If your looking for a great place to eat and shop then Pros Ranch Market is a great place for you. Pros Ranch market features a variety of different departments including a hot foods, produce, bakery, meat market, groceries, and a tortilleria. The "Cocina" or "Kitchen" serves delicious ready to eat Mexican and Latin American dishes. You can get fresh soups, tacos, steaks, enchiladas and more. Sit down and eat right inside. Great drinks include "aguas frescas" or "fresh waters" which include drinks like watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberry, horchata, pineapple, and more. Plus you can even get fresh veggie drinks made to order. Their grocery store has a variety of departments. Fresh meats and and sea foods, vegetables and fruits, plus you can get your every day needs you'd find at any other... 09/25/2008

The wave pf collapse of some of our most trusted financial institutions is having a ripple effect that is leaving a wake of speculation and doubt about financial partners and planned developmen projects. Independent entrepreneurs, developers and even states are concerned about taint from the turmoil raging around Freddie Mac, Fannie May, Lehman Brothers, Merril Lynch and AIG. Remaining institutions are suspect as some nervously ask, Who is is next? It is for thaos ereasons the SunCal Developers who acquired the former Westland Corporation's holdings find themselves having to give reassurance about their Albuquerque project.  Apparently, Lehman Brothers were financial partnered with SunCal on earlier projects in California, but were not on the Albuquerque, NM ticket.  A SunCal spokespers... 09/18/2008

Ladera Golf Course - located at 3201 Ladera Dr. is a challenging city-owned course, with the longest playing yardage of any of the other city courses measuring over 7,000 yards from the championship tees. Uniquely designed in natural terrain, and nestled at the foot of the volcanoes in the Ladera community with great views of the Sandia Mountains. Ladera also features pratice facilities, a driving range and a restaurant. Desert Greens Golf Course - Located at 10033 Country Club Ln. in Paradise Hills on the Westside of Albuquerque. This is a privately owned 18 hole public course featuring tree lined fairways and some of the finest practice facilities in the state. Both courses are located in "golf course communities" where your family can easily walk or bike to play golf. The near perfec... 09/17/2008

I first came to know Mimmo's by way of a friend who introduced to the place. The owner, it turns out,  is from Italy and the manager is from New York City, an awesome combo. While looking like just another casual pizza joint from the outside, inside you find a great relaxed atmosphere and the best eats on the Westside and Taylor Ranch. No stuffy self-importance of some the places in Albuquerque, nor the canned taste of others, just great home-style Italian cooking. The pizza, the best in town, tastes nothing like you'll find anywhere else in Albuquerque. Just a little slice of heaven. Great food, quality service and atmosphere, you can't go wrong with an evening at Mimmo's. Kids are welcome and the seating is accommodating. You'll feel right at home. Enjoy! 09/16/2008

El Caballero de Los Ranchos, one of Albuquerque, New Mexico North Valley's most delightful neighborhoods is in a gated, park-like setting off Chavez Road between 4th Street and Rio Grande Boulevard.  Like most North Valley residential developments, the El Caballero site was once a farm. The lush green of the area may be a continuing testimony to the fruitfulness of that era. A current resident told me that the development was the brainchild of three or four friends just about 30 to 40 years ago, and that the last house was constructed in the early 90's. El Caballero continues to be a preferred destination for those seeking the tranquility of the North Valley. I have met several people who grew up in El Caballero whose goal is to return there to live. But the neighborhood is a self conta... 09/14/2008

A year or so ago I wrote a blog post about a therapeutic riding program in Albuquerque called "Cloud Dancers of the Southwest." (see http://activerain.com/blogsview/130006/Therapeutic-Riding-Albuquerque-Horses ). I described the program as "hippotherapy." A recent reader of that blog emailed me to explain that there actually is a difference between "therapeutic riding" and "hippotherapy." This reader, Karen Molony, should know the difference, as she actually is a hippotherapist! She is currently working with Cloud Dancers setting up a hippotherapy program in additions to their already-existing therapeutic riding program. And she kindly provided me with a detailed explanation of the differences, so that I could set the record straight. Apparently, while both types of programs use horses ... 09/13/2008

Given the facts of the August real estate market in the Greater Albuquerque Area, I'd say our region is having difficulty making up its mind which way to go. The inventory remains high with 6, 361 (9.28 months supply) homes for sale thus extending the buyers' market.  Within this framework, we continue to experience the usual gentle fluctuations in the number of new listings coming on the market, the number of sales completed, and the average price of sold listings. Continuing the yearly trend, the number of new homes that came on the market in August decreased slightly to balance out the increase of the previous month. At 1,663, the number of new listings for the month remains within the year's margin of fluctuation-between 1,500 and 2000. In August, the highest selling price range of ... 09/12/2008

If you're in the state of NM at the moment, and haven't checked out the New Mexico State Fair yet, get on out there! The Fair will just be running one more week, so stop procrastinating, get a move on, and enjoy! There's an endless list of things to see and do, far more than I could possibly cover, but I'll list just a few of the events, shows, and general opportunites for fun, as there are bound to be a few of these that grab you! The Midway--- full of fantastic rides, fun houses, and opportunities to win prizes The Racetrack--- where a bit of luck and a couple dollars placed on just the right longshot could more than pay for your entire State Fair experience! Horse Shows--- different breeds and disciplines showing every day. Check the full Horse Show Schedule here! Art Shows--- from t... 09/12/2008

I saw this interesting cover for Esquire Magazine which uses e-ink. Basically it jazzes up the way paper advertisement is by adding some electronics to it. Obviously this is just the beginning of something bigger to come but it is really interesting to see how one piece of technology will trickle down to hundreds of different business. I believe this cover is a little thicker than your standard cover but like memory cards, this will likely become thinner and thinner every few months. Can you imagine the day we all have our TAKE ONE flyer's using e-ink. By then we might have multiple photo sideshow's, mapping options, and who knows, maybe it will be a wi-fi, or evdo connected flyer that can instantly contact us. The future is just around the corner! Check out the video. 09/11/2008

It is amazing how delightfully different each day at the state fair can be! It's the same venue , the the same food, the same shows; but the experience is different each time. On my second visit yesterday I did not have to be an entertainer. I was at the fair to be entertained, eat, people watch and maybe play a game or two and go on wild rides. Dinner was first, under the big blue sky with music blasting in the distance and the usual background noises of hawkers and announcements.  it was to choose from among all the enticing fare  sausage barbecue, turkey legs that the people walking by held up like giant ice cream cones. Should I order curly fries or Texas fries? The drink was easy - a tall container of fresh squeeze lemonade. Then it was off to the Hispanic Arts pavilion. The huge b... 09/10/2008

Recently I wrote a couple of posts about Albuquerque's new Mesa Del Sol development and its location on or near both city of Albuquerque landfills and the Sandia Labs Mixed Waste Landfill. For reference, these previous posts are: http://activerain.com/blogsview/641852/Green-Community-Location-Landfill andhttp://activerain.com/blogsview/644815/Green-Community-or-Toxic The folks at Mesa del Sol, through Anne Monson, the Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, then provided me with some information regarding the city landfill situation, and the fact that those areas were planned for open space uses and not for residential or commercial building areas, which I detailed in my post  http://activerain.com/blogsview/656913/Albuquerque-s-Mesa-del . Ms. Monson has now also provided me w... 09/10/2008

Ladera Heights is an Albuquerque, New Mexico neighborhood you may want to explore if you are looking for quick and easy access to any part of the city. Air force personnel clients and Sandia Lab employees who are savvy real estate shoppers ask me to look for homes for them in the Ladera Heights section of town, anticipating prices compatively lower than those close to their offices but only an easy 10 - 20 minutes commute to work by way of I-40 from Coors or Unser Boulevard. Indeed, the intersection at I-40 and Coors, one of the two major north south arteries (Unser, the second, is being expanded) is almost squarely at the center of the Ladera community. Ladera Heights is tucked in against the Petroglyph National Monument on the northern border,;Coors is on the eastern boudary;and the S... 09/06/2008

I've been saying all year that we are SO lucky here in Albuquerque, NM, because our housing market has remained much stronger than the market in most of the rest of the country. Our home prices have remained pretty stable, and our foreclosure rate is much lower than in most other areas.  And it seems I'm not the only one noticing! Forbes magazine just published an article rating Albuquerque as the #1 Place Where Home Prices Are Likely to Rise! Yep, they considered the entire country, and found Albuquerque the best bet for real estate investment! Homebuyers and investors, are you listening? You should be! This analysis was based on specific economic information. For instance, analysts at Moody's Economy.com project Albuquerque's job growth through 2012  at an average annual rate of 1.6%,... 09/03/2008

Looking for a Westside Albuquerque, New Mexico community in which to settle? Paradise Hills offers delightful spaces in Paradise East and Paradise West. Paradise West is virtually all new with ongoing construction in some areas. Paradise East includes vintage Paradise Hills (built about 40 years ago ) with mature gardens, each on .25 or more acre in the County of Bernalillo. It is a community that was developed around a golf course; and apart from Executive Estates on the south side of Paradise Hills Boulevard, was for the better part of the last forty years, an almost isolated Albuquerque community. Now, new communities extend in every direction around the golf course to fill out the original boundaries from the AMAFCA Las Ventanas Dam to the Calabacillas Arroyo, Paseo del Norte, and C... 09/03/2008

Yes, believe it or not, it's State Fair time again here in Albuquerque, New Mexico! Starting this weekend, New Mexicans from all over the state (and a few "furriners" from some of the other 49!) will be converging on the State Fair Grounds to see the exhibits, enjoy the rides, and show off their arts, crafts, produce, baking, canning, needlework, animals, and more. For the equestrian portion of the population, the various horse shows are the "main event" of the State Fair. So here's the Horse Show schedule:   Sept. 5-7 Hunter/Jumpers Sept. 8 Paint Horses Sept. 8 Palomino Horses Sept. 9 Pintos Sept. 10 All-Breed Show Sept. 11 State 4H Horse Show Sept. 12-14 Quater Horse Open and Youth Sept. 13, 6 p.m. NM Quarter Horse Futurity Sept. 15 Quarter Horse Versatility Ranch Horse Sept. 16 Appa... 09/03/2008

One of the more difficult challenges in moving to a new area is finding a good, reliable, reputable auto repair shop. There are few things worse in life then having your car breakdown and not knowing where to take it. If you have recently moved to the Westside of Albuquerque then you are most fortunate. One of the best auto repair shops is right in your own backyard in Taylor Ranch. Then Garage Auto Repair, located at the corner of Unser Boulevard and Western Trail NW, across from the Petroglyph National Monument. I highly recommend the expert mechanics at The Garage without reservation. These guys are like the "Boy Scouts of Auto Repair!" They're trustworthy - they always do what they say they're going to do and "when" they say they'll do it! They're helpful - each one of their technic... 09/02/2008

Westside Albuquerque is made up of smaller communities, each identified by name and sometimes by unique features. The Trails, a master-planned community that is still being built on the farthest edge of the northwest mesa is one of these communities. It is bordered on the north by Paseo del Norte, on the south and southwest by Woodmont Avenue, and on the east by Universe Boulevard. As the name suggests, this is a community of trails. Planned biking and walking trails cross the community leading to and from up to eight plannned parks. I found four of these parks, pleasant, well maintained open spaces integrated into the neighborhood, already functioning -- a community park, a soccer park, a baseball park, and a dog park. The Trails is also home to the brand new state-of-the-art, green bu... 09/02/2008

The Los Ranchos de Albuquerque farmers market was on schedule yesterday as it is on Saturdays throughout the growing season. This last weekend in August, the market happens to coincde with the California slow food celebrations. There was no hint the vendors and customers were aware of the California happenings but the market had a festive air. It was a family affair. Children and dogs were in attendance and men and women vendors were at stands selling colorful and delicious looking fruit and vegetables . The craft on the stands were attractive and everyone  seemed to be having fun. I bought 'Placitas plums' from two young women of high school age; one a senior about to leave for college on the east coast and the other a sophomore. I couldn't resist the mounds of bread at the bakery stan... 09/01/2008

Forbes Magazine, reported today that the Albuquerque, NM real estate market is in the #1 spot for growth and recovery. We are not surprised. New Mexico's real estate prices, never having increased to bubble proportions, did not burst. So the state continues to experience only the gentle ripples typical of the NM real estate cycles. Not for New Mexico, the violent roller-coaster rides of other regions.  The prediction of Forbes in not surprising. Fewer new housing starts are helping to decrease the new homes inventory and reduce competition with the resale market. In addition, the state continues to maintain and promote a great quality of life. We are the greenest city in America and we continue to generate and attract new business. These are all contributing to positive indicators for c... 08/26/2008

If you do not already know, the New Mexico RailRunner is a newer way to get to and from locations around Albuquerque and its Northern and Southern neighbors. Stations run down to Valencia County and also up to Sandoval County. Tracks are still being worked on for a new stop in our state capitol of Santa Fe. I'm personally excited about that stop as it would be nice to take my bike, jump on the train and spend the day walking the Santa Fe shops and enjoying the good food and atmosphere. Apart from saving on gas money, you can sit back, enjoy the scenery or pull out your laptop and get some work done. (I'm not sure if it was implemented, but I had read that the stations and the train might have FREE WI-FI!). Each Station has ADA boarding platforms, wind screens, passenger seating and bik... 08/25/2008