Olive Anyone?

Oh, to be an olive in a Moroccan market.  It's not your ordinary run of the mill experience.  You are wonderfully poised on brilliant blue containers.  The sun casts lovely lightly on your colors.  You are side by side with some of the most handsome olives in the world.  Yes, I said handsome.  They truly were. And equally as tasty.

She Arrives in Many Forms

She never arrives without fan fare. There is always a grand entrance.  Always hot and steamy.  She makes us feel oh, so much better.  She is...simply delicious.

She is Moroccan mint tea.  Always beautifully poured from a silver teapot.  Presented in beautifully etched little glasses in all colors.

This is my morning glass.  But stay tuned as I'm on a quest to drink from as many colorful little glasses as I can.

 

More of the Beautiful in Morocco

Here are some more examples of the beauty to be found in Casablanca. 

Large oysters and lemons at the local fish market...

Shiny ceramic bowls with tassles...

Colorful painted plates...

Fresh fruits and vegetables at the local market...

Finding the Beautiful in the Mundane

 Sometimes it can seem like just another international flight.  Just another international hotel chain.  Another city.  Another bad hotel view.So, you go out searching. Searching on that first day for a little bit of the beauty in your surroundings, while you are still trying to figure out what defines beauty in this particular place. Amid the honking horns and pollution and dirty streets, one can usually find it.

A colorful yellow mosque doorway

A fountain with intricate tiling

A substantial door knocker

An intriguing sign in the medina

Morocco Awaits

I can hear his soft little breathing on the baby monitor...such beautiful little sighs.  They will be missed.

We snuggled and rubbed noses before bed as she got all tucked in and prepared to doze off.

This is the hardest part of traveling. Leaving these wondrous little creatures behind.  But Morocco awaits and there is work to do.  Tomorrow I board a plane to fly across an ocean.

Goodnight beautiful little ones.

Flurries

He put his sweet little face to the door as if to say "let me out."  It was snowing and blustery and his hot breath made marks on the frozen glass door.

Soon, I thought.  Soon you'll be out there tumbling in the snow.  Soon you'll build snowmen. Soon you'll throw snowballs with Abby.

But for today, stay inside where it's warm and cozy. Stay inside and cuddle with mommy.

Happy Valentine's Day my Sweet Little Ones

To my prince and princess...

For their love...

For the love they have brought out in me...

For hearts and flowery messages...

Happy Valentine's Day (and to you, too, sweetheart)

What to Pack? Oh, What to Pack?

This burning question vexes me about every 2 months. I stand in front of my closet and ponder the weather, the perfect work-to-night transition outfits and the most comfortable, yet stylish, plane outfit. I have, over the years, cut out and saved numerous articles from Conde Naste and Travel and Leisure on the perfect packing items. I've got some of it down to a science: pashminas, accessories, IPod, very small laptop, flats, compressed work out shoes, Bose headphones, white t-shirts, black travel pants, travel wallet. So, why oh why do I still search for the perfect packable items? Is it some mysterious malady that forces me to continue the search for the most packable, yet presentable, items in the universe?

Here again is another set of suggestions from Town and Country, one of my favorite travel mags.

In the meantime, I'll keep looking.

As Snow Falls in D.C.....Sun Shines in Yemen

Both Brad and Thomas Friedman have been in Yemen in the past week....talking governance, rule of law, civil society. Brad managed to delve into a local market.

I love the juxtaposition of the mountains and old historic city...

And the colorful market scenes....

And on the Eighth Day there Was....Snow, lots of it

There is snow. And then the is a real snow storm. Rather than try to describe it, take a look.