Marfa is Weird.
Day 3 in Texas, Part 2
April 23, 2019
Today ended with thunder and lightening and torrential downpours, telling me “Stay put and get some sleep!” Ok, I had to say. Lightening when the sky is this big is its own draw, but I suppose I won’t run out at midnight tonight. Maybe at 11 though…
I set out to Marfa from Terlingua after nabbing an acceptable breakfast–a toasted bagel with a wedge of avocado, a soy latte, and both water and drip coffee thermoses topped off. But for in-between sustenance, regular salted almonds and this dried fruit snack called Rind have been a godsend.
After a brief stop from Border Patrol, I made it to Marfa easily. Those 80 MPH stretches with no one but you on the road come in handy. But yes, Marfa. It’s this cross-section of weird art community and tradition Texan town, a juxtaposition that makes it seem like a movie set with great art direction. With erratic hours, many places are closed most of the day, so it feels even more like props, art installations that were used many years back and left to decay. There are buildings with arbitrary words and little to describe or declare their purpose. And “Marfa” on everything.
It does have roots back to the times of the Transcontinental Railroad. It was established as a “water stop” for the steam engines. Somehow in the early 2000’s, at least that’s when I first heard of it, it became a art community. That newish vibe and its authentic Texan roots make it a tourist destination. I would stay the night and explore with curiosity, though with a tongue in my cheek. These large-scale pieces are from John Cerney who I blogged about here and here when I visited Roswell, New Mexico.
Most popular is this art installation outside of Marfa in Valentine, a pop art exhibit. It’s a non-functioning Prada Store, complete with merchandise to window shop.
Love Locks. A lot a love…
I picked up some salty snacks for the car at The Get Go, an elevated convenience grocer with vegan options. You have to get the font right in Marfa and this place certainly does.
In case you forgot, you’re in Marfa. Marfa, Marfa, Marfa!
The word “art” is like put a bird on it….
Surprising that there weren’t more vegan food options at the restaurants here in Marfa. I found that LaVenture in Hotel Saint George was serving a clearly label dinner option. And it was open! Sure I’ll throw down too much money for a proper meal.
Ok and a drink! Some strawberry and basil mash up with a heavy pour of, gosh, I don’t even know. It hit me like a ton of bricks, in a good way.
Crusted with tajin…
The Roasted Spaghetti Squash was satisfying! With a mushroom bolognese, black truffle emulsion, asparagus, and chive oil, it was very much in need of a starch. I devoured it.
In case you forgot… “art.”
And word art.
With that rain, thunder and lightening, my idea of star shooting again was thwarted. The McDonald Observatory, part of the University of Texas at Austin, was hosting a Star Party just 20 minutes away from here too. So I’m not alone in my disappointment. However, watching the lightening fill up the enormous Texas sky is also breath taking… but not as much when you are trying to steer your toy car in the whipping winds to the Marfa Lights Observatory within the random blinding blasts. The Marfa Lights are an intriguing phenomenon, but looks like I’ll have to waste tonight’s darkness and get some sleep.
Goodnight, Marfa–ya weirdo.