Turkish Delights

Istanbul seduced me the first time I visited. Not surprising, considering it’s a city so epic it spans two continents. Turkey’s largest city rocks an alluring mix of historic Byzantine importance and undeniably glamorous Bosphorus views.


As a first-timer to Istanbul, I hit many of the must-see sights, like the Blue Mosque and the Tokapi Palace. I can even claim to have spent a night in a Turkish prison because the Four Seasons Sultananhmet used to be one. But recently, an extended layover on my way home from Israel was a chance to get reacquainted with the city. A return to the amazing Grand Bazaar, a side trip to Sofa Art & Antiques and an al fresco dinner at the House Café Ortaköy turned my crush on this city into a full-blown love affair.

The first stop on my itinerary would be Sofa Art & Antiques (NuruOsmaniye Cad. 85), not too far from the entrance of the Grand Bazaar. Sofa is, without a doubt, one of the most amazing stores I’ve ever visited. The owner, Kasif, has an exceptionally well-edited collection; the displays of unique objects and cases of unique jewelry will not disappoint. And I should admit I’m not much of a jewelry person — Tiffany’s famous blue box does nothing for me. My taste leans towards items with a bit more personality, and that’s what Sofa does best.

From there it’s just a few steps to the Bazaar. Its vast size can overwhelm, so this time I stuck to seeking out the hidden treasures in the jewelry aisles. All that glitters blinds at first, but there are a few gems like Epok (38 Sandal Bedesten Sok.), whose impressive collection includes vintage pieces of Cartier, snake cuffs and stylish, exotic pieces from Turkey and elsewhere.

All that window shopping can make a girl thirsty, so I decided to check out the Four Seasons Bosphorus. At the bar, I enjoyed a pomegranate mojito and a fabulous view. Bless the mixologist that figured out how to mix antioxidants and alcohol. Delish.

For more stunning scenery, it’s hard to top the hillside restaurant, Sunset, which overlooks the whole city, including its many bridges. The food is great, the chef Japanese, the crowd good, and the the whole experience sublime.

But for old times’ sake I had to return to House Café — a favorite from my first trip — to see if its allure still held. Everyone was on the deck sipping rosé and soaking up the sun, chic as ever. They say you can never go home again. Well, you can certainly go back to House Café, and now stay at their new hotel next door. I think next time I will.