Oh, you went to Robert College, otherchelebi? Are you a member of the Koc family?

I like the photo on your Fodor's profile page. You have a very nice family.

Thin, The Queen of Fodorville

Thin, The Queen of Fodorville

How many titles do you have? Foddie Winner, Quaker, Queen of Fodorville -- any more?

I think I'm stuck with "American dolt."

Thin, occasionally stranger creatures than rams study at RC. Also, as far as i know, no direct blood relation of the Koc family was admitted or seeked admission to robert academy or robert College in the sixties. It is also possible that they preferred to study at Rosee or IVP in switzerland. Or they thought that the tuition was too high at the Roberts.

i was there for many days, although not as long as dear K.K. who was kicked out twice and came back each time with a vengeance, finally graduating after 16 years, if i remember correctly.

The ladies on the photograph were actually eating at another table and i asked for their permission to allow my photograph to be taken with them. They were very pleasant in allowing the photo taken for a very reasonable price.

I would like to compliment your enjoyment of life.

This may not be the best place, but i must warn other fodorites that asking for tennis balls at the Spice Bazaar in istanbul does not save you from the hassle. All it does is that you end up with seventeen boxes of overpriced tennis balls which you cannot use because of the tendons you broke skiing some years back. Those guys read Fodor, trip advisor, the whole lot.

I don't think this post started in a negative way and certainly not trolling. The idea was to discuss non-touristy restaurants and avoid the hassle side of Sultanahmet. I think that's a legitimate discussion.
From what I've seen so far, Othercelebi seems to enjoy talking about himself more than the subject at hand. Spare us the family history, list of books you've written, professional background of your children, etc. This is a travel board not a vanity platform.

>From what I've seen so far, Othercelebi seems to enjoy talking about himself more than the subject at hand. Spare us the family history, list of books you've written, professional background of your children, etc. This is a travel board not a vanity platform.<

This travel board is the property of Fodor's. The editors will decide if the content of this thread should be deleted or not. You, istanbulac, have no say in the matter.

This is not YOUR thread; it belongs to the entire Fodor's community.

I think it is important that otherchelebi tells us about his credentials. If he lives and works in Istanbul, I would much rather take his advice than that of someone who spent 5 days in Istanbul 10 years ago.

Turks love to talk about their children, by the way. It has nothing to do with vanity. Their culture centers around the family.

PS
otherchelebi, my sister graduated from Le Rosey.

Thin

Thin, if she's the one who accompanied you and your mom to istanbul in 05, i should have been able to see the footprint of Le Rosey from what you have written.

And sorry for these very personal questions: "do you really think that being thin is a requirement for becoming a fodor forum celebrity? Can you be not thin and still call yourself thin in order to become a Fodor forum celebrity?

Thank you for politely commenting that we have a family culture, (although, individually, we may be lacking)

We were not hassled in the Sultanahmet area. One guy offered his services to guide us through the Hagia Sophia, that was it.

As you exit the HS and are looking at the Blue Mosque, if you walk left, there is a restaurant there with outdoor seating (don't have my notes with me). We ate there, with four kids. Food was good, service prompt. I was traveling with a Turkish speaking person, if that matters.

Only place I felt at all annoyed by hawkers was in Marmaris, where the guys outside the restaurants pressured us to come in. Restaurant after restaurant.

Otherwise, just people trying to attract buyers.

I had a chance to spend time in people's houses while there. Very friendly people.

<<This is not YOUR thread; it belongs to the entire Fodor's community.>>

I tried to tell you that. Once you've begun the thread
it's out of your control. It happens regularly.

I think you can assume by now that there won't be many posts on eating in Sultanahmet.

otherchelebi, the person who accompanied me to Istanbul was my cousin, Muffy. She did not go to Le Rosey. She went to Choate and Bryn Mawr. She was thrown out of Bryn Mawr and left the school in the middle of the night. St. Cirq, who posts on Fodor's, also mysteriously left Bryn Mawr in the middle of the night, never to return.

My sister died many years ago. She is buried in Kent.

Thin

Thin, sorry about question in former post. It was a cry of anguish of one trying to fit into at least one of his evening suits of the past fifteen or so years.

i am sorry for your loss.

I remember hearing that Choate was quite decent. We know a summer of Williams and one of (for the other daughter) Gordonstoun.

i also think that you have something of Jerome K. Jerome when he wrote "Three Men in a Boat", for which i thank you.

Back to food, dang it!!!

I never felt a hassle in Sultanahmet, but I've definitely noticed the mediocre food. I've always stayed in Beyoglu, but this March I'm going to stay in Sultanahmet for 4 days. There are too many sites I want to see that I've missed.

From the article, Hocapasa Sokak sounds like the right street to go to for basic, good food. Any other areas as opposed to specific restaurants? The Kumkapi area sounds intriguing too. I'll be staying near the Kucuk Aya Sofya (Marmara Guesthouse), and I hope that this is far enough from the touristic epicenter!

HIsurfer,
true, excluding a few places Sultanahmet is not very good for dining. Hocapasa is a jackpot. Kumkapi is not. it is another low quality/high price large tourist group dragnet. There are a couple of interesting places in the market there though, Boris'in Yeri is an old school bal/kaymak place where you eat thick clotted cream and honey on fresh bread. It's one of those places that feels like it has been there forever. Kaymak is heaven.
On the same street is a simple lunch place called Doyuran Lokantasi which has a really nice musakka most days.
farther on the Marmara coast, a bit off the beaten path is an area called Samatya which has lots of good local restaurants, mostly fish. its a bit of a hike from Sultanahmet though.
If you really value your meals as much as I do, your best bet will be spend mealtimes in Beyoglu as much as possible.
if you are staying in kucuk ayasofia, have a dinner at Ahirkapi Balikcisi which is right across from Dede Efendi Its a tiny, simple place serving really fresh fish at reasonable prices.