March 13th, 2012

IN THIS WEEK’S ALERT:

Speaker series kicks off Arts & Cultural Planning 
Downtown Growers’ Market begins registration
InsideOut Recycling begins downtown collection service
NEA’s Killoren speaks on “Creative Placemaking”

Speaker series kicks off Arts & Cultural Planning

The Downtown Arts & Cultural District Steering Committee is pleased to announce a national speaker series to assist in stimulating the development of vibrant district and a strategic cultural plan. The speaker series begins with esteemed guest Brian Newman, who will lead an exploration of our community’s film and digital media assets. Brian Newman is the founder of Sub-Genre Media, a company focusing on business development projects in entertainment and cultural industries. Brian’s expertise will be shared with the public on March 14th.

focus group for Film & Digital Media Stakeholders
A facilitated discussion on the future of film & digital media in ABQ
9:00-11:30am at Creative Albuquerque located at 115 4th Street NW.

public talk: “Creating A Vibrant Media Arts Environment”
4:30-5:30 at the Cell Theatre, located at 700 1st Street NW.

The speakers series and data gathering will continue over eight weeks with specialists in film and digital media, visual arts, music and performing arts, literary arts, culinary arts and marketing/branding. In addition to making public presentations, guest speakers will provide recommendations and assist in the development of strategies to spur vitality in the downtown district. These insights will be integrated into the district’s cultural plan, which aims to increase local and visitor engagement, foster economic growth for downtown businesses and ensure eventual recognition as a top cultural district in the nation.

To RSVP to events or for more information, email info@creativeabq.org or call (505) 268-1920. 

Downtown Growers’ Market begins registration

With the onset of warmer weather, a change in the clock and the winter veggie crop on the farm filling out, our thoughts begin to drift to the Growers’ Market season that awaits this summer.  Over 50 local farmers and produce vendors have already registered for this season, offering out customers the freshest and finest produce in greater Albuquerque. 

In addition, we are excited to see a slew of new prepared food vendors applying to join us with a variety of new items.  Bakers, canned goods, fruit jams & jellies, paella, savory pies, granola and so much more.  DAT will be announcing prepared food vendors in April.  To get the latest news on the Growers’ Market “like” us on Facebook!

For more details on the summer Growers’ Market season, please email us at growersmarket@downtownabq.com or call (505) 243-2230 x 107.

InsideOut Recycling begins downtown collection

Gordon Bernell Charter School in Downtown Albuquerque continues to provide innovative scholastic opportunities as well as exceptional community outreach programs that benefit both students and the community. The 2009 installation of Francis Tinnin Park at 2nd & Gold, which will be getting a new solar power system, lights and a makeover this spring, continues to make a great impact on the aesthetics of downtown.  Their new sustainable venture directed at helping Downtown businesses with their recycling initiatives.

InsideOut Recycling is a new business aimed at the collection of cardboard and aluminum and provides jobs for individuals enrolled at the school.  These students are working part time and studying to complete their High School degrees.  The new program provides dedicated students an income stream that allows them to maintain their enrollment and awards their determination. 

If you or your company are looking for a recycling solution for your office, and are interested in being a part of the GBCS community transformation, please contact Cindy Redman with an email or visit them online.

 NEA’s Killoren speaks on “Creative Placemaking”

DAT and Creative Albuquerque are pleased to welcome Michael Killoren of the National Endowment for the Arts for a public presentation on “Creative Placemaking”, the second in a series of five as part of the development of a Cultural Plan for Downtown Albuquerque.

Michael Killoren serves as the Director for Local Arts Agencies at the National Endowment for the Arts. He formerly was director of Cultural Tourism for the Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureau and later director of Seattle’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.

public presentation: “creative placemaking”
His free talk will cover a variety of placemaking topics; national trends, local observations and innovative ways to promote our visual arts assets. The public presentation takes place on March 20th at 4:30 PM at 112 Gold Avenue next to the Box Theatre.

focus group for visual arts stakeholders
Those of you working in visual arts who would enjoy more time with Mr. Killoren and would like to participate in a focused discussion on placemaking in downtown Albuquerque are invited to Creative Albuquerque, Tuesday, March 20 from 9:00 – 11:30am 115 4th St.

To RSVP to events or for more information, email info@creativeabq.org or call (505) 268-1920. 

If you see something interesting in Downtown and want DAT to know about it, send submission to cgoblet@DowntownABQ.com

March 2nd, 2012

IN THIS WEEK’S ALERT:

Downtown Action Team bids farewell to Brian Morris
Council Re-District Dilutes Downtown Impact
Homelessness outreach meeting for business owners
Creative Bravos Awards Dinner – tickets on sale
Call for Artists – 100 for 100 Centennial Art Show

Downtown Action Team bids farewell to Brian Morris

At a recent Downtown Action Team Board meeting, Executive Director, Brian Morris presented his resignation and plans for a new career. After 10 years of dedicated service to the community at DAT, Mr. Morris is moving forward to pursue a career in consulting, political campaign management, fundraising and government relations at his own company, Morris Strategies For New Mexico. Brian’s last day with DAT will be March 9.

DAT would like to acknowledge Brian’s exceptional track record as the Image Enhancement Director, Deputy Director and Executive Director while at DAT. Brian began with the Downtown Action Team in 2001 and has served the last five years as Executive Director. He is widely respected for his leadership, integrity, vision and passion for Downtown Albuquerque.

“I have absolutely loved my career at Downtown Action Team,” said Brian Morris. “I’ve seen so many changes, developments and over $500 million in investment over the past 10 years. While it’s hard to leave this exciting and dynamic organization, I’m looking forward to working daily on my passion of politics and government relations.”

The Board has formed a Search Committee to hire a new Executive Director/CEO for DAT and has appointed DAT Board Chairman, Rick Rennie, as volunteer Interim Director during the search process. In the coming weeks, a posting for the position of Executive Director/CEO will be issued, both locally and nationally. 

For information regarding the new Executive Director position, please email EDSearchCommittee@DowntownABQ.com.

We as a staff, board and friends extend our deepest gratitude to Brian and wish him ongoing success in this new endeavour.

Council Re-District Dilutes Downtown Impact

The DAT Board has been actively engaged in the City Council re-districting process this year and voted to endorse Plan V or a similar plan, which keeps the Downtown District in tact. As you are probably aware, the Council passed Plan L instead this past week, which moves District 3 to the Westside and engulfs Downtown into District 2 (the North Valley).

It is feared this new re-districting will make it even harder to move key initiatives forward which are essential to redevelopment in Downtown.

The new District 2 has a population deviation of over 4%. In addition, it puts most of the cities’ MRA areas all into one district. And, the new plan puts some of the most rural areas in with some of the most urban areas.

We encourage you to call the Mayor at (505) 768-3000 or email Mayor Berry at mayorberry@cabq.gov and ask him to VETO the Re-District plan and ask the Council to support Plan V-1 or a similar plan. 

Homelessness outreach meeting for business owners

Albuquerque Heading Home, a collaborative initiative to combat cronic homelessness, has been very effective and innovative in addressing city-wide problems.  While there have been many significant accomplishments, the program continues to need the assistance and support of local business owners.  The ABQ Heading Home team has put together a meeting to inform the Business Community of “what’s happening and how it impacts your business”

Issues of homelessness affect everyone. They impact housing, businesses and our shared community pride. Representatives of Albuquerque Heading Home will meet with area business owners to share information about this exciting community initiative, lead discussion about challenges and progress, and gather your input for potential ways to move forward together.  There will be two meetings held at the Convention Center on March 14th. The AM session 7:30-9AM and the PM session 2:00-2:30PM.

The 2012 Creative Bravos Award Recipients are:

• Media Arts Collaborative Charter School
• Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque
• Matthew Greer – Quintessences Artistic Director
• Dr. Shelle VanEttten de Sanchez – NHCC
• Emerging Creatives: Tim Nisly & Carlos Contreras
• Young Creatives: Sofia Resnik & Mikala Aragon-Sterling
• People Choice Award: Albuquerque Theatre Guild
• President’s Award: Dale Dekker & Dekker/Perich/Sabatini

Advance reservations are required. Tickets to the event are $75 for Creative Albuquerque members, $125 for two member tickets purchased at the same time. The non-member rate is $95 per ticket.

Call for Artists – 100 for 100 Centennial Arts Show

The City of Albuquerque and the Downtown Albuquerque Arts & Cultural District invite artists and craftspeople from the Greater Albuquerque area to participate in the upcoming Centennial Summerfest 100 for 100: A Statewide Juried Arts & Crafts Market.  

will showcase 100 artists from the statewide network of Arts & Cultural Districts; 50 of those artists will be from Albuquerque. A panel of judges from around the state will award prizes for presentation and content, including Best in Show. The market will take place in Downtown Albuquerque on Saturday, June 16, 2012 from 12:00 – 6:00p as part of the larger Centennial Summerfest. For infomation on applying as an artist, please visit Creative Albuquerque’s website for detailed instructions 

Creative Bravos Awards Dinner – Tickets on Sale

Now in their 27th year of honoring excellence, the Creative Bravos Awards Ceremony have earned a place among the city’s most exciting annual events. The gala event includes a welcome reception, sensational silent auction and the food of Slate Street Cafe; the awards ceremony and celebration of the 2012 Creative Bravos Honorees; followed by a champagne and dessert reception. All take place in the stunning surroundings of the Albuquerque Museum.

The 2012 Creative Bravos Award Recipients are:

• Media Arts Collaborative Charter School
• Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque
• Matthew Greer – Quintessences Artistic Director
• Dr. Shelle VanEttten de Sanchez – NHCC
• Emerging Creatives: Tim Nisly & Carlos Contreras
• Young Creatives: Sofia Resnik & Mikala Aragon-Sterling
• People Choice Award: Albuquerque Theatre Guild
• President’s Award: Dale Dekker & Dekker/Perich/Sabatini

Advance reservations are required. Tickets to the event are $75 for Creative Albuquerque members, $125 for two member tickets purchased at the same time. The non-member rate is $95 per ticket.

Call for Artists – 100 for 100 Centennial Arts Show

The City of Albuquerque and the Downtown Albuquerque Arts & Cultural District invite artists and craftspeople from the Greater Albuquerque area to participate in the upcoming Centennial Summerfest 100 for 100: A Statewide Juried Arts & Crafts Market.  

will showcase 100 artists from the statewide network of Arts & Cultural Districts; 50 of those artists will be from Albuquerque. A panel of judges from around the state will award prizes for presentation and content, including Best in Show. The market will take place in Downtown Albuquerque on Saturday, June 16, 2012 from 12:00 – 6:00p as part of the larger Centennial Summerfest. For infomation on applying as an artist, please visit Creative Albuquerque’s website for detailed instructions.

January 9th, 2012

IN THIS WEEK’S ALERT:

New Years wishes from the Downtown Action Team
New Mexico celebrates 100 years of Statehood
ACVB launches Centennial campaign with trio of websites

 New Years wishes from the Downtown Action Team

The Downtown Action Team staff, ambassadors and Board of Directors would like to extend our best wishes to our Downtown Albuquerque property owners, partners, small businesses, supporters and advocates.  2012 is full of promise and opportunity for Downtown and a stronger economy, greater collaboration and an increase in urban revitalization.

DAT would also like to acknowledge those of you who attended our Winter Luncheon with Mayor Richard J. Berry and OKC Mayor Mick Cornett last December.  We all were inspired by the major accomplishments that have transformed Oklahoma City into a prosperous and growing metropolis, and we hope you are as motivated as we are to see similar changes take place here in Albuquerque.  Those interested in keeping an eye on Albuquerque’s plan for a brighter future can sign up for email alerts online.

We invite you to contact the Downtown Action Team with your updates throughout the year, we will include them in this alert, on our website and facebook pages, and if you have an event, we will do our best to attend.

CHEERS!

New Mexico celebrates 100 years of Statehood

On January 6, 1912, New Mexico became the 47th State in the U.S.
Which means today is our official Birthday, and for the remainder of 2012 communities statewide will commemorate one hundred years of New Mexico statehood: telling stories of the past, while envisioning the state’s next hundred years.  Already a few dozen events have commemorated this historic event, and the remainder of the calendar can be found on the State Centennial Website, www.nmcentennial.org.

The Grand Centennial Ball will be an enchanting evening with cocktails, special guests, three course dinner with wine pairing, dessert and birthday surprises! This once-in-a-lifetime, black tie ball is the signature event of the commemoration: taking a step back in time for the future of New Mexico and will benefit the Centennial Children’s Legacy Fund. January 6, 2012, 6:00 – 10:30PM 
at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

ACVB launches NM Centennial campaign 

The Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Albuquerque have announced the launch of their Centennial campaigns today, with a trio of websites and new programming to commemorate our 100 years.  Albuquerque celebrates New Mexico will focus on Centennial events throughout the year, encouraging out of state tourism to the Duke City and helping to promote a range of cultural activities already planned. 

ACVB launches NM Centennial campaign 

The Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Albuquerque have announced the launch of their Centennial campaigns today, with a trio of websites and new programming to commemorate our 100 years.  Albuquerque celebrates New Mexico will focus on Centennial events throughout the year, encouraging out of state tourism to the Duke City and helping to promote a range of cultural activities already planned.

In addition to this launch, we are proud to announce that the ACVB, CABQ, Creative Albuquerque and the Downtown Action Team were awarded a $40,000 Tourism grant for SAVOR Albuquerque and the Centennial Summerfest campaigns.  2012 marks the third year of SAVOR Albuquerque and the return of a grand scale Summerfest to Central Avenue.  More details will be available online as additional programming is confirmed, but this summer promises to be an exceptional year for New Mexico and some great parties in Albuquerque.

If you see something interesting in Downtown and want DAT to know about it, send submission to cgoblet@DowntownABQ.com

December 5th, 2011

IN THIS WEEK’S ALERT:

DAT Winter Luncheon tickets on sale now
Twinkle Light Parade Sat Dec 3rd, dress warm!
Free holiday parking in Downtown, Nob Hill, Old Town
SVEDC a Recipe for Success holiday open house

DAT Winter Luncheon tickets on sale now

Only two weeks remain to purchase tickets for DAT’s Winter Luncheon featuring special guest and keynote speaker, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett.  Mayor Cornett will cover the amazing renaissance taking place in Oklahoma City as voters recently approved a $777 Million reinvestment plan called MAPS3. Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry will add his own perspective to Oklahoma City’s success and share many of the plans underway for Albuquerque.

Attendees can also sign up for one of two workshops focusing on either Social Media or Green Initiatives, both of which are free.  DAT would like to thank the ACVB for coordinating an Oklahoma City getaway for two, which will be awarded to one of our event attendees at the close of the luncheon. The prize package includes two nights hotel in Bricktown, a cultural passport, tickets to events and a $250 travel stipend. Simply purchase a ticket or table for the luncheon and you will automatically be registered to win this package and see what is transpiring in Oklahoma first hand.

Call (505) 243-2230, click or come by the DAT office to purchase tickets and reserve your seats or table today. Tickets are just $35 per person and $350 per table of ten.  See our ad in today’s NM Business Weekly for more information why you should not miss this event.  Thanks to sponsors Fidelity Investments, HDIC, Bank of Albuquerque, Berger Briggs, Rosemont Realty, ACVB and our venue host, the Hyatt Regency Downtown.

Free holiday parking in Downtown, Nob Hill

Three cheers for Mayor Richard Berry & CABQ for bringing back free holiday parking, which started Nov. 25 in areas of Old Town, Downtown and in Nob Hill. Enforcement of metered parking resumes December 27.

“By offering free parking, we’re encouraging people to think about doing their holiday shopping at locally owned businesses,” Berry said in a release. “This is just another example of how the city can provide potential economic development to our business dense areas.”

The free parking in Downtown is on Central and Gold avenues between 1st and 7th streets. Free parking spaces still maintain a two-hour time limit to provide more people with an opportunity to access local businesses.

SVEDC a Recipe for Success Open House, starts NOW! 

Stop what you’re doing and head over to South Valley Economic Development Center right now for their Holiday Open House (today 12/2) from 3 to 7PM. Sample locally made food produced in their commercial kitchen, buy unique gift baskets for the upcoming holidays, enjoy live music by the Squash Blossom Boys, and show your support for local food producers and businesses. The SVEDC is located at 318 Isleta Blvd SW and this event is always delicious… seriously delicious

FACTOID: During the 2011 Downtown Growers’ Market season we were able to nearly triple the number of value added prepared food vendors from the SVEDC, including Dolores’ Salsa, Nin’s Nuts, What the Fudge and Eat Fresh Food Here. SVEDC vendors at the market, former and current, include Heidi’s Raspberry Jam, Edible Exotics and Mojo Mammas.

October 28th, 2011

IN THIS WEEK’S ALERT:

DAT/CABQ to host Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett
29th Annual Doggie Dash and Dawdle ready to run
thriveABQ to host Buy Local event November 2nd

DAT/CABQ to host Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett

The Downtown Action Team, in partnership with Mayor Berry and the City of Albuquerque, is looking forward to welcoming Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett on December 14th for a year-end business luncheon. As the 35th Mayor of OKC, Cornett has been a proponent for progressive initiatives such as rapid and mass transit, economic diversification, urban renaissance and civic beautification. Under Cornett’s leadership, Oklahoma City earned the moniker, Renaissance City, from tourists and local residents. He has even put OKC on a diet, with over 45,000 registered dieters collectively approaching 1,000,000 pounds lost since January of ‘08.  Cornett dropped 35 pounds himself, giving meaning to the phrase “leading by example”.

Some of Mayor Cornett’s accomplishments include the adoption of two MAPS quality-of-life projects  and he is widely credited for recruiting the NBA franchise Seattle Supersonics to Oklahoma, Cornett was a key figure in the historic renovation of the Skirvin Hotel, a 100 year old hotel that was shuttered for nearly 20 years and now is one of OKC’s downtown gems.  We hope you will join us for this inspiring lunch and conversation with Albuquerque’s business and civic leaders, more information can be obtained by contacting DAT at (505) 243-2230.

29th annual Doggie Dash & Dawdle ready to run

Event organizers of Animal Humane | New Mexico’s Doggie Dash & Dawdle are prepping for New Mexico’s largest social event for dogs and their families. Animal Humane’s largest fundraiser of the year takes place November 6th at Balloon Fiesta Park and registrations are now being accepted for the 5K Dash and 2-mile Dawdle. Returning this year is the dog carnival Dash Bash area which includes crowd favorites such as an agility course, bobbing for hot dogs, paw print painting, a pet advice booth, canine cake walk, off-leash dog park and doggie contests.

Adoptable pets will be on-hand from Animal Humane and other rescue groups for adoption. The popular rent-a-dog booth is back for those that want to show an adoptable homeless pet a good time. New this year is live music with local acts and a variety of food trucks to satisfy race day thirst and hunger.
 For full details, registration, entry fee and fundraising team information, go to animalhumanenm.org or call (505) 255-5523.

thriveABQ to host Buy Local Marketplace Nov 2nd 

Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent in Albuquerque every year by local & national companies and government agencies. The Marketplace is designed to provide local businesses with a connection to many of these buyers. This is an action fair. They expect our participants to find new local sources for goods and services, and attendees to find new customers and 
clients. Seminars will also be held to help local business owners increase their effectiveness. If you’re looking for new sources of business, this is a must-attend! More information and free registration for the Marketplace can be found at thriveabq.com and you can win an iPad by attending.

October 14th, 2011

Hops & Harvest – A hoppy 15th birthday for DGM

Come celebrate the Downtown Growers’ Market 15th birthday at Marble Brewery from 1 – 7pm this Saturday, October 15th. To commemorate the event, our friends at Marble have brewed up a special batch of De Smet Hop Harvest Ale, made with locally grown hops. We dropped by for a sample; it has smooth edges and should appeal to a broad palette range, which is great, since a percentage of each Hop Harvest Ale sold will be donated to the Growers’ Market. Just order a pint and enjoy the feeling of giving back with every sip! 

 

Thanks to Local iQ for the latest article on the Alvarado Urban Farm. Pick up a copy of the latest issue on news stands or check out their online link.

New Restaurant Report: Subway and Pizza 9 

Subway: 313 Central Ave. NW
Last Friday Downtown’s newest Subway restaurant opened and the aroma of fresh baked bread filled Central Ave. October is ANYtober, any regular foot-long sub sandwich can be purchased for just $5.  Eat fresh all day long and keep a few more bucks in the pocket.  Thanks Jared! 
Pizza 9: 101 Gold Ave. SW
The opening of the ninth Pizza 9 in Albuquerque is rumored to be this Saturday.  Located at the corner of Gold Ave. and 1st Street, this Chicago style pizzeria will be cranking out hot and delicious pies with thick crust and great toppings.  After weeks of building out the former Cold Stone Creamery space, the new eatery is looking quite comfy.  Check out their latest coupons on their website and come by for a slice!

Killer threads for the well dressed man at Dressed to Kill
Dressed to Kill might sound like a reality TV show where Carson Kressley meets James Bond, but you would be remiss to write off this new boutique on Copper Ave. Located in a demure space around the corner from Hotel Andaluz, the new Dressed to Kill carries an impressive array of the latest in apparel for men.  Jeans by Hudson, casual clothes by 191 Unlimited, Italian tailored shirts by Luchiano Visconti and lifestyle clothing by Canterbury of New Zealand… just to name a few. 
Opening on Sat. 3-5pm. Drop by 220 Copper Ave. Suite 100.

 

Duke City DocFest is a documentary film festival showcasing some of the best international documentaries released each year. It’s a celebration of excellence in documentary filmmaking. Now in its 12th year, the DocFest continues to curate an amazing array of films.

September 16th, 2011

IN THIS WEEK’S ALERT:

Alvarado Urban Farm Grand Opening – Sept 21st
Growers’ Market announces Hops & Harvest Festival
October declared Local Food Month in Albuquerque

Alvarado Urban Farm Grand Opening – Sept 21st

The Downtown Action Team, HDIC and the City of Albuquerque are pleased to announce the launch of the Alvarado Urban Farm next week with a dedication by Mayor Richard J. Berry and District 3 Councilor Ike Benton.  

This has been a groundbreaking week for the Farm, literally, as Heads Up Landscaping dedicated a crew for the entire week to complete installation of the complete irrigation system, thanks to some help from Salls Brothers Plumbing and the Home Bilders Association of Central New Mexico.

We hope you will join us for the dedication or come by after work for a small growers market, check out some of our educational partners and sow some seeds in the new Farm.  It’s the start of something Freshly Urban!

Alvarado Urban Farm is located on Silver Ave. between 1st & 2nd Streets.  Join us from 3:00 to 6:00 to shop the new produce market, take a farm tour or just poke around the new farm.

Growers’ Market announces Hops & Harvest Festival

Have you ever wanted to give back, to take that first big step towards a life of generosity and philanthropy, but just didn’t know how…  Well, what if we told you the answer was BEER!.  It may seem unconventional at first, but if the idea of tipping back a cold pint of beer at your local microbrewery to raise money for your local Growers’ Market sounds like a good idea, please read on, Hops & Harvest is for you.

The Growers’ Market is launching its first ever “Fund Drive”, culminating with a day long beer celebration at Marble Brewery on Oct 15th. From 12 to 7, a percentage of beer sales will benefit the Growers’ Market.  Head Brewer and frequent market shopper Ted Rice is considering brewing a beer with locally grown hops, just to keep in the spirit of things.  You can make your dollars work harder by coming by and picking up a raffle ticket for one of many great prizes including fresh produce, home brewing supplies and dinner gift cards.  Enjoy live music on the patio performed by Three String Bale, The Squash Blossom Boys and the Porter Draw and specialty foods will be available from regular Growers’ Market vendors.  

Mark your calendars for the Hops & Harvest festival on Sat, Oct. 15th and swing by Marble Brewery, that is, after you pick up all your favorite foods & pumpkins at the Growers Market.

October declared Local Food Month in Albuquerque

The Local Food Festival and Field Day, a celebration of food from the ground up, is an annual event highlighting localfood and agriculture in our region. The festival is organized by the MRCOG Agriculture Collaborative in partnership with a variety of local groups and organizations.

The continued success of this event reflects the ever increasing demand for local agriculture, locally produced foods and gardening activities. Festival attendees have stated that after the festival they are more apt to seek out local food products and to shop at area farmers’ markets. Others have indicated an interest in growing more food at home and including more fresh and local foods as a part of their regular diet.

Connecting the public with local growers, producers, and businesses is crucial in sustaining local agriculture. The Local Food Festival and Field Day provides one step in helping to make those connections.  For more information about the Local Food Festival or Local Food Month visit the MRCOG website or call (505) 724-3619.

If you see something interesting in Downtown and want DAT to know about it, send submission to cgoblet@DowntownABQ.com

August 26th, 2011

IN THIS WEEK’S ALERT:

Gold Street Caffe brings back dinner, adds to menu
1,000,000 Bones installation/performance on Rt. 66  
National Institute of Flamenco opens retail store
St. Martin’s opens Coffee Shop at 700 2nd Street

Gold Street Caffe brings back dinner, adds to menu

This week Gold Street Caffe owner Matt Nichols pulled DAT aside to let us know the restaurant is getting a bit of a makeover over the next few weeks.  What does that mean you ask?  They are looking at a new logo, interior design features and tasty new items on to their already excellent breakfast and lunch menu.  Want more, Gold Street Caffe is bringing back their popular dinner menu, serving beer and wine and their affordable prix fixe menu for just $15.

Gold Avenue continues to grow a strong base of restaurants, arts and entertainment options, including the upcoming launch of The Show, a new professional improv comedy experience at the Box Theater.  Gold Street Caffe is catering The Show’s preview performance tonight at 9PM, for those lucky enough to attend.  The Show opens to the public Sept 2nd.

Gold Avenue continues to grow a strong base of restaurants, arts and entertainment options, including the upcoming launch of The Show, a new professional improv comedy experience at the Box Theater.  Gold Street Caffe is catering The Show’s preview performance tonight at 9PM, for those lucky enough to attend.  The Show opens to the public Sept 2nd.

One Million Bones installation/performance on Rt. 66

One Million Bones has announced their first preview installation this weekend on Sat. Aug 27th from 9 am – 4 pm.  A corps of volunteers will be laying down 50,000 bones on Fourth Street between Central Ave. and Gold Ave. One Million Bones is a fundraising art installation designed to recognize the millions of victims and survivors who have been killed or displaced by ongoing genocides in Sudan, Congo and Burma.

The mission of One Million Bones is to increase global awareness of these atrocities while raising funds needed to protect and aid survivors.  Each bone will be sponsored for $5 each, which should raise Five Million Dollars for benefitting communities and charities in these regions.  More information is available at onemillionbones.org

National Institute of Flamenco opens retail store

The National institute of Flamenco has opened an onsite retail store at 209 Gold Ave SW that offers a wonderful selection of flamenco articles and clothing.  The store’s name, Flecos y Lunares, refers to the traditional attire worn by flamenco performers, so they naturally carry a selection quality artisan flamenco products including shoes, skirts and accessories. 

For more information and hours of operation please call 505-242-7600 or visit www.nationalinstituteofflamenco.org  for all the latest information on flamenco events, programming, classes and much more!

St. Martin’s opens Coffee Shop at 700 2nd Street

For over 25 years St. Martins has been dedicated to“ending homelessness one person at a time”.  Now St. Martin’s is excited to announce a new project, the grand opening of The Coffee Shop at 700 2nd Street housing development. Proceeds from each and every cup of coffee will fund programs at St. Martin’s. The shop will also serve as an employment training site for individuals attempting to leave the streets and escape poverty.  The goal of opening the Coffee Shop is to help our clients get the skills to get great jobs… they call it Coffee for a cause.

The Grand Opening of the Coffee Shop will be Tuesday Sept. 6 at 8 am… the mayor will be cutting the ribbon and he will be joined by several city council members and lots of coffee lovers.  Get the whole scoop on St. Martins website or just drop by and make your morning coffee count!