Our Travels in May 2007

With the gorgeous bride.

At a good friend's wedding in Plano, TX.

In Texas with a friend I had not seen in more than a decade.

Speaking of .... GIANT, I tell you.

At Serendipity before devouring a giant sundae!

We took this photo while going over the river in a cable car

Scott took this. It's his favorite photo of moi.

Overlooking New York City. Love it!

I told you we like traveling. To prove it, take a look at these photos. We were in NY for Scott's grandmother's 90th birthday party during the May 19th weekend. We got back on Monday, the 21st, only to pack our bags once more and head to good ol' Dallas, Texas FOUR days later on Friday, May 25th!!!

Jet setters? Yeah, baby!!!

Now, back in LA and on terra firma with no plans to travel in the foreseeable future, we get back to our routine in our wonderful, eclectic and crazy City of Angels.

Enjoy.

We Heart Traveling

At Sonoma's Sebastiani Winery

Strawberry Fields at Central Park

Mrs. Progressive Goes to Washington

In NYC and at the Metropolitan Opera

San Diego


On the plane from Los Angeles to Bella Roma

A year ago this time, after our gorgeous wedding, we were gearing up for our European honeymoon cruise. I'm reminded of that once in a lifetime trip at least once a day. The memories of those ten days will stay with me always. I often day dream about Rome, wish I could be in Paris, and wonder if I'll ever visit Portofino.

We love to travel and have had a year filled with memorable wonderful trips. Since our wedding and besides our honeymoon, we've traveled to San Diego, been to New York twice, I visited Washington, D.C. and we spent our anniversary in Napa. So, in honor and memory of our honeymoon and all the other memorable trips of this year, here are some photos of our trips in our first year of marriage.

Bon Voyage!

Long Time...

In Napa at our Cute Little Cottage
In Napa Celebrating our Wedding Anniversary

March 2007 in NYC at Carmine's

At Blue on Blue on our 10th Anniversary
Norooz 2007 Sitting by Our "Haftseen"

It has been a super long time since I've blogged on this page. I have no excuse other than saying life simply got away from me. Lots has happened since Valentine's Day 2007. On February 19, 2007, we celebrated ten years together. On March 21, 2007, we celebrated Norooz (Persian New Year) together, a first in a long time. On April 1, 2007, we commemorated the first anniversary of my sweet father's passing. On April 8, 2007, I got one older, making me a mere 21-year-old!:)



And, finally, last weekend we celebrated our first wedding anniversary!!! Hard to believe it's already been a year since our beautiful wedding. We celebrated in the most perfect way with a trip to Napa Valley, CA. Here are some photos from the last few months and celebrations.



Here's to another year filled with blessings, health and fartune. Here's to life filled with harmony, respect and love. Here's to my sweet, kind, generous, wonderful "HUS", Scott. I love you a little more everyday!!

OXOX

Happy Valetine's Day, Everyone!

Love,

A&S

1997-2007

2007 marks our 10 year anniversary. it was 10 years ago this month, when we met in law school. We had Criminal Law together with Professor Peden. And that's where we noticed each other. We both lived in MSU's Butterfield dormitory, and that's where we first met.

I was scared out of my kind. It was my first time away from my family, and everything seemed so scary: a new freezing state, a new challenging school, and having to figure out living independently for the first time.

Scott was a friendly, happy-go-lucky, hippie "dude" who seemed so at ease and so bright and sunny. He was so kind and truly caring nurturing and looking back at that time, I can honestly say that I would not have made it had it not been because of him.

So, to my kind, sweet, cute, gentle, accepting, and supportive "HUS", I say Happy Anniversary.

I love you more than words can express!!!

A

Boun Anno e Auguri!

We wish you all a year filled with health, wealth and happiness!!! Happy 2007!

Oh Holly Night...

We took this one just a few minutes ago.
Yes, that's snow in LA...fake snow, that is!


Isn't Santa handsome?

We want to wish you the merriest and happiest of Christmas Eves and a wonderful Christmas day tomorrow. May you always be surrounded by light, love, and family and may the new year make all your wishes come true.

Bon Natale!

A&S

Happy Holidays to You!

Only one short day left to Christmas Eve! What a wonderful time of the year this is. Everything seems happier and shinier. I just love it.

We could argue about each person's religious beliefs until we're blue in the face. We could discuss the "war on Christmas" and the lack of "Merry Christmas" wishes and the abundance of the PC greeting of "Happy Holidays". We could have a contest of the differing holidays... Chanukah's the one, no it's Christmas, and what about Kwanzaa? We could keep telling each other how different we are and drive a wedge between ourselves by one upping each other's holidays and religions. But, what does that accomplish?

Why not look at this time of the year and see it for what is: the time for us all to fulfill our need to believe in something unseen, in miracles, in magic, in beauty and in humanity? Does a Jew not see how beautiful the Christmas tree is? What problem could a Moslem have with lighting candles, gathering by friends and family and giving gifts out of love? Why can't we stop pointing to our differences and see, really see, that we're all basically the same? What can't we see that we all love our families and friends, that we yearn to believe in a higher power, that we love and look for beauty, that we want to celebrate life and that we all want to believe in magic, no matter how old we are, where we come from and what our gender is?

Christmas is a gorgeous holiday, and so is Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. They're all different ways of reaching the same goals: family, love, comfort, spirituality and thankfulness.

So, no matter what you believe and celebrate in your homes, we wish you bright days, happy nights and a season filled with love and happiness.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

Christmas Present & Christmas Past

Scott wearing his favorite seasonal accessory at a party in 2004.
This house is in our neighborhood. It is adorn year-round by a whole lotta naked David statues and it's appropriately called the "Youngwood Estate" Ho! Ho! Ho!
Nearby Grove Shopping Center is all decked out. It boasts the tallest Christmas tree in the country. Even taller than the Rockefeller Center tree. Take that, NYC!
Our cute and tiny Christmas tree this year with a starfish as it's tree topper.

Here are some more photos from our Christmas times past and present. Enjoy!

Such a Great Time of the Year

We bought and decorated our tree last Saturday. It's beautiful, even though a bit too short as far as I'm concerned. But, it's our first tree in a few years and I love it!!!! I'll post photos soon.

Merry Christmas!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

I must make a confession: I hate the winter. I hate the cold, I hate the bareness of nature and I especially hate the snow. That’s why LA w/ its year-round 70-degree-weather is perfect for me. I spent three miserable cold years in Lansing, Michigan while attending law school and if I never see snow again, it would be too soon.

Despite my dislike for winter, Christmas time is one of favorite times of the year. No matter where I’ve lived and no matter what my life’s situation has been, I have always found Christmas to be magical and amazing.

I had my first Christmas tree was when I was in first grade in Iran. My half-brother, whom I didn’t even know about until then, had returned from Italy after many years and my dad wanted to make him feel welcome and bring us all together. I will never forget that tree. I even still remember all ornaments in detail. As a non-Christian living in a Moslem country, I had only seen Christmas trees in American movies and on TV. It was such an amazing adventure for me to go along for picking the tree, buying ornaments and decorating it with my new found brother. My dad told me stories of faraway lands and a sister I had never met. He, my half-brother and my half-sister had spent Christmases past in Rome and my dad was full of funny stories of those times. I was mesmerized by it all.

A few years later, when I was in fifth grade, my family and I found ourselves living a completely different life. Gone were the days of comfort and prosperity; gone were the glorious carefree days of the past; and gone were all our American and European friends and my “foreign” brother. We were abandoned by friends and family. It was just the three of us against a cold and harsh new world. Iran was now an “Islamic Republic”, whatever that meant. My father had lost his job and we were forced to move to a one-bedroom apartment in order to make ends meet. Times were grave and scary and virtually everything I knew life to be had been wiped off the face of the earth.

That winter, my father found me devastated and “homesick” for my old life. I wanted my Christmas tree. I wanted lights and ornaments, happy faces and parties. He knew that we could not have a Christmas tree and that having one might lead to big trouble for the entire family. Times were different now. We had religious zealots running the country and they would not take kindly to a “Moslem” girl decorating Christmas trees and singing Jingle Bells. But, I was only ten years old and could not comprehend how deeply the course of our lives had changed. I just knew that I wanted things to be the way they used to be.

So, my dad dug up a tiny old plastic tree we had and told me to string all my beads on a long strand. We decorated that sad tiny tree with my beads and ornaments he made out of cardboard and glue. Even in the depth of loss and despair, my dad made me feel happy and fortunate that year. I remember my parents warning me of the consequences of telling my classmates about my tree. They scared the hell out of me. I didn’t care. I felt like a super special secret princess with my very own secret magic Christmas tree. In a way, that little sad tree was and will always be the most beautiful tree to me.

Years later still, we finally settled and tried to grow roots in a brand new country and a brand new culture. After many years of harshness, uncertainty and instability we relocated to Texas and began to put our broken lives together again. We finally were able to celebrate Christmas again without fear, without being controlled and without being hesitant. As years went by, Christmas became bigger and brighter and happier in our home once more.

In the recent years, and for various reasons, that tradition has faded again. My family was plagued with illness and sadness and emptiness and Christmas got pushed back and ignored. I can’t even remember the last year I had a tree.

But, this year is different. This is the first Christmas since my dad died. After so many years of uncertainty, doubt, loss and unhappiness, this Christmas also marks my first one with my new husband. I face my future no longer alone and as I bid goodbye to my loving dad and all my fond memories of our Christmases past, I embrace my new family and look forward to Christmases with my own children. I can’t wait to string beads and make ornaments out of cardboard with them in honor of their Granddad.

So, for the rest of days of 2006, I am going to share pictures of past celebrations and Christmases. I wish I could show you my first Christmas tree or the one my dad and I made out of insignificant things, so you would know how fortunate I once was to be the daughter of such an amazing father. But, those images only exist in my mind and my heart along side the memories of my sweet and kind dad, whom I love and miss more than I can express.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2007 to everyone!

Emmett is One Month Old!!

I'm sure he's singing opera to his mommy here!
ZZZZZZZZZZZ

Happy Birthday, Little One!!

As I do most mornings, the first thing I did this Monday morning was to check my email. Usually, I only have bills, political emails, and spam. Nothing too terribly exciting or wonderful. Today was the exception and not the rule. This morning, I received an email from my wonderful friend, Jane. Today her little star, Emmett, turned a whole months!! The fabulous email led me to Emmett's very own website. I just had to share of some of his little photos with everyone. Is he not the cutest thing??? HAPPY ONE MONTH BIRTHDAY, EMMETT!!!

La La Land, Here We Come

Well, our wonderful trip is over and we're back in LA again. This was such a great trip and I FINALLY had a chance to actually see some of New York City, which has always been a dream for me. We're going back in spring, and I'm already making a list of all I still wanna do. I'll post some more photos from our excellent adventure a bit later. Stay tuned!

Greetings from the Big Apple

Exterior of St. Patrick's Cathedral

Sack's Christmas window display

This was taken by a couple who had just gotten engaged

As you see, at the Rockefeller Center

In the library of our cute hotel, the Mansfield


We've been in NY for three days now. It's been a fabulous trip-everything I always wanted out of a NY trip. Here are some photos from our excellent adventure so far.











Wish you were here!!

Happy Turkey Day

This year's Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2004 Right After We Got Engaged

With less than 12 hours to go, we're fast at work getting ready for Thanksgiving. It's a special day for us for many reasons. Thanksgiving is Scott's favorite holiday. When we were in law school, Scott used to do a Thanksgiving dinner and invite all our friends. He would get up at the crack of dawn and cook all day. He took a lot of joy and pride in his turkey. Since we moved to LA, we've begun a new tradition. Every year, we gather at Scott's second cousin, Lynne's house and share Thanksgiving with her and other family and friends. It was during this gathering two years ago when Scott proposed to me. So, this Thanksgiving, we look forward to seeing our dear friends and family and to celebrating the anniversary of our engagement and to giving thanks for all the blessings in our lives. We hope you have a blessed day filled with happiness, love, laughter and lots of delicious food. HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!