Beautiful Food, Travel & Design
During our trip to South Africa, we took a boat ride to Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town. This was no luxury cruise though, our goal was to tour the now-defunct prison on the island and learn more about its history.
Robben Island is perhaps most famous for being the prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 out of his 27 years behind bars after being arrested for conspiracy to overthrow the South African government…. Read More »
The Tintswalo Atlantic Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa is absolutely the definition of five star accommodation. We were so lucky to spend two nights there as part of our recent Cape Town adventure. It was a magical two days filled with relaxation, amazing food and incredible sunsets.
Every detail at the Tintswalo carefully thought out and the staff go out of the way to make sure our stay was special and comfortable. We were greeted with a smile and a glass of iced tea on arrival. The room was always stocked with pods for our coffee machine (we basically drink coffee around the clock) and there was an international outlet where we could charge our electronics.
When we returned from dinner each night, our bed was turned down and the candles were lit. The rooms were spotless and beautifully decorated. Each one has a theme, and I loved the seashore vibes and neutral palette of ours. There was also a general sense of warmth and welcoming from every single member of the staff…. Read More »
It’s hard not to immediately fall in love with the Bo-Kaap neighborhood of Cape Town, South Africa. With the bright pastel and fluorescent houses it’s a pretty magical place.
Bo-Kaap is a historically Muslim community. Many of its residents descend from slaves brought in by the Dutch in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Even though they came from all over Africa and Asia, they are known as the “Cape Malay” people…. Read More »
As this was our honeymoon, I wanted to have a few really, really nice nights while we were in Morocco. The first was at Riad Louna, which was a bit of a flop, the second was La Pause, which was absolutely peaceful and picturesque and the last was at Riad Farnatchi in Marrakech.
Riad Farnatchi was the definition of luxury. It is a small riad (guesthouse) tucked away in a quiet corner of the medina in Marrakech. It’s known for its upscale clientele, with former guests including Angelina Jolie, Scarlet Johansen and Russell Crowe. I found Riad Farnatchi through Jetsetter and I knew it would make the perfect place to stay for our last night in Morocco. It’s a good thing I had some Jetsetter credit to use up, because the price to stay at Riad Farnatchi is definitely celebrity-worthy.
Our room was bigger than our San Francisco apartment, with two terraces and the biggest bathroom I have ever seen. All the details were taken care of – snacks on our arrival, heated towel racks, fluffy bathrobes and a staff that effortlessly anticipated our every need.
The entrance to a cathedral? Nope, that’s just our shower.
Breakfast was provided and included french press coffee. Pat and I are obsessed with coffee and can’t start our mornings without caffeine. We even went so far as to bring Starbucks Cafe Via’s with us so we could ensure consistent caffeine access throughout our trip. Even typing that makes me blush a little. Knowing this, you can imagine the mini celebration we had when we found out there was real coffee!
Our king-sized bed was so comfortable I managed to sleep through the sunrise call to prayer.
With rooms costing more than we paid for two weeks accommodation elsewhere in Morocco, Riad Farnatchi is spendy. However, if you have a trust fund that needs spending or you just got your payout from that hit blockbuster film, Riad Farnatchi can offer unparalleled luxury and privacy in Marrakech.
Riad Farnatchi
Rue Souk el Fassis,
Marrakech, Morocco
+212 5243-84910
http://www.riadfarnatchi.com
A Day by the Sea in Asilah, Morocco
Magical Blue-Hued Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen – Our Favorites
Northern Morocco Road Trip
Visiting the Fez Tanneries
Moulay Yacoub Spa in Fez
Buying Carpets in Morocco
A Close Shave in Marrakech
Taking a Pause at La Pause
Exploring Marrakech
Our last stop in Morocco was Marrakech. Marrakech was hectic. The streets were crowded and the vendors were more persistent than other places in Morocco.
Mopeds are a huge problem in Marrakech. They release toxic clouds of exhaust as they whiz by you, missing you by a few inches. While walking in the medina, you really have to be constantly vigilant for mopeds. We would return to our riad at the end of the day with our hair smelling like exhaust. I can only hope the government realizes this and takes measures to limit moped traffic in the old medina. I’ll take donkey travel any day!
Other than the mopeds, Marrakech was vibrant and beautiful. The Jemaa el-Fnaa is the center of all activity and so fun to wander at night. Here you can find the snake charmers, musicians and story-tellers that Morocco is famous for. There are also numerous open air restaurants selling cheap tagines and kebabs. I read somewhere that in order to keep the food safe for tourists, the government buys back old meat at the end of the night and exchanges it for fresh meat. In addition, it’s probably much safer to watch your food being cooked – who knows what the hidden kitchens of the restaurants we ate in are like?
Bab Agnaou is a famous ancient gate in Marrakech. It is one of 19 old gates that give entrance to the kasbah. Check out the huge storks perched on the top!
At the gate, a man was selling milk to local people from huge jugs. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.
You can find anything for sale in Marrakech, including a toy train featuring a former president chasing down a well known terrorist! People must actually buy this stuff…
Pat and I found Cafe des Epices a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. The three terrace cafe sells amazing food and excellent coffee that can be enjoyed while having a birds eye view of the Place des Epices. They served the best harira soup of our trip!
I stumbled on an area of the souk where craftsmen sell hand carved wooden tools. For just a couple of bucks, we picked up a few wooden spoons, a juicer and a honey dipper.
We stumbled upon a beautiful art exhibit by Stephane Braud at the gallery Dar Bellarj. I definitely recommend checking out this beautiful gallery space to see if they are offering a (free) exhibition if you are in Marrakech. 
Marrakech is the place to stock up on spices before you head home. There were also many home remedies to choose from, with something to cure pretty much anything that ails you. 
We also found the black soap that is used for hammams (turkish baths). Not much to look at, but so nice for the skin!
We checked out Marrakech’s most famous mosque, Koutoubia. The inside is only open to Muslims. The minaret (main tower) is so striking, especially when contrasted with the busy streets that surround it!
For our last night in town, we splashed out for a nice dinner at Maison MK.
Maison MK specialized in ‘barefoot 5 star’ experience. They have food that is more modern French than Moroccan-inspired, and it was incredible! They have a set dinner menu that is 650 dirhams ($80 USD) per person for a five course meal. The food was exceptional, the service was flawless and the head chef, Omar, even came out to say hi to each table at the end of the meal. I definitely recommend booking ahead to secure a table.
To Do & See in Marrakech:
Cafe Des Epices
Place Rahba Lakdima
Place des Epices
Marrakech, Morocco
+212.524.391.770
http://www.cafedesepices.net
Dar Bellarj Gallery
7-9, Toualate Zauouiate Lahdar
Marrakech-Medina, Morocco
Tel: +212(0)524 44 45 55
[email protected]
Bab Agnaou Gate
Avenue Hassan II,
Marrakech 40000, Morocco
Koutoubia Mosque & Minaret
Avenue Mohammed V
Marrakech, Morocco
Maison MK Restaurant & Riad
14 Derb Sebaai
Bab Lksour
Marrakech 40000, Morocco
212.5243.76173
http://www.maisonmk.com
Our Morocco Adventure:
A Day by the Sea in Asilah, Morocco
Magical Blue-Hued Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen – Our Favorites
Northern Morocco Road Trip
Visiting the Fez Tanneries
Moulay Yacoub Spa in Fez
Buying Carpets in Morocco
A Close Shave in Marrakech
Taking a Pause at La Pause
Our honeymoon to Morocco had a huge emphasis on relaxation. With ‘real’ life consisting of 80-hour work weeks and 4:30 am alarm clocks, we wanted to avoid packing too much in and feeling rushed with us on our vacation. I think we had a great balance on our trip, with seeing quite a bit but still having lots of down time!
Hands-down the most relaxing part of our trip was the night we spent at La Pause, just outside of Marrakech. La Pause is a guesthouse and desert oasis that was a lovely escape from the frenetic pace of Marrakech.
We were picked up in Marrakech and whisked away to the desert. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful setting. The rooms are individual thick mud and straw “cabins”. They are open on one side which was covered with a thick curtain. The rooms were decorated so beautifully that we were inspired to buy a carpet and a wool blanket similar to the ones in our room upon our return to Marrakech!
A stay at La Pause includes meals – the best food we ate our entire trip. The multi-course meals had Moroccan inspiration, but were given five star updates. All meals were served in beautiful nomadic tents, which made us joke that we were “glamping“.
Pat and I did a little exploring of the area around La Pause. We met a local shepherd who had a newborn baby goat in his basket. Oh my dying of cuteness. I didn’t even mind that it got newborn baby goat poop all over my shirt.
No trip to the desert can be complete without a camel ride! Our stay included a short camel ride, lead by a local guide. Similar to our elephant trek in Thailand, shorter is better when it comes to this mode of transit.
La Pause also hosts weddings. Can you imaging getting married here? Talk about destination weddings!
La Pause has no electricity, which means nights are lit by lanterns and candlelight. I can’t imagine a more romantic setting. Despite the chilly night air, we were toasty warm thanks to the woodburning stove in our room. Special shout-out to my amazing husband who set an alarm so he could wake up every four hours to add more wood to the fire.
We left La Pause refreshed and feeling more connected to each other than ever.
We were guests of La Pause during our stay there, however all opinions and stories are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that keep me running!