September is one of the best months in Turkey. It’s still summer in Istanbul, mostly, but the intense sweatiness of summer settles into something more bearable, and the coasts are still swimmable. I squeezed as much summer as I could out of September, and it was terrific.
Best Of The Month
The best of the month easily was my sister’s almost two-week visit to Turkey, truly a joy. She last visited about a year ago, so this time she was much more at ease and we had a wonderful time. I didn’t want her to leave.
I took Hillary to Kaş, her first visit there, and she adored it. It was great fun to show my sister one of my favorite spots on the Mediterranean coast and spend days swimming, riding boats, and eating delicious meze.
I went to see a movie with two new friends— one I’d met a week before, and one SHE had met an hour before the movie— and we had a great time, but weirdly the best part was that we got absolutely lost in this mall trying to find the exit; at some point we were in a parking garage, and then a service elevator with a worker pushing a palate full of vegetables and ayran, and then back where we started, and then FINALLY we found the exit. It was silly and strange and, once it was over, a lot of fun.
I hosted a wine tasting at my house run by a guy who specializes in Turkish wine, and it was such a wonderful experience. I hope to host more events like this; it feels right to have friends around my table.
Worst Of The Month
I had so much fun in the beginning of the month that I mostly put off my work until the end, and I FELT the PAIN, wow. Everything got done but I was a stressball through the back half of September and that was not fun.
Hillary and I went to a party that we thought would be stylish and fun, but instead it was kind of boring and we were overdressed… a bit of a let down.
What I’m Loving
Reads: I am reading Moby Dick! For the first time! It’s taking a while, but I really love it so far.
Music: I’ve been loving this Albanian folk song Penxherene e zotrise sate by Saz’iso… niche, I know, but I think Balkan folk music is going to be my autumn vibe.
Movies/TV: I saw Don’t Worry Darling (in a mall, that we got trapped in, see above) and… it was great! I mean it’s not a good movie and the twist doesn’t hold together if you think about it for two seconds, but the movie is fun and beautiful and I recommend you see it in a theater.
Podcasts: I relistened to Serial for the first time since it came out in 2014 because of new news related to the case, it was a wonderful and weird experience. It gave me such intense flashbacks to autumn 2014, when I was living a very different Istanbul life. And it’s still good! Even being aware now of all the ways it’s flawed, it’s still such a compelling listen.
The Missing Crypto Queen podcast FINALLY returned with a new episode, and it was also a bit of a flashback— the last episode aired in November 2019, pre-pandemic. How strange to come back to it on the other side! The best part is still the Bulgarian choir, in my opinion.
I listened to the “Legacy Hits” episode of Hit Parade, and it was a delight all the way through. Talking Heads! Elton John! Neil Diamond! So many goofy wonderful catchy songs, it was a very fun episode.
The Film Files
I didn’t shoot very much this month, and I would very much like to get back to it.
Ephemera
I went to see an Aga B concert for the second time this year, but this one was worlds better than the first. It was part of the Akbank Jazz Festival, and Aga B rapped with a live band (including saxophone and trumpet) and it was so energetic and dexterous, truly epic. I was glad I had something to compare it to, so I could really appreciate just how great this concert was.
Upcoming
October sees a small vacation in Cirali, and possibly a return to Datça— we shall see!
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