Floating gardens

Floating gardens

by marlies|dekkers

Did you know that Mexico City has its own Venice?  At only an hour’s drive from the fabulous chaos of the capital?

It’s called Xochimilco, meaning the ‘Place of the Flowers’ in Náhuatl, and floating down its famous green canals in a colorful, open air trajinera (gondola) while being serenaded by a band of trumpeting mariachis was one of the absolute highlights of my Mexico trip.

There I was, grooving to the infectious tunes, surrounded by relaxing locals and refreshment vendors offering delicious drinks and snacks from their boats: a Mexican fiesta on the water! This area, now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is where the Aztecs built fertile riverbeds called chinampas, on which they were able to grow crops, thereby creating ‘Floating Gardens’. So, when you watch your boatman propel your bright-colored trajinera forward by pushing his long wooden pole in the canal, remember: in Xochimilco, you are not just traveling through water, you are traveling through time.

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fall|winter 20 preview

Marlies Says

fall|winter 20 preview

by marlies|dekkers

In January, I presented my newest FW20 collection during a show full of dance and entertainment in Rotterdam. All my work as a feminist designer is inspired by muses, powerful female icons from past and present. And for FW20, my muse will be crime writer Agatha Christie. A few months from now, you will get to discover the collections, and see how they tell stories like Agatha’s thrilling books do..

Running for your life

MD Friends

Running for your life

by marlies|dekkers

Dr. Bram Bakker is a psychiatrist, a writer, a runner and a provocateur. With his many bestselling books and columns – and yes, even his own theatre show – he urges us to think outside the box when it comes to our mental health. Not crazy about popping pills? Bram shared some interesting alternatives with me, from throwing out our phones to running ‘till we puke’.

Peas & peppers instead of pills

MD Friends

Peas & peppers instead of pills

by marlies|dekkers

General practitioner Tamara de Weijer believes that we would feel a lot better if we hit the produce stand before we visited the pharmacy. “On a massive scale, we have been putting the wrong kind of fuel in our bodies.”

Singles Day – You’ve Got this!

Marlies Says

Singles Day – You’ve Got this!

by marlies|dekkers

All the single ladies, listen up! With single women rapidly becoming the majority, it is high time to stop feeling singled out. This Singles Day, let’s celebrate our freedom and independence by sharing all those solo milestones that make us go: ‘You’ve got this!’.