Imagine

I'm trying something new:
Click the picture to see the full set of photos at flickr.

I hope it works!

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I think Gerry and I both agree that the walk through the meandering alleyways of the medina to reach the riad where we were staying was one of our favorite parts of the trip. There aren't many people visible in these shots, as it was early morning, but later in the day, the neighborhood was bustling with people going about their everyday lives.

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Imagine the shouts of children as they kick a ball through these passages. Upon seeing my husband's soccer jersey, one remarked, "Ar-sen-al!" with a big smile.

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Imagine doors opened to reveal little neighborhood shops inside, counters stretched across doorways and stacked with flat rounds of bread.

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Imagine the scent of woodsmoke and spices as meals cook and fires heat the hammam waters.

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Imagine a woman carrying a big, wooden tray with newly baked loaves of bread peeking out from the folds of a cloth.

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Imagine sharing these narrow passages with donkeys, motorbikes, and children pulling large carts.

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Imagine the trash men coming each morning to clear the piles stacked neatly by each doorway.

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Imagine cats! Cats poking delicately in the trash, cats curled up by doorways, cats slinking around corners, cats investigating the puddles left by the tiled fountains.

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Imagine a flash of light as you approach a doorway, then peering in to see a metalworker as he burnishes the silver trim on a piece of pottery.

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Imagine the snatches of conversations you hear, but don't understand.

Moroccan Cuisine

After dropping off our things at the riad, we headed to Djemaa el Fna. Of course we did. Read anything about Marrakech, and it's inevitable they'll mention this famous square.

If there was anything my husband was looking forward to on this trip, it was the food stalls at D-e-F. I wanted to go shopping in the souks, he wanted to eat goat head. Well, he never did get around to the goat head, but he sampled a few things that first night as we wandered through the rows of stalls which sprout up every night. One thing he was told not to miss: snails, shown above.

Because rows of virtually identical stalls are arranged side by side, the vendors relentlessly try to engage you. Menus are thrust in front of you as you pass, and shouts of "Excuse me!" or "Do you know Jamie Oliver?" ring out from every direction. Jamie did indeed visit Marrakech:

In the end it wasn't a menu, an invitation, or an inquiry about my nationality that got my attention. It was french fries.

As we walked past this stall, the proprietor was emptying basket after basket of freshly cooked fries into a bowl. I had my tush on his bench in an instant.

As it turns out, it was sort of the Moroccan version of a fish and chips shop. Okay, maybe I was just starving, being fresh off the plane and beside myself with excitement about finally being in Marrakech, but...

...those fries were delicious. Freshy cut, piping hot, generously salted. That's my kind of Moroccan cuisine.

Speaking of Moroccan cuisine, a special thanks to the two wonderful ladies at the riad who keep the place sparkling clean and whip up the fabulous meals, Oumhani and Zakia.

Been Reading?

Yikes-o-rama! I need to get cracking on a book post!

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith: I don't care if it's similar to the 44 Scotland Street series. My undying love for AMS (with the usual disclaimer about the Isabel Dalhousie novels) lives on.

The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard: My mom really liked this book. Me? Not so much. It struck me as a slightly fleshed out cowboy romance novel.

If You Follow Me by Malena Watrous: It had a few clumsy moments, but overall I enjoyed it.

This is first I've heard of ganguro fashion in Japan. Weird.

Maisie Dobbs and Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear: YES! I have finally found another mystery series to read! These remind me very much of my beloved Molly Murphy mysteries. Whee!

A Lost Wife's Tale by Marion McGilvary: I can't remember much about this book. I'm afraid that doesn't say much to recommend it, does it? (Cute website though.)

Still Alice by Lisa Genova: Don't read this if you're worried about getting Alzheimer's. Maybe I am getting Alzheimer's and that's why I can't remember that other book.

Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in That House by Meghan Daum: No. No no no no. I just didn't like this one bit. I expected a book about house hunting, not Meghan Daum's psyche.

Every Crooked Nanny by Kathy Hogan Trocheck aka Mary Kay Andrews: Vacation book! Actually not a bad little mystery. I would read more from this series. (Her blog also looks quite interesting!)

Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah: I try to read some of the books from the high school summer reading lists each summer. This is one I've had on my shelf for ages, and I decided to take it along on the trip. Well, I wish I could give it an enthusiastic recommendation when kids come in looking for their summer reading books, but I thought it was boring. I'm sorry. I feel badly about this one.

Echoes by Maeve Binchy: Another author who feels like an old, familiar sweater. I always enjoy a Binchy. Love the updated cover! She has a new book coming out in March--wheee!
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And now for the non-starters, a couple of titles I just couldn't get into:

The Hundred-Foot Journey by Richard C. Morais: This book met with all sorts of critical success, but I couldn't get past page 45. And I usually like books with Anthony Bourdain blurbs on the cover. I think it was too "foodie" for me.

Objects of Our Affection: Uncovering My Family's Past, One Chair, Pistol, and Pickle Fork at a Time by Lisa Tracy: zzzzzzzzzzz Let me be clear: zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Riad Slawi

I have to admit, as much as I wanted to travel somewhere new and different, I was a little hesitant to book our trip to Marrakech. Would it be hard to get around? Where would we stay? How would we function without speaking the language? And then I found Riad Slawi on Trip Advisor.
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The glowing reviews of the riad and the personal anecdotes people shared about the helpfulness of its owner, Adam, reassured me and convinced me to go forward with my plans.

Riad Slawi lived up to our expectations. It is a beautiful and very comfortable guesthouse. Adam was extremely helpful with information about the city, including guidance on things like how much to pay for a taxi ride. He never made us feel like we were asking dumb questions, although I think sometimes maybe we were! Adam seems to have a talent for adjusting to the needs of his guests.

We were served breakfast in the courtyard each morning. One day it was a variation on pancakes called msemen. Oh, they were good! We were visited by a few small birds, hoping for a taste of breakfast.

The riad was spotlessly clean, which must be a trick to pull off, considering it's built around that open courtyard. I wouldn't want the job of keeping it clean, but what a wonderful thing, to have an outdoor space like that!



Thank you to everyone at Riad Slawi. Add us to your chorus of fans!

Welcome to Marrakech

Okay! Time to talk about our vacation from our vacation: Marrakech!

Our plan was to spend a relaxing week on the Costa Blanca in Spain, but the call of Morocco was too much for me, and I ended up planning a short visit to Marrakech in the middle of the week. Have you ever packed up and gone on a trip when you're already away somewhere? It's very weird!

We arrived in Marrakech at about 6:30 pm. I took the photo up top on the tarmac at the airport. I think we were already sensing that there was something very different about where we were. It was hot, about 111 degrees, but with very little humidity--not the kind of heat we're used to!

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After making our way through immigration, we headed towards the exit to find our taxi driver. There weren't too many drivers with signs, and we didn't see him at first. I was starting to think, "Oh boy, he isn't here. What are we going to do?" but then I spotted him and felt a huge sense of relief!

He led us outside to a parking lot FILLED with taxis. There are two kind of taxis in Marrakech: grand and petit. We relied on the petit taxis to take us everywhere, as we had limited time. As long as you have an idea of how much a trip should cost and agree upon a price with the driver ahead of time, this is an easy option.

The airport, shown in the picture above, is beautiful. I didn't get the greatest picture, but it's made up of lacy panels, and the effect with the sun shining through them is lovely. Googling images of the airport brings up some wonderful shots such as this one.

And then we were off! Wow. Just wow. I wanted something different, and this was certainly that. The architecture, the clothes, the plants...it was like the atmosphere itself was different. And traffic was crazy. Taxis, bicycles, scooters, the occasional donkey cart--just weaving in, out, and around with seemingly no rules. I turned to Gerry and said, "My eyes are on sticks!" That would continue throughout the visit. I didn't want to miss anything and didn't know where to look.

Tomorrow I'll show you where we stayed.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Just wait 'til you see what I did on my vacation from my summer vacation.

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Thanks for rummaging through my jewelry box with me!

I hope you enjoyed it!
I had fun!

Vintage Flair

Surprise! More pins! Well actually, these are called pin-back buttons in collector parlance. Not that I am a pin-back button collector by any stretch of the imagination, but I've come across a few I couldn't resist. A loaf of bread? Yes, please.


Anyone who knows me in real life has heard me say this. Whenever someone asks how I am after feeling poorly, I reply, "I'm much better. Thank you," while thinking of this pin. I'm pretty sure I do a little something with my eyes, too, in imitation of that cute picture!

This I just couldn't resist. "Makes 'em lay." Awesomeness.

Little Gems

Here's another side to vintage--a little bit of millefiore, a portrait brooch, and a tiny pin with dangling grapes. Who are those kids in the pictures? I have no idea!

Best Halloween Pin Ever!

Aww, man, I wish I knew how to do one of those animations where it flicks back and forth from one picture to the other. If I were a real blogger, I could do that. Oh well. Old school pin, old school photos.

Happy Holidays!

Welcome to my holiday pin collection! These boxes house everything but my Christmas pins--those have their own box up in the attic. One could easily be overrun with holiday pins, so I try to stick to Hallmarks or older plastics. They also have to be CHEAP, a recurring theme with me.

You'll rarely see me wearing these pins. I just have fun categorizing them into the little compartments (these are both pilgrims, these are both acorns) and playing with them once in a while!

Tomorrow I'll share my Favorite Halloween Pin Ever!

Fantastic Plastic

On the post about my strawberry necklace, someone left a comment about costume jewelry. Almost every piece of jewelry I own is costume jewelry, so I thought I'd do a little series about some of the things I have tucked away.

These are all vintage plastic pins that I picked up at yard sales for pennies. I don't wear them as much as I used to, but I'm still delighted by them when I spread them all out for a look. The cow jumping over the moon used to be my favorite, but now I think the anchor appeals to me the most. Funny that I have all those dogs and not one cat! Red, of course, figures prominently. That's been a consistent favorite for me through the years.

Which one do you like best? How would you wear it?

Getting Dressed

The last time we were at the beach, I just took a tee shirt to pull on over my swimsuit. It was a regular tee, not a huge oversized version, and I found myself feeling really exposed walking through town dressed like that. With this in mind, I decided my next vacation sewing project needed to be a beach cover up.

[Fighting hard not to make a self-deprecating remark about my pale legs. I'm always bothered that people preach against the dangers of sun exposure, yet everyone seems to get some color in the summer.]

As usual, I dug out every pattern that might work. I had vintage styles, voluminous muumuus, sundresses, and wraps, but I couldn't seem to come up with a fabric/pattern combination I was happy with. Then Simplicity patterns went on sale, so I succumbed to the siren song of JoAnn's, and came home with Simplicity 2363 and Simplicity 2702. Both pull on over the head; both have pockets; and both use about 2.5 yards of fabric, which is generally the amount I buy when I'm just buying fabric with no particular project in mind.

Even though I never wear sleeveless, I thought the sleeveless version of 2702 would do as a cover up. Much rummaging later, I emerged with one of my prize lengths of fabric: a lightweight printed cotton brought back from India by a friend. (She is going to be so surprised--I finally used it!)

Commence pattern layout...you know, maybe sleeveless isn't such a good idea. Sure, it would be okay for the beach, but I'd get more versatility out of it if I added sleeves. Hmm...maybe I could even pair it with those pants I made and wear it as a kind of tunic. Versatility=good thing when packing for vacation.

This was a lovely pattern to sew. Unlike some other reviews I read, I didn't find the sizing to be off. I chose a size based on chest measurement, and I am happy with the fit there. I took about three inches off the bottom, because I thought that looked better with the pants, and I moved the ties down about an inch. I really like how the "bib" part in the front is made of two pieces. I usually have trouble getting that kind of neckline to work correctly. I don't know the official name for ithat, but you know the type: You're supposed to sew the V, then cut to the dot, etc. Mine always come out with a little pucker. This eliminates all that rigamarole entirely.

So this is going into the suitcase. I can wear it different ways, it packs light, and it dries quickly. It's a good thing. --wink--

Pleated

Back in the Spring, my mom and I made a pilgrimage to Gaffney's Fabrics. As usual, I bought about twenty yards of fabric, brought it home, and dumped it on top of a pile in the sewing room. Oh, I had ideas--I always have ideas--but I never cut into a piece of fabric without agonizing over it first.

I had to have this fabric because of all the DOTS and because it's pretty sheer and lightweight. I was imagining it ade up as one of those Eighties-esque elastic-waist skirts that were starting to show up everywhere. Here's one from Modcloth:






I had my eye on Simplicity 2606, but the more I looked at the photo on the envelope, the clearer it became that all that gathering around the waist and hips was going to look terrible on me. I still wanted something with some fullness to give some weight to such sheer fabric, so I focused on pleats. Finally, I settled on Butterick 4686.

I'm happy with how it went together. Basically, it's two huge pieces that are then pleated pleated pleated all the way around. Slap in a zipper, sew on a facing, and you're done. Except...according to the pattern envelope, I should have cut a size 18. I disregarded that, cut a size 16, and then messed up and cut one piece incorrectly--on the line for a size 14. And still...it's too big. If this were sitting up at my waist, the length would be better so I guess I'll be fixing that one day soon. As it is, it looks like my mom bought my skirt a little big so I could grow into it!

Ripe for Picking

Who needs diamonds? This is probably my single most-commented-upon piece of jewelry, and it cost me nine dollars. I balked at that nine dollars when I first spotted this in the thrift store's jewelry case, but then I couldn't stop thinking about this lucious, yellow berry and rushed back the next day to buy it. Those return trips are always fraught: What if it's gone? Why didn't I just buy it? Will I never learn?

The color yellow has been having its heyday, but it's not a color I can wear next to my face--and, believe me, I've tried decades of yellows at the thrifts. Then a yellow handbag caught my eye, but it was $99...need I say more? No, this little $9 bauble is just what I needed.

America's Next Top Model

As promised, here are pictures of Gerry modeling the Frankenpants! I thought, "A HA! The tables are turned! Now he'll see how weird it feels to pose for pictures in the things I've sewn!" But, no. He took to it like a duck to water. Figures.