Foodie Tuesdays is one of the Coronavirus silver linings, a food truck assembly at a beautiful,…read moreexpansive city park and community center in the Heights. In this pandemic panic, people are looking for opportunities to try unique food in spaced, outdoor settings, and that's what the experience delivered. I also saw the first live music jam I'd seen in months, just a little jazz trio but hey, they riffed on Herbie's "Rockit" so, you know, it was a nice reminder of how truly old I'd grown. Alongside food trucks such as Tikka Spice, Catalyst Coffee, ABQ Grill N Que and Pop-Pops Italian ice, I watched families chillin' on blankets and lounging in flatbeds; lots of kids on the playground (is that safe, yet?); and plenty of older kids flirting by the skate park. All good, Burque. We need more of these opportunities to break up the daily monotony, and I'm glad we made the drive across town.

Bottom Line: Local folks steppin' out and makin' their…read moreappearance in a tough time. Food okay to good, selection thin, prices toward the upper edge of the window as is normal at these small gatherings of vendors. Top Line: The afternoon of October 6th was the day to tick "go to Foodie Tuesday at Domingo Baca" off of my To-Do list. So I braved the traffic on Paseo Del Norte to make the haul from the westside. When I got there I was initially underwhelmed. There were four food trucks set up: the Italian ice guy, Tikka Spice, Wow Wow Lemonade, and Mighty Mike's Meats BBQ. That number didn't grow during the hour I was hangin' in the sunlit little pocket park that serves as the venue for this event. So very slim pickings on diversity & selection. Food wise I went with: - an order of samosa Chaat from Tikka Spice (very nicely spicy that left my lips stinging with a lovely burn, a moderately small quantity for $8) - a Blue Hawaiian lemonade from Wow Wow (sweet lemonade colored blue at $4 for a pint) - a half pound of smoked brisket from Mighty Mike (super tender, decent flavor that wasn't as starkly smoked as I'd have preferred, a little plastic cup of exquisite sweet/vinegary sauce, about $12.50 after we donated our pound of flesh to the fat cats at the Round House in Santa Fe). Seating for eating is distinctly lacking. Only a couple picnic tables, though there is plenty of open grass to sit on. Foodie Tuesday was not crowded that afternoon I was there and everybody was being courteous about social distancing. Besides the food trucks there were about half a dozen tent/table vendors selling farm produce, baked goods, canning, honey, & knick-knacks. As noted, prices resided at the upper edge of the window, as is usual at such farmer markets. Fresh costs more. Overall I'd rate the market a 3-star affair, due to lack of very much selection and somewhat deficient amenities. But the friendliness exhibited by the engaging vendors is certainly worth a star bump. They were all consistently open & friendly, so kudos to them for coming out and trying to brighten the pandemic landscape for the rest of us.

Oh my goodness, there's a review page for this?…read more Of course there is. And when you're getting seated, with all 30 of your buddies, make sure to check in to the Chair, because hey, have you ever checked in to a chair? A unique spot to grab a selfie, it's this kind of character that I'd like to see take over Civic Plaza. Ultimately, the space should offer a terrific area to kill time, grab a picnic, relax in our typically terrific climate. Nice job, Burque.

I've always like this type of chair to relax in. Now this one is a big one and is great to get…read morethose pictures to capture a moment. It is unique to the downtown area.

The red arrow is in the parking lot across the road from Whole Foods. A great photo op while you…read morepick up your costume from Spirit Halloween. be nice if there was a little step so you could sit on the platform and hug the arrow. Another fun pop culture stop to mix in with your history and nature stops.

You will find this gigantic red arrow, with its tip to the ground in a busy Whole Foods Parking…read morelot. It is an Albuquerque staple and a part of the city's culture. It could maybe use a fresh coat of paint, but it is still considerably in great shape since it has been there since 1961. Back then the shopping plaza was named Indiana Plaza. The arrow stands about 20 feet tall and looks like it was shoot into the stone base on which its sits. If the arrow does not already draw enough attention, it use to have neon lighting. However, it was too expensive to maintain so they scrapped it. Another interesting note is that in 1980, some of the plaza's tenants looked to add a few parking spots, which is premium in that location, by ripping out the arrow. The arrow was given landmark status though and it remains in it location today. There is an urban legend that the arrow ended up there by Lil' Beaver, the Indian sidekick of Red Ryder, the cowboy of TV, movie and comic strip fame, using a giant bow to shoot the arrow into an awaiting patch of soft concrete. I love the story and the hype, but I seriously doubt that it is true. I was able to pull into that same parking lot, park, get out and take a closer look. It was very easy. Anyway, as with most attractions that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, such as the space ship house or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Tucked into the heart of Albuquerque, the "Greetings from Burque" mural feels like the city giving…read moreyou a big, colorful hug. Painted in the classic postcard style, each giant letter in "BURQUE" is filled with vibrant scenes--hot air balloons, desert landscapes, Route 66 signs--that scream New Mexico pride. The wall pops with color, and you can't help but smile when you see it. It's the kind of spot where you instantly pull out your phone for a photo--even if you weren't planning on stopping. Locals drive by it every day, but it still manages to catch the eye like it's the first time. Whether you're a lifelong New Mexican or just passing through, the mural says what everyone feels: welcome to Burque--stay awhile.

Burque is a term the locals use for the city. The mural is…read morelocated in a cool Nob Hill shopping district of Albuquerque, NM. The mural is painted on the side of the building with coffee shop. It is right on old Route 66 which is now Central Avenue. We love these vintage postcards murals, and we try to find them in every major city we visit.

We were just wandering through Albuquerque, no particular plan, when we turned the corner onto Coal…read moreAvenue and stumbled across it--Mario, Princess Peach, and Donkey Kong, all pixelated and proud, stretched across the side of a building like they had punched their way straight out of 1985. At first, I thought maybe my childhood was hallucinating. But no, there was Mario mid-jump, fists in the air. Peach standing tall like the 8-bit queen she is. And Donkey Kong looming off to the side, barrels and all. The colors popped against the weathered brick, and even though you could tell the wall had seen better days, that just made it cooler--like the mural had leveled up after a few boss fights with graffiti and sun damage. Turns out it used to be a Pac-Man wall, but somebody tagged it, and the original artist came back to give it a Nintendo makeover. Respect. The vibe is pure throwback joy. Cars zipped past without noticing, but we stood there for a while, grinning like we'd just found a secret warp pipe in real life. We snapped a few pics, and some random guy yelled, "It's-a me, Mario!" from across the street. I don't know if he was drunk or just having a good time--but honestly, same. In a city full of hidden gems, this mural felt like a one-up mushroom: small, unexpected, and absolutely worth finding.

Soooo no more is Donkey Kong but Mushroom. Looks pretty new. Sucks tagging F's it all up. Like,…read morecome on, respect the art ! It's a cute surprise for the family. We pulled over & it was cool. I am soooo in love with New Mexico. We are full time RV peeps & have traveled 8 states now & New Mexico has my heart.

I went on a Friday night to support my friends Pat and Lee from Buster Brown Art Co's showing. I…read morewas greeted upon entering and immediately felt welcome. The layout of the gallery has a nice flow. I really liked the diversity of the featured artists.

Well, I can't really say this was worth the effort to come and see…read more I searched a few sources looking for interesting things to see. I thought this was odd enough, so why not see it? This is located in a residential neighborhood. I have no idea what the rhyme or reason for this is or was. It just appears to be a utility pole with a bunch of shoes attached all over the surface. The creator of this odd art is Michael Veseart. The shoes are pretty weather worn now. If you have an appreciation for shoes on display, this might be right down your alley. There are pretty much only women's heels... in many colors. This could just be called a High Heel Tree. I guess you could spend as much time as you'd like since there is a bench there. It is facing the houses, not the Shoe Tree. We took a very quick look and left.

#64 for 2019 The shoe tree is hysterical to me. I have a…read morenew place to bring peeps (yeah!!) for a kool photo OP! First it was the Big Red Arrow and The Big Red Dinosaur and what used to be the little RED dinosaur at Gizmos (now hes a faded pink color) What I love about ABQ is that I can find the koolest quirkiest things while either driving around or on Yelp! (Aaahhh Yelp my most fave!) Who had a thought one day to say: Hey let me staple or nail shoes to this ugly telephone pole! Whoever it was is genius! Art is Art and everyone has their own opinions on it! There is a smaller Shoe Tree in the North Valley. So small in fact, that it doesnt have a Yelp page. Lol! Nonetheless... this show tree is Yelp Worthy! It sits in an artsy yard in a residential area not far from El Vado Motel/El Vado Taproom. So if you are in the area its worth it to not only take a look but to also snap a few shots and Yelp about it! YELP can be a fun adventurous tool to find local things in ABQ. It's like going on a scavenger hunt! I miss my YELP friend Andrea C. We used to go on these fun "let's see what we can find on YELP" adventures all the time :-) She would love this shoe tree!!!

I will start with what I loved:…read more I found the scene of 1600 people dressed to the nines in white and metallics quite the sight to behold. Beautiful and curious. I loved the effort people put into their attire. And the concept is rather fun. I personally enjoyed the planning and arranging of details prior to the event. And now we come to the stickier points: This year was on the top floor of the casino parking garage. Eh. I didn't hate it. But I just did not love it. I was hoping to love it. Our group leader was pleasant but did not herself wear the pure, sparkling white she/they went on and on about. That annoyed me a bit. Finally, there was lack of coordination between some of the questions people asked, the event staff answers, and what really transpired on the night of the event. In conclusion, it was worth doing at least once. Bring your own food. Bring friends, if you can possibly coordinate with them. Get clever and fun with your setup and dress.