ode to istanbul {real style, real travels}

Istanbul has long been on my list of dream cities to visit. So when the day finally came when we booked our 15 hour + flights across the pond, I've been reading, researching and daydreaming ever since. Turkey is an interesting country, in that it's really situated between two worlds -- Europe and Asia. Any guidebook you pick up will throw out phrases like "Paris of the East" or "gateway between east and west" and as cliche as it sounds, it's actually quite palpable while you're walking around the city. 

There's an undeniable European flair with the architecture and bustling cobblestone city streets while at the same time, 5 times a day, you can hear the melodic call to prayer trill through the city at any of the many mosques situated on top of their many hills. I loved seeing the two worlds, conservative and modern, both collide and coexist in such a beautiful way. It really is mesmerizing. 

While we had about 6 days in the city, I have to say I only really got a taste of everything Istanbul has to offer -- all the more reason to return soon, right? Here's a rundown of my personal highlights from this portion of our trip:

1. Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya: These two must-sees are situated right next to each other, but you definitely should give each a few hours to really experience properly. The Blue Mosque was my first time actually entering a mosque at all and I was in complete awe of the dome architecture and the tile work. Plus, we opted to stay in the visitor section during the prayer hour, which was amazing to witness in person. The Aya Sofya and it's mosaic work and large scale medallions with different verses and names from the Quran had me entranced.

2. Topkapi Palace: Before landing in Istanbul, one of my must-sees included the Harem, which is situated in the sprawling Topkapi Palace, once inhabited by sultans and their families. The floor to ceiling tile work is absolutely breathtaking here. I didn't want to leave.

3. Grand Bazaar: Definitely worth setting aside a few hours for this, as it's easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the many shops here. We had fun poking around the different Turkish carpet shops and eyeing some jewelry but ultimately ended up stocking up on Turkish Delight.

4. Spice Bazaar: Right next to the Grand Bazaar, I have to say this was my favorite of the two. It felt a lot more local as more families were roaming around, as opposed to tourists and I loaded up on different teas and spices here to enjoy back at home.

5. Hamam: I can't recommend this enough! Hamams are a traditional Turkish bath experience, where you go through a series of different hot, sauna-like rooms, alternating between cold and hot water to cleanse before being washed down and massaged by one of their bath attendants. I literally left feeling so relaxed and glowing.

6. Turkish Towels: There are shops all over the city selling Turkish towels and I may have picked up more than my fair share throughout the trip. They're perfect as actual towels but also large enough to double as picnic blankets, beach towels and even blanket throws on your bed.

7. Turkish Cats: Personally, I loved spotted all the cats around the city, roaming the streets like they owned the town. (And they kind of do!)

8. Bosphorous Cruise: While it is a bit of a tourist trap, I have to say this is the best way to experience the Bosporous, especially at sunset.

9. Turkish Tea + Coffee: We were expecting to drink way more Turkish coffee, but the tea actually became much more part of our every day routine. We stopped off at little tea houses every chance we could. I loved it so much I picked up a bag of Turkish tea leaves at the Spice Bazaar before heading home.

10. Galata Bride at sunset: Istanbul has numerous bridges that close the gap between the European and Asian sides, but the Galata Bridge at sunset has to be my favorite. It's lined with fishermen at all hours of the day and has some fantastic views of the Yeni Mosque and the Rustem Pasa Mosque.

11. Serdar-I Ekrem: This suggestion came from a reader on Instagram and I'm so glad I ventured here! I have to say, if I had to pick a neighborhood to live in Instanbul, I loved this area. Between the artisan shops and boutiques, adorable cafes and tucked away alleys, it felt very West Village meets Pacific Heights.

12. Whirling Dervishes: I've seen numerous photos of the Whirling Dervish ritual so it was such a treat to actually experience it in person. It's a spiritual performance, in which the dervishes spin countless times in unison, the idea being to bring them closer to God. To say it was mesmerizing, would be an understatement.

Stay tuned for the second part of our trip, Cappadocia, coming up next week! As for the outfit shots above, check them out in full detail here and here.

This post was in collaboration with The RealReal. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting posts that keep This Time Tomorrow's doors open. 

i'll have what she's having {parisian fall}

3.1 Phillip Lim top and skirt // Maison Michel hat // Freda Salvador ankle boots // Garance Dore calendar for Rifle Paper Company // Henri Lepore Dezert sting ray heels // Acne sweater dress // Saint Laurent shoulder bag // Chloe sweater // Tibi coat // Lulu Frost necklace

When I was putting this collage together, all I could think of was this shirt. I mean, that really is the age old question for a lot of women, isn't it? While I don't own said shirt (yet) I am contemplating picking up this book by Caroline de Maigret so I can see what I've been doing wrong all these years. 

Fun fact: I am part French, but have never really felt French. Le sigh. In the meantime, any of the pieces above will hold me over, especially that hat and those boots. Merci beaucoup!

what's in my bag {weekender edition}

Ah, this week has been an intense one with lots of back to back photo shoots at work and some late night prep sessions. All the more reason to pack up my bags (again) for a quick little getaway to LA this weekend. Surprisingly, for how close LA really is to SF, I don't make it down quite as often as I'd like. I'm looking forward to some quality beach time with friends, my first ever surf lesson (wish me luck!) and a fun little project that's in the works -- more on that soon! 

In the meantime, I'm continuing the momentum from Wednesday's "What's in my work bag" post with a follow up. This time we're taking a peek inside my weekender bag. Here's how to skip town, when you've only just booked your flight a few hours before...

Beach reading material: I limit myself to two magazines for quick trips like this. One that's more dense in content (like Monocle, which I love) and one more fashion related for easy beach flipping.

COVERGIRL Clump Crusher Mascara: For weekends that I just really want to getaway and unwind, I don't like to bog myself down with an excessive makeup routine (plus, it's great for your skin to just take a break every once in a while). Mascara always makes the cut though. If I go light on everything else, I love playing up my eyes and this one by COVERGIRL is quickly becoming an MVP in the rotation. The curved brush has very precise bristles that lets you load up on volume, minus the whole clump part. 

La Roche Posay Moisturizer + SPF: I was recently introduced to La Roche Possay and am hooked on their entire skin care line. This moisturizer + SPF is a daily go-to, especially for my beach time ahead. It's light and non-greasy, which is perfect for me since my skin is oil-prone.

Diptyque "Vetyverio": Most days, I like to rotate through several different scents, depending on my mood and the day's activities. For a beach getaway like this, "Vetyverio" fits the bill -- it's light, airy and slightly woody, which seems quite apropos for sunny, surf-filled days.

Dermalogica face mask: After spending a lot of time in the sun lately, I've been making more of a point to set aside dedicated facial mask time.

Aesop hand + body balm: Well, I never really leave the house without these. Plus, I love how they smell combined with my Diptyque scent.

Crest 3D Whitening Strips: Throwing a few of these in my beach bag so I can throw them on while I work on my tan. Multi-tasker over here!

Cuyana travel cases: My friend Heather recently picked up some Cuyana travel cases for our trip to Turkey and I have to admit, I was so envious of her set the entire time that the minute we touched back down in SF, I promptly picked up a set of my own.

Third Love separates: While most of my bag is pretty laid back (read: lots of bathing suits and cover ups), I love bringing along little luxuries like this lacy number from Third Love. It just elevates casual separates, especially a slouchy tank.

This post was in collaboration with Lucky Magazine, COVERGIRL and Crest. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting posts that keep This Time Tomorrow's doors open!

what's in my bag {work edition}

When you have a two hour, one way commute to work every day like I do, a well packed work bag becomes your lifeline. Over the course of the past few years and some unavoidable trial and error, I like to think I've perfected mine with the right amount of productive necessities and little luxuries that make my trek to Silicon Valley a lot less trek-like. Here's what I'm packing in my arsenal:

Pressed Juicery + Luna Bars: Most mornings, it's pretty unlikely I'll have time to sit down and enjoy breakfast, so I love being able to grab a Pressed Juicery juice and just go (more like run) to the shuttle stop. I usually reserve my Luna Bar for the return trip home -- they're so sweet, they're like little candy bar treats -- so they're the perfect indulgence and blood sugar boost I need to power through some end of day emails.

Daniel Wellington watch: A classic watch goes far. I love how this particular style instantly adds a bit more polish to an outfit so if I happen to forget accessories for the day, I know I can rely on this guy.

COVERGIRL Tru Blend foundation: My days run into overtime pretty quickly, with jam packed meetings and late happy hours back in San Francisco with coworkers. For that reason, I love make up routines that I can easily incorporate into my day, especially on the go. This COVERGIRL foundation provides a soft, natural finish that blends with my skin easily. Plus, it's oil-free so it won't clog my pores, a win, win in my book. 

Sunglasses: Because, well, I would feel naked without them.

Laptop + earbuds + phone + tech accessories: You know, the usual suspects. The lighter, the better. The day I got my MacBook Air, I may have done a little happy dance.

Reading material: For the times I forget to recharge my computer (which is often), I try to always have a few magazines or books on hand.  

Crest 3D White Strips: A few years back, my dentist talked me into trying some in-office bleaching treatments (I guess I couldn't hide my coffee habit from him, surprise, surprise). I loved the results, but since then have been searching high and low for a less time intensive and more budget friendly option. A few of my coworkers have been trying out some at home treatments so I've been eager to test out Crest's whitening strips, especially since they're easy enough to throw on while I'm catching up on emails on the bus. Thus far, I'm a fan and have already received a few unsolicited compliments from people (always the best feeling!).

Notebook: I think this may have something to do with my previous life as a newspaper reporter, but I feel a bit lost if I don't have a notebook with me to quickly jot down ideas, quotes, someone's name that I need to follow up with about something, or sometimes even just sketch or two. 

And that's it! What do you pack in your work bag that helps you tackle the day?

This post was in collaboration with Lucky Magazine, COVERGIRL and Crest. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting posts that keep This Time Tomorrow's doors open!

boardwalkin'

Cover up: Etoile Isabel Marant borrowed from The RealReal; Hat: J.Crew; Bathing suit: Mikoh; Sunglasses: Target

From here on out, I'm going to try my best to always cap off my vacations with dedicated Lounge time, with a capital L. After trekking all over Istanbul and adventuring around Cappadocia, Bodrum was a welcome respite where we got lost in a book or two (OK, maybe 4)  and sipped one too many fruity cocktails on the beach, our only concern being to make sure we applied sunscreen every hour, on the hour. 

Plus, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a tad bit excited to test drive this Mikoh swimsuit out. I've never been much of a one piece gal so I love how this design throws a traditional swimsuit for a loop. In case you're looking for a little extra lounge time before summer leaves us for good, here are a few of my other favorites...

Photos by Heather Clark

a day at the polo fields

Dress: Suno via The RealReal; Shoes: Yves Saint Laurent; Sunglasses: Target; Clutch: Olympia Le-Tan (similar style on sale here, love this Kate Spade version here); Bracelet: Gorjana

Although I'm still going through some serious vacation withdrawals after returning from Turkey last week, I have to admit, there's something so sweet about coming home to the Bay Area, especially this time of year when our late blooming Indian summer really kicks in. The city just takes on this magical glow -- the fog burns away a bit faster in the mornings, our beaches actually beckon you to venture out in a bathing suit and wine country calls your name (just a bit louder than usual). 

The only way to sweeten the deal really, is when the gracious St. Regis crew invites you out for their inaugural polo cup tournament in Sonoma, which is exactly what I did this past weekend. And let me just say, I think my jet lag has met it's match! We sipped plenty of delicious local wines, participated in my first divot stomp and enjoyed an almost too perfect sunset before our alfresco dinner at Hamel Family Wines (where these photos were taken). Huge thanks again to the St. Regis team for having me -- this weekend was the perfect homecoming treat.

Photos by Bianca Sotelo

far, far away

Dress: Isabel Marant, last seen here (similar style here); Boots: Isabel Marant; Sunglasses: Target; Watch: Daniel Wellington; Bracelet: Gorjana

What I loved, and probably what fascinated me most about our trip, were the moments that left us feeling worlds away from home. When we landed in Cappadocia, I knew we'd be in for exactly that. Cappadocia is smack dab in the middle of Turkey and drastically different from Istanbul -- where Istanbul is a sprawling, bustling and loud city, almost bursting at the seams with activity, Cappadocia is much more remote with an austere, surreal beauty to it. The valley is sprinkled with volcanic peaks, a lot of which were originally homes, town centers and temples years ago -- you can even spot an occasional window or doorway while hiking around. It's as if you're wandering through an expansive ghost town of cave dwellings. 

Heather and I decided to trek out on our own for an afternoon hike and ultimately ended up battling a steep climb at the end. With me in ankle boots and her in sandal slides no less, we were certainly happy to see the view once we got up top. Absolutely breathtaking and oh, so worth it. 

More to come on Cappadocia (and the rest of our trip) next week in my three-part Turkey travel series. Stay tuned! 

Photos by Heather Clark