When my husband, Galo, and I visited Istanbul for our honeymoon some months ago, we were treated to a fascinating sampling of the old and the new.
We toured ancient mosques and palaces, shopped in one of the oldest markets in the world, and explored almost forgotten neighborhoods, now burgeoning with new life.
Our favorite experience by far took place in a red, four-story mansion in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, where we tried out EatWith, a startup that lets you enjoy authentic dining experiences in people's homes.
Our dinner with our EatWith hostess Fatma, her family, and her guests was a night we wouldn't soon forget.
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Just a few hours before taking off on our journey, Galo and I booked two seats at Fatma's dinner table for $56 total through the EatWith website. We knew we wanted an off-the-beaten-path experience, and this seemed to be a great way to safely get that while traveling somewhere new.
We chose to dine with Fatma, who explains in her chef profile that she learned cooking from her grandmother when she was 5 years old and has been cooking for family and friends ever since. During dinner she said she signed up for EatWith so she could share her cooking with more people now that her children no longer live with her.
After a particularly dicey cab ride, we walked down a few small side streets until we arrived at Fatma's house. She lives there with her husband, Hasan, who was waiting outside to welcome us.
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