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66 ART STOPS See page 64 SIGHTS Giant Marfa by John Cerney This tribute to the movie Giant, located on the ranch where many of the scenes were filmed, was erected by artist John Cerney in October 2018. Giant plywood billboards depict iconic images from the film — including James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor (who was added this year). Music by Michael Nesmith of The Monkees accompanies the display, issuing from solar-powered speakers disguised as rocks. Marfa Lights These mysterious glowing orbs that appear in the desert are a must-see — if you're lucky enough to see them (as we were). There's no way to predict when the lights will appear; the phenomenon only happens a dozen or so nights a year. The origin remains a mystery. Prada Marfa A required pilgrimage, Prada Marfa, designed by artists Elmgreen & Dragset in 2005, is a pop architecture landmark in Valentine, Texas, 26 miles from Marfa. SHOP MARFA Cobra Rock Custom-made minimalist western- style desert boots, crafted in-house. cobrarock.com BY MICHELLE AVIÑA MARFA JOURNAL Freda A tiny lifestyle shop with clothing, objects, and jewelry, much of it locally made. A second location is in New Orleans. shop-freda.com Garza Marfa Famed for Khadi textiles designed in Marfa (hand-spun in India), desert ponchos, saddle leather furniture, and ceramics. garzamarfa.com The Get Go Marfa resident Maia Keck opened the The Get Go grocery in 2007, stocked with organic, local, alternative, and gourmet ingredients and supplies for the home cook. thegetgomarfa.com. Marfa Book Co. Much more than a bookstore, MBCo. is a publisher and film, music, and performance space that's been a part of Marfa life for almost 20 years. The inventory is diverse: a vast selection of books themed to the area, housewares, local art, and clothing. Located in the Hotel Saint George lobby. marfabookco. com. Marfa Brand Soap Fourteen years ago, Ginger Griffice left New York, settled in West Texas and began making soap in her kitchen. She sold her first batches at the local farmers' market and now has fans as far away as Japan. The soaps are made by hand in Marfa; Griffice pours 150 bars at a time, using goat's milk (from Marfa Maid Dairy), yucca root, lapsang souchong tea, lemon peel, rose clay, and alkanet root. The store has limited weekend hours, but you can also find her soaps in Marfa at The Get Go, Mano, and El Cosmico Provision Co. marfabrands.com. Marfa Wine Co. This bottle shop and tasting room features wines from small producers all over the world. See more about its founder, James Haven, on page TK. theheightsgrocer.com/marfawineco. Raba Marfa Vintage fashion from Vivienne Westwood to Jeremy Scott, as well as housewares, candles, and oils. rabamarfa.com. EAT AND DRINK Al Campo Wine Garden & Rustic Bistro A South American-inspired restaurant that's a great option for al fresco dining and a drink. We loved the tacos with aioli and pickled veggies and smoked free-range chicken. alcampomarfa.com. Bar Nadar Pool + Grill This space at the Hotel Saint George is closed for the fall but reopens in spring with a delicious menu of tacos, fajitas, cocktails, shots, and liquor. barnadarmarfa.com. Boyz2Men/Bad Hombres Owned by Houston native David Beebe, this Mexican restaurant and beer bar serves breakfast tacos, pulled-pork and smoked-brisket tacos, Frito pies, organic coffee, hamburger and premium hotdog combos, Texas chili, and boudin for breakfast and lunch on weekends. facebook.com/boyz2menmarfa. The Capri A New American restaurant and event space from chef/owner Rocky Barnette and wife, Virginia Lebermann (Ballroom Marfa), is in a former military hangar alongside the Thunderbird Hotel. Barnette fuses local ingredients into dishes ranging from prickly-pear- braised rabbit to crispy grasshoppers and ancient-corn tortillas, with interiors styled by artist Sean Daly, who has designed sets for Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair. thunderbirdmarfa.com/ capri-home. The Food Shark This food truck serves Mediterranean and West Texas cuisine, such as lamb-kebab platters, house-smoked turkey sandwiches, fatoush salad, hummus, and falafel. facebook.com/ foodsharkmarfa. FOR SOME OF US, IT WAS OUR FIRST TRIP TO MARFA, THIS SMALL TOWN IN THE WEST TEXAS DESERT — LAND OF THE MOVIE GIANT, THE CHINATI FOUNDATION, AND THE MYSTERIOUS MARFA LIGHTS. WE ARRIVED WITH AN OPEN MIND, QUESTIONING HOW A TINY SPECK ON THE MAP COULD CREATE SUCH A LARGE FOOTPRINT. ITS IMPORTANCE TO THE DESIGN AND ART WORLD IS HARD TO OVERSTATE. THIS SMALL DOT IN THE WEST TEXAS DESERT ISSUES A STRANGE CALL TO THOSE LOOKING TO DISCONNECT, LIVE OFF THE GRID, AND EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW. (continued on page 95)