What happens when you find oil under the ground in your own backyard? Greed, mayhem, family members coming out of the woodwork? Yep, pretty much. Take a step back in time with this week's pick, There Will Be Blood. Daniel Day-Lewis is back as a turn-of-the-century Texas prospector whose got to constantly watch his back and pretty much trample anyone in his path.
Day-Lewis takes a wrong turns when he tries to swindle a local family out of their fair share of oil money by drilling on their land and pulling the wool over their eyes, and all kinds of drama ensues. The script's well done and loosely adapted from Upton Sinclair's novel Oil!.
This one was shot in many spots, including Marfa, Texas, a teeny, arsty, funky town in the southwest part of the state, population 2,300. The place is so off-beat, an artist installed a fake Prada shop, then sealed it up to deteriorate in the desert. If you'd rather rejuvenate, try these spots:
Where To Stay: Thunderbird Hotel Originally built in 1959, The Thunderbird's got a hip, retro feel due to a minimalist renovation in a Palm Springs-esque style. Mod rooms feature custom made furniture, digital climate control and even vintage Stack-O-Meter record players with an album library. Sweat out the afternoon heat by the pool in the Oaxacan-made patio chairs, then slink into the lounge for a late set by the local DJ.
Where To Relax: Chinati Hot Springs Seek some relief in the desert in these refreshing hot springs. You can visit for the day with a picnic lunch and stay for the evening to watch the stars come out. Camping's available on-site or you can check into one of the rustic (read: no phones or TVs) adobe huts.
Where To Catch a Snack: Marfa Food Shark This mobile cafe (ie, cool galvanized metal snack truck) is the talk of the town here, usually found across from the Marfa Book Co. serving up Mediterranean fare like falafel, salads and kebobs from 11:30 am 'til whenever it runs out. Open daily!
Related Stories:
· Movie Set Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Marfa Hotels [HotelChatter]
[Photo: jabzoog]]]>
