Flow: Work Better

I have to repost this great text from Medium, my thoughts exactly:

• Unsubscribe from any newsletter you don’t immediately want to devour. 
• If an email that doesn’t require a response or action, delete it. 
• Use one program at a time. Don’t even leave something open in the background. Multitasking makes it hard to focus and makes tasks take longer.
• Turn off every notification. 
• Focus in tiny increments. 30-45 minutes at a time or so. 
• If you’re frustrated, leave. Get some air, eat a snack, meditate for 10 minutes.
• Keep a log of what you eat during the day and how you feel afterwards. 
• Follow fewer people on social media. 
• Work at your peak time. During that time, turn off your phone and email, never schedule meetings and remove distractions.
• Turn off emails from social media networks. Do you really need to know when someone friends you? 
• Don’t work hard, work better because busyness doesn’t equal productivity. Make tasks take less time, so you can accomplish more and then have time for other, better things.

You can find the article here.

Istanbul: Sultanahmet and where to go for street food

So, May is almost over, and I got new tickets to somewhere (over the rainbow, almost). 

All of a sudden, for this last week in Istanbul, I decided to move closer to the seaside and marina. Morning jogging and evening promenade, peace and quiet. (And there is a wine bar next door).

So far, my favorite places for street food are:
— Maya's corner in Sultanahmet for spicy doner,
— Falafel'ci in Moda for falafel wrap.

Haven't tried mussels here yet.

Istanbul: Night Ferry Boat

After a hard day like this take a short walk through the night market, turn right to the street with tiny turkish coffee shops, head to the seafront promenade, and take a ferry to somewhere. 

Destination doesn't really matter. Let the wind and water take you away.

Istanbul: Memories and the City

From brunch in Cihangir to shopping district Nişantaşı to tricky paths of Maçka park. 

...the crumbling fountains that haven’t worked for centuries; 
the poor quarters with their forgotten mosques; 
the sudden crowds of schoolchildren in white-collared black smocks; 
the old and tired mud-covered trucks; 
the little grocery stores darkened by age, dust, and lack of custom; 
the dilapidated little neighborhood shops packed with despondent unemployed men; 
the crumbling city walls like so many upended cobblestone streets; 
the entrances to cinemas that begin, after a while, to look identical; 
the pudding shops; 
the newspaper hawkers on the pavement; 
the drunks that roam in the middle of the night; 
the pale streetlamps; 
the ferries going up and down the Bosphorus and the smoke rising from their chimneys; 
the city blanketed in snow...

― Orhan Pamuk, Istanbul: Memories and the City

Istanbul: Perfect Sunday in Kadiköy

Perfect Sunday in Kadiköy includes having brunch at the seaside in Fenerbahçe park, watching sailing race at Kalamış marina and getting new Sperry topsiders at the Edwards store. 

Almost done with my thesis. Pure happiness.

Istanbul: lovely Cihangir neighborhood

Today, somewhere between designing posters and writing the thesis, I had some time for a short trip to Cihangir. 

Well, Cihangir is definitely a "good place to pretend to write that novel". Charming and lovely and lots of beautiful people hanging around. Spotted: Journey and Kaktüs are both so great, you can easily spend all day there. 

Also, been to Siemens Sanat gallery which is incredibly boring and dull, seems like they just don't care about artworks and visitors at all.

Hope to be at the yacht race tomorrow.

Istanbul: Kadıköy favorites for desserts, coffee and lunch

Had some time today to check Baylan cafe and try their legen-dary Kup Griye. Wait for it: vanilla ice-cream + caramel ice-cream + honey almonds + caramel + whipped cream + pistachio + biscuit. Yeah... Perfect with strong turkish coffee. The patisserie is pretty old, and they have these interesting old chairs, probably from the 60's. It feels like it's a family place where parents with kids go on Easter holiday to have some really great dessert.

And here are my other Kadıköy favorites — Lagün for lunch and Fazıl Bey'in Türk Kahvesi for turkish coffee. Both are great, always a pleasure to be back there.

Week's progress: Kings of Convenience and Norway Week

Wow, this week was so busy, I just noticed it's Friday night already.

I can tell you that we have a great stage design for the Kings of Convenience concert next week — thanks to our friends from the Dreamers United. If you are going to this Seasons' design weekend — you can get some KoC tickets as well. 

Also, our special project Norway Week is up and running. You are very welcome. Get Scandy is ♥.

(I'm an art-director of the Kings of Convenience concert and designer of iknow.travel special promo project Norway Week).

Istanbul: Exploring art galleries and rooftop gardens

It was quite a beautiful day today.

Starting at breakfast at Kafka rooftop garden with a great view of Bosphorus, ending with some artsy people at Mavra design cafe and SALT gallery. 

SALT is really interesting with this neatly designed exhibition space spread over three levels, a bookshop (not your average Taschen art books) and a patio (which is always nice). I should check the curator's profile and write more about the place.

Istanbul: Exploring european side — Galata

Expats living in Kadıköy say:

I was supposed to go to a birthday party tonight, but it’s all the way in Europe. Wanna go to the pub with me instead?

Anyway, I've been to "Europe" today — spent some time in Galata, seen a few galleries, a coworking space and even a lomography store&printshop. Seems like a pretty hip area. 

Somehow I constantly compare asian side to european. Some people say that Kadıköy feels more authentic, more real, whatever that means. What I know is it's less explored by tourists, and therefore have some special charm (and we have a marina here!).

Istanbul: It's been a long day

Tuesday was a disaster.

In the morning the power in my apartment shut off all of a sudden. I can live without water but is it possible to live without internet? And my turkish sim card was apparently dead (no mobile internet either). After a few disgusting conversations at Turkcell offices it turned out that you have to register your (foreign) mobile phone in Turkey for 150tl/$83 if you use it more than two weeks. Meh. 

I'm still buried under work related emails (10 pm) but life feels a little bit better after a short trip to Karaköy for brunch and french manicure.

Istanbul: Best coffee spots in Eminönü

So far, I have 3 favorite spots for coffee and sweets in Eminönü:

— Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi coffee shop. It's pretty popular, and you have to wait in line a little bit, but they work really fast. So when you get your coffee bag it's still hot and smells like heaven. Now I have a gift for my favorite barista.
— Brew Coffeeworks cafe, a perfect place to get your latte and carrot cake, charge your iPhone and watch promenade. 
— Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir. To get great lokum (turkish delight) from a historic shop where it was apparently invented. 

I've tried about 10 restaurants in this area, they all have great views, nice interiors and mediocre food. Forced to get Wallpaper's and LP's city guides, hope it helps.

Istanbul: Lazy Sunday afternoon

Sunday was quiet (as it should be).

Istanbul: Beşiktaş

Today I hopped on a wrong boat and somehow ended up in Beşiktaş. 

I've been thinking for a long time about this kind of events. I believe that there is a purpose for the things that come into our lives. There is always a feeling that tells us to go or to stay, to do or not to do something. And sometimes you can feel something special about a complete stranger. 

The first photo is a view from my balcony, where I'm writing my thesis. I can see Bosphorus from here and it makes me happy.

Istanbul: Bosphorus and Fatih

What I like the most here is Bosphorus. I try to use ferry every day so I can stay  again on the lower deck watching milky waves running away. Feels like on the road again.

Had little time today to explore Fatih neighborhood. Noticed some negative impacts of russian tourism here. Discovered a small place with great baklava. Tried spicy lamb kebap at Çiya Sofrasi and loved it.

Hope to see the islands this weekend. 

Istanbul: Kiz Kulesi and Üsküdar

Today there was Kiz Kulesi (an old tower on a tiny island/tragic legends/James Bond movie). Earlier it used to be a cyanide warehouse. Now it's a lame tourist attraction. So, I was sitting at the seaside waiting for my boat when I saw... jellyfish! Lots of them! All around! I've seen them once or twice in aquariums but never in the open water. And it was pure magic seeing them disappear and then pop-up out of nowhere. 

Later there was Üsküdar neighborhood and wooden houses and paving stone streets and well-known Kanaat Lokantası serving Ottoman cuisine where some elderly tourists were staring at my emerald shorts. Tried mercimek corbasi and izmir köfte. 

Also, it's 15 celcius outside and I'm hiding at home and working on the app. 

Istanbul: marina and the boats

And today there was a marina, and lots of white boats, and all these important men were walking around and making their important things. This neighborhood is completely different. There are some decent apartments, and private schools with swimming pools, and lots of sailing stores, and even some special sailing sculptures on the streets. 

At one of these seaside restaurants I had a breakfast with two new friends of mine — two white swans were sitting right next to my table. We were thinking about the sea, and the boats, and their names. Like "La Luna", and others. 

What does it feel like to be in the sea? To be so free and so fragile at the same time?

Istanbul: Kadıköy

Today I went to Haydarpaşa Garı, an old railway station. I don't know why this "busiest rail terminal in Turkey" was completely empty this morning. So strange to find a quiet place in bustling Istanbul.

Later I roamed the neighborhood and stumbled upon a charming little street filled with old gramophones and vintage wares and lots of vinyl! And there was a newsstand with my favorite Monocle magazine, that is not easy to find. The owner is a beautiful Italian woman who made me so happy by just speaking Italian to me. 

Tried some spicy falafel and ayran and ezo gelin. 

Still, most of the day was filled with drawing sketches for a mobile app and making postcards for Beat Film Festival. 

Istanbul: Moda neighborhood

Spent all morning at the seaside watching boats passing by. Do you think I can sail one day? Can I be a pirate? 

Had some free time before work and played tavla with a bartender. I always win, but not this time. They have some special turkish rules here. 

Also, discovered a micro-roastery with homemade desserts in Moda, yay!

Istanbul: Eminönü

Beautiful sunny day it is! 

So I took vapur (ferry) to Eminönü, skipped all tourist attractions to avoid crowds and walked for hours around Sirkeci, Sultanahmet, Süleymaniye and mosques and bazaars. Had fun talking to merchants. Got some sweets from Haci Muhittin (one of the oldest sweet-makers). Discovered a secret terrace to drink herbal tea and watch the Bosphorus from above. Tried sütlaç. 

Anyway, Moda neighborhood is my favorite place in town so far. Going to know it better.