Lucy Loves: November
What to see, book and do this month in London, Istanbul & beyond
Hi everyone,
After a super hectic few weeks in London, where I reported on the Evening Sales at Christie‘s, hosted a private art walk for Mayfair Art Weekend and traipsed heavily around Frieze London, I’m back in Istanbul to rest(ish) and nest. Yes, I’m excited to say that our first littl’un is coming soon.
Pregnancy is full of highs and lows but navigating it all in Turkey away from friends and family in a foreign language with all of the Turkish bureaucracy to boot has been one of the most challenging things I’ve had to tackle so far on this crazy adventure between two cities. If you are pregnant or have a baby in Istanbul, I’d love to hear from you via the comments or DM. To my knowledge, there’s no equivalent to NCT here (or at least not in English), so I need all the tips and tricks I can get.
Now back to business, below you’ll find my November edit of things for your radar in the two cities I call home, from a five-star David Hockney exhibition to a chic new cafe in South Ken. Plus, a boho-luxe hideaway to save for your next summer getaway.
As ever, please let me know what you’d like to see more of by sending me a DM or commenting below. If you enjoy The Istanbulist, please do share it with your friends or hit the like button in the banner above.
If you’d like access to all articles including curated edits and travel guides (like these on Istanbul, Sifnos & Portugal), consider becoming a paid subscriber by hitting the blue button below. Your support really does mean the world to me as it allows me the time each week to curate and write The Istanbulist for you.
Love Lucy Xx
Bodrum Loft, Bodrum
I nipped south a few weekends ago to explore the magical haven that is Bodrum Loft. Overlooking picturesque Demirbükü Bay on Bodrum peninsula’s north coast, the hotel is a modern take on a traditional Aegean village of stacked, flat-roofed houses and winding alleys dotted with bougainvillea.
Inspired by the outdoor lifestyle Bodrum locals have enjoyed for centuries, it boasts 36 ultra-stylish villas as well as a range of top-notch facilities including two à la carte restaurants (one of which is an outpost of the legendary Istanbul hotspot Paper Moon), and a large outdoor pool, spa and gym that harmoniously blend into the surrounding landscape. The result is a supremely peaceful home-from-home with an emphasis on rest and relaxation. You can now read the full review via Citizen Femme. It’s one to save for your next summer getaway. And yes, it’s worth every penny!
The Great Women Artists podcast is back
Fans of Katy Hessel’s brilliant podcast championing women artists past and present will be delighted to hear that a new series has just dropped. Kicking off season 10 is the Turner Prize-winning artist Rachel Whitehead, one of the the world’s greatest living sculptors. Tune in here.
How to spend the perfect weekend in Istanbul
My best friends from home recently came to visit us in Istanbul and not surprisingly we had the most wonderful weekend. It was a precious reminder, especially against the devastating backdrop of current events, to treasure the moments spent with the people you love most.
It also got me thinking about all the places I wanted to share with them. Spurred on by their visit, I’ve rounded up my favourite spots across the city, from bijoux art galleries and swanky rooftops to hot new restaurants and luxury hammams. If you missed my insider’s guide to Istanbul, you can now read it here. Please let me know where I’ve left off as I’m always after new recommendations, and please do share it with friends, family or anyone dreaming of a jaunt to Turkey’s cultural capital. There are some real gems that are worth bookmarking for a future trip.
David Hockney: Drawing From Life
Returning to London’s National Portrait Gallery this autumn is the long-awaited David Hockney: Drawing From Life (until 21 January 2024), which was staged for just 20 days before the gallery’s closure due to Covid in March 2020. It brings together around 160 works that chart the evolution of Hockney’s creative practice over the last six decades, predominantly through intimate portraits of five key sitters. Also on display are 33 of the artist’s most recent portraits, including the one above of Harry Styles.
Elif Uras x The Met
Turkish artist Elif Uras has garnered critical praise for her paintings and ceramic works centred on what she describes as ‘shifting notions of gender and class within the struggle between modernity and tradition’.
In celebration of The Met’s special installation, Dialogues: Modern Artists and the Ottoman Past (until 30 June 2024), and the 100th year of the modern Turkish Republic, Uras has collaborated with The Met Store to create an artist series of functional ceramics inspired by historic Iznik works in The Met’s collection. I’d have them all but alas they’re only available in The Met’s Fifth Avenue store. So New Yorkers, hop to it. And whilst you’re at it, check out Slip Tease (until 22 December), a group exhibition at Kasmin gallery featuring two of Uras’s beautiful new ceramic works.
South Ken’s swanky new coffee spot
Cromwell Place, a one-of-a-kind exhibition and working space for art professionals in South Kensington, has a swanky new cafe. With interiors by Nick Vinson and a seasonal menu by former Toklas chef Yohei Furuhasi, it’s the new go-to spot for morning coffee or meetings over lunch.
Artweeks Akaretler
For two weeks in November (3-16), a clutch of Istanbul’s top contemporary art galleries decamps to Akaretler for Art Week Istanbul. In addition to the wide range of free temporary exhibitions on display, the eighth edition will feature a rich programme of talks, events and panel discussions. It’s a great opportunity to see works by established and emerging talent alike. See you there.
London festivities
I’m sad not to be able to see London in all its festive glory this year, so I’ll be living vicariously through Instagram for the foreseeable. What are you most looking forward to? Skate’s annual return to Somerset House? The rich array of novelty winter pop-ups? Or is it the chance to stay in and snuggle in cosy cashmere? Lmk.
And finally….Don’t forget to snap up your favourite beauty advent calendar before they sell out. My personal favs include Liberty’s beauty advent calendar and Jo Malone’s gingerbread-inspired calendar filled with festive fragrances and much-loved classics including their English Pear & Freesia body cream. Alternatively, why not make your own with these hand-made advent calendar bags?
Congratulations on your pregnancy. Hope you feel well