Turkish Delights - Flying carpet from Istanbul

Its inevitable. Anyone who has been to Turkey must at least buy one Turkish rug, be it carpet, kilim or both.You may make a solemn promise not to be influenced by the oh so friendly carpet sellers but no matter how defiant you are, you will always buy them eventually.  I dare you to prove me wrong! 

What is it about carpets that tickle everybody's fancies?? After all, it's just a piece of cloth that you put on the floor or wall and then, forget completely about it,right? Or..is it really that simple? 

Today i had a lesson on Turkish carpet which i hope to share with you, so that you'll know what to look for when that special day arrives for you to claim your 1st piece. You'd probably knew by now how to look behind a carpet and count the knots. The higher the counts the better,right? Wrong! And you'd probably knew already that a good carpet would have that luster and shine.A better shine and luster would indicate a better carpet,right? Wrong again! And...isn't the softest and lightest silk carpet the best among all? Emm...think again, my dear readers!! The hint here is....unlearn and re-learn.

Today, you'll have to forget everything that you've learnt about carpet and re-learn again. You'll be shocked to learn that your normal standard and guidelines in choosing a good carpet is not accurate, reliable  and applicable anymore.

First, let us understand what and why are carpets created. In turkey, most people in the villages or provinces rear lamb and other animals, apart from the usual farming activities. After the meats are eaten or sold off, they have to make full use of other parts of the animals. The skin are of course turned into those soft and beautiful leather products such as jackets, bags and shoes.And please be informed that China is the biggest buyer of Turkish leathers. So much so that even the Turkish leather manufacturers are finding it difficult to buy Turkish leather now.

The wools are spun to make into yarn or thread for clothes, bags and rugs (carpets and kilims). These wools are spunned by hand,so that's why the yarns are quite thick. there is so much that the fingers can do! Hence, handmade carpets would have a bigger threads or knots at the back of it. I know, we've been taught for centuries that the smaller is the knots at the back, the better. we've been told to see if its like a tapestry behind the carpet. So, that mean, if the thread or knots behind the carpet is so tiny and fine....yes...you guessed it...it's machine made!Forget about what the salesman said about tiny finger of a child spinning them. There goes one myth! 

Being human, we always think that perfect finish is always the best. We are always attracted to the carpets that seems perfect in design, shape, co-ordination, shine and luster. In fact, that's why human created machine to produce all these near perfect carpets. Handmade carpets are normally trimmed by hand as they are being knotted and tufted. In doing so, the finished piece would inevitably be of "uneven" texture. In other words, handmade carpets seldom have that super-shine and super-luster look or finish. They will eventually be heavier than most machine-made carpets. And especially so for Turkish carpets since they are normally double-knotted as compared to their Persian cousins. So..there goes another myth.

Let's talk about the color of the carpets. The people making the carpets in the villages are normally not exposed to chemical dyes. They always use things which are available locally to them. Hence, they will only use organic dyes from vegetables or fruits. Think of good paintings that use natural paints. The paints (or colors) will get better and more intense and stable with time as the dyes stabilise itself. The same will happen with handmade carpets of natural dyes. The color and design will get better over time and that explains why handmade carpets of more than 50 or 100 years still maintains its color and beauty over time. 

Silk carpet? Ohh..who doesn't wanna own this exquisite piece of art? That'll be the "piece de resistance" and we should all try to have at least one of these magnificent "object of desire". When buying your silk carpet in Turkey, be very careful with the definition of "silk". Silk could be pure natural silk, mercerized silk, combination silk and/or manufactured silk. 

To get pure natural silk carpet in Turkey is extremely rare and most times, these so called silk carpets are "mercerized silk" that came from China. Pure natural silk carpet would feel heavier as compared to the "mixed silk". Try to do this test to see if its pure silk but ask for permission from the shopkeepers first before you try. If he knew that the silk is not natural, he'll turn white or the shop might catch fire ha ha. Light one piece  of the fringe of the carpet. If the fume or smoke is black on top, its not pure silk. If the smoke emits a synthetic smell, its not pure silk. Pure silk will have clean white smoke and there is no stringy synthetic 'melt' from the burnt fringe. Good Luck with it! 

Turkish rugs. There are carpets (tufted) and there are kilims (non-tufted). The tribal designs are the exquisite pieces and are a challenge to identify the best that caught your eyes.

Do you believe in "Flying carpet"? There it is......

This is not a Turkish carpet! It's actually an 80 year old Tabrez (Persian) carpet. Look at the magnificent colors and conditions    of this piece. If and when you get a good handmade natural carpet, your 'heirloom' would remain in pristine condition for many generations to admire and appreciate. A wonderful "wool on cotton"masterpiece.  

The Turks call this a seccede (sejede) size and design. This is normally used as a prayer mat but can be put elsewhere or on the wall. Look at the natural brown color in the centre which could have come from a tree or fruit. No two pieces can be the same due to the inconsistency of the natural dye.The design incorporate a chandelier which form a big part of the Turks's life.  

Another secede design and size which also incorporate a chandelier design. 

The gorgeous green color on this "wool on cotton" carpet originated from a chestnut tree! This piece is normally hang on the wall for the beauty to really "come out".   

Another chandelier design carpet but with intricate detailing on the border .

A large silk on cotton piece but the photo did not do justice to this piece. It has a beautiful blue centrepiece accompanied by a bouquet. And of course, the color will change its hue as you move around it.

A tribal rug from the Kurdistan region. It is so unique and would add colors to any part of your home

Another tribal rug from Kurdistan, spun from wool yarn and may have taken months for the maker to finish the piece. Look at its unusual design and colors.

I am sure you can 'feel' how soft this "silk on silk" carpet is. It is really gorgeous and cost quite a lot,too. But one only need to get one good piece like this and that's it....you're done for life. There was however, one expat who actually acquired 17 pieces of carpets here before he was eventually transferred to another country! When you have acquired the taste for it, it'll grow on you and nothing will make you happier than to look at all these beauties.

Another beautiful design of "wool on cotton" carpet. The contrasting colors make it even more interesting and exciting.

This is another "silk on cotton" carpet but I really think the design is "too busy" or "too crowded". Maybe you might have a different opinion,huh?

My all time favorite and I'd always thought this design is truly Turkish until I was told that it actually originated from the border of Iran. This "1001 nights" design are so called because each small rectangle in the design depicts a night out of the 1001 nights legend. Meaning, each rectangle tells a different story as according to the 1001 nights legend. 

1001 nights "silk on cotton" carpet. This truly is a beautiful piece and I wish I could have it for my private collection. I already have a place for it in my mind and in my house,really! If only the price could match my fantasy!!! A good 1001 nights silk carpet could fetch more than US$20,000 a piece, depending on various factors. But on the display of any good carpet shops, you will always see this design being hung as a centerpiece...and it sure will temp you to go inside the shop to see it.

A very unique Anatolian kilim made of organic wool. The pastel spring color is so beautiful and could be put anywhere you want in your house or office. You sure will be the envy of many and it sure will be a conversation topic on many occasions. Someone told me once that, money one can find....but good artifacts or products you can't find all the time. This is one such product that one should not miss !

So, how do you make sure that you're going home with real, authentic Turkish carpets? Get a reliable seller, and do a research on it. I found a  few sellers who were willing to share their knowledge and I would seek them whenever I want to buy a piece. 

One seller that I discovered recently even had a showroom in my country a few years back. So it seems that almost all tourists from my country would flock to his shop as they feel secure in knowing that what they bought from him are genuine and authentic enough and they know that they can always go back to him should there be any problem. His clients are mostly people from all walks of life and I feel secure and happy enough to deal with him because I could see that he is very passionate with his pieces and loves what he is doing. The photos in this post were taken from his shop and you can browse more on his website CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE.  

  

Simsek's store in the Grand Bazaar. He would personally go to the provinces to collect the rugs and that explains why his collections are unique and exquisite. He can tell you more of the pieces over cay or turkish kahve without any obligation whatsoever. It is so important for you to understand about Turkish carpets before you buy them. Then, you'll be happier with your purchases.

Trying to figure out which 1001 nights is better. He also showed me "Made in China" 1001 nights as compared to Turkish made 1001 nights. The former are lighter, shinier and has more luster as explained in this posting. Frankly, before meeting Simsek, my natural tendency was to  for the former. Now I know better.

This tribal rug is so irresistible.....should I get one for myself?? It'll look gorgeous in the Study.....but hey, I don't have a Study !

Ohh....my object of desire.....1001 nights......now...which bank should I break ???

In Turkey, most young ladies in the villages would make a carpet as their dowry when they get married. Normally, these are in a form of a prayer mat but they also do other type of rugs. And each province will have their unique design or colors to signify their culture or even historical events. So..expect to hear Hereke, Ousak, Kayseri, Anatolian, Konya rugs and others when you scout for your pieces. And while you are at it...learn some history behind the pieces 'cos you are expected to repeat them when you invite your guests to view your beautiful Turkish carpets...isn't that fun?? So..have you got yours, yet?

Coming Soon : Look out for my posting on "Turkish Porcelain".......Stay Tuned......

Food Glory in Istanbul - Part 1

It's snowing as I punched my keyboard and since I can't go out now, I might as well write about something sizzling. No..no...not what you're thinking, don't hold your breath. Let's talk about food..glorious food in Istanbul. Now..breathe.... 

Being strategically located between the European, Asian (and Middle-Eastern) continents, Istanbul reap the benefit of all where food and cuisine is concerned. Since you can find Greeks, Georgians, Armenians, Russians, Kurdish, Syrians and etc etc, you can expect the same diversity in the food that you can find here. And like in many other places, foods in Istanbul are actually representation of other provinces in Turkey and its surrounding neighboring countries. There's always a story behind each dishes and if you are brave enough to ask, they're happy enough to tell all. 

Whatever you do...do NOT, I repeat...do NOT ask where did Baklava come from? The Greeks and the Turks will go blue in the face trying to defend the origin of Baklava. I got kicked under the table many times by my hubby whenever I started this sensitive question, so please be warned! Fact is..nobody knows, but there is a slight difference between baklava that came from Turkey, Greece or the Arab nations. For me, the best Baklava in Istanbul came from O*****y where it is still being made fresh daily using fragrant fire wood, with the pastry flake as thin as a cigar paper. It is so special to me that I won't even tell you where it is because I fear that over demand will spoil its quality. So...PM me if you really wanna know and you must make a promise not tell anyone. Scouts honor!

Kemal Ataturk played a big role in influencing the food in Turkey. Since Turkey was at war during that era, Kemal influenced them to make the dishes as simple and practical as possible but still delicious and meaningful. This is a stark difference to the usual meals prepared for the Ottoman Sultans which were normally elaborate and 'massive' with desserts alone prepared in more than a dozen types at one sitting. But the dishes are still prepared till this day and can be obtained from many shops or restaurants in the city.   

Most people would mistakenly think that Turkish foods are similar to Arabian foods. Turks don't eat rice as often as their Arab neighbors. Rice are normally used for filling in their dolma and in making rice pudding. They eat bread everyday, all the time. And they eat lots of salad, either fresh or cooked. 

Let's start with the cay (Turkish tea)! More Turks drink cay than coffee, in this tulip-shaped cup. Cay can be either 'strong' or 'weak'. and is always taken without milk. And cay is taken throughout the day. The cup is small, so they need to get a fresh one many times in a day. That mean, it'll remain hot when they take it. And...they don't have to go to the toilet too often because it's so little. See? How practical.

Turkish coffee. Do NOT take it on an empty stomach, esp. in the morning. It is prepared in an espresso cup (tiny cup)  and is so thick, at times..the spoon can stand on its own! And make sure you don't drink right till the end 'cos the coffee powders are there in the cup. Just 2 or 3 gulps will do the job.

Menenem...Turkish favorite breakfast dish. It's actually an extended omelet where onion, tomatoes, sucuk, cheese curds  are also thrown in and fried in olive oil. The way to eat it is to dip it with the bread that will be sent to your table. This is normally served straight from the tiny omelet-pan that it was cooked in.

My favorite "on the go" food. Balik ekmek literally mean Fish Sandwich. Its simply fried or grilled Uskumru fish  and put in between the ekmek (bread), plus some raw onions and salata (salad). You can also squeeze some lemon for taste. And then you pray that your mouth can open big enough to chomp down the contraption. And I mean really BIG. This innocent looking sandwich is actually very very tasty and do not be fooled by its humble and plain look. Looks can be deceiving most times, you know?

Midye Tava (Fried Mussel). This super delicious dish can be eaten in a restaurant as part of a dish or just eaten on the stick as you walk on Istiklal Caddessi (in Taksim). Do not walk too fast or too far, though...'cos I'm sure you'll go back to shop to buy more, really! Especially when the temperature drops to zero. Its worth getting the frost-bites on your fingers, don't you think?

Or....you can have your Midye Tava as a sandwich...whichever way you'd prefer..it still is as delicious !

Kumpir (Baked Potato) is a MUST if you are in Istanbul. And Ortakoy is one place where you should head to as the ambiance there is better since you'll see rows and rows of kumpir stall there. And it's so much fun watching the Seller trying to get you to buy their kumpir. What you see here are toppings for the kumpir. Yes..all of them. Depending on what you're ordering, you just point to them what toppings you want to go inside your kumpir. Or just say 'karisik' for mixed and you'll get all of them. Please note that 1 kumpir might weigh 1 kilo, so you might wanna share 1 kumpir with someone! It is BIGGGG...

Can you see the size of the kumpir? You must watch the way its being prepared. Upon splitting the kumpir open, the man will quickly and thoroughly mix cheese, butter and salt with the piping hot potatoes. Once all potatoes are mixed and caramelised, then you are invited to choose your toppings and sauces to be put on top of the melted cheese-potato-butter delight! It's heaven! After eating the kumpir, forget about dinner, 'cos you'll be full for a very long time. In fact, forget about breakfast, too !! ( Photo: Google Images)

Gozleme, thin bread filled with either cheese or spinach. Best when eaten hot and still crispy. In my previous posting about "Perth" I showed a modified Gozleme being sold there. They made it thicker with fillings but the real Gozleme is thin and crispy.

Ahh...Kokorec. Stuffed rolled lamb intestines. I have been told that it is very delicious but I am yet to try it out. Somehow, I could not bring myself to eat it, yet. It is very popular and you can see them being sold everywhere, esp. by the street. I am sure most of you readers out there would give it a try without any hesitation...Bravo! My..I do envy you...

Pide...Turkish National pride. A flat bread that you can put toppings on, just like you would a Pizza base. It is very popular especially during the Ramazan. There is also a another version  called Lahmacun whereby the base is very thin and grilled in furnace or kiln till crisp with toppings of your choice.  You must give them a try when you are next in Istanbul.

Edirne Ciger Tava. This was one dish where I let my nose directed me to the dish. We were walking in Edirne when a beautiful aroma caught our nose and we literally let our nose trail the aroma till we got to this shop. Apparently Edirne is famous for Ciger ( deep fried heart of a beef or lamb ) Tava. The marinade made the fried pieces smell so delicious that one simply can't resist the temptation to grab a chair and sample the dish. The soft and tender ciger is so delicious particularly when eaten its complementing raw onion and deep fried biber (green pepper or chillies).  It's available in istanbul, so you don't have to travel to Edirne to get it.

Closed-up of the deep-fried biber (pepper or chillies)

Closed-up of Ciger Tava ( deep-fried heart of beef or lamb)

My favorite kebab shop, Durumcu Raif Usta behind Grand Bazaar. Its the most authentic kebab shop, with no frills or pretense. You get chunks of the meat that you chosed and they will roll it in the durumcu ( thin bread) together with all the salata, grilled green chillies and bhaharat (spices). Its smoky, its warm and it tastes how kebab should taste like. Non-fancy shop where you take your seat, eat your kebab, pay and go. Its a bit daunting for ladies as not many ladies eat there but hey..take my words for it. Its worth every single Kurush of your money. I didn't even care if I was the only lady eating there. The pull of the Shish (lamb) kebab was too overpowering. It is SOOOOO ummpphhh !!  I'd say, the best in Istanbul...

You can have more salata or spices or chillies if you want. Being a regular, they know what I want and my Shish kebab is always perfect here. Hmm...I think I'll pay them a visit tomorrow....PM me for their address if you want. I can even give you the direction....then YOU tell me if it wasn't the best kebab you've ever had....

Preparing Portakal ( Orange ) Juice. Almost everybody uses the same 'squeezer'. You can also have Nars (Pomegranate), Elma (Apple) or Ananas ( Pineapple) Juice if you want.

A local lady preparing Gozleme in Kapadokya ( Cappadocia )

 Grilling the Gozleme in Kapadokya

Specialty of Kapadokya...Tandir Kuzu or Tandir Et. Lamb or Beef cooked in its own 'tandir' or clay pot. If you found yourself in Kapadokya, be sure to try this fantastic dish....you can't get it elsewhere, not even in Istanbul....I think. Well...I have not found any shop in Istanbul that sell them.

Tandir Kuzu of Kapadokya....when you open the pot. Its delicious as the juice of the meat will be released into the gravy under a very slow and long fire. Out of this world !!

Iskender Kebab...the famous dish of Bursa. It was reputedly created by Alexander The Great in Bursa on his way to Persia. Legend has it that he asked his men to grill the marinated meat on vertical sword so that the juice of the meat will flow down and mix with the rest of the meat at the bottom. If you placed the meat horizontally, the juice will be lost in the amber or fire. Clever. wasn't he? Iskender kebab is now eaten with 'creamy yogurt' and its special sauce. After putting the plate on your table, the waiter will ask if you want any 'yag'? That means oil. Just say YES, 'cos that what makes this kebab even more tasty. Forget about the calories and whatnots....you're only in Istanbul once, yes? This Iskender kebab, you MUST try. I am yet to meet someone who doesn't like it......

Iskender Kebab...looks so plain and simple but I am sure it takes hours to prepare. And this was at the Original Iskender Kebabci of Bursa. The restaurant have been in business for more than 100 years....mind boggling, doesn't it?? 

If you are like the Turks or the Japanese, who hates to try new food...well....there is always the Golden Arches for you. Where everything else remain and taste the same....how boring can that be ??? In Istanbul, some smaller McD does not operate as a fast food joint. You order and wait for them to cook for you. Now, that could be the only different for McD.....

There is something peculiar about the Turks though. They just do not want to try new or 'foreign' foods. Try giving them  a food that they are not familiar with, and you'll get a feeling as if you had just given them poison! I'm not alone in feeling this (if you think that my cooking is terrible, huh !) but all the Yabanci that I met said the same thing. I must find out 'why'....one of these days. They will NEVER EVER try any food that you offered. One of my country's local chefs was furious when he was faced with this predicament when he was here trying to promote food from my country. So, there you are......and that explains why it is so difficult to get imported foodstuffs here. Apart from the strict import regulations, they are simply not interested, period! 

I guess the Turks are like the Japanesse when it comes to food. They'll stick to theirs wherever they go. That explain why you can get so many Turkish restaurants and shops in other European countries, esp. Germany where a majority of the Turks live and work there. Actually, it's not such a bad thing....be proud of your food and culture...no matter where you are. 

I hope I can cover all the important and popular food from here but I know that this require more than one posting. There are still plenty more to go.......Afiyet Olsun !! 

FOOTNOTE :

Happy Birthday to those who were born today in this leap year! Poor thing..you guys can only celebrate your birthday once every 4 years....but you guys sure are special !!!!

We touched 3838 viewers yesterday....what a lovely number. Thank you All !! 

Asian Ladies Club Of Istanbul

I finally did it! I had always moved and go about alone but this time, I managed to celebrate an early Valentine with a group of pretty ladies who share similar language and maybe, similar feature,too.

This Asian Ladies Club of Istanbul (members of 30) was initiated sometimes last year but I only knew about it after a friend introduced me to them. They are actually a sub-group of the International Women of Istanbul Group. I had wanted to join that group,too but......frankly, I normally prefer my own company ha ha..so to speak. 

So, there I was...with my humble croissant pudding as a 'peace-offering', and my faithful DSLR on my neck. It was a pot-luck affair and I can't do my usual trick...coming with fruits as an offering. He he..these ladies are killer 'cooks and chefs' and I can't let my country down, can I? Ok..sure, croissant pudding aren't exactly my national dish,is it? Shh...they don't know it...I told them that it was, for breakfast. Perhaps now you would understand why I stay away from any group or club!

There were ladies who originated from Indonesia, The Philippines, Korea, Japan, Romania, Vietnam and Turkey. Almost all these ladies share one thing in common. They're mostly married to local (Turkish) men. Others are Asian ladies married to American and other nationalities. There is also another common thing among them. They're all beautiful. Most of them are also of mixed parentage and that explains their exotic beauty. And most of them are mothers with young children. So that explains why this Group do not arrange group outing or tour outside Istanbul, which I was looking forward to. See...I still have to travel alone. How much fun can that be ???

The Turkish government was very generous with their citizenship last time. A lady got her citizenship the day she got married to her Turkish husband. And then, there is another couple who had to get married in Turkey because in Indonesia, the government do not allow the couple to marry if they are not of same religion. So they had to get married in Turkey as the wife did not want to convert to Islam, even though the husband is a muslim. 

And then, there's some ladies who are neither an Asian or married to one but joined the group anyway, simply because they love the food, or they had been to Asian countries and love the food and everything Asian. One even love a Malaysian singer (Siti Nurhaliza) even though she was in Kuala Lumpur more than 10 years ago. 

As they say in the song....It started with a kiss..but this time it started with a Cake. A beautiful cake specially bought by the gracious host, Shakila Stevenson. Everybody was oohhhing over it. I was told that Turkey only just recently went big on cakes and confectioneries. Seems that few years ago, they had difficulties in getting good cakes from a good shop. Very surprisingly as there are cakes shops almost at every corners in Istanbul now. That's how fast Turkey evolves, even in businesses. The business turnover is very fast,too. After every few months, you'll notice that the shops have changed owners. I wonder how serious is 'bad loans' problem here??

Food, glorious food! Kimchi, rendang, gulai, fried noodles, beef salad, anchovies and 'something', chicken curry etc. etc. I almost 'accidently' ate a bacon sausage rice...where did she get bacon from? It's almost impossible to get pork meat here in Turkey. Phew !!!

The smile before digging in....it was great food, great company and great moment. The food were delicious as they were all home-cooked. What a good way to know of our neighbor's cuisine. Sue..the kimchi's delicious, you must teach me how to do it. I'd always thought that kimchi comes in a bottle??

The host has decorated the house in a beautiful valentine theme. Err..since I'm the latest edition, I get to hold the roses...I think! Kyoto. to my right, has lived in Istanbul for more than 20 years. A turkish-speaking Japanesse, her husband has had businesses in other part of the world as well.I think she is set to live here forever, though her children are in the US. Hey..everybody loves Istanbul. 

Group photo after all the plates are almost empty. That explains the smile on everybody's face. The baby belongs to Neney. The baby is actually a twin. Its a boy and girl twin...how lucky for Neney after waiting for 9 years. See....it was worth the wait.   

Audience captivated and mesmerised by Shakila's performance. She sang Whitney Houston's number and another 'lost love' song. It was so beautiful, we even had one lady crying when she heard the translation. Shakila's releasing a new album and will start the promotion soonest. Look out for her, will yer? You won't regret it...she's a great singer and a natural.

Neney, what are you up to? Neney crushed my theory that there is no happy-ending 'holiday romance'. You see...Neney came to Istanbul for a holiday, fell in love with a local guy, married him and lived happily ever after. Ok...Ok...I know that in my previous posting I warned of falling in love in Istanbul. I'm happy for Neney but how many Neney can that be? Its easy to see how they met, feel in love and married since Neney is such a bubbly and fun person to be with. Even with the 4-month old twins, she doesn't look stressed at all, but happy and cheerful.  

The beautiful and sultry Kim Cahirkaya is the hardworking President of the Club. Her sultry beauty is the result of an American father and a Vietnamese mom. Do not mistook her petite and soft demure 'cos one can see the toughness and seriousness in her  the moment you set eyes on her. Way to go...Kim, keep it up. Don't let these ladies bully you, he he...  

A rare moment when you can catch the President (Kim) smiling. She also did the delicious Red..err..Purple Velvet cake which is almost gone by the end of the day. It was really delicious and was the talk of the day. Well done, Kim. Err...can you bake one for my birthday if I told you my birthdate? 

With beautiful Eva, Eka and Elif. Eva (to my right) and Eka (to my left) are both Indonesians married to Turkish. They both speak fluent Turkce and have lived here for more than 10 years. Both are also bubbly and charming and cheerful. In the black is Elif, a Turkish married to a Belgic who prefer to live here than his homeland. Ahh...she's the right authority on everything Turkish. So..I asked her the question I've been asking around. Do the ladies cook in Turkey? Yes..at home but special dishes will be cooked by the men. Aha...I knew it.....the men are better cooks here. I rest my case ! 

Shakila singing her 'lost love'. I guess there's a Shakila in all of us,huh? Cheer up dearie...it's better to have loved and lost..than not to love at all. What beautiful voice..you could hear a pin-drop in all those silence. This is one talented lady and I know that I'll be one of the first to buy her album. Bravo Shakila....you're born to sing...so keep on singing!!!

She finally smiled....after letting it all out of her chest. See ?? Your life doesn't end just because your love did. Close this door and open another one. Who knows..it could be better !! In fact, I can see that you do have a better life now....

Shakila with her 1.5 year old BoBo. A Chow Chow who followed her around as if she's the youngest kid to her. BoBo trails Shakila everywhere she goes and sleeps on the same bed with her...but the husband doesn't mind. A very affectionate breed and a beautiful sight to look at.

BoBo the LionWolf..she looks like a lion and does not smell like a dog. With her distinct dark blue/purple  tongue, her breed is one of the oldest in the world and originated from Mongolia. Do not be fooled by her gentle demure 'cos her breed is known to be very fierce and protective and have been used to fight off wolves. The Mongolians  used them for war, farming and  on their cattle farm. If you took her out for a walk, she would out-walk you anytime with her huge paws and big stride. Btw....i had to 'court' her for a few hours before she let me come this closed! and that was before I knew how ferocious they can be......

Yes...we love something for our own reasons, don't we? My friend said that, I must go so that I can Blog about it, so why not? And..in the process, I discovered a 'gem'. Among the ladies, is a professional singer from Indonesia.  I am not sure if you knew or have heard of her but apparently, she was BIG in year 2000 when she won the Asia Bagus contest and started to collect her trophy in international events and contest thereafter. Unfortunately, she disappeared for a short while when she was based in the US with her American husband. 

Shakila Stevenson (nee Meiski Shakila Serhalawan) started her singing career at 4 years old in her local church. Her famous uncle, Bob Tutupoly coached her singing and oh..boy...her tenor is so powerful and wonderful and I wondered no more how she could have won all those contest and awards. She did a rendition of "I will always love you" sans music and ........I think, I can safely say....Whitney Houston is alive...again!! CLICK HERE To Hear Shakila sing 'Takkan Hilang' and HERE For Shakila's Katakan

READ MORE On Shakila

It was a good Valentine Lunch for us and I feel happier now, knowing that I am not Alone in this beautiful city of Istanbul !!        

Thank you, Ladies......peace be with you....wherever you are.....