In Conversation with Gökhan Bahtışen and Amylin Loglisci, Seyahan Jewelry
I first came to Seyahan Jewelry because my longtime friend, Amylin Loglisci, was exhibiting her exquisite paintings there last year. Each watercolor painting illustrated...
Come what may, Spoken Word Istanbul is here to stay
“There are just three rules: No Racism, no sexism, and no homophobia.”
Rules? I thought this was an open-mic event. There shouldn’t be any rules.
“You...
The Away Days Return Home @ Salon IKSV
The Away Days don’t sound like your average Istanbul band, but then again, how does an “average Istanbul band” even sound? With a city...
ATÖLYE Spotlight: In Conversation with Carla Lemgruber, Design Consultant & Freelancer
Carla Lemgruber traveled quite a distance from Rio de Janeiro in pursuit of love so that she could set roots here in Istanbul. A...
In Conversation with Sami Hamid, Director of VR First Bahçeşehir
Sami Hamid is a true international, born in Belgium and raised in Spain by an English mother and Iraqi father. After spending most of...
Letter from Karaman: Night of the Dervish
The city of Karaman stands on the low wheat plains of Anatolia, about an hour south of Konya, the birthplace of Rumi.
Arriving from Istanbul,...
Seven Organic, Health Food, and Exotic Markets in Istanbul
When I first came to Turkey six years ago for a vacation, one of the first things that enamored me was the food. The...
Büyülü Fener: A Magic Lantern to Istanbul’s Past
A middle aged man passes under a vivid yet rustic sign that reads BÜYÜLÜ FENER, which fits like a puzzle piece among the colors of...
Five Essential Turkish Films
Contemporary Turkish cinema often oscillates between bland, commercial movies (that range from broad comedies to over-sugared romances) and magnificent under-performing films that demonstrate the concerns...
Waymarking the Carian Trail – Part 2
...continued from Part 1.
Bozborun Peninsula
Bozburun is the full package; it has stunning rocky cliffs, turquoise waters, traditional village life, and a tourism industry just...
16th !f Istanbul Independent Film Festival Preview
As the winter season tosses lazy curtains of rain down on Istanbul, residents of the city will be thrilled to know that it's once...
Istanbul Recycling 101
When I first came to Istanbul in October of 2014, I was completely bewildered by the recycling system. I found almost nothing on the...
Waymarking the Carian Trail – Part 1
Okay guys, we’ve all had enough of winter. The cozy appeal has washed away and we’ve had enough of staying inside, going to the...
Through the Lens: Street Art Edition
One day while walking through the streets of Kadıköy searching for inspiration, I stumbled upon a magnificent art piece just ahead of me on the...
Introducing ATÖLYE: A Community for Creatives
Istanbul lends itself to being a city of infinite potential and countless ideas, reinforced by the numerous creatives one comes across focused on turning...
Diaries of a Couch Potato: How to Learn Turkish via Kiralık...
I have received a mixed bag of reactions from Turkish people when I explain that Kiralık Aşk is “my dizi.” It’s a barely-realistic technicolor drama...
BLOK art space: Empowering Istanbul’s Contemporary Art Scene
Gallery spaces can too often reflect a highbrow approach to art which can be off-putting to the more casual art enthusiast. This is where BLOK...
Top 10 Craft Beer Destinations in Istanbul & Brew Breakdown
The Turkish craft beer scene has been on the march for the last two or three years, and despite rising alcohol prices, 2016 was an...
In Conversation with Luke Frostick and Thomas Parker, Editors of the...
Thomas Parker and Luke Frostick are the founders and editors of the Bosphorus Review of Books, the first English language online literary journal in...
Take 5: Beşiktaş
After living in Beşiktaş for about three years, on and off, I’ve come to realize that it is regarded as a hate or love...
In Conversation with Janelle Berberoglu, Co-Founder of Chikirina
For those that have kept up with Chikirina since early 2015, it's quite clear that this brand of high-quality yoga and Pilates activewear has especially...
15 LGBT Friendly Spaces in Istanbul
As a queer person, I can attest to how easy it is to feel isolated in a foreign country. This past year, we saw...
In Conversation with Moritz Marwein, Co-Founder of JÜS
For those with a resolution to be more healthy in the new year, JÜS offers a wide variety of delicious inspiration to help keep...
BaBa ZuLa’s Good Time Vibes at Salon IKSV
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. It has taken me over two years of wanting but failing to make proactive...