 An enchanting story - part film, part documentary about the vibrant city of Istanbul as seen through the eyes of seven local cats.
The film has been acquired by Youtube Red and has scheduled screenings in the USA and internationally in the next few months. The trailer and official website are available here.
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 Tucked away in the southeastern corner of the Hisarönü Gulf along the Bozburun peninsula is the idyllic village of Selimiye. Old meets new here, with swank jewelry and textile shops located adjacent to village elders selling pine honey and fragrant oregano. The town retains a rustic element despite the very sophisticated dining scene and the array of yachts along the waterfront. On our latest outing, we had a fabulous fish dinner with unusual mezes at the Dalgıç Eskisi Balık Evi with very reasonable prices and a wonderful view of the sun setting.  August has been rather quiet for gulet charters (even with the holidaying Italians!), but September brings bookings on luxury gulets Sea Horse and Smyrna, as well as a cruise on the 25 meter Ulucinar, and two charters on Southern Cross Timer and on Aeras.
Prime weeks and good deals are still available on our fleet in September and October, so drop us a line for a last minute Blue Cruise holiday, or secure the boat and date that you want for 2018, as inquiries begin to trickle in. info@southerncrossbluecruising.com  White bean salad is a favorite Turkish accompaniment to grilled entrees and meat dishes. Using canned navy beans means this recipe can be made at moment's notice, though it does also develop lovely flavors after a few hours of refrigeration. Finely slice 2 medium sized onions and place in a colander. Sprinkle with ample salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Squeeze the onions under running water multiple times, and then set aside to drain. Dry the onions with a paper towel until no moisture remains. Drain the tinned beans and rinse well. Set aside to dry. Combine beans, onions, extra virgin olive oil, chopped parsley with a teaspoon of sugar. Season with salt, fresh black pepper and red chili powder. Garnish with olives, cherry tomatoes and/or hard boiled eggs.  Southern Cross Blue Cruising has a two page spread in the Spring 2017 issue of On Board Magazine, a hard copy and digital magazine catering to super yacht owners and crews. The article is a fun, light-hearted look at a day in the life of a gulet charter agent, and what goes on behind the scenes prior to client arrivals Read it here.  Southern Cross Blue Cruising's first charter was on Southern Cross Timer on the 16th of May with Aussie clients, followed by our second charter on board Artemis this week with a group of Californians.
Southern Cross Timer featured a new chef for her maiden voyage, Elif Gülden. Not only was it a pleasure to have a female touch, Elif learned her trade in New York City, and offered a wonderful array of Turkish/American fusion. Sarting this weekend, we have charters on Cemre Junior and Southern Cross Junior (Aeras), and we are thoroughly enjoying being immersed in the planning and greeting of our clients' holidays again. Prime weeks and good deals are still available on our fleet in July and August, so drop us a line for a last minute Blue Cruise holiday: info@southerncrossbluecruising.com  Varnish on gulets is one of the most striking things about wooden boats in Turkey. The silky, smoothness of varnished wood is a major part of the wow factor when you embark on your charter.
During the sunny days of winter months, crew spend a lot of time sanding and recoating all of the varnished areas. To prevent deterioration from ultraviolet damage, it is necessary to apply between five and eight coats of varnish externally. After each coat is laid out by brush it must dry for a couple of days before re-sanding and the next application. It looks easy but good varnish takes an experienced applicator to achieve that optimum finish. Generally, the final coat is applied after launching and choosing a nice sunny day without wind that carries dust particles. It is interesting to note that some of the most sought-out after varnishers are female (flick of the wrist?) Unlike years ago modern varnish dries quite quickly so the settling of dust is not as big a problem as it used to be. Usually two workers combine efforts, with one pre cleaning with a solvent closely followed by the other applying the varnish. For the initial exterior coat, often a generic local brand of varnish is used. The last coats applied will be with a high quality ultra-violet ray resistant international brand. During the season this, outdoor varnishing will be done again at least once for maximum results. The interior, being protected from harsh UV rays, does not demand the frequency of varnishing that the exterior does.  Between 2 and 5 March, 2017, the second International Bodrum Cheese Festival took place with a wide variety of activities, tastings, and workshops. (Oh, and baby goats - see above!)
Local Bodrum restaurants, including our personal favorites Arka Pizza, Cafe Cafen, La Tapa, and Musto, featured special delicacies made with local cheeses to participate in the celebration of regional dairy products. The festival reached out in particular to elementary and high school students who, with modern lifestyles, may never have been exposed to the cheese making process, assuming that cheddar drops from the heavens in a plastic package. Cheesemakers and speakers from many regions of Turkey participated, and several cheesemakers demonstrated the exact process from raw milk to final product in a series of laboratory workshops. One of the highlights of the festival was to receive and host well known cheese-makers Samatris Dimitrios from the neighboring Greek Island of Kos. Both the Greek and Turkish cheese-makers were fascinated with each others methods. Unique cheeses included spicy Hatay Surke, feta with Abomasum yeast, Circassian cheese and a Greek saganaki made from cheese marinated in red wine. Southern Cross Blue Cruising was proud to be a volunteer in this event coordinating with Asli Mutlu, owner of Turkish Cooking Classes Bodrum. Southern Cross Blue Cruising is not proud of the post-festival spike in cholesterol levels.  Sixteen meter deluxe gulet Southern Cross Junior is set to launch by mid-April. Building a boat being akin to building a home; every time one has a closer look, there's another change or improvement to make. However, we're 90% there, and the final touches will take place at sea once she is launched.
With one roomy master forward cabin, and one smaller double cabin, each with its own ensuites, Southern Cross Junior has been designed for couples seeking a private charter, families with children, a couple with a private tour guide, or two couples travelling together who can pick straws for the master. Junior will also be available for short term (3 day) cruises, and private, catered day trips.  Southern Cross Blue Cruising is pleased to announce our management and central agency services for 30 meter gulet Sea Horse.
We have moved our beloved Captain Emrah, Chef Mehmet and crew in their entirety (from our previous gulet Why Not) to Sea Horse. The owner has spared no expense in a winter 2017 refit, including a comfortable new aft deck bar and a general face lift throughout the yacht. Sea Horse accommodates 10 guests in 5 cabins, of which two are master, two are double and one is a twin. This gulet fits perfectly into the genre between deluxe and luxury, and our confidence placed in the dream crew is without hesitation. Sea Horse charters between 2500 and 3200 Euro per day, based out of Bodrum, Marmaris and Gocek as well as the Dodecanese Greek Islands. |
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