February 2019

Istanbul, Turkey

February might be the shortest month, but it always seems to be an eventful one. I took a quick trip and made a huge change this month— it’s amazing what can be crammed into four weeks.

Athens, Greece

Best Of The Month

I went to Athens for two days to see a dear friend. I hadn’t been since 2016, and I’d almost forgotten how fond I am of the city— it can be a weird, gritty place, but I love that Balkan-y vibe, and the food is splendid. We spent a lot of time just walking, wandering, and chatting.

Also… I moved! It’s something I’d been thinking about for a while, but I finally took the plunge and moved into my own apartment. That had been all-consuming this month, and there’s still so much to do, but I am so excited for this new chapter.

Istanbul, Turkey

Worst Of The Month

Moving is the best, and also the worst. The emotional roller coaster of finding a place and then the full-on task of getting a new apartment set up and moving my whole life to a new place was exhausting. Thank goodness for the friends who have been so present and supportive throughout the process— it’s a nice reminder that it’s always okay to ask for help.

Istanbul, Turkey

What I’m Loving

Reads: I finally read Salman Rushdie’s memoir Joseph Anton, about the years he lived in hiding under the fatwa that called for his death. I have always been a big fan of his writing and I read The Satanic Verses probably a decade ago; this memoir was riveting, and disturbing. He writes it in the third person (something that’s quite annoying until you adjust to it) and it seems like the whole thing could be fiction— except it’s too real. I couldn’t put it down; even the parts that were less strong (for example, Salman is unabashed about his grudges) just buzzed along. This led me down a Rushdie rabbit hole, as you’ll see in the podcast section below.

Music: Natalie introduced me to Cerys Matthew’s BBC show when I was in Chamonix, and I loved it— she curates exactly the sort of unexpected esoteric mix of music that I adore. This program partially focused on Istanbul and the Black Sea, and there are so many good songs in there. I also started listening to Anderson Paak’s new album (no surprise, it’s great) and the song Shangri-La by the Kinks, which for some reason was stuck in my head for weeks.

Athens, Greece

Film/TV: I am 100% addicted to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which probably surprises no one who reads these blog posts. With long, draining days dealing with moving, it was so nice to come home and just watch Buffy. I don’t do that very often, so it feels like a special pleasure. I’m on the last season now.

I went to see Casablanca at Beykoz Kundura’s new cinema, and was struck by how relevant the movie feels these days. The characters are all refugees, with the desperation and hope that is so common in this age of great migration. If you haven’t watched this amazing movie recently, I suggest revisiting it. (And if you’ve never seen it, what in the world is wrong with you? It’s one of the greatest movies of all time! Watch it and stop denying yourself this cinematic pleasure!!)

Podcasts: After I finished Salman Rushdie’s memoir, my friend Bradley recommended Fatwa, a 10-part BBC podcast that explores the broader causes and implications of the Rushdie death sentence. 30 years after the fatwa, the effects continue to reverberate through modern politics. Each episode is only 15 minutes long and I completely binged on it. Highly recommend both the book and the podcast.

Athens, Greece

The Film Files

I shot a bit more for my Nadas project, but otherwise barely had time to go to Europe and get my film developed. Now that I’ve moved, I’ll have more time to shoot.

Istanbul, Turkey

Ephemera

I’ve never been so obsessed with furniture and home fixings. Seriously, this is most of what I spent my time thinking about this month. Moving is weird. (And wonderful!)

Istanbul, Turkey

Upcoming

Thanks to the move (and visa renewals), I have no plans to travel this month! I might take a quick trip within Turkey, but otherwise I’m in full nesting mode and it’s glorious.