This state may as well be it’s own country. It’s so full of layers of culture, characters and lanes of traffic that it takes a while to process both mentally and philosophically. Note to the uninitiated, driving across this big state, sometimes hugging the border, is a more intense experience than flying in and out of Dallas and Houston and watching the television tower spin around between meetings: which I think most of us have done.
How does one arrange three nights in Texas? It’s geographic challenge as much as it is a cultural one. So I took a shot at organizing visits to three very different towns: Marfa, Bandera and Galveston. Lulu, my Honda obliged, but she was sadly not available for a photo opportunity with the flag of Texas during the trip. A baseball cap wouldn’t have fit her either.
Marfa
This West Texas town is probably most famous for James Dean having filmed Giant, his last movie here in the 1950s. Black and white pictures of him, shopping in the town, bedeck the small downtown here. Marfa also been known as a arts capital of Texas for some time: although I can’t say I saw more than a few small, closed galleries the morning I had a chance to walk around.
What did impress me was the Marfa Saint George Hotel, a sleek hotel with an interesting wine and food program and super modern rooms. The wine list is also very esoteric with a number of French selections: including white Bordeaux which I love! The hotel even has a pool in the summer!
How could one resist visiting the “Cowboy Capital of Texas,” not me! While Bandera could seem to be a suburb of San Antonio, it is leagues apart. The small downtown is incredibly charming and walkable. The food here is plain and simple: think a great Texas spin on enchiladas. The town also hosts an over-the-top Mardi Gras experience with a Texas twist. It is a great place to shop for cowboy hats and see mules tied up on the streets (a first for me).
Our last stop in the Lone Star state was Galveston, a charming island in the far east of the state. It’s long been a town of stately houses and fishing escapes for Houstonians. One great new addition is the Hotel Lucine, a renovated 1950s property with a lot of charm and a sweet pool plunked in the middle of the hotel. The property’s formal dining restaurant, the Fancy, is a treat with incredibly tender chicken from local producer Jolly Farms.
Co-owner Robert Marcus says he envisions that visiting the hotel might be like dining with your kooky aunt (that would only be if she cooked very well). The property also has a rooftop bar with a great view.
I wish I had had time to see more of this fascinating state and am going to go out of my way to plan another visit soon!