Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Santa Fe is the shopping capital, you might as well focus your efforts there. It almost makes no sense to shop in Old Town in Albq if you're already going to shop in Santa Fe.
Morning, folks! We're headed to Albuquerque this weekend - should be arriving Saturday evening, and be in town for two days, coming in from Santa Fe and headed towards Gallup from there. Any shops/stores/trading posts we should be sure to visit? We're going to Old Town for sure, as well as Skip Maisel's - where else would you consider "You've GOT to go here"? The wife is mostly about silver and turquoise, the bigger the better , me I'm always on the lookout for bear claw jewelry. Our last trip two years ago netted me a 50's-era 6-claw necklace that I consider the "crown" of my collection (and yes - I wear it pretty often).
Also - any favorite local eateries? We prefer to avoid the corporate "eating experience" (yeah - mediocrity in all 50 states isn't our idea of a memorable meal...lol), and as a result have tried about every "hole-in-the-wall" cafe/restaurant that we find, with the expected mixed results - but to us, that's part of the adventure.
We'll be criss-crossing the area next week, with a visit planned for the annual Pueblo San Juan celebration next Wednesday, so any input in the general area would be quite welcome!
Thanks in advance!
I wouldn't bother with that kind of shopping in ABQ, if you're going to Gallup, where a lot of it is produced. The prices will be cheaper out there. Also, I'd like to point out, that south of Gallup is Zuni Pueblo, which cranks out a lot of fine jewelry, too. Some of the artists have their own store attached to their home. You can drive through the village, and see signs.
Besides, you say you're coming from Santa Fe? Do you live there, or were you passing through? You must have scored some good finds, there. Anyway, I think you'll enjoy your shopping in Gallup.
I wouldn't bother with that kind of shopping in ABQ, if you're going to Gallup, where a lot of it is produced. The prices will be cheaper out there. Also, I'd like to point out, that south of Gallup is Zuni Pueblo, which cranks out a lot of fine jewelry, too. Some of the artists have their own store attached to their home. You can drive through the village, and see signs.
Besides, you say you're coming from Santa Fe? Do you live there, or were you passing through? You must have scored some good finds, there. Anyway, I think you'll enjoy your shopping in Gallup.
Thanks for the info on the Zuni Pueblo - that's the kind of places we like to find. We do a lot of back roads, and have been privileged to be invited into a number of homes. We have several places outside of Santa Fe that we shop, including some private folks that have taken a liking to us and allow us to visit them in their homes. Santa Fe itself is just too expensive in our experience, even with the folks in the square. My wife and I joke that it's the "New York City" of NM for shopping....lol
ABQ is just interesting to us, and we have found several unique pieces there over the years at reasonable prices, so we like to swing in every few years. And some of it is just people watching - it's a lot more laid back and relaxed than SF.
Thanks for the info on the Zuni Pueblo - that's the kind of places we like to find.
If you haven't been to San Ildefonso Pueblo before, that's another good spot to check out. Someone in the tribe is now running a tour out of Santa Fe, but the pueblo's visitor center also has a guide to the local sights if you prefer to drive in and explore on your own. It's a small place, but there are several vendors in the village selling black-on-black ware out of their homes, including one of Maria Martinez's great-granddaughters and her family.
Well, if you want cheap bargains then why go at all to either the Plaza or Old Town in Abq? Just go to the roadside vendors in Santo Domingo pueblo instead.
I think the OP has said in the past that they live near San Antonio, Texas. I am also a Texan (from Houston), so my opinions will be that of an outsider, though I've been in NM a lot. For me, two endpoints in ABQ cuisine (as per cost) would be Frontier Restaurant by the UNM campus (good, cheap carne adovada burritos) and El Pinto (higher-end decor and more expensive food). I've often traveled there with a friend from Chihuahua, Mexico who is very picky ... but we both like both places.
I will 2nd the recommendation of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in ABQ. Acoma Pueblo is also a very interesting visit. If you will be in SF, the local indigenous people have a lot of stuff for sale on the main square ... one can find more different things there than in Old Town ABQ (my opinion) and I prefer to buy direct from them anyway.
Anyway, those are a few places that one frequent visitor from Texas enjoys. I'm sure NM locals can give plenty of better advice. But ... we all have different tastes. My taste tilts more toward authenticity (if one can find it) in both indigenous and "Mexican" food and things. If one can find it. Of course, people who want to make more money in their business will naturally find themselves tugged to satisfy the biggest demographics amongst their customers.
For me, two endpoints in ABQ cuisine (as per cost) would be Frontier Restaurant by the UNM campus (good, cheap carne adovada burritos)
The Frontier has been my favorite restaurant (for NM food) ever since I was young. And of course I've tried all the "great" restaurants that everyone always talks about being the best NM food, but they never topped Frontier in my opinion.
We hit the Frontier last night....interesting, to say the least! One of those places we'll be coming back to - simple food and fair prices.
We hit 3 of the suggested spots today....
Sunwest Silver. Prices started high, even w/their "50% discount". Definitely some unique and good-looking pieces, though. Their staff was VERY pleasant and eager to please, and IMO worth a visit.
Palms Trading Company. Okay, y'all owe me BIG time!! The wife went on a bit of a binge, and then they brought out a vintage (circa 1940's) 3-stone turquoise men's bracelet that they were offering at a price that would have been more than fair if it was a new one....yeah, I wore that sucker out - and I'm glad I did! Went to the cafe next door to them, and were approached by a local that commented on the bracelet. She shared some places to try in Gallup with us, as well as some others up by Espanola - both run by members of her extended family, and the pieces she showed us on her phone (along with the prices) were exceptional. We'll see - be in Espanola tomorrow evening, and Gallup on Thursday. Anyway - this place is definitely on our "be back" list!
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center......okay, they have some VERY nice pieces there - but also the absolute highest prices of any we've seen. Friendly staff and some neat pieces, but nothing we were going to pull a wallet out for. Doubt we'd go back.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, me I'm always on the lookout for bear claw jewelry. Our last trip two years ago netted me a 50's-era 6-claw necklace that I consider the "crown" of my collection (and yes - I wear it pretty often).
