New Mexico Vacation Directory 2017

VACATION DIRECTORY

TM

travelnewmex.com • summer/winter 2017

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

LOCAL CONFIDE NCE

CONTENTS

Map Color Indicates Region Throughout Directory

NORTHWEST

NORTH-CENTRAL/ NORTHEAST

CENTRAL

SOUTHWEST

PUBLISHERS

EDITOR

MATT GANTNER WILLIAM HALSEY

AUTUMN GRAY

SOUTHEAST

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES SCOTT SIMMONS ERIN DE GROOT

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS ASHLEY CONNER DANA BENJAMIN

WRITERS

MARTIN FRENTZEL MARY ANN HATCHITT

The New Mexico Vacation Directory is published once a year in May by Moon Dog Publishing, Albuquerque, N.M. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented in this guide. The publisher does not take responsibility for the accuracy or legitimacy of the advertisers’ messages or that of the guest writers/ columnists or any aspect of the business operation or conduct of the advertisers in the magazine. For information and advertising rates, call (505) 350-8695 or (505) 259-7969.

9400 Holly Avenue NE Albuquerque, NM 87122

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.TRAVELNEWMEX.COM

6: Northwestern New Mexico: Rocks, Roads and Bling 6: Northeastern New Mexico: A Raucous Past Among Varied Vista 8: Southwestern New Mexico: Frontiers, Old and New 8: Southeastern New Mexico: Caves, Casinos and Culture 10: The City Different Embraces A Different Experience 13: Have Choices and Options for your Retirement 18: Socorro Rodeo and Sports Complex 22: Soaking Still Popular at Historic, Healing Hot Springs 24: Artesia: Intimate & Accessible Fun 26: Aesthetically Stunning, Inside and Out 28: History, Recreation Make Los Alamos Popular Destination 29: Farmers and Crafts Market of Las Cruces: Mood-boosting Color & Vibrancy 30: Monuments to Main Street Wilderness Hikes Outside Las Cruces 32: New Mexico State Parks 36: Ancient Pueblos and Missions Offer History and Dark Skies 37: The Candy Lady, an ABQ Original, Has Moved!

38: Old Town Albuquerque 40: The Charm of Church Street Café 42: Angel Fire June 2017 Schedule of Events 43: Taos Pueblo's Living Community Has Much to be Admired 44: North-Central New Mexico: History, Art, Culture 45: CHAMA: New Mexico’s Mecca for Year-Round Fun 46: Paint. Drink Wine. Have Fun! 47: SANTA FE: Celebrate the Summer of Love & Art of the Draw 48: Giant Warship Sails Into Alamogordo 49: Pop a Pistachio: New Mexico’s Other Tasty Treat 50: Santa Fe Area Home Builders Present 25th Annual Haciendas-A Parade of Homes 52: RATON: Small Town, Big Fun! 56: Winemaker ‘Living the Dream’ at Rio Grande Winery 56: Wineries of New Mexico 58: New Mexico’s Cultural Atlas Mobile App 62: Route 66 Casino • Hotel

Delightfully antiquated.

Let our coal-fired steam engine take you to another centur y and beyond. Into an unspoiled West of simplicity, natural beauty, and authenticity. Climb aboard our national historic landmark and you’ll zig zag along the Colorado and New Mexico border through steep mountain canyons, the high desert, and lush meadows. It’s an experience that’s completely at odds with the modern world. And better for it.

book now at cumbrestoltec.com 1-888-286-2737

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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ConneCting PeoPle With nature Experience 1.1 million acres of undisturbed land at Ted Turner’s three New Mexico Ranches. Plan your next adventure vacation today!

41-877-2TURNER www.travelnewmex.com ||

www.tedturnerexpeditions.com |

SUMMER • WINTER 2017

reservations@tedturnerexpeditions.com

where do you belong?

The Cultural Atlas of New Mexico leads you to historic and cultural places throughout the Land of Enchantment.

Organized by region, proximity, and interest, the Cultural Atlas will help you find where you belong.

http://atlas.nmculture.org www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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northwestern/northeastern new mexico

Northwestern New Mexico: Rocks, Roads and Bling

If spectacular natural beauty, rich history, outdoor activities, culturally-immersive shopping experiences and perhaps a spin at a great casino sound like criteria for your next adventure, look to the stunning landscapes of picturesque Northwest New Mexico.

As you embark on your scenic tour of the region, make time for a stop at Sky City Casino Hotel on Interstate 40, east of Grants. Sky City offers 24-hour gaming with more than 640 of the newest and hottest slot and video poker machines, Las Vegas-style table games, bingo, and live entertainment with fine accommodations and dining all in one place.

Whether you venture to the Four Corners monument (where you can stand in four states simultaneously), are drawn to the ancient mystery of Chaco Canyon, join in the annual Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremony in August, or cruise historic Route 66, there is much in this part of New Mexico to heighten the senses and stir dormant primal connections.

Amid 200 million-year-old cliffs outside Gallup is the Red Rock Park and Museum, featuring interpretive displays of ancient Anasazi culture alongside modern art from the Navajo, Hopi and Zuni tribes.

Immerse yourself in antiquity at El Morro, (south of I-40, west of Ramah on NM 53) where fragments of history and ancient cultures are embedded in the great sandstone promontory.

Here, Spanish and American travelers rested and carved their signatures, dates and messages for hundreds of years.

Trading posts and shops throughout Northwestern New Mexico offer a variety of new and old Native American arts and crafts, including painting, pottery, jewelry and fetish carving. The second Friday of every month from May through October, there are art walks from 5-9 p.m. at Farmington’s downtown galleries, in addition to Farmington’s four big art walks that take place once per month in April, June, August and November.

Venture along historic Route 66 experiencing the motels, diners and neon of the era as the "Mother Road" winds its way west of Albuquerque. The Gallup Cultural Center in the old railway depot offers a storyteller museum and displays on trains, mining, weaving, Native American sand and silver art forms, and the stories of Route 66.

Zuni Pueblo Cultural Arts Expo is scheduled for August 1213. The 13th annual fair is scheduled for August 31 through September 3. While the old Zuni mission is closed for tours for the foreseeable future for the safety of the public due to deteriorating structural conditions, tours offer a guided Middle Village Walking Tour; two archaeology tours; and a traditional Zuni meal. To get to Zuni, exit I-40, 85 miles west of Albuquerque, take exit 82 to NM-53/NM-122 W, turn right onto Chavez Circle for 74 miles.

A scenic drive off I-40 east of Grants takes you to the otherworldly volcanic flows of El Malpais National Monument. Take exit 89 off I-40 onto NM Highway 117, which travels the eastern boundary of the park. The BLM’s Ranger Station is located nine miles south of this exit and open daily.

Northeastern New Mexico: A Raucous Past Among Varied Vistas The geology of Northeastern New Mexico is a cornucopia of diverse terrain, with vistas claiming the state’s highest mountain, to the valleys and clear water streams of the Pecos River. As a result, this quadrant of New Mexico offers some of the most breathtaking scenery to be found anywhere. Guests can enjoy the abundant wildlife of the ultimate outdoor adventure on Ted Turner’s 585,000-acre Vermejo Park Ranch.

As expansive as the mesa is the area’s history, which includes outlaws, Rough Riders, a raucous cow town and the dwellings of ancient civilizations. Experience the mystery and intrigue of the historic St. James Hotel in Cimarron, a tiny community with a storied past that includes Buffalo Soldiers and train robbers. Make a stop along the legendary Santa Fe Trail into the once-bustling cattle town of yore in Las Vegas, where Teddy Roosevelt came to recruit the Rough Riders. The Las Vegas Museum and Rough Rider Collection tell the stories of 6

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Roosevelt’s charge on San Juan Hill in the Spanish-American War. Venture to nearby Fort Union and walk through the territorial style adobe remnants of the region’s largest 19th century military fort.

Recognized for its antique shopping opportunities, Las Vegas provides an opportunity to learn the New Mexico Harvey House story, or you can follow along the Las Vegas Film Trail to locales from some classic movies.

Nestled among the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains just six miles from the Colorado border, hospitable Raton offers fresh air, breathtaking scenery, a variety of recreational activities, a vibrant art scene and regular downtown events.

A dozen miles northeast of Raton, you’ll find camping, fishing and hiking in Sugarite Canyon. And don’t miss the National Rifle Association’s largest shooting range in the U.S.; NRA Whittington Center is located southwest of Raton.

“The Exhilaration of the Chase” • 16" x 20" • Acrylic

JOHN NIETO AN AMERICAN ICON • Friday, August 18, 2017 • 5 to 7pm The distinction of being a premier colorist with a lifetime of extraordinary achievements qualifies John Nieto as a living legend. A sampling of his honors includes exhibiting at Le Salon des Nations, Paris, France, and in a solo show at Tokyo’s Axis Gallery, accompanied by a hardbound, Japanese language book.

Among Nieto’s countless commissions are the Winter Olympics in 2002, Salt Lake City, Utah, and in 2006, Torino, Italy, both of which are documented in his lavishly illustrated book, John Nieto: Forces of Color and Spirit.

With artworks found in more than 20 major museum and public collections and in private collections worldwide, Nieto’s paintings are an investment in American art history. At Ventana Fine Art, we are proud to have hosted 31 solo exhibitions for this living legend.

Original acrylics, drawings, serigraphs, giclées, posters & book

VENTANA FINE ART 400 Canyon Road

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Santa Fe, NM 87501

•

505-983-8815

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800-746-8815

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www.ventanafineart.com

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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southwestern/southeastern new mexico

Southwestern New Mexico: Frontiers, Old and New Smack dab in the middle of Southwestern New Mexico is Spaceport America. Built as a hub for future space travel, the facility is situated along a path followed centuries ago by others who were also seeking a new frontier. Visitors will enjoy the newly updated exhibits included in the Spaceport America Experience Tour Gallery. The futuristic facility, with its two long runways, stands in stark contrast to the many historical landmarks dating back hundreds of years throughout this quadrant of New Mexico.

Nearby, the tiny agricultural community of Hatch proudly produces New Mexico’s famous green chile. Name recognition of New Mexico’s beloved signature crop from Hatch is growing nationwide. The region is also home to many pecan orchards and vineyards.

Just outside of Las Cruces, stop in for a glass of award-winning wine or pick up a fine vintage to take home at Rio Grande Winery.

Owned and operated by Gordon Steel, Rio Grande Winery is a sweet oasis in the desert, with fine wine, events and a panoramic vista of the Mesilla Valley. Some say the grapes at Rio Grande Winery are blessed since they are harvested by cloistered monks in a deal Steel worked out with a New Mexico monastery.

Once a railroad hub, Las Cruces is home to New Mexico State

University and serves as a center for agriculture, science and technology research. A short jaunt to the southwest part of Las Cruces and you’ll find yourself in the quaint village of Old Mesilla with its distinctive central plaza and shopping venues.

Head west toward New Mexico’s bootheel and enjoy the rustic ambiance of Deming, Lordsburg and border-town Columbus.

Check the local listings in these areas for reenactments of life on the frontier.

Civil war history, mining, prospectors and the Wild West are all part of the texture of Silver City, located just three miles east of the Continental Divide.

No trip to this area is complete without a visit to Catwalk National Recreation Area, five miles off the highway from the village of Glenwood.

In the Mimbres Valley, volcanic ash shaped by wind 35 million years ago created the geologic formations that comprise City of Rocks State Park.

Fort Bayard offers a glimpse at Civil War Life, and the spectacular Gila Cliff Dwellings, Gila National Monument and Gila Wilderness are indescribable and must be experienced. Travelers will enhance their experience by making time to drive the Trail of Mountain Spirits, a scenic 93-mile National Scenic Byway that winds around the southwest corner of New Mexico, back Gila, and past ancient cliff dwellings.

Southeastern New Mexico: Caves, Casinos and Culture The Wild West, world war history, recreational activities and weird phenomenon are all part of a sojourn to Southeastern New Mexico, historically a farming and oil region.

In the other-worldly desolation of the mountain-ringed Tularosa Basin at the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert, walk through dunes of glistening gypsum sand and experience the unforgettable beauty of White Sands National Monument. This is where the first settlers came more than 10,000 years ago and the U.S military conducted research during World War II. At the White Sands Missile Range Museum, you can learn more about the history of the region and the Trinity Site, where the first atomic bomb was tested in 1945.

A short jaunt away is Artesia, where downtown you can experience art and culture on the street. A series of bronze statues are positioned within the downtown district on Artesia’s History in Bronze and Downtown Walking Tour. It begins at the Artesia Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center in the historic train depot and stops at the impressive Artesia Public Library, which is home to a 46-foot Peter Hurd mural rescued from a downtown Houston building slated for demolition. Downtown Artesia offers local shops, unique community events, a performing arts center with national acts, a community theater and children’s productions.

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The diverse and dramatic geology in this region features flat expanses of seemingly endless prairie connecting to the foothills www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

of the Sacramento mountains, which are home to the villages of Cloudcroft and Ruidoso. There are gambling venues to be explored in Ruidoso Downs, including the many amenities and luxury of the Inn of The Mountain Gods, and Billy the Kid Casino and Ruidoso Downs Race Track.

To the south is Carlsbad, home to Carlsbad Caverns National Park where beneath the earth’s surface are dozens of limestone caves.

Bats that sleep in them by day fill the evening sky as they head out in a cloud of black to hunt insects. Check out the Dawn of The Bat Special Event at 5:30 a.m. July 15.

In Lincoln County, visit the courthouse where notorious outlaw Billy the Kid shot his way out of jail. New Mexico’s most visited historic site, Lincoln offers an immersive experience hearkening back to a violent period in the state’s history - the Lincoln County Wars.

A short drive away from Lincoln is Fort Stanton, established to protect settlements along the Rio Bonito in the Apache Wars. Built in 1855 as a U.S. military fort, this is the largest of New Mexico’s state historic sites. Kit Carson, Billy the Kid, and Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry all lived at Fort Stanton. Confederate forces occupied the outpost in the beginning of the American Civil War and later it served as America's first federal tuberculosis sanatorium.

No trip to this part of the state is complete without a visit to the UFO Museum in Roswell. Nearby, take a spin to Bottomless Lakes State park, 14 miles southeast of Roswell, where awesome sinkholes range to 90 feet deep.

THROUGH OCTOBER 2017 MUSEUM OF INDIAN ARTS AND CULTURE

JULY 7, 2017– JANUARY 21, 2018 IAIA MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY NATIVE ARTS

Into the Future: Culture Power in Native American Art

Connective Tissue: New Approaches to Fiber in Contemporary Native Art

APRIL 7, 2017– OCTOBER 1, 2017 NEW MEXICO HISTORY MUSEUM

Sleeping During the Day: Vietnam 1968 Photographs by Herbert Lotz

ONGOING

ATRIUM GALLERY, BATAAN BUILDING

Michael Naranjo: Touching Beauty AUGUST 8 & 13, 2017

MAY 14, 2017– FEBRUARY 11, 2018 NEW MEXICO HISTORY MUSEUM

Voices of Counterculture in the Southwest

SANTA FE DESERT CHORALE

Liberté and Justice: Music of Resistance and Revolution

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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north central/northeastern new mexico

The City Different Embraces A Different Experience

Santa Fe’s unique interactive entertainment phenomenon Meow Wolf delights first-time visitors and repeat patrons with an experience unlike any other you’ll find in the City Different, or just about anywhere in the United States.

The hybrid high-tech art-space, museum, funhouse, and immersive space-time continuum mystery defies explanation, and the success of Meow Wolf has surprised even those involved in creating it.

“We were not expecting it to take off like it did. We definitely underestimated the appeal and popularity,” commented artist and Meow Wolf front desk docent Blake Cahill, who has been on board since the beginning.

Located in an old bowling alley just off Cerrillos Road, the experience begins in the parking lot amid giant sculptures.

After buying your ticket inside and watching a cautionary video, visitors head into the House of Eternal Return, where secret passageways transport you to other dimensions.

From January 17 through February 1, Meow Wolf closed to install some new features. Newcomers needn’t worry that they missed out; the upgrades enhanced and expanded existing elements.

One new exhibition features the work of Los Angeles visual artist Dose One. Amid many suspended multicolor polygon faces, there rises a towering obelisk with a special function.

There is a secret code to be broken here if you hit the lights on the obelisk in the perfect sequence. Note: This is easier to do when there are fewer people in the room. The space can get shoulder-to-shoulder crowded at peak times.

Fans of the laser harp room will encounter a totally new experience with a fog machine, laser lights and a cacophony of sound. “How people interact with the Dose One exhibit affects their experience of it, so everybody has a different experience,” said docent Rose Krayer. The original room was modified and now includes an observation area from the second level of a tree house.

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Since the recent changes, visitors can expect an entirely new kind of rush to be experienced in the laundry room. And make sure you take note of the new ice machine in the community area. It will give you a thrill, if not a great place to take a break and chill.

This writer enjoyed the particularly flattering mirrors and lighting in the new ‘infinity’ spa, which offers a quiet place for reflection. There is also a new exhibition featuring what can best be called ‘new age’ neon pipe plumbing with an audio element. Returning patrons can also expect subtle upgrades to the ‘bug hallway,’ the video in the ‘black and white kitchen,’ and an assortment of nips and tucks along the way to further enhance the Meow Wolf experience.

“As we grow and change as a company, we will continue to test things with the public,” said Krayer. “Meow Wolf will continue to evolve and our exhibits will never stay static.”

An engaging experience for children of all ages, a fun outing for the whole family, a unique date experience, or just an afternoon as a solo explorer, Meow Wolf is a must-see stop in New Mexico’s capital city.

From the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, exit at the South Capitol Station; take the #2 bus to Calle del Cielo, then walk one block west (one-tenth of a mile) to 1532 Rufina Circle.

Hours of Operation: Wednesday – Monday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. & Friday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays. Tickets: $18 adults, $12 children (under 13), $16 seniors (65 and older). New Mexico residents pay $15 for adults, $10 for children (under 13) and $13 for seniors (65 and older). Annual passes for individuals and families are available. Tickets can be purchased online. Gift certificates are available onsite only.

Meow Wolf recently upgraded House of Eternal Return; these are images of The Caves and Infinity Spa. Photos courtesy of Lindsey Kennedy. www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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central new mexico

Have Choices and Options for your Retirement Retirement should be about choices and options. Discover the only area communities that have it ALL! Learn about the quality choices and peace of mind the Only Life Plan Communities in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho provide.

Amenities abound with fitness centers, pools, meeting and community rooms, libraries and dog parks. Planned social activities include day-trips, events, concerts, classes and many social gatherings. Or, simply enjoy the privacy of your apartment.

The unique aspect of a Life Plan community is that it is all inclusive – Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Nursing Care, Rehabilitation and Skilled Care. Changing needs are accommodated for and residents can remain at the same community with their loved ones and friends.

The Life Plan Value is it a PLAN providing you an active lifestyle, long-term care protection, financial security and control. Many residents remark it is the best gift they could provide for their family – a way to make sure they stay in control of their life and never be a burden to their kids.

Our new community, The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho, opened in April 2016. Located in “The City of Vision”, the community has beautiful views of Sandia Peak and City Lights.

La Vida Llena, which translates to, “The Full Life” opened in 1983, grew in five phases, and is ideally located in Albuquerque’s desirable northeast heights. It is truly the leader in senior housing for New Mexico.

While both of our communities are for active-independent people, we also have Supportive Care at The Neighborhood offering all levels of assisted living and nursing home care.

Rehabilitative and skilled nursing care (SNF) are also available.

Schedule a tour by calling 505-291-3294 or visit: Lavidallena.com , NeighborhoodRioRancho.com or Care.NeighborhoodRioRancho.com. All are not-for-profit affiliates of Haverland Carter Lifestyle Group.

www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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Belen Harvey House Museum Free Admission

▪

Guided Tours

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Gift Shop

Step inside the Belen Harvey House Museum and visit a bygone era. See where the iconic Harvey Girls lived and worked.

This Mission Revival eating house, built in 1910 by the Santa Fe Railroad, is one of the last Harvey Houses in New Mexico.

It offers Fred Harvey china and other memorabilia, historic photographs, antiques, railroad artifacts and much more.

Only a half-hour’s drive south from Albuquerque, Belen’s Harvey House is as welcoming to today’s travelers as it was a century ago.

12-5 Tuesday-Friday 10-5 Saturday 104 N. First St. Belen, NM 87002 (505) 861-0581 www.belenharveyhousemuseum.org 14

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Learn about the quality choices and peace of mind the Only Life Plan Communities in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho provide.

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All levels of care – Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Nursing Care, Rehabilitation and Skilled Care.

Should care already be needed - Supportive Care at The Neighborhood is available for direct admission without an entry fee.

(505) 291-3294 HaverlandCarter.com www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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DISCOVER NOT ONE, BUT TWO AMAZING ZIPLINES. For the ultimate adrenaline rush, take flight on the Apache Wind Rider Zip Tour at Ski Apache – one of the longest ziplines in the world – or Apache Eagle ZipRider at Inn of the Mountain Gods – where you’ll soar over majestic Lake Mescalero. What are you waiting for? Visit today.

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southwestern new mexico

Socorro Rodeo and Sports Complex

Saddle up and head south, partner. A new rodeo arena and sports complex just opened in the little city that offers something to love for everyone - Socorro. The complex is part of a larger, long-term vision that Socorro city leaders hope will attract athletes, rodeo cowboys and patrons, concert-goers, and others to the area.

The new $2.5 million City of Socorro Rodeo and Sports Complex opened on February 18 for an inaugural two-day event, the “Clint Benjamin Rope for Hope.” The rodeo facility/ sports complex features a covered rodeo arena, an outdoor practice arena, 100 horse stalls (50 covered, 50 uncovered), a two-mile walking/running trail, a concession stand, a 50-space RV park, four regulation-sized soccer fields, and a 5k crosscountry track.

Funding for the complex came from a loan from the Lodgers’ Tax, and the other half came from the State Legislature. A future civic center near the Rodeo and Sports Complex is also in the works. City leaders also plan to establish a “Central New Mexico State Fair” in Socorro that could potentially be

held at the complex.

Many events are planned for the new facility, including polo tournaments, dog shows and concerts.

Food and beverages are available on site.

The Rodeo and Sports Complex restaurant is Fat Man & Little Boy Grill, which offers burgers, a pulled pork sandwich, nachos, hot wings, Frito pie, chili cheese fries, breakfast burritos and cinnamon rolls. Those thirsty for a libation can get that need quenched at the Capitol Bar, which features domestic and craft beers, and a variety of mixed drinks. The following exciting events will be held at the Socorro Rodeo & Sports Complex:

• September 1-3: Socorro County Fair and Pro Rodeo • September 29October 1: World Series of Team Roping

Photo by Dave Jennings, Jennings Rodeo Photography.

Come join us for all the fun and competition. Great for all ages.

Look for the arena on Facebook, or visit www.SocorroNM.org or www.SocorroNM.gov, 575-835-0240, 1 Rodeo Road, Socorro, NM 87801. Exit 147, left on NM 1 S, then right on Rodeo Road.

Photo by Delilah Walsh.

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https://www.facebook.com/SocorroRodeoSportsComplex www.socorronm.org

Socorro Events

Very Large Array Observatory (VLA)

1ST SATURDAY EVENTS The first Saturday of each month our historic Hammel Museum is open to the public from 9 am - noon.

Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array conducts guided tours from 11 am – 5 pm.

New Mexico Tech hosts 1st Saturday Star Party at Etscorn Observatory at 8 pm.

In person it is even more stunning.

www.Socorronm.gov Photography by M. Colleen Gino

https://www.facebook.com/SocorroNM

WORLD SERIES OF TEAM ROPING 2017 QUALIFIER- May 19-21, 2017.

This event produces the richest and most prestigious ropings in the world. The Socorro, NM Roping will number 9 ropings and an Open, 7 of which are qualifiers for the WSTR Finale in Las Vegas, NV in December.

SOCORRO COUNTY FAIR AND PRO RODEOSeptember 1-3, Socorro Rodeo & Sports Complex.

A Labor Day weekend tradition, this event contains professional rodeos, exhibits, music, games, judged art, quilting, canning and more!

Visit the Socorro County Fair‘s website for more information.

WORLD SERIES OF TEAM ROPING- September 29October 1. This exciting event will be held at the Socorro Rodeo & Sports Complex. Come join us for all the fun and competition. Great for all ages.

SOCORROFEST- October 6-7. Let your heart sing and your toes tap to great NM music at Socorro’s Old Town Plaza Stage, and Historic Capitol Bar Stage. Get giddy at the spirits tent featuring NM breweries and wineries. Savor delicious food and pamper yourself with beautiful and unique arts & crafts. Bring the kids, we have a fun play area to keep them entertained.

ENCHANTED SKIES STAR PARTY- October 17-21.

The ESSP offers a unique astronomy experience in the Southwestern US. In the Cibola Nat’l Forest, just outside the tiny town of Magdalena, NM. The full 5 day/night program is designed for the serious amateur astronomer, and will again include the popular VIP tours of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory and Interferometer.

FESTIVAL OF THE CRANES- November 14-19, Bosque del Apache. The 29th Annual Festival of the Cranes is a celebration of the winter migration of the sandhill cranes to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. Avid birders from around the world flock to the Refuge to view the spectacular exhibit of fowl.

CHRISTMAS ELECTRIC LIGHT PARADE & LUMINARIA STROLL ON THE PLAZADecember 2. Get into the spirit of the season with a magical evening of lights and color at our annual parade. Make sure to wave at Santa Claus as he makes his way to the Plaza. Enjoy food, beverages and entertainment and a spectacular art stroll as members of the Socorro County Arts display their arts & crafts along a beautiful luminaria path throughout the Historic Plaza.

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New Mexico’s History Is Alive at El Rancho de las Golondrinas

El Rancho de las Golondrinas, “The Ranch of the Swallows,” was founded 300 years ago as a paraje — stopping place — on El Camino Real, the Royal Road to Mexico City. Today, it is a one-of-a-kind destination on 200 acres where the past comes to life and weekend programs are fun for the whole family!

Las Golondrinas is open for self-guided tours from June through September, Wednesday–Sunday, 10 am–4 pm. Exhibits close at 3:30 pm. During the months of April, May and October, we are open Monday–Friday for guided tours by reservation only.

Please allow at least two hours to visit and be sure to leave time to visit the Swallow’s Nest Museum Shop featuring local arts and crafts and period-appropriate toys and games.

2 017 W E E K E N D E V E N TS June 3–4 | Spring & Fiber Fest: Life On The Trails Of The Southwest August 19–20 | Adventures In Territorial New Mexico All Roads Lead to Santa Fe! Come see what life was like on the Camino Real, From Civil War skirmishes to Old West shootouts, experience the adventure of Santa Fe Trail and Spanish Trail. Learn about the people, goods and livestock that Territorial New Mexico. came and went on the arteries of the Southwest.

September 2–3 | Fiesta De Los Niños June 17–18 | Herb & Lavender Festival Fun for all ages! Enjoy storytelling, puppet shows, make and take crafts, archery, good Explore the many uses of herbs and lavender at this annual favorite. Experience food and entertainment. lavender and herb product vendors along with lectures and hands-on activities on all things lavender.

September 16–17 | The 10th Annual Santa Fe Renaissance Fair Enjoy incredible performances and music, delicious food, and arts and crafts July 1–2 | 24th Annual Santa Fe Wine Festival Celebrate your freedom with handmade wines from New Mexico wineries. Dance vendors at New Mexico’s premier Renaissance Fair. to live music and explore a unique arts and crafts fair!

September 30–October 1 | Harvest Festival July 22–23 | The 10th Annual ¡Viva México! Fiesta Taste syrup from our burro driven sorghum mill, help make cider by cranking a Re-discover our neighbor to the south as you listen to mariachis, shop in our traditional apple press, stomp grapes, and pick a pumpkin from our scarecrowMercado and eat delicious food prepared by local Mexican chefs. guarded patch. Voted #2 Best Harvest Festival in the Country!

August 5–6 | Panza Llena, Corazón Contento: New Mexico Food Fest October 28 | Spirits Of New Mexico’s Past Sample delicious locally made creations, experience historic methods of food Step back in time and encounter a diverse assortment of characters from New preparation, learn from food historians and find something special from our vendors and artisans.

Mexico’s illustrious and often little-known past.

(505) 471-2261  www.golondrinas.org  334 Los Pinos Road, Santa Fe partially funded by the city of santa fe arts commission and the 1% lodgers’ tax, county of santa fe lodgers’ tax, new mexico arts, and the santa fe new mexican

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BOOK YOUR FLIGHT NOW! MORNING FLIGHTS DAILY Reservations are required

DAYTIME TOURS | TELESCOPE VIEWING INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS | FAMILY FUN!

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Welcome To

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EXPLORE A LAND RICH IN BEAUTY, INSPIRATION & HISTORY O’Keeffe Landscape Tours & Trail Rides Archaeology and Paleontology Museums & Tours Hiking Trails • Overnight Lodging Transformational Workshops

UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER, GEORGIA O’KEEFFE AT UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, CIRCA 1912-1914.

BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH, GIFT OF THE GEORGIA O’KEEFFE FOUNDATION.

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southwestern new mexico

Soaking Still Popular at Historic, Healing Hot Springs There are times when “getting into hot water” is not a bad thing. For centuries, the hot waters of Truth or Consequences have been a place of healing, a place where suffering has been eased by a good soak.

Today this healing tradition is continued by motels and spas of the Hot Springs Historic District, where businesses offer mineral water bathing, overnight lodging and massages.

Reservations typically aren’t necessary for enjoying the water, but if you need a room during the busy fall and winter months, when snowbirds are dodging the cold and ice, the motels may be booked as much as two weeks in advance.

Don’t let that keep you from stopping by for a warm soak.

A MAJOR RESORT This town was called Hot Springs before changing its name to Truth or Consequences in 1950. “In the 1930s, the town really took off because people couldn’t afford doctors,” says LaRena Miller, who as a child moved here to the town that once billed itself as the Health Capital of America. Miller’s mother had tuberculosis and was given six months to live if she stayed in eastern Kansas. “She lasted 38 more years here in this desert climate,” Miller says.

Miller volunteers at the Geronimo Trail Scenic Byway Visitors Center on north Broadway, centrally located to the Historic District. The district was created in 2004, and was added to state and national historic registries.

Although bath houses have come and gone since the 1880s, it’s possible to get a room and a soak at one of three bath houses that have been fully modernized – Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa, Blackstone Hot Springs, or Riverbend Hot Springs Resort and Spa. There are seven others that have retained various vintage qualities of the 1930s and 40s, when people came from across the country to get healthy.

It was during the Depression era when bathing in hot springs was popularized by then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Roosevelt had contracted polio and took mineral bath soaks at a spa to fight polio’s effects.

New Mexico was politically tied to Roosevelt through Gov. Clyde Tingley, whose fiancée, Carrie Wooster, landed in Albuquerque due to an acute tuberculosis attack. Wooster recovered and was Rebecca Hood was once a patient at Carrie Tingley married to Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children in the former town of in Albuquerque.

Hot Springs, today called Truth of Consequences.

Photo by Martin Frentzel.

Thereafter, she wanted to improve conditions for children suffering with polio and other ailments.

Carrie Tingley used the Roosevelt connection to design and build the Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children in Hot Springs. It opened on May 29, 1937, and remained open until moving to Albuquerque in 1981, becoming Carrie Tingley Children’s Hospital. Patients at the Hot Springs location ranged in age from birth to 21 years, and they received hydrotherapy in the hot springs that continue to provide relief today.

A BODY CAST

Rebecca Hood works at La Paloma Too bath house in the Historic District. It’s a short walk on Works Progress Administration sidewalks from the Geronimo Trail Visitors Center.

Hood was 19 years old when she had surgery for scoliosis at the Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children. She spent a year in a body cast, and during recovery, she was taught to take her hot springs therapy in short doses, making sure she soaked three times during each treatment.

Hood encourages her customers to do the same today, starting with cooler water, say 102 degrees, rather than 108. “I take a soak every day,” she says.

Moving to Hot Springs helped LaRena Miller’s mother extend a projected six months of remaining life into 38 years. Photo by Martin Frentzel.

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The Historic District probably couldn’t ask for a better endorsement than from a patient who has continued treatment for almost 40 years.

Guadalupe Ridge Trail

Reach new heights.

CarlsbadNMTrue.com ADVENTURE ABOVE AND BELOW The Guadalupe Ridge Trail winds through the hidden oasis of Sitting Bull Falls in Lincoln National Forest and continues through rugged backcountry, past Carlsbad Caverns for a bonus underground adventure and into the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. This moderate trail is great for hiking, walking, nature trips, birding and is open year round.

guadaluperidgetrail.com www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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southeastern new mexico

ARTESIA: Intimate & Accessible Fun If you’ve got a taste for adventure, some good old fashioned competition, or a weekend getaway, here are some of the reasons you should make Artesia a destination location this year. Whether shooting clay targets, cooking competitions, or art strolls interest you, find them all in New Mexico’s ‘best kept secret’ city, Artesia.

Expect the strong smell of barbeque in Artesia June 23-25 for the Smokin’ On the Pecos NM State BBQ Championship

two-day, “Back-to-Back” “Double Header” Kansas City BBQ Society sanctioned competition. Teams from across the nation compete. There are fun activities for all ages, including live music all day Saturday & Sunday, a Beer Garden, premier concerts both Friday and Saturday night, plus the Cowboy Mounted Shooting competition. The BBQ Competition is held on the Eddy County Fairgrounds. The gates open at 5pm on Friday for those holding concert tickets to New Mexico’s own Tobias Rene, followed by The Texas Tornadoes. Saturday gates are open from 10am11pm, and from noon-4pm on Sunday. Admission is free all day Saturday and Sunday.

Artesia hosts the Red Dirt Back Gold Festival on August 26, a day-long festival celebrating the oil and gas industry. Admission is free and includes live music featuring New Mexico’s own Bri Bagwell and headliner, Whiskey Myers, NewMexiCan Beer Garden, and activities for all ages.

There’s an Oilfield Cook-Off and Oilfield Olympics, which both require a per team entry fee. The Red Dirt Black Gold Festival is held in Downtown Artesia at Heritage Plaza at the intersection of Texas and Roselawn.

Artesia is home to the Eddy County Shooting Range where patrons can take a shot at ‘sporting clays’. The Clay Crusher Sporting Clays Fun Shoot is set for September 15 and 16. Friday night is family game night, and there are two rotations available on Saturday at 9am and 1pm. The registration fee includes gifts, targets and lunch.

The first weekend in November each year, enjoy the crisp fall air at Artesia’s Balloons and Tunes event, when hot air balloons launch on Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting.

Unlike larger ballooning events, Artesia’s Balloons and Tunes is more intimate with easy access.

A perfect weekend getaway, enthusiasts can individually sponsor a balloon and get a chance to help inflate the hot air balloon.

(continued on Page 26)

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Balloons & Tunes Festival

Where inflation sends spirits soaring sky high.

artesiachamber.com

Annual Artesia Events Main Event Car Show & Cruise

Eddy County Fair & Rodeo

Balloons & Tunes

Smokin’ on the Pecos BBQ Championship

Red Dirt Black Gold Festival

Clays Crusher Fun Shoot

Fourth of July Celebration

Art in the Park

Last Weekend in March Last Weekend in June July 4th

Last Week in July

Last Weekend in August

Third Weekend in October

First Weekend in November September 15-16

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north central/northeastern new mexico

Aesthetically Stunning, Inside and Out “A beautiful, sophisticated, unpretentious gallery with an incredibly warm, welcoming staff,” is how one visitor to Ventana Fine Art described the experience in her testimonial on the company’s website.

Albert Handell Santa Fe Gold 16” x 20” Item #13004 Pastel $7,800

John Nieto Dos Apaches 16” x 20” Item #15045 Acrylic $7,500

You are likely to have a similar review once you step into the simple elegance, unique mix of artistic work, captivating canvases and celebration of creativity at Ventana Fine Art on Santa Fe’s legendary Canyon Road.

The experience begins at street level as you approach the historic red brick schoolhouse on the corner of Canyon Road and Garcia. The beautifully landscaped sculpture gardens create an aesthetically stunning environment inside and out.

With collections of contemporary and classic art from artists all over the United States, Ventana Fine Art hosts eight to 10 shows a year, in addition to its regular exhibitions of work from at least 20 painters and six sculptors. The gallery’s fine art consultants greatly enhance every visit with their extensive knowledge about the collections.

Even those unfamiliar with art galleries will find a sense of belonging at Ventana Fine Art. The experience here is personal. The art consultants are eager to ensure patrons fully enjoy their time in the gallery and remember their visit as a positive one. Visitors will enjoy a stop by Ventana Fine Art Gift Shop, which sells Tamar Kander jewelry, posters and books, Early Spring 36” x 36” plus prints by John Nieto, Item #16568 Mixed Media $4,900 Mary Silverwood, John Axton, Margaret Nes, and sculpture by Rebecca Tobey.

Ventana Fine Art has the following events scheduled: • Friday, June 2 from 5-7 p.m., A Retrospective - 50 Years a Modernist: Paul-Henri Bourguignon • Friday, June 9 from 5-7 p.m., Edible Art Tour (EAT) • Friday, June 23 from 5-7 p.m., Celebrating 35 Years at Ventana: Doug Dawson • Friday, July 7 from 5-7 p.m., Sensuality in 2- and 3-D: John Axton and Mark Yale Harris • Friday, July 28 from 5-7 p.m., Alive in the Wild: Rebecca Tobey and Jean Richardson • Friday, August 18 from 5-7 p.m., An American Icon: John Nieto • Friday, September 15 from 5-7 p.m., Pastel Legends: Mary Silverwood and Margaret Nes • Friday, September 29 from 5-7 p.m., Autumn Medley: Tamar Kander and Martha Braun • Friday, October 20 from 5-7 p.m., Paint Out Opening • Saturday, October 21 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Paint Out Ventana Fine Art, 400 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, ventanafineart.com, 800-746-8815

ARTESIA: Intimate & Accessible Fun (continued from Page 24)

After enjoying the morning flight, follow a series of bronze statues positioned within the downtown district on Artesia’s History in Bronze and Downtown Walking Tour. Beginning at the Artesia Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center in the historic train depot, the walking tour stops at the impressive Artesia Public Library, home to a 46-foot Peter Hurd mural rescued from a downtown Houston building slated for demolition. Downtown Artesia offers great local shops, unique community events, a performing arts center with national acts, a community theater, and children’s productions.

Southeastern New Mexico travelers bound for Ski Apache will find Artesia, a hub of day trip opportunities with easy access to White Sands and recreation areas. Check out all Artesia has to offer at Artesia Chamber of Commerce.

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“The Foundation,” one of the newest sculptures along Artesia’s Historic Walking Tour and History In Bronze Collection. In the background is Artesia’s Public Library, recently named New Mexico’s most beautiful library.

Diablo Canyon Walking on Sunshine.

320 days of sunshine, 12,000 ft. mountain vistas and 478 miles of trails, Santa Fe County is your destination for outdoor family adventure.

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north central/northeastern new mexico

History, Recreation Make Los Alamos Popular Destination Los Alamos isn’t a secret any more. You don’t need passes to get beyond the main gate. Visitors are welcome, and they can explore the history of the creation of the first atomic bombs while visiting the town.

This community offers award-winning museums and historic log buildings. There is a visitor center for the New Mexico portion of the Manhattan Project Historical National Park, one of the nation’s newest national parks created April 4, 2016.

The park includes facilities in Tennessee, Washington state and New Mexico, since all played a role in development of nuclear weapons. Those facilities, however, remain closed to the public because they are active nuclear sites.

MANHATTAN PROJECT The Manhattan Project secretly developed enriched uranium and plutonium bombs. It was a project with uranium-enriching reactors in Tennessee, plutonium processing in Washington, and bomb construction and testing in New Mexico. The project was rushed into production to beat German scientists working on their own weapons. The bombs developed were used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, and brought an end to World War II.

Those events are commemorated in the tristate historical park, a cooperative venture between the National Park Service and the Department of Energy.

Charles Strickfaden, the Los Alamos site manager for the National Park Service, is accustomed to working on such partnership parks. He also is the superintendent of the Fort Union National Monument on the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, which has many landowners and cooperators along its 2,600-mile route.

“The Park Service is the nation’s storyteller,” he says. “We don’t weigh in on whether war or atomic bombs are good or bad. We just tell the story of the fear and anxiety of World War II, and our nation’s efforts to provide science and technology that would end the war.”

Learn more at www. nps.gov/mapr/index. htm

Los Alamos’ visitors needed passes during World War II to get on the facility’s property. Today, a replica shack pretends to guard public restrooms near the old main gate. Photo by Martin Frentzel.

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HISTORY WITH A FUTURE “I would say 40 percent of the people come here for the Manhattan Project history,” says Linda Matteson, assistant Los Alamos County manager. “A lot of people also come here for the outdoors. The town is a little over 7,000 feet in elevation and it has a lot of outdoor amenities.”

Bronze statutes of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Gen. Leslie Groves stand near Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos. Photo by Martin Frentzel.

Those include an outdoor skating rink, a ski area, hiking and biking trails, and access to three National Park Service facilities.

Matteson says a walking tour of the community, constructed as a Los Alamos Mainstreet project, will provide a glimpse into the town’s history.

“The Los Alamos Historical Society spent a couple million dollars renovating the History Museum and it reopened in December,” she says. “It showcases the entire history of Los Alamos, from homesteading and the boys’ ranch, to development of the atomic bomb.” Get a closer look at www.losalamoshistory.org.

The museum is the first stop on the walking tour of the town, which includes Fuller Lodge, a pine-log structure built for the Los Alamos Ranch School in 1928, and a series of homes known as Bathtub Row, which served as school faculty housing before becoming residences for Manhattan Project director J. Robert Oppenheimer and other project scientists and associates. Lifesized statues of Oppenheimer and Brig. Gen. Leslie Groves, supervisor of construction for the Army Corps of Engineers, are on Central Avenue outside Fuller Lodge.

The Bradbury Science Museum is a must-see stop in town, with exhibits about the nation’s nuclear programs past and present. The museum’s foundation is raising money to finance tours by school groups, and exhibits are designed to show students the future has room for individuals just like them.

Museum Director Linda Deck is especially excited about the Lab’s research into biofuels. “Algae – pond scum – could do a lot for energy security and costs,” she says. “You don’t have to drill for it and you don’t need pipelines and tankers.” Videos on the museum’s website show that algae produce an oil similar to petroleum. Some algae strains produce as much as 60 times more oil than land-based plants.

The scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which manages the Bradbury Museum, are studying the strains of algae and testing different techniques for extracting the oils. It’s a long way from building atomic bombs, but it shows the Lab’s energy mission didn’t end after World War II. Dip into the scum at www.lanl.gov/museum/

southeastern new mexico

Farmers and Crafts Market of Las Cruces: Mood-boosting Color & Vibrancy An extraordinary collection of creative endeavors and earth’s bounty converge at the expansive Farmers and Crafts Market of Las Cruces, marking its 46th year in 2017. Continuing its rich history as one of the nation’s favorite and acclaimed larger markets, the event enjoys broad community support and is an integral part of the community and the lives of Las Cruces residents.

“I can’t count how many years I’ve been going to the Las Cruces Farmer’s Market, but it’s become a staple of my Saturday planning. From the variety and quality of the goods to the consistently friendly array of vendors and shoppers, the market’s color and vibrancy lift my spirits and often lighten my wallet when I see something hand-crafted that I just can’t live without. I usually start my ramble at the north end to see the adoptable animals, and then I make my way down one side of Main Street and back up the other, taking in the aromas of the amazing food, listening to many musicians, looking at the fascinating goods on display and interacting with the smiling people. The market starts my weekend off right every time!”

- Jess

More than 300 vendors take over seven full blocks of Downtown Main Street Las Cruces from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. A smaller, more intimate gathering of about 25 vendors happens on the Plaza de Las Cruces during the same hours every Wednesday.

From May through October, Wednesday Night Markets are held once a month, also on the Plaza de Las Cruces.

No matter the day or time you come, count on the Farmers and Crafts Market to provide an array of unique creations collectively appealing to every sense. There really is something for everyone here, but nothing cliché, mass-produced or out of a factory.

Everything is homemade or handcrafted by the vendors who display here. Homegrown produce from the area’s family farms, backyard and greenhouse growers, urban farmers, and year-round local producers is offered along with fresh eggs, fresh bread, fresh roasted coffee, fresh farm-raised meat, delicious prepared foods, local honey, and a chance to talk to the people who brought them to the market.

Prepare to spend a little time; this is no place for rushing. Enjoy the sights, sounds, smells and tastes offered by food vendors and musicians as you explore the jewelry, fabrics, crafts, photography, painting, soap and bath goods, household and kitchen items, gourd art, leathercrafts, and woodworking and metal works at the Farmers and Crafts Market of Las Cruces in the heart of downtown. Market Hours: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday, once monthly Wednesday nights May-October. Check dates at http://www.fcmlc.org/ and like us on Facebook Las Cruces Market Facebook.

Saturday Mornings 7 blocks long in Historic Downtown Wednesday Mornings on the Plaza de Las Cruces

8:30am to 1:00pm Wednesday and Saturday

For more than 45 years, the Farmers and Crafts Market has been central to our culture.

• Locally Grown Produce • • Live Music • • Locally Made Arts & Crafts • • We Accept WIC & EBT •

www.fcmlc.org www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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southeastern new mexico

Monuments to Main Street Wilderness Hikes Outside Las Cruces If precious solitude is what you seek, pack your camera, sun hats, sunscreen, water, and snacks, and head south to Las Cruces to experience the beautiful backcountry of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks. New Mexico’s newest national monument is all about the steep-sided crevices, canyons and majestic spires of the Organ Mountains, as well as the landscape, wildlife, vegetation and rich history of edible and medicinal plants along the path.

Established on May 21, 2014, by presidential proclamation, the 496,330-acre Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument protects the Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks, Potrillo Mountains and Doña Ana Mountains. There are 243 known artifacts and more than 5,000 archaeological sites along the monument’s desert nature trails.

Petroglyph-lined canyons hold 22 miles of the route traveled by the Butterfield Stagecoach, which carried passengers and mail from Memphis, Tenn., to St Louis, Mo., to San Francisco,

from 1857 to 1861. These canyons were roamed by western legends like Billy the Kid and Geronimo, and later provided training grounds for World War II bomber pilots and the Apollo Space Program.

The Dripping Springs Natural Area, located on the west side of the Organs, 10 miles east of Las Cruces, offers more than four miles of easy, spectacular, scenic hiking trails for anyone from beginners to experienced hikers. Desert Springs Trail has excellent wildlife viewing opportunities and a landscape peppered with desert scrub.

There is also a visitors’ center, offering information and tours.

Guided tour wilderness hikes offer plenty of local lore about ancient inhabitants of these lands. Recreational opportunities include primitive and developed camping, rock climbing, historical sites, hiking, mountain biking, geologic points of interest, horseback riding and picnicking.

The dates for this fall’s annual Monuments to Main Street Wilderness Hikes had not been set as of deadline for this story.

But you can check out VisitLasCruces.com for dates, times and meeting location as they are posted. Space is limited.

For more information, contact the Las Cruces BLM office at 575-525-4300, https://www.organmountains.org or Dripping Springs Visitors Center, 575-522-1219.

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Reason #6

monumental moments Follow prehistoric footprints that date back 280 million years. Blaze a trail on white gypsum sand dunes. Trek along historic and archeological sites in the Organ Mountains. Exploring national monuments is just one of the many reasons to experience all of our natural treasures - request a visitors guide to ďŹ nd more.

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(continued from Page 32)

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BOOK YOUR FLIGHT NOW! MORNING FLIGHTS DAILY Reservations are required

are: on. w. use (we bers)

we want ction in OW or ext they s are daily orld rldbal00 “

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Ancient Pueblos and Missions Offer History and Dark Skies The towering rock ruins scattered across New Mexico not only preserve our past but also provide many of today’s people with deep connections to the national monuments with which they are associated.

“In fact, 14 affiliated tribes consult with us when we are working on interpretive programs and displays,” says Norma Pineda, chief ranger at Salinas Pueblo Missions, an assemblage of 17th century churches and even older Native American pueblos near the southern end of the Manzano Mountains.

“The tribes feel very close to this place,” she says.

Gran Quivira, about 25 miles south of Mountainair, became a national monument in 1909, and state monuments at Abo and Quarai became federal properties in 1981. The properties were renamed in 1988.

DARK SKY PARK Abo Pass has served as a trade route between the Great Plains and the Rio Grande Valley for millennia. The National Park Service says it is possible that as many as 10,000 Native Americans once lived in the Salinas Pueblos region, trading bison meat and hides from the plains for maize, squash, pinon nuts, and salt, the monument’s namesake.

“Salt was a major trade item,” Pineda says. “It was considered one of the riches of New Mexico.”

The salt came from lakes northeast of the Abo and Quarai, and was used by Native Americans to preserve meat and animal hides. After the Spanish entered New Mexico, the salt was exported to Mexico for use in refining silver ore. Today the lakes are salt flats, evidence of a changing climate.

Spain also sent Franciscan priests to convert Native Americans to Christianity. Impressive mission churches were built at Abo, Gran Quivira and Quarai, and summer stabilization programs

Stabilization efforts maintain the towering walls of the Mission of San Gregorio de Abo, part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.

Photo by Martin Frentzel.

maintain the edifices, Pineda says. “A portion of the pueblo at Gran Quivira has been excavated and visitors can see it, but the villages at Abo and Quarai have been covered naturally over the period of the last 400 years,” she says.

Construction at the Mission of San Gregorio de Abo started in 1622, but a major expansion helped raise the walls of the church to 34 feet high and 133 feet in length by 1629.

Gardens adjacent to the church produced chile, cantaloupes, watermelons, peaches, plums and grapes, although the wine produced here is said to have been so weak it froze some days during the winter.

The fact that sand, grass and cactus have covered the missions’ pueblos doesn’t seem to keep visitors away. “Last year the monument was designated an International Dark Sky Park,” Pineda says, adding that the monument will have a handful of dark sky events, or star parties, this year.

JUNIOR, SENIOR RANGERS For the last 30 years, the Illinois Lake County Astronomical Society has visited Salinas Pueblo Missions, assisting with interpretive programs and allowing the public use of the group’s telescopes.

Several schools come to Salinas Pueblo Missions to explore links to the ancestral Puebloan and Mogollon cultures that once shared these spaces. Pineda says one school from El Paso comes to Gran Quivira every year to participate in a mock archaeology dig. The monument also has junior and senior ranger programs that cover the monument history, common plants and wildlife.

The monument visitor center is among the buildings in Mountainair that have been decorated with mosaics. Photo by Martin Frentzel.

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For more information and a full schedule of events, visit the monument’s website, www.nps.gov/sapu or its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice.

OLD TOWN ALBUQUERQUE

The Candy Lady, an ABQ Original, Has Moved!

Whether your sweet tooth craves a familiar square of homemade fudge or wants to try a baked good with an adultsonly flare, you can be sure to find it at The Candy Lady, an Old Town fixture for more than 30 years.

Debbie Ball, who runs the store, worked with her mother in the early days to create a delightful assortment of candy for tourists and locals alike. It’s a mixture that has evolved to reflect not only what customers want but also to offer the unexpected, and even the controversial.

Most recently, The Candy Lady has been in the news for creating the blue sugar rock candy that served as the “meth” prop for the award-winning Breaking Bad series.

But it was the store’s line of X-rated edibles that first garnered The Candy Lady major media attention. That was in the 1980s. The decision garnered both news coverage and protest by a local church. It also helped her business take off.

Today, The Candy Lady offers more than 500 sweets, including “red or green” New Mexican candy, licorice (more than 70 kinds of black), chocolate dipped fruits, custom cakes, rock candy, truffles, coconut creams, dipped pretzels, marzipan, jellies and mints. To top it off, just about anything at the store can be dipped with a customer’s chocolate of preference - milk, dark or white.

Fudge comes in 19 flavors, and a variety of turtles lines the display cases. Imported glazed ginger and multiple fruits add color to the toffees and crunches.

In addition, the Candy Lady offers a selection of more than 25 diabetic candies, including raisin clusters, coconut haystacks, almond butter crunch and truffles. “When people come in, we greet them, give them samples and enjoy every opportunity to visit with them. I don’t think anybody can beat us for customer service. That’s why people come back.”

Customers can expect to taste samples upon entry and learn a little about Ball, too. She can be found in the store most days talking with her customers with subjects ranging from economics to alternative medicine.

After being in one Old Town location for more than 30 years, the Candy Lady moved a few years ago to 424 San Felipe, also in Old Town.

Candy Lady offers a plethora of tempting treats.

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Crossroads of the Southwest Historic Old Town is the oldest district in Albuquerque, dating back to the city’s Spanish founding in 1706. For decades, it has been a popular shopping and tourist destination. Old Town consists of about 10 blocks of historic buildings grouped around a central plaza. On the north side of the Plaza, Plaza, stands San Felipe de Neri Church, built in 1793. On the east side you will find the Portal Vendors, local artist selling their handmade jewelry.

Many of the buildings were homes that were converted into quaint restaurants and locally owned shops. There are over 100 unique specialty shops, galleries, tours, and restaurants. There are beautiful patios courtyards sprinkled throughout Old Town.

And within walking distance, you will find three museums along with top rated lodging.

Summertime Concerts at the Historic Old Town Gazebo - FREE May – September Fridays: 7 - 9 p.m.

Saturday: 7 - 9 p.m.

Sunday: 1 - 3 p.m.

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Albuquerque Old Town Special Events: July 16 - Western Youth Day July 22 - Frida Fiesta Sep 9 - Salsa Fiesta Noon - 6 p.m.

Oct 31 - Dia del Dulce Dec 1 - Old Town Holiday Stroll April 7, 2018 - Fiestas de Albuquerque Noon - 5 p.m.

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OLD TOWN ALBUQUERQUE

The Charm of Church Street Café

Dining at Church Street Café in Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town has been described by some as a near-religious experience. Entering the dark coziness of the ancient building, with its 2-foot thick adobe walls, can feel like a welcoming hug to some.

Originally built as a residence, the building dates to the 1700s and was constructed for one of the city’s founding families. It remained a private residence until the last member of the Ruiz family died in 1991. Today the Casa de Ruiz Church Street Café offers an impressive selection of standard fare and traditional New Mexican cuisine.

Whether red, green, ‘Christmas’ or ‘on the side’ is your chile preference, the chile at Church Street Café never disappoints. New Mexico’s signature crop is prepared fresh daily here, Hot and spicy: Church Street Café’s Chicken Enchiladas with red chile. and is always flavorful and moderate in heat.

Steak and eggs, omelets, delicious papitas (potatoes), carne adovada (red chile marinated pork), huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos, assorted breakfast meats, tortillas, sopapillas, pancakes, or granola and yogurt, are just a few of the breakfast options to appeal to even the most discriminating palate. The coffee is bold, the lattes satisfying, and the cappuccinos are a subtle frothy treat.

Lunch and dinner options feature a vast selection of appetizers, sandwiches, hamburgers, salads and traditional New Mexican dishes, including enchiladas, tacos, tamales, chile rellenos, carne adovada and more. All dinners are served with sopapillas and honey, frijoles (beans), and a choice of calabacitas (squash), arroz (rice), or quelites (spinach). The food is served hot, the portions are plentiful, the selection is impressive, prices are reasonable, and inside or out, the ambiance is charming.

Church Street Café offers imported and domestic beers, New Mexico wines and flavored Margarita options that pair perfectly with the cuisine.

Make sure to save enough room for dessert (postres), including fried ice cream and traditional Mexican deserts such as natillas (pudding), flan (custard) and bunuelo (cinnamon-sugared fry bread). Casa de Ruiz Church Street Café, open daily 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Sundays 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and located at 2111 Church St. NW, Old Town Albuquerque, 87104, (505) 247-8522.

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OLD TOWN ALBUQUERQUE

“Bloomfield...The Heart of the Four Corners!”

Stay here and access the Four Corners...

New Mexico•Arizona•Colorado•Utah Fabulous Restaurants, Event Lodging,World Class Fishing & More!

Ancient Ruins (Salmon Ruins)

20,000 Trout

Per Mile

(San Juan River)

Top-Notch

Aquatic Center

www.BloomfieldChamber.info

Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center 224 West Broadway • Bloomfield, NM 87413 • 505-632-0880 www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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north central/northeastern new mexico

Angel Fire June 2017 Schedule of Events

Balloons, bicycles and the only tamale event in New Mexico are on tap at Angel Fire this summer, so pick your poison.

Scott Enduro Cup – This event returns June 10-11 after an exciting debut in 2016. One day is devoted to stages in the backcountry and one day will feature the berms and big-air jumps of the Angel Fire Bike Park – the largest in the Rocky Mountains.

Riders must purchase Enduro Mountain Bike Association memberships prior to the race to earn Enduro World Series qualifying points. Angel Fire is the second round of this year’s qualifiers. A total of $20,000 in cash will be awarded to the season’s pro/open top contestants. Learn more at www.endurocupmtb.com.

Angel Fire Endurance – Leave the wheels at home and slip into those running shoes for this mountain monster foot race offering 25K, 50K, 50-mile, 100K and 100-mile competitions. The race limit is 32 hours, it starts at 5 a.m.

June 17. The website is www.friendsofmultisport.com.

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Balloons Over Angel Fire– Fathers’ Day week and dad wants to see some balloons?

There should be 40 participating balloons lifting off during mass ascension at 7 a.m. June 16 to 18 at the Balloon Launch Field.

A balloon glow is on tap for June 17 at 9 p.m. http://www. balloonsoverangelfire.com/

Habla Tamale – So you don’t want to bike the mountain,

run the trails or watch the balloons, but everybody has got to eat! That brings us to Habla Tamale Cookoff and Festival 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 17 at Frontier Park on NM 434. You can learn about tamale history, enjoy a beer or a glass of wine, and taste some of the best tamales coming out of New Mexico and Texas. Five tasting tickets will cost you $5.

It’s on Facebook.

The Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce sponsors the tamale festival, www.angelfirechamber.org. Information on events also is available from the Angel Fire Convention and Visitors Bureau, 866-668-7787 (toll free). Or call the office at 575-377-6555.

Taos Pueblo’s

Living Community Has Much to be Admired Taos Pueblo welcomes visitors from all over the world. It’s considered the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States by archaeologists who say ancestors of the Taos Indians lived in the valley long before Columbus discovered America and even hundreds of years before Europe emerged from the Dark Ages.

And the people of Taos Pueblo are happy to share their storied history with tourists. It’s something the Pueblo has been sharing openly since the 1920s.

“Take a tour of the pueblo, if possible,” says Illona Spruce, tourism director for Taos Pueblo. “Some of our guides are college students who were born and raised here and come back to share their perspective of the pueblo. There’s something very special about this because they are truly proud of “An Afternoon in Taos Pueblo.” Photography by where they came from and who we John Rodman. are as a people.”

Parts of this Northern New Mexico pueblo remain much like they were when the first Spanish explorers arrived in New Mexico in 1540. Those explorers were looking for the fabled Cities of Gold and believed Taos was one of them.

Architecture is a big draw of the Pueblo. The structures are made entirely of adobe — earth mixed with water and straw, made into sun-dried bricks.

Roofs of each of the five stories are supported by large timbers (vigas) hauled down from the mountain forests. Smaller pieces of wood, pine or aspen latillas, are placed on top of the vigas. The roof is then covered with packed dirt.

“Adobe Gold” photo courtesy of Taos Pueblo.

The outside surfaces of the pueblo are continuously maintained by plastering with thick layers of mud. Interior walls are carefully coated with thin washes of white earth to keep them clean and bright. The pueblo is actually many individual homes, built side-by-side and in layers, with common walls but no connecting doorways. In earlier days there were no doors or windows, and entry was gained only from the top.

Today, about 150 people live at the pueblo full time, and another 1,500 or so other families own more modern homes to the north or south of the oldest two structures.

“When people visit for the first time, I like to remind them to be mindful that our pueblo is a living community,” Spruce says. “Even though we openly welcome our visitors, we also need to let them know that these are people’s homes and some of the most beautiful and architecturally unique spaces.”

Taos Pueblo is a World Heritage Site as well. The pueblo is open to visitors daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except during tribal ritual days that require closing the Pueblo. Late winter to early spring, the pueblo closes for about 10 weeks. Visit www.taospueblo.com for more information and to view events “The Jewel of Taos Pueblo.” Photo courtesy of open to the public.

Cameron Martinez Jr.

Taos Pueblo Tourism, 120 Veterans Hwy. Taos, NM 87571

(575) 758-1028

www.TaosPueblo.com

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north-central new mexico

North-Central New Mexico: History, Art, Culture

The largest city in the state, the oldest state capital in the country, world-class art communities, a real railroad town, and excellent gaming and travelers’ accommodations can all be found in New Mexico’s North-Central quadrant in the cities of Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos, and the towns around them.

Majestic mountains rise abruptly from great expanses of plains, falling off to wooded river valleys. This diverse terrain offers a cornucopia of outdoor activity options, including hiking, skiing, cycling and mountain biking. Just as varied as the terrain are the communities: Belen, Los Lunas, Albuquerque and Angel Fire, for example, provide a mix of everything from small town charm to bucolic serenity, bustling metropolitan life to a sleepy mountain ringed village.

Make some time to experience the rich history and culture of Belen, founded in 1740 and interwoven with Spanish, German and other cultures over the centuries. The community boasts an original Harvey House and offers a glimpse at what this historic railroad town looked like in the early 1900s. There are also plenty of modern shopping opportunities.

Birders, golfers, art-lovers, historians and campers will find there are plenty of opportunities for entertainment in Socorro, especially for the outdoorsman. Check out the City’s website for a full list of activities available in the area, including walking tours, dirt biking and ATVs, and downtown shopping and dining.

If you like games of chance, then don’t pass up the chance to try your luck at Route 66 casino on I-25, west of Albuquerque. The casino floor features more than 1,300 slots in every denomination, from pennies to high stakes machines, Vegas-style table games, a popular bingo hall, as well as full hotel accommodations, great food, and regular entertainment options.

Check out the rich history of Los Lunas with a visit to the Los Lunas Visitors Center, your source for information about the array of local events held year-round. While you’re at the Visitors Center, look at the rich history of Los Lunas through a photo display inside the building.

Do not miss Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town Plaza, the humble roots from which Albuquerque grew. Old Town offers an impressive selection of shopping and dining options, offering New Mexico cuisine and the work of local artisans in an area that surrounds historic San Felipe de Neri Church. There are three nearby museums and the City’s BioPark. The plaza offers a therapeutic ambiance if you just want to sit and watch the world go by.

Sixty miles north of Albuquerque on I-25, historic Santa Fe is home to world-class art galleries, museums, restaurants and the seat of state government. Explore the fascinating history of the Palace of the Governors on historic Santa Fe Plaza amid the city’s signature Pueblo Revival architecture. Savor delicious local cuisine at any of 44

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CHAMA: New Mexico’s Mecca for Year-Round Fun One of the best-kept secrets in New Mexico is the enchanting Village of Chama. With an elevation of 7,860 feet, Chama is nestled high in the Southern Rockies, just 120 miles north of Santa Fe. The historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad steam trains leave the Chama depot daily from Memorial Day weekend to midOctober. Riding the railroad is a day trip of exhilarating mountain views, deep gorges, beautiful spring wild flowers, and later in the season, amazing fall colors.

Fishing local trout streams and lakes is a leisurely pleasure, but for a real experience, try fly fishing the Rio Chama, which runs the east side of the village. Hikers and mountain bikers find many trails, including the Continental Divide Trail nearby. The Sargent’s Wildlife Area surrounds Chama with meadows and trails for hiking and horseback riding. Hunting adventures with reliable guides are close to town.

Chama has a lively Western-style business district with lodging, RV Parks and cozy dining establishments. Located at the junction of Highway 17 and U.S. 84 (Take State Hwy 285 north from Santa Fe to Española, then take the “Chama Highway”/84 north.), the Village of Chama is the perfect destination for anyone seeking scenic outdoor recreation.

Crowds gather in Chama for the famous Fourth of July fireworks display. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad offers a fireworks train in the evening. Chama Days, the second weekend of August, is always fun with a softball tournament, NMPRC Rodeo, dances and a parade. Enjoy the Valley Studio Tour every Labor Day weekend and visit our local artists.

Cool times in cool pines are the epitome of summer fun in Chama’s cabins and vacation ranches.

And it’s an absolute mecca for winter sports, too!

For your safety and comfort, take a light jacket or sweater for those cool evening walks, and check with the local ranger district before heading out to hike. Never travel alone and make sure you are adequately prepared. At these altitudes, the weather can sneak up on you.

Chamanmv.com Summer on the Chama River. Photo courtesy of www.exposureandfstop.com.

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Paint. Drink Wine. Have Fun!

Just off 4th Street in the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, there is a one-of-a-kind, popular, must-see factory outlet gallery that features stunning pottery and ceramic creations for purchase, and a place for would-be artists to test their wings. The brainchild of owner and celebrated artist Kelly Jo Kuchar, Kelly Jo Designs has been handcrafting functional artwork in New Mexico for more than 25 years.

With a long history of pottery production, this extensive and unique collection of ceramic plates, bowls and vases reflect our stunning New Mexican landscape and bright colors. An elegant addition to any home, a perfect gift to be treasured for years to come, or a personalized wedding gift (with ample lead-time), Kelly Jo and her skilled artisans create these unique treasures, which are sold and shipped all over the United States to galleries, wineries, stores and to private collectors.

Recently, Kelly Jo was commissioned to design and paint 170 tile murals, which are installed in Santa Fe’s historic hotel, the recently renovated La Fonda.

In recent years, Kelly Jo and her staff decided to share the fun, joy and satisfaction of creativity with the public by creating Kelly Jo Designs by Wine, an interactive sip and paint experience, which has created quite a buzz in Albuquerque and nearby communities among people who aspire to create art.

Classes are offered daily and feature a variety of distinctively New Mexican painting choices. There is also a beautiful patio

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oasis for artists to drop in to paint their own pottery. The patio features a full wine bar, too.

One class participant admitted before receiving a gift certificate to Kelly Jo Designs

by Wine that a fresh canvas sat in her closet for 15 years because she had no idea how to start painting. “With the step-by-step guidance from Kelly Jo Kuchar instructors at Kelly Jo’s, I have now created many paintings, losing myself entirely in the process and I love the way creating art has shown me a new way of ‘seeing.’”

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SANTA FE: Celebrate the Summer of Love & Art of the Draw Two world-class cultural collaborations are happening in Santa Fe this summer, making the City Different a top destination location for a weekend getaway. One of the collaborations explores the history of drawing as the root of art and a fundamental starting point for all art and science.

The other delves deep into the role New Mexico played in the transformational 1960’s counterculture, and examines how that era of social reform made lasting imprints on the world we live in today.

Make this summer a fascinating journey of discovery by delving into these topics and more at one of New Mexico’s eight state museums and historic sites. To see what’s being offered at all New Mexico’s state run museums and historic sites check out NewMexicoCulture.org.

The Museum of Art hosts the U.S. debut of the British Museum’s prestigious Lines of Thought: Drawings from Michelangelo to Now as the anchor exhibition of the Art of the Draw collaboration. Art of the Draw collaborators include the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum's presentation of the artist’s drawings and paintings; the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts’ exhibition Action Abstraction Redefined; and

the Santa Fe Desert Chorale's 2017 Summer Festival Season, Liberté: Music of Resistance and Revolution on the theme of resistance and revolution. To learn more about the Art of the Draw collaboration, events and programming MNM Media Center Art of the Draw.

The theme of revolution and resistance is also at the core of Santa Fe’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the fabled Summer of Love: Be Here Now: Summer of Love Santa Fe, A Series of Happenings. A flashback to the social upheaval and emergence of American counterculture in the 1960s, the New Mexico History Museum hosts Voices of Counterculture in the Southwest. The exhibit spans two decades of the state’s role in the era’s protests, social and political upheaval, experimentation in drugs and communal living, and the resulting creation of environmental and Native activist groups. As part of this collaboration the NM History Museum also hosts, Sleeping During the Day: Vietnam 1968: a photographic exhibition telling the story of a young gay man serving in Vietnam in 1968. Learn more about the fellow collaborators, events and exhibitions, reading lists, film series and programming associated with the Be Here Now Collaboration Be Here Now.

S BURRO STREETT Cloudcroft, New Mexico

Blue Water Real Estate provides you with service and integrity, professionalism, honesty and pride which you highly deserve! You leave here feeling like family. Go get it done! Office 575-682-3566, Cell 575-430-6832, Email jjones@tularosa.net, www.bluewaterrealestatenm.com

Noisy Water Winery is located in the heart of Burro St. Noisy Water Winery delivers amazing wines along with friendly customer service. Stop by today! Store 575-682-6610, Email jj@noisywaterwinery.com, www.noisywaterwinery.com

Sam’s Silver Lining- Western flare, Native American jewelry, leather purses, wallets. Local art. Cloudcroft, NM. Store 575-601-2527, Cell 575-365-5667, Email-samsilverlining@live.com

Tree Top Teez & ATVs- Enjoy some outdoor time on an ATV in the mountains of Cloudcroft, NM. Embroidery & screen printing, hats, t-shirts etc. No order too big or too small. Call Wendy at 575- 430-5154 or email us at treetopteez@tularosa.net www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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Giant Warship Sails Into Alamogordo Museum Members See It For Free!

Imagine the largest warship in the world - a nuclear powered aircraft carrier the size of a city, carrying a crew of nearly 5,000, with a mission to prevail in all operations from peace to war. Then imagine that warship accompanied by a US Navy fleet sailing across the high seas with fleets from over 22 nations. Now you have an image of the largest international maritime training exercise in history, with the Nimitz-class carrier USS Ronald Reagan as the centerpiece, and the star of the new large format film Aircraft Carrier: Guardians of the Sea that documents not just the drill but what it’s like to live and work in a floating battle ready city.

Premiering at the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium at the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo on July 1, Aircraft Carrier presents the true scale and drama of carrier and fleet naval operations through the eyes of the Navy’s highly skilled sea and air personnel as they engage in a giant war simulation.

What’s better than a giant screen film that showcases America’s high seas mastery? Why free admission, of course! Members of the Museum of Space History will be invited to special 6:00 pm first weekend showings of Aircraft Carrier as part of new member benefits rolling out this year. Other benefits include free admission to the museum all year, free admission to planetarium films and star shows, invitations to free members only special events like Yuri’s Night, and special ticket prices for museum events like the Trinity Site Motorcoach Tour, International Space Hall of Fame Induction, and the popular July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza. With family memberships (2 adults and all children under 18) starting at only $75, just a few trips to the museum and theater more than make up for the investment! For more information about becoming a member, visit the museum’s website or call the number below.

The New Mexico Museum of Space History, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is a division of the NM Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information, call 575-437-2840 or toll free 1-877-333-6589 or visit the website at www.NMSpaceMuseum.org. Like us at: www. facebook.com/NMSpaceMuseum/ 48

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New Mexico Museum of

SPACE HISTORY Alamogordo • New Mexico

Come see the all new 4K Laser Dome Projection System — the very first in the world!

MacGillivray Freeman’s

NEW MOVIE! NOW SHOWING

Narrated by ROBERT REDFORD

... ALONG WITH ALL NEW PLANETARIUM SHOWS!

PREMIERING JULY 1ST

GUARDIANS OF THE SEA

LIVE STAR SHOWS!

with Museum Educators NOTE: Theater titles are subject to change without notice.

For more information visit NMSpaceMuseum.org

AL AMOGORDO, NM • 575 - 4 37-28 40

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Pop a Pistachio: New Mexico’s Other Tasty Treat George and Marianne Schweers wanted to return to their agriculture roots after a career in the Air Force that culminated at Holloman Air Force Base near Alamogordo. When 400 seedling pistachio trees, the first planted in New Mexico, came up for sale, the couple thought a perfect opportunity had presented itself.

Neighbors thought the Schweers were, well, nuts.

Pistachios are fun to pop open and a heart-healthy snack. But in New Mexico? Pistachios are from Iran, or Turkey, or maybe California?

The Schweers were just ahead of the trend in the desert Southwest.

They had done their homework and knew that Pistachia Vera is a desert plant, a member of the cashew family and highly tolerant of saline soil. It thrives when irrigated with water having 3,000 to 4,000 ppm of soluble salts. Otero County was the place for soluble salts. Eagle Ranch was born.

Now, 42 years later, Eagle Ranch is New Mexico’s oldest and largest-producing pistachio grove with more than 13,000 trees.

It’s also the only farm in the state that processes its own pistachios completely. The farm is a fully integrated agri-business: growing, processing, packaging and selling its products on the premises. All pistachio products from Eagle Ranch are sold under its familiar Heart of the Desert trade name. The Schweers’ son, Gordon, developed the original chile-flavored pistachios. The farm now

boasts nine flavors of pistachios, all packaged with the Heart of the Desert logo adorning the bags.

The family added Heart of the Desert wine to the product line in 2002. The vineyard has more than 24,000 grapevines with seven varieties of grapes harvested each year. Chardonnay, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Shiraz, Riesling, Malvasia Bianca and Gewurztraminer make the production of a wide range of wines possible.

Heart of the Desert Pistachios and Wines ships its farm-fresh products worldwide, selling them by mail order and online. There also are four store locations: the primary store on the farm beside Hwy 54/70, north of Alamogordo; “Heart of the Desert” on the plaza in Old Mesilla; “Eagle Ranch Mercantile” in the lobby of the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces; and “The Cork & Kettle” in Ruidoso. Tours of the farm are fun and free, and wine tasting is delightful at all four locations.

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Santa Fe Area Home Builders Present 25th Annual Haciendas-A Parade of Homes If owning a home in Santa Fe is part of your life’s master plan, or if you just like looking at beautiful houses, block off some time in August to attend the 25th annual Haciendas -A Parade of Homes. The world class event spread over two weekends is sponsored by the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, a non-profit trade association serving the residential building industry in Northern New Mexico.

The Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association takes an intensely pro-active approach to engagement with the community and industry. The association created the Water Efficiency Rating Score (WERS) system, a predictive calculation tool to estimate home water usage. Adopted as part of the Santa Fe Green Building Codes, WERS is creating buzz on a national level.

As part of its community involvement outreach, the association is also developing a unique program with longterm potential for great local impact, creating an early college opportunity for students at an applied science magnet high school in Santa Fe.

You may be surprised at how home building, architecture and design have changed over the past decade, particularly as they relate to traditional Santa Fe style. Since the economic downturn of 2008, the housing crash virtually eliminated speculative home building in Santa Fe. As a result, a greater percentage of homes built in the area have been client-owned and reflect contemporary departures from the more traditional Santa Fe style. Exhibiting newer, edgier designs, many maximize Santa Fe’s climate and vistas with big glass walls.

The availability and cost of these homes is making for an active contemporary home market.

This year’s Haciendas-A Parade of Homes is scheduled for 11 a.m.-6 p.m. August 11-13, and August 18-20. It’s the perfect opportunity for a mini vacation in Santa Fe. Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased online through the Lensic http://www. lensic.org at any house on the tour, and at Counter Intelligence LLC office, 1512 Pacheco St., Santa Fe. For more information, visit http://www.sfahba.com/parade-of-homes/.

A PA R A D E O F H O M E S

Save the Date AUGUST 11-13 & 18-20, 2017 11 AM - 6 PM | Tickets are only $15 For entry information, sponsorship opportunities and to learn more, visit sfahba.com Home Building Santa Fe Style

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Resource Guide 2012 Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association haciendasmagazine.com • sfahba.com

Resource Guide 2013 Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association haciendasmagazine.com • sfahba.com

Resource Guide 2014 Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association sfahba.com

Journal North

Resource Guide 2015 Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association sfahba.com

SANTA FE AREA HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHED 1880

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AN EDITION OF THE ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL

Resource Guide 2016 Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association sfahba.com

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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHY ALBUQUERQUE IS THE PLACE TO VISIT GO TO SIABQ.ORG CALL (505) 842-9003 • INFOSIABQ@AHCNM.ORG www.travelnewmex.com | SUMMER • WINTER 2017

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RATON: Small Town, Big Fun! Nestled against the Rocky Mountains, hemmed in by the Great Plains and located on the Santa Fe Trail, Raton offers visitors an abundance of natural beauty and outdoor activities as well as historic landmarks and contemporary tourist attractions.

Whether you seek thrills or just a chance to chill, Raton has something for you.

DOWNTOWN WALKING TOURS

To start, pick up a downtown Historical Walking Tour brochure, available at the Raton Chamber of Commerce, the New Mexico Visitor Information Center, Raton Museum and at many shops along the trail. The five-block tour boasts several buildings in both the Historic District and the Arts & Culture District that were constructed from the mid-1880s through the turn of the century.

Places of note include the historic Shuler Theater, a gem that has stood on 2nd Street since 1915, and is home to a rich variety of stage productions; the El Raton Movie Theatre, which dates to 1930, and continues to draw residents to the latest Hollywood blockbusters; the Old Pass Gallery, built in 1910 as the Wells Fargo Building, which has rotating art exhibits and a gift shop; and the beautiful Victorian buildings of historic First Street. The Arthur Johnson Memorial Library is a superb example of early 20th century neo-classical architecture.

For an overview of the town’s history, stop by the Raton Museum, which has been preserving Raton’s past for nearly 80 years. Here you can learn about the area’s pioneer days – its ranching, coal mining and railroading history – as well as its more modern development. It is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., May through September. Admission costs $5 per person.

If you seek pure leisure, many shops along Second, Cook & Park streets are worth exploring, as is Downtown's Ripley Park.

The two-acre oasis, created in the early 1900s on railroaddonated land, is a delightful place to lay a picnic blanket and plan the rest of your day – or just rest. Or, take some time to enjoy a meal at one of Raton’s many fine restaurants.

For water enthusiasts and children demanding some pool time, consider a visit to the multifaceted, state-of-the-art regional aquatic center at 100 Memorial Lane. It has lap lanes, aqua jets and slides.

TREKKING THE OUTSKIRTS

If pounding the pavement within the city isn’t your idea of a vacation, or if you have a few days to spend in and around Raton, the surrounding mountains provide plenty of opportunity for both peace and adventure.

Sugarite Canyon, about 11 miles north of Raton on NM 526, is one of New Mexico’s most highly rated state parks. It has an RV campground with hookups, a comfortable tent campground with four horse corrals, and a trail system with sections open to horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking. Plus, you don’t have to wait until the fall to see brilliant colors; the park is loaded with wildflowers, butterflies and many migrant birds during the summer.

Don’t forget your kayak, canoe or small sailboat because Lake Maloya is 130 acres of boating opportunity. Only electric trolling motors are allowed, so leave the outboard at home.

The paved road up the middle of the park makes a great streetbike trip, and Sugarite has plenty of trails to take you through the canyon’s history as a coal mining camp. A trail map is available on the New Mexico Department of Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources website, www.emnrd.state.nm.us.

For a glimpse of wildlife, birding is available at the Chicorica Boardwalk at the Sugarite Visitors Center and at Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge, 32 miles southwest of Raton. Eagles, swans, sandhill cranes, geese and a host of duck species use the refuge every winter and spring. Take I-25 south to US 64 and proceed west nine miles to NM 445. Follow the signs south to the refuge and watch for antelope right on the road.

Those who prefer motorized recreation have the option of the Heaven Motorsports Park, a motocross track owned and operated by John Hester. Hester’s Motorsports, a family business started in 1978, is at 1190 S. 2nd St., in Raton.

You can learn more about Hester’s Motorsports at www.hester-motorsports.com. There are several YouTube videos about the park posted as well.

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Paint. Drink Wine.

Have Fun! (continued from Page 46)

There is nothing intimidating and everything encouraging about the process of creating art here. This comfortable and upbeat environment features long tables with easels set up at each work station. Participants are advised about brushes and told how many pumps of the colorful paint to put on their paper plate palette. The room is cool, bright and spacious. An added bonus is that the classroom shares the same building with the working production studio, so guests can even take a tour during their breaks. The instructor carefully guides participants step-by-step, from start to finish, on how to create their paintings. Music plays in the background throughout, and small breaks are taken to allow each paint layer to dry before adding the next feature. This is affordable, wholesome, creative fun that will broaden your horizons, change your perspective, and have you looking for sales on acrylic paint and canvases to continue a wonderful new hobby.

Enjoy the new outdoor wine bar patio and explore all that Kelly Jo Designs has to offer - a perfect venue to shop for art, create art, enjoy wine or schedule your next private party.

Kelly Jo Designs by Wine, 6829 4th St. NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM 87107, 505.341.1893. kelly@kellyjodesignsbywine.com

Camping • Fishing • Hunting Rio Costilla Park is the ideal get away place whether you prefer time alone, with family, or a gathering among friends. Camping and Fishing on nearly 10,000 acres and Hunting on 80,000+ acres located in Northern Taos County of New Mexico. Rio Costilla borders the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado and the Valle Vidal Unit of Carson National Forest. Owned and Operated by Rio Costilla Cooperative Livestock Association (RCCLA).

Rio Costilla Park, Nature At Its Best!

Funding provided by Taos Lodgers Tax.

(575) 586-0542 • (800) RIO-PARK • www.RioCostillaPark.com

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Travel information delivered directly to the mailbox! The New Mexico Vacation Directory is the perfect print and digital publication for reaching local and out-of-state visitors at affordable prices.

Rates start at $400.00 per year. It publishes once a year in May. The NMVD reaches homes in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

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travelnewmex.com | winter 2017

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The New Mexico Advertise in the special Rail Runner Express Magazine edition of the New Mexico offers direct mail delivery in Vacation Directory Albuquerque and Santa Fe. featuring New Mexico’s top Distribution on the Rail Runner destinations for outdoor reaches job commuters, tourists activities, dining, hotels, and locals taking day-trips to shop museums, casinos, art and dine. The magazine is also galleries and much more! available at hotels in Albuquerque It publishes in January. and Santa Fe. It publishes three The magazine reaches homes times a year in March, June and in Texas, Arizona and September. Rates start at New Mexico. Rates start at $370.00 per issue. $270.00 per issue.

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VISIT

THE MAJESTIC

TRAVEL CENTER AND CASINO LOW GAS PRICES,

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food and more for your traveling needs!

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(505) 820-5030 17728 US 84 Frontage, Santa Fe, NM 87506 www.nambefallscasino.com 54

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Call (505) 455-2304 or go to VisitNambeFalls.org Experience the Culture and Tradition of Nambé Pueblo

North-Central New Mexico: History, Art, Culture (continued from Page 44)

200 restaurants, or grab a bite from a food cart offering tasty handheld faire on the plaza.

North of Santa Fe in the town of Española take a spin by the Santa Claran Hotel and Casino, the Puye Cliff Dwellings and the Black Mesa Golf Course. The Santa Claran Hotel is beautiful, and the staff makes you feel at home and pampered. Black Mesa Golf offers a great challenge to duffers, and the Puye Cliff Dwellings are an immersive experience into the lives of the ancients.

of Chama offers elk habitats, clean rivers, hunting, fishing, rafting, hiking and camping, and a must-see night view of the Milky Way. Serious hikers can pick up the Continental Divide Trail not far from Chama. Chama’s train depot is the western terminus of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad offering daily steam excursions from Chama from Memorial Day to mid-October. Chama hosts an annual 4th of July fireworks display and August parades, music, sports and a mountain carnival atmosphere. In the fall, the area around Chama is one of the best places in the state to see brilliant foliage.

It’s a safe bet that you will enjoy a stop at Nambe Falls Casino.

Adjacent to the Nambe Falls Travel Center, just outside of Santa Fe on US 84, the casino has an exciting rewards program, that allows you to earn points for every dollar you spend, with a boutique space, contemporary design and unmatched convenience.

Known as a world class ski area, Taos offers clean air and magnificent views, rich spiritual traditions, the beauty of the landscape, creative inspiration, abundant outdoor recreation, shopping, and great dining. A day in Taos will change your outlook, and perhaps even your style.

For additional winter sport options, check out Angel Fire Resort, which opened in 1966 as a small ski destination. Now it is a four-season resort offering a memorable Rocky Mountain experience for families, outdoor enthusiasts and groups. Located 8,600 feet above sea level, the resort has views of Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico.

Eight miles south of the Colorado border, the town

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southeastern new mexico

Winemaker ‘Living the Dream’ at Rio Grande Winery Gordon Steel’s love of wine started at the tender age of 13, when his father allowed the youngster to start fermenting grapes at their home in Hatch. Today, Steel is living his childhood dreams as owner and winemaker at Rio Grande Vineyard and Winery some four miles south of Mesilla.

“I dreamed about this business all my life,” Steel says. “I worked on this for 45 years, and I finally got here.”

It took decades of travel and tasting, study and experimenting, but today Steel’s winery produces as much as 5,000 gallons of delightful wine capable of complementing anything from steak to a hot summer day.

THE WINES OF EUROPE At 17, Steel had no way of knowing how he would achieve his dream. He had no land, no money and no vines. What he did have was a willingness to serve his country and a desire

to see the vineyards of the world, so he joined the Air Force.

Uncle Sam rewarded the lad by sending him to England and Germany. All his leave was spent touring the vineyards of France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and even the Tuscan hillsides of Italy. Later, while stationed on the West Coast, he studied vineyard management and winemaking at the University of California-Davis and Washington State University.

Of course, the Air Force wasn’t paying Gordon to tour vineyards, so he paid his dues working as a medic and nurse, ultimately achieving the rank of major as Flight Commander for Aerospace Medicine. After 34 years, he retired and returned to the Rio Grande Valley to pursue the pleasures of a refined palette.

Twelve varieties of grapes are grown on 10 acres at the Rio Grande Winery, and Steel also owns two acres of pecans and

(continues on next page)

Wineries of New Mexico www.WineCountryNM.com LA VINA WINERY

ARENA BLANCA WINERY

7320 HWY. 54/70, ALAMOGORDO, NM 88310 (800) 368-3081

3710 W. PINE ST., DEMING, NM 88030 (575) 544-1160

235 DON GASPER AVE., STE. 6 SANTA FE, NM 87501 (505) 216-9469

1321 AVENIDA DE MESILLA LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 (575) 526-2484

100 DE LA O, SAN LORENZO, NM 88041 (505) 259-9523

LA CHIRIPADA WINERY

2075 STATE HWY. 68, EMBUDO, NM 87531 (505) 579-4441

01 CAMINO ABRIL, ALGODONES, NM 87001 (505) 771-0208

LA CHIRIPADA WINERY TAOS

1607 PASEO DE PERALTA , SANTA FE, NM 87501 (505) 983-6352

402 S. MELENDRES ST., LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 (575) 527-5310

ST CLAIR WINERY

305 N. MAIN ST., ROSWELL, NM 88201 (575) 627-6265

1233 FORT SELDON RD., LAS CRUCES, NM 88007 (575) 647-9585

733 CHAVEZ RD. NW LOS RANCHOS DE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87107 (505) 344-5911

277 DANDELION RD., CORRALES, NM 87048 (505) 228-0154

TULAROSA VINEYARDS #23 COYOTE CANYON RD. TULAROSA, NM 88352 (575) 585-2260

ANASAZI FIELDS WINERY

26 CAMINO DE LOS PUEBLITOS, PLACITAS, NM 87043 (505) 867-3062 1119-8 HWY. 75, DIXON, NM 87527 (505) 579-4437 103 BENT ST., TAOS, NM 87571 (800) 528-7801

1325 DE BACA RD., DEMING, NM 88030 (575) 546-9324

ST CLAIR WINERY & BISTRO ALBUQUERQUE 901 RIO GRANDE NW ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87104 (505) 243-9916

ST CLAIR WINERY & BISTRO FARMINGTON

5150 E. MAIN. ST., FARMINGTON, NM 87401 (505) 325-0711

ST CLAIR WINERY & BISTRO LAS CRUCES

LUNA ROSSA

LUNA ROSSA WINERY & PIZZERIA VIVAC WINERY VIVAC WINERY

PECOS FLAVORS WINERY CASA RONDEÑA

MATHESON WINE COMPANY

VINO DEL CORAZON

AMARO WINERY

117 COUNTY RD. A023, MORA, NM 87732 (505) 387-6660

FORT SELDEN WINERY

2342 SUDDERTH DR., RUIDOSO, NM 88345 (575) 257-9335

PASANDO TIEMPO

THE WINE SPOT IN SANTA FE

COTTONWOOD WINERY

LAS NUEVE NIÑAS WINERY NOISY WATER WINERY

NOISY WATER WINERY CELLAR UNCORKED

2332 SUDDERTH DR., RUIDOSO, NM 88345 (575) 630-0037

NOISY WATER WINERY CLOUDCROFT

411 WEST WATER STREET •SANTA FE, NM 87501 (818) 371-0833

505 BURRO AVE. #105, CLOUDCROFT, NM 88317 (575) 682-6610

DOS VIEJOS WINERY

249 COUNTY ROAD 59, LA CANOVA, NM 87532 (505) 620-0298

HEART OF THE DESERT

BLACK RANGE VINEYARDS

7288 HWY. 54/70, ALAMOGORDO, NM 88310 (505) 434-0035

1730 CAMINO CARLOS REY #103 SANTA FE, NM 87507 (505) 424-6122

HEART OF THE DESERT/ LAS CRUCES

30 CAMINO NOPALES, BELEN, NM 87002 (505) 864-4754

103 RIO RANCHO BLVD., B3, RIO RANCHO, NM 87124 (505) 350-6557

69 PECOS RD., TULAROSA, NM 88352 (575) 585-2647 10714 HWY. 152, HILLSBORO, NM 88042 (575) 895-5119

ACEQUIA WINERY

WICKED KREATIONS

4100 DRIPPING SPRINGS RD. LAS CRUCES, NM 88011

5230 HIGHWAY 285, CARLSBAD, NM 88220 (575) 361-4993

2801 SUDDERTH DR., RUIDOSO, NM 88345

6275 CORRALES RD., CORRALES, NM 87048 (505) 898-5165

5321 HIGHWAY 28, LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 (575) 524-3985

13 TOME HILL RD., LOS LUNAS, NM 87031 (505) 865-7903

3171 HWY. 290, PONDEROSA, NM 87044 (575) 834-7487

106 N. SHINING SUN, SANTA FE, NM 87506 (505) 455-2826

1502 STATE HWY. 68, VELARDE, NM 87582 (800) 852-2820

NM 4, LOS ALAMOS, NM 87544 (505) 695-0817

241 LEDOUX ST., TAOS, NM 87571 (575) 758-1969

18057 US 84/285, POJOAQUE, NM 87506

BLACK MESA WINERY/TAOS

SOMBRA ANTIGUA

1 EAST COTTONWOOD RD., ARTESIA, NM 88210 (575) 365-3141

985 W. ELLA, CORRALES, NM 87048 (505) 898-3998

BLACK MESA WINERY

BLACK’S SMUGGLER WINERY

25 WINERY RD., BOSQUE, NM 87006 (505) 388-8117

CASA ABRIL VINEYARDS

2355 CALLE DE GUADALUPE, MESILLA, NM 88046

PONDEROSA VALLEY VINEYARDS

43 BRIDLE RD., CABALLO, NM 87931 (915) 491-9459

430 LA VINA RD., SE, CHAMBERINO, NM 88027 (915) 241-4349

240 RECLINING ACRES, CORRALES, NM 87048 (505) 264-1656

CORRALES WINERY

SHATTUCK VINEYARD & WINERY

LA ESPERANZA WINERY

1720 AVENIDA DE MESILLA LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 (575) 524-2408

MILAGRO VINEYARDS

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WINES OF THE SAN JUAN

233 HWY 551, BLANCO, NM 87412 (505) 632-0879

4201 NM HWY. 28, LA UNION, NM 88021 (575) 882-7632

BALZANO WINERY

RIO GRANDE VINEYARD & WINERY ESTRELLA DEL NORTE

DON QUIXOTE WINERY DON QUIXOTE WINERY

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HEART OF THE DESERT/MESILLA

SANTA SIDRA/SF HARD CIDER JARAMILLO VINEYARDS

JARAMILLO VINEYARDS AT HISTORIC BELEN CENTRAL HOTEL 114 BECKER AVE., BELEN, NM 87002

NEW MEXICO HARD CIDER

HEART OF THE DESERT/ THE CORK & KETTLE

3134 RUFINA ST., UNIT D, SANTA FE, NM 87507 (505) 455-2826

CAMINO REAL WINERY

145 CENTRAL PARK SQUARE LOS ALAMOS, NM 87544 (505) 412-4833

CAMINO REAL WINERY/ ALBUQUERQUE

UNQUARKED - THE WINE ROOM SHEEHAN WINERY

8470 FIRESTONE LANE NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87113

1544 CERRO VISTA RD SW, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87105 (505) 280-3104

8400 PAN AMERICAN FWY. NE ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87113 (505) 821-0055

2461 CALLE DE PRINCIPAL, MESILLA, NM 88046 (575) 523-WINE

GRUET WINERY

NM VINTAGE WINES

southeastern new mexico

Winemaker ‘Living the Dream’ (continued from previous page) 10 acres that may grow anything from alfalfa to onions, to lettuce or chile. The irrigation well is 300 feet deep, so the sporadic flows of the Rio Grande near Las Cruces don’t really impede grape or wine production.

Key to production, however, is the heat. “I am really turning sunlight into wine,” he says. “We have plenty of sunshine here in southern New Mexico.” The low humidity also reduces the blights and other diseases that can negatively affect the health of the vines.

In a good year, Steel’s vines can produce 3 tons to 5 tons of grapes per acre. A ton of grapes converts into 150 gallons of liquid sunshine, he says. A “good year” means there is no late frost in the spring, no summer hail storms, and little damage from birds and other pests. “We put up seven-and-a-half miles of netting to keep the birds off the grapes,” Steel says. “When we start harvesting during the second week of August, we start taking down netting at 5:30 a.m., and the labor contractors start picking grapes at 6.”

SAY SOME PRAYERS The first grape vineyards planted in what is now the United States were started near San Antonio, south of Socorro. Those vines were planted in the 1600s by Spanish monks and priests who needed sacramental wine.

Historian that he is, Steel offers two Monks Reserve wines, and he is not above asking for divine intervention when tragedy befalls the vineyard. A hailstorm severely damaged his 12,000 vines just before harvest in 2015, and the Carol Costello assists winemaker Gordon Steel at the Rio Grande Winery tasting room south of Mesilla. remaining crop wasn’t Photo by Martin Frentzel. large enough to cover the costs of using commercial grape pickers. Disappointed about his loss, Steel remembered an offer of assistance he had been given by monks who previously visited the winery. After a phone call and a few prayers, Steel’s pickers arrived and saved the day, meticulously plucking enough grapes for a lovely white that would honor San Isidro himself.

A tasting at Rio Grande Winery costs $5, and Steel will guide you through the viscous “legs” you see in your glass and the dozens of wines he produces. If you can’t make the drive to Mesilla to explore the Rio Grande Winery and Vineyard, take a look at riograndewinery.com.

A Beautif�l & Unique Wedding & Reception Venue!

575-524-3985 ◆ RIOGRANDEWINERY.COM 5321 HIGHWAY 28 ◆ LAS CRUCES, NM 88005 OPEN FRIDAY-SUNDAY ◆ NOON - 5:30 PM OR BY APPOINTMENT

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New Mexico’s Cultural Atlas Mobile App Where to go? What to see? What to do? There are so many fascinating options for short, long, or mini-getaway vacations in New Mexico, how can you take it all in and not miss anything?

Evidence of New Mexico’s vast history and cultural diversity is seemingly everywhere. A rare dinosaur fossil, the highway of the Conquistadors, the grave of Billy the Kid, or the mountain that inspired Georgia O’Keeffe, there is always something captivating just around the corner.

For New Mexico natives and tourists alike, the answers to those questions can be found via the Cultural Atlas of New Mexico mobile app. Developed by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) and unveiled last year, the interactive mobile app puts New Mexico’s historic and cultural points of interest in the palm of your hand. With images and descriptions of the state’s museums, historic sites, artworks, events and landscapes, the app directs mobile users to attractions they might not have known about and may not realize are nearby.

“The Cultural Atlas provides access to an enormous database of diverse and eclectic cultural opportunities,” said Veronica Gonzales, Cabinet Secretary of DCA. “Exploring the traditions and history of peoples and cultures across the state of New Mexico has never been easier to navigate and discover.”

The Cultural Atlas can be used to plan vacations, weekend getaways, and day trips across New Mexico utilizing simple search functions. Users can sort cultural attractions geographically by town, community or region, or they can search through curated topic lists like Road Trips & Trails, Thematic Tours, Only in New Mexico, and Way Out There.

More advanced functionality utilizes GPS to inform users of nearby points of interest.

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Flexible features allow ardent travel planners to use the Cultural Atlas to map their trip with a broad knowledge of cultural features while more spontaneous travelers can use the app to avoid missing out on an important point of interest located nearby. Using specific sites throughout the state as a point of reference, the app

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provides a contextual framework for each period of history and details the influence of various cultures over time, enhancing the experience of all New Mexico visitors.

The Cultural Atlas is a perfect tool to further DCA’s mission of “preserving and celebrating the cultural integrity and diversity of New Mexico.” The Department oversees 15 divisions representing a broad range of arts and cultural heritage agencies and the largest state -sponsored museum system in the country, including: four Santa Fe museums, New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors, New Mexico Museum of Art, Museum of International Folk Art, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture; New Mexico Museum of Space History, Alamogordo; New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque; New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, Las Cruces; and the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque; and seven historic sites statewide.

The rich collections housed at state museums and artifacts preserved at New Mexico’s historic sites take you on a journey through time. These collections include paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs, fossils, and artifacts that tell New Mexico history and cultural traditions from the dawn of time to pre-Conquest to the present day. Taken together, the collections offer texture and context into the life and times of New Mexico and her people as the state grew and developed.

They tell a complex story of cultural interactions among Native peoples, Spaniards, Mexicans, the consequences of Manifest Destiny, of Civil War, the arrival of the railroad and tourism, the rise of artists and artist colonies, the unearthing of unique fossils, the Atomic age, the Space age, and beyond.

The Cultural Atlas of New Mexico is available for free download. It is compatible with most iPhones and Android smart phones, and available in Apple and Google Play stores.

Download the Cultural Atlas at http://atlas.nmculture.org. It will make all the difference in planning and enhancing your next New Mexico vacation!

ASTROLOGY SANTA FE “Self-Discovery Through Astrology”

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H IDDEN T REASURES • P IONEER F LYER • S CENIC C HAIRLIFT • T IP R ESTAURANT www.redriverskiarea.com @REDRIVERSKIAREA #RRSA

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central new mexico

The open road to excitement is at Route 66 Casino Hotel. Rev it up with thrilling casino action featuring over 1,300 slot games and 15 action-packed table games. Fill up with delicious dining options, including New Mexico’s best casino buffet. Switch gears with top-notch, toe-tapping entertainment. Coast into indulgence and stay the night in our classy and comfortable hotel.

Have an out-of-this-world experience. An unidentified flying object has landed in the center of the Route 66 Casino Hotel gaming floor, and its alien presence has drawn the newest slot games in the country. The larger-than-life flying saucer draws inspiration from both Area 51 and Route 66. Slot machines within the Area 66 realm will be regularly replaced with brand new exclusive machines, making Route 66 Casino first-to-market with 18 new games every 90 days!

Experience world-class quality, service and value at one of our award-winning restaurants and three lounges.

Tempt your taste buds at Thunder Road Steakhouse and Cantina. Located in the heart of the casino, this multi-level restaurant serves up sizzling steaks, spicy tacos and specialty drinks from the tequila bar. Enjoy free entertainment by the best local bands every weekend on the bar-top stage. Voted best buffet many times over, Buffet 66 is a world of fresh choices all in one place, with an array of international flavors on the menu. When it comes to All-American comfort foods and cocktails, we’ve got it all! Flashback to the good ol’ days in the newly renovated Johnny Rockets restaurant. Swing by the '50s-inspired diner for an All-American burger, onion rings and milkshake. Main Street Restaurant & Bar is the perfect place for breakfast, or order a home-style special. Grab an indoor patio table and watch all of the casino excitement. If

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you’re looking to simply wet your whistle, swing by the 360 Lounge, Poker Pub or Main Street Bar, and ask about the drink specials.

Let us entertain you. With 2,800 plush theaterstyle seats in Legends Theater, every seat is a good seat. Experience performances from some of the best comedians, rock legends, country superstars and premier tribute bands in the business. Legends Theater features more than 20 headliner performances every year. The Spring 2017 lineup includes rock bands Kenny Rogers, Jethro Tull, Move Beyond LIVE with Julianna and Derek Hough, Cheech and Chong, and other exciting shows.

The fun doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down. Relax in one of the 154 newly renovated rooms at Route 66 Hotel.

Refreshed from floor to ceiling, a recent $2 million remodel features an inviting ambiance of lively designs, modern furnishings and many upgrades to make your stay comfortable.

Re-energize with in-room amenities from top brands like Simmons Beautyrest®, Starbucks® and Bath & Body Works®.

Hotel reservations are available now. For rates, member discounts and reservations, please call 866-711-STAY (7829).

The entire family can get their kicks at Route 66 at Kids Quest and Cyber Quest, the on-site hourly child care and a nonviolent game arcade. Route 66 Casino Hotel is the only casino property in New Mexico to offer this children's program. Open seven days a week, Kids Quest accepts children ages 6 weeks to 12 years.

The best gaming, dining and entertainment is just a hop, skip and short 18-minute drive west of Albuquerque, exit 140 on Interstate 40. Get all the latest Route 66 Casino Hotel news and announcements at www.rt66casino.com.

READY. SET.

GO PLAY!

Get away from the everyday and head toward excitement. Enjoy thrilling casino action, delicious dining options, top-notch entertainment and then stay the night in our classy and comfortable hotel.

866-352-RT66 (7866) • RT66CASINO.COM

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Moon Dog Publishing 9400 Holly Avenue NE Albuquerque, NM 87122

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