Sinanation

You have the option to sit outside in almost every restaurant in Istanbul. An essential option we have been missing out on in New York during summer.

I became a fan of this place too late and can not recall when I first went there. In the middle of Chinatown in New York, in a forgotten alley, in between massage parlors and somber apartments you will find a bright red label that reads “Gold Flower Restaurant”. That is where you need to head to find Apotheke. Totally abandoned during the day and irresistibly full during the night, Apotheke is a cave of alcoholic wonders.

Around 11 pm, as you make your way into Doyers St. you will see a well-suited man with a hat guarding the door of the most unusual place at that time of the night. You will hear a buzz of music pumping out of what appears to be a restaurant. Once inside you will be amazed by the gothic exposed brick, red velvet, dimmed light decoration. The only window in the place will be covered in dark green wine bottles. The bar will be filled with not bartenders but cocktail experts dressed in white scientist coats. The menu of drinks will amaze you. The music will put you in a great mood. That will be the moment you will become a fan of this surprising cave of alcoholic wonders.

There will be a long line of visitors during the weekends (won’t bother you if you are friends with James at the door) and once inside, you will have a blast. If you ask my advice, go to Apotheke on a Wednesday night once in a while to appreciate the music and taste the amazing drinks in peace.

Femme Fatale and Pepper Infusion from the menu are my favorite. If you want to get jiggy, try a glass of the House Absinthe (be ready for some good show during its preparation).

Using online services for bank and phone accounts in Turkey is tougher than getting access to the White House. Unlike the setup in the U.S., you can’t setup a personal username. You are required to use the generic client number provided by the service provider. Then you use your password only to be prompted to enter another password sent directly to your registered mobile number each time you attempt to log in. If you can’t complete the final step, you can’t get access. Everything works well once you are (or if you can ever be) logged in.

Sinanation thanks Musa Yesil for his surprising idea to create a Wanted for Sinan. It also thanks Yasmin Salfati, Gorkem Guler, Selim Aykut, Burak Tutar, Aydin Aras, Luis Raul Cerna, Asli Baysan and Ekin Carmikli for their contribution on this post.

Name: Sinan Bastas

Nickname: Himbil, Sino, Tasbas, Lord, Pasa Cocugu, Sefa Pezevengi, Wannabe Artist, Gosterislerin Adami

Notable Appearance: Trimmed body hair with a light beard hiding a sarcastic smile…  Buffalo style thighs and legs creating his signature walk, best viewed from behind.

Can’t do without: Wine, Cheese, McChicken, Chipotle, Ipod, Flushable Wet Wipes, Drawing islands on gray tshirts, anti-perspirant deodorants, black & white t-shirts, McChicken, oven roasted turkey, steamed rice, parsley, Tomatoes, Honey, Kraft White American Cheese, Saying the Wrong Thing in the Wrong Places, Going thru people’s stuff, McChicken, hair gel, Pretending to be a DJ, Rose Wine, Preppy Clothing, green Ralph Lauren belt, colorful shirts and shorts, McChicken, Doorman size huge umbrellas, rulokat, Rebul Kolonya, Chino pants, Tod’s flats, Izzy Sparkling Clementine Juice, steak, mustard, McChicken & McChicken…

Notable Hobbies: Mixing Songs, Updating Itunes playlists, Cursing, Attending any event where he can show off his Tuxedos, Wakeboarding, Skiing, Posing for tabloids, Painting, Blogging & then commenting on his own blog from Musa’s computer, fantasizing about multi-million dollar cars, yachts and mansions, walking LONG distances, wining & dining, teasing Yasmin, Shopping for his Sister, happy hours,  Art (and seek?), Watching Old Victoria’s Secret Shows

Weakness: Sweating, Cilantro, sports games that involve teams, Foot Odor, Miranda Kerr, bees, Sake, diarrhea, Cleavage, blond girls with innocent looks, brunettes with voluptuous bodies, reds with beautiful voices – basically anything female that moves..

Favorite Quote: Igrenc bi adamsin abi, Inek!, Citira bak!, Simdi bildircin’i aliyosun…, Erzurum’un tamami bizim, Yunus Memesi Roll, Pat!, Zart, Zonk, Ben yasli sevmem bolesini gormedim!, “I am throwing the lyrics”

Last Seen: Istanbul, Alem Magazine, Manhattan & Mashattan Istanbul, Commerce NYC, Sushi Samba 7, Ciragan, Hillside Beach Club, Bodrum, Alem, Minetta Tavern (finally), Vermont, Long Island, Tomoe Sushi, NYC, Le Bilboquet, tasting truffle at Murrays’ Cheese, Alem, Kıyı Balikci, French Laundry Napa, Gary Danko San Francisco, Alem and at JKF Terminal 1 about to leave NYC (offering everything he has to be upgraded to business class)…

I can finally use Sinan instead of my English nickname “Sam” at fast-drink chains such as Starbucks and Jamba Juice.

I remember the days when I would drive her crazy. Her hair cut short, her tiny sneakers on, her cheeks peach red she would run into the living room her eyes sparkling with the grandeur of the Christmas tree. “Sinan are you decorating the tree!” she would yell her voice trembling with her tiny heart pounding with excitement. She would come back her hands washed and stand next to my feet waiting for an order to hang an ornament on the pine tree. Annoyed by her tiny presence, careless of her excitement I would pick a tiny damaged red ball from a bunch of huge ones and ask her to put it in a place where no one can see. I was an immature brother too selfish to observe his sister’s incredible spirit and blossom.

Even though the age difference, I have always been addicted to her company. She was my cabin crew when I turned my bed into an airplane. She was my gatekeeper when I turned the living room sofa into a cave of wonders. She was my avid shopper when I turned my room into a shop of weird gadgets. She was my forced wingman when I watched horror movies. She was my financier when I ran out of my weekly allowance. She was always there for me (although sometimes unwillingly). She has changed a lot since then, but never ceased to stand beside me for the good and the bad.

It took me a while to catch up after I left for college. 8 years away from home overseas, I kept thinking it was only her voice that changed. First she was smart enough to decorate the tree before I made it home. Then came the high heels. I was shorter. Then the trips to the hairdressers. I was bolder. Then the switch to a healthy diet. I was chubbier. I no longer dived into her room without knocking. She was strong enough to watch the horror movies alone in a dark room (although she might end up sneaking to grandma’s after the movie). I would have never imagined her to grow up so fast. Never imagined to be the one taking advice. Never imagined to be the one so proud of her decisions and determination. I felt privileged to be the cavalier to my tall, sexy and confident sister. We had our ups and downs, but she has always been the princess of our home.

On my most recent trip back, she found his prince to become the queen of her own home. I am heavy with emotions, motivated with pride, happy with her happiness and somber with farewell. Her engagement was the first step. Her wedding will be the next to a new life she is set to build up with her husband. Her address might change, but she will always be a call away from me to bug her anytime, anywhere. This time I promise to be a little more mature and call during reasonable hours.

Congrats to my princess, Ayse and her prince I welcome as a brother, Serkan.

Even though they said “please” I can’t help not writing about this tiny lounge hidden behind a delicious NYC hotdog shop. Please Don’t Tell (PDT) was the best entertainment for us on a quiet Wednesday night. Out of Luke’s Lobster in East Village, our appetite satisfied with delicious lobster rolls, we walked up to St. Marks Place to stumble into Crif Dogs. Inside the shop my friend made his call through the antique telephone booth found on the left side. Right after our friends who couldn’t resist the Crif sour cheese dog, were done with their food, a tiny door on the other side of the booth opened up to call us in.

It was easy to tell that PDT is a toughened up speakeasy from the people who have walked out of the booth before us. Some were in shorts and some in nice dresses. Anyone who knew someone inside was welcome. Dressed up with a black interior, dimmed lights and mummies of wild animals, PDT welcomes visitors to a wide corridor of a few booths and a sophisticated bar.

The cocktails (which change every season) are unique and worth trying. The short menu of food found on the last page is also too delicious not to notice. One other essential thing to notice here is, as my friend Can Paksoy mentioned, the list of house rules hung up inside the restrooms.

I close the door of apartment 29E one last time. My keys out of the keychain, I take one last glimpse at the gate that welcomed so many family members, friends and lovers. I leave it with good thoughts. Happy to be its patron for the past few years. Relieved to be able to separate from it with such determination and contentment.

Resigned from work and out the apartment that I called “home” since graduation, I spend the rest of my H1-B visa days in New York catching up with the city, hanging out with friends and making a list of everything that will be different once I am back in my home country. In between countless glasses of drinks, sweaty dances and plates of the most favorite NYC food I get closer to the day of my flight to Istanbul. I keep re-organizing the four large bags carefully packed to check into the plane to become close to the cold idea of departure. I realize it will be tougher than imagined. Never because of New York, but because of the people I will be leaving behind.

“How can you leave this city?”, “Life back home can’t even compare to the life here”, “Don’t you think you are making a mistake?” flush out of familiar mouths like bullets in a machine gun. Partially damaged with doubt, but still strong with confidence and determination, I hold on to my decision to move. I go back reminded how to love until it makes one shiver. I go back being re-thought the undeniable support of brotherhood and the importance of friendship. I go back with the necessity of trust carved on my head. I go back to end the longing for the family. I learnt a ton, yet I still have a long way to go.

I know so much will change. I leave to meet the ones who left before me. I leave cherishing the memories of the ones I leave behind. Time difference will interfere with Musa’s daily “I left the office, what’s the plan for dinner?” calls. I will not be able to personally observe his “my friend, how many wives do you have?” conversations with laid-back cab drivers. Burak will have to move his morning catch-up calls to my office to the late afternoon. Gorkem’s great last minute trips from Chicago to New York will now require 11-hour flights to Istanbul.

Le Bilboquet will not be blocks away for me to drag everyone there for lunch or dinner. Luis will not be taking his unavoidable after-work movie naps in front of my unnecessarily massive TV. Selim’s unique sunglasses will not always be there during the sunny days to brighten up the day. The holy brotherhood of 25 Mercer will dissolve into the hype of Cihangir in Istanbul.

Vermont will be off the navigation map, no longer able to accommodate the weekend ski trips. Hamptons will be too far away to observe the vicious ocean waves (Tara would know better :)) and luscious weekend estates. The intoxicating happy hour will cease to be an amazing weekend ritual. Delicious sushi will not taste as good. Tasty Mexican food will not be as common. The heartbreaking, heart-stopping models of Union Square will be too far away to observe.

Yusuf’s “the best of” compilations will no longer apply to favorite destinations. Shopping will not be such a bargain anymore. Greg’s “come out tonight” messages will not conclude in actionable decisions. Olivier’s weird faces after listening to each of my mixes for the first time will be stored in memory. Eda’s incredible vintage boots will not longer take on the streets.

It will be tough not to have Leslie as the princess of our guys-only dinner outings. Ece will be showing off her flips in a different park far far away from New York. Simon’s latino parties will have one less Turkish attendee.

Miles will be recorded in kilometers. Pounds will change into kilograms and blocks into steps. The Empire State will be the Bosphorus. There will be a replacement for everything, but the true friends New York so gladly introduced me to along the four glorious years I have spent here. Continents away technology will help with communication. Days, months and years apart, memories will help narrow the distance to what was once. I hope it will be easy to leave the fast and greedy island., but I know that it will be difficult to part from the people I have shared it with.

Celebrating great memories and wishing for even better days, I leave you with a mix dedicated to the journey from one home to another.

I expect to see you all. This time in Istanbul.

All my best,

Sinan

I can’t put these amazing restaurants & bakeries in order so I will just list them alphabetically. I have written formal reviews on most so I am putting links to their actual pages. Hope you can visit all some day.

Le Bilboquet: French. Must Eat: Mushroom Risotto, Tuna Tartare, Poulet Cajun, Filet Mignon

Bistrot Bagatelle: French. Must Eat: Tuna Tartare, Cote de Boeuf (for two), Poulet Fermier Roti et Truffle

Bianca: Italian. Must Eat: Gnocco Fritto (fried puffy dough rectangles with Stracchino cheese), Spiendino di Mare (grilled shrimps and calamari on a skewer), Carciofi Fritti (fried baby artichokes with crispy parsley), Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, Panna Cotta

BondSt.: Japanese. Must Eat: Spicy Tuna Roll, Miso-glazed Sea Bass, Tuna Tarts

Chop’t: Fast Healthy Food. Salad wraps

Cipriani Downtown: Italian. Must Eat: Baked Tagliatelle, Seafood Risotto

City Bakery: Croissant, Hot Chocolate

Commerce: American. Must Eat: Bread basket, sliced rare beef tataki, marinated hamachi ceviche, Porterhouse for two

Ed’s Lobster Bar: Seafood. Must Eat: Lobster Rolls

Fat Witch Bakery: Brownies

Gemma: Italian. Must Eat: Foccacia, Chocolate Calzone

Magnolia Bakery: Must Eat: Banana Pudding

Momoya: Japanese. 162 West 21st Street, New York (corner of 21st & 7th Ave.) – (212) 989-4466
Must Eat: Yellowtail Jalapeno, Crispy Trio, Crispy Shrimp Salad

Tomoe Sushi: Japanese. 172 Thomson St., New York. No reservations. Must Eat: Hamachi-Kama with extra lemon on the side, spicy toro roll, California roll, spicy tuna hand-roll

Via Quadronno: Italian. 25 East 73rd Street, New York – (212) 650-9880
Must Eat: Lasagna, Bip Bip Panini, Tiramisu

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse: American. Must Eat: Steak for two, Filet Mignon

Woo Lae Oak: Korean BBQ. Must Eat: Glass noodles, Ribeye, Filet Mignon, pear crumble

We all do it. One glass after the other. One testing after the other. Towards the end of the whole fun, we realize that the next morning will be all about recovery. Hangover will be waiting for us when open our eyes. Exhausted, thirsty, hungry and probably with a heavy headache, we will find our way to the bathroom to pee out whatever we can. Then the question will hit us: “What could I have done to avoid it?”

As Musa always insists, matching a glass of water with every drink is always an option. Another less systematic common solution is the Alka-Seltzer wonder right before sleep. Tylenol PM can also pass the test if heavy alcohol consumption is not involved. I must have tried all and each seem to work if done right. Yet, thanks to my San Francisco trip, I think I may have found the best instant solution to avoid hangover.

Manjula, our bartender at THESLANTEDDOOR, introduced me and Gorkem to a secret they have been using around the Bay Area since forever. Whenever bartenders drank heavily they would pour some Fernet-Branca in a shot glass, chug the Italian liquor and then have Ginger Ale as a chaser. Made from a number of herbs, this aromatic spirit contains 40% alcohol and is usually served as a digestif. Trust me, next time go for the extra alcohol to cure the heavy alcohol consumption.