Page 210 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2023 DISCOVERING TURKEY

new as a campy shop just a block off the Albuquerque and New Mexico history borders
square. on superhuman. For example, she easily holds
“All you have to do is say Albuquerque and forth on the tale of Sister Blandina Segale, who
right out of everybody’s mouth is Walter White was assigned to Alburquerque in 1881 and
or ‘Breaking Bad,’” Marq Smith said. shortly thereafter demanded construction of a
He co-owns the two-story convent next
Breaking Bad Store, to St. Philip de Neri
Catholic Church even
which stocks souvenirs,
when local builders
oddities and artifacts
related to the five-sea- warned that adobe was
son series focused on a best used on one-story
buildings. But hey, this
high school chemistry
teacher who, as most is a nun, so she per-
probably know, broke suaded an Italian stone
mason in Santa Fe to
bad. A separate mu-
seum room is jammed travel south and create
with wardrobe items, a suitable foundation,
two stories were built,
props from the show
and the structure still
and a mockup of the
counter at Los Pollos stands.
Hermanos. You almost Diane lived and
expect “Crystal Blue worked in Massachu-
Persuasion” to be play- setts but moved to New
ing in the background. Mexico 20 years ago
upon retirement. She
“The only place a
store like this would gives voice to the
work is here in Old state’s attraction to
people from other re-
Town,” Marq said.
gions.
“Even though ‘Breaking
Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul’ were never filmed “I wanted a place that didn’t have the severe
in Old Town, it works here because of the winters. I wanted a place that had diversity,”
tourism. Most tourists come to Albuquerque she said. “And I like the open spaces. In New
for Old Town.” England, you’re driving down green tunnels,
The store opened three and a half years ago, you never know what’s beyond those trees.
Here you’re seeing billions-of-years-old moun-
“right when the plague hit,” he said. But since
then, people have found it at Plaza Street and tains. It’s sort of a lift to the spirit to me to be
Rio Grande Boulevard. Where are they coming able to see so far.”
from? She spoke in the shady plaza on a day when
owners of vintage cars parked shiny chunks of
“All over the world. As far away as Aus-
tralia, China, Japan, Russia, the European Detroit steel around the square for all to ad-
countries.” mire. But for those who prefer a different sort
of vintage, this is still the right place. Near the
But Old Town isn’t about to forget those
northwest corner of the plaza on Romero
whose interests run to nonfiction. The Albu-
Street stands a 130-year-old building that was
querque Museum on Mountain Road offers
once a well-known basket shop (and reputed
walking tours of the plaza (included in the cost
former home of a post office, a grocery store
of museum admission) led by knowledgeable
and maybe a brothel). Now it’s a Noisy Water
docents like Diane Stoner. Her command of
Winery tasting room that serves wine made
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