(Sort of) Quiet Spots in Istanbul
I love cities. The clamor; the noise; the busyness; the relentless excitement! But one of the things I enjoy the most is finding a...
Life Hack: Beating Istanbul’s Traffic Leviathan
If you are the type of person who drives in Istanbul's traffic, you are probably also the type of person who enjoys snake-wrestling, base jumping...
Alanya: The Mediterranean Jersey Shore
The Urban Dictionary defines cheesy as “unsubtle, inauthentic, and trying too hard.” Alanya, on the southern coast of Turkey, is a good case in...
Top 10 Best Things About Living in Taksim
I lived in Mecidiyeköy for my first few months in Istanbul. That part of town is interesting in its own right, and it was...
The Şakirin Mosque
There are more than 3000 active mosques in Istanbul and, in terms of architectural style, they can generally be categorized as either Byzantine (ancient...
Insider Trading: Nigerian Food in Istanbul
I have been trying for years to find any sort of African restaurant in Istanbul. It certainly would seem that the immigrant population is...
Insider Trading: Café Cakehouse
On Saturdays, Beşiktaş hosts a two-story bazaar on Nüzhetiye Caddesi. Rain or shine the bazaar is always full of shoppers looking for cheap clothes,...
Insider Trading: Bakıroğlu Gurme
Walk through the doors of Bakıroğlu Gurme and you’re met by a visual feast. Blocks of bright fruit and vegetables, counters chock full of...
Look Familiar? Five Movies Set in Istanbul
People say that cities have a personality. I disagree. For me, a city has a genre. A category of literature or movies that jumps...
Istanbul: So Good They Named It Thrice
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet
True facts, Shakespeare, true facts. And while I...
Tipping in Turkey
Certain things that are second nature at home can be a minefield abroad. Etiquette in all of its various forms is especially tricky. Despite...
Christmas in Istanbul: 5 Last Minute Ideas
Some of you may already have your flawless Christmas plans in place; spending all day in your tiny Istanbul apartment kitchen, trying to recreate...
The Best Cheap Eats in Istanbul
Istanbul, like so many cities worldwide, is inundated with fast food chains and multinational coffee shops. While these might provide a moment of comforting...
Turkey’s Pickle Culture
For a long time there has been a culture struggling to make itself known, to have its voice heard. Often relegated to the sidelines,...
Mountaineering in Turkey: An Introduction
By Gökay Ürk, guest writer for Yabangee
Mountaineering is probably the best outdoor sport for adrenalin junkies, and Turkey’s impressive range of mountains have enabled...
Müslüm Gürses and The Rise of Arabesk
“Çilesiz bir günüm olmadı gitti
Bilmedim ömrümün suçu ne usta
Allah'ın gücüne gider mi bilmem
Verdiği bu candan ben bıktım usta
My carefree days never came
I don’t know,...
Tribute to Ayran: An Expat Love Story
Writing about the allure of ayran has been on my agenda for over a year now. Every time an expat informs me that they...
A Little Piece of Georgia in Istanbul
Georgia – the land of the Caucasus Mountains, hospitality, wine, Stalin and dumplings. I love all kinds of dumplings. However, no dumpling that I...
Hiring: Native English Speaking Customer Service Specialist @ Hudson Furniture (Beşiktaş)
A local liaison of Hudson Furniture, located centrally in Beşiktaş, Istanbul is seeking an ideal candidate who loves talking to people and proactively solving...