Marrakesh: and a tale of meetings, departures and Peacock Pavilions

Being the tiniest of tiny hoteliers in Marrakesh is a special business. I always wanted Peacock Pavilions to be the kind of place where people would think back to when they stayed with us and it would evoke a feeling of something that was, well, warm and good, like a friend's exotic home, with stylish rooms and happy food.  That years later they would start off occasional sentences with..........You remember when we were at Peacock Pavilions and.......  That their time here in the olive grove would be imprinted somehow, tangible...like one of those little stars in that silken pouch. Like something you could touch, feel and remember.  

 

Every single day is a work in progress at Peacock Pavilions.  Neither architect husband Chris nor I have any background in this business but we try to make up for it with care, attention and quirky detail. It's hard to explain what it feels like when I learn of people's experiences staying with us. When I see their pictures and I read their words, it wells up in me, like a shy kind of pleasure.  

 

The images of Peacock Pavilions above are by photographer Amanda Gilligan of this lovely blog.  Amanda recently co-led with Susannah Conway and the bejeweled Jen Altman a photography retreat at our place.  They have a forthcoming Polaroid book, called Instant Love.  I so loved reading Jen's post  (with a Moroccan recipe!) about Morocco and Peacock Pavilions on her blog. And I was more than touched to read retreat participant Helen's memories of Peacock Pavilions on her blog.  So so sweet.  And do see this Moroccan recipe that the beauteous Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks fame came up with. Easy and delicious!

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PS I was interviewed in Indigare:-)  If you feel like it, take a hop over and see!

PPS Check out this Huffington Post Marrakesh style round up (Merci Huffington Post!) :-) 

PPPS Along with my very favorite Moroccan chef who has this amazing cookbook out,  I recently wrapped a Moroccan entertainment feature for Food & Wine Magazine.  It'll be on the magazine stands down the road.  Many thanks to their whole crew, including the adorable writer Gisela Williams, incredible photographer Lisa Linder, and talented stylist Susie Theodorou.  

PPPPS  Gorgeous new stock of Moroccan wedding blankets and Moroccan Beni Ouarain carpets in Red Thread Souk.  Take a look here and grab them while they're hot!

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Marrakesh: and a tale of Peacock Pavilion cocktails

They had come from near, they had come from far to Peacock Pavilions  in Marrakech.  One a mixologist, the other a circus ring leader.  Let us help you, they said, let us help you drink.   Drink more, drink better.

Oh Yes, I said.  Yes please {My head woozy in anticipation.}

And so the two visiting minxes put their heads together -- one with golden curls and the other with raven locks -- and they concocted cockails.  {And even illustrated them.}

And then it began.  The measuring...

The pouring...

The shaking, the straining....

The stirring...

 {Did I mention the steeping?}

Now serving at Peacock Pavilions boutique hotel in Marrakech............

Peacock Prohibition Tea

and Peacock Petals

Hope to see you soon over a cocktail (and have a beautiful weekend):-)

Peacock Pavilions: and learning from Elle Decor's Anita Sarsidi

It was so interesting to watch Elle Decor Design Director (and Stylist Extraordinaire) Anita Sarsidi in action at Peacock Pavilions last week.  After so many years at Elle Decor, it's no surprise that she can see each picture in her head and knows exactly what she wants. I was impressed on many levels.  Here are some things I noted:

* No props.  Anita doesn't show up at homes with boxes and bags of props.  She believes that if a home needs extra props, that means it's not done.  In fact, she came to Peacock Pavilions with nothing at all.  {I have to say, I always wondered about the notion of propping someone's house for a feature.  It sort of seems like cheating -- pretending that those things  are the homeowners when they really aren't at all.}

*Layers that tell a story. I was worried that I had too much stuff at Peacock Pavilions.  All those years of collecting curiousities on my travels, from Benin to Afghanistan, and so forth.  Perhaps it was too jumbled.  Perhaps there was too much.  I needn't have worried.  In fact Anita said the problem is often that there isn't enough, that it's "too clean" -- that it looks like a decorator swept in and took half the stuff away.  A house that is too controlled is, well, too controlled.

*Not too perfect, not too symetrical, not too ordered.  Anita often pulled a chair slightly askew, or reordered objects so that they weren't, well, in order.   People don't live with everything perfectly in place, she said.  And of course, she's right.  When something in a group is a little askew, somehow you suddenly really see it and your eyes don't glaze over.

*A home that looks like you and no one else:  Anita puruses hundreds of submissions to Elle Decor.  What she said that she looks for are homes that are personal, have a point of view, and an individual sense of style.  She doesn't want homes that look too influenced by stacks of tear sheets or files of saved images.  Rather, she seeks places that have unique personalities. A house should look like its homeowner {ie with a fingerprint that is unlike any other in the universe}.  

*"Fancy" isn't necessarily the name of the game:  Very few people have an unlimited budget to spend on furnishings  or the cash to hire an interior designer.  But style -- not dollars -- is the point.  Anita's ears perked up at the sound of a beautiful fishing shack  or a gorgeous Malian hut.  {Modest can be just as memorable and poetic.} 

Many thanks to Anita and her great support team (including Julia Duquette)! 

Marrakesh's Peacock Pavilions: and a tale of a design magazine shoot

Dear friends,

It's been so busy around here!  This week, one of the world's most beautiful interiors magazines came and shot my home at Peacock Pavilions.  Such a thrill!

The amazing Anita Sarsidi was the producer and stylist.  She has an incredible (and uncanny) eye and makes everything look lovelier (as if by magic!).  

And Simon Upton -- one of the most talented interiors photographers ever (and one of the nicest) was behind the camera.  I loved his stories about Africa. 

Socrates (Yes, he has Greek blood!) was Simon's assistant.  He's not only some kind of boy wonder with Photoshop but also a film maker.  His work is at the Georges Pompidou right now.  Wowza.

Feel so so lucky.

Here's wishing you a beautiful (and lucky) weekend no matter where you are.

        love,

        Maryam in Marrakesh