tea at . . . la tangerina

 Sitting on the roof terrace of La Tangerina, gazing across the straits towards Spain, sipping on hot mint tea or maybe a cold glass of wine, always feels just a little remarkable to me. 

A {literal} stones throw away from the fortified walls that overlook the ocean, La Tangerina is on the main road that goes through the kasbah,

 As you knock on the somewhat daunting front door, you feel a little like something out of a fairy tale as the door swings open and you step out of the road and into the calm and cool of the hotel.

Fresh flowers, filtered light, a canary chirping somewhere up the stairs . . .

Attention to detail is evident everywhere, from the collection of vintage radios, to thoughtfully selected books to page through as you sink into a comfortable chair.

Each room is different and decorated with carfully chosen vintage carpets and locally sourced textiles. A little like going into someones home - just better.

image via Abanja

And if your ensuite feels a little too much like hard work after a busy day in the souks, there is always the hammam, where the days dust can be washed away for you.

Still feel the need to relax even more  - well, you are on holiday aren't you? 

  Head back up to the terrace and recline

 right here with a good book. 

Perfect

That's just a few of the reasons why I love staying at La Tangerina!

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(images from tea-in-tangiers & La Tangerina)

now this is what I call packaging . . .

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.

 When I was in Assilah during Ramadan, every evening the streets would come alive with fresh produce and street food vendors as households prepared for the evening meal - and being a sucker for good packaging, I fell in love with these cheeses sold in their individual baskets.

 All the overused and abused labels that we fashionably follow - artisan, organic, handmade etc . . . are right here and in {for me} a far less pretentious form.

or, if wicker isn't your thing, a handwoven perfectly plaited palm frond should do the trick!

via  http://anitasfeast.com/blog/

via   http://milliskitchen.blogspot.com/ 

and not a laughing cow in sight . . .

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a {sweet} moment in time

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 an essential in our kitchen, along with the occasional slab of chocolate.

So, as I am partial to chocolate, and tend to err on the side of generosity when it comes to a spice like cumin, the marriage of these two elements is, in my mind, close to perfection.

When flicking through the pages of the online publiction Crush!, I stumbled upon this recipe. 

 A recipe that I have filed for future culinary efforts, so one that I thought is worth sharing. 

 cumin and cinnamon spiced dark chocolate truffles

                                                                       

for this recipe click HERE

The perfect indulgence to go along with your tea or coffee.

                                                                                     image via Dar Kawa

and remember . . . 

via french by design blog

follow the link below for more cumin infused recipes
http://view.ceros.com/petal/crush-34/p/1

bathrooms on file . . .

I have a file on my laptop ambitiously titled

 "Maroc : plans and idea",

 and some of these images have slowly found their way onto my pinterest (to which I am just a little addicted) boards as well.

I thought I would share some of the inspirational images I have been saving for my {future} dream bathroom, as that was partly the starting point to this blog - the path I am creating that is going to take us there.

                             

  Nothing quite as ambitious as this however - I veer towards a simpler approach.

 Have a look and see what you think.

                                                                                                

   

Despite the natural tones of all the images above, 

right now I think this one below is my favourite . . .

And then of course there are the details . . .

 how is a girl to bathe without a selection of silver hammam bowels to wash away the soap?

    

 cotton towels to soak up the suds

and subtle lighting to soften the edges.

     

It's the attention to detail that transforms the ordinary into the extra-ordinary.

one day . . .

all images with their credits can be found HERE on my pinterest board

time to play

take time to play  . . . 

and have a good weekend x

a day in . . .Fes

{with Valerie, owner of Riad Anata.}

Its been a while since I was in Fes, so I thought I would prevail upon Valerie to point us in the direction of a few good places to go for lifes little essentials - a good cup of coffee, a carpet perhaps and, a cocktail or two at the end of the day.

Valerie Janczewski: owner of Riad Anata in the medina of Fes

starting the day . . .

"The Barcelona is an ideal place to eat a pastry in a trendy setting with soft lighting and cosy atmosphere.

 The place is amazing as all the decor is for sale! You can find it atTalaa Kgbira, above the carpark,

 at Ain El Zlitten."

shopping and a spot of mint tea . . .

 "The talaa Kgbira (the big talaa) is where you will find some of the most authentic

stalls, food stalls, rose petals, spices, fruits and vegetables and crafts from Fassi.

 It is in this part of the Medina that you will find the Clock Café. Ideal for a mint tea break!"

" The Clock Café is a real institution for both locals, expats and intrepid travellers, this place is perfect for a

drink in a really friendly atmosphere! Snacks are available (I suggest you try 'The Burger').

Check out the program of the week: calligraphy classes, themed cinema shows, retro-projection,etc."

lunch break . . .

 "For lunch you could go to The Ruined Garden -  its a fabulous place located in the remains of a beautiful mansion, next to the Idrissy Riad. The perfect place to relax and enjoy lunch or tea. Robert hails from London and opened the doors to this atmospheric place fairly recently . Simple, tasty salads, teas and Moroccan cuisine "

cocktails at sunset . . .

" The Merinides Hotel boasts a large panoramic terrace overlooking the Medina of Fez. An ideal
location for an aperitif and admiring the sunset. Taxi reference: Merinides Hotel which everyone knows"

head for the hills . . .

"Finally, if you have time to spend a day in the countryside I would always recommend a visit to Aziz - Aziz lives in a very beautiful and authentic cottage, which is full of carpets, bouchrouite or Handira. This is really a beautiful trip and in my opinion, if you take only one trip it should be this one. Aziz's mother will cook a delicious lunch for 100dhs/person."

"and of course - please come and visit us at Riad Anata!"

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