pauline Brettell

Writer Stéphanie Gaou is the force and inspiration behind Les Insolites in Tangier – Les Insolites translates directly as “the unusual” and with this in mind it is so much…

Perched on the top of the hill looking out across the straits to Spain is the area known as the Kasbah – historically this was the fortified area above the…

 I have in the past, mentioned a few places in Tangiers that I have stayed at and would happily and wholeheartedly recommend. I though it might be useful to put…

It was this beautiful vintage fish ornament that first drew my attention to this little shop down on eof the sides streets in the medina of Assilah. Then one day…

Some people land in Tangier and never manage to leave, but for many it is simply a port and a point of transit. A place to briefly gather their thoughts…

More and more travel is becoming about the “experience”, with hashtags like #authentic trending. Travel bloggers are all competing for top tips and “secret” spots only known by locals –…

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you will have seen an uncharacteristic amount of action on these pages over the last week. Something of a change from my…

So we are all clear that Mint Tea is a HUGE thing in Morocco  . . . And in fact some would go so far as to say that no…

A few weeks ago, after wondering through the Kasbah, stopping to chat to The Brass Man about a design, tripping over a film crew setting up a faux market place…

On these pages I tend to ramble on about places I have already visited or stayed at, but for a change, I thought I would share with you a list…

Despite spending a fair amount of time in shops and souks when I am in Morocco, I don’t buy a lot for myself. But when I was perusing the racks…

{image via} I do enjoy a quick morning scroll through Instagram with my morning coffee – and I follow a wide range of accounts, from those of friends and family,…

It is always interesting following the creative paths of some of the people I have met on these pages, so I did enjoy watching this video of the visual collaboration…

I am becoming a bit gardening obsessed at the moment, and find myself searching for gardening books almost as often as cookbooks. It is, I feel, in anticipation of things…

I know I am a little biased when it comes to extolling the virtues of taking some time out in Assilah, so when another Moroccan Travel expert does it ,…

Overlooking the city of Tangier, the rolling lawns and curved pathways of Dar Sinclair are as enticing as the interior.     There is a place for everyone – perfect corners…

{image via El Fenn } I have been trawling  through my  image files and my boards on Pinterest this week as I am working on an idea for a bespoke woven…

There are so many things about this house that I love . . . The way it fits seamlessly into the landscape. The simplicity of design, along with the intricacy…

I think this may be a record in procrastination – even for me . . . I am a trifle embarrassed to admit that I started this “series” almost a…

I first met Omar at a market in Bristol and I couldn’t resist buying a jar of Amlou – which was soon devoured at home. I love how they have…

Dar Hafa is situated on the edge of one of my favourite  parts of the city – the Marshan – not far from the Royal Palace and just around the corner…

Dar Sinclair sits majestically in its 3 acres of glorious gardens overlooking the bay of Tangier. It is hard to believe that the taxis and traffic and bustle of the…

Sometimes a single image can make the difference between obligation and inspiration when it comes to writing, and this image of  Yayu Kusama’s Obliteration Room in Brisbane (via), was one…

I have coffee, I have cake, and I am listening to The Noisettes as I sit down to read another chapter of my book. Earlier this week I posted this…

I love seeing where the creative energy of people and places takes them, and Wak Wak Studio is a fresh and energetic collaboration finding its place in Tangier. The talent…

On our last visit to Assilah we decided to try out the relatively new Chambre D’hote in the medina VillAzila We spent a year living in a riad just around…

I have been following Nargisse on Instagram for some time now – drawn by her inspiring images and recipes that are so deeply rooted in Moroccan tradition yet have a…

A little while ago I wrote about my experience in Marrakech attending a cooking course at the Amal Women’s Training Centre – and having followed the progress of Tangier based…

I think the best way to describe Dar Scribe is that it is a perfectly formed little house with a really big view! I was lucky enough to make it…

It is the journey this blog takes me on, through my love of all things design and travel, that keeps me going and inspired.  And of course key to any…

I seem to be surrounded by beautiful blues at the moment, and despite being a colour that is usually associated with summer and the beach, I have my eye on…

Contemporary design is alive and well in Morocco, and, in my opinion, too often overlooked in favour of the lure of the  traditions and crafts of the souks. Don’t get…

Good morning – it feels like Monday despite the fact that its Tuesday, but in my defence I spent most of Sunday and Monday in transit and travelling “home”.  Maybe…

Not a lot of words on this post, just some inspiring images of this beautiful house in Tangier. Sitting quite literally on the northern edge of Africa with an incredible…

It was the colours and designs of Amaz sneakers that initially caught my eye on Instagram, but it was the story behind the images that drew me in, so I…

A major event in Assilah is the annual Arts Festival that takes place every summer – this showcases both visual and performing arts, and although there has been some criticism…

image via Earlier this week I spent an interesting afternoon in Bristol at an Instagram workshop run by Matt Inwood – he does his workshop in a couple of different venues…

Things have been quite busy in my neck of the woods, so I thought it might be time for a coffee break. I am pretty flexible about a lot of…

  This is the 1st of what I hope will become a monthly feature on my blog – a place to share what I am reading, listening to, watching or…

Over the years we have stayed in quite a few different places in Assilah so I thought it would be a good idea to put them together in a list…

I have written about these wonderfully patterned, handmade tiles before over HERE I love these tiles, and as a result have put together a limited range that I will be…

    Although it was the packaging of the beautiful L’art du Bain soaps that first got my attention, it is the quality of the products that keep me hooked.…

I spent a wonderful morning at Amal Women’s Training Centre when I was in Marrakech a few months ago, learning to cook my favourite Moroccan dish . . . Lemon…

After a lot of talk {and coffee} of Travel and Tangier and Textiles, the idea to put all of these concepts together into a holiday experience, sharing the bits of…

POP-UP PLANS 2019 We are in the process of making plans for a spring pop-up in May. Please sign up to our newsletter if you want to be kept informed.…

It is almost impossible for me to walk past a carpet shop in morocco without at least having a look and strange as it may sound, possibly even stroking the…

While the steadfastly practical amongst you might rise an eyebrow at the thought of throwing a carpet down in the bathroom   . . .  I say just think of…

Back in Tangier on the blog today, with a tantalising view of this beautiful home in the medina that is available via La Conciergerie Moderne. There are so many different options…

A quick list of a few of my suggestions for places to stay, eat and shop in Marrakech. 1: Riad Linda – A lovely riad – friendly, inexpensive and great…

There are some wonderful vintage images taken in Morocco. Photographers like Irving Penn, George Dambier, Cecil Beaton . . . they all took photographs there.  Some iconic, others simply everyday…

via  I often get asked about Marrakech . . . Recommendations for places to stay, eat, things to see, shop, buy And to be honest I tend to rely on…

The ceramic designs of Tangier based designer Sarah were – if truth be told – one of the motivating inspirations of me starting my online SHOP. Spending time in Morocco…

Maybe its my age (quite possible – I am teetering on the edge of grumpy old lady-dom!) or maybe it is rather the spirit of the age, as we all…

It’s that time of the year when I start feeling all creative about cocktails. Its a christmas thing . . . It is also the time of the year that…

Anyone who knows me, knows I struggle to start the day without my moka pot of coffee, so no surprise that this image caught my attention on instagram! It is…

I dont know about you, but the events of the past year, months, few days, have left me feeling a little overwhelmed.  Suddenly things feel strangely out of kilter. There is…

We have just come back from a quick visit to Morocco and were lucky enough to be able to stay in Dar Ka in the seaside medina of Assilah. And…

My eldest daughter and myself are partial to a pistachio or two . . .We do try and make a regular stop at the Nut Mans table at the Medina…

its that time of year time to step away from my laptop shake out the beach towels and head for some sunshine Flights have been booked and we are looking…