Take 5: Cihangir (A Morning on Başkurt Sokak)
Istanbul arguably doesn’t really have one central district, like a downtown or a city center. It is a city of many centers, each with...
Giorgio De Chirico: Enigma of the Mysterious and Melancholic
My first year in Art school, l was required to purchase a large hardcover book entitled 'Janson's History of Art’. A formidable tome of...
Take 5: Karaköy (Shopping Edition)
Karaköy is a unique neighborhood with a mishmash of art, culture and food all packed into a zigzag of tiny streets and alleys. Although...
Beating the Istanblues: A Night at the Spa
My wife Özge and I can’t afford many luxuries. We’re a working couple, with different schedules. We don’t even share the same days off.
We...
Take 5: Çengelköy
Coming around a bend on the Anatolian side between the two bridges is the aptly named Çengelköy. The neighborhood, whose name means hook village in Turkish, is...
Construction Fever: Will It Save Us from the Next Big One?
Bağdat Caddesi is a long, wide shopping avenue on the Asian side of the city, Istanbul’s equivalent of 5th Avenue or Rodeo Drive.
Nearby are...
Review: “Istanbullu” by Buket Uzuner
What does it mean to be an Istanbullu? Can everyone who lives or has lived in Istanbul have the right to call themselves a real...
Review: Ghostly International Night @ Babylon Bomonti
On Thursday 25 February, I visited Babylon Bomonti for Ghostly International Night featuring Shigeto, Heathered Pearls and Lord RAJA. As we thought, it was worth it to...
Songs for an Unfinished City (An Istanbullu’s Listening Guide)
Every great city has its own soundtrack, or at least, deserves one. If it doesn’t, you should think about moving somewhere else.
I think of...
Take 5: Karaköy
Spread across the quaint streets of Karaköy there are restaurants, cafes and bars at every corner. There is one type of restaurant, in particular,...
In Conversation: Musician Hande Başaran
Hande Başaran is a Renaissance woman: musician, singer, mother, kindergarten teacher and all-round creator. When I first heard Hande perform, I was struck by the...
!f Film Fest Review of Theory of Obscurity: A Film about...
Director: Don Hardy
Release date:18 March 2015
Cast: The Residents, Matt Groening, Penn Jilette, Jerry Harrison, Les Claypool.
Showing on the first day of the 15th !f...
Review: múm Presents Menschen am Sonntag @ Salon IKSV
Do you like Nordic spirit? Do you like cold, smooth Icelandic melodies? Do you like 1930s vibes? What about a black and white silent...
On the Road to Gebze: Surviving in the Industrial Heartland
On the road to Gebze, where I teach twice a week, I have a lot of time to contemplate the passing landscape.
Out on the...
Q & A: Pelin Turgut – Co-Founder & Co-Director of !f
In anticipation of the 15th !f Independent Istanbul Film Festival we reached out to co-founder and co-director of !f, Pelin Turgut. She took the time...
Take 5: Balat
Since I moved to Izmir for work, my visits to Istanbul have become more dedicated, more concentrated. Now, every time I return I feel...
Review: Lara Di Lara, Emre Akbay, Emir Yargin by Sofar...
It was another rainy, cold Friday night in Istanbul when Sofar Sounds Istanbul stars Lara Di Lara, Emre Akbay and Emir Yargin arrived at the...
Review: Kaan Düzarat, Todd Edwards and Julio Bashmore at Babylon Bomonti
One rainy, windy and rather cold Friday in early February, I spontaneously decided that an electronic show at Babylon Bomonti – conveniently within walking distance...
Take 5: Kadıköy
Calm, cool, easy-going Kadiköy has always been one my favourite Istanbul districts. I love to start my day with breakfast at the picturesque Thales...
Banksy Was(n’t) Here
Early last month, The Art of Banksy made its world debut, launching at Global Karaköy, a brand new art space located in the heart of...
Walking to Balat: A Photoessay
There is an Istanbul that is unknown to many visitors; it lives beyond the chaos of Sultanahmet and Beyoğlu, hiding in suburban streets and...
Review: Gaye Su Akyol @ Babylon Bomonti
A snowy Saturday night in Istanbul couldn't be spent any better than with 200-something fellow music lovers at a Gaye Su Akyol concert, courtesy of Babylon Bomonti....
In Conversation with Burak Bener of Montag Coffee
If you've been in Kadiköy Merkez, trying to push through the crowds, then it's very possible you've missed this gem of a coffee shop....
Q & A: Oscar and the Wolf
Babylon Bomonti must have heard that we're super excited about the upcoming performances from Oscar and the Wolf, as they were kind enough to help us arrange...