Marfa, Texas
February 5–6, 2022
February 5–6, 2022
I have long heard that Marfa is the place to be—small town filled with art and artists and generally oddity. It definitely met my expectations in that regard, but the town was oddly silent during my couple days there. Being a Vermonter, I’m very familiar with how quiet small towns can become during the middle of winter, but I wasn’t expecting that from southwest Texas!
But, let’s be clear—I definitely didn’t mind the quiet. I strolled the streets (both with and without dogs), had some delicious Texas rosé and an “adult lunchable” at Marfa Wine Co., stopped for brunch at Aster and a “ranch water” (delicious south Texas cocktail) at the Planet Marfa beer garden, and got myself some treats at Esperanza, a fine art and vintage clothing shop. I happened to purchase a print of one of the owner’s brilliant photographs, and she asked to take a photo of me holding it up. Kinda meta! I also did a little grocery shopping at The Get-Go, a truly outstanding local grocery store.
My first night in town, I ran out of propane and didn’t realize it until long after all the stores had closed. (My tank is built into the van, so I can’t just pop over to a gas station and get a replacement tank.) The temperature was set to go down to 25º or so, and things weren’t looking good. I took a hot shower in the campground bathhouse, bundled up as much as possible, drank some hot tea, and went to bed quite early, with little Miso snuggled into the sleeping bag with me. When we awoke, after a fitful night of chilly sleep, it was 32º in the van and Mochi’s teeth were chattering pitifully. As soon as I got up, I took us on an aimless drive to run the heater and warm up. Eventually, the dogs and I thawed.
I took advantage of the excellent laundromat in town and Frama, the coffee/ice cream shop that’s connected to it. While I was sitting outside, waiting for my clothes to finish, I struck up a conversation with a young couple who had the cutest dog. Nicole and Trey are South Africans living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to work on yachts, she as a chef and he as an engineer. Aliyah, their unbelievable mini Australian shepherd, essentially broke my brain with her cuteness. After chatting for a bit, the charming little family invited me to join them for dinner in their RV, which just happened to be parked at the Tumble In RV Park, where I was staying.
Later that night, I was treated to a delicious home-cooked meal, doggie play time, and copious amounts of wine. When Nicole and Trey learned that I had spent the previous evening chilled to the bone, they insisted on giving me their extra space heater. There was playful astrology, good music, and great conversation. What a treat of a chance meeting!
Marfa was adorable, and I definitely plan to come back in the future. I now totally understand why everyone thinks it’s the jam.
But, let’s be clear—I definitely didn’t mind the quiet. I strolled the streets (both with and without dogs), had some delicious Texas rosé and an “adult lunchable” at Marfa Wine Co., stopped for brunch at Aster and a “ranch water” (delicious south Texas cocktail) at the Planet Marfa beer garden, and got myself some treats at Esperanza, a fine art and vintage clothing shop. I happened to purchase a print of one of the owner’s brilliant photographs, and she asked to take a photo of me holding it up. Kinda meta! I also did a little grocery shopping at The Get-Go, a truly outstanding local grocery store.
My first night in town, I ran out of propane and didn’t realize it until long after all the stores had closed. (My tank is built into the van, so I can’t just pop over to a gas station and get a replacement tank.) The temperature was set to go down to 25º or so, and things weren’t looking good. I took a hot shower in the campground bathhouse, bundled up as much as possible, drank some hot tea, and went to bed quite early, with little Miso snuggled into the sleeping bag with me. When we awoke, after a fitful night of chilly sleep, it was 32º in the van and Mochi’s teeth were chattering pitifully. As soon as I got up, I took us on an aimless drive to run the heater and warm up. Eventually, the dogs and I thawed.
I took advantage of the excellent laundromat in town and Frama, the coffee/ice cream shop that’s connected to it. While I was sitting outside, waiting for my clothes to finish, I struck up a conversation with a young couple who had the cutest dog. Nicole and Trey are South Africans living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to work on yachts, she as a chef and he as an engineer. Aliyah, their unbelievable mini Australian shepherd, essentially broke my brain with her cuteness. After chatting for a bit, the charming little family invited me to join them for dinner in their RV, which just happened to be parked at the Tumble In RV Park, where I was staying.
Later that night, I was treated to a delicious home-cooked meal, doggie play time, and copious amounts of wine. When Nicole and Trey learned that I had spent the previous evening chilled to the bone, they insisted on giving me their extra space heater. There was playful astrology, good music, and great conversation. What a treat of a chance meeting!
Marfa was adorable, and I definitely plan to come back in the future. I now totally understand why everyone thinks it’s the jam.
