Fiyel Levent

Welcome to Kashgar Old City!

2012-02-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

The Old Town in Kashgar

2012-01-28T18:51:00.000-08:00

Kashgar

2012-01-28T18:31:00.000-08:00

Kashgar, China - Part 1

2012-01-24T16:57:00.000-08:00

Our New Friends

2012-01-13T14:45:00.001-08:00

At Sary Tash. We stayed in their house, and out of nowhere they appeared in the evening, running around, very excited. Wanting to show us their toys. Incapable of standing still.

2012-01-06T06:46:00.001-08:00

2012-01-05T12:08:00.001-08:00

Ends of the Earth

2012-01-05T11:58:00.001-08:00

Sary Tash, Kyrgyzstan

2012-01-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

Sary Tash, Kyrgyzstan

2011-12-30T05:25:00.000-08:00

Sary Tash, Kyrgyzstan

2011-12-29T05:30:00.001-08:00

Sary Tash, Kyrgyzstan

2011-12-28T16:16:00.000-08:00

On The Road, Sary Tash, Kyrzgyzstan

2011-12-27T17:03:00.001-08:00

On the road.... to Sary Tash, Kyrgyzstan

2011-12-23T10:14:00.000-08:00

Back to Osh

2011-12-22T18:05:00.001-08:00

We flew back from Bishkek to Osh with Kyrgyz Air. Best flight ever.... on the oldest airplane I have ever been in.

2011-12-22T17:49:00.000-08:00

Portrait of a Balbal

2011-12-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

Bishkek Days

2011-12-13T15:53:00.000-08:00

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

2011-12-12T16:26:00.000-08:00

We spent a number of days in Bishkek and had a delightful time. We had the pleasure of finding this wonderful household run by a Kyrgyz architect and his family. This was our room.

Apparently, it was the third greenest city in the USSR - there were trees sprouting out from every sidewalk.

More Landscape...

2011-12-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

... on the way to Bishkek. It was particularly phenomenal around this reservoir.

Kids in Bishkek

2011-12-04T18:09:00.000-08:00

From Jalal-Abad to Bishkek

2011-12-04T18:04:00.000-08:00

Our youngest travel partner. He was in shock when we tried to speak to him.

To Bishkek

2011-12-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

A 10 hour road trip to Bishkek.

Uzgen Mausoleum in Kyrgyzstan Part 2

2011-12-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

Uzgen Mausoleum in Kyrgyzstan Part 1

2011-11-27T19:48:00.000-08:00

Before we arrived in Jalal-Abad, we stopped in Uzgen.

Kyrgyzstan didn't boast the same number of touristic architectural sites that Uzbekistan seemed to; instead, it was the landscape that reigned. There were a few sites, however, I was very excited to see. Sites that were located in unheard of towns, that took days to get to, that took three various shared taxi rides through the mountains usually with five people in a little sedan and some crazy cracked-out driving. Our adventure in getting to Uzgen proved fruitful and our gift was this: an exceptional complex of three mausoleums from the Kara-Khanid Khanate dating back to the 11th century. It was before colorful, glazed tiling was discovered, so they made due with what they had. The terracotta patterning was a fantasy. It was a lonely building at the end of a public park, sitting by a cliff. There were hardly any people there and we were free to go in and out as we pleased. In fact, the other visitors left while we were there, and then we had it all to ourselves for the next hour. We went round and round it; we sat in front of it, we went and strolled inside of it. It was definitely one of the more amazing creatures we came across along the entirety of this trip.

To Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan)

2011-11-23T15:23:00.000-08:00

Another taxi through these hills, Jalal-Abad bound.

2011-11-23T13:58:00.001-08:00

Osh, Kyrgyzstan

2011-11-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

We made it. And this is what it was like in Osh.

Our Last Day in Uzbekistan, a Town called Rishton

2011-11-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

On our last day in Uzbekistan, I wanted to stop in a town called Rishton. It took us two shared taxis to get there from Kokand. There is a ceramist who lives and works there who happens to be Tatar, and he is famous throughout the region for his work. In fact, while we were there, a man arrived from Russia and bought stacks of large pieces from him to sell back home. When we first walked into his courtyard, there was a massive tour group from England sitting around the table eating lunch. Both Basar and I were starving - our luck in finding a really good proper meal in the last two days had all been but nil. I introduced ourselves to the owner, Roustem, and asked if we could join. He seemed taken aback when I spoke to him in Tatar and told us that we couldn't join this group; that we would have had to reserve a place ahead of time. But then quickly he added that we should join them, his own family, for lunch after this tour group leaves. It turns out that his wife was also Tatar, from the same region that my family is from, and they spoke in the exact same dialect and accent that we do. They had similar stories as well; having been born here to a family who had left Russia during the early 20th century. It was the most amazing lunch we've had, with boiled squash dumplings, mushroom, barley and dill soup, pickled salads and cherry wine. Afterwards, his son Demir, drove us to the local bus station where we caught a taxi to the border town, where we caught another taxi that drove us to the actual border. That evening at 9pm, after three hours of filling out customs forms and lots of questioning, we walked across the pitch dark border into Osh, Kyrgyzstan.

When we arrived on the other side, the patrol men took one look at our passports and said our visas weren't valid until the following day. We looked at it ourselves, and indeed we had made a mistake; with sweat pouring down our brows, we realized we had crossed the border one day early.....

Juma Mosque, STILL in Kokand, Uzbekistan

2011-11-11T13:06:00.000-08:00

All these redwood columns were transported by elephants from India in the early 19th century.

Palace Interiors

2011-11-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

Inside the Palace.....

2011-11-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

...was an exhibit.

It was pretty awful. Poor little guys.

The Palace of Khuduyar Khan, in Kokand

2011-11-02T05:28:00.000-07:00

A Market in Kokand (Quqon), Ferghana Valley, Still Uzbekistan

2011-11-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

All about presentation.

Onions! In bags above, and loose ones below.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T07:48:00.000-07:00

Scared the living essence out of me.

Shakhrisabz, Uzbekistan

2011-10-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

The Road to Kokand, Uzbekistan

2011-10-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

We took a taxi and drove four hours to Kokand, in the Fergana Valley,

through the Chatkal Mountains.

The Ferghana Valley. I've never seen such thick smog - I thought there was a fire in the distance.

When we got to Kokand, this is what we saw:

Last Bits from Bukhara

2011-10-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

Students lived here, in the 12th century.

At Minzifa, our beloved terrace cafe - the only place in town that served fresh vegetables and had the most amazing sunsets.

Tashkent Magic

2011-10-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

We stayed for a few nights at Jahongir B&B, before going off to trail the rest of the route. They had the most amazing breakfast, which we longed for later down the road. And of course I was sublimely happy to receive my second travel partner.

Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Bukhara, Uzbekistan

2011-10-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

10th Century Brickwork

The Mosque Magoki - Attori, Bukhara

2011-10-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

Before it was a mosque, it was a Temple of Fire.

Bukhara, Bukhara

2011-10-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

Registan, Samarkand

2011-10-15T01:15:00.001-07:00

Details. Rebuilt mostly; but still impressive.

Celebration in Bukhara

2011-10-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

Instruments

2011-10-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

Bibi Khanum Interiors, Samarkand

2011-10-11T01:06:00.000-07:00

Bibi Khanum, Samarkand

2011-10-10T05:05:00.000-07:00

Scenes from the Market

2011-09-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

Akbar wanted to buy some mountain honey while we were in Shahrisabz.

Tamerlane's Aq Saray

2011-09-14T21:25:00.000-07:00

Or what is left of it. What a beast.

En Route to Shahrisabz

2011-09-14T21:16:00.001-07:00

Textures

2011-09-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

2011-09-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

Still Bukhara - Columns

2011-09-07T22:25:00.001-07:00

Razzle Dazzle

2011-09-07T06:39:00.000-07:00

Bukhara's monuments, and the city in general, may seem massive and sparse. But on the inside it sure does sparkle.

Tons more of that dilapidated ancientness. Which I love, so much.

Blackout

2011-09-05T02:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a little bit behind on my blogposts, but there's so much to show that it can't be helped. Since I can't say when I will next have internet, I'm posting a lot today.

We had a blackout in Bukhara; therefore we hadn't much to do. No internet, not much light to read by.

We sat around and played with the camera.

We looked at the stars.

And played shadow games in the candlelight.

Our New and Awesome Friend

2011-09-05T00:40:00.000-07:00

If you ever decide to go to Bukhara, you must stay at the Amulet Hotel, which is located in the center of the old town, in an old Madrassah that has been converted into a bed and breakfast. We became particularly close with a younger boy who helped to run the hotel his family owned. He bought us mint tea and sweets whenever we came back to the hotel after a long day, played backgammon with us, and even came to the train station to help us buy our tickets. When we left, he carried our bags and hailed us a taxi, and even negotiated the price. And while his sympathetic character was not particularly unusual (as most Uzbek people, we found, are incredibly gentle and generous with their kindness), we were able to connect to him even more because he made a great effort to speak Tatar. It turns out his grandmother was from Bashkortostan and he summoned up all the words he could remember so he could communicate with us most easily. Amazing soul. Had to hold back tears when he hugged us goodbye.

Carpet and Textile Museum

2011-09-05T00:16:00.000-07:00

Inside this amazing building (details to follow), was a carpet "museum". They had pretty spectacular pieces, strewn about in unusual ways. We touched them, walked on them, and coveted the entire collection. Totally dazzled. In fact, that's an appropriate word to describe the overall sensation this journey has conjured.

Blue Skies

2011-09-02T23:51:00.001-07:00

This is what Bukhara is like - seemingly vast, seemingly deserted.

Upon Arrival...

2011-09-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

In Bukhara, this is how we were greeted at the hotel. Super swell.

Marketing

2011-09-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

A Day With Akbar; Historian, Journalist & Samarkand Specialist

2011-08-31T03:47:00.000-07:00

En Route To Market....

2011-08-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

Samarkand In My Dreams

2011-08-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Shopping

2011-08-26T11:17:00.001-07:00

Samarkand

2011-08-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

To Samarkand

2011-08-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Alvar's House & Things

2011-08-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

Some Things from Alvar Aalto's Studio

2011-08-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

Helsinki - Munkkiniemi

2011-08-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

Munkkiniemi is a little neighborhood thirty minutes away

from Helsinki with the tram; it's very exclusive, sophisticated

and very green. Once densely populated by pine trees, the pines were

replaced by leafy greens as the neighborhood developed.

Lots of elderly intelligentsia walking about. Alvar Aalto's spirit amongst them.

Long Island

2011-08-18T18:32:00.000-07:00

Light, Light

2011-07-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

New York

2011-07-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

New York

2011-07-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

Blue Foam Heaven

2011-07-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

Casa Vogue! (Brazil)

2011-05-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

In VOGUE! Check it out HERE.

Lights! at SPORTMAX

2011-05-17T11:38:00.001-07:00

The Manhattan House Interiors Project on Remodelista

2011-05-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

Last year, I had the joy of working with one of my favorite people, Rebecca Thienes, an incredibly talented designer who also happens to be an editor at a New York City shelter magazine. We were asked to do a pied a terre in the Manhattan House, one of Gordon Bunshaft's great modernist creations. The images were published yesterday at Remodelista, very excitingly, and you can see the post here!

Sketch 120 Greenpoint Edition

2011-05-04T18:09:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite colleagues and I joined a 2 hour competition to sketch out an idea for a development in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Thanks to our fabulous drawings skills and ideas, a la Cooper Union, the jury selected ours as one of the winning proposals! So....Mersiha Veledar, High-Five Partner! You can see it Here.

More PR Love! Mwah!

2011-02-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

A new project I will be working on later this year, thanks to The Center for Architecture and The Stewardson Keefe LeBrun Travel Grant....read it at.....Design Calendar!

Cocotte!

2011-02-07T12:28:00.000-08:00

A little interview with me ... you can read it here: thank you Cocotte....

Aruba

2011-01-29T17:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am back on the blog....yes, I come and go. And today, I'm feeling Aruba.

Cactus Fence.

Raymond Han

2010-11-16T13:29:00.000-08:00

I would own day like to own: a Raymond Han

New Project Colors

2010-09-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

The Ridgewood Project: White Floors

2010-08-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

Fabrics!

2010-08-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Wallpaper

2010-08-17T13:30:00.000-07:00

Always have been crazy for this wallpaper. It's going somewhere in our house though I don't know where as of yet.

Trove Wallpapers : Check it.

Nightwood Pop Up Store - New Work

2010-08-16T08:25:00.001-07:00

Recently, I was asked to participate in a new Pop Up Store that is being heralded under Nightwood Design, in a very beautiful raw space on 189 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn. I'll be showing new pieces, hanging lamps, cabinetry doorknobs and other items. The opening is on August 19th and the store will be open through October 31st.

The Hours will be 12-7, Wednesday through Sunday.

The Other Coast

2010-08-12T11:37:00.001-07:00

The Magic of the Mirador

2010-08-04T10:08:00.001-07:00

Recently, I have been thinking of travel; in general, craving it. So I thought I'd share some photos of a trip taken a few years ago, to southern Spain. The focus of the trip was to see and document the Andalucian architecture, dating back to medieval Europe. A very ornamental world.

Framing was an incredibly important element in the architecture, in both small and large scales. Both in terms of internal surfaces and spaces (how one views THE architecture), as well as the external views afforded from the windows (how ones views FROM the architecture). The structures were designed so as to visually fuse the ruler with his landscape: considering where his throne was placed, and where he greeted his visitors with the backdrop of his kingdom behind him. The landscape and cities themselves could thus be considered as ornamental.

And boy, was it all so magical. Sigh.

More New Lamp Photos

2010-08-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

New Project: Progress Photos

2010-08-02T06:30:00.001-07:00

The Ridgewood Project: Floor Sanding

2010-07-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Well, we sanded the floors of what is going to be our bedroom and the library. It wasn't much fun being that it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity, and I really shouldn't take the credit because my [amazing] husband did most [or all] of the work while I continuously made him fresh watermelon juice.

We took out the pocket doors and the hardware on the floor. It seems that the floorboards run from one room into the other, meaning when they first built this house, they installed the floor first and then the walls. The flooring, which sits right on the wood beams, acts as the decking and the finished floor. That's not the only reason you can hear everything from one floor to the next, of course, but it's one of the reasons. There's also no insulation.

When we moved in, all the plank flooring in this house was covered in vinyl and floor to floor carpeting. We pulled up nine layers in total. I suppose basic wood planks weren't considered very tasteful, refined or fashionable throughout the years. Funny how tastes change. It'll probably be covered back up again one day, or maybe ripped out completely.

But for now, it does look so beautiful, the planks running from one room to the next without interruption. And the room smells wonderfully like fresh pine. To think these planks were installed a century ago (not very long in comparison to European standards or the world in general, but a lifetime in New York-ian years).

Next, we've bought some Milk Paint to whitewash the floors with, and we're going to seal it with Safecoat's Polyureseal. We're going all organic, baby! That whole bit of the project is my job, and I'm starting this weekend. Baby's gonna have a real honest to goodness bedroom AND library!

Design Sponge!

2010-07-16T14:55:00.001-07:00

Revisiting our cozy kitchen......

on Design Sponge!

(We are the third one down)

Thanks Grace and Friends!

From Mexico

2010-07-16T06:49:00.000-07:00

with love.....

New Project In The Works!

2010-07-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

Blue Door

2010-07-06T05:54:00.000-07:00

Parker Posey in Broken English. I want these blue doors.

Snodd Cabinetry Knobs

2010-06-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

Dikili, Turkey

2010-06-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Ridgewood Project: Door Hardware

2010-06-18T10:55:00.000-07:00

The Ridgewood Project: The Airshaft

2010-06-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

The pessimist. Imagine my delight when I discovered that the airshaft does work. That it does deliver buckets of cool air on a heated New York City day.