Columns & Conversation

Yabangee has had a number of columns through the years…

In Conversation with Ahmet Onur of Kolektif House (Part 1)

Kolektif House, the city's latest arrival in co-working spaces, has embarked on a quest to transform how we view shared work environments. Tucked away in...

Rezan Has Museum: A Gem on the Golden Horn

The Golden Horn was of great importance during the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. This deep, natural harbor was a strategic point to defend the...

When the Night Comes Falling

All day long, in fits and waves, there had been blackouts. And not just in one part of Istanbul, but across the whole vast...

In Conversation with Cem Kaya, Director of “Remake, Remix, Rip-off”

If you went to university in the US, you may recall a movie night with friends laughing your head off at Cüneyt Arkın practicing...

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,...

Review: Magnum Contact Sheets @ Istanbul Modern

I'm giddy and excited as I enter the Magnum Contact Sheets exhibition at the Istanbul Modern. This show provides a look at some of...

!F Istanbul International Independent Film Festival Awards Ceremony

!f Istanbul 2015, Istanbul's premier independent film festival, wrapped up recently at Nu Pera in Beyoğlu. It wasn't like you would expect, if the...

Marking the Season with BIPO and the Salzburg Bach Choir

The Borusan Philharmonic is one of the most popular of orchestras in Turkey. They take the stage every month or so at the Lütfi...

Finding and Tasting Turkey’s Microbrews: Gara Guzu and Pera

Beer in Istanbul is a touchy subject for a lot of expats, who generally fall into a few camps when it comes to preference....

Review: Pinhâni @ Kadıköy Sahne

Howling winds and frigid cold this past Saturday night did little to dissuade a group of us from attending the Pinhâni show at Kadıköy...

Ringing in the Chinese New Year with Pop-Up Restaurant Istanbul

As to be expected, the past four years I've spent in Istanbul has seen a transition from new restaurants, new neighborhoods and the constant...

In Conversation with Jeweler Olivia Cummings of Cleopatra’s Bling

I plodded down the hill to Olivia Cummings’s Tophane studio on a rare snowy day in Istanbul, and was happy to shake the snow...

Review: Alberto Giacometti Retrospective @ Pera Museum

Although not overwhelming in its content, the Pera Museum's retrospective of Swiss artist, Alberto Giacometti (1901- 1966) is both impressive and comprehensive. Expertly curated,...

Review: Romeo & Giulietta Changing the World with their Love

Timeless masterpieces transcend their own genre and become a source of inspiration for artists across all mediums. Istanbul is currently witness to one of the...

“Girls of Hope”: Education and Gender in Rural Turkey

You might have already noticed that Istanbul is a place that can be hard to comprehend. Thousands of years of history, millions of inhabitants,...

Review: Charlie Parker Tribute @ Salon IKSV

Since 2011, Salon IKSV has been organizing special sessions to pay tribute to some of the most unforgettable names in jazz. Each year these...

In Conversation with the Editors of Sofra: A Gathering of Foreign...

Having been one of the contributors to the Tales from the Expat Harem anthology over a decade ago, I was excited to see a...

Muxtar: A Documentary about Democracy in the Village

Democracy: A political system defined by the vote of the people and the service of elected representatives whose main duty is to meet the...

Çays & Guys (Part 1): Exploring Winter Drinks and Online Dating...

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, scrounging up a date and finding a place to take 'em can be quite the daunting task....

Review: “Painter and Painting: A Mehmet Güleryüz Retrospective” @ Istanbul Modern

By Sheldon Heyes The life and career of acclaimed Turkish artist Mehmet Güleryüz is on exhibition at the Istanbul Modern Museum until June 2015. 200 pieces...

Review: Akram Zaatari @ SALT Beyoğlu

SALT Beyoğlu is an impressive space, with six stories of beautiful facilities (I'm personally partial to the free and clean public restroom on the...

Why It’s OK to Love “The Water Diviner”

The Water Diviner, or Son Umut in Turkish, is a film about a father traveling from Australia to find his sons lost in the...

In Conversation with Ata Dizdar of Turkish Football Weekly

It's no secret that football banter is frequently relied on to help expats and locals bridge the gap. The real struggle lies in creating the...

Discussing the Dönme with Artist and Researcher C.M. Kösemen (Part 2)

Dayla Rogers continues her conversation with artist and researcher C.M. Kösemen about the Dönme and their history.  You are a person of Dönme background. A...