The revenge of the return of filthy light thief

posted July 3, 2012 11:44 AM

We're back, and this time we're staying! I'd like to meet up with local folkls again, and I'm open for suggestions!

I left California with my wife and son, and we are now staying with family in Rio Rancho. Our stuff is sorted and we are currently without jobs, so we're quite flexible in terms of times and locations, beyond having to figure out something to do with baby light thief.

I'm also up for any local adventures, as I'm excited to see more of the general area.

I set the proposed location as Albuquerque, as that's the most MeFite-dense area, but I'll MeMail any and all again, to see if we can have a nice turn-out, or maybe a few events.

posted by filthy light thief to Proposed (9 comments total)

Cool, I'd be interested again!
posted by vorfeed at 12:03 AM on July 4, 2012

I didn't make it to the last meet up, but I'm up for trying to make it to the next.

These are last minute activities, but...

There's a wine festival at Rancho de las Golandrinas this weekend (website).

There's also Pork & Brew this weekend in Rio Rancho.

I've never been to either one, but hear that both are fun.

Happy 4th of July.
posted by backwords at 8:39 AM on July 4, 2012

New Mexicans, tell me of the local wine culture. Is it really a thing? As a former California, I generally assumed we had cornered the market on wine production in the US, until I came wines of the Midwest (random site, found as an example of Midwest wines).

The Pork & Brew State BBQ championship sounds like fun, but I am confused on how it works. You pay to enter, then you buy "BBQ Bucks"? I'm guessing that's for food and drinks. I'm intrigued.

Also, our summer is turning out to be more active than I thought. This Sunday, Mrs. and baby flt and I will start out on a road trip through Texas, New Orleans and ending in Mississippi. Then in August we head out on a road trip to a wedding, and a few stops along the way.

In short, I am a terrible meetup instigator.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:32 AM on July 4, 2012

We can always do a breakfast or lunch at one of the local eateries instead of a night out - I don't drink - then you can still bring baby light thief. I hear that the Frontier restaurant is interesting though I haven't been there yet. And there's always Dion's pizza for local pizza dining (for a lunch gathering).

Just a suggestion.
posted by patheral at 12:14 PM on July 4, 2012

I don't think NM wines hold a candle to CA wines, but there are some good ones out there. NM Wine Growers Association lists most of the wineries. Vivac and La Chiripada make enjoyable wines, I haven't tried many of the other ones.
posted by backwords at 11:50 AM on July 5, 2012

The Frontier is definitely a local institution. I love all the John Wayne art, especially the nails/tacks portrait.

Just for giggles, you could check out the growers markets around. The one in Corrales meets Sunday mornings, and the Saturday markets are are in Los Ranchos and at the park on Central between 8th and 10th. It may not be good for a meetup, but they are fun, and there is usually music.

Village pizza, also in Corrales is pretty famous for great pizza. Haven't tried it myself, but people rave about it.
posted by annsunny at 5:26 PM on July 10, 2012

Village Pizza is pretty good if you're into that kind of pizza (which is... um... not thick or thin or anything). They have a buffet. I think they are best if you are super hungry and want to eat ALL OF THE PIZZA, since otherwise they're sort of overpriced IMO.

Frontier has the best bad art in town most of the time (there have been acceptions: the sort of porny-seeming nudes with basic photoshop effects that was at Winnings a few years back and the really cheesy landscapes with inexplicably floating flowers on top of them at O'Neill's were also pretty terrible, though not as amusing as most of the others). They also have very good tortillas and carne adovada. Also they just got those coke machines that will mix any kind of soda in weird combinations, most of which are kind of oversweet and gross. They are fun to play with! Do not expect fantastically delicious results.

I am NOT A WINE PERSON AT ALL but there is a brand that is local that the supermarkets all have that is like $8 a bottle and their White Merlot is a very solid "wine that tastes like fruit punch" if you're into that sort of thing. I mean, I know it doesn't qualify as good wine by good wine standards, but I enjoy both gourmet cakes and twinkies, so it's possible the same principal applies. I think it has a blue bird silhouette on the bottle.

The breweries are more our thing, I think? (I don't like beer either. I am terrible at this game.)
posted by NoraReed at 5:31 PM on July 11, 2012

The Route 66 Summerfest is coming up, might be fun.

There were wineries in NM long before California, but Prohibition shut them down. Marble has great beer, love their IPA especially.

Duran's is good. It's a landmark, too. No alcohol, restaurant is cash only, serves breakfast and lunch.
posted by annsunny at 7:37 PM on July 11, 2012

Not sure what you mean by wine culture. There's not a town like Napa with hundreds of wineries and help wanted ads for wine industry jobs -- but there are wine festivals that you can attend, and some of the wineries have tastings or other events.

A former landlord of mine made wine each year from a small garden of grapevines. If you are into that sort of thing I imagine there might be others around with the same hobby. Victor's Grape Arbor, a local brewing supply place, would be a good place to ask.
posted by yohko at 11:17 AM on July 12, 2012