have a lot of creative practices that incorporate wellness. There’s a lot of traditional knowledge from our curan-

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deras, which I consider to be a creative practice. Art is something we all hold as human beings. ATM: Why is the issue of paying artists more important than ever? MS: We’ve always had a strong relation-

ship with youth in the community that are most impacted by systems of oppression. When most organizations were asking for free labor from artists for “exposure” or not paying youth because they were giving them opportunities to learn, we realized that if we want to see success in BIPOC communities, we need to pay them for their time. They are valuable partners in our work. Just because they’re 15 doesn’t mean they’re not offering knowledge and experience to us, too. If we want to break down barriers in arts and culture, that’s incumbent on us to support them and their communities.

schools to get students supplies at home. It takes more staff and planning, but the students have been able to access those materials at any time they need, whether in class or not. For a lot of folks, art is a coping mechanism that they’ve used to manage what we’ve all been dealing with over the past year. ATM: What does the summer look like for Working Classroom? MS: We’re looking at the potential of

being able to have more in-person experiences soon, while also recognizing there’s a fourth wave happening across the country. We’re going to continue offering classes online, but we’re hoping to have exhibitions for students in the summer. Last summer, we did our mural project. We will do it again this year because that’s easy to do in a socially distant way outdoors. Fall remains to be seen.

ATM: How is Working Classroom navigating COVID-19?

ATM: What other arts projects are you involved in outside of work?

MS: We’ve been teaching students online

MS: I sit on the Urban Enhancement

for a year. We’ve been coordinating with

Trust Fund for the City of Albuquerque.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

ABQ

We’re a funding source for a lot of organizations in the arts. We talk a lot about how we’re building transparency and access to that funding. I joined because there was a struggle to representation there. A lot of communities of color aren’t able to “sit at the table” for a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s by choice because there are other spaces they choose to operate in. I’m able both in terms of privilege and familial support to be able to use my time toward those causes. I have the ability to navigate some of those systems and can be in some of those situations that might be harmful for others.

suring success for the individuals and collectives in whatever way that works for them, instead of viewing things through a lens of competition and loss mentality. ATM: What does it mean to you to be back in Albuquerque? MS: I was born and raised in Albuquerque, and I lived here until I was 29. When I left and went to Denver, I always intended to learn what I could and come back.

I’m grateful to be back home after a decade and working in collaboration with my community, leaders, and inspiring leaders. Although I’m a go-with-the-flow person and don’t necessarily like a concrete plan, what I have envisioned for a very long time was to do exactly this type of work: to support youth and young leaders in a BIPOC arts organization. It feels like a dream. It feels really good to be home. —Ashley M. Biggers

I’m also one of the community leads for Coffee + Creatives, a group of people who meet up to support each other’s work. It’s meaningful because it’s a place that centers BIPOC, queer, and differently abled voices as well. The group thinks of creativity in the broadest sense and about growth and collaboration. It’s about en-

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

Getting Back To Fun Mary Schmidt combines a lifetime of business knowledge with an instinct for the offbeat to guide OFFCenter Arts through the pandemic and beyond.

hen Mary Schmidt was a child, her entrepreneurial father would often burst into the house with a wild idea for another business endeavor. Her practical-minded mother would ask simply, “Where’s the check?” These days, Schmidt credits her parents with her blend of creativity and common sense. Those qualities have served her as she’s guided OFFCenter Community Arts Project through the pandemic.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

Originally born in Hobbs, but raised in part in Oklahoma, Schmidt had early aspirations of becoming a commercial artist. The now 63-year-old jokes that she dates herself when she reveals all that work would have been hand drawn in the days before computer graphic design. “I realized I would never be more than thoroughly mediocre,” she says. Instead, she leaned into pursuing a career as a cardiovascular surgeon until chemistry classes stymied her plans. She dropped out of college and eventually went back to earn a degree in business marketing. She describes her more than 25-year career in corporate America as a crazy quilt of jobs. “I never had a master career plan,” she confesses. Instead, she followed where opportunity and interest took her. Throughout her career, she’s worked variously as an insurance claims processor—which led her into high tech—and in finance, market research, and start-ups. “I just like to do things that are fun,” she

says. “I like a challenge and I like producing results.” Along the way, she was always involved in volunteering and non-profit organizations. This varied background came together when she moved to Albuquerque in 2001 with a mission to make a difference. She opened a consulting agency, which she continues in her free time today, working with for- and non-profit businesses alike.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Consulting with philanthropic organizations “plugged into my problem-solving drive,” she says. “I also have an empathy addiction. I care about people I don’t know and maybe don’t even like, but we’re all in this together. I’m puzzled by people who don’t understand that we’re all connected.” When the opportunity to lead OFFCenter came up, she took the first cold interview she’d done in 30 years. The organization began as an art hive in 2001 and promotes community arts “by providing a safe and supportive environment for art-making and social interaction,” according to its website. Usually, the downtown art space sponsors classes in everything from writing to puppet making, and hosts an open studio where anyone is welcome to come in to create. “On any given day, we’d have 75 people in there making things,” Schmidt says. “We’d have a retired history professor working with a young homeless man working on a project together.”

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The organization’s free-flowing vibe fit with where she was in her life. The organization, in turn, benefited from her background in strategic planning and her drive to create financial stability. Schmidt is quick to remind that, while non-profits bear that status, they still have to make money, whether through programming or grant funding. “You have to think of non-profits as businesses because you have to pay rent, staff, etc.,” she says. “I can think outside the box, but I know there also has to be a box.” Schmidt’s visions for her directorship of OFFCenter had to pivot as the pandemic descended a few months after she took on the new role. “I thought I knew what the job was going to be, then the pandemic hit. There was nothing in my executive director handbook about how to survive a global pandemic and an economic crisis,” she remembers. “I’m really good in a crisis, though. The bigger the crisis, the calmer I get. A couple of times I was almost comatose.” After a couple months of being shut down, the center began distributing free art boxes to the community to partner community groups. “It’s just part of what we do,” Schmidt says. “We just asked, ‘How can we provide what people need to keep themselves engaged and creative?’” Particularly because OFFCenter works with low-income people and art supplies

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are expensive, Schmidt felt a need to get supplies into the hands of working artists. The kits were also available for anyone who wanted to create as a way to improve or maintain their mental health, which was a particular need given the stresses the public health emergency created. Throughout 2020, OFFCenter also hosted virtual art classes, posted window exhibitions, and ultimately ended the year with a financial surplus. It did so even after paying three staff members throughout a two-and-a-half month shut down. This was possible thanks to anonymous grants made the previous year and because Schmidt became “a lean, mean grant-writing machine,” she says. “I applied for everything on the face of the earth.” She hopes to end 2021 in a similar financial position. As the public health emergency subsides, she’s looking to create more partnerships with community groups. By teaming up with other groups and stakeholders, she hopes non-profits can compete less for limited resources and ulti-

mately build more capacity. Although OFFCenter is planning a small version of its annual folk-art festival this year, Schmidt’s aiming for a bigger-and-better version in 2022. She hopes OFFCenter can return to a fully open studio soon and plans to continue providing take-home art kits to the community even after the pandemic. Despite her practical side, Schmidt increasingly finds herself playing the role her dad once did: bursting in with a new

wild idea, whether it’s a low-rider gathering or a hula-hoop festival. And she rarely turns down her staff members’ ideas either. “It’s all about the quirky here,” she says. “We’re not a billion-dollar corporation. We want to do the funky and fun. Sitting there and making a project with someone you wouldn’t normally engage with really brings people together. It’s really hard for people to be afraid of each other if they’re creating together.” —ASHLEY M. BIGGERS

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BEHIND SCENES THE

YOUR SNEAK PEEK AT JOBS THAT FLY BELOW THE RADAR

A Determined Mom After years of marketing her patented kiddie-size shoehorns, Tina Bagon found the right fit with Amazon and Zappos.

ack in 2005, Tina Bagon struggled with the same nagging problem as other moms: how to get their kids’ tiny feet into tiny shoes. “It took so much time and was frustrating for everyone,” says Bagon, an Albuquerque native. “I would sit on the floor, (and) my older son would lean against my back to put his shoes on.”

PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

But between son Brandon’s lean-to approach, and her younger son Evan’s process (which required sitting in mom’s lap), Bagon hit on the solution. “I realized my kids were trying to put shoes on, (but) they weren’t engaging their own core muscles to push their foot into a shoe,” she says. “They used me as leverage, instead.” And that need for leverage led to the invention of the Little Piggie Kids Shoehorn, which Bagon created, thanks to her sons. The brightly colored, animal-themed shoehorns debuted as Bagon’s inherent product this past March on Amazon and Zappos. “When children learn to put on their own shoes, it is like a small weight has been lifted,” says Bagon. “It’s one thing you can remove from your ‘to-do’ list before leaving the house.”sign, and meaning to my customers are everything to me,” she says. But as with any overnight success, Bagon’s story took years in the making. She

first designed and created a kiddie shoehorn in 2005, using only viral marketing on Facebook. The product, a small blue shoehorn, was a hit, eventually selling 5,000 units. “But then I got too busy with the boys,” says Bagon. “They were playing sports and I didn’t have the time.” About 10 years later, friends started asking if she was ever going to revive her product, and that’s when Bagon got serious, sketching out designs with crayons and colored pencils on her kitchen table. The resulting product went on sale on her BrightKidsLLC.com site in 2018, and after pulling in an impressive amount of

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

sales, caught the attention of Amazon. The behemoth online retailer signed a contract with Bagon to place the horns on their site, as well as on their subsidiary, Zappos.com, a leader in online shoe sales. Little Piggie Kids Shoehorns are sold in five different colors, with fun, kid-friendly designs that include a green frog, red owl, yellow monkey and pink butterfly. There’s also a nod to Bagon’s original design, a blue model that is molded from Brandon’s foot (with Evan’s foot imprinted on the back)—mom’s way of giving ‘props’ to her tykes for providing inspiration. A three-pack is $19.99 on Amazon and Zappos. The Bright Kids site offers the same deal, but also carries a two-pack ($13.99) and a five-pack ($24.99). During the years it took to develop the product, Bagon cleaned houses to finance her business while avoiding any significant debt. She also created a product prototype and educated herself on different manufacturing processes. One critical element to the entire plan was incorporating the right materials to remain compliant

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THE

BEHIND SCENES

with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. In other words, she had to avoid the use of any toxic substances that might be harmful to children. “I sent my products to be tested, and received my certificates four months later,” says Bagon. “The certificates are very costly. Big retail companies will not sell your products without them.” Bagon’s shoehorn design is even patented (her trademark is named Lil Pigz Slipinz). “The (design) uniquely positions little feet to slip into shoes without squashing the backs, with the anatomy of little feet and little hands in mind,” says Bagon. “I have learned from experience in the retail industry that patents and trademarks are worth the extra expense by protecting products against copy cats.” Bagon has her shoehorns manufactured by a Texas-based injection-molding company, with which she stays in com-

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munication with from start to finish with each purchase order. When she officially launched the product on Amazon and Zappos, she received assistance from a vendor support team to help set up her company with their systems. Now, Bagon receives an order through an electronic data system, and she confirms receipt of the order before relaying it to her manufacturer. The final order is shipped to each respective company’s distribution center. Bagon deals with one buyer each from Amazon and Zappos. “They have been excellent partners to me. I am grateful,” she says. “They promote my product on social media and always email me willing to help with anything I need.” In addition to her own tireless efforts, Bagon credits close Albuquerque friend Paige LoPour for playing an integral role in helping to get her business started. Not only did LoPour offer to help Bagon with

early-stage funding, but she also provided insight on building a branding manual, tracking sales receipts, creating a website and properly using social media, among other things. “She believed in me more than I believed in myself,” says Bagon. “Without her, I don’t think I would have gotten this far.” Through it all, Bagon was resilient in putting her product on the market. And yes, she reports that profits have resulted from the venture, which she characterizes as being extremely successful thus far. “It takes a long time, and a lot of commitment. Sometimes, you’re the only person who believes in your product, and you have to make others believe, too,” says Bagon. “If you keep pushing and pushing, they will finally believe you.” —TRISTEN CRITCHFIELD

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CREATIVES P. 140 | SHELFLIFE P. 142

CULTURE

AN EXPANDING JOURNEY A long and storied history of theater set design and painting—and world travel—brought 81-year-old Joe Stephenson to his current endeavor as a thriving Albuquerque muralist (pg. 140).

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

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

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

THE TEACHING ARTIST Joe Stephenson specializes in community murals—and working with youth.

native of Jamaica, West Indies, artist Joe Stephenson spent his youth hopscotching between countries. By his early twenties, his restless father had taken the family from Stephenson’s homeland to New York City and Scotland. As the teenager emerged into adulthood, he added time in Michigan and a stint in Berkley, California to his list. Now a U.S. citizen, this travel “has given me a larger view of art and politics,” says Stephenson. “It’s a rounder version of the world.” Place—and the people that hail from there—have had a profound effect on the community muralist, who engages with the public to create his artwork. He first became interested in community murals,

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and the process behind them, when he learned about the Mexican mural movement. That 1920s undertaking headed by star artist Diego Rivera promoted social and political messages aimed at reunifying the culture after the Mexican revolution. “I grew up in British colonial Jamaica, so I saw the parallels with Mexico trying to find its own identity away from Spanish colonialism,” explains Stephenson. “It was a way of uplifting people because the divide between the rich and poor is so stark. It helps to make a more egalitarian society.” In 1980s New York, he joined Cityarts Workshop Inc. In 1983, he founded the Artmakers Inc. muralist collective with two fellow artists. With each group, he worked with the neighborhoods and housing developments to design and produce the murals. He learned an early

lesson about the importance of community feedback with a mural for the Martin de Porres housing development. He had planned a Martin Luther King Jr.–themed mural that also included images inspired by the reality of the Civil Rights Movement, such as burning buses and hooded KKK figures. He’d sketched out the mural, only to arrive at the worksite one morning to picket signs. The mothers were protesting what they saw as harmful imagery. “I learned that people don’t want to be confronted with negative images in public art because that’s what they’re dealing with in their daily lives. They want positive images,” he says. “I also learned to do more outreach and get more people involved in the formation of the mural.” When a community is involved in a project, Stephenson says, “They tend to protect it and it becomes part of them.” WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

A chance encounter at a conference inspired him to come to New Mexico in 1987. “It was so welcoming,” he remembers. “It reminded me very much of Jamaica. I found here an openness and friendliness. It instantly made me feel accepted.” Initially, he was hired by La Compania de Teatro de Albuquerque for set design and painting. “Theater has always been my day gig that’s always supported my mural habit,” he says. Over the years he’s also painted for Albuquerque Civic Light Opera Association (now Musical Theatre Southwest), Albuquerque Little Theatre, Teatro Nuevo Mexico, Opera Southwest, and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. His mural habit certainly continued in the Duke City, too. In 1992, he got back to his roots of working with youth during the creation of “Heath Care is a Right, not a Privilege,” at Cesar Chavez and Broadway Blvd. in Albuquerque. It grew into today’s Working Classroom Inc. summer mural program where students apprentice with professional artists.

When he’d first worked with youth in New York at Cityarts Workshop, he worried he wasn’t up to the task. However, he found that, “if you’re still in touch with the youth within yourself, you don’t see yourself as above them. It’s not a boss-underling relationship. You’re a crew,” he says. “Some of the young people will come up with ideas that I wouldn’t have thought about. Sometimes I’m blown away by their ideas or techniques.” During the 2014 to 2015 creation of “La Corriente del Valle/ The Flow of the Valley” (at 3904 Isleta Blvd. SW), the students contributed several innovative ideas. Together they found ways to embed QR codes in the mural that, with a quick smartphone scan, turn it in to a multi-media experience. The codes animate a road runner that strides along the top of the mural, add sound effects, and call up a discussion for select scenes in the mural. Stephenson’s creative process always starts with exploring history. “It’s all to enlighten the current generation about what happened in the past,” he says. He believes that much of today’s street art has

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

become very private and specific to the artist or a particular artistic style. However, he’s always been one to create for the masses. His imagery in “Mother Road,” (at Second Street and Central Avenue) for example, features iconic vehicles from 1960s convertibles to trucks carrying Depression-era settlers, all on a westward journey along Route 66. “I don’t just make something that looks pretty,” Stephenson says. “It has to look good and there has to be something beyond the surface. It has to make you think.” In recognition of his more than 100 murals painted across the world (many of which are in the Duke City), Stephenson earned a Creative Bravos award from the City of Albuquerque in early 2021. “It goes to show you that people are watching even if you don’t think they are,” he says. “It’s an honor.” Even at 81, Stephenson’s artistic spark is still burning. “The creative process isn’t something you retire from. It chooses you,” he says. “It’s something that you gradually find in yourself as you grow, so it never stops.”—ASHLEY M. BIGGERS

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SHELFLIFE

TURN A PAGE WITH OUR LOCAL AUTHORS

PRIESTS AND PUEBLOS colonial history, starting with the arrival of the conquistador Juan de Oñate— along with a few hundred settlers, soldiers, and priests—in 1598. In her most recent book, New Mexico author Donna Blake Birchell takes us on a tour of these historic landmarks, exploring the intersections of people and culture that shaped them—and their place in New Mexican communities—over the centuries. A Catholic by upbringing, Birchell’s childhood was nourished by the lore and legends of New Mexico. She brings this perspective to bear in her exploration of the variously complex and mysterious story of Spanish Catholic missions in what would eventually come to be known as the Land of Enchantment.

NEW MEXICO MISSION CHURCHES By Donna Blake Birchell Arcadia Publishing, 2021 176 pages $21.99

COURTESY IMAGE

ew Mexico is home to dozens of N historic churches. These physical remains track hundreds of years of

What drew you to writing about New Mexico’s historic mission churches?

ATM:

DONNA BLAKE BIRCHELL: When I was

12, my parents and I did kind of a loop from Carlsbad up through Taos and down and around. And we went to the Ranchos de Taos. We saw the miraculous painting and all of the Pueblo and everything. It was a moving experience. You know, it was just such a different culture from what I was experiencing down here in Carlsbad. I’ve always been drawn to the Santuario de Chimayo. It’s just a very sacred place to me. The books that have been put out on the mission churches were written probably back in the ‘70s or so, so they needed a little bit of a refresher.

ATM: What was the process of researching the book like? DBB: With the pandemic, it was a little touch and go, because none of the pueblos were open and I couldn’t visit them. But I wanted to be able to kind of get the feeling of the place and of the setting so that I could relay that to the readers. I was able to visit a few of them—they weren’t all closed—but that pandemic was not fun for trying to get research done. I used old books that were written by some of the original priests that came through with the Spanish and got their take on what they were trying to accom-

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plish. I got a lot of the books that were written by some of the military people who were giving descriptions of the churches themselves at that time, too. And, you know, a lot of vertical file folders and internet research. It was quite a process. Between this book and my Hidden Gems book I put probably 40,000 miles on my car, trying to get a feeling for these places. ATM: Was there a mission that you developed a special appreciation for in particular? DBB: The Santuario is my favorite, but there’s a small mission church in Mescalero, down in my part of the country—it’s St. Joseph’s Apache Mission—and the priest that started it basically did it all on his own. He wanted to build a church for the Mescalero Apache in that area. He used two, maybe three helpers to move these enormous boulders and great big logs coming up from El Paso to build this church, and during the time that he was building it he was called into service in World War I. He came back out of World War I and finished up the church, but then was called back into service as a chaplain in World War II and ended up being a prisoner of war.

ATM: How do the communities that are still home to these missions view them today? DBB: Some of them have changed back to their original [Pueblo] names, which I thought was pretty cool. I think Santo Domingo is now Kewa. They keep the Catholic traditions, but also have incorporated some of their own traditions back into it, and I think it’s a stronger church that way. I’m glad to see that. ATM: What should people keep in mind when they visit these historic mission churches?

When they’re finally open again, just be extremely respectful. A lot of them have rules where you cannot photograph, you cannot sketch—you just have to enjoy and you just have to soak it in. And be respectful when there are feast days—I give a list of feast days in the book, as to when communities have celebrations and dances. Be respectful to the elders and just go by the rules. Go to the tribal center when you first arrive and find out what their rules are. —ZB

DBB:

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

SHELFLIFE

A TALE OF TWO STANDOFFS Wildlife Refuge in Harney County, Oregon. A few months later and 900 miles to the east, youth of the Standing Rock Sioux and other Native American communities organized in protest against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, an oil pipeline that would pass under the Missouri on unceded tribal lands, threatening access to clean, safe drinking water. In Standoff: Standing Rock, The Bundy movement, and the American story of sacred lands, journalist, writer, and activist Jacqueline Keeler explores the contradictions between these two movements—and the legal and media responses to them.

ATM: How did it occur to you to

examine the parallels and contrasts between the Standing Rock Sioux’s protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Bundy movement?

JACQUELINE KEELER: It’s really the difference in the way the two occupations were handled and perceived by the authorities. On one hand you see—even though they were threatening his wife, his wife had to go into hiding—the sheriff of Harney County was having heart-toheart, man-to-man discussions—very respectful discussions—with Ammon Bundy. I think you can see some of those still on YouTube, published by the Oregonian. And I think I said they’re like out of central casting. You know—the kind of stalwart western men and stuff. And then you see what happened at Standing Rock, where the sheriff of Morton County in North Dakota basically helped lead an all out militarized operation against the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. To me, even though they are using less than lethal methods, these were methods that had been utilized in Afghanistan and the Middle East. It was just brutal. Even from the very beginning, when they had their first little nonviolent—not even direct action, they just sort of were protesting—and six folks were arrested in early August 2016, including the tribal chairman, and he was strip searched by the county sheriff. ATM: Can you talk a little bit about the

underlying issues that motivated the Bundy militants?

STANDOFF By Jacqueline Keeler Torrey House Press, 2021 236 pages $19.95

COURTESY IMAGE

2016, armed militants IandnfueledJanuary by extremist ideologies seized occupied the Malheur National

JK: The Bundies were taking a stand for the Hammonds [Oregon ranchers arrested and prosecuted for arson], but they also have a lot of other agendas which have been repeated—particularly by the father, Cliven Bundy—in court case after court case, that are not actually valid interpretations of the Constitution or the law. And they’ve been told that for almost 25 years in court cases—I guess it’s going on 28 years—but they don’t listen. ATM: And the issues that motivated

the protesters at Standing Rock?

JK: At Standing Rock, the issue of course had to do with the Dakota Access Pipeline and its permit to run under the Missouri River. Tribal members on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation began organizing—mostly younger people, young parents—against the pipeline. They wanted to demand consultation, because there were concerns that the pipeline could endanger their water source and endanger the river. And that’s a legitimate concern, considering there’s a lot of documentation on leaking in pipelines and there was no meaningful consultation. ATM: What are the legal concerns be-

hind the Standing Rock protests?

JK: Our

tribes are actually sovereign nations in the United States. In the case of Standing Rock, you have part of the great Sioux Nation, which has signed treaties that the U.S. Senate has ratified with us— which, you know, only sovereign nations can enter into treaties.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the water protectors are sitting on actual legal precedent with provisions in the treaty signed with the United States, which includes meaningful consultation. So these are actual valid issues. ATM: How did the media reaction dif-

fer between the events at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon and those at the Oceti Sakowin camp in North Dakota?

JK: The

minute [the militants] took over the wildlife refuge with guns, they were immediately met with 24-hour news coverage. The CNN truck pulled up and everything. With Standing Rock, they were there from April 1 and the news coverage really did not start happening until October, I would say. When the dog attacks occurred over Labor Day weekend, the only real media there was Democracy Now with Amy Goodman. And she’s an amazing journalist, but the CNN truck wasn’t there. I think this gets to the notion of the way in which we have a colonial structure, we have relationships that are derived from a history of colonialism that are defined by white supremacy. And in this system, white perspectives are centered and everyone else is marginalized. —ZB

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EATS P. 146 | EATS, ETC. P. 150 | FROM THE VINE P. 152 | MY FAVORITE RECIPE P. 158 | BITES P. 164

DISH

TWO MILES ABOVE THE SEA Rising atop the Sandia Peaks in 2019, Ten 3 Restaurant was conceived by its founders to be a destination for both tourists and locals. Between the fine dining and the spectacular view, everything is right on course (p. 144).

JUNE 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 DON JAMES/ATM

DISH

TEN 3 RESTAURANT You might have to buy a Tram ticket, but the food, service & decor (not to mention the view) will likely make it worth your while.

ased on contemporary accounting, Ten 3 took almost three years to complete. High Finance, the restaurant that used to occupy Ten 3’s spot, closed its doors in October 2016. Two years, nine months, and 24 days later, Ten 3 officially opened its door and took its place. But really—when you sit down and think about it—Ten 3 is better seen as a project millions of years in the making. Inasmuch as Ten 3 presents a blend of world-class fine dining, gorgeous architecture, and first-rate service, it is also

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a celebration of the place it calls home, perched 10,300 feet above sea level along the rough north-south crest of the Sandias. And those peaks are ancient, first starting their glacial rise 35 million years ago. “We’ve had incredible feedback about how [people] like the beauty of [Ten 3],” says owner Benny Abruzzo. “We tried to make it blend into the environment, not opposed to the environment. Even the tones of the siding materials, the roof, the deck space—we tried to really make it fit what was up there. We drew off the trees, the earth, the color of the stone. We

matched samples to limestone, bark, and foliage.” From the beginning, the idea has not been to plop a fine dining restaurant atop a glorious piece of natural real estate, but to make a restaurant that exists in a state of fluid synergy with the environment it inhabits. Even the slope of the roof is cut to match the angle of the granite escarpments that form the natural crown of the Sandias. Of course, that’s all for naught if the place doesn’t have good eats. For that, Ten 3 has turned to Chef J. Martin TorWWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

DISH

CASUAL EATS Though Ten 3’s fine dining menu is its star culinary attraction, it also offers a selection of more relaxed fare for lounge visitors.

ALPINE LOUNGING The lounge has a 360-degree bar, full liquor, and dozens of table seats—plus a huge, picturewindow view of the East Mountains.

TRAMWAY TRAVEL Technically, Sandia Tram isn’t the only way to get to Ten 3. The Sandia Crest parking area, or La Luz trail, also provide access routes.

ENERGY EFFICIENT AND BUILT TO LAST The building is designed to last at least half a century. It’s also been built to optimize energy efficiency, and makes use of recycled materials throughout the restaurant.

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DISH Ten 3 30 Tramway Rd. NE (Tram Terminal) 764-8363 Ten3tram.com

rez. A seasoned veteran of the Duke City culinary scene, Torrez brings nearly 20 years of experience to the crest, crafting innovative dishes at once rooted in local traditions and inspired by global flavors. Chef ’s Fresh Catch, by way of example, plays with the tastes and textures of fresh seafood. When we visited Ten 3, Torrez was making splendid use of fresh scallops to craft a dish that transports coastal flavors to an inland mountaintop almost two miles above sea level. “It’s a seared diver’s scallop over lime avocado jasmine rice,” Torres explains. “It has grilled Mexican squash and we finish it with a grilled pineapple habanero jelly.” Menu staples include the likes of White Marble Farms Bone-In Pork Chop Adovado—served with a creamy goat cheese polenta, Mexican squash, and grilled avocado salsa—and a Glazed Lamb Rack. “It has a cucumber feta mint salad and seasonal vegetables—right now it’s grilled endives with grilled asparagus,” says Torrez, describing a dish built around pan roasted lamb. “It’s finished with a tandoori-spiced orange glaze. I use all the spices in tandoori seasoning and I make a caramel glaze. I deglaze the orange juice and those spices and it makes this awe-

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some caramel sauce.” Cooking this kind of food a few thousand feet above the infrastructure of Albuquerque comes with its share of challenges. Employees don’t get to drive to work and park out back, and there’s no loading dock for a supply truck to back up to. Everything that makes Ten 3 run— from the cooks and wait staff to the ingredients Torrez and his crew deploy in crafting their stellar high-altitude menu—has to ride up the Sandia Peak Tramway, just like the majority of Ten 3’s guests (Ten 3 can, technically, be reached from the Sandia Crest parking lot, but after sunset the crest trails can become quite dangerous, and traversing them is sharply discouraged). “You’ve got to be very organized,” says general manager Bill Howley, another Albuquerque food scene stalwart with experience running operations from the Caribbean to the Rockies. “You have to plan out properly, because you can’t run to the store to get eggs. You’ve got to be very, very smart and educated when you’re ordering to make sure your food is up here, because there is no backup.” Running Ten 3 is, in short, very complicated, precision work. But it’s also worth

it, because what Ten 3 offers is more than just a meal—it’s an experience, something for diners to carry with them and remember fondly, sharing time with good company over exceptional food with the city of Albuquerque sparkling across the Middle Rio Grande Valley a few thousand feet below. “We do everything we can to make this the most incredible experience,” says Howley. “When people walk away, they’re like, ‘holy cow, that was amazing.’ Every day. That’s how me and my team work.” —ZB

FEATURED DISHES BALSAMIC GLAZED LAMB RACK, $53

Pan roasted rack of lamb with mint scented cucumber feta couscous, seasonal vegetables, and a rosemary demi glace.

CHEF’S FRESH CATCH, MARKET PRICE

A taste of the sea at 10,300 feet, Chef Martin prepares fresh special daily, serving up the likes of pan-seared scallops and Chilean sea bass.

SMASH BURGER, $17

This lounge-menu offering keeps it simple, delivering eight ounces of quality ground chuck on a brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

DISH

Eats, Etc.

At K’Lynn’s, seafood like catfish with crawfish étouffée is the name of the game.

hen you think about Cajun food, you probably think about the bayous of Louisiana, where the Mississippi spills its contents out into the Gulf of Mexico. It is not, at first blush, the sort of food you picture finding a home in the parched climes of the desert southwest. And that, more or less, is precisely why Katherine Johnson-Bey decided Rio Rancho needed its own southern and Cajun fusion restaurant. “I just started researching different cuisines that no one was really doing,” recalls Johnson-Bey, describing the process of brainstorming the concepts that would eventually become K’Lynn’s Southern & Cajun Fusion. “I just started dabbling in things that were unique, and that’s how I came up with the restaurant that I have now.”

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Cajun food, for the unfamiliar, is a rustic cuisine that emerged at the intersection of West African, French, and Spanish culinary traditions after the British expelled the Acadian French from eastern Canada and shipped them down to Louisiana, way back in the mid-18th century. K’Lynn’s brings a rich tour of these traditions—fried oysters and hand-breaded crawfish tails, alligator po boys and jerked chicken, collard greens and red beans and rice—to the metropolitan Duke City. Johnson-Bey’s approach to this cuisine comes from a homegrown passion for all things culinary. Raised in New York, she honed her skills in the family kitchen. “I used to watch the cooking shows, and my parents would come home and I’d have these different things cooked,” she explains. “After [they] were done eating, it’s like, ‘oh, we forgot we told you no cooking

when no one’s home.’ But they enjoyed the food.” First launched in 2015, K’Lynn’s is a labor of love—and the culmination of a lifelong passion. “I’d go to work, get off at night, come here with the headlights on, and just wish about this place,” says Johnson-Bey. “And then I started bringing my family here and we all were thinking about it. Finally, they told me to do it and I did.” And lucky for us, too—thanks to K’Lynn’s, a delicious bowl of gumbo or étouffée is now just a short drive away. —ZB

K’LYNN’S SOUTHERN & CAJUN FUSION 4300 Ridgecrest Dr. SE, Rio Rancho 453-3068 klynnsfusion.com WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

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

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And when we look for employees, we’re looking for those people that really get along with people, have a great attitude, and that’s what it’s all about.” Vick’s, as both a matter of deliberate design and a natural outworking of Robert Vick’s character, is the sort of place where a meal feels as much like a visit with a treasured friend as a moment out on the town. At Vick’s, just about everything is scratch made, in house, from the ranch salad dressing on up. That’s no mean feat, and it means the Vick’s crew is already hard at work, laying in the groundwork for culinary thrills at 4:30 in the morning, well in advance of opening.

A simple menu using fresh ingredients is the order of the day at Revel Burger.

hen the owner was building the concept for Revel—a local entertainment venue that brings together a sports bar, piano bar, and multi-option food hall—he decided he wanted to include a burger joint. “That’s where Revel Burger came into play,” says Jasmine Bouquet, the eatery’s marketing manager, who said owner Danny Chavez insisted on a burger spot. “We really just want to provide quality, fresh products to all of our customers, which is why we grind our beef in house, and all of it is 100 percent Angus.” The core menu here is stunningly sim-

ple. It’s a burger, a chicken sandwich, two kinds of salad, two kinds of fries, onion rings, chips, and mozzarella sticks. Each burger or chicken sandwich comes with the basics—onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and the house sauce—and can be tweaked with green chile, cheese, bacon, or additional patties as desired. Given that the word is right there in the name, it’s no surprise that burgers are the headline attraction here. But that doesn’t mean the chicken sandwich should be ignored. Cut and trimmed in house, the chicken here is seasoned and marinated for 24 hours, giving it a punch of flavor

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The fruits of that labor are abundantly obvious on the menu. Sante Fe Pancakes, made from a blue corn buttermilk batter with piñon, Hatch green chile, and cheddar-jack cheese, give the classic breakfast staple an unmistakable New Mexican kick. Meanwhile, the Cowboy Burrito elevates the breakfast burrito with chopped chicken fried steak and a smothering of green chile gravy.—ZB

VICK’S VITTLES 8810 Central Ave SE 298-5143 vicksvittles.com typical chicken sandwiches sometimes lack. For sides, Revel supplies the perfect burger accompaniments—beer battered fries, sweet potato fries, chips, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks. The fries or chips come with each combo, but tempting supplements—crispy onion rings or gooey mozzarella sticks—can be swapped in for a small upcharge. Revel Burger (and the entire venue) had the misfortune of opening just as the pandemic arrived in March of 2020. But the sprawling business has stayed upright, with Revel Burger even turning things up a notch recently by adding a five-patty burger to the mix in celebration of National Hamburger Day (May 28). “Our patties are five ounces,” says Tanya Ortiz, Revel’s general manager. “So that’s 25 ounces—a little over a pound and a half.” A pound and a half, you say? Consider us intrigued.—ZB

REVEL BURGER 4720 Alexander Blvd. NE 303-4700 revelburger.com

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

Chile and New Mexico fare create a popular crossroads of comfort food at Vick’s.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

ick’s Vittles is a study in subtle contrasts. On the one hand, it’s earned a solid reputation as a goto spot of authentic, scratch-made, country-style eats. On the other, it’s a fount of innovation, where owner Robert Vick and his staff are constantly looking for ways to improve processes and make the dining experience as safe and enjoyable as possible. As the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, Vick and his crew were quick to adapt, adding a drive-thru window, online ordering system, and outdoor patio in relatively short order. Now, rather than aiming a thermometer gun at their foreheads, Vick’s encourages guests to check their own temperature—a wise precautionary measure—at a contactless temperature kiosk. At the same time, Vick’s Vittles is still doing precisely what it’s known for: serving up delicious comfort food and diner classics (albeit with a signature New Mexico twist) to a bevy of loyal patrons and first-time visitors—all with boundlessly warm, welcoming service. “Hospitality is exactly what it is,” says Vick. “You have to have it in your blood.

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

Jaramillo has more than 10,000 plants spread across its acreage.

JARAMILLO VINEYARDS Follow NM 314 south out of Albuquerque, where it cuts a rough course through the verdant lowlands west of the Rio Grande. There are other ways to get where we’re going—faster ways—but those give a wide berth to the sights and sounds of spring in the quiet agricultural spread of the Middle Rio Grande Valley. Sunflowers blooming bright and yellow along the highway. Red-winged black birds calling amid the cattails in a patch of marshland. Hook a left onto East Reinken Avenue, a right onto North 2nd, eyes peeled for the red brick facade of the 1909 Central Hotel. Here, you’ll find it: the tasting room of Jaramillo Vineyards. It started modestly enough. On the hunt for a fulfilling occupation for his free time, Robert Jaramillo—together with his wife, Barb—bought a 14-acre plot

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of land north of Belen. Sights originally set on growing that alfalfa already sown across four acres of the spread, a bit of reading and research revealed that raising a crop like alfalfa in an arid ecosystem was both expensive and harmful. Grapes, however, can turn higher profit at one fifth of the water usage. The seeds for Jaramillo Vineyards were set. “We started our first plantings in 2003,” recalls Barb Jaramillo. “Robert’s dad [Salo Jaramillo] always made wine, because his grandfather [Leopold Jaramillo] was the biggest wine producer in this valley before prohibition. And he even legally did it for a while, because it was mostly bootleg back then. And, by God, with prohibition—it just put them out of business.” With those first plantings laid in 2003, it would be a full decade before Jaramillo Vineyards was producing wine. Turning grapes into delicious vino, it turns

out, is no easy or rapid matter. “We’ve ended up planting in the end 10 acres, all with friends and family, and we did it over about a five year period,” says Barb. Robert made wine—earning medals at events like the New Mexico State Fair— during these years, with a goal of opening in 2011. Then a big frost wiped out their crop, pushing launch back another two years. “A lot of people didn’t do vineyards this far north—and if they did they did real small ones and they buy most of their grapes down south,” says Barb Jaramillo, noting that a few operations—Gruet growing grapes in partnership with the Sandia Pueblo; Ponderosa, growing them near Jemez—have recently started to deviate from that pattern with some success. The reason, simply enough, was that many viticulturalists thought the northern reaches of New Mexico would be too WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

VINO OF THE VALLEY

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Stainless steel fermentation tanks, which preserve wine’s natural flavor.

Jaramillo grows Old World grapes that do well in the N.M. climate.

cold to sustain stable growth. “We’re kind of right in the middle of that and my husband’s tested over 32 varieties of grapes,” says Barb. An airline pilot by trade, Barb’s husband Robert had traveled to regions in Spain and Italy with a similar climate to north-central New Mexico. Those travels convinced him that the Land of Enchantment had untapped viticultural potential. “One reason New Mexico wines took a while to take off after prohibition is probably that they were kind of convinced that we could only grow hybrids, but my husband put a real effort into finding all the different viniferas,” Barb explains. “We grow tempranillo, we grow cab franc, we grow Barbera—which is a northern Italian grape—we grow Petit Verdot, which is a French grape. We do all the European grapes that are grown in this kind of

THE

weather.” Now, the Jaramillo Vineyards operation is in full swing. Their wines have now won awards at international festivals in San Francisco and New York, and continue to generate more with each passing year. “We have 26 varieties of wine right now bottled,” says Barb. “So when you come to taste here, you can taste.” On that front, Jaramillo Vineyards’ Belen tasting room is the ideal setting. Well over a century old, the 1909 Central Hotel harkens back to days when Belen was a hub for cargo and passengers traveling on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. “My sister-in-law said, ‘This hotel is falling apart.’ It had been empty for 30 years. There were birds in it—you know, everything. And she just fell in love with it,” says Barb, recalling a point in time

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

when it was unclear where the Jaramillo Vineyards tasting room should be located. “She called and said, ‘If I buy that old hotel, would you put the tasting room in Belen?’ We’re going, ‘Well, we’ll think about it.’ The next day she called and said, “I bought the hotel.’ So we go, ‘I guess we’ll put the tasting room in Belen.’” It turned out to be a fortuitous choice. After a bit of work, the Jaramillos have transformed the lower quarters of the historic hotel into a warm, inviting place— fresh and welcoming without sacrificing any antique charm. And thanks to the Belen MainStreet Project—a grassroots community effort aimed at revitalizing Belen’s historic downtown—the surrounding neighborhood has undergone a full makeover.

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Aging in wood barrels gives new flavors and aromas to Jaramillo wines.

ping deals to make selling wine directly to customers both easier and less expensive. COVID-19 made life and work weird for just about everyone. Sure, maybe there were researchers working at some isolated outpost in the high arctic for whom the pandemic was barely a hiccup in their daily affairs, but for the rest of us it was variously hectic, stressful, and tedious. Unpacking that strangeness and coming to terms with its full measure will probably take a while, but for now, we thought it would be a good time to check in with some of our local wineries to see how this incredibly odd year impacted them. Oxygen-permeable maturation tanks mimic the breathable environment of wood barrels.”

GRUET WINERY Like other New Mexico wineries, Gruet was subject to a particularly restrictive set of regulations and constraints during the pandemic. Nevertheless, they were able to adapt and persevere. “Through all the challenges, we were able to come up

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with new creative ways to engage with our customers,” says Brad Mayer, Vice President of Public Relations at Precept Wine, the group that currently owns Gruet. Innovations at Gruet included virtual happy hours and tasting events, personalized occasion packages for anniversaries and other important milestones, and special ship-

MILAGRO VINEYARDS For Milagro Vineyards, COVID was a time of fresh partnerships. “We teamed up with Silver Leaf Organic Farms and together offered—and continue to offer—an online store at milagrofarmstand. com, where people can order wine and organic produce along with other local products,” says Rick Hobson, who coowns and operates Milagro Vineyards with his wife, Mitzi. According to Rick, by offering products online and establishing curbside pickup, Milagro was able to WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

achieve 80 percent of the previous year’s sales despite not having access to a full tasting room. What’s more, they were able to keep up the important business of actually making wine, just as they’d done before. “There has been no change to how we raise grapes or make our wine,” says Rick. “We continue to raise all the grapes we use to make our wines in Corrales.”

SHEEHAN WINERY The first few months after COVID rolled into New Mexico were tough at Sheehan Winery, ultimately leading to a painful 80 percent drop in sales. In response, they pivoted—drastically. “I always tell the people who work events for us, ‘The most expensive thing we can do is not pour wine for people,’” says Sheehan owner and winemaker Sean Sheehan. Confident in his product, his thinking here has been that if he can just put some wine in someone’s glass, it will sell itself. “We did more than 70 off site events in 2019,” recalls Sheehan. “In 2020, we did one.” In response, Sheehan shifted more sales online and expanded their reach in retail to Whole Foods and Total Wine locations across New Mexico. They’ve also launched a program of backyard tastings that are currently booked two to three weeks in advance.

6601 4th St NW, Albuquerque, NM | davesvalleygrill.com | (505) 639-5807

VARA WINES Though COVID-19 shut down important aspects of VARA Wines’ business model, it also afforded unforeseen opportunities for improvement. “During our closure we revamped outdoor seating, purchased a new state-of-the-art food truck to increase our ability to offer a more diverse menu, installed outdoor umbrellas to enhance our lawn seating area, and purchased new patio furniture,” says Jessie McKeon, VARA’s sales and distribution manager. It also gave them a chance to lavish some extra care and attention on production, with fall of 2020 seeing the release of two new VARA wines— VARA Vermut Seco and VARA Vermut Dulce—which both promptly went on to win golds at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirit Competition. They’ve continued this productivity streak into 2021, launching their 2018 Garnacha Reserva, marking VARA’s inaugural push into the world of cork-finished wines. —ZB JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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SPIRIT SPOTLIGHT

Sweet

Fragrant

Fiery

Crisp

KINGSTON SPICE

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PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Kingston Spice, $12 The Copper Lounge 1504 Central Ave SE 242-7490 Copperloungeabq.com

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PHOTO BY REECE MARTINEZ/ATM

Things are steadily getting warmer and warmer. Inasmuch as that kind of weather lends itself to things like relaxing on a beach in the Caribbean, travel restrictions are still a little tight. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t grab a chilled cocktail—something with a mix of rum and citrus, perhaps— and let it carry you away on a virtual Caribbean vacation. For that kind of home grown escapism, consider turning to the Kingston Spice. It starts with a splash of lightly-aged J. Wray Jamaican rum, shaken with a splash of house syrup and fresh lime. “The syrup we make using clementine, thyme, and Thai chilies,” explains Copper Lounge manager Giovanni Martinez. “It’s just a little bit of Thai chili—it’s more about getting that flavor, not the heat.” Mixed and chilled, the cocktail goes into a fluted daiquiri glass (quite naturally—this is, technically, a daiquiri we’re talking about here) and, in a rich visual flourish, garnished with a Thai pepper. It’s a perfect cocktail to carry you away for a while—especially when actually getting away is unusually complicated these days. —ZB

DISH

Favorite

with Shannon Jacques Chief Development Officer

hannon Jacques has been making an impact in the Albuquerque business community for nearly three decades now, and a strong family background has been at the core of virtually everything she’s accomplished. Jacques is currently the chief development officer at the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, a promotion she received in February after working her way up through the organization for five years, from consultant, to manager, to director, and then to vice president. In addition to overseeing multiple departments and a staff of approximately 30 people, she is responsible for any engagement regarding small businesses, including fundraising, community support, contracts and grants. “I’m so passionate about small business. We’re not Seattle, L.A. or Chicago where they have corporations on every street corner. New Mexico is built on small businesses,” says Jacques. “When small businesses do well, the economic platform does well, development happens, and our community does well.” Jacques began laying the foundation for her current role shortly after her senior year at Albuquerque High School in 1991 (prior to that, she spent three years at St. Pius X High School). Upon graduation, she began working for the family business at Bar J Sand & Gravel, under her father, Louie Jacques. Her tasks were diverse: she worked in sales, interacted with business clients, dealt with employees, and han-

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dled day-to-day operations for a company that dealt primarily with construction and mining. After two years at the University of New Mexico, Shannon left school to return to work for her dad. For all the practical skills she learned on the job, the philosophy and wisdom imparted by her father might have been even more valuable. “For me, it’s about character. It’s about who I am because of my father, what he’s taught me and his background,” she says. “I’m most proud of the fact that I come from an honest family, a supportive family, a loyal family.” Shannon says her dad was a huge philanthropist in the community, a man who believed in paying it forward. “I grew up with the give-back mentality,” she says. “The more successful you are, the more you get to give back.” When Louie Jacques decided to retire from the business—which he started in the 1960s—Shannon went off on her own, launching an internet auction company called Esell. What began as a small operation on eBay exploded within two years. “We found our little niche with local auctions,” says Shannon. “We were the only ones in town. We were selected several years in a row to go lobby in (Washington, D.C.) on behalf of eBay and small business for remote sales tax laws and net neutrality.” By approximately 2013, Shannon’s company closed up shop, and she moved on to work as an events director for the

New Mexico State Fair before later being recruited to the Hispano Chamber. On a bi-weekly basis, Shannon says the Jacques family will gather to eat and celebrate. More often than not, she’ll prepare a particular recipe that has a rich family history—it was passed down from her grandmothers, Ophelia and Eugenia, to her mom, Barbara, and finally to her. The green chile chicken enchilada dish has had a few modifications along the way, but the foundation is largely the same, says Shannon. “What I do is boil my chicken, and I put the tortillas in the water for just about 30 seconds. Then I put them in the tray,” she says. “That’s what makes them soft and gooey instead of having all that oil in your food. I love when you bite into an enchilada and it’s creamy and juicy and yummy and you don’t have the hard tortillas.” Some traditions, like family businesses and enchilada dinners, are well worth maintaining as times and seasons change. “This is once a week,” says Shannon of the gatherings. “This is home.” —TRISTEN CRITCHFIELD

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTOS BY DON JAMES/ATM

Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce

DISH

Barbara Ann’s Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients 16 Corn Tortillas 12 oz Chopped Green Chile 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup (fat free available for healthier option) ½ cup Mexican Crema 1 White Onion

3 Cloves Garlic (minced or chopped) 2 Tomatoes ½ Head of Lettuce 3 Chicken Breasts 2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil ( for healthier option use chicken stock water to cook onion & garlic)

Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season both sides of chicken breasts with garlic salt and add to a large pot of gently boiling water. While chicken cooks (about 20 minutes), chop onion, lettuce, tomatoes and garlic cloves. Place tomatoes, lettuce and 1/2 of onions in a bowl and season with garlic powder. Store in refrigerator to use as topping on casserole. Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of oil (or ½ cup of chicken stock water) to a skillet and cook garlic along with remaining 1/2 onion until translucent. Add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup to the onion mixture and stir until heated. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste. Remove mixture from the heat and set aside. Once chicken is cooked, remove from water (save this chicken stock water), and shred or cut into 1-inch pieces. Add the chicken to the skillet mixture on low heat. Add 1 cup of chicken stock (or as much as needed to ensure the

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

2 Cups Shredded Cheese of your choice (For healthier option use low fat) Salt Garlic Salt Garlic Powder Pepper

mixture has a soup consistency). Add green chile, season with garlic salt and powder. Mix and turn off heat. Add Mexican Crema and ½ cup of shredded cheese (reserve the other 1 ½ cups) and gently combine. In a 9 x 9 rectangle baking dish, add 4 corn tortillas that have been dipped in the hot chicken stock. Use tongs to individually submerge the tortillas for no more than 30 seconds each. (MAMA’S SECRET: This method keeps the casserole creamy and keeps from having to use oil to fry the tortillas). Use the 4 tortillas to cover the bottom of the dish as the first layer of the casserole. Add 2 ladles of the soup mixture over the tortillas and add ¼ cup of cheese. Repeat the layering of the casserole until the dish is full. Add cheese to every layer and to top of casserole. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is fully melted. Remove from oven and serve hot with a heaping pile of the lettuce, onions, and tomato mixture. ENJOY!

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BITES

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

POLICY:

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 accept reservations or major credit cards,

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

ABC CAKE SHOP

AMADEO’S PIZZA AND SUBS

66 DINER

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.

THE ACRE

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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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.

AMERASIA-SUMO SUSHI

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 | JUNE 2021

BITES

PATTIES FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION

To the best of our knowledge, the recipes and ingredients behind Meateor Burgers didn’t fall out of the sky. In fact, there’s good evidence that they emerged right here, in Albuquerque. It’s just the combination of proprietary cooking techniques and special ingredients that suggest something otherworldly might be at work here. Part of the culinary lineup at 505 Central Food Hall, Meateor Burgers delivers just what the name suggests: out-of-this-world burgers. They keep a simple menu—just four burgers, with a buildyour-own option waiting in the wings for the exacting or indecisive— but dial in the flavors with near scientific precision.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

“I’d say there were three or four months where we were eating way too many burgers,” laughs co-owner Danielle Lamphier, recalling the research and development phase of their menu. All that work (and all those burgers) paid off, landing them on a signature take they felt confident in presenting to ABQ diners. For first timers, Lamphier suggests the 505 Burger. It combines Meateor’s locally sourced beef and buns with sharp cheddar under a layer of New Mexico green chile—a classic New Mexican flavor profile, boosted by a dollop of their signature Meateor Sauce.—ZB Meateor Burgers 505 Central Ave. NW 234-3963

AZUMA SUSHI & TEPPAN

505 Burger Combo, $11.55

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

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.

JUNE 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

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.

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 LAUREL

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.

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.

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? 1433 Central Ave. NW 259-2331, cafe-laurel.weebly.com The casual American café, open for breakfast and lunch, serves soups, sandwiches, burgers, salads, New Mexican favorites, and breakfast items in a bright airy atmosphere complete with local beers on tap. Peruse the daily selection of sweets and the full coffee bar for dessert (or breakfast).

B e skte n

C h i cn g s

Wi s 2 yaeraorw! in

WINNER

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

505. 99 4 . 0 3 63 | S LA T E S T R E E T B ILLIA R D S .C O M 166

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

CAFÉ LUSH

LA BAREN RESTAURANT

CAKE FETISH

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. 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

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.

Thank You Albuquerque

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.

CASA TACO

for voting our Green Chile Stew the Best in the City!

5801 Academy Rd. NE plus 1 other metro location 821-8226, casa-taco.com Both Casa Taco locations offer a window into owner John 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

Kitchen

Safely serving you since 1975!

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.

CENTRAL GRILL & COFFEE HOUSE

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.

We treat you and your guests like family!

Now hiring all positions at all locations! Apply online, or call 505-242-3211

505•242•1199 | GarciasKitchen.com

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

Catering

6 Albuquerque locations to serve you!

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BITES

OCEAN-TO-PLATE (LAND-LOCK STYLE) Albuquerque has a lot going for it. It does, however, suffer from an unfortunate paucity of piers. There are probably a few reasons for this, but the most obvious is that the nearest stretch of ocean—the Gulf of California—is about 460 miles straight southwest. That makes first-rate seafood a little hard to come by in the Duke City. This, the folks behind Pier None—a new concept from the people behind Rosemary, found in 505 Central Food Hall—could not let stand. “One of the knocks on Albuquerque is that we don’t have good seafood here,” says owner Bryan Thompson. “We wanted to change that.”

Pier None 505 Central Ave NW 582-2594

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

Among the regular favorites at this still-evolving concept: fish and chips. Here, rockfish filets are fried in a house batter crafted from Santa Fe Brewing’s Pepe Loco lager. Complemented with house-made tartar sauce and coleslaw, the dish comes paired with lemon Tajín seasoned fries (and yes, plain fries are available, but it’s a good call to go with the exotic option). —ZB

Fish & Chips, $15

CERVANTES NEW MEXICAN RESTAURANT $$

CHEZ AXEL

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.

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.

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.

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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

COCINA AZUL

CODA BAKERY

CONCHITA’S 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. 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.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

BITES 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.

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

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.

THE CROWN ROOM

$$$$

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.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

THE DAILY GRIND

DELICIAS CAFÉ

DG’S DELI

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. 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.

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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

DONUT MART

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. 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

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.

170

BITES EL COTORRO

FAN TANG

EL PATIO DE ALBUQUERQUE

FAREAST FUZION SUSHI BAR & LOUNGE

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.

EL PATRON

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.

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

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.

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.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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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

FORK & FIG

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. 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

FRANK’S FAMOUS CHICKEN AND WAFFLES

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.

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.

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YOU SAY POTATO, I SAY PRETTY GOOD

It’s hard to say exactly when the first French fry was invented, but by 1802 then-President Thomas Jefferson was enjoying potatoes in the “French style” at the White House. The history of the taco is similar—hard to say when it first starts—but it surely runs a lot deeper, with indigenous Mesoamericans making them long before the Spanish showed up. Given this—and the undeniable popularity of both dishes— it’s a wonder it took so long to combine them. But it wasn’t until the 1990s that the first vestiges appeared of the aweinspiring culinary colossus known as the carne asada fry.

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

At Tino’s Tacos, the carne asada fries are rooted in tradition—both those of the Canales family, who run the joint, and those of Mexican cuisine more broadly. Fries are piled with asada, queso, avocado sauce, crema, and your choice of chile—made in the traditional style with flour and a beef base. “That’s how my grandparents made it and their grandparents made it,” says co-owner Brianna Canales. “I want to keep it that way forever.” —ZB Tino’s Tacos 505 Central Ave NW 503-8777

Carne Asada Fries, $10

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.

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 $$ 2100 Louisiana Blvd. NE plus 2 other metro locations 880-0055, gardunosrestaurants.com

mouthwatering enchiladas, burritos, salsa, and knockyour-socks-off margaritas. And, with three locations around town, you’re always near a fiesta.

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

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.

GIOVANNI’S PIZZERIA

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.

GOLDEN CROWN PANADERIA

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.

GRASSBURGER $

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.

GREENSIDE CAFÉ

$$$

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.

THE GRILL ON SAN MATEO

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.

THE GROVE CAFÉ AND MARKET

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.

Garduño’s consistently earns enthusiastic kudos for its

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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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HOT TAMALES

HURRICANE’S CAFE

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.

IRONWOOD KITCHEN

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.

JAPANESE 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.

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BOOT TO MITTEN, BY WAY OF PIZZA

Pizza is so versatile that some students of the pie disagree on what does and does not count as pizza. There’s New Yorkstyle, Neapolitan, Chicago-style, and the subtle variations among and in-between. At Thicc Pizza Co., the approach is another strain altogether: Detroit-style. The concept—from Seth Beckley and Felicia Meyer, the pair behind Sawmill Market’s Hawt Pizza Co.—came in part by a desire to make pizzas with a nice, thick crust, and the design constraints of making pies in a 300-square-foot kitchen.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

In practice, that means a pizza shop that deals mostly in one size of pizza: 8-inch by 10-inch rectangles, cooked in a steel pan to yield a fringe of caramelized cheese. Toppings and flavors pull in notes from regional cuisines across North America, always with a distinct appeal to the local. On The 8 Mile, Ezzo pepperoni, ricotta, and basil ride over a bed of the house cheese blend and organic sauce, itself spread across the other toppings in stripes, as is the fashion in Detroit. —ZB Thicc Pizza Co. 505 Central Ave NE 450-2487 Thiccpizzaco.com

JIMMY’S CAFÉ ON JEFFERSON

The 8 Mile Detroit-style pizza, $18

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.

JINJA BAR AND BISTRO

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.

JOE’S PASTA HOUSE

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.

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KAKTUS BREWING CO.

KATHY’S CARRY OUT

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.

KATRINAH’S EAST MOUNTAIN GRILL $$

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

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.

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

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.

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BITES THE LAST CALL

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.

LE CHANTILLY FINE PASTRIES

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

LINDY’S DINER

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.

LITTLE BEAR COFFEE

LOS COMPADRES RESTAURANT

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. 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

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.

LOYOLA’S FAMILY RESTAURANT

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.

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.

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.

LEVEL 5 AT HOTEL CHACO

$$$

THE LIBRARY BAR & GRILL

LIMONATA ITALIAN STREET CAFÉ

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. 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.

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BITES 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.

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.

MONTE CARLO STEAKHOUSE

$$$

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.

MONTE VISTA FIRE STATION 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

NAGOMI RESTAURANT

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.

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.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

NARUTO $

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.

NEXUS BREWERY

NICK AND JIMMY’S RESTAURANT AND BAR

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.

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.

NOB HILL BAR AND GRILL

$$$

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.

NOMAD’S BBQ FOOD TRUCK 206-7654

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.

OAK TREE CAFÉ

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

$$$

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

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.

OLD TOWN PIZZA PARLOR

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

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.

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BITES O’NIELL’S PUB

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.

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).

PIZZERIA LUCA

PLANTY SWEET

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.

O RAMEN

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.

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.

ORCHID THAI CUISINE

PARS CUISINE

POKI POKI CEVICHERIA

POLLITO CON PAPAS

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. 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.

THE OWL CAFÉ

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.

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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.

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. 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.

POP FIZZ

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. 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

PRISMATIC COFFEE

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. 1761 Bellamah Ave. NW 205-1590, prismatic.coffee This third-wave coffee shop in the Sawmill District features a small menu of expertly crafted coffee and the perfect coffee companion, stroopwafels. Beans are roasted and sold in-house with a rotating selection of stroopwafel fillings made fresh.

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BITES PUEBLO HARVEST CAFÉ AND BAKERY

$$$

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 $

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).

QUARTER CELTIC BREWPUB

QUARTERS BBQ

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

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. 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.

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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 adapted 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

STUFYS $

SQUEEZED JUICE BAR

SUSHI & SAKE

SUSHI KING

SUSHI XUAN

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.

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. 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

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.

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.

STORMING CRAB

TACO SAL

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

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.

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.

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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.

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.

TAJ MAHAL CUISINE OF INDIA

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.

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BITES TALKING DRUMS

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

THAI VEGAN

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. 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.

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THEOBROMA CHOCOLATIER

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.

THUNDER ROAD STEAKHOUSE AND CANTINA AT ROUTE 66 CASINO HOTEL

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.

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.

TOMASITA’S $$

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

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. 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.

TWO BOYS DONUTS

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.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

BITES 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 $$$

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.

WECK’S $$

WESTERN VIEW

VIC’S DAILY CAFÉ

WHICH WICH

VICK’S VITTLES COUNTRY KITCHEN

WHOLE HOG CAFÉ

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.

VINAIGRETTE $$ 1828 Central Ave. SW 842-5507, vinaigretteonline.com

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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

ZORBA’S FINE GREEK CUISINE

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. 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.

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.

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‘TIL YOU DROP P. 188 | THE PAWS BUTTON P.190 | PASSENGER WINDOW P. 196 | PHOTO CONTEST P. 199 | A FEW THINGS P. 200

A CABINET OF VIPERS In the wild, rattlesnakes are difficult to see—and somewhat misunderstood. The American International Rattlesnake Museum provides an illuminating up-close look at these fascinating animals (p. 190).

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

OUT AND ABOUT: YOUR GUIDE TO SHOPPING IN THE DUKE CITY

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Lillie’s Handmade Soaps 323 Romero St NW #5 243-7627 lillieshandmadesoap.com

ld Town Albuquerque has never smelled better, and it has a biochemistry major with a nose— and mind—for soap making to thank. For the past 17 years, Lillie’s Handmade Soaps has been supplying the Duke City with a wide selection of all-natural soaps, lotions, bath bombs—and more. The shop is owned by Brian East and his wife, Kate, and is named after Brian’s teenage daughter. “My husband’s a genius,” Kate says. “He’s the one who started this all. He’s just amazing. He can market anything and sell it to you.” Kate met Brian while working as a server at The Range in February 2017, and they were married eight months later. For

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For nearly two decades, this small Old Town shop has been mixing oil with lye to produce the sweet smell of handmade soap. Kate, it made sense to help Brian with the business once they got together. “I’ve always been into natural, holistic approaches to all areas of life,” she says. “I thought it was a pretty natural fit in that regard. I didn’t think I’d ever end up in soap.” For whomever enters the store, it’s always the scent that makes a strong first impression. “The first reaction usually is, ‘Wow that smells amazing.’ Even the mailmen and the UPS people are like, ‘Oh, it smells so great,’” Kate says. “Of course, the look of the store is really beautiful. It’s in Old Town in this Adobe building. It’s got art all over…It’s visually stimulating. There’s a lot to look at.

“You get to the product and it’s amazing—it’s soap, you know—but it’s just packaged well, it smells great, it’s good for you. There’s a lot to choose from. And then they find out they can get a lot of it for a really good price and it’s a really great product. It sells itself pretty easy. You’ve just got to be here.” At any given time, Lillie’s has 100 to 150 soaps in stock. The top seller is a blend entitled Heavenly Honey, but shoppers will find a plethora of options available, including Lavender Blueberry, Honeysuckle, Almond Coconut, Black Raspberry, Vanilla, Candy Cane, Cucumber, Pumpkin Pie — and the list goes on. Approximately 40 to 50 of the soaps come with matching bath bombs and lotions, WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

‘TIL YOU DROP

and with a five items for $20 deal in place, the mix-and-match possibilities abound. “I don’t even have a favorite because they’re all so wonderful,” Kate says. Some of the product is made in New Mexico, but the majority is produced at a Chicago facility owned by one of Brian’s college buddies, where the curing process can take place. Usually, Kate says, soap can be finished within two weeks’ time, sometimes less. The end result is something a little different than what you might find on the shelf of a big retailer. “For sure the fact that it’s handmade (makes it special), but more importantly that it’s made with really high-quality good ingredients, no chemicals, no additives,” Kate says. “It’s just natural oils and soap…It’s mixed with olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, sunflower oil. So all those oils mixed in make it really nourishing for skin.” “A lot of people who react harshly to generic soaps do really well with our soap because it’s not made with bad ingredients, additives, sulfates. High quality ingredients is really the key.” While soap is the featured attraction at Lillie’s, the store boasts a variety of interesting products, including a headache remedy and foot cream that are popular shipping items for out-of-state shoppers. More recently, they added a line of shaving supplies featuring razors, exotic shaving cream, beard creams and oils, grooming tools and combs to their inventory. “We’re always kind of adding little knick-knacks here and there,” Kate adds. “We’re trying to provide more variety.” The formula seems to be working. Customers keep coming back—and it’s for more than just the smell, although that certainly doesn’t hurt. “We have so many people in Albuquerque that come on a regular basis,” Kate says. “We have a lot of locals that love our soap. It’s the only soap they can use, a lot of them say. For any sensitive skin issue, when people find something that works, it helps them in their lives. We use soap every day and it’s on our bodies.” “You think how soap impacts the community. It’s a wonderful product that we’re providing. We just keep people coming back all the time. It works for them.”

Vaginal

Rejuvenation $750

(505) 349-0839

1400 Jackie Road SE. Suite 105 | Rio Rancho

bosqueaesthetics.com

*price valid through 08/31/2021

—TRISTEN CRITCHFIELD

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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THE

PAWS BUTTON

KEEPING TABS ON ABQ’S FURRY SCALY FRIENDS

ADRENALINE IS FREE OF CHARGE AT THE RATTLESNAKE MUSEUM

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herpetology—the study of reptiles and amphibians). The Land of Enchantment is home to 41 species of lizard, 23 frogs and toads, 10 turtles, three salamanders, and 46 snakes—including seven kinds of rattlesnake and one kind of coral snake. Spend much time around these parts and you’re sure to encounter plenty of lizards. Side-blotched lizards, whiptails, and fence lizards are particularly abundant. Many snake species are also quite common, but can be difficult to spot. “I tell hikers and campers that say they’ve never seen a rattlesnake in the wild, ‘well, there’s probably a really good chance that a rattle-

snake has seen you,’” says Myers. “They’ve been within five or 10 feet as you pass by, but they blend in so you don’t see them.” Indeed, the camouflage on some snake species—what experts like Myers call “cryptic coloration”—is so effective that you can look directly at an individual and completely miss it. Even within the relatively close confines of a museum enclosure, certain animals—like the mottled rattlesnake—can be tricky to spot. It’s an evolutionary marvel—the sort of natural wonder Bob Myers and the Rattlesnake Museum encourage you to stand back and appreciate, absent the risks that might atWWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL JACOBS/ATM

here’s no official, authoritative list of the world’s most widely misunderstood animals, but rattlesnakes—together with other venomous reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods— have to be near the top. Each year in the United States, venomous snakes bite somewhere in the neighborhood of 7,000 to 8,000 people—many of whom were actively doing unsafe things with snakes in the first place. That’s less than one in every 44,000 people. Of them, roughly five fatally succumb to the effects of envenomation. Snakes—venomous or otherwise—actively avoid humans, and so pose very little threat to human life. “At the Rattlesnake Museum, we try to ease people’s bad feelings about snakes,” explains snake expert and museum director Bob Myers. “A lot of people are afraid, or they feel [snakes] are something evil that they have to destroy. We try to explain that they are important predators, they do take care of rodent populations, and without them, we’d be in some pretty serious trouble.” Found just off the corner of Old Town Road and San Felipe Street in historic Old Town, the American International Rattlesnake Museum is a multifaceted institution—part museum, part educational institution, part conservation center, and part tourist attraction. Home to the largest collection of rattlesnake species in the world—alongside a collection of southwestern reptiles and insects—it’s a place to be both entertained and enlightened. “We get a lot of tourists through the museum, but maybe 25 percent of our visitors are locals,” says Myers. “So we spend some time talking about the local species. Within the enclosures of the museum, if you see a New Mexico license plate, you’re looking at a New Mexico species of snake.” New Mexico, it turns out, is something of a herper’s paradise (a herper, for the unfamiliar, is someone enthusiastic about

tend a close-up encounter in the wild. Educating people about venomous snakes is frequently a matter of dispelling misconceptions and myths. Not only do people assume venomous snakes are far more common than they are—and far more dangerous—they also hold a host of screwy ideas about snakes that have no discernable basis in reality. “There are a lot of wives tales and urban myths about snakes,” says Myers. “Things like, you can tell the age of a rattlesnake by counting its rattle segments, which is not true. Or that baby rattlesnakes are more dangerous than adult rattlesnakes, which is not true.” The Museum offers a short quiz aimed at clearing up 24 of the most common misconceptions about snakes, but these barely scratch the surface of some of the wilder things Myers has heard. “I’ll tell you, you work in a business like this, you hear stories all day long,” he says. “I had a gentleman tell me that he chopped a rattlesnake in half with an axe, the two halves joined back together, and the snake slithered off. And that just couldn’t happen.” In addition to providing a home—and viewing environment—for rattlesnakes from throughout North, Central, and South America, the Rattlesnake Museum also boasts a colossal collection of reptile- and venom-adjacent artwork, artifacts, and memorabilia such as an early 20th century Frederic Remington statue, rare movie posters from over a century of reptile-themed films, antique 19th-century snake-oils, and a sweeping assortment of thematically relevant consumer items from across the globe. Currently rounding out its 31st year in operation, the Rattlesnake Museum continues to grow and change, expanding its collections and adding new exhibits. The goal, always and ever, is not only to show guests a good time, but to leave them with a fuller, deeper, and more accurate understanding of rattlesnakes—alongside other frequently misunderstood reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods. “I tell people if they encounter a snake—including rattlesnakes—don’t run from them,” says Myers. “It is not a dangerous situation if you give them a reasonably wide berth. I tell people, ‘take pictures.’ They’re not going to come after you. If you hold perfectly still, they may forget that you’re there altogether. And if they start to move in your direction, just step aside and let them go where they’re going. They’re not after you.” —ZB

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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

ABOVE & BEYOND TEACHER AWARDS We shine some recognition on the amazing classroom mentors who make sure our students are learning. HOW TO NOMINATE: Go to abqthemag.com

TO NOMINATE AND VOTE, LOG ON TO ABQTHEMAG.COM

ABQ’s AMAZING PETS

By Sakara Griffin

If you believe in destiny, then you know the feeling Sherri Wells had when she found Tinker. Tinker (short for Tinkertot) was a rescue from Argos, a local all-volunteer dog rescue. He was found at three months old after being thrown in a ditch. Weighing less than one pound, the blonde Yorkie was desperately in search of a loving home and someone with a big heart—and then he met Wells. “I knew he would respond to love, and that is what truly happened,” says Wells. Now Tinker will be turning a year old in July and although he has neurological challenges and is blind, Wells still gushes about how much progress he has made. “Now he’s gotten to the point where he can find his way throughout the house all the way back into his playpen and onto his little bed, which is a huge thing for him,” she says.

Meet Sofie Fatale Le Blanc, a Great Pyrenees named after the French-speaking villainess from the movie Kill Bill. But don’t let the name fool you—she’s a sweet cowgirl at heart. Sofie loves the outdoors at Diamond Tail Ranch, where she works the cattle alongside her owner and partner in crime, Cari Forrester. “When she (is) with me, she’s never on a leash,” says Forrester. “I just put a bell on her collar so the horses and I can hear her, and she’ll stay with us the whole time.” The one-year-old has quickly learned the ranch lifestyle, even helping to wrangle some baby cows back to their mothers when they briefly got left behind. “It was pretty cute,” says Forrester. “The moms kind of left them to eat these little alfalfa packets, so all the babies are standing there like ‘where’s my mom,’ and Sofie went and pushed all those baby cows back into the circle.”

Things can be simple when they’re meant to be. Luanne Stordahl explains that a trip to the shelter turned into love at first sight when her family locked eyes with Buddy. “My son walked over because Buddy was standing by the front of his cage, and (Buddy) came over and immediately put his little paw through the cage and touched my son on his face,” says Stordahl. “It was the sweetest thing.” Buddy had found his family. But years later, he had to navigate some tough luck: his left eye had to be removed when he was four years old, because of a tumor. It took three surgeries for doctors to get the tumor out. “He really remained his happy self through all of it and he adjusted really well,” says Stordahl, who says Buddy loves to play fetch with Bear, the family dog. “He’s really like a dog in a cat’s body.”

Meet Daisy, the new SWEAT Yoga Studio puppy. “We knew that this breed loves being in a family or group setting, so we thought that would be really good for our studio,” says her owner, Marisa Johnson, the proprietor of SWEAT. The four-month-old pup is a Sheepadoodle (a cross between an Old English Sheepdog and a Poodle), and came from a breeder in Nashville. So far, Daisy has been a perfect fit for the studio. “She’s very friendly,” says Johnson. “Her Sheepdog instincts kick in and she’s always trying to guide people around, and she’ll greet everyone when they come in.” The pup’s full name is Daisy Reba Johnson (her first name was the winner in a poll the studio did on social media; her middle name is in tribute to country singer Reba McEntire). “She is a puppy, but she’s big,” says Johnson. “She’s just adorable.”

D D BU

FIE

E K TIN

DA IS

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

SALT AND SALVATION

Completed in 1632—but abandoned just 46 years later—the Salinas Pueblo Mission offers a tale of New Mexico’s early colonial history.

linas basin functioned as a base of operations for salt mining efforts in the Estancia Basin. Forty or 50 thousand years ago, back in the Pleistocene, the whole basin was filled with a giant lake that dried up sometime around the end of the last full blown ice age, about 12,000 years ago. The salt lakes around Willard and Pinos Wells are the remnants of Lake Estancia. There, the Spanish—and the Pueblos long before them—mined salt, an especially valuable commodity in the days before refrigeration. For several decades, the Mission and the surrounding communities at Quarai lived in relative harmony. By 1660, however, the Spanish adopted an official stance of open hostility toward traditional Pueblo beliefs and culture. That same de-

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

cade, severe droughts began to afflict the region. The Mission’s troubles mounted further with increased raiding from the Apaches who had moved into the area, themselves displaced from a traditional lifestyle farther north on the plains. By 1678, the entire settlement had been completely abandoned by both the Spanish and Tiguex. Later, in the early decades of the 19th century, the Mission saw renewed use as Spanish ranchers moved into the area. At the time, the church still had its roof, and the ranchers made use of it for religious services conducted by roving preachers. Now, the Quarai Mission stands as an embodied memory—a fractured window into a bygone era. —ZB

PHOTO BY ZANE BEAL/ATM

bout 28 miles east of Belen, on the other side of the Manzanos, you’ll find a window 350 years into the past. Part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions—Roman Catholic institutions aimed at assimilating indigenous Pueblo peoples into Christian theology and European culture—Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de Quarai was a node of cultural interaction for nearly 70 years. In 1625, Juan Gutiérrez de la Chica, a 22-year-old Fransiscan Friar recently imported to New Mexico via wagon train from Mexico City, took up the job of establishing a series of missions in the Salinas basin. The Quarai—a band of the Tiguex Puebloans—occupied a pre-existing settlement on the eastern foot of the Manzanos, about six miles north of modern-day Mountainair. There, in 1627— apparently under the tacit approval of the local community—the Friar set about building a mission. Construction continued for years, finally wrapping up in 1632. Today, the Quarai ruins represent some of the most well-preserved examples of Spanish colonial architecture in the U.S. Southwest. The walls of the mission church—three to six feet thick—rise 40 feet into the air over a 108-by-28 foot floor plan patterned after a Latin cross, likely representing one of the largest structures of its kind in North America. Interestingly—and unusually—the Quarai mission incorporates a square kiva directly into its architecture. Though Spanish religious authorities later began to see kivas—along with other features of Pueblo religious life—as a threat to Catholic dominion, at the time Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción was built, they practiced a more tolerant approach. The kiva is cut squarely into the convent’s patio, suggesting that the Fransiscans either saw it as an alternative church building or a way of furthering their missionary efforts among the Tiguex. Beyond serving the spiritual ambitions of Catholic missionaries, Quarai and the other Spanish pueblo missions in the Sa-

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THE

PASSENGER WINDOW

SHAPES OF LOVE

“

I’d like to paint you, but there are no colors, because there are so many, in my confusion, the tangible form of my great love.” The quote is from Frida Kahlo’s diary in her first love letter to Diego Rivera. No other couple embodies the true meaning of chaos and passion like this iconic art duo. “It’s almost like that crazy Latin lover story that you see in the movies, but for them it happened in real life,” says muralist Mauricio Ramirez, who resides part-time in ABQ. The power couple inspired “Union-Frida y Diego,” one of Ramirez’s works found among the ring of murals at the parking lot at 6th Street and Copper Avenue downtown. “I’ve always been a fan of Diego because of the whole mural movement, especially since he’s a Mexican muralist artist, he’s one of my heroes,” says Ramirez, who is Mexican American. He also admires the strength embodied in Kahlo. “She didn’t take crap from anybody. It was pretty

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powerful to see as a child.” He says it was important to him to bring more murals to ABQ’s downtown area. “There were a few, but it wasn’t like how it was today,” says Ramirez, who painted the Kahlo/Rivera piece in 2017 in his signature low-poly style. Ramirez got his start working with graffiti. “As a teenager I learned a lot from the graffiti street art movement,” he says. “I think that was a huge help in introducing me to a lot of color theory and design.” However, as he got older, Ramirez wanted to expand his work toward street art murals. “I started gradually getting more and more responsible with the artwork that I was making, in terms of where the murals were being placed. I started taking this really seriously around age 20,” says Ramirez, who’s now 32. His national breakthrough came last April when he painted a huge mural on a building in Milwaukee that depicted a masked healthcare worker with hands

clasped in prayer. “It ended up in The New York Times, on the front page,” says Ramirez, whose mom’s family is from Milwaukee. “I ended up getting all this press and it kicked off a lot of momentum.” Over the years, Ramirez has also done murals in California, Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Maryland, North Carolina, Oregon and Texas. His next local project is a big one, though Ramirez says he can’t give details just yet. “It’s in Los Lunas, and it involves a social media company. You can probably figure it out,” is all he can say for now. When reflecting on his journey as a muralist, Ramirez says, “The fact that I was able to dream that big when I was younger is what really got me going and pushed me forward.” He encourages working hard at one’s passions. “Don’t be afraid of doing the hard work and perfecting your craft, because ultimately that’s what gives the best results.” —SAKARA GRIFFIN WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTO BY DON JAMES/ATM

Frida and Diego help turn a downtown parking lot into a muralistic mosaic of passion and romance.

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ADVERTISING REGISTRY 100.3 The Peak..................................................................................................174 3 Advertising.......................................................................................................50 66 Diner............................................................................................................. 95 About Seniors Complete Moving Services, LLC................................................91 ABQ Open For Business.....................................................................................39 Accounting Cuts.................................................................................................49 Albuquerque Christian School.........................................................................178 Albuquerque Florist...........................................................................................131 Albuquerque Isotopes Baseball.....................................................................12, 13 Albuquerque Plumbing Heating & Cooling......................................................32 All World Travel.................................................................................................. 25 AlluraDerm Med Spa..........................................................................................35 Animal Humane Association............................................................................ 135 Annapurna's World Vegetarian Cafe..................................................................92 Assistance League.........................................................................................68, 95 Bask Bath Bar..................................................................................................... 79 Blake's Lota Burger.............................................................................................88 Blink!..................................................................................................................90 Blue Rose Photography...................................................................................... 78 Bosque Aesthetics......................................................................................8, 9,189 Bubba's 33............................................................................................................96 BumbleBee Fab & Powder Coating.........................................................71, 81, 171 California Closets......................................................................................... 62, 74 Car Crafters.........................................................................................................42 Casa Manana Real Estate....................................................................................39 Casa Taco............................................................................................................117 Central Grill and Coffee House....................................................................... 120 ChocGlitz & Cream...................................................................................... 91, 117 Christy Mae's..................................................................................................... 118 Church Street Cafe............................................................................................123 Cinnamon Sugar & Spice................................................................................. 119 Cold Stone Creamery......................................................................................... 95 Conrad Sanchez Advanced Skin Care................................................................89 Cosmetic Dentistry of New Mexico: Dr. Byron Wall.............................2, 3, 30, 31 Coyote 102.5....................................................................................................... 78 CPR Cell Phone Repair......................................................................................189 Craft Q...............................................................................................................167 Crystal Springs..................................................................................................128 Dave The Roof Doctor........................................................................................83 Dave's Valley Grill..............................................................................................155 Duke City Software...........................................................................................172 Eatentions............................................................................................................73 Ethan Allen Furniture.........................................................................................23 Exhibit Solutions of New Mexico......................................................................21 eXp Realty-- Jeff Rose & Associates................................................................... 84 Facility Pump Repair.........................................................................................129 Flying Star Café................................................................................................. 119 Frank Gutierrez Photography........................................................................14, 15 Frontier Restaurant........................................................................................... 118 Frost Gelato.......................................................................................................122 Fuego 102.9.......................................................................................................175 Garage Door Doctor............................................................................................61 Garage Doors by Nestor....................................................................................98 Garcia's Kitchen............................................................................................87, 118 Glam Nail Bar & Spa...........................................................................................54 Glazed Grinders.........................................................................................118, 130 Golden Pride.................................................................................................... 120 Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors....................................................53 High & Dry Brewing...................................................................................91, 120 HOME RESOURCE GUIDE QR CODES......................................................60 Houston Wholesale Cars, LLC.........................................................................4, 5 Inn of the Mountain Gods..................................................................................51 Inspire Salon................................................................................................ 45, 70 International Protective Service..........................................................................43 Jimmy's Cafe..................................................................................................... 120 John Lopez Real Estate................................................................................85, 194

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K & K Skin Products..........................................................................................46 Keller Williams/Riverside / Daniel Martinez....................................................86 Kelly Jo Designs..................................................................................................92 Kiss 97.3.............................................................................................................175 Kubota Tractor Inc........................................................................................... 201 Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry....................................................................Back Cover Lizard Tail Brewing.........................................................................................16, 17 Los Poblanos Inn.................................................................................................55 Lucky Boyz Limo...............................................................................................193 Mario's Pizzeria & Ristorante............................................................................ 119 Merry Maids......................................................................................................6, 7 Mesa Tractor.......................................................................................................69 Mike's Hard Lemonade.....................................................................................149 Mike's Jerky..........................................................................................................93 Montessori One Preschool................................................................................99 Moto-Authority..................................................................................................96 Mrs. Clean..........................................................................................................80 New Mexico Orthopaedic Surgery Center........................................................29 New Mexico Sports & Wellness .......................................................................57 Optimum.............................................................................................................27 Osuna Nursery....................................................................................................75 Paixao Nail & Beauty Bar.............................................................................48, 76 Past, Present & In Between................................................................................99 Quarter Celtic Brewpub.................................................................................... 121 Radiology Associates of Albuquerque............................................................... 59 Rainbow Ryders................................................................................................. 97 Rebel Donut.......................................................................................................99 RESTAURANT QR CODES..............................................................161, 162, 163 Rio Grande Hemp Company.............................................................................96 Route 66 Casino Hotel............................................................Inside Front Cover Route 66 Cleaners.............................................................................................177 Rudy's Country Store & BBQ...........................................................................155 Sadie’s................................................................................................................ 121 Santa Ana Golf Club.........................................................................................124 Santa Ana Star Casino . ....................................................................................197 Savoy..................................................................................................................123 Seasons..............................................................................................................124 Slate Street Billiards...................................................................................121, 166 Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits....................................................................157 Southwest Women’s Oncology......................................................................10, 11 Southwestern HR Consulting............................................................................77 Starr Brothers Brewing...................................................................................... 121 Steel Bender Brewyard......................................................................................122 Suga Suga..........................................................................................................170 Tamashi............................................................................................................. 169 Tema Furniture...................................................................................................64 Thai Spice..........................................................................................................144 The 66 Pit Stop - Home of the Laguna Burger.................................................. 56 The Acre.............................................................................................................. 87 The Education Plan........................................................................................... 116 The Grove Cafe & Market................................................................................. 119 The Remedy Day Spa.........................................................................................92 The Rotary Club of Albuquerque......................................................................186 The Shop............................................................................................................122 The Verdes Foundation......................................................................................94 Tomasita's..........................................................................................................122 Truly..................................................................................................................160 Tully's Italian Meats and Deli/ Saratori's. ..................................................123,124 Two Fools Tavern...............................................................................................124 University of New Mexico Athletic Department............................................... 44 Waterstone Mortgage..........................................................................................63 Weems Galleries................................................................................................. 95 Western Dermatology Consultants, PC.............................................................47 Whispering Bean...............................................................................................123

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTO CONTEST

DAUGHTER AND HORNED LIZARD By Keith Scott

olanna curiously gazes at the baby horned lizard sitting upon her fingertips. The six year old is the daughter of photographer Keith Scott, “She just picked it up, and I started taking pictures of her. I always try to have my camera ready whenever the time comes up to capture something really cool.” The photo was captured on a family trip to Silver City in the Gila Mountains. “It was just a nice day,” says Scott. “From the drive, the weather, those clouds roll-

ing in—everything was picture perfect out there.” Scott is from the Pueblo of Laguna and lives in Albuquerque with his fiance and daughter. He’s always had an interest in photography, but it wasn’t until his daughter was born that he invested in a professional camera. “I wanted to get a camera to kind of document her childhood, so I bought a Nikon D5600,” recalls Scott. “It worked well, but I decided to upgrade to a Nikon D750, which is a

really great camera.” Scott continues to shoot photos, steadily deepening his interest in photography. Recently, he even began learning how to shoot astrophotography (photography of astronomical objects and phenomena, like stars and planets) which he explains is a whole other realm of work. “I try to shoot any chance I get,” says Scott. “I really enjoy it!” —SAKARA GRIFFIN

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

JUNE 2021 | ALBUQUERQUE THE MAGAZINE

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Placitas

10.

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18.

Wild horses roam free here, and signs are posted throughout the area alerting motorists of their frequent road crossings.

19. The number of residents has increased by nearly 38 percent since 2000.

20. At last tally, Placitas had a population of 4,441.

21. On the 97 best places to retire in New Mexico, Placitas is ranked 8th, according to niche.com.

22. The area is home to a fine-dining restaurant that serves delicacies, like chicken livers. Chef Kevin Bladergroen of Blade’s Bistro sautés the dish with onions, bacon, sherry and veal demi. 23. The annual Placitas Studio Tour offers a chance to visit and view the work of nearly 60 local artists. 24. There are approximately

52 hiking and biking trails in Placitas, including the Strip Mine Loop to the east.

25. It is only 18.5 miles from

the center of Albuquerque to the center of Placitas.

WWW.ABQTHEMAG.COM | JUNE 2021

PHOTO BY BOBBY KINCAID

The community of Placitas lies just northeast of Albuquerque, tucked close to the base of the Sandia Mountains. Though it gleams with beautiful, modern residences, Placitas has actually been inhabited for hundreds of years—and still contains traces of ancient life as it once existed. Visitors to the area can find all sorts of amazing tokens of the past, from primitive caves, to the constant presence of roaming wild horses. The area is among several in the state known as a ‘census-designated-place,’ meaning there is no local governing body for this congregation of residents. Folks in Placitas will tell you 11. The infamous ‘Woodstock on wheels’ concert tour that works just fine for those who enjoy the quiet life. —ED known as the Medicine Ball Caravan played here in 1970, 1. Placitas is surrounded by 6. Placitas is home to 47 ac- with acts like Alice Cooper and B.B. King. three pueblos: Sandia, Santa tive mining claims, including Ana and San Felipe several gold and silver mines. 12. The Thunderbird Bar was 7. One of the largest mining quite popular in the 1970s, The Sandia Man hosting blues and country stakes was known as MonCave is located high stars, like John Lee Hooker tezuma Mine. After the Inup on the steep cliff and Kris Kristofferson. dian Revolt in 1680, Native walls of Las Huertas peoples formerly enslaved 13. 300 million years ago, Canyon. Discovered at the mine filled it in—and Placitas was under water. and excavated in 1936, dumped the gold into nearby Here, researchers have found researchers found rivers. the fossil remains of extinct stone arrow and lance points, basket scraps, 8. The area became known as marine organisms. and skeletal remains “Las Placitas” in 1820 when 14. You can catch live blues of ice age animals. residents combined several and jazz every Tuesday at the small villages. The name is Placitas Café. Spanish for “Little Towns.” 3. Long before the original 15. Internationally known 21 founding families received 9. Placitas opened its first poet Robert Creeley was once their land grant from the school in 1876. The first a resident, and hosted literary Spanish crown in 1767, nateacher was Jose Librado notables like Allan Ginsberg. tive peoples had inhabited the Aron Gurulé. He was paid 50 land for centuries. 16. In 2009, the Placitas cents per student per month. Community Library created 4. To the north and east of a “demonstration garden.” modern-day Placitas are the At the height Residents have since expandruins of San Jose de las Huerof the ‘hippie ed it to encompass the entire tas, where the founders of Las counterculture’ of library exterior. the 1960s and 70s, Placitas lived prior to building the Placitas area the community. 17. Placitas takes up an offiwas known to be cial area of 29.7 square miles, 5. Those ruins are now an home to several a space nearly the size of Santa Archaeological Conservancy communes. Fe’s city limits. site.

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