chelsea girls: Marrakech, Morocco

11:00 AM
After a sleepless red-eye flight from JFK and a brief layover in Casablanca, we’ve finally arrived in Marrakech, Morocco for our carol marie inspiration trip for the spring 2011 collection!!! Couldn’t be more excited to see what the city has in store for us.

11:30 AM
We take a taxi our hotel, Riad Kaiss, a small boutique hotel located in the central part of the city, called the Medina. Riads are traditional Moroccan houses with the rooms built around a courtyard and many of them now function as boutique hotels in Morocco. Ours is complete with a spa, pool, courtyard and rooftop terraces that overlook the city.

3:00 PM
After a quick nap to catch up from the flight, we walk from our Riad to the Jemaa el Fna, the square that functions as the heart and soul of Marrakech. Open-air cafes and restaurants line the plaza and the hustle and bustle of the city passes through. The square exudes a vivacious energy and is filled with snake charmers, vendors, henna tattoo artists, entertainers, food stalls and musicians.

5:00 PM
We check out the Koutoubia mosque just as the ethereal call for evening prayers is being reverberated throughout the city. As non-Muslims we aren’t allowed to enter, but we peak into the 12th century mosque to see the faithful conducting prayers. With a minaret that reaches 210 feet, Koutoubia is easily the highest building in Marrakech and functions as the main landmark for the city. To a couple of New Yorkers, 210 feet doesn’t sound tall, but in a city where none of the other buildings reach over three stories high, Koutoubia majestically towers above the rest of Marrakech. We spend some time walking around the garden with swaying palm trees and Morocco’s famous orange trees.

8:00 PM
Back to the Riad for a traditional dinner of harira (Morocco’s delicious lentil and tomato soup), pastilla (a flaky pastry filled with sweet meats and vegetables), and of course wine!

xx H&J