JAVA STUDIO--An Expat In Istanbul
Writing to you from the Aegean coastal city of Peliköy along the Bay of Edremit--the inspiration for Homer’s Iliad, I wish you the best of summers wherever you are!
For those who miss the states while in Istanbul, check out Jennifer Gaudet’s Java Studio, Coffee Shop and Art Gallery. This ample-sized café is infinitely more than a coffee joint, as its name evokes. Sure there are sumptuous libations to be had--nine specialty teas, custom coffees, and iced drinks, in addition to quick snacks and luscious cakes. But Gaudet’s love for Turkish indigenous art, and upcoming artists, shows through the collections of apparel and trinkets she smartly displays. There are also several English books about Istanbul and Turkey for the inquisitive mind.
To top it al off, her waitstaff is always cordial and speak English. Gaudet, a Canadian expat, has created an environment out of a former carpet shop in a sidestreet of Sultanahmet that feels just like home when you’re half a world away from it.
Another of Java Studio’s draws are the lectures enerally held during the weekends. This Saturday (08/09), for instance, Dr. Sylvia Wing Onder will be discussing "Traditional Turkish Family Relations and Social Life" from 10 a.m. to noon. Dr. Onder teaches Turkish language and culture at Georgetown Universitiy in Washington DC. She’s also written a book, We Have No Microbes Here: Healing Practices in a Turkish Black Sea Village.
A benefactor at heart, Gaudet donates up to 20% of proceeds from sales
toward educating the children in the community.
ESSENTIALS
ADDRESS: Cankurtaran Mahallesi, Dolbasti Sokak, 13A Sultanahmet
PHONE: +90.212.517.2378
STRICTLY SPEAKING
Cake = Pasta (pron. as it’s read)