Yea it disturbs the work life, yea it makes the traffic worse than it already is and yea it sucks to gear up, but it sure is a sight for sore eyes. Hope the wonderland hangs around for a few more days.

I will question the sexual preference of any guy who puts on a Hunter Boot unless I know him well. They are way too feminine even though the brand has a separate men’s line. UGG, although I consider its originals to be the ugliest boots ever created by men, does have decent models such as MENS CAPULIN and MENS HANNEN. Sorel is also another brand that fits the masculine profile with Men’s 1964 Premium T Boot. Salomon’s Switch is again a good pick and so is Helly Hansen Knaster 3s. I would seriously consider buying those models if they were sold in Istanbul. Given the circumstances, I had to consider the options in my hometown and decided on Keen‘s Pyrenees. Keen is a British shoemaker known for its hiking shoes/boots. I really like the look and the warmth, but there is definite need for improvement around the ankle. The boots are too rigid close to the bending point making it hard for the feet to move naturally.

Do not forget that you must try on the boots before making a decision as the sizes differ a lot from one brand to another. Avoid online shopping unless you are confident with your shoe size. Try to pick boots with thicker soles (to stay dry through hefty snow powder) and with good amount of cushion (to keep your feet comfortable on rough terrain). Going for shorter boots is also a good idea since putting on longer ones gets on the nerves after a few times. One final note: even these boots will slip on snow and/or ice (maybe only a little less than regular shoes). So do not expect miracles although the salesperson confidently lures you into them.

You’d think that he’d be a bit different in real life away from the acting. The photos below certainly certify it isn’t so. All the Statham elements are there: the mean face, the fists always ready to crack some bone, the sleek car plus the hot girlfriend a.k.a Rosie Huntington. Jason must have had his emotions surgically removed during his teenage years just before a director/producer thought he might make a good tough guy on the white screen.

Mychael Danna – Missing persons ile talula1

Moneyball is the story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.

This movie is like getting into an operation room to help out the doctors without knowing anything about human biology and/or general surgery. There is a constant flow of baseball terms thrown around while Brad Pitt aggressively turns tables upside down and throws cans to walls and Jonah Hill looks even more chubby and miserable. Why angry? Why sad? Why is everyone cheering? What the heck is going on? You got me. If only the movie was an average 90 min. the whole alien language would be somewhat bearable, but two-hours of anything is enough to put anyone in a coma. Watch this movie only if you can take on an actual baseball game with less than 3 hotdogs and a pint of beer (I certainly couldn’t).

The decision for change is tough since it requires parting ways with comfy liners and loyal boots. Yet, the part that comes right after is even more challenging. If you have been content with your boots’ feel I recommend you stick with the same brand on your new purchase. Go online and do as much research as you can. All the mountain gear brands (Rossignol, Salamon, Nordica, Atomic, etc.) have comprehensive websites that teach the different credentials (flex, liner softness, clip count, etc.) on a ski boot and help you determine what kind of a skier you are (beginner, advanced, darting, insane, etc.). We are blessed with such wealth of information in this century that it should be regarded as pure pitifulness if we don’t take advantage of the resources.

Once you decide on the brand and the model, grab a pen and a blank A4 paper. Trace your feet onto the paper with the other leg’s knee on the floor. Then measure the trace (from tip to toe) with a ruler (in cm). That measurement will take care of your Mondo (measured in cm) boot size. Do not go above or below that size. Your feet are not meant to be comfortable when you try on the boot. They should squeeze in every available inch in order to provide maximum control on the slopes. Yet be assured that things will only get better as the inside liner slowly takes the shape of your feet.

I went once again for Rossignol on my new ski boots. I have been happy with it for a long time and the fact that the French brand was originally established solely to make ski boots gives me some kind of a reassurance. I picked up a 90 flex (the resistance of the boot when you try to bend it), all-mountain instead of 110 flex (harder than 90) racing, hoping to sacrifice a bit of speed for even more control on the curves. Will be back with more review once I take the boots out for a spin.

So, I was a bit biased with my expectations when my friends told me about Ca’d'Oro. This place was not created to be turned into a chain and that lead me to think that like all the other “one-of-a-kind” Doors establishments (for example: the London’s Famous Japanese, Zuma in Ortaköy – brought to Istanbul by Doors) Ca’d'Oro would be painfully expensive. I was right about the wine list (cheapest bottle starts at 100 TL.) but mistaken about the food (with an average of 20 TL. per plate).

This place is inside one of the coolest and gallantly renovated buildings found in Karaköy – once belonged to the historic Ottoman Bank and now owned by the non-profit innovation organization called SALT. The entrance hall will take your breath away and make you forget all the degraded streets you pass through to make it inside. The restaurant found in the back is a completely modern, icy, fully-windowed, rectangle structure expanding into the ancient city. It looks too-dark-to be-cool inside, but the individual lighting found at each table takes the worries away once seated for dinner.

Focus on the appetizers. Order the fried goat cheese, the crispy tomato risotto, the cheese pide, the artichoke and the pizza. Yes, you won’t have any room left for the main course and that’s good thing. The flavor and thus the satisfaction is hidden in the appetizers and the rest of it (until the dessert) is nothing but disappointment. Get the chestnut merengue toopped with ice-cream for desert.

Reservations are a must at Ca’d'Oro.

There has been a lot of buzz about his movie in the media. Yes Meryl Streep is getting old and it might be the reason she is running after all these world-famous public portrayals. She might be looking to farewell with a chunky series of success in her career. Yes Hollywood could be trying once again to sympathize with the “European magic and values”. Whatever the case may be, Iron Lady is an impeccable work of acting and it is a slap on the younger generations who have failed to get the historic facts straight.

Go see the genius and then get on Wikipedia to connect the dots together. I will go ahead and answer one possible question: yes Margaret Thatcher is still alive.

We should seriously all become movie stars, singers, soccer players or crook bankers. The regular 8 to 6 office work just doesn’t do it anymore.