My Marrakesh

Peacock Pavilions: And please have seconds....

The colors! Incredible!  The patterns! More incredible!  And it's no surprise that all that beauty produced by the artists visiting Peacock Pavilions made them hungry.  The blogging girl did her best to feed them properly.  Perhaps you might like a taste, too?

There is fresh mint tea brewing...


And please, do have some Moroccan couscous, made with seven  vegetables and an onion-cinnamon concoction on top. 


Or perhaps you might like some chicken tagine with artichoke hearts, olives from the garden, and freshly shucked peas? Please don't be shy....


Vegetarian? Don't worry, you won't be forgotten....


Some chilled watermelon?  It came from a field nearby....

 
Could you be cajoled into having some home made biscotti and Moroccan cookies stuffed with almonds and organic honey? The blogging girl arranged them on a vintage Moroccan silvered platter, just so....
 
Oh the mint tea never stops..........You're in Morocco after all. One last glass.....?
 
Thank you so much for dropping by Peacock Pavilions today. Visitors are most welcome - so do come again.....

Casablanca: and the Sqala restaurant

Nearly every week, the blogging girl took the train to that fabled place, Casablanca.  Truth be told, it wasn't one of her favorite cities -- its beauty had been lost in the hodgepodge of architecture, in the whirring of cars, and in the smog that clung to her like a second skin.  But Casablanca had its slivers of light, too,  particularly along its corniche, or coastline.  It was there that  one of the  girl's favorite  lunchtime  restaurants could be found, the Sqala. 

The Sqala's doors were the perfect sort of blue.

And within those doors lay an unexpected oasis.

There were small stools here and there on which to perch.

The plantings were lush, and flowers climbed with few boundaries.

The blogging girl sat with a French-Moroccan friend.  They shared tiny salads in tiny bowls.  So charming.

They weren't the only ones enjoying themselves in this tiled wonderland.  Why every table was taken.

One last cup of mint tea from a shiny Moroccan  teapot, and it was time to go.

Another meeting, another train....  Sigh. But there was always next week....Same time, same place....at the Sqala.

The Sqala Avenue des Almohades - Casablanca (When you see the flags, you'll know you're there.)

Marrakech's Mama Ti Lee: or where to eat in the medina

She loved surprises.  She loved unwrapping presents.  She loved silver linings. 

She liked to walk down the twisty side streets of the Marrakech medina, away from the crowds, away from the noise, away from the bright lights.  It was there that she was likely to stumble upon treasure:  the perfect little store, the darling little cafe, the quiet little riad. Each discovery like the lacquered insides of a plain wooden box.

She was with her friend, the photographer-of-roses, when she first discovered the secret of Mama Ti Lee.  Tucked away down a narrow street, Mama Ti Lee's doors had just opened.   

The soothing greys and lavenders of the interiors were a visual break from the city's saturated reds, pinks and oranges.  There was sleek metal seating.

And a flash of yellow on an open window sill....

The  photographer-of-roses sat with Serge, the  English-speaking French co-proprietor in the cooling interior courtyard.

Then they wandered up to the roof terrace where they found cushions sidled up to low tables.  Oh, to lounge on the leather carpet with cold hibiscus juice in hand! 

But more Moroccan chic was to come......because there were beds (!) on the terrace, too, where evenings could be whiled away, immersed in talk of everything and nothing.

Cecile, the charming chef and co-proprietor made the most delicious light meal.  It really was far too pretty to eat but greedily, they ate it anyway....

And the blogging girl in boxing shoes thought the homemade granita was a particularly refreshing finishing treat.

After they left, she realized that she had forgotten to ask about Mama Tee Li, the mysterious person after whom the restaurant was named.   Hmmm...it seemed she would have to return to find out....Perhaps, you'll come too?

Mama Ti Lee Derb Laarsa, #13, Riad Zitoun Jdid, Marrakech medina, 024.38.17.52, mamatilee@yahoo.fr

Open evenings.

Marrakech: and Thomas Cook City Spots Guidebook

Eeek!  She had had a book published! 

Oh my, that pseudo-Moroccan girl clearly was prone to exaggeration.  She most definitely had not had a book published.  But she had updated a guidebook on Marrakech:  Thomas Cook City Spots, to be exact.  She was told it was on the book stands on this very day.  And she assumed that her name was in tiny letters somewhere inside. 

In addition to oodles of phone and address confirmations, highlights of the guide book updating process included: 

* Testing home made ice creams in ice cream parlors.  Demanding second tastes just to make absolutely sure of quality.  Putting only her most favorite in the guidebook.

* Loitering in gorgeous riad guesthouses, pretending to be a potential guest, meanwhile stealthily taking undercover notes

* Spending ridiculous sums of money while updating the shopping section.  Rationalizing the purchase of approximately 63 pairs of Moroccan sequined leather slippers.  Sigh.

* Sneakily slipping in a few of her own photos.  (shhh....don't tell the publishers!)

* Observing whether the snake charmers on Jemma el-Fnaa square were truly able to charm the snakes or whether the snakes had a skeptical look in their eyes.

Needless to say, it was arduous, and it was harrowing, and the blogging girl barely made it out alive.  But it was all for the good of her beloved new homeland. (Isn't this when the national anthem is supposed to start playing in the background?)

Marrakech: and a Saturday stuffing

It was one of those days in Marrakech - sunny and breezy.  Just the right sort of day to have a little lunch party in the garden.  So the blogging girl and her family invited four couples and a flock of  six children to spend the afternoon with them.

Naturally, six-year old Skylar decided to dress as Snow White.  She thought it would be enchanting to sprinkle tiny flowers on the tables.  Her prince charming -- a small blond boy named Finn -- was to be among the guests.

Roses from the garden were set in vintage Moroccan footed bowls.

And a handprinted tablecloth in pink and red was brought out of the linens closet.

The children had the open air  Berber tent to themselves.  They sat on cushions on a sequined Moroccan kilim and whispered secrets at a low table made from a huge vintage Moroccan aluminum tray.

Lunch was leisurely:  spicy briouwates (a Moroccan dumpling) with tomato and coriander dipping sauce, roasted mashed potatoes with rosemary, 6 sorts of barbequed sausages, saffron chicken and vegetable brochettes, green beans in olive oil, and arugala and lemon salad. 

And of course, there was tea and desert, served with idle chatter and laughter.

Before they knew it, it was nearly 6:00.  Children's sweaters were buttoned for the  journey home and suddenly everyone was spirited away.... 

... until another Saturday that is....

PS I have fixed my blog subscription service!  If you type your email address in the space provided in the left side of my blog, you'll find Marrakech in your email box on a regular basis:)

Marrakech Royal Golf Club: and come one, come all...

Oh, the weather was fine and they decided to have a spot of lunch at Marrakech's Royal Golf club with a group of British friends.  How very exciting and la-tee-da.  There was even a crown on the sign.    

In preparing for this momentous occasion, six year-old Skylar deemed that a change of clothing was needed.  You see, she had been wearing this....

But something more elegant was required just in case royals happened to be dropping in.  Skylar did some deep curtsies and kissed her cat's paw for practice and then promptly changed into this...

Now the men in the group had all left early for the Royal Golf club to do something truly ridiculous......play 18 holes of golf.  Frankly, it made no sense at all to the blogging girl but she kept quiet like a dutiful little wife. Cough.

The  girl and her rascally brood arrived at the Royal Marrakech Golf club.  There were no royals in sight but there were golfers everywhere in silly footwear, carrying primary colored bags . 

But she had to admit it was a beautiful golf course.  It almost made her want to take up golfing.  Almost.

The others had already arrived and frosty Casablanca beers were being served. Visiting Grandpa Joel exclaimed that this was his kind of place.

It was all quite casual, including the menu.  There was a fab salad buffet and entirely acceptable mixed grill options for about $12.  And there were even options for the kiddies.  Needless to say, the parents were very pleased.

The deserts were particularly good.  The blogging girl was glad to see that the monarchy liked profiteroles with ice cream.  It was nice to know that they had something important in common.

After lunch, the children played very British rugby and then ran around like a pack of wild hyenas.

Except for the littlest one.  He was exhausted from all that golfing....

Royal Golf de Marrakech, Ancienne Route de d'Ourzazate, Tel: 024-40-98-28

Please note that anyone may go to the Royal Golf to shoot pool and cause a ruckus play golf or enjoy a meal. Membership is not required.  Those royals.......such lovely, equal opportunity manners.

Zagora: and hallucinating Le Cafe Bleu...?

They had been lost in the Sahara desert for hours. They were hot, hungry, and harassed, when they finally arrived back in the desert town of Zagora.  It was then, suddenly, that Le Cafe Bleu appeared out of..... nowhere.  Funny, how was it that they had not seen it before.....?

A bedouin princess welcomed them when they walked through the cafe's doors...

And blessings were showered upon them...

They lounged on kilim-covered couches and sipped mint tea...

And sank into comfortable chairs and swapped strange tales...

Le Cafe Bleu's owner, Veronique, was a French artist in psychedelic garb.  Her hand could be seen in the cafe's charming details...

Delicious aromas of couscous wafted from behind gauzy curtains.  The food did not disappoint.

Later, much later, they had drinks on Le Cafe Bleu's roof terrace.  They were told that they were the cafe's first customers -- the cafe was said to have opened only hours before.

After they left that night, they couldn't help wondering if Le Cafe Bleu was real.....or just a blue mirage on the outskirts of the Sahara desert.

Hmmm....you decide....

Le Cafe Bleu

Hay Draa Zagora

+212-24-848496 Ver-O-Rev@hotmail.com
Menus starting at only $10

Marrakech and the peaceful chicken, or where to eat with kids

Oh she did not condone war in any shape or form.  So when she heard about Marrakech's Rotisserie de la Paix or the Rotisserie of Peace, she felt it was her pacifist obligation to investigate further.    She was hungry and so that helped, too.

Given the high profile nature of their outing, the blogging girl's daughter, Skylar, decided to dress the part.  She was convinced that the Rotisserie of Peace was quite similar to the United Nations.

Undoubtedly the High Commissioner of Rotisserie Chicken would approve of her shoes.

The Rotisserie of Peace was hidden behind walls in Marrakech's new city of Gueliz.  They walked through the doors and found a secret garden. 

There were flowers.

And there were plants.

Most importantly, there was a large enclosed grassy space for children to play tag without drawing the un-peaceful ire of their parents.

They sat in the garden at the Moroccan tiled tables on the Moroccan tiled floors.  They were served Morocco's famous olives while they ogled the menu.

There was no squabbling over sausage and lamb chops:  they ordered conflict-resolving mixed grills -- it was the best they had had in Marrakech.

Thankfully they saved a wee bit of room for desert.

They rubbed their full bellies contentedly. Then they asked the waiter to put the leftovers in a bag.  It was for the pet lion in the garden.  He was a most docile and charming creature.  Just as as you would expect at a peaceful rotisserie....

Rotisserie de la Paix

68 rue Yougoslavie

Marrakech Morocco

Tel:  024-433118 or 024-43 22 72

Mixed grill for about 8 euros

Marrakech: And living up to your breakfast potential

She loved breakfast, you see, especially outside on her Moroccan tiled table.   
She had her breakfast routine:  first a cup of coffee with plenty of hot milk and a dash of cinnamon.  No sugar.  Then toast with blue cheese or organic honey and a glass of freshly squeezed tangerine juice.  Then a little fruit, preferably with strawberries or pineapple or grapes. 

She liked to linger.......she liked her second cup of coffee......she liked to imagine the amazing and wonderful and incredibly productive things that she just might do that day.....   Anything was still possible in the morning; the day dangled ahead, shimmering in long stretches. Why perhaps it would be the day when she made it through her entire in-box in the morning .......leaving time to uncover treasures in the Marrakech souks all afternoon long.....  People had walked on the moon, after all.  Anything, anything, was still possible at breakfast.....

 

Perhaps you have ideas for breakfast at Peacock Pavilions?  Especially you and you and you and you and why you (no looking over your shoulder, I am talking to you).  Please........won't you share one of your breakfast secrets here?  Perhaps a recipe for delicious muffins or scones or coffee cakes? Or a recipe for home made granola or yummy yogurt made from scratch.  Nothing elaborate -- no blueberry soup with violets floating in the middle.  Just simple and fresh and well, feasible.  Do email your breakfast secrets to [maryam at mtds dot com] or leave a little link or a little idea behind in a comment.  Because, after all, there's breakfast tomorrow to think of and the one the day after that and the week after that....and the month after that....and....

A stylish Medina restaurant: Marrakech’s Le Tanjia

I had lunch at Le Tanjia, a restaurant in the Marrakech medina or old city.   When in the medina, this is one of my favorite places to have lunch or dinner, and their brunch on Sunday is very good.  This time was particularly enjoyable, since I spent it with some darling friends, Sarah and John, whom I met some time ago through this blog.  They passed the last several months here in Marrakech but sadly, are off now…. to Paris (What a difficult life they lead, I know, I know…). 

I thought I would share with you several pictures of Le Tanjia.  Serene and elegant, decorated in hues of chocolate and cream.  I think my designer friend, Patricia, might approve. 

The terrace with its beautiful rose-filled fountain is perfect for whiling away day-time hours (Do get one of the tables along the fretwork lined sides -- wonderful views.) 
The inside rooms, settled around an interior court, are just the thing for night-time soirees for two or more – cozy and atmospheric, without resorting to the wild panoply of colors for which Marrakech is so famous.  The carefully prepared food won’t disappoint either. Try one of their rocket laced salads with a glass of wine.

 

Le Tanjia
14 Derb J’did – Hay Essalam
Mellah, Medina – Marrakech
Phone + 212 (0) 24 38 38 36 / +212 (0) 24 38 42 42
letanjia@yahoo.fr, www.le-tanjia.com

All images: Le Tanjia