Istanbul, inspiring as always.
I can still smell the bazaar if I concentrate hard enough.
After some (albeit very little) arm twisting, I managed to convince my friend Shirley to come along for the ride. She joined me from Tel Aviv for 4 days and MY did we fill our time...
It was fantastic to be with family and friends for the first time in three months! Highlights included meeting Karel's new man, the most loveable Max, spending time with Shirley girl, and of course seeing my family - everyone from grandparents to cousins to their babies - and immensely enjoying their company and of course, the food.
Outside of people time, and with much thanks to Karel and Muriel for seeing to it, I did get around to seeing some new and exciting things Istanbul had to offer up...in the spirit of warming myself up for a blog on style, trends, and the new and exciting, I have reviewed them here.
Galata Moda
A temporary retail event showcasing Istanbul's best and brightest fashion designers. While I think the actual fashions available left a bit to be desired, the attendees were certainly fabulous. I found myself wanting to ask everyone where they got their clothes.
The event is set up around the old Galata Tower (built in 1300s) which is situated near the hip and happening
Beyoğlu and Tünel districts in what was once a very Jewish neighborhood. My grandfather, in fact, spent much of his childhood nearby.
Several booths showcasing clothes, jewelry and other items were brightly lit and heavily visited...in the middle they set up a cafe and a radio station was broadcasting live. A very lively event that I think really showcased the young, fashionable set in an extremely favorable way.
Santral Istanbul
Afterwards, we hopped a taksi (no 'X' in Turkish, kids!) to a pretty abandoned area of town where they recently renovated an old electricity factory into an exhibition space. The furnaces, control room and large mechanical equipment have all been left in tact and are completely accessible to the public.
I went completely beserk in the control room. Aesthetically such an antique, yet modern and scientific space. As it was night, I didn't get great photographs, but Karel did do a little fashion shoot with me.
Much of the exhibition downstairs was oriented towards teaching children science, but that did not stop us from spending an hour playing with magnets, video cameras and listening to the 'rain' simulated by ball bearings.
It's a fantastic place, and I look forward to seeing it develop as a cultural center and public gathering space. Between the factory itself, the exhibits, the expansive surrounding outdoor space, the new Otto restaurant, and the adjacent university, the space has a lot of potential to shape future thoughts about what an art space should be.
Istinye Park
Generally speaking, this is another mega-mall, bringing a new home what few brands had not yet broken into Istanbul market yet (and of course all the regulars as well). Two distinct pieces that are unique to Istanbul shopping centers round it out nicely, however.
The first is the area on one far end that is dedicated to the high luxury brands. Above ground, these stores have an intimate cul-de-sac and street-level entrance, giving it a very Rodeo Drive feel. Each store also has a lower level, which coincides with the upper level of the mall, making them accessible in both environments.
On the other far end is the 'Istinye Bazaar' - an indoor marketplace styled after an oudoor market with stalls for fruits and vegetables, fish, a charcuterie, a butcher, a wine shop, etc. The environment is bustling as any outdoor market would be in Istanbul. One unique characteristic is the inclusion of a café/restaurant dedicated to each retailer. Patrons select their cut of meat or their fish, it is prepared on the spot, and they enjoy it literally within feet of the shop. A relatively new concept, it is refreshing to see the Turks taking to it so well...there was not an empty table in sight.
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