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 cultures: 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 Mexico: 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. "...fun and thought-provoking..." -- Cathy L. Wright, Museum Director, Albuquerque Museum of Art & History "Like a secret decoder ring for the state--Parhad's approach is a genius way of sharing New Mexico's unique culture. No other guidebook (not even mine) is both so focused and so informed. --Zora O'Neill, Author of Moon New Mexico A cultural anthropologist at heart and by trade, Elisa Parhad is passionate about exploring place, 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 communities to inform marketing messaging and advertising campaigns. She lives in Pasadena, California with her husband and two sons. In 2008, Elisa created the Guides for the Eyes series to document and share the local cultures and traditions that enrich us all, wherever we live.