Marfa, Texas - An eclectic art town tucked away in the deep south west of Texas. Franco and I decided to brave the eight hour long drive from our University and cozy up in a motel for Valentine's Day weekend in Alpine, another small mountain town about thirty minutes away. For anyone planning a future Valentine's trip in Marfa, I highly recommend booking somewhere early. The whole town was buzzing with couples the entire weekend. While sipping on a latte in a local coffee shop, we learned that a couple's Valentine's Day festival takes place each year in Valentine, a little town another thirty minutes away. To our dismay, we unfortunately missed out on the cheesy love fest, but discovered the answer to the couples mob in town.
Beyond a perfect Valentine's Day trip, Marfa is unique place to visit all on its own. Full of art galleries, some seriously good food, and the old town charm of the mid-west, Marfa is a hub for young artist types and anyone who enjoys the seclusion of the mountains and simple living. The drive itself is a testament to the vastness of Texas. You arrive in a daze after driving past hills and emptiness for what seems like hours on end. There's something mystical about the mountains that takes you out of your element. Having grown up in the suburbs and a frequent visiter of the city, breathing in the fresh mountain air is incomparable. There is so much to see and do in Marfa as well as the towns located nearby. If you can handle the drive, there's a ghost town located in Terlingua and Big Bend National Park is only about another two hours away.
Here's a quick list of cool things to do, places to stop by, and a few other activities we didn't have the time for, but hope to come back and do some day:
F O O D
For a second its easy to feel like you're in Austin, TX with guys sporting high waters and boots sitting next to girls in wide brim hats and collared shirts bunched together at picnic tables eating falafel and taking swigs from bottles of craft beer. The trucks are all located at the center of town with an interesting variety to choose from. Food shark, which is not technically a food truck, but is located close enough to where you can eat in the picnic table area, has interesting hummus and falafel dishes. Having run out of food due to the high weekend demand, we were unable to eat here, but the inside scenery was well worth stepping inside. With just a tiny window to order food at, you are surrounded by sixties sic-fi-esque TVs and radios on every wall. The psychedelic environment mixed with Middle Eastern food makes for an interesting combination. There is also Boyz2Men and Fat Lyle's to name a few others. I'll let the names speak for themselves.
- Squeeze -
A tiny little hole in the wall with great fresh juices and sandwiches, this place is worth the wait. Franco ordered a homemade cream soda (that I drank the majority of) and we both had some simple, yet good paninis for lunch on our last day of the trip.
- Frama Coffee -
Okay, so I love coffee. Like a lot. Everyone I know will attest to this. I also like sweet coffee that tastes more like a milk shake than coffee, so I'm one of those people. Either way, I had the best iced caramel latte I've ever had at this place. The owner was super friendly and helpful when it came to learning more about the town and things to do. Stop here, you won't regret it.
S T U F F T O D O
This sculpture has become almost a symbol of Marfa and it's general artistic mystery. The work of two European artists, the permanent sculpture explores the relationship between a piece of art and the landscape it is produced in. When we arrived, a wave of couples came shorty after to take the hallmark photo in front of the weathered building. Meant to eventually fade back in to the landscape, it certainly appeared as though this process was underway.
- The Chinati Foundation -
Created by founder artist Donald Judd, the Chinati Foundation is home to several permanent collections that are both free and part of guided tours. Many artists live on site as part of their residency and the entire facility feels full of energy. Take a walk down to the permanent installation of giant concrete blocks and you can see the expansive amount of old brick buildings on the top of the hill. If you have the time, take the full guided tour.
- The Marfa lights -
Apparently if you have the patience, you can sometimes stay out late at night and see the mysterious ghosts lights of Marfa. There is a viewing adobe between Alpine and Marfa where you can camp out with chairs and snacks to try your luck. Franco and I were too tired by the end of each night to make the trip, but this is definitely going on my list of future spooky activities to accomplish.
- Marfa Public Radio -
Imagine driving for hours through mountains and desolate old towns with only two options; the evangelical preacher, or country music. This is what you get when you venture to the ends of the Earth, or the bottom of Texas. It's almost magical to arrive about thirty minutes out from Marfa and suddenly hear the familiar jingle of an NPR transition segment. So damn cool. We stopped by here and peaked in the window for a moment. You can see all sorts of radio equipment and piles of books stacked on each other in a back room.
- Just walk around! -
No seriously, I mean it. Stop driving around and park your car and just walk. Don't pull out your phone's GPS. You don't need it. The best part about Marfa is the accessibleness once you arrive. You can walk almost anywhere without needing you car. Full of intriguing alley ways and quaint architecture, take the time to fully absorb your surroundings. It's beautiful here. Talk to the locals. Listen to local music. This is Marfa. There's no where quite like it.
S L E E P
- El Cosmico -
Located conveniently next to the Chinati Foundation, El Cosmico is everything a south west town should be in terms of shelter. Spend the night in a teepee, camper, tent or even yert and hopefully don't freeze to death if the bipolar Texas weather turns nasty on you. This is where we initially hoped to stay, but being the unfortunate procrastinators we are, it was simply not meant to be.
- Motels -
Both Marfa and Alpine are home to a few simple motels. We stayed a total of two night for an incredibly cheap price in a bright yellow motel in Alpine and our room had more than we needed. If you're a broke college student like us, this option is not half bad and leaves your wallets full for the most important thing there is; food.
Outfit 1: Top: Image | Jacket: thrifted | Pants: thrifted | Nike air force one's: thrifted | Hat: Cotton On | Backpack: thrifted
Outfit 2: Top: Image | Skirt: thrifted | Shorts: F21 | Chelsea Boots: thrifted
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