A friend of a friend summed up people who love West Texas as, "The Big Cloud Appreciation Society." He made a documentary about this that you should see.
I love the clouds, but Marfa comes down to three things for me: the font, the
light, and the stars. Well, I guess those three things and the weird people who
want to make their living under the good signs, good light, and good stars.
I’m serious, though, about the font. Every single sign in
the city is perfect. Some cities have proud architectural histories; Marfa has
a glorious heritage of typesetting.
Then there’s the light. Marfa has that unique combination of amazing,
amazing light and low rent that makes a place irresistible to artists and
low-budget vacationers alike. Think of
Normandy for the Impressionists, or Harlem during its Renaissance (only in that
case the lights were gas, but just as magical).
People from out of town used to only hear of this tiny west
Texas town for the “Marfa Lights.” The
mysterious up-and-down, side-to-side bokeh of unknown origin out that you can
see from Route 90 are indeed a wonder. But if you don’t lay back and look up in
the dark for a long time while you’re waiting for glimpses, you’re missing the
real show. How long is it since you’ve seen the Milky Way and thought, “Is that a cloud?” I thought so.
I go out to Marfa every August, and this surprises people
who know Marfa’s in the desert. Thing
is, it’s a mile high, and it’s dry. Wind
keeps the place feeling refreshed all the time, and when it’s really hot, you
can drive down the pass to Balmorhea and dive into a 40-foot natural
pool. It’s like Barton Springs, but with turtles. I love it. I don’t
think there’s anywhere better to be in Texas in the awful dead heat of the
summer.
After the jump is a list of Amarillo Girls recommendations for a Marfa trip. The main thing is to be quiet, open your eyes, and pay attention. And if you run into Julie Speed, don't take a picture of her bike. She doesn't like that.
Two Days, $200, and a Backpack
·
Saturday
o
The Thunderbird rents bikes. Getcha one, or bring your own if you’ve driven
here.
o
Put water in your backpack. Lots. It’s like
Denver; the altitude sneaks up on you.
o
Have breakfast at the Paisano around 8. Getting there early means you can watch all the retired ranchers in their pale plaid shirts with snap pockets and
turquoise rings having their coffee and trying to decide what to do with a
weekend of leisure. Delicious.
o
If it’s a Saturday, go to Farm Stand Marfa on
South Highland Avenue. Buy some stuff to cook on Sunday night , and ask the
people at the tables about it. They want to tell you.
o
Have lunch at Maiya’s. Dinner is even more
exciting, but it doesn’t fit in with our Amarillo Girls’ budget. And the wait
staff will be less busy; you might even catch Maiya at one of the tables out
front.
o
Or, go to Balmorhea and have a swim. I’ll talk
about Balmorhea all on its own some time soon.
o
Go look at all the shops and galleries. Be sure
to note which ones are/aren’t open on Sunday. Don’t miss JM Dry Goods, which is
closed Sundays, and Marfa Book Co. …there’s a good list here.
o
Take a nap after your walking and riding. Put a
jacket into your backpack, and then hit Padre’s. This former funeral home turned bar has fantastic food, and you’re liable to
run into every local you saw at work that day here once the sun goes
down.
 | |
| Padre's |
o
Or, go to the McDonald Observatory for a star
party. Bring your own telescope if you like, but don’t miss the chance to look
through one of their 107” research telescopes. For me, I’ll be honest, the
biggest thrill was just listening to the astronomers speak about their work so
passionately and patiently. Not to be missed if you can schedule it. Padre’s’ll
still be open when you get back.
o
Should you become hungry late at night, don’t
let a grilled cheese emergency get you down:
·
Sunday
o
Have breakfast at Cochineal if you can. Kelly
and I ended up at Alice’s Café -
on our last trip, and I have to say, her green sauce is good but not worth the …uh, authentic
West Texasness of the place. Try it, you’ll see what I mean.
o
Visit Moonlight Gemstones. Talk with the owner about
where the geodes come from.
o
Visit the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine.
Beautiful and fun exhibit about the unique history of this borderland between
worlds.
o
On your way out of Alpine, check out FrontStreet Books. Great selection, in particular, of travel books about the region
like this one:
o
Have dinner at the newish Planet Marfa. Suggested
activities: pool, dominoes, ping pong, listening to the locals noodle on their
guitars, count moustaches, decide whether moustaches are still ironic or not, getting into/out of the teepee…you
know, the usual.
 |
| @ Planet Marfa |
o
Go out to see the Marfa lights right after the
sun sets. There’s a viewing station on
Route 90, but there are better places. If you ask the locals nicely, they’ll
tell you.
Where to Stay
· I really like getting a little apt through Stay,Marfa. It’s cheap and adobe and you can cook at home if you’re there on a
Sunday night when everything’s shut down.
It’s also right near everything, including the grocery store.
·
How to Git There
·
I’ve driven to Marfa from Austin, and that’s a
long, long drive. If you’ve got a four day weekend, though, you can add
Fredericksburg, Fort Davis, and Balmorhea into the trip.
·
If you can, grab a Southwest Airlines deal and
fly into El Paso and rent a car from there.
<3 not gonna lie - this made me wanna visit martha - i'd like another post :) thank you
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