I was contacted by Kendra Thornton (of Chicago) to collaborate with her by writing
about what there is to do in my town. So I started thinking about all the fun
places to go to in and around Albuquerque,
New Mexico. Well there is
certainly a lot more to do than just what I compiled here, but these are just
some of the things that I enjoy. Some things you can visit anytime and other
events are annual. Here are a few things to do in the beautiful Land of Enchantment~
.JPG "Patchouli Moon Studio~Hot Air Balloon Quilt") |
| Hot air balloon quilt that I made. |
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| Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, mass ascension. Photo from their site. |
Starting this month in October
is the International Balloon Fiesta.
This
annual event is held at Balloon
Fiesta Park
and runs for 9 days starting the first Saturday of the month. There are almost daily
balloon ascensions or gas balloon races (weather permitting) and some night time balloon glows.
There are hundreds of hot air balloons to see, including lots of special shapes
balloons. People the world over come to this balloon event to see the balloons,
take a balloon ride or to fly their own hot air balloon. It’s a fun and unique
experience to get right up close to the balloons and see them spread out on the
grass and then watch as they get inflated and then finally take off into the
blue Albuquerque
skies. It’s a great photo opportunity, so bring a camera and make sure you have
extra memory cards. You will want to check out the Anderson Abruzzo International Balloon Museum as well, which is also at Balloon
Fiesta Park.
It’s a great place to visit and see after the balloon ascensions or in between
the ballooning festivities.
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| Anderson Abruzzo International Balloon Museum. Photo from their site. |
If you like to knit, weave, crochet or felt the annual Taos Wool Festival is held the first Saturday and Sunday in
October in Kit Carson Park in Taos. This is the same
weekend as the Balloon Fiesta, but the wool festival is only a 2-day event.
There are animals such as sheep, llama, alpaca, etc. there to see and several
demonstrations throughout the 2 days, such as sheep shearing. It’s fun for the
kids or grand kids
to see. There are lots of vendors selling beautiful yarn and
equipment for each type of craft. It’s fun to sit down and people watch too. I
love seeing how people are dressed in their knitwear, or woven or crocheted
clothing. It starts to get cold in Taos
right about the time this fun festival is happening.
Kit Carson Park
is just a short stroll to the Taos Plaza where
there are lots of shops and restaurants. Taos is
about a 2 hour drive from Albuquerque,
so you may need to plan in advance if you want to attend this festival in the
future.
April is the
month for the annual Quilt Show in Rio Rancho, NM (just up the hill from Albuquerque’s Westside).
This is an outdoor quilt show located on Pinetree Road just off Southern Blvd. at
the Veteran’s Memorial Park located
between the Post Office and the Esther Bone Memorial Library. This quilt show
is the work of the Thimbleweed Quilters.
Each odd year in May
is the Fiber Arts Fiesta held
at the state fairgrounds in Albuquerque.
Every fiber art is represented in this show from quilts to weaving, knitting,
crochet, felting, tatting, mixed media and so much more! Lots of vendors as
well.
Los Poblanos is an
historic inn and organic farm. They have special events such as the Lavender Festival in July. It’s a beautiful place to just
wander around on the grounds or you book a stay there too.
Starting in August,
you’ll see chile roasters set up all
around the state at Grower’s Markets and
Farmer’s Markets as well as grocery stores. While the chile is grown south of us, mostly in
Hatch, New Mexico, you can smell the scent of New Mexico all over the
state when the green chile is roasting. If you are visiting and can’t buy a 30-pound
bag of roasted chile, you can still taste green chile in the various Mexican
and New Mexican restaurants across the state. If you are a light weight, be
sure to order your green chile mild and
on the side. Even the mild sometimes can pack a wallop. You might prefer red
chile. If in doubt just ask for Christmas
and you’ll get both red and green. In fact here in New Mexico we have a state question, “Red or
green”? If you go to a restaurant that serves chile, be prepared to answer that
question.
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| Photo of Hatch green Chile from New Mexico Catalog. |
In September in Corrales, New Mexico (which is a small quaint village located next to
the west side
of Albuquerque), is the annual Harvest Festival.
In September there
is Expo New Mexico at the state
fairgrounds. The usual fair stuff:
rides, animals, arts and crafts exhibits, etc.
Catch the tram and ride to the top of the Sandia Mountains.
The Sandia Peak Tramway is the longest
tram in the world! It’s several degrees cooler at the top of the mountain, so
be sure and bring a sweater or warmer jacket, depending on the time of year. Gorgeous
views at the top, plus hiking and skiing in the winter months on the East side
of the mountain. There’s even a restaurant at the top, called High Finance
Restaurant.
There's lots of hiking
and biking trails in Albuquerque
too. About 40 miles southwest
of Santa Fe is Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. This is a nice place to hike and see some unusual rock formations that look like little clusters of tents.
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| Tent Rocks. (photo from site above) |
The University of New Mexico (UNM) is located on Central
in the university district. UNM houses PopejoyHall, which is the place to go to see musicals, stage plays, concerts. There are other smaller playhouses around the
area such at the Albuquerque Little
Theater, the Adobe Theater, The Box
Performance Space, etc. You can go here to see all the theater playhouses
in the area.
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| New Mexico Rail Runner. (photo by Daryl..me) |
If you want to take a little jaunt up to Santa Fe
you can drive by car. It’s about an hour’s drive from Albuquerque. Or you can catch the Rail Runner. It’s a
train that travels back and forth from Belen to Santa Fe, making stops along the way. If you
exit at the Rail Yard in Santa Fe,
you’ll see restaurants and some art museums. Get there early in the day on
Thursday and the Santa Fe Farmer’s
Market is there with lots of seasonal produce, good eats, sometimes entertainment and
arts and crafts across the street. Of course if depends on the time of year
whether the market is open. The Rail Runner doesn't
run early enough on
Saturdays for the Farmer’s Market though. You can take the local buses for free
if you show them your Rail Runner pass.
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| A collage of photos I took at the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe. |
There is a lot to do and see in Santa Fe. The plaza is similar to Old Town
with shops, restaurants and museums surrounding the park plaza. If you are
looking for a Native Indian made jewelry or small art piece, every day in front
the Palace of the Governors Museum you’ll see Native artists sitting along the museum building selling their
creations. The Georgia O’KeefeArt Museum is not far away. Plus there is the Museum Hill area where the Folk Art Museum is located. If you are visiting in July,
the International Folk Art Market is going
on with artists from around the globe selling their creations and most wearing
their native costumes. It’s a fun place to see colorful works of art as well as
colorful people too.
The famous Santa Fe Opera House is a beautiful place to see an opera. Check the schedule for what’s playing and
when.
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| Photo of the poster of the opera house from their gift shop. |
Other events in Santa Fe is the Indian Market in August, the Spanish Market in July. These outdoor markets fill the streets with colorful works of all kinds of art that surround the plaza in the heart of Santa Fe.
From the Spanish Market you will see things like painted bultos, which are three-dimensional, painted wooden sculptures that represent images of Christian iconography. Photo from Spanish Market site.
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| This is a photo of a painting from the Indian Market in Santa Fe. Photo from their site. |
You can visit art galleries up and down historic
Canyon Road in Santa Fe anytime of the year. There are always lots of paintings to see as well as beautiful outdoor bronze sculptures and more.
Of course New
Mexico has so much more to see than just what I listed above. I tried to list most things to do and see that are within an hour or 2 drive from Albuquerque.
Fun Things to Do and See in Chicago- by Kendra Thornton
Chicago
offers some of the most unique and beautiful attractions in North America. With
world-class museums, hotels, nightclubs, and architecture, it attracts millions
of tourists every year. This city is a great place to visit for a weekend
of culture, history, and fine cuisine. From award winning restaurants to
eclectic street festivals and free concerts, there's something for everyone in
Chicago. Just in case you're having trouble deciding, here are a few places to
see next time you visit the Windy City:
The
Field Museum of Natural History
Described
as one of the world's finest natural history museums, The Field Museum boasts a
unique collection of dinosaur skeletons, handcrafted artwork, and rare
diamonds. This is one of my favorite places to bring my children! Visitors can
enjoy guided tours of the most popular exhibitions, learn fascinating things
about the Ancient Egypt culture, and discover the amazing diversity of animals
and plants. The museum features a huge library with over 275,000 volumes and
250,000 pictures in the areas of botany, anthropology, zoology, and geology.
Here you will find the largest, best-preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex ever
unearthed! My kids can not get enough of this place.
National
Sustainable Seafood Month Is Now!
Founded
in 1930, The Shedd Aquarium is one of the most popular cultural attractions in
Chicago. This indoor aquarium boasts over 32,500 animals and 1,500 different
species, including snakes, birds, fish, insects, sea turtles, and amphibians. A
diver hand feeds the fish several times a day, and they are currently working
to promote National
(Sustainable) Seafood Month this October. While October is National Seafood
Month, the Shedd is valiantly promoting eating seafood that can sustain the
hungry ways of humans. Also, there are various permanent exhibits such as the
Abbott Oceanarium, Wild Reef, and Waters of the World. Tourists can admire rare
species of fish and mammals. The aquarium is home to seahorses, blue iguanas,
giant octopus, crocodiles, anacondas, and sharks. You can also see Beluga
whales, Alaska sea otters, Pacific white-sided dolphins, and California sea
lions.
The
Peninsula Chicago
When
I get a free moment to myself, which isn’t often, The Peninsula Chicago is one
of my favorite places to go. This 20-story luxury hotel features a wonderful
spa as well as fine dining. The building is located within walking distance to
the landmark Water Tower and the Wrigley Building. The bottom floors are
occupied by designer stores such as Banana Republic and Ralph Lauren. I first
found out about this spa by looking through a list of Chicago hotels on
the site gogobot. Guests can have breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Shanghai
Terrace, a famous restaurant that serves Chinese specialties and cocktails. If
you something a little lighter, go to Pierror Gourmet. This European-style cafe
provides the ideal backdrop for a relaxed dining experience.
Lou
Mitchell's Restaurant
Finding
a place to eat that all my children like can be downright difficult. One place
they can all agree on, though, is Lou Mitchell’s. Lou Mitchell's is the perfect
breakfast place, serving great omelets, French toast, pancakes, and ice cream
at a good price. It's one of the best diners in town, so make sure you try it
out! Established in 1923, this breakfast bar has been host to many presidents,
senators, athletes, and celebrities. Their menu includes homemade orange
marmalade, Belgian waffles, fresh banana pancakes, turkey bacon, and refreshing
salads. There is even a children's menu that includes bacon strips, breakfast
cereals, and egg specialties.
With
stunning architecture, fine restaurants, and world famous museums, Chicago is a
great place to call home, and to visit!
Pin It Now!
.JPG "Patchouli Moon Studio~Hot Air Balloon Quilt")
