Albuquerque a2k roundup, May 14-19, 2008

Oh dear. No pancetta? Well then, the entire gathering is OFF!

Seriously, since everyone is staying in different places, will we have a central gathering spot? Is there a definite meeting scheduled yet, and if so, where & when?

(JPB/Sublime/JoefromChicago did a great job of coordinating when we were in Chicago. You ABQ folks have some tall boots to fill.)

Eva, I'm far from the spokesperson, and might not even make it, but this will not be as formal as that one, as I understand it.

JPB will be there for sure, and it will be lively...

A relaxed New Mexico gathering was the theme I got with my early visit...

RH

Eva, where are you staying? I'm renting a car, so I could pick you up and we could have our own meet on our way to the 'meet'... and if RH shows up and is nearby, we'll pick him up, too, and cruise around looking for something good to eat.

Mmmmm. I wouldn't mind meeting JPB, Mame, and Rockhead. Could make it for a weekend.

Also wouldn't mind meeting all the others I'm met earlier.

Jumps happily at Roger getting here for the weekend.


Yes, this one is more informal. Some of us have posted certain restaurants and things to do, earlier in the thread.

When in Albuquerque, I usually make a point of taking in a hamburger at Spinns.

I'll repeat some of the earlier information tomorrow (weary now) and add Spinn's to that.. it's a pretty good place.

I never liked roger.

Walter


Me neither, especially after he busted up his bike in an accident. I can't stand people who hurt bikes.

BBB

Hey, now. Absolutely no damage to bike or helmet. All damage was limited to the body and the car. Still trying to find out who started that altercation between bike and car, but the bike definately won.

When the idea of this Alb get-together was promugated, Eva, I gave my assurance as the instigator that the folks there would definitely NOT be expected to play hosts, chauffers, tour-guides etc. Instead there would be this "window" of time (Wed, May 14-Mon, May 19) when folks could be there for whatever length of time their schedules would permit. Folks would be encouraged to hang out with whomever they wanted, whenever and wherever they wanted.
The locals are welcome to join us when they feel like it but are under no social obligation to do so if they don't feel like it.
Accordingly, we are, as far as I know, not planning any kind of central gathering spot at a certain time.

We are up to something like 16 people on the definite or probable list and another 10 the maybe list (per my scorecard). The notion of organizing a main event with that number of people would be a logisitical nightmare.

I would instead suggest something like "How about everyone who is available and interested getting together at Shinn's at 1 pm on Friday, May 16th?"

Nods to RJB...


I've been promoting as a meeting place, and I think Dys and Diane also mentioned, the Flying Star on Rio Grande (uh, just north of Griegos), and the Indigo Crow in Corrales (less handy but very 'New Mexico' with very good food, at least generally - slightly but not obnoxiously gourmet.) There's another Flying Star in Corrales and one or two elsewhere in town. Reservations would be smart for the Crow on a weekend in May, and probably would totally surprise the Flying Star or Spinns.

Old Town is fairly central and there's already a list here on that, to which people can add..

They're are several good restaurants on Central, Vivace, for example. As Shewolf mentioned, one area of Central is iffy later at night but it wouldn't worry me to go to several other places.

For real New Mexican food, there are some local cafes; Barela's (have to check that name), and Duran's Pharmacy cafe. Some of us like Adelita's and go to the Calico Cafe for breakfast. (I'm neg on it for lunch - try it if you like concrete covered fish. But I'm probably unfair, as I haven't tried much of the rest of the menu and their veggies are especially good and fresh.) Also the Model Pharmacy Cafe is especially good, that's on Carlyle.

There are zillions of chains. All/most of the ones I've been to are pretty horrible. Nothing if not opinionated.

And naturally, people will find their own places that sound good to them.


Things to do include an enjoyable tram ride, walking the Petroglyphs, seeing the zoo/aquarium/botanic garden, walking through Nature Center along the Rio Grande, walking Old Town, seeing lots of museums..

much of that listed with addresses and phone numbers on an earlier post.

I could imagine that this is just what can be done during those few days.

Perhaps, if most want to use the Sandia Peak Tram, this tour could include a meal at the High Finance Restaurant? (With an early reservation we would have a spectacular view while eating/drinking.)

I haven't eaten there but have heard others knock it. Can't remember if it's because of a long wait or the food.. On the other hand, from the outside it seems like a neat place just for being where it is - maybe Diane and Dys will pipe up with an opinion.

Another place that might interest is the Aquarium, in that the restaurant there is situated so you can watch the fish... The aquarium won't astound anyone who has been to the Monterey aquarium, but it has some charm. The food at the cafe was ok to good.

The food isn't spectaclar there (that's what people say who have been there .... and my guide books :wink: ) (High Finance that is.)

That's appealing, Walter, to get a good table, whatever the food.

I remember, and so will D & D and P Diddie and his wife and other a2kers, a brunch we all had at the old Sinbad's, an old time San Francisco restaurant just at the base of the Bay Bridge. Great view, wonderful people (us), terrific waitress, and the food was just fine, whatever it was.

Well, I will have a car (apparently I need one) and a map, so I will meet anyone anywhere, and can taxi people around. Since I'm going to be there only 3 days (16 - 19), I'd like to squeeze in as much as possible, people-wise. I couldn't care less about sight-seeing... I can do that on another trip.

I get in at 4:07 p.m. on the 16th and leave at 6:46 p.m. on the 19th. I am staying at the Holiday Inn on Centre Avenue SE so I was wrong about the street - rats. Gotta go look up where I am. Doesn't really matter, though, with a car.

So down the road, when plans start firming up, I'm definitely up for dinner and whatever on the 16th, and anything after that.

I know it's not fair. And since I travel less now, I'm newly in the position of having raging envy about other a2kers meeting.

PDiddie and wife are both wonderful. I call him t-shirt man. Anyway, after that breakfast, CImposter and PDiddie and Wife (I don't just want to give out her name, but calling her Wife seems peculiar; maybe I'll start calling her SDiddie) and I took a long walk through San Francisco.. and before the breakfast most of us had been going through the big market area at the Embarcadero. (I think JJorge wasn't there that morning.)
well, that meeting went on over about four days, with lots of walks and meals, not everyone at each occasion, scads of conversations.