Marrakesh: and a tale of sparkle & jewels {or perhaps a ruse}

When the beauty fades, when the lines appear, when the hair grows thinner and thinner.

{Oh! When did the young girls become so beautiful?}

That's when I reach for the sparkle.

My Marrakesh jewelry 4

A distraction, perhaps, from the widening middle.

My Marrakesh jewelry 2

A detour from the wrinkled hands.

My Marrakesh jewelry 1

Perhaps all you'll see is my sparkle.  

Yes.....my sparkle

My Marrakesh jewelry 3

Marrakesh, Morocco: and a tale of Project Soar & doing a little good

Dear friends,

We've been busier than ever at my little non-profit organization Project Soar.  We now serve over 50 underprivileged girls, as well as a community of 350 families!  

A while back we cast our net even farther to partner with the Chevrolet-sponsored effort, One World Futbol.  We distributed 200 of their amazing indestructible soccer balls to young people in 52 local government communes.  To add to the fun, One World Futbol, shot a little video of some of the Project Soar girls getting in on the soccer action.  I was traveling on assignment but my Project Soar colleague Michelle Hirschfield and our Project Soar coach Sana Touhtene share our mission and some of the day's excitement in this video.  Please take a moment to watch! Yay for girl power!

On another front, Project Soar is collaborating with the big-hearted and oh-so-stylish menswear company, Imperial Black on a collection of products.  So excited to report that the Montague 10 in white linen (swoon) is out!

Montague 10 shirt

 This linen -- Italian, of course -- is so fine, it literally feels like a christening gown.  And in white it's absolutely indispensable in any man's wardrobe.  A perfect staple for sultry summer nights.   Get the Montague 10 for your guy (or for yourself) and feel great about doing good while getting something super chic!

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    xo from an olive grove in Marrakesh,

    Maryam

PS Want to help Project Soar?  You can!  Check this out here.  Or email me and let's talk!

Marrakesh: and a tale of love at Peacock Pavilions

 The bridesmaid hung her dress in the hotel room doorway at Peacock Pavilions.  She  didn't want to put it on until she had done the bride's hair.Charlie wedding at Peacock Pavilions in Marrakech

 She brushed and pinned and brushed and pinned. And the bride's hair looked perfectly like this...

Charlie wedding 5The bride slipped her dress on.  And then there was the surprise bouquet of blooms and succulents that had come from across the ocean.  

Sigh, so lovely.

Peacock Pavilions bouquet

On the allée of olive trees in front of Peacock Pavilions, the bride and her bridesmaid were beautiful both coming....

Charlie wedding

  and going.....IMG_1919

The best man had passed out.

Jake at Charlie's wedding

But he awoke in time to take pictures of the groom who was in the lavender garden pretending he was not nervous...

Charlie husband

It was time then.  And the bride ran past the olive trees. She ran to get married.

Charlie wedding 2 at Peacock Pavilions

She was barefoot.

Charlie wedding 4

But she had the ring.

Charlie wedding 3

And she had her groom.  

They said those important things.  And then they laughed.

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 It was at Peacock Pavilions....  

Charlie wedding 1

that day, that special day, when they kissed.   

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A love story.

Photography by Simone Allmen

Vogue: and a tale of Lupita Nyongo in Morocco

When I tell people that I live in Morocco, they often ask me how I like living in the Middle East.  They blink when I tell them that I don't live in the Middle East -- that Morocco is in Africa.  

I have to confess that I felt a kind of thrill when I saw Lupita Nyongo was in Morocco for this Vogue photo shoot.  Doing Morocco and Africa proud.  

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She's mesmerized and mesmerizing.  
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Lupita Nyonga in July 2014 Vogue, Photographed by Mikael Jansson 

Beauty, brains and doing good.  She's got it.  A role model for us all.