MONDO ITALIANO for GREAT ITALIAN FOOD!!!!!

Several of the friends Evin and I have made in Angel Fire and Taos recommended that we vet Mondo Italiano Restaurant in Taos. Our only regret was that we had not eaten there earlier. The food was outstanding!!

MONDO ITALIANO

Jennifer DeBow, Owner

622 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur

Taos, NM

www.mondoitalianotaos.com

Olive Tapanade Bruscetta

Fresh Tomato, Garlic & Bail Bruscetta

Shrimp Scampi

Penne Ricotta with Sausage & Peppers

Clams Calzone

Evin really enjoyed her clams calzone.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken

Sherry said it was the best Alfredo sauce she had ever eaten.

Crisp Apple Salad

Homemade Desserts!!

Above is Jennifer's current location. She will be breaking ground on a new free standing building location soon.

Your meal is cooked fresh when ordered. It is well worth the little wait time. Mondo Italiano reminded me of my favorite restaurant back home.

BON APPETIT!!!!!

Wine Tasting On The Low Road To Taos

On Sunday, Jim, Janet, Sherry, Evin and I took the "Low Road To Taos" or New Mexico Hwy 68 from Espanola  to Taos and stopped for a little wine tasting at three of the local vineyards. Sherry was our designated driver. 

Black Mesa Winery & Tasting Room

Jerry & Lynda Burd, Owners

Mile Marker 15 on NM Hwy 68

Velarde, NM

(505) 852-2820

www.blackmesawinery.com

Black Mesa Winery Tasting Room & Wine Bar

Laurie & Craig Dunn. Proprieters
241 Ledoux Street

Taos, NM

(575) 758-1969

We decided to drive south on NM Hwy 68 to the winery which was the furthest destination from Angel Fire RV Resort. Black Mesa Winery in Velarde at Mile Marker 15 is approximately 48 miles from Angel Fire RV Resort. As noted above, there are two locations. Black Mesa Winery was just voted #1 Winery in the annual People's Choice Awards "Best of Taos" competition in the Taos New.

Tasting room (above photo) & gift shop (below photo).

According to Evin, Janet and Jim, our wine connoisseurs, Black Mesa Winery has quite the selection of wines. They enjoyed everything they tasted!! They left a little tipsy!!

Outside was like a flower oasis!!

La Chiripada Winery & Vineyards In Dixon

Pat & Mike Johnson, Owners

Hwy 75. Dixon, NM

(505) 579-4437

Taos Bent Street Tasting Room & Gallery

103 B. Bent Street

Taos, NM

(575) 751-1311

Our next stop heading back north on NM Hwy 68 was La Chiripada Winery & Vineyards at the Dixon location. It is on Hwy 75, 2 & 5/10 miles from the junction of NM Hwy 68. In addition to having some great wine, there is also some extraordinary art at both of their locations!! "La Chiripada" means "stroke of luck" or a "lucky fluke". The winery was established in 1977 in the Rio Embudo Valley.

La Chiripada wines have won local, national and international acclaim.

Mike Johnson, Artist

VIVAC Winery

Liliana Padberg, Owner

2075 NM Hwy 68 at the corner of State Road 75

Dixon, NM

(505) 579-4441

www.vivacwinery.com

Our last stop was at Vivac Winery. They also have an art gallery, handmade chocolate truffles and artisan cheeses. There are locations in Santa Fe and Los Alamos also. "Vivac" is a mountaineering term meaning "High Altitude Refuge".

Grapes on the vine almost ready for fine wine making!!

FINI

Ranchos de Taos Revisited!!

It did not take long for me to embrace San Francisco de Asis Mission Church and the Ranchos de Taos Plaza. I understand its attraction to artists and photographers. 

The black & white photographs of Ansel Adams are some of my favorites. That is why I am showing a color version and a black and white version of the shots at Rachos de Taos. I also like how the clouds, shadows and angles change the subject of the photo.

FINI