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Last posts

Istanbul with Kids: 3 Museums to visit with the entire family

Candela Vizcaíno Istanbulite, Only-Be, Practical Guide to Istanbul

Istanbul is an ideal holiday destination for the entire family, including young children. If you come from a Western culture, the Turkish capital will offer the youngest members of the family a different view of the world in a civilized and controllable atmosphere; plus there you’ll have access to all the services and facilities you can find in Europe. Well, here are three museums you can’t miss when visiting Istanbul with your children: Miniaturk Museum, Toy Museum and Naval Museum. Whether with children or not, in these museums you’ll have lots of fun! Istanbul Naval Museum The Istanbul Naval Museum is perhaps one of the oldest of its kind. It was created in the late nineteenth century at the same time that the first observation and scientific societies were born. Although, in the beginning, it was a simple place to store various objects related to the Turkish marine, today it is one of the best museums in Istanbul. The quality and quantity of exhibits, that ranges from Ottoman art, maritime pieces, miniature ships and original pieces from real ships, etc, is simply undeniable. For further information, click on the following link: http://www.denizmuzeleri.tsk.tr/en/. Toy Museum in Istanbul If the Naval Museum wasn’t enough, children will have a blast in the Istanbul Toy Museum, which is housed in a mansion that belongs to the poet Sunay Akin (born 1962) and located in an area away from the bustle of the city. It is across the Strait. It opened in 2005 and over 4,000 toys of all kinds are hosted here. Some of them are curious and hard to find because of... read more

Jane Birkin live in concert in London

Alexa Ray Londoner, Only-Be, Things to do in London

When we think about the 60s at this point in the 21st century, we get a lump in our throat that gets bigger and bigger all the time -a lump of nostalgia that makes our eyes teary remembering such great years that changed global culture forever, years that revolutionized music, politics, sexuality, literature, film and so many other ways of living in and confronting reality. Of course, each country had its different view of the 60s. In Berlin, rock´n´roll was taking its first steps to psychedelia and the political sound of Krautrock, full of experimentation and cosmic visions, especially protesting against the Berlin Wall. In Paris, the ´ye ye´ music and the songs by the famous Serge Gainsbourg invaded the radio stations. Of course, stars such as Françoise Hardy, Anna Karina and France Gall hypnotized the fans with they lyrical beauty whilst divos such as Jacques Dutronc impulsed the new beat and go-go sound, with a rocking spirit but “en français, s´il vous plaît”. London, however, was a whole different story. Back then, the city known as ´Swinging London´ was an endless rock´n´roll party, with fashion, beat sounds, experimentation and drugs everywhere in the British capital. of course, the Rolling Stones were at the head in the battle of the bands, with Pink Floyd and Cream not far behind, as well as the constant appearance of The Beatles during their last few years and a certain Jimi Hendrix, who was starting to become a talking point outside his native USA. During those romantic years, the beautiful London-born Jane Birkin met the great Serge Gainsbourg and they began a story... read more

The best baklava in Istanbul

Wapitu Food and Drink in Istanbul, Istanbulite, Only-Be

The baklava is a typical Eastern Mediterranean sweet. It´s origin is unclear, as some say that it´s Turkish, others consider it Greek and some even consider it Chinese. In any case, it´s a delicious dessert that I highly recommend that you try. The baklava has its origin in the old Mesopotamia, modern day Turkey, even though they believe that the Assyrians in the 7th century BC were the first ones to make such a sweet. In the old days, it was made in wood ovens. In the 19th century, it was considered a dessert for the high classes due to its aphrodisiac qualities. Greek merchants exported the recipe to Athens after their delight at having learned about this delicious sweet, and they adapted it to their recipes, improving the texture of the dough. It´s also considered a Chinese sweet due to the Mongol origin of the word. In 1330, it appears in a Chinese recipe book of the Yuan Dynasty. The original baklava is Turkish, and it´s made from a dough of crushed walnuts bathed in honey or syrup with sesame seeds or pistachios. However, the Greek version is filo pastry filled with walnuts and bathed in honey. Here´s a recipe in case you fancy trying it out: First you will need a few filo pastry layers. You then brush them with melted butter between layer and layer and add the crushed walnuts until you get as many layers as you wish, although the required 33 might be a bit hard for a novice. You cut the dough in same-size triangles and you moisten it with water before baking it... read more