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Showing posts from 2009

Marrakech Yoga and Reiki Retreat - shake off the winter blues in the Moroccan sun

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Feeling fat, white and lethargic after Christmas, come and join us on the Zamzam Retreat at the end of January 2010 - 28 to 2 February. The 4 day retreat is all inclusive, including twice daily yoga, reiki, attunements, hammam, massage, heated pluge pool, walking in the Atlas, lunch at a Kasbah in the spectacular Atlas and a trip to the Marrakech Desert with camels and dinner in a traditional Moroccan tent. The experienced team some of the best in the world in their field will guide you through the four days Journey of Awakening. The luxuries of Zamzam will nurture your body together with superb organic food. Email me for more information Emma: zamzamriad@gmail.com

Zamzam Boutique - Christmas gifts - truly original Moroccan Design

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On the 12th day of Christmas my true love sent to me........................... not too late to order some gorgeous things from the Zamzam Boutique for Christmas! Just 1 week courier to the US or UK/Europe. Fabulous vintage Beni Ouarain and Azilal carpets, stunning hand stitched poufs in an array of colour. The gold ones are very Christmassy I just put two in my house, and don't forget the sparkly vintage Berber Wedding blankets. Email me at zamzamriad@gmail.com for all enquiries.

Essaouira Cats - Morocco Travel

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I wanted to share these cute photos of the cats in Essaouira, they are very healthy and losts of them due to all the fish. Mum and her daughter taken on our recent trip to the Moroccan Coastal town of Essaouira.

Casa Botanica - Family trips in Marrakech

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Casa Botanica Fantastica ! They have this pretty little boutique selling lovely gifts for children. This is a selection of juices made fresh on the premises, they told me these are just suggestions, you can make up your own!! Little baby organic tomatoes for sale per cup. The really nice shop that the girls loved, full of real packaging to play with. They also have chickens, rabbits (don't put your finger through the fence they bite) and a donkey and a pony which you can ride for free. Ideal for younger children. Zamzam can book you a trip for lunch. We are off to the AiM lunch tomorrow at Casa Botanica, can't wait!

Casa Botanica - Marrakech out and about

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I was invited by my friend to go and meet her family for brunch at a new nursery. I had read that it had a cafe and area for children so off we went - the changing faces of Marrakech. What a great surprise , it was like being back in a Portobello cafe. There were different kinds of quiches with salads, choose your own fruit juice list - oh it was just great at last great home cooked food but out of your home! I had the broccoli and blue cheese tarte and an apple and ginger juice. I'm a terrible food critic and is was very good, even the pastry. There was a nice children's plate for my daughter with potato and cheese cakes, with homemade tomato sauce a yogurt sauce, served with home grown organic baby tomato's and fresh apple juice. To follow we had home made cakes a particularly good one with flaked almonds. It was very relaxing surrounded by gorgeous plants on a 3 acre site, covered with huge cloths of red, blue and yellow. We spent ages there, it is a long

Black Handira Magic - Marrakech

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Wow said Fatiya it is just like the night sky. Well that is exactly what must have inspired this weaver. Large vintage black handira , very rare- 3.1 x 1.8m, it is absolutely stunning, covered in sequins and woven will natural yarn. A total show stopper a huge amount of work has gone into this handira . It's like a very expensive haut couture piece.

Handira Gems - Zamzam Boutique

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Since a year ago when I posted the gorgeous orange handira on my website which flew out the Boutique, I have many of you emailing me if I have any more or if I can find such pieces like that. The answer so far has been no, until this morning when I got a call. "I have 3 pieces, really good ones, shall I come to your riad ?" Yes please do come now I said getting all excited. 30 minutes later the door bell rang and in entered The 3 Wise Handira , Red, Green and Black, all vintage, all gorgeous. I thought I had forgotten to take my asthma puffer but remembered I had. I must calm down I thought, chill out! but the literally took my breath away. I'll take them all I said, thank you so much and off he went. Immediately one of the writers staying with us for the AiM festival came out. "what are they he said, can I have one?" he was nearly as flustered as me, he had no idea what they were but he was intoxicated. Red or green, red or green, ok i'm ha

The creation of The Witches hat

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I know it is a loooooooooong time ago but I'm now catching up with my posting and thought it would be a shame not to post these! I came home from an exhausting day at the riad and my daughter said - I need a special witches hat by the morning to wear to Halloween . Marcus said that's impossible ............. men! A serious of designs, calculations, a Kellogg's box and the dog biscuit bag, and Marcus's very special supply of super glue from the UK (he wasn't too happy about that!) And voila an everyday Harry Potter hat with the right amount of flexibility! They always told me at school I should have been a theatre wardrobe mistress - Maybe they were right!

Zamzam Boutique - New Collection of Beni Ouarain Carpets

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Dear readers, I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a while i've been so busy organising the Zamzam Retreat - Journey of Awakening in January. I've got lots of news and photos to share with you starting with the most recent and working back. I have at last had time to replenish my stock of Beni Ouarain Carpets for the Zamzam Boutique . I have got some lovely vintage pieces in this recent collection please click on the link to have a look at the photos and sizes. Email me the references of any pieces you would like information on. Simple but stunning! This one I adore it is my favourite piece, but I love the chocolate brown and the loose weave.

Yoga and Reiki Retreat - Zamzam Riad Marrakech, Morocco

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We have been really busy organising the first "Journey of Awakening Retreat" at Zamzam . On the 28 January we will be holding an exciting four day Ashtanga Yoga and Reiki Retreat in Marrakech at Zamzam . The four days will be all inclusive, including Yoga with Aisha, Reiki with Reiki Master Rebecca Hutley from Spain, delicious and nutritional food to feed body and soul by Emma and her Zamzam chefs, a journey into the Atlas Mountains with lunch at the stunning Kasbah Toubkal and a visit to the Agafay Desert outside Marrakech to La Pause, an eco retreat where we will have a traditional Moroccan dinner under the stars! For more information on the programme and events, email Emma - zamzamriad@gmail.com Yoga Guru, Aisha Barzaghi will be leading two yoga sessions a day to work holistically with your awakening on this retreat. Aisha now living in Marrakech and building a dedicated yoga retreat has lived and trained for 7 years in New York City and 7 years in Sa

Zamzam patisserie continued - Moroccan cakes

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Here you can see the filling being made, the yellow mixture is butter, being added to the ground almonds. Layering it out like a biscuit bottom to a cheesecake. Having put on the final layer of pastry , it is cut diagonally both ways to make little diamond cakes, a toasted almond is carefully placed onto each one. The delicious sticky end result. You'd better come to Zamzam and try them!

Moroccan patisserie - Zamzam Cooking

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These are more of Joanna's photos of the girls making the Moroccan sweet patries. At the riad we serve these on the side with home made ice cream as a desert, they are delicious and very sticky. Hopefully these photos will be featured in a Food Magazine shortly. Making the pastry. Two neat balls one for the top and one for the bottom of the little cakes. I will post the next set of photos so you can see the complete picture. The pastry melts in your mouth as you sink your teeth into a thick nutty centre, followed by lip licking honey!