After a whirlwind summer, I stayed mostly in Istanbul for the tail end of it. Somehow, it seemed like it was time to shift gears, to get out of freewheeling motion and back into something like a routine. That’s fine for me— September weather in Istanbul is divine.
Best Of The Month
The clear highlight of this month was my annual wine trip. For the past two years we’ve gone on a day trip to Tekirdağ, but this year we got more ambitious and set out on a weekend trip down the Gallipoli peninsula.
I went with four guys who are all part of my little Kadikoy family, the neighbors who kept me sane and laughing when it seemed impossible to cross to the European side in the early pandemic days. Together we represented five countries, three mother tongues, and a car full of fun. We stopped at two vineyards and a winery, visited Anzac (I’d never been), and stayed in a huge rambling house. Just a deliciously fun weekend.
This month also saw a return visit from my friends Natalie and Burak. They visited in February just before the pandemic really scrambled our lives, and it was a real treat to see them on the other side. I’ve missed all the friends and family I should have visited this year, or who should have visited me, so I’m especially grateful to have spent some time with these two.
Worst Of The Month
Where to begin? Everything about America makes me stressed and sad and angry, and at some point (actually at an exact point: the weekend when RBG died) I just numbed out. It was too much. It’s still too much.
What I’m Loving
Reads: A friend lent me the book How To Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan, all about psychedelics, their history, and their potential therapeutic use. It was really interesting and educational and gave me a whole new lens through which to view those kinds of kind-altering drugs.
Music: The song I was obsessed with this month came to me in a dream, literally. I dozed off on my couch while my Spotify rolled over to a random radio playlist, and the song Like A Ship by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir came on… I was so bewitched by it that it woke me up. Turns out the pastor/singer has quite a backstory (worth a Google!) as does the whole album… it’s just so good.
Movies/TV: Erm, I don’t think I watched any movies or television this month. Oops.
Podcasts: I’ve been into the new podcast from The Cut, hosted by Avery Trufelman (who’s hosted/worked for podcasts I love, like 99% Invisible and Nice Try!).
The four-part miniseries from Switched On Pop about Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony was terrific. It’s not only one of my favorite classical pieces, it’s also my ringtone (which made some strange moments while I was listening because I kept thinking my phone was ringing). The podcast did a great job breaking down why the symphony matters and how it shaped our perception of classical music as a whole.
I also enjoyed the episode “Rebel Past of a Tibetan Lama” from Outlook and “James Baldwin’s Fire” from Throughline.
The Film Files
I haven’t touched the rolls Alison gave me for our double exposure project all year, but not that I’m out and about a bit more, there was no reason not to. So I shot a roll of our Istanbul-NYC project this month, which is always a treat.
Ephemera
Nadas is closed for events (like most places), but they’ve pivoted to selling gorgeous plants in gorgeous pots. I bought two this month and they both make me so happy every time I see them.
Upcoming
I really want to get out of Istanbul in October, but a surprising amount of work has rolled in and I’m planning to visit the US in November, so… maybe I will stay put! We shall see.
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