Istanbul- where East meets West, literally and figuratively

Istanbul is a city of contrasts and paradoxes, where East meets West, not only because it is where the continents of Europe and Asia come together, but because it is also a unique place where ancient collides with modern, constantly and instantly. In Istanbul one sees glass skyscrapers built next to ornate mosques, that are centuries old. Devout Muslim women, wearing headscarves, and increasingly now burkas, stroll down streets alongside women in tight skirts and platform heels. Istanbul's young generation cross seemingly and seamlessly from one world to another as they leave house music clubs at 5am to hear the muezzins' first call to prayer wafting from the mosques.

I've had a love/ hate relationship with this mystical city for most of my life. As a child I wanted only to distance myself from this strange, far off metropolis where I was born, wanting so desperately to fit in in the US, my adoptive homeland. But as I grew older and began to appreciate the rich history, the vibrant culture and the vitality of this city, always in flux, thirsting for and offering newness, I fell in love with Istanbul.

Apparently, I'm not the only one. I am astounded and proud of how often The New York Times has featured Istanbul in its Travel section, and for this reason, along with the fact that I am always asked where to go, what to do, and where to shop when in Istanbul, I've decided to document my favorite things and places, with the goal of creating a blueprint for the ideal long weekend in this extraordinary city.