Jan 12

Jan 12 ALLISON WOODRUFF ON MARRAKECH

ALLISON WOODRUFF IS MUCH MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE HAIRDRESSER - SHE IS A VISIONARY. SHE HAS DEVELOPED THE LOOKS OF SUCH LUMINARIES AS EDIE FALCO AND KAREN ELSON (AS WELL AS YOURS TRULY) AND IS RENOWN FOR HER VERSATILITY IN EXECUTING EVERYTHING FROM SHORT HAIRCUTS FOR WOMEN, TO TECHNICALLY PRECISE BOBS, TO LONG, SEXY LAYERS. SHE'S EDGY, CREATIVE AND ONE OF THE COOLEST PEOPLE WE KNOW. ALLISON JOINED THE MARIE ROBINSON SALON IN 2010 (ONE OF OUR VERY FAVORITES) AND AS A MEMBER OF THAT TEAM, WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL TO MARRAKECH LAST YEAR. HER PASSION FOR THE PLACE WAS INFECTIOUS, AND SO WE JUMPED AT THE CHANCE TO HAVE HER CONTRIBUTE HER 7 SELECTS. THANKS TO THIS WRITE UP WE ARE PLANNING OUR TRIP AND GUESS YOU'LL BE PLANNING YOURS PRETTY SOON, TOO.

I LOVE my job as a stylist at the Marie Robinson Salon in New York City. Not only do I have amazing clients and work in a creative and supportive environment, l also have the best bosses on the planet. Last year Marie Robinson and Abell Oujaddou asked us if we would prefer a year-end cash bonus or a trip. We unanimously opted for the adventure, and a month later they told us to make sure we had our passports because they were taking all of us to Marrakech! How incredible is that?

So this winter forget Tulum, lose LA, abandon Aruba. Instead, pack your bags and hop on the next flight to Marrakech. In just 6 short hours you can immerse yourself in one of the most magical, captivating and profoundly dynamic cities I have ever experienced. Here, my 7 Selects.

1. DAR RHIZLANE
Avenu Jnane El Harti - Quartier de l'Hivernage, Rue Ibn Oudari, Marrakech, Morocco
+212 5244 21303
We stayed at the beautiful Dar Rhizlane for our 4-day stay in Marrakech. Walking distance to the city center (or a short taxi ride), Dar Rhizlane is a traditional riad - a former home or palace built to house the wealthiest citizens of Morocco. The word riad means garden in Arabic, and these homes are always centered around an inner garden courtyard. It's worth the extra cash to splurge on a suite, which includes a terrace and a living room complete with a fireplace, perfect for sipping rosé in front of after a long day of adventure. We were welcomed to our room with rose petals scattered on the floor, the scent of sweet orange blossoms and a spread of olives, nuts, cheeses and dried fruits laid out on the table. Even an adorable pair of pointy Moroccan slippers were placed at the foot of our bed. If you are blessed with gorgeous weather during your stay, spend an afternoon luxuriating by their pool or enjoying a delicious tagine in their outdoor restaurant. The staff at Dar Rhizlane were unbelievably gracious and will help you book a guided tour into the magical Atlas Mountains, my favorite trip during my time in Morocco, which I write about in my 7th select!

2. LES BAINS DE MARRAKECH MAROC
2 Derb Sedra, Bab Agnaou, Kasbah, Marrakech, Morocco
+212 5243 81428
You'll be a bit travel weary and jet lagged upon your arrival in Marrakech, and the best way to rejuvenate is a morning spent at Les Bains de Marrakech Maroc. Here you'll be led into an ethereal world of candlelight and Arabic lamps casting their filagreed shadows onto the walls and ceilings, lulling you into deep relaxation. After your mud and honey scrub in a heated marble room, you’ll be massaged into another dimension. Once you're fully tranquil, and I'm telling you, this spa was better than Xanax, you'll make your way to another beautifully designed room where you’ll sip sweet Moroccan tea and nibble on biscuits while you gently awaken, clean, prepped and ready to attack the Souk!

3. THE SOUK
The Souk was by far the most dazzling shopping experience of my life. It's like ABC Carpet and Home exploded, divided and created another universe inside itself. You can quite literally get lost in it's labyrinthine maze of rugs, textiles, spices, leather goods, slippers, sandals and lamps, and will make you want to bring a hundred extra suitcases just to fill! My best advice is to be discerning and make sure you NEVER accept the given price. Part of the ritual of Moroccan shopping is the art of the haggle. As Westerners, it's hard to get used to, but a purchase isn't complete without it.

4. NOMAD
Rahba Kedima, Marrakesh, Morocco
+212 5243 81609
After you're exhausted, hungry and laden down with all of your treasures, head to Nomad for lunch or an early evening snack. They have a fabulous rooftop where you can sip delicious French wines, snack on cauliflower salad and see the massive expanse of the Souk laid out below you.

5. AL FASSIA (2 locations. This is the one at Aguedal)
9, bis Zone Touristique de l’Aguedal, Km 2 route de l’Ourika, Marrakech
+212 5243 81138
Al Fassia is one of the only restaurants in Marrakech exclusively run by women. As you nestle into a lush banquette in an elegantly designed dining room, try the mechoui - a perfectly roasted leg of lamb, a speciality worth the calories!

6. DATTES
While La Mamounia is a bit too fancy-schmancy for me (we had to hand in our plastic Souk bags at the desk and Kate Moss and Karl Lagerfeld stay here), it’s worth having at least one $30 French 75 in. The drink was nothing to write home about, but the first thing I noticed upon entering it's gorgeous gardens and gilded gates is the inescapable scent of every room of the hotel. I'm a huge fan of Le Labo, but this blew it out of the water. I immediately ran up to the first staff member I saw and anxiously asked her what the scent was, fearing it would be a carefully kept secret. With a smile, she graciously explained that it was a mixture of Atlas Mountain cedar trees, bright orange and sweet dates and better yet she told me that we could purchase the candles or the oil in their gift shop! I swear I've never smelled anything so beautiful - sexy, sultry, neither feminine nor masculine, this scent - appropriately named "Dattes" - will forever remind me of Marrakech. My only regret is that I didn't buy a years worth of candles because they don't sell their signature scent online. Dammit! Next time I visit Marrakech you know what one of my extra suitcases will be for.

7. ATLAS MOUNTAINS
I usually stay away from guided tours but I have to admit that this tour was extraordinary. We left on small buses in the morning and headed out of Marrakech into the majestic Atlas Mountains. Our first stop was at a roadside shop where I purchased a beautiful white crystal mined from the mountains, mirroring their shape, which we could see in the distance. After that we visited a traditional Berber village where the ladies of the house gave us a lesson in preparing "Berber Whisky" better known as Moroccan mint tea. Fully refreshed, we drove further into the mountains until we arrived at a Berber rug vendor – heaven! My eye was immediately drawn to a rug, an exquisite pink rug, unlike any other, hanging in the office. I darted over to it, asked the price was told it was one of a kind, and so the haggling began! The proprietor offered me a high price and after much negotiating that included me walking away from it multiple times, I finally left the shop with my perfectly bundled, ready to carry on the plane, magic carpet!

Our next stop was at an apothecary where we were shown how the precious oil of the Argan nut is extracted and used for a variety of cosmetic and health remedies. Walking away with bags and bags of oils, cremes and lotions we stopped for a river side lunch admiring the snow capped mountains around us. The hills were covered in a variety of cacti and cedar. The landscape was like a cross between Palm Springs and Switzerland, such a feast for the senses!

Our tour guides then asked us if we'd like to see a waterfall which we excitedly agreed to. We crossed the river and began our trek up the stony hillside, over the river, up ladders, over boulders, passing smoky Berber villages and hillside shops until we finally arrived, out of breath and thirsty, at a tiny cafe, literally hanging from the edges of a cliff near a giant waterfall which rushed into a deep, clear pool. Again we were offered "Berber Whisky" and as I marveled at the beauty surrounding me my guide asked me "See that peak just above us?" I looked up at the snowcapped crest. "Over that, just a few hours walk, is the mighty Sahara Desert. Next time you come, I will take you," he promised.