4.02.2009

A (much belated) Marfa Update…





I was sorting through the photos from our Marfa trip and realized that (unlike miss aimee) I’d never done a proper re-cap post. I’ve actually attempted one a few times, but every time I sat down to write something that adequately encapsulated our experience, I came up empty. (For those of you that know me in-person, you know I’m rarely at a loss for words, so this state perplexed me a bit.)

I think the reason it’s been so hard to write about the trip is that Marfa surprised me… it caught me off guard. Sure I expected to have fun, to relax, see some great art and spend quality time with friends, but I didn’t expect to be bowled over (enchanted even) by the town.

Mainly because I am not a desert girl. I like misty, loamy, green… I love Big Sur, the Pacific Northwest, spots where the forest meets the sea. I don’t do dry, yellow, barren – all desert hallmarks. This was an unwavering preference, a part of my make-up for as long as I can remember, but nonetheless, I all of the sudden found myself scheming ways to drastically simplify our lives, pack it all up and move to Marfa. Desert be damned.

Perhaps it was the timing of our trip... Maybe my feelings about the town are a reflection of where I am right now in relation to consumption in general. Marfa's a sort of "stripped-down" town -- it’s not a place to go if you want to be endlessly entertained, to shop or dine excessively. But discovering the treasures behind crumbling buildings, stumbling upon the surprises... that to me is perfection. We ate one of the best meals of our life (with our dear friends Buck and Camp at Cochineal), we saw incredible, thought-provoking art (at Chinati and the Ballroom), we met incredible new people (her and her) and came back home refreshed, inspired and filled up with all sorts of good stuff.

I can’t wait to go back!

14 comments:

erin said...

sounds like the perfect kind of trip. that first image is stunning. thanks for posting these...daydreaming of marfa...

Chelsea said...

I want to go there so bad! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

sounds like a great place to visit and warm up....I am still freezing up here. =]

I like the bike shot. That room looks great.

Melissa de la Fuente said...

How wonderful! What a lovely thing....to be surprised by something and fall in love.
xo
Melis

sarah b. said...

I know EXACTLY what you mean about Marfa. I am a by-the-water kind of girl, but when I visited Marfa, it instantly became one of my favorite places. I plan to spend many relaxing weekends there when I move back to Texas (& would love to live there, or have a tiny vacation home there -- I love it so much, I'd actually be surprised if I don't do that someday).

alissa said...

ive heard so much about marfa lately, it sounds very inspiring

Miss | A said...

so glad you re-capped. we had such a perfect time too!

Modern Craft said...

I'm glad you finally got there. I've wanted to visit for years-- I went to Trinity Univ in San Antonio and had art teachers who went there frequently. Maybe one day-- I like being in these kind of stripped-down places.

Rachel said...

I just got a dose of peacefulness after this post! It looks like a great place to really enjoy the simple pleasures in life!

stacy said...

peaceful came to my mind as well.

beautiful.

Modern Craft said...

Joslyn-- thought you might like seeing these beautifully stark photos of Marfa by Stanley Marcus's granddaughter, who is a great photographer.
http://www.allisonvsmith.com/v4/avs.html

Joslyn said...

Jim -- i love these...love Allison's work. in fact there were a few on display at the Thunderbird that we saw on our visit. Do you have reflections of a man? it's an amazing collection of stanley marcus' photography curated by allison and her mother. stunning!

manuel said...

Oh Marfa... I have been lucky enough to go 3 times already and every single time I get more and more enamored with the place. So enchanting and surreal. This is my first time on your blog and I love it!
-m

Elisa said...

when I lived in Texas, years ago, we would always drive past Marfa on our way to Presidio and the border (Ojinaga)
another favorite town is Ft. Davis.