3rd Istanbul Design Biennial: An Evening at Galata Greek School
Are we human? That is the main question surrounding the 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial which debuted on Saturday 22 October.
“The 3rd Istanbul Design Biennial...
A Beginner’s Guide to Turkish Hip Hop, by Ege Çubukçu
As a follow-up to our interview with rapper and all-round nice guy of Turkish hip-hop, Ege Çubukçu, we asked him to put together a playlist for those...
Halloween Discount – Introducing Mitra Costume Shop: Meeting All Your Costume...
Mitra Costume Design Vintage Shop has been providing costumes (both rental and sales) since 2010 and with a constantly evolving selection of over 2,500...
Peace, Love and Turkish Hip Hop: Meeting Ege Çubukçu
I met Ege Çubukçu way back in April, on a day that felt like one of the first definitive spring days of the year....
In Conversation with Phil Dexter of Kiron Open Higher Education Istanbul,...
Meet Phil Dexter from Kiron Open Higher Education Istanbul, an online education platform for refugees.
As scenes of refugees in situations of despair and distress have...
Through the Lens: Haydarpaşa Terminal and Rail Yard
For everyone who has stared with fondness and curiosity at the Haydarpaşa Terminal, either from a passing ferry, the Tibbiye Caddesi bridge to the...
I Wake Up Torn
“If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in...
From Boza to Bourbon: Pickle Juice at Petek Turşuları
Located just off Beyoğlu’s balık pazarı, Petek Turşuları at first appears to be just like the many other pickle shops around town. The walls...
A Strange Fast
With the start of the holy month of Ramazan this past week, many Turks have been fasting and praying. It’s not easy, especially in...
From Boza to Bourbon: Tea Gardens
I like to sleep late. Usually, by the time I’m ready to start my day, the street below my apartment is bustling with the...
Southern Excursion: Turunç
Waking to the smell of jasmine growing outside my window and having a chorus of birds coax me out of bed, I feel welcomed...
From Boza to Bourbon: George’s Bar
We are sitting at the bar with the Bosphorus splayed out behind us, and Alex is telling me that making cocktails is “like a...
Out Now: “Letters from Istanbul, Vol 3: Living with Terror” by...
We're delighted to announce that long-time contributor James Tressler has recently released the third volume to his Letters from Istanbul series, available for purchase via Lulu....
Weekend Getaway: Xanthi & Thessaloniki (Part 1)
Part 1 focuses on Xanthi, Greece. Part 2 focuses on Thessaloniki.
Our family loves travelling. Whenever we have such an opportunity we always use it. We’ve been to lots...
Crowdfund a Web Series — “My Single Married Friend”
Rania Itani and Estefania Sierra are two expats in Istanbul currently crowdfunding their web series "My Single Married Friend". Taking a humorous approach to...
From Boza to Bourbon: Beer Hall
Sometimes in life you just need a place with cold beer and good music after a hard day's work. Beer Hall, located in the...
In Conversation with Senem Tüzen, Director of Ana Yurdu (Motherland)
Senem Tüzen is an up and coming Ankara-born director who has been creating compelling short films since the early 2000s. Now, having just made...
Weight
As I fumble my way half consciously out into the street in the purple light of the early morning, a few cats rush up...
Take 5: Kuzguncuk
Housing some of Istanbul's oldest churches and synagogues, Kuzguncuk historically was a cosmopolitan mix of Ottoman Istanbul's many cultures. Today, although a little more homogeneous, it...
Zululuzu, Portuguese Theatre’s Turkish Debut
They spoke to me of people, and of humanity.
But I've never seen people, or humanity.
I've seen various people, astonishingly dissimilar,
Each separated from the next...
Let the Child be Named Peace: E-refugee.com Review
You have no home.
You have no address.
You are a refugee.
With those words we enter a dystopian universe, a black comedy in which the owner...
Levantine Lessons: Discovering Syria in Istanbul
“Light is more important than the lantern,
The poem more important than the notebook”
― Syrian poet, Nizar Qabbani
To the general public, Syria has become...
Tackling Turkish Tinder: 15 First Dates
Everybody’s doing it. Or so I’d been told. Acutely aware of the boundaries imposed by my inherent shyness, clumsiness and geriatric bedtime, I’ve never...
From Boza to Bourbon: 1924
We started Boza to Bourbon as a weekly place to find a beverage that you may have never tried or were dying to find....