Gunaydin!

Good Morning from Istanbul!
Back again, at the W downtown this visit- this time I'm a higher level in starwoods so got a little bigger room with this cool reading nook like a bay window that overlooks the street on three sides. The flight was reeally nice yesterday- i got bumped up because business was oversold so nice bonus! The bad part of yesterday was the trip from the airport to the hotel. It was pouring down rain, rush hour, and their was a soccer game going on, so those three things combine to create the autoapocalypse. It took me 2.5 hrs to get to the hotel!

This morning, though, when I got up I could here the cars outside and as odd as this is I can tell the difference between tires on dry brick roads versus wet brick, and i knew it was nice out. Sure enough, cool- 45 out which for me is freezing. But dry.

Walked over to my favorite coffee house, used some of my newly learned turkish to get a "buyuk" americano, and an Uc berry muffin. Success! My tutor will be so happy. All the locals are dressed so chic. Thick cable sweaters, long black trench coats, sweaters with scarves everyone looks like they are part of a jcrew comercial. The trees still have orange and brown leaves on them. The sky is so bright blue with shear white clouds over the rooftops. It is the perfect fall day in a european city.

I've arrived one day early so that i can sight see so more, and further explore the city. I start meetings tomorrow morning and will be in stores saturday, then working an overnight at Istinye park store to help them set holiday floorset which is very intricate and they will need support with. (go into the us stores and you'll see what i mean. There are 500 oraments to hang from the ceiling!!! Plus complete the rest of the store in 6 hrs!).

Today after coffee I'm heading back to the grand bazaar for some christmas shopping, then off to Canyon at sapphire. A new shopping center I'm supposed to scope out and then up to City mall for dinner later tonight with the visual director.

oh and I will definetly need to go shopping. I look like that seasame street game again "one of these things doesn't belong". The one sweater i own is not going to cut it this week, and I' also justified becuse I'll be in the states in a week and will need sweaters there too :-). So i have to go shopping.