Altın Gün Throws a Turkish Folk Party at Salon IKSV

In the final weeks of Salon IKSV's 2018 season, Altın Gün paid a memorable visit to the popular venue in back-to-back performances. As tickets...

Five Names to Meet at Salon IKSV This Season

Salon IKSV, the meeting point for alternative music lovers in Istanbul, continues introducing us to musicians who give us that feeling of discovery. If...

Open Studio Days: A Non-Profit Art Organization

Open Studio Days is a yearly art event and the most comprehensive open studio activity in Turkey where artists open their studios for three...

Reflections on Contemporary Istanbul 2018

In Julia Cameron's classic book on creativity The Artist's Way, she recommends a tool called an "artist date," which she describes as "a block of...

Exhibition: “Horizon of Things” by Yunus Emre Erdoğan

When searching for new exhibitions online I came across “Horizon of Things”, currently taking place at Sanatorium, and the title captured my attention instantly....

Chill-Out Festival 2018: A ‘Heaven on Earth’ Music Experience in Istanbul

As any socially-inclined Istanbullu might agree, one of the greatest aspects of living in this city is the dynamism in the entertainment scene. Despite...

Volunteering with Tidy Turkey: World Clean Up Day 2018

World Clean Up Day 2018 was held on Saturday 15 September. Turkey, in solidarity with many countries around the globe, responded to the call...

IKSV 4th Istanbul Design Biennial: Doubt and Learning in a School...

The IKSV 4th Istanbul Design Biennial: A School of Schools opened its doors on Saturday 22 September to an eagerly awaiting public. Under the...

Electronica Festival Istanbul 2018: Returning to Turkey’s Electronic Behemoth

The moment you reach Kafes beach, with music blasting through the air, the gorgeous sea stretching for miles, and massive stages and structures all...

Storyteller of the Verses: Bilingual Poet Pelin Batu

Born in 1977 Pelin Batu is a Turkish actress, historian and a bilingual poet. She studied Literature and Drama in New York University and...

The Underground Sancaklar Mosque in Istanbul

It took us around two and a half hours to reach Sancaklar neighborhood, which lies on the outskirts of Istanbul Metropolitan City, to check out...

Ha Ha Hanımlar: All-Women Comedy Show

Even though Istanbul is a beautiful city most of us love living in; it can also be chaotic and stressful and tiring, leaving most...

People Upon the Lips of the Sea: A Look Back at...

“How should one enter the sea? In our country, men use breechcloths and pants for sea bathing. If we are to choose one of...

The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk

You might have not heard of this museum but if you are a reader, you would probably have bumped into the name Orhan Pamuk....

Mystical Tinklings: Flower Room

Authentically exotic, psychedelic folk music group Flower Room’s art is digged! “Along with timbers arising within us against commotion, society and time, we reflect our...

Visiting “Istanbul’s Seaside Leisure” at Pera Museum

This is my first visit to a Turkish museum, in Istanbul or elsewhere. When I went online to learn more on Istanbul’s museum scene,...

Jazz it Up with the 25th Istanbul Jazz Festival

It’s that time of the year again when the countdown to the Istanbul Jazz Festival begins and our anticipation heightens as the promised day...

Delicately Sinister: Harry Potter Score Brought to Life by Istanbul Orchestra

This review is for the true Harry Potter fans. I am not here to decide who fits into that category; you know who you...

YeatUp: A Unique Way to Dine Locally

Massaging a golden retriever's paw while chatting with new friends and digesting a wonderfully home-cooked meal is probably the most comfortable experience I can...

Reflections on the 37th Istanbul Film Festival (2018)

Film festivals require planning and commitment, and these considerations obstructed me from participating in the Istanbul Film Festival in previous years. This year, however,...

Holi Festival in Istanbul: The Indian Festival of Colors

Religious and regional festivals makes up a key part of Indian culture, in a way they give India its vibrant soul. As an Indian...

Sónar 2018: Istanbul’s Blend of Music, Creativity, and Technology

Of all Istanbul's varied festivals, none carry international name recognition quite like Sónar. The two-day event held at Zorlu PSM - focused on a...

The Contemporary Flood

I keep thinking about waste these days. Why don’t we recycle enough? Why? People at my office prefer consuming water from 0.5 liter plastic...

Chinese Man Brings their Sound Back to Babylon

Chinese Man dropped by Istanbul on Saturday as part of their international Shikantaza tour, which has included shows in Mexico, Canada, China, and Europe...