As New Year’s Eve draws closer, the pressure is increasing on how to best ring in the new year. We’ve asked some of the Yabangee team how they plan to get festive for the occasion.
Špela Grošelj: What I like about Decembers in Istanbul is that they pass by with much less shopping and party stress. Even on the 31st, it seems that no one is rushing to that New Year’s party. So my perfect plan for the last day of the year would start with a morning run along the Bosphorus and then a big Turkish breakfast with friends. Any ideas for the evening? I have to admit I still haven’t found that perfect party place in Istanbul. Crowded bars in Taksim or freezing on a Bosphorus party boat are definitely not for me. So for NYE a small house party with friends, homemade food (international if possible), some good wine, and games are the perfect idea.
Selcen Ciftlikci: My original plan to bring in 2018 was to volunteer at Darülaceze, specifically in hopes of spending some quality time with the senior citizens there. As it turns out though, they’re already fully booked on volunteers which is some uplifting news to end the year on. It also gives me my first resolution of the new year once some slots open up. So instead, I’m planning to commit to some serious time to an honored tradition here, PTT – pyjamas, terlik, televizyon (pajamas, slippers, television).
Brenden McNulty: New Year’s Eve is one of the best nights of the year, usually with an endless brainstorming of ideas leading up to it. This year’s plans seem a bit quieter than usual, so it’s the perfect opportunity to book a ticket out of here. I’m headed to Vienna for the occasion, but for those familiar with bargain flight shopping, there’s quite a few options for nearby travel destinations that are reasonably priced. A great way to start the year is to cross off a new destination.
Tuğrul Alizade: As I’ve got international visitors coming to Istanbul specifically for the holiday, the pressure is on! New Year’s Eve should seek striking the balance between being a fantastic, lively night out and incorporating what makes the city so appealing in the first place… the Bosphorus. So despite being slightly burnt out on boat parties, I’m taking one for the team and indulging in The Best Party Life‘s Legendary Boat Party. For those hoping for an energetic frenzy of New Year’s bliss, 700 people on a boat is likely your best shot.
Khaoula El Maaloumi: Far from the fancy extravagant new year celebration parties thrown in clubs for the occasion, my idea of a new year celebration would be quite simple: a friends’ gathering outdoors on a rooftop or around a campfire up on a hill, where we get to see the Bosphorus lit up by the fireworks, play some good rock oldies on guitar, share the moment, and get into real conversations.
Izel Çelik: Yabancılar aren’t the only ones struggling for last-minute plans, as many of my Turkish friends are at a loss for what to do to end 2017. Some noteworthy pitches have been to book a house on the islands (Büyükada specifically) and celebrate away from the chaos of the city. We’ve been combing the deals on Grupanya and Fırsat Bu Fırsat for discounted, extravagant hotel parties… but in the end it doesn’t feel quite right. Babylon’s Oldies but Goldies seems like a safe bet, but as we’ve attended before, we’re hoping for something different this year. In the end, it looks like the pressure will reach a boiling point and someone will eventually cave and host a house party. Spontaneity is also good!
Hale Tuba Yılmaz: New Year’s Eve is best celebrated with the loved ones: friends or family, in a house, with good drinks in hands, preferably with warm chestnuts… Talking about resolutions, playing board games or drinking games designed for the day, counting down from 10 together and hoping this new year will bring the best times we’ve have ever had… this is the ideal for me.
Sherifa Diya: Two words! Rakı Balık. Yes, A very classic Turkish way to celebrate the new year with close friends and beloved ones in a local meyhane.
Melis Kanik: My recent new year’s experiences have centered on bringing the extended family together for grand dinners. They’ve been a delight for gluttony, but have always required several days of slave labor in the kitchen, hundreds of liras on grocery bills, and Mt. Everest’s worth of dishes… So, after last year, I got smart (and lazy!), and came up with the practical idea of just having dinner at our favorite restaurant across the street. It is a cool, popular chain, that has a varied menu, with food for all tastes and beverages and drinks of all kinds. And as an extra bonus, they do not have a fixed New Year’s set menu that they try to force on you. So you can go and order a-la-carte just like in any other visit. So, I suggested this idea to my mom and aunt… and expected a frown because of my lack of enthusiasm for the one time in the year in which the entire family gets together around a dinner table. And to my surprise, this didn’t happen! I guess an escape from the daunting hours in the kitchen did have its appeal. So, that’s what we had: a night out at x-restaurant across the street. We still had the family together, enjoyed dinner out all together, and didn’t have to deal with loud, over-crowded festivities, fixed menus, or even traffic! I have no set plans yet, but this will be my suggestion for this year as well. I hope that it gets the vote!
Tarik Yassien: Yabangee really dropped the ball (pun intended) this year by not hosting a party, as there’s seemingly nobody in my social circle with a firm idea of what to do to ring in 2018. I’d ideally like to have a productive Sunday leading up to a meze-based dinner that includes a rakı or two, before eventually getting in bed shortly after midnight (or even before). I could wake up in the new year without a brutal hangover and start the new year off on the right foot. This won’t happen as I’ll likely find myself at a house party, but it’s nice to imagine a better future version of myself.
What about you!? Let us know of your New Year’s plans in the comments…
