48 HOURS IN MOROCCO

World of AERIN
WORLD OF AERINBEAUTY

A WHIRLWIND BUSINESS TRIP TO MARRAKECH LEFT ME ENTRANCED BY THIS MAGICAL CITY. IF ONLY I HAD MORE TIME…

PLACE TO STAY
We stayed at the incredibly beautiful Four Seasons in Marrakech. It is the perfect balance of familiar and exotic. If you are looking for a little taste of home, you can order American comfort food like fried eggs and bacon, but if you want a traditional Moroccan meal, they offer delicious local dishes. I loved the artfully arranged plates of dates, figs, and nuts.

AL FRESCO LUNCH
King Mohammed VI built the Royal Mansour hotel to be an exquisite example of Moroccan style. The spaces are very decadent—gold leaf ceilings, intricate carved floral motifs, beautiful tiles– the level of detail is extraordinary. Lunch in their garden restaurant La Table was lovely— the air smelled like jasmine and orange blossom.

DIVINE DINNER
One of the most stunning hotels in the world is La Mamounia, designed by the very talented Jacques Garcia. The hotel is a dazzling example of Moroccan style. To get to their wonderful restaurant Le Marocain, you have to walk through their gardens. The setting is gorgeous, lots of rich colors, low lights, and red velvet. They have the most amazing lamb couscous. The night we were there, local musicians came in and played. My father requested an Arabic lullaby that my grandfather used to love called “Moustafa”.

GORGEOUS RIAD
Frederick Vreeland, the son of Diana Vreeland and the former American Ambassador to Morocco, has a fantastic house in Marrakech. The riad boasts 5 acres of gardens and features a wonderful mix of Morroccan, European, and Asian design. The house was the backdrop for a photo shoot I did for September Town & Country.

SHOPPING IN THE SOUK
The souks in Marrakech are famous for the incredible array of Moroccan treasures like embroidered tunics, colored glass, jewelry, spices, and ceramics. I found a striking terracotta tagine serving platter that I still wish I had taken home with me. It is on my wishlist for when I return (hopefully soon!).