Moon Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque UPDATE

This cafe in Santa Fe (p. 63) is closed.

(Thanks for the tip, Leo!)

On p. 176, I describe the Jemez State Monument as being south of Jemez Springs. In fact, it’s just north of the town. Also, the parking area for Spence Springs is more like 1.6 miles north of Battleship Rock.

This isn’t news, obviously–it’s just plain wrong. I have no idea how it happened, and I’m embarrassed it took me so long to realize it. Apologies!

This restaurant in White Rock (p. 73) is closed.

This place in Los Alamos (p. 73) is shut.

This has been moving around a lot due to the construction on Railyard Park. Short-term: check the website (www.santafefarmersmarket.com) for locations. Long-term: there will be a permanent year-round market hall in Railyard Park, which will open sometime in late summer/early fall.

Just FYI, ABQ’s transit system is now called ABQ Ride, not SunTran (p. 181). The Downtown-Old Town Trollery (p. 181) doesn’t run anymore, though. There is a free bus, called the Downtown Get-Around, that makes a big loop around downtown, between Lomas and Silver on 3rd and 5th streets.

Chef du Jour (p. 161) has expanded, and chef Jennifer James (formerly of Graze) is now cooking here. The dinner menu (yes, there’s dinner now too) changes monthly, and is a great deal.

Ambrozia (p. 163) is closed. The chef now runs the new Nob Hill Bar & Grill, where Gulp/Graze used to be.

I reported earlier that Blue Dragon (p. 164) had closed. It has now reopened.

The Frontier (p. 165) is no longer open 24 hours—tragedy! It’s open 21 hours: 8am to 5am.

The Miner’s Chuckwagon in Madrid (p. 175) has moved—it’s midway through town, part of a larger Pit-BBQ operation. It wasn’t actually operating when I passed—it looks like it will rev up when summer gets underway.

Nizhoni Moses (p. 153) no longer exists. There are now two Nizhoni galleries, with jewelry and RC Gorman work—one’s on Church St., one block behind the church.

Martha’s Body Bueno (p. 154) is closed. Martha’s products will be available at an upscale lingerie shop called Seventh Goddess, on Central a couple of blocks east of Carlisle (“upper Nob Hill,” as it’s being called these days).

Hey Jhonny Home (p. 154) is shut—but the original shop is still there.

The radio station 104.1 (p. 149) is no longer “Latino and proud” format. I was enjoying 105.9 this time, though, which was a lot of contemporary Mexican pop and rock.

Gulp (p. 149) is closed. The whole Gulp/Graze compound is now the Nob Hill Bar & Grill, run by the chef from Ambrozia.

Gorilla Tango (p. 151) theatre is closed. As a consolation, keep your eyes peeled for the Pajama Men—I hear they are an excellent improve duo, splitting their time between Chicago and ABQ.

Hiway House (p. 159) has redone its rooms—not so retro, but the carpeting is fresher. Ownership is a little cagey about prices, however, which can be annoying. Feel free to bargain.

La Posada (p. 161) will be reopening as Andaluz—not sure when yet, however.

Gypsy 360 (p. 120) is now the Maverick County Café—totally different menu, but very good. Open only for long lunch (11am–4pm or so).

El Pueblo (p. 121) is not open till midnight in the winters—my mistake. It closes at 10pm.

Antonio’s (p. 121) is closed; fortunately, you can still get his chiles en nogada at the much smaller Rellenos Café, on Paseo del Pueblo Sur at the corner of Quesnel.

The Burrito Wagon (p. 122) is gone. (I saw it parked in someone’s yard a few blocks away—so sad!)

Fechin Inn (p. 117) is now the Wyndham WorldMark, a timeshare resort.

Blue Rain Gallery (p. 111) has moved to Santa Fe.

FX/18 (p. 111) has moved to Bent St, east end, closer to Taos Inn.

Winter hours from the Blumenschein Museum (p. 98) are 10am to 4pm Tues through Sat, and noon to 4pm on Sun. (I’m remiss in posting this—someone alerted me to this months ago!)

The address of Gearing Up bike shop (p. 113) is 129 Paseo del Pueblo _Sur_–it’s just south of the intersection with Kit Carson Rd.

Coyote Café (p. 60) is no longer owned by Mark Miller, and has been taken over by the same restaurateur who owns Geronimo. I enjoyed my meal there, but the menu is completely different and the cooking—while ambitious on the surface—is actually pretty standard stuff. It’s certainly the place to schmooze in Santa Fe right now.

Kasasoba (p. 61) is shut. It’s now another high-end Asian place.

Tiny’s (p. 62) is incorrectly placed on the map. It’s actually off the east side of St. Francis Dr., south of Cerrillos—Pen Rd. here is not really a street, but a big parking lot.

Horseman’s Haven (p. 62) has remodeled, and locals say it’s not so good anymore.

Mariscos La Playa (p. 63) no longer has its Cerrillos Road outpost—that’s now a different seafood place, which people also say is good.

Guadalajara Grill (p. 63) is shut.

La Diligencia (p. 63) is now called Jalapeno’s—not quite the same cool ranchero style.

The Churro cart (p. 63) seems to be gone, as is Lucky Barbeque (p. 63).

Dave’s Not Here (p. 63) is shut.

Blue Heron (p. 64) has a new chef, and the food isn’t nearly so Asian. It’s very delicious, though—worth a drive out.

O Eating House (p. 70) is open only for lunch and dinner now—no more doughnuts.

Blue Window Bistro (p. 73) changed hands, but it’s still good. The menu is a bit different now, though—none of the chile relleno crepes.

Budget Host (p. 53) is now a Red Roof Inn.

El Rey Inn (p. 54) is incorrectly placed on the map—it’s actually about midway between Llano St and 2nd St, so closer to the plaza than on the map.

Chapelle Street Casitas (p. 54) has changed its name to Adelante Casitas.

La Tienda and Duran House (p. 54) is now part of the larger Las Palomas property across the street. Physically everything’s the same, but there are reports of service suffering. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough info to judge.

And I didn’t include the Santa Fe Sage Inn (www.santafesageinn.com) in this book, but it has since gotten a complete overhaul and is now excellent value—free wi-fi, pool, big breakfast, really comfortable beds and clean rooms. It’s only a little farther out of the center than Santa Fe Motel & Inn.

I’m hearing terrible reports from La Posada de Santa Fe (p. 56), and it did seem exceptionally scattershot when I visited. At least I’ll have to retract that ‘top pick’ status.

Addison Arts (p. 46) is shut.

Meyer-Munson Gallery (p. 46) is now called Meyer East. Little has changed, though.

Chuck Jones (p. 46) has moved up to Palace Ave, downstairs from Fusion (ex-Swig).

Maya (p. 47) is open only till 6pm, at least this time of year. That 9pm closing must be only for summer high season—sorry about that.

Sybele’s (p. 47) is shut.

Rooney’s (p. 41) changed into LeMoyne’s Landing (reported earlier), but it’s now a French café called Clafoutis, serving breakfast and lunch till 4pm. Tasty and fresh, and good pastries.

Rodeo Nites (p. 41) is shut.

Jean Cocteau cinema (p. 42) is now the Film Museum—more of an organization, and not-very-frequent screenings.

The Awakening Museum (p. 35) is shut.

Sun Mountain Bike Co. (p. 51), now better known as Mellow Velo, has moved to 638 Old Santa Fe Trail—that’s just a couple of blocks south of Paseo de Peralta. It’s also phasing in a new phone number: 505/995-VELO.

More roads have been paved en route to Diablo Canyon (p. 51, driving directions on p. 52), so you have to look out for the dirt road 4.6 miles in—it heads uphill and bears slightly right, while the main paved road turns left. If you miss the turn, you’ll find yourself on a giant subdivision loop, soon heading south and then back east toward the city.

Poeh Museum (p. 70) now has its permanent display open. Its not quite as multimedia-crazy as planned, but it’s a neat series of dioramas, plus room for temporary exhibits. Hey, it’s free.

I’m in NM, and I have a lot of changes to post for Santa Fe and Taos (and probably more for ABQ to come), but I won’t get to it for a few more days. If you’re just about to leave for a trip, email me and I can tell you–otherwise, check back in another week to freshen up your book.

A big fire gutted Golden West (p. 146), in Albuquerque, and the neighboring Launchpad and El Rey are at least temporarily shut from damage as well.

Taos Ski Valley will start allowing snowboarders on its slopes as of March 19, 2008. Truly a major change.

If Moon Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque isn’t enough for you, get ready for Moon New Mexico, with many pages devoted to the farthest corners of the state. It comes out September 28. And there’s an update page set up for the book, just waiting for news!

I talk (and talk and talk) about New Mexico on this fun podcast, the Amateur Traveler. As you might imagine, there’s a lot of discussion of New Mexican food, and a very rambling outline of all the various places you can visit in the state, including Pie Town and Truth or Consequences.

You can download the podcast at the Amateur Traveler website, or go via iTunes–I definitely recommend the iTunes-enhanced version, which includes some great photos.

Many of those photos happen to be mine–I just uploaded a bunch of the pics I used for the book to my Flickr stream. Easiest to see them in the New Mexico set.

Jennifer James, formerly of Graze (p. 166), will be cooking at Chef du Jour (p. 161) starting September 4–this is great news! (Thanks, Duke City Fix.)

This hostel in Albuquerque (p. 158) now has a website: www.rt66hostel.com.

This cafe in Albuquerque (p. 164) is closed.

It looks like this great little diner in Albuquerque (p. 162) is closing! Very sad.

Thanks to Duke City Fix for the tip.

UPDATE: Actually, no–just closing for a few months. It should reopen with a patio area, and maybe even a deep-fryer!

The diner in Tres Piedras (p. 105) is closed.

This chocolate shop (p. 119), and La Folie Restaurant, which I mentioned in previous updates, is now completely shut.

But fortunately you can still get the Xocoatl chocolates at Cid’s grocery store and Taos Home Grown, on the plaza.

This place in Taos (p. 120) no longer serves dinner.

Also closed, both locations (p. 119). It’s like there’s nowhere to get a pastry there anymore!

This place in Taos (p. 120) is closed.

The Kit Carson Park Ice Rink (p. 114) is no longer, nor is Don Fernando Swimming Pool. The Taos Youth & Family Center, 407 Paseo del Canon, on the south side, has combined both of these functions, with a bigger indoor pool, as well as an ice rink–probably better for the community, but less fun for visitors, as the ice rink is no longer outdoors and easily accessible.

This B&B in Taos (p. 116) is shut.

The skating rink in Taos (p. 114) is no longer in Kit Carson Park–there’s now a new rink in the Taos Youth & Family Center, 407 Paseo del Canon, on the south side.

The convention center in Santa Fe has been torn down, so the tourist info kiosk mentioned in the book (p. 48, 85) is no longer there. You can pick up brochures and maps at the CVB offices in the Santa Fe Arcade on the plaza, 60 E. San Francisco St.

Mary Cabot Wheelwright’s home in Alcalde (p. 84) is unfortunately no longer open–the whole place is up for sale. Too bad, considering all the work that went into the renovation.

Sorry–I listed the wrong phone number for this Espanola restaurant (p. 76)–it should be 505/753-3200.

This cafe in Pojoaque (p. 70) is no longer open for breakfast. Hours are:
11:30am-2pm and 5:30-9pm Mon-Fri
11:30am-2pm and 5:30-10pm (maybe later) Sat

This restaurant on Canyon Road in Santa Fe (p. 62) has changed hands–it’s now called the San Miguel Restaurant, and is open only for lunch, 10am-3pm. I don’t know yet if it’s any good, though.

No, this Japanese restaurant in Santa Fe (p. 61) does not open at 5:30 in the morning on the weekends, as you might’ve guessed. Correct hours are:
11:30-2pm and 5:30-9pm Mon-Fri
5:30-9pm Sat and Sun

This Santa Fe restaurant (p. 60) now serves brunch all year-round.

Steepings, the tea place near the plaza in Santa Fe (p. 57), is closed. And it seems like Tribes (also p. 57) is as well, as the phone number has been disconnected. If someone knows different, please email me!

Either hours have changed significantly for this Santa Fe restaurant/bar (p. 41, 61), or I was totally confused when I wrote the book. Er, also, the phone number is for the takeout line–call the resto at 505/982-2565.

Here are the proper hours:
11am-2am Mon-Fri, kitchen closes at midnight
11:30-2am Sat, kitchen closes at midnight
8am-midnight Sun, kitchen closes at 11pm

This Santa Fe gallery on the plaza (p. 46) has effectively shut. The new incarnation is Victoria Price Contemporary Art & Design, at 550 S. Guadalupe St. in the railyard–and, as the name suggests, the emphasis is much more on new work, rather than the rugs and turquoise jewelry.

This Santa Fe gallery (p. 46) has moved from Canyon Road: it’s now at 554 S. Guadalupe St. Its hours have also changed: 10-5 Mon-Thurs and Sat, 10-6 Fri.

This Santa Fe cafe (p. 62) serves dinner as well, Tues-Sat. Prices are very reasonable–nothing’s more than about $15. Good crowd, and a great bargain. Cash only.

This restaurant in Santa Fe (p. 59) is significantly changed (it goes by the name Senor Lucky’s), and I wouldn’t characterize it as family-friendly any longer….especially now that they’ve installed the mechanical bull. (Yikes.)

UPDATE: This place has closed very suddenly, as of 2/15/07. (Thanks for the tip, Woody!)

This Santa Fe restaurant (p. 61) added a very nice bar area–you can order the full menu here, or just have some of the delicious snacks.

This bar in Santa Fe (p. 41) has changed hands, and the new management has lowered the drink prices; happy hour is $4, and the rest of the time cocktails max out at $10, making this place much more accessible. (No reports on whether this has resulted in a lower rate of celebrity sightings.) Currently the place is open Wed-Sun, and the nightly schedule listed in the book is no longer accurate.

This Albuquerque sight (p. 138) has changed the schedule of dance exhibitions slightly: summer schedule is only through October, not November. Museum admission is up to $6. The website is www.indianpueblo.org. And the Pueblo Harvest Cafe (also on p. 162) now opens at 8am, not 7.

Prices at this Albuquerque place (p. 158) have gone up just a tiny bit, to $18 for dorm beds and $24-35 for private rooms. It’s not much, but it can make a difference to those on a serious budget.

I realize I left out a crucial detail on this cool museum outside Albuquerque (p. 173)–it’s open only April through October. I hope no one’s been caught out by that one. Oh, and admission is $3.

This nice little resto in Albuquerque (p. 166) is closed (as of today). The adjacent bar, Gulp, is still open.

This place in downtown Albuquerque (p. 163) is now called JC’s New York Pizza Department and has added a nice little bar area, with arcade games and good beers on tap. Hours have changed too: now 11am-11pm Sun.-Thurs, 11am-3am Fri. and Sat. (Yes, 3am–very handy after the bars.)

This semi-Irish pub in Santa Fe (p. 41) is shut. It has been replaced by LeMoyne’s Landing, a New Orleans resto relocated here after the hurricane, which is so far getting fairly decent reviews.

The restaurant at the Galisteo Inn (p. 64) is open on Tuesdays now as well, and has a direct phone number for reservations: 505/466-8200. The prices have also gone up significantly–$20 is the low end for entrees, and they range up to $38. But there’s a smaller “tapas” menu, which is really just bar food–smaller versions of entrees, some burger-y things, etc., so don’t let the prices deter you from a drive down here in the summertime.

This Santa Fe restaurant (p. 60) no longer has the “No Higher Than Twenty-Six” category on its wine list, and its overall menu looks a fair bit duller than it used to. I haven’t had a chance to eat there again recently, but these two factors knock it out of the “top pick” category, unfortunately.

First, Cookworks (p. 48) is closed, and that is not news at all, since it happened in late 2005. I just haven’t had my eyes open wide enough the past few times I’ve driven through town–sorry.

Prices on the four city-managed museums–Palace of the Governors, Museum of Fine Arts, Folk Art, and Indian Arts & Culture–are all up by $1 (to $8). Which means 4-day passes are now $18. But there’s a new 2-museum pass for $12–for either Palace of the Governors/MFA or Folk/Indian Arts–which is pretty handy. Also, Sundays are free to all New Mexico residents.

More news on the way shortly…

This cafe in Socorro (p. 170) is closed–it has been replaced by nice coffee place, Manzanares Street Coffee.

I’m starting another trip to New Mexico tomorrow, so stay tuned for more updates.

This cafe in Santa Fe (p. 58) has closed at its downtown location, but fortunately has reopened in the Design Center, 418 Cerrillos Rd.

Never mind the move to the Overland complex reported below–Sheva Cafe (p. 120) is now completely closed, “under mysterious circumstances,” according to the Taos News.

An outpost of Santa Fe’s popular Mexican seafood joint Mariscos La Playa (p. 63) is opening soon in Albuquerque, on Central Ave. west of the Rio Grande.  It’s very near Sandia Peak Inn (p. 159), on the same side of the street.

I ate at this restaurant in Corrales (p. 166) on this past research trip, and the menu has changed substantially from what’s described in the book.  It does have a few mid-range New Mexican items, but the bulk of the menu is $20-and-up entrees.  My group and I had salads and the green-chile-chicken stew, and none of it inspired raves.

I can’t really recommend the place for a full dinner anymore, but it is still a nice spot for a drink and a snack while you’re in Corrales–ideally outdoors on the patio.

Greyhound/TNM&O buses now arrive at a new depot across 1st St., next to the Amtrak station.

Re: Tingley Aquatic Park (aka Tingley Beach, p. 158), I spoke too soon–the landscaping is still nowhere near finished, though I did see people fishing in the ponds, and the train to the zoo is running.

Re: Faulty Trail (p. 157), I realized the directions don’t really account for all the ways you could get lost.  First, turn on Canoncito, not Corte de Canoncito, which is the next turn to the north.  Then stay on Canoncito for a full half-mile–there’s a fork early on, and you need to bear right to stay on the main road.  Just as the paving ends, there’s another fork, and that’s where you want to bear left, onto Cole Springs Rd. You’ll pass through one fenced area, with ‘private property’ signs, before you reach the locked gate described in the book.  There’s very little room to park there, so you may want to park in the pullout right at the Cole Springs Rd. turn.

El Vado Motel (p. 159) is closed.

La Posada de Albuquerque (p. 161) is also closed, but is under major renovation.  This is great news, because the place was on its last legs.

Chef du Jour is now open for dinner Thurs.–Sat., from 5 p.m. on, but it is closed entirely on Monday.

And the phone number is 247-8998–my mistake.

La Posada de Albuquerque (p. 149) is closed—it looks like it’s undergoing big renovations.

Monte Carlo Steakhouse (p. 162) has helpfully labeled the entrance to the place.

Budget Host (p. 115) has a fresh coat of paint and wireless Internet access. Prices are now squarely in the $50–100 category—a double room is about $65 now. But it’s still the cleanest budget motel in Taos. Try to get one of the back-facing rooms, for less traffic noise, and if you want a non-smoking room, make sure it’s adjacent to other non-smoking rooms, because the walls are thin, and the smoke smell can seep through.

Texas Reds (p. 126) is up and running, rebuilt after its fire. But it’s open only for dinner, starting at 5 p.m. I just cruised through town during lunch, and tried Mountain Treasures, a little gallery/café just west of Brandenburg Park, across from The Lift condos. The deli sandwiches were good, and used homemade bread.

Momentitos de la Vida (p. 122) is closed. It has been replaced by something called Sabroso—not sure yet if it’s good.

Sheva Café (p. 120) has moved into the Overland Sheepskin Co. shopping complex, up the highway, closer to the “old blinking light” intersection, on the east side of the road.

Antonio’s (p. 121) is still serving Mexican dishes—but they’ve been moved to the back side of the menu, and the New Mexican stuff given more prominence. Not a real change for the diner, as the food is just as tasty, but it’s funny to see that Antonio has had to cater more to local tastes. He has also opened Rellenos Café, on Paseo del Pueblo Sur, one block south of Kit Carson Road. Rellenos has the usual NM stuff, but also the yummy chiles en nogada, at a lower price than at the formal resto.

Xocoatl (p. 119) now shares space with a restaurant called La Folie, and has an entrance on Paseo del Pueblo Norte, just north of Kit Carson Road. The hours have changed too: Although the sign says they’re open for breakfast, the current hours are noon-3 and 6-9pm Tues-Sun (closed Mon).

Tim’s Chile Connection (p. 120) is more clearly signed as Tim’s Stray Dog Cantina, in the second-to-last entrance to the whole ski complex, as you go around the parking lot.

In Madrid, the shop Woofy Bubbles (p. 175) is shut, as is Talking Bridge Gallery (same page), which had the old soda fountain in it.  Chances are, whoever rents that space next will operate the soda fountain as well, so all is not lost.

And I thought Madrid was looking a little tidier than usual…and it turns out it’s been being used as a movie set, for some Disney movie called Wild Hogs.  The fancy new diner turned out to be a movie set–no idea if it will actually turn into a business.

As for Cerrillos, Enchanted on First (p. 175) is closed.  On the up side, the petting zoo seems to have expanded, and Mary’s Bar had three patrons!

I’m heading back to NM for another research trip on Tuesday–so expect some new information to be posted here.

For more detailed reports about my trip, which will cover the northeastern part of New Mexico (Las Vegas, Capulin Volcano, Cimarron) as well as the area northwest of Taos (Tierra Amarilla and Chama), see my main blog, Roving Gastronome.

A reader just dropped me a note to say his experience at the Hotel Blue in Albuquerque (p. 159) was far less than satisfactory: the pool was closed, the airport shuttle was discontinued “until further notice,” the shower didn’t work, and his non-smoking room had an ashtray in it and smelled smoky. And then there was the small matter of a cockroach.

From this info, it sounds as if the original manager, who was extremely scrupulous, has gone on to another job. This is really disappointing, since this would be a huge waste of a hotel in a prime location.
So, until I check on this myself when I’m back in ABQ next month, proceed with caution. You might consider instead the Best Western Rio Grande, in roughly the same price category.

UPDATE: I checked on the Hotel Blue in September ‘06. The pool was closed this summer due to citywide water restrictions during a severe drought–this can affect hotels all over the state.

The staff claims an airport shuttle is available, and the rooms look clean enough, but there was a general air of disorganization and slight untidiness about the place–cigarette butts around the front door, for instance, and rumpled carpeting in the room I saw. The staff was having problems with the in-room Internet access, but weren’t really equipped to fix the situation. If I’d been staying there, I would’ve been deeply frustrated.

I’d say this hotel is still a decent option, though at this point, I’m removing the wholehearted “Moon Pick” support of the place.

I’ll check in again in December.

Westward Airways is officially no longer serving Taos (p. 129). A business consortium in town is lobbying for service from another airline, but so far nothing has been arranged.

The hotel (p. 117) alerts me that not only is No. 301 a balcony room, but so is No. 302–which doubles your chances of securing a good deal and a view!

The new entry point to Acoma Pueblo (p. 169), which includes the Haak’u Museum, is now open. Firsthand reports say the building is very impressive, especially compared to the portable trailer that had been the starting point for bus tours.

Rita’s (p. 122) has opened as a proper restaurant, down in Ranchos de Taos (4133 NM Hwy 68). I haven’t checked it out yet myself, but if the tamales are the same, I can’t imagine what could go wrong.

All summer long, there’s music on the plaza every Thursday from 6pm to 8pm–apparently a fun scene well attended by Taos residents, with dancing.

(Thanks to the folks at Taos Lodging for the update!)

Alma del Monte in Taos (p. 118) will no longer be functioning as a B&B after October 6, 2006–it’s shifting to a full house rental, for weddings, retreats, etc. So if this place sounds appealing, book your visit now…or plan on renting it out later with your whole gang of friends.

…that Rancho Jacona (p. 55), just outside of Santa Fe, has a swimming pool, which the makes the place even more desirable. Not the spot for people looking for a city break, but really a good deal for those who want a little bit of country life not far from all the sights, especially for families.

Grant Corner Inn (p. 56 and p. 58) in Santa Fe is closed.

San Juan Pueblo, north of Santa Fe (p. 70), is now officially known as Ohkay Owingeh, the original Tewa name (”strong village”).

Martha’s Body Bueno in Albuquerque (p. 154) has moved to 3901 Central NE.

The awesome tastiness of Bumble Bee’s Baja Grill, till now only in Santa Fe (p. 59), is coming to Albuquerque: one branch is opening right across from Flying Star in Nob Hill, at Central and Amherst.

Pearl’s Dive in Albuquerque (p. 163) is closed. Rats. Not sure what’s going in its place.

Worse, though, is that Coyote Moon in Lemitar (p. 170), which served some of the best New Mexican food I’ve ever had, is now renamed Tina’s…which is pretty much a guarantee that the man who used to run the place is gone. Very disappointing. You’ll have to hold out till San Antonio for a meal on your way to the Bosque del Apache.

Or you could stop at Socorro Springs Brewing Company, on the north end of the main drag in Socorro. This place used to be on the plaza, and then it was gone, which was pretty sad, but now it has reopened in a gigantic spot–presumably with the same good beer and basic food, but I haven’t checked yet.

Welcome to the update page for Moon Santa Fe, Taos & Albuquerque, a travel guide that was published in March 2006. I’ll be in New Mexico several more times this year, so I’ll be getting new info about the area all the time. Stay tuned, and check back here before you take your trip. And if you hear some news, or find something that’s changed, please email me!