National Treasures: Garza Marfa

It's turning into a Marfa-themed week around here. I posted Tuesday about the whimsical, wonderful hotel/campground El Cosmico and, while doing a bit more poking around about this Texas town, came across the glorious furniture of Garza Marfa. 

Designed by husband-and-wife team Jamey Garza and Constance Holt-Garza, the line's leather furniture has a wonderful modern-meets-Western vibe to it. I'm particularly charmed by their saddle leather cot which, when decorated with some of their vibrant, folksy pillows, looks like the perfect thing for an afternoon of lounging. Here are a few more of my favorite Garza Marfa pieces, and you can view their whole collection here.

Glorious Getaway: El Cosmico in Marfa, Texas

I was so taken with Marika Shioiri-Clark and Graham Veysey's wedding on Vogue.com. The whole celebration has a very chic-yet-accessible vibe to it, with an aesthetic that reminded me both of the Coachella Music Festival and Frida Kahlo's paintings. The last image really struck me: it's of the Sioux-style tepees at El Cosmico, a hotel and campground on 21 acres in Marfa. Visitors can also opt to stay in renovated vintage trailers, safari and scout tens, and even a Mongolian yurt. There are communal spaces throughout the property, like a hammock grove, to an outdoor kitchen and dining area, and a reading room, and you can even pack your pooch since the hotel is dog-friendly.

El Cosmico's onsite events are equally whimsical (see their workshop on botanical beverages and love potions) and they also host Monday movie nights and live music at sunset some evenings. Guests can unwind at the end of the day by renting one of their wood-fired hot tubs. How great would a soak beneath the stars here be?

Here are a few more photos from around El Cosmico's website and dreamy Instagram feed. 

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" Performance at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Of all the holiday movies out there, A Charlie Brown Christmas remains one of my favorites. Not only is it a classic with a sweet message, but it also has a wonderful score I often find myself listening to as I walk around New York City during the holiday season (if you haven't done this, do. It's magic!) The music for the TV special was famously performed by the Vince Guaraldi Trio helmed by pianist extraordinaire, the late Vince Guaraldi, who also scored the TV special A Boy Named Charlie Brown. 

Each season the Metropolitan Museum of Art offers fans the chance to visit and see a screening of A Charlie Brown Christmas, alongside a live performance of the score. This year, it will be performed the Rob Schwimmer Trio, and there's even a festive sing-along. There are four performances on December 19th and 20th, and tickets include admission to the museum, which will have their annual Christmas tree on display. 

Festival Friday: Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas

When I think of American nostalgia, some of the first images that come to mind are by Norman Rockwell, the famous illustrator whose paintings of day to day American life graced the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. Some of his most famous works portray the holidays in New England, including this painting, Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas, of his hometown in the Berkshires. Each December, Stockbridge sets about recreating the nostalgic image of Main Street. 

This year's celebration takes place from December 4-6. Activities kick off on Friday night with a reading of popular Christmas stories at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church. On Saturday, visitors can take a tour of the town's historic homes, join in on a round of caroling, and spend the evening at a holiday concert performed by the Berkshire Lyric and the Blafield Children's Chorus. Sunday sees Main Street transformed into the painting, with antique cars parked along the street and a range of festive activities and food. There's also a Santa's workshop activity center for children set up at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Founded by Rockwell and his wife in 1969, it's home to the most significant collection of the artists's work in the world.

At the center of it all is the historic Red Lion Inn, which has been hosting guests for two centuries. The main inn and its guest houses are bedecked in beautiful antiques, with reading rooms, parlors, and sun porches throughout, perfect for curling up with a book and a glass of wine from the hotel's lengthy list. The inn's main dining room is one of the better spots to eat in the Berkshires, with New England comfort food sourced locally and served in the pretty, candlelit dining space, where tables are set with antique china and colonial pewter. Afterwards, head to the Lion's Den Pub in the inn's basement to cozy up with a mug of hot mulled cider around the fire.