I’m Hatira, the blogger behind Toasty Summer!

I’ve been calling San Diego home for a while now, and honestly, I’m still soaking up the sunshine and all the fun little moments and spontaneous plans this city has to offer.

I grew up in Yalova, Turkiye — one of the country’s smallest cities, but also a little vacation spot for many. I always felt lucky to be born there because my childhood was sweet. We lived in a close-knit neighborhood where playing outside was part of every day, and just four blocks from home, the sea became our evening escape — enjoying live guitar and ice cream with friends, and wandering along the shoreline. It was fun.

Later on, I had the chance to live in Istanbul and Paris while studying. Getting the chance to study abroad — especially somewhere totally outside my comfort zone — was such a wild experience! And I’m still not sure if I loved living in big cities… but I truly enjoyed meeting so many different and interesting people. I was on my own to figure things out — since I’m the first in my entire family to study abroad in another country. What’s certain is that living in France, and now the U.S., has opened my mind and shaped how I see the world today. 

I built this website because I’ve always dreamed of having a little corner of the internet to call my own — a place to collect everything I’ve learned, share what I love, and connect with people who might enjoy it too but also a space to share my professional work and everything I’ve been creating along the way.

Thanks for stopping by — feel free to explore, and I hope you find something you love! And if you ever want to connect or just say hi, you can always reach out through the contact form below.

Cheers!

H.