AROUND TOWN
Let's Adopt!
Sibel Karabeyoglu finds out what “Let’s Adopt!” does, how it got started and how you can change an animal’s life.Almost reaching its two-year mark, Turkey’s “Let’s Adopt!” is an animal welf...
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FOOD&DRINK
The Asian side uncovered-- Moda
The Asian side is growing in popularity and has more to offer now than ever before. We've broken it down into sections best for nightlife, shopping, and eating for you. Esen Boyacigiller, Sibel Karabeyoglu and Merve Arkunlar Best  for cafes   Moda is one of those districts that never seems to be on your, though ...
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SHOPPING
The Asian side uncovered-- Bağdat Caddesi
The Asian side is growing in popularity and has more to offer now than ever before. We've broken it down into sections best for nightlife, shopping, and eating for you. Esen Boyacigiller, Sibel Karabeyoglu and Merve Arkunlar Best  for shopping   What Bağdat Caddesi lacks in originality, it more than makes up fo...
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NIGHTLIFE
The Asian side uncovered-- Kadıköy
The Asian side is growing in popularity and has more to offer now than ever before. We've broken it down into sections best for nightlife, shopping, and eating for you. Esen Boyacigiller, Sibel Karabeyoglu and Merve Arkunlar Best for nightlife   Kadıköy has been one of the city’s top barhopping districts ...
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GAY & LESBIAN
2009 Music Favorites
What shook our booties this year. Rene Ames. Aside from booze, grub and crowd, music is what usually defines a great party. With the year-end b...
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RESTAURANTS
Barbeque
Nişantaşı residents seem to have all the luck when it comes to great restaurants! Barbeque, which...
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RESTAURANTS
Time Göztepe
Time Göztepe is the kind of venue you can stop by and enjoy no matter the time of day. Stop by ...
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RESTAURANTS
Addio Mamma
Fuat Kanalan and Uluç Yuca, business partners are responsible for Addio Mamma. Meaning &lsquo...
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RESTAURANTS
Çin Çin Restaurant
If you love Chinese food but are tired of going to the same places over and over again, then you sho...
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FOOD&DRINK
Time to celebrate!
With so many great hotels in the city, it’s hard to know which to choose for Christmas and New Year’s Eve partying. Rene Ames breaks it down for you. Unless cooking for family and friends is really your thing and the recession wouldn’t let you ...
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AROUND TOWN
DIY Christmas
They say there’s no place like home. Never more true than during the holidays. But whadda do if you’re stuck in the ‘bul for Christmas? Casey Marriott tells us how to make this year’s Christmas from scratch. ’Tis the season to be jolly! Right? While most western countries have been advertising Chris...
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ART
Contemporary Istanbul
Alexandra Ivanoff on 2009's modern art fair, Contemporary Istanbul. Plus interviews with key event organizer Emin Mahir Balcıoğlu Emin Mahir Balcıoğlu is doing his bit to alleviate the "unbearable heaviness of being an ar...
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MUSIC
And just for the record...
Mark Szawlowski waxes poetic about records. Plus a handful of places to find ‘em on both sides of the Bosphorus.  The vinyl experience. A large square of occasionally inspired artwork. A clean cardboard and-p...
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NIGHTLIFE
Ursula Rucker
Spoken word artist and sometimes collaborator with The Roots, Ursula Rucker will be gracing Tamirane with her funky and powerful self on 19 December. Seda Pekçelen finds out what Istanbul means to her, the mark of a real artist, and her guilty pleasure. You've played in Istanbul before. What do you remember about the city, performance and crowd?...
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BOOKS
The man of many tongues
Cevat Çapan is the writer of honor at the 28th Istanbul Book Fair this year. Maria Eliades spoke to the legendary writer, translator and poet.Cevat Çapan has been the spokesperson for world literature in Turkey without ever needing to ...
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ART
The world through Chagall's eyes
Through January 24, the Pera Museum is hosting an exhibit from the works of the great 20th century Russian/French artist, Marc Chagall. Alexandra Ivanoff spoke to Meira Perry-Lehmann about the 160-piece collection she's assembled for the Pera.I will never forget the first time I walked into the Paris Opera house and saw the ceiling. What a s...
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FILM&DVD
The story of how Pixar grew ‘Up’
Sarah Maddox takes a look at the history of Pixar, the uber-successful animation studio, and reviews their latest release.Pixar kills the competition: how’d it all begin? The brief story of Pixar reads like a trajec...
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AROUND TOWN
Expat transition tips
Casey Marriott shares tips on making a swift transition to the city by doing like the locals do.There are only so many times you can endure the haggling of the Grand Bazaar, gaze at the Blue Mosqu...
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FOOD&DRINK
A pair for Turkish fusion
Rene Ames on Leb-i derya-Richmond’s unusual team.“Oh, but between us, I’m the better dancer”, says Gamze Inceli playfully nudging &...
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NIGHTLIFE
The ’bul’s fave honorary Turk returns
As Shantel gears up for another round of Istanbul concerts at Babylon, Esen Boyacigiller chatted with him about his latest album, Planet Paprika, and why he’s not a spokesperson for gypsy music, despite what you might think. Hi Shantel! How are you? You are disturbing me on my holiday! (laughs). I will do this only for Tim...
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KIDS
Saturday at the movies
Sibel Karabeyoglu gives us 67 reasons to go to the movies with the young ones this monthThe 7th annual Istanbul International Children’s Film Festival taking place in November at Cin...
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NIGHTLIFE
In the mix
Sibel Karabeyoglu goes behind the “stick” at the city’s top nightlife venues to try their best selling cocktails. Check out what she found on her journey into alcohol Candyland.    The city’s bar scene has really blossomed over the years. Anyone who has been he...
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SHOPPING
Special shopping interview
Sabrina Cerri sat down with jewelry designer İz Öztat and spoke about empowering jewelry, her inspirations and why special-order pieces are her favorite to make.Meet İz Öztat, a young and talented upcoming jewelry designer from Istanbul. At only 28, she p...
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SHOPPING
The bazaar hunter
More picks from Kapalı Çarşı this month. Sabrina Cerri Tombak   It’s really quite hard to miss Tombak as the store literally inhabits an...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Looking for lezzies
It's a fact that the lesbians in this city don't frequent lesbian clubs much. However, Adar Bozbay, lesbian club Bigudi's new owner, believes all e more reason to have such places: to give the small community a place to call home. Rene AmesThe 1998 film Kiss Me Guido had this dialogue between Pino and a lesbian: Pino: “You'r...
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ART
Artist spotlight: Shezad Dawood
A look at one of the artists from 'Il Faut Etre Absolument Moderne'Shezad Dawood was one of 11 artists featured, including Jake & Dinos Chapman, Keith Tyson, Diann...
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FILM&DVD
Adam and Apatow are funny people
Director Judd Apatow makes his most-adult film yet, starring Adam Sandler, and it hits the mark, reports Sarah MaddoxFunny People As the title suggests, "Funny People" revolves around a bunch of just that, ...
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ART
C'est absolument moderne!
Young gallerina Lalin Akalin recently orchestrated her first exhibition, featuring 11 artists, in a first-time venue, providing to critics that it could be done in such a short amount of time, from scratch, and very well at that. Esen BoyacigillerTell us how the idea for this exhibition came about? How did this all begin? My friend Nick Hackwor...
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FOOD&DRINK
Nouvelle cuisine Turque
Novel approach to the local food. Rene AmesIt has finally come to this: somebody has had the good sense to apply the concepts and techniques of...
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MUSIC
Niyaz fuses the elements for you
A harmonious combination of East and West. Alexandra IvanoffThe word niyaz means “yearning” in both Farsi, the language of Iran, and Urdu, a major l...
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MUSIC
A musical feast
Jazz lovers can pig out at this overstuffed buffet: 41 events in 11 days guarantees a full belly with high nutritional content. Alexandra Ivanoff gives you a whiff of what's cookin'.   Akbank Sanat's 19th annual Jazz Festival is cooking up a dizzying array of delicious ch...
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AROUND TOWN
Sneak preview
This year's filmekimi gives us the opportunity to enjoy award-winning films before they've made their way into general theaters. Esen Boyacigiller and Seda PekcelenIKSV’s Filmekimi takes place from 16-25 October this year, a full 10 days rather than the usua...
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WEEKENDER
Fanfare for the forest
As autumn draws in, Pat Yale packs a picnic basket and heads out to admire the changing colors of the Belgrade Forest foliage.This is the time of year when the rural roads of Vermont and New England in the States fill up with ...
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MUSIC
Jazzanova kicks off the season
Jazzanova will be performing live for the first time in the city on 1-2 October at Babylon. Esen Boyacigiller spoke with Stefan Leisering about the new album, side projects and his favorite fans. You’ve come to Istanbul for DJ sets before but this will be your first live performance here. ...
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NIGHTLIFE
Michael Mayer
Sibel Karabeyoglu chats with the chameleon of DJs.What got you interested in becoming a DJ? Did someone influence you or did you start discovering it ...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Situationist puts out a contract
“Impossible is nothing” as the folks with three stripes like to say. And this could ...
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WEEKENDER
The two faces of Enez
In search of somewhere to spread her beach towel, Pat Yale heads west and stumbles on a forgotten slice of Byzantium. Row upon row of featureless summerhouses with piles of builders’ rubble abandoned in betwe...
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ART
Edible art delights
Alexandra Ivanoff talks with Maksut Aşkar to find out why he plays with his food. "Don't play with your food" my mother would admonish, as I made fairy castles wit...
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MY ISTANBUL
Amy Spangler
Literary agent and translator Amy Spangler parleys on the pleasures of publishing and the travails of translating with Ayşe Şahin. You first came to Turkey as an American Field Service student in 1994, returning to the States t...
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BOOKS
Literary lions
Kaydir Aydemir gives budding young writers a chance with his one-man publishing company, YÜP. Maria Eliades finds out more. Think September is just for leaving traveling behind and hitting textbooks?  Think again.&nb...
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FILM&DVD
That “Basterd”!
Natalie Higginson sits down with the one and only, Brad Pitt.When you know that you are about to interview the biggest star in Hollywood for the very first time ...
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MUSIC
Classic music explosion
Two international musical artists, pianist David Helfgott and cellist Natalie Clein, come to Istanbul to kick off the classical concert season this month.DAVID HELFGOTT This Australian pianist was the source of inspiration for the movie "Shine&qu...
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MUSIC
Striking a chord
Esen Boyacigiller talks with Kaan Aydoğmuş to find out more about how rising talent in Turkey is getting its boost in the music world with the help of the netlabel Chaordism.1. What is the aim of Chaordism? As a netlabel, our aim is to support distinguished electronic musi...
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KIDS
Modern day Mary Poppins
Need an extra hand lately? Tired from doing 30,000 things a day? Lighten your load a bit this year with the help of an expert au pair. Casey Marriott tells where to find and how to accommodate nannies for the little ones.In a city of some 12.7million people inundated with thousands of ex-pats, you would think you could ...
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NIGHTLIFE
Indigo’s nip-tuck
Indigo is one of Taksim’s most popular live music venues. Recently, Timur Celikyay and Eda Akman took over the management. Esen Boyacigiller talked to them about the changes they plan to implement and why you’ll be spending a lot more time on Akarsu sokakI met you through WUFI, whom you manage. I also know, if I’m not mistaken, that you manage Men...
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FILM&DVD
It’s a Mann’s world
Sarah Maddox cross-examines the talent that successful director, producer and writer Michael Mann possesses, as seen in his past works and newest, Public Enemies.It was over the course of 20 years, after both appeared in the ultimate of cinematic crime thrillers...
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MUSIC
One Love Festival- Aeroplane
This year the Efes Pilsen One Love Festival takes place from 20-21 June. Royksopp (check interview, TOIST March 09) and The Klaxons will be headlining the event; other scheduled performers include Zero7, M83, Tricky, Filthy Dukes and many more. How did you guys get together? We lived in the French part of Belgium. Vito had a record store back...
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MUSIC
One Love Festival- Filthy Dukes
This year the Efes Pilsen One Love Festival takes place from 20-21 June. Royksopp (check interview, TOIST March 09) and The Klaxons will be headlining the event; other scheduled performers include Zero7, M83, Tricky, Filthy Dukes and many more.Your debut ‘Nonsense in the Dark’ is a great album and it has received a lot of good rev...
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MUSIC
One Love Festival- Zero 7
This year the Efes Pilsen One Love Festival takes place from 20-21 June. Royksopp (check interview, TOIST March 09) and The Klaxons will be headlining the event; other scheduled performers include Zero7, M83, Tricky, Filthy Dukes and many more.You recently came for a DJ set to Istanbul. How was the crowd and the performance?  I think so...
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MUSIC
One Love Festival- Tricky
This year the Efes Pilsen One Love Festival takes place from 20-21 June. Royksopp (check interview, TOIST March 09) and The Klaxons will be headlining the event; other scheduled performers include Zero7, M83, Tricky, Filthy Dukes and many more.Back in 1999 a concert of yours was planned in İstanbul. But then it was cancelled because of the e...
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MUSIC
One Love Festival- Klaxons
This year the Efes Pilsen One Love Festival takes place from 20-21 June. Royksopp (check interview, TOIST March 09) and The Klaxons will be headlining the event; other scheduled performers include Zero7, M83, Tricky, Filthy Dukes and many more.Your new album is set to come out in 2009, can you tell us a little bit more about it? Is there anyt...
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MUSIC
Rap royalty returns
Sultana makes a miracle of the lyrical proving female rappers can bust out rhymes just as good as their male counterparts. James Snow.Ask almost anyone in Turkey if they’ve heard of Sultana and the inevitable response will be so...
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AROUND TOWN
Beaches near the city
So you want to enjoy the sea and sun, but can’t exactly splurge on a houliday this summer, or take time off work. You might be surprised to find out that there are many beaches in Istanbul with beautiful, clean water and plenty of fun activities.After spending a day at one of these beaches, you might reconsider spending the money, time and effo...
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SIGHTSEEING
Staycations- Kadıköy
It's a cliché, okay, but where else can you hop across continents without straying from the city limits? Welcome to Istanbul, folks, and welcome to Asia!  For a few millennia now, Kadıköy has been getting a bad rap as a rural backwater against...
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SIGHTSEEING
Staycations- Yalova
Sick of the city's noise and congestion? Tired of the traffic? Or just tired? Hop on the big elegant IDO ferry from Yenikapı, for a short sail directly south across the Marmara, to the healing waters of a lovely spa known as Yalova.For a quick getaway or a more extended adventure, the sybaritic pleasures of Termal (just outside Ya...
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SIGHTSEEING
Staycations- Polonezköy
This month we present you with alternatives to the classic holiday destinations of Bodrum, Cesme, Antalya etc. There are many ways you can enjoy a mini-break in the city, or ‘staycation’.An authentic small village tucked away in a slice of green paradise and only a 20-minute drive from ...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Two dancers from a dance
Rene Ames examines drag as a performance art. I recently caught a staging of excessinmoderation, a work in progress by the out-and-proud gay chore...
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AROUND TOWN
Not so desperate housewives
Dikkat Dikkat! The Çöp Madam ladies are putting their creative skills to use. With the help of Sabancı University professor Tara Hopkins, trash from Ayvalık is being transformed into works of art that are available throughout the city Who would ever think that garbage could become something beautiful? Not many. Tara Hopkins, a teac...
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ISTANBULBEAT
10 things about Formula 1 2009 Turkey
Here are 10 things you might not know, but should know, before the race on 5-7 June   The checkered flag, start-finish lines, platform, champagne, and of course, ...
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SHOPPING
Istinye Park
Sabrina Cerri spends some time at Istinye Park’s super luxurious outdoor shopping area.           There’s nothing quite l...
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KIDS
Bookworms, follow the caterpillar
Finally! Keda Richens discovers ways to have an educational yet surprisingly fun summer for the kiddies. Tirtil kids bookshop in Mohini really is full of bright ideas, as well as a superb ran...
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FOOD&DRINK
Mantı matters
Yes, everyone has tried mantı at least once Alizah Salario tries a little bit of this and a little bit of that and discovers why its such a favorite dish. I confess: I was skeptical about going on a mantı marathon.  To be...
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FILM&DVD
Live long and prosper
Sarah Maddox discovers that you don’t have to be a bona-fide trekkie to enjoy the latest Star Trek film. A confession from the outset: I am not a trekkie. In fact if anyone says the word trekki...
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SIXTH DEGREE
The 6th Degree with Katie Parla
Sweet! Food historian Katie Parla dines and dishes with Ayşe Şahin   Could you describe what you do for a living?  How long have you been do...
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ART
Immortal ideas
“People die, buildings collapse, even the skin of the world changes, but the stories, the ideas behind these concepts, live on forever.” These are the words of Raif Kurt, creator of Hangar, a collective of young and creative artists, musicians, designers First off, please explain the Hangar concept to me. Some people have sai...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Rhythms of the city
“2009 half full, or half over?” wonders Situationİst   Since 2009’s now entered middle-age with the arrival of June, it&rsq...
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KIDS
Pulling all the right strings
The puppet festivals have begun, and this May it's at the top of Keda Richens' list. The 12th Istanbul International Puppet Festival is upon us again. And it promises to be as stunnin...
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KIDS
Go potty!
When it comes to being creative Keda Richens knows exactly where to go.On Sunday afternoons come and get your little hands dirty in a ceramics class. Gezin Kurtaran is ope...
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REVIEWS
Coraline (2009)
Director: Henry Selick4 stars It’s a macabre kid-lit book by a cult author. He’s an animator whose ghoulish...
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REVIEWS
Crank: High Voltage (2009)
Dirs. Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor3 stars Rated R. 96mins. Jason Statham, Amy Smart. Indestructible badass Chev Chelios (Statham...
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REVIEWS
Appaloosa (2008)
Director: Ed Harris4 stars It ain’t easy being a lawman in a Western mining town like Appaloosa, home to a sli...
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REVIEWS
Star Trek (2009)
Director: JJ Abrams4 stars There’s an old adage pertaining to films in the ‘Star Trek’ franchise: ...
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REVIEWS
Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
Dir. Peter ChelsomRated G. 102mins. Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus. Miley Cyrus’s pop-princess alter ego once a...
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REVIEWS
17 Again (2009)
Dir. Burr Steers. PG-13. 95mins. Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Matthew Perry. What would have happened if, in 1989,...
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REVIEWS
Martyrs (2008)
Director: Pascal Laugier 3 stars If the idea of seeing a young woman having metal rivets removed from her cranium makes ...
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REVIEWS
Adventureland (2009)
Dir. Greg Mottola. 3 stars Rated  R. 107mins. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Krist...
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WEEKENDER
Kirklareli and the Kakava Carnival
Get your glad rags on, everyone. It’s party time over in Thrace, as Pat Yale finds out, Let’s face it – Kirklareli is not the sort of place most people ever think of visiting...
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FOOD&DRINK
Vogue is still in vogue
Rene Ames revisits a TOIST favorite and 2002 Time Out/Miller Food and Drink award-winner. A would-be restaurateur would need a good dose of mojo to open in Istanbul’s overly-crowded ga...
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SHOPPING
Istinye Park
Sabrina Cerri spends some time at Istinye Park’s super luxurious outdoor shopping area. There’s nothing quite like Istinye Park’s outdoor area for those seeking a unique shop...
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SHOPPING
The bazaar hunter
Highlights from Kapali Carsi this month. Cecilia Ramirez. Bazaar 44 When you walk into Bazaar 44 although the entrance floor is appealing, what really draws ...
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MUSIC
Trubadoor
Trubadoor, one of the few remaining grunge bands in the city, has been playing since 2000 and with the addition of a new bassist, their music has a fresher sound and energy. Sibel KarabeyoğluLet’s start off by learning a little bit about the band. Tell us a little about yourselves. M...
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MUSIC
Norrda
Norrda is unlike anything you’ve ever heard. Not because the genre is particularly unique but because they actually do it well. Though they haven’t released an album in 2 years, they continue to perform nationally and internationally. Esen Boyacigiller.How did Norrda get started? Deniz Cuylan: Hakan and I created the group three years ago in Stockho...
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NIGHTLIFE
Post Dial
Post Dial is an electro-punk duo from Istanbul consisting of two Boğaziçi University grads Sinan Tınar, drums, vocals, synth and Yiğit Bülbül, guitar, vocals, synth, who make music with a twist and give full-throttle live performances. Sibel Karabeyoglu.It’s been two years since Post Dial was born. Is the band where you thought it would be by now...
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NIGHTLIFE
Kim Ki O
Kim Ki O consists of two young women who are undoubtedly the most prominent female figures in the Istanbul alterno-electronic music scene. They most recently completed a Scandinavian Tour. Umut Eroğlu. You both have long histories in the music industry. What made you decide Kim Ki O was worth focusi...
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NIGHTLIFE
Tripart
Tripart is an indie post-rock band that has been playing since 2006. Though they’ve yet to release an album, they’ve built up quite the repertoire and have been focusing on instrumental music. Esen Boyacigiller.First please introduce yourselves. Cüneyt Aksay: I sing and play guitar in Tripart. I’v...
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NIGHTLIFE
WUFI
WUFI is an electro-indie group that has been playing since 2007. Their funky beats and sexy lyrics give them a unique sound and with the release of their first album, their fanbase has expanded considerably. Esen Boyacıgiller and Sibel KarabeyogluCould you walk us through the process of writing a song? Ali Rıza Şahenk: Usually Cem comes to t...
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MUSIC
REPLİKAS
Replikas is one of the most famous rock bands in Istanbul and has been steadily releasing both albums and creating film scores since 2000. Their latest album, Zerre, was released in 2008. Umut EroğluYour musical adventure has progressed a ways since the tiny stage of Peyote till now. From my perspe...
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NIGHTLIFE
Fuat
Berlin-born Fuat Ergin is celebrating the release of his latest album, ‘Kalbüm.’ His explosive energy and lyrics have placed him at the top of the hip-hop scene along with his buddy Ceza. He released 4 albums back in Germany & is still going strong. What was the first thing you noticed upon immigrating to Istanbul? The traffic. It took us 2.5 hour...
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MUSIC
Batı Yakası
Batı Yakası were the winners of the Rock‘n’ Dark Express Competition in 2008. They’ve just released their first video and are currently working on an album. Sibel Karabeyoğlu and Esen Boyacıgiller. How did the band come to be? Ergün Yıldız: Korhan and I are friends from high school. ...
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SIXTH DEGREE
Ali Riza Şahenk
Producer Ali Riza Şahenk is working with some of the most talented musicians in Istanbul, including Portecho, while continuing his work providing live electronic mixes for Norrda and Wufi. He’s been running his own studio, Fat Lab Records, for about 3 yeaHow did Fat Lab get started? My parents provided me with money to attend music school in New York ...
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MUSIC
10 Things You Don’t Know About Depeche Mode
In honor of Depeche Mode’s 14 May concert, we’ve made a list of 10 things you probably don’t know about them. That is, unless you’re a DM devotee. Çimen Uzsoy 1.    Getting Started Band members Martin L. Gore, Vince Clarke and Andy Fletcher ...
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CULTURE
Theodore Metochites and the Chora Church
One of the greatest cultural legacies of the Byzantine world is the Chora church. Scott Newman explores the financier, Theodore Metochites, intellectual and bureaucrat.Theodore Metochites was born, 1270, at the beginning of the final phase of Byzantine history.  ...
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ISTANBULBEAT
SituationIst Says Summer May, or May Not be Here
“Sweet and lovely, Sweeter than the roses in May” crooned Ferry on his 1999 nostalgia-fe...
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NIGHTLIFE
LAMB
Producer Andy Barlow and vocalist/songwriter Louise Rhodes make up Lamb. Scheduled to play at Istanbul's Chill Out Festival on May 24th, Lamb is sure to set the 'chill' mood and mesmerize listeners with their electronic/trip-hop music.Lamb is truly an experimental and multifaceted band, yet surprisingly not well known. Hailing from M... There is so much versatility from song to song in all four of your albums. I can choose from bea...
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MUSIC
Enrico Belli: Spiky Music for Istanbul Recitals
There are spikes in this guy's piano. Yup, nails and screws pounded into the sound board to cre...
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MUSIC
Chill Out Festival
One of the most highly anticipated festivals of the summer season, The Chill Out Festival, is also the first, taking place at the end of May, on the 24th. Here's a little of what you can expect. Esen Boyacigiller and Seda Pekcelen.Lamb Last we heard, Lamb, who hasn’t released an album since 2004, had broken up. Thus, we we...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Mama, MAY I?
Rene Ames takes a look at the latest in the GLBT world and what we can expect from the PRIDE celebration 2009.In a world of economic fear and uncertainty, 2009 PRIDE celebrations, which kicked off in April in s...
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ART
Greek-born artist Dimitris Tzamouranis discusses his work at Suma’s May exhibition.
What piece will you be exhibiting at Suma?
I shot a fiction documentary movie titled "The F...
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FILM&DVD
Fadik Sevin Atasoy
Fadik Sevin Atasoy has been in a number of dizis, films and worked in theatre as well. Mike Dunphy finds out what it takes to make it as an actress in Istanbul.Who are you? My name is Fadik Sevin Atasoy and I’m an actress. I started as a theatre actress...
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ART
Karaköy's hidden jewel
Jeff Gibbs makes a case for BM Suma Gallery.     We've all read the hype.  Istanbul was the jewel of the Sultan's empire...
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AROUND TOWN
Turkish treasure hunting
Yes, you can get many fine Turkish souvenirs and gifts at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar but you may have noticed that the locals don’t seem to be buying from the wily salesmen there. So where can you really get a deal in Istanbul? Hookahs:  One of the first things that you’ll notice in the Bazaar is that despite the ...
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KIDS
Playlates
Pilates for kids at Studio J20! Judy Ataman at Studio J20 in Akatlar recently began offering some wonderful kids fitness classes o...
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MUSIC
Jane's addiction
Legendary Jane Birkin, who is coming to the city for a concert, was quite chatty when we spoke to her about her daughters, charity work and many collaborations.You are an icon- a singer, an actress, a humanitarian, mother, grandmother- please tell us what is y...
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REVIEWS
Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)
Director: Raja Gosnell 2 stars Chloe (Drew Barrymore) is a typical LA princess, lounging by the pool, having her h...
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REVIEWS
He's Just Not That Into You (2009)
Director: Ken Kwapis3 stars The ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’ theory will need no introduction for ...
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REVIEWS
Knowing (2009)
Directed by. Alex Proyas.3 stars At the opening of a school’s time capsule sealed 50 years earlier, quiet kid Caleb ...
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REVIEWS
Marley & Me (2008)
Director: David Frankel3 stars With its child-friendly rating and top billing for an unruly golden Labrador, ‘Ma...
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AROUND TOWN
Asmalı awaits
MeyhaneAkbaba’lı Meyhane (0212) 251 43 38 Tünel Geçidi 10, Asmalımescit Open weekd...
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AROUND TOWN
Asmalı awaits
International cuisineCuba (0212) 245 78 70/71 Ensiz Sokak 11/1A, Asmalımescit. www.cubabaristanbul.com Open everyd...
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AROUND TOWN
Asmalı awaits
Trendy LocalesGemi (0212) 245 97 68 Asmalımescit Sokak 7, Kat 4-5-teras, Asmalımescit www.gemideyiz.com Op...
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RESTAURANTS
Gani Gani
3 starsGani Gani is one of those precious few places that I found on my own in Istanbul and to which I have...
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RESTAURANTS
Agapia
3 stars    Kadıköy is not the first Istanbul borough that comes to mind when on the hu...
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RESTAURANTS
Dükkan Burger
3.5 starsDukkan is indisputably the best butcher in Istanbul and has been distributing to the best restaurant...
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RESTAURANTS
L’Ola
4.5 starsSpanish restaurant L’Ola has been very positively received in calm Arnavutkoy. The restaurant ...
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RESTAURANTS
Chili’s
5 stars for Chili'sMexican food lovers who have subsisted on homemade guacamole with insanely expensive avocados that a...
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FOOD&DRINK
numnum is yum yum
Not your average burger joint.As soon as you step into its glass-encased premises, you breathe in the fun vibes mostly coming from...
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SHOPPING
The bazaar hunter
Highlights from Kapalı Çarşı this month. Kapalı Çarşı can be the most confusing place to go to if you’re not looking for anyt...
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SHOPPING
A day in the Akaretler district
This month we’re launching our brand new shopping section. Michelle Lewis and Cecilia Ramirez.The Akaretler district of Nişantaşı went through a major transformation last year. The W Hotel op...
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WEEKENDER
Return to Gallipoli
As ANZAC Day comes round again, Pat Yale goes back to Gallipoli and reconsiders why it’s so important to so many people.Those who don’t work in tourism probably won’t know it, but this is the time of year whe...
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AROUND TOWN
Wasted in Istanbul
Mike Dunphy examines the top ten biggest wastes in the city. 1) Water It’s ironic the World Water Forum is being held in Istanbul, a city that splashes ab...
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AROUND TOWN
Green holidays
Rich Carriero examines a few holidays, green and otherwise, that fall in April each year.1.   Tulip Festival – Contrary to common belief, the tulip came to the Dutch from th...
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AROUND TOWN
Turkey's environmental warriors
Jeff Gibbs presents two of Turkey’s environmental warriors, Doğa Derneği and Buğday. Doğa Derneği Doğa Derneği was founded in 2002 and works out of Ankara, with offices in Istanb...
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AROUND TOWN
Green Workers of the World: Unite and Take over!
All across Istanbul, corporate slaves are turning green. Environmentally conscious employers and employees are coming up with creative solutions to change how they carry out their businesses. Take for example, Ahmet Ertuğrul, the General Manager of the online careers site Işportal. He has ...
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FOOD&DRINK
How to Go Organic in Istanbul
Is produce purchased at your corner manav organic by definition? Not so, says Jeff Gibbs. Most of my Turkish friends, when asked, blithely insist that Turkish produce is organic by default.&...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Living Samatya
A quaint town by the seaside Where: Samatya Why: Samatya is one of the oldest towns in Istanbul, even older than Istanbul as an ...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Red Sky at Night, Situationİst’s Delight
“Fool me once”… as the old cliché has it, “shame on you. Fool me twi...
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NIGHTLIFE
Mondays no longer so blue
Babylon Lounge washes the Monday Blues away and helps usher in a new art form.Feeling groggy and down after a lost weekend in clubland? You don’t have to go on a shooting s...
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NIGHTLIFE
Get away…
From time to time we like to shine light on an event that we believe is worth getting out of the city for, and SunSplash is without a doubt one of these events. So pack your bags and head to Antalya; we guarantee you’ll head back to your job rested and fuWhat is Sunsplash Antalya? Festival Director Serkan Çetin: Sunsplash Antalya is a brand new,...
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MUSIC
Surprise! Classical music is flourishing in Istanbul
Whoever doubts that classical music in Istanbul is not as popular as pop, jazz, folk, rock, indie, e...
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MUSIC
Being Bonobo
Bonobo plays his first concert after a 6-month hiatus in Istanbul. We talk to Simon Green about his favourite stuff in the city, success and monkeys. Esen Boyacigiller.You’ve performed in İstanbul before, how do you recall the audience and the venue? We were a...
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KIDS
Space cadets!
The ever marvelous Rahmi Koç Museum has just opened Istanbul’s first public planetarium...
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KIDS
Thank Gym it’s Friday!
MY GYM now offers its great range of classes all day on Fridays with a brilliant new native English ...
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KIDS
Oh Poi!
Having spent many a glorious summer evening watching Filiz Duran startle us with her dances with lig...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Need a hanky?
An alternative form of communication A long time ago (not really…in the beginning of the 1970s, was it that long?), it was e...
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GAY & LESBIAN
A fussy lay
It's not always so easyDue to the long-held belief among gay men that “there are more Bottoms than Tops”, a stu...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Lesbian power bottoms and gay bottoms of the barrel
Rene Ames examines the trends of tops, bottoms and everyone in between.  Don’t ever make the mistake of labeling anyone as either simply top or bottom. Life un...
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FILM&DVD
Cinemania!
It's time for the Istanbul Film Festival again. Evrim Ersoy has all the details about the different categories and picks his Top 10. April in Istanbul is the righteous beginning of spring to many people. It entails the start of the...
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BOOKS
Absent friends
Pat Yale breakfasts with Alex Massavetas who has unearthed the stories of the people who have left İstanbul but whose past presence is written on its walls. Not another book about İstanbul I can hear you groaning. Whatever can there be to say about the c...
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ART
Kurosawa Exhibit
The Emperor of Film Comes to Istanbul    Japanese and Turkish artists should have a lot to say to each other.  Certai...
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SIXTH DEGREE
Gundula Strittmatter
Rene Ames chats with the dynamic director of InterNations Istanbul  From the mission statement that, “InterNations is the first international online commu...
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AROUND TOWN
New Media
Life has never been as fast paced as it is now. Alizah Rose explains this new phenomenon that has been taking over.Februrary 25th 2009, 10:40 A.M. local time, Amsterdam:  Turkish Airlines flight 1951 departing ...
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CULTURE
674 A.D. What if?
The last Great War between the Byzantines and Persians marks one of the least known, but most important, turning points of history, as Scott Newman explains. 674 A.D. The people of Constantinople could easily see the smoke from the camps of the Arabs be...
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FOOD&DRINK
A Rumeli Hideaway
Away from the usual into somewhere special Rumeli Han is one of Istiklal Caddesi's surviving historic buildings with an unmistakable E...
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FOOD&DRINK
Elusive ingredients
Some ingredients are harder to find than others, Sarah Maddox gives us the 411 on where to buy them.Although when you first arrive in Istanbul, cooking for yourself is about as far from your mind as t...
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AROUND TOWN
Casanova on a budget
Scrooge Mc’Pennypincher offers advice on masking the economic pinch from your mate and coming up roses (carnations are cheaper).    Times are tough my friends and the knuckles of the financial crisis are rapping...
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AROUND TOWN
Economic Secrets of Living in Istanbul
Expats often face the scrutiny and skepticism of the folks back home when they decide to leave the m...
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AROUND TOWN
Recession Specials on Istiklal
See it to believe itEveryone's feeling the pinch in these depressing financial times. From producers to consumers, ...
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SIGHTSEEING
Istanbul’s Secret Sightseeing
Istanbul is no secret any more, even in winter the sights are crowded and summer is lunacy.  Su...
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SHOPPING
Tips for bazaar bargaining
For some, the inevitable haggle at the bazaar is something to be relished, a grand challenge between...
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AROUND TOWN
Istanbul Secret Views
Istanbul's steep hills have one fabulous advantage - the city boasts an unrivalled range of roo...
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AROUND TOWN
Top Ten Must-See Attractions (Before the Tourists Come)
Rich Carriero details some out of the way attractions that all self-respecting expats should see before leaving Istanbul.Every year from late spring to early autumn the city belongs to foreigners.  Tourists from Germ...
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CULTURE
Did You Know?
Istanbul is full of secrets; some legend, and some true. Either way, they are all fascinating. Here are a few to get you thinking twice about this magical city we live in. Şile Lighthouse: The 2nd largest lighthouse in the world (Şile) A lighthouse is probably the most...
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TRAVEL
Georgia
Lars Larsson travels to Georgia where Stalin is king and you don't need a visa. It is often said that roads less travelled yield the most rewarding experiences. There are few pla...
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WEEKENDER
The discreet charm of Kaleiçi
Had it up to here with grey skies? Need an injection of sea air to clear out the cobwebs? Pat Yale heads south for Antalya and checks into the Kaleiçi, an oasis of authenticity amid the concrete jungle.There’s nothing like a few weeks of overcast skies and gloomy winter weather to make us start ...
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RESTAURANTS
Nolita (4 stars)
Very similar in sounding to Lolita, Nolita, which is partners with the owners of Smyrna, has becom...
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RESTAURANTS
Kiki (5 stars)
When did you stop visiting your mother for the holidays? Well, if you don’t remember, Kiki...
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RESTAURANTS
Imbat Restaurant
I don’t tend to go to Sultanahmet and Sirkeci that often to be honest; if you live in Istanbul...
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RESTAURANTS
Canım Ciğerim
A classic revisited This time-tested gem is particularly relevant in these economic times. Stop by and remember why Ca...
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REVIEWS
RocknRolla (2008)
Director: Guy Ritchie Wrong-footed by the new credit-crunch zeitgeist, but with recovered fluency after the hiccups of &...
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REVIEWS
New in Town (2009)
Director: Jonas ElmerLet’s not hold Renée Zellweger’s chipmunk charms against her. Indeed, you’l...
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REVIEWS
Hunger (2008)
Director: Steve McQueen What an extraordinary film is Steve McQueen’s study of life and death in Northern Ireland&rs...
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REVIEWS
The Reader (2008)
Director: Stephen Daldry Ralph Fiennes is Michael Berg, the present-day narrator of this film and Bernard Schlink’s 1...
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REVIEWS
Seven Pounds (2008)
Director: Gabriele Muccino It’s a distinctly frazzled Will Smith we see at the start of this teasing drama. Calling eme...
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REVIEWS
Milk (2008)
Director: Gus Van SantGus Van Sant has emerged from the bold experiments of his last four films to make a more conventiona...
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FILM&DVD
The Everyman: Philip Seymour Hoffman
Ten years ago it would have taken a major film buff dedicated to studying the credit rolls of films ...
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AROUND TOWN
Prophets of The Coffee Civilization
Fal has a long and colourful history. Jeff Gibbs investigates. There's an old saying in Turkish: Fal inanma, falsız kalma!  Don't believe in fort...
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CULTURE
Turning Points
Rich Carriero examines a few watershed moments in Turkish history.      Occasionally there are moments when history turns on a dime.  A sing...
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MONTHLY RANT
Ten reasons why Istanbul is great
Time to stop complaining and start focusing on all the good things that Istanbul has to offer. All some people do is poo-poo Istanbul. Month after month, year after year, whining and ranting on...
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PEOPLE
Local Elections, National Significance
Vanessa H. Larson takes a look at the upcoming elections in Turkey.As banners and posters on display throughout Istanbul make abundantly clear, Turkey is gearing up fo...
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SPORT
The return of the Ottomans
They call it the game they play in heaven, and for the better part of the last ten years it has been played in Istanbul, too. The legend of the sport has it that halfway through the 19th century on a dreary winter’s day ...
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MUSIC
Röyksopp celebrate 10 years.
Esen chats with Torbjorn Brundtland about 10 years of Röyksopp pyrotechnics and streaking.You haven’t released a studio album since 2005. What have you been working on? We’ve b...
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MUSIC
The Soulwax DJs are coming as part of Godskitchen Urban Wave
I’m a huge fan of both ‘Soulwax’ and ‘2 Many DJs’. So, let’s beg...
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OPINION
Ex-Pat Chronicles
Freebies! Special Medical Services and Cocktails on the House1) Doggone it My friend Walter and I were walking across the grassy island between the Golden Hor...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Rhythms of the city
SituationIst Takes Tea with the Mad March Crowd Charles Dogdson, a.k.a. Lewis Carroll. Mathematician, fabulist, author of one of the most lastingl...
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NIGHTLIFE
BOOKA SHADE
Pitchfork compared ‘Get Physical Records’ to ‘Warp Records’, in terms of s...
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GAY & LESBIAN
The Long Distance Lube Runner
Greasing up can be a hard thing to doCertain things that you'd think would be the easiest to find hereabouts often turn out to be th...
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MUSIC
Akbank Sanat's March Guitar Days
Guitar alert! Fans of classical guitar will have a unique opportunity to hear the crème de la...
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KIDS
Robert College Summer Program
Although summer seems a long way off right now, it is almost time to sign up for the RCSummer Progra...
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KIDS
Mohini or ‘The Great Purple Murple’
With the credit crunch affecting most of us in some way, it seems an odd time to open a high-end sho...
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BOOKS
The little hotel book with a big following
Going on holiday and need help picking the hotel wood from the pension trees? Pat Yale talks to Mutlu Tönbekici, the author of Turkey’s hugely popular guide to small and charming places to stay. ‘Many places are not so much boutique hotels as IKEA hotels!’ There you are standin...
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AROUND TOWN
The 6th Degree with Hakan Demiray
Ayşe Şahin kicks back with Kickboxing Champ-turned-fitness guru, Hakan DemirayYou’ve won the Turkish Kickboxing Championship twice (in 1998 and 2000), achieved third place ...
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ART
Trici Venola
Trici Venola uses Istanbul as her inspiration for creating meaningful art.I think that a lot of art that’s being produced misses the point. The images depicted are disg...
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OPINION
Ex-Pat Chronicles
The Other Eleven ReasonsI'm sure all ex-pats could make a major bank deposit if we could charge even one lira for every...
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FOOD&DRINK
My Pork Hunt
For the past year I have been smuggling substances into the country. I practice my nonchalant face i...
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MONTHLY RANT
The sacred sex
There's a belief in the conservative segment of our society (i.e. the overwhelming majority) th...
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KIDS
"Clay Nation"
Clay is a wonderful, tactile medium that many children have never had the chance to experience befor...
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PEOPLE
The Daring Pirates of Somalia
     A cargo ship from the Balkans cruises through the Gulf of Aden, the narrow ...
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FOOD&DRINK
Georgia on my waistline
“I hope you like Borscht,” I told my dining companion and fellow TOiST writer Vanessa La...
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MUSIC
Portecho
‘Undertone’ came out in 2006. What has changed your musical perspective since then? De...
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NIGHTLIFE
Sarp Dakni
James Snow catches up with one of the busiest men in Istanbul, Sarp Dakni, PR for Pozitif, Editor, Le Cool Istanbul and DJ.James Snow catches up with one of the busiest men in Istanbul, Sarp Dakni, PR for Pozitif, Editor, L...How long have you been a DJ? I have been doing club DJ sets for the past 2 years, but I have been ...
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PEOPLE
The Venetian Connection
     Mass at Saint Mark’s is a rare glimpse of Byzantium.  The incens...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Rhythms of the city
“Saints preserve us” is of course one of the milder English expletives; and preserve u...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Ex-Pat Chronicles
Why is printing type size here so minuscule that you need a microscope to read it? I have a stack of...
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CULTURE
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS….
Brazilian Kidnapper 1: Look at all that pink and purple. Brazilian Kidnapper 2: Our money sure is g...
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SPORT
Olympic aspirations
The relationship between Istanbul and the Olympics is a very dysfunctional one: all the love comes f...
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MUSIC
A Love Affair—With the Violin
Krazy for Keman. That was my original title, because Turks love a violin (keman). To them, it'...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Pegging Sue
Some men just wanna have fun, it seems However one is open-minded and accepting of anything in the wide spectrum of human sexology, there...
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FILM&DVD
Oscarmania
The Oscars are like a grown-up, celebrity version of a high-school dance. The anticipation is so o...
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BOOKS
The sharmaran’s revenge
A couple of years ago, my friend, the British crime writer Barbara Nadel, made me an offer I could...
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ART
One Shot Stopping
Alexander Berg takes aim at Istanbul. James Halliday Named “coolest photo book of the year” for 2007 by the Swedish edition of Elle magazine,...
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ART
“The Real Challenge is Elsewhere” (“Gerçek Hesap Başka Yerde”)
Group art exhibitions can sometimes seem too disparate to be cohesive, but in “The Real Chal...
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AROUND TOWN
LOVE IN THE TIME OF POVERTY
Empty pockets? Don't despair, just think of the days of yore when nobody had much money and t...
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RESTAURANTS
Den Café & Restaurant
3 stars What used to be Café Keyif in Nişantaşı is now called Den Café. Located in...
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RESTAURANTS
Fua
2.5 stars Fua has a view of the Bosphorus, a terrace and is spread over three floors. Upon entering...
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RESTAURANTS
Café Sakizli
 3 stars Just as every summer Istanbulus migrate South to Alacati, so have the southern specia...
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RESTAURANTS
Otto Sofyali
4.5 stars With their authentic pizzas and original music, Otto has been an important part of Istanb...
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RESTAURANTS
Funfondu by Bujene
5 stars Hansel and Gretel’s mouth-watering house isn’t just in the fairytales, you can ...
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RESTAURANTS
Positano
4.5 stars Paris’ Italian Positano has opened its second location in Istanbul. The restaurant...
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TRAVEL
Venice in winter
     In tough times, travel is an early casualty. The upside is if you have re...
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AROUND TOWN
Turkey’s 10 most romantic getaways
It’s that time of year again. Sevgililer Günü (Lovers Day) is looming and the race...
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AROUND TOWN
8th !f Istanbul AFM International Independent Film Festival
From February 12−22, !f Istanbul, the city’s annual independent and alternative film...
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AROUND TOWN
Sixth Degree
Interview with Hyatt Regency General Manager and artistWho are you? Well, I would regard myself as an industrial nomad, a global citizen, born in Bohemia,...
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CULTURE
Murder or Suicide?
Friday June 9th 1876 Istanbul The new Sultan, Murat V, made an impression, riding a white stallio...
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OPINION
The Ancient Tourist Track
Rich Carriero goes to Selçuk and finds one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.     From the ruins of St. Jean’s Basilica in Selçuk, watching the ...
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PEOPLE
The Return of Volatility
Expectation and risk are two concepts familiar to any student of life or the market.  The terms...
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MONTHLY RANT
Freedom of CENSORED
If you have something to say, just run it by your local Turkish Republic First Criminal Court of Peace first, and if they’re cool with it, then say it! Attila Pelit.Freedom of CENSORED is one of our fundamental human rights, along with the right to CENSORED, CENSOR...
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SPORT
NFL 2008
Expat New Yorker Rich Carriero recaps the 2008 season of football American and reviews a few options for taking in the playoffs.     As a New Yorker, I’m the definition of fair-weather fan.  I watc...
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NIGHTLIFE
Balo Blasting
The competition is fiercer.If you haven’t been to Balo Sokak lately, then you’re missing some of the head-scratchin...
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MUSIC
Fischerspooner
Experimental group Fischerspooner’s Casey Spooner is coming to Ottosantral on 17 January with her DJ talent Lauren Flax. Deniz Karaman talked to them about their new album, their audience, Istanbul and much more.What have you guys been up to lately? There’s a gap in the news about you guys on the Internet...
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KIDS
Yoga Baby!
Cihangir yoga is my absolute favourite yoga studio in town as it’s wonderful, yet cheap as chi...
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KIDS
“Teen Brain, Teen Mind”
The IICS Speaker Series Presents Dr. Ron Clavier.    Istanbul International Community School (IICS) has always been committed to the h...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Sahra Deserted
The rise and fall of a tranny haven. It’s been the unfortunate case lately that Club Sahra (Turkish for Sahara, the desert), a popu...
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REVIEWS
The Unborn
Director: David Goyer This supernatural thriller focuses on Casey Beldon (Odette Yustman), a youn...
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REVIEWS
Yes Man
Director: Peyton Reed Though Jim Carrey shines best in comedic roles, his latest effort in Yes Ma...
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REVIEWS
Valkyrie
Director: Bryan Singer In Valkyrie, we’re supposed to root for a group of Nazis who are les...
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REVIEWS
Pride and Glory
Director: Gavin O’Connor Charged with re-creating the special intimacy of an extended Irish...
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REVIEWS
Passengers
Director: Rodrigo Garcia Preposterous and ponderous, this delusion of a drama centers on an ama...
Read More >>>

FILM&DVD
For the Love of a Sunburnt Country
Even if you are a world famous, commercially successful and critically acclaimed director, naming a film after an entire country, is a big call. Sarah Maddox.Even much loved classics such as “Casablanca” and “Manhattan,” limited it to...
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BOOKS
The baffling business of Enid Blyton
There’s more to publishing Enid Blyton in Turkey than meets the eye, as Pat Yale finds out. As a young girl growing up in Bebek, Zarife Öztürk would scour the shelves of the local bo...
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ART
African Dance Workshop
If your New Year’s resolutions include getting fit but you’re either daunted by or done with the gym scene, check out İnci Turan’s African Dance workshops. It may well be the key to starting the New Year on the right foot – even if you have two left feet If you can talk, you can sing.  If you walk, you can dance. -African Proverb   &...
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AROUND TOWN
Blue Notes in Istanbul
Jeffrey Gibbs dives into the world of türkü, traditional Turkish folk music, and comes out a fan.     "I've travelled this world over. Life, from one deep breath! Oh, I'...
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FOOD&DRINK
Provincial Foods in Istanbul
Nicola Prentis goes on a tour of Turkey’s regional foods without leaving Istanbul.In a country as vast as Turkey, with as long a history and, nowadays, seven borders, it is no wonder...
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AROUND TOWN
Snow Daze
Keen to hit the slopes this winter but not sure where to go? Pat Yale straps on her skis and checks out what’s on offer at the resorts around Turkey. For most first-time visitors, Turkey is simply a sun-and-sand destination. Page after page of the ho...
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AROUND TOWN
Voices from da 'hood: Galata
We hop on the bus and get off on the scenery.When the city was smaller, Galata was bigger, bigger in bang and bigger in buck. Its merchants, trad...
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AROUND TOWN
Voices from da 'hood: Tarlabaşı
Tarlabaşı: Home to Poets, Priests and ProstitutesI'll admit I have a love-hate thing with Tarlabaşı. The hate part is: it's a dingy slum ...
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AROUND TOWN
Voices from da 'hood: Talimhane
My Nabe, My Take: TalimhaneIn remaking a life in another country, it is particularly important to remember that what you’...
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AROUND TOWN
Voices from da 'hood: Balat
Why is Balat close to the utopian ideal? Read on.For a minute I thought I had stepped into a photo of pre-war Poland, or maybe Ireland in the 1920s. ...
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AROUND TOWN
Voices from da 'hood: Kuzguncuk
Kuzguncuk is just what your Istanbul fairy godmother ordered.Once upon a time there was an Anatolian village hidden in a valley.  In the village there lived...
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AROUND TOWN
Voices from da 'hood: Kadıköy
Kadıköy--At Home on the Asian Side    Crack open a Lonely Planet or Fodor's and you'll be lucky to find even ...
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AROUND TOWN
The Sixth Degree
Berka Çürüksu Çavuşoğlu, architectTrained in your field at Yıldız Technical University, you’ve been an architect since 2000.&n...
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CULTURE
The Papal Visit
The visit of a Pope has not always been smiles and waves, as Scott Newman delves into the darker chapters of the city’s history.We’ve seen the image a thousand times – the Pope arriving in some distant land – g...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Rhythms of the City
New Year brings more of the same, SituationIst happily reportsOn January 1st, citizens and residents of this city will groggily awake to a collective hangover in ...
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OPINION
America’s New Year’s Resolutions: 2009
Rich Carriero explains America’s great makeover attempt in the coming year.     As we enter the last year of the decade, Americans collectively feel like s...
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FOOD&DRINK
Kremola
(4/6 stars) Kremola is a small and charming pastry shop and the brainchild of three women, each of ...
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FOOD&DRINK
Lychee Restaurant & Bar
We would have never imagined that such a beautiful restaurant with a stunning view could be located ...
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FOOD&DRINK
Fratelli La Bufala
(5/6 stars) Pizza and fine dining don’t tend to go together- but when the entrance is Leven...
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FOOD&DRINK
Quente
5 stars Meat lovers can sate themselves a hundred times over on Turkish cuisine, but it does have...
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FOOD&DRINK
Nu Noodle
3 stars If your chopstick muscles, the ones from ring finger to wrist, are as flaccid as noodles ...
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TRAVEL
Azerbaijan
Lars Larsson heads to Azerbaijan and says it’s a go, for those who enjoy a bit of weirdness with their border runs. Far beyond Turkey's eastern borders, at the opposite end of the Caucasus, sandwiched between th...
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CLOTHES
Trends for 2009
In times of economic strife is fashion the first to go? Alizah Salario argues no. Tips for staying fashion forward without breaking the bank. Fashion is always a sign of the times, so it should come as no surprise that this year’s style...
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CULTURE
Christmas - Christian or Pagan?
Christmas has a lot of odd traditions: trees, stockings, coloured lights and people singing in the streets. Rich Carriero explores the mystery of whether the origin of Christmas is Pagan or Christian. The history of Christmas has always been something of a mystery. Nothing in the bi...
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OPINION
Iraqi refugee crisis
Istanbul harbours over 10,000 Iraqi refugees. Lars Larsson investigates the fate of these displaced people. With its evocative location at the meeting point between cultures, religions and c...
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MONTHLY RANT
X-mas in excess
Tyranny = unjust use of power. Hegemony = predominant influence exercised by one nation over others. Alexandra Ivanoff deals with December's dictatorship. Attila Pelit has generously sublet his page to me this month. "I'll ju...
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SPORT
It's basketball time!
There is more to life than football. Deniz Karaman on the upcoming basketball season. After the football frenzy during European Championships this summer and the recent...
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FEATURE
Loo & Placido
Loo and Placido, otherwise known as Laurent Lupidi and Jeremy Johnson, have made a name for themselves as mash-up geniuses. Even Madonna is a fan, having recently played one of their mash-ups (remix combining at least 2 songs) during her latest concert to   Tell us how you got started in the industry? We played in bands for seve...
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MUSIC
MIAM
Whether it be makeup or music, Alexandra Ivanoff finds fiscal relief at Maçka's MIAM. Have you noticed the uptick on price stickers at stores around town? Not only at t...
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RESTAURANTS
Eating Box
4 Stars for Eating Box For those who are bored of always going to the same venues on Nispetiye Caddesi, t...
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RESTAURANTS
Vertu
5 Stars for Vertu Vertu recently opened in the hottest corner of Bebek, right near Lucca and Catz. U...
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RESTAURANTS
The Four Seasons Sunday Brunch
4 Stars for The Four Seasons Sunday Brunch Tefikhane Sokak No 1 Sultanahmet 0212 638 8200 Sunday brunch served 11.3...
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RESTAURANTS
Antiochia
5 Stars for Antiochia Asmalımescit mah, mınare sok. No: 21/A, Beyoğlu 0212 292 1100 0pen 12-...
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RESTAURANTS
Albura
Yeni Abıyık Cad. No: 26, Sultanahmet 0212 517 9031 – 32 Open daily 9-1...
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MUSIC
The Wedding Present
Seda Pekçelen interviews ‘The Wedding Present’ and ‘Cinerama’ frontman, David Gedge, about the newest album, the music business and his inspiration. You’ve been making music since the 1980s. What has changed since then, in te...
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KIDS
Smart Cookies
Keda Richens visits Smart Cookies, which arranges all sorts of fun parties and after-school activities for kids. Dududududu Inspector Gadget! Dududududu HooHoo! We’ve been doing our detecti...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Grin and Bear It
Rene Ames on the popularity of ‘Bear’ clubs in Istanbul. That most Turkish guys well past puberty and into adulthood are hirsute is an easi...
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REVIEWS
Quarantine
A single star for Dowdle's remake Director: John Erick Dowdle, 2008 An American remake of the Spanish horror movie ...
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REVIEWS
Body of Lies
3 Stars for Scott's latest spy flick Director: Ridley Scott, 2008 Ever had the feeling your boss doesn’t have yo...
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REVIEWS
Sex Drive
2 Stars for Anders' latest Director: Sean Anders, 2008 “All you need for a movie is a girl and a gun,&...
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REVIEWS
Transporter 3
Only 2 Stars for the third installment Director: Olivier Megaton, 2008 Synopsis: This fast-paced act...
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REVIEWS
Australia
4 Stars for Luhrmann's Director: Baz Luhrmann, 2008 Australia is a smorgasbord of comedy, drama and roma...
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FILM&DVD
O Brothers Coen
Sarah Maddox takes a look back the Coen Brothers’ career in anticipation of their latest work, Burn After Reading. From the very first Coen Brothers movie I saw, I was hooked. It was ’90&rsqu...
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BOOKS
The Colour of a Dog Running Away
Ayse Sahin speaks to Richard Gwyn about his new book The Colour of a Dog Running Away. Responding to an unsigned postcard inviting him to a rendezvous at a museum, Rhys ...
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ART
Acquiring a taste for Turkish Contemporary Art
Time Out sat down for a conversation with Isabella Içöz, independent art consultant and an advisor to Sotheby’s for Turkish contemporary art. TOiST: How wide-ranging are your jobs here in Turkey?   Isabella Iç&...
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AROUND TOWN
Amrita Spa & Wellness at Swissotel The Bosphorus
At Amrita Spa & Wellness, they have everything you need to feel relaxed and rejuvenated For those who seek to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city and all the str...
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AROUND TOWN
The Fortune Factory
Nicola Prentis seeks her fortune in Nişantaşı with Istanbul’s newest entrepreneurs. Every ex-pat dreams of the mythical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that bri...
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FEATURE
Make it Mikla
Make it Mikla if you’re in for a celebratory blowout. While I was going through 3 hours savouring the new Autumn 2008 menu of Istanbul&r...
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TRAVEL
Crete
With a distinctive cuisine of rabbits and snails, chic shops and friendly locals, Crete is the perfect holiday destination. One of the best things about living in Istanbul is the city's proximity to so...
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TRAVEL
In search of Father Christmas
Down by the Turkish seaside Pat Yale finds that they’ve already put the mince pies out for Santa, although there’s not a reindeer in sight. Once upon a time there was a small town called Demre on the south coast of Turkey ...
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NIGHTLIFE
New Year's Eve Parties
Whatever you do, just stay Away From Taksim Meydan! Here’s how to avoid the attendant crush of people and carelessly tossed fire...
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AROUND TOWN
Kurban Bayramı
The Holiday of the Sacrifice is becoming more humane. James Halliday investigates Not so long ago, before it was made illegal, a trained butcher would perform the K...
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OPINION
The Singleton's X-Mas to-do list
Mike Dunphy explores whether a Christmas tree makes a sound when it falls in the woods. When my father leaned over the back seat of our brown ’84 Chevy Wagon and ad...
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CULTURE
Hanukkah
Alizah Salario talks about Hanukkah in the city The Jewish celebration of Hanukkah marks the rededication of the Second Temple in ...
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OPINION
Surviving Christmas Alone
Alexandra Pavlenko's tips for surviving a Christmas alone in Istanbul I consider myself an independent girl. A brave girl. Yeah, I'm a rebel. One W...
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MOSQUE/CHURCH/SYNAGOGUE
Churches & Synagogues
The holidays are here for us Christians and Jews, and you're probably wondering where to go for those sermons and services. Never fear, this is the old cosmopolitan Constantinople. Choices abound, and some of them are, of course, historic. (Rememb For the Christians: St. Antoine Church The church is on Istiklal, on the left i...
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OPINION
Christmas Downloads
Rich Carriero discusses the role of modern technology in an expat’s Christmas. My wife and I have one rule when it comes to being expatriates; somehow we have to...
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AROUND TOWN
Festive Venues
Nicola Prentis discovers Istanbul's hidden Christmas celebrations Çirağan Kempinski Çirağan Cad. No: 32, Beşiktaş 0212 259 0373&...
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OPINION
Christanbul
It’ll be a Blue Christmas without Nicola Prentis as she goes home for Christmas. In late October my gym was playing a jazzed up version of ‘Good King Wencesl...
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PEOPLE
Ali Atay, Actor
Ayşe Şahin talks to Turkish theatre and film actor, Ali Atay. You are an up and coming actor in the Turkish world of theatre and film; you&rsquo...
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CULTURE
Death of An Architect
Scott Newman on Fatih Camii and its ill-fated architect Atik Sinan. We all know the story: upon completion of a great wonder, the mighty ruler dispose...
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SHOPPING
Holiday Gifts by Astrology Sign
Whether you celebrate Christmas, Kurban Bayramı, Kwanza or Hanukkah this month, now’s the time to start working on your gift list. For those of you who follow astrology, here are some gift ideas for each Sun sign. And for you naysayers who only engage in Aries (March 21 - April 19) Ever seen those winners of shopping sprees madly wh...
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ISTANBULBEAT
SituationIst Hangs a Bauble or Two of his Own
Rhythms of the city         A character in novelist Iain M. Banks’ sci-fi...
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CULTURE
What's in a name?
Istanbul has changed hands—and names—more times that just about any place on earth. Rich Carriero tries his hand at peeling back a few layers of the ancient city’s wallpaper.    One of the reasons I travel is for the rich sense of time interwoven with the bui...
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OPINION
Who would Turkey vote for?
How will the outcome of the November US presidential election affect Turkey?     For most of the year, and particularly over the last few months, the entire world...
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MONTHLY RANT
Confused identities
Ever wonder about the origins of Turks? Well don’t ask us because we have no idea.    If you’ve ever asked us Turks about our national roots you’ll have in...
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SPORT
Mouth-watering Match-ups
Exciting games await Turkish football fans in November.     The Turkish football season has been in session now for over two months, and with...
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BAR
37, renovated bar in Reasurans Pasaj attracts trendy crowd
Nişantaşı’s renovated 37 welcomes you with its energetic music, delicious cocktails and fun but relaxed atmosphere37 has been in the Reasürans Pasaj in Nişantaşı for 3 years, but under new management, the b...
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CLUB
The Fall and Rise of the Supper Club
With so many elements working in its favor, why has Istanbul’s Supper Club, unlike its global counterparts, been plagued by so many problems? Sebastien Mitchell spoke with the club’s newest manager who is determined to put the place back on the map.     With a colorful 15 year history behind it, the Supper Club, which originate...
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MUSIC
The Geştalt of Emre Sen
From "should" to "could": an innovative young Turkish pianist lives and breathes his art through therapy theory.

I do my thing and you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations,...
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MUSIC
Soul Sendikasi
Take a dose of soul music, two foreigners in Istanbul, teach them Turkish and give them a radio slot on the Turkish airwaves and you get Soul Sendikasi: Turkey’s first soul music radio show. Deniz Karaman speaks to DJs Dirk Vermeiren and Ansel Mullins.What is Soul Sendikasi? Dirk: Soul Sendikasi is a weekly one-hour message articulated with a soul s...
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MUSIC
De Phazz Interview
De Phazz creator Pit Baumgartner on 'music collages' and his solo album. with Pit Baumgartner You’ve said that the music you make “gives you space to not list...
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KIDS
More Tales from the Hood
Fatherhood, that is. James Snow shows his baby bore syndrome has not flagged, but grown more bookish.Poet, novelist and jazz critic Philip Larkin got it all wrong in those famous lines of his from the ...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Lust & Found
Gay sex parties in the 'bul      Except for those in denial, sex is part and parcel of being gay, of b...
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REVIEWS
Burn After Reading (2008)
4 stars for the Coen Brothers latest film. 4/6 stars The Coens return to a lighter, glossier vein with this comedy drama about a missing CIA...
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REVIEWS
The Burning Plain (2008)
4 stars for Guillermo Arriaga's film       As a writer, Guillermo Arriaga has wielded a strong influence o...
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REVIEWS
High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008)
1 star for this unrealistic teen film1/6 After much tabloid frenzy, the frigid and terrifyingly wholesome tweeny franchise ‘High...
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REVIEWS
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
4 stars for Woody Allen's latest effort      Woody Allen surprised the Cannes Film Festival this weekend when the ...
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FILM&DVD
Quantum of Solace (2008)
3 stars for the latest Bond instalment     It was always going to be tough to follow ‘Casino Royale’. Not ...
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FILM&DVD
Director Marc Forster
Dave Calhoun catches up with Marc Forster, the director of 'Quantum of Solace', as, in a race against time worthy of his fictional subject, he strives to finish editing the latest in the James Bond 007 spy franchise      Marc Forster, the slim, suave, German director of the new James Bond ...
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BOOKS
Desperately seeking chaos and madness
Pat Yale thumbs through a new book about Turkey and finds it harping back to times gone by.        First the good news: Brendan Shanahan is a wonderful writer and...
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ART
British Orientalism
Exploring British Orientalism at the Pera Museum      In 1978, Edward Said published his groundbreaking book Orientalism, w...
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AROUND TOWN
Pamper yourself: Sensual spas
The Gaia Spa at the Hyatt Regency Istanbul and the Spa at the Ceylan InterContinental are two spas that have taken every detail into consideration. We guarantee you will emerge refreshed and rejuvenated. The Gaia Spa at the Hyatt Regency Istanbul       The Gaia Spa at the Hy...
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FEATURE
High Above It All, Part 2
Nu Teras and Mikla’s Flying Carpet views      The last time I searched for high-altitude, low-attitude places of wh...
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OPINION
Greed in the City
Investigating the Deniz Feneri Scandal       In recent months, crisis talk has filled the air.  But whi...
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OPINION
Vanity- The Mother of all your sins
A look at the deadliest sinWhen is a haircut just a haircut? Alexandra Ivanoff explores the not-so-hidden meaning of self-impro...
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OPINION
7 deadly sins: Sloth in the City
Istanbulus are arguably the laziest people in the world... “The Devil makes work for idle hands.” Isaac Watts

     ...
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OPINION
Lust: Ms. Adventure
When does lust turn into obsession? The sinful nature of lust          I’ll be the first to admit that sleepin...
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OPINION
Envy in the City
True tales of envy in the city“There is a gene that I don't seem to have. I call it LG-3, or Language Gene-3. I have fr...
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RESTAURANTS
Pucci Plus
All you can eat sushi and italian menus at Pucci Plus spoil you rotten. When one thinks sushi, one sees $$$. Especially in Istanbul, where you’ll be hard-pressed to f...
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RESTAURANTS
Brunch at House Cafe Ortakoy
At House Cafe, brunch means a dizzying array of endless options. If your compass points ‘Feast’ and your watch says ‘eat o’ clock’ then...
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RESTAURANTS
Çiya
Not for the faint of heart!The big red warning light of potential gluttonous excess should flash anywhere you pay according to ...
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RESTAURANTS
Go Mongo
All you can eat asian cuisine. A grill the size of three khans? Now that is gluttony incarnate! The centrepiece and main attraction...
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RESTAURANTS
Flavio
5 star Italian restaurant opens in trendy Asmalimescit One of the most authentic and ambitious Italian restaurants, Flavio, has just opened in Asmal�...
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RESTAURANTS
Maya and Kay’s Kitchen
3 stars for this international restaurant  3 stars         If your home is one of these countries: Jordan,...
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RESTAURANTS
Matbah Restaurant
Delicious food with a breathtaking view...       The Ottoman Imperial Hotel has taken advantage of the most beautifully...
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FEATURE
Tasty Bargains
Trolling Tarlabasi street market...   I used to shop at Food Emporium on the corner of 68th and Broadway on Manhattan’...
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TRAVEL
Iran
Iran might not be at the top of your must-see list, but maybe it should be...  As I was preparing for my trip to Iran, friends who had already undertaken the trip would ...
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FEATURE
Fashion Sins
What to clear from your wardrobe today       There are those who consider fashion to be a matter of taste, a means ...
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TRAVEL
Trabzon, Sumela and the downfall of Byzantium
Planning a winter break from the city? Pat Yale recommends a quick foray north-east in search of the last of the Byzantines.      The kerbstones come in maroon and blue, the bus shelters come in maroon...
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FEATURE
Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi
Cumhuriyet Meyhanesı has filled stomachs and raised spirits for over a hundred years...  My go-to place for any special occasion, Cumhuriyet Meyhanesı has filled stomachs and rai...
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PEOPLE
A few minutes with...Abdürrahim Sönmez
Lust comes at the speed of light...  You’ve been photographing models since 2003... How did you get your start in this li...
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CULTURE
Constantine the Last
Scott Newman explores the story of Constantine XI, the last emperor, Missing in Action, 1453.      One by one the candles were extinguished, and the shadows of night slow...
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OPINION
The State of Belly Dancing in the State 

Will bellydancing soon be outlawed in Turkey? belly dancing, AKP...  —MEMO— FROM: the City TO: Belly Dancers Association of Istanbul (BDA) ADVIS...
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ISTANBULBEAT
SituationIst Finds His Sins Reflected in the City
Having an emotional bond with the place we live in is as important to good mental health as breathable air is to the physical variety.  Be they cities of our birth, or those adopted well into adulthood, we harbor a narcissisti...
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FILM&DVD
Eagle Eye (2008)
4 stars for the cliche action film 4 stars   Director: D.J. Caruso 2007   Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan star i...
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FILM&DVD
The Accidental Husband (2008)
3 stars for Uma Thurman's latest effort  Director: Griffin Dunne   3 stars   Dispenser of stern advice on her NYC rad...
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FILM&DVD
Death Race (2008)
4 stars for the thriller  Director: Paul WS Anderson 4 stars   It would take a team of semioticians to expla...
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FILM&DVD
Disaster Movie (2008)
Reviewed merely to tell you NOT to see it!  Director: Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer   1 star   The latest from the writ...
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FILM&DVD
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas (2008)
4 stars for the children's movie  Director: Mark Herman   4 stars   This writer can’t remember witnessin...
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FILM&DVD
Tropic Thunder (2008)
4 stars for the mocumentaryTropic Thunder, Ben Stiller...  Director: Ben Stiller   4 stars     Don’t be late for ‘Tro...
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PEOPLE
Time Out Heroes
We chose our top Istanbul heroes and combined them with heroes from the Time Out world for a fun and enlightening feature.   SEZEN AKSU    How do you deal with being the most beloved woman in Turkey? Do ...
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MUSIC
Paul Van Dyk
DJ plays Discorium 17 October  Recently you released ‘Cream Ibiza 2008-mixed by Paul Van Dyk’. How was being ...
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ART
The Next Global City for Art
Contemporary Istanbul art fair opens with an assembly of nearly 70 local and international galleries. Fair director Emin Mahir Balcıoğlu shares his thoughts with TOiST on the future of contemporary art and its place in the cultural capital of Turkey.       For its third annual installment, the organizers of Contemporary Istan...
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MUSIC
AKBANK'S 18TH ANNUAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
Two Carters—Ron and James, Rhoda Scott, Tomasz Stańko and Stephan Micus, head up the Festival's starry nights, with younger planets following in the comets' trail. Alexandra Ivanoff gives you a quick primer on the major luminaries.  Don't be confused: James Carter and Ron Carter are not related. Though they are both ...
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MUSIC
Diva Diary
2008 Leyla Gencer Voice Competition  The great Turkish opera diva, Leyla Gencer, passed away last May. Initially a success in T...
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OPINION
Famous Turks and Expats
Turkey boasts more historical figures from a wider variety of cultures than any other land of antiquity. Rich Carriero reviews the short list of Turkey’s top ancient heroes.1.  Virgin Mary—Mary tops a list of Christian figures who were from or lived in Turkey.&n...
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MONTHLY RANT
Inconvenience me please!
If there’s one thing I love, it’s to be inconvenienced.  Excuse me sir, whatever it is you’re selling, could you repeatedly shout it at the t...
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SPORT
Pre-match tension
Turkey-Armenia match brings two countries closer In a year that has seen China host the Olympic Games amidst controversy surrounding its near c...
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SPORT
Mehmet Okur Interview
The Turkish basketball star shares this thoughts on life, fame and the importance of his health.   You were the first Turk to win an NBA title – with the Detroit Pistons. What would y...
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CLUB
Fun(k)-da-Mental Kicks
James Snow leaves behind the gritty, populist pleasures of Peyote* and continues his Club Trawl a few blocks up the road at The Hall. Due to apparent incompetence on the part of some staff on the Pozitif event organizing team (someo...
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MUSIC
Armand van Helden
Legendary DJ performs as part of FGs Godskitchen Festival on 18 October You’ve done so much in your career so far- do you recall the moment when you felt like y...
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MUSIC
Animal Collective
Animal Collective plays Babylon on 24 October  You’ve been touring all around the world this summer. What’s been the most exc...
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KIDS
All Hallows
Halloween fun in IstanbulHalloween fun in Istanbul...        Halloween’s coming up and so far I can’t find...
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FEATURE
Yasemin Öz: Human Rights Lawyer
Interview with GLBT rights lawyerInterview with GLBT rights lawyer...When you first meet Yasemin Öz you don’t immediately sense her strong crusading nature. T...
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FILM&DVD
FILMEKIMI Madness
For the past 7 years, Istanbul has been enjoying the most exciting and most talked-about films from the Cannes, Sundance and Berlin film festivals at Filmekimi. For the past 7 years, Istanbul has been enjoying the most exciting and most talked-about films from ...  TOWELHEAD Alan Ball, creator of ‘American Beauty’ and ‘Six Feet Under&r...
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BOOKS
Crime and the city
The streets of İstanbul are becoming increasingly crowded with crime writers on the trail of a good story. With collar turned up and hat pulled well down, Pat Yale goes in search of them. The streets of İstanbul are becoming increasingly crowded with crime writers on the trail of a good... Barbara Nadel, Jason Goodwin, Jenny White and now Mehmet Murat Somer. Suddenly the pavements o...
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AROUND TOWN
Tavla Time
Mike Dunphy explores how one board game conquered Turkey.Mike Dunphy explores how one board game conquered Turkey.... "Our Lord Jesus Christ grants aid and victory to dicers if they write his Name when they roll...
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RESTAURANTS
Caffe Nero
Caffe Nero kicks Starbucks to the curbCaffe Nero kicks Starbucks to the curb...    Caffe Nero (5 stars) Though it’s been 6 months since Italian coffee chain Caf...
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RESTAURANTS
Yoort
Frozen yogurt hits Istanbul!Frozen yogurt hits Istanbul!...  Yoort (6 stars) Funny that a country so obsessed with yogurt has just newly discovered th...
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RESTAURANTS
Aqua- 6 stars
The Four Seasons Hotel's Aqua gets 6 starsThe Four Seasons Hotel's Aqua gets 6 stars...  Aqua (6 stars) After years of never-ending construction, the Four Seasons ‘Istanbul...
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FEATURE
Hamburger heaven!
Hamburgers used to be a staple of fast-food, but today, hamburgers can very well be considered a gourmet dining experience. Here are our picks for the yummiest burgers Istanbul has to offer. Hamburgers used to be a staple of fast-food, but today, hamburgers can very well be considered a go...  5. Gourmet Burger Kitchen Created by New Zealander chef Peter Gordon, Gourmet Burger Kitc...
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TRAVEL
The Lycian Way
With the heat of summer past, it’s a great time to go hiking, Scott Newman, explores Turkey’s most popular trail, the Lycian WayWith the heat of summer past, it’s a great time to go hiking, Scott Newman, explores Turkey’s mo... “What’s a backpacker doing here?, a young female Australian voice cried out from a...
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CLOTHES
Boutique Love
As more and more shopping malls take over the city, seemingly overnight, we at TOiST decided to go in search of some of the best boutiques. We’ve always been a bit contrarian. We present you with a list of some of the best boutiques worth your time and moAs more and more shopping malls take over the city, seemingly overnight, we at TOiST decided to go i... Kop-Art Kop-Art, a unique shop with a loyal following, doesn’t follow trends but rather...
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TRAVEL
The Lake District
Thanks to the poet Wordsworth, everyone knows about the British Lake District. But Turkey has a Lake District too, and Pat Yale discovers that it’s best visited in October.Thanks to the poet Wordsworth, everyone knows about the British Lake District. But Turkey has a Lake... Yellow, gold, russet, red, crimson, orange and brown. As summer segues seamlessly into autumn,...
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PEOPLE
Interview with Doctor Berrin Karadağ
Doctor Berrin Karadağ, an internist and geriatric specialist at a major state hospital in Istanbul,...Doctor Berrin Karadağ, an internist and geriatric specialist at a major state hospital in Istanbul,...
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CULTURE
That sinking feeling…
How safe do you feel on the ferry to Kadıköy? Scott Newman looks back to 1915 when British submarines lurked off Kız Kulesi and a trip across the Bosphorus could have been your last.How safe do you feel on the ferry to Kadıköy? Scott Newman looks back to 1915 when British submar... “It’s a fine morning for submarines”, noted Raymond Swing of the Chicago Dai...
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CAFES
Turkish tea houses
Cute and cozy tea houses perfect for fall. Cute and cozy tea houses perfect for fall. ... Kiki Çay Evi Kiki’s teahouse sounds sweet and tiny and that is exactly what it...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Situationist One Day in a Cafe, generically speaking
The luxury of having a day off is being aware of it stretching blissfully ahead of you when you wake. Which of course is also its inherent tragedy, as you haplessly watch it evaporate before your eyes – meaningful morning to enervated evening. Don’t despaThe luxury of having a day off is being aware of it stretching blissfully ahead of you when you wake... “It’s Monday”, Bowie intoned, scaling his musical peak in the late 70s. “Y...
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ART
Stains and Cellulite
Martin Parr's 'Assorted Cocktail' retrospective at SantralIstanbul shows the uncomfortable normalcy of consumer life...Martin Parr's 'Assorted Cocktail' retrospective at SantralIstanbul shows the uncomfor... Right now, at a resort somewhere in the world, an ice cream cone is melting.  The eater, a h...
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MUSIC
Album reviews - September 2008
The list of the albums of the monthIstanbul Twilight and The Declining Winter albums reviewed... Goodbye Minnesota The Declining Winter Rusted Rail, 2008 Are beloved electronic rock pioneer...
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MUSIC
The sultan cellist Benyamin Sönmez
Alexandra Ivanoff interviews 'The Sultan', Benyamin Sönmez, before his concert here on 26 September and masterclass on 27 September. He might be a glamorous figure, but his story is filled with poignant potholes in the road to success.Alexandra Ivanoff interviews 'The Sultan', Benyamin Sönmez, before his concert here on 2... His professor in Moscow called him "Sultan." His tall, dark, and imposing Svengali-lik...
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RESTAURANTS
Covva
5 stars for Covva... Covva (5 stars)  An intensive renovation has been going on for a while at the former pide...
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RESTAURANTS
Abracadabra
4 stars for Arnavutkoy's Abracadabra...Creators Ahmet and Dilara have a passion for food. ... Abracadabra Arnavutköy Cad. No: 50/1, Arnavutköy 0212 358 6087-88  Open 10 -1...
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REVIEWS
My Best Friend's Girl
3 stars for My Best Friend's Girl...My Best Friend’s Girl (2008)  Director: Howard Deutsch   A first for Turkey! This ...
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REVIEWS
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
3 stars for Beverly Hills Chihuahua... Beverly Hills Chihuahua  Director: Raja Gosnell 2008 From the Director of Scooby Doo and...
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REVIEWS
Wall-E
5 stars for Wall-E...Wall-E (2008)  Director: Andrew Stanton  5 stars Humans land a raw deal when it comes ...
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REVIEWS
The X-Files: I want to believe
3 stars for The X-Files: I want to believeThe X-Files: I Want to Believe (2008) Director: Chris Carter  3 stars    Six yea...
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REVIEWS
Pineapple Express
2 stars for Pineapple Express...Pineapple Express (2008)  Director: David Gordon Green  2 stars    The most...
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REVIEWS
Anamorph
3 stars for Anamorph...Anamorph (2007) Director: H.S.Miller 3 stars Serial killer as artist—a dubious conceit, to...
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CLUB
Touch my body
Percussionist Djenk Sarkus wows Istanbul audiences giving new meaning to McCluhan’s self-referential quip ‘The Medium is the Massage’ Percussionist Djenk Sarkus wows Istanbul audiences giving new meaning to McCluhan’s self-referenti...Imagine, if you will, a sophisticated club setting. The clientele are not your  typical, James ...
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TRAVEL
Amsterdam vs. Istanbul
Both cities have canals, both cities have histories, both cities hava a great social lifes...Both cities have canals, both cities have histories, both cities hava a great social lifes......My city                   ...
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ART
Frank Payne: Capturing Tarlabaşı
Rich Carriero speaks to photographer Frank PayneRich Carriero speaks to photographer Frank Payne...Let’s face it; Tarlabaşı does not have a good reputation.  Though once a Greek quarter ...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Gay&Lesbian Venues
Gay&Lesbian venues in the cityGay&Lesbian venues in the city...Western-style Ajda Fashion meets music: for many years a favorite hot spot for the moneyed gay s...
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FEATURE
Dusk to Dawn and Beyond
Night and day in the city's gay scene Night and day in the city's gay scene ...When world travelers refer to a city as one that never sleeps, the name that invariably crops up is ...
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TRAVEL
Of myth and mountain: Mt Ida/Kazdağı
Pat Yale straps on her walking shoes and heads out in search of Mt Ida/Kazdağı, where the myths are outnumbered only by the growing number of boutique hotels.Pat Yale straps on her walking shoes and heads out in search of Mt Ida/Kazdağı, where the myths a...There’s probably not a mountain in the world that doesn’t exist in a swirling mist of my...
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TRAVEL
Princes Islands
What’s better than taking a day trip to the Princes Islands in the summer? Staying over for two days or more. What’s better than taking a day trip to the Princes Islands in the summer? Staying over for two da...Pippi Longstocking could not have wished for a better place: Only a 20 minute walk away from the B&u...
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TRAVEL
The quiet charms of Bozcaada
Pat Yale packs her bucket and spade and heads over the water to Bozcaada, one of Turkey’s two inhabited Aegean islands.Pat Yale packs her bucket and spade and heads over the water to Bozcaada, one of Turkey’s two inha...Mention the islands of the Aegean and most people will automatically assume you’re talking abo...
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TRAVEL
Armenia
Armenia is not a place for the faint of heart, but it’s not all bad. In fact, you might even be pleasantly surprised. Scott NewmanArmenia is not a place for the faint of heart, but it’s not all bad. In fact, you might even be pl...When I say I’ve been to Armenia it always elicits a hushed response, curious but secretive.&nb...
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FEATURE
Dhoku – A Modern Kilim
It’s not all carpets and sales patter, Nicola Prentis finds a normal shop in the Grand BazaarIt’s not all carpets and sales patter, Nicola Prentis finds a normal shop in the Grand Bazaar...“You want buy carpet? My uncle’s shop….Good price, special for you….&rdquo...
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SPORT
A Guide for the Uninitiated
A new football season is here and as always it’s going to be an exciting battle for the championship title. The three biggest contenders are from Istanbul: Befliktafl, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. They have a long history of rivalry and every time two of theA new football season is here and as always it’s going to be an exciting battle for the championsh...Besiktas Jimnastik Kulübü (BJK) aka Kara Kartallar (The Black Eagles) is Turkey’s ol...
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PEOPLE
Cat Power: Ipek Yaylacioglu
Self-styled “feline goddess” and It Girl İpek Yaylacioglu is proud of her “Wicked®” designs and is not given to false modesty, but is her pride justified? You betcha! We at TOIST were particularly taken by her groovy, ultra-small hats. Self-styled “feline goddess” and It Girl İpek Yaylacioglu is proud of her “Wicked®” design...Generation Y may not have shaken the world yet, or have created something as innovative as punk or h...
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CLOTHES
Vintage part II: the shops
'Must go-feel-see and smell shops' by Sophie ten Bokkel Huinink. 'Must go-feel-see and smell shops' by Sophie ten Bokkel Huinink. ...Istanbul is home to an increasing number of shopping malls, but for those who prefer their wardrobe ...
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OPINION
My name is expat, and I’m an alcoholic.
One writer shares his experience with fighting alcoholism in a city that barely considers it a disease. One writer shares his experience with fighting alcoholism in a city that barely considers it a disea...My personal way of life has been to only deal with truths, tangible ideas and scientific facts. The ...
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FEATURE
Blitzkrieg Bop
Peyote has witnessed an explosion of new talent and experimentation over the last 5 years. So why will most of the world never hear about the bands? And why isn’t the most interesting post-rock, experimental club in the city world-renowned? James Snow invPeyote has witnessed an explosion of new talent and experimentation over the last 5 years. So why wi...Let me stick your neck out here and tell you straight off that if you are looking for the CBGBs of I...
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MONTHLY RANT
Bureaucracy is scary
Public servitude is a crime against humanity, no matter which side of the desk you’re on.Public servitude is a crime against humanity, no matter which side of the desk you’re on....Anyone who’s had to deal with any kind of official paperwork (i.e. everyone) will know the cre...
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KIDS
Boogie baby
Dance classes for kids instil a sense of confidence and a familiarity with rhythm from a young age. Keda Richens examines her options, for her kids of course! Dance classes for kids instil a sense of confidence and a familiarity with rhythm from a young age. ...To plié, or not to plié, that is the question. As someone who was forced to attend bal...
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OPINION
My love/hate relationship with the city
Gripe of the monthGripe of the month...An unfortunately necessary skill for the would-be expat is taking a cab ride without getting ripped ...
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OPINION
My love/hate relationship with the city
Sweet Antidote to Foreigner IsolationSweet Antidote to Foreigner Isolation...Once in my travels through Çukurcuma, I saw the sofa of my dreams. An old carved oak structur...
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FEATURE
Top 10 things to Eat in Turkey
Nicola Prentis whittles the contenders down to ten, competition was fierce but the referee’s decision is final.Nicola Prentis whittles the contenders down to ten, competition was fierce but the referee’s decis...As any Turk will tell you, Turkish cuisine is one of the three great cuisines, along with French and...
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OPINION
Ex-pat chronicles
Crossroads, literallyCrossroads, literally...When Westerners come to Turkey for the first time, they generally are rather bowled over with what t...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Rhythms of the city
SituationIst Says Skip the Pre-amble and Walk the WalkSituationIst Says Skip the Pre-amble and Walk the Walk...Earlier this week I set myself a strict walking regimen for crossing central Beyo#lu, and then follo...
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FEATURE
Walk don't run
Rene Ames on Istanbul’s Gay Walking Tours Rene Ames on Istanbul’s Gay Walking Tours ...Even with the crashing economies the world over, when  the value of the dollar is shrinking fas...
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FEATURE
Homesick cooking
Rich Carriero shares one of his favourite remedies for missing the folks back home.Rich Carriero shares one of his favourite remedies for missing the folks back home....Smell and taste are the most evocative senses.  Ever smell Christmas pine in the middle of summ...
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FILM&DVD
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
The much anticipated Hellboy sequel arrives at the end of a superhero-loaded season of films which all seem to be Xerox copies of each other with the exception of The Dark Knight.The much anticipated Hellboy sequel arrives at the end of a superhero-loaded season of films which a...The first Hellboy’s unexpected success owed much to the freshness of the character. The spawn ...
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CULTURE
The Afterlife of Euphemia
Scott Newman explores the life after death of Byzantium’s most popular saint.Scott Newman explores the life after death of Byzantium’s most popular saint....September 16th 304 Euphemia looked across the sand as the lions appeared.  They eyed her and s...
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BOOKS
Comics for all ages
Comics are one of the most important forms of literature today. Don’t believe us? Read on. Rob MacGregorComics are one of the most important forms of literature today. Don’t believe us? Read on. Rob Mac...Let’s assume one of three things: you’re reading this because you A) know nothing of com...
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CULTURE
Bad grass
The grasslands of central Asia are a great unknown to people in the west. Rich Carriero describes how this remote region continuously shaped history in Turkey for centuries.The grasslands of central Asia are a great unknown to people in the west. Rich Carriero describes h...The steppes, an ocean of grass stretching between the Volga and China, were a historic wild card.&nb...
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ART
Stains and Cellulite
Martin Parr’s “Assorted Cocktail” retrospective at SantralIstanbul shows the uncomfortable normalcy of consumer life. Martin Parr’s “Assorted Cocktail” retrospective at SantralIstanbul shows the uncomfortable nor...Right now, at a resort somewhere in the world, an ice cream cone is melting.  The eater, a hous...
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AROUND TOWN
Sick of the visa run? Get the ikamet
The secret to your sanity: make sure your paperwork is perfect before you get there. Alexandra Ivanoff shares her dos and don'ts for a smooth sail through the bureaucracy. The secret to your sanity: make sure your paperwork is perfect before you get there. Alexandra Ivan...First of all, take a Turkish person with you. Where you will be going to join the confused queues of...
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BOOKS
Local hero
When author Barbara Kingsolver resolved to live the Good Life, an eye-opening work of non-fiction came to fruition. Fiona McAuslan gets some food for thought.When author Barbara Kingsolver resolved to live the Good Life, an eye-opening work of non-fiction ca...In 2000 Barbara Kingsolver, bestselling author of ‘The Poisonwood Bible’, made a life-ch...
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CULTURE
Econo-tourism
OK, OK, we know you live here, you’re not a tourist. But you still have visitors, don’t you, and they want to see the sights? So if you’d rather not see your entire month’s salary gobbled up while showing them round you’re going to have to find some ways OK, OK, we know you live here, you’re not a tourist. But you still have visitors, don’t you, and...Complimentary culture It’s not easy to get out of paying the whopping entry fees for the Su...
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FEATURE
The beginner's guide to seeing the future
Passed down from generation to generation, could coffee-cup reading hold the key to Passed down from generation to generation, could coffee-cup reading hold the key to ...Before you get started, remember the following rules: 1) Always turn the coffee cup towards you...
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FEATURE
Light Fantastic
Ekin Erekli searches the menus for dishes that prove that eating lightly doesn’t have to mean foregoing flavour.Ekin Erekli searches the menus for dishes that prove that eating lightly doesn’t have to mean fore...As we all know, eating lightly and eating healthily are much the same thing. And eating lightly also...
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FEATURE
Summer in the city
Rene Ames checks out the summer scene and finds it just as hot as the temperature outside. Rene Ames checks out the summer scene and finds it just as hot as the temperature outside. ...For gays and lesbians stuck in Istanbul in the height of summer the options for finding solace from ...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Rhythms of the city: Fransiz Sokagi
Sunlight, camera, (but not too much) actionSunlight, camera, (but not too much) action...So, ever been curious about how our months were named? No? Well, humour me anyway. For instance, mil...
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PEOPLE
My name is Emre Sahin
On a stopover in Istanbul en route between L.A. and Vietnam, film-maker Emre Sahin shares his journey from a college Fetish to Hollywood’s Last Stand with his sister Ayse Sahin. On a stopover in Istanbul en route between L.A. and Vietnam, film-maker Emre Sahin shares his journe...TOIST: In 1999 while you were still a student at Boston’s Emerson College, your short film, Fe...
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MUSIC
Notes from underground
James Snow ventures away from the glam and the glitz of the major summer music festivals and catches up with bassist Douglas Vegas to discuss the Turkish James Snow ventures away from the glam and the glitz of the major summer music festivals and catches... Douglas Vegas is no stranger to the Turkish alternative rock scene. Since he arrived in the city, ...
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SHOPPING
Asian bargain hunt
At first sight Istanbul’s ‘other’ side doesn't seem to have much to offer visitors, but actually Kadıköy represents the ultimate combination of flânerie, serenity and just plain value for money. With its wide range of cheap stores offering literally At first sight Istanbul’s ‘other’ side doesn't seem to have much to offer visitors, but a...Kadiköy Pazarı Spreading out over a massive area near the entrance to Kadıköy Belediy...
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OPINION
The Splat Pack
What’s with all these spoilt little brats everywhere? It’s time to cut back on theWhat’s with all these spoilt little brats everywhere? It’s time to cut back on the...Is there anything more depressing than being on a bus while having to endure the antics of an attent...
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TRAVEL
Yalova
Pat Yale hops across the Marmara and dips more than her toes in the thermal waters of Termal.Pat Yale hops across the Marmara and dips more than her toes in the thermal waters of Termal....As the sun continues to beat down, the temptation is to head straight for the beaches of the Black S...
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MOSQUE/CHURCH/SYNAGOGUE
Haghia Sophia (Ayasofya)
Third on the site to bear the name, the existing Haghia Sophia ('Divine Wisdom') was dedicated on 26 December AD 537 by Emperor Justinian. He had come to power less than a century after the fall of Rome and was eager to prove his capital a worthThird on the site to bear the name, the existing Haghia Sophia ('Divine Wisdom') was dedic...He had come to power less than a century after the fall of Rome and was eager to prove his capital a...
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FEATURE
Beds and the city
Looking for somewhere to stay and wary of the wrong reception? Rene Ames checks out Istanbul's gay-friendly accommodation.Looking for somewhere to stay and wary of the wrong reception? Rene Ames checks out Istanbul's ...Recently the much-heralded opening of a 70-room, four-starred Planet Victoria in Antalya's Keme...
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SHOPS
Go green!
Keda Richens finds out where to buy organic food for your kiddies.Keda Richens finds out where to buy organic food for your kiddies....One of the things I’ve always loved about Istanbul is the seasonal fruit and veg. Sure, it can...
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SHOPPING
A treehouse with a difference
It’s not every day that you come across a shop with soul. Pat Yale went to visit a treehouse in Kemer and had a very pleasant surprise. It’s not every day that you come across a shop with soul. Pat Yale went to visit a treehouse in Ke...As soon as you spot a child drawing on the walls of treehouse with a piece of chalk carefully provid...
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OPINION
'Me' Fetishism
self-flatteryself-flattery...If you can’t say anything bad about yourself, then don’t say anything at all. Our local...
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TRAVEL
Marmara Island? Do you mean...?
The Marmara Islands are in, well, the Sea of Marmara. Pat Yale sets sail to see them with the bucket-and-spade brigade.The Marmara Islands are in, well, the Sea of Marmara. Pat Yale sets sail to see them with the bucket...'I'm off to the Marmara Islands for the weekend,' I tell an İstanbullu friend, and, ...
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BOOKS
Bizarre continguity-the poet's view of Istanbul
His poetry is so evocative of Istanbul that it has become almost part of the fabric of the city itself. Vincent Czyz goes to meet John Ash and finds him relishing the city’s constant atmosphere of change. His poetry is so evocative of Istanbul that it has become almost part of the fabric of the city itse...When Poetry magazine suggested ‘John Ash could be the best English poet of his generation,&rsq...
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FEATURE
Rice pudding again?
It may seem a strange idea to most Westerners, but there was a time when Turkey was awash with purpose-designed pudding shops. After a period in which they seemed to vanish, suddenly all things dessert are back in fashion again, with several chain puddingIt may seem a strange idea to most Westerners, but there was a time when Turkey was awash with purpo...The ‘Pudding Shop’ in Sultanahmet gained fame in the 1960s as the place to hang out and ...
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GAY & LESBIAN
A gay favourite in the making?
Is Elbi Yanki the new Tarkan? The new Mustafa Sandal? Rene Ames goes to meet the latest darling of the gay clubs and finds him savouring his success.Is Elbi Yanki the new Tarkan? The new Mustafa Sandal? Rene Ames goes to meet the latest darling of t...His cherub-like face, unsullied except by an unconvincing attempt to look edgy with an incongruous m...
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AROUND TOWN
A future for overnight housing?
It’s the other side of life in Istanbul, the life that is lived in poor, makeshift communities often full of immigrants from elsewhere in Turkey. These are the communities for whom shopping in Akmerkez is beyond a dream. But are things changing in the gecIt’s the other side of life in Istanbul, the life that is lived in poor, makeshift communities oft...You get a different view of the Bosphorus if you look at it from Küçük Armutlu, a s...
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ISTANBULBEAT
Rhythms of the city
Istanbul, eh? There ain’t half been some historyIstanbul, eh? There ain’t half been some history...It’s an open secret, and one I’m happy to perpetuate, that we live in the greatest city ...
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PEOPLE
Home sweet home
If you’ve only just arrived here you will already be starting to understand what a vast great city modern Istanbul is. If you’ve been living here a while you certainly won’t need any reminding of that fact. But what if you’re thinking to settle down here?If you’ve only just arrived here you will already be starting to understand what a vast great city...My name is:  Jennifer Gaudet (Canadian owner of Java Studio coffee-house) I live in: ...
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MUSIC
Give it away, give it away, give it away now
‘Kaos’, Yakup’s new album, not only delivers fine Turkish rock but it’s also completely free, as James Snow reports.‘Kaos’, Yakup’s new album, not only delivers fine Turkish rock but it’s also completely fre...Yakup Trana, one of Turkey’s most innovative guitarists and rock lyricists, is back at it agai...
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MUSIC
My name is Hediye Güven
Ayşe Şahin goes to meet a popular jazz singer and finds her in a philosophical frame of mind.AyşeŞahin goes to meet a popular jazz singer and finds her in a philosophical frame of mind....TOIST: ‘Playground’ is…? Hediye Güven: A sophisticated jazz thing.  An...
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MUSIC
Battle of the bands on Balo Sokak
James Snow enjoys an unbalanced night at Balans Tonique and talks to MTV’s Sezin Çavufloglu about what it all meant.James Snow enjoys an unbalanced night at Balans Tonique and talks to MTV’s Sezin Çavufloglu abou...Stuff a crowd of people, mostly twentysomethings or younger, into a cramped venue, soak their brains...
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FOOD&DRINK
Sweet Treats
The upside of the month of fasting is that it ends with fieker Bayrami, the three-day Sweets Holiday, when Turks countrywide visit their families bearing gifts of all things sweet and sticky. Most people have heard of Turkish delight but that’s not the onlThe upside of the month of fasting is that it ends with fieker Bayrami, the three-day Sweets Holida...Confectionery has come along way since it was first used to mask the flavour of unpleasant medicine ...
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SPORT
Istanbul Start Kit: Beginner's Guide to Turkish Football
When it comes to football there’s none so fanatical as a Turk. Soccer-loving Chris Bird runs you through what you need to know to make the most out of a trip to the stadium.When it comes to football there’s none so fanatical as a Turk. Soccer-loving Chris Bird runs you t...Any London soccer fan coming to İstanbul would inevitably observe that one striking cultural simila...
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CULTURE
A life in the day of Istiklal Caddesi
Istiklal Caddesi is the pedestrianised Beyoglu street that runs from Taksim Square to the Tünel with the nostalgic tram (see p.8 ) creaking and rattling down the middle of it. In the 19th century this was the heart of Pera, the most westernised part of ‹sIstiklal Caddesi is the pedestrianised Beyoglu street that runs from Taksim Square to the Tünel wit...8am Where else could you start a stroll along İstiklal Caddesi other than Taksim Square, home to...
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CULTURE
A life in the day of Divanyolu
Divan Yolu is the stretch of road that runs between Sultanahmet Meydanı and the Grand Bazaar with the tram trundling down the middle of it. As such, it is transited by thousands upon thousands of tourists every year, but how many of them ever pause to coDivan Yolu is the stretch of road that runs between Sultanahmet Meydanı and the Grand Bazaar with t... 8 am   This being such a touristy part of town, there's not much stirring so early...
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FOOD&DRINK
Pizza vs. Lahmacun: Game on!
Joshua Kloke has spent a considerable amount of time looking for great pizza in Istanbul. Food critic Nicola Prentis counters with the “when in Rome...” argument. In other words, when in Istanbul, eat as the Istanbullites do: lahmacun and pide!Joshua Kloke has spent a considerable amount of time looking for great pizza in Istanbul. Food crit...All loves are traceable back to your past. That sounds a bit Freudian; but I’m just rather hun...
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AROUND TOWN
Couch surfing
In a city of approximately 15 million people, have you ever wondered how many couches must be left empty every night? Wouldn’t you love to just crash on one of them and spare yourself the hotel bill? And wouldn’t it be nice to have a local show you the ciIn a city of approximately 15 million people, have you ever wondered how many couches must be left e... Sixteen hours into her first visit to ‹stanbul, Arndis Johnson from Toronto, Canada, is...
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BOOKS
Return to the Gulag
Is Martin Amis still the bad boy of literature? Or do we remember him more, now, for his famously expensive dentistry? As his latest oeuvre ‘A House of Meetings’ hits the paperback shelves, John Lewis reflects on the man and his increasingly self-parodyinIs Martin Amis still the bad boy of literature? Or do we remember him more, now, for his famously ex... ‘Amis shuddered to his desk, desky in its deskiness. What to write? To write, what? Writ...
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AROUND TOWN
Ho, ho- the hop-on, hop-off bus tour experience
Maybe you're new to town? Maybe you have visitors who want you to show them around? You've probably seen those big red double-deckers lurking in the Hippodrome, but have you ever thought of getting into one? The hop-on, hop-off bus tour has beenMaybe you're new to town? Maybe you have visitors who want you to show them around? You've... It's Saturday morning and I've bagged a front seat on the bus. It's a lovely su...
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TRAVEL
It's not so grim up north
Putting politics to one side, Pat Yale visits the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC); it may not be the world’s best-loved state, but it still has a lot to offer for a short spring break. Putting politics to one side, Pat Yale visits the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC); it may... Just think of the pluses. First off, the TRNC has the benefit of proximity, being just a 90-mi...
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AROUND TOWN
The cosmic cycle of smug
A New Age of Gnostic enlightenment and spiritual well-being is upon us. Here’s how get out from under it.A New Age of Gnostic enlightenment and spiritual well-being is upon us. Here’s how get out from un... Religious extremism is on the rise, and Istanbul is no exception. In the last few years we&rsq...
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MUSIC
From klezmer to the Caucasus
London-based Oi Va Voi are bringing their eclectic Eastern European sounds to Babylon this month, for a two-night run that promises to be a corker of a show; where a rock concert collides with a classical ensemble, hotly followed by a gypsy band and a groLondon-based Oi Va Voi are bringing their eclectic Eastern European sounds to Babylon this month, fo... How did you get together with Oi Va Voi? The band started about seven years ago. We were a gr...
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CULTURE
What's with the 'Stache?
Rob MacGregor delves into the mustache issue in Turkey, and comes out with one of his ownRob MacGregor delves into the mustache issue in Turkey, and comes out with one of his own...I maintain that there are only three people in all of existence that can pull off a moustache: Tom S...
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MUSIC
Album reviews- April 2007
Joss Stone, Deerhoof, El-P Albums Reviewed Introducing Joss Stone - Relentless   Apparently, Tom Cruise once invited the Devon div...
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KIDS
Putting the fun back into functional design
Cheap eats, painted faces and bathing in balls; no, the circus hasn't come to town. I'm talking about a day at Ikea, currently one of my favourite things to do. Keda Richens.  It’s probably not going to do much for the over-eights and teens, who’ll no doubt ...
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GAY & LESBIAN
Page affairs
This season’s queer-lit highlights should keep you empassioned till spring. By Beth Greenfield Baby Remember My Name: An Anthology of New Queer Girl Writing Edited by Michelle Tea Carroll...
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FOOD&DRINK
The good, bad (and ugly) on the grapevine
Of all the travel destinations for wine lovers throughout the Mediterranean, Turkey has about as much chance of making the list as Iceland. A surprising fact, writes Joe McCanta, considering that Turkey is the fourth largest producer of grapes in the worl Despite the impression you may receive late on a Saturday night in Taksim, the average Turk in...
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FILM&DVD
Q & A with Darren Aronofsky
Darren Aronofsky says ‘The Fountain’ is ‘a post-“Matrix”, metaphysical science fiction movie.’ His producer, Eric Watson, calls it ‘a love poem to death’. Fans say, ‘That wasn’t a movie, man, that was an experience.’ One detractor tagged it, ‘A pile of tiInterview with the Director... ‘The Fountain’ is science fiction, but not as we know it. It is science fiction, ...
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FILM&DVD
To Saturn and beyond
Director Ferzan Ozpetek is breaking the mould at the International Film Festival this month by being the first filmmaker of Turkish origin to open the proceedings. Ozpetek's famous 1997 debut 'Hamam- a Turkish Bath' won him international ac 400,00 people went to see ‘Saturno Contro’ within three days of its opening in Ita...
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BOOKS
Baudrillard is dead (but was he ever alive?)
Yeşim Erdem Holland looks back at the life and legacy of one of the world's most notorious writer/philosophers. Life and legacy of Baudrillard...     In 1991, while we were watching the Gulf War live on TV until morning, as w...
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CAFES
Sultry spirits
If there’s one thing to be learned from the Gatsby-era flappers of the ‘20s it’s how to stay cool. Joe McCanta takes us through the essentials of summer cocktail cool.   If there’s o...
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RESTAURANTS
Bak-Lover: A History of Baklava
There are few things that unite the fractious former lands of the Ottoman empire, divided by race, language and religion; but there is always Baklava.Scott Newman on the history of baklava   There are few things that unite the fractious fo...
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SHOPS
A Turkish Diet
The restaurant critic goes on a diet. Nicola Prentis tries to find the lighter elements of dining A La Turca.I don’t own up to the four or five kilos of fat I have acquired in Turkey when I am checking m...
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RESTAURANTS
The lüfer trail
Turks name their bluefish according to size: from small sardine-like dimensions to the mass of a salmon, they are variously Defne Yapragi, Çinekop, Sarikanat, Lüfer, and Kofana.Caleb Lauer traces the journey of a lüfer, (bluefish), from its violent gang activities in the Bo...Out in the Bosphorus the lüfer swim in gangs, following schools of mackerel.  When hungry,...
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SHOPS
Edirne on your doorstep
It's not as if it's far to go. You can get there by bus in two and a half hours which makes it a perfect day-trip destination. Of course it doesn't boast ski slopes like Bursa or beaches like Çanakkale. On the other hand what Edirne does haIt's funny how it's the places that are closest to us that we most easily overlook. How el...What to do and where to stay Edirne's town centre is pleasingly compact – you can walk...
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