New Mexico: A Guide for the Eyes

by Elisa Parhad

Visually focused, packed with cultural insight, and sized for portability, Guides for the Eyes celebrate the local traditions and visual vernacular

that surround us. This new series arrives just as cultural and heritage tourism in the United States becomes the largest growing sector of the

tourism market. While traditional travel guidebooks focus on where to eat, sleep, and visit (setting up the travel experience as a mere checklist of things to see and do), Guides for the Eyes introduce,

explore, and beautifully illustrate the details that create the magical sense of place that travelers seek.

As one of the most unique and colorful regions of North America, New Mexico is the first subject of the

series. For thousands of years, the state’s striking landscape has inspired the art, design, and traditions of its three dominant Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo/Western.

This visual glossary of 100 New Mexico icons is a celebratory chronicle of these natural and cultural legacies. Original photography and informative text provide insight into the significance of each topic, covering regional architecture, design, flora, fauna, food, crafts, folklore, landscape, and other facets of local identity and style.

"New A Guide for the Eyes" is a valuable resource of Southwestern culture that will tickle the fancy of the art lover, design fanatic, anthropologist, historian, and travel enthusiast. With an evocative format and impeccable sense of style, this book will be just as handy on the road as it is a reminder of a beautiful place on the coffee table.

Genres: Travel

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

A cultural anthropologist at heart and by trade, Elisa Parhad is passionate about exploring place, space, design, and culture. After completing Bachelors degrees in Cultural Anthropology and International Business at the University of Texas at Austin, she spent nearly a decade studying American subcultures and communities to inform marketing messaging and advertising campaigns. She has called Seattle, Albuquerque, Austin, and Los Angeles home, and currently lives in Pasadena, California with her husband and two sons.

Reviews

[Kelly]

When I am an old woman and can no longer travel, I hope that I can look at this book to bring back the feeling of the endless blue sky in the land of enchantment. Looking at the photographs from Seattle, I can almost smell the pinon wood smoke and hear the cicadas in the trees.

[Michael Wilson]

Wow! Visually stunning, surprising, informative and a wonderful way to explore sideroads, small towns and culture one usually misses without a local guide or friend to show you the way. Elisa Parhad is that guide!

Guide for the Eyes is guaranteed to make you want to get to New Mexico as soon as possible to explore the depth of culture, natural beauty and of course the food.

I can't wait to read her next book...think its coming out now...Southern California!!!!

[Zora O'Neill]

Genius format for a travel guide! I wish I'd thought of this. Answers those nagging "I keep seeing [X:]--what is it?" questions, with entries on all kinds of architectural details, street life, food, American Indian symbols, etc.

[Corey]

Great book for traveling through New Mexico if you don't know
where to go what you want to see, book contains ideas and places
for all the regions.

[David Goodberg]

Great photos, great topics - interesting all around.

[Marian Robinson]

Beautiful photographs highlight this adult picture book featuring familiar and not-so-familiar terms in New Mexican culture. A lovely reminder of some of our favorite memories of visiting there -- with a few new places highlighted to explore in future trips.