Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Writers who get close to you

Not so long ago, and thanks to my dear espresso bean, I have discovered a great author: Neil Gaiman. I am now religiously following his journal, checking everyday (my life is easier thanks to Google reader!) whether he has posted anything new on his blog. The man is really brilliant and still very humble. Another author's blog I really like following is French writer and philosopher Pierre Assouline's La république des livres. I'd never read any of their books, and reading their blogs makes me want to know more about their work. I wish more authors would do the same. I really applaud those who make the time to stay close to their readers and be able to write about anything they like to talk about. Thanks to their blogs, I also know where these authors are, it isn't that important to me to know that Neil Gaiman is in Tasmania now -although it is interesting- but knowing that Pierre Assouline is now in Amsterdam until 20 May is clearly relevant information. I can now catch any opportunity to go and listen to one of his lecture here in the city where I live.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

MONOCLE

While enjoying a sunny Amsterdam Sunday cycling near the canals, I've stopped at the Athenaeum Boekhandel and the American Book Center to check some travel guides for this summer and I found a magazine -nothing to do with travel, although its writers move all around the world- called MONOCLE. The atypical, chic and easy layout just made me wanted to take it, but I also found the title of the magazine in itself attractive: MONOCLE. A Briefing on Global Affairs, Business, Culture & Design. Then I read the headline: MONOCLE reports from Ashrafieh: home to Beirut's most resilient residents and their curious community that just won't quit. I had a quick look inside and just bought the magazine. I think I'm going to follow it every month. It also has a quite complete website: www.monocle.com with articles and video programmes. Also in this month's issue are articles about Art Dubai, the Faroe Islands and the North Cyprus Turkish Republic. Oh, and at the end of the magazine is a Japanese comic/manga Kita Koga exclusively produced for MONOCLE in a modest studio of Tokyo. The making-of pictures of the manga are quite nice. I think a found the almost perfect monthly for me!

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Online Shopping

I am not really a shopping addict and I usually like to see and touch what I am buying, but I have just discovered two online shops that are really worth looking at: etsy and foof (this came from our friend Bijan who always finds out what's best on the web!).

Etsy - "Your place to buy and sell all hand made" - proposes a wide range of very nice accessories, all handmade by people from all around the world (check Morelle for Amsterdam based designer for instance). I fell in love with a flower brooch made by Monda (I collect broochs) and a very nice every day use bag by Morelle (I have too many but it's never enough).

All MacBook and iPod users should check foofshop ASAP! The cable turtles are really a must have, together with great MacBook and iPod sleeves. And if you still hesitate, here's another good reason to purchase from them: foof products are all ethically hand made in Australia.








So what are you still waiting for? Go shopping!







New!

I hope you will like the blog's new layout. I thought I should get rid of the black background, not because I didn't like it -I love black!- but mostly because it isn't so easy to read light gray letter fonts on black. And the photograph called "Rotterdam Wind" - it was taken on Erasmus bridge in Rotterdam on a very very windy evening late fall 2006 (photo by Erinc Salor) - is now fully part of the blog's title.

Enjoy!

Friday, April 4, 2008

Baba

Imagine a man surrounded by three laptops and one extra monitor in front of him, one earphone linked to his cellphone, one hand on the land line phone and the other hand ready to grasp his blackberry at any time. What a horrible view of a workaholic drowned in modern technology you might say. Well don't go that fast presuming, because when you look at the man's face, you can see an enormous smile, eyes shining with creativity and brightness and energy bursting out of his whole body. I see much more in this man: hope, ambition, passion, love and tuns of respect. That man is my father and I am deeply touched by the way he handles his life. He didn't always take the right decisions and made a lot of mistakes towards his ex-wife and his children, but it has also been the other way around. He is 54 years old and has a quite sensitive and weak health, but he goes on no matter what. He runs after his dreams, even if sometimes I think he goes a bit too fast. I can't tell him to slow down but I just keep on hoping he never forgets to put on his safety belt.

Seni Seviyorum Babacim

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Polar Fox

























I was doing some research about whales when I dropped into this magnificent animal on google. It is an Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus), also known as the White Fox, and lives in the cold Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It makes you say "I want one!" So these pictures are just for consolation... But after all, it is sure happier in its environment and therefore even more beautiful.




Tuesday, April 1, 2008

I'm an Entertainer!

This test has qualified me as "Entertainer".

"Radiates attractive warmth and optimism. Smooth, witty, charming, clever. Fun to be with. Very generous. 8.5% of the total population."

I usually don't like tests but here strongly tend to agree!