Читать книгу Walking Albuquerque. 30 Tours of the Duke City's Historic Neighborhoods, Ditch Trails, Urban Nature, and Public Art онлайн

31 страница из 58

 Turn left on 4th St., which overlaps historical alignments of Highway 85, Route 66, and El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (the Spanish Colonial “Royal Road” between Santa Fe and Chihuahua). Coal Ave. ahead designates the northern boundary of Barelas. A welcoming mosaic illustrates historic buildings in the neighborhood. Another block south, the Coronado School stands on the right. The Territorial-style structure was designed by Louis Hesselden in 1936 and completed in 1937 as a Public Works Administration project. It was an elementary school from 1937 to 1975. After 20 years of administrative use, it reopened as an elementary school in 2009.The Barelas–South Fourth Street Historic District begins at the next street ahead (Stover) and extends about eight blocks to Bridge Blvd. The corridor is characterized by vernacular interpretations of popular architectural styles. Along the way you’ll find remnants of its eras—farming, railroad, and Route 66. Its decades of economic decline are still fairly evident, as are its recent years of recovery.On the southeast corner at Hazeldine Ave. is the Our Lady of Kazan Monastery. Its makeshift onion dome and Eastern Orthodox iconographic murals make it easy to spot. The local monastic community of Our Lady of Kazan began as a skete in the late 1970s. Initially established by Father Symeon Carmona, the skete has since grown into a small parish of about 30 converts. They observe Slavonic traditions but remain an independent Eastern Orthodox entity. Services are conducted in English, Slavonic, Greek, French, and Spanish. They also offer counseling services and iconography classes.Similar iconography appears across the street on B. Ruppe Drugs, which opened here in 1964. Charles Bernard Ruppe opened his first drugstore in Old Town in 1883. The enterprise has evolved from a full-service pharmacy to a vendor of traditional Mexican remedios. The manager and master curandera (traditional healer) offers herbal consultations and gorgeous handmade rosaries.However, one thing about Barelas will never change: The food is always phenomenal. Start with Juanita’s Comida Mexicana. Slightly bigger than a taco stand, this family-run eatery serves up some fine home cooking. Catch a whiff of barbacoa and you’ll know what to order before stepping through the door. Next, head down to Red Ball Café. Predating the original Route 66 by four years, this neighborhood hamburger stand was born in 1922, died in 1979, and was resurrected in 1998. The Red Ball Burger is arguably the best burger in town, but limit yourself to a slider-sized Wimpy Burger. There’s lots more eating ahead.Just past the X-shaped intersection of 4th St. and Barelas St. are a couple of unassuming noncommercial gallery spaces that operate sporadically. If you’re lucky you’ll find something artistic, musical, literary, or just wonderfully weird going on at either the Small Engine or TANNEX galleries.Back to the food: The Barelas Coffee House menu touts Barelas as “Land of Mi Chante,” chante being New Mexican slang derived from “shanty” as an endearing term for home. Aside from its souvenir shop, the restaurant does have a homey ambience. Founded on Valentine’s Day 1978 by fourth-generation Bareleñas known as the Gonzales brothers, the BCH is famous for authentic New Mexican fare and the fat-cat politicos who come to feast on it.The next restaurant is on the campus of the National Hispanic Cultural Center on the south side of Bridge St. Entering on the east side from 4th St., you’ll first encounter the torreón, a tower housing a 4,000-square-foot concave fresco depicting more than 3,000 years of Hispanic history. Next is a renovated adobe Pueblo/Mission/Hacienda–style school formerly known as West San Jose School (aka River View Elementary) and built under the Works Progress Administration. La Fonda del Bosque opened here in 2000 and quickly garnered national praise. Dining in this stylish 280-seat restaurant is an elegant experience, and not as pricey as you might expect. (The NHCC is generously subsidized by the State of New Mexico.) Sunday brunch is especially popular. New management is expected to take over in 2015 with a greater variety of menu offerings.The NHCC complex also features a stellar art museum with traveling exhibitions and permanent collections. Their events calendar is crammed with music and dance performances, film festivals, lectures, arts workshops, language classes, and more. Budget an hour minimum for a glimpse of it all. Perhaps the most interesting structure is the home of Adela Martinez, situated between the parking area and the main complex. The story behind it: Construction of the NHCC was ready to begin in the late 1990s. All that stood in the way was the humble abode where Martinez had lived since the 1920s. Problem was she refused to budge, despite a $200,000 offering for her homestead. It remains in place, front and center on the NHCC grounds, as an unintentional yet completely authentic sort of shrine to mi chante.