BeLief
It’s kind of an obsessive interest of mine that I often enjoy and appreciate some peculiar words more than others only because they would have not one, but multiple meanings. Regardless of any specific language…
Since I am in the business of creating purpose, meaning and distinctiveness for brands through story-telling and doing, I sometimes find these words to have the capacity to become a mental short-cut for unique brand stories that would otherwise be difficult to communicate.
These days, I have a new favorite word. A word which my wife introduced to me when she returned home one day after taking a stroll in the neighborhood. It is a Dutch word and it means nice, cute, sweet, lovable, darling, and affable, all of which brings an immediate positive vibration to one’s mental psyche.
So, “LIEF” is the word and it is also a brand name. From our own experience, it is in fact a nice, cute, sweet, lovable, darling and affable new Cake & Floral Design Shop here in Urla.
My wife Deniz run into this beautiful shop when she least expected it. She was getting home and somehow wanted take an unusual path, a rather steep lane nearby a new housing complex little far from the heart of the town where you’d hardly expect a shop like Lief.
Upon my wife’s brief observation, passionately talking and raving about this place, we absolutely needed to pay a visit the next day to give it a try.
Well, I should admit that as being a sweet-sensitive (and yes, branding) person, I might be quite biased but I can assure you that this place may become your new sanctuary like it’s become ours. At the intersection of creative pastry and floral design, the entire ambiance is utterly inviting, minimal and it triggers the feelings of contentment and joy.
Despite its surprising, suitably hidden location and relatively recent launch, as our first impression, all about Leif seems to be working harmoniously fine and we don’t mind easily framing it as a place “best-kept-secret”. From a marketing stand-point, the brand name itself makes sense too. As Seth Godin, a renowned marketing aficionado, states in one if his recent writings, creating your own word, given “all the good words are taken”, is a good alternative strategy to begin with.
Lief’s product line, served in a variety of artsy, mini-sized cakes as well as individual slices makes you fall under its spell right after you step into the store and you instinctively start gliding through these goodies one after another like you’re in an art gallery. I could say that the whole experience from product design and packaging to the interior decoration; from color combination to illustrations on the wall; from hand-made ceramic cups to the owners’ welcoming attitudes with their contagious smiles and to the timely and kindly serving of the waiters is mindfully charming.
You see; when the left and right brains successfully blend together, that is, strategy and creativity, you bridge the gap between logic and magic. I’ve seen this to be true time after time. It’s no wonder the professional backgrounds of these two partners, Oylum Erkus and Dilek Yildirmaz, did not prove me wrong.
Oylum was having her post graduate degree on Food Engineering in Amsterdam. Yet, aside from her academic accolades and achievements, she had a bigger dream and a clear vision to go after. Then, upon her return, she met her business partner Dilek in Turkey at a pastry class. They had a shared vision and they’ve decided to embark on this journey together. Bravely.
Following their instincts and activating their hearts and minds were a good start.
And then came Urla, the town they’ve intentionally chosen to plant the seeds of Lief. To me, their story is a human experience of self-discovery, self-confidence and self-expression.
It’s also a reminder of the fact that a sincere, clear and heart-felt intention and most importantly believing in yourself is the first-step toward fulfilling your desires.
You have to do your homework, take the essential and fundamental actions toward your intentions, detach yourself from the outcome and let the universe handle the rest. Deepak Chopra, a prominent figure in the New Age movement and one of our favorite writers, simply deciphers this idea in an article titled “5-steps to live your dreams”, and so does Hannah Grasso here.
Now, here they are, after all the hard work, sweat and tears, they keep eloquently making Urla a gourmet, culinary destination with a sense of slow-living. And we are so glad that they are here. Because, for us, it’s hard to resist the temptation to be there every single day! We truthfully wish them and “LIEF” a great success in the future and they continue flourishing the magic they’ve created. We’ll surely continue spreading the word!
As you may already know, as part of our tradition here, we ask our guests some questions to better understand their background and vision. Now, let’s hear one of the founders, Oylum, talking about how the conception of Leif has evolved and where it’s leading toward…
We thank Oylum for her participation in our interview despite the fact that I still expect Oylum and Dilek to add their product line the packs of those little delicious butter cookies they graciously offered us when we enjoyed our espresso shots:)
Without further ado, here’s our little Q&A…
What made you decide to become a pastry chef and flower designer when you were pursuing your career as a food engineer?
Deep down, I had this feeling that part of my life has come to a complete closure upon earning my PhD degree. I had decided to return back to Turkey from Holland. The fact of the matter is that I had reached to a point in my academic career that I always desired and I honestly believed that I would not be able to continue my research in proper scientific settings here in Turkey. From that moment on, I’ve started dreaming about changing my life to an extend where I could become more socially active and engaged with people while cultivating my creative side, as opposed to being isolated and confined within my mathematical mind-set. Like a paradigm shift, I’ve set my new vision to become a more social and creative person.
When conceiving Lief, my partner Dilek and I had a vision of…
Creating a floral/pastry shop with a sense of design, projecting a real, sensitive, minimal and pure quality that speaks to the soul.
The meaning behind our name is…
“Lief” is a Dutch word. It means affable, cute, sweet and dear…
For me, the town of Urla is…
A sanctuary…Given its captivating nature as well as our beautiful friends and guests surrounding it.
The things that make me happy and brighten my day are…
Every single day, I’ve been meeting with wonderful people with different intellectual backgrounds and stories who simply appreciate art and design. I guess these new bonds and friendships that I’ve formed gives me the utmost joy and happiness.
Sedat Girgin’s illustations, because…
He’s the illustrator I’ve been loving, admiring and following for a long time. His drawings are fantastic, rich and emotional. I find them quite impressive.
The most popular cakes at Lief are…
Our guests are frequently asking for Strawberry/Mastic Gum Cake as well as Chocolate/Orange Cake.
During the process of recipe development, what inspires me and my partner is…
Searching for a distinctive taste. All of Lief’s recipes are completely unique and not a variation of anything you can find in the marketplace. Behind Leif’s menu, there lies an 8-year-old design process. The second most important component is the motivation for creating pure and real cakes with the highest quality ingredients out there.
When describing Lief, the words our guests mostly use are…
Peaceful, chic, minimal, spatial, clean and fragile.
Oylum, beyond her interests in cakes and flowers, is also…
A woman of science. I feel this side of me the most when I am developing recipes.
I feel lucky and grateful for…
Listening to our inner child, embarking on this path and making our dream come true in this beautiful town of Urla.
After a long, tiring day, as to calm my mind and relax, I do…
Surrender to my cat “Bidik”s jumping to my arms right at the doorstep when I arrived home and play with her for hours…
The next step for Lief is…
Publicizing our cakes to a larger audience in the city of Izmir.
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Lief | Cakes and Floral Life Style
Kısmet Sokak No:21/B Urla, İzmir, Turkey
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Copy: Guniz
Photography: Deniz