Images Albuquerque, NM: 2008 by Journal Communications

2008 | IMAGESALBUQUERQUE.COM | VIDEO VIGNETTES TM TM

OF ALBUQUERQUE, O Q Q NEW MEXICO CO

WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN City remains lively when the moon comes out

SOAKING IT ALL IN Spas gain in popularity — even for men

Addition & Abstraction Renowned architects bring modernism to tradition

SPONSORED BY THE GREATER ALBUQUERQUE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2008 EDITION | VOLUME 3 TM

OF ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO

CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S 16

ADDITION AND ABSTRACTION Renowned architects Prince and Predock add modernism to the region’s traditional architecture.

20 FROM PUEBLOS TO PAGODAS From pueblos to pagodas, Albuquerque’s cultural institutions shine.

36 WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN It is a lively place when the sun shines, and it remains lively when the moon comes out.

59 LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION Albuquerque is becoming a go-to city for television and ﬁlm production.

24 SOAKING IT ALL IN Albuquerque is quickly becoming home to a number of world-class destination spas.

28 ACT LIKE A KID AGAIN Albuquerque is a destination that children and adults can enjoy together.

THROUGH THE EYES OF ARTISTS

Thousands of artists make greater Albuquerque their home, a collective creative force that has put its mark on the region.

ON THE COVER Staff photo Votive XXXII by sculptor Ernest Shaw

ALBUQUERQUE

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OF ALBUQUERQUE , NEW MEXICO

ALBUQUERQUE BUSINESS 40 Biz Briefs 43 Chamber Report 45 Economic Proﬁle

47 D E PA R TM E NT S 11 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Albuquerque culture

47 Portfolio: people, places and events that deﬁne Albuquerque

52 Education 57 Health & Wellness 6 1 Sports & Recreation 63 Community Proﬁle: facts, stats and important numbers to know ALBUQUERQUE

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What’s Online More lists, links and tips for fo orr newcomers o new n

OF ALBUQUERQUE SENIOR EDITOR ANITA WADHWANI COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, KIM MADLOM, BILL McMEEKIN ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN DATABASE PROJECT MANAGER YANCEY TURTURICE DATA MANAGERS RANETTA SMITH, KRISTY WISE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE, RENEE ELDER, EMANUELLA GRINBERG, MICHAELA JACKSON, ELLEN MARGULIES EXECUTIVE INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER AMY NORMAND SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN McCORD PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS. MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER JANINE MARYLAND GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER, LINDA MOREIRAS, AMY NELSON, CANDICE SWEET WEB PROJECT MANAGER ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC MEGHANN CAREY, SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE CUSTOM SALES SUPPORT PATTI CORNELIUS SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS SALES COORDINATOR JENNIFER ALEXANDER OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Images of Albuquerque is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce 115 Gold Ave. S.W. • Albuquerque, NM 87102 Phone: (505) 764-3700 • Fax: (505) 764-3714 E-mail: info@abqchamber.com www.abqchamber.com VISIT IMAGES OF ALBUQUERQUE ONLINE AT IMAGESALBUQUERQUE.COM ©Copyright 2008 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member

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MOVING PICTURES VIDEO 1 INSIDE LOOK Join us on a virtual tour of Albuquerque through the lenses of our award-winning photographers at imagesalbuquerque.com.

VIDEO 2 OLD TOWN ALBUQUERQUE Take a tour of the shops and streets of Old Town Albuquerque in our exclusive online video at imagesalbuquerque.com.

VIDEO 3 GLASS ARTIST SALVADOR EQUIHUA Albuquerque glass artist Salvador Equihua demonstrates his technique in this exclusive online video at imagesalbuquerque.com.

PLUS SEARCH OUR ARCHIVES Browse past issues of the magazine by year or search for speciﬁc articles by subject. INSTANT LINKS Read the entire magazine online using our ActiveMagazine™ technology and link instantly to community businesses and services. EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; ﬁnd related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

GARDENING IN ALBUQUERQUE Gardening in Albuquerque takes some work and planning. Variable conditions exist around the city, but embracing the high-desert environment and sticking with native plants is best. Find out more at imagesalbuquerque.com.

SPICING IT UP IN THE SOUTHWEST Quesadillas, enchiladas, tamales, fajitas – they’re just a few of the popular entrees synonymous with Southwestern cuisine. Get a taste at imagesalbuquerque.com.

A B O U T T H I S M AG A Z I N E Images of Albuquerque is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Albuquerque tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

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6th in the Nation

with Coldwell Banker for Having Sold the Most Homes!

Turn the pages of our

Virtual Magazine LIVE LINKS L H links allow users to Hot q uickly link to o quickly other sites or additional information, inform for and an ad index allo allows you to ad easily locate local advertisers i in th the magazine.

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Sandi Pressley has listed and sold more homes than any other agent in New Mexico, helping over 7,750 families happily move during her 29-year career! Sandi knows her city down to the finest details. Call for an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everything You Wanted to Know About Albuquerque and Rio Rancho Kit,â&#x20AC;? free with no obligation. Call today if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thinking of relocating. Nobody knows the Albuquerque & Rio Rancho housing markets better than:

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Toll-free (800) 879-4356 Cell: (505) 263-2173

Website: www.SandiPressley.com E-mail: Sandi@SandiPressley.com Coldwell Banker Legacy (505) 293-3700

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Almanac

Style Points Give your eyes a treat by taking a self-guided Albuquerque Art Deco Tour, with a number of interesting sites on exhibit. Those sites include the lobby of the Federal Building, a Firestone Tire Center and the El Rey Theater. A brochure that details each site is available from the Art Deco Society of New Mexico. The art deco theme – or some call it Pueblo deco – was derived when cubist forms of traditional Pueblos merged with Spanish Mission architecture. The style also features decorative motifs that were derived from Navajo textiles and Zuni pottery.

Red Hot Chili Ristras Chilies grow green, but many Albuquerque residents like to see red. That is why chili ristras can often be found outside shops around the city. Storeowners tie red chilies together and hang them to dry, which turn the chilies into bright red bunches that look like long strings – or ristras. The custom of hanging the bright red ristras has been occurring for hundreds of years as a practical way of preserving chilies after the growing season. Today, people can simply freeze chilies to preserve them, but the ristra tradition lives on. Ristras can actually last up to two years and remain perfectly edible.

Gnarly Ollies, Dudes It has a street course, half pipe and two bowls where kids can execute ollies, kickflips, 50-50s, aciddrops and fakies. Pardon? These are terms familiar to skateboarders and BMX bikers, including those who use Los Altos Skate Park. The park is Albuquerque’s first-ever specifically constructed for skateboarders, in-line skaters and stunt bicyclists. Admission is free to the skate park, and wearing a helmet is mandatory for anyone under 18 years of age.

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Almanac

Wow, Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Big Powwow The 25th annual Gathering of Nations Powwow took place in April 2008, with most of the events occurring at the University of New Mexico Arena. The festivities included an Indian traders market, live musical entertainment, authentic cooking and the crowning of Miss Indian World. The Powwow attracts more than 3,000 American Indian dancers and singers to Albuquerque each year, representing 500 tribes from the United States and Canada. The dancers and singers compete against each other during the April weekend in an effort to further promote American Indian culture and traditions. PHOTO COURTESY OF DEREK MATHEWS

Open Since A.D. 1300

Fast Facts

Now thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an old pueblo. Sandia Pueblo has been in existence at its present site since A.D. 1300, and today it owns and operates many ultramodern resort facilities. They include the Sandia Casino for gambling, and the Sandia Lake Recreation Area that offers fishing, picnicking and nature trails. The pueblo is also home to the Bien Mur Indian Market Center, where tourists can purchase American Indian arts and crafts. The Sandia Pueblo resort also houses an 18-hole golf course, a spa and fitness center, and a rooftop restaurant.

Q Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos was born in Albuquerque. Q The Rio Grande runs through Albuquerque and is known to Mexicans as the Rio Bravo. Q Albuquerque remained a small town until the latter part of the 19th century and the arrival of the railroad. Q The city sits at 5,314 feet above sea level, making it the highest metropolitan area on the American mainland. Q Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ernie Pyle called Albuquerque home, and his little white house with a picket fence is now a branch library filled with memorabilia from his days covering World War II.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Albuquerque, visit imagesalbuquerque.com.

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Almanac

Have a Biscochito A state cookie? Sure enough, New Mexico has one. The biscochito was declared the official cookie of New Mexico in 1989, and the flat sugar dessert treat with a hint of anise has been the area’s favorite for hundreds of years. Its origin is primarily Spanish, but American Indian and Mexican cultures have also influenced it. The shortbread cookie can also be flavored with cinnamon, and there are approximately 30 biscochitos to the pound. Besides being an everyday treat, they are traditionally served throughout the year during fiestas, weddings and Christmas.

Take Note, Salsa Fans Drum roll, please. The annual Salsa Under the Stars concert series is held each summer at the Albuquerque Museum Amphitheater near Old Town. The series is organized by the New Mexico Jazz Workshop, a nonprofit group dedicated to the promotion of jazz and its offshoots. The NMJW organizes the concerts and assembles programs each year to bring some of the best names in jazz, blues and salsa to Albuquerque. Past performers at Salsa Under the Stars have included Calle 66, Café Mocha, Grupo La Guira, Son Como Son and Charanga del Valle.

Albuquerque | At A Glance

Los Alamos

Santa Fe

POPULATION (2006 ESTIMATE) Albuquerque: 504,949, Bernalillo County: 615,099 LOCATION Albuquerque is in north central New Mexico, nestled between the towering Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande Valley. It is 60 miles southwest of Santa Fe, the capital city.

Albuquerque 14

Rio Rancho 279

BEGINNINGS Albuquerque was founded as Alburquerque in 1706 (the first “r” was later dropped), but the community was not incorporated until 1891. It is named in honor of a Spanish leader – the 10th Duke of Albuquerque. The word Albuquerque comes from the Latin words “albus” and “quercus,” meaning white ash. FOR MORE INFORMATION Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce 115 Gold Ave. S.W. Albuquerque, NM 87102 Phone: (505) 764-3700, Fax: (505) 764-3714 www.abqchamber.com

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Albuquerque Moriarty

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SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Albuquerque at imagesalbuquerque.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

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Architects

Call Albuquerque RENOWNED ARCHITECTS PRINCE AND PREDOCK ADD MODERNISM TO REGION’S TRADITIONS

STORY BY PAMELA COYLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

hristopher Mead lives in a home designed by one internationally known architect based in Albuquerque. He has an office in a building designed by another. As dean of the School of Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico, Mead is in a unique position to evaluate the work of two of the region’s living treasures – architects Bart Prince and Antoine Predock. “Bart’s architecture is so much the experience of being in the building and moving through the building,” Mead says. “Antoine is really interested in how to represent the world around us.” Both do residential and commercial work, though

Christopher Mead’s “floating” home in northeast Albuquerque was designed by contemporary architect Bart Prince.

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Home

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Prince is best known for unusual contemporary homes, including many in the region, and approaches each site as a problem to be solved. Mead’s home, for example, is on a long, narrow lot and floats above the land like a fish, or even a ship. Predock, who received the coveted American Institute of Architects Gold Medal for 2006, takes on large projects – the $285 million ballpark for the San Diego Padres, the National Place Museum in Taiwan, the Tacoma Art Museum and Austin City Hall. Locally, he also is the architect behind the 78,000-square-foot town center at Mesa del Sol, which broke ground in January 2007. The $11 million building is scheduled for occupancy in October 2008. Mesa del Sol struggled to find the right architect for the massive development, a “new urbanism project” that will cover 20 square miles of land, include 37,500 homes and 18 million square feet of office, industrial and retail space. Chris Anderson, director of commercial development, was familiar with Predock’s work and approached him. What emerged was a striking design with a huge, curved exterior that incorporates the pattern of bones Predock found while walking the site. “He saw the building rising like an artifact out of the desert, like it was always there,” Anderson says. “The stucco color is a bone color, and he spent a lot of time on getting the color just right.” Predock is not a native, through he did get his architecture

degree from UNM. He worked in New York and then San Francisco, but the openness of New Mexico drew him back. “You come here and the landscape here is so incredibly powerful, so beautiful and sublime, the air is so dry to you can see 100 miles,” Mead says. “He responded very powerfully to that landscape. He has made a career trying to translate what that landscape looks like into architecture.” This vision is apparent in the UNM’s new architecture school, which opened in January 2008. The façade along Central Avenue, for example, is like a great mountain with a canyon split through it. “It is meditation on mountains and mesas and canyons,” Mead says. Creators such as Predock and Prince have thrived in Albuquerque. For Prince, the site and the client determine the solution. His ideas gestate and when he’s ready, he knows. “I work from the inside out,” Prince says. “People always say to me, ‘Is there something that you always wanted to do?’” “I say, ‘The next thing I do.’” That individualistic approach firmly puts Prince in an American architectural tradition dating to the mid-19th century that includes Frank Lloyd Wright, Mead says. “This is a place you can do things and experiment. You can do things differently,” Mead says. “This is a place that is not going to put you into a box.”

Above: Bart Prince is known for his unique, modern designs – here is one view of his home in northeast Albuquerque. Right: The new architecture academic building at the University of New Mexico was designed by Antoine Predock.

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Celebrating a

Rich,

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Ethnic Tapestry

FROM PUEBLOS TO PAGODAS, ALBUQUERQUE’S CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS SHINE STORY BY EMANUELLA GRINBERG PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

Synthia Lin, along with her husband, Sifu Lin, operate Albuquerque’s Chinese Culture Center. Left: The pagoda-shaped cultural center offers lessons in feng shui and celebrations of the Chinese New Year.

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hen Synthia Lin arrived in Albuquerque from Taiwan in 1975, she could walk the streets of Old Town without seeing another Asian person. Thirty years later, Lin says the prevalence of ethnic grocery stores and Asian restaurants is just one more reason for Albuquerque’s reputation as one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States. “The Asian community is definitely a lot more noticeable now,” says Lin, who runs the Chinese Culture Center with her husband. “I don’t feel separate from the rest of the group.” Though Albuquerque has retained I M AG E S A L B U Q U E R Q U E . C O M

much of the influence of its predominant cultural groups – American Indians, Hispanics and Anglos – a recent census indicates that 71 ethnic groups live here. A rich cultural tapestry is represented in its architecture, cultural institutions and restaurants. Ever since the first American Indians settled in the Rio Grande Valley, Albuquerque’s geographic diversity and agreeable climate have attracted artists, agriculturalists and scientists from around the world. “Albuquerque’s vibrant community offers many opportunities for ethnic groups to take part in the cultural life of the city,” says Jan Dodson Barnhart, Albuquerque Historical Society president. Lin’s husband, Sifu Lin, opened the Chinese Culture Center as a martial arts school in 1974. Since then, the center has expanded into a pagoda-shaped facility where visitors can celebrate Chinese New Year or learn about the philosophy of feng shui. “We like to represent a positive attitude for people looking at what the

Chinese culture has to offer,” Lin says. New Mexico’s history in the modern era began around A.D. 1000, when the first American Indian tribe settled permanently in the Rio Grande Valley. The arrival of the first Spanish explorers in 1540 and the establishment of the town of Albuquerque in 1706 infused the American Indian culture with Spanish traditions, giving birth to what is known today as pueblo culture. Today, New Mexico is home to 19 American Indian pueblo communities within driving distance from Albuquerque. For those interested in learning about the pueblo societies, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque brings to life traditions of the past and present. After New Mexico became a United States territory in 1851, an influx of Anglo settlers ushered in the industrialized era. The gold rush and the construction of the railroad brought immigrants from China, Japan and elsewhere to Albuquerque. Albuquerque’s colonial past and its proximity to Mexico have made it a hub

for Hispanic culture. In 2000, the National Hispanic Cultural Center opened as a venue where visitors can visit a museum featuring works by prominent Hispanic artists, take tango classes or watch the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra perform. The Hispanic culture has even inspired local Anglos like Shawn “El Gringo” Kiehne, a singer-songwriter who has embraced the popular Mexican genre of norteno music. Growing up on his family’s ranch outside of Albuquerque in Los Lomas, Kiehne, who is of German descent, says he developed an appreciation for the Spanish language from Mexican ranch hands. “If you know Spanish or English, you can pretty much go anywhere in the world and communicate with almost anyone,” says Kiehne, who is embarking on a nationwide tour in 2008 after releasing his first album with the major Hispanic recording label Univision. “To appreciate another culture opens doors to new worlds.”

Sky City, Acoma Pueblo was built on top of a 357-foot sandstone mesa 60 miles west of Albuquerque. Right: Elaborate Chinese New Year dragons are on display at the Chinese Culture Center.

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Soaking It All In

SPAS GAIN POPULARITY IN ALBUQUERQUE

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN

salt scrub then a lavender oil massage, topped off with a paraffin pedicure. Might as well get an oatmeal mask facial while you’re at it. Aah, spas. Albuquerque is quickly becoming home to a number of world-class destination spas, where pampering and rejuvenation are the operative words. “Everyone these days is looking for a little peace and tranquility in their busy lives, and spas supply a little relief,” says Janell Loving, public relations and marketing director at Betty’s Bath & Day Spa. “They are places where people Betty’s Bath & Day Spa provides an intimate spa atmosphere. Left: The spectacular hot tub at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa

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can decompress and relax, as well as get their bodies into alignment.” The spa at Betty’s offers massages, facials, full-body treatments, saunas, and private and communal hot tubs. “We are a soak and relaxation spa that provides customers with amazing treatments in a truly tranquil setting,” Loving says. “I think one of our advantages is accessibility, meaning that customers can preview all of our treatments at our Bettysbath.com Web site. They can also purchase instant gift certificates and e-mail them to whomever they want.” Loving says the most popular treatment for men visiting Betty’s is a 90-minute deep tissue, muscle relaxation massage that allows all body tension to be relieved. It sells for $115. “For women, our divine head-to-toe package and our rejuvenation package are both two-hour treatments that sell for $155 each,” she says. “Those two treatments can include an herbal wrap,

warm-oil scalp treatment and a foot treatment.” Meanwhile, other local relaxation destinations in Albuquerque include La Bella Spa & Salon, which has two locations within the city; and the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa, which has earned several accolades in recent times. Those tributes include being named Among the World’s Best Places to Stay on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2008 Gold List. “Massages, wraps and scrubs are what we specialize in, and the aromas we use are very earthy,” says Joe Herman, director of the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa. “Those aromas strike a nice balance that appeals to both men and women.” The Tamaya spa is built on a 500-acre American Indian reservation, and Herman says the tribal culture is built into the resort. “Our most popular treatment is a drumming method where massage

therapists cup their hands and use a drumming motion to relieve stress on a customer’s body,” he says. “Small bags of flaxseed dipped in piñon oil are in the therapists’ hands, and the rhythmic drumming breaks up lactic acids. The treatment ends with an aromatic body salt scrub with blue corn flour, anasazi Aztec beans and pumpkin seeds that are all grown in the Albuquerque area.” And as for Albuquerque itself, Herman believes spas are becoming especially popular in this city because the natural scenery tends to make people think about things on a more primal level. “Our surroundings make people think of things that are more important than just their everyday routine,” he says. “Residents appreciate what is around them, causing them to reflect and realize what their true needs are. Living life to the fullest is why spas in Albuquerque are getting more popular every day.”

The Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa’s Southwestern-designed interiors provide a luxurious and serene getaway. Left: Outside, the spa’s stunning views and striking architecture attract visitors from across the country.

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Act Like a

Kid

CITY IS FULL OF KID-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A KID TO LOVE

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ALBUQUERQUE

Again

STORY BY EMANUELLA GRINBERG

BRIAN M C CORD

ith more than 300 days of sunshine a year and a variety of museums, parks and outdoor activities, Albuquerque is a destination that children and adults can enjoy together. “Albuquerque offers families a tremendous array of affordable cultural and educational activities,” says Tania Armenta, vice president of Tourism and Communications with the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The wonderful climate allows families to visit indoor attractions, but also to spend time outdoors.” For a $2.50 admission fee at the American International Rattlesnake Museum, children can test their bravery by holding pythons and tortoises while their parents view exhibits of beer bottles named after rattlesnakes. For 18 years, museum director Bob Myers has hosted hundreds of school groups and families, as well as Hollywood stars like Richard Gere, who visited the museum during film shoots in Albuquerque. “Kids have a natural fascination,

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At the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, children can explore the world of Jurassic giants.

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STARTUP follows the development of personal computers using interactive exhibits. In 2008, the museum also plans to open the Triassic Hall, where children can look at fossils under microscopes to learn about the dinosaurs’ predecessors. Of course, no trip to the hot air balloon capital of the world would be complete without visiting the Balloon Museum at the Balloon Fiesta Park, home of the annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Families can learn about the history of ballooning before booking a ride with one of several local operators in the area, weather permitting. For families who prefer to stay closer to the ground, the Paseo del Bosque Bike Trail provides 16 miles of paved bike paths alongside the Rio Grande. For a more rugged experience, take the Sandia Peak Tramway to access 30 miles of mountain trails, but be sure to check ahead to make sure your littlest hikers are up to the task. At the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, New Mexico’s rich American Indian culture comes alive inside a replica of an adobe pueblo home. On weekends, volunteers perform traditional Native American dances and demonstrate how to make bread in an outdoor oven. “Families get to experience life in the pueblos as it was hundreds of years ago,” says museum director Brian Vallo. “In many communities, that way of life has not changed very much.”

Most exhibits at Explora are interactive and designed with the pint-sized museum-goer in mind. Above: Tucked among the galleries in Old Town, the quirky American International Rattlesnake Museum has 34 species of snakes.

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a wide-eyed curiosity, with reptiles,” Myers says. The Rio Grande Zoo in the Albuquerque Biological Park offers close encounters with bigger and furrier animals, such as kangaroos and camels. A narrow gauge passenger train connects the zoo with Tingley Beach, an aquarium and a botanic garden, where children can walk among butterflies and visit the award-winning Rio Grande Heritage Farm. A ticket for all the attractions plus the train costs $5 for children under 13. Children with inquisitive minds won’t want to miss the Explora, a hands-on science discovery center, or the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, home of rare dinosaur exhibits and the state-of-theart Lodestar planetarium. “Families can come and spend the whole day traveling from the dawn of time to outer space all in one museum,” says Tim Aydelott, public relations manager for the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. “You can see the whole history of dinosaurs, grab something to eat in our café and then take in a show in the planetarium.” Since establishing itself as the biggest natural history museum between Houston and Los Angeles, the museum opened an exhibit in 2007 highlighting Albuquerque’s history as the birthplace of the personal computer revolution. Funded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who founded Microsoft in Albuquerque,

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Eyes

Through the

Artists

LIGHT, SPACE AND FREEDOM DRAW ARTISTS TO ALBUQUERQUE STORY BY PAMELA COYLE PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

ainter Rachel Popowcer grew up in New Jersey and Atlanta, came to Albuquerque to get her MFA at the University of New Mexico and never left. Salvador Marquez Equihua, a Chicago native who makes glass and metal sculptures, spent time in Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., and Seattle – the latter two glass-making meccas – was attracted by this region’s blending of cultures. And artist Marietta Patricia Leis had lived in Los Angeles for 20 years, deciding in the early 1980s that she needed more space, physically as well as mentally, to work out her ideas.

They are three among thousands of artists who make greater Albuquerque their home, a collective creative force that has put its mark on the region. The arts are an economic force, too. An August 2007 study by the University of New Mexico’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research concluded that arts and cultural industries generate $1.2 billion in annual revenues, $413 million in wages, and 19,500 jobs in Albuquerque and the county. Estimating the number of local working artists is near impossible, but it numbers in the thousands, says Cricket Apple, executive director of the

Artist Marietta Patricia Leis draws, paints and sculpts at her home studio in Sandia Park. Right: Relate by artist Rachel Popowcer, who says her paintings have become progressively more abstract since she moved to Albuquerque.

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SEE MORE ONLINE | Watch Albuquerque glass artist Salvador Equihua at work in our exclusive online video at imagesalbuquerque.com.

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Arts Festival Is No. 1 in the Southwest

Albuquerque Arts Alliance. And more are calling Albuquerque home all the time. “One of the reasons why artists are drawn to the Southwest is the vibrancy of the light,” Apple says. The blending of cultures, along with the skies and open spaces, attracted Equihua, whose heritage is both European and Mexican. A self-taught glass worker since age 15, he says Albuquerque has been host to the largest and most creative period of his career, which has spanned four decades. Equihua’s L.A. friends joked that he’d “go Southwest” and turn to more traditional regional art forms. Not so. He’s done some Southwestinspired pieces, but his collective body of work is firmly contemporary. “Sometimes when you are in a place and bombarded by a certain kind of art, you want the opposite or to find your own voice,” Equihua says. Popowcer works exclusively on wood panels, using a burnt wood technique for texture and building up thin layers

of paint to create color shifts. Before moving to Albuquerque, she always used pictures, symbols and images in her pieces. Her work has changed in a city that she says “gives you space to do your work.” “My work gets bigger and expansive and more abstract,” says Popowcer, who also teaches at UNM and Central New Mexico Community College. Leis, who draws, paints and sculpts, found what she sought. “It was time to leave, time to find a little more space to work out ideas and concerns,” she says. “I felt L.A. was getting commercialized, and I needed an environment where I could grow as an artist.” Her work has changed, but Leis says delineating the effects of the environment and her own evolution as an artist is tough. “This place is a powerful place, and it affects all of us who live here,” Leis says. “There is a certain rawness in New Mexico, and I think it keeps us alert.”

Left: Salvador Equihua creates glasswork used in large and small applications such as doors, windows, skylights and table lamps. Above: Equihua, an L.A. transplant, says he was drawn to Albuquerque’s open space and cultural mix.

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hree times a year, the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festivals bring artists, tourists and attention to Albuquerque. The biggest show, in October, has been held during the same time as the city’s annual Balloon Fiesta since its start in 1989 and is now ranked 27th in the country, based on sales and the quality of the art, says founder and director Ruth Gore. “That makes us the No. 1 show in the Southwest,” she says. In 2008, the 20th Annual Balloon Fiesta Show will draw 250 artists and craftspeople to a football field-sized tent at the corner of Interstate 25 and Paseo del Norte for two weekends, Oct. 3-5 and Oct. 10-12. About 80,000 people attend each year. “It has gotten better and better and better,” says Dana McDaniel, a jewelry artist based in Corrales. McDaniel, who travels to other art festivals, gauges them in part by promotion efforts and says Rio Grande is top notch. Gore started the festivals because she wanted a job that would give her more time with her two young children and give her a place to show her own work. “I thought it would be really fun to put one on.” She’s still at it. The two other shows – one in March and a holiday show – are held at the EXPO New Mexico Fairgrounds. One new twist – the 2008 holiday show moves from the first weekend in December to Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 28-30. – Pamela Coyle

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Sun When the

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Goes Down ‘ENERGETIC’ CAN DESCRIBE ALBUQUERQUE’S NIGHTLIFE

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN

BRIAN M C CORD

t is a lively place when the sun shines, and it remains lively when the moon comes out. Albuquerque has a variety of evening-out destinations where residents and visitors can do a bit of howling at night – from hip bars and clubs to the symphony and theater. For instance, those who like gambling and full-production shows can visit the Sandia Resort & Casino or the Isleta Casino & Resort. Or for a classic change of pace, there are the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra or theatrical performances at the KiMo Theater. And, oh, yes. There are plenty of quality restaurants that offer happy hours for mingling, and interesting entrées for dining. “Downtown is exciting these days, with a lot of happening places and something for everyone – no matter what age you are,” says Heath Shepard, general manager of One Up Restaurant & Lounge (formerly known as Carom Club). “We offer an upscale menu and attract a lot of professionals who are ages 28 and up. What makes us really unique is that One Up is just like our name says – we are on the second floor of a building at Third and Central, with

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The Sandia Resort & Casino features 110,000 square feet of action, including blackjack, roulette, craps and 1,700 slot machines.

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nuts that give it a New Mexico flair.” Other top nighttime eateries and cocktail destinations throughout Albuquerque include the Elephant Bar & Restaurant, Flying Star Café, O’Neill’s Irish Pub and the Whisque Mesquite Grill & Bar. “I think Albuquerque at night makes a person’s senses come alive because the evenings seem to bring out an artsy and upscale crowd – one that appreciates the interesting and exciting,” says Heather Thomas, marketing director with the Whisque Mesquite Grill & Bar. “That’s why I like where I work. We are a top-

flight eatery that offers mesquite-fired steaks, ribs and fish, plus we have floorto-ceiling windows along the entire east side of our building. It provides one of the best views of Albuquerque and the Sandia mountain range, especially when everything is lit up at night. It’s incredible stuff.” The Whisque also has an elevated oval-shaped bar, an indoor crushed glass fireplace that emits sparkling light, and a 2,800-square-foot patio. “We aren’t a corporate restaurant, so our chefs have a lot of freedom to experiment with different fusion

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giant picture windows for customers to watch what is occurring on the busy streets below.” One Up is open until midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on Saturdays, and continues to build a strong reputation for fine food. Two of its more popular dinner specialties are Albuquerque turkey and salmon rellenos. “With the rellenos, we take a huge chunk of fresh sterling salmon and stuff it with cheese and chopped green chilies, then bake it so that it’s not greasy like fried rellenos,” Shepard says. “It is topped with a cream sauce and pine

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dishes – we have a very forwardthinking dining staff,” Thomas says. “It’s just another reason why nightlife in this city is getting more vibrant all the time. It is all about atmosphere and quality product, which makes a unique city such as Albuquerque so special.”

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V.A.S.T. performs at The Launchpad, a popular Albuquerque club. Bottom left: The restored KiMo Theatre Bottom right: Flying Star Café

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Business | Biz Briefs

Office Alternatives offers everything but the overhead, providing clients with an office, receptionist and technology.

VIRTUAL HAS ITS VIRTUES Office Alternatives opened in March 2005 in the Journal Center area and doubled its space in 2006, a clear sign that managing partner Deb Austin was onto something. She had launched the first company in New Mexico to offer “virtual” office services along with executive suites. Packages start at less than $100 a month that provide clients with a mailing address, package delivery, telephone receptionist services, use of common areas, wireless Internet, and discounts for offices and conference rooms. Companies – often independent accountants, lawyers, financial planners, insurance agents and local reps for national firms – rent separate offices without the overhead. Firms that need an office only once or twice a month can get it. Conference and meeting rooms are available for rent by the hour or the day. The facility is at the northern gateway to the city, along the North Interstate 25 corridor. A big focus in 2008, Austin says, is targeting midsize companies that want to hold meetings and strategy sessions off-site because “those meetings 40

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are so much more productive.” For more information, check out www.officealternatives.com. LETTING THE SUN SHINE Solar power is hot, but once a family or business decides to turn the switch, buying the panels is only the first step. How do you mount them? That’s where UniRac comes in. Founded in 1997 by John Liebendorfer in a garage, the Albuquerque company designs and makes mounting structures for solar, or “photo voltaic,” systems. The gear supports solar collection grids on a roof, a few modules on a pole or a field full of potential megawatts. The company has grown by more than 50 percent since its inception, expanding and relocating four times, and has plans to expand domestically and internationally, according to company spokeswoman Lori Aizer-Bryenton. It employs more than 70 people. UniRac’s clients are distributors, installers and integrators that work for the single consumer or a large commercial venture. To make sure the systems stay intact, the company does rigorous testing, Aizer-Bryenton says.

“We perform static load testing – which simulates real-life situations where loads are placed on our rail and its connections.” Product lines include SolarMount and SunFrame. For more information, check out www.unirac.com or call (505) 242-6411. CONCRETE DETAILS Castillo Ready Mix is not a concrete company. It did start out that way, in 1984, but the company now fabricates specialized concrete structures. It makes what people need; if they ask, owner and founder Leonard Castillo figures out how to do it. Cattle guards were the first step in the evolution. The client was so proud of them; a nearby county got word and ordered up some of its own. Then Castillo made them for the state of New Mexico. He’s also sold cattle guards in California, Arizona, Texas and Colorado. The next call was for Jersey barriers, because the nearest other source for a local customer was Texas. “We are into the wall barrier business,” Castillo says. Whenever the phone rings, the ALBUQUERQUE

company’s fabrications expand. Castillo has made retaining walls for overpasses, decorative sound walls along busy interstates and concrete arches for bridges. For one contract, the company shipped 200 semi loads of fabricated pieces to Arkansas. A more recent addition is specialized concrete enclosures for explosives testing. Castillo is old-school; the company doesn’t have a Web site; he doesn’t even have business cards. “We’ve don’t advertise,” he says. “It’s all word of mouth.” For more information, call Castillo at (505) 864-4215

step. It fulfills big contracts for U.S. government agencies but is committed to hiring small local subcontractors in the Albuquerque area. Daniel Natal, president and chief executive officer, started the company in his garage 15 years ago. Today, Monitron, which makes and designs ground sensors, has nine employees and is growing at 30 percent a year. The sensors are buried underground and transmit information up to 500 miles away. Lockheed has taken Monitron’s equipment into Afghanistan;

the Department of Homeland Security is another client, says Allen Nickelson, the company’s vice president and chief operating officer. Natal fiercely believes in tapping the region’s small businesses. “Dan knows what it is like to be in those shoes,” Nickelson says. “The end result is if I need 40 seismic units, (the local) company will have them to me tomorrow. These people take very good care of us and we try to take care of them.” – Pamela Coyle

CLEAN ROOMS BRYCON Construction started in 1990 in Rio Rancho with five employees and f lew under the radar for years because it built high-tech “clean rooms” for only one client. Several years ago, the company reconfigured and expanded beyond clean rooms to general construction. BRYCON specializes in more complicated projects that often involve building or remodeling occupied spaces, such as a recent hospital job, says Charlotte Lane, director of marketing and business development. “They still had to have ambulances get in and doctors treat patients,” Lane says. “That was a complicated project.” Complicated is BRYCON’s forte. It renovated the University of New Mexico’s biology building, built in 1952, with state-of-the-art labs, high purity piping for gases and acid-resistant finishes on work surfaces. The company has renovated or expanded at least seven kidney dialysis centers, working around patient hours, which often start at 6 a.m. and don’t end until 10 p.m. Growth had been steady; the company now has 500 employees. Unlike many construction firms, BRYCON keeps its electricians, plumbers, HVAC specialists and architects on staff, Lane says. It does not subcontract the specialized work. For more information, check out www.brycon.com. KEEPING A CLOSE EYE Monitron LLC makes equipment you can’t see but will monitor your every ALBUQUERQUE

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Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS® (formerly, Albuquerque Metropolitan Board of REALTORS®)

Bigger … Better … and Growing

… the voice of real estate property rights, information, statistics and Southwest Multiple Listing Service … Covering Central New Mexico: Bernalillo, Valencia, Sandoval, Torrance, parts of Socorro and Santa Fe 1635 University Blvd. N.E. • Albuquerque, NM 87102 • (505) 842-1433 www.abqrealtors.com

IAN CURCIO

Business | Chamber Report

Just Call It Q-Town Now BRANDING CAMPAIGN MAKES ALBUQUERQUE ALL ABOUT THE Q

he Q is everywhere. Any Albuquerque city vehicle stamped with a Q signals it uses alternative fuel – and in March 2006 the mayor mandated that all new city vehicles be green. In May 2007, Albuquerque sponsored the Q Jam Music Festival and Environmental Sustainability Fair, with high-profile performers such as Jonny Lang and Joan Osborne. Private businesses are jumping on the Q train, too. The q-Staff theatre was on the front end. Artistic Director Richard van Shouwen said deciding on a name for a theater company is much like creating a performance. “It ends up feeling like a quest,” he says. The group pondered “quest” and “query” and “decided the Q itself carried the idea of the question more than any of the words did,” according to van Shouwen. It didn’t hurt that Albuquerque has two q’s.

When the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town opened its high-end bar, it was dubbed Q Bar. It’s got 5,000 square feet with a piano lounge, wine, media and billiards rooms, plus spots for private conversation. There’s ABQ Studios and a big neon Q in the signage for ABQ Uptown, a new lifestyle center with apartments and shops. Mayor Martin Chavez likes it and hopes others jump aboard. “It started coming from different directions, and it was a nice fit,” he says. “It just emerged.” Q is a “great, simple, nice, short way of referring to Albuquerque,” the mayor says. The moniker also is a nice nod to the city’s heritage – in the Spanish pronunciation, the q’s are very prominent. “The Q is fun and radiates Albuquerque’s energetic and diverse culture,” says Terri Cole, president and CEO of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. “It’s been exciting to see

each group’s take on the ‘Q’.” Debbie Johnson, CEO of Rick Johnson & Co., an ad firm working with the city, thinks of the Q as a unibrand. But it won’t have a standard brand manual. “It has to be so flexible and so variable and so evolutionary,” she says. “The mayor wants everyone to Q in their own way.” The Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau highlights the letter in its logo and publications. A biweekly arts and entertainment publication, Local iQ, launched in 2006, aimed at readers 24 and up. As with all brands, the Q has its detractors, including avid bloggers. Anti-Q T-shirts even showed up on the street, a development Johnson takes as a form of compliment. After all, the idea is flexibility. “My sense is that people are embracing it,” the mayor says. “Folks are welcome to use it or not.” – Pamela Coyle

The Q-Bar is one of the local businesses to start using the “Q” while the city’s older nickname, “Duke City,” fades.

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Business | Economic Profile

ALBUQUERQUE BUSINESS CLIMATE The Albuquerque metro area accounts for nearly half of all the economic activity in the state of New Mexico. The Albuquerque area is known for its high-tech, government, film and aviation industries.

TRANSPORTATION Airport Albuquerque International Sunport (505) 244-7700 Highways Albuquerque lies at the intersection of two major interstates, I-40 and I-25. Albuquerque is a registered U.S. Port of Entry with its own customs facility, enabling freight cargo to be shipped directly and duty paid locally. Rail BNSF Railway (800) 795-2673

SUPERLATIVES Albuquerque is one of Amercia’s 50 Hottest Cities, according to Expansion Management, January 2006 and February 2007. American Style Magazine placed Albuquerque second in its 2007 list of Top 25 Arts Destinations, mid-size cities. Albuquerque ranks fourth on the list of Best American Cities for Making Movies, according to MovieMaker magazine, 2007. Business Facilities ranks Albuquerque ninth on its Most Educated Workforce list, 2007. Commercial real estate giant Sperry Van Ness named Albuquerque as a Top 10 Retail Investment Market in 2007.

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Albuquerque ranked 19th on the Inc. Magazine 2007 list of Top Mid-size Cities for Doing Business and 29th on the magazine’s 2007 list of 100 Hottest Cities for Entrepreneurs. Hispanic Magazine ranked Albuquerque as the third-best city in the nation for Hispanics in July 2006.

27.8 percent of the workforce is between the ages of 25-44. Albuquerque ranks among the top 25 largest metros. 23 percent of adults have at least a bachelor’s degree. Source: Metro New Mexico Development Alliance, New Mexico Department of Labor, Economic Research & Analysis Bureau

USA Today picked Albuquerque as one of its six travel destinations to watch for in 2006. Albuquerque is rated as the 13th Fittest City in the Nation, according to Men’s Fitness, January 2006 Citing the city’s world-class resorts, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center and Old Town, Orbitz “Insider Staff Picks” predicts Albuquerque will be one of five outstanding locations that should be on everyone’s must-see list in the five years to come.

GENERAL LABOR STATISTICS Labor Force (December 2006), 406,700 Unemployment Rate (January 2007), 3.7% Median Age, 35.9

FOR MORE INFORMATION Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce 115 Gold Ave. S.W., Ste. 201 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Phone: (505) 764-3700 Fax: (505) 764-3714 www.abqchamber.com

Median Household Income (2005), $45,246 Average Hourly Manufacturing Wage (December 2006), 15.43

Sources: www.abq.org www.abqchamber.com

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The King of Its Kind AFTER 80 YEARS, THE ORNATE KIMO THEATRE STILL DRAWS A FULL HOUSE

laborate picture palaces were all the rage in the 1920s – the more exotic, the better. Movie houses fashioned after Greek temples, Chinese pavilions and Moorish mosques sprang up all over the country. Not to be outdone, Albuquerque entrepreneur Oreste Bachechi built a one-of-a-kind theater in 1927 that remains one of the city’s most beloved cultural icons to this day. The stunning, recently restored KiMo Theatre is the only Pueblo Deco theater in the world, says Craig Rivera, manager of the community events division of the Cultural Services Department. “Its architectural style combines art deco with Southwest and Hispanic influences for this mindboggling example of a very short-lived architectural style. It is beautiful,” he says. “The KiMo is a work of art.” Indeed, visitors come from around the world to see the proscenium adorned with American Indian symbols and the cow skull sconces with their red, glowing eyes. Murals by Carl Von Hassler depicting the fabled “Seven Cities of Cibola” grace the walls of the mezzanine, and ornate tiles, wrought aluminum door handles and handcarved banisters can be seen throughout the theater. “There is so much artwork to see, and the symbols are very ornate,” Rivera says. “You will never see another place like this.” The premier “picture palace” of its day, the KiMo still functions as a performing arts venue, supporting local artists, as well as national and international events. Gloria Swanson, Ginger Rogers, Mickey Rooney, George Winston and Rodney Crowell are just a few of the great performers who have graced the KiMo’s stage. Opera Southwest, a locally based opera company, and the New Mexico Young Actors are among local artists who use the venue. “I’m really proud to be associated with the KiMo,” Rivera says. “It’s a link to our past and a legacy to future generations.” ALBUQUERQUE

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Art deco flourishes commingle with Southwestern style in the KiMo’s lobby.

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Hot Time in the Old Town O

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SEE MORE ONLINE | Take a stroll through the shops and streets of Old Town in our exclusive online video at imagesalbuquerque.com. The 300-year-old San Felipe de Neri Church stands in the heart of Old Town.

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Free neighborhood pick-up service • Unlimited mileage available Honor auto club, senior discounts and insurance replacement rates Extended hours at participating locations • Monthly and extended-rental rates One-way rentals available • Economy through luxury cars, SUVs and minivans Insurance company direct billing available Albuquerque West Side: 10131 Coors Rd. NW Ste. H8 • (505) 898-6811 Albuquerque Midtown: 3501 Pan American Frwy. NE • (505) 344-7196 Albuquerque North/Northeast: 2500 San Mateo Blvd. NE • (505) 830-6953 Albuquerque Int’l APO: 3400 University Blvd. • (505) 247-2576 Santa Fe: 1946 Cerrillos • (505) 984-1596

For Reservations Nationwide:

(800) 527-0700

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www.budget.com

ld Town Albuquerque has been the hub of community life for centuries. The American Indian farming community expanded into a bustling crossroads for North American trade when Spanish settlers founded the city in 1706 . Today, Old Town still revolves around its original central plaza, thanks to local preservation efforts. Its historic heritage has fused with contemporary elements to make Old Town the quintessence of local culture. “Old Town is the oldest part of the city,” says Stella Naranjo, past president of the Old Town Merchants Association. “It has retained a lot of its culture, and there are still people living here that are descendants of the original settlers.” Art galleries, boutiques and restaurants now populate the mixeduse neighborhood. “Lots of older residences have been converted to galleries, and many shops have little brick patios and brick walkways. You get a taste of the architecture,” Naranjo says. “And some of these galleries feature worldrenowned artists.” Nowhere is the art and architecture of Old Town more apparent than in the San Felipe de Neri Church, the focal point of the community. Built in the Pueblo-style of the 1700s, the church, which includes a museum, features a paint technique that makes the interior wood look like marble – a timeintensive lost art, Naranjo says. Traditional Old Town buildings have tin roofs, beautiful fireplaces and thick walls made of adobe or terron – slabs of clay cut from the banks of the Rio Grande. The Old Town Walking Tour is a must-see for out-of-towners, and Old Town’s perpetual appeal makes it a favorite local haunt. “Old Town gives people an opportunity to taste of the past.” Naranjo says. ALBUQUERQUE

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Up, Up and Away I

Mexico’s food, wine and culture. A 2006 study estimated that Fiesta attendees spend nearly $120 million in Albuquerque each year – a huge boon to the city’s economy. And while area businesses enjoy the economic boost, virtually everyone enjoys the Wells Fargo Special Shape Rodeo – a launch of imaginatively shaped balloons. “Wells Fargo has a rich history of more than 20 years as one of the largest corporate balloon programs

in the United States,” says Greg Winegardner, regional president. “Our pilots enjoy traveling throughout New Mexico with the Wells Fargo balloons to entertain the public, our customers and our employees.” “When you see a balloon shaped like the cow that jumped over the moon, or the Wells Fargo stagecoach, or Mr. Sunny Skies – the sun wearing a pair of sunglasses – or two bees holding hands ascending into the sky,” Smith says, “it really brings the kid out in you.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA, INC.

f you come to Albuquerque in October, be prepared for a whole lot of hot air – and for the unforgettable sight of hundreds of brilliant balloons floating through the desert sky. The 37th edition of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, by far the largest balloon event in the world, takes place Oct. 4-12, 2008. The early dawn spectacle of 700 giant, colorful balloons ascending en masse defies description, says Paul R. Smith, executive director of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. “Regardless of how well or how much we explain, people just won’t believe it until they come and see it,” he says. “Kodak actually told us that [the Balloon Fiesta] is the most photographed event in the world.” Held every year since 1972, the nineday festival has become so renowned that, according to Smith, no matter where in the country or even the world you go, when you say you’re from Albuquerque, people respond, “Oh yeah, the balloons!” “It’s nice to be well-known for something people love,” Smith says. In fact, people love it so much that attendance has grown to a whopping 900,000 spectators who converge on the 365-acre Balloon Fiesta Park to walk among the balloons and witness festival events, as well as sample New

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is, hands-down, the largest balloon event in the world.

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The View From the Top L

ouis Abruzzo, president of Sandia Peak Ski and Tramway, first rode what is still the world’s longest passenger aerial tram as a boy in 1966 – the year the tram opened. Since then, he’s gone up and down the mountain hundreds of times. Now, when he rides up with “firsttimers” and hears their awe-stricken gasps as the swaying tramcar crosses the cable towers, he remembers, “This is really something.”

One of Albuquerque’s best-known tourist attractions, the Sandia Peak Tramway ascends 4,000 vertical feet during its 15-minute, 2.7-mile odyssey. “You go through four distinct climactic zones between the bottom of the mountain and the top,” Abruzzo says. “It’s always about 15 to 20 degrees cooler on top of the mountain than down in the city. In the summer, there are all kinds of wildflowers, and you can get away from the heat. In the

winter, people go skiing, and it’s like you’ve gone to another planet.” On the way, granite spires jut up from the mountainside where deer, bears and bobcats range and hawks and golden eagles soar overhead. At the 10,378-foot summit, stunning 360-degree views sweep more than 100 miles in every direction. And the mountain itself is a geological wonder. Composed entirely of granite except for a 100-foot limestone cap at the top, the mountain lacks the transitional layers usually found between the two rock types. Hikers and bicyclists traversing the mountaintop’s 26 miles of trails can see fossils in the limestone. “Once people have made it to the top, they can spend an hour, or half a day,” Abruzzo says. Or even stay for dinner. High Finance, a steak-and-seafood restaurant, is located at the top of the tram. Now that’s a dining room with a view. The restaurant also serves lunch. In its 42 years of operation, the handicapped-accessible tram has hauled 8.8 million passengers to the top of Sandia Peak – and back again.

Exceptional academics with traditional values Early childhood and Montessori classes for three and four year olds Kindergarten through 5th grade A family community

3020 Morris St. NE (505) 298-7626 www.sunset-mesa.com

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PHOTOS BY BRIAN M C CORD

Sunset Mesa Schools The Sandia Peak Ski and Tramway offers sweeping views of Albuquerque from 10,000 feet.

ALBUQUERQUE

Message Carved in Stone T

he Petroglyph National Monument honors a landscape shaped in prehistoric times by erupting volcanoes and molten lava – a landscape still revered by the descendants of ancient peoples who carved their marks into the basalt boulders volcanoes left behind. “The park is not just the story of a few images,” says Diane Souder, chief of interpretation and outreach at Petroglyph National Monument, “but a 7,000-acre monument with volcanoes, petroglyphs, the 17-mile-long escarpment, wildlife – it’s more complex than just the images. “The Pueblo people see the petroglyphs as the center of a bowl formed by the Sandia Mountains to the east and the volcanic cones to the west. To them, it is very important that the petroglyphs are spiritually connected to the rest of the landscape.” With an estimated 25,000 images, the park contains the largest concentration of petroglyphs in any urban area, Souder says. The images are powerful cultural symbols that represent the religions and social structures of surrounding tribes – some dating as far back as 500 A.D. Etched into the oxidized black surface of the basalt boulders – what scientists call “desert varnish” – the light gray images of animals, human figures, crosses and other symbols stand out in stark contrast. Park visitors can also see the volcanic cones up close. At the Las Imagenes Visitor Center, which houses interpretive exhibits and a bookstore, park staff provides maps and information about special programs. More than 150,000 people visit the park each year, Souder says. “Those five volcanic cones on the horizon create Albuquerque’s distinctive silhouette,” she adds. “Albuquerque residents are very lucky to have a national park in their own backyard.” – Stories by Carol Cowan ALBUQUERQUE

The Petroglyph National Monument dominates the city’s western horizon.

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Education

Going Back to Kindergarten ALBUQUERQUE READS GIVES STRUGGLING STUDENTS A NEEDED BOOST

f you see bank president Pat Dee leaving the office in the middle of a workday, don’t assume he is breaking for a power lunch or a quick round of golf. Instead, Dee is likely on his way to a kindergarten classroom, where he works as a volunteer for Albuquerque Reads. “Some kids come to school not even knowing the letters in their own name,” says Dee, who has been a reading tutor for the past five years. “From a personal standpoint, it has been extremely rewarding seeing the progress these kids can make toward learning how to read.” More than 600 volunteers – including many members of the local business community – participate in the innovative

reading program that was started by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce in 2003. “The chamber obviously has an interest in education, and we’ve been involved in some kind of educational reform activity for a number of years,” says Michael Gaylor, who serves as the chamber’s vice president for leadership and Albuquerque Reads. “Albuquerque Reads isn’t just a literacy program, it’s the gateway to the future for these children,” says Don Chalmers, Chamber Chairman of the Board and president of Don Chalmers Ford. “Many of us take for granted our ability to read and the opportunities that the ability affords us. What we need

to realize is that for a good number of these kids, this is their chance at a future on an equal playing field with their peers.” Modeled loosely on a program in Columbus, Ohio, Albuquerque Reads addresses the needs of 220 students at Atrisco, Wherry and Bel-Air elementary schools. The goal of the program is to level the playing field between children who come to kindergarten with basic pre-reading skills and those who do not. “Few are reading at that point, but some students know the sounds the letters make,” says Dee, president and COO of First Community Bank. “In most cases, we are starting from scratch.

Albuquerque Reads brings tutors from the business community into kindergarten classrooms three times a week.

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ALBUQUERQUE

Usually, by the end of the year, they are able to read some basic, simple books at least.” Each child enrolled in Albuquerque Reads is tutored three times a week. “We read to the child, then have the child read to us – back and forth,” Gaylor says. “The idea is ultimately for the child to be reading to us.” Teachers pick out books for the reading sessions based on each student’s ability level. A portion of the volunteer’s visit is spent working on writing and phonetic skills. The tutoring sessions are structured specifically to “support the work of the teachers,” Gaylor adds. “It is an integrated program; it’s not like we’re just going in and reading to the kids. It mirrors what is happening in the classroom. As a result, the outcomes are very favorable.” Gaylor cites statistics to back that up: In 2002-03, only 5 percent of students entered kindergarten with basic prereading skills, and 38 percent ended the year reading at or above grade level – “which really means being prepared to go into first grade,” Gaylor says. In 2003-04, the year that Albuquerque Reads was launched, another 5 percent entered kindergarten equipped with prereading skills, yet 80 percent were ready for first grade by the following spring. “Those statistics have held and are the same at all three schools,” Gaylor says. – Renee Elder

YMCA of Central New Mexico Adult Fitness Family Programs Youth Sports & Swim Team Summer Day Camp Swim Instruction for All Ages

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Branches H.B. & Lucille Horn Family YMCA 4901 Indian School NE Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505) 265-6971 McLeod Mountainside Family YMCA 12500 Comanche NE Albuquerque, NM 87111 (505) 292-2298 Rio Rancho/Sandoval County Family YMCA 2701 The American Rd. NE Rio Rancho, NM 87124 (505) 922-1681

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A Non-Profit Organization We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities. Albuquerque Reads has helped raise reading levels among kindergarteners at three schools.

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www.ymcacnm.org I M AG E S A L B U Q U E R Q U E . C O M

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Education

Making Gym Fun Again ‘NEW P.E.’ BRINGS EVERYONE INTO THE FITNESS MOVEMENT

a large swath of nylon fabric as others run underneath. Such games help youngsters learn turn-taking and sharing while developing muscles in all parts of the body, Williams says. At MacArthur Elementary, 250 students from kindergarten through grade five participate in 25 minutes of P.E. each school day. “We’re one of the only schools in the area that still has P.E. every day,” Williams adds. Most days, Williams keeps the focus on physical activities, ranging from yoga postures to upper body workouts using stretchy nylon bands. At least once a week, he turns attention to health-and-wellness education. “We have a computer station where kids can learn about things like the various muscle groups,” he

says. “I might teach a class about the food pyramid and what a balanced meal looks like.” Williams notes that studies show students who receive regular fitness instruction perform better academically, as well as lead healthier lives. In 2007, Williams’ achievements were recognized statewide when he was named Teacher of the Year by the New Mexico Association for Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. “I was very proud to be given the award,” he says. But Williams, who studied physical education at the University of New Mexico, has an even bigger credit to his name. “Our kids love to come to P.E.,” he says. – Renee Elder

BRIAN M C CORD

uper jocks aren’t the only ones in the spotlight in Jamie Williams’ gym classes. That’s because Williams leads students in “new P.E.,” where a variety of skills are taught and cooperation is the name of the game. “It’s a transition from ‘old P.E.,’ which centered on athletes and team sports,” says Williams, a veteran educator who teaches at MacArthur Elementary School. “We emphasize individual skills and health-and-wellness related programming. Everybody is given a chance, not just the select few who stand out.” The embarrassment of being picked last for dodgeball or kickball is a thing of a past at this school. “We still do have balls and jump ropes and hula hoops, but many of our activities are cooperative and team-building, like the parachute,” Williams says. Parachute games involve groups of students working together to lift

MacArthur Elementary School teacher Jamie Williams was named P.E. Teacher of the Year.

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Health & Wellness

From the Brain to the Toes NEW UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO CENTER WILL TREAT ALL CANCERS

t has a long name, and a long list of services it can provide. The official name for a new cancer center currently under construction in Albuquerque is the Comprehensive Cancer Treatment and Clinical Research Facility at the University of New Mexico. The $92 million, five-story facility is scheduled to open in February 2009 on the UNM campus. “That long name is how we are referring to the facility right now, but we might change it simply to the UNM Cancer Center before it opens,” says Leann Holt, director of marketing and communications for the cancer center. “The UNM Cancer Center is how most people are referring to it anyway, but we still have the official name in place for the time being.” Even though the new hospital’s name is in question, its list of services is not. The center will be able to treat anyone in New Mexico who has cancer. “It includes all cancers from the brain to the toes – that’s a good way to

put it,” Holt says. “We will not turn anyone away. It will be a state-of-the-art facility that can give all New Mexicans the cancer care they deserve.” The UNM campus has actually been home to an existing two-story cancer clinic that opened in the 1970s, but a new building has been needed for several years. “The clinic was designed to see about 100 cancer patients each day, but we are currently seeing 350 patients daily,” Holt says. “We are bursting at the seams, so the new building can’t get here fast enough.” The new facility will be designated as a National Cancer Institute, making it the only hospital in the state to hold that distinction. “The NCI designation allows us to network with the best cancer institutes in the nation, including M.D. Anderson, Sloan-Kettering and the Mayo Clinic,” Holt says. “So if anything rare or unusual comes up that UNM physicians have a question about, we have access to

the best cancer minds in the country.” Besides clinical treatment, the UNM facility will also be a research facility. The staff will be made up of 110 researchers to go along with the 65 doctors who head up teams in every cancer specialty. “The new building will have everything under one roof, including four radiation units that will provide tomotherapy treatments,” Holt says. “Tomotherapy delivers very precise dosages of radiation that result in fewer treatments and less side effects for patients.” Several of the center’s architectural amenities will feature American Indian/ southwestern themes, including walls painted in the colors of traditional native healing plants. “We want to offer treatment for the spirit as well as the body,” Holt says. “That is what New Mexicans are comfortable with, so that is exactly what we are going to do.” – Kevin Litwin

UNM Cancer Center’s 195,000-square-foot, $92 million facility is slated to open in February 2009.

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Arts & Culture

Lights, Camera, Action FILM INDUSTRY SETS UP SHOP IN AN ACCOMMODATING ALBUQUERQUE

feet and two at 18,000 square feet – Albuquerque Studios was the site of four major productions in its first year: AMC’s “Breaking Bad,” a dark TV comedy about a former chemistry teacher who starts making crystal meth; “In Plain Sight,” a USA Network series about a U.S. Marshal whose job it is to get people relocated in the federal witness protection program; Game, a futuristic thriller starring Gerard Butler about a show that pits prison convicts against one another in a militaristic contest; and The Spirit, a Frank Miller adaptation of Will Eisner’s comic book by the same name that will feature stars including Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Mendes, among others. Smerigan is excited to see the industry take off so quickly. He says he’s thrilled with the way Albuquerque has embraced its burgeoning new business and is already envisioning the countless economic opportunities that await. “That’s the kind of community you want to build and the kind of economic growth you want to see,” Smerigan says. Now, when the high-pressure grind of competition in L.A. seems too big an obstacle, industry bigs are starting to turn to this New Mexico city, just an hour and 25 minutes away. “If a production is thinking of leaving L.A., we get a call,” Smerigan says. “I’ve done this my whole life. This totally took me by surprise; I did not expect it to explode like it did.” – Ellen Margulies

IAN CURCIO

n Albuquerque, the sun is shining at least 70 percent of the time in any given month. (Lights) In New Mexico, economic and community development officials have set their sights on becoming a major force in the movie industry, offering a package of financial incentives second to none, drawing major players from Hollywood. (Camera) And with the completion in April 2007 of a $74 million studio complex boasting 132,000 square feet of studio space, Albuquerque is already becoming a go-to city for television and film production. (Action) It’s a combination of factors that’s bringing smiles to the faces of industry titans looking for fresh playing grounds while it provide a huge economic boost to the city and local businesses. Think 12,000-plus area hotel reservations in four months. Think $287,000 in car rentals. Think tripling your lumber business to supply crews constantly building and tearing down movie and TV sets. “There are 401 stages in L.A.; all the major studios and production companies are there, so it will always and forever be the seat of power. That’s the mecca of film and television, but the incentives here are especially unique and very lucrative for productions,” says Nick Smerigan, chief operating officer of Albuquerque Studios. Boasting six sound stages – four of them at 24,000 square

Central New Mexico Community College is capitalizing on the film industry by offering a degree in film production.

ALBUQUERQUE

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Sports & Recreation

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ALBUQUERQUE

Sports & Recreation

BRIAN M C CORD

The Sandia Mountain ski slopes are just minutes from downtown.

This Is No Façade THE GREAT OUTDOORS IS A WELL-KEPT SECRET IN THIS ‘ANTI-RESORT’ TOWN

veryone knows New Mexico as the Land of Enchantment, but the state’s nickname could just as easily be the Land of Really Fantastic Outdoor Recreation. In and around Albuquerque, a city that boasts more than 300 days of sunshine in an average year, playing outside isn’t just a nice idea – it’s almost wrong not to. Skiers, hikers, cyclists and adventurers exult in the region’s inviting terrain, which includes snowy mountains, solitary wilderness and a collapsed volcano in the Jemez Valley. “New Mexico has an incredible amount of backcountry skiing and camping opportunities that would take a lifetime to discover,” says Duwayne Ordonez, outdoor recreation manager for ALBUQUERQUE

the Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department. One of the most popular features of the ski community is the Sandia Peak Ski and Tramway, the country’s longest single span tram. Riders start in the desert at an elevation of 5,000 feet and travel up the side of the Sandia Mountains to a wooded forest at 10,000 feet. Once at the top, some ski back down, some go for a hike and some just stay and enjoy the view from the High Finance restaurant. Most days, the snow-capped peaks of Mount Taylor, 90 miles away, are plainly visible. “The tram gives you a wonderful view of Albuquerque and beyond,” Ordonez says. For the more ambitious, those who’d

prefer to get their heart rate up with the altitude, there is a bicycle path to Sandia Crest. The path, a curvy climb more 3,000 feet up the mountainside, was ranked by Bicycling magazine as one of America’s top 10 secret bicycle climbs. In addition to the standard-issue mountain sports, natives and visitors to the city can enjoy fishing, golf, caving and hot air balloon rides. The city also maintains a 30,000-acre Open Space network. Indeed, nowhere in the city is farther than 15 minutes from an Open Space area, according to James Sattler, who manages the Open Space program. For all Albuquerque has to offer, it’s relatively low-key in terms of tourism. Residents call the town “anti-resort” because there are rarely long lines, and everything from the restaurants to the ski lodges is authentic. For many, though, the greatest draw is the feeling of isolation in nature that is so easy to find in the state of fewer than 2 million. “Solitude is only a doorstep away,” Ordonez says. “The density doesn’t warrant a resort lifestyle.” He jokes that many people don’t seek out New Mexico as a destination because they don’t realize that the state is not a part of Mexico. “We are a hidden treasure in the tourist industry,” he says, “and the average New Mexican would like to keep it that way.” – Michaela Jackson I M AG E S A L B U Q U E R Q U E . C O M

Community Profile

ALBUQUERQUE SNAPSHOT Albuquerque is a city of contrasts. Nestled between the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande Valley, the city has breathtaking landscapes, a rich cultural heritage and the vibrant energy of a fast-growing urban area.

EDUCATION Public Schools Albuquerque Public Schools 880-3700, ww2.aps.edu Albuquerque Public Schools is one of the largest public school systems in the nation, with more than 87,000 students. Because of its size, the Albuquerque Public School system is divided into a cluster system based on 11 high schools and the elementary and middle schools that feed them. There is a 12th cluster that includes 10 alternative schools. Higher Education Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute, 224-3000 New Mexico State University, 883-3235 New Mexico Tech, 366-2530 University of New Mexico 277-0111

BUSINESS CLIMATE In May 2007, Forbes magazine named Albuquerque one of the Best Places for Business and Careers. According to Forbes, Albuquerque has the lowest business cost in the country. This factor, along with an educated population and rising household incomes, helped boost Albuquerque to the No. 6 spot for business and careers. Albuquerque ranks No. 10 among communities with

The area code for Albuquerque is 505.

the highest concentration of brainpower, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data done by Bizjournals.com in 2006. In a 2006 study conducted by Worldwide ERC and Primacy Relocation, Albuquerque ranked eighth among the best cities for relocating families. In June 2006, Kiplinger’s ranked Albuquerque third on its list of “50 smart places to live in the country.” The ranking is based on average home prices, cost of living, quality of life and access to health care.

ATTRACTIONS Albuquerque Aquarium 764-6200 Albuquerque Museum of Art & History 243-7255 or (800) 659-8331 Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum, 768-6020 American International Rattlesnake Museum 242-6569 Explora Science Center 224-8300 KiMo Theatre, 768-3522 Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 843-7270 Lodestar Astronomy Center 841-5955 or 841-5960 Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, 277-4405 National Atomic Museum 247-1437 National Hispanic Cultural Center of New Mexico, 246-2261

New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 841-2800 Old Town, 243-3215 www.albuquerqueoldtown.com Rio Grande Botanical Garden 764-6200 Rio Grande Zoo 764-6200 South Broadway Cultural Center 848-1320 Tamarind Institute 277-3901 Tingley Beach 764-6200 Tinkertown 281-5233 Turquoise Museum 247-8650 Unser Racing Museum 341-1776

FOR MORE INFORMATION Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce 115 Gold Ave. S.W., Ste. 201 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Phone: 764-3700 Fax: 764-3714 www.abqchamber.com Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau 20 First Plaza N.W., Ste. 601 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Phone: (800) 284-2282 www.itsatrip.org

Sources: www.abq.org www.abqchamber.com www.itsatrip.org www.cabq.gov

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Visit Our Advertisers African American Chamber of Commerce www.aaccnm.com Albuquerque Academy www.aa.edu American Indian Chamber of Commerce of New Mexico www.aiccnm.com

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Dave’s Custom Hauling www.davescustomhauling.com Eastern Hills Christian Academy www.easternhillsca.com Escuela Del Sol Montessori www.escueladelsol.org Greater Albuquerque Association of Realtors www.ambr.org Heritage Hotels & Resorts Inc. www.hhandr.com Inn At Paradise www.innatparadise.com Lovelace Health Plan www.lovelacehealthplan.com Manzano Day School www.manzanodayschool.org Mariposa www.mariposa-nm.com New Horizons Computer Learning Centers www.newhorizons.com New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union www.nmefcu.org Sandi Pressley Inc. www.sandipressley.com Sandia Prep www.sandiaprep.org Scott Patrick Inc. www.scottpatrickhomes.com St. Pius X Catholic High School www.saintpiusx.com Stillbrooke Homes www.stillbrooke.com Sunset Mesa Schools Inc. www.sunset-mesa.com Tempur-Pedic www.tempurpedic.com University of New Mexico – College of Center for the Arts www.unm.edu/~ﬁnearts/ifdm UNM Hospitals http://hospitals.unm.edu Wayland Baptist University www.wbu.edu/albuquerque Wells Fargo http://adfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ ck/8576-57670-3408-0 YMCA of Central New Mexico www.ymcacnm.org

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ALBUQUERQUE

The Inn at Paradise We would like to invite you to experience living New Mexico-style … a blend of people, food, art, history, wildlife and culture all spaced between the sunrise and sunset of the great Southwest. The Inn at Paradise sits atop the West Mesa overlooking the Rio Grande Valley and the majestic Sandia Mountains. There is no better place to relax and enjoy your next holiday than in the Land of Enchantment. Located on the first tee of the Desert Green Golf Club, you can experience golf course living at its finest. Whether you are on an executive retreat with your company, having a competitive tournament with your family and friends, or taking a romantic holiday with that special someone, the Inn is a great getaway.

The Inn at Paradise 10035 Country Club Ln. • Albuquerque, NM 87114 (505) 898-6161 or (800) 938-6161 • Fax: (505) 890-1090 theinnatparadise@msn.com • www.innatparadise.com