Cairo: and a tale of jewelry

I was already late for my plane to Cairo, when she turned her head from the monitor and said, We'll need to look in your bag.

 I was impatient as I opened it but she ignored my scowling.  She lifted the large zippered mesh pouch  out of my bag.  Jewelry?  she asked.  Yes, I replied.  She smiled at me then and said, You're all set.

And I sort of was. 

 Rings from Bouvier.

Bronze fish ring bought in Cairo.

Earring from Bouvier.

Earrings from Azza Fahmy.

Ring from Azza Fahmy.

Bracelets from Bouvier.

Woven silver bracelet from Orijyn

Necklace from Mallory May (I covet the gold version, too.)

Vintage Moroccan earrings bought in the souks.

PS Which one is your favorite?

PPS It's gotten so confusing in the blog world hasn't it? But if you're wondering, no, I don't make a penny if you click on these links. These are all pieces that I genuinely love and wear.  

Marrakesh: and a tale of Peacock Pavilions tribal chic

What will you do now? She wondered.

What do you mean? I replied.

I mean, what will you do now that Peacock Pavilions is all done? Now that it's all decorated? She asked.

Oh, it's never done, I said.  No, no never done.  

 Egyptian bowls, one with a vintage snake surround on the bottom and the other 2 filled with African fish vertebrae.  Also a little shooting star zellij tile piece.  In the background roses in the fountain that we built ourselves.  

Moroccan painted ink pot, next to an antique Tibetan altar table.

Moroccan green and white bowl, vintage Indian round box, bejeweled brush bought in the souk.

Antique Filipino nina, topped by a vintage Peruvian halo.  Next to it, part of a huge old bronze Indian urli.

Vintage hand embroidered skull caps bought in Kabul in an old wooden Jewish couscous platter.  Couch covered in a vintage Moroccan blanket.  Cushions that I pieced together from African blankets, German velvet and snippets of old saris.  A vintage Indian yoga sculpture in the background.

Vintage African sculpture bought in Ghana, wearing old motorcycle goggles purchased in Cairo's Khan el Khalili. and antique Malian glass beads. 

Golden Indian peacock mirror.  Vintage Egyptian and Ethiopian processional crosses bought in Cairo and Addis Ababa.

Antique Moroccan jade pottery collection.  One piece filled with peacock feathers, shed from our very own peacocks at Peacock Pavilions.

PS I'm in Egypt, right now.

PPS My publisher just told me that they are going back to press for another printing of my Moroccan design book, Marrakesh by Design!  So excited.  Do you have a copy yet?  What did you think?

Cairo: and a tale of the man with {maybe} two or three wives, Part 5

(This is a continuation of the tale:  Cairo: and a tale of a man with {maybe} 2 or 3 wives.  If you haven't already, read Part 1 of the tale here, Part 2 here , Part 3 here, and Part 4 here.)

I was in Cairo, and we were driving, of course, when Ahmed said, Egyptian General Sissi is just like my dead brother.

How so? I asked.

General Sissi’s a sweet talker, Ahmed replied. Strong but a sweet talker. Egyptian women love General Sissi. It was the same way with my brother. You should have seen the way his three wives loved him, all at the same time. He had a way with them.

Really? I asked. Like what?

A smile crossed Ahmed's face and his voice changed when he imitated his brother’s baritone. He explained, This is how it went.  When wife #1 walked in, my brother would say, “Darling! Come sit here, right here, yes, right next to me -- not a centimeter away or I couldn't bear it!” Ahmed's hand tapped the steering wheel for emphasis.

Ahmed continued, Then five minutes later when wife #2 walked in my brother would practically shout “My beauty! I am such a lucky man! Such a very very lucky man!” and then he'd kiss her hand. 

I laughed.

Ahmed went on. Of course when wife #3 walked in, five minutes after that, my brother would say, “Oh my love! That lunch you made…..it was so tasty! I doubt even in heaven lunch is more tasty! Every man is jealous of me!”

Looking at Ahmed's belly, I couldn’t help myself from saying, Well, I think you share your dead brother’s opinion about wife #3, Fouzia. I know how you like her cooking.

Yes, Ahmed said.  In fact, I’m heading down to Ismaliya to check on Fouzia this weekend.  I need to check on all my dead brother's wives, of course -- it's my duty.  So anyway, Fouzia has been calling me every day to tell me what her plans are for Saturday lunch. Did I tell you that she raises chickens? Chickens, chickens, everywhere! Fouzia’s planning on taking one and stuffing it with rice, just for me! Ahmed swallowed hard in anticipation.

I see, I said.  Smiling I added, And will you tell Fouzia that you doubt that even in heaven lunch is so tasty?

Ahmed laughed.  Well, you know, maybe I learned a thing or two from my dead brother.  Then he added,  Now if only I were as handsome as General Sissi.

Marrakech: and a tale of Moroccan kilim cushions & poufs

I remember when I went to the Mousem of Tan Tan -- the largest annual gathering of  bedouins and nomads. I remember their beautiful peaked tribal tents.  Within the tents, the furniture was kept deliberately minimal.   Instead, they were furnished with Moroccan tribal carpets and Moroccan striped blankets.  Of course, there was the ubiquitous smattering of Moroccan kilim carpet cushions and colorful Moroccan carpet poufs.  

It was a setting meant for lounging in the original sense of the word:  ie half sitting, half reclining, a glass of Moroccan mint tea in hand, casually chatting and laughing, a game or two played.  It all seemed so relaxed.  

I remember thinking to myself, these could be my people.  Or perhaps, these are the people I wish I could be.

Now I'm thinking that these could be your people, too.  Or at least their stylish  tribal design sense.

Now for sale in Red Thread Souk......piles of one-of-a-kind Moroccan carpet cushions.  Such ethnic chic.  Many of the backs are entirely different than the front, getting you two great built in options.

Oh, and see my gorgeous black sequinned wedding blanket cushions - just the right modern day Moroccan touch -- on their own or as a counterfoil to the Moroccan kilim cushions.

And of course the Moroccan carpet poufs....such a graphic statement in pairs........

More, please, more.....

PS Now if only I had a beautiful Moroccan tribal tent that I could also pack up and strap to my camel...... Now come to think of it, if I only had a camel........