The Beginner’s Guide To Hey Mama – Local Live Music Favorites
It’s Halloween night, and I’m dressed as a self-proclaimed music journalist while I make my way to Barock Sahne, where Hey Mama will be...
ATÖLYE Spotlight: In Conversation with Ege Akdemir and Selen Gürsoy, Curators...
These past few months have offered new experiences for all of us, and an opportunity to approach the old normal with fresh perspective. Creatives...
Antique Shopping in Istanbul: Tellalzade Street
The first time I wandered onto Tellalzade Street was a complete coincidence. My friend and I, both new to the bright and bold city...
(PAST EVENT) Core Method Workshop by Company RAu
Artistic Director Korhan Basaran and Company RAu are excited to announce the “Core Method" dance and theater workshops in partnership with New York City’s...
Escapist: Real Escape Room Fun for English Speakers in Istanbul
I'd be hard pressed to think of a more wholesome group activity I've taken part in these last few years, than when a group...
(PAST EVENT) We Call It Home: Istanbul Dialogues – Art
We Call It Home: Istanbul Dialogues is a new monthly series showcasing the inspiring contributions being made by Istanbul’s diverse international community to the...
Scorp is Hiring Speakers of Arabic, Russian, Ukrainian, Portuguese, & Spanish
Scorp is hiring! Scorp is a thriving local social media start-up, actively seeking new additions to their marketing department in the role of Digital...
(Past Event) Eurovision Spirit Returns to Istanbul Ft. Alexander Rybak and...
Get ready for an unforgettable night as we celebrate one of the world’s biggest and most beloved music events—The Eurovision Song Contest—right in the...
A Five Star Toilet – Bathroom Tales in Turkey
Back in 1990 when I first visited Turkey, toilets, whether squat or what we think of as ‘normal’ but the Turks call Ala Franga,...
The Contemporary Flood
I keep thinking about waste these days. Why don’t we recycle enough? Why? People at my office prefer consuming water from 0.5 liter plastic...
From Boza to Bourbon: House of Hops and Barley
Before coming to Istanbul I worked at restaurants in some capacity for over a decade. There are certain things I miss about working in...
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...
Through the Lens: Yıldız Park
Now is the best season to visit Istanbul's parks and shake off the winter blues. A good place to start is Yıldız Park (yıldız is...
Six Tips For Foreigners To Blend Into Turkish Society
I cried. I cried for weeks and it went on around two months. I even questioned my decision of moving to Istanbul and contemplated...
Izmir Chronicles: Izmir is Worth Visiting (Part II)
Izmir offers plenty of local sites within the city of four million people, but it is also known for its access to easy day...
Behind the Scenes at the IKSV 38th Istanbul Film Festival: Daily...
Festival talk with Ümit Ünal
A festival talk was held with the participation of director, author, screenwriter and the President of National Competition Jury Ümit...
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...
5 of Turkey’s Best Eurovision Performances
With Eurovision being a week away, selected artists are already making their way to Kiev, Ukraine, where this year’s song contest will be held....
Through the Lens: Anıtkabir
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Sometimes, a grave can become a celebration of a person's life, and nowhere is this...
Through the Lens: Edirnekapı Kuş Pazarı (Bird Market)
Every sunday in the Edirnekapı district of Fatih, right by part of the old city walls, is one of the more interesting spectacles that...
Romance of the Roma: Hıdırellez, Spring time and the ‘Gypsy’ culture...
Perhaps there is no word more loaded and simultaneously mythologized yet scorned than the term “gypsy”. From Fleetwood Mac to Cher to Lady Gaga...
Boyoz: Izmir’s Peerless Pastry with an Intriguing History
For visitors to Izmir from other parts of Turkey, morning may herald momentary confusion. Instead of hearing the cries of the simitçi, some hoarse-voiced...
Tails of Istanbul: Despair to Hope for Stray Cats and Dogs
It was a bright, sunny Saturday, during my very first trip to Istanbul, when I went where very few tourists would dare – Yedikule...
Walk Across Turkey: Horsunlu
Friday, 7 September
I stopped that day at Horsunlu, a small village at the eastern edge of the Menderes River valley. The river valley at that...