#Moroccan tent draping | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ionlyjoinedforstuffilike · 3 years

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R & R

Pairing: Billy Russo x F!Reader

Word count: 1,100

Warnings: (18+ adult blog) Sexual tension, some dub con owning to power imbalance, employer/employee dynamic, sexual harassment, verging on dark though nothing explicit here.

Summary: You finally have a moment to unwind on your hectic business trip. You are absorbed in the beautiful surroundings yet your boss seems only interested in you.

A/N: Written for @autumnleaves1991-blog Writer's Wednesday. I'm exploring writing for different fandoms and well Billy Russo has been on my mind quiet a bit. No tag list whilst it is a new character.

The water was warm and soothing as if you were swimming in a large luxurious bath. And luxurious it was - mosaic tiles, ornate arches, the pool been made to look like a Moroccan riad. The exclusive hotel would usually be beyond your reach, but this was on the company dime and you were determined to take advantage of the little downtime you'd been gifted.

You'd spent the last few weeks globetrotting with Anvil, checking on contracts and drumming up new business. It had been a whirlwind, a different country almost every day, barely aware of your location let alone time zone. Exhausted from nonstop work, jet lag, and the inability to truly rest. Not all of your accommodation had been like this - most much more rudimentary, nothing more than a tent in a war-torn land. Now on your way back home this was your final stop, where you needed to schmooze some big wigs and convince them that Anvil was the only choice.

As a personal secretary you had little to do with arrangements or scheduling for the trip - details were all very hush hush and need to know. You definitely not significant enough to be fully informed. In fact, you were surprised you were even invited along, simply there to type minutes, bring coffee. Certainly, just for show, there to hand your boss important papers when he asked, to walk a few paces behind him and generally to inflate his sense of importance. It's all about appearance, that's how to sell it - that's what Mr Russo said.

You had arrived earlier in the day, had full and exclusive access to the boutique hotel, the other guests were not due to arrive till the following evening giving you time to refresh and some much-needed R&R. Once you'd settled in and completed some essential tasks, you couldn't wait to dive into the empty pool - no one around to bother you, no one you needed to make happy.

You floated on your back gazing up beyond the skylights, vines draped from pink stuccoed walls, creating an oasis.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Your heart lurched, ungraciously slapping and spluttering as you tried to right yourself in the water.

"Sorry Mr Russo I didn't see... I er.. you said to relax..."

"I did," your employer's lip curling to a smirk. Despite the lack of work (and the heat), he was still wearing his suit - dark grey, expensive, a deep red tie, crisp white shirt. He always looked immaculate. It didn't matter how long he had travelled, hours he'd worked, he was always so well put together. Unbuttoning his jacket, he took a chair at the side of the pool, sipped clear liquid from the crystal tumbler, "Carry on. Don't mind me."

But you did, suddenly very self-conscious in his presence. His dark eyes never left you, you're trapped, unsure of what move to make - either option (continue to laze or extracting yourself from the water) would increase the scrutiny of his gaze.

Billy Russo often unnerved you, caused a cocktail of emotions to bubble within. His charm and smile disarming, very attractive but the intensity of his stare and knowledge of his capabilities made him dangerous. His shrewd business ambition wasn't off putting, it was to be expected if one were to do well in the industry, but it was his direct interactions with you. He always looked at you as if he was privy to something you were not, like he knew what was about to happen and you were firmly in the dark.

"Anything you need?"

He shook his head, "Not that I can think of. Please." Gave a little gesture to coaxed you to continue.

You obliged by completing a couple of laps of leisurely breaststroke, his eyes fixed sipping his drink. The emptiness of the room no longer soothing, instead it was a reminder of how alone you were with a very powerful man. The handful of colleagues who had accompanied you were nowhere to be seen, even if you knew where in the hotel they were what would it matter - very much Billy's men, answering only to him and his money. Out there his dominance and respect made you feel safe, protected against the ills of the world that could easily be revealed in this line of business but in here, this gorgeous but small, isolated hotel it was disconcerting. Maybe it wasn't any of that, maybe your mind twisting things, it wasn't uncommon to think about your boss beyond a professional compacity, back in New York you would often find yourself daydreaming in the office, fantasising over the handsome brunette. For no matter how imposing Billy Russo was, he was very beautiful.

Exposed and vulnerable, no longer relaxed or lost in the glamour, you decided to get out and find sanctuary in your room. It would be far more conspicuous for him to follow you there. Your towel was on the seat next to the one he had taken, leaving you no choice but to get close to him. You chose to use the steps rather than humiliate yourself with the ungainly climb out, your wet skin instantly goose fleshed, you kept head down, arm across body as you made your way towards your boss. He grabbed towel, handed it to you and though you didn't need to reach over, you did have to get very close and he took opportunity for a closer inspection. Billy’s eyes raked over your nearly naked form, the man with the perfect face, the perfect body eyeing yours. You took the fluffy towel, dabbed your face, unfolded it to wrap around you like a cape.

Billy's hand came to you, still holding his glass his finger extended, outstretched and grazed down your stomach finishing little above your bikini briefs. Billy's gaze followed the trail and lingered.

"Are you relaxed?" he smirked.

"Uh huh," you lied.

He dipped to lower his glass to the floor before sitting straighter and placing his now free hand to your hip.

"Maybe you could help me relax a little better?"

You swallowed a lump that had formed in your increasingly dry throat, "Mr Russo I..."

He laughed, "You look terrified. I just mean a drink. You'll have a drink with me, won’t you?" His charming smile and tone hinted at sincerity though his hand still at your hip, his thumb brushing back and forth, told a different tale.

#ben barnes #billy russo #billy russo x reader #billy russo x you #Writer Wednesday #the punisher

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noctomania · 2 years

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Just daydreaming

I like to fantasize about my hopeful future of owning a home. I want to have a decent kitchen, a cozy den, and a garden. Ideally not many neighbors or not close anyway. A nice outdoor hangout area. a pool would be nice but def not necessary, especially if im anywhere near an open body of water.

I dont care as much about the bones of the house but it would be nice for it to have been built with yanno basic care and even more ideal would be an older house thats been well maintained so there is some culture in the design. Like some built-ins, some details, real glass windows.

I dont think i'd want more than one floor, but i wouldn't hate a 2 story even if the second story is actually the attic.

i'd want to decorate the interior practically as if i were a magpie - see something shiny and take it home to put in a spot and collect dust. I love eclectic design. Kinda odd perhaps for a virgo people seem to think we like minimalism but thats not the case for me. i'd rather hot glue twigs from the backyard all over my walls than to have them barren. Though i'd want it eclectic it still would have to be done ~right~, which only i could do and I couldn't even explain it if i tried. Instinctual.

I would like a dedicated like creativity space/room. It would prob be nice if there were a garage or something like that where i could set that up because there is a lot of messy art forms i like such as pottery, woodworking, stone carving, messy paint style, maybe even welding though that would need to be in a more isolated space so it doesn't catch the whole place on fire. I use to work essentially in multimedia where whatever i had i would just make it work. However whatever i had was supplied to me as gifts for holidays from my parents so i had a privileged pile of shit to work from. Id also want to get more into clothing/sewing.

In the garden i'd want to grow garlic, onions, tomatoes, melons, all kinda fruit/berries. i don't actually kind garlic onion or tomatoes whole so i'd have to process them all - turn the garlic and onion into powders and turn the tomatoes into sauce. I dont really like any veg whole save for a few like carrots peas lettuces. Id also like to try growing coffee. Of course would grow marijuana but i'd probably have that set up indoors in a grow tent bc it can be so sensitive and i wouldnt want any bugs getting near it. Id have to grow strawberries one because they are delicious and two as an homage to my mom who had a huge bed of strawberry plants when i was little. Would like to try potatoes too bc who doesn't love those ground nuggets. Might attempt to grow my own shrooms if i ever try them and like them.

The den I would want to be centered around comfort and fun. Lots of pillows, soft carpet, Moroccan style lanterns, low light, games, weed, shrooms, drinks, tapestries and hanging draped fabric covering the walls, movies, music. I'd have every kind of music player from bluetooth speakers to a phonograph. A nice big comfy couch.

The kitchen i don't know that i have thought much beyond i want it decent sized with like more than 2ft of counter space, a fridge that either has a bottom freezer or a seperate deep freezer. A double sink with a garbage disposal and a dishwasher. There are other details i could take or leave but those are essentially the standards ive set. Maybe one of those counters you can sit at separating it from the living room or (if there is one) dinning room. Espresso machine. I've neevr had one no idea how to use one but I want one.

I would be nice to have a basement space for the potential deep freezer, also a wahser/dryer. and i could put my weed plant down there. And when i have an anxiety attack when there is a scary thunder storm that my brain automatically assumes will birth a tornado i can just have a sppare mattress down there in a tub and pretend i'm safe! It would also just be a good space for storage.

I haven't thought much about a bathroom aside from there being one. It would be nice for it to be attached to my bedroom. Would like there to be a vent. You might be surprised it's something to want for but an outlet in the bathroom would be preferred. Current apartment doesnt and so ive dealt with that for 6yrs. I good sized tub would be nice and while i like clawfoot tubs aesthetically they dont tend to be very big and i worry about getting water everywhere. Might have a bidet installed though i've never tried one. As much as i hate the idea of shooting water at my ass, experiencing a removable shower head and using it for that very reason is bringing me around to it. Which reminds me i would def want a nice shower set up. All tiles everywhere would be great and a full size mirror.

The bedroom...oddly enough i don't have much idealizing of that bc once I have a home of my own I imagine i'd spend only my time sleeping in there. I would want it to be cozy but I probably wouldn't invest all that much into it since I wouldn't be conscious the majority of the time i'd be in there. Def would want a big closet. While i don't have many clothes it's partially bc i have nowhere to put them and regardless having the space to properly organize it all would be great. My current closet is about as wide as i am. I know i'd want a real nice bed but thats not a matter to do with the house aside from needing room for it. I wouldnt mind if it took up most of the room in fact. A bedroom that is literally a room made of a bed. But thats practically what i want the den to be. I would want to enforce like a bedroom is only for sleeping/bedroom stuff bc having my bedroom as also my living room and dining room and everything for all this time....i'd like a bit more compartmentalization. Supposed to be better for your sleeping habits too.

I don't know where i would have my PC. I thought about in the den bc gaming but i'd also want like a proper office space with a desk and chair for good posture. I could maybe just have a laptop setup for computer stuff outside of gaming. I just don't know how i would best set up gaming with a keyboard/mouse bc i do like that better than a controller for many games.

I would like a fireplace somewhere but i reckon i'd rather have a firepit in the backyard. One because having a fire in the house makes me nervous and the temp is hard to regulate. Id want central air/heat too so an indoor fireplace would be pointless. But also bc then i could possibly use the firepit to fire pottery also. And cook. And obviously for summer get togethers with all the friends who never visit me! and besides i'm quite done with heavy winters, wanna move away from these conditions. Def want a porch. Would be nice to have an open porch in the front and then a 3-season mudroom type in the back to avoid the mosquitos and such.

Id also want to have some cats and maybe a dog or two so while the dogs could experience the enclosed backyard, i'd probably build or convert a porch to be cat-friendly. I think that would be fun to have a 3-seeason in the back that has a cat door and like a catwalk along the top and stuff. Might even adopt some other animals depending on ifi have the means to properly give them a home. I wouldn't get pets just to have them that's always been my thing since becoming an adult. Mom kind of got pets just to have them, I just want to give a home to animals in need. Every cat i've had it's been abandoned or given up for one reason or another. Never would i ever buy from a breeder. The closest id come to that is someone's cat accidentally gets knocked up and they can't keep the kittens so to avoid them going to a shelter id take some. I could certainly handle having many cats, i would just want to make sure they have enough space and that i could afford the vet bills etc.

I'm not sure how i'd want the rooms oriented. Which is prob for the best since that's difficult to be choose-y about when buying a home unless you were building it from scratch which i dont wanna do. I also don't know where i want to live. I've considered just moving back to tx but id kinda like to live somewhere where i dont have constant fear of being persecuted for bein myself and living my life personally. But then again if i did i could just keep my dads old shotgun and shoot at anyone who comes onto my property in an attempt to take my life away. Not my first choice though. Maybe pacific coast or pacific northwest somewhere. Cali is too expensive i think. I've not visited anywhere else over there really. Southwest is too hot. Colorado isnt close enough to the coast but it is very nice and green from what i recall and if i could find a place near a lake that would do. Id hate to go to portland bc it feels too stereotypical at this point for my demographic but if it would work for me so be it.

I just need these things of the location i choose: plenty of nature, legal weed (ideally no drug persecution at all), trans/queer friendly, arts, walkable or at least pedestrian friendly infrastructure, not too hot or too cold and if i have to choose one i'd rather deal with heat than snow. A nice music scene would be cool.

NO idea how much i'd be willing to pay for a house. I've no concept of the financial stuff at all. All i know is you can get locked into a mortgage for 10+ yrs and that doesnt sound nice to me so i'd probably want to pay as much up front as possible. Id def be more careful than my parents were when they were buying. I don't know how the ended up overlooking so much about the country house they had. The plumbing and electrical were both terrible and the roof was in rough condition. So i would certainly hire people to overview the place and make sure those things, the foundation, and the bones were solid. Once you know the electrical, plumbing, foundation, bones, and roof are good everything else is much easier to deal with.

Aesthetically i'm very turned onto exposed brick, dark wood, paneling, vintage details, built-ins, french doors, pocket doors, stonework. id replace any new door knobs with old brass ones. Idk if i want the exterior to be brick or panels or what. Probably whatever is easiest to maintain. I wouldnt care too much about how the outside looks so long as it's logical and functional. I would decorate outside anyway so that would bump the aesthetic. Id love for there to be a southern magnolia tree but it may depend on the zone i live in. my friend had one in her front yard when we were kids and it was so much fun to climb it. I miss climbing trees! I never went very high bc i am scared of heights. i def want trees for shade and to set up a hammock or two. Maybe a swing. I'd love some ivy too. As much greenery as possible with minimal maintenance lol something that will just takeover on its own. Maybe some honeysuckle too, used to love hunting those down as a kid.

Really owning a home of my own would be me neutering my inner child. Mom was moving a lot bc we had to rent and while dad owned a home they didnt take good care of it, didn't do much with it, and i only got to live there about 5 yrs before they kicked me out. I always wanted somewhere to plant roots literally and metaphorically. Mom and dad did buy a home when they married but mom had to sell it when they divorced bc she couldnt afford it i assume but she always said she regretted selling it. Meanwhile lisa owned a home in town, it was real nice but then sold it to move into the broken down place in the country and then sold that to move into another place in the country that was way too big and they never took care of it. My sister is having to sell it and i just hope it is in decent enough condition to sell. The last time i visited it was obvious they did not clean very often. All they would do was work then come home and sit in one room all night reading and smoking cigarettes. Those walls are probably very nicotine stained. As someone who isn't sure i'll ever be able to own a home and watching them waste such an opportunity - infuriating to me. I spent 6 hours straight just vacuuming their house when i was there. But what do you expect of two people chronically depressed and doing very little about it besides taking anti-d's.

I will say I have not taken advantage of my own life as much as i should have, i realize now as i am unable to do anything because of my back. I really want to not hold myself back once I'm better. I want to pursue the things ive been wanting to do and even if im afraid of failure just pushing through it bc i cannot live their life over. It was always depressing. I dont judge them bc they were from another time but i don't want to live like that. I want a home that i invest my energy into and i want to seep into community around me and make friends and not feel so alone. I want to build a space of love and laughter and health and comfort. I want to be and feel good. I want to use the energy i have while i have it. I want to take as many opportunities as i can. I get overwhelmed easily sometimes bc there are so many factors. But taking it one bite ata a time i know i can get somewhere. I can't ignore the fact that just the word "home" can give me the urge to cry. I've lived in many houses but it's something else to live in a home. Home has lived in my heart all along but i want to be enclosed in a home rather than home enclosed in me.

#dreams #home

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mariaclaragomez276 · 4 years

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Destination Dining: 10 of the most private places to eat in the world

With the gradual re-opening of restaurants, many of which are operating at limited capacity or only offering take-away services, eating-out as we knew it might have changed forever. Private dining spaces are becoming increasingly sought after, to enjoy the culinary delights of dishes you haven’t had to cook at home, whilst keeping at a distance from other diners. These special spots take private dining to new levels of luxury, from on-board brunching to sandbar snacking, here are some of the most exclusive eating experiences in the world.

Toes-in-the-sand dining…

Petit St. Vincent, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines – Caribbean

Exclusivity is in ample supply at our private island resorts, where you’ll feel a world away from everything and everyone else. The privately owned island of Petit St. Vincent in the Grenadines allows guests to dine anywhere on the 115-acre paradise of palapas dotted along private beaches, and secluded cottages scattered over hillsides, cliffs and coast – simply use the Robinson Crusoe-style flagpole communication system to order anything, from a fresh fruit platter to Caribbean jerk chicken, straight to your hammock.

Huvafen Fushi Maldives, North Malé Atoll – Maldives

Meanwhile in the Maldives, Huvafen Fushi offers diners the best of both worlds (above and below sea level) with a selection of unique private dining experiences – including a sandbank lunch of sushi, Maldivian tuna, and tropical fruit, an in-villa grill prepared by your own private chef, native reef fish wrapped in banana leaf with Indian spices served aboard a traditional Dhoni boat, a star-lit dinner only a toes’ dip away from an infinity pool, and an underwater breakfast in the submerged spa. If this wasn’t enough to choose from, sip on the island’s collection of rare vintages eight metres below the surface, in the Maldives’ first underground wine cellar.

Cape Fahn, Koh Samui – Thailand

Serving up the best Thai specialities, the private island of Cape Fahn just off the Northern tip of Koh Samui satisfies your every desire. Made up of 22 one and two-bedroom villas, each with their own large plunge pool and private sun deck, there is more than enough space to enjoy an in-villa meal, or a lantern-lit dinner on the beach.

Milaidhoo Island, Baa Atoll – Maldives

With three tempting restaurants to choose from, including on-deck dining at the signature Batheli Restaurant set off the shore in three Dhoni boats on stilts over the lagoon, you’ll be spoilt for choice at Milaidhoo Island. From just-caught seafood delivered straight to your over-water villa, to a private picnic beneath a billowing canopy especially set up on a sandbank, every moment on Milaidhoo Island is one to savour.

Dessert in the desert…

Dar Ahlam, Ouarzazate – Morocco

On the fringes of the Moroccan desert, shaded by the palms, lies Dar Ahlam. A traditional Kasbah set in a haven of manicured lawns and fragrant almond blossom, it is easy to understand the Arabic meaning behind the hotel’s name, ‘House of Dreams’. With no menu or dedicated restaurant space, meals are crafted from local ingredients sourced from the souk or grown in the hotel’s garden, while guests are invited to dine in the dozens of private spaces dotted in and around the hotel at any time they wish. Sample the spectacular ‘1,001 Night’ dinner, take in the greenery at an alfresco lunch in the garden, or venture outside the hotel on camelback or an Arabian stallion with a picnic to the Sidi Fla volcanic basalt gorges, or beneath a private tent on the shores of the Ouarzazate lake.

An off-piste picnic…

Kristiania Lech, Arlberg – Austria

An exquisitely decorated Alpine retreat with the feel of a private residence rather than a hotel, Kristiania Lech is just a short walk from the centre of the upmarket ski resort of Lech. With a host of special services including a ski valet, bath butler, reading butler and a leisure time consultant, Kristiania takes service to another level. Go off-piste with a picnic in the snow on the mountainside, draped in blankets and warmed by a hot cocoa or an après-ski Austrian Schnapps paired with Crêpes Suzette.

On-board banquets…

Cap Rocat, Mallorca – Spain

An adults-only 19th-century fortress turned boutique hotel, Cap Rocat stretches along the coastline for two kilometres, overlooking the Bay of Palma. For a taste of the Mediterranean, step aboard the hotel’s yacht which takes guests on day trips along the southern side and western coast of Mallorca, sailing through the Illes Malgrats, a protected marine reserve. Sample the island’s freshly-caught seafood and sip on the finest Cava as you watch the sunset from the private boat’s deck.

D-Resort Šibenik – Croatia

In keeping with its glamorous marina setting, D-Resort Šibenik offers guests a selection of nautical experiences on board the hotel’s own boat, available for day trips and exclusive hire. Spend the day discovering the Kornati Archipelago, known as the natural pearl of the Adriatic, with a chance to stopover at Prvić��Island and spot sea turtles and dolphins in the National Park. For a truly special way to end the day, enjoy a glass of sparkling wine on a sunset cruise and see Šibenik from an entirely different perspective.

Country house hampers…

Cromlix, Stirling – Scotland

In a lovely setting surrounded by 34 acres of woodland and gardens in the rolling hills of the Perthshire countryside, Cromlix is home to a Chez Roux restaurant run by the famed Albert Roux OBE. Spend time wandering the grounds before settling down beside the loch, for a lakeside picnic of freshly prepared seasonal ingredients washed down with a bottle of the chef’s own label champagne.

Rockliffe Hall, Darlington – UK

A magnificent 18th-century country house close to the North York Moors, the service at Rockliffe Hall is more reminiscent of a private club than a hotel. Explore the hotel’s Lewis Caroll inspired outdoor area, known as Mischmasch, and its curious cabins, adventure and nature trails, before choosing a secluded spot in the hotel grounds for an outdoor afternoon tea party.

The post Destination Dining: 10 of the most private places to eat in the world appeared first on Small Luxury Hotels.

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guidetourme · 4 years

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Most seductive places to stay across the world

It would be wrong to say that the therapist’s room is the only place where a broken love or sexuality can mend. Many people would instead argue that benefits of a couple of nights away in a delightful hotel that – by virtue of its location, furnishings, fresh sheets and solicitous staff – sprinkles stardust on your spirits and libido. On this very note, the most seductive places to stay across the world are:-

Royal Mansour, Marrakech, Morocco

One of the most discreet hotels in the world, with a tangled warren of underground tunnels so that staff can criss-cross the grounds, is tending to guests’ whims without being heard or seen. Guests feel the compulsion to go out of their rooms, which represent mini raids, with attached inner courtyards and rooftops having fireplaces, plunge pool and Bedouin tent. Those who love to venture out can book one of the hotel’s Bentleys - built-in champagne gold. Also boasts a triple-Michelin-starred Yannick Alléno’s restaurant with silk drapes, waiters in white gloves serves truffled lamb and Moroccan-spiced lobster at tables made of silver filigree.

Erosantorini, Santorini, Greece

The white suits are the epitome of cool indulgence: suspended from the ceilings are floating fireplaces and place is peppered with oxidized steel furniture. Mirrors make up the tiles beside the bed, and outdoor hot tubs have a marvellous view of the parakeet-green sea. Though there are only five villas, competition isn’t fierce for the pool cave, where couples can canoodle over a cocktail away from much attention and commotion. Cascaded over three levels are V-shaped infinity pools which also play music underwater. A bonfire, at night lights, an intimate outdoor cinema and private yacht with seafood lunch are sure to get it enlisted among the most seductive places to stay across the world.

Morgan’s Rock, Nicaragua

Daybeds in hammock-style bungalow and waterfall plunge pools make it best suited top romp in the hay types., Accessible only by several jungle suspension bridges, the treetop villas are the most isolated where only companies are cawks of parrots and gushing of the waves. Sky goldens and a gentle breeze whistles through the delicate net walls, one would have the most romantic time. Visitors call it a ‘hands-on kind of place’ and rightfully so- guests can milk the farm cows right before breakfast, fish for shrimp for lunch or ride farm horses in their leisure time. To add to the amorous ambience, one could end their day with a candlelit aromatherapy massage for two. Some might even call it one of the most seductive places to stay across the world.

Nihi Sumba Island, Bali

Among the most secluded and romantic villas is Puncak, which ousts from over a mountain slope; at sunset, couples could clink champagne flutes in their hot tub located outdoor, and evenings could potentially be spent snuggling around the fireplace and viewing the canopy below. Some serious Instagram envy can be induced by the photo opportunities cooked by the Romantic experiences captioned “most seductive places to stay across the world.

One&Only Le Saint Géran, Mauritius

Recently there has been a multi-million refurbishment with an obvious aim to seduce a younger market as well as the coup for loving baby boomers – cue an exquisite pan-Asian bar and DJs playing tropical beats. Guests could also opt for private spa aboard the Lady Lisbeth yacht and also indulge in upmarket steak joint, Prime. Suites have sexy stone furnishes and textured wall panels. Textiles dyed to the exact colour of Mauritian sand and hand-crafted lithographs make up the grace in the local references. Those who seek utmost privacy can opt for Villa One, which has private chefs and infinity pool facing the Ocean. Read the full article

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ianfaulkner1-blog · 5 years

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We met in Pune during his trip to from USA to India to meet his family. It wasn’t love at first sight but strong emotions which dwelled with time. A roka ceremony in army club as his dads a retired colonel. And the wedding took place in Goa at Riva Beach Resort starting from 17th June being our pre-wedding shoot, 18th mehndi/pool party and cocktail party, and 19th phere. As I’m a graphic designer I hand made the invites.

The whole decor was designed by me with reference to internet ideas and executed by Goa Celebrations run by Brian Britto. The idea was to bring in all the colors having three waterproof roofed colorful tents with mine being a hot pink one. The outfits I wore were designed by me and I got it stitched at my masters in Pune. I wore a pure Banarasi silk hot red lehenga and paired it with haldi yellow Banarasi silk blouse with red tassels on the back. Side braided hair and meenakari maang tikka and earrings.

The entry was with my two good looking Bhabhi’s holding a Moroccan lamp. Sangeet decor was more about pearls and mirror as backdrop and had a bang start with Russian dancers with led performances. I wore a shimmer powder pink Kurti on a mint laced lehenga and Lucknowi work dupatta with red brocade lining to have a dual look. My makeup artist is Makeover By Sukanya, a mac professional from Mumbai. Hair was long curls with shimmer makeup. I wore a traditional bridal red velvet lehenga for my phere and my husband wore a achkan royal blue with real diamond buttons from Amrapali. The decor was minimal with pearls and rose hangings with curtained mandap and Jaipuri chairs.

As it was a monsoon wedding god supported me with the weather and it only rained during the pool party and guests were having a rain pool party with skewers and shots and beer of course! Pool party decor was more like wigwam and bar setup and red and yellow drapes all over the pool area tied around the coconut trees. The wedding was covered by Camlition Productions, from Delhi.

Checkout more links like this : The Wedding On Wheels | When Mr. Advocate Met Social Butterfly | A love That Knew No Norms | I Wanted Umang And I to Just Have Fun And Celebrate The Beginning Of Our Lives Together | Love Story Dubai to Lucknow

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sangeetainternationalusa · 6 months

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Step into the lavish ambiance of a Moroccan tent, where vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and plush furnishings create a captivating retreat. Adorned with ornate lanterns casting a warm glow, rich textiles draping from the ceiling, and intricately carved wooden furniture, this enchanting space transports you to the heart of Moroccan hospitality. Experience the allure of cultural fusion as traditional elements blend seamlessly with modern comforts, inviting you to indulge in relaxation and exotic charm.

#Indian Tent #Arabian Tent #Raj Tents #Luxury Wedding Tent #White Tents For Parties #Pavillion Tent #Moroccan Theme Party

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mulondonposts-blog · 5 years

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Bored of the same old reception stage at weddings? Do you want to have an amazingly unique reception? About which your guests would be talking for days to come. Then you have come to the right place, as we have some really one of a kind Reception Decor Ideas just for you!!!!!

At the usual reception, it’s quite a snooze fest for both you and your guests to click hundreds of pictures, exchange pleasantries and head home… We bring you some ‘hatke’ reception decor ideas to bowl you over!

Reception Decor Ideas – Lets Play with Lights!

Love Beams

Picture Courtesy: Altair Decor

Why go for the boring and traditional stage and backdrop, when you can light up the party with an amazing display of fairy lights, neon hearts or paneled light beams!

Shower of Love

Picture Courtesy: Atisuto Events

If yours is a night reception under the starry skies – why not make a dolled up tree the glorious centerpiece! An abundance of fairy lights hanging from the branches, makes for a dazzling photo op and the occasional fireworks adds a wow factor for your “special” pictures

Swinging Away

Swing away the Blues

Picture Courtesy: Shyamalee Thevar

Does it always have to be a sofa at the center-stage.. How about something fun and quirky even for your reception?

Swinging the Traditional Way

Picture Courtesy: Creative Touch

A swing is a fun way to lighten up the backdrop instead of a formal stage where the couple takes boring pictures with thousands of guests. Think Moroccan, or floral, or traditional Indian jhoola – the options are endless!

Floral Explosion

Pastels & Greens

Picture Courtesy: The Wedding Design Company

Well, honestly speaking.. there’s no such thing as too much flowers! A floral explosion from your backdrop or ceiling can create quite a sensory delight

Floral Explosion

Picture Courtesy: Shyamalee Thevar

Or how about an organic wall for a refreshing photo op and something for your guests to go wowwwww!

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Say Hi to Metallic Shimmers!

So Chic

Photo Courtesy: Raani Pink

If going the uber glam route is your thing, then think no further than metallic overdose for the reception decor.

Instead of the stage, turn your attention to the ceiling for an eye popping visual. Adding a small backdrop with shimmering glittering metallic hangings makes for a fantastic photo frame!

Pretty

Photo Courtesy: Raani Pink

Don’t you love how they’ve paired petite pastel sofas and florals to the metallic drapes for a quaint and chic look!

Get Rid of Sofas

Simple yet Elegant

Picture Courtesy: Atisuto Events

It’s time for new ideas… so get rid of those ancient lofty sofas, and think of nice cushion-y chairs to add charm to middle-of-the-hall decor! Chairs go well with big rustic floral arches which are very much in trend.

Majestic

Picture Courtesy: The Wedding Design Company

If simple is not your style, then picture large floral structures, from floor to ceiling as a backdrop for your comfy set of chairs!

Hatke Photo Booths

Smile Please!

Photo Courtesy : Shaadi Squad

If you’re a boho chic couple getting married in the middle of nowhere or going for a Goan fest themed wedding, then this cute van photo booth is a fun quirky idea for your reception clicks!

Say Cheese!

Photo Courtesy: Raani Pink

If you’re done with wedding and traditional reception and looking forward to the cocktail after party… then chuck the stage and create this shimmering neon light look at the banquet or lounge. Doesn’t it look like the coolest mirror photo-op!!

Looking for a Wedding Planner who can give you the Wedding of your dreams? Check out our favourite – amazing Mumbai based decor artist & planner Shyamalee Thevar!

Get your Wedding Decor right with Decor Artist & planner Shyamalee Thevar!

Let’s go Camping!

Starlit Evenings

Picture Courtesy: Atisuto Events, Venue: Leela Goa

For an outdoor reception by the sea, who cares for a stage? Simply create an amazing ambience on the beach, with magically lit-up open tents where guests make merry all night long!

Under the Twinkling Sky

Photo Courtesy : Shaadi Squad

Or if you’re getting married in the middle of the open desert like Khimsar Dunes Village, everyone gets to enjoy a mystical night under the starry skies. Big cabana like tents, low seating, fairy lights and dolled up trees are all you need for your big outdoor reception here!

Drama in Drapes

Love Shines

Picture Courtesy: Shyamalee Thevar

We have already spoken about lights and flowers, how about adding another element; Drapes! It gives such a romantic theatrical effect instead of a plain boring stage.

Dreamy

Picture Courtesy: Cinnamon Pictures

Do you have a day reception? Then create magic and drama with the fall of drapes, and watch how they enhance the background also. Believe us your photographs are going to come out breathtaking for sure!!

Go with the Aesthetics

Royal Mood

Picture Courtesy: Devika Narain

Here’s a pocket friendly idea… why not use the beautiful architecture already present at the venue? As palace weddings are trending, you just need to pick the right spot and minimally decorate the beautiful structures and voila! You have an amazing place for your reception pictures instead of a stage.

Aesthetic Beauty

Picture Courtesy: Feather Tree By Aviraj

Look at how vibrant and colourful our palaces are!! You can use the intricate paintings and architecture for that perfect setting apart from the stage. How lovely will your pictures turn out against this bright blue, yellow and red colour scheme of Hotel Chunda Palace, Udaipur.

Go Movie Theme!

King & Queen

Picture Courtesy: Reels and Frames

We all love our movies, series or books… so why not watch your fantasies come to life at your reception party! This Game Of Thrones couple fulfilled their wish with the ‘iron throne’ instead of the traditional sofa and the kingdom’s banner hung all around.

Dreamland

Picture Courtesy: The Wedding Design Company

Always loved ‘Alice in Wonderland’? For a day reception, transform your reception lawn into a wonderland tea party. This whimsical decor with the cute sofa definitely looks sooooooo eye catching!

Lights, Camera, Action!

Picture Courtesy: Flora Lines

Bollywood junkie? Then why go for a conventional reception decor when you can add a little Bollywood into it

From lights and tents to floral structures and quirky photo booths, there are so many options to ditch that boring stage setup and try out all the hatke reception decor ideas; to spark up you party!

The post Reception Decor Ideas – Think Different & Move over the age-old Stage! appeared first on ZoWed.com | Blog.

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toldnews-blog · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/travel/36-hours-36-hours-in-mendocino-county/

36 Hours: 36 Hours in Mendocino County

Ninety miles north of San Francisco, Mendocino County is just far enough away to have narrowly escaped the Bay Area’s radical transformation during the tech boom years. In contrast to other formerly quiet Northern California backwaters, Mendocino maintains its rural identity and eccentricities, including its longstanding status as one of the country’s major marijuana-producing regions. Where there is big news, it’s largely culinary. The 30-year-old chef at Elk’s Harbor House Inn was recently named a James Beard award semifinalist for Best Chef in the West. Besides the Harbor House’s eight- to 12-course, $150 per person prix fixe dinners, there are cheesemakers, upstart breweries, exceptional farm stands — notably Fort Bragg’s Nye Ranch and Caspar’s Fortunate Farm — and farm-inspired restaurants, like the long-awaited, soon-to-open Fog Eater Cafe, which began as a farm pop-up, and will serve “California cuisine with a Southern twang.” After years of population stagnation, young people are moving in, or coming home, and committing themselves to Mendocino’s fertile soil and sea. It’s a second wave back-to-the-land movement and a welcome reprieve from the Bay Area’s buzz.

Friday

1) 3:30 p.m. Tall trees

Take Highway 128 through the Anderson Valley, to Hendy Woods State Park, where you can stretch your legs beneath the awe-inspiring giant redwoods or take a dip in the Navarro River. Then, backtrack to Boonville’s Pennyroyal Farm, the sister farmstead to one of Mendocino’s most beloved wineries, Navarro Vineyards. Sample rich goat and sheep milk cheeses, fresh and aged, exceptional pinot noir, and farm-made pickles and preserves. Sit out back, beside a gurgling fountain, and watch sheep meander beneath the vines. In the spring, a farm tour (11 a.m. daily) offers the overwhelming cuteness of nursing lambs and kids.

2) 6 p.m. Supper stop

For dinner, reserve a table at the Boonville Hotel, a former roadhouse that’s now a beautiful, family-owned inn with a wide porch, flickering fireplaces when the weather’s cool, and a seductive patio garden for outdoor dining during the warm months. The restaurant’s new chef, Perry Hoffman, is from Sonoma’s James Beard award-winning SHED and, before that, Napa’s Michelin-starred Étoile. Here, his prix-fixe menus (starting at $58) include lively dishes and unexpected flavor combinations. Imagine mussels with charred cabbage, grapefruit, fennel and seaweed or a whole stuffed quail with artichokes, shiitake mushrooms, bolting kale and brown rice vinegar.

3) 9 p.m. Change is brewing

After winding through the redwoods and along the coast, head for the former logging town of Fort Bragg, for some small town night life. The 135-year-old Golden West is a dive bar that was bought in 2015 by a couple who grew up locally and returned after living in Los Angeles. The bar has maintained its vintage character (neon signs, shuffleboard and pool tables, faded black-and-white photos of logging scenes) while upgrading its extensive liquor cabinet and serving excellent cocktails, and has occasional but unexpectedly good live music, as well as a Sunday Bloody Mary bar. Or, for a family-friendly pub in a tucked-away location, seek out Mendocino’s newest brewery, Overtime Brewery, which teams with Nye Ranch in making its exotic seasonal beers, like the “Thistle Dew” artichoke ale or Nye Ranch Cucumber Batch. Take a couple of crowlers — a 32-ounce can filled from the tap and sealed on site — of your favorite beer to go.

Saturday

4) 8 a.m. Super bloom

Tucked into a strip mall, Cafe Jaavy — the younger sister of the longtime local favorite, Los Gallitos — has colorful oilcloth tablecloths, a salsa bar and a breakfast menu that includes savory Mexican breakfasts like chilaquiles (tortilla chips simmered in a flavorful, mildly spicy sauce, served with beans and eggs, $9.50) and standout huevos rancheros with chorizo ($9.50), plus sweeter offerings like banana and berry crepes ($8.99) and generous smoothies ($4.50) made with fresh fruit. The Tropical, with mango, apple, pineapple, melon, chili and lime is particularly tasty. Then, head for the 47-acre Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, where 124 species of rhododendrons put on a spectacular show in April and May.

5) 11 a.m. Sweet soak

Drive south to Mendocino village to walk its photogenic streets and gawk at the immaculately preserved Victorians. Pop into Frankie’s for a scoop of locally made Cowlick’s ice cream. Among the cafe’s 16 rotating flavors are chai, Campari grapefruit sorbet, yellow cake batter and mushroom. Then, take a restorative soak in Sweetwater Spa’s communal — and clothing optional — eight-person redwood tub, sweat in the cedarwood sauna, or indulge in a massage (starting at $110 for 50 minutes). There are also private tubs ($25 per hour), which are enclosed but open to the sky; if a starry soak is your thing, Sweetwater is open until 9 p.m.

6) 12:30 p.m. Pizza pit stop

Next door, Cafe Beaujolais’s weekend-only takeout window, the Brickery, serves pizza ($13) with big, perfectly charred air pockets and daring toppings, like Moroccan-spiced rabbit and garlicky New Haven-style white clam pizza. On sunny days, the backyard garden is idyllic for sharing a pie and savoring a glass of rosé or a craft cider.

7) 2 p.m. Glass for the masses

Fort Bragg’s signature attraction, a former town dump that was transformed by time into a beach of gleaming sea glass, has been badly picked over and is no longer the dazzling sight it once was. For a glimpse of its former glory, head to the odd little International Sea Glass Museum south of town, where Captain Cass sells bags of so-called Seed Glass ($4.95) to replenish the beach’s supply. Across Highway 1, the Glass Fire Gallery displays fantastic blown-glass creations in the form of jellyfish chandeliers and mushroom-shaped table lamps. While in the area, go for a stroll along the newly opened Noyo Headlands Coastal Trail. After more than a century of the headlands being occupied by a sprawling mill site, the town now has access to its coastal bluffs, where California poppies blaze orange in the spring, when it’s also possible to spot migrating whales spouting offshore.

8) 3:30 p.m. Local treasure

For a dose of Mendocino’s wonderful eccentricity, visit The Larry Spring Museum of Common Sense Physics, a tiny two-room storefront museum that celebrates the life and work of the local inventor, lay scientist and World War II transport pilot, Larry Spring. In the same small building, Lost Coast Found has a charming selection of vintage home goods: midcentury stereos, cheery 1970s-era coffee cups, along with used books, postcards and miscellanea.

9) 5:30 p.m. Fresh caught

Have an early, California-style dinner by the water in Noyo Harbor, where you have a difficult choice of dining options. For fresh, crispy fish and chips, bundle up and sit on the riverside deck at Sea Pal Cove, where dinner guests include sea gulls, there are $5 pints of high-end craft beer, and views of passing fishing — and, in season, whale-watching — boats. A few doors down, Princess Seafood Market & Deli is a woman-owned and -run fishing operation with its own boat and seafood restaurant. Princess serves reasonably priced, locally caught seafood, including whole Dungeness crab ($27.95), barbecued Royal Miyagi oysters ($12.95 for a half dozen, and a grilled prawn po boy ($15.95). During chilly coastal evenings, the deli’s tented seating area provides heat lamps and freshly laundered blankets. Then, pick up a Coast Packet and take a gamble on a local performance. One of the joys of small town cultural life is the unexpectedness of what’s available from week to week, whether it’s the wonderful independent Flynn Creek Circus or a riotous political play at the Mendocino Theatre Company.

Sunday

10) 9 a.m. The Greenwood Good Life

On your way through Mendocino, grab a takeout breakfast — an organic housemade bagel with lox and “all the veggies” ($12.50) or “market-inspired” quiche ($8) — at Mendocino’s Good Life Cafe. Sip your coffee to-go as you drive a breathtaking stretch of Highway 1 to the village of Elk, population 200. Tote your breakfast down to Greenwood State Beach to sit on a piece of driftwood, look out over the volatile Pacific and take a long breath of sea air. Then, visit Elk Greenwood Museum and Visitor Center — originally the town’s post office — to learn some Greenwood lore from the center’s knowledgeable docents.

11) 11 a.m. Wine Down

Take Philo-Greenwood Road back to Anderson Valley and taste your way out of town. The options can be overwhelming, but the redwood tasting room at Toulouse Vineyards and Winery is especially beautiful and its wines are excellent renditions of classic local varietals: Alsatian whites and pinot noirs. For three wineries in one Spanish-style plaza, stop at The Madrones complex, where Drew Family Cellars, Smith-Story Winery and the newly opened Long Meadow Ranch, which has estate-grown Burgundian varietals, share a plaza.

12) 12:30 p.m. History lesson

Cut east over Route 253 — a spectacular 16-mile drive across hilltops of moss-draped California live oaks — to Ukiah, Mendocino’s 16,000-person county seat. Dedicated to an extraordinary, but largely forgotten painter, the Grace Hudson Museum and Sun House displays Hudson’s striking and distinctly empathetic portraits of native peoples and immigrants, exhibits the work of local artists, and offers tours of Hudson’s Arts and Crafts home, which she called Sun House.

13) 2 p.m. Buddhist brunch

Head south to the City of 10,000 Buddhas, a former California State Mental Hospital that is now a Buddhist community and monastery. The campus’s distinctive arched entrance is undergoing renovation, but its roaming peacocks, evocative institutional architecture and Jyun Kang Vegetarian Restaurant, which serves tasty vegetarian dishes to a mostly local crowd, remain. Or hop down the 101 to Hopland, where Rock Seas serves an ever-changing menu that riffs on brunch classics — like coconut French Toast with star anise, coconut, brown sugar and mango ($12).

Lodging

In the last two years, two long-awaited new hotels have opened on the Mendocino coast. The Harbor House Inn, in Elk, is a 1916 redwood home which was originally built by the local logging company and designed to showcase the beauty of the region’s lumber. After an eight-year renovation, the inn reopened in May of 2018 with 10 rooms (starting at $355, breakfast included) and a destination restaurant.

#travel news a30 #travel news dover #travel news europe #travel news gloucester #travel news uk trains #travel news uttoxeter #travel news vancouver #travel news websites #travel news york #TravelAwesome

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pretty-little-details · 5 years

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Great idea for a party. Drape fabric over a standard pop up tent for a romantic Moroccan inspired hideaway.

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shamarwyn · 6 years

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Quick 5 Step DIY Spa Facial at Home!

Self-care you can (Yes you can!) do at home.

I bet you never take time for yourself. These hectic days as the season changes, I am urging you to nurture yourself with a little self-love. Instead of focusing entirely on flaws to fix and what you need to do to prepare, how about taking a little time each day to nurture yourself back to balance with a few simple, grounding steps? For the next weeks, slow down a bit and take some time to breathe deep breaths. Stand still outside a moment and absorb some sunlight. Remember to do things that inspire you. Take ten minutes to read each day. Cook some simple nourishing meals instead of grabbing fast food. Find your balance each day and then you will be able to give back to your community and our world through moving, giving, creating, and loving. Follow simple, mindful, intuitive principles that you know will lead you to a calm mind, connected spirit, and balanced body.

If your first thought is you "don't have the time" to treat yourself, chances are you're incorrect. If you have even 30 minutes to spare, you have plenty of time to indulge in a super sensory and satisfying facial. The truth is that taking a few minutes out of every day is so important for health and well-being. These brief moments can make or break your relationship to the most important person in your life: you. Self-love can be built through self-care, little by little, day by day.

Today, I am going to share with you how I, as an esthetician, would do an at home mini, relaxing facial. I will give you the steps I swear by for my clients and favorite products for the best, most glowing skin!

So, put away the Instagram feed and Facebook posts, reclaim your time and give your face a little TLC! Here's how:

Gather materials needed:

**Suggestions for products and some DIY ideas will be discussed in each section.

*3 warmed, wet and wrung out face towels or large washcloths heated in a sink with hot water or even better, left in a crock pot on warm or low heat.

*A larger towel to drape over the head for steaming

*A mild facial cleanser and an oil suitable for facial skin

*Some type of gentle facial exfoliant

*Pot of water on the stove for steam

*A facial mask or ingredients for a DIY mask

*Gentle facial toner

*Your favorite skincare treatment products

*Relaxing music

*A cup of herbal tea

*Candles

*Mirror

*Bowl of warm water

*A comfortable sitting or lying space

*Arrange things in the best way to minimize having to keep getting up and down except for the facial steaming.

1.Cleanse the Skin.

When it comes to cleansing, oil removes sebum buildup, dirt, and makeup more gently to begin. To oil cleanse, rinse your face with warm water using facial sponges or cotton pads. Use about a quarter-size amount of oil and take a full minute to work it into your face. Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil or an oil blend such as Shamarwyn’s Rose Body Therapy Oil will work well for this step. When you're done, drape a warm washcloth or use facial sponges over your face and, thoroughly and gently, remove the oil.

Follow with a mild cleanser such as Shamarwyn’s Creamy Botanical Rose Face Wash which is suitable for all skin types including sensitive.

Wipe face with damp facial sponges or washcloth.

2. Exfoliate

Once your skin is cleansed, it's time to exfoliate. I like Shamarwyn’s gentle scrub with aluminum oxide crystals that are used by professionals. It will get that winter flakiness right off the surface. It's not intense or too much and smells like roses! Use one of the hot towels to drape your face and wipe away the exfoliant.

3. Follow with a facial steam or facial compress.

Of course, be very careful with this step. The last thing you want is to burn yourself on spa day! Bring water to a boil in a face-size pot and add either some chamomile tea bags, a few drops of essential oils, herbs or simply steam without any additions. Once the water cools enough (test it on your wrist), pour it into a bowl or leave it on the (now turned off) stove. Hover at least a foot away from the bowl, tent with a towel over the back of your head and sit for a few minutes with the steam.

4. Pick the right mask for your skin type.

This is as simple as asking: What is my skin like today? If it's feeling dry, try a hydrating avocado or honey mask and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes on your face before taking it off.

If you're feeling oily or like you need a detox, try a clay mask, but don’t let these types of masks dry out! You can pick up French clay from the health food store or order online. Use matcha (ground green tea) in a paste for a great detox ingredient in your mask. Use a spray bottle to spritz your face while resting or your damp washcloth to blot, keeping your skin hydrated. Now would be the time to put those cool cucumber slices on your eyes! Remove the mask after 15 to 20 minutes.

My favorite mask, developed for all skin types is the Hydrating Caffè Mocha Masque with Dead Sea Mud, Coffee Absolute and Cocoa Extract. This mask will detox, super cleanse and leave your skin tingling and glowing from within!

Remove mask with a hot towel draped around your face or wash cloth.

5. Finish with a gentle toner and your favorite treatment products.

Finishing with your regular skin care routine.

I recommend a gentle toner like Rose Facial Toner using cotton pads to remove any residual product from the skin and refine your pores.

Follow with a good eye cream such as Botanical Hydrating Eye Crème with hyaluronic acid, green tea and pomegranate and a facial moisturizer like Botanical Hydrating Face Crème with hyaluronic acid, rose, aloe and Vitamin E.

Hyaluronic Acid is a botanical extract that holds up to 2,000 times it’s weight in moisture leaving you with plump, firm, dewy skin!

A few drops of your favorite facial oil will complete your facial! Moroccan Rose Face Serum is light and absorbs quickly and works well under or mixed with makeup. Neroli Oil is just simply the nectar of the goddess! It will absorb after a bit and leave your skin flawless, erasing fine lines and redness. Neroli Oil is good for all skin types including mature and acne prone.

Welcome to cleaner, happier, well-loved skin!

Try to avoid sunlight for a while but be sure to use a good mineral makeup such as Jane Iredale with sunscreen if you go out!

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blkwidowsweb · 6 years

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Glamping 101 with Black Widow Pt. 2-Creating Ambiance!!!

In my last article, Glamping 101, I shared the basics of glamping along with some basic items you’ll need to create a tent space. Today, it’s time for the fun stuff…DECORATING! Today, I’ll share a few tips on taking your camping space from basic to “Glamourous”! There are really four elements to take your tent from drab to fab: Lighting, Interior Décor, Tablescapes and Outdoor Décor. As the saying goes, “Love is in the details”. It is the little things that add that extra special touch to you space. Even better, it is a perfect way to inject your personal style and stand out in a sea of tents, especially at a music festival. The important thing is to have fun and be creative! It’s the great outdoors done fabulously!

Indoor Décor

I spoke briefly about indoor décor in my last article. Bedding, table linens, pillows/cushions and Knick knacks can really change the entire interior of your tent! Glamping is about luxury so don’t be afraid to mix textures and textiles! From fur rugs, tribal print pillows, and embellished linens you can really create a perfectly eclectic tent that feels like a five star hotel. The key is comfort and style. Check online, thrift stores, dollar stores and items you have around the house. Look at your bedroom now. What do you love about it? Translate what you love about your bedroom at home and re-create it in the great outdoors!

Since I’m creating a Moroccan/Boho themed tent, I chose to experiment with textiles and color. Drawing from my initial inspiration photos, I knew I wanted to use bold, jewel tone colors like Oranges, Purples, golds and pinks! I found Moroccan pillow covers from Amazon for $5 each. These will be placed along the foot of my queen air mattress. They were rich in color and had added texture with tassels on the ends. I added gold satin sheets to my bedding and paired them with a Moroccan tapestry that I’m using as a bedspread. When I finally decide to lay my head down for the night, it will feel great to slide on to satin sheets for a little added luxury while I sleep! For added decoration and warmth, I am draping my bed with a faux fur blanket.

I’m a girly girl by nature so I love anything that sparkles. I took my old “Table in a bag” and decided to make them sparkle with sequin tablecloths and a gold sequin runner. I completed my “nightstand” with a Moroccan style lantern and a few votive candles in jewel tone tea light holders. Because my tent has one room, I’m dividing up my space in little sections. I’m creating a small dressing area on one side of the tent with a small table and portable travel mirror. I’ll keep my makeup and other accessories over there. I also decided to include a chandelier in my tent as well! (Believe it or not, I already had one!) For additional storage I found some great woven baskets! Consider using baskets as storage inside your tent as well! They are perfect for storing your bath towels and other toiletries! Many of these baskets come in different styles and are foldable so they travel well! Because I’m a writer/blogger and will be covering this event for my website, I need a space to write. So the other side of my tent will be a seating area that I can keep my journal and write comfortably.

Outdoor Décor

It’s a music festival, so you will be outdoors the majority of the time. Create an outdoor living space that is both functional and comfortable. I look at the outside of my tent as my “living room”. To create my Moroccan/Boho space, I used the same color scheme and took existing items I had at home and “dressed them up”. I love inflatable furniture for glamping because is’ portable, compact and easy to set up. All you need is an air pump and your imagination. I found a great inflatable couch online in a bright orange color and dressed it up with more throw pillows and a Moroccan tapestry! I added a few larger pillows as well for potential tent guests. Adding an outdoor rug or large blanket adds another layer of texture and color and creates a more home-like feel to your outdoor space! Since my tent comes with a canopy style entrance, I decided to dress it up as well. A nice welcome mat and hanging LED lanterns create a nice entrance to my Moroccan oasis! I also found Moroccan style umbrellas online and used them to drape my tents’ entrance! Inflatable furniture, comfortable chairs and loungers create the perfect atmosphere to enjoy a day full of music!

Tablescapes:

Part of your outdoor space is your tables! Like a great coffee table it’s a place where friends gather to chat, enjoy cocktails and food. I wanted a very extravagant tablescape rich in colors and Moroccan style. I started with my table in a bag and covered them with red sequin tablecloths. Then I found a great embellished table runner in a bright orange mixed with purples and golds. Now that I had my base, I started to add my little extras. A bright floral centerpiece, Moroccan lanterns, and tea lights in jewel tone colors and a Moroccan style citronella candle holder completed my “centerpiece”. For fun, I added my very own Hookah! (I mean…I had to!) Because my table would also be used for dining I added gold chargers to hold my plates and beautiful gold wine glasses for added opulence. I found the majority of these items at the dollar store and Amazon. Tea light holders, gold chargers were less than $10! You don’t have to break the bank to create a beautiful tablescape!

Lighting

Lighting is essential when glamping! You need a combination of functional lighting and ambient lighting. Lighting creates ambiance. When the sun sets and you have a sea of tents lit up under a beautiful night sky, it’s absolutely stunning! Use a mixture of different lighting to create a serene camping space.

String Lights or Fairy Lights add soft lighting and I plan to use them throughout my tent space both inside and outside.

Tiki Lamps are multi-purpose! These should be placed around the out edges of your tent. It helps when people are trying to navigate through tent city and if you use citronella fuel you have added protection against pesky mosquitos!

Candles/Lanterns: These are the most inexpensive way to create ambiance. I strongly suggest LED candles for ease. Mix sizes to create something beautiful. Place them on a small mirror and add florals for added effect! You can also find really cool candle holders at dollar stores and thrift stores. If you want to jazz up plain candleholders, consider using spray paint. They have different varieties of spray paint in finishes such as matte, metallic and even mirrored! It’s a quick and affordable way to take basic candle holders and create something fabulous!

Fire pits: Now while not a necessity; it’s most certainly something nice to have. I found a great one at Walmart for less than $30. Who doesn’t like a great campfire! It’s great on a chilly night or great to make gourmet s’mores as a late night snack!

So now that I have all of my glamping essentials, stay tuned to see if I can actually pull off my Moroccan/Boho Chic Themed Camp Space! I’ll be providing live coverage every day from the Summer Oasis Festival and plan to show you my completed tent space! Stay tuned! In the meantime, look forward to more interviews with Summer Oasis guest performers and a special article on creating the perfect camp kitchen complete with a few of my favorite recipes!

As always,

See you at Summer Oasis!

Black Widow

#blkwidowsweb #idlewild #musicfestivals #housemusic #glamping #SOMF2018 #aboutthattentlife #happyglamper

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safasaf2018 · 6 years

Text

Day 8 & 9 - 6/9/18 & 6/10/18

Apologies for the abrupt ending yesterday! I really wanted to be in the moment enjoying where I was, and not typing on my laptop in the shade. So now we’re back on campus! It’s 5:04 PM and I’m at the café so I can write about everything that happened yesterday and today.

Alright so yesterday like I said we woke up early to leave the first hotel and head to the second one, right on the edge of the desert where the camels would pick us up. Our first stop was at a small artisan shop somewhere on the way there. We all bought head scarves for the desert, and many of us bought necklaces, including me. All the necklaces we got are variations of a tool that ancient Berber tribes used to navigate in the desert based on star placement. Some of us also got little containers designed especially for holding desert sand as a souvenir. The workers showed us how to wrap our head scarves, even though we all forgot right afterwards, and we left again. Shortly after that was our second stop, a fossil and mineral museum. The Sahara desert used to be the ocean floor, so Morocco is overflowing with natural minerals and fossils that are all surfacing as desertification reveals them. The worker at the museum gave us a tour. It was three rows of displays, ordered chronologically. He was obviously very very knowledgeable in his field, and very passionate about geology and archeology, which made it more interesting. They had single dinosaur claws bigger than my dog, tiny fish fossils, literally everything you could imagine, and it had all been found locally. I also learned that last year the oldest human remains we’ve discovered so far were found in Morocco! Anyways we finished the tour and then the really cool part came, where he took us to the back of the museum outside and showed us the process of finding, identifying, carving out, and polishing fossils and minerals/geodes to make them ready to display. Most of their fossils aren’t polished, but even without that step it’s a tedious process. The first step was tables full of raw minerals and rocks with fossils presumably inside of them, followed by piles of even more on the ground next to them that hadn’t been organized yet. He showed us clues to look at in the rock itself to know that a fossil could be inside. Next were similar piles, but with the rocks cracked open at exactly the right spot to reveal the fossil inside. After that was a small area with very very very fine tipped machines to carve or dust away the rock perfectly around the fossil to uncover it, and finally a line of workers outside buffing and polishing geodes and crystals for jewelry, paperweights, etc. He then brought us to a back room where they had hundreds and I mean hundreds of smaller fossils for sale, meticulously carved out and perfectly presented. They also had cutting boards, cheese platters, clocks, mirrors, and table/counter tops made out of some polished stone where you could SEE the fossils all throughout it. It looked like marble or some light colored stone, and there were fish and plants covering the surface, our professor bought a cheeseboard for his wife as per her request! It was so impressive, by far the coolest tour of a fossil/mineral museum I’ve ever personally received. A few students bought crystal or other stone/mineral necklaces there, and then we got in the bus and left. And finally we arrived at the next hotel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was 2:00 pm and very hot, so we went directly to the pool, changed into our bathing suits (the first time we didn’t have to worry about modesty in public because the hotel workers are used to tourists wearing whatever they normally wear), and jumped in the water, tanned, read in the shade, ordered cold drinks, staged photoshoots for each other, etc until lunch time. Lunch was served by the pool, and consisted of a fresh salad followed by a Berber omelette with cheese and tomatoes, chicken skewers and french fires, and then fresh fruit for desert. After lunch we went right back to what we were doing. For one of the students I got into the pool to take pictures of her sitting on the edge of the pool from the water, and then everybody wanted pictures like that so I spent about 45 minutes walking around chest-deep in the pool taking pictures of people, it was honestly so much fun. I love being able to take pictures of people and help them feel confident about themselves. After a few hours we had to start packing up to get ready to leave, and finally the camels arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We walked around back and 13 camels were lying down waiting for us. The men leading them helped us all put on our head scarves, we each chose a camel, got on, took pictures, said goodbye to our professor, and were off! Camel saddles are most definitely not designed for comfort, but it was without a doubt one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It ended up being about a two hour ride and although we were all sore and exhausted when we finally arrived I don’t think any of us would have changed a thing. In the very beginning we were all laughing and taking pictures, the guides were taking our phones one by one and getting pictures of us from further away, we were all freaking out. The camels were tied together, so we got to get pretty close to the people in front of and behind us! After the initial excitement, we all fell completely silent, in shock and bliss about our surroundings. This was about 5:30 pm, so the golden hour. Only about 10 minutes in we were already out of sight of the hotel because it was blocked by dunes, and it was truly blissful. So we all rode in silence for quite a while, soaking in the entire experience. When that eventually inevitably wore off (we are still teenagers after all) we started our new version of the game Telephone. The person leading the caravan would say something to the person behind them, and down the line until the very last person and we would see how messed up it got. It took forever and was pretty dysfunctional but it passed time and made us all laugh. I asked the guide if the camels had a name, and found out that mine was named Bob! Victor, the student in front of me, was riding Jimmy, and Brandon behind me was riding Tamu. Tamu kept coming close enough to Bob where he was just walking next to my hips and I could pet him, so I may go so far as to say that Tamu and I bonded more than Bob, he was SUCH a sweetheart. For the most part all of the camels were so well behaved. The camel at the back of my caravan that my friend Jack was on, named Vicky, was older I think, because she absolutely screamed whenever she had to lie down or stand up, I felt so bad. But no one fell or slipped on the way there, so it was successful! We all had to get used to the movements of camel riding - sit back in the saddle and lean forward when going uphill, hold on to the back of the saddle and lean back when going downhill, etc. For the most part we were all pretty awkward and stiff, holding onto the handle on the front of the saddle. Anyways we finally arrived at this tented community out of the middle of nowhere in between the dunes. The guides let us off a short ways away from the tents so we could walk up a dune and watch the sunset (one of the hardest workouts of my life) and then walk back to the camp afterwards. Some of the students were too tired or dizzy so they went back to camp immediately. After the sunset we walked to the tents and were led to an outside area in the middle that was surrounded by our rooms. The tents were really a structure covered in carpets and drapes that was divided into rooms, it was very impressive. The middle area where we were had a fireplace in the middle, big cough cushions in a circle to one side, and the entire community was covered in beautiful rugs to walk on as a trail through it over the sand. We all sat down there as one by one students came back from the sunset, and drank Moroccan mint tea. When everyone was back we played Never Have I Ever, a fun get to know you game, until dinner was served. There was one more group there with us, just two Japanese women who kept to themselves. Dinner was traditional Moroccan salad, tajine (roasted meat and vegetables), bread, and fresh fruit for desert. At dinner we played another more interesting game called Paranoia that isn’t necessarily get to know you game, but definitely a bonding game. We continued Paranoia after dinner in the common area again, until the people who lived/worked there came to the common area with drums and put on a show for us. After a few songs they backed up and said, “Okay! Now your turn!” I ran up immediately and made others come up with me. We honestly gave an honest attempt at doing a drum circle ourselves, but fell quite short. So two of them came up and did something simple on a drum that we were all to replicate while they then did fancier stuff around it. One of them sat next to me and when I was struggling with one of the drumming patterns he helped me figure it out, which I did pretty well, so he then challenged me to keep up with him as he went faster and faster and faster and I did really well!! He did still win though. Anyways then we drummed with them for longer, until they told us to sing. Kimberly and I sang Hey Jude and Just The Way You Are while they drummed in the background. Then they said “Dance!” so we got up and started dancing while they were drumming. I was curious to know if there was a traditional dance so I asked them, and they said there was but neither of them wanted to show us. They were both relatively young, and each one kept saying, “He’s better at it! He’ll show you! Not me.” it was pretty funny. In the end neither of them showed it to us, but it was still an unforgettable hour or so that I’m really really happy happened. Then we all sat back down on our cushions which we had formed into a tighter circle, and they sat talking on the other side of the area. We switched back to Never Have I Ever, which naturally started as funny/embarrassing stories, but eventually Danielle said, “Never have I ever felt that I didn’t belong at Yale” so whoever had felt that way at some point had to clap and put a finger down. A few students clapped and so did I, so Danielle asked us to elaborate. For most of them it was the social/partying scene, which was either too much or not enough for them, but when they got to me I said that it was mostly because of my financial situation and how I grew up, how I feel like a lot of students there grew up with parents in politics, or parents who went to Yale, or either way in an environment that very much resembled Yale, whereas I felt hugely unprepared and out of place on campus at times. That turned into a really really long talk where upperclassmen with similar backgrounds gave me advice, people asked me questions and to elaborate on certain things, etc. Then I apologized for sucking the air out of the game, and everyone reassured me that it was fine, and we naturally transitioned into a much deeper conversation rhythm where we talked in depth about feeling out of place on campus, how we juggle family life and Yale life, self care, so many deep topics that felt indescribably incredible to hash out under the stars in the Sahara at 1 AM with a bunch of Yale students. Very Breakfast Club-y. At about 2 AM some people had started to lie down on the cushions or even go into their huts, but many of us had absolutely no intention of sleeping. We went out of our tent space and found the group of Berbers all lying in a circle surrounding one of their phones on which they were playing Parcheesi! They asked if we wanted a rug to lie down on to look at the stars, because there were lights in the common area, so we all lied down on a long rug and looked up at the most stars I’ve ever seen in my entire life. There were countless shooting stars as well, and the temperature was so perfect. We couldn’t see the moon because it was below the horizon, but we didn’t know that, so we had Shâdy ask the Berbers if they knew where it was. The first time they answered, “She’s with her friends.” and the second time they answered, “She went to the mosque to pray!” so they were obviously pretty humorous fellows. Some of us also asked them if they knew how to use our necklaces to navigate and they told us that they knew what the necklaces were, but had no idea how to use them. We were out there for about a half hour and then all went back, but when some people seriously started going to sleep, the rest of us went back to the rug so we could talk without disturbing them. It was starting to get chillier so we brought blankets this time, and as it got later we naturally broke into pairs. Kimberly and Iskandar were together talking about something, and Victor and I were together talking about music. We had been talking about music earlier so we actually got out our phones and earbuds and started to show each other the songs we were talking about. We would take turns putting on a song that we thought perfectly captured the moment and then listen in silence, talking in the moments in between songs. We all did this for about two hours. At 4:00 AM we got up and woke up the others, packed up, and left on camel back. Again I wish more than anything that I could capture the feeling of leaning back on the cushion with Victor looking up at the stars listening to an eerily accurate song, or sitting around the teapot with my peers revealing ourselves to each other and learning how similar we all are, or literally any single moment from this weekend. Our professor told us that the Sahara trip was normally a very defining moment for the students in terms of bonding with a visible change in group closeness afterwards, especially this year since we all spent the night out there alone! The 5 people who were in my caravan and I all got on our same camels which was nice, only this time I know that at least I was much more comfortable, like weirdly so. Not right at first, initially I was still stiff and awkward, but something about being so tired, having just pulled an all nighter in the desert, being familiar with not only camel riding, but with the exact camel I was riding, and the fact that no one was caring about photos or how we looked anymore, it was honestly magical I don’t know how to explain it. I took off my sandals so I could feel Bob’s fur with my bare feet, I had my sweatshirt and head scarf on, and I learned to maintain my balance by just using my legs and feet and squeezing and leaning etc, instead of awkwardly holding onto the large handle in front of me. It felt so wildly different, so much better, more natural, more intimate with the animal, more intimate with the environment, I really don’t know how to explain it!!! I was Paikea and Bob was my whale. Early on in the walk they stopped and we all got off and they pointed up a small sand dune where we could walk up and watch the breathtaking sunrise. We got back on our camels after that and I listened to some of the music Victor had introduced me to in one ear so that the other ear could still here the wind, the camels, the sand, etc. It may honestly be the most at peace and blissful and “set” and natural I have ever felt, and I will forever be chasing that feeling in any way that I can.

When we got back to the hotel we got off our camels, said goodbye to them and our guides, showered, packed up, ate a delicious Moroccan version of a continental breakfast (fresh fruit, flatbread, sauces, coffee, orange juice) and left. The bus ride was very very quiet as we were all either passed out or just quietly looking out the windows soaking in everything that had happened. At least I know that’s what I was doing, there was no way I could sleep. At one point I turned on “Fare Thee Well Love” on repeat and turned the volume up. It’s something I do when I’m traveling or sometimes just when I’m at home doing nothing, but especially when traveling, when I want to feel Daddy with me, and it worked. We stopped at a rest stop to buy snacks and then at the same beautiful restaurant as before for lunch, after which I was finally sleepy enough to nap off and on, and after a very very long ride arrived at the university. We all went to our rooms to shower (not everyone showered at the hotel) or nap, and I actually had a long talk with my roommate half in French half in English about tattoos, Moroccan identity and culture, boys in Morocco, her and how she feels about Morocco and life in general, etc. It was so nice to finally FINALLY connect with her, and then I showered and now I’m at the café!

I wish so badly I could post pictures and videos on here, I’m going to try to figure it out as soon as possible. But for now I feel full to the brim of happiness and peace from not only the insanely spiritual experience I had in the desert, but also the long talks with the other students, the advice, the listening, everything. Despite being the most sore I’ve ever been in my entire life, I don’t think I could feel more at peace right now.

But time to change that, because I have to go do homework!!!!!! Peace out.

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