There are 6 skate parks in Albuquerque. They are open to in-line skaters, BMX bicyclists, and skateboarders. May through August, they are open from 7:00am to 11:00pm and September through April, they are open 9:00am - 10:00pm. No alcohol or dogs are allowed at any of the skate parks. Not included in the list below is a new skate park on Isleta Blvd. SW south of Rio Bravo.

The following information is from the Albuquerque Official City Website.

Tower Skate Park is located at 86th and Tower.

Los Altos Skate Park is located at 10140 1/2 Lomas. This is West of Eubank and just east of Easterday.

Coronado Skate Park is located on 4th St. NW and McKnight NW.

Alamosa Skate Park is located near the Alamosa Community Center, 6900 Gonzales Rd SW at Coors and Bridge.

Northwest Modular Skate Park is located across from the Cottonwood Mall at Coors Blvd Bypass and Seven Bar Loop.

Well, the time has come to enjoy the holiday season. What better way to enjoy a cold winter’s night than to bundle up and visit the Rio Grande Botanic Garden River of Lights? Each year artists and sculptors from Albuquerque create beautiful and animated light sculptures. There are many more perks this year including an ice rink, live entertainment, and a model railroad. If you are planning on skating (Fridays - Sundays) you must bring your own skates and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

The River of Lights will be open from 6:00 to 9:00, November 29 - December 30, closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Tickets cost $7 for adults and $3 for children 3-12.

On popular nights parking can be difficult, so you may want to buy your tickets as early as 5:30. I have also gone earlier and looked at the Japanese Garden exhibit. Beginning December 19th, you can park at Tingley Beach and ride the train to the Aquarium/Garden station. I am not sure if you can just stay for the lights, or if you would have to buy another entry ticket, but I thought it would be fun to do both.

For complete details, visit the Albuquerque Official City Website.

Well, the holidays are approaching and here is yet another chance to get those gifts. The 14th Annual Nob Hill Shop and Stroll is scheduled for Thursday, December 14, 2008 from 5pm to 10pm. For one night, Central Avenue is closed down in the Nob Hill area, so that swarms of eager shoppers and diners can enjoy a night out on the town. This is a fun way to get out and support local businesses. There are many shops along Route 66 in this area, as well as great restaurants. Even if you are not planning on shopping, it is an exciting event and a good way to get into the holiday spirit.

One tip that I would give you is to catch a ride or walk if possible. Parking is an issue. Usually cars are parked all around in surrounding neighborhoods. If anyone knows of good places to park, please feel free to comment.

There are three major indoor malls in Albuquerque. One is Coronado Mall located in Albuquerque’s Uptown, and the other is Cottonwood Mall in the NW heights. Next to Coronado Mall is Albuquerque Uptown which is a newer upscale outdoor mall.

Coronado Mall

Coronado Mall is located at the corner of Menaul and San Pedro. Major department stores include Sears, Macy’s and JC Penny. For a complete directory, click on the link below.

Coronado Mall Website

Cottonwood Mall

Cottonwood Mall is located at the intersection of Coors Bypass and Coors Blvd. Major department stores include Dillard’s, JCPenney, Macy*s, Mervyn’s and Sears. For the directory of stores click on the link below.

Cottonwood Mall Website

Albuquerque Uptown Mall

Albuquerque Uptown was opened in the fall of 2006. It is an outdoor mall with many stores including Borders, The Apple Store, and Pottery Barn. For a more information, click the link to their website below.

Albuquerque Uptown Website

The 33rd Annual University of New Mexico Recreational Services Turkey Trot will take place on the South Campus (University and Cesar Chavez- by the Pit) on November 22, 2008. You can register my mail or in person at Johnson Center at UNM. Tickets are $14.00, or if you sign up the day of the race, $15. This event is a 1/2 mile children’s run or a 3 mile adult run.

Mail in registration form.

The Albuquerque Furry Friends Run is scheduled for November 16, 2008 at the University of New Mexico (Johnson Field). This event raises funds for People’s Anti Cruelty Association /Albuquerque Animal Rescue (PACA), a group dedicated rescuing, rehabilitating and rehousing dogs and cats. Mail in registration must be sent by November 11, 2008. You can also register at the Petsmart on Wyoming and Academy, Saturday, November 8th and November 15th from 10:00-2:00.

For more information, visit the Furry Friends Run website.

It’s not too late to sign up for the 2008 Doggie Dash and Dawdle. There is a 5k run (no dogs), a 5k walk, and a 2 mile dawdle. This event will be held at Balloon Fiesta Park, Sunday, November 2, 2008. Packets can be purchased at 8:00 am the day of the event for only $30.

This year there is also a contest for dogs. Awards will be given for look-alike, best costume, and best trick.

For more information, visit the Animal Humane website.

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (the largest balloon convention in the world) has been the biggest annual event in the Duke City since 1972. Each year 750 balloonist from around the world gather in early October for this nine day event which brings as many as 100,000 spectators daily. The first Balloon Fiesta, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of KOB Radio, was held at Coronado Center, but has since been moved to Balloon Fiesta park located at 4401 Alameda Blvd NE.

Every October the skies of Albuquerque are filled with hot air balloons. This is an event that is unforgettable, and perhaps the most photographed in the world. There are many different events such as Dawn Patrol, Mass Assentions, Special Shapes Rodes, Balloon Glows and competitions. The largest events are the Mass Assentions where hundreds of balloons launch at one time. Dawn Patrol is where pilots take off before the sun comes up and land after day break. The Special Shapes Rodeo is a favorite because the balloons, such as the bees shown below, are inflated together. If you are not morning person, the Balloon Glow is where balloons are inflated after dark, but they do not take off in flight.

When you attend the Balloon Fiesta, allow yourself plenty of time and leave as early as possilbe to avoid traffic and lines. When I go I usually leave my house around 4:00am, this gives me time to see the Dawn Patrol before the other balloons go up. Another option to avoid some of the traffic congestion are park and rides which are scattered throughout the city. Information about the park and ride locations is provided below.There are plenty of food booths, my favorite guilty pleasure is the funnel cake, and coffee stands, so bring money to enjoy the good eats.

To-Do List - Balloon Fiesta

• Dress in Layers – it is freezing in the morning and warms up as the sun rises
• Leave Early – if you are driving leave as early as possible
• Take the Park and Ride to avoid extremely long traffic lines
• Get Hotels early because decent rooms are hard to find during the fiesta
• Take your camera – it’s a photographers dream
• Weather – The Fiesta is often canceled due to windy or inclimate conditions – be flexible with your schedule and allow yourself more than one day to see this event.

Map

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Helpful Links

Balloon Fiesta Website
Park and Ride Website

Gallery

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The 2008 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is begins October 4th and ends the 12th. For a detailed schedule of events visit the Balloon Fiesta website.

If you are interested in the latest news on the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, visit KOAT to see a live web-cam or the latest updates on weather.

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Ahhhh. Fall is in the air! The auroma of fresh roasted green chile can’t be beat. You also can’t even compare the flavor of fresh green chile to that of store bought. If you are interested in buying your own green chile, here are some suggestions. First, go to a farmer’s market or produce store where you can buy a small bag of green chile to sample for heat and flavor.

Once you have found the chile that you like, you are ready to buy. Places that roast chile aren’t hard to find because you can smell them from far away and you will see a large black chile roaster outside. However, I have included a small list of places below. If you know of any more, please feel free to comment.

Usually a bag of chile is around $30. The bags are huge. After you have paid, you will usually go outside while they roast your chile. My chile always comes in a large trash bag which is double bagged. If you don’t want your car to smell like chile perfume, you may want to take a truck. I took my chile in my car, and it smelled for a few days, then went away. You may also want to take an old towel for the chile to sit on during the ride. My bag didn’t leak, but it never hurts to take precautions.

The hard part comes once you get your chile home. You should have a large space cleared to prepare the chile. You will need plastic gloves and plenty of freezer bags. I use the smaller bags so I can defrost them in smaller portions. If you are limited on time, you can freeze the chile with the skins and seeds - but then the work comes after you defrost them. I recommend doing everything at once so you enjoy your chile all year long. The skin comes off easily, then you cut the top, slice it down the middle and scrape the seeds away. I like a few seeds here and there, but to each his own. Once you have cleaned all the chile (which takes a long time, especially if you are solo), freeze the chile and thaw as needed.

DON’T FORGET TO WEAR GLOVES. I guess I like to learn the hard way because, even though I had gloves and had been told to wear them, I burned by hands twice because I didn’t think it felt hot when I was cleaning. The last time, my hands burned so badly that I couldn’t sleep. I tried every remedy I could find on the internet and finally just kept soaking my hands in ice water. Also, be very careful not to touch your eyes, face, or any other part of your body.