Albuquerque, NM

[FM2N]

Hello All,
My wife and I are heading to Albuquerque on April 5th thru the 9th. My wife has a job interview at UNM. What photo galleries or stores would you advise to see or go too? Also any other interesting places to see would be great. We will also be looking at places to rent any thoughts on fun or interesting neighborhoods to live in would be a great help.
Thanks
Arthur,NYC

[keithwms]

It's been so loooong since I lived there, I couldn't possible give advice. I was in first grade at Monte Vista school there! All I can say is: I loved the city, the food, the nearby mountains, the balloon festival, the little side trips in the state.

When I lived there, it was across the street from UNM. I remember some interesting adobe-like architecture. Only lived there for a year though.

[TheFlyingCamera]

If you have spare time, take a run up to Santa Fe (only 2 hours drive) and poke your head in at Bostick & Sullivan. There are a number of quite fine galleries in Santa Fe, both within walking distance of the main square and on a road out of town whose name escapes me at the moment.

[billbretz]

Arthur - Did we scare you away from Delaware?

[FM2N]

No it is still on the list. We went and had a very nice time.

[Jan Pietrzak]

Arthur,

Abq is a fine city to live in. Keith still has fond dreams of Abq and Scott remembers that Santa Fe is 2hrs away, well when you live in DC every thing is 2hrs away. Sorry Scott. Santa Fe is 50/60 miles north/east and an hour away. We do have this new thing called the RailRunner from SF to Abq. So living in Santa Fe is not that bad. Coming form So/Cal that just got us into LA. Life is a lot slower out here, so it will take some time to get ust'ed to it. UNM is a good school (to bad we got knocked out of the NCAA play off. (???next year????)

So come on out the New Mexico

Jan Pietrzak

[RidinRev66]

We have two local camera stores in Albuquerque with locations about 1 mile east of the University.
Kurt's Camera Corral, 3417 Central Ave. NE
camera & darkroom, 3225 Central Ave. NE
Both have competitive pricing, but not as low as the Big Boxes. However it is worth keeping these businesses selling cameras and processing! Check them out if you have time.

[mark]

Photograph in old town or head to the sandias. Head west out of the city to get great city shots at dusk. Eat breakfast at little anitas, and dinner at Gardunos. I really like ABQ. If you have timreams are going to Santa Fe continue on to Chimiyo(sp). I am not a huge fan of Santa Fe but the surrounding areas are very pretty.

Have fun.

[takilmaboxer]

At this time of year, be ready for the Spring winds, which can reach 50 mph and blow the dust six feet off the ground. Typically, windy days alternate with picture perfect sunny days. Your cameras should be well protected from the wind and dust.

[Joe VanCleave]

For living, the Nob Hill area is interesting, as is east downtown ("Edo"). Both are close to culture and nightlife. A bit expensive, however.

For landscape photography sites, pretty much the entire state. Close to Albuquerque, visit the Ojito Wilderness, on public BLM land. Drive north on I-25, exit at Bernalillo onto hwy 550, take 550 about 20 miles north/west, and just before the road bends around to the right into the village of San Ysidro, take a left off the hwy onto Cabezon Road, a dirt road. You'll need a truck/SUV, should be fine in dry weather. Lots of interesting scenic landscapes; dry, desolate, other-wordly in places.

Tent Rocks is also interesting, near the pueblo of Cochiti, on I-25 between Abq and Santa Fe.

Or take I-40 west to just about Grants (about 70 miles), then go south (can't remember the highway number) to the Sandstone Overlook at the El Malpais National Monument.

Of course, there's also Chaco Canyon, a day-trip from Abq.

For galleries, Santa Fe has several notable photography places, among them the Andrew Smith Gallery. Check out "THE" magazine, a free rag (but done well), for lots of info on the Santa Fe arts scene.

~Joe