10 Unique Things to Do in Istanbul

“A lifetime isn’t enough to discover Rome” is an expression that also applies to its fellow former Roman capital, Istanbul, a city I found nothing short of magnificent.

I wanted to finish off my Istanbul coverage by recapping some activities that I strongly advise you not to miss. And while I hate the guilt that the word “must-see” tends to ascribe, here are some things to do in Istanbul that I really loved.

Read more

Blue Mosque Dreaming

Ever since visiting the Alhambra Palace in Grenada, Spain, when I was 16, I’ve had a serious soft spot for Arabic or Moorish architecture. I find myself fawning over the horseshoe arches, the intricate, geometric patterns, the swooping Arabic calligraphy… and there’s no better place to bask in the beauty of Arabic architecture than at … Read more

The Best Meal I Had in Istanbul

During my stay in Turkey my cousin Suzy, who is an Istanbul expat, took me to a restaurant so good it deserves its own post- Çinaralti. Çinaralti serves affordable, tasty Turkish food in the style of Korean barbecue. But you won’t find any kimchi here- at Çinaralti it’s traditional Turkish fare all the way. We, as in Suzy, … Read more

Istanbul by Instagram

I won’t lie- I kind of love Instagram. And I definitely loved Istanbul. So why not feature a post that combines the two? Here are my favorite shots from my recent trip to Istanbul, a complicated, exotic and stunning city I got to know over a too-short span of five days. Simit. A simit is … Read more

Saturday Snapshots 16 & 17

Hello, lovelies! So as you may have noticed, I didn’t post a Saturday Snapshot last week because I was in ISTANBUL, a city that totally deserves all-caps. I have a strict no-computers-allowed rule-on-weekend-trips rule because if I can’t be away from my laptop for five days then I may truly have a problem. (Furiously scrolling through my Instagram feed on my iPod totally doesn’t count, right?)

So this week’s Saturday Snapshot are my favorite photos from the last two weeks… but naturally, they are all from my Istanbul trip– a very photogenic city may I just say!

Read more