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From Kimberly

From Byzantine jewels to the Byzantine architectural wonder Hagia Sophia, the splendors of East and West merge into legendary artistry.  Translated from Greek, Hagia Sophia means "Holy Wisdom."

Constantine The Great, Roman Emperor from 306 to 337, founded the Eastern Roman Empire in Byzantium (soon called Constantinople, then Istanbul) in a move to bring coherence and integration of the East into the vast empire.  He was the first emperor to convert to Christianity, and as well, proclaimed tolerance of all religions throughout the Roman Empire.

The structure we see today was designed by a Greek scientist and physicist at the bequest of Emperor Justinian.  Constructed between 532 and 537, it was a cathedral until 1453 when it was converted to a mosque with the addition of the distinctive minarets.  Ordained in 1935 as a museum by the Republic of Turkey, Hagia Sophia remains one of the greatest architectural marvels and holy sites in the world.

Under photo: Hagia Sophia

To read the rest of Amy's post click here. Under photo

Istanbul is a thriving 21st century city with a magnificent, varied, and historical past. Pictured here is the retail store of Autoban, an incredible design firm in charge of many of the city's best hotels, cafes, homes and businesses--they designed The House Hotel Galatasaray where I so enjoyed staying. The manager and  staff were stellar, making us feel welcome and well cared for, plus, they provided impeccable recommendations during our visit.

The village of Alaçatı reminds me of my childhood when a stroll through the (original) El Paseo in Santa Barbara was full of quaint restaurants and shops.  In Alaçatı, Bougainvillea and Oleander line the cobblestone streets, and pretty things beckon from small shops. Wonderful outdoor restaurants are everywhere - and YaYa is the most chic and fabulous!

Alaçatı is a precious old town on the coast near Izmir Turkey.  Like Santa Barbara, there are strict architectural codes in place to maintain the traditional character of the Turkish/Grecian designs. Buildings are stone or white stucco with colored shutters topped with clay tiles.  Exquisite!

I loved the Manastir Alaçatı Hotel pictured here.

Image 1: Manastir Alaçatı Hotel, Turkey

Image 2: Manastir Alaçatı Hotel, Turkey

A gorgeous Mosque! Called the Blue Mosque because of the blue Iznik tiles covering the walls and ceiling, it was built in the 17th century and has 6 beautiful minarets surrounding the exterior.

Image 1: The House Hotel, Galatasary

We're staying at The House Hotel Galatasaray; a stunning renovation of a 19th century family home in Beyoglu.

 Heading out into the city, we locate the Misir building on Istikal.  It is full of art galleries, most notably The Galerist, which has a showing of Andy Warhol films.

Image 2: Misir building, Istanbul

Image 3: The Galerist, Istanbul

At the top of the Misir building is a spectacular venue, 360. As the name implies, it provides a magnificent view of a magnificent city.

Image 4: 360, Istanbul

With 5 hours to kill before our flight to Istanbul, we opted to take the tube into London. Strangely, I'd never been to The Courtauld Gallery.  Here lives Manet's Le Déjeuner sur l'Herbe, along  with many other art history book icons and classics including Van Gogh's last painting, Peach Trees In Blossom.

Link to painting: Van Gogh's Peach Trees in Blossom (detail), 1889

What better treat after a castle visit than to have tea and cake? Not far from Arundel Castle is the fine food establishment of Pallant, with a menu of scrumptious cake choices created by The Farmhouse Cookery. Rhubarb and ginger? Chocolate? I settled on the orange sponge cake - a layer cake infused with orange oil, a marmalade and cream layer, and topped with orange frosting!

I bought the entire cake and took it to go to sit riverside with coffee and companion on a spectacular summer afternoon. We ate half the cake in one happy sitting - I pronounce it The Best Cake I've Ever Had!

A lovely day...visited Arundel Castle overlooking the river Arun in West Sussex, England, which was founded in the 12th century, and has expanded and evolved over the years. The castle has been the family home of the Dukes of Norfolk for nearly 1,000 years, and most recently was the backdrop for the film The Young Victoria…