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...
From Boza to Bourbon: Dem Karaköy
It seems everywhere you look in Istanbul there is a coffee shop (or soon to be one). The hip Karaköy district is no exception;...
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...
Reading in bed and paying it forward
When I first came to Turkey, I brought with me the holiday I created. That's right, a holiday. I was living in New York...
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...
Romancing the Old City: A Somewhat Cynical Love Note to Istanbul
To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he...
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...
The Creme de la Kaymak of Eccentric and Interesting Expat Istanbulites
Someone recently described Istanbul to me as a city where you can "have the best day of your life, followed by the worst day”,...
Who Loves Public Speaking?
Ever felt like jumping out of a window rather than giving a speech at work? Well, I have... Although some of us might be...
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...
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...
The Allure of Elsewhere
Wherever you go, there you are. And wherever you are, there is someone who wants to be somewhere else. After living in the United...
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....
Out Now: In The Void Compilation
We're a bit late to the party on this one, but In The Void has recently released a compilation of their own showcasing some...
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...
Out Now: A Day in the Park: A Sonikraf Compilation
Our good friends at Sonikraf have just announced the release of their debut compilation A Day in the Park, featuring 15 underground artists currently...
42 Istanbul Resolutions for 2016
1. Find some way to convince our friends & families that we're safe here.
2. Stop going to malls so much... or at all.
3. Use...
Remembering Bowie: An Occidental Ode to the Original ‘Space Oddity’
My first memory involving David Bowie is from when my Aunt took me, at age 4, to a screening of “Labyrinth”. The details are...