FotoIstanbul: Art on the Streets
Istanbul is a city brimming with creative people and galleries heralding their work, showing off its art and photography collection inside white walls.
Now, the...
Exploring the Princes’ Islands: The Kınalıada Mosque
The Princes' Islands (Adalar) are a chain of nine small islands in the Sea of Marmara, about 20 km east of the center of...
Review: Randy Esen Quartet ft. Şenova Ülker @ Denizde Caz
A night cruise on the Bosphorus has been on my list of things to do for a few years now. But at the same...
Transcending decades and genres with Erol Evgin
Friends and family were surprised when I announced that I had tickets for the Erol Evgin concert at the Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theatre...
Hot, Intense and Smooth: 2CELLOS in Istanbul
I discovered 2CELLOS by chance about a year ago through their cello duet cover of "Smooth Criminal." I usually do not like Michael Jackson...
St. Mary of the Mongols: The Last Byzantine Church
Nowadays Istanbul is known for its mosques, but prior to 1453, Constantinople was a completely Christian city replete with churches. Many of them exist to this day:...
ColoNie: Karaköy’s New Gem
One day I went a-wandering. I set out for an entire day of tourism, hitting some of Istanbul's must see hot-spots. I had planned...
A Pleasant Evening with Monica Molina
It seems that the staff at the Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Amphitheater had me in mind when scheduling this month's program. It feels as if...
Book Review: Mark Wyers’ “Wicked Istanbul”
Fun Fact: There are around 60 state-run brothels in Turkey. This may be surprising given Turkey’s reputation as a conservative, rather religious country. So,...
Cihangir Yoga Sessions with Chris Chavez
"The more you know, the more you see there is to be known.” Tucked away in the Istinye branch of Cihangir Yoga studios on...
Emma Shapplin Wows Rain or Shine
Saturday evening, the Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Amphitheater hosted one of the most unique names in cross-over music, Emma Shapplin: a coloratura soprano who has...
Miniatürk – Educational and Fun!
Miniatürk, situated on the North-Eastern shore of the Golden Horn, in a nutshell, is a display of the main monuments of Istanbul and Turkey...
Turtle Conservation Volunteering in Dalyan: DEKAMER – My Experience
In my previous article, I discussed the on-going conservation work taking place at Iztuzu Beach, a place of magnificent natural beauty, and an integral...
Fazıl Say enchants us in poetic style at Burgazada
The stars twinkled overhead. Subtle waves lapped along the shore, caressing the rocks, sand, and the deck ever so gently. It was mid-summer, and...
Concluding IKSV’s Jazz Festival – An Evening with the Masters
By Julián Muñoz Villarreal and Elizabeth Stern
The final concert of the Istanbul IKSV Jazz Festival took place this past Wednesday evening against the lush...
Magical Encounters with Turquerie: The Ottoman Magic
Among the impressive list of twenty-six concerts, the evening of “Turquerie: The Ottoman Magic” was the evening that I had been looking forward to...
Review: Dhafer Youssef @ Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre
Perhaps he is not the kind of musician you hear about that often; you won’t see his pictures on billboards, nor can you watch...
Raskatov’s Crying in the Wilderness @ St. Irene
One of the most intriguing programs of the IKSV Istanbul Music Festival was without a doubt the evening that featured the renowned Russian composer...
The Fusion Jazz of Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke
On Tuesday night, the Haliç Congress Centre came alive with the sounds of fusion jazz as Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke took to the...
Review: Goran Bregovic @ Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Amphitheater
Goran Bregovic's latest album, Champagne for Gypsies (2012), was intended as a criticism of the recent discrimination against the Roma people, one of the largest European...
Review: Ada’m in Bozcaada
Oh, that dish! What dish? I’ll come to that in a minute. First, a bit of background: My family and I were on a...
Istanbul’s Hidden Architecture: The Camondo Stairs
Strolling through Istanbul requires two basic skills: a good sense of direction and a strong pair of legs. The steep hills and windy streets...
Review: Füsun Onur’s “Through the Looking Glass” @ ARTER
From 2010, ARTER has offered a continual base for the production and display of contemporary art. Since opening its doors, the gallery has hosted a...
IKSV Music Festival: Opening Night @ Lütfi Kırdar Sarayı
The classical season is officially over. The 2013-2014 season in Istanbul was one of the greatest seasons I have ever experienced. It was a...