Best Of Burque 2011:
When you see his jean booty shorts barely clinging to his tanned physique, you know it’s summer. A longtime Alibi letter contributor, his values and health advice always spur mixed responses from the citizenry. But a guy bearing six-pack abs for decades might not be so far off the mark.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) You, the people of Albuquerque (aka "Me!")3) Steve Stucker
Best Of Burque 2011: Best City Politician
Best Of Burque 2011:
A lot of you really dig the man at the top of City Hall. Safe to say, compared with Martin Chavez (who’s still drawing votes in a few categories), Berry is low-key. This year, he announced a plan to survey the homeless population and shelter the most desperate people in the city. He invited neighboring towns to seek refuge in Albuquerque’s high schools during the freeze. All in all, he seems open to the ideas of the people who make the 505 go ’round.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver3) Tie: City Councilor Debbie O’Malley, Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino (D-Albuquerque)
Best Of Burque 2011: Worst City Politician
Best Of Burque 2011:
It’s no surprise that the mayor took home both the Best and the Worst prize. Happens all the time in Best of Burque. Well, it’s certainly not his well-documented mustache—right on trend with hipsters everywhere—that’s bringing him down. Maybe it was the "allow la migra to interview everyone in the Prisoner Transport Center" thing.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Public Safety Director Darren White3) Former Mayor Martin Chavez
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Use Of City Money
Best Of Burque 2011:
The job market, the economy, the future of the human race—it’s easy to argue that the health and wealth of them all comes back to one thing: how and what we learn. You want your money going to our collective brainpower.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Bike paths, lanes and trails3) Road improvement
Best Of Burque 2011: Worst Use Of City Money
Eric Williams ericwphoto.com
Best Of Burque 2011:
Everyone hates this orange-barreled, artery-clogged nightmare—especially those stupid traffic dividers that make it impossible to cross the street or turn left.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Red-light cameras3) Salaries and raises for city administration/politicians
Best Of Burque 2011: Best High School
7801 Candelaria NE sandiamatadors.com
Best Of Burque 2011:
Cafeterias, gym classes, peer pressure. High school is a smorgasbord of awkward teenage angst. But our readers say that if you go through it at Sandia, it’ll suck a lot less. You might even have a good time. Go figure.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Highland High School3) Eldorado High School
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Athlete
Best Of Burque 2011:
He’s head coach Steve Alford’s first recruit at the University of New Mexico, and he started 130 games for the team. A workhorse, his toughness propelled a young Lobo squad to the NIT. But he couldn’t follow his teammates there: In the Mountain West Conference tourney semifinals, he tore the ACL in his right knee. Burqueños won’t soon forget Gary’s grit, and they cast their ballots in appreciation.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Holly Holm3) Brian Urlacher
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Charity
5840 Office NEMain line: 247-2052 Food assistance line: 349-8841 Toll free: (866) 327-0267 rrfb.org
Best Of Burque 2011:
So Roadrunner Food Bank is pretty amazing. It feeds about 40,000 people every week and distributes more than 22 million pounds of food a year. It’s hard to comprehend how many cans of soup and pasta boxes that amounts to, just like it’s hard to imagine what we’d do without Roadrunner Food Bank.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Joy Junction3) Animal Humane
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Animal Rescue
Main Campus 615 Virginia SE (one block West of Wyoming)255-5523 Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch) NE Heights Adoption & Training Center 9132 Montgomery NE (between Wyoming and Eubank)323-PETS (7387)Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Westside Adoption & Training Center 10700 Corrales Road (Just north of Alameda)890-PETZ (7389)Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. animalhumanenm.org
Best Of Burque 2011:
Animal shelters are a tough business, which is why it’s important to have smart, savvy and caring people at the helm. Animal Humane, with its many outreach events, incentives and volunteers, shows other shelters what’s possible.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Watermelon Mountain Ranch3) City-run shelters
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Charity Event Of 2010
Best Of Burque 2011:
How could an event based around eating lots and lots of soup from some of the best restaurants in town not climb to the top of this category? Plus, the proceeds go to feeding the hungry. It’s a delicious win-win.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Doggie Dash & Dawdle (Animal Humane Association of New Mexico)3) Chocolate Fantasy (New Mexico Museum of Natural History Foundation)
Best Of Burque 2011: Best News Anchorman
Best Of Burque 2011:
He’s a familiar figure, telling New Mexico’s stories at 5, 6, 6:30 and 10 p.m. every weeknight. Behind the scenes, he’s racking up accolades. Joles has three Emmy awards under his belt. Now he’s got a Best of Burque award, the most time-honored popular vote in the city.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Dick Knipfing (KRQE News 13)3) Steve Stucker (KOB Eyewitness News 4)
Best Of Burque 2011: Best News Anchorwoman
Best Of Burque 2011:
Did you know that the friendly face sitting next to Joles since 2007 has an ancestor who was killed by Billy the Kid? Her great-great-great grandpa William Brady, sheriff of Lincoln County, was ambushed by Silver City’s claim to fame. Dude! Young Guns!
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Shelly Ribando (KOAT Action 7 News)3) Antoinette Antonio (KOB Eyewitness News 4)
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Tv Meteorologist
Best Of Burque 2011:
He’s a friend to animals, a follower of Christ, an impersonator of Elvis and Albuquerque’s favorite weatherman. Even the most negative of Nancies can’t resist Steve Stucker’s vibrance and cheer. God bless him.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Mark Ronchetti (KRQE News 13)3) Joe Diaz (KOAT Action 7 News)
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Radio Station
Best Of Burque 2011:
Public radio has been dealt some bad cards lately, but unfortunate political sleight of hand hasn’t prevented Albuquerque and northern New Mexico’s community-powered radio from being favored over the largely corporate-controlled airwaves year after year.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) 100.3 The Peak3) 104.1 The Edge
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Radio Dj
Best Of Burque 2011:
Has this baby-faced charmer ever not won this category? You’ve loved Donnie ever since he used to deliver your daily traffic reports across the dial. Now you can find him every morning on the “Jackie, Tony and Donnie” show.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Erica Viking (Coyote 102.5)3) TJ Trout (94 Rock)
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Festival Or Parade
Best Of Burque 2011:
Every June, Burqueños come out of the closet and into the streets to celebrate the gayest of holidays. The public display of freedom, tolerance and vivid colors (happening on Saturday, June 11, this year) Is a magical time in the city.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta3) Día de los Muertos Marigold Parade
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Recreational Program For Kids
1701 Mountain NW224-8300 explora.us
Best Of Burque 2011:
Can we put ¡explora! on the Best Recreational Program for Adults list, too? It’s an awesomely fun hands-on science center that gets kids (and grown-ups, especially on adult nights) excited about things like electricity, refracted light and systems in motion. And that’s worth a million awards.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) YMCA/YWCA3) Blackout Theatre’s Education Program
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Dog Park
Best Of Burque 2011:
This shaded swath comes with a nice neighborhood, happy dogs, courteous owners and plenty of benches.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) North Domingo Baca (north of Paseo del Norte between Louisiana andWyoming)3) Coronado (south of I-40 between Second and Fourth Streets)
Best Of Burque 2011: Best People Park
Best Of Burque 2011:
Maybe it’s the towering cottonwoods and rolling hills that pull people into this park for picnics, playtime and Frisbee golf. Long and lush, it’s the people’s park of choice.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Tiguex (Old Town area)3) Hyder (Ridgecrest area)
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Golf Course
7001 Osuna NE Pro shop and tee times: 884-7505Information line: 889-3699 cabq.gov/golf/arroyo-del-oso-golf-course
Best Of Burque 2011:
Nestled in the Northeast Heights, this course offers great views of the mountains and the namesake arroyo that runs through it. There is no better place to whack your way around 18 holes. They’ve also got a nine-hole course for those daunted by a full golf game.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Sandia Resort & Casino3) Tie: Los Altos, Paa-Ko Ridge
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Public Library
501 Copper NW768-5141 cabq.gov/library/main.htm
Best Of Burque 2011:
The Main Library branch is centrally located so you can pick up a new read or a DVD on your way from the office to the gym. Now it also has that snazzy new coffee shop on Fifth Street and Copper. What’s better than free books with fancy coffee?
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Erna Fergusson3) Ernie Pyle
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Place To People-Watch
Best Of Burque 2011:
It’s easy to get an eyeful in the most popular pedestrian thoroughfare in the city. Hipsters and hippies alike share this section of Route 66. And so do you.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Frontier3) UNM campus
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Place Of Worship
4001 Osuna NE 344-0880 calvaryabq.org
Best Of Burque 2011:
It’s a big church. They’ve been talking to God for almost 30 years. Pastor Skip is well-known even among the nonbelievers. What more do you need in your place of worship?
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Kadampa Meditation Center New Mexico3) Tie: Church of Beethoven, Sagebrush Community Church
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Meditation Center
8701 Comanche NE292-5293 nkt-kmc-newmexico.org
Best Of Burque 2011:
It can be hard to get through the week without a little clarity of mind, and that precious commodity is stocked at Kadampa Meditation Center New Mexico. In addition to its courses, retreats and regular events around town, Kadampa also offers free Prayers for World Peace sessions every Sunday morning.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Albuquerque Zen Center3) Albuquerque Shambhala Meditation Center
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Building
Best Of Burque 2011:
Many folks like the School of Architecture and Planning at UNM, which is intended to inspire the students within its walls. Infrastructure is revealed; the building’s guts are visible. Lots of people also gave a thumb’s up to The Pit , the abandoned train station and the pencil-shaped Bank of Albuquerque building Downtown.
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Neon Sign
3421 Central NE266-0767
Best Of Burque 2011:
Flashing lights are symbolic of metropolitan heydays … and they’re fun. The neon Scotty dog sign in the window of Scot’s Dog Grooming in Nob Hill is a handsome contribution to the city’s visual aesthetic. Besides, who can resist dog art?
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Master Cleaners (Nob Hill)3) Dog House Drive In
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Street Name
Best Of Burque 2011:
There were a lot of votes for high-minded social roads like Avenida Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King Jr. There were also high-minded votes for … High Street . Stoners.
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Bike-Friendly Street
Best Of Burque 2011:
They don’t call it a Bicycle Boulevard for nothing. A cycling revolution has swelled through this stretch of the University and Nob Hill area. There are so many pedals and hand brakes along the avenue, it’s all but squeezed out the cars. Hop on and join the uprising.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Tramway3) Mountain
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Haunted Place
806 Central SE242-0040 hotelparqcentral.com
Best Of Burque 2011:
Whether or not you believe in a spirit-inhabited netherworld, most of us are in agreement: The Parq Central Hotel’s rehabilitation (the beautiful Italianate building was originally a hospital for railroad workers) is one of the best things that’s happened to Downtown Albuquerque in years.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Old Town3) Albuquerque Press Club
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Neighborhood For Trick-Or-Treating
Best Of Burque 2011:
We suspect Tanoan leaped ahead of the swankier Country Club neighborhood for one simple reason: volume. There are seven subdivisions within Tanoan East and 10 in Tanoan West. That’s a lotta doors to knock. So this October, load up the minivan with costumed beggars and head to the Far Northeast Heights.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Country Club3) Ridgecrest
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Neighborhood For Christmas Decorations
Best Of Burque 2011:
This is also arguably the best neighborhood for leisurely bike riding. The Country Club neighborhood—snuggled between Central and Tingley and abutting, of course, the Albuquerque Country Club—is resplendent with rolling lawns, palatial mansions and wealthy residents who can afford to put up thousands of gorgeous Christmas lights and luminarias. Bury your envy and just enjoy the show.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Ridgcrest3) The North Valley along Rio Grande
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Secret Place To Watch Balloons And Fireworks
Best Of Burque 2011:
A number of you caught on to the fact that if you told us about the best secret place to do this, it would no longer be a secret. All right, smarty-pantses, keep it to yourselves. Then there were those who proclaimed their love for watching midair marvels from Balloon Fiesta Park —not exactly surreptitious. Those who like slightly more guerilla-style viewing are fans of the Foothills, Sandia Crest , and roofs and decks everywhere. We think the best spot is probably smack-dab in the middle of “Essie’s backyard,” but mainly because we just like the sound of it.
Best Of Burque 2011:
Best Of Burque 2011:
Albuquerque is gushing with pride for this Emmy-winning drama. Not only do we revel in the possibility that Bryan Cranston could be around any corner, we also get a little thrill when we spot our local digs on the screen. The Dog House Drive In, with its tail-wagging neon dachshund, is as wonderfully strange as Albuquerque itself.
Best Of Burque 2011:
2) Octopus Car Wash (Menaul and Eubank)3) Java Joe’s
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Reason To Take The Rail Runner To Santa Fe
Best Of Burque 2011:
Burqueños hop that double-decker train to the capital to avoid: drunk driving, radar, snow-covered roads, stupid drivers, the traffic on I-25 and wasting gas . But you also like the RR because you can knit while you travel, because it’s comfortable and easy , because you can take your bike , and because it’s date night . Don’t forget the food in Santa Fe. You listed: Tomasita’s, Blue Corn Cafe & Brewery, Café Pasqual’s, The Cowgirl BBQ and Tia Sophia’s . But most of all, you like the train because it’s fun .
Best Of Burque 2011: Best Thing About Albuquerque
Best Of Burque 2011:
That big, blue sky, plus the gorgeous weather, diversity, chile and laid-back attitude keep people in our little/big city . Others are hooked by the inexpensive living, creative people, lack of snobbery and general weirdness . The mountains and landscape —and don’t forget about the open space shooting right through Burque’s center—certainly don’t hurt. Plus, the sun … and the sunsets .
Best Of Burque 2011: Worst Thing About Albuquerque
Best Of Burque 2011:
Allergies ! Drive-by shootings, hippies and liberals, gang violence, poor job prospects, drug addicts, insufficient parking in Nob Hill, drunk driving, low wages, dust, ghetto people, boredom … (jeez, guys, let’s get back to talking about the sunshine . Oh wait, you don’t like that either.) Nothing stays open late enough , and there’s not enough to do—especially for kids . And the sprawl ! And the people , they’re the worst: Americans are supposed to speak English . It’s way too dry . Also, it’s trashy and dirty . Hmph.
