Forum Bornova - a shopping oasis

Recently back from a trip back home, we drove to Bornova's Ikea and were amazed to see the Forum Bornova, a village-mall not only completed but swarming with people.

The construction site of just a few weeks ago, had been replaced by a new shopping complex brimming with people on the last day of Bayram.

Next to Ikea, which opened in April 2006 but still working on persuading the local customer with its self-service DIY concept, the Bornova centre looks like a Moroccan resort sprinkled with details reminiscent of Parc Guell of Barcelona.

It even has a kind of prominent turret-like structure not unlike a bell tower or a fortress.

Forum Bornova is literally constructed as a mini village, with street names, trees, fountains, mini ponds with bridges or stepping stones, cafés, and of course a variety of shops as well as cinemas.

There is a large Kipa food store but also smaller shops selling TVs and DVDs, CDs & books (D&R), watches and jewelry, fridges, washing machines, saucepans...

A host of clothes & shoe brands are present (including Top Shop, Next, Diesel, Massimo Dutti, Hotiç, Lewis, Collins, Lacoste, Stefanel, Guess, etc.), home decoration (Zara Home, Spazio), cosmetics (Douglas) and some food and beverage stops to restore you before you drop (including a Starbucks, Gloria's Coffee and thankfully, a rather discrete Mc Donalds).(scroll down for a link to a complete list of shops)



The streets are clean, clearly labeled with directions, and the general atmosphere, if totally artificial, leaves a rather positive impression. It's great that the climate allowing for an outside mall was acknowledged and put into practice. It's perhaps not as sophisticated as Istanbul's Kanyon, but it's an enjoyable shopping experience and it's appropriate in style to sunny Izmir. A new shopping oasis is born: Shopaholics, enjoy!

More information, including
a detailed list of shops
Site Map
Pictures
A calendar of events
cinema schedule
a press review...

IWAI Coffee Morning coming Friday @ Cafe Brownie's

The IWAI invites members and guests to a free cup of (filter) coffee or tea and biscuits. (Cappuccino and other drinks need to be paid for individually)

When: Friday August 18th, 9h30 - 11h30 (or every third Friday of the month)

Where: Cafe Brownie: Owned by Seda Aksoy, a Turkish lady with excellent English. Located just around the corner from the Hilton Hotel. Exit the hotel, turn right, take the second street to your right and walk down 30 meters, Cafe Brownie is on your right. 1379 Sokak N°57/A, Efes Ishani Alsancak. Tel: 0.232.483.00.38

Come along and meet some new people!

Future in a cup of coffee

Every morning, my future, is in a cup of coffee- until then, I'm just not functional. Turkish coffee is nice, but in the morning, it's a bit tough on the tum. Plus, we have a Nespresso machine from Switzerland... So I was so happy to discover that Nespresso capsules are available to order in Turkey!

And the website is bilingual! Best of all, it actually works!!! Yay!
I ordered the coffee on-line on Saturday, and it arrived by post on Tuesday morning. Pretty good, don't you think?

Payment can be made by credit card (over the phone) or by invoice. You can also order accessories, cups, spoons, shakers, and even the actual coffee machine!

Have a look for yourselves at Nespresso

Photo courtesy of Frosk

Cafe Brownie and IWAI's Third Friday

Every third Friday of the month, the International Women's Association of Izmir (IWAI) holds a Coffee Morning at Cafe Brownie in down town Izmir. On Friday, July 21st, I joined the group for the first time -although late (with the local traffic and Turkish driving, but that's another story!) I was greeted very warmly and felt at ease within about three minutes.

As the morning moved on, there were nearly ten of us; some enjoying coffee, others digging into delicious cheese omelettes, all of us enjoying the moment and the open, animated surroundings.

Now if you're thinking "yeah, (yawn) another club all bridge & shopping" -Stop right there, 'cause these ladies rock! I don't know them well enough (yet) to tell you each of there life stories (and this is neither the place nor the point), but I was really happy to meet them. Each of them in their own way, is creating, adding something to Izmir and the region. Most of them, have invented a new job for themselves, straying from the tracks of what their initial professions may have been, adapting their skills to local needs and opportunities.

One of them has set up a construction company with her husband, and together they are making Izmir a more beautiful place. Two others have opened a Guest House in Selçuk near Ephesus. A third is a walking translator-guide-font-of-knowledge having been here for 18 years!

The IWAI has over a hundred members, and not everyone comes every "Third Friday" (just imagine!) so you can meet someone new every time. Especially if you're new in town, Coffee Mornings are a great way to meet people who speak English (and often a few other languages), know their way around, and know what you're going through as a newcomer.

Cafe Brownie: Owned by Seda Aksoy, a Turkish lady with excellent English. Located just around the corner from the Hilton Hotel. Exit the hotel, turn right, take the second street to your right and walk down 30 meters, Cafe Brownie is on your right.

Cafe Brownie: 1379 Sokak N°57/A, Efes Ishani Alsancak. Tel: 0.232.483.00.38

Next "Third Friday Coffee Morning" will be held on August 19th at Cafe Brownie.