My Marrakesh

Morocco: and Maryam's 6 favorites

The very darling Irene from one of my favorite blogs, Bloesem, asked me to participate in one of her weekend reads of blogger favorites.  I thought I would include part of my submission for you as well. 

My inspirations are so varied, and change from day to day.  They are also full sensory:  the smell of evening jasmine, the sound of the call to prayer in Marrakech, the rub of old Moroccan sabra fabric.  But I include a few other inspirations here.

...letters and numbers: I am fascinated by letters and numbers, and I have a good collection of letterprint blocks and some old brass stencils.  I love numbers and letters on objects, like porcelain, boxes, and cloth.
...floating flowers/turquoise pottery: I have been collecting vintage Moroccan pottery in shades of sea green and turquoise, a piece here a piece there.  I like to turn them into impromptu fountains by floating flowers in them."

...lanterns and candle light: Marrakech is filled with lanterns and I am still as enchanted by them today, as I was when I saw them here years ago.  I especially like those that are pierced so the light comes through in tantalizing patterns.
...hands: This borders on obsession.  I have been collecting vintage porcelain glove molds for almost 10 years and I now have  28 (~gasp ).  I also collect hands of all kinds, bronze, wood, steel.  So beautiful, especially in groups.

...henna: I love the intricate designs of henna.  Here in Marrakech, women wear such beautiful henna designs on their hand and feet, and I am wanting to incorporate elements of henna in our home.
...Asian art: I lived and traveled in Asia for many years for my work and find Asian art to be a great counterfoil to Moroccan art.  When we lived in Nepal, I bought 12 pieces of antique Tibetan furniture - from altar tables to chests.

Marrakech: and a passion for peacocks

Oh dear.  Ever since the final decision on the guest house name, I have developed a rather unhealthy obsession for that bird.  (~cough.  As if that weren't already the case....)  I have been scouring the most unlikely places to find him, her or them.

Here are the latest additions to my flock. They are vintage (ostensibly) and about 11 inches long.  They also are married -- he simply refers to her as, The Little Missus.  Don't ask.....

I also purchased these two pewter peacocks.  They are best friends and have know each other since they were just hatchlings.  6.5 inches high and approximately 15 inches long.  (Look at those sweet legs.)

And I managed to get my hands on this fellow below.  I had to bid ferociously with other peacock interlopers.  Vintage with all hand embroidery and beading.  Quite large, measuring 37" x 24" .  I have no idea what to do with this pink peacock.  I don't want to put him on the wall, and he is borderline Vegas.  Do let me know if you have ideas.

Okay, no more of this. From now on, I am strictly bath mats. (mhmmm, sure, sure, Maryam....)

Morocco: and a family portrait

The wet dog, Rocky, wondered how he could ride that board more effectively.  He was sure it could be done.

The shy girl, Skylar, tried parachuting techniques.  In a quest to fly, she had asked Santa twice for wings but was still waiting for an answer.

The blond boy, Tristan, put on his best beach superhero costume.  He set off looking for a bathing damsel-ette in distress. 

The Marlboro man look-alike, Chris, scanned the ocean for perfect waves.  The surf’s voice beckoned to him.

The bohemian shell collecting woman, Maryam, managed this: A portrait of an American family at the beach in Morocco.

Morocco: and a mystery man's photographs

I learned of him from a mystic in Marrakech named Margot.  Margot is a banker by day and a mystic -in-training by night.  She told me in a blog entry -- or maybe it was a dream pretending to be a blog entry (mystics are crafty that way, you see) -- that there was a photographer named Per-André Hoffman who had taken photos of Morocco worth seeing. 

I found she was right. 

Now this Per (Is that pronounced purr, I wonder?) is a rather suspicious character.  He was allegedly raised in Brazil and Norway, but schooled in England and the US, and is now living in both Germany and Manila.  Do you follow?  He is pictured with Fidel Castro - need I say more?  Making matters yet more complicated, Per has blue eyes and the kind of good looks that make women weep for the road not taken. 

Perhaps he is a photographer.  Perhaps he is a spy.  Perhaps he is both.  (She says, feeling a bit weak in the knees.)

Whatever it is that he is, I present you his photos of that place I love to write about......Morocco.

On air: My Marrakesh and Peacock Pavilions

Hello, Hello, they said.  We read your blog, we like your stuff.  Can we come and pay you a visit?

Why yes, I said.  It was the Associated Press Television News (APTN).  It seems they wanted to do a 10-minute feature on this blog, My Marrakesh, and on Peacock Pavilions.  Who would have thought?

And so they came, lovely Dana, the producer, and darling Ahmed, the cameraman/filmmaker.

Here we are on day 1.  Since Peacock Pavilions is set in an olive grove, I thought I would dress up as a tree for the occasion.  Oh dear, a wrinkly tree.   

Dana and I sit on one of the rooftop terraces.  She speaks about 47 languages fluently.  ~Sigh, such an overachiever. 

Ahmed is fantastic with children.  Tristan has decided that he wants to be a a cameraman and a professional surfer when he grows up.  With a serious expression on his elf face, he asked, Mommy, can I take one of those big cameras on a surfboard?

(And I saw one of the clips that Ahmed made on peace and war.  It was amazing.)

On day 2, we are back at the rented ranch so that Dana and Ahmed can see where this little blogger blogs.  Ummm....well, right here.

Did you say something, Dana?  Oh yes, why did I start blogging?  Have people learned more about Morocco because of my blog, My Marrakesh?  Eeek, maybe.  I hope so anyway. 

Oh enough of that.  Let's just look through books and magazines and have fun. 

And so we did.

Can you believe that Dana and Ahmed want to go back to the olive grove at the crack of dawn and film that crazy architect husband of mine working? 

After editing next week, Dana and Ahmed will be sending the feature out on the wire.  Yikes!  No idea which broadcasters will pick it up until after it's aired.  If some how, some way, you happen to see the story, would you let me know? 

Morocco: and a poster of magical proportions

I don't think I have mentioned that I collect antique French poster art.  I am not sure how many pieces I have at this point - perhaps 10 or 15.  My father is actually the real collector -- over the years, he has gifted me with posters for important occasions, including two large scale original Steinlens, which are among the most valuable items I own.  I also have several posters which feature Marianne, the national symbol of the French Republic -- for example, I have this one.  In addition to French posters, I have this American poster of Joan of Arc, and recently, I bought an original of this Red Cross Poster.  Two of my posters - both winged victory images (of angels) - take up almost an entire wall, mammoth and fabulous in their own way.  The posters are all backed in linen and framed for protection.  Most are in very good condition, although one or two are crumbling a bit from age.

However, one of my most fun posters is this small poster below.  I just purchased it, even though I couldn't really afford it.  If you have been reading this blog for some time, you might have gathered that I am a great proponent of magic in all its forms, and I loved the Arab imagery and the kitschy-like nature of the poster.  I plan to use this poster and others in the decor of Peacock Pavilions .  I am going for a global and eclectic mix of items, which I hope will bring visual interest and originality to the interior design. 

Okay, I am off to try some new levitation techniques.... I have been inspired, you see.

   

P.S. Do tell me about your collections. I would love to hear.

Marrakech: the little guest house that almost could

Did we know what we were getting ourselves into?  No. 

Did we know that it would take this long?  No.

Did we realize that it would cost this much?  No. 

No, no, and no......Oh no. 

This week I brought two groups of friends visiting from Brussels and Paris to our construction site .  I was nervous -- these friends have lived in Morocco for long stretches as diplomats and journalists and they have seen plenty before.  And our place is in such a state.  But they managed to see past the piles of brick and sand, to see beyond the problematic (lack of) landscaping. and they said....(were they being kind?) that they thought that Peacock Pavilions was going to be very special.  My friend Djana said that our second guest house was not a house - that it was a work of art.  My friend, Robin, said that the staircases were like magic.  My friend Giles cited a certain famous Marrakech guest house and said, this is better, more beautiful.

Sometimes when I am at the site, I can see it - I can see what it might become, and I let the goodness wash over me.  Other times, I can only see how much there still is left to do.... I can only see the unfinished everything, the loose pavers, the rubble, the twisted steel.  I can only see our lack of resources, our multiple bank loans.  And I am engulfed by a feeling of sheer desperation and helplessness.

And I have finally come to terms with the fact that this Marrakech bed and breakfast of ours, our Peacock Pavilions, is not going to open this December.  Despite our best intentions, despite our hopeful demeanor, despite our smiley enthusiasm.  No, it's not to going to open then.  Because you see, it is the little guest house that almost could.  But not quite.   And in the end, how much does that count?

Morocco: and I travel in your head

A visual correspondent. 

    Is that what I am? 

    Is that what you are? 

It's what Aline Thomassen is. 

Three years ago, Aline spent three months in Tangier where she developed a visual journal of her daily experiences of Morocco.  She shared her drawings with audiences in The Netherlands via the internet. Lazaro Tejedor completed the daily drawing with sound fragments from Morocco.

This is what Aline had to say about this unusual project. 

This diary is firstly about women in an Arabian land..., maneuvering between regulations and restraints.  In a journal of drawings I will try to show the special strength of Arab women, from my own perspective as an artist and a western woman. A totally different view than the one-sided, politically loaded or often exotic image of Arab women seen in the western media. I want to share my fascination for the daily life in Morocco; the visual richness, the mix of beauty and rawness that is everywhere. Intimate drawings of women will alternate with observations of everyday life.

I admire the way Aline reveals the secret and the hidden in Morocco.  Don't you? 

Oh, to have such talent....

See more of Aline's stunning visual diary of Morocco here.

And many thanks to My Marrakesh reader, Irene, for bringing this project to my attention.

*

P.S. I wish I could travel in your head. I hope you are able to travel in mine....

Marrakech guest houses: and a bird of a beautiful feather

Dear Friends,

Well, I thought I had a name for our little Marrakech hotel, but you persuaded me otherwise.  I found out that the two of us (Why that's you and me, of course.) were fond of my exotic pets.  And so with my thinking cap on, and with you in mind, I decided it was time for some tweaking.  So now my Moroccan guest houses will be named.........

*Peacock Pavilions*

I even bought the domain name for the Peacock Pavilions.  I feel so grown up! 

I then worked on coming up with a tag line...I didn't want it to be too classic -- it had to be a little fun, too.  My thought was Charming Luxury in Marrakech. Because let's face it, Luxury, well, that's fine and good.  But Charming Luxury is something entirely different; that's luxury with a sparkling personality:-) This wording is a work in progress.  So do let me know what you think. 

I then enlisted the help of one of my most enchanted friends, the crazily talented artist Vanessa from that magical blog, a Fanciful Twist, to help me create a little mascot for the Peacock Pavilions.  I wanted something that would look like letterpress.  And something that was whimsical and elegant all at the same time -- a tall order.  But that Vanessa.....well, that girl did her very best incantations and just take a look at what we finally came up with.....

His name is Karim.  Isn't he lovely?  I must tell you, the pea hens in my garden have been fluffing their feathers and batting their eyelashes ever since Karim came to town. 

Now Vanessa and I have been scratching our heads about the font.  I wanted two different fonts (one for the name and one for the tag line) but we just couldn't quite manage to come up with a perfect second font.  Do you have any ideas?  Of note, the fonts can't just be pretty, they must be legible.  (Ah, the travails of starting a business - one has to worry about mundane practicalities like that.)  Any other feedback you might have (spacing?  formating?) would be swell, too. 

With love and thanks,

Maryam in Marrakech

Morocco: and visual journaling

To visit Morocco here and there,  to see it with fresh eyes. 

To record it so you won't forget, as memories cloud and dim. 

A pouch of pencils in your purse, a notebook in your hand. 

And in the drawer will lie the door, to the place from once you went.

Images from Victoria Vreeland's visual journal on Morocco.