My Marrakesh

Marrakech: and an interior design tale of a Moroccan tent at Peacock Pavilions guest house

Anyone who knows me knows that I love hand embroidery. I've been collecting pieces for more than 20 years, and my passion for embroidery shows no sign of waning.  It's an obsessional kind of thing.

Morocco has an incredible embroidery tradition, and I was crazy about the idea of having a Moroccan dining/party tent at Peacock Pavilions inspired by old embroideries of the mysterious Moroccan city of Fes.  The original pieces of these Fes embroideries are, sadly, more than my wallet can bear.  But no matter.  I chose the color scheme and then I sent uber-talented designer Melanie Royals of Royal Design Studio some inspiration.  She whipped up several designs for me to choose from.  The one I selected is so lovely it makes me want to weep.

Here's a little glimpse.

I designed the Moroccan tent with architect husband Chris -- it took weeks to make!  Then Melanie designed a series of stencils that fit together like a gigantic puzzle.  Using the stencils, the designs would be painted on the interior of the tent.  The tent is double layered so that the painting is protected.

Here's a stencil:

And another stencil taped to the window of the tent.

 
I loved every single Peacock Painter whom Melanie brought on her trip to paint my Moroccan tent.  I am so grateful to Melanie and each of the painters (Nancy, Angela, Maggie, Lisa, Lulu).  These are women with beautiful souls and beautiful hands.  They will forever be a part of Peacock Pavilions.  *I will never forget them.*

Hard at work stenciling.....

 
Here's adorable Maggie.  And you can see part of the tent! 

 
I happened to have a velvet evening dress (Diane Von Furstenberg) that matched the tent (purely coincidental! incredible, no?).  I hung it in the corner of the tent for inspiration:-)

 
I think I may now be the owner of the prettiest tent in the world.... What do you think?

*

PS There is a mention of Peacock Pavilions and this little blog in New York Magazine today!  Here and here. Thank you sweet writer Joshua Stein!

PPS And merci to all of you who ordered sultry slippers in my flash sale!  I will have a different flash sale next week.  So stay tuned!

Marrakech: and tale of a flash sale of the world's very prettiest slippers

 It's Summer here in Marrakech, yes Summer!  There are friends over at a moment's notice, there are cocktails on the carpet covered terrace, there are late night dips in the pool.

To celebrate, I am having a flash sale on the very prettiest Moroccan slippers, made just for me (and ahem, just for you). 

Oh, I could have had them made in baby blue or pale pink.  But really, life is far, far too short for that sort of thing. 

So instead, I had them made in sultry (What? you say that is not a color?).  Yes, they're a sort of burnished silvery, bronzy, pewter.  Subtle and elegant, and yet sexy in the very best way.  Somehow (and really, it's just inexplicable) these seem to change color depending on what you wear. 

 
And if that weren't enough, sewn on there are deep lavender-looks-like-charcoal-in-certain-light sequins and the most petite beads.  We're talking pure glamour here (with frankly, a tiny bit of danger mixed in)  All made by hand, all made in the very softest leather.  With a cushioned insole so that you feel like you are walking on air.  (And you just might be).

For you, for your mother, for your sister, for your best friend.  Or perhaps for your wife (if you happen to have one).  Really for anyone who wants to feel a little bit pampered, a little bit seductive, a little bit more than just pretty.  Perfect for wearing indoors.   I wear mine hostessing my dinner parties in glimmering comfort. 

These are the slipper equivalent of a Marrakech evening under a canopy of stars.

But since this is a flash sale, these slippers will magically be gone in a flash at the stroke of midnight on Thursday May 27 (ie the start of Friday morning).  So if you want them, please buy them now.  The last time I did a sale like this was three years ago and I am not likely to do it again. 

$38.50, shipping included. 

Offer valid only for those in the US or Canada.  Please email c_redecke@yahoo.com (the husband)with your foot size and you will receive payment information.

 
Prepare to get noticed.

Marrakech: and a tale of a dinner party at Peacock Pavilions guest house

After all the slicing and dicing and kneading by the Peacock Painters...it was time for dinner.

The table was ready.

(Peacock dishes with golden rim from Anthropologie, flatware from Portugal, chauffeur tea glasses from the Marrakech souks, hand printed sari from Bangladesh used as a tablecloth,  golden earrings from Mali-turned napkin rings.)

The Moroccan lanterns (designed by me!) were lit.

Chef Ellis and Mixologist Alex came into our diningroom for the big reveal, Moroccan tagine dishes in hand.

Oh the guests looked happy.

So tasty!

We dug in! (White roses from the Peacock Pavilion garden)

Fabulous Melanie from Royal Design Studios (in her necklace from the Marrakech souks) and I (in my silk caftan blouse from Afghanistan) were particularly pleased...........

....because Chef Ellis showed off his tattoo for dessert:-)

 
 *****

PS So sweet.  See here.

PPS Coming to Marrakech from the US?  Kind courriers needed. Pls let me know!

Peacock Pavilions: and a tale of a Moroccan cooking class in Marrakech

And you thought that the Peacock Painters were only painting when at Peacock Pavilions?  Most certainly not!  We put them to work in the kitchen........ 

Well it was actually darling Chef Ellis who gave them a Moroccan-inspired cooking class:-)

Spicing the filling for Moroccan dumplings called briouwates

 Plating the briouwate sauce on peacock dishes.......

 
Browning chicken for the Moroccan tagine.
 
 Assembling the tagine, with plenty of local vegetables.

 Simmering the tagines on the stove............
 
Baking fresh bread.  
 
Preparing poached pears for dessert.

 
And the Peacock Painters...........well, they were naturals when it came to Moroccan cooking.  Who knew it was so do-able?!  Chef Ellis typed up the Moroccan recipes for them, and we picked up 8 Moroccan earthenware tagine dishes for them to take home. 

Bon Appetit:-)