Alice azania jarvis biography

Morocco was to be the maxi-foil to our Covidy UK mini-moon. Until, that is, my husband was offered a new job — a dream opportunity, beginning precisely four days before our intended departure. Did he really want to disappear, feet barely under the desk? Would I feel happy asking him to? The answers were no. The food — a dainty cabbage and almond roulade, an aubergine salad and a chicken tagine — is served by Mustafa, the softly spoken night manager at Riad Azzar, our base for the next six days.

Like everything else here — from the antiques scattered around to the steady stream of ice-cold Casablanca beers served in the afternoon — it is impeccable. This eagerness may have been a throwback to my adolescence, and in the subsequent days I adopt a variety of roles: daughter, tour guide, worrier-in-chief. Still, we soon settle into a happy little routine.

Will we get chocolate cake or lemon? What fruit will there be? Our first morning is given over to a walking tour of the medina, which I book via a website called Marrakech with Locals tip only; marrakechwithlocals. The garden is named after the artist Jacques Majorelle, who created it in the s and s. Afternoons are spent reading and resting at the riad before we venture out again for dinner.

However, we adore our alfresco food — lamb chops for Dad; chicken with pear confit for me — on the buzzing roof terrace. There are remarkably few wrinkles. The traffic is completely insane — a raucous flurry of cars, motorbikes, bicycles and donkeys, and not just on big roads, but on narrow pedestrian lanes too. We soon learn to stick to the right side fractionally safer and allow extra time to get anywhere.

For the most part, though, we rub along contentedly. I arrive back at the riad to be greeted by a puzzled Mustafa. No, I explain, I left my Tweedledum behind today because even odd-couple honeymooners need time apart. Alice-Azania Jarvis travelled independently. Riad Noos Noos, Mellah Picture yourself on the rooftop of Riad Noos Noos, eyeballing the storks of the Badia Palace as you fill up with a breakfast spread of freshly baked breads, homemade creamy yoghurt and flaky Moroccan pancakes.

This comfy riad in the mellow Mellah Jewish quarter is a real bargain. Dove-grey wooden shutters and balconies brighten the traditional architecture, creating a restful space away from the medina bustle. There are occasionally DJs in the buzzy roof terrace cocktail bar, and candles floating in the pools at night. Rooms mix mid-century furniture with Moroccan design; some even have calfskin leather floors.

El Fenn is known for its extravagant bathrooms, including double showerheads as standard, and a handful of rooms have outdoor showers or knockout freestanding bathtubs in front of open fires. This is, without doubt, the hippest address in the city.

Alice azania jarvis biography

Rooms, all named after local spices, have a contemporary bohemian spirit and silky tadelakt traditional natural Moroccan plaster on the walls. The best part is the pool terrace, an adjunct to the main riad patio, where films are projected onto the walls on sultry nights. Rooms showcase hand-picked art and design from the souks. Some have gorgeous sunken baths and, uniquely, there are not only open fires but central heating and in most rooms underfloor heating.

Restrained design lets the traditional tiling and woodwork sing. On that note, breakfast is served whenever you want. Riad Elegancia, Bab Doukkala This adult-only property relaunched last year fresh from a restoration job that installed so much traditional woodwork the smell of fragrant cedarwood chases you down the hallways. The decor faithfully reflects what a true medina riad should look like, with vaulted plasterwork corridors, hand-hammered metal lanterns and a profusion of zellij tiling — and there are swanky new bathrooms, minibars and his and hers robes.

The best bit is the Majorelle blue-accented roof terrace, with degree views towards the Atlas Mountains, a long rooftop lap pool and — unusually for Marrakesh — a hot tub. I am constantly dazzled by the talent that surrounds me. I love the creativity and collaboration. Having spent the best part of a decade as a writer and reporter before moving into editing five years ago, I relish the multidisciplinary approach — the opportunity to work with so many people with distinct skills, from writers to designers and picture or video editors.

Our remit on Times2 takes in everything from hard-hitting interviews to fabulous fashion — I adore the mix. This will be totally different depending on the day of the week it is. And third — of course — producing a sparkling, smart, stimulating section for the readers tomorrow. Why do you want to be a part of the News UK mentoring programme and who is your ideal mentee?

My ideal mentee is really anyone who is prepared to work hard and give new challenges a go. I feel strongly that mentorship is a key way we can broaden access to the media industry. And I had absolutely no idea how the industry itself worked. I was also quite shy and remember feeling like a total fish out of water on my first work experience placement, with no real idea of how to act or what to do or who to speak to.

It goes without saying that if you want to work with the best, most talented people, you need to draw from the broadest pool possible, and that means nurturing those who may not have benefited from — for instance — having a relative or family friend who can help them get their foot in the door, or being part of an elite school or university alumni network.

Examine your mistakes — really interrogate why they happened, and how they can be avoided in future — and then learn from them. It is painful but productive.