A couple weeks ago I traveled to Vancouver, feeling exhilarated while on the 28th floor balcony of our hotel, amidst the skyline and overlooking downtown and the waterfront. Although I gave up my pseudo-photography hobby I still couldn't help but to take a few blackberry shots embodying the great scene, full of life, fantastic memories and terrific people.

I am a couple hours away from flying to Toronto for the weekend and just wanted to jot down a few random highlights from my time in Los Angeles last week :

• Going from LAX to Camden House to Republic to Il Tram.
• Watching Steve Urkel’s entourage fight outside the club (why does Steve Urkel even have an entourage?)
• Sneaking into the Four Seasons sauna and spa at midnight.
• Dining at Bandera, where appropriate attire is required, with not-so-appropriate attire.
• Sana’s birthday dinner turned party turned game night turned jam session.
• Stalking Brandon Davis and James Blunt at the Les Deux parking lot.
• Celebrating my grandmother’s life at a memorial dinner.
• Going to Paris Hilton’s house party.
• Two subjects (the movie 300 and the city election ballots) dominating every conversation.
• Having too much fun with family and friends.

A special shout-out to everyone (Alex, Arash, Arezo, Arya, Mona, Negar, Nima, Poya, Roya, Sepeedeh, Shaadi, Vargha) who came out for Sana’s birthday (especially Safa, who flew all the way from the east coast haha) and a super special shout-out to Nika, Monica, Farid, Bassim, Yalda, Samar, Rauz, Anna, Negin, Sam, Isaac – although more than half of you don’t even read this blog, I had tons of fun on our various adventures – and am looking forward to more in the summer.

It is 2007. And winter break was too too too too much fun. Now it is time to go back to reality. But before, here are some pictures...

Life’s a beach. And then its fall. More specifically, today is the fall equinox. To reminisce, here are some random summer oh-six highlights:

Probably the first time Sana has ever even attended a party on Sunset Blvd. was for his own graduation party at Saddle Ranch. Unbeknownst to us, there was a bull riding competition – with the first place winner receiving $100. Sana, Nima and I all entered the competition, and now I have bruises to prove it. During the course of the evening we ate lots of good, fried food, roasted s’mores, listened to guitarists and pretended we were cowboys. The best part of the night? Sana – novice bull rider – won the bull riding competition! View video above and pics below. I guess Sana found himself a summer job! Thanks to everyone who came out, and a big thanks to people who lost their voices while cheering for Sana (aka Sana’s fan club consisting of Nazanin, Kimiya, Negar, Nika, Shaadi, Alex, Mona, Roya, Bita, Wendy, Liz, Vic, Rauz and Trisha).

So… I know I’m a little late on the posting, but it is never too late to say CONGRATS! Sana’s graduation from UCLA was a couple weeks ago, complete with family, friends, bruins, and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who himself is a UCLA graduate (I can just imagine him walking out of AAP in Campbell Hall). The Mayor’s speech was actually very heartfelt and touching, I was surprised. Now it is onto the “real world” for Sana – whatever that means. Here’s to success and happiness!