Washington DC and NYC: and a tale of Marrakesh by Design near you

Dear friends,

I'm getting on a plane tomorrow for a quick get away to the US.  While there, I will be doing a few talks on Moroccan design and signing my book, Marrakesh by Design.  If you are in DC or NYC, I'd love it if you would come!  

On January 11 in Washington DC, incredible artist Maggie O'Neill of O'Neill Studios (and a former Peacock Painter) is hosting an event at Muleh from 5:30-7:30pm.  (Take a peek at the Muleh website for some serious swooning.)  Please RSVP to: rsvp@oneillstudios.com or on facebook here.

In New York, I'm doing a talk at the gorgeous Figue showroom on January 17 from 6-8pm.  I'm a huge fan of the nomad chic vision of friend and fashion designer Stephanie Von Watzdorf.  {Not to mention my super generous friends at Exotic Imports LLC are springing for the Moroccan wine. Yum!} Please RSVP to moroccanmaryam@yahoo.com

Really hope to see you there! Please say you'll come and say hello!

    xo

    Maryam in Marrakech.  

Marrakesh: and a tale of Peacock Pavilions & Moroccan recipes in Food & Wine Magazine

Dear Friends,

There's a 12 pages feature in the January 2013 issue of Food & Wine Magazine on a special Moroccan dinner party I hosted at Peacock Pavilions, with friend and chef Mourad Lahlou of Aziza fame (the first Moroccan restaurant to receive a Michelin Star).  (Pinch me!)

Recipes! Inspiration! Magic!  Oui.....

It was a night to remember.  The food was so very beautiful and so very delicious. And I was thrilled that it was styled with my collection of dishes and cutlery as well as patterns I stenciled from Royal Design Studio. 

Silky Eggplant Soup with Baby Peas and Radishes 

Toasted Farro and Scallions with Cauliflower and Egg

Braised Squid with Chermoula, Olives and Pine Nuts

Pick up a copy of the January Food & Wine Magazine on your newstands and throw your very own Moroccan dinner party!  It's a perfect way to take up that New Year's resolution, Spend more quality time with the friends and family you love (and if that's not your New Year's resolution, maybe it should be!).

Many, many thanks to the uber-talented team that helped put the story together: Writer Gisela Williams, Photographer Lisa Linder, Photography Assistant Rita Platt, Food Stylist Susie Theodorou, Assistant Food Stylist Camillia Baynham  and of course, Mourad Lahlou (You can also purchase Mourad's cookbook, Mourad: New Moroccan right here.)  

With love from an olive grove in Marrakech,

          Maryam

PS Also check out this story by the adorable and stylish Brittany Cobb about Peacock Pavilions and Moroccan Design in the Dallas Morning News.

The Alps: and a New Year's tale of speed and risk

I hired Yves, a Swiss ski instructor, to improve my intermediate skills for an hour or two. And so it was on a ski lift looking down that I saw them - the children on the black diamond slopes.

I turned to Yves. They've always amazed me -- so small but so fast, I said

Yves nodded his head in agreement.  Oh yes, children are much quicker learners than adults.  

Why is that, do you think? I asked.

Yves pushed his goggles up and replied, Unlike adults, children don't over analyze things.  Rather, they watch the instructor to get the general idea, and then they just ski intuitively -- they trust their instincts more. Also children are different than adults in that they don't worry about falling.  And when they do fall, they pick themselves up, and get on with it. They are fearless.

Hmmm....I think children might have the secret.  And it applies to more than just skiing, I said smiling.

Yves laughed.  Then he leaned towards me said conspiratorially, Yes, children do have the secret.  But shhhh.....let's tell it to all the grownups we know.  

It's a deal, I said.  And then, we were at the top of the mountain.

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Marrakech: and a tale of Christmas in Morocco or anywhere

My parents -- one from Iran and the other from New York -- weren't and aren't particularly religious. So when I was young, I didn't spend a lot of time in mosque or church. That said, growing up, Christmas was always an important holiday in my home.  My mother possesses a prodigious number of ornaments, and we loved trimming the tree. Christmas meals were always memorable and after gorging ourselves, my family and I sometimes headed to midnight mass at the Unitarian church down the street -- mostly to steep ourselves in the candle light and singing. 

It's easy to forget about Christmas in Marrakech, especially if one runs a little inn, like we do.  It's high season, after all, and travellers are flocking to the red city.  But -- although it makes lousy business sense -- we are closed at Peacock Pavilions. Because, after all, some things are more important than business.  

So I'm wishing you a very happy holiday season from France {and Switzerland}.  We're here with our best friends and our collective passle of children.  We'll be heading to Verbier to ski, drink too much egg nog, and generally make merry.  

It feels like Christmas.  

{And lest you think I have forgotten the Christmas spirit, Moroccan-style, I sourced hundreds of Moroccan lanterns for the holiday windows in all of Tory Burch's stores.  Pass by and take a peek, if there's a store near you. I think they look very festive:-)}

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