Review: Of Montreal @ Babylon
Confession: I don’t know how this happened, but somehow I’ve been hanging around Istanbul for about six months now, and never stepped inside Babylon....
Review: Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra @ Salon IKSV
Canadian post-rock veterans, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, graced the halls of Salon IKSV for two consecutive evenings this past week. I was...
In Conversation with Falling Notes’ Karina Morera
Falling Notes is one of Istanbul's newest up-and-coming bands. The five-piece features Alican Tokdemir on drums, Umutcan Karamahmutoğlu on guitar, Sinan Çalışkan on bass, Yusuf Karaoğlu on both guitar...
Turkish Coffee from Beans to Telve – A Global and Local...
Like many of history’s greatest culinary discoveries, that of coffee stemmed from a noisy, restless goat and his attendant farmer’s desire for an undisturbed...
Ask an Expat: Melanie Mehrer
Meet Melanie Mehrer, an artist who is gearing up for an exhibition in April. She has traveled all over Turkey, including to Hasankeyf, where...
In Conversation With Che Sudaka
Che Sudaka, a band with a pure South American soul, will be playing at KadıköySahne on Thursday, 6 March. One of our writers, Mustafa Çankaya, was able...
Tophane-i Amire Culture & Arts Center
Tophane is a very pleasant area to spend an afternoon smoking nargile and playing tavla. Or, if you are more into art than the...
Review: Louis Armstrong Tribute @ Salon IKSV
Satchmo, Ambassador Satch, Dippermouth, Pops or, as he is most widely known, Louis Armstrong - yes, last night was the big man’s turn for...
English-Only Classes @ Cihangir Yoga
For many yogis, the movement and flow of yoga is the most important part of a class. However, when it comes to improving your...
In Conversation With Photographer Timurtaş Onan
Timurtaş Onan, born in Istanbul in 1956, is one of Turkey's hardest-working photographers. With exhibitions from London to Tokyo and collaborations with tens of...
Ask an Expat: Fernando Berges
Istanbul has a rapidly expanding Spanish community that mainly consists of young people who have come here looking for better career opportunities. Meet Fernando...
Recap: Norman Stone’s Lecture ‘England and WWI in the Middle East’
Monday 17 February saw the glamorous ballroom of the British Consulate General transformed into the setting for a historical lecture. Steeped in history, the...
Review: “Foreign Films About Turkey” @ TÜRVAK Exhibition Hall
Of all the images that cross our mind when we think of Istanbul, one that features Charles Bronson holding a gun is the least...
Meet the Civil Society Worker: ‘City Box’ Athens – Istanbul Meets...
Istanbul is a very vibrant city, full of young people. Although I did not know too many Turkish people when I started visiting the...
Maxim Vengerov & The Polish Chamber Orchestra: A Legend @ Iş...
Music, music, in the hall; who is the most talented of them all? For millions the world over, the answer is, without a doubt, Maxim...
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...
Witty Thriller: Borusan Goes A Capella with Soli-Tutti
The terms “Soli-Tutti,” “A Capella” and “Borusan” seemed interesting enough of a trilogy to entice me to attend an evening of musical discovery on...
8000 Years of Istanbul: Review of ‘Again, and New: World City...
Artifacts have been found in Istanbul (previously home to some of the world's largest empires, the city has also been known as Byzantion, Nea...
Ask an Expat: Ali Halabi
Meet Ali Halabi, a transplant from Beirut who came to Istanbul in 2012. Although currently preoccupied with his start-up Volt, a ride-sharing app, Ali...
Spray Paint and Stilettos: A Review of “Trace 14” @ Elgiz...
As I walked in to the Elgiz Museum’s event for their latest exhibition, "Trace 14", I immediately regretted my footwear. While throwing on clothes...
Review: Dismantling the Archive @ SALT Galata
The years between 1900 and 1940 were more than a little eventful for the Turks. The period saw numerous wars fought on many fronts,...
Piano Legend Murray Perahia with BIFO
What makes a piano superstar? Two Grammy Awards in the classical music genre? Numerous Gramophones? Honorary doctorates from highly heralded universities like Duke and...
A Glimpse Back in Time: Review of the James Robertson Exhibit...
Do you ever wish you could go back in time to experience life during the Ottoman Empire? If so, there is an exhibition at...
Ask an Expat: Martina Pavone
Ask an Expat is our new column aimed at shedding some light on how other expats do Istanbul. Enjoy!
1. Why did you come to...