Marrakesh: and a tale of a new year of new adventures

Dear friends,

Here's wishing you a new year filled with adventures in far off lands (or even adventures close to home).

Here's wishing you color......

intrigue.....

mystery....

and fascinating conversations with people different from you....

And here's wishing you thinking outside the box because, really, we're too old to keep doing the same old things, the same old ways.  

This is the year.  Yes, this is the year............

And lastly, here's wishing you a Moroccan holiday..........

                            at the very least inside your head.  

Happy New Year from Marrakesh:-)

    Love,

    Maryam

Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia.

Marrakech: and a tale of a tiny film about my Moroccan interior design book

Happy Monday, Lovelies, 

I hope you had a fun weekend.  Mine was spent shooting a tiny one minute film in Marrakech;-)  It's to introduce the coffee table book on Moroccan interior design  that I'm doing for Artisan Books.  Although, I've been in a few commercials and TV episodes, I've never done anything quite like this.  And so I was very glad to be working with talented Filmmaker William Hicklin and adorable Producer Anna Wang (who is also my best friend).  There were a lot of laughs and funny stories along the way and they are both just amazing. 

Here are some backstory shots just to give you a little feel. 

 

Can't wait to share the film with you!

        With love from Marrakesh,

                Maryam

{PS Anyone coming to Marrakesh in the next 2 weeks from the US?  I need a kind courrier!}

Morocco: and the last dregs of Summer

My children went back to school today and I realized....

                                that Summer in Morocco was over.  

                                                                                        {I miss it already.}

Oh, the sand beneath my toes.

Fresh fish at the markets.

Casual outdoor projects.

Boats the perfect blue in Essaouira.

Surfing in Mirleft.

Freedom. The kind only Summer brings.

I can't wait, No, I can't wait.....

                                for next Summer.  Please come soon.

Essaouira, Morocco: and a drunken, delicious tale at Val D'Argan

There were six of us who headed out that weekend to Val D'Argan, the lovely winery just 20 minutes from Essaouira, Morocco.  

Oh, the vineyards stretched as far as the eye could see....  a reminder of the bottles and bottles of wine soon to come. (Please don't ask how many -- I'd be too embarassed to tell.)

And just as memorable as the wine, was the food!  It started out with the most charming handmade Moroccan dishes.

The darling girls in the kitchen made all the starters and sides.  Peppers, lentils, beets, tomatoes and everything delicious.  Yum! 

 And the rest of the meal...............oh my, epic.   (Did I mention that there were three smart aleck-y foodie types from the Four Seasons in Marrakech in our motley little band?  They did all the cooking. We provisioned ourselves appropriately in Essaouira right before. )

There were fresh sardines, grilled to perfection. 

And tender shrimp, quickly sauteed.

The hugest lobsters.  Oh!


And truly, the most beautiful fish.

Dessert made by the accomodating Val D'Argan staff:-)

Oh, the food never stopped that weekend.  And, cough, neither did the Val D'Argan wine.....

The perfect setting for naughty stories and raucous laughter:-)

And so I lift my glass and say Bravo to the Val D'Argan! And Bravo again to the moonlighting chefs! (Shh...this one is secretly the Four Seasons Marrakech Hotel Manager.  Ahem, don't tell his boss. )

The Val D"Argan (contact@valdargan.com)

Don't miss it if you're heading towards Essaouira, Morocco.  For lunch, dinner, and spending a night or two.  I'll see you there.