Sinanation

The famous Italian creamery that was started in 1890 by the Giolitti family recently opened a corner shop on Rumeli Avenue (no: 1-3) in Nişantaşı. There is an unaccountable popularity in Italian ice cream shops around Istanbul. The first one I tried out was in Bebek (called Cremaria Milano). Both places have great quality ice cream with numerous flavors. My favorites at Giolitti are the white mint, pistachio and the green apple. I say give them a try if you are ever around one of the neighborhoods.

I don’t know if you heard, but Aston Martin came out with a brand new model. The century old legendary sports car maker popped out the Cygnet out of Vanquish’s air filters (you’ll know what I am talking about once you see the photo below).

This car is a stab on the back for all the Aston Martin fans including me. First, it looks like a DB9 forced into a Smart or a Fiat 500. Don’t get me wrong, I am also a Fiat 500 fan, but I hate to see the sports car of my dreams molded into a funky compact battery ball. Second, Cygnet’s engine resembles nothing of a true Aston Martin. 0 to 100 km in 11.5 seconds? 97 boiler horsepower (BHP)? I beg you do not call this an Aston Martin. I’d hate to see you say so and pull your brand new Cygnet out of the parking lot.

It is too bad that a brand so purified in luxury, edginess, craftsmanship and speed had to dive into the “fuel-efficient, commute-friendly, completely unisex” car category. Yes the fuel prices are in record levels. Yes the cities are over-crowded, over-built and over-consumed. Yet the amount of wealth on this abused Earth of ours is quadrupled every year. The rich gets richer and the nouveau riche has more money to spend on anything that will win them a temporary title. This means that today’s world has an even greater appetite for the roaring, swooping, unforgiving, vicious and angry Aston Martin. So why why the cuddly Cygnet? I was shocked and disappointed when Porsche came out with the Cayman and the Panamera. I still have difficulty embracing the “we are a sports car brand that welcomes the off-road and family” frame and I don’t think I will ever be able to warm up to Cygnet.

Why are we in this era where everyone wants to be a part of everything? Why can’t we just do what we are good at? The burger shop comes out with healthy salad menus. The sports car brand designs sunglasses and comes out with lumpish family cars. The telecom company decides to do a little bit of residential construction. Yes we all want to cash in, but can’t we at least do it in a gentlemanly manner?

Life is an open buffet of limitless selections and varieties. We don’t have the appetite, time nor the belly to try everything, so we narrow down what we put on the plate and try to stick with it. It sucks, especially in today’s world, because we see every damn thing we have been missing out on. We are forced to be decisive and bull headed. The torture is bearable as long as we are satisfied with our selection and if we are not we are left hollow with the disappointment of being overdriven. We lose a bit of time and take on a few unintended calories, but we still have the luxury of grabbing another plate and starting all over again; at least, until we find the right mix.

On a hunt for the most appropriate summer suit (thanks to the summer weddings), I stumbled upon this extremely useful site called The Art of Manliness. This online guidebook will provide you with tips for anything from going bold (yes showers have never been this depressing) to choosing the appropriate length for your socks. I enjoyed the approach and found it useful. Recommend it to all the gentlemen on a hunt for the impeccable dress code in every occasion.

I chose to drive to the office last week instead of taking the metro. The trip started with a bright morning sunshine, through a route near the Bosphorus and ended at a parking lot close by. Good music, lots of light and fresh air instead of the damp, gloomy and claustrophobic metro tunnels: not a single complaint until the trip back began.

Around 18:00, in between the Ritz-Carlton and the famous Inönü Stadium, on the hill that flows into the Dolmabahçe Palace, the pleasurable drive of the morning turned into a nightmare. Clashed in between chunky buses, overdriven cabs and inexperienced drivers I was left with nothing more to do but determine my next move before the opportunity to drive another 2 mt. arrived. Honks and signals mixed to one another, drivers silently cursing, persistent street beggars running in between the cars, I shut down all the nerves and turned into a molded mummy. Ankles tired of pushing the breaks, eyes tired of watching the hours go by, assured that the traffic in Istanbul will only get worse with the amount of new high-rises around, I dreaded the moment I pushed in the ignition key in the morning and yearned for the crowded metro ride back home.

As I skimmed through the global news outlets this morning, something rather disturbing popped up on my screen. “Ronaldo and Irina: lovebirds in the South of Turkey” the title read. I had to click on knowing that it was a mistake.

The uber-famous “it” soccer player smooching with the Russian goddess on the deck of a 20 mt. yacht around the bays of Bodrum…As I always say, there is always someone more fortunate and today’s media is there to remind us that every second.

CLICK for the sizzling 20 or so paparazzi photos and beware of the instant denial phase that comes right after – Sinanation reporting from the office.

a bit of alcohol and possibly “more”.

I contemplated about getting tickets to Amy Winehouse’s concert in Istanbul, but somehow knew that her appearance would be jeopardized by her unstable behavior. So, I wasn’t surprised at all when the announcement for her canceled shows and video shots of her disastrous performance in Belgrade popped out. I think Winehouse has not changed a bit since the first time I got interested in her music. She has never ceased to appear as the careless, turbulent, reckless and problematic artist who is greatly gifted on one side and completely lost on the other. I acknowledge that she lost touch with reality and agree that she is far from reaching out to her fans. Yet, there is still some greatness in this woman.

I wasn’t shocked at all when I watched one of the tens of shots from the Belgrade concert, but I was disappointed to see a miserable woman trying to keep it together for an obligation she clearly was not up for. Despite all the boos and counseling, I am still sympathetic towards Amy Winehouse (yes I am not one of the ones who got tickets to the infamous concert) because I consider her to be a good artist and I think all the good artists deserve a little room to lose touch with reality.  I like her voice and edgy style and wish her healthier habits and a little more sense. I will continue to listen as long as she keeps recording (although I might again pass on the future concerts).

Men’s summer fashion needs an update to accommodate all the essential accessories the metropolitan guy is now required to carry around. In my case these accessories consist of a still somewhat over-sized (despite all the “technological” advances) mobile phone, sunglasses, metro card, iPod with earphones, house and car keys – and sometimes office keys -, a wallet and the most annoying of all, metal coins. Coats and blazers are off the picture during hot summer days, leaving me alone with two unconventional side pockets and a back pocket that bends the wallet like a match on fire. Filling the pants with all these is uncomfortable and the look is extremely messy and unkempt. A kind girlfriend, sister and/or mother with a roomy purse is the best solution to the dilemma. A casual business bag is acceptable during the week, but is still somewhat annoying to carry around. The problem is even bigger during the weekend. The only solution I got for that part is to carry as much as I can in my hands and shove the rest into the pockets.

Isn’t it time for the unearthly fashion designers and the supposedly innovative industrial engineers to come up with more applicable clothing and/or accessories for men? And if they can’t come up with anything they better go beg the technology guys to produce an as-much-as-possible-in-one mobile device. I will do my best to avoid the pockets until the good news arrives.

I spend a good amount of time compiling occasional playlists. Most of the talent goes into the dinner list given that I am a guy with a grand appetite who truly appreciates quality food and good presentation along with it.

After multiple changes and trials, I think Summer 2011′s dinner playlist is ready to massage the ears for a good 3 hours. Thought it is a good idea to share it with you. Listen to the songs when you get a chance and let me know your thoughts.

I wouldn’t be wrong if I said every corner, but then again time is of essence for the new age tourist. So start by smelling the fishies at Mercato del Pesce before lunch. Carry onto Piazza San Marco, sit outside (weather permitting) at one of the cafeterias and watch the sloppy people feeding the obese pigeons. I think it is best to enjoy the cathedral and the tower from the outside to avoid the never ending line. For the fancy shops choose to walk around Hotel Bauer. If you are into art, antiques and unique design shops, Palazzina Grassi’s neighborhood will be the spot on location. Take the water taxi to Murano for the world-famous glass shops and then jump to the Burano island to see how expensive lace can be. I recommend you stop by Emilia’s shop to grab some great quality lace for the women in the family. As it is the birthmark of us, the Mediterranean people, make sure you negotiate to the bone.