The Occidental Life Building is a beautifully sculptured work of art in downtown Albuquerque…read more Each morning I park my car, walk to work and on the way I see this amazing piece of architecture. I wonder about it quite frequently as its design is so different from anything you'll see in this area. It was built in 1917 and is on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the NM State Register of Cultural Places. I'm writing this review today because its Halloween and this building has such a Gothic feel to it. I can imagine this building being used as a haunted house on this chilly night. Spooks jumping out from every corner. Cobwebs hanging from the lighting fixtures. Adventures poking out from every bend of the hallways. In some rooms the floor boards are twisted and warped and make a creaking sound with each step sending chills down your spine. Whats missing though is the gargoyles that would be on the 2nd floor corners overlooking the crowd as they shuffle in this eerie ghostly edifice. Back to Reality: Currently it houses an array of businesses including Legal Aid and Animal Protection of NM. If you have a moment drive by or walk around take pictures enjoy thinking about what life must've been like in 1917 when this building first opened its doors. I can imagine all the Ooh's and Aah's from the crowd as they've never seen anything quite like it.

A great outdoor facility with amphitheater and stage area. The giant red chair was a great…read moreaddition as lots of people were getting their photos done. Our group had a good time but it was really cold.

Visited this fountain on a road trip, ending in an ABQ Braking Bad tour that we created for…read moreourselves. The plaza this fountain sits in was used in an episode of Breaking Bad and was right across the street from our Hyatt Regency hotel. We reached the plaza and fountain at the end of the day so it made the lights in the fountain rather cool looking. Seems like a nice place to play in the water, but I'd keep an eye out for the multiple homeless people (most of which seemed to be on drugs). Keep a tight reign on your children if this is your version of an inexpensive water park.

Another Albu-quirky landmark that makes me smile but isn't much more than what it is....a dam for…read moreflood mitigation with some killer views of the Sandias, but....if you need to disappear, sayyyy get a new identity and the like, this is the place...stand in front and a van will be by to pick you up *shout out to all you Breaking Bad fans out there, wink wink* That being said, it's a popular place for a run, and/or to get some kool photos.

A damn fine dam! This is a weird looking dam on the…read moreNortheast side of Albuquerque. It looks like a bunch of tombstones along a heavy slope. It's supposed to be for flood mitigation, since Albuquerque has some flash floods, but I've never seen it block much more than a skateboarder. It just looks like some sort of monument to a war or a tragedy. I'm surprised that there isn't more graffiti here. I wouldn't hang out along in here, especially if it looks like it might be raining up in the mountains. Flash floods are known to sweep people away. Turn around, don't drown! There's a park that this backs up to, and there's some scenic hiking trails along this dam, but I didn't get to check those out. If you need to be 'extracted' and disappear from the face of the earth, this is the place to do it. Just hang out here, and someone in a van can come pick you up and whisk you away to total anonymity.

I am a Madrid lover, and everytime I bring a new person to town we stop by the photo park. It is…read morefree, but you can leave a tip which I always recommend! This is the cutest most creative little spot filled with wonderful art. There are so many different situations you can put yourself in and it's so fun to get a little silly and get some great photos! Stop by if you haven't, have a beer at Mineshaft first if you want it to be an extra silly fun time!

On the main road the opposite end to the MineShaft Tavern. it was easy to park here, at least at…read morethis time of year. Lots of painted boards with cut outs for you to pose with. Leave a donation, someone went to a lot of trouble here so you could have fun.

So a few weeks ago I started a new photography project that is going to be a series of photos of…read morethe oddities here in Albuquerque. I found it fascinating how we have so many little things here that don't get the recognition they deserve. It's kind of like going on scavenger hunt for the hidden treasure. These gems have their own beauty and what's more surprising is not many people know about them. I had to go online to search for some of these gems and let me tell you this one does not disappoint. It's a unique sculpture made of different automobile doors and it's very tall. Unfortunately it was sprinkling when I arrived but the clouds did even out the light everywhere so I was able to capture a few snaps decently. I recommend if your going down 1st street by the Century theater on central, turn on the side the theaters on and keep going down. It will be on the right at the bridge just before you hit the rail yards in downtown. You won't be disappointed.

Corrales does have a culture of it's own and one has to be part of the priveledged, and actual…read moreyears of seniority gets points deducted, especially if you are robbed and are witness to who the thieves are. The $5700 taxes I pay fon my property does not cover police protection and actually the chracter assasignation they do is very damaging. If you are a senior they might get the court to require you get a mental health evaluation and get admitted to a psych unit and drugged to fully discredit you when they tell the judge that you imagined your coins were stole and the police officer who took the report in front of the empty safe is fired and does not sign the report. Or they might file a phoney case in court and not serve you and get a arrest warrnt when you do not show up for arraignment. Then wait two years to arrest you as if you had been tried and found guilty and not shown up for your arrest. They did that to me and refused to let me pay $100 bail that I had with me and kept me in MVD for four days when I was 78 years old. It is a power trip. But when the Police Chief has never been to an academy and does not get annual inservcie I guess he is oblivious to the laws that pertiain to Constituional Rights. It is a darn power trip when they protect the thieves who rob you and tell your neighbors they have a thick file on you. It is so much worse than this. There were some vibs I felt when looking for my property 28 years ago that something was off. When I had over $40K gold and silver coins stolen from my safe and saw thieves leave over our shared fence and the investigation closed the next day you gotta know something in wrong. The same people refuse to write a report when you car engine under 49K miles, a Saab 9-5 is replaced with a much older one and the paibt is blisterd on hood, roof and trunk and burglar wires pulled out from the dash. So much more that I will testify in a court of law, if you can find one in New Mexico. They play a mean games that organized crime are experienced at. I have been told about others suffering similiar treatment, so if you wanna talk you can find my number on the internet.

Corrales has a culture all its own! There is a friendly vibe that is almost palpable. The mom and…read morepop stores are full of quality unique items for great prices that you can't find anywhere else. It's hard to think of it as a Mecca for shopping but I love finding one-of-a-kind goodies and this is the right area to do it in! The restaurants also are a must! Chains are nowhere to be found! You'll find locally owned, quality fare with fresh ingredients made with the heart and the soul. There are several farms in Corrales that sell apples, chile, and other fruit and veggies. Anything you want fresh can be found fresh and you better believe a lot of the restaurants utilize those fresh ingredients as well! If you love local events and culture, there is always something going on in town, whether it is a parade or a farmers' market. There is also an old church that is now a museum. Also be sure to visit all the award winning wineries!

Clearly, for at least a short time, the people running San Felipe de Neri church in Old Town had no…read moreidea what was gathering dust in the back parking lot. I originally found an online post about this wood carving back in, say, 2012, researching funky, unique landmarks in the 505, and the next day I went on a hunt to find it. Sure enough, tucked away in a corner of the asphalt, this gorgeous little work of art sat, unloved. Several years ago the church moved it to a prominent spot on the property. Go to the northwest corner of North Plaza st and San Felipe and you'll see a colorful, hand carved stump featuring Our Lady of Guadalupe, grab a selfie, it's a great backdrop. Word has it that in 1970, a parishioner carved this icon into the heart of the tree. I'm happy it's back, and glad disco remains buried.

Ran to this location... they were clean. No issues. It smelled a tad funky but I mean... it was a…read morepublic restroom. Would definitely go back if I need too!

I had to run here like a puma after pigging out on fiery enchiladas, nachos, beans and shots of…read moretequila. When I entered the bathroom I was shocked by the waft of sewer sludge that stopped me clear in my running path. When I sat down in the stall there was an older man staring at me through the crack; when I emerged he asked me for some drugs. I slid to the sink and jumped at the steaming brown water that sprayed out of the sink. Too hot to the touch. I tried the other sinks and they were all that way. I could finally leave but was followed out by the man that was looking through the crack. I felt very vulnerable!...