Boston has a great deal of small surrounding towns. One of these is Rockport, where I wolfed down a lobster roll. This fishing town is quite quiet, yet, in the summer it is pretty crowded, having a plethora of art galleries which are open seasonally (that is, not in the harsh winters). I certainly recommend this place to visit for those who want a day trip, see a good place and eat fresh lobster. The sketch was from a parking lot and seen through the lens of the obligatory red house. At that time, no one was there as the season was winter. I got lucky. Just me and the lobster traps.

Oh boy, this is an Italian job -not the movie! Of course, the architect is Renzo Piano and here you are, the New York Times building in Manhattan. Due to Renzo’s background, that is, engineering, there are so many details which I am happy to figure out. The building is a green structure and the design team planned to increase energy efficiency. For example, the double skin curtain wall, automated louver shading system, dimmable lighting system, underfloor air distribution system and cogeneration are the main sustainable design features. It is certainly worth seeing it. The sketch was from a picture which I took on a trip. Later, I stopped by the Muji on the first floor, as, as an architect, I appreciate fine pens and pencils.

One of James’s events was visiting the Longfellow House / Washington's Headquarters national historic site. At that time, I was trying to learn English. It was a great trip for not only learning something about American culture, but also seeing and understanding the architecture of that era was truly beneficial to me. This is due to the fact that I had moved here only 3 months earlier and knew nothing about Boston. The house was built in 1759 and it is still standing. It was erected by a Tory who abandoned it when he fled from the Patriots. Washington later took up residence and used it as his headquarters while in Boston. The house later came into the possession of the Longfellow family. The sketch was from in front of the house. I also fell in love with its garden!

When I am in Turkey, of course, I call my friends to grab coffee or get breakfast. That day, one of my best friends from high school, my sister and I had a delicious breakfast in Karakoy. Then, we decided to go to old Istanbul, where everything is a rabbit warren -Sirkeci. Strolling through the old streets, taking in the buildings and eating traditional food was very cheerful. Historic architectural details and elements marred by time and fools was upsetting, but, even so, Istanbul seems to be pristine although many modern additions have spoiled it. This sketch was from Sirkeci of Karakoy, from the outskirts. Due to the fact that my whole street’s buildings were demolished,  next time, I will probably find Istanbul unrecognizable. In the meantime, I was still jet lagged as the date should have been  2017, not 2016.