It was a night like other nights but yet entirely different. Because they were in Mirleft. A place where the mountains meet the sea in Morocco.
It was twilight and she wore a dress. They sat in the kitchen at a big old table, the wood gleaming.
A glass of wine, a story or two. She laughed and laughed again.
That’s when he turned on the music. And asked his wife to dance.
French photographer Delphine Warin. Moroccan lighting designer Souhail Tazi. One evening in Mirleft.
She lived in Marrakech down a path at the beautiful Beldi Country Club. Her door was lit by a Moroccan lantern.
Her name was Corinne Bensimon. She was French. An interior designer, a stylist, a boutique owner....
She was a woman who loved to laugh.
Her tunic with its grey on grey embroidery was chic, very chic. (I shop in the Men's Department, she whispered to me.)
In the heat of the Marrakech Summer, she had set the table for 9 in the garden. So lovely.
The wine was poured. A photographer, a publisher, an architect, a doctor, and more raised their glasses.
The flowers so scarlet in a muted cloisonne vase.
An old Moroccan door as a backdrop. A spray of buds.
There was dining and wining and funny stories.
And then it was over. It was far past midnight when we left.
As we made our way back down the path, all we could hear was the rustling of the tall grass.
Can we please live at the Beldi Country Club, too? I asked my husband. But he just laughed.
Oh they were French. But of course. And so the invitation for a Moroccan pique-nique chic made perfect sense. (The French do that sort of thing -- an ordinary old picnic simply won't do.)
And so it was that we packed ourselves into the car and up up we went to the lake outside of Marrakech. It was hot, oh very hot, but a cool breeze made it's way through the trees.
And when we arrived....... a sea of Moroccan carpets greeted us, along with a vintage trunk filled to the brim with straw hats. A hat for each -- so thoughtful.
We set our baskets down and aimed to stay for a good long while.
Drinks were served from a bar covered with Moroccan tumblers. Pretty, so pretty.
Soon there were platters of freshly prepared Moroccan good-ness. We took our earthenware plates.....
and it was heaping after heaping.
As for the Moroccan picnic ambiance.........? Ooh-la-la, Geraldine outdid herself.......!
Did I mention dessert? Fruit slices and macarons, bien sur.
Followed by lounging
and the climbing of branches.....
And all then all the hats went back into the trunk........
On the drive back home we secretly wondered when we might next receive an invitation for a Moroccan pique-nique chic.......Perhaps you'd like to have one? Please let it be soon..........
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PS I've left for Mali on assignment. See you there:-)
It was a night in Cairo on a rooftop somewhere.
The atmosphere was, well, unworldly
Oh the dresses.
Oh the jewelry.
Oh the fabulous mingling.
Oh the drinks.
oh the men who did their bidding..... (cough)
Thank you Kharm el nada for sponsoring your divine Egyptian wine. And merci to the French Rotary Club of Cairo for the beautiful party. (Your president's medal is very chic.)
