Our house is a very, very fine house...

She survived the coldest temperatures Albuquerque has seen since 1976; no fires, no busted pipes, no hypothermic cat. I think our little casa deserves some praise, actually she deserves to be shown off a bit. 

We live in the oldest neighborhood of Albuquerque: Barelas. In fact, it's fifty years older than Old Town. It was first established as a ranching settlement in the late 1600s, but Coronado crossed the Rio Grande here in 1540.  It is one of the only neighborhoods in Albuquerque that has managed to stay culturally intact, while so much has changed around it. Even being so close to the heart of downtown it's kept a unique charm. It's the home of the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Barelas Coffee House, the Red Ball Cafe and the zoo. The Bosque trail system and my work downtown are only a few minutes away. Although there's been several revitalization projects and it's beginning to invite young artists to the  community, I don't think this historical hispanic neighborhood and it's 400 year-old adobe homes will change much...it will only get more interesting. For example, across the street there's an art studio/condo with hipster kids milling in and out, but right next door lives "Abuela" (grandmother in Spanish) who is in her 80s and has lived in the same house since she was 11.

  

Our Little Casita
(It faces East)

Kitchen
(looking West)

Living Room
(notice photos of Indiana, obviously our home needed a little touch of the heartland)

Living Room
(looking South)

Living Room
(looking East)

Bathroom

Bedroom
(looking NW)

The Study
(This room is not finished yet, but here's a general idea)