You live in Albuquerque, and you visit your usual restaurants. Why not try a little detour this evening (or any evening, for that matter), by heading just another 15 quick minutes to a cooler and more refreshing neighborhood – Cedar Crest.

You head east on the freeway, and enter the canyon towards Tijeras, exiting there and heading north towards the Ski Area. Just 3 miles up the road you’ll see a cloister of new buildings – our gorgeous new grocery store, a yummy pizza joint, and . . .

The Greenside Cafe.

Started a year ago by Jay Wulf, one of the founders of the Range Cafe and a former partner at the Standard Diner, Greenside is a mecca for casually elegant meals in a truly relaxing setting.

The bonus for this evening only is that it is Jay’s 40th birthday! Stop in and wish him many more, for once you try his food you’ll hope he stays in the restaurant business for decades to come.

Of course, you can always plan a visit to the Cafe, they host wine dinners on a regular basis – the next one is April 12th, 17th, and 26th, featuring French wines and classic bistro dishes. Held at 6:30pm, it is only $58 per person for 4 course with wine pairings – a bargain. Call to reserve your spot: 286-2684.

Happy Birthday, Jay!

(OK, that might be an overstatement, but hear me out and you’ll get the idea….)

I love coffee. I adore a good pull of espresso. And yet, when you or I search Google for “best barista” albuquerque, you will get a post that I wrote on my older blog website about DENVER. Denver, fer gawd’s sake. I need to hang my head and beg forgiveness with that nonsense….

Instead of pumping up the abilities (good as they may be) of baristas in other cities, I should be using my knowledge and whatever influence I can muster up to improve the situation here in my favorite city, my adopted hometown of Albuquerque.

This morning I changed my Saturday routine slightly and avoided my usual bout of loitering and absorbing the scene at Flying Star over magazines and just so-so coffee, to spend some time at a much homier shop called Cup O’ Joe. I hadn’t been by in an embarassingly long time, but promptly said hello to George and got on with my espresso swilling, lounging decompression.

George pulls a really good shot – not perfect, but certainly worthy of a visit or two or three. And – get this – he charges a BUCK for a shot. How can you not come by and check this place out now?

Cup O’ Joe is on Eubank, almost at Montgomery, next to a Farmer’s Market store.

…if you’re visiting from somewhere else, but quite possibly even if you live here.

We have good food.

Further, it will keep getting better, with new places like Nob Hill Bar & Grill opening in less than a week, and Jennifer James’ new spot poised for summer 2008.

Much to sing about, indeed.