Room 5 gets window and floor upgrades

Though you can't tell from the pictures, Room 5 got a much needed upgrade. New Pella windows were installed in early March and while we were at it, we upgraded the flooring to Pergo- laminate flooring in the bedroom and porcelain tile in the bathroom. We also gave it a faux finish and updated the furniture and microwave. As the only standard room with a large bathroom and full bath, Room 5 is sure to be popular.

Before and After

A before and after of the public pools.

It's fun to look back at older photos and see how quickly things have been changing around here. The top photo was taken in the Summer of 2004, but just one year ago, our public pools were virtually the same as in this photo. 2008 was a big year for us, as we built our patio, a new hot pool (replacing the stock tank cold plunge), landscaped around the pools, and built our new river dock/deck. It's a bummer that we lost the lower cottonwood tree due to the beavers last year, but the upside is that it opened up the northern river view a bit.

Molly Venter to perform March 26th

After our September concert with Raina Rose and Johann Wagner, the word is spreading among Austin, TX musicians that Riverbend is the coolest place to play in southern NM.

Molly Venter will play on our riverside patio on Thursday, March 26th at 7 pm. Check out her music at http://www.myspace.com/mollyventer

From Molly's press release:

Pairing creative hooky melodies, smart lyrics, and a voice that stops listeners in their tracks, Molly Venter successfully combines Alternative Folk Pop with strong undertones of Soul, Gospel and a hint of Country. Molly’s voice is undeniably compelling; drawing comparisons to Tracy Chapman, Fiona Apple, Natalie Merchant and Patty Griffin. She infuses soulful passion and a gutsy edge to her rich, textured lower tones. As written in American Songwriter Magazine; “Few singers turn first time listeners into eternal fanatics as effortlessly as Molly Venter… Her voice is like an unbelievable Burgundy; many notes, flavors, fragrances, and it all goes down like silk.”

Once she has drawn listeners in with her vocals and melodies, Venter wins over fans with the depth of her writing. Her insightful, creative lyrics follow in the tradition of Folk greats like Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. Looking at the world through the lense of relationship – romantic, familial and personal – Venter manages to find a narrative that is raw, curious and self-aware without being blaming or self-deprecating.

Molly’s voice and songwriting combined with her warmth and authenticity onstage make her a commanding presence. Idaho Mountain Express noted; “Molly Venter’s voice seems larger than her small frame could possibly produce – see her perform live, though, and one learns that her stage presence magnifies her, steals any show, and demands attention…”

Her song “Walking Backwards” appeared in the 2004 Warren Miller Ski Movie “Impact”, as well as subsequent Jeep promotional CD’s in ‘05, ‘06. This year she has been selected as a finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk competition and placed second at the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival’s songwriting competition. After 3 solo albums since 2004 and frequent coast to coast touring, Molly has been building an audience in a number of cities across the country, most notably New York, Boston and Austin, TX. Venter has now paired with Pavilion Entertainment and IDN distribution to create her first nationally released album, scheduled for March of 2008.

Venter grew up in New England, lived in the North-West and in Mexico before settling in Austin, TX, which she now calls home.

Room 8 gets a facelift

One of our most popular rooms got a facelift in late February. We removed the carpet and put down hardwood laminate flooring and vinyl tiles throughout. We also painted the walls with a faux finish resembling a cloudy sky. The result is a room that is now dog friendly and nicer than before, all of this without a price increase at all. Room 8 has two queen beds and a large kitchen/dining room with picnic table. If it wasn't already the most popular room for families on a budget, it will be now.

Improvements to La Casita

We have just finished some major changes and improvements to La Casita Cottage. What started as a simple re-flooring of the dining room and bathroom, turned into a full re-plumbing of the house, a new water heater, a new tiled shower, a new tiled vanity and backsplash, tiled floors, AND, a new private yard, paved with flagstones and including a patio set and BBQ. Fans of La Casita will love the new (larger) shower and the increased privacy provided by the yard. The price increase is a modest $10 including tax. Below are some pictures of the new La Casita. Enjoy.

Welcome

Welcome to the Riverbend Hot Springs Blog! I will be using this to post info of upcoming events, new developments and changes, and just to keep our guests and past Workampers in touch with what is going on at Riverbend. Welcome!