🎉 We're building something bigger for ABQ parents

👋 Good morning, Albuquerque! If you've been reading Growing Up ABQ, you may notice something different in your inbox next week.

We're becoming Duke City Parents.

After hundreds of Albuquerque parents joined this community, we realized we don't want to build something that only lives in your phone.

It's harder than ever to meet other parents, make new friends, and find people who share your interests. We want to change that.

You'll still get the same great local content every week, but Duke City Parents is going to be about more than a newsletter. We're going to start bringing parents together in real life through events, activities, and opportunities to actually meet the people in this community.

If Growing Up ABQ has been useful to you, we hope you'll stick around for what comes next.

And if this isn't something you're interested in, we completely understand. You can unsubscribe anytime.

But if you know another Albuquerque parent who would want to be part of this community, send them this newsletter and invite them to join us. The more parents we bring together, the better this gets.

Or just forward this email to a friend. That works too.

Next week, we'll see you as Duke City Parents.

If you've never taken the kids to a New Mexico United game, Saturday is a great night to give it a try.

The atmosphere is unlike anything else in Albuquerque sports: giant flags, drums, smoke, and a supporters' section called The Curse that turns matchday into an all-day event. Before kickoff, you'll find tailgating, live screen printing, pickup soccer, and plenty of fans hanging out around the stadium. Once the match starts, the noise doesn't really stop.

Saturday's match is Indigenous Peoples' Night, as United takes on FC Tulsa at Rio Grande Credit Union Field. Bring ear protection for little ones if they're sound-sensitive, but otherwise, this is about as close to a big-league sports night as Albuquerque gets.

When: Saturday, August 15, 7:25pm
Where: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park
Cost: Ticketed, newmexicoutd.com

MORE THIS WEEKEND

Saturday, August 15

Sunday, August 16

Put this one on the list even if it's just because you will enjoy it!

UNM is showing The Mandalorian and Grogu drive-in style on Johnson Field Sunday night, and it's completely free. Bring a blanket or some low chairs, grab some snacks, and make a night of it.

The movie is part of UNM's First-Year Family Day, but you don't need to be a UNM student or family to go. It's open to the public, which makes this an easy one to bring the whole crew to without having to spend much money. And honestly, there's something about watching a movie outside that makes it feel even more special.

If you've got a Star Wars fan at home, they'll probably be pretty excited about this one. And if you don't, well there's no time like the present to help turn them into one.

When: Sunday, August 16, 8pm
Where: Johnson Field, UNM Central Campus
Cost: Free

What's better than a cheeseburger covered in green chile? A cheeseburger named after the Notorious B.L.T., the T Pine, or MC Jammer. That's Phat Stax, and it might be one of the most unexpected combinations in Albuquerque's food scene: smash burgers and old-school hip-hop.

Phat Stax has two locations, on Eubank and in Nob Hill. I went to the Eubank spot. The walls are covered in hip-hop memorabilia, old-school classics play over the speakers, and the whole place feels like a burger joint built inside a hip-hop record collection.

I ordered the G-Cheesy, a burger loaded with green chile and cheese, and it lived up to the reviews. There are also games for kids, a solid kids menu, and some of the friendliest service I've come across, making this an easy one to bring the whole crew to.

The whole concept started during COVID. Caskey Hill, a born-and-raised New Mexican and Navy veteran, was watching The Great American Food Truck Show with his wife, Tonya, when they decided to give it a shot themselves.

They started Phat Stax in 2020 with a tiny 7-by-10-foot food trailer, combining Caskey's love of cooking and hip-hop. Three years later, they opened their first brick-and-mortar in Nob Hill, followed by the Eubank location this January.

Where: 114 Tulane Dr SE (Nob Hill) or 1301 Eubank NE
Hours: Mon–Thu 11:30am–9pm, Fri–Sat 11:30am–10pm, Sun until 7pm

Thank you for being part of Growing Up ABQ. Whether you've been here since the beginning or just joined us recently, we're really glad you're here.

We're excited about what's next as we make the transition to Duke City Parents. The newsletter is just the beginning. We can't wait to bring this community together.