Philomena Schurer Merckoll and I got to know each other a few months ago. If you are familiar with her background, she is not exactly the person you would expect in Munich. Having lived in Paris to New York, Mexico City to London she went on to found and continues to creatively direct Riad Mena & Beyond Hotel in Marrakech in 2014. Besides being a hotelier, she is a contributing editor at New York Times T Magazine and a creative consultant who works with selected brands and individuals helping them with their communication, brand position and creating international connections for them.
So, when I saw her sitting outside a café on my way to my store that was still a construction site back then, I was rather surprised and really wanted to meet her. Shortly after, we sat down together, and she told me more about her life as a restless traveller who used to call the world her home. Covid-19 forced her to slow down and she has settled in the Bavarian alps – at least for the time being.
Thank you, Philomena, for sharing your 2021 plans with us!
Philomena Schurer-Merckoll in her Riad Mena in Marrakesch
© Brita Sönnichsen
The courtyard of Riad Mena in Marrakech
3 Places I want to travel to
I have never been to Naples and the Amalfi Coast which is number one on my bucket list. Naples to stay at the faded glory Hotel Excelsior, go to Thomas Dane's gallery and eat the best food in Italy before ambling up the coast to the iconic family run Le Sireneuse in picture perfect Positano.
A place I dream of returning to is Mexico. Mexico City is one of my all time favorite places, so much energy and an incredible creative and food scene. Its such an amazing colorful whirl! Then a drive to Oaxaca, home to some of the best artisanal crafts in Mexico.
And last but not least Paris in late Spring. For the joy of strolling around the beautiful city of light.
3 Things I want to learn
Patience would be a great start :) I am quite restless!
How to care for your things more and keep them for longer such as perfecting shoe cleaning and all those kind of old school skills that we have all forgotten!
And lots more Kundalini Yoga. Because the past year of practicing that quite intensively has brought me someway towards the first one thing I want to learn.
3 Books I want to read
The Obama autobiography – A Promised Land – simply because I think he is one of the most inspiring living people right now.
„The Sheltering Sky” by Paul Bowles. I have a hotel in Morocco and this is such a classic by an iconic author in an iconic time that I have yet to read.
„The Sheltering Sky” by Paul Bowles, Penguin Modern Classics (2004)
„A Table for Friends” by Skye McAlpine, because 2021 is going to be my year of cooking. I made her meringues for New Year's dinner which were so easy to make and came out so perfectly and impressed everyone. I love how her use of great ingredients with often quite simple recipes results in effortlessly fabulous dishes.
3 Things I want to save for
I will be saving for this for a quite a while, but I would love to own a painting by German conceptual artist Michael Krebber, specifically his Cartouche Paintings. He is really an artists artist, but the simplicity of his gestures in the Cartouche Paintings, which still convey so much of his biography behind them really speak to me.
And while we are talking about big purchases an apartment in an art deco era building in Athens would be great too ...
And last but not least the entire series of the candles from the Lola James Harper range. I discovered this brand in your store and love it, everyone of them smells amazing. I really think the smell you surround yourself with makes such a difference to your everyday life. I have „The Music Studio On Trufo Street” in my office and walking into that smell in the morning is such a great start to my work day!