Living in Istanbul: Nisantasi, Part 1 (and 365 #18)

I've purposely held off on writing this till I had more of a feel of what it was like to live in this city. Today, we mark our four month-sary in Istanbul. And it's also been two months since we've moved into our new digs and lived a 'real life' instead of a 'holiday life', so I think I've got a teeny tiny bit of credibility at this point.

So, here goes. The first (of many) of my perspective of life in Istanbul, the city of crazy contrasts. Today, I'll take you on a journey nearest to my home, which is where I spend most of my time.

I live in Nisantasi. It is one of, if not the most, upmarket quarter in the entire Istanbul. The streets are lined with Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Escada, Kenzo, Prada, Cartier, Hermes, Chanel, DKNY, Max Mara, Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bulgari, Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli, Gianfranco Ferre, Tod's, Guiseppe Zanotti. Almost every international luxury brand you can think of is found right here. I liken it to the Avenue de Champs Elysees. The shopping, the cars, the glamorati. The biggest difference is in that you can't detect any tourists here. I'm sure there are some, because some of the best hotels of Istanbul are in the area, but you certainly don't see busloads of dudes and dudettes (with strange fashion sensibilities) following a colored flag all over the place.

When I first arrived and started to live here, I thought to myself, 'God! This is so sterile! It's just like any other city!' and 'I MUST see the REAL Istanbul'. Yet after turns around the very popular Sultahnahmet area (where the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar and the annoying touts and peddlers and millions of tourists are) and the Taksim area (where the Galata Tower and the touts and peddlers and the millions of tourists are) and the Bebek area (the other upmarket area where the cool bars and restaurants and the millions of tourists are), I've come to see that this place is as real as it can get.

After all, the best way to see the heart and ambitions of a city is to see where and how their wealthy live.

On the main street of Nisantasi is where you'll see the regal old Turkish ladies descending from their apartments which can cost anything from 10,000 - 30,000 USD per month if it were to be rented (yes, we looked and are still dreaming), and which have been in their families for generations. These are the 70 year old ladies who speak perfect German and French, who have lived through opulence, then war and poverty, and who are now still graceful and strong. They continue to walk along the streets they've walked on since they were young girls eons ago, and shop at little grocery stores that have been passed along from generation to generation. They also sit at the modern cafes, sipping on strong and sweetened Turkish teas and coffees.

This is also where you see countless glamorous Istanbul chicas tottering about in 5-inch shimmering Louboutins and Miu Mius, wearing little Chanel cardigans being dropped off right at the doorstep of the restaurant they want to go to by their drivers or obliging (and disgustingly rich) Turkish boyfriends driving Panameras while the rest of us are (desperately) trying to look chic walking in -2 degree weather, braving the snow, bundled-up in down feather coats and comfy riding boots.

Here is also where the Nobel Prize in Literature author Orhan Pamuk lives, in the apartment that he wrote about in "Museum of Innocence", overlooking the same Mosque that still sees the faithful pray five times a day. (I am a huge fan of his, and have been trying to see if I could bump into him accidentally on purpose, but to no avail. I am appeased to know we are walking on the same streets everyday, though :p) 

Here, it's safe. It's clean. It's like a dream. It's bustling. It's alive. It may not be rowdy and what we've imagined Istanbul to be, but I like it.

Tomorrow, we'll continue with things to do as a tourist in Nisantasi, and I might even have some handy tips and foodie recommendations.

Talk then!