Lescombes Winery & Bistro (Cottonwood) – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Years ago when my job at Intel required frequent travel to the Phoenix area, I marveled at the desert landscaping at Phooenix’s Sky Harbor Airport. Its xeriscaping approach uses native, drought-resistant flora arranged in ways that promote efficient water usage. Towering saguaros and spindly, spine-covered ocotillos greeted sojourners as they vacated the airport. Not only does this xeriscaping save the city $400,000 annually and reduce water usage by more than five-million gallons per year, it gives visitors a welcome respite from the sun-baked asphalt and cement jungle that is the Valley of the Sun. Driving away from Albuquerque’s Sunport provided a stark contrast to the affable reception of the Sky Harbor. While the latter was like a warm (scorching) embrace,…