Marfa, TX in December

The first weekend of December, I was able to take a trip with friends out to West Texas to visit the infamous Marfa. I found that everything I had heard only scratched the surface. The artist community has become a significant aspect of the town, but there's a great deal more going on. There's an interesting tension between the locals and the art-based tourism, but it's invisible without speaking to people. The long-time residents seemed to frequent their particular shops and restaurants just as the tourists/artists did the same. But together they blend into the quirky town that is Marfa.

Naturally, as a designer, I couldn't help but be impressed with much of the resourcefulness and craft. I was thrilled to find some of my old Austin products that I can't find in San Antonio. We stayed in a trailer and "adventure tent" at El Cosmico, a unique hotel experience created by Liz Lambert, and were welcomed warmly by a very friendly staff. In total, we spent about 2.5 days in Marfa (the other 1.5 driving) and it was great to experience the town on a relaxed schedule. One day was spent exploring the town by foot, the other was spent largely at Chinati (my least favorite aspect due to their attitude of taking your money then booting you out). I also feel the need to mention Marfa's amazing public radio station. It was an awesome mix of NPR, local interviews, music, and old DJ's with incredible wit (my kind of radio host). Our last night in Marfa, we spent a good three hours hanging out in Borundas, which one google reviewer accurately described as "an oasis of normalcy in a town that has become somewhat strange." We chatted with the owners the whole time, learning about the town, their family history, and their business philosophy (no kids inside, use the drive-thru!). His family had been in Marfa 100 years, and his grandmother owned the only restaurant for years. I was blessed with getting to eat one of her recipes: chicken tacos! They kept a photo of her (with a letter) on the wall.



I hope this set depicts Marfa well... its beautiful color palette, its quiet splendor... I can't wait to revisit!

(click for larger view)