The_NM_TX

  Time flies by so fast that things tend to become a blur. It is crazy to realize that it has already been a year since I relocated to New Mexico. I remember just a year ago how I was a mix of excitement and nerves making the drive from Denver. Once I hit the “Welcome to New Mexico” sign my nerves calmed and the excitement took over. I was excited to get to experience so many new things for the first time. The idea of being a tourist in a new state was something to look forward to that I decided to start documenting it, first in photos, and then writing about it. On the one-year mark what better time to look back at what can only be described as a very adventurous first year in the Land of Enchantment.  The first lesson which was quickly learned is to not move during the Balloon Fiesta, so while Albuquerque would have to wait it did allow the chance to experience Red River and Taos. Taos was a great town to experience, especially the plaza with all its history. I didn’t real...

  When most people think of Old Town in Albuquerque a few thoughts usually come to mind. That it’s a tourist destination, and full of souvenir shops. While that is true if you take the time to walk around and look at all the shops there is so much to discover. Now people know that I am a huge fan of coffee so I was surprised to find not one, but two great coffee shops within the plaza at Old Town. Both are incredibly unique in their offerings and are worth checking out the next time you are down there.  Blackbird Coffee: Located on the east side of the plaza tucked away in the back of a small hidden walkway off the plaza lies Blackbird Coffee. It is easy to be distracted by the beautiful plants and fountain but keep walking past it and this coffee shop will be your destination. Walking in there are beautiful murals of what else? Blackbirds. This is a very comfortable setting with both indoor and outdoor seating, but of course you need a cup of coffee, and the signature offe...

  Old Town Albuquerque is hands down one of my favorite places to go to. It is hard to believe that it is older than the country, considered to be Albuquerque’s first neighborhood, and that it is still around today. In between all the souvenir shops, and restaurants there plenty of areas throughout the plaza that are also dedicated to the history of it. While most people see the replica howitzers, and the five flag poles, there are other areas as well. On a recent trip while exploring I discovered two museums that I promptly visited.  San Felipe de Neri: While the San Felipe de Neri Church is one of the many reasons people go to Old Town there is much more to it. In the back of the gift shop lies a small museum dedicated to the church. Even though it is small it is full of historical artifacts from the church. The walls are lined with all the various vestments that the priests have worn, but the main reason to walk around is to see the historical bell, and organ. The bell d...

  When most people think of Old Town in Albuquerque few things usually come to mind. Of course, there is the church, the plaza, lots of souvenir shops, and an abundance of restaurants. While there is nothing wrong with any of those, I enjoy Old Town for other reasons, and one of those aspects is all the art that is all over the place. Whether it is beautiful murals, or sculptures there is beautiful art hidden all around in the small walkways, or also visible large murals. So in between enjoying what Old Town has to offer always keep an eye peeled, it seems like every time I’m down there I find something new. But some pieces stand out more than others, so here are some of my favorite pieces of art in Old Town.  Welcome to Old Town: Depending on where you park this mural might elude you, but even if you park elsewhere make it a point to see this stunning mural. This mosaic type mural shows the transition from day to night with flowers and vines as the focal point across the l...

One thing I have always loved about any city are the public open spaces. No matter how developed an area becomes the fact that there are still parks, and walking trails in the heart of the city is a nice escape from the urban environment. So, in downtown Albuquerque near the Bio Park it was great to see an open space that ran right along the Rio Grande. With ample walking trails, a wide variety of sculptures around, and a pond to sit and relax by this place offers a little bit to everybody. Even though it took me awhile to visit after moving here the drive to Tingley Beach was worth the experience.  Driving up I was shocked how close it was to Route 66 and thought that the noise from the road would be audible from the walking paths. When you first pull up there is a small pond with benches all around it, and more ducks than you can see. Heading towards the walking paths there are beautiful sculptures surrounded by various plants, and flowers. Once you get to the walking paths there...

  Every year during the summer I have always enjoyed going to the farmers market and seeing what local goods are available to buy. To me there is nothing better than enjoying a cup of coffee and purchasing fresh ingredients. Thankfully on a recent trip to one of these I discovered one of the newer coffee roasters in Albuquerque who sells small batch, sustainably sourced coffee from all around the world. Of course, I am talking about Crane Valley Coffee Roasters. Several sample bags later I dusted off my French press and couldn’t wait to taste what I had acquired. All delicious, here are some of my tasting notes of what I tried. Ethiopia Guji: I have always loved coffee from Africa because the beans always come with such a unique flavor, and this was no exception. At first pour the coffee had a strong citrus aroma that would make you think it was going to be a light cup of coffee. However, after one sip it was not light at all and had a good body to it. The citrus from the aroma c...

  While there are many aspects about the history of New Mexico that are fascinating one for me tends to stand out more than others, that this is the first wine producing state in America. In a country where California dominates the wine scene, it is hard to believe that because of the Spanish influence the first wine grapes were planted in New Mexico. Of course, the mission grape was used mainly as a sacramental wine and not for commercial use, but if it wasn’t for the colonization and that grape who knows if wine would have ever been produced here. Thankfully for us a variation of this wine still exists today. Using the Listan Prieto grape (mission grape) Vara makes a wine that pays homage to the original wine in not only New Mexico but the United States, Vina Cardinal.  Now, this is no ordinary bottle of wine. For starters in is only available in a 500ml bottle, and while not to the extent of port it is fortified with a little bit of brandy resulting in a 17% abv bottle of...