Breakfasting in Marfa

While in Marfa, we stayed at El Cosmico, where you can stay in trailers, yurts, safari tents, the one teepee on the grounds, or even pitch your own tent.  This road trip was all about doing things I've never done before (i.e. canoeing 21 miles and camping), and staying in a trailer and a teepee fits the bill.  We spent one night in the Imperial Mansion trailer and one night in the teepee.  Both were surprisingly comfortable!

The Imperial Mansion Trailer and Teepee

Breakfast is not included at El Cosmico, and you pretty much only have one restuarant breakfast option--Cochineal.  I was not about to spend $20 for breakfast in Marfa.  I really wanted to eat at Austin Street Cafe, but alas, they're only open on Sundays.  After a morning of searching for breakfast alternatives, we decided on just making coffee in the trailer and eating whatever we brought with us on the trip.

Breakfast at the Trailer

The following morning, we got coffee at Frama/Tumbleweed Laundry and croissants at Squeeze Marfa and brought the goodies back to the teepee.

 

Frama/ Tumbleweed Laundry

 

Scrabble Menu at Frama

The croissants at Squeeze are light, flakey, buttery without being greasy. 

 

Breakfast at the Teepee

Continental Breakfast: Croissant with Butter and Hero Jam, Orange Slices, and Swiss Cheese

Marfa: Pizza Foundation

People are right!  Pizza Foundation serves up great pizza!  But not only that, the different flavored frozen limeades are addictive.

Pizza Foundation

Watermelon and Mango Frozen Limeades...ooo yeah...as good as it sounds!

1 Half: Spinach and Garlic

1 Half: Pepperoni, Sausage, Fresh Basil, and Mushroom

Chinati Foundation Tour with a Lunch Break at Food Shark

Our main purpose for going to Marfa was to check out Donald Judd's art compound at the Chinati Foundation.  You have to enter the compound with either a half day or morning and afternoon tour.  We did the whole sha-bang and had a blast!  Here's a good NPR link about Judd and his works in Marfa.

Chinati Foundation

Donald Judd, Untitled (Progression), 1976?

Cool Donald Judd Revolving Doors

One of one hundred Judd stainless steel boxes in the artillery of the Chinati compound

Once we reached the halfway point, the guide gave us a 2 hour break for lunch.  Of course everyone on the tour hustled over the other much talked about food joint, Food Shark, of NYTimes fame.

Food Shark

Unlike my experience at Cochineal, I thoroughly enjoyed eating at this popular establishment.  I liked the easy-going vibe, the thoroughly scrumptious pork tacos, the refreshing salad, and the hummus and flat bread.  I'm not a huge fan of falafels to start with, so I suppose the falafels are decent.

Orange Pellegrino and Peanut Butter Cookie; Marfalafel-flour tortilla filled with falafel balls, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, tahini, yogurt and harissa sauces

Pork Tacos with Greek Salad

Combo Plate-2 falafel balls with yogurt, tahini and harissa sauces, Greek salad, hummus and flatbread

Right behind the trailer and next to the railroad tracks, there's a fun "What you see is not what it is" sign.

"What you see is not what it is."

Fickle Foodie and I were scared that we weren't going to see the Dan Flavin light installations because the guide hadn't mentioned it throughout the first half of the tour, but things turned out for the better.  Almost all of the second half of the tour was spent going in and out of the 6 buildings with various pairings of colored lights.  Woohoo!

Flavin Fans

After the tour ended, we were free to explore the concrete Judd sculptures out in the fields.  We tried out some fun action poses.

Cochineal: First Meal in Marfa, TX

Marfa, TX

Right after I submitted my papers and took my finals, I cleansed myself of anything that smelled like academia by roadtripping with one of my best friends and my mom.  Fickle Foodie and I have always wanted to visit Marfa, and I always wanted to try my hand at a true outdoors experience by canoeing on the Rio Grande through the Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park. 

Desert Sky Wind Farm

Our exploration of West Texas surprised us.  The furthest west we've ever been was Fredericksburg.  Who knew the drive west of F-burg was so gorgeous and easy!  Our favorite stretch was before we reached Fort Stockton, the gateway to Big Bend country and home of Paisano Pete, the largest road runner statue in the world.  Wind turbines appeared suddenly in the distance on the right and left of I-10.  Apparently, this is part of the Desert Sky Wind Farm.  The imagery reminded me of wind energy "propaganda" that numerates "elegant visuals added to our landscape" as one of the many pros.  Well, I fell for it.  I love the juxtaposition of modern aesthetics and desolate landscapes, and this theme seems to reappear throughout West Texas.

We drove past Marfa and past Valentine to do an amateur photoshoot at Elmgreen and Dragset's Prada Marfa outdoor installation/sculpture a la "Breakfast at Tiffany's."  I came up with the idea last minute, and grabbed a black cocktail dress, a string of pearls, and my black heels before leaving Austin.  Too bad we didn't have a white paper bag of pastry and a paper cup of coffee to complete the look.

Prada Marfa

After a long day of driving, we decided to treat ourselves to the talk of the town and foodies all over the U.S., dinner at Cochineal.  Sadly, I think it's overrated.  The price was hard to swallow, but I can forgive it somewhat because it's difficult to get fresh ingredients in Marfa. 

Not a very functional sign in front of Cochineal

If you want to try the place out, be sure to call to make reservations.  It has a small dining area, and it does fill up even on what was considered a non-peak season in Marfa.

Interior of Cochineal

Fickle Foodie and Food Dilettante

Sourdough

Fickle Foodie ordered the pork loin.  The pork tasted normal.  Nothing too exciting, although the grapes got all three of us excited when we read it on the menu.  The most delicious thing turned out to be the potato, leek, and parmesan terrine.  (We each tasted each others' dish.)

Herb Stuffed Roast Pork with Sauteed Red Grapes and Potato, Leek, and Parmesan Terrine

Mom ordered the swordfish.  It was the best out of the 3 main courses we tried.  In fact, it was fantastic!  Tender and deliciously tart with the mashed potatoes.

Wood Grilled Swordfish on Lemon Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Tomatoes and Sorrel Sauce

My rack of lamb was the most disappointing as well as the most expensive.  I advise against ordering it!  I ordered medium well, it came out rather burnt.  It was a lackluster dish.

Wood Grilled Rack of Lamb with Garlicky Cannelini Beans and Ratatouille Provencal

We shared the date pudding and rice pudding for dessert.  The date pudding was quite nice and comforting.  Not too sweet.  The rice pudding was again, lackluster.  But I guess there's only so much you can do to rice pudding.

Toshi's Baked to Order Date Pudding with Fresh Whipped Cream

Old Fashioned Rice Pudding with Raisins

I had planned on eating here again for breakfast the next morning, but after this dinner, I realized that it's not worth coming back to mediocre high-end food just because the NYTimes and many others have praised it to the skies.