We wanted to do this post to update you on the recovery efforts in the wake of the recent earthquake in Morocco and how you might be able to help out.
TRAVELER TESTIMONIES / MARRAKESH TRAVEL GUIDE WITH KRISTEN SHOATES
We're so happy to share this post from our past guest Kristen Shoates. Kristens specialty is helping businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, influencers, makers, artists and organizations of all kinds grow their brands through strategic storytelling. She has a background in journalism and over a decade of experience working as a copywriter and strategist at marketing agencies.
Soulful Snapshots \ Mary - Indiana, USA
“I do want to thank you again for planning and offering this lovely trip. It was so enjoyable on many levels and everyone here was so easy to be with. It was a fabulous vacation, one of my best! Our host Julian was most knowledgable, kind and engaging. His knowledge of history, art and culture was quite enlightening. I recommend the trip to anyone... ”
Give Back \ Project Soar Update
As many of you know, a portion of the profits from the retreats we run go to charitable organizations in the areas we visit, and our Give Back partner for our Marrakesh, Morocco retreats is Project Soar. A non-profit with a mission to empower teenage girls in the developing world, Project Soar is “based off the 5 Pillars of Empowerment, which embody our beliefs that every girl should have the opportunity to know her Value, Voice, Body, Rights and Path.”
Give Back \ Project Soar in the NY Times!
We are so happy to share this article from The New York Times profiling Maryam Montague, owner of Peacock Pavilions and founder of Project Soar, a non-profit that offers girls academic support, empowerment coaching, health education, sports and arts classes. Project Soar has been our Give Back partner for Marrakesh for years now, and we are so happy to see it getting this coverage.
Giving Tuesday \ PROJECT SOAR
TRAVELER TESTIMONY \ Eryn - Austin, Texas, USA
GIVE BACK Update \ Project Soar, Marrakesh
Want a Piece of Moroccan Glam? *GIVEAWAY*
It's about that time again for a fun GIVEAWAY over here at EAT.PRAY.MOVE! This month we'll be giving away two of these handmade, one-of-a-kind clutches that were made from genuine vintage Moroccan wedding blankets!
What is a Moroccan wedding blanket you ask? Well, you can get a good idea
and even shop for some full size ones
from Maryam, our host in Marrakesh at Peacock Pavilions!
...wedding blankets are woven in anticipation of, you guessed it, a wedding, by the bride's female relatives. It can take many hours — even weeks — of work to attach those hundreds of mirrored sequins once the weaving is complete; it is thought that during this collaborative task, the bride's relatives teach her all about the birds and the bees, among other marital duties and expectations. After the wedding ceremony, the bride wears the blanket tied around her neck as a kind of cape...When complete, the wedding blanket serves not only as warmth and decoration for the bride, but also to ward off evil and to bestow fertility and good luck upon the newlyweds. — ApartmentTherapy
HOW TO GET ONE!
There are only two, and two ways to make one yours:
1.
The next guest to sign up
for
Mar 8-14, 2015 will receive one.
2.
There will be a random drawing
from comments on this post! RULES: Leave your NAME & EMAIL in the comment. Only 1 comment per person. Extra chance given for a Fackbook, Twitter, or Instagram share of the link to the retreat page on our site
. Be sure to tag us on either @eatpraymoveyoga! Then let us know in the comments what you did and we'll add your extra chances.
GOOD LUCK & We hope to see you in MARRAKESH!
Unfortunately, due to custom regulations, we can only ship to address in the US or Canada...or we can bring it to you on the next retreat! Drawing will end Dec 26!
Happy GIVEAWAY Time!
Have you been to Morocco? Maybe joined (or will be joining) us on a yoga retreat in Marrakesh? Have you always wanted to experience the exotic pleasures of this faraway land but just haven't made it there yet?
Well now you can have a little piece of Marrakesh at home! Some of the beautiful colors, sights, textures, and patterns...
The beautiful Maryam of MyMarrakesh, and owner of the boutique hotel Peacock Pavilions, the location of our EAT.PRAY.MOVE Yoga Retreats in Marrakesh, has just completed a lovely book titled Marrakesh by Design, published by Artisan Books and set to be released in May!
AND YOU CAN WIN A FIRST-EDITION SIGNED COPY!
Or better yet, why not join us for a trip of a lifetime this year! Spots still available for Feb 26-Mar 3 and Sept 23-29.
FIND OUT MORE AND SIGN UP HERE
!
Read what one of our past guests had to say:
"I have always had a love of travel and a spirit of adventure, but as an almost 69-year old single woman, I believed my opportunities were limited and tame. Then, EAT. PRAY. MOVE came into my life and boy am I hooked! I signed up for the September ('11) trip to Marrakech and it was one of the finest travel experiences of my life. The accommodations were beautiful. The service. wonderful, The feeling of family and good friends surrounded us. Instead of being in a hotel, with the usual hotel culture, I was able to experience a true Moroccan lifestyle, including delicious food served on a delightful porch near the beautiful pool during the day and in a picturesque tent in the evening. The activities were fabulous: walking around in the walled old city with shopping galore, going on a day trip to a beach town including riding a camel. (I fantasized being Lawrence of Arabia.) and dining in exceptional Marrakech restaurants. We received henna treatments and spent an afternoon at a spa. Of course, there was yoga and meditation every day, too. It was a wonderful, exciting and affordable trip. I can't wait to see next year's schedule!"
- Bonnie
HOW TO ENTER GIVEAWAY
:
•
COMMENT on this post
with what exotic Mediterranean location you'd love to EAT, PRAY, and MOVE in! *Be sure to include your name, email (if not directly linked in comment), and if you completed the Facebook and/or Twitter additional entries*
OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:
• "LIKE" us on
• TWEET (copy and paste this exact message) "Enter to win signed book by @MyMarrakesh & Join us for #YOGA Retreat w/ @eatpraymoveyoga http://eatpraymoveyoga.com"
Contest runs until Feb 14, 2012 11:59est. Winner will be announced later that week and prize delivered when book is released in May 2012. *ONLY US &CANADA mailing addresses accepted*
Yoga in Marrakesh \ part 2
I hope to have whet your appetite for more about the Marrakesh yoga retreat from the
. Oh but how much there is to say about our lovely time there.
So what did we do during the week (well besides a couple yoga classes and some meditation each day)?
PLENTY!
The first day was a magical guide through the exotic Marrakesh Medina. Through palaces, rihads, and souks.
We explored the streets, bargained at the stalls, found just the right rugs and slippers, and of course enjoyed a few mint tea breaks throughout the day.
The main square in the old part of the city is indescribable in words or photos...you just have to be there to experience it first-hand!
One day we enjoyed a pool-side cocktail party at
while getting painted up with beautiful henna designs! (Even the guys joined in on the party!)
Then we all took a trip to the seaside town of Essoauria with its lovely laid-back vibe. After a yoga session on the beach we explored the markets and the quaint streets, (ate a gelato...shhh don't tell!), and then geared up for one of the highlights...
...Camel rides on the beach! Passing old fortress ruins, watching the sunset as we lazily rode through the sand, "fantasizing being like Lawrence of Arabia" as one guest put it!
But wait...there's more! Stay tuned for thoughts on the food, flavors, and spices of Morocco!
and we're baaaacckk!!!
Wow. Has it really been six weeks already? Finally just a few days ago I arrived back to NYC and am finally getting over the jet lag!
The last time we spoke I was just about to board a transatlantic flight - and boy has the time flown! Well now I'm back after some unforgettable weeks in both Marrakesh and Ischia. For now I thought I'd just give you a nice recap of the Marrakesh retreat and the amazingly fun time we had at Peacock Pavilions in September. ...Of course, stay tuned for even more updates about the Ischia retreat - and news on the upcoming 2012 calendar announcements.
OUR EXPERIENCE AT PEACOCK PAVILIONS
I thought I'd break up the posts on the Marrakesh retreat into several categories. The first being about the amazing location and hosts of Peacock Pavilions. Words won't do it justice so I'm only going to give some snippets of how beautiful it really was.
As soon as we arrived we were given a tour of the grounds and just oooh'd and aaaahh'd at all the details that had gone into every single space. The rooms are magnificent and each piece of paint, artwork, or fabric seems to have some story behind it.
Many an afternoon was spend lounging by the beautiful pool area while mint teas were sipped continuously. We even had a henna & cocktail party as well as a wine-tasting event around the pool throughout the week...but more to come on that in another post!
Morning and evening yoga classes were held in the lovely yoga tent in the olive grove. Spacious and always nice views, the tent has most recently been painted even more awaiting our
in March! Meditation class, including a walking meditation around the grounds, was always a nice wake-up routine with just the warm breezes and occasional bird caw filtering in through the tent.
Meals here are another story that will require its own post - as there's just too much to say about it. I think that between all of the guests, the plates were the spotlight of the most photos all week! Each meal, including breakfast, was served in courses, each one more beautiful than the next. And don't get me started on the mouth-watering tastes. Plus, we enjoyed dinner in the dining tent which made us all feel like kings and queens each evening!
Maryam with me and some of our lovely guests
Then there are the hosts Chris and Maryam (plus their adorable kids, interns, and staff) who all welcomed us with open arms. Their hospitality makes you feel at home - ok, well maybe a bit more pampered than at home - but a beautiful home nonetheless!
...More to come on the rest of the Marrakesh experience!
Celebrate Earth Day - Eco-Friendly Yoga Retreat
photos by
I know I've talked about the amazing place where the Moroccan
will take place, but in celebration of Earth Day, I wanted to tell you about another part of Peacock Pavilions that is very relevant today especially - the "eco-friendly" part.
was designed with the earth in mind, and the owners take steps to make a healthy haven, and one that doesn't make a huge mark on the land. Located on a 8.5 acre piece of land just outside Marrakesh, 5 acres of which is olive grove, this boutique hotel was built taking certain things into consideration to make it more "green". With over 300 days of sun a year, creative pergolas and porches allow for the needed shade.
To reduce electric energy consumption and carbon output, here are a few things Peacock Pavilions lists on their website as eco-friendly elements:
Insulation in the walls and on the roofs more vulnerable to heat gain or loss. This step is almost always skipped in Marrakech, because of the extra costs entailed.
Aluminum windows with air tight seals.
Rumsford fireplaces which radiate more heat into a room and less up the chimney.
Radiant floor heating. Hot air passes through pipes buried in the concrete floor slabs. The heat is then radiated into the room over a period of hours. This is more efficient than heating air, and nicer for the feet, too.
Air conditioning through evaporative cooling. This system draws 70% less energy than conventional air conditioners and is well adapted for arid climate. Used frequently in the southwest of the US, evaporative coolers blow a mist of water over a filter and then air is passed through the filter. Air temperature can be reduced as much as 30 degrees F.
Solar water heater panels. Hot water for our own house and our 3 bedroom Pavilion is provided by the Moroccan sun, with back-up provide by instant gas heaters.
Primarily fluorescent lights. Why use 75 watts when 20 watts will do the same job?
As for the lovely piece of land it sits on, Peacock Pavilions takes measures in the care of the land, gardens, and irrigation. Instead of using the common "flooding" irrigation system as in much of Morocco, Peacock Pavilions uses a drip system which
only puts out about 1 gallon of water on the ground per hour. The water slowly seeps in the ground with almost no evaporation, thus saving a lot of precious water in this dry climate. Also grey water is used for irrigation.
No chemical pesticides are ever used on the property, and an organic garden with d
elicious tomatoes, lettuce picked fresh from the garden...pumpkin, corn, onions, and more are grown using only natural fertilizer.
Besides enjoying the upcoming
at an eco-friendly location, also with the all-vegetarian menu being served, we're being even more gentle with the earth. This past
lists some of the popular points citing vegetarianism as one of the best "green" practices around.
Tempting Tuesday \ A Peek at the Pavilions
Today's "Tempting Tuesday" post is all about taking a closer look at the location of the
Marrakesh, Morocco yoga retreat
. I'm so happy to be hosting this retreat at such a lovely location. Peacock Pavilions has been featured in travel and design publications, and it's easy to see why.
This boutique hotel is located in Marrakesh on 8.5 acres of land, including 5 acres of olive grove, this stylish and eco-friendly abode has been featured in worldwide publications, including National Geographic Traveler.
Breathtakingly beautiful and luxuriously designed, the living quarters where guests will stay during the retreat features gorgeous fireplaces and a glamorous bathrooms in each room. Each bedroom also has its own private terrace - just the right place to enjoy a minty tea or a zingy cocktail!
I mean, just look at these bedrooms? The hand-painted details, and carefully chosen linens to give the perfect ambiance of exotic, modern, and Moroccan.
The entire pavilion property has been decorated with care and loaded with art, special fabrics, and exotic good stuff from all around the world...A swanky place to relax, the salon/great room has a stunning lacy plasterwork that took weeks to complete. There is also seating and dining areas for intimate discussions and cozy meals. A spiral staircase leads to a catwalk high in the air, where you can sit on vintage embroideries and admire the view.
Not only is this place gorgeous, but it's also eco-friendly. Observing "green" building and gardening techniques, you'll feel good about the organic bounty served to your plate, and the hot water you use heated by the solar panels! Spend some free time at the lovely, inviting pool and patio, or join us for a henna and cocktail party in the painted tent, or perhaps an outdoor cinema night on the lawn.
Peacock Pavilions is owned by Maryam and her husband Chris, both recently featured on HGTV's House Hunters International. Chris is an architect, and Maryam a freelance photographer, travel and lifestyle writer, and the author of the award winning blog,
. Both make a perfect team in putting this amazing estate together.