The Evergreen

This one is always a huge dilemma. After 2 days in Ula- in the Aegean- I came back completely renewed. Ula is close to Gokova or Mugla, depends which one you know better.

Fresh air... great food... orange gardens... and quality time with close ones. These were the main elements of my weekend. Monday morning I was ready to tackle Istanbul , from scratch.
My main discovery this weekend was bergamot. As huge “Earl Grey” fan as I may be, I had never known that bergamot was a citrus fruit until I saw it this Sunday. In next weeks food section I will share some treasured recipes from this end of the world.
But for this week I will leave you with some great photos of what the mediterranean has to offer...

Blowin’ in the wind... Chagall and Robinson Crusoe 389

Starting with September, autumn in Istanbul means film festivals, galleries and the Istanbul Biennal. Having reached November without visiting any of these –except Filmekimi- it was time to hit the road when Chagall was in town. (Thank you Yucel!)
The Chagall exhibition composed of both paintings and beautiful prints takes place in the Pera Museum and will continue until 24 January 2010.

The exhibition was originally intended for January 2009, but was postponed due to the “one minute” event of Davos last year in which the political sensitivities between Prime Minister Erdogan and İsraeli President Simon Peres*.

Chagall’s theme of lovers is only one part of the exhibition. But, it was my favourite. Having gone through 3 marriages, his paintings and understanding of love was devoted to his first wife, Bella.
Here’s a quotation from the man himself: “Is it not true that painting and colour are inspired by love?” (chagall,1973)

Our day continued when we popped by to the cutest bookstore on earth,Robinson Crusoe 389. (Does anyone has any other favourites?) Located on Istiklal Street Istanbul in entering this store, you never want to leave. One can spend hours muddling through the books... especially with the mild jazz playing in the background. When leaving they will wrap your books in the most elegant brown paper bag.

Oh by the way, they do have a website too**, but I would suggest dropping by to the store itself when you are in town.

*Source:http://sanat.milliyet.com.tr/Sanat/HaberDetay.aspx?aType=HaberDetay&KategoriID=45&ArticleID=1154058&Date=30.10.2009&b=Gec%20de%20olsa%20CHAGALL%20Pera%20da

** www.rob389.com

Jimmy Choo for H&M?
After various designer trials such as Sonia Rykiel, Matthew Willamson, Roberta Cavalli ...H&M does it again. But this time its different. It's Jimmy Choo.

A range of shoes, bags, accesories will be available in stores across Europe 14 November onwards...

More details @ https://www.jcforhm.com/

London


London is second home. So, this piece will be different than the other “places” articles that I hope to write in the days ahead. (Watch this space...) What I understand of London is quite different to most, but I will keep atuned and write of the more conventional and the hip stuff.

Hamsptead

This suburb located in the North, is home to the most elegant, understated but neo-classic neighbourhood. Kenwood Gardens is huge a park that one may remember from the film shooting scene of Notting Hill. It is great for a picnic and a day out. Walking out of Kenwood, you can pop into Spaniard’s Inn. This pub is is one of the toll gates to London City- I was told as a child. Spaniards Inn or any other pub is great for a pint, but a Sunday Roast- the typical Sunday tradition is a must.

Notting Hill

Moving swiftly towards the city centre Notting Hill once a subtle, local neighbourhood that livened up with the Portobello market has today become a landmark in its own right. For those of you who are devotees of the Magnolia Bakery, Hummingbird Bakery (http://hummingbirdbakery.com) is London’s response. Vanilla icing and the mudcakes are a delight.

The City Centre

Though I have always loved the clean-cut, creamy,pillar based architecture that surround the city centre, I am not its most devoted fan. There are, however, one or two places that stand out and must be visited.

Food&Drink

Toto: Located in a mews and underground, this restaurant is my dads favourite. He knows good food. Hence the five star rating for the best İtalian in London.

Gaucho: For the one who likes a good Argentinian steak+red wine.

Eclipse : For the best Watermelon Martini in town ( well it was when I was a student)

Coccoon : If you want to run into Kate Moss while you’re having a drink after work ...

Freud: Located underground in Covent Garden , try “Aztec”...

Sketch : Salvador Dali meets Alice in Wonderland, this restaurant/bar that also has a patisserie during daytime deserves a visit for its wild interiors... (http://www.sketch.uk.com/)
Shops

Reiss: Let me explain it in its most simple form. If I haven’t visited this shop, even if it is to just check out their current collection, I do not leave London.

LK Bennett: A girls answer to most quality, chic, timeless shoes.







Galleries and Art Museums

Must sees...

Serpentine Gallery – located in the middle of Kensington Gardens , a hidden gem.

Tate Modern- must see view of London from the cafeteria.

The National Gallery- a great collection and a landmark building at Trafalgar Square, next door to National Portrait Gallery.

The Wallace Collection – Home to one of Europe's finest Baroque and classics art/sculpture collection.

For those who are actuallt intrested in modern art and collect art our suggestions (Thank you Selen!) are Whitechapel Gallery, Gagosian, The White Cube(@Old Street), Saatchi Gallery (@Chelsea).