Browsing by Category: Istanbul


Earrings by Urbanbake. Photo by Gökay Çatak.

Check me out in The Shopping Issue this weekend. I take a departure from my natural Jersey mall habitat to dine at Borsa in Istanbul’s Istinye Park, then shop at Building near Galata Tower. Then I return to Rome for hand woven scarves at Spazio Artigiano.

Beylerbeyi

Beylerbeyi is a neighborhood on the Istanbul’s Anatolian coast, northeast of Uskudar and just past the First Bosphorus Bridge. The area is dominated by the Beylerbeyi Sarayi, a massive and ornate summer palace built by the Sultan Abdulaziz in the nineteenth century. Beside the palace (more…)

On Tuesday night I met my friend Şemsa for dinner at Asmalı Cavit in Beyoğlu. This spot is a typical meyhane (restaurant serving alcohol and mezes) in a part of town that is packed with such establishments. The quality of food varies wildly and most places are more attractive for their atmosphere (more…)

Muhammara.

Last year my friend Can sent me to Antebi, a restaurant in Caddebostan (Istanbul) specializing in food from Southeastern Turkey. I was immediately hooked. Their richly spiced food, liberal use of pomegranate molassas, and quality ingredients are all the things I need in life. (more…)

Marron glace' and vanilla gelato at Ciampini, Rome
Gelato at Ciampini in Rome.

I’ve already been over some of the worst. Now it’s time to relive the best bites of 2010. The past year was kind of nuts. I really hope my mom isn’t reading this because she is very close to staging an intervention for my compulsive gluttony. (more…)