Albuquerque is best know for...

Hot Air Balloons! Much to the chagrin of the rest of the state, the Albuquerque Internation Balloon Fiesta is a HUGE event, and what a lot of people think of when they think of New Mexico. This event is not the only event in the state, and not the only event in Albuquerque. But it will be the subject of this particular post.

The Balloon Fiesta is held for approximately 10 days at the beginning on October, being an October baby (although at the end of the month) I always felt that it was for me! One of my favorite balloon memories was when my mom got me a ride (tethered) in the purple and white balloon for my 5th or 6th birthday. Another favorite was going up in the New Mexico Air National Guard balloon (not tethered) during the St Patrick's day rally in Los Lunas, circa 1992.

Sharing the Balloon Fiesta with Marshall in 2003 and 2004 was really awesome. The following pictures are from those two years. I hope you find the following pictures as beautiful and mesmerizing as I do!

Ballons over Albuquerque

An early morning at Balloon Fiesta Park

This is a combination of the Special Shapes Rodeo and Balloon Glow

Welcome to the Special Shapes Glowdeo!

A Little South of Albuquerque...

About 10-15 miles south of Albuquerque (depending on from where you leave) is the reservation of the Isleta Pueblo. I was fortunate to visit their Catholic Church during the same New Mexico History class I mentioned earlier.. The Spanish Mission of San Agustín de la Isleta is a beautiful church, with walls that are 4 foot thick, and 4 foot high windows.

This is also a beautiful church, and can be visitied when religious ceremonies are not being held.

Isleta is also home to New Mexico's first Hard Rock Hotel, but there will be more on that later.

Albuquerque from the Sky

Again, I am featuring Albuquerque, this time from the sky. And where is the best place to view Albuquerque from above? Sandia Peak! The Sandia Peak Tramway travels from a mile-high altitude 2.7 miles to an altitude of 10,378 feet. Sandia Peaks website says that you can see 11,000 square-mile panoramic views of the Rio Grande River Valley (otherwise knows as my home! :)).

Here are some other pictures taken from above, but not from Sandia Peak.

More pictures of Old Town

Last post I featured the San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church, in Old Town Albuquerque. Today I want to post more pictures of one of my favorite places. These are taken at different times of the year (mostly summer and Christmas), but I love the way Old Town looks decorated for Christmas!

One of my favorite places!

In anticipation of my internship with the Albuquerque Convention and Visitor's Bureau I will be writing about the cultural areas of one of my favorite places, New Mexico, starting with Albuquerque, moving through the metro area, and then throughout the state.

There are many well-known destinations in Albuquerque, I hope to shed light on why you should spend some time in the Duke City, and then head out from there, and experience what the Land of Enchantment has to offer.

On every trip home to Los Chavez, I make sure that I go visit Old Town. I love the shops, full of Southwestern and Native American items, but I really love the energy I feel walking around the plaza. I am not Catholic, but I studied about Catholic churches in my New Mexico History class I took one summer at UNM. I find the San Felipe de Neri Catholic church, located on the north side of the Old Town Plaza, to be one of the most beautiful.

San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church

500 things to eat...1000 places to see...Is it really possibly to do this?

Many years ago I bought 1000 Places to See Before You Die. I was obsessed with this book. I sat down with a trusty highlighter and marked off those places I had been fortunate to visit. A few years later, I was at a Cracker Barrel (a favorite place of Marshall and I, you know the food will be the same whether it is California or Alabama) and I saw it. 1000 Places to See Before You Die, US and Canada Edition! Oh my gosh! I resisted the urge to purchase the book and begin highlighting while waiting for my chicken fried steak/blueberry pancakes (my two go-tos at Cracker Barrel, don't remember which I had). It was a very anticipated Christmas present from the best husband in the world, later that year. So of course, the highlighting began later that day.

Any trips that ensued after finding these great books, meant that I had to pull out said books and find out where we were going. Unfortunately, most of the places listed are hotels, hotels that are out of my price range. Oh well, if its an attraction, or something to look at, I will find it! (And you better believe every time I travel, I look to see if its in the book, and mark it off.)

This past year for Christmas, mom got me 500 Things to Eat Before Its Too Late (they didn't want to go into the morbid, before you die?). This book is interesting, and instead of breaking the food up by state, it is categorized by type of foods in regions of the country. The best relleno (stuffed chile pepper) can be found at Chope's south of Las Cruces, NM-FYI.

When I decided to spend my Spring Break visiting my brother and his family in Nebraska, of course, I had to pull out the books. Surprisingly, Nebraska is not listed in World edition of 1000 Places. And the US/Canada edition did not make Nebraska seem all that interesting- sand dunes, Omaha Steaks, but the Henry Doorly Zoo, was everything it was made out to be. I can cross that one off the list! The 500 Things to Eat was also a wealth of knowlege. Okay, so maybe "wealth" is not exactly right, but a little restaurant (and it turned out to be quite little) called Stellas in Bellevue, outside Omaha, was touted to have one of the best hamburgers in the country. And I would have to agree, it was pretty damn good!

I have never been lead astray by these books (or any of my other numerous travel books), so I will continue to consult them before any and all travels.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

As a former travel agent, I still receive emails about great deals. Universal Orlando is offering a GREAT package deal for the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter Package

If you are as big of a Harry Potter fan as I am, I am sure this is on your list of things to do! Contact your local travel agent for more information, or I would be glad to put you in touch with someone.

Happy Valentines Day!

This blog is supposed to be about food and travel, as a way of figuring out what I want to do with my professional life. I had a very nice Valentines with my husband and wanted to share two recipes I "used" for our dinner. I say "used" because I like to find recipes and tweak them to be my own.

I made Marshall his favorite steak, a filet. And while I was going to make twice-baked potatoes, I decided to make MY favorite, mac and cheese. I also made roasted asparagus. For dessert, I wanted creme brulee, but most recipes make 6 to 8 servings, and that is just too much.

I found a recipe by Emeril Lagasse for a Lemon Scented Creme Brulee for Two. I substituted vanilla for the lemon zest, using about 1 teaspoon. I also omitted chilling the custard before baking, since it did not need to be infused.

Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, is a favorite of mine, and I looked to her Truffled Macaroni and Cheese for guidance on baked mac and cheese. I was unable to find the truffle butter, so I mixed Ina's recipe with my own. I omitted the mushrooms from this recipe, but used her choices for cheese, gruyere and white cheddar. I also used my secret ingredient, horseradish mustard, that Marshall and I get in Gatlinburg. To make eating mac and cheese more friendly to the waist, I do not use milk. I use a couple tablespoons of half and half, and then use chicken stock for the rest of the liquid.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!

Food doesn't have to be pretty

So, I had been planning to make stuffed poblano peppers for a few days, and with thawed chicken and leftover cornbread, I figured last Friday would be the perfect time, just needed to pick up the peppers on our grocery trip. That was my first mistake: PLANNING to make dinner based on our grocery list. By the time Marshall got all his paper packed up, and ready to go to FedEx, which he decided to do BEFORE the store, it was after 7PM. So much for trying to make a meal that was going to take an hour to cook, when I knew we weren't going to be home from the store before 9PM. (On a side note, Marshall felt bad about taking so long, and took me out to dinner. Yummy Southwest Tacos from On The Border!)

Saturday rolls around, and I have spent most of the day working on school work. (I know, my bad, I really try and get the school work done during the week.) So, 7PM rolls around, that is usually when I start dinner, and I realize that I haven't cooked the chicken! Okay, plan B, again! (Can't even remember what I made now, it was that unremarkable.)

Sunday was Superbowl Sunday, and Marshall had been bugging me for a while to make pizza, so I decided to put the peppers on the backburner once again, to make my hubby homemade pizza. (I made two individual pizzas and used the thawed chicken for my Chicken, Artichoke and Pesto pizza, and took another breast out of the freezer to thaw, for the stuffed peppers.)

(This is a homemade pizza I had to "fix" when the crust stuck to the pan)

Monday, I made the stuffed peppers! I took and braised the chicken breast in chicken stock and spices, then shredded it up, crumbled leftover cornbread, grated quesadilla cheese, then added three beaten eggs, and two packages of green chiles. Then I realized that my stuffing would be way more than enough to fill my poblano peppers. I was talking to mom on the phone when I made this startling discovery, and she said "Hey, you can make patties tomorrow with the leftovers!" Go mom! So the peppers turned out really good, and Marshall liked the way the stuffing tasted (me, too), so I thought, what the heck, I will take mom's advice and make patties. I've got some asparagus I need to cook, so I could make a cheese sauce to go with it. Yay! Tuesday's dinner was figured out!

(Stuffed Poblano Pepper)

So, last night I get all my ingredients together, and I am trying to figure out how I am going to cook the patties, boil the asparagus, and make the cheese sauce all at the same time. The asparagus will only need a few minutes, as well as the cheese sauce, but the water will take a while to boil. This may seem like a weird dilema, seeing as I have four burners on my stove. I don't know why, but I am really only comfortable using 2 at a time. (We have a glass cooktop.) I fought the urge, and used three burners. Water is boiling for asparagus, pan heating for patties, butter melting for cheese sauce. Eveything is going as planned. Add the chicken goop, formed into patties. Check. Asparagus into boiling water. Check. Cheese sauce made. Check. Turn over patties. Oh, crap! They look burnt, and aren't really holding their shape. Marshall comes in, I say "Not really sure if dinner is going to work out." Loving hubby says, "we can always get Subway." Gotta love him.

Finished cooking the patties, I knew they were done because I used my trusty thermometer Marshall got me as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago. Plated up the patties and asparagus, and tried to cover up the extremely ugly looking food by drowning it in cheese sauce. Did not help the aesthetics at all. Oh well, Marshall did say we could go get Subway. Oh, and did I mention that he said we could always blame mom if it was inedible? Again, gotta love him!

Long story short, the chicken stuffing patties covered in green chile cheese sauce were delicious! Of course they were, I made them! Just kidding, and the credit all goes to mom, because it was, afterall, her idea!

(No picture of the patties, because I did not want to scare small children away from eating.)

Happy New Year!

Taking a break from school work, namely Statistics (which I actually think I may like), to wish everyone a late, but Happy New Year. So far 2010 has been pretty good. Rang in the New Year with my mom and husband, (I think we watched movies?); went to Orlando to see one of my best friends; started my second semester of grad school; and have tickets to see a couple of the BIGGEST concerts coming to Atlanta. While 2010 looks like it is going to be suffering from residual effects of 2009, namely, the economy, I am optomistic. I have to find a professional internship for this coming summer, and while Monique has convinced me to apply with Disney, even they don't appear to have openings. Oh, well. I will not let the residual effects of last year wear on me.

What I am happy and excited about this year:

• Sea World! I finally got to go to the one in Orlando, and I am in love! Orca whales are on my absolute favorite animals, and I got to see tons of them!

• Monique has Pompe disease! This may not seem like something to be happy or excited about, but her illness has a name! Which means doctors can create a treatment plan. Someday I know we will be climbing the myriad of steps to Dover Castle, again! (Well, maybe not, since after we climbed the steps we realized there was an easier way to get up there, but you get my drift!) (Side note: Go see Extraordinary Measures, it's a great movie, about Pompe disease.)
• Clarisonic- My mom got my sister and I each one of these face brush thingies, and I love mine! It is expensive, but probably so worth it! I have only been using mine for about a week, but if it does what it promises, it (and my Clinique Youth Surge night cream) will keep me looking 25 for another 10 years. (Yes, I know I am 29, but I really don't think I look it.)

• Disney, this goes back to Monique, but now that she is a Floridian, Bill's gate passes are mine! Hahaha! I really hope that we can figure out a time that Genie and I can both get down there, and hopefully when...
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens! I am a Harry Potter FREAK, and not afraid to admit it! But that is okay, I am sure I am in good company. I am so excited to get to walk through Hogsmeade, and Hogwarts! This will be a dream, that once upon a time I didn't know I had, come true!

• An internship, hopefully in New Mexico with the Department of Tourism or Cultural Affairs. Definitely somewhere where I can help preserve and promote cultural heritage. What does that mean, I am in the process of figuring it out.

Well, I am sure there is more that I am happy and excited about, but that is the short list for now. Of course spending time with my husband, but that is a given!

Happy New Year, Ya'll!

Merry Christmas, a few days early!

A lot of people take time around the holidays to list what they are thankful for. I agree that we should be thankful all year round, and not just when the weather gets colder. There is so much I have to be thankful for, people and tangible and intangible things. Here is my list, and I should say in no particular order, since it would sooner be easier to list my favorite music, than to try and list what family and friends out rank eachother.

• Marshall, my best friend. He keeps me grounded and the same time my head is in the clouds. He loves that I am scatterbrained, and even though my pickiness at organization drives him crazy, I know he appreciates not having to look for something when he needs it. :)

• Mom and Dad, it has taken us a LONG time to get where we are today, but I wouldn't change a minute of our past. You have taught me how to be strong, how to bend, and how to say shove it! You are the reason I am the way I am, and I blame you every day! I love you dearly, I hope you know that.

• Tres, you are such a surprise. Who would have ever guessed that you would be the kid who calls to check up and make sure everything is going okay? You always end your calls with "call me if you need anything," and while I haven't figured out how you can get me batteries or reach that high shelf from 1000 miles away, I know that if I really needed something, you would figure out how to do it. I love you bro.
• Reed, I am so proud of the man you have become. I sit back in amazement at the person, and father, you are. Talking to you on the phone brings a smile to my face. It's kind of like you and I are in the old married folks club, and Tres and Traci just don't get it. But that is perfectly fine. You have built a life for you, Katie and Kailee, and I am envious of your bonds. I hope to someday know the happiness you exude from being a parent. I love you Deed!
• Traci, you are amazing. The strength you have, emotional and physical, I don't think you even realize that you have it. You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, and while you don't need to, I believe that that weight is what drives you. When you finally figure out what we all know, that you are a strong, vibrant, and can be independent WOMAN, you will be unstoppable. It's hard for me as the oldest to see your bond with the boys, but I know that you and I share something that they will never quite understand. Unfortunately, that is an X chromosome. Just kidding. You are my kid sister, and one of my best friends. Love you always, TURD. :)

• Monique, who would have ever guessed over 9 years ago that at an after bid-day dinner at TGIFridays would turn into one of the best friendships I have ever had. You have been by my side ever since, hell, I even followed you to England. We share a bond of sisterhood, and undiagnosed ailments. Heres to your diagnosis, treatment and recovery! I look forward to many, many, many more trips with my traveling buddy.

• My Theta Eta Sig Kaps! You ladies taught me that I could be friends with girls, and that was no small feat. I love my Upsilon Sisters, but there are a few of you Sigma girls, you know who you are, that I would not be the same without.

• Sigma Kappa in whole. I have met so many interesting people through the years due to my affiliation with the best sorority. You ladies here in Athens helped me to establish myself in this town, and I will be forever greatful. One Heart One Way.
• Kitchenaid- I love it all! I have the mixer, blender, mini chopper, and food processor (thanks Mom! I think you started and added to most of my collection), can opener, scissors....
• My DVR, for without which I would be subjected to watching commercials, and until they pay ME to watch them, I should not have to :)
• Walt Disney World, it really is the Most Wonderful Place on Earth!
• Las Vegas, while many people call it Sin City, it is my home away from home, away from home. :) I love the people there, but the city itself is magestic
• Cookbooks, I have so many, and could have many more. There is something about reading recipes, and trying to figure out how I can tweak them, that is relaxing to me
• My cats, Pickles and Spatula, you are so spastic and crazy at times. I sit and watch you and wonder what you are going to do next.

• Country Music, you and I go WAY back. No matter the mood I am in, you have a way of bringing me up, pushing me down, making me remember the happy, making me remember the sad. Only really good music can bring out every emotion. Thank you for being loyal and always there when I need a friend.
• Movie theaters, DVD players, and Satellite TV, I LOVE MOVIES, and anyway I can get them. Thank you Hollywood for giving me an escape. I can retreat into a 2 hour movie and completely forget my problems, and the world around me.
• My health, I am sure some people would ask why this is not at the top of the list, but I guess that is because for the first time in a long time, my health is not at the forefront of my mind. I am so very greatful to be in remission, and have made it the 5 years to possibly cured. But I don't want to let my health define me. It is a part of my past, not a part of me.

I am sure I have forgotten something, but that is my list for this year!