Day 33: Tex Mex - Blogabond

My mother brought bagels from New York and I went out to get lox for them. We ate breakfast around the dining room table all the while making yummy sounds. I had forgotten to get the cream cheese while at the sotre and we learned that fig flavored goat cheese makes an excellent substitute.

Today was a bit o the lazy side as it was more about the getting to know yous than anything else, however we did manage to get in some good local food and quality local artist shopping. When my folks and sister were here 14 years ago they developed a taste for Sopapillas, a fried sweet dough that you serve hot and fill with honey. We looked up on the iphone the best place to go and drove to Garcia's kitchen for some authenic New Mexican food.

Never has a state name told me more about a cuisune than New Mexico. The food was Mexican, but new. There are no such things as sopapillas in Mexico, they also have their own versions of most "traditional" dishes and we all enjoyed each dish that we ordered. Here is my mom, Judy (on the left) and Justine's mom, Elizabeth (on the right) just before we tore into the sweet dough in front of us.

We then drove over to 4th street where I immediately found a hat shop and we all tried on our western versions of hat wear. Justine and I both got hats there, though I thought everyone should have come away with a hat. It was more dress up for them than serious shopping, but all had fun and I got another hat to add to the wall.

Across the street was a wholesale Navajo artisan shop which sparkled, shined and ran away with our money. We each bought something special and played dress up yet again, only this time nearly everyone bought something to adorn themselves or others. They also had a series of Navajo dolls and I took a fancy to a series of the them called Watermelon Clowns. Here's a close up of one of the faces. the rest of the photos I took of them came out too blurry to use here. I need to do more research into the significance of them.

We closed the shop down and then wandered across the street to an art gallery featuring the works of some acquaintances of Elzabeth's and Neil's. Really beautiful work. Here's Neil and I (wearing my new hat)

We leave early tomorrow morning (5am!) to catch the a shuttle over to the Balloon Fiesta. I can't wait. In more than one way ;) Some of you know why, the rest will hopefully find out tomorrow. Stay tuned. It should be exciting.

written by

JRadhirsch on October 3, 2008 from Albuquerque, United States

from the travel blog: The Great American Road Trip

Send a Compliment

Jared and Justine,
I finally caught up to you two: I made it all the way thru your blogabond. What a fun and great road-trip adventure! It was so much fun seeing and reading the local specialities; I was temporarity transported from my desk to across the US. fun!
However, way to leave us all hanging, Mr. Jared! No final entry after your last sentence implies, "Tune in tomorrow..."

Thanks for blogging your trip!

Cindy (Justine's co-worker)

written by Cindy A. on October 7, 2008

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