One evening as a heavy fog that had been blanketing Istanbul for several days set in again over the cove in the neighborhood of Bebek in Istanbul where we live, I sat musing about where my life started and where it has meandered over the years…
I was born in Kentucky and grew up there and in the Northern most reaches of Michigan, where my mother and her family are from. As a child I created what adventure I could, always being open and interested in any new experiences to come my way, and I was fortunate to have a family that was very musical and artistic and who encouraged me to explore and develop those qualities in myself. But although I was born an American, my soul seemed to belong elsewhere and from a very young age I longed for the day I would travel and explore the world beyond.
The Mediterranean was the region I dreamt of most. While my family had strong Polish cultural traditions handed down from my mother’s side that instilled an awareness and interest from an early age in other peoples and places, my focus became clearly set on those countries that touched the sea from mythology and tales of history and romance. These dreams told of my path to come and carved the direction my life would take.
After high school, I left Michigan and moved to Boston to study at Boston University where I earned two bachelors degrees, a BS in Communications and a BA in Art History. Being the bohemian spirit that I was and thriving on art, travel and adventure, it was only natural that I fell head over heels in love with a Turkish boy just before graduating. After several years working in Boston after graduation and traveling to various destinations in Europe when I could, I followed my heart, and my Turkish boy, and moved to Istanbul.
I spent seven years living and working immersed in the rich beauty, history and culture of Turkey. While pursuing a career in multimedia and working my way to Director of Web Development at Comnet A.S., the first corporate Internet service provider in Turkey, I also explored the many treasures of Istanbul. I cultivated and refined my artistic side and passion for design, fashion and accessories; and formed invaluable friendships with many craftspeople and merchants in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar and beyond.
I had always imagined mixing the two sides of my life to bring together my travels and creative vision. And during some time in New York I spent exploring and reconnecting with life in the US I came up with the idea for Ichiche. Ichiche means “intertwined” in Turkish and the word is a perfect fit for my creative expression and my passion for sublime, interesting, beautifully crafted objects, clothing and experiences.
Today my Turkish boy is my husband and we continue to split our time between New York and Istanbul (with as much travel elsewhere as possible). I am a true gypsy spirit; a lover of fashion, style, design; an urban (and sometimes country) explorer; an avid yoga practitioner; and an animal lover and advocate (there is an unfortunately large population of street animals in Turkey), Through Ichiche and this blog I aim to share a taste of life, fashion, style, and places in Istanbul, New York, and beyond.
I was born in Kentucky and grew up there and in the Northern most reaches of Michigan, where my mother and her family are from. As a child I created what adventure I could, always being open and interested in any new experiences to come my way, and I was fortunate to have a family that was very musical and artistic and who encouraged me to explore and develop those qualities in myself. But although I was born an American, my soul seemed to belong elsewhere and from a very young age I longed for the day I would travel and explore the world beyond.
The Mediterranean was the region I dreamt of most. While my family had strong Polish cultural traditions handed down from my mother’s side that instilled an awareness and interest from an early age in other peoples and places, my focus became clearly set on those countries that touched the sea from mythology and tales of history and romance. These dreams told of my path to come and carved the direction my life would take.
After high school, I left Michigan and moved to Boston to study at Boston University where I earned two bachelors degrees, a BS in Communications and a BA in Art History. Being the bohemian spirit that I was and thriving on art, travel and adventure, it was only natural that I fell head over heels in love with a Turkish boy just before graduating. After several years working in Boston after graduation and traveling to various destinations in Europe when I could, I followed my heart, and my Turkish boy, and moved to Istanbul.
I spent seven years living and working immersed in the rich beauty, history and culture of Turkey. While pursuing a career in multimedia and working my way to Director of Web Development at Comnet A.S., the first corporate Internet service provider in Turkey, I also explored the many treasures of Istanbul. I cultivated and refined my artistic side and passion for design, fashion and accessories; and formed invaluable friendships with many craftspeople and merchants in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar and beyond.
I had always imagined mixing the two sides of my life to bring together my travels and creative vision. And during some time in New York I spent exploring and reconnecting with life in the US I came up with the idea for Ichiche. Ichiche means “intertwined” in Turkish and the word is a perfect fit for my creative expression and my passion for sublime, interesting, beautifully crafted objects, clothing and experiences.
Today my Turkish boy is my husband and we continue to split our time between New York and Istanbul (with as much travel elsewhere as possible). I am a true gypsy spirit; a lover of fashion, style, design; an urban (and sometimes country) explorer; an avid yoga practitioner; and an animal lover and advocate (there is an unfortunately large population of street animals in Turkey), Through Ichiche and this blog I aim to share a taste of life, fashion, style, and places in Istanbul, New York, and beyond.
