During the nineteenth century, the urban space of Istanbul was transformed by actors consciously involved in reshaping the face of Ottoman and high society in this European capital. In this episode, Nilay Özlü explores the culture and architecture of the Pera neighborhood during these formative years through the story of three generations of the Vallaury family, Levantine Istanbulites who rose to prominence in the fields of cuisine, cafe culture, and finally architecture through the figure of Alexander Vallaury.