Life in Turkish
Life in Turkish is a story. The language, when translated into English, has a habit of sounding like a narration, a running dictation of...
A Moment for Istanbul
This weekend has seen the country suffer yet another senseless terror attack, leaving 5 dead and 39 injured in the heart of our beautiful,...
Take 5: Cihangir (A Morning on Başkurt Sokak)
Istanbul arguably doesn’t really have one central district, like a downtown or a city center. It is a city of many centers, each with...
Take 5: Karaköy (Shopping Edition)
Karaköy is a unique neighborhood with a mishmash of art, culture and food all packed into a zigzag of tiny streets and alleys. Although...
Beating the Istanblues: A Night at the Spa
My wife Özge and I can’t afford many luxuries. We’re a working couple, with different schedules. We don’t even share the same days off.
We...
From Boza to Bourbon: Vefa Bozacısı
A few weeks ago I was talking with friends after dinner in the warmth of my apartment. We were buying our time before we...
Broke and Lost in Istanbul
“Habitash! Habitash!”
The unfamiliar deckhand appeared as a silhouette, repeatedly emphasizing this made-up word as though I would finally understand what it meant the sixth...
City Highlights: Sancaklar Cami
A friend of mine from the Czech Republic once told me her feelings while she visited Istanbul one year ago. She said that it...
That Pink Elephant Mystique: A Celebration of International Women’s Day, in...
“Silence is the worst. Whenever a thick cloud of silence descends, the yapping voices inside me become all the more audible, rising to the...
Take 5: Çengelköy
Coming around a bend on the Anatolian side between the two bridges is the aptly named Çengelköy. The neighborhood, whose name means hook village in Turkish, is...
Construction Fever: Will It Save Us from the Next Big One?
Bağdat Caddesi is a long, wide shopping avenue on the Asian side of the city, Istanbul’s equivalent of 5th Avenue or Rodeo Drive.
Nearby are...
Weekend Getaway: Muğla
Looking to experience a city with a mellow vibe? Head to southwest Turkey, away from the crowds, to the picturesque city of Muğla, located...
Songs for an Unfinished City (An Istanbullu’s Listening Guide)
Every great city has its own soundtrack, or at least, deserves one. If it doesn’t, you should think about moving somewhere else.
I think of...
From Boza to Bourbon: Dem Karaköy
It seems everywhere you look in Istanbul there is a coffee shop (or soon to be one). The hip Karaköy district is no exception;...
Take 5: Karaköy
Spread across the quaint streets of Karaköy there are restaurants, cafes and bars at every corner. There is one type of restaurant, in particular,...
In Conversation: Musician Hande Başaran
Hande Başaran is a Renaissance woman: musician, singer, mother, kindergarten teacher and all-round creator. When I first heard Hande perform, I was struck by the...
!f Film Fest Review of Theory of Obscurity: A Film about...
Director: Don Hardy
Release date:18 March 2015
Cast: The Residents, Matt Groening, Penn Jilette, Jerry Harrison, Les Claypool.
Showing on the first day of the 15th !f...
Reading in bed and paying it forward
When I first came to Turkey, I brought with me the holiday I created. That's right, a holiday. I was living in New York...
On the Road to Gebze: Surviving in the Industrial Heartland
On the road to Gebze, where I teach twice a week, I have a lot of time to contemplate the passing landscape.
Out on the...
Q & A: Pelin Turgut – Co-Founder & Co-Director of !f
In anticipation of the 15th !f Independent Istanbul Film Festival we reached out to co-founder and co-director of !f, Pelin Turgut. She took the time...
Romancing the Old City: A Somewhat Cynical Love Note to Istanbul
To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he...
Take 5: Balat
Since I moved to Izmir for work, my visits to Istanbul have become more dedicated, more concentrated. Now, every time I return I feel...
The Creme de la Kaymak of Eccentric and Interesting Expat Istanbulites
Someone recently described Istanbul to me as a city where you can "have the best day of your life, followed by the worst day”,...
Who Loves Public Speaking?
Ever felt like jumping out of a window rather than giving a speech at work? Well, I have... Although some of us might be...