Taos On The Cheap

During free National Park Week from April 17-25 2010 you can enter every one of the country’s 392 national parks without paying a cent. This coincides with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Thursday April 22 – so you’ve got every excuse to visit a park you don’t know yet, or return to one of your old favorites.

Every single park waives its admission fee during National Park Week, and here in New Mexico that includes:

• Bandelier National Monument
• Aztec Ruins National Monument
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
• Pecos National Historic Park
• White Sands National Monument

Find the map and full list of New Mexico National Parks and head for the great outdoors!

Send applications by April 17 to be considered for a Free May 1 writing workshop with award-winning writer/director Joan Tewkesbury. The workshop is open to New Mexico residents only. Milagro at Los Luceros collaborates with the NM Filmmakers Program to host the free writing workshop on May 1, 2010, which aims to be “a scavenger hunt for the imagination.”  They have space for 15 participants, and the workshop will be held at the historic Los Luceros property in Alcalde, NM. 

To apply, you have to complete a writing assignment that looks fun to do and is not too challenging – rather inspiring really!  They must receive it no later than April 17, 2010, and they’ll contact those selected by April 24. Find full details on the free writing workshop, and the free application instructions – they’re both on the New Mexico Film office website.

Joan Tewkesbury’s projects include the Robert Altman movies Thieves Like Us and Nashville. She directed the feature film Old Boyfriends and the NBC telefilm Wild Texas Wind with Dolly Parton; wrote and directed The Tenth Month for Carol Burnett and the award-winning Acorn People, as well as TNT’s telefilm adaptation of Cold Sassy Tree starring Faye Dunaway. She’s been an advisor at the Sundance Film Lab as both a writer and a director.

Sipapu Ski Resort has extended its season and is open for one last weekend – closing day is now scheduled for Sunday April 18, 2010.  Squeeze in a final weekend of fantastic New Mexico spring skiing or snowboarding at a bargain price on April 17 and 18. The resort is open between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm and you’ll find some great deals…. especially if you take a few friends with you.

• Ski Lift Ticket Sale
  $25 for adults (same price for teens aged 13-20)
  $10 lift ticket rates for kids aged 7-12 or seniors between 60-69
  Free for kids aged 6 or under, for seniors 70 and over, and for anyone aged exactly 40!
• Car Load Days Deal Everyone in one car skis for $50 on April 17 and 18. You can take up to 6 skiers in one vehicle and get this offer – that’s under 10 bucks per person. Mention the Car Load Days Deal when collecting your lift tickets.
• Stay FREE at Sipapu’s own motel If you want to stay over, purchase a full-price lift ticket at $39, and stay free at the motel, just 650 feet from the ski lifts. Rooms have two queen beds and full bath. Sleep over the night before OR on the day you ski Sipapu.
• Active military ski FREE – to get your free lift ticket, present your active military ID card.

Sipapu is a family-friendly resort for skiers and snowboarders, just a 20 mile drive and an easy day trip from Taos.

It’s a pretty good all-you-can-eat deal at the OBL’s 9th Annual Crawfish Boil on Saturday April 3, 2010.  Unless you’re a crawfish I suppose.

Adults pay $25 a head, and it’s just $12.99 for kids aged 12 and under. The fun starts at noon, and there’s Chicago style blues from the J. Shomo Band from 2pm, followed by the ever-popular Michael Hearne and South by Southwest from 6 pm.

Drive into Sonic and get a free Sonic medium order of Tots when you buy any SuperSonic Cheeseburger. They say it’s a limited time deal but don’t spell out HOW limited, so probably best not to hang around.

If you didn’t make it to the South by Southwest Music Festival, you can still get a free iTunes download of  NPR Music At SXSW till April 30. This sampler from NPR features 11 songs by artists who performed at the festival, including Sharon Jones, Smith Westerns, and Spoon. Download your NPR Music At SXSW Sampler on iTunes byApril 30 2010. You need to have iTunes for Mac or Windows installed on your computer.