Marrakech: and a birthday tale of Michelle

Ever since she had come into our lives, she had made things better.  Michelle, our Peacock Pavilions Guest Manager.  I think the universe gave her to us, somehow.  

And it was her birthday.  Well, not quite, but we were celebrating it anyway:-)

We went away to Relais du Lac. 

It was a place on Marrakech's barrage -- outside the city an hour or so.  

The flowers were in bloom.

And ducks milled around with people under thatched roofs.

There was music. The electric violinist let it slip that his regular gig is for the Moroccan royal family. {His hair is very 70's French, don't you think?}

We ordered lunch and drank wine.  And we played ridiculous games.

And acted like goof balls.

And then the cake came on the day that was not her birthday.

She looked happy.

And it felt, well, just like family.  Not a matter of last names but a matter of the heart.

Happy Birthday, Michelle:-)

Images by M. Gin

Caftan 2013: a tale of Moroccan fashion & pictures - part 2

She sat next to me in the audience of the Caftan 2013. Impossibly slim.  Diamonds on her fingers and wrist.  Her Gucci coat folded neatly in her lap.  Her hair falling like a river to her waist.  She leaned towards me and said, That used to be me on that stage for the Caftan fashion shows.  

Oh, I said.  How did it feel, I asked?

Perfect, she said.  And added, Of course.  

I could only imagine...  

Bewitching. Wouldn't you agree?

Caftan 2013: a tale of Moroccan fashion & pictures on the runway - part 1

Under a shower of crystal chandeliers, they floated down the runway.  

The Moroccan caftans. 

Each embroidered.  Each beaded.  Each bejeweled.  Each conjured up by one of Morocco's finest fashion designers. Painstakingly handmade in frenzies that took hundreds of hours.  

I sat riveted.  I sat enchanted.  I sat, well, enspelled.

You see, I was overcome by sheer beauty.

Caftan 2013 was like the sublimest of dreams.  The kind where you hoped you would never wake up.  

And there's more......tomorrow.......

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Caftan 2013: a tale of backstage in Marrakech

The tickets to Morocco's biggest fashion show -- Caftan 2013 -- had been sold out for a year.  Everyone, yes, everyone, was waiting for it to begin.

Today was the day.

Backstage, the anticipation was beginning to mount.  There were the loveliest caftans -- Morocco's equivalent of evening wear -- waiting on hangers...

Amazing pieces of Moroccan haute couture, upwards of $5000. 

Each caftan more stunning than the next.

The fabrics were sumptuous....

The detailing amazing...

The models -- lucky Arabian princesses for an evening -- began trying on their Moroccan caftans...

Their heels...towering....

Their accessories excessive....

On stage, future mannequins practiced their poses....

The doors to Marrakech's congressional palace then swung open.  Oh!

The city's beautiful people had arrived.

Wearing bejeweled dresses.

There were kisses for the soon-to-be entertainment....

And bites of the canapes...

But then it was lights......

and action!  The show was about to begin.....!

PS I'll be posting on Caftan 2013 all week -- truly one of the most exquisite and surprising events I've ever been to.  Stay tuned or subscribe and don't miss a post.