Jan 10: general, weather & tram cam
Happy 2012 to the VRA and Happy 100th to New Mexico.
This is the first in a series of messages in which Albuquerque and the Land of Enchantment will be featured as the location for the 2012 VRA Conference celebrating VRA’s 30th Anniversary.
Albuquerque has already had its first snow, but right now sun is shining, sky is clear, and the temperature is a comfortable 50°F – with snow remaining only in the nearby Sandia mountains. While winter is beautiful and NM skiing is wonderful, I’m also eager for spring and April’s conference.
Until you are here and can take a ride on the Sandia Peak Tram, you can check on weather conditions via the “tram cam” at http://sandiapeak.com/index.php?page=sandia-peak-tramway
The Albuquerque Convention and Visitor’s Bureau site reports we average 310 days of sunshine and April average temperatures of 70°F & 40°F (21/5°C). http://www.itsatrip.org/
Standard local information is available on the conference website under Accommodations, Local Info and Attractions: http://vraweb.org/conferences/vra30/Local/local.html. And more information will be delivered as this series rolls out between now and April 18.
Check out the conference program information: http://vra2012.sched.org/
Registration is open and ongoing at this link: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra30/registration/registration.html
Hope to see you in the spring, Cindy Abel Morris on behalf of the Incoming VRA board and the local planners
Jan 30: New Mexico History & Culture
This is the second in a series of messages in which Albuquerque and the Land of Enchantment will be featured as the location for the 2012 VRA Conference celebrating VRA’s 30th Anniversary.
Prepare to be captivated by the stark and powerful New Mexico landscape with its abundance of bright, form-defining light and vastness of space. The landscape is the setting for the rich multicultural history waiting for us to discover with our VRA colleagues in April. The coexistence of three highly developed cultures in the Southwest is the basis of its distinctive character: Native peoples, Hispanic and Anglo settlers, each with unique expressions of faith and spirituality, strength, vitality and primitive beauty. The communal culture (pueblo), along with a tenacious spirit, has helped the inhabitants withstand their isolation and material deprivation. New Mexico has experienced the longest continuing existence as a frontier. Twentieth century artists and writers, attracted to the landscape and its humble peoples, found artistic inspiration and spiritual renewal.
This Land of Enchantment will celebrate 100 years of statehood in 2012, and will be putting out a grand welcome mat to all who visit, including VRA, celebrating its own 30 years of important advancements for our profession. For a group devoted to visual imagery, New Mexico will more than enchant us with the “visual”, from Albuquerque, Santa Fe, the Turquoise Trail to Santa Clara Pueblo, Puye Cliff Dwellings, Acoma (Sky City), Abiquiu (Ghost Ranch) and the Sangre de Christo mountains rising to the bluest of skies.
AND DONT MISS this year’s Tansey event featuring the colorful and energetic Alma Flamenca Dance Group in partnership with the National Institute of Flamenco!
Jolene de Verges on behalf of the Incoming VRA Board, submitted by Cindy Abel Morris
Feb 10: Museums
This is the third in series of messages in which Albuquerque and the Land of Enchantment will be featured as the location for the 2012 VRA Conference celebrating VRA’s 30th Anniversary.
The conference hotel’s location near Albuquerque’s Old Town is the perfect spot for exploring the many museums and galleries in the Old Town and downtown areas.
Albuquerque Museum of Art & History (http://www.cabq.gov/museum/) Museum of Natural History & Science (http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org/) 516 Arts non-profit artspace (http://www.516arts.org/) National Hispanic Cultural Center (http://nhccnm.org/) National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (http://www.nuclearmuseum.org/) Explora! Learning center (http://www.explora.us/en/) Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (http://www.indianpueblo.org/)
The University of New Mexico campus is another great spot for taking in some unique art, culture, and history. Also be sure to check out the John Gaw Meem architecture in Zimmerman library, along with the Southwest-themed murals by Kenneth Adams.
University of New Mexico Art Museum (http://unmartmuseum.unm.edu/) Visit on your own, or attend the drop-in tour, scheduled for VRA Conference goers Tuesday, April 17 at 1pm. Maxwell Museum of Anthropology (http://www.unm.edu/~maxwell/) Museum of Southwestern Biology (open by appointment only) (http://www.msb.unm.edu/) Meteorite Museum (http://epswww.unm.edu/meteoritemuseum/) Silver Family Geology Museum (http://epswww.unm.edu/museum.htm)
As the third largest art market in the United States and just an hour’s drive north of Albuquerque, Santa Fe has a gallery or a museum for every taste…even if your taste is something other than art! After visiting the world-class museums, take a stroll to the many galleries on Canyon Road or around the Plaza. Remember if you don’t want to manage travel to Santa Fe on your own, bus transportation to Museum Hill and the Plaza is offered through Tour 1 and Tour 2 on SCHED.
Museums near the Plaza: New Mexico Museum of Art (http://www.nmartmuseum.org/) New Mexico History Museum (http://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/) Palace of the Governors (http://www.palaceofthegovernors.org/index.php) SITE Santa Fe contemporary art space (http://www.sitesantafe.org/) El Museo Cultural (http://www.elmuseocultural.org/) Georgia O’Keeffe Museum (http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/) Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (IAIA) (http://www.iaia.edu/museum/) Bataan Memorial Military Museum (http://www.bataanmuseum.com/) Santa Fe Children’s Museum (http://www.santafechildrensmuseum.org/)
On Museum Hill (accessible via bus from downtown Santa Fe http://www.museumhill.org/ride.php): Museum of Spanish Colonial Art (http://www.spanishcolonial.org/) Museum of Indian Arts & Culture (http://www.indianartsandculture.org/calendar) Museum of International Folk Art (http://www.internationalfolkart.org/) Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian (http://www.wheelwright.org/)
We look forward to seeing you in Albuquerque!
The VRA 30 Conference schedule is now available on your mobile devices. Use on your phone by going to: http://vra2012.sched.org/mobile/. Click http://vra2012.sched.org/mobile-site for full details. Registration is open and ongoing at this link: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra30/registration/registration.html
Please note, conference session “Every Asset, Everywhere: Perspectives on Digital Asset Management” has been canceled at the request of its organizers. The organizers hope to resubmit it as a proposed session for 2013.
Heather Kline, on behalf of the VRA Albuquerque conference planning committee
Feb 28: Albu-quirky
This is the fourth in a series of messages in which Albuquerque and the Land of Enchantment will be featured as the location for the 2012 VRA Conference celebrating VRA’s 30th Anniversary.
Fellow VRA-ers, frankly, this is the message I’ve been eager to write: quirky Albuquerque! While Albuquerque is a large city of over 500,000, it still retains the neighborhood feel of its earlier days, with each area of town offering something unique.
If you will have access to a car, you’ll find it fairly easy to get around. Albuquerque roads are laid out on a grid in quadrants, with Central Avenue being the north-south divider, and the railroad tracks the east-west division. Make sure to cruise Route 66 (aka Central Avenue – but not alone at night, please!) and up Rio Grande Blvd past vineyards and estates in the Village of Los Ranchos. If you don’t have a car, you can still experience Albuquerque on a trolley tour http://www.abqtrolley.com/
With or without a car, we orient ourselves between the Sandia Mountains to the east, and volcanoes to the west. We keep mentioning the Sandia Peak Tram, in the far northeast heights, and the ride and views really are worth the effort to get there. From the top you can see the extent of the city – where we are still growing and where growth is limited by nature or Tribal lands. Also from the mountain, you can gaze across the Rio Grande (and the 19 mile trail for strolling, biking and jogging which parallels it), to the volcanoes & Petroglyph National Monument in the near distance, and finally, 60 miles to the west is snow capped Mt. Taylor, a mountain sacred to the Acoma and many other native people.
Can you believe it – there are museums we didn’t include in the last message – check out the Rattlesnake Museum, located in Old Town, just a few side winding steps from the conference hotel. The Unser Racing Car museum and International Balloon Museum are in the North Valley. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History (aka: National Atomic Museum) is in the southeast quadrant, near Four Hills.
In the University area, east of Old Town you will find Nob Hill — a great place for a stroll with colorful and unique shops (Larry’s Hats or the “A” store) and food (Kelly’s Brew Pub and Flying Star – our local counterpart to Starbucks).
And in the Hotel Albuquerque/Old Town neighborhood, you will have access to one of my favorite spots, the Albuquerque Bio Park, where one ticket gets you into the Zoo (cute baby snow leopards), Aquarium (manta ray tank is very popular), Botanic Gardens (children’s fantasy garden).
Reminder: “Early Bird” discounted registration is available through March 16, 2012. Online registration continues until the conference begins on April 18th.
For more information, please visit the conference website at http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra30/
Hope to see you in the spring, Cindy Abel Morris on behalf of the Incoming VRA board and the local Burqueños
Mar 21: What to do with an hour or two
This is the fifth in our series leading up to the VRA’s 2012 annual conference in Albuquerque celebrating our 30th Anniversary.
One month from now we’ll be gathered in Albuquerque. While early-bird registration concluded last Friday, you can still register on line or in person at the conference. At this point, as you indicate your interest in individual sessions, sign up for special events (Tansey flamenco(!) fundraiser and bus tours to Santa Fe,) and volunteer for a shift at the registration desk, you may find you still have a free hour here or there. Let us make the following suggestions.
If you have a couple of hours, take the Rt 66 bus to UNM — about 15 minutes from Old Town to UNM on the “local” #66 or “express” #766 buses; one or the other runs every 15 minutes, 6AM to 12:30AM Monday-Saturday and 6AM to 7PM Sundays. A day pass is $2 and is available from the bus driver; have exact change in coins or $1 bills since fare boxes don’t give change.
At UNM, University Art Museum curator Sara Otto Diniz is offering a free drop-in tour on Tues, 4/17. Current exhibits include “Reconsidering the Photographic Masterpiece,” “Hiroshi Sugimoto” and “An Inquisitive Eye, Seeing into Prints.” Other museums and galleries on campus include the Tamarind Institute (fine art lithography workshop & gallery in a beautiful new building,) the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, and the Geology and Meteorite Museum. (http://www.unm.edu/welcome/museums.html )
UNM’s campus is listed as a national arboretum. Follow this link for an informative video or to take a walking tour. (http://iss.unm.edu/PCD/landscape/arboretum.html) Among many wonderful buildings on campus is the new School of Architecture and Planning, designed by internationally recognized local architect Antoine Predock, with incredible views from the Fine Arts & Design Library on the top floor. For historic structures, don’t miss the main library building, Zimmerman, with a mural sequence by Kenneth Adams and its own Starbucks! You’ll find campus maps here. (http://iss.unm.edu/PCD/campus-map.html) Before you return to the conference hotel, stop in for some green chili stew at the Frontier restaurant. (Restaurants will be featured in the next message.)
Not enough time for UNM, there is so much right in Old Town! Offering a different experience than recent “downtown” conferences – the Hotel Albuquerque is adjacent to Albuquerque’s Old Town and offers shopping (the Wagon wheel is open until 9pm week nights), dining (Church street café is a fav,) loads of local color and people watching on the Plaza, and history and faith at San Felipe de Neri Church. We’ve already mentioned the museums, but don’t forget walking tours, or even a Ghost Tour. (http://albuquerqueoldtown.com/index.php?page=tours) Tired of the crowds, get a sandwich to go and eat in Tiguex park, 2 blocks from the hotel. And if you are interested in something more than walking, rent a bike and head over to the Bosque trail. (http://www.cabq.gov/bike)
Have a free evening? Central offers lots of options, from current movies at Century 14 Downtown, eclectic films at the Guild Cinema and live performances at the Kimo and Vortex theatres. A free, weekly local, The Alibi (available online http://alibi.com/?scn=cal , and at hundreds of locations in town) runs a pretty thorough calendar of events. One place I’m eager to try is the Apothecary Lounge, with a reputed mean martini and a rooftop bar for witnessing spectacular southwest sunsets. (http://hotelparqcentral.com/apothecary-lounge/)
See you soon! Cindy Abel Morris on behalf of the Incoming VRA board and the local planners
Apr 4: transportation
This is one of a series of messages providing useful information about the upcoming 2012 VRA 30th Anniversary Conference, which will be held in spectacular Albuquerque, New Mexico. This week’s focus will be on local transportation — specifically, how to get to our hotel!
In just a couple of weeks, many of us will be arriving in Albuquerque for VRA’s 30th Annual Conference – most of us from out of town. Many of us have not previously had an opportunity to visit this wonderful locale (and you still can register on line http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/index.html or in person on your arrival).
Our conference venue is:
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town 800 Rio Grande Blvd. NW Albuquerque, NM 87104 Phone: 505-843-6300 Fax: 505-842-8426 E-mail: hotelabq@hhandr.com Website: www.hotelabq.com
If you are driving to the hotel, here’s a source for directions: http://www.hotelabq.com/albuquerque-new-mexico-emap.aspx Remember, parking is free for hotel guests (though the lot is unsecured)!
Most of us will be arriving by air at the Albuquerque International Sunport. Terminal maps are available at: http://www.cabq.gov/airport/terminal-maps
Once you’ve collected your bags, you can catch a ride to the hotel on Sunport Shuttle http://www.sunportshuttle.com/contact.htm (or call 866-505-4966), located on the first floor opposite Southwest Airlines baggage claim #3. Typical fares from the airport to our hotel are: 1-way $15.00, RT $28.00; however, additional passengers on the same itinerary pay only $5.00 each way, so if several of you arrive at the same time you can split up the costs! If cabs are your preference, typical fares are $24.00 each way.
Pinching those travel pennies? Want to save money? The cheapest way to get from the airport to the hotel is to take the #50 bus to Albuquerque Alvarado Transportation Center (ATC) and transfer there to a #66 (West) bus, which stops a short distance from the hotel (a city bus day pass is $2 and is available from the bus driver — please have exact change in coins or $1 bills, since fare boxes don’t give change). For specific frequency and bus route information details, see: http://www.cabq.gov/transit/routes-and-schedules
You can also use the #66 bus to get from the conference hotel to the University of New Mexico campus; it’s easy, quick, and inexpensive.
Will you be arriving in Albuquerque via Amtrak’s Southwest Chief? (This rail fan will be!) The Amtrak terminal is located at Albuquerque Alvarado Transportation Center (ATC), which is also a main hub for city and regional bus service. Alvarado is also the station for the New Mexico Rail Runner Express, the local train between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. So if you planned a day trip to Santa Fe but were disappointed when we had to cancel the VRA charter bus trips, don’t despair! The Rail Runner Express will get you to Santa Fe and back quickly (around 1 hour 35 minutes each way) and inexpensively (a round-trip day pass will cost you a mere $8.00). Trains run throughout the day, and on weekends too; for schedule details, visit http://nmrailrunner.com
See you two weeks hence in ABQ!
Submitted by Allan T. Kohl on behalf of the incoming VRA Board officers.
Apr 9: Restaurants
This is the penultimate in a series of messages in which Albuquerque (named for the Spanish Duke of Alburquerque) and the Land of Enchantment will be featured as the location for the 2012 VRA Conference celebrating VRA’s 30th Anniversary.
Albuquerque has a rich and diverse culinary scene which will satisfy every taste. The following list of restaurants focuses on Old Town Albuquerque (site of the VRA conference hotel.) Look on the conference website for a link to the full list ( http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra30/ ) including restaurants along the conference route between Old Town and the University of New Mexico campus. There you will also find some exceptional local restaurants that are off the beaten path – you won’t regret the extra effort to visit any of these excellent eating establishments.
As you will find, the centerpiece of authentic New Mexican food is Chile. No New Mexico culinary experience is complete until you have been asked the obligatory interrogative, “Red or Green?” by your wait staff. Be daring and answer “Both!” with great gusto. And don’t be surprised to find Chile topping everything from eggs to burgers to Sushi.
The Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau maintains an excellent Google Map guide that shows the locations of all major hotels and restaurants in greater Albuquerque. All of the restaurants in this guide can be found on the map. You’ll be able to use it to quickly chart your directions between conference locations and the restaurant of your choice: http://www.itsatrip.org/travel-tools/maps/default.aspx?cat=Dining
Old Town
Old Town is one of Albuquerque’s several cultural districts and is located on the west side of the city, situated between Tiguex Park and Rio Grande Boulevard. The area hosts many museums, shops, and very excellent restaurants.
Hotel Albuquerque
There are two fine restaurants in the Hotel Albuquerque:
Cafe Plazuela & Cantina
Summary: Offers traditional New Mexican ambiance and cuisine, including burritos, enchiladas, plus American-style sandwiches, soups and salads.
Phone: (505) 843-6300
Web: http://www.hotelabq.com/albuquerque-restaurants.aspx
Hours: Open daily, 6:00am - 10:30pm
Cristobal's Fine Dining Restaurant
Summary: Cristobal's offers a fine dining experience of both classic Continental and original New Mexican Cuisine in a quiet and romantic candle-lit setting. Reservations at Cristobal's are recommended.
Phone: (505) 222-8766
Web: http://www.hotelabq.com/albuquerque-restaurants.aspx
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Casa de Ruiz - Church Street Café
Summary: A very pretty little restaurant tucked away in one of Albuquerque’s oldest traditional adobe houses, this restaurant offers both American and New Mexican fare. Excellent choice for lunch. Try the handmade pink corn tamales.
Address: 2111 Church St. N.W.
Phone: (505) 247-8522
Web: http://www.churchstreetcafe.com
Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:00am-9:00pm, Sundays 8:00am-4:00pm
La Crèpe Michel
Summary: Wonderful French Cuisine served in a beautiful adobe house and garden setting.
Address: 400 San Felipe Dr. # C2
Phone: (505) 242-1251
Web: http://www.lacrepemichel.com/
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30am-2:00pm (Lunch) ; Tuesday-Saturday, 6:00pm-9:00pm (Dinner)
Little Anita’s (Old Town)
Summary: Excellent New Mexican style fare, fast service and reasonable prices. Try the Enchiladas Rancheras (flat enchiladas). Address: 2105 Mountain Rd. NW
Phone: (505) 242-3102
Web: http://www.littleanitas.com/locations.mountain.html
Hours: Open daily, 7:00am-9:00pm
St Clair Winery and Bistro
Summary: Enjoy an authentic New Mexico wine tasting with lunch or dinner. St. Clair winery makes some of the finest wines in New Mexico- their Mimbres Red is my own favorite. The Bistro offers light mostly American fare: Soups, Salads and Sandwiches. Listen to live jazz music Wednesday through Sunday nights. Just north of Hotel Albuquerque.
Address: 901 Rio Grande NW
Phone: (505) 243-9916
Web: http://www.stclairwinery.com/bistros/albuquerque/
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11:00am-9:00pm; Friday-Saturday, 11:00am-10:00pm
Seasons Rotisserie and Grill
Summary: American menu featuring simple dishes prepared with exceptionally fresh ingredients. Specialties include roast chicken, grilled bone-on ribeye and grilled double-cut pork chops.
Address: 2031 Mountain Road Northwest
Phone: (505) 766-5100
Web: http://seasonsabq.com/
Hours: Open daily for lunch 11:30am to 2:30pm, Dinner starts at 5pm
Our final message will appear at the end of this week. Please send Cindy (cdabel@unm.edu) any burning questions and we will attempt to address them all!
See you next week! Kevin Comerford on behalf the local Burqueños
