Effortlessly Sophisticated

Uzungöl (Long Lake in Turkish) is a lake and town 59 miles south of the city of Trabzon in the Çaykara district in the Trabzon province of Turkiye. It is about 12 miles from the Çaykara city centre. The view of the lake and mosque in the background is one of the most famous pictures of Trabzon, along with Sümela Monastery. The day before, I remember I saw a magnet or a photo of Uzungöl (I didn’t…

This cherry mini skirt outfit was meant to come with me to Istanbul, but it got lost in the shuffle. After picking it up from the dry cleaners, it ended up hidden on the clothes tree, and I completely forgot about it. I also thought it would be too warm for Portugal. I purchased this skirt from Reformation about two years ago, and unfortunately, it’s no longer available. The inspiration for this…

How in the world is it June! We are officially halfway through 2026, which is absolutely crazy. I was in Portugal for 11/12 days, and it was so nice to be in a country that is not doing crazy shit daily. Can I just say, I am so sick of data centers, AI and billionaires. They are literally ruining the planet. I could go on and on about that, but it will just make me even angrier. Anyways, let’s…

Çal Cave, situated in the Düzköy district of Trabzon, is a popular tourist destination, offering visitors a chance to explore one of the longest caves in the world, with an accessible area 1.24 miles long. In comparison, almost 5 miles of it have been explored by scientists. Located at an altitude of 3445 feet above sea level, the cave features breathtaking stalactites, stalagmites, streams,…

“That girl” embodies living your best life and prioritizing your best self–in whatever way that looks like to you. And since summer is approaching and summer is officially “that girl” season, there’s no better time to tap into that energy and fall in love with your life. The best part? Becoming “that girl” isn’t about following a rigid formula—it’s about discovering what makes you feel like your…

I love to travel. To explore the world, learn about culture, and try new foods. I love it all! Travelling can be stressful, and that’s not even thinking about all of the extra emissions from our trips. Whether you take ground travel or air travel, there are plenty of opportunities to use less money and emissions when we travel. Choose the most sustainable transportation For people who fly,…

https://www.curatedbyjennifer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ataturk-mansion-9-of-67.mp4 Atatürk Köşkü, also known as Atatük Pavilion, was commissioned in the 19th century by Konstantin Kabayanidis and is located in the Soğuksu Neighbourhood of Trabzon. It was built as a summer residence. Atatürk was hosted there during his first visit to Trabzon in 1924 and continued to stay there on many…

Rize is a city and a province in Turkiye in the Black Sea Region. It is about an hour east of Trabzon. It’s very close to the Georgian border. Fun fact: Rize and Trabzon are the regions where Turkish tea is grown. The minerals in the soil give the brewed tea its reddish colour. Driving to Rize, you will drive through the Fırtına Valley (Storm Valley) in the Pontic Mountains. Lots of greenery and…

Making the switch to a non-toxic lifestyle is one of the most powerful things you can do for your health, your family, and the planet. But let’s be honest—starting can feel overwhelming. Between the endless product options, conflicting information, and your existing routines and habits, it’s easy to freeze up and do nothing. Here’s the truth: there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. What’s tough…

Oh my god, I cannot believe it is May already! April flew by. But it’s probably because I was in Turkiye for the first 2 weeks and now I leave for Portugal next week. Turkiye was definitely the biggest highlight of my month. Beautiful views, making memories, seeing friends, and randomly meeting a Turkish actor while out to dinner. Big Mistakes I’ve been waiting for Big Mistakes since they filmed…

The Hagia Sophia in Trabzon—not to be confused with the one in Istanbul—was originally a Byzantine Greek Orthodox church, built between 1238 and 1263. It was converted into a mosque in 1461, following the Ottoman conquest of Trabzon by Mehmed II. The oldest graffiti carved in the church’s apses bears the dates 1291 and 1293. Today, it is considered one of the best-preserved examples of…

Ghana receives 15 million items of clothing a week from Western countries. These are clothes that we may have donated to thrift stores or charities. Sadly, most of the clothing we donate is packed and put in shipping containers and sent off to countries like Ghana. 40% of that clothing is usually dumped because of poor quality. They end up in landfills and water supplies casusing damage to the…

https://www.curatedbyjennifer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sumela-monastary-11-of-75.mp4 https://www.curatedbyjennifer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sumela-monastary-64-of-75.mp4 Sümela Monastery is probably one of the most famous places in Trabzon. It is a former Greek Orthodox monastery in the Pontic Mountains in the Maçka district of Trabzon. It is situated 3900 feet on a cliff side…

My first stop on this Turkiye trip was to Trabzon, in the Black Sea region. It just so happens one of my favourite TV shows is filmed there, Taşacak Bu Deniz. Back before we booked our trip, my dad was just saying he wanted to only stay for the time we needed for the dentist in Istanbul, so I never even brought up Trabzon. One day, he was like, “How about we go to the Black Sea Region while we…

Simone Rocha Clementine Cardigan, $875, Tender, Birmingham. Toccin Sunset Short Sleeve Shirt Dress, $695, Valentino Logo Signature Raffia Slide (not shown), $980, Neiman Marcus, Somerset Collection, Troy. Jeffrey Campbell Toolbox Bag, $255, Sahira Jewelry Bangle, $69, Sundance Shoes, Birmingham. Gold Pearl Flower Earrings, Call for price, Lola B., Birmingham. Akris Punto Blush Jacket, $1,570,…

Spring is upon us, and most of us focus on spring cleaning the house and our closets. And in the age of fast fashion and endless trends, we are also seeing a rapid loop of overconsumption and the disposal of old clothes. However, as awareness of environmental sustainability grows, so do sustainable and responsible choices for their disposal. The journey of getting rid of clothes can be impactful.…

I still cannot believe it’s April and I am heading to Turkiye soon. I’m so excited. Besides Istanbul, I’ll be going to Trabzon, which is in the Black Sea region. Speaking of that trip, this will be my last post for about 2 weeks! It’s just easier not to have posts going live when I am travelling. Neyse, March went by so fast. I have a handful of favourites from this past month. Maraşlı This is…