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...
Band Profile: The Young Shaven
There’s a music scene brewing in Istanbul, and it has been for the past few years. It’s no longer all cover bands and Türkü....
In Conversation with Swedish Cultural Attaché Suzi Erşahin
As a dweller of Nişantaşı, I am lucky enough to be located in one of the centers of the Istanbul arts and cultural scene....
In Conversation with Senem Tüzen, Director of Ana Yurdu (Motherland)
Senem Tüzen is an up and coming Ankara-born director who has been creating compelling short films since the early 2000s. Now, having just made...
In Conversation with Gökmen Ercişi and Bige Dalkılıç, Food Project Moda
Last weekend, I came to one of my new favorite organic shops in Kadıköy in a small corner next to a typical Turkish pastane...
In Conversation with Artist Gazi Sansoy
By Sam Gimson
'Where's Wally?' was my intended opening question when I spoke with Gazi Sansoy about his paintings this weekend. His current show, ‘Who...
Ask An Expat: Christopher Vena
Christopher Vena is a former art teacher turned full-time artist. He and his wife, Jeannie, are a genuinely fantastic duo and resident veterans on expat life...
In Conversation with the Sonikraf Team (Part 1)
Searching for new music? Look no further! A group of independent musicians in Istanbul have launched Sonikraf.com, a site featuring reviews and links to...
In Conversation with Sandrine Ramboux, Founder of C@rma
Sandrine Ramboux is a Belgian expat who has called Istanbul home for the past decade, together with her husband and two daughters. A 20...
In Conversation with Multidisciplinary Artist and Researcher C.M. Kosemen
C. M. Kosemen is an artist and independent researcher born in Ankara, Turkey in 1984. He studied at Cornell University, Istanbul’s Sabancı University and...
Ask an Expat: Dirk Vermeiren
Meet Dirk Vermeiren, a transplant from Belgium and one of the hosts of the popular radio program SOUL SENDIKASI - in Turkish, no less!
Why did...
In Conversation with Ray Cullom, Executive Director of the Zorlu Center...
For the second part of our interview, I asked Ray about his work at Zorlu Center PSM and how the project has developed over the...
Band Profile: Captain Jack and the Bleeding Hearts
Formerly known as the Coach Men, Captain Jack and the Bleeding Hearts have been rocking audiences since their inception back in 2007. Starting as...
In Conversation with Istanbul Improv Community — The Clap
Improv! Improv is an underappreciated art form where performers create a dialogue or scenes on stage without any pre-writing or scripting. This is an...
In Conversation with Selcen Öztürk of Duolingo Turkish
Most of us foreigners living in Turkey struggle with learning Turkish. It’s quite common to find internationals living here for five, ten or even...
In Conversation with Samer Al-Kadri of Pages, Istanbul’s First Arabic Bookstore...
Located within quick reach of the historical Chora Museum, Pages, the first Arabic bookstore in Istanbul, marks a historic moment for the city and...
Backstage with the Cast and Crew of Beauty and the Beast
Not only was I able to talk to producers Dan Hinde and Seth Wenig while backstage at Beauty and the Beast, but I also caught up...
In Conversation with Anne Solhaug Tutar, founder of Natura by Anne
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in Istanbul isn't actually all that easy. While you might stay active trekking about the city or visiting the gym, there...
In Conversation with Atulya K. Bingham, Prize-Winning Novelist
Atulya K Bingham is a prize-winning novelist, blogger, and natural builder. In 2011, she found herself out of funds and ended up camping in...
In Conversation with Lymbyc Systym
Maybe it was the first days of winter, which we Istanbulites usually dread, or the lack of Tarlabaşı-crew promotion for the show (yes, a...
In Conversation with Kate Clow of Trekking in Turkey
Kate Clow, a long-time resident of Turkey, is a renowned sage of hiking in the region. She is best known for heading efforts to build,...
In Conversation with Musician Enzo Ikah
Foreigners living in big cities all have something in common: the desire to live a better life. Most of them remain anonymous, but some,...
In Conversation with Teymour Ashkan, Founder of Istanbul&I
I first met Teymour during last Ramazan, when some mutual friends were celebrating the holy month by feeding local children after sunset, a bit...
Makaya McCraven Wants You to Let Your Suckiness Shine… and He’s...
When I’m told that Makaya McCraven might be five minutes late to our interview because he’s visiting the iconic Blue Mosque, my first reaction...