My Marrakesh

Oualidia Morocco: and a tale of 50 and 50 more

It all started in a garden that had never seen a landscaper but had the wild and uncalculated beauty of a person who simply loved flowers.

Friends from Marrakesh and Rabat had gathered among the blooms for the occasion with their dogs.

Some used for purposes of transportation.

But the best news of all was that this garden was by the sea.

Smaller members of the group grabbed surf boards and were gone.

Oh!

Later, we feasted on the water's gifts.

But it was the evening that counted the most.

There were hugs.

And many bottles of champagne.

Then it was time.  

With friends, I watched him...

as he blew out the candles.

There should have been 50 flickering lights

            but there were only 5.

I thought about the 50 years that had passed -- many of them with me.  And I wondered if they had been happy, happy enough.  I hoped the next 50 years would be yet happier.  But it wouldn't happen all by itself.  

There are many flowers for picking

                                                in gardens by the sea and everywhere.

Happy Birthday, big fella. 

Marrakesh: and a tale of Lonny and more

I feel so lucky.  Yes, so lucky to be in this month's Lonny Magazine.  Editor in Chief Michelle Adams was so much fun to work with (We would be doing a lot of hanging out if she were living in Marrakesh!).  Photographer Patrick Cline shot only in film and was such a pro.  Writer Robert Leleux is the loveliest person ever (and has this book out and this one, too).  

Read the whole issue right here.

***************

My book, Marrakesh by Design is in the Spring issue of Luxe Magazine!

I'm providing some fun tips in the June Family Circle, if you want to check it out!

I did a round up of some of my favorite Moroccan picks on Refinery29. Take a peek here.

Houzz  shared some fun elements of Marrakesh by Design right here.

*I have a book signing and talk today in LA at Downtown at 719 N. La Cienaga Blvd from 3-5. Pls come!

*I am headed for San Diego where I will be doing 2 events tomorrow at Royal Design Studio.  

**I'll be in New York next week for a book party & signing on Tuesday, May 15, 7:00 p.m. at NEST INSPIRED HOME, 20 Purchase Street in Rye, NY.  

***On Wednesday, May 16, 4:00 p.m., I'll be in NY doing a book talk & signing, as part of the Decoration and Design Building (DDB) Spring Market at 979 Third Avenue.

Hope to see you!;-)

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The good old USA: and a tale of my book tour schedule for Marrakesh by Design

Dear friends,

I'm leaving tomorrow for my little US book tour for Marrakesh by Design.  I can't tell you how much it would mean to me to meet you!  My connection to you in this olive grove of mine in Marrakesh is mostly virtual.  Wouldn't it be so nice to meet in real life?

Here's the schedule below.  It's going to be a little bit of a balancing act on my part:-)

WASHINGTON, DC

Thursday, May 3, 6:00 p.m.

WASHINGTON DESIGN CENTER, 300 D Street SW

Haven Interiors showroom

Book talk & signing

www.dcdesigncenter.com

http://dcdesigncenterblog.com/2012/04/book-signing-may-3-marrakesh-by-design/

MIAMI, FL

Monday, May 7, 8:00 p.m.

BOOKS & BOOKS, 265 Aragon Ave (Coral Gables)

www.booksandbooks.com

Book talk & signing

http://www.booksandbooks.com/event/maryam-montague-marrakesh-design-gables

 

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL

Tuesday, May 8, 12:00 noon

MUSEUM OF ART FORT LAUDERDALE, 1 East Las Olas Boulevard 

www.moafl.org

With BOOKS & BOOKS, www.booksandbooks.com

Lunch, book talk & signing

http://events.miami.com/fort_lauderdale_fl/events/show/257459984-art-roundtable-luncheon-marrakesh-by-design-with-maryam-montague

(Look Mom, no hands.....) 

LOS ANGELES, CA

Thursday, May 10, 10:00 AM

WATERWORKS, 8580 Melrose Avenue

As part of LA CIENEGA DESIGN QUARTER’S LEGENDS OF LA CIENEGA: WINDOWS TO THE WORLD

www.lcdqla.com/legends-2012

Panel discussion on Morocco; book talk & signing

http://lcdqla.com/legends-2012/

 

LOS ANGELES, CA

Friday, May 11, 3:00 PM

DOWNTOWN, 719 N. La Cienega Blvd.

As part of LA CIENEGA DESIGN QUARTER’S LEGENDS OF LA CIENEGA: WINDOWS TO THE WORLD

www.lcdqla.com/legends-2012

Panel discussion on Morocco; book talk & signing

 

CHULA VISTA, CA

Saturday, May 12, 10:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.

ROYAL DESIGN STUDIO, 3517 Main Street, Suite 302 

www.royaldesignstudio.com

Hands-on Moroccan stencil workshops and/or talk with book signing

http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/products/my-marrakesh-coming-to-san-diego

 

RYE, NY

Tuesday, May 15, 7:00 p.m.

NEST INSPIRED HOME, 20 Purchase Street

www.nestinspiredhome.com

Book party & signing

http://www.nestinspiredhome.com/events.php

 

 NEW YORK, NY

Wednesday, May 16, 4:00 p.m.

DDB DECORATION & DESIGN BUILDING, 979 Third Avenue

www.ddbuilding.com

Book talk & signing, as part of the DDB Spring Market

................................................................

I would be so grateful for blog/Facebook mentions and tweets on any/all of the events. (One well known writer I know told me he would sometimes show up at book events and there would be only 1 or 2 people there and he would want to cry:-()

I am so looking forward to sharing & discussing what I love about Moroccan design with you!

See you..........I hope........very soon!

                    With love from Marrakesh,

                    Maryam

Marrakesh by Design: and a tale of relief

I had told you about the trepidation.  About how it sat in the cardboard box, unopened -- my book, Marrakesh by Design.  

My husband peeked his head through the door.  Well? he said.  

No, I replied. Not yet.

The night passed, the day passed, the night passed.  My book sat in its cardboard box, the seal unbroken.

And then I opened it quietly, with no one around.  

It was bigger than I thought. 

I opened to the first page, and then the next page, and then the next. And then I put it down.  And then I picked it up.  And I opened it again and read another page, and then one more, then several.    Then I closed it and opened it from the back.  And I read it, well, backwards.  

A wave of.... of relief washed over me.  {Why, it was okay.  It was, even, well, good!}

I gave it to a close friend.  A designer friend.  I knew that she would tell me the truth.  

She liked it.  She liked it a lot.

Oh, thank you, universe.

I hope you'll like it, too.  Please, oh please, do.

PS I've been teaching my 12 year old son, Tristan, how to take pictures.  The ones above are his.

PPS My jewelry is from Bouvier.  Rebecca is my favorite jeweller ever.

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