just look 360 degrees from pretty much anywhere in New Mexico and you will witness an amazing landscape.

If you are coming through I-40, about an hour west of Albuquerque is El Malpais, an ancient lava flow that extends between the Acoma and Zuni pueblos...it is worth a visit.

In Albuquerque there are some interesting Bart Prince works, Predock work and more, a single day is more than enough though.

Other places like Taos pueblo and Chaco Canyon are in Northern New Mexico about 4 hours from each other. If you do go up to Taos I also recommend going by the Rio Grande gorge and the west mesa of Taos where there are large off the grid earthship colonies...interesting to say the least.

Thank you, We're in NM for a day- it is great to drive through.

go to el patio and get some green chili chicken enchiladas.

Sadies is better.

sadies was better when they were in the bowling alley. where i bowled my highest game ever, by the by and was quite drunk.

this is in Albq?

Sadies and El Patio are in Abq...I personally prefer Sadies, they take plastic, El Patio doesn't...and El patio doesn't have tequila margaritas.

Coming from the Grand Canyon, we're staying a night in Abq. The El Malpais Nat Monument sounds interesting- I rember that Grants area being beautiful- dark volcanic rock everywhere. Is the Petroglyph Park worthwhile? Sounds like me and the gal are going to get crunked up in the Abq with those tequila margaratias! I'd like to see the arch building at UNM the following day on our way out..

make your reservations now...
[img]http://www.theroadwanderer.net/66NMex/images/NMAlbuqElVado.jpg[/url]

duh....

The Kimo Theater in Abq:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KiMo_Theater

The new Arch building is an easy one to take in before heading out. It is also very close to the Bart Prince buildings...there is also a new hospital that is pretty nice and the Law school is impressive as well...they are all within a mile or so of each other.

Petroglyph Park is pretty amazing, although the city has really encroached on the site, it is still worth a visit.

http://www.sadiessalsa.com/?mod=our_menu

if you're gonna hit the arch building, might as well plan on a meal across the street at the frontier.



BTW, that pic was taken from the sidewalk in front of the new arch bldg.

frontier burrito, green chili stew, western-style hash browns - take your pick, they're all good.

i'd check out the national hispanic cultural center too.



another dining option very close to the NHCC is the barelas coffee house. some think barelas has the best new mexican food in the city.

evening drinks at the rooftop patio of seasons grill in old town can have a nice view of the sandia mountains.

a friend and i once bought a black velvet elvis painting at the stuckey's in the middle of el malpais near grants and hung it up on the wall in studio. wish i still had it....

yeah i love the frontier but never liked their coffee. the owners were my landlords for awhile.

In Oklahoma City you should check out the bombing memorial in downtown. By the botanical gardens is very wacky building done who I forgot was done by. It is a theater composed of flying boxes, its amazing that it was built in Oklahoma. There is also a Bruce Goff church that is nice. But besides that, not much architecture in OKC. Gehry did a parking garage there, you would never have known.

has some cool shops n'stuff...looks a little different nowadays.



One thing that fascinates me about Albuquerque are the dormant Volcanoes. Depending on your view of the West Mesa horizon, its a truly beautiful thing - very Lunar or Martian.

you slept in the rug room vado?

you in querque poczatek?

My In-Laws are in ABQ - visit a few times a year - great City.
Probably be back in a couple months - anything new to see (other than on the list above)?

Of all the beautiful neon and Route 66 signage in Albuquerque, this sign (by far) is one of my favorites...Right there on the main drag Central Ave...only in sNob Hill, ABQ:

The new architecture building and the new UNM hospital are worth a visit.

picks of the new architecture school here:
http://flickr.com/photos/thepeculiarform/sets/72157594507814220/

Great help people,

I've always had a fascination of Albq., similar to my one with Detroit, or not 'hyped cities'. Also, if you refer to your Arch Record this month, there is a new project in OK City- a boat/row house along the OK River, downtown.

That sNob Hill sign is awesome, I'm guessing that wouldn't be legal in say, Salt Lake City.. Only in the South West..

**BUMP**

Heading out on a roadtrip from Vegas across I-40 through AZ, NM, TX, OK on I-40. Any additional ideas about noteworthy things to see between Flagstaff / Albuquerque / Amarillo / OKC and heading northeast towards St. Louis via Tulsa (I'm familiar with StL and not looking for suggestions there.) Not an architectural hotbed, but I'd appreciate info about any hidden gems.


We'll pass the Cadillac Ranch, and I'm already familiar with Rand Elliott's work in OKC:
http://www.e-a-a.com/

And thanks to moratto, the goofy OKC stage center also:
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/okla/oklacity/johansen/theater.html

Thanks

In Amarillo you can check out the Globe News Center For the Performing Arts



The Big Texan (home to the free 72 oz. steak)



And if you have half a day, I would recommend heading about 20 miles south on 1-27 to Palo Duro Canyon, the second biggest canyon in the US.

head north to Santa Fe on scenic route 14 off the 40 east of ABQ and check out Cerrillos and Madrid

just off 14 in Sandia Park outside exgirlfrien/future wife's moms crib...

Cerrillos used to be the first capital of Nm before santa fe and is where the conquistadors came to find the gold in the Ortiz mountains, and slaughtered many Indian uprisings...
lots of history and 400 year old buildings of adobe and such
there is a 3 story adobe trading post/museum scenic outlook