HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy new year everyone! 

THE TRUST

Beautiful pubs we had in our neighborhood in London.

AT THE SAME TIME IN ISTANBUL...

The sun was warming our bodies while the smell of the sea and the voice of the seagulls warming our hearths. 

And something was happening... 

HEADING TO SUN

Our three years stay in our little kingdom comes to an end and we are heading back to sun, turquoise blue Aegean and Mediterranean waters, fluffy street cats, variety of juicy and tasty fruits and vegetables, amazing smell of the bakeries, adventurous motorcycle rides and Mediterranean style slow living.

There is a long list of the things we won’t miss like rain, unbeatable British summers, health and safety craziness, tea with milk but we gonna miss our home, the pubs, antiques shops and markets, city foxes, first class football, film quality British dramas, the smell of the fireplaces in the middle of the city, Guinness, canal walks, small theatres, delicious Indian food, our friends in London and also in a very special little pub in Edinburgh.

But,
at the end,
the question still is:
What’s the meaning of Stoneheeeeeenge? 

TRAVELLERS' CHILDREN IN LONDON FIELDS

A black and white documentary photography book we bought on Saturday. Clerkenwell born photographer Colin O’Brien which is taking London photos since 1948, captured Irish travellers' children in London fields in 1987. Photos of little ones with a grown up expression on their faces... 

SUPER SUNDAY

Saturday came to London with the joy of the sunshine. Following an early wake-up and breakfast, we walked to Broadway Market by the Regent’s Canal. At weekend, for us the best time for walking in canal is early hours of the day, before big happy families, lost tourists and crazy cyclists time. The Regent’s Canal walk is one of our favorites in London. Every time you can see different boats each with its own character, discover little details like a street/canal art, a wood fired earth oven or meet a big heron in the middle of the city.

After the Broadway Market, we walked back home, then to Camden Passage Market and Chapel Market. Bought some photography books, some christmas decorations, made some grocery shopping and tea time, we enjoyed our recorded dramas, photography books at home.

We were expecting another sunny day today but, you know... Then we changed our plans to go to Colombia Road Flower Market and following a lazy morning at home, we went to King’s Head to celebrate the “Super Sunday” accompanied by few pints. First match of the day, Aston Villa-Man United was a good quality 90 minutes football. Man United won with a scor 0-3 against Aston Villa. The next match Tottenham-Liverpool, despite the 5 goals of Liverpool wasn’t as tasty as the first match but the result was nice. (Sorry Terry, “it” happens).

Now it’s the time for curry, then tea and British crime dramas at home. Super Sunday=Happy Sunday.

BILL’S

Bill’s is one of the charming cafes of our neighborhood. We like its grocery style decoration with shelves full of  nice products. We have been once there for a latte and croissant and the coffee seemed very week to us like drinking pure milk.

Yesterday evening we met with two greek friends of us and went there for a dinner this time. It was full but we could find table without reservation with no problem. The photo is from the end of the evening. When a turkish and a greek couple go out to dinner, this happens. You eat and chat and enjoy “yavaş yavaş” or “siga siga” (slowly slowly). 

As starter we tried hummus and tzatziki plate, green gordal olives plate, potato and rosemary bread and sweet potato fries. They were all good but the highlight was the potato and rosemary bread which was one of the best breads we ate in London. As main we tried rump steak, duck pie and pumpkin risotto with blue cheese and they were all good also. We are little bit picky in dessert that’s why no comment about them. And this time we ordered the coffee double shot and it was better. La Garenne  Shiraz  from Languedoc we tried was very smooth but tasty and we didn’t know where did they go two bottles in couple of hours.

And yes, we didn’t take the bus and walked to home after eating half of the menu... 

STRANGERS ON A TRAIN

Yesterday evening after few pints at The Dog&Duck, our favorite small pub in Soho, we went to Gielgud Theatre for Strangers on a Train, a play written by Craig Warner based on the same name novel by American crime writer Patricia Highsmith.

We didn’t watch the film of the novel directed by Alfred Hitchcock but we can say that the theatre version was brilliant and it was another London theatre production show. The projections they used in the play were impressive. The only actor we knew from before was Laurence Fox from tv series Lewis and we were excited to watch him in a live performance.  All cast was really successful and we are very pleased to have a chance to watch the play. Definitely recommended.

“A seemingly innocent conversation soon turns into a nightmarish and dangerous reality for Guy Haines when he meets Charles Bruno on a train journey, ahead lies a lethal nightmare of blackmail and psycological torment that threatens to cost Guy his career, his marriage and his sanity. His choice: to kill or to be framed for a murder he didn’t commit...”

HOMEMADE BREAD WITH FENNEL SEEDS

In a foggy, dark and cold London day, one the best things you can do, is baking a bread and filling your home with the smell of the fresh baked bread. And prepare the smoked mackarel salad... And pour your Polish oak vodka... And enjoy!

If you want to give a try, here are the ingredients and the recipe of this bread we learned from our friend Ayşegül Ural:

1,5 cup yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 egg

1/2  teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

3 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon of fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Beat the other ingredients in another bowl until getting creamy and add them to the dry mix. Mix well all together with a wooden spoon and put in a bread pan. Level the top with a spatula. Bake at 170°C preheated owen for 45 minutes.

SCOTLAND'S DOORS 2

More Scotland doors here.  

WORLD PRESS PHOTO 2014 PHOTO CONTEST JURY MEMBER: KERIM OKTEN

Today I’m (Aybige) writing the post because I’m proud of Kerim one more time. During his twenty years carrier he always succeed on the assignments he covered. It’s impossible to write here all of them but with few exemples; one of the photos he took during 2011 London riots, was one of the symbol photos of the riots printed in world’s most big newspaper’s covers, also cover photo in all editions worldwide of Time magazine same week. Another photo he took during Istanbul Gezi Park Resistance this summer became another  significative photo and published as cover photo in world’s 25 big newspapers in one day. Do you remember the photoreporters running faster then Usain Bolt after the finish line on 2012 London Olympic Games and taking his photo? Yes, he was one of them.

Today, one of the most prestigious press photo organisations of the world, World Press Photo announced next year’s contest’s jury members and Kerim Okten is the Sports Jury Chair and Final Jury Member of 2014 World Press Photo Contest!

Congratulations Kerim! I’m proud of you, again!

  

A ONE DAY ESCAPE TO FRANCE

Since we came to London, for our Paris travels we were using EuroStar trains but today finally we experienced Dover-Calais ferries for crossing the channel for a short trip. The London-Dover train (2 hours) + Dover-Calais ferry (1,5 hour) system worked very well for us and the weather also was very helpful for having a little “air de France”.

Calais surprised us with its empty streets on a sunny Saturday. The 80’s music broadcast from the loudspeakers at the empty but christmas decorated Place d’Armes was little bit twilight zonish. The 55 metres high Calais Lighthouse visit with the accompanied by the lighthouse guide was the best part of the day. Climbing 271 steps of this lighthouse built in 1848, definitely worth.

At the end of the day, on the way back, we were the only ferry passengers without carrying huge bags full of beer cans, etc. and it was interesting to observe the amount of daily trade circulation/activity of people between two ports.