Veranda Does Istanbul

In reading Veranda magazine, admittedly randomly as it's not on my usual reading list, I learned that the magazine hosts a Designer Tour to Istanbul with this being the third year of the exclusive trip. Pretty cool if you are into design and exploring exotic lands. The magazine dubs the trip an 'opportunity to sample the best of the best in a unique city where Euro-sensibilites and Asian exoticism meld.'

The trip takes place September 20-25 and participants have an opportunity to discover Istanbul with select editors from the magazine taking in important architectural sites, cruising up the Bosphorus, enjoying a private dinner at the home of famed Turkish designer Serdar Gurgun and experiencing the studios of award winning designers Autobahn. They designed some of the coolest cafes and restaurant/clubs in the city such as the chain House Cafe- a perfected version of Le Pain Quotidien and much hipper. But more on that later, as I believe the deserve their very own posts!

The tour also boasts a luncheon with Gurhan, a famous Turkish jeweler who's had great success selling his beautiful hammered gold pieces in the US. The added benefit of going all the way to Istanbul is that you can find pieces like his extensively throughout the Grand Bazaar for considerably less, allowing you to spend what you've saved on other delights the city has to offer.