Rena Effendi is an Azerbaijani photographer who captures human interest stories across the globe for the likes of The New York Times and Monocle magazine.
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Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı
Spa
Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Hamam Sk. No:1, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
"My favorite hammam in the city is Kılıc Ali Pasa Hamam. Its architect is an imperial architect Mimar Sinan, who is also the architect of the palace and the Süleymaniye Mosque. It's a glorious, glorious place, and I've been going even on my own without friends."
Rena EFFENDI
Privato Cafe
Restaurant
Şahkulu, Tımarcı Sk. No:3, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
"One of my favorite places for a late Turkish breakfast is called Privato Cafe, near Galata Tower."
Rena EFFENDI
Karaköy Lokantası
Restaurant
Kemankeş Mahallesi, Kemankeş Cd. No:57, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
"Karaköy Lokantası is a very traditional Turkish taverna. The concept is sort of mezes — a lot of them are fish. They make an amazing grilled octopus infused with butter and spices, it's just unbelievable. It has a very consistent quality. The atmosphere is wonderful too."
Rena EFFENDI
Çiya Sofrası
Turkish restaurant
Caferağa, Güneşli Bahçe Sok, 34710 Kadıköy/İstanbul, Türkiye
"For lunch, go to Çiya Sofrası. It's not really off the beaten track because there was a Chef's Table episode about it, but it's an incredible, affordable restaurant and the chef combines all these village recipes from eastern Anatolia. It's in the middle of a wonderful bazaar on the Asian side."
Rena EFFENDI
The Museum of Innocence
Art museum
Firuzağa, Çukurcuma Caddesi, Dalgıç Çk. No:2, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
"On the European side is The Museum of Innocence. It's a physical personification of a novel of the same name, The Museum of Innocence, written by Orhan Pamuk, who is a Nobel Prize laureate and famous Turkish writer. You walk into the space and it's like walking inside the novel."
Rena EFFENDI