Moodies do Morocco on a PERFECT April Night

These two amazing guys did a cooking vacation two years ago in Morocco...

Colin Sowa and Mark Polischak

Here's a fun little video of their trip...

So in honor of this trip, they threw a Moroccan Dinner Party.

This is their backyard waiting for the feast to begin...

Mark's and Colin's Moroccan Feasting Table

And this is the menu of the night's feast...

Moroccan Menu

And this is the Morrocatini that got us started...

Moroccatini

Hope your appetite is properly whet because there are lots more VERY COOL pictures of their Wexler Home, friends, and of course the FOOD...

TIME TO JUMP...

Before we get back to the party, you HAVE to see some shots of their beautiful Wexler home....

Welcome

This is the view you're greeted with as you enter their home. Like all Wexler designed homes, the flow is all about gathering, and light, and swanky hipness...

Living Room

Mark and Colin have done an amazing job working with the flow to create spaces that invite you to gather around... can't wait to spend another evening with them sitting in this room sipping another exotic cocktail or two... HINT HINT.

Their master bedroom could be used as a place to gather as well, especially the private courtyard with comfy benches and feng shui-ish water fall....

Master Bedroom

Both Mark and Colin are serious cooks so the kitchen is obviously designed to allow both of them room to work their magic... of course, if you know them, you'll know Colin's is a tiny cubicle in the hallway... what you're seeing here is Mark's area... LOL. Oh, and we all loved their long flowing gowns... :-)

Kitchen and Gathering Room

But, I have to add another pic of the living room, want to remember where I'll be sitting for my next cocktail...

We may steal these chairs when they're not looking

For this dinner, they really wanted to capture the allure of the Moroccan meals they enjoyed on their trip; the candles everywhere played such an amazing roll...

Ambiance

With our Palm Springs climate, and the way they had the house lit, and the backyard decked out, it was easy to imagine you were actually in Morocco...

Pool

And if you still don't believe me... 

Palm Trees from their yard

But what's a beautiful space without friends and food...

Beautiful Sky as the Al Fresco Canopy

And a beautiful table waiting...

Hmmm, maybe we were in Morocco after all

And of course Bundy, the resident doggie, enjoyed his gift of doggie biscuits...

Bundy

Of course this guy kept thinking the doggie biscuits were cookie appetizers and had to be fended off...

Mark Kendrick

But he also thought the party was a Maracas party so what do you expect?

But once the food started rolling out, it was clear  THIS WAS ONE SERIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL MOROCCAN MEAL...

Let's Eat!

First Course...

A plate of four small salads - carrots, tomatoes, eggplant and fennel root

Oh, did I mention how beautiful the table setting was?

Let's eat take two

After the first course of salads, the soup... 

H'rirra with Dates

Amazing soup... and the ambiance... just can't say enough about it...

Candles make everything more delicious

The main course.... what can I say - WOW WOW WOW...

So many explosive, exotic flavors on this plate

And then there was the dessert...

Clementine Cake with Orange Blossom Glaze, topped with Fig Leaf Ice Cream

Yes,  you read that correctly... FIG LEAF ICE CREAM... and the figs were off Colin's and Mark's tree.

This was a magical night... even the table after all the food was eaten, and wine drunk, was beautiful thanks to the light and color of the candles, the night sky, and the glow from around the yard...

Dinner Done

Hmmm, I wonder where our next Mood Wine Club Member's dinner party will be? Gotta love the Moodies... :-)