MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL
04 MARCH APRIL 2014
MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL
HOME &
March - April 2014
FAMILY FOCUS
YOUR CHILDREN IN ISTANBUL STAYING IN TOUCH WITH LOVED ONES OVERSEAS ORGANIC SHOPPING GUIDE and much more…
Table of
Contents
20
2 Board information 3 IWI vacancies 4 Board interview
22
IWI
REGULAR ACTIVITIES 6 Neighbourhood coffee mornings 7 Newcomers 8 Groups, clubs and regular activities
Starting a family in Istanbul A Belgian Easter Feathering your Istanbul nest More than words can say Neighbourhood tour: Balat Settling your children in a new city Helping far away friends in need Exhibition in its 8th year
46
HEALTH & FITNESS
54
PROGRAMS
22 24 26 28 32 36 38 40
SPONSORED ARTICLES 42 The ultimate baby trolley challenge 44 The Sultan’s retreat
IPWIN
CALENDAR
FEATURES
MUMS ‘N KIDS
58
17 12 10 09
06 02
March / April 2014
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
46 Eating organic in Istanbul 48 Aromatherapy in the home 52 REsolution: RElaxation REvolution
54 7 great places to take young children 56 Announcements
PREVIOUS ACTIVITIES 17 Le Cordon Bleu cooking demonstration 18 Christmas festival
CHARITY
March - April 2014
58 60 62 64
Groups and associations Partner offers Classifieds IWI policies
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IWI BOARD INFORMATION IWI Office Hours:
IWI BOARD MEMBERS Chairwoman
Nilgün Coruk
chairwoman@iwi-tr.org
Vice-Chairwoman
Tammy Ni
vicechairwoman@iwi-tr.org
Treasurer
Nicole Liao
treasury@iwi-tr.org
Secretary
Natalie Vaatz-Deutscher
secretary@iwi-tr.org
Office Manager
Karlygash Omurbayeva
officemanager@iwi-tr.org
Membership Secretary
Ayşe Natalie Akcan
membership@iwi-tr.org
Events Coordinator
Elena Skylarskaya
events@iwi-tr.org
Events Coordinator
Marine Boixiere
events@iwi-tr.org
Sponsorship Coordinator
Anne Marie Yilmaz
sponsorship@iwi-tr.org
Marketing Manager
Alison Cecil
marketing@iwi-tr.org
Lale
Eleanor Ross
lale@iwi-tr.org
Yayını Yapan / Publisher:
Advertising Coordinator
Aylin Gottardo
advertising@iwi-tr.org
IWI International Women of İstanbul, Dernek Kod: 34-64/027
Charity Coordinator
Jo Bradley
charity@iwi-tr.org
Programs Coordinator
Ambili Ramachandran
programs@iwi-tr.org
İrtibat Adresi / Address:
Neighbourhood Coffee Mornings Coordinator
Christina Türk
ncm@iwi-tr.org
Newcomers Coordinator (Eur)
Hana Danon
newcomerseurope@iwi-tr.org
Newcomers Coordinator (Eur)
Camelia Sağisman
newcomerseurope@iwi-tr.org
Newcomers Coordinator (Asia)
Petra Gönenç
newcomersasia@iwi-tr.org
İmtiyaz Sahibi / Licensee:
Newcomers Programs
Ayşe Yücel
newcomersprograms@iwi-tr.org
Suzanne Bruns Kaluti Adresi / Address: Badur Boğaziçi Evleri No. 3/5 Özden Sokak Nispetiye Caddesi Etiler, İstanbul Tel: 0212 287 45 57
Mums n Kids
Maria Petersen Çiftgül
mumsnkids@iwi-tr.org
IPWIN Coordinator
Ulli Allmendinger
ipwin@iwi-tr.org
IPWIN Coordinator
Hong Yang
ipwin@iwi-tr.org
IPWIN Coordinator
Namita Srivastava
ipwin@iwi-tr.org
Liaison Officer
Ebru Demirel
liaison@iwi-tr.org
Wednesday from 10:30 AM till 1:00 PM Adresi / Address: Adnan Saygun Caddesi, Çamlıtepe Sitesi No:74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus Ortaköy İstanbul – TURKEY Telephone: 0212 287 35 71 www.iwi-tr.org Dergi Adı / Magazine Name: Lale, Monthly Programme of the International Women of İstanbul
Adnan Saygun Caddesi, Çamlıtepe Sitesi No:74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus Ortaköy İstanbul – TURKEY
Sorumlu Yazı İşleri Müdürü / Responsible Editor: Laily Neyzi Adresi / Address: Kemerburgaz Mesa Evleri, Lavanta 7, D:9, 34075 Göktürk, İstanbul
IWI BOARD ASSISTANTS Charity
Juliana Elerman
charity@iwi-tr.org
Yayın Türü / Issue Type:
Website
Esbie van Heerden-Ünsal
esbie@iwi-tr.org
Yerel Süreli
E-Letter Coordinator
Suzy Kaluti
iwieletter@iwi-tr.org
Tasarım / Design:
Neighbourhood Coffee Mornings Sadia Zafar
ncm@iwi-tr.org
Newcomers Programs
Kim Francis
newcomersprograms@iwi-tr.org
Reservations
Cynthia Hadatoğlu
reservations@iwi-tr.org
Book Club 1
Lesley Tahtakılıç
tahtakilic@superonline.com
Book Club 2
Mary Akgüner
mary.akguner@gmail.com
Istanbul@night
Charlotte Hesp
istanbulatnight@iwi-tr.org
Lale Health and Fitness Editor
Ulli Allmendinger
ulliall@yahoo.com
Lale Health and Fitness Editor
Darcy Holmer
lale@iwi-tr.org
Lale Editorial Assistant
Louise Pye
lale@iwi-tr.org
Lale Editorial Assistant
Victoria Hogg
lale@iwi-tr.org
Marlet Advertising Studios www.marlet.com.tr +90 216 386 32 16
Matbaa / Printer: Marlet Print Solutions www.marlet.com.tr +90 216 386 32 16
Basım Tarihi: 17.02.2014 Sayı: 69
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March - April 2014
Join the IWI Board & IWI Teams!
• • • • •
Do you want to sharpen your professional skills? Do you want to learn a completely new skill? Do you have some extra time on your hands? Do you have excellent people skills? Do you want to meet people from all over the world and join a fun team?
I
f you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above questions, we may have a place for you on the IWI board or teams. Whether you would like to help a little, or to play a more professional role, we would like to speak to you! We can offer you support in undertaking a new role and learning new skills. There is no need for you to have a gap in your CV and you can gain valuable experience while you are in Istanbul.
Current team openings: Events Coordinator
Mums n Kids Assistant
If you are interested in taking on some great event projects. meeting people, and discovering new places in Istanbul then this job is for you! Between the Spring Ball, the Christmas Festival, and other major IWI events, you’ll work with a fun team of international women and gain significant experience in project management.
Support the Mums n Kids Coordinator with planning, implementation and administration of the Mums n Kids Programme. A great opportunity to get involved with IWI’s popular playgroups and kids events and meet like-minded people.
Please contact Nilgün Coruk, IWI Chair, to find out more. You can reach Nilgün at chairwoman@iwi-tr.org.
Please contact Maria Petersen Çiftgül, our Mums n Kids Coordinator, to find out more. You can reach Maria at mariabwp@hotmail.com.
Sponsorship Assistant Are you keen to be part of a dynamic team and to help the IWI community? The sponsorship assistant will be responsible for maintaining the sponsor database and assisting with IWI fundraising events by contacting sponsors for donations of cash, products, services or raffle gifts. For this role you will need very good communication and organisational skills. Ability to speak Turkish to at least an intermediate level would be ideal. Please contact Anne Marie Yilmaz, our Sponsorship Coordinator, to find out more. You can reach Anne Marie at sponsorship@iwi-tr.org. March - April 2014
ALL ROLES ARE VOLUNTARY.
3
IWI BOARD INTERVIEW
Maria Petersen Çiftgül Tammy Ni, IWI’s vice-chair, interviews our Mums n Kids Coordinator…
Maria Petersen Çiftgül – our much appreciated Mums n Kids Coordinator!
Tell me about yourself. How long have you been in Istanbul, and engaged with IWI? I am Danish with a Turkish husband and two young children. I have been living in Istanbul for eight years and actively involved in IWI for five of those. I started as a participant to the baby’s play group then moved on to become the toddlers’ play group coordinator as my son grew; later on, I became the Mums n Kids coordinator.
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What is the most rewarding part of your job?
What is the most challenging part of your job?
I think the most rewarding part is to see kids and mums having a good time and enjoying all the activities that we arrange. Also I have made many longterm friendships and we thrive through different circumstances together. By helping each other out, we form a very special bond, especially as we are all at the same or similar phases in life.
Though the job is very rewarding, it is very challenging at times. Particularly in event arrangement, which is very time consuming and labour intensive! Tell me about the Mums n Kids activities and events. We have three playgroups (pregnant and baby, toddlers’ group from one to two and a half years, and a kids’ group for over two and a half year olds). They March - April 2014
meet weekly. The locations vary, but they are mostly on the European side in central areas. Sometimes when weather is nice, we meet up at the parks.
Gymboree’s teachers in musical chairs, a costume parade, a monster dance, pull ropes, arts and crafts and trick or treat.
We have held three major events in the past two months:
Christmas brunch: This event took place at Robert College’s restaurant. Thanks to the partnership of Karen Holyoak Ciftci and her teachers from Eden’s Garden international preschool, and the festive duo of our Charity Coordinator Jo Bradley and her husband Carmen (Santa and his elf), we had a blast with holiday sing-along, gifts from
Halloween party: Thanks to strong support from Gymboree Ulus and Eden’s Garden international preschool, we had a successful event. Kids were divided into two groups – above and under three years old – and lead by
March - April 2014
Santa, arts and crafts, face painting and a treasure hunt. The kids’ room at the IWI Christmas Festival however, was the highlight of the year. Gymboree Ulus again out-did themselves, offering free set-up and an English-speaking teacher onsite to run all the activities. What’s coming up next? The next event will be the Easter party in April. More details will be provided shortly…
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NEIGHBOURHOOD COFFEE MORNINGS Depending on where you live, you’ll automatically be added to an email list for your neighbourhood coffee mornings. Coffee mornings are held on the second Wednesday of the month from 10.30am-12.30pm. Please be on the lookout for emails from your local area coordinator.
AREA COORDINATORS Area A
Etiler
Marilyn Milligan
marilyn.milligan@bridge-tci.com
Area B
Tarabya Sarıyer
Büyükdere
Derryn Snowdon
derrynsnowdon@fastmail.fm
Area C
Akatlar
Ulus
Christina Türk
christinaturk@tnn.net
Area D
Arnavutköy Bebek Rumeli Hisarı
Baltalimanı
Karen Chesnut
karen_chesnut@hotmail.com
Area E
Ortaköy Levazım
Balmumcu
Dawn Biyashev
dancemachine3@gmail.com
Area F
Beşiktaş
Levent
Sadia Zafar
drsadiazafar@yahoo.com
Area G
Nişantaşı Osmanbey Şişli/Fulya Gayrettepe
Esentepe Tepebaşı Teşvikiye/Maçka
Michele Green-Taş Mary Akgüner
michelegreentas@gmail.com mary.akguner@gmail.com
Area H / I
Yeniköy İstinye Maslak
Reşitpaşa Emirgan
Szilvia Nagy
szilviaboldva@gmail.com
Area J
Zekeriyaköy Kilyos/ Uskumruköy
Marlene Bronte
nutritionalmedicine@hotmail.com
Area K
Kemer
Göktürk
Didem Sağıroğlu
didemsagiroglu@gmail.com
Area L
Beyoğlu Taksim/Tünel Sultanahmet Harbiye Fatih
Gümüşsuyu Eyüp Cihangir Topağacı Gaziosmanpaşa Kabataş
Ayşe Yufkayürek
ayse.yufkayuerek@gmail.com
Area M
Maltepe Kadıköy Moda Üsküdar Ataşehir Kartal
Ömerli Tuzla Küçükyalı Salacak
Lynn Nish
nishlynn5@gmail.com
Area O
Ümraniye Çekmeköy Beykoz Çengelköy Anadolu Hisarı
Beylerbeyi Kanlıca Polonezköy Kandilli Kavacık
Valerie Çelebi
valericelebi@superonline.com
Area P
Büyükçekmece Küçükçekmece Hadımköy Bakırköy Ataköy Yeşilköy Yeşilyurt Bahçeköy Bahçelievler
Güneşli Yenibosna Beylikdüzü Halkalı Bahceşehir Bağcılar Esenyurt Küçükköy
Natalie Vaatz Deutscher
nvaatz@gmail.com
Area Y
Caddebostan Fenerbahçe Bostancı Erenköy Kalamış Suadiye
alideçeşme V Göztepe Bakkalköy Çiftehavuzlar Şaşkınbakkal Küçük Bakkalköy
Members living in Area Y are invited to attend the Asian Side Newcomers Coffee mornings at Café Cadde in Erenköy, every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month.
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March - April 2014
Newcomers Are you a Newcomer?
Welcome! IWI holds coffee mornings twice a month, on both the Asian and European sides. EUROPEAN COFFEE MORNINGS LA KANTIN, ALKENT
Our popular bi-weekly meeting spot in Etiler welcomes you anytime between 12 noon and 2 pm for lunch, coffee and a friendly chat. Camellia and Hana, our newcomer coordinators, will be there to greet you with a smile and introduce you to the other members.
ASIAN COFFEE MORNINGS DİLEK PASTANESİ, CADDEBOSTAN
Please note that there is a NEW venue for the Asian side coffee morning! We will be meeting at Dilek Pastanesi on Bağdat Caddesi in Caddesbostan. Meet new members, establish new friendships, or renew existing ones.
We look forward to seeing you there!
DETAILS DETAILS Date
See Calendar for details
Time
11:00 am -1:30 pm (Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month)
Venue
1st floor terrace, Dilek Pastanesi, Caddebostan
Pay as you order
Cost
Pay as you order
Meeting place
Tepecik Yolu, Alken Sitesi, Etiler
Meeting place
Bağdat Caddesi No:290, Caddebostan
Reservations
Not required
Reservations
Not required
Contact details
Camellia Sağışman: 0532 236 9755 Hana Danon: 0532 213 3151
Contact details
Petra Gönenç: 0532 275 4219
Date
See Calendar for details
Time
12 noon -2:00 pm (Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month)
Venue
La Kantin
Cost
March - April 2014
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GROUPS, CLUBS AND REGULAR ACTIVITIES IPWIN
Photography Club
CHESS CLUB
IPWIN, the International Professional Women of Istanbul Network, welcomes all women who are working, seeking employment, or unable to work in Turkey for legal reasons. Our members meet monthly at our IPWIN ‘first Wednesday’. The ‘first Wednesday is an informal get-together based around a specific topic, and is aimed at professional development and networking in a relaxed environment. We also schedule special events through the year featuring business-related topics. Contact: ipwin@iwi-tr.org
The photo club is a group of international members whose skill levels vary from very basic to semiprofessional – but who all share the desire to capture the world in a photograph and to explore Istanbul while doing so. The group discussion includes all current event information, bi-weekly photo challenges, tips and tricks, and general photography topics. Contact: Fay Magnusson photoclubofistanbul@gmail.com
Once a month, IWI members have the opportunity to learn to play chess or to improve their chess skills free of charge with Women’s Chess Grand Master and 2006 European Champion Ekaterina Atalik. Children aged five and over are also welcome. Contact: Ekaterina Atalik makacat@yandex.ru 0533 690 4782
NEW CLUBS Book Club
Istanbul@Night
Istanbul@night offers a regular opportunity for IWI members, their spouses and friends, to get together and enjoy a few drinks in a fun, new and interesting spot in the city. Everyone is welcome for a relaxed and sociable evening to enjoy some of the best Istanbul has to offer! Istanbul@night takes place on the last Thursday of every month. Look out for more details in the newsletter and on the IWI website. There is no cost to attending, just come and along and pay for what you order. Contact: istanbulatnight@iwi-tr.org
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There are two IWI book clubs. Book Club 1 is currently over-subscribed, but Book Club 2 is open to new members! Contact: Mary Akgüner (Book Club 2) mary.akguner@gmail.com
Is there an activity that you’d enjoy participating in with other IWI members that you don’t see listed here? An Art Club? A Movie Club? Or?! How about starting a new club in order to find members who share your interests? We welcome suggestions and coordinators for new IWI regular activities. Contact: Alison Cecil marketing@iwi-tr.org
TENNIS CLUB IWI WEEKLY OFFICE HOURS
If you enjoy playing tennis please join our group! Teams are based on skill level and we welcome all players from beginners to intermediate and advanced. Tennis Group takes place at Torch Tennis in Tarabya. Contact: Kenan Dündar kenandundar911@hotmail.com 0535 390 4983
The IWI office hours are on Wednesdays from 10:30 -1:00. Our new office is nice and bright and has a lovely garden. Feel free to drop in for a chat or if you have any questions. Ahmet Adnan Saygun Caddesi No 74, Çamlıtepe Sitesi Block C1/D2, Ulus 34347 0212 287 3571 There’s a map at the back of the magazine! March - April 2014
ipwin IPWIN The new team of Namita, Yang and Ulli have now taken on the organisation of IPWIN events – we are hoping to continue the successful legacy that Katharina has left behind…
IPWIN members at January’s ‘first Wednesday’ event with Aslı Ergenekon.
What’s been happening? In January’s First Wednesday of the month, Aslı Ergenekon, a certified health coach, taught us about ‘Increasing energy and acquiring skills to manage stress and create a work life balance’. We discussed causes of low energy and mid-afternoon slump at work, types of stress and its impact on our energy level. Then she outlined ways to cope with daily stress, the importance of creating a work life balance and how to take the necessary steps to do that, while giving simple tips to incorporate into your daily life to manage stress efficiently and increase your energy levels. Later in January, Karen van Drie, whose blog ‘Empty Nest Expat’ has been lauded as the best expat blog published, gave a seminar on how to ‘Update and Globalise Your Personal Learning Network via Twitter’. Describing herself as a 21st century information expert, van Drie successfully has a twitter steam @emptynestexpat, which is featured in The Wall Street Journal and the London Telegraph. The First Wednesday in February was led by Selma Aydemir, owner of the natural cosmetics company March - April 2014
IDA.KEW in Turkey, who spoke about ‘How to become a successful women entrepreneur in Turkey’. Amongst the questions she tackled were starting a company from an idea, then getting funding and a business plan; advertising and marketing strategies; import and export strategies and more. On 19 February, Derryn Snowden gave a seminar on ‘Emotional Competence’, where she took us through three techniques that help reduce stress, allow to get rid of emotional baggage around negative thinking and give a deep relaxation effect on the mind and body. Emotional Intelligence is a buzz word in business nowadays with research showing that Emotional Competence is a better indication of success than IQ. The Pure Awareness Techniques she uses are natural and easy to learn but the results are deep and lasting.
great at managing multiple projects vs. just multitasking on speed to stay afloat. Later, on 19 March, Ayurvedic practitioner and nutrition expert Ulli Allmendinger will teach a seminar on ‘Life In Balance – Optimal Health, Weight and Energy with Ayurveda’. Outlining the basic concepts of this beautiful ancient wisdom, she will give hands-on practical advice on how to live a life with more balance, focus and energy. She is also owner of Ulli’s Kitchen, a line of gluten-free breads and treats to support gluten-free healthy living and optimal digestion. On 2 April, Semiha Ünal will give a presentation on ‘How to reach your target market’ at the Konyali Restaurant, and later on 23 April, Tara Ağacayak will teach a seminar on ‘Empowering the Global You’.
Coming up… On 5 March, marketing guru Faika Dilsizoğlu will present ‘Managing Multiple Projects vs. Multitasking: The difference between being a strong project manager vs. a stop-watch controlling a race horse’. Join us as Dilsizoğlu walks us through how to be
Ulli Allmendinger, on behalf of the IPWIN coordinating team
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Calendar
S at u r d ay
March m o n d ay
03
t u e s d ay
w e d n e s d ay
T h u r s d ay
Newcomers Coffee Morning (Asian Side)
IPWIN ‘first Wednesday’ Managing Multiple Projects vs. Multitasking
Newcomers Coffee Morning (European Side)
04 11 Newcomers Coffee Morning (Asian Side)
17
18
12 IPWIN: Life In Balance
19
Meet an Artist and her Works
24
06
Neighbourhood Coffee Morning
Shopping with Colette Sol
10
05
25
S u n d ay
01
02
08
09
14
15
16
21
22
23
28
29
30
F r i d ay
07 Baklava Demonstration
13 Newcomers Coffee Morning (European Side)
20 Istanbul @ Night
26
27
Coffee Morning at Hazal Kilim
31
10
March - April 2014
April m o n d ay
Bomonti Shopping with Ayşe
07
t u e s d ay
w e d n e s d ay
T h u r s d ay
Newcomers Coffee Morning (Asian Side)
IPWIN ‘first Wednesday’ How to reach your target market
Newcomers Coffee Morning (European Side)
01 Walking Tour with Istanbul Privé : Kadıköy and Moda
08 Newcomers Coffee Morning (Asian Side)
14
15
02 Neighbourhood Coffee Morning
09 Guided Tour at Pera Museum
16 IPWIN: Empowering the Global You
21
22
23
29
30
03
F r i d ay
S at u r d ay
S u n d ay
04
05
06
11
12
13
18
19
20
25
26
27
Yufka Cooking Demo with Ayşe
10 Newcomers Coffee Morning (European Side)
17 Istanbul @ Night
24
Workshop: Fostering Communication with your Children
28
March - April 2014
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programs SHOPPING WITH COLETTE SOL
LET’S COOK TURKISH FOOD
Colette Sol Shoes are well known for their comfort, elegance and colours. For several years Colette lived in Istanbul where she set up a shoe factory together with a Turkish partner. You can feel the passion in every step of the production process in the factory, from design to distribution. The colours, designs, materials, heels and especially comfort are carefully chosen to achieve a unique simple elegance that immediately boosts every woman’s confidence. Part of the revenue is donated to the Colette Sol Foundation, which supports women projects around the world such as Çöp(m)adam in Ayvalik, Turkey; GlowbalAct in Zürich, Switzerland in their fight against trafficking of women; and Olympic Champion Leontien van Moorsel’s foundation which supports girls with eating disorders.
The Istanbul Cooking School is a boutique cooking school with a friendly workshop atmosphere in smaller groups. Their target is to teach to cook Turkish food and to promote the Turkish culinary culture. Turkish cuisine is considered to be one of the richest cuisines in the world and with its emphasis on fresh and seasonal ingredients is also a healthy option in hectic urban lives.
“Every woman feels the positive energy of colours and beautiful shoes, all the more so if they are also comfortable. If we can contribute to make a difference for women around the world with our label then that makes us very happy.” Colette Sol invites IWI members to visit their store in Sultanahmet to discover for themselves the colours and comfort of their shoes. Regular boot prices are between €150 and €250, but for IWI members there will be discounts up to 50%!
DETAILS Date Time
Venue
Reservations
In this cooking class you will be preparing a meal of Turkish specialties: • Mung bean soup with fennel • Homemade pita bread • Wine leaves filled with minced meat • Semolina helva The price includes tea, beverages and printed recipes. The regular price for this workshop is 50 euros; IWI members have been offered a special rate for this event. The school is operating near Galatasaray, right next to the British Embassy. For more information you can visit www. istanbulcookingschool.com. DETAILS Date
Friday 14 March 2014
Time
10.30am – 2.30pm Kamer Hatun Mahallesi, Tarlabaşı Bulvarı, 117/2, Beyoğlu 70TL (cancellation minimum 48hrs before, otherwise charged the full rate)
Meeting point Monday 10 March 2014 Walk in anytime between 10.30am to 4.30pm Collette Sol store, Binbirdirek Mahallesi, Klodfarer Caddesi. No: 11a, 34200 Sultanahmet, Fatih Online: www.iwi-tr.org or email reservations@iwi-tr.org
Cost Maximum participants
Minimum 7 Maximum 17
Reservations
Online: www.iwi-tr.org
Deadline
Wednesday 12 March 2014
Person to contact Contact Details
Ayşe Yücel reservations@iwi-tr.org
Please note: CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full.
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March - April 2014
BAKLAVA DEMONSTRATION
MEET AN ARTIST AND HER WORKS
The people of Istanbul were first introduced to baklava in 1949, when Mustafa Güllü, from the Güllüoğlu family in Gaziantep, opened the first baklava shop in Istanbul, in Karaköy. The family has been in the baklava business since the 1800s. It started in Gaziantep when Güllü Çelebi went for six months to Damascus and Aleppo, which were very famous for desserts, to learn the details of making baklava. After his death, the business was continued by successive generations, and finally brought to Istanbul. Karaköy Güllüoğlu started as a small shop and now has the first baklava factory in the world. Still in Karaköy, it can produce more than 2.5 tons of baklava. Specialists in baklava come to this shop from all over Istanbul. Karaköy Güllüoğlu has regular customers who have been buying baklava from them for over 50 years. A lot has been lost and changed in Karaköy since 1949, but Karaköy Güllüoğlu is still present with its unique taste.
Sevgi Çağal is a Turkish-American painter and sculptor, raised in New York and currently living in Istanbul. She is well known for her use of round forms and vibrant colours in her paintings and her bronze sculptures that celebrate women. Her work can be found in collections worldwide. In this interactive session, Sevgi will be talking about her work – techniques and what inspires her, her creative process and the different periods of her work. In her words “art is my life and life is my art”. Meet the artist and her works at this session with a difference!
You will be touring this famous factory and discovering the secrets of making baklava, a not to miss event! The tour will last 1 hour and after you will be able to buy this delicious baklava to take home or to enjoy on the premises. Please note that the normal price for this tour is 40 euros, for IWI members Güllüoğlu is kind enough to waive this fee and offer it for free! DETAILS
DETAILS Date Time Meeting point Cost
Thursday 20 March 2014
Date
Monday 25 March 2014
10.15am (the tour will start at 10.30am) Karakoy Gulluoglu, Mumhane Caddesi. No: 171 Free (non-members will be charged a 20TL fee)
Time
10.30am to 12.30pm Sevgi’s studio in Etiler. Zeytinoglu Caddesi, close to Akmerkez mall
Venue Cost
Free
Maximum participants
10
Reservations
Online: www.iwi-tr.org or reservations@iwi-tr.org
Maximum participants
25
Reservations
Online: www.iwi-tr.org
Deadline
Tuesday 18 March 2014
Deadline
Thursday 20 March 2014
Person present Contact details
Ayşe Yücel reservations@iwi-tr.org
Person to contact Contact details
Ambili Ramachandran programs@iwi-tr.org
Please note: CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. March - April 2014
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programs COFFEE MORNING AT HAZAL KILIM
BOMONTI SHOPPING WITH AYŞE
Engin Demirkol, her husband Ahmet Demirkol and their daughter Hazal, after whom the store is named, manage Hazal Kilim. For the first eight years the store was in the Arasta Bazaar in Sultanahmet and for the last 20 years it has been in an old Ottoman house just steps away from the Bosphrous in Ortaköy. This is their home; to enter it is to be welcomed as much into their lives as well as their store.
Bomonti in the Sisli district is one of the fastest developing residential areas. It was named after a brewery, which was founded in 1890 by the Bomonti Brothers of Switzerland. Bomonti harbours some of Istanbul’s historically and culturally priceless buildings. It is, at the same time, the heart of commerce and business.
Engin, a fluent English speaker, will explain to us the world of kilims: their different qualities, how to tell a well-woven kilim from one of lesser quality, what kind of things to look for in a kilim and what factors influence the price of a kilim. Hazal specialises in Anatolian old kilims and carpets which were made for personal or family needs, one of a kind beauties from different parts of Turkey. Kilims and carpets collected by Ahmet are properly cleaned and restored and made ready to take place in future happy homes all over the world.
For shopping lovers, Ayşe Yücel will be introducing you to the discount stores in the Bomonti area. Having lived in Şişli for 10 years, Ayşe knows the back streets where all the wholesalers are and is adept at finding bargain prices. Wear comfortable shoes, as you will be doing quite a bit of walking!
After this fascinating talk, anyone interested can join together for lunch in the Ortaköy area.
DETAILS Date
Monday 31 March 2014
Time
10.30am Hazal Kilim, Mecidiyeköprüsü Sokak No:9, Ortaköy (market area)
Meeting point
DETAILS Date
Monday 7 April 2014
Time
10.30am
Meeting point
Osmanbey Metro, exit Bomonti
Cost
Free
Cost
Free
Maximum participants
12
Maximum participants
Maximum 10
Reservations
Online: www.iwi-tr.org
Reservations
Online: www. iwi-tr.org
Deadline
Friday 28 March 2014
Deadline
Friday 4 April 2014
Person to contact Contact Details
Ayşe Yücel reservations@iwi-tr.org
Person to contact Contact Details
Ayşe Yücel reservations@iwi-tr.org
Please note: CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full.
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March - April 2014
WALKING TOUR IN KADIKÖY AND MODA WITH ISTANBUL PRIVÉ
YUFKA COOKING DEMO WITH AYŞE
Kadıköy is to the Asian side what Taksim is to the European quarter. Besides numerous nice cafés, restaurants, shops, there’s a delightful scattering of antique shops and fabulous fresh produce available on the street market; a real feast for your senses. But you’ll probably be most surprised by its lively atmosphere and extraordinary energy. After strolling through Kadıköy’s endlessly buzzing streets we will reach calm and peaceful Moda and light a candle in an underground Greek orthodox chapel, well known with the locals for its miracles. It was also in Moda that worldwide known rock singer Baris Manço used to live. After a lunch-with-a-view on the sea of Marmara, we will make our way back along the seaside walk with its nice views on Sultanahmet. Nathalie is a Belgian journalist who has been living in Istanbul for 5 years. Through private walks (https://www.facebook.com/IstanbulPrive) she takes tourists to her favourite places, far away from Sultanahmet. When she is not walking, she is writing, producing ceramics in a ceramics studio in Arnavutköy where she lives, or playing the cello. Nathalie also has a passion for photography, so you’ll often find her walking with her camera in the backstreets of Istanbul.
IWI’s very own gourmet guru, Ayşe Yücel, will once again be giving a Turkish cooking demo in her inviting kitchen for all those ladies who would like to learn more about the versatile yufka! Recipes are provided for your keeping and the group can enjoy these delicious treats at the end of the session. Come with your own group or meet new people in the class. The class size, ranging from 10 to 15, allows for each person to actively participate in the food preparation if needed. The menu will be: • Börek, with different fillings • Gözleme • Manti • Baklava (if time permits)
DETAILS Date Time
Meeting point
Cost Maximum participants Reservations Deadline Person present Contact details
Tuesday 8 April 2014 10.30 am to 2pm approximately. The tour can sometimes go on until 4pm so please plan accordingly. In front of the Beşiktaş iskelesi in Kadıköy. You can reach Kadıköy from European side by ferryboat from Eminönü, Kabatas or Besiktas 60TL to be paid in cash on the day of the event. Entrance to the Barış Manço Museum (5TL) is included. Refreshments and lunch are a personal cost. 15 Online: www.iwi-tr.org or reservations@iwi-tr.org Thursday 3 April 2014 Ambili Ramachandran programs@iwi-tr.org
DETAILS Date
Thursday 10 April 2014
Time
10.45am Ayşe’s house in Yenikoy; address will be provided 65TL (cancellation min 48hrs before, otherwise payment will be charged)
Venue Cost Maximum participants
Minimum 10 Maximum 15
Reservations
Online: www.iwi-tr.org
Deadline
Tuesday 12 April 2014
Person to contact Contact details
Ayşe Yücel reservations@iwi-tr.org
Please note: CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full. March - April 2014
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programs GUIDED TOUR OF THE PERMANENT COLLECTION AT THE PERA MUSEUM
WORKSHOP: FOSTERING COMMUNICATION WITH CHILDREN
Pera Museum is a private museum founded by the Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation. Pera Museum has four permanent collections which will feature in this tour.The Orientalist Painting Collection brings together important works by European artists inspired by the Ottoman world, Turkey’s regional geography, as well as works of Ottoman artists and how they influenced one another from the 17th century to the early 19th. The Collection also includes works by Osman Hamdi Bey and his most famous painting The Tortoise Trainer. The Anatolian Weights and Measures Collection is comprised of over 8,000 pieces and is now one of the most remarkable collections of its kind in Turkey. The Kütahya Tiles and Ceramics Collection consists of over 800 remarkable pieces representing various periods, especially the 18th 20th centuries. The limited number of pieces on display has been chosen to give a general idea of the collection and the craftsmanship of Kütahya ceramics. The Old Istanbul Photographs Collection spans the 19th and 20th centuries. It features over 7,000 photographs allowing us a glimpse of many of the city’s beauties now lost or changed beyond recognition. Please note that after the guided tour, you are welcome to visit the temporary exhibitions, which are included in the entrance fee.
From the moment your child is born, he or she is absorbing all that is necessary about their world, including the ability to understand and speak. While it is true that children will learn new skills at different ages and stages, it is also true that there is much we can do to help them along the way.
DETAILS Date
Wednesday 16 April 2014
Time
10.00am – 11.00am Pera Museum, Meşrutiyet Caddesi No.65, Tepebaşı – Beyoğlu 30TL (includes entrance fee and guided tour)
Meeting point Cost
In this workshop you will learn about: • ages and stages of speech and language development • using every day routines to promote your child’s communication skills • how games and music promote your child’s communication skills • importance of establishing early literacy skills • speech and language development in bilingual/trilingual families • identifying and seeking help • working with your child’s teachers and school to support communication skills Asra Ghori is a speech and language pathologist (certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association), who has been residing in Istanbul for the last 3 years. Prior to moving to Istanbul, she worked in several early intervention centers in the US and ran her own private clinic. Her special interests are coaching families and caregivers, autism spectrum disorders, childhood apraxia of speech and other motor speech disorders, pragmatic/social skills, auditory processing skills, and literacy skills. She is also a mother of two boys, 3 and 1 years of age. DETAILS Date
Monday 28 April 2014
Time
10.30am – 12.30pm IWI Office, Ulus (there’s a map at the back of this magazine)
Meeting point Cost
Free
Maximum participants
Minimum 5, Maximum 25
Maximum participants
10
Reservations
Online: www.iwi-tr.org
Reservations
Online: www.iwi-tr.org
Deadline
Sunday 13 April 2014
Deadline
Thursday 24 April 2014
Person to contact Contact Details
Cynthia Hadatoglu reservations@iwi-tr.org
Person to contact Contact Details
Ambili Ramachandran programs@iwi-tr.org
Please note: CANCELLATION of the attendance after the RESERVATION DEADLINE or NO SHOW is chargeable in full.
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March - April 2014
previous
Le Cordon Bleu cooking demonstration What a lovely day out we had at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Academy at Ozyegin University on the Asian side. Defne Tuysuzoglu, the school director, greeted us and gave us a tour of the school and the impressive classrooms before we entered the cordon bleu teaching kitchen and met the delightful chef Gilles, from the Cordon Bleu School in France. Gilles started by reviewing the recipe that he would prepare for us, whilst teaching us different culinary techniques. Listening carefully to our Cordon Bleu chef, Gilles‌
St Jacques Marinees aux Graines de Vanille, Betterave en Deux Facons with Espuma au Ralfort (vanilla marinated scallops and beetroot two ways with horseradish foam) is a wonderful dish that combines the colours purple, green and white and is incredibly easy to prepare. Gilles explained how to open scallops and boil beetroot before teaching us how to prepare vegetables julienne style. He also showed us how to use a whipping gun to create a horseradish foam which sounded scary but was actually quite easy to do!
Cordon Bleu artwork.
Gilles prepared the dish by first searing the scallops, then plating them and decorating them with apple and beetroot. He then painted the dish with the beetroot sauce he had created, much like an artist would a canvas, and then topped it off with the whipping gun, adding fluffy white mounds of horseradish foam to his creation. The result was a perfectly picturesque dish that teased the eye and tantalised the tongue. Bon appetit!
Inspecting ingredients at Le Cordon Bleu.
March - April 2014
– Karime Jadallah-Prisco
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previous
CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL Well winter is nearly behind us, Easter is on its way and we are getting longer days to enjoy Istanbul outdoors… However, we just wanted to write few words and share some photographs from the Christmas Festival to give you a glimpse of the success of the event and a peek at some of what goes on behind the scenes to make it all happen. Needless to say that it was a big event to prepare! Hard work, but all rewarding at the end… who were so helpful and professional. Last but not least the many sponsors that our dear Sponsorship Coordinator, Anne-Marie had to find – sometimes these could only be confirmed at the very last minute, adding to the mystery of how our event was shaping up! They contributed numerous lottery prizes, donations and support – and some have been doing so for many years. Meanwhile, the visitors and volunteers were all in safe hands thanks to Acibadem’s paramedic team on site. The shopping experience As early as June, we started selecting the stallholders. It is not an easy task! We received many enquiries, and tried our best to balance it out between tradition, price and interest for the Festival attendees. We really look for new and fun products every year, and the 2013 Festival was composed of 70% new stallholders. Our biggest contributors are the national groups who donated all their proceeds.
So, merci Istanbul Accueil (France), grazie Circolo Roma (Italy), teşşekürler (Turkey), takk (Sweden) and thank you American Women of Istanbul (USA) for your generosity. We missed the Dutch table and we hope they will be part of the Festival in the near future! Want a bite? This year, our Food Court was of great quality thanks to all the food stallholders who agreed to cook for us. The Food Court has been a long tradition and we are trying to keep it tasty and varied. It all depends on the commitment of various individuals and national groups so we genuinely appreciate those who got involved. We hope you were among the lucky ones who tasted the various Asian dishes and Brazilian/Portuguese cuisines – without forgetting the hearty Turkish food and many other tasty treats. The traditional salmon canapés for example made a lovely appetizer to go along with a nice glass of wine.
Helping a cause There were many, many people involved in making the event happen… First of all, the volunteers who committed themselves before, during (mostly) and after. Not less than 120 of you helped us greatly, giving us hours or days of their personal time, packing, sorting books, baking, helping the visitors without forgetting to smile. There were many wonderful teams this year but the entrance team deserves a star for being the front gate, smiling despite being in the cold draft! We also owe our gratitude to the Grand Hyatt events team, and their hotel staff
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March - April 2014
Children’s kingdom! Kids had fun, fun, fun thanks to Gymboree and Babalu, our sponsors… needless to say that Christmas Father and his elf (aka Carmen and Jo) were among the highlights and we hope that your kids will cherish the memory of being on his lap for a long time. Maria, our Mums n Kids coordinator, helped us to make their day perfect and she deserves a star for being so pro-active with the kids on that day!
Christmas ambiance… We had a super decoration team this year, starting their crucial task the day before the event. The six ladies opened tens of boxes full of decoration and did a wonderful job with them, bringing the right Christmassy ambiance to our event! Well done ladies. Meanwhile our famous mistletoe table brought even more happiness and festive feeling to your home sweet home!
Charities We invited many charities this year as we are fully committed to help as many as possible. We hope that their projects moved you. We will inform you before the summer what kind of help and donation we will contribute to the current IWI charities for the 2013-2014 season. … see you next year! – Elena and Marine, your 2013-2014 Events team
March - April 2014
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C harity
Hey there girlfriend! Isn’t it nice to finally open your windows and get some fresh air inside? Coming from Canada, the winters here are not so bad but I do so enjoy airing my house with the onset of spring. This month, Lale is featuring two great IWI supported charities. The Pink Angels which started almost fifteen years ago, continues its play group for children battling leukemia with an exceptional group of caring volunteers, led by Angela Kuzucu, overseeing its programHow about man’s best friend? Have you ever wondered how the street dogs and
cats survive in this ever growing city? If so, please enjoy the article written by Yuli Weston, a long time IWI member and animal lover. Both charities are interested in welcoming you in giving of your time, or some other form of donation. Don’t be shy make some new friends and enjoy your time in Istanbul.
Jo Bradley IWI Charity Coordinator
Pink Angels
Angela Roberts-Kuzucu
Pink Angels – fundraising at the Christmas Festival.
Angela Roberts-Kuzucu has been volunteering with the Pink Angels since 1999, the year of its inception. The Pink Angels, under Angela’s guidance, is a play group run by IWI volunteers at the Okmeydani Oncology Unit, located in the Okmeydani SSG Hastane/Hospital in the Şişli area of Çağlayan, Istanbul. It started back in 1999 when one of the hospital doctors visited a children’s play group in England and decided to introduce the concept to a children’s hospital ward in Turkey. Kathy Denizeri, the founding member of the Pink Angels, was quick to invite her friends to join in this endeavour and Angela has stayed on throughout, offering guidance and love to all.
Current volunteers are Marion Meier, Maggie Nakkas, Maria Lowenberg, Mieille Dangel, Tina Iskender and of course Angela. It is a 15 bed ward and the majority of children receiving treatment have a family member staying with them. For the very young, the family member is usually the mother and for older children, it is a sibling or other family member who will stay with them throughout. In addition to the children, Pink Angels supports family members by encouraging knitting or other handicraft projects and also makes sure there is enough soap and shampoo, collected from hotels, available for use. Since its foundation in 1999 Pink Angels has also donated a lot to the ongoing maintenance of the ward itself. Some of the things donated through IWI include:
The children receiving treatment for leukemia are aged between one and 18 and stay in hospital for up to three months. Three months is a long time to be away from home so the Pink Angel volunteers do their best to bring some well deserved lightness into the ward via games, crafts, videos and of course, warm and happy smiles. The Pink Angels try to run their program three mornings a week for two hours each time.
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• two incubators as requested by hospital doctors • a new waiting room for patients who originally had to wait outside • new mechanical hospital beds for the children that allow a trundle bed beneath them for the patient’s family member to sleep on
A Pink Angels programme patient with her mother.
• a small refrigerator assigned to each patient so family members can keep their own food • new floors • bathrooms equipped with hot water tanks • painting of the ward as needed Last year, MEF School contacted the Pink Angels and together they fitted the ward with new curtains in addition to purchasing new toys. The outside garden has taken on a new purpose as well. Parents of those children who sadly lose their battle with leukemia have taken it upon themselves to plant trees in memory of their children. The garden is growing and is now a pleasant refuge for some quiet time. The local council has donated some benches as well. The Pink Angels are always looking for new volunteers to help out for only two hours every week. The commitment time is small and the rewards are huge. Please contact Angela at akuzucu81@gmail.com. March - April 2014
YULI LOVES ANIMALS… a letter It has all been realised through blood, sweat and tears and with the help of a handful of fellow compassionate friends. To top it all, there has never been a shortage of court cases … being a pioneer has its costs but I still don’t give up! From time to time, however, it becomes necessary to slow down or take a short break but the daily feeding of my dependents on the streets continues no matter what. I have six colonies of cats numbering about fifty at the moment.
This gorgeous lady settled in the neighbourhood seven years ago while pregnant. I had her spayed after the babies were born. She's the member of the park gang. She is a huge love bug but extremely jealous of cats...
I
n December, I was once again thrilled to participate in the IWI Christmas Bazaar to raise money and awareness for our four legged friends. A few years ago we had to withdraw from the Bazaar due to time constraints but this year, an animal friendly designer volunteered to introduce her costume jewellery ‘Designs by FLZ’ to raise money for our charitiy. We were back in business. About 18 years ago when I settled in Istanbul to start up and run a business, I brought along my dog. It was during our early morning walks dog that I first encountered the street dogs. I first started feeding them. That was the easy part. Most were mangy. Mange is a curable disease if the animal is treated. Most of the street dogs were petrified of humans however and wouldn’t let me touch them let alone allow a vet to administer the necessary injections! Another serious problem was the birth rate. I live in Ataköy, a rare suburban area of Istanbul where buildings are surrounded by several acres of unfenced land. Pregnant bitches would come here from all around to give birth in one of the Ataköy yards where they felt safe. Protecting them was a real ordeal for in those days, all it took was one complaint for the municipalities to end their lives by poisoning. I have lived and suffered through innumerable deaths. To alleviate animal suffering, I decided that struggle alone wasn’t enough. It was necessary to initiate projects, set examples for people to emulate and help people overcome a variety of prejudices. To this end, I have initiated several ’firsts’ such as a spay/neuter/vaccinate and release project; collaboration between animal charities and municipalities; adoption of street animals (my sanity was questioned when I first started this venture in Galleria Atakoy shopping mall!); animal welfare education in schools and in various locations; producing eight information brochures and the very first animal calendars; a large scale open air international spring adoptathon and the 4 October Animal Protection Day; homes made out of cardboard boxes for street cats to protect them from the elements and Neighbourhood Kitty Parks and Motels for safe feeding of street cats. In order to execute these projects I’ve also founded two consecutive NGOs. March - April 2014
Many of them perish during winter. As for the dogs, they are much stronger. There are two gangs numbering sixteen dogs altogether at the moment. One old lady, Safiye, is now fifteen years old. A kangal mix, I vividly remember the day she appeared in the park. Barely three months old, not understanding why she was suddenly all alone in a strange place, she was running after everyone… was there anyone with whom she could be safe? I’m very proud of both of us. Her survival is a true success story. If anyone is interested in helping animals, please contact me. Until then, best wishes.
Yuli
pawsinturkey@gmail.com
Surely abandoned by her owners, Miss No-Name has managed to join one of my colonies. She doesn’t have a warm home but at least she gets fed regularly.
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Features
Starting a family in Istanbul For those of us who have moved to Istanbul to join our partners, starting a family may be the next step. Settling in a new city brings its own challenges and excitement. Having a baby whilst on this journey can be a magical experience. This article shares some of the experiences of new mothers in Istanbul. and facilities beforehand to assess what is available. Ask any questions you may have and meet the rest of the healthcare team before you make your decision. As you will have frequent check-ups during your pregnancy, you may want to consider the proximity of your doctor to where you stay and whether it is easy for you to make trips there. Depending on your individual preference, you may decide on a doctor located further away with whom you feel more comfortable, or you may want to save yourself the hassle of travelling for long periods of time and consult a doctor closer by.
New beginnings “You’re pregnant,” said the doctor. For me, starting a family came as a surprise announcement during a routine doctor’s check-up. Other ladies came to Istanbul knowing they were pregnant and readily anticipating family life in this city. Some others have settled down and grown their families over time. In each of these scenarios, Istanbul presents its own challenges but it also has a lot to offer in providing opportunities for a rewarding family life. Getting ready to start your family- choosing your healthcare provider The language barrier is a common problem faced by many foreign ladies who haven’t yet mastered the Turkish language. For many of us, having a doctor that speaks our mother tongue is vital, bearing in mind that the rest of the healthcare team (such as the nursing staff) may only speak Turkish. Relying on translations has its limitations when it comes to this important event in your life. You can easily find English-speaking doctors inthe major private hospitals. Some government hospitals may have English-speaking doctors as well, though you will need to spend more time finding them. If you are intending to start your family in Istanbul, it is advisable to find a suitable doctor and to start seeing him or her as soon as possible. This will not only help to get your body in optimal condition for pregnancy but the process will help you discover the healthcare options available to you. There are reputable doctors who provide consults out of their own clinics, giving you the option of delivering your baby at the hospitals they are affiliated to. Feel free to visit the hospitals
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Putting all that aside, you may also want to consider if the doctor’s pregnancy and birthing philosophies agree with your own. You may welcome the assurance of having tests done throughout your pregnancy or being prescribed supplements and a special diet. Conversely youmay prefer to manage it in your own way. There are some ladies who opt for natural childbirth and some who are more comfortable with the use of epidurals or an elective caesarean. Your doctor will have their own thoughts and can advise about the use of some other medical interventions such as induction, enema and assisted delivery. Take the time to discuss these interventions with your doctor to better understand how they will affect you and your baby. It can be overwhelming to be presented with numerous choices and not quite sure what they all mean. There is no right choice as each of us is different. Engage a doctor who you can trust to provide the healthcare you desire. Be confident that you will make the best decision for you and your baby. Building your social circle with other mothers If this is your first child and you are new to Istanbul, it may not be easy to figure out where you can find a good healthcare team. One great way of getting loads of information whilst making new friends with other international mothers is to attend one of the various IWI Mums n Kids meetings and playgroups (details at the back of the Lale magazine). Many of us who joined the groups while we were pregnant have built a supportive network and stayed with the same group that we joined when the babies were born. It is more reassuring to hear from actual mothers who have just been through the same experience than relying on anecdotes from the internet or other sources. You can find out what other women’s doctor and birth experiences were like. It is also a good way to learn about other resources that are available in Istanbul such as engaging a doula, pregnancy yoga and birthing classes (e.g. Do-Um in Emirgan) and wellestablished Facebook groups (e.g. Istanbul Moms, From Kids March - April 2014
to Kids). The playgroups are also an excellent way to find a whole host of other information that you may be looking for, such as what maternity and baby stuff you will need, how to child-proof your home, where to source paediatric care and the best child-friendly establishments in Istanbul. If you are like me and you don’t have much experience around babies and kids, the playgroups provide an excellent opportunity for you to gain confidence in your ability to care for your own baby. I got to see how confident mothers comfort their babies when needed and leave them to develop independently at other times. You will also be made alert to some of the common health and safety issues relating to your baby. . Other mothers in the group will also give you practical, everyday advice, such as taking it easy with baby supplies: get the essentials first and put the rest off until you really need it because babies outgrow the stuff so fast. Going places with your baby In general, babies and young children are very much doted upon in Turkey and welcomed in many places. You will find the general public showering affection on your little one wherever you go, showing their concern that the baby needs another layer of clothing to protect him or her from the cold. Most of us make plans to travel back to our home countries with the baby at one point or another. The process for this can be quite bureaucratic. Arrangements need to be made in advance to ensure that the travelling documents for the baby are all in order or you risk paying a penalty. Travelling with your baby around Istanbul – the city on seven hills – is not without its obstacles either. The traffic, uneven pavements, slopes, stair cases, crowded public transport and taxis without functioning seatbelts can be daunting. Being prepared for this by being flexible with your travelling plans and getting the right gear can help you and your baby remain active outside your home. For example, rather than heading out during the day in the summer heat, go for a stroll along the Bosphorus in the evenings when both of you will find it more pleasant. While I am sure it will not be entirely smooth journey I am looking forward to spending family time with my husband and little girl at the neighbourhood parks, showing her the farm animals in the nearby villages and watching her grow with this city that spans Europe and Asia. Keep a positive mindset and you will be sure to find opportunities to achieve your dreams for your family right here in Istanbul.
WRITER: CHIENFANG LIM Chienfang is from Brunei. She finished university and worked in Singapore as a project manager in a variety of industries for 13 years. She met her Turkish husband during a dive trip to Malaysia. April 2013 marked the start of her life in Istanbul. She has just had a baby girl and is excited to start on her family adventure in 2014. She runs a career advancement service at www.expertdite.com. The author would like to thank the IWI Mums n Kids group for the wonderful friendship and advice they have given her; especially to Katrin Sauerland and Sarah Wheatcroft for sharing their experiences for this article. March - April 2014
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Features A Belgian Easter with Carlos Le Cuistot Since launching his catering business a year ago, Belgian chef Carlos Le Cuistot has become very popular with local expat families looking for a straightforward yet delicious way to cater family dinners and social events. With Easter just around the corner, Lale’s editor checked in with Carlos on how he celebrates it – and what Easter tastes like for him. International influences Though Belgian, Carlos brings an international perspective to his catering menus. Past culinary endeavours have included a traditional Belgian restaurant in Germany, cooking Greek food in Cyprus, and working as a personal chef to the Belgian Environment Minister. He notes French, Italian, Greek, Spanish and Moroccan influences as part of the mélange that makes up his unique offerings, which might best be described as home-style international gourmet. Something special at home First encouraged by Istanbul’s Belgian expatriate community, Carlos’ vision for his business was partly inspired by the relatively small range of international foods available in Istanbul. “Istanbul is a stressful city – we spend a lot of time travelling from place to place, often returning home late in the evening,” Carlos points out. “For those who don’t feel like cooking, there’s not much variety available – plenty of pizza and döner, but not much that’s healthy or international.” Le Cuistot was born out of the idea that he could provide for those people who want to eat something a little special in their own homes, whether after work, or when entertaining. His range, though seasonal, generally includes couscous and tagines, pies and quiches, desserts, and main dishes – Le Cuistot’s delicious special lasagna is always available. Dishes are provided ready to heat and serve. A Belgian Easter With Easter coming up on 12 April, Lale caught up with Carlos to find out what’ll be cooking at his place on Easter Sunday. Though raised in an international family – he credits the couscous and tagines in his menus to the Moroccan influences of his stepfather – Carlos grew up celebrating Easter according to Belgian traditions.
Easter egg hunts have a special place in Belgium – the story goes that the church bells fly to Rome on Holy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter). For several days, no church bells can be heard; then, on the morning of Easter Sunday, they’re said to fly back again, bringing with them chocolate eggs, that they drop on their way back. Today, chocolate eggs remain an important Easter eats for Carlos – along with Easter lamb. Carlos has generously agreed to share his ‘navarin d’agneau aux legumes’ (lamb stew with vegetables) recipe with Lale readers. This French Belgian recipe is a traditional springtime dish, often served as family fare at Easter time. “I wouldn’t miss eating Easter lamb for the world”, Carlos claims…
Navarin d’agneau aux legumes Lamb stew with vegetables Ingredients • 500g lamb shoulder • 200g onions • 2 teaspoons of flour • 2 cloves of garlic • Some herbs tied together • 200g turnip
• • • • • •
100g carrot 200g zucchini 1 bunch of parsley 12.5 cl. of white wine 4 cc of oil Salt and pepper
Instructions 1. Peel the onions and cut them into thin slices. 2. Peel the rest of the vegetables and cut them into pieces. 3. Heat the oil in a cooking pot and fry the pieces of lamb for five minutes, stirring continuously. 4. Add the onions, fry until transparent, sprinkle with the flour and stir. 5. Pour the white wine into the cooking pot and add the carrots, turnips, garlic and herbs. 6. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, adding zucchini after the first 30 minutes. 7. Remove the herbs, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. Serves 4 Contact You can contact Carlos by email at contact@le-cuistot. com. He will be glad to take your order, or add you to his email list to receive his seasonal catering menus. His latest menu can always be found online at www.le-cuistot.com.
WRITER: ELEANOR ROSS Eleanor is from Otago, in the scenic south of New Zealand. She juggles her time between working remotely for a museum in New Zealand, editing Lale magazine, and freelance writing and editing work. This is her second year living in Istanbul. Eleanor is always on the lookout for new clients, so don’t hesitate to contact her at eleanor.ross@wordhappy.co.nz if you need work done with words…
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March - April 2014
Features
Feathering your Istanbul nest: home styling beyond Ikea As the world is globalised to such a high level, we tend to end up with the same decor in our homes. One of the biggest enemies of individual creativity nowadays certainly is Ikea. In this article, instead of Ikea, we will discover some other great places to personalise your home. Escape Ikea! We love doing things the easy way and we absolutely adore not having to pay that much, so all over the world we head out to Ikea, even here in Istanbul. The strange thing about their items is that you can try to personlize them to the max, but everyone will still notice that these items were purchased from Ikea and nowhere else. What happens if we decide that we want to be different, that we want to feather our Istanbul nest ina style that suits us and not the whole world? Where can you find things with which to style and personalise your home, beyond Ikea? In this article I will take you on a journey through Istanbul in search of some other great places to give your home just that special touch of YOU, just you and no one else!
just the opposite! It’s neat and organised but just in that cosy kind of way a vintage shop needs to be. The secret behind vintage styling is that everybody has their own opinion about vintage and secondhand things, which makes them so interesting to work with. I really love to decorate a home using vintage and secondhand stuff because of the history the furniture exudes and the story it tells. Put vintage together with some new or even modern stuff and you can really create a style of your own, not to be found in any other home. Mozk Vintage Shop Kuloğlu Mh. Ağahamamı Sk. No 13/B, Cihangir www.mozk.co.uk
Vintage and secondhand The first store is a vintage store which I absolutely love. There you can find just about everything to style and decorate both your home and yourself! The store I’m referring to is the Mozk vintage shop, in the heart of vintage Istanbul: Cihangir. If you’ve already looked at some vintage shops here in Istanbul you’ve probably learned by now that most of them are not really cosy and certainly not neat and organised. This shop is
Romantic freedom I’m especially proud to present my next favourite store in the category of romantic freedom: Riviera Maison. The reason I’m so proud is that this brand originally comes from Holland and as I’m partly Dutch you can understand my excitement. Riviera Maison is a brand that is known in quite a few countries so I’m hearing you think, how can I create a different atmosphere with a brand that’s also been globalised?
Vintage radio and sewing machine, decorated with a Riviera Maison photoframe, flowers, and Scottish whiskey for wintery days.
Perfectly imperfect by Riviera Maison.
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Well, I can tell you that the idea behind Riviera Maison is to be perfectly imperfect which means that almost everything they create is completely handmade or has a handmade part to it. The beauty of handmade parts is that they can never be exactly the same because human hands just don’t work like robots and machines. The little imperfections that result from handmade production are what makes the furniture and decorations at Riviera Maison just so perfect and unique. I refer to their stores as romantic freedom stores because all the products have a romantic vibe floating right alongside them and their use of mainly natural colours gives this brand a sense of freedom. The store, located at the Aqua AVM in Florya, is really beautiful. The great windows at the back of the store overlook the sea and give the whole store a beachy, Long Islandy effect. In one word just gorgeous! Take a quick look and I’m sure you will fall in love with the brand and their items just like I did.
own and you can be sure that the piece you buy from him will be an original, one of a kind piece. A great picture of the city, your child or favourite flower, he paints them all. He is located at Galata/Istanbul. You can contact Bülent via his facebook page. Online shopping Sometimes Istanbul is just really exhausting to shop in. They say that Istanbul was built on 7 hills but sometimes it seems like 1,000 mountains. Especially when you have little children
Riviera Maison Istanbul Aqua Florya Halkalı Cad. Aqua Florya AVM No:93 Kat:2 , 22-23 Bakırköy Istanbul www.rivieramaison.com Lifestyle Mudo stores are great lifestyle stores. They stock everything from furniture to decorations, clothes to accesories. Is your taste classic or modern? Do you want to give your home a designer look or are you just more into the creation of an informal look? You can find everything you need here. The Mudo stores are mostly located in the bigger shopping centres, so they’re really easy to find. Check their website to find a store near you. www.mudo.com.tr Wall decoration If you are looking for unique, one of a kind wall decoration you should really get in touch with Bülent Gürcihan. He is a great artist who does paintings on request. He has a style of his
or when you’re pregnant (as I am at the moment!) it’s just not doable. So every now and then, shopping online can be the answer. A webshop I really like is evim.net. Here you can find everything from mirrors to bedding to furniture to kitchenware. The website is well set up and easy to use and they deliver the products to your home for free if you spend above TL150. Another great webshop is vivense.com. They’ve got a great selection of European styled products which is great for us foreigners who want that special feeling of home . No only do they sell great stuff their website will inspire you! Here you can learn all about the new home decor trends for the year, find out what the favourite items of the Turkish singer Gülben Ergen are, how you can give your house a retro-popart vibe or how to decorate your home though the seasons to capture that wintery cosy look or how to give your house the best rockchic look of the century. Don’t forget to read the interesting stories about some of the best Turkish architects and designers and discover their favourite items and decorating tips. The only negative about this site is that there is no way to change between languages so to fully understand the beauty of it you need to be able to read a bit of Turkish otherwise you won’t understand all of the tips they give you. www.evim.net www.vivense.com
WRITER: MERAL DURU Meral Duru is a woman from two worlds – the product of a Turkish father and Dutch mother. She had lived all of her life in the Netherlands before deciding to come to Istanbul one and a half years ago. She studied law at the Leiden University, went to beauty school, and has a strong love for vintage, fashion and beauty. She is a newly wed, and will be the proud mother of a newborn baby girl by the time you read this!
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Features
More than words can say
Staying connected with friends and family wherever you may be In these busy times, it’s hard to keep up with family and friends. Add to that the complication of living overseas and the difficulty of choosing the best way to stay in touch and sometimes it just feels too hard. Find out how one expat living in Turkey manages to stay connected by putting her heart on the line.
Making communication meaningful When I first started travelling, and then living in foreign countries, Facebook didn’t exist and the idea of carrying a laptop and writing a blog entry everyday was still a long way off. I kept in touch the old-fashioned way, writing long letters home and going to the post restante of whatever city I was in, hoping for a letter with my name on it. Nowadays, there are almost too many options available for us to keep in touch with family and friends back home. The challenge is to make communication meaningful so that when you do get together again, the geographical distance hasn’t become an emotional one.
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Just a note… I still favour writing and try to send long chatty emails home very month or so. I also send regular postcards to older relatives who aren’t on the net. Knowing how strange my life in Turkey can seem to them, I try to describe events we have in common. Things like friends, weddings and work. Even then it’s hard, because they don’t know the people I’m talking about, and weddings back home don’t include men twirling around playing drums! Work is a slightly easier subject to share, as long as I don’t try to explain the intricacies of Turkish bureaucracy or the Byzantine maze of office politics. It’s important too for my family to know how I am, but I don’t always tell them everything. I recently
had a health scare, for example, and chose not to tell my father about it until I had the all clear. The physical distance between us would mean he worried more than usual and I didn’t want him calling every day in fear of my life. Writing allows you to edit out the negative bits, which is useful when life in your new country becomes overwhelming. Just to hear your voice… If you’re not great at putting your thoughts on paper, then the immediacy of phoning may be for you. I have a much loved elderly aunt whose eyesight has almost gone and who is too weak to write to me, but she can still talk. It doesn’t seem to matter that she’s never March - April 2014
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Features I could get so much more from our conversations without him worrying about the cost all the time. I get around other relatives not being online by arranging for cousins and nieces to visit them with their laptops. That way I get to chat with my 95-year-old auntie in person.
seen my house or experienced the life I have here. The minute I hear her voice it’s like being back in her lounge room, chatting over tea and biscuits. Just as we do there, we talk for hours, even though we’re on the phone. Unlike my father did, she doesn’t spend the first ten minutes of every call questioning the cost. When it was Dad he’d fire information at me as though the charge was by the letter. As a result I didn’t feel I really connected with him and it was frustrating not being able to explain things properly as he fretted over the expense. In addition, regardless of how the person you’re calling reacts, there’s the time difference. Some of my relatives only answer the phone early in their mornings, others only in their evenings. I either have to stay up really late to call them, or fit in a hurried call before rushing off to work. In each case
I can’t completely relax so I often get off the phone feeling sad that I haven’t been able to talk about everything that was on my mind. Just to see your face… Another way to stay in touch that seems to overcome some of these problems is by using any of the voice-over internet services. You can combine the intimacy of a phone call with the joy of actually seeing your family and friends. It’s the closest you’ll get to seeing them for a while and it’s free. I love that you can’t hide how you’re feeling, and you can really share aspects of your life with the people back home. I was able to take my Dad on a virtual tour of my apartment and even show him a wedding taking place on our street. I didn’t mind the sometimes inconvenient time difference so much because
Just one last thing… Whether you write, call or Skype, staying in touch is a two-way street and I’m lucky that the people most important to me feel the same. Six months ago my father stopped turning on the video when we Skyped. He said he couldn’t get it to work but I knew from his voice he was lying. Then he stopped calling me over the internet, saying he’d been locked out of his account. From his increasingly abrupt emails and short phone calls I knew something was wrong but I couldn’t just up and hop on a plane back to Australia. After a flurry of phone calls and emails to my uncle and my father’s friends I learnt Dad’s cancer had returned. The day I knew he’d had major surgery but would be alright I booked a flight home. I arrived at seven in the morning and by lunch time I’d been told the operation had only been to make him comfortable. The surgeon told me Dad wasn’t going to get better and advised me not to go back to Turkey. I spent the next two months at the hospital, watching my father die. Over the days and hours he had left, the years of phone conversations, email jokes, Skype debates and letters home stood us in good stead. We talked as though we had never been apart, let alone in different countries. By the time he stopped talking altogether, a few days before the end, I didn’t need him to speak to know how he felt, or to know how I felt about him. There was nothing left to say because we had already said it. Staying meaningfully connected may not always be easy, but what you gain is irreplaceable.
WRITER: LISA MORROW Lisa Morrow has published an essay collection called Inside Out In Istanbul, writes a blog of the same name and has had articles published on Australia’s ABC Drum Media website. Both the Australian ABC and Austereo radio stations have interviewed her and she has a monthly spot on San Francisco Turkish Radio. She is currently working on new stories about Turkey and lives on the Asian side of Istanbul.
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Features
Neighbourhood
Balat
Tour:
Back on the European side, for the latest Lale neighbourhood tour, Annabelle Eicker found Italian life in a formerly Jewish district... Maria Grazia D'Ascanio was born in Italy, and lived with her family for 11 years in Damascus, Syria, before she came to Istanbul in September 2012. Her connection to the Italian society in Istanbul has lead her to work for İnsieme Tours, a Turkish/Italian up and coming tourism company in Beşiktaş. Her children go to the Italian school in Cihangir. But her love of traditional and multinational areas directed her to live in Balat, Fatih.
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fter I took the 55T bus from Taksim, I reached the Balat bus station in 15 minutes. There I met the wonderful Maria Grazia and her little daughter. Before entering one of the most interesting parts of the ancient city, we stopped by the Balık Çay Evi at
the corner of Mürselpaşa Caddesi and Çiçekli Bostan Sokak. For me it was the first time drinking çay in a traditional male-oriented café. I had thought it would be a ‘no-go’ for women to cross the doorstep. But when we did, I was surprised to find that after being the subject of interest for a few seconds,
everybody seemed to be fine with our presence. Just as in Balat itself we found ourselves in a welcoming and tolerant atmosphere. We continued our tour on Vodina Caddesi, which is considered the main street of Balat. There you can find a lot of convenience shops, small restaurants and bakeries.
What a view!
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The shop Dream in Dream exerts an even greater appeal at night time and I have never seen such an open display of alcohol in Istanbul before. On the same street is located the enormous Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and a Greek Orthodox cathedral named St George, which only opens once a year. Besides the local community shops and restaurants you can also find pretty cafés and small vintage shops like Naftalin Antique Shop on Yıldırım Caddesi. As an architecture student I was thrilled by the different architectural styles based on religion and origin. What I liked most were the well-defined metal gates in front of the colourful windows and the façade design with mosaics. When you walk around, please take your time to look up to get an image of the whole building, it is always surprising how the upper floors relate to the ground floor.
walk around without feeling that you are being stared at as soon as you walk around the corner. Because Balat is diverse by tradition, the inhabitants are inured to living closely with all different religions and backgrounds. I would just encourage you to go there soon and enjoy a unique district of Istanbul. Maybe you will see Maria Grazia and say a friendly ‘ciao’ in the streets of Balat. This is what Maria Grazia had to say about living in Balat:
Where is your neighbourhood located? Fener and Balat are two adjoining neighbourhoods along the shores of the Golden Horn. Fener and Balat are situated on the Istanbul peninsula and are part of the municipality of Fatih. the same as Eminönü, which is a couple of kilometres downstream. To the north of Balat is Ayvansaray and to the south, Draman.
While strolling through the small streets you will often find great perspectives to the waterfront on the one hand and to the hillside with the impressive Greek school on the other. It’s a fascinating contrast between the high-density area and the landscape and landmarks. In my opinion Balat combines the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Cihangir with the down-to-earth working neighbourhood Tarlabaşı, where I live. This is a very pleasant symbiosis. As a woman you can feel comfortable and March - April 2014
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Features Balat was once inhabited by minority groups: Greeks, Jews, and Armenians. The name ‘Balat’ is based on the Greek word ‘palation’, which means palace. After Jerusalem rose as a state in the late 1940s, most of the Jewish inhabitants emigrated there. Today most of the people are Muslim. Kurdish people, Turkish inhabitants from Anatolian and Roma, built up the new population. There are few expats. The locals are extremely kind and helpful. What I appreciate is that all the locals know each other.
What other activities and services are there in your neighbourhood? There are some old hamams and artists’ studios. It’s great for walks and discovering the old city.
What's unique about your neighbourhood? The atmosphere, the authenticity, and the rolling hills with their hidden churches. What are your favourite local cafés, restaurants, food shops, and services?
What do you love about living in your neighbourhood? I love the winter scent, made up of carbon and of antiquity. I like the village atmosphere, far from the chaos of the city and the streets filled with children in the summer. It is a privilege in Istanbul to be that close to the sea, the Golden Horn, and the Balat Parkı in the summer. The trees, green grass and blue sea bring joy, even more if you have little children. What can you tell us about the history or demographics of your neighbourhood?
On Vodina Caddesi I can recommend Yaprak Pide & Lavaş Lahmacun Salonu. Right next to it I buy my fruit and vegetables. Additionally the Sunday farmers’ market offers everything you need. South east on the same street, I love to go to the church (court) of San Giorgio and a little bit further to the Greek Patriarch and the Fener Church. On Doktor Sadık Ahmet Caddesi No:12 you find the Troya Hotel Balat. It is a 115-year-old house with 19 authentic decorated rooms. What ‘insider tip’ would you give to someone coming to visit your neighbourhood? If you can, try to enter the Phanar Greek Orthodox College on the hill, sometimes they open the door, it is beautiful and so is the view from up there.
A very open display of alcohol!
WRITER: ANNABELLE EICKER Annabelle Eicker is an architecture student based in Berlin, Germany. There she worked for the architecture publishing firm DOM Publishers, as well as the real estate advisors Jones Lang LaSalle. During her student exchange program in Istanbul, she has focused on meeting people from different backgrounds in different positions, and living in Tarlabaşı, Beyoğlu, studying at ITÜ and joining IWI gave her the perfect opportunity for this. Photographer: Markus Müller-Hahl
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Features
Settling your children in a new city New to Istanbul? Do you ever wonder how the move went down with your kids? How has the experience been for them, and how well are they coping with it now?
Reading the signs Have you seen signs in your kids that indicate that something isn’t going right? Perhaps an inner voice is telling you that it may be related to moving here. Maybe they’re not making friends. Perhaps they are frustrated with not knowing the language, and it may be impacting on their socialisation? You may find that power struggles and defiance become a bigger issue than usual at home. They may be acting suddenly indifferent about things they used to enjoy, or simply showing a lack of pleasure in all their activities.
Signs that your kids are not coping vary by age group. In this article I’ll help you to recognise when your kids aren’t coping, and I’ll let you in on my secrets of how to help. My hopes for you are that you can find joy and relief and in these strategies, to enable to you better support your children.
If these signs sound familiar, then this article is for you. There are ways that you can really help your children cope with this change!
Brain balance is referred to as ‘a state of regulation’. The opposite of this state is the imbalance of the brain, which results in the brain’s inability to do some of its
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Change, stress, and the deregulated brain As humans, most of our coping mechanisms come from the brain. For our brain to be able to do its regular jobs, it too needs to have balance.
jobs, especially those that require the executive functions of thinking – logical thinking for example. This is referred to as ‘a state of de-regulation’. Deregulation takes place when a child (or an adult) is exposed to stressful situations, change, fear, anger, sadness or other intense emotions. Different situations will cause these emotions in different children; something that is stressful for one child, for example, may not be for another. When a brain is deregulated it goes into one or more of three primitive states; flight, fright and/or fight. The expressions of these states differ from child to child and from one age group to another as well as from one gender
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to another, however they all have the following common denominators: withdrawal behaviour (flight), fear-driven behaviour (fright) and anger-driven behaviour (fight). For most children that are going through some sort of change – moving to a new country, for example – there will be a tendency for deregulation in situations that emphasise the change. This in turn will be reflected in a child’s behaviour. Babies and very young children In babies and toddlers, deregulation behaviour may be most prevalent during routine activities; bedtime and feeding time for example. A baby may cry more than previously and have a disturbed sleep. A toddler, on the other hand, will become more clingy and difficult to work with. She may seem more controlling and possessive of her things and will ‘even more than she used to’ refuse to share any of her toys with friends; she may refuse to share her mummy or daddy either. Older children and teenagers In older kids, the symptoms might have a wider range, and in some cases may be diversified between the different states of the brain. Crying before bedtime, loss of confidence, aggression, defiance and/or clinginess may present themselves. At this age, clinginess is most often expressed through wanting/ needing help with everything including activities they have been independent in doing for a long time; changing clothes perhaps, or showering, playing and studying. Those same behaviours can also be found in teenagers in a more intense manner. A teenager will have a tendency to be more withdrawn; she may want to spend longer hours alone, lose interest in activities or hobbies that used to be very interesting before, be passive about making new friends and disinterested in exploring Istanbul. Defiance is also an important signal in teenage behaviour. It is normal for a teenager to be defiant to some degree; it meets needs for independence, being heard and having control. But when everything you say or do is being
criticised, and answered with a ‘no’, then you might want to take a deeper look at where the frustration is coming from. The source of the behaviour Of course this is not an all-inclusive list – children have many creative ways of expressing their state of being in unique patterns. The clue, though, is asking ‘where is this behaviour coming from’? If it seems it may be fear, anger and/or withdrawal, then you might want to look more into it more. The question then becomes ‘what can I do as a parent to enable my children to cope better with this change?’ Strategies to help enable some peace and balance Here is a range of ideas and strategies that have been successful with my children. It’s not an exhaustive list, but I hope that some of these ideas may work for you, and can enable you to come up with others for your own family. For a baby, it is more physical Hold your baby a lot around your arms. Babies will calm at your heartbeat and your smell. Don’t introduce new material (with new smells) because this agitates them more. Listening and deep dialogue One piece of advice I would love to share with all parents around the world for effective parenting: listen, and dialogue with you child. This is a crucial tool to enable you be in the world of your child and know which situations are triggering discomfort in her life. Ask your child how they are feeling about the move, what are they missing about home, what do they enjoy most about Istanbul (even if they don’t have many things to report!) The listen, and listen, and listen some more. Let them know you’re deeply listening to their pain, joys and experience – that you are interested in doing so. Do not offer solutions except when asked. Try saying; ‘I really just want to listen to what you’re going through’, or ‘I just want to be there for you the way you want me to be, would you like me to just listen or would you like me to offer ideas?’ Knowing that you are there for them will give your child ease and security, enabling their brain to be regulated.
Be authentic Show your true feelings. When your child witnesses your experience, they are able to recognise that there are challenges for everybody in a new city. This will meet his need for community (not feeling alone in this). Perhaps share with your child what you miss about home, what you like about Istanbul, and that you too find the language a challenge. Be aware though not to dump this on your child by saying something like ‘and you’re not helping either’, or ‘and you and your sister are not making it any easier on me’ – these statements will not encourage connection. Playgroups Look out for people around the city that have the same background, or come from the same home-city. Try to organise outings and gatherings with other kids that are going through the same thing. Your child again will find comfort in speaking the language she is most used to and will enjoy connecting with like-minded people. Learn about the city It helped a lot with my daughter to go online together and learn about what’s in Turkey. Seeing pictures of the mountains here, or famous museums or places to go helped her look forward to something and enabled her to establish a connection with the country. Encourage your child to try new activities; I encouraged my daughter to learn skiing for example. Even if they seem indifferent, something will grab their attention in time. Make sure you’re coping well yourself Role model coping to your child; this will enable him to pinpoint what coping looks like is and what it takes to do so. Making new friends, exploring the city, learning the language are all activities that your child is more like to explore doing if she see you succeeding in them. Tools for calm You may also like to try equipping your child with tools for being centred and peaceful. I taught all my four kids how to breathe deeply to regain their calm.
WRITER: MARWA FAROUQ Marwa Farouq is a specialist in family development, youth development and parenting education. She is a certified family and youth coach (World Coach Institute). She is also certified in youth counselling by the Institute of Counselling and is an advocate of non-violent communication philosophy. She has completed leadership training for compassionate parenting with the Center of Non-Violent Communication. You can find Marwa’s blog at www.blossomfamily.weebly.com March - April 2014
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Features
Helping far away friends in need How can you help a friend when you are here and she is there? Dorothy Waldman offers suggestions for brightening the day of suffering loved ones who are far away.
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isaster strikes and you want to help your friend, but what can you do when she is a continent or ocean away? Regardless of where you are, across the street or across the ocean, there is a plethora of things you can do to support your friend. Unfortunately, there is also plethora of things you can do that will only help if your friend realises your intentions were good. Often, when someone does not know what to say or do, they do nothing at all. This can leave the impression you do not care, which, of course, is not the truth at all. I know about what works and what doesn’t work because I’ve been on the receiving end of the efforts, some good and some not so good, of friends around the world. It all began in June of 2012. I went to Methodist Memorial City Hospital in Houston, as I did every year, for a mammogram. About three weeks later after additional imaging and biopsies, I got the official diagnosis: invasive ductile carcinoma – that is to say, breast cancer. At that moment, my life felt like it stopped. Over the next months and year, I learned many lessons; among them was how to support a friend in need. I learned this from those who did it right as well as those who didn’t.
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Listen My cancer was discovered at an early, curable stage. It was not going to be fatal, something I knew from the very beginning. Yet, a number of friends immediately assumed that a cancer diagnosis implied imminent death. As much as I loved their phone calls, their encouragement to fight and reassurance that I’d beat this cancer scared me. The realisation that they were trying to cheer me up because they thought I was dying made me wonder if perhaps they knew something I didn’t. It reminded me of when I was pregnant the first time. I was given a copy of Childbirth without Fear, the original natural childbirth treatise. Reading that book, with suggestions of when to use handcuffs (yes, handcuffs!) and other horror stories, caused me to develop fears I had never thought of. Fortunately, the actual experience was more like what I had come to expect from my childbirth classes, rather than the torture of decades ago. Similarly, I expected my cancer treatment to be difficult and painful, but certainly bearable and successful. Those who got it right were the ones who asked questions and listened to what I had to say. Ask open-ended questions such as:
• What did the doctors say? • How do they do that procedure? • What comes next? You do not need to make suggestions or tell the person what they should do. Each situation is different, even when the diagnosis is the same so don’t tell stories about other people you know who had the same thing. Those tend to be very depressing, as do references to people who have died. Unless you are asked, don’t tell them what you think they should do or bring up other alternate strategies. Instead, listen to what they say, and ask about their thoughts and feelings. Also, remember that sometimes talking is easier than listening. If your friend has been on pain medications, following a conversation may be difficult. If they begin to ramble or talk incoherently, politely tell them you will contact them later. Make contact One of the best things about being so far away is that you will not be tempted to visit. When someone is in the hospital, there is a reason and that reason may make them feel so wretched that guests may not be welcomed. In that respect, distance is a good thing, but it does not mean you should ignore your friend either. Distance can make it difficult to do those things you would normally do if you were nearby. Even so, you can still make contact. Email or even a brief text can do the job. E-cards are fun and you do not have to worry about saying something inappropriate. Something short like the following conveys caring. • Thinking of you • Missing you • Thanks for being my friend Don’t expect a reply, because sometimes just reading a short message can be exhausting. But do continue to send short messages. So often people are very attentive the first weeks, but then after a while seem to forget about you. That is when contact is treasured even more. March - April 2014
Many hospitals today have Wi-Fi for patients so they can go online when they feel up to it. Some people don’t bring their computers so they may not get your message until they get home. Mail can take a long time to arrive, but a card or hand-written note is something to treasure long after the physical problems have healed. Share information about mutual friends and interests or things you have been doing. Ask about them and maybe even others such as a child or spouse. When a person’s life is revolving around medication, treatments and pain, it is good to be reminded that there is an outside world and that once things improve she will be a part of it again. Keep the message upbeat. When you are dreading when the nurse comes in to make you walk or to change your bandages, you don’t want to hear about how someone else’s loopy brother-inlaw is destroying their life or how bad the coffee is in the break room. Once your friend is well enough, try a conversation via Skype. Let them see you, even if they do not want you to see them. In all probability, she is wearing an old T-shirt and has not washed her hair – or even brushed it – for days. Forget about even putting on makeup. Even if she does not feel as though she looks good enough to be seen, she would still like to see you. If she does turn on her camera, watch for signs of exhaustion as you talk. Those might include droopy eyes, closed eyes and, lack of facial expression or inability to follow the conversation. If that happens, politely end the conversation with a promise to call. But make sure you do call again. Gifts and cheer People traditionally send flowers to someone in the hospital. Flowers do brighten a hospital room. However there is one major problem with flowers – they die. The first week after my bilateral mastectomy, I received a number of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen, arranged in lovely vases and tied with ribbons of varying colours. They were all sent with love and concern for my wellbeing, which I greatly appreciated. For the first week, when the flowers were at their best, I was at my worst. Drugged on pain medication, I spent
very little time upright with my eyes open. My caretakers were the ones who really got to enjoy them. By the time I was coming out of the post-surgical stupor, some of the arrangements had already begun to drop their petals. Each day more and more petals appeared on the tabletops and less and less on the ends of stems. The crystal clear water in the vases began to cloud over with various hues of algae. I could not pick up the vases to change the water and everyone else was more concerned with taking care of me than looking after flowers. By the time I felt good enough to really appreciate the beauty of the flowers, they were rapidly becoming a dying brown reminder of what had once been and never would be again. So depressing! Instead of sending cut flowers, consider sending a dish garden or other living plant. The plant will not die within days or weeks, but will provide a lasting pleasure to be enjoyed for months and maybe even years. If you want flowers, select a blooming plant. Even when the blooms die, the plant will live on, perhaps even blooming again. A bit of living nature is an optimistic reminder of the wonderful world we live in and encouragement to focus on trying to once again enjoy it. Fortunately, there are choices other than flowers and plants that are readily available through online sources. One friend sent an edible arrangement of fruit skewers in a flower pot. I especially appreciated that gift because it arrived at the hospital the one day my dinner did not. Even without an appetite, the several pieces of fruit I tasted were delicious – certainly better than my dinner would have been. Balloons are also a fun way to cheer up a hospital room. They are especially good when the patient is not permitted to have plants. I have had some last for several weeks, although that is unusual. He may not admit it, but even your frumpy uncle will smile when a balloon bouquet arrives in his room. After a while, flowers stop coming, usually around the time I could really enjoy them. Immediately after surgery, I was tired, hurting and sleeping a lot. After a while, you are
starting to feel better, but you still cannot do as much as you want. This recovery period, to me, is the most difficult. This is when a call or a little token is most appreciated. Waiting a week after surgery is perfectly acceptable to send a plant or other gift. On the card say something like, “I waited to send this until you felt good enough to enjoy it.” One gift I greatly appreciated was books. Now it is possible to buy books online, either print or e-books, for someone who has to spend a lot of time resting. Regardless of what you do, do not expect a thank you note or even acknowledgement right away. If they could be prompt, they would probably be perfectly healthy and would not even need your kindness. They will eventually get around to letting you know how much they appreciated it. Be patient. Just do it Caring people often say, “Let me know if you need anything,” or “Tell me what I can do to help.” Most people, me included, find it difficult to ask for help unless it is really a life or death situation. Sometimes the sick person does not know what they need so they say nothing. Instead, phrase the question differently so you are very specific about what you can do. Some examples are: • Do you prefer John Grisham books or Dan Brown? Then send one from the favourite author. • Would you like dinner on Wednesday or Thursday? Then arrange online for a nearby restaurant to deliver a meal that day. • Is morning or afternoon better for me to Skype you? Then follow through at the desired time. The important thing is not to ask “if” you can do something, rather to ask when. The question is not “Can I help?” but “Would you prefer this or that or now or later?” Of course, once you get that answer, be sure to follow through and do what you said you would. Whatever you decide to do, doing or saying something is better than doing or saying nothing. Even if your efforts are not perfectly on target, you made the effort. The effort shows you care and that what is important.
WRITER: DOROTHY WALDMAN Dorothy Waldman was an IWI and IPWIN member during the two years she lived in Istanbul. When she went back to her home in Houston, Texas in 2012, fully intending to return after a few weeks’ vacation, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She remained in Houston to receive treatment at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. A freelance writer, Dorothy has recently resumed writing by publishing a blog at www.dorothywaldman.com.
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Features
Exhibition in its eighth year It is now becoming a tradition and a rendez-vous in the cultural agenda of Istanbul… so please mark your calendar so as not to miss this coming art event (4-12 April, Gallery Ouvroir d’Art – details below). Istanbul Accueil (the French-speaking organisation) is proud to present its 8th annual art exhibition, 'Printemps des Artistes'. The present curating team of four energetic French ladies has chosen carefully. Nine local and international professional artists will be on show in this colourful and multi-faceted exhibition reflecting the dynamism of the exciting multi-cultural life in Istanbul. Like previous years, this one-week exhibition offers indeed a unique mix of art pieces with very varied styles and techniques : photography, painting, sculpture, textile design… It’s also a unique place to enjoy rich cultural exchanges between the artists and the visitors from Turkish and international communities. Most importantly, the exhibition is a fund-raising event whose proceeds will support the Hospital of Lape, an institution established in 1857 in Istanbul. Indeed, 30% of the art sales are generously given by the artists themselves towards this cause and if you decide to purchase a beautiful artwork, this will give you the satisfaction of helping this institution as well as owning a memorable part of this fabulous city and country we all live in. You are invited to come and enjoy this exciting week as per programme below.
Don’t miss the to opportunity ists at meet the art g Night the Openin or the Late night!
Details of the venue: Galerie Od’A – Ouvroir d’Art @ Sainte Pulchérie Fransız Lisesi Çukurluçeşme Sok. No 7, Küçükparmakkapı, BEYOĞLU www.sp.k12.tr
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March - April 2014
Let us introduce you to the artists: Agathe Bouton, French engraver painter
Ewen MacDonald, English painter
From her numerous travelling experiences, Agathe developed different styles and techniques: painting, collage and engraving. Needless to say that Istanbul has influenced her greatly and as a result she produced mysterious landscapes and skylines of the city that will enchant you. Sevgi Cagal, Turkish-American sculptor Sevgi creates stunning bronze sculptures all embodied by womanhood, love, tenderness and life. From the first glance, you will be conquered by her works, which are beautifully rounded and warm. Selçuk Gürışık, Turkish textile artist and designer Selçuk combines multiple fabric-making techniques allowing him to produce artifacts and theatrical works standing between traditional and contemporary concepts. Come and discover how he re-interpreted kaftans with felt and silk for this exhibition only. Yesim Karacizmeli, Turkish photographer Her main source of inspiration has been Istanbul, as well as Kuzguncuk, the quaint and artsy neighborhood where she lives in. She tries to capture the essence of Istanbul through photography as she sees a beautiful serenity behind the chaos. Serhat Kocak, Turkish painter This up and coming abstract artist will grab your attention through the warmth and the deepness of his works. Layers of colours reveal a vibrant energy and will certainly enlighten your walls.
Ewen defines himself as a contemporary watercolourist. His photographic and realistic approach in some of his paintings has changed our concept of watercoloring. Additionally, he manages to transform and beautify ordinary and functional objects into arty items. Serpil Mavi Üstün, Turkish painter We were totally seduced by this artist’s portraits of women and children, all treated with a personal softness and melancholia. The palette of colours is mild, accentuating the mysteriousness of her posing models or of her landscapes. Melanie Mehrer, Canadian artist and craftswoman Melanie’s art pieces are telling us stories, sharing a way of life, past or present or taking us to an imaginative world. She is a master of drawing on different materials (paper or ceramic objects) and treats her sceneries in a naive approach. Irfan Yavru, Turkish painter
The oriental characters depicted by Irfan seem to be coming straight from an illustrated book revealing to the viewers a world of adventures; every detail such as a turban, moustache or colorful clothes makes us travel to a timeless Turkey.
The curating team is composed of Caroline Stevens, Catherine Chanut, Celine Valigny and also Marine Boixiere, the IWI events coordinator.
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SPONSORED ARTICLE
© Fredrik Drevon
Sponsored Article: TIME OUT MAGAZINE
The ultimate baby trolley challenge A rough-and-tumble guide to child-friendly Istanbul. By Fredrik Drevon Imagine yourself stuck somewhere in Istanbul´s never-ending gridlock, trying to squeeze a baby trolley into a bus already packed way beyond capacity. At first glance, this often-overwhelming megacity doesn’t seem like the ideal place for children. But hold on! If you’re willing to make an effort, you might just discover some amazing playgrounds, parks, and maybe even find a hidden pedestrian’s paradise.
Hardcore trolley driving The stretch most suitable for a baby trolley in Istanbul is without doubt the roughly 10 kilometers of almost uninterrupted seaside sidewalk between Kuruçeşme and Sariyer. Welcome to Istanbul’s version of Nice’s famous Promenade des Anglais! Strolling along the Bosphorus, you and your toddler can enjoy the fresh air and the soothing sounds of water splashing against the
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quays, enticingly intermingled with cries from minarets and enchanting foghorns of majestic cargo ships. Walking from laid-back Arnavutköy to super-posh Bebek, you’ll find yourself dodging the hands-free cables of Iphone-chattering celebrity joggers, and a jungle of fishing rods wielded by chain-smoking fishermen. The mix of characters along these quays is truly ecletic, a special blend only found in Istanbul. Your main concern will be to make sure your trolley’s wheels don’t get entangled in discarded fishing line. This happened to me and my wife a month ago, and we’re still picking fishing line from the wheels. Most toddler parents are coffee junkies and appreciate cafés where you can move between the indoor and outdoor sections with as little back breaking trolley-lifting as possible. Although Prime Minister Erdogan has declared that all Turkish families should have at least three children, trolley
friendly infrastructure and buildings are astonishingly rare in Istanbul. Even obvious trolley destinations, such as Starbucks and Café Nero in Bebek, have lots of steep staircases. Luckily some cafes like La Sirene at the seaside of Bebek park are entirely located on level with the pavement. Sooner or later your baby will require basic maintenance such as food or a clean diaper. Breastfeeding in public is not considered comme il faut in Istanbul, but won’t be a problem as long as breast and baby are hidden behind a poncho or other suitable cover. Very few Istanbul cafes and restaurants have designated facilities for changing diapers. A notable exception is Sütis café in Emirgan, which also happens to be one of those rare stairfree cafes. Other great stretches to roll your trolley are the Gülhane park in Sultanahmet, and the seafront between Üsküdar and Harem, on the Asia-side. Further March - April 2014
SPONSORED ARTICLE SPONSORED ARTICLE south, you’ll find an excellent pedestrian road between Kadiköy and Fenerbace. south, you’ll find an excellent pedestrian According to aKadiköy bizarre and Turkish tradition, road between Fenerbace. a baby should be kept indoors for the According to a bizarre Turkish tradition, first 40 days of her life. Let’s not a baby should be kept indoors for forget the what40Sting “Iflife. you Let’s love somebody first dayssaid: of her not forget set them swear on my daughter’s what Stingfree.” said: I“If you love somebody 15 lira pacifier: Your toddler will be much set them free.” I swear on my daughter’s better off outdoors, gathering stimuli 15 lira pacifier: Your toddler will be much for heroff cognitive, emotional social better outdoors, gatheringand stimuli development. for her cognitive, emotional and social development. Arnavutköy
Manual merry-go-round Manual Istanbul’s most attractive playgrounds merry-go-round
are located on the European side. My Istanbul’s most attractive playgrounds nephew Anton, and niece Tomris, both are located on the European side. My age five,Anton, have tested and approved nephew and niece Tomris, both the five, playgrounds below. age have tested andCompletely approved shielded from traffic, the playground at the playgrounds below. Completely Cankurtaran (municipal shielded fromSosyal traffic,tesisleri the playground at restaurant), aSosyal couple of blocks from Cankurtaran tesisleri (municipal restaurant), a couple of blocks from
Arnavutköy
Aya Sofia, is the best in Sultanahmet. Parents chillbest in the while Aya Sofia,can is the in restaurant Sultanahmet. watching their from a safe distance. Parents can chillkids in the restaurant while In Gülhane park, next to aTopkapı palace, watching their kids from safe distance. there’s a well maintained playground with In Gülhane park, next to Topkapı palace, swings, slides and ladders built around a there’s a well maintained playground with stylizedslides airplane. swings, andHighly laddersrecommended! built around a Continuing towards the recommended! Bosphorus, the stylized airplane. Highly suburbs of Kuruçeşme, Arnavutköy and Continuing towards the Bosphorus, the Bebek have very attractive playgrounds. suburbs of Kuruçeşme, Arnavutköy and Arnavutköy’s best playground is in Bebek have very attractive playgrounds. Vezirkösk street, on a hilltop next Arnavutköy’s best playground is in to the Izzeabad mansion. This unique Vezirkösk street, on a hilltop next to playground has a manually operated the Izzeabad mansion. This unique merry-go-round a fantastic view on playground has aand manually operated the Bosphorus. Bebek Park has what can merry-go-round and a fantastic view on perhaps be called Istanbul’s most popular the Bosphorus. Bebek Park has what can playground. The installations are in perhaps be called Istanbul’s most popular excellent condition and the park itself is a playground. The installations are in great picnic spot. and the park itself is a excellent condition great picnic spot.
Conquest simulator Recently the mayor of Ankara, Melih Conquest simulator
Gökçek, the who churned out Recently the guy mayor ofhas Ankara, Melih 46,000 tweets in capital letters, promised Gökçek, the guy who has churned out to buildtweets “the world’s largest theme park”. 46,000 in capital letters, promised Until Turkey a theme thatpark”. to build “the gets world’s largestpark theme puts Turkey Eurodisney the corner, Until gets in a theme park you thatcan check out Vialand theme park in puts Eurodisney in the corner, youEyüp: can Adventure zone, play zone andineven check out Vialand theme park Eyüp: history zone, it’s play all there. Adventure zone, zone The and park evenalso offers a free shuttle bus from numerous history zone, it’s all there. The park also pointsaof departure around On offers free shuttle bus fromIstanbul. numerous its website Vialand boasts it will soon points of departure around Istanbul. On open a so-called Fatih Darkit Ride, “where its website Vialand boasts will soon you can witness the conquest of Istanbul open a so-called Fatih Dark Ride, “where in 1453”. Well, you need theme you can witness thehardly conquest ofaIstanbul park to teach your kids about 1453, since in 1453”. Well, you hardly need a theme Istanbul is basically oneabout huge 1453, historic park to teach your kids since theme park. A cool one family activity for Istanbul is basically huge historic the more adventurous would be to theme park. A cool family activity forwalk along theadventurous 3,5 kilometerwould stretch the more beoftothe walk Theodosian from Topkapı gate along the 3,5walls kilometer stretch of theto Yedikule fortress. At several places Theodosian walls from Topkapı gateyou to can access the walkway on the 12-meter Yedikule fortress. At several places you highaccess inner the wall.walkway During the siege of can on the 12-meter Constantinople, the 21the yearsiege old Sultan high inner wall. During of Mehmet II bombarded theseold walls with Constantinople, the 21 year Sultan a 8,2 meter long cannon that could Mehmet II bombarded these walls with 272 kglong stone balls that a distance ashoot 8,2 meter cannon could of 1,6 kilometers! Who needs a themeofpark shoot 272 kg stone balls a distance when you live inWho Istanbul? 1,6 kilometers! needs a theme park when you live in Istanbul?
IWI MEMBERS GET 25% OFF! IWI MEMBERS GET 25% OFF!
That’s 12 issues for the price of 9 - only 45 TL! Every month, your Out of will9 be filled That’s 12 issues for Time the price - only 45with TL! features on citywide happenings, restaurant and café reviews, daily concert, event and exhibition listings, shopping hotspots, expat tips, travel destinations, Every month, your Time Out will be filled with features on citywide happenings, restaurant and café celebrity interviews and all you want (and need) to know about what’s going on in your reviews, daily concert, event and exhibition listings, shopping hotspots, expat tips, travelcity. destinations, Time Outinterviews Istanbul inand English – Know Do More. celebrity all you want More. (and need) to know about what’s going on in your city. Subscribe today by contacting us at (0212) 287-1990 Time Out Istanbul in English – Know More. Do More. or antoine@timeoutistanbul.com, or by visiting www.timeoutistanbul.com/en Subscribe today by contacting us at (0212) 287-1990 or antoine@timeoutistanbul.com, or by visiting www.timeoutistanbul.com/en
March - April 2014
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SPONSORED ARTICLE: CORNUCOPIA MAGAZINE
ISTANBUL UNWRAPPED
THE SULTAN’S RETREAT
Cornucopia celebrated its 50th issue with the first in a series exploring the city’s heritage. Here we revisit
F
ew visitors call at Aynalıkavak Kasrı, the “Pavilion of the Mirrored Poplar”. Thirty-foot walls separate it from the naval docks and a scruffy neighbourhood of apartments and workshops that grew up on the hills of the Golden Horn, across from the Old City. But in 2011, after decades under restoration, it was unlocked, its garden a little more kempt, if less romantic. A boat sails up the Golden Horn every half an hour. Hop off at Hasköy, next to the Rahmi Koç Museum with its quietly smart restaurants (the other reason to venture here). You can walk from the boat, but taxis and the Hasköy–Kasımpaşa dolmuş ply the route at speed, and it is just a 10-minute drive from Beyoğlu. The palace dates back to the early 17th century but its heyday was the the Tulip Period in the 18th, when Istanbul discovered the exotic West. Countless pavilions sprang up all along the Golden Horn, as far as Kağıthane – the Sweet Waters of Europe – at the top. Manners became more extroverted and religious segregation less rigid. The most celebrated use of the palace came in 1720, with the 15-day festivities for the circumcision of
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Ahmed III’s four sons. In miniatures recording the event by Levni, the sultan is seen watching the water sports from a kiosk built on stilts over the water. At the end of the 18th century, Selim III grew so fond of the place that he shut himself away there one summer to compose. This was the golden age of Ottoman music, and Selim one of its most accomplished exponents and patrons. Unprecedentedly, he would rise to greet his tambur teacher when he entered the room. He was an exceptional composer, many of whose works are still performed; and it was during his reign that the viola d’amore was brought in to accompany the tambur and ney. The pavilion’s decoration dates from Selim III’s reign, and the selamlık – a suite of two reception rooms, the Audience Chamber and the Composition Room (seen here) – are its jewels, a magical synthesis of Ottoman and Western taste. Verses in delicate ta‘liq calligraphy, gold leaf on indigo, run around both rooms. In the Composition Room they pay tribute to Selim. Above the deep damask divans are panels of Venetian-style faux marble, separated by columns covered in lavish baroque gilding.
March & April 2014
44 IWI layout Spring 2014 2.indd 2-3
March - April 2014
LALE SPECIAL OFFER
the fogotten kiosk where Selim III composed his masterpieces of Ottoman music
From Istanbul with love A subscription to Cornucopia Magazine is a splendid way to keep in touch with friends and family in distant lands, and to share with them Istanbul’s most inviting treasures. Turkey’s independent triannual magazine is offering IWI members a gift offer that brings 3 special Istanbul issues, a free back issue and a Rifat Özbek tote bag. Treat friends and family to a one-year subscription post-free worldwide. A gift card in your name and message. cornucopia.net/iwioffer, subscriptions@ cornucopia.net
CORNUCOPIA Issue 50 00 2013 2008
Turkey Turkeyfor forConnoisseurs Connoisseurs
THE HEART OF THE CITY Where to go and what to see
BYZANTINE BYGONES
A thousand years of pulchritude
SULTANS OF THE SEA Beautiful barges revealed
ISTANBUL UNWRAPPED March & April 2014 March - April 2014
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H ealth & F itness
Eating organic in Istanbul Making sure your family is healthy and you’re feeding them the best foods possible has never been easier in Turkey than now. Ulli Allmendinger takes you through her own experience of living an organic lifestyle in Istanbul.
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hen I first started visiting Istanbul back in 2000, I remember searching for organic produce with not much luck. Coming from the US, where I had been spoiled by Whole Foods and smaller health food stores that offered a variety of fresh produce, tofu and tempeh, different grains such as quinoa and amaranth as well as my favorite pumpkin seed butter, I arrived in Turkey to find…nothing. On my second visit in 2002, my mother-in-law excitedly took me to a City Farm store which, by then, had a few bags of red lentils and some wilted carrots in a corner. Of course I was disappointed.
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Organic breakfast in Şişli Since then, much has changed. For one, after I moved to Istanbul in 2010, I was surprised to find several weekly organic farmers markets organized by the non-profit Buğday foundation in Şişli, Kartal and Bakırköy. Living close-by in Cihangir, I would spend my Saturday mornings at the Şişli market, sipping fresh pomegranate juice and having a breakfast of warm, wholewheat gözleme and a glass of çay, then shopping organic produce and talking to the farmers. It was a weekly ritual, but if I missed a Saturday, I was sure to find fresh organic vegetables and dairy at my local Çihangir health-food store,
Balya Organics, where I could stop by for a cup of tea and homemade carrot cake at any day of the week. After I moved to the Asian side in 2011, I discovered another organic weekly farmers market, put on by the Kadıköy municipality and held in Özgürlük Parkı on Wednesdays. There it is possible to find organic fruits and vegetables, as well as organic milk, cheese, eggs and meat. While it is not as big as the Şişli market, and does not have the same social event feeling, I am happy to stop by there every week, talk to the farmers and always find fresh organic and seasonal produce. March - April 2014
Living in Moda, Kadıköy, I also have the luxury of having Elta Ada close, a small organic store that sells milk, cheese, yoghurt, eggs and meat straight from their farm on Gökçe Ada. On Fridays, they have organic chicken and ground or cubed beef delivered, which can be pre-ordered the day before. The quality is excellent, and I am happy to support a small growing business. Their products can now also be found in selected Macro Center stores and at the weekly organic farmers markets both on the European and Asian sides.
there is Ipek hanim çiftliği. Founded and successfully run by Pınar Kaftançıoğlu in Aydın, this is a one-stop online shop where you can order everything from fresh village produce to homemade jams, butter, yufka, pekmez etc. While she does not have organic certification, Pınar works with a range of village women and farmers to support their local productions and sends out a lovely weekly letter and order list every Friday. She sends the orders by cargo overnight, and the produce arrives fresh and is of the highest quality.
Hand-made village produce from Aydın Of course, being a company owner, I have the luxury of being able to make it to my Wednesday market, but many of my friends are working during the week and have to be a little more inventive to get their organic produce. For one, major Macro Centers and Migros stores now have organic produce sections and also sell organic dried goods such as lentils, pekmez, and nuts. Secondly,
‘Natural’ is not organic Which brings me to another point. Organic certification is in its infancy stage here in Turkey, and one is not always clear what to look for. Don’t be fooled by your local bakkal telling you his tomatoes are organic. If he is not at one of the selected farmers markets organised by either Buğday or the Kadıköy municipality, who regularly take samples form their producers and have
them examined in a lab for pesticide levels, then most likely his tomatoes are sprayed. Also, don’t be fooled by labels such as ‘doğal’ or ‘naturel’ (natural). They don’t necessarily mean that they have been certified. Both the Buğday Foundation and Ekoorganik, the online store, have information – albeit in Turkish – on which certificates are trusted organic for produce, cosmetics and cleaning products as well as clothes (http://www.ekoorganik.com/organik_ nedir.aspx; www.bugday.org). Lastly, if you are on a tight budget, I would still recommend buying at least your dairy, eggs and meat organic to make sure there is no genetic modification and no use of antibiotics and growth hormones in your food. You can still buy conventional produce such as fruits and vegetables, but at least soak them in vinegar water or turmeric water for 10 minutes and then wash them thoroughly to get rid of the pesticides.
ORGANIC SHOPPING GUIDE • Organic Farmers’ Markets (Buğday Foundation www.bugday.org and Kadıköy municipality) European side: oo Bakırköy, Fridays 10.00-20.00 (Buğday Foundation) oo Şişli, Saturdays 7.00-17.00 (Buğday Foundation) Asian side: oo Kartal, Sundays 8.00-18.00 (Buğday Foundation) oo Feneryolu, Özgürlük Parkı, Wednesdays 8.00-14.00 (Kadıköy Municipality) •
Organic stores oo Elta Ada, Moda, www.elta-ada.com.tr (products available at selected Macrocenter, Carrefour and Migros stores) oo Balya Organik, Cihangir http://balyaorganic.com oo Safran, Nişantaşı http://safranorganik.com oo City Farm, Bağdat Caddesi and Istinye Park, www.cityfarm.com.tr
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Online resources oo http://www.cityfarm.com.tr – for organic produce and cleaning products oo www.ekoorganik.com – for organic produce, cosmetics and cleaning products oo http://www.naturey.com – for organic produce, cosmetics and cleaning products oo http://www.organikturk.com – for organic clothing, cosmetics and cleaning products oo www.thelifeco.com – for organic cosmetics and other health-related products such as shower filters, humidifiers and probiotics
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Box schemes, not certified organic but local village produce www.ipekhanim.com (ipekhanim@ipekhanim.com), also www.nazillisepeti.com
WRITER: ULLI ALLMENDINGER Ulli Allmendinger, MSc Ayurveda, is an Ayurvedic consultant, nutritionist and herbalist with a passion for cooking and Ayurvedic nutrition. Based in Istanbul, Ulli consults clients for a variety of health concerns, gives Ayurvedic cooking and nutrition classes, workshops on Ayurveda and guides detox camps. She also has a line of gluten-free cookies and breads that are made-to-order. For more information, please visit www.ulli-ayurveda.com and www.sopsy.com/ulliskitchen, call 0539 203 0422 or email info@ulli-ayurveda.com. March - April 2014
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H ealth & F itness
Aromatherapy:
introduction and use in the home We all love things that smell good, however, there is more to good scents than what meets the nose. In this article, Jo Harris, trained aromatherapist, introduces aromatherapy, and explains where essential oils come from and what they are. A basic guide to using aromatherapy at home has been included as a bonus.
What is aromatherapy? Aromatherapy can be defined as the therapeutic use of essential oils for psychological, emotional, physiological and energetic effect. Close your eyes and think about your favourite smell. Maybe it is cut grass, freshly brewed coffee or dark chocolate. See how you feel when you open your eyes. Conversely, close your eyes and imagine your most disliked smell. Notice the negative effect on the nervous
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system that even the visualisation of an aroma can have. Research has shown us that aromas and smells have a huge effect on the central nervous system. What are essential oils? Essential oils are natural substances occurring in most plants. They are located in the oil sacs of plants which are found in various parts such as; flowers (rose, orange blossom); leaves (eucalyptus, rosemary); wood
(cedarwood, sandalwood); roots (ginger, vetiver); grasses (lemon grass, palmarosa); the rind of citrus fruit (orange, mandarin); seeds (coriander, fennel); berries (juniper berry, black pepper) and some resins (frankincense, myrrh). Although they are called essential oils, they are not actually oils in the same way that carrier oils, such as sesame oil, are oils. They are not oily substances, they do not moisturise the skin, and
March - April 2014
they shouldn’t be directly applied to the skin without being diluted first in a carrier oil (such as almond, sesame or sunflower oil) or a lotion. Essential oils are extremely concentrated and when applied directly to the skin they can cause an allergic reaction known as sensitisation, which often means that this particular essential oil may always be reacted to in this way by your immune system. To make it clearer, a herbal tea is made from 1 teaspoon of dried plant matter, which is around 3 tablespoons of fresh plant matter. In contrast, to extract an essential oil, the amount of plant material that is needed is phenomenal. For example, to get 1 gram of rose essential oil around 3,000 roses are needed, which is around 4kg of roses. Also, in the case of neroli (orange blossom), to extract 1 gram of oil, 1kg of blossoms are needed. Even for lavender, which is a relatively high yield plant, around 150 grams of lavender flowers are needed to extract 1 gram of essential oil. So, the point here is that 1 gram – and even 1 drop – of essential oil is a lot of plant material. This explains why less is better with the use of essential oils and why essential oils can be very expensive. They are also known as volatile oils as they evaporate very quickly. History of essential oils Essential oils, and aromatherapy in some form, have been around for a long time. Vials of aromatic oils have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. They were also used in India and China, ancient Greece and Rome, as well as in Mesopotamia. The method of extraction was usually maceration, in which the plant matter is placed in fat to extract the oils. However, in West Pakistan, an earlier form of a distilling apparatus was found which is thought to have been made by 3000BC. This method was further developed in the middle ages in Persia. In this method of extraction, the plant matter is placed in a container that is subjected to steam, which then passes through the plant matter releasing the essential oil from the oil sacs. The steam then passes through a condensation process that results in plant water with the essential oil sitting on top. It is interesting that in the early attempts at distillation, the essential oil was viewed as a waste product and discarded in favour of the plant water.
and many other precious flowers. These are used more in perfumery than in aromatherapy. There is one more common method of extraction of essential oils that is the mechanical process of cold pressing used for the extraction of essential oils from the rinds of citrus fruits. How do essential oils work therapeutically? Essential oils are extracted from aromatic plants, many of which have a long history of therapeutic use. The oils work therapeutically by being inhaled or being absorbed by the skin. After inhalation and absorption, they affect the limbic system of the brain and the central nervous system, causing psychological, emotional and energetic changes to occur; they are absorbed into the blood circulation, causing physiological change to occur.
Essential oils work very well on the emotional level; for example, they help in changing mood, have an uplifting effect, lessen frustration and calm the mind. They also work on a psychological level; for example, they can enhance decision-making, alleviate anxiety or enable concentration. In addition, they work on an energetic level since each oil has an affinity with one or more of the chakras. Essential oils also work very well on a physiological level. For example, they work with the respiratory system, drying up excess mucous, healing coughs or colds, and enabling the body to come back into balance; healing skin conditions; or alleviating aching muscles and pain. These are only some of the therapeutic uses of essential oils. Buying and storing essential oils When buying essential oils there are a few important things that should be kept in mind. It is very important to buy good-quality essential oils from a reputable supplier, and the oils should be labeled with a production date or expiration date. They should also be labeled with their Latin name as well as the English name. The bottle should be made of amber glass, stored in a cool place and never be left open as this causes the oil to spoil with its reaction to oxygen. Rather than opening the bottle to smell the oil, put a couple of drops on a tissue to smell and immediately close the bottle.
Some plants, however, are too fragile to have their essential oils extracted by steam. For these, oils are extracted with hexane or other solvents and are called absolutes. This includes jasmine March - April 2014
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H ealth & F itness As noted, essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin or taken internally unless advised by a medical practitioner. They should always be diluted in a carrier oil, lotion or other medium. Essential oils are extremely concentrated and only a small amount is therapeutically necessary. The use of aromatherapy at home Aromatherapy is a wonderful therapy as it can be used very easily and is very effective. Almost every essential oil has some antimicrobial, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Additionally, some have deodorant and insect repellant characteristics. At home they can be used in many different ways. They can be used in an oil burner or humidifier or spray to change the atmosphere of a room, during times of illness to increase people's immunity, in the shower to energise or relax, or to rid the kitchen or bathroom of unwanted smells or bugs; natural soy candles and soy melts with essential oils; drawer sachets; or added to unscented hand soap, to name just a few. They may also be used to clean the house naturally. For example, when mixed with vinegar, they can be used in the washing machine as a fabric softener or for cleaning windows; when mixed with baking soda, they can be used for cleaning carpets; for deodorising smelly shoes; or even in the vacuum cleaner bag. Below is a guide to using essential oils at home and some possible blends.
How to use essential oils at home: Oil burner Room freshener Relaxing sleep
Shower
up to 10 drops in water up to 10 drops in a small bowl of water placed on radiator or oil burner or humidifier 1-2 drops placed on a tissue and left near pillow up to 10 drops in a small saucer
see blends in the table below lemon, peppermint, pine, orange, lemon myrtle lavender enlivening: lemon myrtle, citrus oils, rosemary relaxing: lavender, vetiver
Bath Linen cupboard spray
up to 10 drops in 5ml milk/ vinegar/oil up to 25 drops in 100ml water in a spray bottle
Washing machine-fabric softener
up to 20 drops in 100ml vinegar
Dishwasher
1 drop inside dishwasher
Cleaning carpets
50 drops in 1/2 cup baking powder & 1/2 cup corn starch
Cleaning windows
Cleaning solution
Insect/bug deterrent
25 drops in 100ml vinegar solution (vinegar 50%, water 50%) 25 drops in 100g of soft abrasive cleaning mixture 30g baking powder, 20g citric acid, 30g natural liquid soap,10g vinegar, 10g glycerine 5 drops on cotton wool
see blends lavender antimicrobial oils: tea tree, eucalyptus, lemon myrtle, tea tree, lemon myrtle, lemon, orange lemon, lemon myrtle, orange, tea tree, cinnamon leaf, lavender, may chang lemon, orange citrus oils (lemon, orange), tea tree, cinnamon leaf, lemon myrtle, lavender, lavandin, may chang, thyme peppermint: ants bay leaves: weevils, citronella: mosquitoes
Some blends to try Relaxing
orange 4, lavender 3, clary sage 3
Energising
basil 4, grapefruit 5, black pepper 1
Concentration
rosemary 6, lemon 4
Breathe easy
eucalytptus 3, rosalina 3, pine 2, lemon 2
Immune stimulating
eucalytpus 3, frankincense 3, fragonia 2, myrrh 2
Confidence
grapefruit 6, ginger 4
Decision making
basil 4, lemongrass 5, black pepper 1
WRITER: JO HARRIS Jo Harris has been interested in aromatherapy and using essential oils therapeutically for more than 20 years. She was professionally trained in 2007 and since has regularly taken continuing education in specialist aromatherapy. As well as being an aromatherapist, she produces and gives workshops about natural skin care products, is a remedial massage therapist, baby massage instructor and HypnoBirthing instructor. Working with essential oils and aromatic plants is one of Jo’s greatest passions. Website www.momma-zen.com
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March - April 2014
H ealth & F itness
REsolution: RElaxation REvolution In this article, author and yoga instructor Ayse Yufkayürek draws our attention to findings she has gathered; evidence that will hopefully inspire us to alter our perception of time in order to become less vulnerable to stress and, therefore, more balanced, healthy and less prone to diseases.
The irony in medicine It is not at all a new phenomenon that Western medicine – be it therapy, pills or surgery – is not curing diseases beyond alleviating symptoms. Many people are bound to drugs and/or face reoccurrences of certain health conditions that they do not seem to get under control. Something has gone awry in medicine. It does not cure as promised, often leads to medical dependencies, and scarcely considers the root cause, thus lacking a holistic view of the human system. Not only for the patients, but also for many physicians, this is frustrating due to their limited ability to treat people the way molecular medicine has taught them. The source issue Our current world view originates from the fragmented perception, which was caused largely by Renee Descartes' separation of mind/ spirit and body/ matter in the 17th century ("I think, therefore I am"). We are still captivated and adhere to the concepts of an old world view based on the mechanistic perception of CartesianNewtonian science.Thus, the problem within medicine is that its approach has been fragmented; but its current crisis is linked to a much larger social and cultural crisis we experience,
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predominantly in the industrial countries. We need to implement an ecological, sustainable and holistic notion to adjust our concepts to the interdependent relations of biological, social and environmental areas. New millennia cognitions In 20th century physics, the universe is perceived as a harmonious indivisible whole, a web of dynamic relationships that include the human observer and his consciousness in an essential way. The conceptual revolution in modern physics foreshadows an imminent revolution in all the sciences and a profound transformation of our world view and values. If our knowledge and understanding is not complete, we have a limited perception of our world. Though realising its flaws, it is hard to get out of long established thoughts, constructs, patterns, behaviour and paradigms. Commonly, these conditionings are established unconsciously, trained and applied from early in life. On a larger scale, they are tied in with systems of money, power and control, making it hard to change. Naturally, we are not born with restricted or harmful thinking but, rather, with openness, curiosity and a sharing sense of bliss.
The fear of time Many illnesses are caused, primarily or secondarily, by a misperception of time. We live with a principle that measures time in a linear way only. In order to understand its impact on our health and to appreciate how the sense of time can be manipulated to make us healthier, we need a clear idea about the concept of time. In our society, we have learned to hurry, to save time, to compete, to maximise our time to be productive. This sense of urgency has been indoctrinated through many years of learning, copying from our environment, and, lastly, through the ubiquitous notion of success. We are conditioned by time – the alarm clock, the morning coffee, schedules, education and all kind of self-inflicted expectations that we build into and take into our daily routine. All day long, we get the subliminal message that "time is running out", to "please hurry", that "time is money", that "life is winding down", and there are "things to do before you die". Stress = toxicity The sense of urgency results in a speeding up of some of our body's rhythmical functions. It translates into many physiological effects. Thus, our perception of speeding clocks and vanishing time causes our own biological clock to speed. This haste makes us prone to various diseases. We live in a consumption-oriented culture, where we perceive linear time as a diminishing asset, as constantly escaping. We generate conditions in our bodies that assure us of the same thing, reinforcing the message of the clock: "we are running out of time". Many events that happen to and around us, and many things that we do ourselves, put stress on our body, physically, mentally and emotionally. Surely, stress can be positive, keeping us alert and ready to react to threats and to avoid danger. Stress becomes negative when we face continuous challenges without relief or relaxation. March - April 2014
As a result, we become overworked or “burned out”, and stress-related tensions and lactic acids build up in our body. Without relief, stress can lead to negative reactions. This distress can lead to or exacerbate many serious health problems, including: mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and personality disorders; insomnia; migraines; cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks and stroke; obesity and other eating disorders; menstrual problems; sexual dysfunction, skin and hair problems, such as acne, psoriasis, eczema and permanent hair loss; and gastrointestinal problems, indigestion, gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome – the list goes on. In today's society, stress is often falsely relieved by the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs, things that only worsen the effects by keeping the body in stress and causing even more problems in the long run. There is no effective drug or surgery that can deal sustainably with the side effects of stress.
may eliminate a malignancy, so, too, does our mind have the capacity to treat and even cure many of our serious physical and emotional complaints. We can change our thought constructs, changing the way we feel and perceive ourselves and the world.
We have hurry-sickness The perception of time affects our health by influencing the development and course of certain diseases. This is very obvious in people with "hurry sickness”. We are all affected by it, as usually our lives are essentially orientated around goals, deadlines, and objectives to which we seem to react to in a driven style. We need to accomplish and to achieve. Our mind cannot rest. Not only do we have an inward sense of urgency, often our outward behaviour suggests the same quality. This time syndrome is a body-mind process with effect on all major body systems. It is not just a conscious experience of unpleasant feelings but can be sensed on subtle layers. Our lives are so chronometrically dominated that we have become not only unaware of the cycles in nature, but also insensitive to the cycles within ourselves. Salutary to the human spirit While the physicists have been painfully eliminating the errors from their own models, these revisions have been totally ignored in medicine. Thus, we find ourselves with a set of guiding beliefs that are simply antiquated. It is about time "to correct the irony of modern medicine". We need medical models that are truly saluting the human spirit and models that are compatible with the best of science and beyond, with spirituality. Just as an antibiotic drug may stop an infection or surgery
“The greatest mistake physicians make is that they attempt to cure the body without attempting to cure the mind; yet the mind and the body are one and should not be treated separately.”
In order to convey how to become less vulnerable to stress, I introduce you now to the ideas of Dr Herbert Benson, whose work is about enhancing our personal health through the science and genetics of Mind Body Healing. Benson, a leading mind-body researcher, has been studying stress and the science of meditation for many decades. He published his groundbreaking book "The Relaxation Response" in 1976 where he documented the incredible positive benefits of inducing what he calls “The Relaxation Response”. His 2011 published book, "The Relaxation Revolution", goes into detail on how mind-body practices can significantly impact our levels of health and wellbeing.
PLATO
Fight-or-flight vs. relaxation response Herbert proves that the mind affects the body by the simple act of thinking in a certain way. He relates his findings to an inborn capacity, which he terms the "relaxation response". Opposite to the stress response exists this relaxation response, which is characterised by: decreased metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, and rate of breathing; a decrease or “calming” in brain activity; an increase in attention and decisionmaking functions of the brain; and changes in gene activity that are the opposite of those associated with stress. In order to trigger the relaxation response, we can use any meditative, relaxation and prayer-based technique, including repeating a mantra, different types of meditation and yoga, breath focus and repetitive prayer. All techniques yield the same gene expression. Our minds and bodies, all the way down to the genetic level, are
built to experience a common relaxation response state, regardless of the technique used to elicit it. The key factor is: consistency in training to change our train of everyday thinking! Yes, you can – change your gene activity Every human system contains around 54,000 genes. Scientists can map these out and see whether each gene is expressing itself positively/healthfully or negatively/harmfully. Herbert and his team of researchers wanted to see if mind-body practices influence our genetics. They ran a study and discovered that mind body practices do, in fact, influence the expression of our genes. In their study, 2,209 genes were expressed differently and more healthfully. If the relaxation response can alter our genetic activity, we do not have to be compliant to a diagnosis, as we can re-program our thoughts and integrate a wholesome view of life, a sense of unity. Help (to be) yourself to help others The most profound and sustainable way to help other people is not by healing them in some way but by helping them to create a balanced life in body and spirit. We have to move out of the obsolete reductionist model and bring another feature that teaches how to counter the harmful effects of stress and subsequent drug abuse. We are moving beyond the belief and fallacy that only pills and surgery can work.The spacetime view of health and disease tells us that a vital part of the goal of therapists is to guide the sick person towards a re-ordering of his world view. We can help him realise that he is a process in space-time, not an isolated entity who is fragmented from the world. To the extent that we accomplish this task, we are healers. Because of the complexity and density of the subject, I am not evaluating all ideas, models and concepts; therefore, please contact me for further information. I have been a practitioner of meditative yoga for many years and can strongly relate to the scientific facts from my own experiences and effects. Sources and further reading: Dr Fritjof Capra, The Turning Point Dr Herbert Benson, The Relaxation Response Dr Larrey Dossey, Space, Time & Medicine
WRITER: AYŞE YUFKAYÜREK Ayse Yufkayürek is a Traditional Tantra Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 200 & RYT 500 Yoga Alliance). Ayse divides her life mainly between Turkey, Germany and India, where she organises classes, workshops and retreats to share all aspects of yoga as an integrated part of a wholesome life system and Tantric culture. For more information, longer study programs and yoga certifications, please visit www.shrikali.eu, call 0538 020 3433 or email info@shrikali.eu March - April 2014
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mums ‘n kids
Seven great places to take young children
Activities with the team from Gymboree Ulus at the IWI Christmas Festival.
In keeping with the March/April Lale theme of home and family, IWI Mums n Kids Coordinator Maria Petersen Çiftgül shared these top tips with our vice-chair Tammy Ni…
1.
Gymboree Ulus oree The very first place that comes to mind is Gymb ed levell ally speci is am progr tional Ulus. Their educa r facility for children of different ages, and their indoo speak is both fun and safe. They have teachers who hEnglish onsite, which is a great plus for Englis speaking mums in town.
5.
website: www.gymboreeturkey.com
2.
Babalu Park Despite its somewhat out-of-th e-way location, Babalu Park is worth visiting, with a hug e indoor activity area. I am particularly fond of the mini playground for smaller kids, which is next to the cafe so that parents can catch a break while watchin g their kids playing. website: www.babalu.com.tr
pping malls Activity centres in sho centres in and around ivity There are a few act s FunGate in Kanyon, Kid shopping malls, such as for 4+ ter cen n’s ldre chi the Inn in Nişantaşı and year olds at MetroCity.
3.
4. 54
websites: www.fungate.com.tr .html www.kidsinn.com.tr/iletisim
Bebek Park Outdoors-wise, Bebek Park is my favorite place as it is a fenced-up area where kids can run freely and adults can enjoy the view and occasionally can hop on the short boat tour. It’s set within a lovely area with lots of nice restaurants.
Emirgan Park Emirgan Park ha s several great playgrounds an very well mainta d is a ined park. For th e older kids ther a big and challen e is ging playground with lots of clim equipment. bing
6. 7.
Vialand park. It’s great Vialand is a big, newly-opened theme e are rides for Ther y. famil e whol the for day for a fun have height rides y man all ages – but be aware that on them. go can’t kids ger youn the so restrictions website: www.vialand.com.tr
Turkuazoo aquarium The Turkuazoo aquarium is great fun also for the younger kids – especially the underwate r tunnel, which is amazing for seeing sharks and sea-life up close.
website: www.turkuazoo.com/en/
Social networks on Facebook Maria recommends: 5/ ok.com/groups/15860872752810 Istanbul Moms: https://www.facebo 78217/ 0982 2164 s/15 roup om/g ok.c From kid to kid: https://www.facebo
with Santa and his elf kids Christmas brunch – Maria (at right) at the IWI at left (Vice Chair). Ni my Tam and ) ator rdin (Jo Bradley, Charity Coo
March - April 2014
mums ‘n kids
announcements IWI MUMS ’N KIDS MEETINGS AND PLAYGROUPS
Asian Side of Istanbul
At the present time we have several playgroups running on the European side of Istanbul and one playgroup on the Asian side. This is an opportunity to meet other pregnant ladies and parents of infants or toddlers, as well as share the joys and trials of motherhood while creating a support network. Mums n Kids does not mean mums only – Dads n Kids are just as welcome!
Playgroups and Walks (0-2 years of age) When: Varies Location: Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places. Cost: FREE Please contact Åsa Samuelsson at: asa.v.m.samuelsson@ gmail.com.
Please contact Coordinator Maria Petersen Ciftgül if you have any questions.
INTERNATIONAL PRE-SCHOOLS & CENTRES PLAYGROUPS
Email: mariabwp@hotmail.com Phone: 0533 317 3894
Bosphorus International Pre-School (BIP), Emirgan www.bipschool.net
European side of Istanbul Pregnant and infants (0-12 months) When: Every Tuesday Time: 11am-1pm Location: Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places.Cost: FREE Please contact Jodie Mise at jodiemise@gmail.com or Andrea Roepke at roepke.a@googlemail.com Walkers – Younger Toddlers (1-2.5 years of age) When: Every Tuesday Time: 10am-12pm Location: Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places.Cost: FREE Please contact Sos Anker Hansen at sosankerhansen@gmail. com Toddlers (2,5 +) When: Varies Location: Rotating turns at mums’ homes and pre-arranged places.Cost: FREE Please contact Dawn Biyashev at dancemachine3@gmail. com or telephone at 0541 302 3047.
Multilingual Playgroup Zekeriyaköy The weekly multilingual playgroup in Zekeriyakoy comes together each Friday. Parents of infants (0-2 years old) and pregnant women who want to come can email teike. asselbergs@gmail.com. There are no costs to join the playgroup. It is required that parents (to-be) speak at least 2 languages (For example Turkish and English or two foreign languages). Older siblings and nannies can come along as long as there is at least one adult relative of the infant present as well. The reason for this is that the playgroup is as much for the parents as for the infants. The playgroup will sometimes come together on other days of the week(end), so that working parents can also connect with other parents in the neighbourhood. The playgroup is hosted at the homes of a different member each time.
Teacher organized activity, song & circle time, garden play (weather-permitting). Coffee, tea, milk and cookies provided. When: Tuesdays Time: 10am-11:30 am Cost: FREE Age group: 0-3 years of age Please contact Ms Collette Laffan-Persembe at cpersembe@ bipschool.net or telephone at 0212 277 8444. *Note: please call on Mondays to reserve. There are only 10 openings every week. Please only ONE known adult per child.
British International School (BIS), Zekeriyaköy, Etiler www.bis.k12.tr
Indoor and outdoor play (weather-permitting), followed by snack and music time. Known adult to stay and supervise child. Days and locations: Tuesdays and Thursdays in Zekeriyakoy; Wednesdays and Fridays in Etiler. Time: 9am-11am (both campuses) Cost: 10TL per session Age group: 0-2.5 years of age Please contact Mrs Amanda Ilhan, Preschool and Primary Deputy Director at amandailhan@bis.k12.tr or telephone at 0212 202 7027 ext 116
Elite Celebrations by Woodsview International Nursery and Pre-School, Tarabya www.woodsviewpreschool.com
This is an international English-speaking playgroup. Each session includes a simple craft activity, refreshments (tea and coffee for the parents, fruit and cake) and music time. There’s a large selection of toys to play with each week. It’s a great place for babies, young children and their mothers, fathers and caregivers to get to know each other. Come along and join in the fun!
Please note: IWI’s Mums n Kids Team organises activities for you and your children to enjoy. We remind you that you are responsible for your child’s safety at all times. IWI cannot take responsibility for injury and extra cost incurred during any activity.
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March - April 2014
When: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursday and Fridays Time: 10.30am-12.30 pm Cost: 480TL Age group: 0-5 years of age Please contact Sharon Harding at Sharon@ woodsviewpreschool.com or telephone at 0212 299 3906 (6765).
LOLA (Lots of Lovely Art)
Cost: 800 TL for 12 classes (IWI discount included) Gymboree members can also enjoy complimentary free-play times during the week. For non Gymboree members these cost 30TL per hour. School Skills program (drop-off) for the 2-3 year olds or 3-4 year olds. 10% discount on full year School skills program for IWI members.
www.lotsoflovelyart.com
Music and Art classes are also available.
After-school workshops, toddler art, kinder art, weekend workshops, holiday camps, themed birthday parties. There is a FREE English library, books and DVDs that is available to the public every day EXCEPT for Sunday from 3pm-6pm.
Please contact: Esra Taşar, email: esratasar@ gymboreeturkey.com or on 212 275 8787 or on 212-275-87-87
Weekly schedule Mondays: Toddler Art (2+) at 4pm. Wednesdays: Toddler Art (18 months+) at 10am and Art Workshops at 4pm. Thursdays: Toddler Art (18+ months) at 10am; Kinderart (2+) at 4pm. Fridays: Fine Art Workshops (age 7+) Saturdays: Themed Workshops
Doulas who have completed the İçsel Doğum Doula Training:
Kindermusik at Play to Learn Pre-School www.playtolearn.com.tr
In Akatlar and Nişantaşı, offering different music classes. Village Program: 0-18 months My Time Program: 18-30 months Music and Me Program 2-4 years of age Please contact Ms Ozlem Hun at info@playtolearn.com.tr or telephone at 0212 352 3031 or 0532 237 2272.
Gymboree Play and Music 10% discount for IWI members on Play and Learn classes in Ulus, Ortaköy branch. Please present your IWI membership card to claim your discount. www.gymboreeturkey.com Gymboree Play and Music has been fostering creativity and confidence in children ages 0-5 for over 30 years. Today there are over 550 locations in 30 countries, making us the global leader in early childhood development programs. Designed by experts, our age-appropriate activities help develop the cognitive, physical and social skills of children as they play. Our programs are also recognized for their unique approach to parent involvement—which encourages participation in and understanding of each child’s development International Play and Learn classes every Thursday: PlayandLearn Level 3 (10-16 months): 9am – 9.45am PlayandLearn Level 5 (22-28 months): 11.15am – 12pm International Play and Learn classes every Friday: PlayandLearn Level 4 (16-22 months): 10am – 10.45am
March - April 2014
Full Circle Healing Doula List
European side of Istanbul: Dilek Özkan dilekozkan@outlook.com Oya Kürüm evaluna60@gmail.com Sibel Gözübüyük yogakidz@gmail.com Sima İbrahimiye simaibrahimiye@gmail.com Şaylan Yılmaz saylan.yilmaz@gmail.com Vera Anahmias vanahmias@gmail.com Asian Side: Damla Çeliktaban celikdamla@gmail.com Esra Demiröz esraedemiroz@gmail.com Zeynep Birinci Güler zbguler@gmail.com Doulas may be willing to travel to your location. For more detailed information about each doula, and on how a doula can support you, visit www.fullcirclehealing.org
Eden’s Garden International Preschool – Yeniköy, Istanbul www.edensgardenpreschool.com
Baby Ballet Playgroup for boys and girls age 0-3 years When: every Thursday morning Time: 9.30am – 11.30am Cost: 30TL per session, no block-booking required Where: Ballet Studio, Eden’s Garden International Preschool, Guzelce AliPasa Cad. No: 50, Yeniköy Bring soft slippers for little feet Contact: Karen Holyoak Ciftci, Director, 0212 262 4302, director@edensgardenpreschool.com
IWI’s Mums ‘n Kids Team organises activities for you and your children to enjoy. We remind you that you are responsible for your child’s safety at all times. IWI cannot take responsibility for injury and extra cost incurred during an activity.
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groups & associations Alcoholics Anonymous/Al-Anon Open AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings in English are held in the Union Han building on Istiklal Caddesi, Tünel, next to the Swedish Consulate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6.45pm (contact 0533 626 5724 ). There is an Alanon meeting at 6.30pm on Thursdays in the same location. On Sundays, there is an open AA meeting at 4,15pm in Harbiye (contact 0539 606 0123). On the Asian side in Kadikoy, there are meetings at 6pm on Thursdays and at 5.30pm on Saturdays (contact 0537 433 8368). A full listing of all English-speaking AA meetings in Turkey with local contacts can be found on the AA Europe website: www.aa-europe.net
Asian Ladies of Istanbul The Asian Ladies of Istanbul is a non-profit social group established over 20 years ago where ladies from East Asia living in Istanbul get together for various events and can feel at home while far away from their original home. A members-only Facebook page is available for them where they can keep track of the latest monthly luncheons, news, events, photographs and relevant information pertaining to daily life in Istanbul. Please contact the group leader, Kim Cakirkaya at kim.cakirkaya@ gmail.com or 0533 463 6930 for further information.
ARIT (American Research Institute of Turkey) The Friends of ARIT Istanbul, with branches in North America and Ankara, was established to support the ARIT in Turkey and carry out its scholarly activities. The Istanbul Friends run a yearround program of tours and lectures for members and guests. Member¬ship is open to all interested residents of Istanbul. For further information call 0212 257 8111.
AWl (American Women of Istanbul) The AWI is a social network open to Americans, Canadians and spouses of US or Canadian citizens living in Istanbul. The AWI provides social programmes ranging from special interest groups to charities. If you’re a newcomer to Istanbul please contact our newcomers committee so you can start to feel at home in your new country. Email Debbie Abdo or Sia Israfil at awiistanbul@ gmail.com.
Belgian Friends of Istanbul The Belgian Friends of Istanbul help Belgian newcomers to feel at home and make friends quickly. We gather every month around a drink, brunch, dinner, walk or cultural activity. We also try to keep our traditions alive with activities such as the annual St. Nicholas party for the children or New Year’s dinner. We have our own Facebook page where members exchange useful information about job opportunities, housing, babysitting, Belgian cultural events in Istanbul, where to find Belgian products, etc. Email Nathalie Bevernaegie at bfistanbul@gmail.com.
Boy Scouts/Cub Scouts The Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of America is a youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. All boys in grades one to five (ages six to ten) holding a foreign passport are welcome to join Cub Scouts. Older boys (ages 11-18) with foreign passports are welcome to join Boy Scouts. Activities include hiking and camping. Email Vicki Gunay graygunay@gmail.com or phone 0532 314 11 34.
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Bridge group Our friendly bridge group meets on Fridays at 11am -- all levels welcome! We play in a relaxed way and sometimes have a chat in between hands. Playing bridge in our group is a way to spend a pleasant Friday. Please contact Sandra on 212 257 9781 or 0532 483 5319.
CHICAS - Spanish speaking women of Istanbul A group open to all ladies who speak our language, or would like to practice it. We host lots of fun, hilarious Latin parties and cultural events. Come on, jump on in, you won’t regret it! We have our own blog: http://chicasestambul.blogspot. com/ and we’re on Facebook under “Chicas Estambul”. Email chicasestambul@yahoo.com.mx or phone Ninoska Gutierrez Sierra 0533 651 3581, Norma Maranges 0532 314 29 34 or Lorena Martinez 0533 388 6309.
CIRCOLO ROMA (Comunità italiana) The Italian association organises several activities, such as cooking classes, dinners, parties, Italian and Turkish conversation classes, piano lessons, zumba, tamurriata, Italian cinema, medieval fencing, painting on porcelain, capoiera, singing and other activities for children and much, much more. The wonderful liberty hall can also be hired for private parties and conferences. Email Paola Maresia Maresia@superonline. com or Elsa Zambonini elsazambonini@yahoo.com, tel 0212 244 17 59 or visit our website info@circoloroma.com.
Die Bruecke ‘Die Bruecke’ is a platform for the German speaking community. It was founded in 1989 to serve the needs of a steadily growing community. It is not a German club; it is open to everyone who speaks German. Die Bruecke issues a monthly newsletter. Different gatherings, charities, information concerning everyday life, bi-national education, help with bureaucracy and immigration laws in Turkey are covered as well as assistance to newcomers. Website www.bruecke-istanbul.org, email info@ bruecke-istanbul.org.
DNSI - The Dutch School of Istanbul We provide Dutch language and cultural lessons to students aged between four and 16. Our mainstream programme is for primary and secondary students with at least one parent of Dutch nationality. Our afternoon programme is for students aged four-13 who are learning Dutch as a foreign language. We also offer a two week Dutch summer school. There is the possibility of Dutch language courses being offered for adults in the future. Please check our website www.dnsi1991.org or email directeur@dnsi1991.org.
Fransız Fakirhanesi – Little Sisters of the Poor Email Mother Mary psdptr@gmail.com or phone 0212 296 4608.
FOCI (Friends of Contemporary Istanbul) Working with the international community in promoting the growth and development of contemporary art, the Friends of Contemporary Istanbul aim to enrich the rising art scene in Turkey and to contribute to the cultural life of Istanbul. Email jasmine.taranto@gmail.com or phone 0532 687 7899.
March - April 2014
Friends of India Association (FOIA)
The Friends of India Association (FOIA) is a registered group formed to connect Indians in Istanbul through various social events. Our aim is to keep the spirit of India and Indian culture alive by organising various festivals and activities through the year. If you are a newcomer to Istanbul and would like to know more or join the association email any of the following: Jugnu Saglik: jugnusaglik@yahoo.com, Ambili: ramachandran.ambili@ gmail.com or Diya: khera.diya@gmail.com. We are also on Facebook as Istanbul Indian community (FOIA).
Girl Scouts
The Girl Scouts is the world’s largest organisation dedicated to helping all girls everywhere build character and gain skills for success in the real world. In an accepting and nurturing environment, and in partnership with committed adult volunteers, girls develop strong values, leaderships skills, social conscience and conviction about their own potential and selfworth. Girls aged 5 and up are welcome. Email Kat Bekham usagsoistanbul@gmail.com or phone 054 2300 24 92.
InterNations
InterNations is an organisation where globally minded people have the opportunity to network and exchange valuable tips and topics regarding expatriate subjects. We organise events and provide opportunities for our members to meet and network twice a month. For further information please see our website http://www.internations.org.
International Women’s Bible Study
This group meets Tuesdays from 10am until 12.30pm. Contact Vicki Günay on 0532 314 1134.
Istanbul Accueil
Welcomes French speaking newcomers in Istanbul. We publish a weekly newsletter listing many events and activities. All French-speaking people are welcome! Email istaccueil@gmail. com or visit our website www.istanbulaccueil.org.
IWI Tennis Group
If you enjoy playing tennis please join our group. The IWI Tennis Group is up and running and takes place at Torch Tennis in Tarabya. Teams are based on skill levels and we welcome all players from beginners to advanced. If you are interested in joining please contact Kenan Dundar on 0535 390 4983 or email kenan.dundar@torchsportsclub.com.
Luso Brasileiro
Portuguese speaking group. Contact: Isabel Ponte Gulpan 0212 669 4943 or 0532 274 1653.
NVI – Dutch speaking people of Istanbul
The Dutch Club Istanbul is a group of people who like to keep typical Dutch festivities alive, for people who have connection to Holland, who like to meet up with Dutch-speaking people. On a monthly basis we organise a get together. Among the festivities we do the typical celebrations like Sinterklass (5 December) and Koninginnedag (Queens day). For further information and details check our website (www.nv-istanbul.org) or contact: Lisette Ruygrok at secretariaat@nv-istanbul.org.
Istanbul International Chamber Choir
IICC is a fun women’s choir, which was founded in 2009 and sings a variety of choral styles from light classical to musical, jazz and pop. The choir organises a Christmas concert and a spring concert in June. A weekly rehearsal takes place at Rumeli Hisarı. The group is always looking for enthusiastic members and for more details you are kindly invited to contact Anderske Kaspersma at anderske@kaspersma.net or 0532 746 9448.
Istanbul Ottomans Rugby Football Club
We practice every Saturday afternoon between 4 and 6pm, except on days when there are official fixtures, at the Dikilitaş
March - April 2014
Spor Kulübü in Besiktas (directions available at www. ottomansrugby.com). Players of all ages (17+) and all levels of fitness are welcome. Please contact one of the team officials on the website for more information.
PAWI
The Professional American Women of Istanbul is a network of American/Canadian women and spouses of Americans/ Canadians living in Istanbul. PAWI strives to empower and support members by promoting personal and professional growth. Members inspire each other to achieve and share success. Each monthly PAWI meeting features a guest speaker, and locations alternate between the European and Asian sides. Contact info@pawiistanbul.com or visit www.pawistanbul.com.
Patchwork Group
Contact Gaye Hiçdonmez at gayehicdonmez@gmail.com or 0532 700 0693.
Photo Club of Istanbul
The Photo Club of Istanbul organises photography classes and workshops, monthly photo treks and other activities for photographers of all levels of experience. Membership is free and is open to anyone with an interest in photography. Beginners are welcome. Email photoclubofistanbul@gmail.com to request an application form.
Speech Bubbles
Speech Bubbles Theatre is an Istanbul based drama group established in 1988 aiming to perform high-quality English language musical theater while donating the proceeds to charities supporting children and education. Speech Bubbles is composed of amateur and professional dancers, singers and musicians from the international community. Speech Bubbles also runs a part-time school of performing arts for young people over ten years of age and adults for three hours on Saturday mornings where everyone has the chance to gain confidence, develop their performance skills or simply just learn how to act, sing, dance and most importantly have fun! Email: tom@speechbubbles.org or visit our web site: www. speechbubbles.org.
South Africans in Istanbul
Please contact esbie@hotmail.com if you are interested in forming an informal group of expatriate South Africans.
SWEA (Swedish Women Educational Association)
A world-wide network for Swedish or Swedish-speaking women with a chapter in Istanbul. Email jessica.lundgren@jlu-prod.com or phone 0539 234 7043.
Support Group for Parents of Children with Special Needs Looking for the support of other parents of children with special needs and additional resources for your child? Please contact Carol Crous for more information on 0533 730 7148 or 0212 223 9700.
Toastmasters International – Istanbul Chapter
The English speaking Istanbul toastmasters club is the first Istanbul local branch of Toastmasters International, an organisation that helps its members improve their communication and leadership skills in a supportive environment. ITM meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 19.30-21.30 at the Gönen Hotel in Taksim. Guests are welcome to attend two meetings free of charge. Email vp-membership@istanbultoastmasters.org or president@istanbultoastmasters.org.
Union Church of Istanbul
We are an international, inter-denominational church that offers services in English. Please contact Elaine Van Rensburg 0212 244 5763.
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IWI
Partner Offers
IWI Membership ID card Our Partner Offers page lists various offers and discounts that our partners are extending to IWI members. In order to redeem these partner benefits, you must show your IWI Membership ID card. If you lose your card, contact our offices at: Adnan Saygun Caddesi, Oz Topuz Sokak. Camlitepe Sitesi, No. 74 Blok C1 / D2 Ulus, Ortakoy.
Da Vittorio Restaurant You do not have to go all the way to Italy to be served authentic Italian food. Just go to Da Vittorio’s in the heart of Beyoglu. Ladies of the IWI is offered a 15 % discount at Da Vittorio restaurant. This offer is valid everyday except Friday and Saturday dinner. Please make a reservation at: vittoriosindoni@yahoo.com or call: 0212 – 245 8817 www.davittorioistanbul.com
During 2013 Isda Bebek Wellness Center is pleased to offer you the most incredible gifts... For the “Midas and Microplus” body reshaping systems we offer 10 bonus sessions for each 10 sessions purchased. Also…in our ‘’antiaging and weight loss sessions’’ we offer a %30 discount and for “spa and massage treatments ‘’ a %50 discount with cash payment . For a complete list of services please visit our website www.isdabebek.com
EFinst: 10% off for IWI cardholders The most professional and successful private Turkish language school for foreigners in Turkey teaching students how to speak the language accurately and fluently from the first lesson! The EFINST Turkish Centre İstanbul has over 12 years experience in meeting the language and training needs of those who wish to study and improve their Turkish. We are dedicated to promoting international understanding through education and raising the standards of language learning. Contact: info@turkishlesson.com or 0212-282 9064. www.turkishlesson.com
Time Out İstanbul in English is offering a 25% discount on subscriptions. Make Time Out İstanbul in English your monthly go-to guide for the city by contacting: Gizem Unsalan 02122871990 gizem@timeoutistanbul.com - www.timeoutistanbul.com/ english
Planet Lifestyle Club is offerıng IWI members a 30% discount on all fitness memberships. Please contact sales manager Mr. Hicabi Akay at 0530-955-4490 or hicabiakay@ planetlife.com.tr. More details can be found on their website www.planetlife.com.
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İsda Body &Soul Works Bebek Kücük Bebek Caddesi No:23 Tel: (0212) 265- 26 86
Richmond Nua Wellness Spa Turkey’s first and only destination Spa, Richmond Nua Wellness Spa, offers all members of the International Women of Istanbul 20% discount on all services during 2014. Please present your IWI membership card during your hotel check-in to benefit from this special offer. For more detailed information: 0264 582 21 00, richmondnua@richmondnua.com Address: Sahilyolu Mevkii, Sapanca – Sakarya Web: www.richmondnua.com
Steven Kitching British hairstylist I’m happy to offer a 20% discount to all IWI members when booking your first appointment. I have twenty years experience in cutting styling and colouring and offer a professional friendly service in the comfort of your home. For more details and appointments call or e-mail (0551) 412- 4784. stevekitching@hotmail.co.uk
March - April 2014
Tarabya Torch Tenis offers individual and group lessons for children and adults of various skill levels. Our experienced coach will help to instill basic tennis skills and proper techniques in beginners as well as help develop professional skills for advanced players. Coach Kenan Dundar has extensive experience giving lessons to foreign students of all different levels and age groups. Every tennis court at our club meets the specifications for professional tennis courts but the tennis club not only has great tennis courts, it also has all the necessary modern infrastructure for training, warm-up and rest after the game. Tarabya Torch Tenis offers excellent opportunities for training and education but our tennis club is not only about the lessons and playing tennis, it is also lively, relaxing and a great place to meet other tennis fans and make interesting acquaintances. Tarabya Torch Tenis is pleased to offer a 10% discount to IWI members. Courts are open from 7 am to midnight and for more detailed information please contact: 0531-945-2588 or pautova@hotmail.com or visit www.tarabyatorchtenis.com
Concept Languages Located in the heart of Etiler, Concept Languages is offering free Turkish conversation classes to any IWI member presenting their card. Classes will take place twice a month between 14:30 –15:30 and for full information and reservations Please Contact: Başak Toksoy (0212) 351- 18 40 basak.toksoy@conceptlanguages.com
Chill Out Spa Nişantaşı British salon owner Ann Marie Sabuncu is offering IWI members a 30% discount on all treatments and package programs. Chill Out is a small boutique spa using quality products from Decleor. Latest technology LPG body treatments and reflexology are just some of the treatments available. For more information please contact Ann Marie on 0212 231 1159. www.chilloutspa.com.tr
Hillside Sports Offering a 20% discount on general memberships to IWI members. For details, please contact: galiahasid@hillside.com.tr
March - April 2014
Incirli Saraphane -- Soul Group At Incirli Saraphane more than 20 Turkish wine companies came together and created Turkey’s richest wine bar for you. There are more than 500 different kinds of local and imported wines at very special producer prices. You can enjoy your wine with music, local & imported cheese and charcuterie selection. Incirli Saraphane is offering a 10% discount for all members on our wine and cheese workshops, both those we have in our regular calendar of events and private workshops you may wish to organize for a group of 8 or more. In addition, if you dine in one of our other restaurants on the same day (Kydonia or La Mancha) you will receive a complimentary dessert. For more information see our website: http:// incirlisaraphane.com
Kadiköy Şifa KadiköyŞifa offers IWI members the current tariffs with the following discount: • 10% for all medical services at KadiköyŞifa hospitals. • Longevity and Wellness Clinic services: o a discount of 20% for cash payment more than 1000 TL o a discount of 10% for installment payments of more than 1000TL o a discount of 7% for single procedures. • Varix Center Clinic (varicose veins and vascular surgery) 15% discount.
Seyahan Jewellery In appreciation of the warm reception at the 2013 Christmas Festival, we are offering a 20% discount on all our products to IWI members. The concept of our shops is that we provide unique, handcrafted jewellery from all over Turkey. Working directly with the artists, our handcrafted pieces are products of regional tradition, local materials and contemporary design. We are located in: Hazzopuli Pasaji 3/E (off Istiklal) and Camekan Sokak 4/J (behind Galata Tower)
Ottoman Silks Authentic and opulent Ottoman designs – transformed into a contemporary collection of kaftans, handbags, pillows and shoes. 100% made in Turkey, the Ottoman Silks collection is now on sale via our website (www.ottomansilks.com) and also in three different locations: The Museum Hotel, Cappadocia; Sofa, Istanbul; and Cesni, Ankara. IWI members receive a 20% discount.
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IWI
directory
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March - April 2014
IWI
classified ads
PROFESSIONAL MASSAGE
I can come to your house... Pregnancy massage, cellulite massage, relaxing massage, full body massage, osho re-balancing, massage or wax. Call me for more information: Hatice Yildrim Tirli 0532 260 4118 or 0542 434 1932.
ROCIO CABALLERO: SPANISH LESSONS Spanish lessons for adults and kids. Entitled by the ‘Instituto Cervantes’. Conversation or normal lessons. Native Spanish speaker from Spain. Fluent in English and French, basic level of Turkish.
Please call 0543 684 0985 or email rocioballero1@gmail.com for further information.
TURKISH LESSONS: PRIVATE AND CONVERSATIONAL
For ladies and men, group or one to one lessons, at your home or workplace, from an experienced native teacher fluent in English and French. Adjustable to your needs and time schedule. Please call 0530 310 21 32 or email rbensan@ superonline.com for full information.
SUSANNE ÇAKIR: GERMAN LESSONS
German lessons for kids up to 8th grade from experienced native German primary school teacher. Please call 0532 235 2086 or email susannecakir@gmail.com for further information.
LEARN TURKISH WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS
Learn Turkish in Istanbul with native speakers holding university degrees, and with several years of teaching experience. Individual and flexible instruction, at work or at home. We offer trainings for all levels, individually or in small groups. Easy to understand grammar in an enjoyable atmosphere and with rapid success. If you are ready to practice and improve your Turkish with the help of an experienced teacher, please contact di@log Language School. Dilek Bekker, 0545 472 4299, dilek.bekker@gmail.com
PIANO LESSONS
Professional piano, singing, music theory lessons are provided by Dobrinka Chavdarova-Guven, an experienced teacher with practice and master classes in Istanbul, Munchen, Varna. The lessons are available only at the students’ homes – the age diapason is 5-65 ! The main used method is the Oxford one, mixed with music literature, according to the level and capacity of the student. Bulgarian herself, Dobrinka speaks fluent Russian, English, Turkish and some French. For more info, please call: +90 555 5334362 +359 301 63653 - home +359 878 665737 +359 879 858514 +359 887 413744 cell Or e-mail : dobra_music@abv.bg
BOMONTI SPRING FAIR
On 10 May 2014 the spring fair in the old people’s home in Bomonti will be held again. Donations of household items, clothes, shoes and bags in good condition, accessories, jewellery etc are welcome. Items can be dropped off at the IWI Office, or contact Annelies Ildiz, 0532-3447492, ajegall@gmail.com
FOR RENT
Villa on the Asian side; 550m2. Seven rooms; three storeys and a mezzanine floor. Two parking spaces. Vacumaid cleaning system. Automatic irrigation system for garden. The compound’s social and sports facilities include indoor/outdoor pools and tennis courts. Contact subayazit@yahoo.com.
Non-commercial classified Ads are FREE for IWI members! March - April 2014
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IWI
Membership Directory
polıcies & Advertising
It is strictly against IWI policy to give the Membership Directory to any non-member of the association. If requested by a non-member, or company to supply membership data please refer them to the IWI Chairwomen. Members are entitled to the directory for their personal use only, never for business purposes. All member information should be handled with confidentiality. Membership directories are available from the Membership Secretary.
Membership
Advertising
Membership is open to all women who hold a Non-Turkish passport or who are married to a foreign passport holding spouse. For application details, please visit our website www.iwi-tr.org.
To place an advertisement please contact us at advertising@iwi-tr.org. Advertisements must be confirmed through signed contract before any payment is accepted.
Membership registration is also possible at our “Newcomers Meeting” held at Meet Café, Alkent, Etiler from 12:00 to 2:00 P.M every first and 3rd Thursday of the month. Parking is available. Contact the Newcomer Coordinators for information and directions. You can also become a member online.
Member cost: FREE (Non-Commercial Ads) Non-Member cost: $60 + 18% V. A. T.
Changing Address or Lale Problems? Don’t forget to give us your new address (postal and/or e-mail) to avoid delay in the delivery of your Lale magazine or for up-to-date IWI member information. Contact our Membership Secretary by e-mail at membership@iwi-tr.org. In case you failed to receive your copy of LALE, please contact us: laledelivery@gmail.com
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Classified ads: Restricted to 50 words.
All advertising costs are payable by bank transfer. No cash payments accepted. A copy of the payment transfer (dekont) should be sent via email: advertising@iwi-tr.org. Only paid advertisements can be included in Lale. Payment Details Bank: Garanti Bankası Branch Code (Hesap Şubesi): 340 Etiler TL Account (TL Hesap): TR03 0006 2000 3400 0006 2991 17 USD Account (USD Hesap): TR09 0006 2000 3400 0009 0939 67 Customer Name: İstanbul Uluslararası Kadınlar Derneği İktisadi İşletmesi Advertisement deadline for every issue of the Lale is the first of the month prior to publication.
Disclaimer
Lale Content The IWI as an organization and the IWI Board members act within the laws of Turkey pertaining to publishing but they do not accept any liability regarding the accuracy or content of the contributions supplied by our advertisers or members’ articles. In order to comply with these laws or publishing standards the IWI reserve the right to reject or edit any submission to Lale. Furthermore, the IWI does not accept any responsibility for any of the services rendered by any of our advertisers. Programs Cancellation of a program reservation after the deadline remains fully payable. Please refer to our website www.iwi-tr. org for up to date details, last minute additions or program changes. The IWI reserves the right to cancel programs due to insufficient numbers. You are responsible for both you and your child’s safety and the IWI cannot accept responsibility for injury or extra cost incurred during any activity organized by the IWI, or advertised in Lale.
March - April 2014
MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL
04 MARCH APRIL 2014
MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF ISTANBUL
HOME &
March - April 2014
FAMILY FOCUS
YOUR CHILDREN IN ISTANBUL STAYING IN TOUCH WITH LOVED ONES OVERSEAS ORGANIC SHOPPING GUIDE and much more…