Local’s Picks from a Freelance career coach

This weeks “local picks” series features a 51 years old, former engineer, now a freelance career and life coach Burçin Gökçe. Ms. Gökçe is an engineer, who pursued an active and fulfilling career until her mid 40s. After 2005, she decided to take a respite from a life of 24/7 work and kids, and decided to focus on her own likes. It is thus that she became a freelance life and career coach, giving either one-time or continuous coaching seminars or one-on-one training sessions.

Ms. Gokce focuses on human figures and figurines mostly

Ms.Gökçe also has two other passions in life, which she discovered after her retirement: Ceramic arts and travel for leisure. She finds respite in practicing ceramic arts with her hands and comments that it is bewildering to her as well to see how she is able to structure her thoughts into living pieces of art. As for her passion for travel, she explains that she likes to take off every now and then around Istanbul, in the old city and around its coasts to make new discoveries, watch people and listen to the living.

So, here we go now with heradvice to the visitors of Istanbul…

1. A friend of yours is visiting you and staying at your place. Where would you send your visitor for a drink in your neighborhood?

I live in the proximity of Ortaköy, so I would suggest the House Cafe in Ortaköy for drinks and a casual dinner. House Cafe has a really nice atmosphere as it is literally next to the Bosphorus Canal and gives a sense of floating on it. For something more formal, one could probably try the soul food restaurant next to House Cafe, which is called Banyan.

2. Where to take a date?

Kız Kulesi

3. Girls night?

Cezayir Restaurant in the Fransız Sokağı, the so-called “French Street” in Galata. On Wednesdays, there is also a live group of musicians making jazz.
5. Where can people go for a good local vibe?

The “elbows-in” type kebab houses called the Ocakbaşıs behind the İstiklal Street would do the trick.

Comment from the author: an example of an Ocakbaşı would be Musa Ustam.

6. Where do you like to go out?

Akin Fish Restaurant next to Haliç in Karaköy is a lovely place. It is a bit on the bohemian side. You can bring along your own fish and have it cooked for yourself. Nonetheless, it is truly authentic and very welcoming. My daytime favorite place is the Otto Cafe next to Babylon Lounge in Asmalımescit. Love to grab a pizza there… Last, but not least is the Borsa Restaurant within Lutfu Kirdar Conference Center.