Every item, a card.
The TAIA philosophy — a journey is its keepsakes. Each kind of travel data is a physical object: a ticket, a postcard, a recipe, a souvenir, an AVM stat card. Vivid, translucent, collectible.
AVM stat cards
Istanbul's malls as data
🛍️AVM
Akasya AVM
Acıbadem, Üsküdar · Asian
2014
Opened
280+
Stores
ZaraBeymenLC WaikikiCinemaximumMigros
🚇M5 metro to Acıbadem, then a short walk.
🎭AVM
Zorlu Center
Zincirlikuyu, Beşiktaş · European
2013
Opened
200+
Stores
AppleVakkoGucciZorlu PSMSaint Laurent
🚇M2 metro to Gayrettepe; direct underground link.
👜AVM
İstinye Park
Sarıyer · European
2007
Opened
300+
Stores
Louis VuittonPradaAppleMarket Hall
🚇Shuttle or taxi from M2 İTÜ-Ayazağa.
🏛️AVM
Kanyon
Levent · European
2006
Opened
160+
Stores
Harvey NicholsMangoCinebonusMado
🚇M2 metro directly to Levent.
Recipe cards
Taste as a takeaway
🍳recipe
Menemen
Turkish breakfast eggs
⏱ 15 min🍽 2
3 eggs2 ripe tomatoes, diced1 green pepper (sivri biber)Olive oil, salt, pul biber
- 1Soften the pepper in olive oil.
- 2Add tomatoes; cook down 5 minutes.
- 3Pour in beaten eggs; stir gently until just set.
- 4Finish with pul biber; serve with bread.
🐟recipe
Balık Ekmek
Bosphorus fish sandwich
⏱ 20 min🍽 2
2 mackerel filletsHalf a baguetteOnion, lettuce, lemonSalt, sumac
- 1Grill or pan-fry the fillets skin-side down.
- 2Layer onion and lettuce in the bread.
- 3Add fish; squeeze lemon and dust with sumac.
- 4Eat by the water, ideally at Eminönü.
Keepsakes
Ticket, postcard, souvenir
⛴ Ferry · Şehir Hatları
Eminönü → Kadıköy
Fare
Istanbulkart
TR
Greetings from Istanbul
“Crossed to the Asian side by ferry this morning. Tea in tulip glasses, gulls overhead, the old city glowing behind us.”
🧿
Nazar boncuğu
Bazaars across the city
The blue glass eye said to deflect the evil eye — carried, hung, gifted.
Field notes
The things to remember
📌
Basilica Cistern: find the upside-down Medusa head
📌
Take Tünel — 2nd oldest underground (1875)
📌
Kadıköy meze 30–40% cheaper than Beyoğlu