VINTAGE STYLE NOTEBOOKS

Since almost two months we are in Istanbul but we couldn’t settled yet. There are long lists of things to do, also books to buy, exhibitions to visit...etc. And best way to begin to all this, is having few new notebooks. Last year during a visit to Turkey, we saw a small paper shop in a divided corner of a café in Karaköy, a neighborhood in Istanbul and we loved their nostalgic notebook series.

Yesterday we headed to Kâğıthane (House of Paper) to buy some notebooks. When we arrived there we saw that they moved to another shop at the same passage: Fransız Geçidi (Passage Français), an old Istanbul passage restored very cruelly with an addition of ugly modern building.

Karaköy becomes one of the popular destinations of Istanbul with its cafés, galleries since few years and is not anymore a very attractive destination for us with its new visitors profile. But if you are interested with vintage style notebooks, Kâğıthane is worth a visit.

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İstanbul’a döneli neredeyse iki ay olacak ama hâlâ düzenimizi tam oturtamadık. Uzun bir yapılacak işler listesine ek olarak, bir de alınacak kitaplar, gezilecek sergiler vs diye listeler uzayıp gidiyor. Bu listelerle başa çıkmaya başlamanın en iyi yolu da önce birkaç güzel defter edinmek. Geçen yıl Türkiye’ye geldiğimizde, Karaköy’de bir kafenin köşesine açılmış küçücük bir defterci görmüştük ve en son çocukluğumuzda gördüğümüz gibi, eski tarz defter serilerini çok sevmiştik.

Dün de defterlerimizi almak için Kâğıthane’ye yollandık. Kafenin içindeki yerlerinden yine aynı pasajın, beter restorasyonuyla insanı acılara gark eden Fransız Geçidi’nin içinde başka bir dükkâna taşınmışlar. Daha büyük alana geçince de ürün yelpazelerine seramik objeler, kumaş çantalar gibi şeyler eklemişler. Kendimize bakkal defteri, elişi defteri ve telefon defterini seçtik. Defterlerden birinin arkasında çarpım tablosu bile unutulmamış.

Karaköy birkaç yıldır birbiri ardına açılan kafeleri, galerileri ile İstanbul’un popüler semtlerinden olma yolunda hızla ilerliyor ama yeni ziyaretçi kitlesi ile bizim için daha gidilmeyesi, işimizi halledip ufaktan uzayalım dedirten bir yer hâline geldi. Ama yolunuz düşerse, Kâğıthane defterleri ve kedili gümüş takıları için ziyarete değer. 

A.GOLD

Yesterday after shopping in Judy’s Vintage Fair and then going through Brick Lane to take new street art photos popped up there, it looked like a nice idea to make a stop in A.Gold, a beautiful traditional British food shop next to the Old Spitalfields Market.

A.Gold in 42 Brushfield Street, is not just a little shop who sells old style jams, candies, treats, some kitchen accessories, good quality coffees, teas, etc, is also a place where you can enjoy a nice cup of Monmouth coffee, a cold bottle of Victorian lemonade or a freshly made sandwich.Even the sandwich’s taste was pretty basic and nothing special, glad to visit this cozy and old style shop. A.Gold is open Monday-Friday 10.00-16.00 and weekend 11.00-17.00.

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In Turkey, the people is resisting since 31 May 2013 to protect their park, democracy and human rights. Court refused Gezi Park demolition.  Yesterday, thousands went to their park with the court decision and the police attacked them with tear gas, watercannon, plastic bullets.

Resist Gezi Park! Resist Turkey!

Poster via #DirenGeziParki

LONDON’S ARCADES: THE ROYAL ARCADE

One of the things we like when we are in an old city, is to discover the passages of the city and  Paris and Istanbul’s passages are our favorites. We love their architecture, the details in their architectural ornaments, decorations  and the small shops inside.

Like many of old big cities, London also has some arcades. This XIX. century arcades are concentrated around Piccadilly area and since two centuries they are home of some luxurious small shops.

And here is one of them: The Royal Arcade built in 1879 and located between Old Bond Street and Albemarle Street.

POSTCARD TEAS

Yesterday we went to The Tea House in Covent Garden to buy some jasmin tea but the type which we buy normally was sold out. Then we decided to go to Postcard Teas in Dering Street, next to Bond Street and near Oxford Circus, another tea shop which we heard about it before moving to London.

When you compare with The Tea House you find less variety of tea and tea accessories maybe in Postcard Teas but at least the jasmin tea we bought smells and taste really good. Another thing we liked very much about this little elegant shop -and which is missing a lot in The Tea House- , was the attitude and smiling face of the gentleman who helped us to choose our tea. If you are tea addict like us and if you are around Oxford Circus, don’t forget to say hello to Postcard Teas.  

DAUNT BOOKS

Our first and favorite bookshop in London. When we were living in Marylebone, we were visiting more often this neighboor shop and almost every day stopping in front of the shop’s window.

Daunt Books is one of the most beautiful bookshops we saw around the world. You can find here every kind of book but they are specialised on travel books and they have a huge collection of travel books where you can spend hours. If you are around London, don’t miss to visit Daunt Books, you gonna love it!

THE TEA HOUSE

As two people who grown up in Turkey, the tea is a important thing in our daily life. We love the tea and at home, we have always ready a good brewed tea in our teapot. And when the tea jar is less then half full, we immediately visit our tea shop in Covent Garden.

The Tea House at Neal Street no:15, is our favorite tea shop in London. This 30 years old, small, cozy shop has a variety of tea leaves and also any kind of teapots, tea cups and tea accessories.

By the way, after talking about our relationship with the tea, with this magical plant’s leaves, here is a video we like and want to share with you: 

ALGERIAN COFFEE STORES

Since first day, our favorite, one and only coffee shop in London. This 125 years old little coffee store in Old Compton Street, is one of the best places to find coffee beans from all around the world in London. 

When you step inside, coffee jars full of variety of coffee beans and the rich smell of coffee surround you. You can buy your coffee beans or ground. Also you can find coffee accessories, some chocolates, nougats and tea in this lovely shop.  Even you are not a coffee person, visit, see and smell it.