Marrakech: and a tale of the Loft Restaurant and Yehia

Let me take you out, I said.  

He agreed. We had things to talk about, you see, important things.

We arranged to meet at Restaurant Loft, a new place in Marrakech in Gueliz.  

It's the kind of place with a well stocked bar....

tea-pouring waiters....

and carefully arranged food....

It's the kind of place where people come and share their secrets.

Yehia was there already, waiting for me.  

We had our appetizers.

Then we ordered our drinks -- mojito royale.  

We would need those drinks because we were talking about Egypt.  You see, Yehia was Egyptian but he lived in Marrakech.

We talked.  We talked about revolutions and trickeries.  We talked about battling evils and how to choose between them.  We talked about chaos.  But mostly we talked about disappointment.  

There was another drink.

And despite the smiles, I thought I saw balled up fists.

Because happy demeanors can hide hopes dashed.  Especially when you love something so desperately.  Like a person, or an ideal, or a country.

                            And you see it go astray.

********

Bistrot Loft

18, rue de la Liberte, Gueliz, Marrakech

+212 (0)524-434-216

The good old USA: and a tale of my book tour schedule for Marrakesh by Design

Dear friends,

I'm leaving tomorrow for my little US book tour for Marrakesh by Design.  I can't tell you how much it would mean to me to meet you!  My connection to you in this olive grove of mine in Marrakesh is mostly virtual.  Wouldn't it be so nice to meet in real life?

Here's the schedule below.  It's going to be a little bit of a balancing act on my part:-)

WASHINGTON, DC

Thursday, May 3, 6:00 p.m.

WASHINGTON DESIGN CENTER, 300 D Street SW

Haven Interiors showroom

Book talk & signing

www.dcdesigncenter.com

http://dcdesigncenterblog.com/2012/04/book-signing-may-3-marrakesh-by-design/

MIAMI, FL

Monday, May 7, 8:00 p.m.

BOOKS & BOOKS, 265 Aragon Ave (Coral Gables)

www.booksandbooks.com

Book talk & signing

http://www.booksandbooks.com/event/maryam-montague-marrakesh-design-gables

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL

Tuesday, May 8, 12:00 noon

MUSEUM OF ART FORT LAUDERDALE, 1 East Las Olas Boulevard 

www.moafl.org

With BOOKS & BOOKS, www.booksandbooks.com

Lunch, book talk & signing

http://events.miami.com/fort_lauderdale_fl/events/show/257459984-art-roundtable-luncheon-marrakesh-by-design-with-maryam-montague

(Look Mom, no hands.....) 

LOS ANGELES, CA

Thursday, May 10, 10:00 AM

WATERWORKS, 8580 Melrose Avenue

As part of LA CIENEGA DESIGN QUARTER’S LEGENDS OF LA CIENEGA: WINDOWS TO THE WORLD

www.lcdqla.com/legends-2012

Panel discussion on Morocco; book talk & signing

http://lcdqla.com/legends-2012/

LOS ANGELES, CA

Friday, May 11, 3:00 PM

DOWNTOWN, 719 N. La Cienega Blvd.

As part of LA CIENEGA DESIGN QUARTER’S LEGENDS OF LA CIENEGA: WINDOWS TO THE WORLD

www.lcdqla.com/legends-2012

Panel discussion on Morocco; book talk & signing

CHULA VISTA, CA

Saturday, May 12, 10:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.

ROYAL DESIGN STUDIO, 3517 Main Street, Suite 302 

www.royaldesignstudio.com

Hands-on Moroccan stencil workshops and/or talk with book signing

http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/products/my-marrakesh-coming-to-san-diego

RYE, NY

Tuesday, May 15, 7:00 p.m.

NEST INSPIRED HOME, 20 Purchase Street

www.nestinspiredhome.com

Book party & signing

http://www.nestinspiredhome.com/events.php

 NEW YORK, NY

Wednesday, May 16, 4:00 p.m.

DDB DECORATION & DESIGN BUILDING, 979 Third Avenue

www.ddbuilding.com

Book talk & signing, as part of the DDB Spring Market

................................................................

I would be so grateful for blog/Facebook mentions and tweets on any/all of the events. (One well known writer I know told me he would sometimes show up at book events and there would be only 1 or 2 people there and he would want to cry:-()

I am so looking forward to sharing & discussing what I love about Moroccan design with you!

See you..........I hope........very soon!

                    With love from Marrakesh,

                    Maryam

Geneva: and a tale of Marrakesh by Design & the Salon du Livre

It was a sunny day in Marrakech when I went to Geneva to attend the Salon du Livre.  Morocco was the guest of honor. So exciting!

There were pretty girls in Moroccan dress discreetly reminding us at every corner.

Here's a detail of the embroidered Moroccan caftan one was wearing.

Master craftsman had been brought over from Morocco to share on Moroccan design.  One made beautiful turned wood with his feet!  (Note to self: train feet to get craftier!) 

Here's a closeup of some of the sublime hand carved Moroccan plasterwork, known as geps, that was on display.

There were all kinds of exhibitions and artist installations, and even a Moroccan tea salon.  The very smart Moroccan Minister of Tourism Lahcen Haddad spoke to the press and made Moroccans (and pretend Moroccans like myself) proud.  

(And I even spoke on the radio, too:-))

But perhaps most lovely of all, there was a Moroccan book pavilion filled with stunning art and, well, books -- both new and centuries old.

But the book that made me the most shy and happy to see, was my own, Marrakesh by Design.  Oh!  It was displayed in front of Moroccan carpets :-)

PS I am coming on my book tour to the US this very week!  If you are there, I would love to meet up! I hope to posting the schedule tomorrow:-)

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The Moroccan Moussem of Tan Tan: a surreal tale

Oh I could try to tell you.

I could try to tell you about the Moroccan Moussem de Tan Tan, the world's largest gathering of nomads.

I could try to put it together in words.  To tell you about the Bedouins.  To talk about the children with their koranic boards.  To describe the dromedaries -- the way they moved on the field in tight formation.  And about the cameleers with their origami-like turbans. I could try to explain about the horses and the charging on the fields. About the pagentry, and rifles, and golden tassels.  I could say something about the tribal girls with kohl-lined eyes who couldn't stop themselves from dancing.  And about the tents filled to overflowing with people greedy for more.  People like me.

Oh I could try to tell you.  But the words would never, could never

                                                                                                               be enough.

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