We are now one of the few, if not the only business in town, to change their lighting to the absolute latest and most energy efficient lighting available in the market. We have efficiently reduced our energy consumption for lighting by 70% (47,000 Kwh) or better. According to the EPA we have efficiently reduced our carbon impact by removing 7 cars from the road, saved 3,590 gallons of gas and 75 barrels of oil from consumption, and saved enough electricity for 4.5 homes for one year. We now have greater clarity and far improved color rendering under our new lights. The LED lights in our chandeliers are the very best of the best, and won the coveted “L price" this year. On top of all of these wonderful things we should not have to replace our LED lights in next 5-10 years depending on our usage.  We are the example to follow in Las Cruces!!!

Lighting by LE Electric's Bryan Eichelberger, http://www.le-electric.com.

What a week it has been! Starting with Wednesday, the winter storm of the century hit sending Las Cruces into a deep freeze. Literally. The temperatures here were colder than those in Anchorage, Alaska, (and to think I was under the impression we lived here because it's warm....). Unfortunately, the three inches of snow that came with the cold forced us to close. Then Thursday came. With high hopes for the remaining days of serving happy patrons copious amounts of our delicious beer, we were again, forced to close. You see, El Paso Electrics generators are prepped for extreme heat, not extreme cold. This forced them to perform rolling blackout's across the city. Well, we were part of that "across the city." Our poor patrons and employees gleefully consuming food and beverage were shocked and frightened when they were suddenly doing so in the pitch black darkness. Good thing we are currently in ample stock of tea lights with Valentines Day just around the corner...

Today, we have been lucky, (insert sarcasm). The largest of our problems was merely some bursting pipes due to the freezing temps, which sent the fire department our way, and once again, our patrons out in to the cold beerless, and sober. However, because we have great friends in the wonderful city of Las Cruces, we were up and running in no time and I am happy to report that dinner is well under way, the live music should start any minute, and from the looks of it...we're back to serving those copious amounts of beer to our happy D's brew loving regulars. On to the next...

Is it Spring yet? I think Phil saw his shadow which means it should be here in 6 days, right? Let's hope so. We have too many great events coming up not to take full advantage of our two beautiful patios. Nick is SO busy conjuring up wine and spirit tastings I'm not quite sure he's brushed his hair this week. Chef Bob has made a multitude of new menu's over the past month including a new Sunday Brunch, new Back Porch, a Las Cruces Restaurant Week menu, and of course, the specials he's running for Valentine's Day, which by the way, we are already completely booked, (always accepting walk-ins!!). Needless to say, there's a lot going on.

Look for the Bartender Competition of the year coming up in a few weeks as well. Not only do the top 15 bartenders in town get to sling some drinks around for a slew of prizes, but for a small price, we get to taste them all too. "We" meaning you and I--I purchased my front row seat as soon as I heard the words 'bartender' and 'competition' in the same sentence. What's not to love? Competitors will be judged both in speed and specialty drinks. I'm holding out for the specialty's myself.

Stay tuned for more event postings, menu changes and happenings at the Pecan Grill. As always, we thank Las Cruces and the surrounding areas for all the support you have given us over the past year. We look forward to a wonderful and successful 2011 for both the restaurant and our great city.

Cheers!

The bitter cold has arrived and the first freeze has already hit Las Cruces. There is no better time for hot cider and warm home-made soup, and we've got both. The Pecan Grill's new Executive Chef's Bob Brainard and Mike Bogie have been hard at work for the release of our fall menu. A hit so far, items like crab claws served with warm lemon butter, smoked rack of lamb and stuffed dover sole, have become instant favorites. As for me, I've been fighting off the first cold of the season with sous Chef JJ's house-made soup of the day. So far, I can't decide which is my favorite between the vegetable, tomato-basil and Mexican black bean; I'm torn between all three however credit them for my feeling better on this fine Sunday.

Bar manager Nick has revamped our entire signature cocktails menu and will work to release it this week. Master mixologist Mike Trujillo came down to help us create the most scrumptous cocktails imaginable using our house infusions. In the meantime, they also created a hot cider that is simply divine and kept my friends and I warm all night on the patio this weekend. Talk about heaven. Now if only NMSU could have followed that up with a win...fabulous effort though.

We have finally put the pieces together for our Signature Rewards program and will roll it out this month. For every $200 diners spend, they get $10 free. And speaking of giving away free money, purchasing $100 in Pecan Grill gift cards gets you $25 for free throughout the Holiday season. It goes along the lines of ....'when holiday shopping for others, get a little something for yourself as well'. I mean, who can resist the good deals? And this my friends, is a great one.

The Brewmaster's Club has continued to be a fabulous hit and we have sold over 100 mugs since we started. If you don't have one yet, trust me, there is nothing more fun than drinking Pecan Beer out of a giant mug with your name on it. Not to mention it saves you money everytime so what's not to love? (I'm having one right now...)

Moving into the holiday season, keep an eye out for events at the Pecan Grill such as wine and spirit tastings, a Thanksgiving buffet, Christmas Eve dinner and a spectacular New Year's Eve celebration to ring in 2011. Again, everyone on management wants to thank the city of Las Cruces and surrounding areas for all the support you've given us in our first year of business.....we celebrate that as a family next month.

Cheers! Ashley Springer

It’s that time of year again--school is back in session! Happy to have students, faculty and staff back in town, we here at the Pecan Grill are ready for a great semester ahead. Fall means NFL Sundays, Monday night football, tailgates for NMSU football and volleyball and the introduction of both our new dessert menu and Sunday Brunch Buffet.

Sponsoring Aggie Athletics in 2010, De La Vega's Pecan Grill & Brewery is the proud host of the coaches luncheons for both Volleyball with Coach Michael Jordan, as well as Football with Coach DeWayne Walker. In the winter, we will also be the official host for Basketball with Coach Marvin Menzies. Just this past week, De La Vega's Pecan Grill & Brewery sponsored the Marvin Menzies 6th Man Open and what a great time! The face of DLV’s, Jessie Briscoe, even came down to help out. (see picture inset) Our next big adventure with NMSU?.....watch for a great big giveaway on the field during football home games and don’t forget to bring in your ticket stub for post-game discounts at the Pecan Grill. Go Aggies!!

Starting on September 12th, the Pecan Grill will host a Sunday Brunch Buffet from 11am-3pm. Chef David Anaya and Sous Chef Bob Brainard have been hard at work on the menu, which is still a guarded secret. Be sure to join us next week to find out more!

The temps will start to drop and the patio will become more enticing as the days get shorter…keep checking back for our brand new October music line-up, including indoor music on Friday nights, new local bands and the martini and margarita nights we’ve become famous for. GET OUT HERE!

Well, we are in the full swing of summer here in Las Cruces, and luckily, summer monsoons have kept our temperatures far from sweltering. This has made for many a perfect evening on D’s Back Porch watching the storms blow across the Mesilla Valley, and the lightning that commences along with them. D’s just installed a new 63” flat screen on the Porch just in time for NMSU sporting events and--yes it’s almost that time--NFL season! For now, it’s the perfect place to watch your favorite summer sports teams battle it out and enjoy a D’s brew while you’re at it.

Speaking of D’s brews, De La Vega's Pecan Grill & Brewery is happy to announce the start of the Pecan Grill Brewmaster’s Club. Pretty much the coolest club ever, members receive a 25 oz. DLV pub mug with their name hand etched on the side and discounted D’s brews every time they visit. We thought it a no-brainer too…discounted beer and a personalized mug? Talk about bragging rights! In addition, D’s keeps the mug on site so you never forget it and Club members can call ahead to have it chilled prior to arrival. Not a beer drinker? Well, D’s is only weeks away from launching the DLV’s Signature Rewards Program which gives you reward dollars back just for dining with us. We threw in a few surprises as well and who doesn’t like free surprises?

On the menu….Chef David and his team have been hard at work creating new menu items for both lunch and dinner. I’ll give you a sneak peek, they include new burgers, new salads and new entrees including Green Chile Chicken Lasagna in a white cream sauce with fresh, seasonal veggies, (yes, my mouth just started watering too). In the bakery, Chef Matt and his team are creating a custom special event bakery edition of DLV’s. That’s right, pretty soon you’ll be able to leave the cake decorating to us. And of course there’s D’s Back Porch, which continues to serve food to hungry customers late into the wee hours of the evening with scrumptious items like triple-decker grilled cheeses, sliders, fish tacos and seemingly endless plates of nachos. Yum.

As summer races by, the management team here at De La Vega's Pecan Grill & Brewery will continue listening to customers, working endlessly to build this place we call home. In the meantime, we hope to soak up some sun, take in some fresh air, and embrace the wonderful climate Las Cruces is so lucky to have. Until next time…!