Ah West Texas. The high desert. Such an example of minimalism. The silence you experience when you’re miles away from a major city is incredible. “There Will Be Blood,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “The Lone Ranger” were all filmed near here. Sharp green Yuccas and brown tumbleweeds dot the landscape (and inspire one to wonder about making lamps out of these? Seriously guys, they’re huge..) while the Chinati Mountains are grey mounds in the distance.
The first day we arrived after the 7 hour drive we wandered around town being artsy with the long fall shadows and checked out Prada Marfa. The town of Marfa is so small you can walk across it in 10 minutes flat but be prepared to feel lightheaded after a while since you’re almost a mile up in elevation.
I was lucky enough to assist my friend Elissa (seen in photos above) at an amazing soul-filling wedding. You can see her photos over here.
When I say I’m headed out to Marfa, a lot of people ask me “what is there to do in Marfa?” And I say: “not a lot.” Most of the town shuts down at 9 or earlier and there are only about 5 places to eat that don’t require reservations to be made a week in advance.
I’ve been twice now and I’m planning on making it a yearly trip – perhaps at different seasons? Marfa is a perfect place to get away from your busy city life. Go with a group and make it a digital detox. This is my favorite way to experience Marfa. Go “Glamping” at El Cosmico or stay at one of the two other hotels in town (Thunderbird‘s San Jose minimalism and El Paisano Hotel‘s quaint luxury.)
Hike in the Chinati Mountains. See Donald Judd’s 15 Untitled Works in Concrete and play high fashion model with them. (see above)
Spend a week exploring all of west Texas and make the most of that boring 7 hour drive and experience living 2 hours from the nearest Target. I’m hoping next time I can get a wedding of my own and return the favor to Elissa.
On the way home, we missed a turn and ended up going through Marathon. At one point when we were driving, the sky and the road just opened up and we were the only people on the road. We had to stop and take panoramic pictures just to capture the essence of the middle of nowhere feeling. These are my poor panoramic iPhone shot attempts.
