Happy Halloween! I'm super boring this year, with no costume, no decorations, and (gasp!) no candy. Here's a throwback Halloween post from a few years ago.

Until 6th grade, I was a cat every year. I finally switched things up when I saw a picnic table costume in an American Girl magazine. That's right. For Halloween, I went trick-or-treating as a picnic table, complete with paper plates and baggies of chips hot glued on.

Wanting to outdo myself, the next year I was a mama cat trying to sell her babies. Sure, it sounds horrible now, but I remember it looking so cute in that 1997 American Girl magazine.
I'm pleased to declare that 2012 was the year of my Best Costume Ever! Unbeknownst to her ahead of time, I went as my Halloween-loving coworker, Marie, complete with blond wig and her stolen name tag. It must have been meant to be, because she came in wearing the exact same pair of Halloween socks, purely by coincidence!
Now I just need to figure out a way to top this next ye…

Move over, Balloon Fiesta. Albuquerque has another up-and-coming event that you won't want to miss. 
My husband and I were pleasantly surprised to discover that the New Mexico Fermentation Festival, in its 4th year and the first of its kind in the Southwest, is popular with locals and tourists alike. It's sponsored by edible New Mexico and is held at the Gutiérrez-Hubbell House, which is dense with cottonwood trees and is a lovely place to spend a Saturday with or without a festival.
What the heck is a fermentation festival? You know we're big fans of New Mexico wine festivals, beer festivals, and even green chile cheeseburger and wagyu beef festivals. (Yay, NM!) We'd never been to a fermentation festival though and weren't sure what to expect.
Although you might think a festival dedicated to fermented foods and drinks sounds a little odd (we did), so many irresistible treats fit within that category. In addition to kimchi and kombucha, the New Mexico Fermentation Fes…

My husband and I have seen ads for the New Mexico Brew Fest, which coincides with Albuquerque's world-famous Balloon Fiesta, year after year. Why haven't we ever gone? Obviously, we are ridiculous fools because the New Mexico Brew Fest was the best time ever! It's our all-time favorite beer festival.

(Don't tell the Fall Ale Fest. It was only their first year. They'll get there.)


You know you're in for a great time when it's socially acceptable to wear food.

For a mere $25 per person, New Mexico Brew Fest patrons receive an entire day of unlimited craft beer from top local breweries, including Boxing Bear, Toltec Brewing, Canteen Brewhouse, and almost 2 dozen more. There is extra-hard cider from Sandia Hard Cider (you'll see what I mean below) and, one of my favorites for food and drinks, Hollow Spirits Distillery will mix you something special featuring their house-made gin, vodka, and rum.



Think I'm overselling it? The New Mexico Brew Fest has been ra…