Friday, November 6

Being First Friday, there are lots of open houses and first of the month activities. Don't miss these:

First Friday Fractals and Fractals Rock
Art and science meet under the planetarium dome for these live presentations. Fractals Rock has more rock music and less talk.
When: Fractal shows at 6, 7 and 8 p.m.; Fractals Rock at 9 p.m.
Where: 1801 Mountain NW, New Mexico Museum Natural History
Cost: $10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 children 3-12.

Chroma Studios Open House
The featured artist for the opener of this monthly series is Betty Dore, with her paintings of "Mostly Koi."
When: 6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Where: 600 1st Street, corner Roma and First
Cost: Free.

First Friday ARTScrawl
With over 20 different galleries throughout the city participating, you can choose which ones to visit to find out what's happening with guilds, individual artists and ongoing shows.
When: 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Where: Various locations.
Cost: Free.

Find more First Friday events on the November events calendar.

Saturday, November 7

The Center for Grooviness
How can you not love a place that touts itself as groovy? Now officially open in Nob Hill, this space will be another voice for the arts. We can never have enough of those. Opening night brings "Battle of the Experimental Bands," with SPPNM and Cobra//Group. They promise to use improvisation. SPOONM stands for Soundpainting Orchestra of New Mexico. I know I'm intigured. There will also be two visual exhibits, a video piece by Deian McBryde and an installation by Elizabeth Smith.
When: 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Where: 4118 Central SE

Sunday, November 8

Dia de Los Muertos
Day of the Dead festivities continue in Old Town. Enjoy live music that includes Los Primos and Wagogo. The Folklorico dance group Zemblanzas will be on hand as well as Mariachi Nuevo Mexico. There will be calavera art on display and a costume contest.
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Poco a Poco Patio in Old Town
Cost: Free.

Doggie Dash & Dawdle
The Animal Humane of New Mexico raises funds with this annual event. In addition to running or walking with your dog, there ia a clinic if you want your dog micro-chipped, a Pet Plaza with vendors, and many contests. If you don't have a dog, there will be rental dogs available that are also adoptable as pets.
When: 9, 10 and 11 a.m. for the runs; 12 p.m. for the Dash Bash
Where: Balloon Fiesta Park
Cost: Registration cost varies with event.

Cause of the Week

Ooh La La Christmas Home Tour
Visit eight Albuquerque houses decorated for Christmas. The tour has been organized to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization that helps severely wounded veterans and their families.
When: Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Sunday, November 8, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Where: At eight homes throughout Albuquerque
Cost: $20

Follow me on Twitter.

The Senate has approved legislation to extend unemployment benefits, and if approved by the House of Representatives, the bill would be signed into law.

The measure would add 14 weeks of relief to New Mexicans whose benefits would be exhausted by December 31. As of September, New Mexico's unemployment rate was at 7.7 percent.

In a press release, New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman said he was pleased with the measure, which would bring relief to thousands of New Mexicans hard hit by the faltering economy.

"Like the rest of the country, New Mexico is feeling the effects of the current economic situation," Bingaman said. "While it is not a permanent solution, unemployment benefits provide many families with temporary relief as they continue to look for work. I am pleased it has cleared another hurdle."

The bill also provides measures to encourage purchasing new homes.

The best part of the holiday season is the giving.

The New Mexico Rail Runner will be collecting coats and outerwear for The Storehouse.

If you plan to take the train, bring along any new or used coat and put it in one of the barrels on the train. Barrels will be in the third car from the northern end of the train.

This drive runs from November 5 through the 30th.

Riding over to eternity. Still time to celebrate.

Follow me on Twitter.

_{Photo © Aileen O'Catherine}

Red or green? That's the theme for this year's Twinkle Light Parade, happening Saturday, November 28. Something about a Thanksgiving weekend parade makes the holiday season feel real.

The city is on the lookout for parade entries, and its new category of neighborhood association float could win your neighborhood the 2009 TLP Neighborhood Cup. It costs nothing to enter a float, and there will be prizes for "best of show," and best in the theme "red or green?" both of which win cash. The top three entries in both categories will win awards.

Fill out a parade application to enter, but do so by 5 p.m., November 13.

If you haven't yet made it to the Twinkle Light Parade, make this the year you do. It's great fun for the entire family, and afterwards, consider a visit to see Santa Claus and the holiday displays at the River of Lights.

Follow me on Twitter.

Ski swaps and horses and spooks, oh my! Get in the spirit of the season and visit a haunted house, ride a trolley of terror, enter a pumpkin carving contest, or dress in costume for trick-or-treating fun. Find out what's happening all over town in a spirited vein. And the snow the other day might inspire you to follow your bliss and get some great equipment at the annual ski swap. Whatever your bliss may be, enjoy your weekend.

42nd Annual Ski Swap
The Sandia Peak Ski Patrol holds an annual ski swap where skis, ski equipment and other snow sports accessories are available for sale. 15% of proceeds go to the Sandia Ski Patrol. If you have something to sell, Public Check-in is Friday, October 30 from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. Besides the equipment sales, there will be celebrity skiers, pro snowboarder appearances, lift ticket packages, vacation giveaways, and more. For a $20 donation, get a first crack at gear and specials, Friday, October 30, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
When: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday, October 31; 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday, November 1
Where: Expo New Mexico
Cost: $1 admission, but go to the ski swap site to print a free admission ticket.

Dia de los Muertos Marigold Parade
The annual south valley parade presents music, altars, food and art vendors. Come out in your best Calavera attire.
When: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday, November 1
Where: Parade starts at Centro Familiar and Isleta, ends at the Westside Community Center, 1250 Isleta SW.
Cost: Free.

Cause of the Week

Equestiran Cup Wine and Food Tasting
Sample food from more than 20 of Albuquerque's finest restaurants, select microbreweries, and vineyards. There will be live jazz and a hunter-jumper equestrian event. Proceeds benefit All Faiths Receiving Home Children's Safehouse.
When: Sunday, November 1, Noon - 4 p.m.
Where: Expo New Mexico
Cost: $50

Find out what else is happening at the local events calendar for October, November, or Day of the Dead Events.

Follow me on Twitter.

The National Institute of Flamenco will present several of its performance companies this weekend, in a celebration of flamenco dance. Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, Alma Flamenca, and Ninos Flamencos will perform Flamenco! at the KiMo Theatre Thursday, October 29th at 7:30 p.m., and Friday, October 30 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are available at the KiMo Box office or through Ticketmaster. The performances are part of the Institute's annual membership drive.

Don't miss the final weekend of Global Dancefest Africa, which features Gregory Maqoma and the Vuyani Dance Theatre from South Africa in a performance of Beautiful Me. The dance explores identity and friendship through movement. Maqoma grew up in Soweto and has won national and international awards for his performances. See them Friday and Saturday, October 30 and 31, at 8 p.m. at the North 4th Theater. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 students and seniors.

There will be a post-performance talk and light supper on Friday, October 30 featuring Gregory Maqoma; the topics will be culutre within an evolving landscape and tensions between tradition and modern life. On Saturday, October 31, there will be a post-performance discussion with the artists, included with admission.

Follow me on Twitter.

_{Photo courtesy National Institute of Flamenco}

Just a few more pumpkins until Halloween.

Thanks to Dawn Gray for correctly guessing the location of last week's Where in Albuquerque? She recognized the stained glass rosetta window that can be found tucked away in the Guadalupe Chapel in Old Town.

Follow me on Twitter.

_{Photo © Aileen O'Catherine}

Halloween is just a few spooky days away. Come Saturday night, prepare for an influx of goblins, ghouls and ghosts. But for some older kids, teens and adults, there is nothing quite like the thrill of a haunted house, and there is still time to visit one.

Pumpkin carving contests, costume parades, safe places to trick-or-treat, can all be found in this guide to area Halloween events. Find out about ghost stories, trolleys of terror and more.

Still haven't gotten a costume? There's time. Find out where to buy or build one.

Here in Albuquerque, Halloween is always celebrated alongside Day of the Dead. If you've never been to a Dia de los Muertas event, why not make it to one this year? Get out and see what these events are all about. This weekend, there will be a community offrenda at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, matachines dances and more at the South Broadway Cultural Center, and there are ongoing special exhibitions in town. Find one and enjoy all this celebration has to offer.

Follow me on Twitter.

_{Stockbyte / Getty Images}

Professor Carol Worthman of Emory University will talk Thursday, October 29 at UNM on "Dire Straits: Trauma and Resilience Among Nepali Child Soldiers and Street Children." Worthman is the Samuel Candler Dobbs professor of anthropology at Emory.

Worthman has conducted research worldwide, lately focusing on the impact stressful life events have on the development of Nepalese children. Worthman has been at the research forefront of minimally invasive health assessment techniques, using multilevel models to develop an understanding of public health's bicultural dimensions. Her education and research background is in biology, endrocrinology, nutrition, and biological anthropology.

The talk takes place at 4:30 p.m. in Hibben 105 (Anthropology). The talk is free and open to the public.