Girls getaway weekend trip to San Diego was epic. I am really so thankful for my amazing friends!

Thanks to Rauz and her affinity for documenting her life (because she wont remember if she doesnt have the photo?) here are photos from a make-shift memorial at UCLA for John Wooden. Rest in peace, Coach. Your legacy will live on not only at UCLA and throughout sports, but for all who endeavor to become better leaders.

Naw Ruz is this weekend, which means one thing -- all of Tehrangeles is shopping this week for new outfits to wear while celebrating the first day of Spring in style. And according to the massive billboard on Santa Monica Boulevard, we all get a free dental examination courtesy of Janet khanum! Best holiday ever?


Photos courtesy of Rauz and her eagle eye stalker cameraphone.

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.

Spring break is great because you can do mindless questionnaires like this one below and not feel too bad about wasting your time:

Favorite coffee order: Coffee Bean nonfat soy vanilla ice blended
Favorite late-night snack: Il Tram chicken special, with an extra order of torshee
Favorite thing to do when stuck in traffic: listen to KIRN and make fun of the fobulous fobs
Favorite pizza: CPK
Favorite brunch spot: Coral Tree
Favorite club: whatever Sam Nazarian owns
Favorite vantage point: the Getty during the day, driving down the hill on the 405 during the night
Where would we be most likely to find you? taking the beach bus to Zuma or searching through the sales at Urban Outfitters
Leno or Letterman? Leno. And I heart Conan.
Britney or Christina? Christina (sorry, Britney, but you’ve been replaced until your forthcoming comeback)
Most annoying L.A. place: Pinkberry’s
Most underappreciated L.A. place: the stores and restaurants off of Ventura and Laurel Canyon
Favorite luxury: getting my eyebrows done at Vinita’s and then going next-door to Bisou for a manicure/pedicure
First concert: NSync with Samar, Nasim, Nina, and Kamron at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood
Do you still listen to Madonna? more than ever
Favorite band to see live: Justin Timberlake
Favorite jeans: Abercrombie & Fitch for day, Citizens of Humanity for night
Favorite legal drug: Myspace
Favorite candy: Charm’s blowpops
Favorite ice cream flavor: Rocky Road from Thrifty’s

An Open Letter to Britney Spears

Dear Britney:

You don’t know me. We’ve never actually met (but I did almost meet you on three occasions: Trisha and I saw you from afar when you did a press conference at the Chocolate Museum in Cologne, Germany; Vanda and I ditched a meeting – which we later got in trouble for – to come to your movie premiere of “Crossroads” at the Mann, where I shouted your name from across the street – and you ignored me; last year Lisa and I went to a club in Atlanta because we heard K Fed was performing, and you were there, hanging out with Usher). For almost ten years I have kept up with your work, your relationships, your ups and your downs. And Britney, I have to say – right now – this is a definite down. So, please. Sit down. We gotta talk. Do you wanna a Red Bull and Cheetos? Sure, go ahead. Enjoy. But, just listen.

What happened? Once, a long time ago, you were the Madonna of my life. I posted your very first Rolling Stone cover on my wall. “…Baby One More Time” was on complete replay in my head. You were America’s number one pop princess. I danced to “I’m A Slave 4 U” over and over again. When I heard you were the new Pepsi girl, I actually sat and watched the entire Superbowl just to see your ad. And Britney v. Christina? Puhlease. Christina had nothing on you. “Everytime” remains to be my favorite song and favorite video ever. Even after you and Justin broke up, I still loved you. While in London, I bought the same earrings you wore in the “Toxic” video for Samar. Rauz and I bought food at SBarro’s because it came with a free Britney single. I stalked my friends who had HBO just so I could watch your “Dream Within A Dream Tour” on tv. I bought your perfume “Curious,” although it made me smell like a sixteen year-old cheerleader. I almost cried when Leonard told me he was going to be a back-up dancer for the “My Prerogative” video and that I couldn’t come with him. Your forty-eight hour wedding in Vegas? I thought it was amusing. Vivian and I saw Jason Alexander at a club in Hollywood and went up to him just so we could say he would never have anyone better than you.

And then came K Fed. I knew it wouldn’t last. No matter what anyone said though, I still supported you. I made Negin drive back early while in Santa Barbara so we could watch the premiere episode of “Chaotic.” It was bad. But, I didn’t care. I thought you were trying to show the world you were a regular person – another girl from middle-class America – no makeup, no manners, no style. With the divorce I thought that you and Justin could finally get back together. Yalda and I prayed for this day. However, alas, I fear that is never going to happen now. For the first time, Brit, I am worried. You shaved your head. You don’t wear underwear. You look sad. I knew that you always did drugs (who in Hollywood doesn’t?) but this is out of control. I know that the paparazzi are vicious, but try to be strong. Please stay in rehab. Please get better. I love Christina’s music, but she’ll never be America’s pop princess like you were. Focus on your music, reinvent yourself, don’t date anyone for a while, and start paying attention to stylists.

Britney, I want you to be happy. I want you to sing more songs. I want to see you perform again on MTV. I want you to have your hot body again. There is life after teen pop. Ask Christina, ask Justin, even ask Jessica Simpson. Take a cue from Madonna. You always have.

with love,
Tala

P.S. Yes, you can have another Red Bull.

MySpace dictates relationships: But Just When Belinda Was Losing Hope, Jack Moved Her Up to Number Seven

Teen girl #1: I think Jack’s about to break up with me again...
Teen girl #2: What? Why?
Teen girl #1: Yesterday I went to his MySpace, and he moved me to the bottom of his Top Eight!

--Prospect Park

via Overheard in New York

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:

As much as it may be politically incorrect to say it, Africa – with all the genocide, poverty, war, illness, disease, and close-ups of grief-stricken children – for lack of a better word, is hot. Angelina Jolie had her baby in Namibia. Gwyneth Paltrow is the face of a new Africa ad campaign. Lindsay Lohan apparently wants to go to Kenya. And Rauz, Samar, and I recently traveled to South Africa (hardly surprising, since, after all, I have always known how to spot a trend). Let’s take other places and compare them. Europe: too developed. Middle East: too much politics. South America: not enough suffering. South-East Asia: so very last year (re: tsunami). Africa is not politically or morally polarizing. There is scandal (civil war, genocide, disease), celebrities motivated by different atrocities (see: Bono, Bill Gates and President Clinton, Don Cheadle), the college masses taking action, various organizations furthering awareness and support, and a clarity over what people should do (help the poor, alleviate the torment). As opposed to other places (i.e. Iraq), it is too easy to take differing sides, whereas for Africa, the only side anyone should embrace is to be a do-gooder and fix the problems that were started in the first place by non-Africans (and I don’t mean to be the self-interested American, but it doesn’t hurt that Africa is overflowing with certain natural resources). Africa needs us and we need Africa. But, hopefully, this trend, as opposed to the latest LA club or NYC restaurant, will last.

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).