Her best friend bought her it.  This book.

She looked at the photos and she realized why she had left everything behind.  Why she had left her friends.  Left her family.  Left stability.  Left a secure future.  Left things as she knew them. 

 Left it all to move to this country.  To move to Morocco. 

Maroc: les montagnes du silences, with touching photography by Philippe Lafond and moving poetry by Tahar Ben Jelloun. 

There is something about Scandinavian interior designers because most of the homes I’ve seen use white in excess, but not this Danish home. With a very good mix of modern and classic, and a lot of white furnishings it still managed to amazed me when I saw how they used colorful accents to suppress all that white. Some of the things I really love about it, includes the kitchen flooring, the simple living room, those pillows and the working space with the red chairs.
Even though they are visual details, if I were to change something, it would be the pictures on the walls. Great for all those looking for inspiration for their kitchen or on how to use as much white as possible.

Would you live in a home that’s so white? - via Style-Files

a

Adding Colorful Accents into a White Danish Home

Designed by Jittasak Narknisorn and selected as a winner of the One Good Chair competition, the Posi+ive Chair is a comfortable and sleek chair. Narknisorn created the concept for the Posi+ive chair by playing with folded paper, discovering a design that would be ergonomically comfortable and stackable at the end of the day.

This design is minimize waste material and allowed the plywood to form curves and bend in more directions to create a nice shape with more ergonomic support. It is made of plywood with stainless steel legs and a wool felt cushion, punctuated with plus-sign holes for a stylish little embellishment. - Via

a

Posi+ive Chair by Jittasak Narknisorn

In Albert Park, Australia, architect Matt Gibson came up with a great design for George Residential, with a a classic Victorian workers cottage look on the front and a contemporary terrace at the back end. Combined as a metaphorical bridge of history between the front and the rear, the house has a minimalist design with a huge livingroom with an LCD to spend some quality time, a beautiful wooden kitchen with well defined shapes and all the needed utensils and a concealed fold away door that makes the connection with the back terrace. Both the colors and the materials seem to bond really well to creating a warm modern home. I’d really wish to know how much they spent to have George Residential like that! - via Momoy

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George Residential by Matt Gibson

If you’ve ever wanted a really nice pool for your house what you’re gonna see today might be a design that you’ll love. This is a creation of Taiwanese sculptor/artist Ju Ming and is called the “Zipper Pond“. This creative lotus pond is now one of the feature attractions of the Juming Museum, located in Taiwan, and I’m pretty sure that a lot of pictures were made in this place. Finally if you were looking for a really cool pool design and you couldn’t found one to impress you, then I hope that this one at least inspired you.

a

One Really Cool Idea for an Original Swimming Pool

One day while Fabienne saw some ad pages in some magazines he was inspired by a photo ( attached below ), to design a bed, here are his own thoughts ?gee I really hate bumping into a hard bed, I want something completely padded, but modern looking?.

Starting from this picture Fabienne has documented in his blog all the steps he made to accomplish this project. Even if the final project doesn’t look that good as that bed from the ad, is a really beautiful piece of furniture for a DIY project. Finally let’s see the final result. If you want to see each step of this project : inspiration, woodworking, upholstery you can visit Fabienne blog. - Via

a

Building a Bed Starting from a Picture Saw in a Magazine Ad

Model of the Lewis Library found here

To get the full story of this latest amazing Gehry creation, you can read more here.

Photo by Brian Wilson

According to the Daily Princetonian, the construction process, which started in 2004, has not been without it's share of controversy. Two years behind schedule, with a new contractor finishing the process, it is quite an interesting story. To read just what was happening behind the scenes, click here and here.

Photo by Brian Wilson

But, regardless of the obstacles, it looks like it is going to be a huge win for Princeton this Fall. GO TEAM!

Isn't this the most fabulous Photo?!?!?

Find out more about it at Pigtown Design and Homer's Odd Isn't He?

You must all know of the most wonderful blog, Mrs. Blandings by now. It is the creation of the beautiful and talented Patricia Shackelford. So, when I was having my breakfast of Shredded Wheat and Orange Juice, reading the Sacramento Bee on Saturday morning, I was instantly captured by the article by Paula Lloyd titled: "Cary Grant and Myrna Loy lived in the Fresno Home - sort of".

It seems that there are houses that have been modeled after the Mr. Blandings Dream House all over the country! Did you all know this, and I have just been out of the loop?! Apparently David O. Selznick and RKO Pictures P.R. Department cooked up a little publicity stunt. They produced copies of the original house plans created by set designer, Carroll Clark and sent them all over the country to contractors hoping to have Dream Houses built all over the place. 73 were actually built....one being in Fresno California (pictured above). The original owners allowed home tours for 25 cents back in the day. One of the funniest things was that the plans did not include closets or windows. Contractors were left to their own devices on these.

To read all about it, click here.

A fun way to start my sunny Saturday.

Wouldn?t it be lovely, really, wouldn?t it be lovely to wear pajamas the whole day??..?  And wouldn't it be equally lovely to simply wear slippers all the time? Why then life would be rather like one big pajama party, wouldn?t it? 

(Sigh, let?s face it, the blogging girl was simply trying to rationalize why she so often found herself in Marrakech?s slipper souk, known as the souk de babouches.  At this rate, it might just be easier for her to set up a small cot nearby.)

PS Many thanks for all the comments on my Marrakech magazine articles! So sweet:)

She had been writing, you see.  Travel writing.  She had been scribbling:  oh, this and that, yes, this and that.  She had just finished working on the Marrakech chapter and the Adventures chapter of the new Fodor's Guide to Morocco.  But there was more.  You see she did a bi-monthly city guide to Marrakech for a Spanish magazine.  And she wrote Moroccan feature stories and some not-so-feature-stories-but-nice-anyway stories.  And the editors put up with her quirky writing style.  And then they sent her the magazines with her articles, all fresh and new, and smelling like clean in big manila envelopes in the mail. 

Her kids thought it was pretty cool:-) 

A six-page cover story on henna......

A four-page story on Yves Saint Laurent's Majorelle Garden in Marrakech

A last page story on the Marrakech spice market, le souk des epices

I may use some of these in my daughter's bedroom redo. The pinks would be just right!

And this little bird seemed like he was posing just for me.

I was able to see alot of things that I will share with you in the next couple of days: historical gardens, restored theater in Monterey, a beautiful new antique shop in Carmel, etc. Check back!

Have a great weekend!

Oh the sea breeze on the Moroccan coast made her hungry and living in landlocked Marrakech, she had just one thing on her mind when in that seaside town of Essaouira ........fresh fish.  Thankfully, there were some delicious options.   

Now one could always sit family style at plastic covered picnic tables near the pier.   It was all about eating tomato and onion salad with a fork, fried fish and grilled shrimp with fingers, and washing it all down with sticky sodas sipped from straws.  It was messy and it was chaotic but somehow that was why it was so fun. 

More upscale, there was lovely Taros Cafe where one could while away the noon (or evening) hours under woven umbrellas on the roof terrace.......

Oh, there was a view of the sea at Taros Cafe......a view of which she never grew tired.......

Mmmmm.....the grilled calamari...........And a cold beer.  Perhaps the perfect meal?

And then at night in Essaouira, there was After 5  Lounge Restaurant.  The blogging girl and her best friend were partial to their stuffed crab...........

There was a well stocked bar and cool music.

After 5's atmosphere:  Chic Cavern.  (What do you mean that is not a genre, either?)  And the French owners were amusing and told the best stories.

But the Summer was over now.  Sniff.  And so goodbye Essaouira and hello again beloved Marrakech....

 Taros Cafe:  Place Moulay Hassan, Essaouira, 024-476407, www.taroscafe.com

After 5 Restaurant Lounge:  Rue Youssef El Fassi, Essaouira

So drop on in and check them out. There are more where these came from!

Enjoy.

Elle Decor, September 2008, Photo by Grey Crawford

What struck me about this space was not just the beautiful tub (Waterworks Candide tub), but the very beautiful and witty tub filler dreamed up by the home owners/designers Fisher Weisman. A stream of water flows down from a shell encrusted "chandelier" reminiscent of the unique creations of Tony Duquette. Question....just where does one turn it on? No matter...this is my idea of luxury.

Another of my favorite bath spaces was created by Vicente Wolf. I think that combining different styles and periods will always make a space more interesting, and Mr. Wolf accomplishes this with great style. His Baccarat sconces and English eighteenth century mirror are the perfect foil for the blue glass walls and contemporary concrete tub.

Another designer who never disappoints is Michael Smith. This example of his authentic style takes me to another time.... one where things were slower. And isn't that what one would want when trying to unwind in the tub? Look at the details: the basket of magazines, reading glasses on the stool, the fresh towels, slippers at the side of the tub. And of course Rover waiting patiently. Perfection. (All bath fittings and fixtures designed by Smith for Kohler).

House and Garden, December 2000, Photo by Melanie Acevedo

Veranda, January-February 2005, Photo by Hickey-Robertson

This bathroom has all of the elements necessary for a long relaxing soak. Designers, art dealers and home owners Cynthia Cage McClain and Robert McClain thought of everything: candles, reading material, a little wine, flowers. Mix these with such personal, beautiful art and photography, and one feels like this is really home.

House and Garden, October 2005, Photo by Francois Halard

Milan based designer Roberto Peregalli created this amazing Master Bath for Claudio and Maria Luti of the famous family firm Kartell, most well known today for the production of the Philippe Starck Ghost Chair. I love the Robust-patterned marble flooring with the striped Venetian stucco walls. The dramatic Carrara marble tub surround contrasts so wonderfully with the Kartell Eros chair here.

Veranda, September-October 2006, Photo by Alec Hemmer

This bathroom just says "California" to me. Designed by Napa Valley designer Barbara Colvin this space is beautifully done. I love the French Doors off the garden and the stone floors. The simple elegance and connection to the outdoors creates such a wonderful spa-like atmosphere.

House Beautiful, July 2006, Photo by Karyn R. Millet

One of designers I am following lately is Ken Fulk. This California designer created such a pleasing space here using the Vintage Bath form Kohler, the owner's leaded glass pendant, and the Greek Key trimmed Roman Shade. Victorian side chair from Swallowtail. Very pretty!

Southern Accents, September October 2008, Photo by Pieter Estersohn

I love this bath with it's Loius XIV mirror and antique Swedish chandelier. Designed by Amelia Handegan for a couple in Charleston, it has a very European flavor. The pale gray-blue and white palette with the pewter and gold metal colors seems to be something I am drawn to time and again.

Southern Accents, July-August 2008, Photo by Roger Davies

Phoebe Howard decorated this beautiful bathroom for a vacation house in Ponte Verde Beach, Florida. A custom mosaic floor and hand-painted mural are what make this bathroom unique. So very pretty. The tub in this room seems to show up quite often in bathrooms that catch my eye. It's classic style works in so many places. Like in this all white bathroom:

House Beautiful, November 2006. Photo by Pieter Estersohn

Sally Markham created this vision in white for a couple in Connecticut. White glass mosaic tile line the walls and the floor creating quite an ethereal effect. One could float away to dreamland here. The heart shaped chair becomes an exclamation point against this white palette. Lovely.

House and Garden, July 2005, Photo by William Abranowicz

In contrast to the more traditional western aesthetic, this bathroom incorporates a decidedly Eastern influence. The architect William McDonough creates a sanctuary in the style of a Japanese country house. One could sit forever in this custom tub from Concrete Works looking out at the meadow of native grasses on South Carolina coastal island.

House and Garden, July 2005, Photo by Jonn Coolidge

The Master Bath in this Spanish Colonial Revival home takes on the California Craftsman flavor through the artful use of custom tile by Ann Sacks. Designer Jarrett Hedborg created a wonderful, cozy bathtub alcove here. I love the arched window echoed on the interior with the tiled arch. Beautifully done!

Elle Decor, July-August 2005, Photo by William Waldron

This is such a fun loving design for a bathroom by designer Robert Couturier. He combines glass tile and mosaic pebble floors with fresh and vibrant colors. This tub is is the Paris tub by Water Monopoly.

Elle Decor, July 2003, Photo by Dominique Vorillon

Then we have the classic claw foot tub. There is a nostalgia about it that cannot be put aside. This beach house bathroom in Malibu designed by Kerry Joyce is brightened by the sunny yellow-painted tub. I love the mosaic floor with the label identifying it as the "boys" bathroom. The surfboard is a fun touch.

Elle Decor, August-September 2003, Photo by Simon Upton

Another example of the classic claw foot provides quite a contrast to the way it is used above. This elegant New Orleans bathroom was designed by Ann Holden of the two Ann's of New Orleans: Holden and Dupuy. I love the New Orleans feeling here of the rustic painted wood plank floors paired with the silk drapery panels. The claw foot here was found at a salvage shop. The sink and fittings were original to the house. I love the photo reflecting the room through the antique mirror.

This is a round-up of some of my favorite tubs and the spaces they occupy. To get going with your own private sanctuary, you can start by looking at the Waterworks website. Many of the tubs can be found there. And for those on a budget, salvage shops are a great way to go. I hope this room, one of the most often used, can become a place for more than just the everyday chore of getting "ready". I hope it can become a place to relax and spend some down time.

Oh yes, of course, she loved Marrakech.  After all, this blog wasn't called My Essaouira was it?  But there really was something about this coastal town that made her want to sell everything and become a gypsy.  And Essaouira's multitude charms seemed to be thrown into high relief when staying at the beauteous Dar Beida.

Now she had given you a glimpse of Dar Beida's loveliness before.  But that was by no means all........There was more, you see.  Much more. 

Now that's really quite a fantastical chair -- very Ethnic Nautical, don't you think? (ahem, what do you mean that's not a genre?).  oooh, and with that curtain!

And somehow the chair paired with this preppy striped blanket (Habitat) and leather and raffia Tuareg carpet was just right.  And look at that beamed roof!

Dar Beida was a house for readers or perusers or simply flippers of pages.  The bookshelves were well stocked and the design magazines were abundant (including all those delicious, expensive mags from the UK) ..........Why ever leave? 

One of the bedrooms had a mezzanine all its own.  How very fun.  Did she mention that the owners had designed the fab felt rugs themselves? Sigh, these over-industrious creative types.....

A darling little salon with white leather poufs, African art, and one of the house's grotto like fireplaces........

Eeek, she could barely stand the fabulousness of this room, which was really an inner courtyard.   The swing (!),  the amazing signage, the fanciful candelabra, and that mod coffee table.  Really, living in a place like this could take ten years off of you, don't you think?

oh, all the quirky little details...........like these vintage toys displayed over a generous CD collection.

Real Saarinen, real Jacobsen, real Panton..........thrown together in the very most casual manner.  And don't even get her started on the oversized Tunisian birdcage found in the souk somehow (?!) .

And to the other side.........the cuisine, where one could cook, or in the blogging girl's case, pretend to cook..........

The blogging girl loved this.....oh, don't get all fidgety -- no animals were harmed for this montage:  they were all found in the Sahara desert.

Well.......she was off to sit on the terrace, under the ahem, Ethnic Nautical gazebo (that the owners had built themselves in a fit of over-achievement:))

Dar Beida, Essaouira, rented in its entirety

emma@castlesinthesand.com

mobile:  +212/67965386

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PS  Check out this (at the very bottom of the post) to see a vintage Moroccan wedding blanket displayed in situ in Allegra's home of  Beading Stars.

We will be seeing the famous Lone Cypress tree:

Visiting the Cannery in Monterey:

Shopping. Did you even doubt it?

Hitting the spectacular Monterey Bay Aquarium (I think there is an interiors color scheme here):

I love seeing the Carmel Mission:

And downtown Carmel is full of shopping: art, antiques, boutiques and restaurants (a little spendy all the way around, but sometimes you find a treasure you can't live without!):

Carmel is famous for it's artist colony, and there is no need to wonder why:

We plan to do some of this:

And visit Julia Pfeiffer State Beach in Big Sur (if there is time!):

So I wish you all a wonderful long Labor Day Weekend! I will be back on Monday....late.

BYE!

All photos from flickr

The blogging girl

 couldn?t help but 

wonder

 what lay behind

 the pink door????

 Perhaps pots of Moroccan gold?

It was hot in Marrakech.  Oh, very hot.  So she escaped to that town on the Moroccan coast, Essaouira, her favorite Summertime (and anytime) haunt. 

Now she was no longer a Spring chicken (sadly, so sadly).  And so she had stayed in quite a few guest houses and hotels in her time.  Some luxurious with down pillows and beautiful bath products and some......well, not much better than sleeping on the floor of the bus station (oh dear). 

But had she ever stayed anywhere - anywhere at all -  like Dar Beida?  No never.  It was organic and Moroccan and African and modern and high/lo all at the same time.  This was the sort of place that you could imagine yourself staying in, well, forever.  This little house on four floors was so lovely, that she promptly began thinking up all her best arguments to get the British owners to sell it to her.  (My, weren't they tired of Morocco yet?  What did they mean, No?)

It was all in the details, you see.  Now she couldn't possibly share them all in one batch.  But here's a few to start..........

A charming place to hang the house keys........Each key with a treasure from nature attached.

Two chairs in the entry where you could sit and gaze at.......

This darling little rustic steer display....The blogging girl was quite fond of cows, and this suited her to a tee.

There was an interior courtyard in the center of Dar Beida and African art placed here and there. (The girl had her very own body masks like the one in this image that she had collected in Tanzania, South Africa, and Kenya.)

Oh yes, please do perch on this little  stool and read from the enormous trove of interior design magazines...........Heaven!

This vintage African chair was covered entirely with tiny beads.  How very amazing. 

The chair was in this charming little bedroom.  The bed was covered with a fine wool vintage haik, worn by Moroccan women once upon a time.  (The girl had several of these horded for her shop.)

Oh the view from the roof terrace......She could smell the sea.  (And the girl had these very same mod chairs for the roof of Peacock Pavilions.  Could it be that Dar Beida had everything she liked?)

The girl sat and talked on the phone while checking her Blackberry.  She told everyone she might be staying in Essaouira for a good, long time...........Could she be a stowaway at Dar Beida?

***********

Dar Beida, Essaouira, rented only in its entirety (which is a good thing because you'll want it all for yourself...)

emma@castlesinthesand.com

mobile:  +212/67965386

Not only is her shop beautiful, but so is she. She has had a bit of hardship lately, which you can read about here. I hope you will join me in your support and well wishes by visiting her blog.

Sylvie is letting some of her very special pieces go on Craig's List so you might want to check things out here.

This etagere is one of the beauties being sold.

I wish I had gotten a chance to visit her shop in person, but I hope Sylvie will be starting a new chapter where her talents will flourish!

Wishing all good things for Sylvie and her family!

I don't know if you all noticed that Brocade Home, a subsidiary of Restoration Hardware, is no longer taking orders. Perhaps it is because of the launch of this site: Restoration Hardware Baby & Child.

I was looking for a Dining Table and noticed the new logo at the top of RH's website, so decided to check it out. There are quite a few nice things here (like the sweet personalized crown piece above).

The furniture, I would suspect, is the same high quality you would expect from the parent site. This four poster is a really timeless design I think. And the bedding hosts a hive of little bees fit for a little Josephine.

The lamps are great looking and quite a good price. This gourd lamp is $119, plus the shade at $25.

Cute lamp reminiscent of Jaime Young. Painted ceramic, comes in a bunch of colors (as does the gourd lamp), and different shade choices. $69! Plus a shade at $25. This is not a tiny little lamp either. It stands 22" high. (Sometimes with a price like this I double check the size to make sure it is not a mini lamp.)

And there are area rugs and window coverings as well. I thought this woven rug (comes in other colors also) was very nice!

I was very impressed overall. Restoration Hardware has great things that blend in with many different decors, so I was very pleased to discover this site. Hope you will be too. Worth a visit for sure.

Who

needs

wine

when

color

is

so

intoxicating.............

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

PS  Beautiful new stock of Beni Ourain carpets, vintage sequined Moroccan wedding blankets, and other Moroccan textiles in my flickr shop right here.  Take a peek.....

Sigh, she loved eating - her waistline was visible proof.  And she poured over cooking blogs.....dreaming, dreaming.   One of her favorites was Winos and Foodies, by the lovely Australian blogger, Barbara.  So she asked, Please Barbara....would you, could you do a guest blog for me on some Moroccan dishes?

And look what arrived on her blog doorstep! Mmmmmmm......

All recipes on Barbara's delicious blog, right here.......

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

If the blogging fairy came along and tapped you on the shoulder and said "you can choose to spend the day with any blogger in the world " - who would you choose?  I'd choose to spend the day with Maryam in Morocco. 

We'd sip mint tea and eat stuffed dates while she showed me all the pretty rugs and fabrics and glass jars she has collected on her travels.

Stuffed Dates

Remove seed from fresh dates and stuff with cheese and nuts of your choice. I like the salty feta cheese against the sweet date with the crunch of a pistachio nut. A soft brie with almonds also makes a tasty filling.

I'd ask Maryam to introduce me to her favourite couscous maker so I could I'd learn to make perfect couscous.

Plain Couscous

Add 400 ml of warm water to 350grams of couscous and 1/2 a teaspoon of salt. Rest for 10 minutes, then rub 2 tablespoons of olive oil into couscous to break up lumps and aerate the grains. Place in an ovenproof dish, dot with 20 grams butter, cover with foil and heat in 180C (350F) oven until the couscous is heated through, about 15 minutes. I often add brown flaked almonds. Pine nuts and dried fruits also go well with couscous.

Left over couscous is the perfect filling for stuffed vegetables. 

Stuffed Tomatoes

Remove insides of tomatoes and cook to reduce to a sauce with onions, spices and preserved lemon. Mix with couscous and fill tomato cases. Bake in a 180C (350) for about 25 minutes.

Naturally we'd spend the afternoon shopping. When we returned to Peacock Pavilions we would enjoy a refreshing glass of pomegranate juice..................

Pomegranate Drink

Put some ice in a glass, add a dessert spoon of pomegranate syrup and top with soda water. For a sweeter drink replace soda water with lemonade. I'm sure a shot of vodka would work in this drink.

.................and some local olives. 

Orange and Rosemary Olives

Crack olives with a meat mallet to split skins slightly. Marinade olives overnight in orange zest, rosemary spikes and olive oil.

In the evening we'd sit under the olive trees and eat platters of watermelon.

Citrus Watermelon

Remove skin and cube the watermelon. Sprinkle with freshly squeezed orange juice and scatter mint leaves over the platter.

Then just before midnight the blogging fairy would re-appear and it would be time to say goodbye to Maryam.  I think I'd need some help to get  all my shopping home.

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

See full recipes right here.  And Shoukran, Barbara!

She wondered....about the inner lives of people.
If their insides matched their outsides....
If they were happy. 
Or if they were depressed.

She wondered....if he and she, and yes, they, in the corner,
                  if they had moments of [indescribable] joy, for no reason.
Or if they had regrets, big regrets...about which, they could do nothing.

She wondered....if they -- each one of them -- felt understood.
                                     And if they felt loved.  Enough.

She wondered.... Do you wonder, too?