Carole Terwilliger Meyers's Blog, page 15

Sights to See: Amarillo Museum of Art, Amarillo, Texas

Amarillo Museum of Art  2200 S Van Buren St., on Amarillo College campus, (806) 371-5050.  Tu-F 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 1-5pm.  Free. 

exterior of Amarillo Museum of Art in Amarillo, Texas

Featuring art exhibits from many different genres and time periods, this museum often hosts art shows and exhibits produced by local artists and/or inspired by Texas.  Collection highlights include four Georgia O'Keeffe watercolors and several works by John Marin.  The “Double Standard” serigraph by Ed Ruscha and “Ubu Aux Baleares” lithograph by Joan Miro are also of particular interest.  Sculpture is displayed outside.  In addition, the museum also hosts educational talks, lectures, and programs throughout the year, and the gift shop sells a wide selection of art-related gifts, books, apparel, and souvenirs.

"Roof with Snow" watercolor by Georgia O'Keeffe at Amarillo Museum of Art in Amarillo, Texas

“Double Standard” serigraph by Ed Ruscha at Amarillo Museum of Art in Amarillo, Texas

“Ubu Aux Baleares” lithograph by Joan Miro at Amarillo Museum of Art in Amarillo, Texas

More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Big Art Tour, Amarillo, Texas

Big Art Tour  Amarillo has developed a sizable portfolio of large outdoor art, or macro art.  The wide open spaces available here allow for big art and for vast expanses between the artworks.  This is, after all, Big Sky Country.  Expect to do some searching and sleuthing to find these out-of-the way installations.

●Ozymandias  Located just off I-27 south.  This installation was crafted by Lightnin’ McDuff in the mid-1990s.  Situated in a private cow pasture protected by barbed wire, these two giant legs pay homage to the namesake Egyptian king.  The work is popular with local teens, who come out here to make out, and with vandals who like to paint socks on the legs (the socks have been sandblasted off many times, only to reappear).

Ozymandias Big Art installation in Amarillo, Texas

●Signs Project by the Dynamite Museum  6 mi. from downtown.  Though it appears that the original Signs Project is defunct, a new version exists in Mariposa eco village, a 1-square-mile off-the-grid community with five structures.  One of them--a house painted in yellow-and-purple patterns and featuring an outline of Texas in cinder blocks in its front yard--is available for Air B&B stays.  And it is in this community that local artist Jon Revett resides in his rammed-earth house.

Signs Project by the Dynamite Museum Big Art installation in Amarillo, Texas

yellow-and-purple patterned house at Mariposa eco village in Amarillo, Texas

Big Art installation at Mariposa eco village in Amarillo, Texas

●Floating Mesa  Located a short drive NW of town, just E of the junction of State Hwy. 1061 & State Hwy. 2381.  The highway leading to this 1981 installation by Stanley Marsh 3 continues on to Colorado and was the original trail used by cowboys herding their cattle there.  An illusion that the top portion of the mesa is floating occurs when the sun reflects just so, which happens whenever the sky is clear--with no overcast and with just the right amount of white.  Then, the line of white plywood that was inserted appears to blend in with the sky behind the mesa, and the mesa appears to be floating.

Floating Mesa Big Art installation in Amarillo, Texas

side view of Floating Mesa Big Art installation in Amarillo, Texas

● Cadillac Ranch



More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Great Sleeps: Villa La Estancia, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Villa La Estancia   Paseo Cocoteros No. 700 Sur, Flamingos, +52 (322) 226 9700.  135 2- and 3-bedroom units.  Infinity pool; 3 hot tubs; full-service spa; fitness center; 1 tennis court.  Underground parking.  This expansive resort sells condos and then rents them out for owners for short-term stays.  Guests get the services and amenities of a 5-star resort combined with a spacious and luxurious unit.  Units have 10-foot-high ceilings with fans as well as air conditioning.  A private balcony provides expansive views of beautiful Banderas Bay/Bahia de Banderas and the sandy beach, where you’ll want to spend plenty of time and perhaps try paragliding or horseback riding.

view from balcony at Villa La Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico







Units are equipped with a full kitchen and laundry closet, and there is an on-site supermarket.  Bathrooms feature a deep jetted tub, double sinks, and plenty of marble and granite.

bedroom at Villa La Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

I especially enjoyed having lunch in the pool-side cafe--an icy cold margarita and guacamole, but of course.  A swim-up pool bar is also an option.

margarita and guacamole at pool cafe Villa La Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

Dinner in upscale La Casona is divine.  It offers a familiar American menu  and is where an expansive buffet and menu breakfast is served each morning.  An all-inclusive package is available that includes upgrades, cocktails, spa services, upscale meals, and a round of golf at one of the nearby courses.

house salad at La Casona at Villa La Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico

selections from breakfast buffet at La Casona at Villa La Estancia in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico


More things to do in Riviera Nayarit.

More things to do in Mexico.

More ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images and videos ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Sights to See: Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo Texas

Cadillac Ranch   West of town, on old Route 66, south of I-40 between exits 60 and 62.  The Cadillac Ranch is one of the most famous art installations in the United States.

overview of Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

It was created along the iconic Route 66 in 1974 by Stanley Marsh 3 in collaboration with Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez, and Doug Michels--who were a part of the Ant Farm art group in San Francisco.  A tribute to the Golden Age of American automobiles, it consists of ten Cadillacs (1948 to 1963 models) that are nose-dived bottoms up into the ground and partially buried.  It reminds me of the moai statues on Easter Island.  Because it is so dramatic, this installation has been featured in a variety of music videos and movies, including “Rockin' the Caddy at Cadillac Ranch, TX.”  The installation was moved in 1997 from its original cow pasture location, but is still out in a cow pasture.  People park their cars along the road and walk in.

entrance to Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

dirt road leading to Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

Over the years, visitors started adding their own flair to the buried cars with spray paint.  This can be a problem when the wind is blowing, because you and your clothing can also wind up more colorful.  If you’re going to indulge, bring plastic gloves and maybe even a plastic rain cover or garbage bag to protect your clothing.  I wound up getting nauseous from the paint can fumes, so it isn’t a bad idea to also bring along a respirator mask to protect you from the aerosol fumes--it also winds up making you look like you are a serious graffiti artist.  At least one guy in town collects the peeling paint and turns it into souvenir jewelry.

overview of Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

visitor taking a picture at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

visitor working with spray can at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

visitor working with spray can at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

visitor taking a selfie at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Amarillo, Texas, Cadillac Ranch

Cadillac Ranch   West of town, on old Route 66, south of I-40 between exits 60 and 62.  The Cadillac Ranch is one of the most famous art installations in the United States.

overview of Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

It was created along the iconic Route 66 in 1974 by Stanley Marsh 3 in collaboration with Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez, and Doug Michels--who were a part of the Ant Farm art group in San Francisco.  A tribute to the Golden Age of American automobiles, it consists of ten Cadillacs (1948 to 1963 models) that are nose-dived bottoms up into the ground and partially buried.  It reminds me of the moai statues on Easter Island.  Because it is so dramatic, this installation has been featured in a variety of music videos and movies, including “Rockin' the Caddy at Cadillac Ranch, TX.”  The installation was moved in 1997 from its original cow pasture location, but is still out in a cow pasture.  People park their cars along the road and walk in.

entrance to Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

dirt road leading to Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

Over the years, visitors started adding their own flair to the buried cars with spray paint.  This can be a problem when the wind is blowing, because you and your clothing can also wind up more colorful.  If you’re going to indulge, bring plastic gloves and maybe even a plastic rain cover or garbage bag to protect your clothing.  I wound up getting nauseous from the paint can fumes, so it isn’t a bad idea to also bring along a respirator mask to protect you from the aerosol fumes--it also winds up making you look like you are a serious graffiti artist.  At least one guy in town collects the peeling paint and turns it into souvenir jewelry.

overview of Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

visitor taking a picture at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

visitor working with spray can at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

visitor working with spray can at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

visitor taking a selfie at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas

More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (PPHM), Amarillo Texas

Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (PPHM)   2503 4th Ave., in Canyon, 15 mi. S of town, (806) 651-2244.  $10, 65+ $9, 4-12 $5.  Located on the West Texas A&M University campus in an Art Deco building, the state’s oldest and largest history museum covers petroleum, archaeology, and costumes and textiles, but it also holds a surprising fine arts collection and paleontology treasures.

front entrance to Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

One indoor gallery holds a large--if dark--little Pioneer Town, and it is the first museum in the U.S. to provide art for the sight impaired by displaying in its lobby a 3-D version of the museum’s “Red Landscape” by Georgia O'Keeffe.  Another treasure is "The Approaching Herd" by Frank Reaugh, which hung in the White House behind the desk of George W. Bush.  The museum was built with donations in 1921 at the height of the Depression and is often called “The Smithsonian with a Texas accent.”

dinosaur skeletons at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

petroleum gallery at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

“Red Landscape” by Georgia O'Keeffe at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

"Cow-Man" by Russell Vernon Hunter at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

"The Approaching Herd" by Frank Reaugh at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas


More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Amarillo, Texas, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (PPHM)

Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (PPHM)   2503 4th Ave., in Canyon, 15 mi. S of town, (806) 651-2244.  $10, 65+ $9, 4-12 $5.  Located on the West Texas A&M University campus in an Art Deco building, the state’s oldest and largest history museum covers petroleum, archaeology, and costumes and textiles, but it also holds a surprising fine arts collection and paleontology treasures. 

front entrance to Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

One indoor gallery holds a large--if dark--little Pioneer Town, and it is the first museum in the U.S. to provide art for the sight impaired by displaying in its lobby a 3-D version of the museum’s “Red Landscape” by Georgia O'Keeffe.  Another treasure is "The Approaching Herd" by Frank Reaugh, which hung in the White House behind the desk of George W. Bush.  The museum was built with donations in 1921 at the height of the Depression and is often called “The Smithsonian with a Texas accent.” 

dinosaur skeletons at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

petroleum gallery at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

“Red Landscape” by Georgia O'Keeffe at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

"Cow-Man" by Russell Vernon Hunter at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas

"The Approaching Herd" by Frank Reaugh at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas


More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, Amarillo, Texas

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum   2601 East I-40, (806) 376-5181.

exterior of American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas
Unleash your inner cowboy at this very focused museum dedicated to the heritage of the horse that is so vital to the American West.  Some say that our country was built on its back, and that it is “the horse that settled the west.”  The quarter horse got its name from being the fastest horse at running the quarter mile, and with its long legs and a long lean body it is the ballerina of the horse world.  This largest equine museum in the world is designed to preserve and display the history and modern uses of the quarter horse breed as well as to cultivate future enthusiasts.  It showcases the people that have changed and shaped the breed and the horses that have brought it fame.  Well-staged exhibits explore the link between American and Mexican horse culture, a video includes demonstrations and relevant cowboy culture, and a children’s gallery has an old-time kiddie horse ride.  An arena outside sometimes schedules demonstrations with real horses.  When I visited, artist Sarah Harless was in the massive Entry Hall, engaged in making a horse painting.  She was almost finished when I left.

honor posted for "Traveler" at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

photo of actor John Wayne with his quarter horse Tip Top at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

How to tie up a horse exhibit at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

old-time horsie kiddie ride at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

artist Sarah Harless making a horse painting in Entry Hall at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

artist Sarah Harless beginning a horse painting in Entry Hall at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

artist Sarah Harless completing a horse painting in Entry Hall at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas


More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Amarillo, Texas, American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum

American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum   2601 East I-40, (806) 376-5181. 

exterior of American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas
Unleash your inner cowboy at this very focused museum dedicated to the heritage of the horse that is so vital to the American West.  Some say that our country was built on its back, and that it is “the horse that settled the west.”  The quarter horse got its name from being the fastest horse at running the quarter mile, and with its long legs and a long lean body it is the ballerina of the horse world.  This largest equine museum in the world is designed to preserve and display the history and modern uses of the quarter horse breed as well as to cultivate future enthusiasts.  It showcases the people that have changed and shaped the breed and the horses that have brought it fame.  Well-staged exhibits explore the link between American and Mexican horse culture, a video includes demonstrations and relevant cowboy culture, and a children’s gallery has an old-time kiddie horse ride.  An arena outside sometimes schedules demonstrations with real horses.  When I visited, artist Sarah Harless was in the massive Entry Hall, engaged in making a horse painting.  She was almost finished when I left. 

honor posted for "Traveler" at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

photo of actor John Wayne with his quarter horse Tip Top at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

How to tie up a horse exhibit at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

old-time horsie kiddie ride at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

artist Sarah Harless making a horse painting in Entry Hall at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

artist Sarah Harless beginning a horse painting in Entry Hall at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas

artist Sarah Harless completing a horse painting in Entry Hall at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas


More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo and Polk Street Cattle Drive, Amarillo, Texas

The traditional Polk Street Cattle Drive and Parade begins annually at 10th and Polk streets, kicking things off for the June Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo.  More than 60 longhorns mosey along downtown Amarillo’s main thoroughfare, encouraged by cowboys and evoking the idea of an old-time cattle drive.  The steers don’t come near stampeding, though their horns do sometimes scratch parked cars that didn’t vacate in time.




Coors Cowboy Club Ranch Rodeo   1st weekend in June.  At Tri-State Fairgrounds.  $17, 7-12 $7.  This rodeo is different from some in that it features only cowpokes from local ranches.  They ride bucking broncos and herd groups of longhorn steers.  The kids competition involves riding sheep.  It’s BIG time Texas fun for everyone.  The local aspect was driven home for me when I sat up at the top of the arena next to a couple who seemed to know everyone.  It was non-stop chatter throughout, in a good way.  Informal stalls selling things like saddles and boots set up around the area walkway at the top, allowing you to do a little shopping for some cowboy goods.


















More things to do in Amarillo.

More things to do in Texas.

Great ideas for travel adventures in California and the U.S. and around the world.

videos ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers