Everywhere you go always take the weather with you

"Weather with you" is a song by Crowded House.



Istanbul Latitude: 41° 02' North. Longitude: 28° 58', East
New York Latitude: 40° 44' North. Longitude: 73° 55' West

Miss Teen USA South Carolina 2007

I would like to buy a hamburger

Scrat - No Time for Nuts

Mad Jack the Pirate!

It's one of my favorite cartoons. "Mad Jack the Pirate" (1998)TV-Series 1998-1999.. jack and his side-kick, Snuck (Lapaci) are hell of a characters... It's unbelievably funny. I applause Turkish dubbers, they made a great job on that...

What has changed in Turkey after I left?

1. Now, almost all banks in Turkey has a foreign partner or owner.


2. Children are more spoiled.


3. Almost everyone is smoking, now.


4. Everything is more expensive now, especially in small towns like Mudanya.


5. Women celebrities are dating with, or marrying to younger men, at least 10 year younger.
   
   
6. There are many new traffic regulations, rules, ways and passageways to relieve traffic.
   


7. Yet, traffic is worse in Istanbul now. (Some interpret this as wealthiness of the country. But, not me because there is still no effective resolution for public transportation, so more cars are in the traffic.)


8. Starbucks is on every corner in Istanbul as in New York.


9. You cannot pay with cash at The Bosphorus Bridge anymore; toll booths accept only KGS-special magnetic cards- and OGS -are unmanned and equipped only with a remote payment system-. Cash payments are accepted only at the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, about five kilometers to the north.
   
   
10. There are several Raki manufacturers, various brands and tastes for Raki. It used to be only Tekel -literally meaning 'monopoly'- as a company, Yeni Raki and Tekirdag Rakisi as a brand.
    
    

A line, but a beautiful one:

"Look up at the milky way if it is a clear moonlit night, and if it rains,
you know why." - The Night of Sevens -
"Formosa Musings" by Lilian, writing from Japan at
Tarkan Deluxe.

rak•i [RA-kee] - Lion's Milk

I was preparing a paper for one of my classes about Raki and I said why not, just put it in your blog. So, here it is:

When one thinks of Turkey or Turks, one is reminded of Raki. In Turkey, raki is the unofficial 'national drink' and it is traditionally drunk mixed with water; the dilution causes this alcoholic drink to turn a milky-white color, and possibly because of its color, this mixture is popularly called aslan sütü, literally meaning "lion's milk" (aslan also means strong, brave man, hence milk for the brave men).

It is similar to several kinds of alcoholic beverages available in the Mediterranean and parts of the Balkans, including pastis, sambuca and ouzo.

The drink made in Anatolia and known as Turkish raki has a history going back 300 years. The art of distillation which started in the Arab world and spread to the neighboring countries was implemented when people thought of making use of the sugar in the residue of wine processing. With the addition of aniseed, raki took on its Turkish characteristic.

During the first years of the Republic, the grape alcohol (named suma) began to be directly distilled from grapes by the state-owned spirits monopoly, Tekel (literally meaning 'monopoly'). With increasing sugar beet production, Tekel also began to distill the alcohol from molasses. A new brand of raki made from sugar-beet alcohol was called Yeni Raki, means 'New Raki'. Molasses gave Raki a distinctive bitter taste and helped it to become popular.

How and what is it made of?

Raki is a usually anise-flavored brandy that is produced by twice distilling either only suma - It is a superior tonic and can be used topically for regenerative effects.- or suma that has been mixed with ethyl alcohol in traditional copper alembics with aniseed.

Raki is made from different fruits in different regions; but grapes, figs and plums are the main ones. Suma is generally produced from raisins but raki factories around established wine-producing areas may also use fresh grapes for higher quality. Recently, fresh-grape raki has become more popular in Turkey. Raki produced from figs, particularly popular in southern provinces of Turkey, is called fig raki.

Bottom raki is the raki that is remains in the bottom of the tanks during production. Bottom raki is thought to best capture the dense aroma and flavor of raki. It is called special raki and is not generally sold; instead, raki factories reserve it as a prestigious gift.

Brand and Taste Variety

(Pictures are mostly from Mey Alcoholic Beverages Industry and Trade Ltd.)

Raki is produced by many different brands which also result vary the taste of the raki. The best-known brands are Yeni Raki and Tekirdağ Rakisi from the city of Tekirdağ, which is famous for its characteristic flavor. The secret of this flavor is said to be the artesian water from Çorlu –a city in Turkey-, used in its production. Yeni Raki has an alcohol content of 45% and 1.5 grams of anise per liter; Tekirdağ Rakisi has 1.7 grams of anise per liter. There are also two top-quality brands called Kulüp Rakisi and Altinbaş with 50% alcohol. Yeni Raki contains about 20% sugar beet alcohol; the other brands of Tekel are produced only from suma. After the privatization of state-owned spirit industry of Tekel in 2004, different producers and brands emerged. There are currently many brands and types of Raki available, including Efe Raki, Çilingir Raki, Mercan Raki, Fasil Raki, Burgaz Raki, Ata Raki, Anadolu Raki, Mest Raki, and Yekta Raki etc. Sari Zeybek Rakisi, another recent brand, is aged in oak casks, which gives it a distinctive golden color.

So! You feel like getting out of the wrong side of bed? Let's eat, drink, and be merry!

You’ll love it because of the way of drinking. If you like every minute of your happy hours, this is the drink for you and it will make your happy hours top notch. You can enjoy the quality time with your friends and family thanks to raki, because the way of drinking raki is based on gathering with your beloved ones and chat with them during long duration meals. So we say, this is your chance to experience Ottoman glory!

In Turkey, drinking raki has its own traditional rituals. Most important is what it is to be participated with. Raki is consumed with meze (a selection of appetizers or small dishes taken with alcohol); white cheese is the main and unchangeable "meze" of raki.

Raki is generally drunk mixed with cold water. Ice cubes may be added, preferably to diluted raki, since its anise may otherwise crystallize. When the water is added, the mixture turns a whitish color. In addition to mixing raki with water in its own glass, it is customary to drink raki with a separate but complementary beverage. For the casual raki drinker, a glass of cold water is suitable. For the serious connoisseur of raki with kebab, and a glass of salgam-another traditional drink yet non-alcoholic- stands as the best accompaniment to Lion's Milk.

Drink with benefits? Yes, it is possible with raki.

In various sources from ancient times aniseed is defined as an herb that helps breathing and has warming, pain relieving, healing effects. My father used to drink it to get rid of his headache from time to time.

Those who have been drinkers of raki for years and years, point out that this drink affects one according to his/her mood. Sometimes one is tipsy after a glass or two; while sometimes even a huge bottle gives only a feeling of well being and enjoyment.

You are what you eat, you are what you drink, so be ready to try lion’s milk and become a happy lion! :)

Sources in the essay: http://www.allaboutturkey.com/ , http://www.answer.com/, http://www.mey.com.tr/, http://www.wikipedia.com/

Ice Cream And Chocolate - Naah, Not My Favorite!

I have a confession to make: I don’t like ice cream, anything with ice… It is too cold for me… I really feel weird and I am bothered when it touches to my teeth… I eat it from time to time saying to myself, “well P, everyone loves it; there must be something reaaallly good about it; so give it a try.. But then, once again, I am ending up deciding "it is not that good"… I know, I know, millions of people think just the opposite and enjoy eating ice cream… I just don't!

So, you think I am bizarre? Then listen to this: I don’t like chocolate, either… Yep, my bad!..

P.S.: I do like to eat cakes and deserts with chocolate sometimes, though… But I think this is because of this Mazola Bakery in the neighborhood… Everything is delicious in that store… You should definitely try Chocolate Bundt Cake and sour dough baget if you get a chance…

Killing Gorillas? What The Hell People!

I am always disappointed yet still surprised to see that how human beings are the real monsters of the world… We are destroying everything: Nature, each other, animals, everything…

There is an article about Congo’s gorillas and their tragedy in Newsweek’s August 6, 2007 issue… According to the article, last week four gorillas were slaughtered in Congo... They are simply murdered and left... No one can understand why these animals are shot down... Unfortunately this is not the first time… There are some kinds of sick people are killing these poor animals brutally for nothing… I can find no reason to understand this kind of behavior…
Someone really must find out the problem in human genes since no other species kill for pleasure… Shame on us!!!

Turkey is a Great Vacation Place

I am back from my Turkey vacation... It was a spontaneous trip... I was there for four weeks... After over three years it was quite interesting to be in Turkey... I sometimes felt so happy to be there, to be part of it, however there were times that I felt so alienated... It was certainly very good and joyful to see all my close friends and spend time with them... I understood that I missed them and the nature of Turkey... Having drinks in a coffee shop, eating all those delicious food with old, real friends, being served sincerely and respectfully by the waitresses in those restaurants and cafes, beauty of the nature surrounds us were priceless...

However, the traffic and almost everybody is smoking was a very shocking incident for me to witness... Istanbul is a big city as New York and probably has the same number of cars in traffic everyday... Obviously Istanbul has a big public transportation problem and higher exhaust limits... It takes hours to go somewhere it would take normally half an hour... I couldn't breathe because of all that exhaust gases... Another thing is that surprised me was seen that many and that much various luxurious cars in Istanbul... Even in New York I haven't seen some of them...

And the children... I have never realized before that children are this much spoiled in Istanbul... They are crying to get whatever they want and unfortunately families are helpless... It made me so mad at parents that they could not even talk to their children to tell a child what she/he is doing is wrong and annoying... Children are the kings now...

I travelled in the country a bit, went to Sinop and Unye (small cities at Black Sea region)... Last week of my vacation was spent in Assos (Behramkale), Canakkale with my friend, Esra... Even though I had to change plans and go somewhere else than I had planned before, thanks to Esra, my vacation ended perfectly...


Assos which is one of the hidden paradises of Turkey was the holiday place instead of Antalya... The weather was great and that blue sea, oh, that Aegean blue (Ege mavisi) sea... It was worth it every single minute... Assos is an antique little town in Canakkale, across Lesbos (Midilli) Island of Greece, with narrow streets, stone, authentic houses which are used as hotels nowadays, and with the history of being home for Aristotle for several years... Hand woven kilims, bags, and scarves are sold by natives who are still wearing folkloric clothes and talking with local accent... Feels like you live in a fairy tale... However, my pleasure was to be in that amazingly beautiful sea; to be able to swim in it... First, it feels cold but after a few minutes you don't want to get out... Although it is deep, you can see the bottom of the sea and the fish swimming around you...

Evenings were especially nice... Wind which is around often during the day stopped in the evening and we sit on the pier with a glass of wine while it got darker and the moon rose... It is a very romantic place... Esra, and I didn't want to leave the sea... We wanted to swim all day and at least close to the sea in the evenings... We only slept for a few hours and go back to the sea in the morning... Feeling it, was so precious...

"I Left My Heart In The Aegean.
And she will be loved!"

==========================================

P.S.: The place we stayed was sooooo cheap and clean, breakfast included, Tekin Pansiyon (+90 286 7217099), I can recommend it to anyone who is going to stay in Assos with no doubt... Owners are kind and sincere... The only con about this guest house is that since it is in the village, you will need a car or you'll have to wait for shuttles to get down to the bay, to the harbor... Other places to stay click here.

Planet Earth

Planet Earth series is an extraordinary natural history documentary that I found out while I was searching some information for work on IMDB... I sent its link to my friend Baris and said "wow, I've never seen something with this much high rating." He said "oh yes, it is a great work, in fact I was planning to have it on DVD so I am going to order it immediately"... And he did... And I got it from him; I am the one who watched the whole series in several days before the DVD's owner, Baris...

Oh, yes!... And wow!!! Everyone on this planet should watch it... This documentary series has a great photography, yet better content and intentions... It shows you -once again- that the nature is just so perfect... Mother earth has its magics, and its own fine ways to deliver it to any species that lives on this very small yet very rich planet...

Series gets you into the animal and nature world... And see earth and even life from their eyes... The sympathy you feel is unbelievably real and powerful that that shakes you strongly to see how we, human beings, are the most dangerous species on this planet; how we are playing with our future recklessly; how everything losing its balance with an acceleration and almost about to reach to the point that will be no turning back... Even though we are supposed to be the smartest ones, we are destroying the earth!... Soon there won't be a ground to live on for us as it happened to polar bears...

Planet Earth has shown me the animals I have never seen or heard before... Or the things some animals do... For example, Have you ever seen a great white shark, with a seal in its big mouth above 30 meter of the sea surface? It is an amazing scene to witness how that big fish manages to get out of an ocean. Have you known that there is one kind of camels, wild camels, that can smell human beings from 3-4 miles away and never lets them to get closer, so maybe the planet earth cameraman's and their local guide is the couple of people who had a chance to see them alive and this close... Have you ever known that there is a cat, snow leopard, lives in one of the harshest environments and about to extinct? There are tons of realities, awe-inspiring animals and nature conditions to learn about...

Howie Mandell is a Sweetheart

My hubby and I have learned about Howie Mandel when we were living in Turkey... We are cartoon freaks... So we were watching Fox Kids broadcast all the time... From the second we watched this cartoon we just loved Bobby Generic, his family and adventures... "Bobby’s World" is so cute, relaxing, and fun... We didn't know anything about Howie Mandel and that Bobby’s World was an Emmy nominated series... You can see Bobby's videos on his site... Howie was the funny, cute, sweet father of Bobby with curly hairs who gets out of the cartoon at the end and talk us a little bit as himself...

When I saw him on TV as the host of a show called "Deal or No Deal", which is a very popular one, with a shaved head, I couldn't recognize him at all... I watched this show because the host was very sweet and cute... It turned out it was Howie again... :)) He is so natural, so sincere...

I Love Riding Roller Coasters, But It Started to Get Boring

I've tried all extreme roller coasters, except Dare Devil Dive and erUPtion, at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ... My favorite, in terms of overall experience, is Nitro. I also particularly enjoy the climbing part of KingDa Ka. I think El Toro's surroundings are too crowded - with all those wooden parts - and the ride sort of makes you feel like you are getting a good beating...

Great American Scream Machine - It hurted my ears a lot, becuase I bumped my ears against the protecting bars around my head during the ride over and over, I can't touch my left ear right now... All my friends (5 of them) enjoyed it, though...
Superman: Ultimate Flight - It is fun, feeling your body positioned as flying Superman...
Nitro - The best in the park... It lasts longer than any other roller coaster in the park, riding to the forest is one of the most amazing feelings that you can experience...
Batman the Ride - Booooorrriiiinnnngggg!!!
El Toro - Be ready to get beaten.
Rolling Thunder - Worse than El Toro... All my bones has changed its places... My neck and shoulders are still aching...
Batman & Robin: The Chiller - It was fun to go backward... Hehehe... Ride is too short to really enjoy it, though...
Kingda Ka - It has a 'wow' factor: its acceleration... It was so much fun to climb into the sky and drop down to the ground that fast... It's one of a kind...
Medusa - Your stomach will not like it... It made sick almost everyone in the group...

Worth to mention Orlando Roller Coasters

Kraken at Sea World, Florida was fun, too... It was my first serious roller coaster experience and I liked it very much -but I don't how I would feel if I rode it now.

Another roller coaster I enjoyed a lot at the time, was Rock 'n' Roller Coaster® Starring Aerosmith at Disneyworld, Florida.

Nitro - A Roller Coaster that Rocks

A review about Nitro roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park. I was planning to write about all roller coasters in the park and saw that my husband already wrote one about Nitro -my of all time favorite- and obviously his, too, now... :))

http://soksa.spaces.live.com/default.aspx?_c02_owner=1

Montaigne, Essays and My Dear Teacher

I think my middle school literature teacher did the most harm to me... She was a gentle, agile person who really devoted herself to her students... She took us to plays, movies; she gave us assignments to read classics and helped us to understand what the actual meaning is of every sentence in those books, through criticizing them...

Once I've read a sentence or a quote that basically says, "Every parent leaves a scar on his/her child. That's is how he/she shapes his/her child. Depending on those scars -means marks, influences- the child can be a bad person or a good person." My dear teacher was the one of those people in my life who left on me a big scar... She didn't have to be my parent to shape me; she was just a great person who cares...

I believe she left that scar on me personality when she recommended us to read Essays by Montaigne. According to Wikipedia, "Essays is the title of a book written by Michel de Montaigne that was first published in 1580. Montaigne essentially invented the literary form of essay, a short subjective treatment of a given topic, of which the book contains a large number. Essai is French for "trial" or "attempt"."

This book taught me to see from the otherside of the events, topics... Life proved that he was right... I learned that every person has his/her own story, I saw that everything we believe, understand or see may be a delusion... Every medallion has another side... There is not an only and one right or wrong... It depends who you are, where you are, what is the main trail of your life and every little detail in your and only in your life...

And I am suffering since then... Since I've read Montaigne's Essays, I am cursed... I am sometimes thinking that it may be easier to enjoy life without recognizing every angle of every incident... If I would see the same picture everyone sees, that would be wonderful... I guess... Would that be?.. It should be... Well, I don't know... You tell me... There is no turning back for me...

Here is the complete, free version of this bad book. Please read, I need more people to see what I see...

Downgrading Life for Love?

My very small contrubution to a dear friend's blog. I'd definitely recommend you to read Ali's poetries and other great works...

A Little Reminder

I don't like quotes that gives life lessons... I have my own lessons... Well, I don't know if I could make use of them... But it is not the point now... The point is I don't like them... Probably because I believe every incident has its own conditions and it depends on various consequences... So, sometimes the lesson works, sometimes not... Even the right and wrong depends on which angle you are looking from...

Well, this is not different, I know... But...

"She reminded me that the world was really one big bee yard, and the same rules worked fine in both places: Don't be afraid, as no life-loving bee wants to sting you. Still, don't be an idiot; wear long sleeves and long pants. Don't swat. Don't even think about swatting. If you feel angry, whistle. Anger agitates, while whistling melts a bee's temper. Act like you know what you are doing, even if you don't. Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved."
-The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd-

Maybe I should better start liking and reading them more since learning never ends in this short life...

What's With 24?

"It is a brilliant idea" I thought when I first saw "24"... I watched it with excitement... Everything was happening in 24 hours with suspense and action... I watched all season with very big interest... Well, for the -I think- 6th season have you realized the plot is the same as in the first one.... Here are some headlines that every season has:
1- Jack is the only person who can save the U.S.
2- Yet CTU arrests Jack but Jack manages to flee and does whatever it takes to save the country.
3- There is several nuclear bombs which one of them always explodes.
4- The U.S.'s security is in CTU's hands. There is no other intelligence agency that can help them.
5- However CTU has only 6 personnel.
6- Some of these people at CTU are having an affair.
7- Even though whole country's safety depend on those people, they act foolishly and makes decisions depending on their emotional influences..
8- There is always one person, a treater at CTU. (Shockingly - It is the biggest and the most important intelligence agency in the US however, it cannot even have enough information about its own personnel. Yet it is expected to be the saver of the country.)
9- There is some people who has plans against the president.
10- Terrorists make attack on CTU (Shockingly again - This agency cannot even defend itself.)
11- There is always someone from Jack's family in the middle of the action...

I can go on like that... The plot is the same, the action is the same, the lead actor is the same, acting is getting worse, the cast is getting smaller, the original ideas already died... And people still watches it... I am amazed!!! I quited as soon as I saw the second seasons beginning... I see some bits and pieces while I am zapping... I am bored even when I am zapping through... Thank god I don't watch it!

Hehhe.. A funny anecdote... One of my friend who has watched every and each season said that he is going to put a post-it over his TV to remind him not to watch 24 next season.

Sertab Erener-Everyway That I can

Cool Photos by CoolSeker

Take a look at them... These are my favorites...
a glass of wine fun :)
Sky Lion cooooool...
where did the ghost go? spooky!

It is not Turkish Kitchen!

And it is not a Turkish kitchen... Turkish Kitchen is the most famous, positively rated and expensive Turkish restaurant in New York City.

We went there for a company dinner about 8 people... On the way my boss said that he was about to cancel the reservation when the restaurant representative asked him to leave at 9pm with his guesses if he scheduled the dinner at 7:30pm... He decided to change the dinner time to 6:30pm... This restaurant was utilizing double seating policy on Friday nights... My boss said it was unacceptable for as if it is a first class restaurant... And I said, "Well, then maybe it is now"... And then he joined me and said "Yeah, its service and meal quality had been consistent for many years, so it is a good restaurant." We agreed to applaud it and its owners...

I really hate to do this to this... I resent to hurt any Turkish business... Because I know how hard it is for them to be really good in any field they are operating, especially in the U.S. ... I really do... I am one of them... But there are certain rules that you have to keep up with either to become a leader in your field or to maintain leadership... You stay committed, consistent and always value your patrons sincerely no matter how big you become... And I believe competency brings better quality...

First of all, its walls are bold red with minimal blue lightings, and nothing else... It has orchids here and there... That's it... I am not an architect, however I know this isn't Turkish.... I believe it is Far Eastern... I haven't seen a Turkish kitchen like that; let alone any establishment back in the country; it feels more like a Japanese restaurant (I would understand a modern style decoration but this is far away)... It doesn't have any authenticity at all despite its name... So, this was my first impression. Oh, no wait, my first impression was "Uh-oh, are we just welcomed without a smile by a crowded men group at the door?" Very serious looking, suited men, about 4 of them (They must be taking their job very seriously, good for them :) )... However, as I recall the greeting job requires one, maybe two people, but a smile is a prerequisite without a doubt... Which has a very important place in Turkish hospitality... Otherwise how I could feel welcomed?.. Of course, I did forget about it while we were escorted to our table... But...

Second, I've never seen mezes served separately in a Turkish restaurant, in Turkey or in New York, or somewhere else in the world, in my life - I am almost half way... Yes, sometimes cold mezes can be served first then warm ones later but not, as Turkish Kitchen did, one by one... The waiter did not take our order completely... Well, I actually realized that after when we finished our mezes in about one hour because of the service style that he did not and he asked about what we are going to eat for the main course... I thought I already gave my order at the beginning... And Turkish cuisine has dishes that take time to prepare... They were supposed to prepare our meals while we were eating appetizers... This wasn't that important!.. Please, don't let me make a big deal out of it...

Anyway... I was afraid to wait another hour to get my meal, fortunately it didn't take that long... Even though, there wasn't that much time to prepare it and they made it possible to serve it cold... My dish was in a traditional brass plate which also should be hot, but nope, iskender kebab was served cold... Well, again, don't make me big deal out of it... Don't count on me, either...

Then I started to eat with my mouth was watering since I hadn't had a good Iskender Kebab for a long time... (Frankly, I had sworn not to eat Iskender outside of Turkey after my first couple of attemps which ended with regrets... None of the places had the authentic Iskender... That's 2+2 equals 4... Heh he... But not that 4 at the door :)) Waiter didn't even ask about whether I'd like to have melted butter on it or not, and there wasn't any on it... Yogurt supposed to be plain, not with garlic and a lot of salt... Pita bread wasn't toasted so it had melted under yogurt (yoghurt) and turn into dough... I gave up on my kebab after a couple of bites... Then again, don't let me make a big deal out of it... I've never said that I am a low maintenance person, or I have low expectancies... I always expected to get what I paid for... It is that simple for me... If it is too much to ask or too complex for you, then go ahead try that kitchen or whatever that is... You might enjoy it probably under those circumstances...

At the end of our meal, we ordered Turkish Coffee and Tea... Coffee drinkers complained about their sugar level, which was higher than what they had ordered... My tea was tasteless and came in a cup instead of a traditional tea glass... This is again might be considered a small detail...

Oh, I forgot... They added an extra martini that nobody drank to the check... What a first class restaurant, right... (Aw pinaroma, shut up already!.. ) Hey, this restaurant was supposed to be the best...

There is a saying in Turkey that says "You ate what you ate, bon appetite, tell us about what you saw". So, I told you what I saw which is "if you want to try delicious Turkish dishes the place is not Turkish Kitchen"... I do not know why there is such a buzz about that place... Maybe they were good once upon a time... But not nowadays... Go try some other Turkish places...

This is my opinion... I am sure there are tons of people who will say that I am wrong... Try and see for yourself... Or go try Taksim on Second Avenue (Between 54th & 55th Str.), or Ali Baba which is my favorite on East 34th Street (Between 2nd & 3rd Ave.)... They are both better and cheaper...

One last word... I am awake since 2:30 am EST and I drank bunch of alka seltzers and still waiting my stomach to settle (Just to clear that: I don't have regular stomach aches after my meals)...

What's going on in Turkey?

Nothing!.. Absolutely nothing but manipulation... That's all...

People has panicked, saying "AKP will bring 'Sharia' to Turkey if the current Prime Minister Tayyib Erdogan becomes the President of Turkey"... What a bogus... When an Islamic party in Turkey did make it before?.. Could Erbakan, who was the most radical one, make it when he was the Prime Minister?..

Secular ones say "Oh, they will change the Constitutional law and turn Turkey into an fundemantalist Islamic country"... It is not that easy, trust me... There are some elements that are not going to let it happen, both local and foreign... Turkey is in this vicious circle for decades now... I believe, unfortunately, DSP and CHP (still) are the parties that harmed Turkey more than any other party in Turkey.... Their useless, meaningless persistency about staying separate just brought chaos to Turkey...

I am very sad to see that people is not seeing what is really hurting Turkey... Turkey is an emerging market which is trying to grow and settle, to get some foreign investments, funds... Can you see what happened next week? Turkey's financial markets got volatile and some foreign investors got scared and sold their bonds and stocks... Who did loose because of that unnecessary panic? Turkey... Who won? The ones who want to harm Turkey... So, please think before you act like a fool, and try to stay calm... These are just political games...

Coffee in NY, Tea by the Bosphorus

Coffee is an important drink for Americans as it is tea for Turks... It is one of the signatures of New York, people with a cup of coffee and muffin bag in their hands in the morning... New York likes to have a breakfast on the way of work... Every corner has a coffee house or a 'deli' (delicatessen) to stop by and get those vital substances... Starbucks is the most common and well-known one...

It is unforgettable drinking a glass of tea by the Bosphorus... Having a traditional morning tea with cheese, olive, 'simit' or afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones, cream and sweets that makes you feel like royalty... Enjoying a relaxing tea with a view of the Bosphorus Sea in Istanbul: priceless... At least for most of us... I've heard Starbucks is conquering Istanbul, too; converting young generation from tea to coffee... I wonder if we are going to see the same scenes in the street of Istanbul in several years as in New York now... May it be the Starbucks that force to surrender Turkish tea reign and leave its place to coffee?.. It may or not... However, I don't think it can dare to wrestle with Turkish coffee, though...

"I don't drink coffee I take tea my dear
I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
I'm a Turkish girl in New York"
- Englishman In New York by Sting

uPod ?

I can hear you say 'what?!' Yes, you read it right... It is not iPod , uPod... There is no misspelling... Not in my writing, not in the writing in the picture...

Our friend, Wayne took us to a well-known restaurant in a Pakistani/Indian neighborhood in Queens today... The area was very colorful, joyful... I felt like I am in India for sometime... I haven't seen any person who is not Indian or Pakistani except us... The dinner and restaurant is another story but I am not going to get into that topic... At least for now... I can only say that I didn't eat, Cem and Wayne did...

However, the story was waiting for us on the way back home... Look what we got!... A very cheap uPod, $69.99 only... What a treat! Well, we decided not to buy but to take a couple of pictures of this amazing(!) product...

Baruch College

My new school... I am accepted to Baruch College Zicklin School of Business MBA program... I got the news yesterday... I am excited :)

The Departed and Casino Royale

I couldn't have a chance to watch them in a movie theatre; Casino Royale and The Departed... I just watch the second one... Wow!.. These two movies both blew my mind away... I wasn't enjoying recent movies, because they all look alike... There is no new idea, no difference...

I have to agree with "Bond is back" reviews... Bond is Bond, you know him. ;-)... I am not going to say more about Casino Royale, just the fact that it is my favorite 007 movie now... A little secret: I was very dissappointed when I heard that Daniel Craig is going to be the new 'Bond'... Silly me!!! He is soooo good...

And The Departed had me with the ending... It is awesome, especially the cast, as you all know... Jack Nicholson is the same but cool as always... Matt Damon - I love him with the Bourne Supremacy series... Isn't he so cute?.. I am not a big fan of DiCaprio... But, his performance was great in this movie... Well, you just want them both win at the end... But... Scorsese has a word to say... (Well, he left some question marks about some incidents, but it is not ruining the movie that much.)

I am very surprised that DiCaprio wasn't even nominated for his performance in this movie. I couldn't watch Blood Diamond yet but I think he was great in this one.
Enjoy... (If you don't like violence in movies, do NOT watch this. It is kind of a quasi-Tarantino movie.)

Mojito - My latest favorite drink

Bacardi Mojito: http://www.bacardimojito.com/default.aspx

Cuban Mojito Recipe (http://www.tasteofcuba.com/mojito.html)
the original authentic recipe from Havana Cuba1 teaspoon powdered sugarJuice from 1 lime (2 ounces)4 mint leaves... 1 sprig of mint Havana Club white Rum (2 ounces)2 ounces club sodaThere are countless recipes for the Mojito (prounced moh-HEE-toh), but this version is for the one Hemingway himself enjoyed at the Mojito's place of birth: La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, Cuba. If you are throwing a Cuban theme party (Havana night themed party), plan on serving mojitos.

Another Recipe from (http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink582.html)
3 fresh mint sprigs, 2 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 1/2 oz light rum, club soda.... In a tall thin glass, crush part of the mint with a fork to coat the inside. Add the sugar and lime juice and stir thoroughly. Top with ice. Add rum and mix. Top off with *chilled* club soda (or seltzer). Add a lemon slice and the remaining mint, and serve.

Perry Mason

I finished a Perry Mason story in one night... The other night, I couldn't sleep and took an old book from the bookshelf... Demure Defendant by Erle Stanley Gardner... If you know Gardner you know that I didn't put the book down until I read the last sentence... There is always action, there is always tension, there is always something to keep your mind busy, there is always something to be curious about... From the first page through the end, it never slows down... It is just clever...

I don't understand why some books are having such problem to get to the point... Those authors are bitting around the bushes a lot... I am a book worm - well, I was- until recently... I am trying to read a book for a month now and I am not sure if I can make it to the end... There are three books on my nightstand that are waiting for me to finish... One of those is sitting there for almost four months... I am trying, I am... However, I don't think I am going to make it... I know that if a book couldn't have my attention in first 10-20 pages, then I am lost... It is the same thing for a movie, too...

I really admire my friends who can insist on a bad movie or a book through the end... I tried... I tried... I am not a quitter... But sorry, I don't have time to spend on something that I am not going to enjoy or learn from... Hey, at least I tried... It just meant not to be, I guess...

Zodiac

I am not a fan of horror, thriller, crime movies however I watched this one because it was a real story and Robert Downey Jr. was playing in it... Yeah, it had its moments but I think as a whole it was really an average movie... The end is total disappointment... It is too long and has no ending...

Social Life in New York

I am still not sure if New York is a social city... Sure, people are friendly... Sure, you can have a quick yet detailed conversation with the person who sits right beside you in a coffee house or train (But, that's it. No connections)... Sure, people are in the streets in any time of the day and night thanks to subway... Sure, there are tons of events that you can participate, parties you can have fun, dance, drink etc... No problem so far, right?... Then listen to this... What is it that makes every single person alone in this city?.. Why is everyone talking about being unhappy and alone? Why is everyone going to a coffee place, sitting behind their laptop screens and looking for someone on dating websites?.. Aren't they have a sofa and coffee at home? Of course they do... And we all know that they are out because they want company... Isn't this so ironic !?!?

Hey, leave your laptops at home and talk to each other... And try to accept people as who they are... Being aware of that money, job, or laptops don't bring you happiness is a plus... Let's face that... So we can make a progress (I am not a psychologist, just trying to help by 'making a point without making an enemy-Isaac Newton')... One more by him "We build too many walls and not enough bridges."

Anna Nicole Smith

I was shocked to my very core when I first heard about the death of Anna Nicole Smith... It is not because everything happened in a short period of time or ... She was so young... I still can't believe she is dead because of natural causes ... I was surprised to hear when her son is dead, too... Don't you think it is so weird that two very young human being died in the same family one after the other?..

Yes, I know they were using drugs. I know she was doing this for a long long time... Yes, someone can disagree with my thoughts. Someone can say that she was doing it for a long time and her body just collapsed as a result of the accumulation of those drug's side effects and the devistation of her son's death.... But, if this is the case then how anyone can explain her son Daniel's death... Was he using drugs as long as she was? Were each of them overdosed? So, they just couldn't know how much drugs they should take that they were using for a long time... I don't think so... Let's say Daniel decided to commit suicide while he was visiting his mother in the hospital for a happy event... Then why would Anna Nicole do it? She just had a baby... So on...

As you see I can go on with these kind of questions and I can find another question for any explanation... I think there is too many questions about her and his son's death... I am suspicious that both of them maybe killed... Who did it? I have a conspiracy theory for that... But, I just don't want to accuse someone without any proof... I hope police would digg this indicent more... Is there anyone who can say that I have a sick mind and am hallucinating about this... Am I being paranoiac again? Or is the anyone who think what I think?

Be Aware, Not Be Used

I am, of course, supporting all the non-profit organizations that fights against global warming, aids or works to help kids but I don't like their approach sometimes... I feel like some of these communities are working for a good purpose, but at the same time, they are promoting some commercial organizations... What is the point?... So, I'd say be aware... Are we trying to support an action for a good deed or are we just being used?... Is it all about politics or promoting some businesses?..

Think about it... Do not just join to the herd...

HGTV and Food Channel

If there was a travel channel on my cable that would be in the headline, too... We are using the basic cable... It's because I love to watch movies, sitcoms and all those channels which broadcast shows that I can learn something new or interesting... Do you still ask 'why'?.. I wouldn't be able to leave home at anytime... I don't want to be a couch potato... Plus this city (NYC) is the wrong one for the people who don't want to be social., or live a social life... So, I keep it simple and go to a theatre or rent a movie when I want to...

Let's Get More Familiar with American Culture(!)

Prom: In the United States, a prom, short for promenade, is used to describe a formal dance held at the end of the high school academic year.
Parade: A parade is an organized procession of people along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by floats or sometimes large lighter-than-air balloons with complex shapes. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind.
Halloween: Or Hallowe'en is a tradition celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets, fruit, and other gifts. This is called trick-or-treating, and apart from this there are many other traditional Halloween activities.

Fifth Element

I still remember for the first time I watched "Fifth Element"... I was stunned by it... I am not going to bore you with the plot and a critic of the movie by me, no, you may find its reviews all over the internet... I am just going to share some of my thoughts about it. I loved its music which is by Eric Serra... I tried to find the soundtrack for a long time at the time in Turkey, but couldn't. And after sometime I had it, loved it, listened it all the time... Even though I was fascinated mostly by its music when I watched it first time, yet I loved its energy and artists performances, too...

It is still one of my favorite movies... It has everything in it that I am looking for in a movie... Adventure, action, romance, sci-fi, thriller, even comedy... Of course I am a huge fan of Bruce Willis (Korben Dallas), but despite some people's view, I think Chris Tucker's (Ruby Rhod) performance outstanding in this movie... Well, I find him very funny, he is funny -he is the one who makes "Rush Hour" series fun, isn't he?.. I also have to acclaim Milla Jovovich's performance, though... For me, she is the perfect choice for this role... Of course I'll praise Luc Besson who has managed to pull this together really well to produce an endlessly impressive film. Why am I writing this entry again?.. Heh he... I am watching it right now, for the millionth time... lol ...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119116/

Something We Were Thrilled To Attend By Chance

This website (you can find the link at the end of this write-up) represents an incredible and amazing alumni netwok... They are people who lived in Ankara, Turkey, mostly they were in their teen ages, as a result of their parents official assignments in Turkey... They are gattering every year to remember those years in Ankara which was a small town at the time even though it is the capital of Turkey... Even though living in Ankara in those years sounds like not a big deal for me, it was for them... I've never seen people who talk enthusiastically as they do about a country... They simply love Turks, Turkey, Ankara and everything about Turkey... They were happy to see and talk someone from Turkey... They were asking lots of questions, "what happened to this to that", just to get to know nowadays Turkey and Ankara... Most of them said that they went back to see Ankara and other parts of Turkey...

Well, we were there on behalf of Tulumba.com... But they embraced us as if we were their old pals... I was a bit in a shock to see all those people in the middle of the U.S. (Dallas, TX) talking about their times in Turkey, but Cem was already enjoying them... Of course, I joined them after all... It is something that I will always remember...

And look whose names are at the end of the list... :) (Cem recently find out about this page...)

http://www.ankaraalumni.net/reunion.html


Update: I am so pleased to see that our interaction is continuing... Lyn Viles, who is the person that gave us a chance to meet herself and all those wonderful people, and who is the person I forgot to thank in my first blog, find my blog and write about it on their website, AnkaraAlumni.net... Lyn, we love all of you... Once again thank you soooo much for having us... :)

http://ankaraalumni.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7020066582/m/7450095174

Nezih Demirkent - My Idol

Dearest Nezih Demirkent was my first boss... My idol, every journalist's idol, every businessman's idol... He is one phenomenon... He was a respected human being, journalist, and businessman... He could open every door... His door was open to anyone... His articles and books considered reference... His ethics was the defition of it... He was a pioneer in every aspects of business world and media... He had numerous prizes form various institutions... His approach to business was based on prestige, yet was very successful... He protected honest journalists from being jobless and their rights... He supported every action on freedom for media in Turkey...

Mr. Demirkent gave an opportunity to show my abilities and what can be done in digital world with our newspapers products... He provided me with necessary conditions as possible and let me do my job... When I heard that he mentoined my name and my works at a very important meeting, to very important people and my supervisor who delivered me this anecdote, that "even though he is not familiar with the Internet and its capabilities, he believed in me, appreciated my efforts and its results" I was the happiest person in the world...

He was like a father to me as he was to many... When I had problems in my personal life, he supported me and gave me advice... When he heard that I am planning to leave my job and improve my English and get my master's degree outside of Turkey, he offered me a scholarship and wanted me to work with him after my education is completed... I couldn't be honored more...

When I was informed that he passed away, I simply was in shock... I couldn't believe it... I was crying for weeks... I am not good with dates, I cannot even remember my husbands birthday or our wedding anniversary... But, I have never forgotten the day he left us... 11 February 2001... He was just 71... His funeral was the most crowded one I've ever seen...

Thanks to him I am who I am, I am where I am...
God bless him.