Advice I gave to Emily in Italy. I was in Italy to attend an annual alumni ball for a university I didn’t go to, but friends of mine who did, insisted that I be there. Annual for them, a major life event for me. It didn’t take a lot of…

I learned Spanish when I was 33 years old. We’ll start there because one of the most common excuses I have heard is, I’m too old to learn a foreign language. If you’re over the age of five, don’t panic, because it’s just not true. I accidentally stumbled upon a…

The good, the bad, and the cuddly. — It’s tricky to pin down the meaning of “Home”. As a first generation American with a deep connection to my roots in Iran, having lived as an expat in Spain, and traveled the world for months at a time, “home” has been transient. Comfortably so, I’m happy to say. For…

Confessions of a recovered coffee addict. — Coffee is glamorized. Let’s be honest about the public image of coffee versus tea. Coffee is a broody, addictive, exciting drink that will keep you up at night. Tea is a dowdy break in the day. It is a liquid nap. A drink to be shared alongside a sleeping cat. …

The loud colors of a muted city. — From March 14th to early May 2020, Madrid’s state of alarm required all non essential workers to stay at home. Unless you were popping into the pharmacy for health snacks like Ibuprofen, walking your dog, or buying groceries at the supermarket, you couldn’t step out the front door. Sound familiar? …

Romance over reason offers great momentum for lofty dreams. — I never planned to move to Madrid. When I visited in 2015, I knew next to nothing about the city. Almost immediately after arriving I fell in love. My heart, without me knowing it, had decided that I would live there one day. My mind had no say in the…

How I took control of my health post Covid. In 2016 I spent Christmas in Los Angeles, the prologue to my story of chronic pain. I was staying with a friend who was barely able to walk in recent weeks. …

Resources that have helped me navigate the pandemic. One of the things I get most excited about are recommendations. Email me a recipe or suggest a podcast I might like, and watch me light up. They are big beautiful gifts in tiny digital spaces. Before the pandemic, Saturday and Sunday…

365 days of questions and self care. — Exactly one year ago today I was in my kitchen making dinner when my body started to feel like it was shutting down. There was a sudden and severe wave of fatigue. My body started to pulse with pain like pushing down on a bruise, but from the inside out…