Anatolian Travel Archives: Stratonikeia
Aside from the yet to be excavated ancient settlement near my home in Turunç (near Marmaris), Stratonikeia was my first, official, ancient city experience...
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...
Book Review: The Time Regulation Institute
There’s a moment in The Time Regulation Institute, the novel by acclaimed Turkish author Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, where the protagonist Hayri Irdal explains the...
Volunteering in Istanbul: Tarlabaşı Community Center
Many of us find doing volunteer work to be a fulfilling way to connect with our community. For yabangees, volunteering can be a great...
Christmas & New Year’s in Turkey: Mixing Celebrations
In Istanbul, when December arrives, you might observe a sudden change in the streets. Decorations hung up on the poles in the shape of...
#instachuckle: A Guide to Turkish Cartoonists
Back home in India, the part of the newspaper I really looked forward to was the comics section. And I guess this is probably...
(PAST EVENT) Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: Café Müller @ Zorlu PSM
The 27th Istanbul Theatre Festival hosted by IKSV proudly presents one of the most anticipated events of the year: Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch's mesmerizing...
Istanbul Street Names: The Stories They Tell
Having only laid claim to most of their monikers since the declaration of the Republic, Istanbul’s street names often go unnoticed (highly due to...
Sketching Istanbul’s Hans Part 2: Rüstem Paşa Han
Emilie Varlet and Gabrielle Reeves began exploring Istanbul's hans in the summer of 2014, when they first started their sketching adventures in the city. They have...
Exploring the Princes’ Islands: The Kınalıada Mosque
The Princes' Islands (Adalar) are a chain of nine small islands in the Sea of Marmara, about 20 km east of the center of...
6 Permanent Istanbul Collections Worth (Re)visiting
What comes to your mind, when you hear the word Istanbul? After living here for almost four years, there are many words and associations which...
Exploring “Correspondences” by Yunus Emre Erdoğan & Clemes Wolf at Sanatorium
25 October - 1 December, 2019
Artists: Yunus Emre Erdoğan, Clemes Wolf
Curator: Domenico de Chirico
"With power to expand into infinity,
Like amber and incense, musk, benzoin,
That...
The Interwoven Worlds of Yaşar Kemal and Slim Memed
Before Orhan Pamuk came to prominence in the West and launched Turkey once more into the international literary scene, Yaşar Kemal was Turkey’s best-known...
In Conversation with Ray Cullom, Executive Director of the Zorlu Center...
I am a concert nerd. And the Zorlu Center Performing Arts Center has been a new paradise found. It has only had one season...
Insider Trading: Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamam
I am fascinated by hamams. Their architecture (those gorgeous holed domes), their history (the ancient ritual of public bathing) and the leisure (they provide...
Turkish Customs and Etiquettes: Görücü and Kız İsteme
Back in the day, mothers with unwed sons would often be on the look out for a good single girl to wed their sons...
(Sep 2 – 14) 27th Istanbul Jazz Festival from IKSV
From the organizer:
Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) and sponsored by Garanti BBVA for 23 years with the support of...
We’re Jammin: Turkey’s Reggae Scene
The Reggae scene in Turkey has grown exponentially, especially in the last 10 years or so. The last decade has seen an explosion of...
Haydarpaşa Cemetery: A Cemetery with Something to Say
As a long-time lover of cemeteries, I’m often telling people about my trip to this or that burial ground. Most have one question: “why?”...
Istanbul’s Next Big Concert Venue: Your Apartment
For those who are new to the city or unfamiliar with Turkish artists, Istanbul’s local music scene might seem alluring, if also slightly out...
Beers of Turkey – Then and Now
Beer, one of the oldest alcoholic beverages known to mankind, can be very nutritional when consumed in moderation, and therefore has the well-earned name...
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...
(Past Event) Hofesh Shechter Company: Double Murder @ Zorlu PSM
The 27th Istanbul Theatre Festival organized by IKSV proudly announces an electrifying addition to its program: "Double Murder" by the acclaimed Hofesh Shechter Company....
Eleven Things No Turkish Home Should Be Without
Eleven essentials for the Turkish home:
1. Hamam kit – Regular trips to the hamam are an Istanbul institution. With this in mind it’s no...