Lifestyle

Discovering the carpets of North Africa is like taking a highly patterned journey through some of the most remote areas of the Atlas Mountains before heading into the Sahara Desert.…

(image by Sarah Charpentier) I was recently commissioned to write a few articles for the lifestyle pages of The National News – I enjoyed writing this, as it is a…

(image by Sarah Charpentier) T{ea}INT{angier} TINT is a woven project that  is the result of collaboration and inspiration from  the North of Morocco.   (image Sarah Charpentier) For some time now…

I have been a little slow off the mark to reignite my blogging mojo this new year/new decade/best foot forward time of year,  but this week got me back on…

It’s great seeing young designers creative and focussed amidst everything else (like school) they have to do, especially when that creativity has a direct connection to their roots and culture…

image via I love reading about a place I am travelling to – whether a travel book on a practical level, or a more immersive fictional story that simply uses…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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 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…

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…

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…

    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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

There seems to be a whole lot of blue out there this week – or is it just my facebook feed?? image via : majorelle blues I love following the…

When life gives you olives . . . Having had our fair share of meals at Port XIV in Assilah, we have also consumed WAY more than our fair share…

Wether on Pinterest, Instagram, or the latest edition of your favourite interiors glossy, you cannot miss the trend for these beautiful handwoven rugs made in Morocco.  One of the reasons…

#readinginthemedina on Instagram If I don’t have a book next to my bed or on my kindle I start stressing – so often message a few well read friends for suggestions. We…

With a salty honey caramel swirl! I first stumbled across the recipes of The Bojon Gourmet when her Moroccan Mojito caught my eye, and since then, although I have never…

If you find yourself hungry and in Assilah – and possibly, dare I say it . . .  a little tagine and couscous-ed out (it does happen from time to…

It’s {almost} Friday . . . and I personally feel the  need for something a little more substantial than tea! This image for a Moroccan Mojito caught my eye on…

The slightly more bohemian cousin of the Beni Ourain . . .? I was going through some photographs yesterday – the ones still sitting on my camera  . . .…

Morocco, like many countries on this fair continent, has its fair share of excess plastics and packaging, but it also has a wonderful tradition of the homemade and the handmade.…

Cumin is used in almost every Moroccan dish, and is so much an everyday essential, that it is served on the table along with salt and pepper. It is also…

a concept store in Tangiers Sometimes a girl just needs a little space . . . a place to come up for air after navigating the twists and turns of…

a little bit of blue to brighten up the weekend . . . A friend of mine recently drew my attention to this book, and the images are so lovely…