by Maleeha Sambur
Each year, my family members and I carve out one week of our lives for a family vacation, and in 2014, Morocco was our chosen destination. Morocco is a country of remarkably diverse landscapes, and with so many fascinating regions to explore, it was tough to choose which places to visit. Since only one member of our party had been there before, we were seeking a general introduction to the country, and with six of us traveling, we decided that the easiest way to accomplish that would be to travel by car, with a tour company guiding us in our explorations. With the help of the excellent folks at Rough Tours, we settled on an itinerary that took us from Marrakech to Fes to Chefchaouen, along with a night in the Sahara and plenty of interesting stops in between.
Since we usually prefer self-guided exploration over organized tours, we were a bit concerned that taking the well-trodden tourist route would feel inauthentic, but our guides made it seem unique, catering their talking points to our individual interests (architecture, history, crafts, sociology), showing us key sites while steering clear of tourist traps, and weighing in on where to eat and shop without leading us to a friend or relative's business (a common practice among tour companies, as they can earn a commission for bringing in business). It was a lot of driving, but the ever-shifting landscape provided plenty of distractions, as we watched the scenery change from lush, palm-lined oases to surreal, mind-bending desertscapes; barren stretches of otherworldly rock formations to terracotta kasbahs camouflaged among undulating ochre-colored hills; verdant valleys with crystalline lakes to pine-forested, snow-blanketed ski towns.
by Maleeha Sambur
As a longtime fan of the late George Nakashima's work, I'd been dying to make the pilgrimage to his home and studio in New Hope, Pennsylvania. One Saturday this past summer, my husband and I were finally able to make the trip and got an intimate glimpse into the life and work of the master craftsman. Nestled in the woods some 70 miles from the thrum of New York City, the parcel of land Mr. Nakashima purchased in 1945 eventually came to house fourteen buildings of his design. It's also where he and his Japanese-American family rebuilt their lives after being forced to leave their home in Seattle for an Idaho internment camp, from which they were eventually released through the sponsorship of architect Antonin Raymond, who invited them to join him in New Hope.
by Jennifer Saracino
While living and studying in Mexico City last spring, I decided to take a break from my research and went outside for an evening stroll. I headed towards the Jardín del Arte, a peaceful and colorful park nearby in my neighborhood, San Rafael.
I decided to walk the perimeter of the park, which I had never done before, and stumbled upon the Museo Experimental El Eco. Founded in 2005, the museum presents contemporary art projects by both Mexican and international artists. It comprises part of a group of museums run by UNAM (the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) and was designed as an interdisciplinary space where artists are encouraged to present projects that draw from an array of diverse media including film, dance, poetry, and music. I peered past the door held ajar, intrigued by the long dark hallway and a sign that advertised free admission.
Located on Yelapa Island, off Puerto Vallarta, Verana is the vision of film industry veterans Heinz Legler and Veronique Lievre, and their cinematic sensibility was put to great use in creating this uniquely beautiful retreat. Surrounded by lush jungle and perched over the deep blue Bay of Banderas, their mountainside hideaway would be a magical place for a romantic retreat.
by Maleeha Sambur
Trancoso, a sleepy fishing village in the coastal state of Bahia, first landed on my radar when I came across photos of Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa and fell hard for its beautifully designed spaces. I immediately wanted to redecorate my Brooklyn apartment in its likeness, and the only thing standing in my way was a lack of available outdoor shower space and a dearth of tropical vegetation suitable for a bi-level treehouse (plus zoning laws, perhaps). Though my plan was foiled, when my husband and I decided on South America for our honeymoon destination in 2013, I insisted we build a stay at Uxua into the itinerary.
Established as a mission town by Portuguese settlers in the 16th century, Trancoso remained relatively isolated from the outside world until recently, when an access road was finally connected to the highway network. In the 1970's, through word of mouth, it became a haven for hippies, and the grassroots efforts of these newcomers played a role in protecting Trancoso from development interests as resorts began cropping up in towns all along the coast, destroying once-pristine beaches and the local communities that had called the area home for centuries.
El Cosmico was designed with nomadic traditions in mind, and as such, feels like a very appropriate rest stop for those making an art pilgrimage to Marfa. Sprawled across 21 acres, it offers a variety of kitschy accommodations to suit every budget (choose from teepee, tent, yurt, trailer, or BYO), an on-site bar, a mercantile stocked with a selection of vintage wardrobe finds and plenty of Palo Santo, bikes, woodfired hot tubs to rent, and a "hammock grove" for lazing about beneath the glow of string lights.
by Maleeha Sambur
I first came across this photo by Catalan photographer Xavier Miserachs five years ago, via a friend who saw it at a gallery show during the New York Flamenco Festival, and it remains one of my favorite images to date. Shot in Barcelona in 1962, its subject, the barefoot, gypsy flamenco legend Antoñita "La Singla", is something of an enigma. I couldn't find much information about her life other than that she was born deaf and mute. I did, however, come across a few videos of her riveting performances. I found myself transfixed by her fierce expressiveness and powerful energy (not to mention her polka dot tie-front blouse and high-waisted pants combo), and wanted to join the spectators in shouting, "Singla!"
