I spent yesterday morning at Clara Bow’s ranch. The day before I touched a rhinestone on Liberace’s cape and talked to a curator about how to store feathers. Tomorrow, I will troll through a collection of sketches for showgirl costumes. I just might find a new project. Something local.

I grew up fishing on the Juniata River, but Southern Nevada has inspired me.

In addition to the general lack of bugs, the almost silky air, and the widespread appreciation for cowboy boots, Southern Nevada has another wonderful characteristic: it is dynamic. You want to plan a symposium on historic preservation and sustainability? You call up these guys and book a meeting. Walk in, and the next thing, you know, you’re looking at venues.

Want to eat in a world-class restaurant or peer past palm trees to appreciate the snow-capped mountains? You can do that. This place has an almost toddler-like insistence on playing with something new, and yet it revels in its history—staking claim to a cultural heritage that includes everyone from Wyatt Erp to Harry Reid.

And now that the hair-dryer-like heat has subsided and classes are well underway, I will pull on my new cowboy boots and see what else this state has to offer.

I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Deirdre