Gothenburg Road Trip

Yesterday my family and I drove all the way to Gotheburg. It was my little sister Lilly who was the our designated driver. We started our trip around 10 am and got to Gothenburg four hours later. It was overcast as we arrived and all we hoped for was that it wouldn't rain. We parked the car and started walking towards Liseberg amusement park. We didn't want to ride any rides, we just wanted to see the sites. We walked around for a few, admiring the landscaping. My sister Sara wanted to play the wheel of fortune, in order to win a gigantic box of chocolate. To her disappointment,  she played at different slots yet managed to leave empty handed. After walking through the park for a few hours we got hungry and started scouting around for a restaurant, which we all would like to eat in. To our disappointment we managed to drive around the city only to find our selves at Burger King. But that didn't matter. What mattered the most was that me, my sisters and my mom went on our own road trip together without anyone else there. Just the four of us.

The city of Gothenburg was very quiet on this Sunday and we got to see the Opera house and the Eye of Gothenburg besides Liseberg amusement park. It was a very relaxing day and we headed back to Malmo around 6.30 pm. My sister Lilly managed to get us back in just 2hrs and 40 mins, a new set record.

We all had a blast and can't wait to see what we will be doing on our next trip

Sanaz

My Trip to Paris....

It has been 5 awesome days of pure French culture for me. My friends have taken more than well care of me, spoiling me with their Parisian love. I got a taste of Paris in more ways than anyone can ask for. Besides the typical sights seeing I got to be a part of their family and see sights one tourist tends to miss. My French Connection made me feel right at home.

 The first night I arrived was the Music Day in Paris, where every corner of every street played a tune of it's own. People were dancing in the streets and blocking the traffic for drivers. The athmosphere was incredible and the heart of the city was very vibrant. Walking around for a couple of hours we managed to visit Notre Dame and take a few pictures amongst the thousands of visitors that were going for the same shot as us. The surrounding sites were amazing as the Seine river separated the two parts of the city. People were standing around admiring the night light of the city. Lovers were passionately kissing and embracing each other to the 11p.m sunset. The city showed right away how romantic it is. On  my first night here we ate at a French Restaurant where I had my favorite appetizers, escargot eu pesto (Snails in pesto sauce), broiled trout and Profiteroles with chocolate sauce and whip cream. Before heading to my friend Vanessa's apartment we managed to get a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower at night as we drove past it.

The second day we went to see the Eiffel Tower and climbed up the step all the way to the 2nd floor.  Afterwards we went have to my friend Gili's house and I cooked some persian food for the family. Once done with Dinner we went to Champs Elysee at night and took some great shots and as we were there we made sure to take some our famous jumping picture, as we had done on a previous trip to Philadelphia, which all of us had went, by the famous Rocky steps. On our way home we drove by the Moulin Rouge. 

On the third day we went to Chateu the Versaille for sightseeing and headed back to Paris as we went to see the Louvre at night. The Louvre was very relaxing as it wasn't to crowded with tourists. There were several couples in the area who weren't shy sharing the passionate love towards eachother in public, which to me was very romantic. Before heading home we stopped for some crepe suzette and cafe eu lait at Cafe Musset close to the Louvre and then headed back home.

On the forth day my friends got tickets to Les Halles Du Luvre which is the Louvre museum. It was a day of manifestation and only two floors of the museum were open. I was more than happy to see the French, Egyptian, Greek and Italian exhibitions which included of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa's Smile. After the Louvre we went to urban part of paris where there were more people of various ethnic backgrounds and there was a more eclectic feel to the city. I bought some souveniers and  we headed back home. 

On the fifth and last day of my stay we woke up early and my friends had planned an early day trip to the beautiful Mont Marte. The views from the hill top were amazing as it revealed the city horizon. We walked through the street market as several artist were exhibiting their picture paintings and other hand made craft. As this was the last stop of my trip we walked down the very steep hill back to the car and found ourselves stuck in rush hour traffic. Luckily for me I had a late evening flight and being stuck in rush hour for two hours was nothing more than just frustrating. Once at Vanessa's house and I packed my suitcase and we headed to the airport. 

The hightlight of my trip was probably the Louvre at night and the Eiffel Tower, besides seeing my friends. Their hospitality was impeccible and i consider myself very lucky to have friends like them. Other than that my favorite cafe in Paris is Cafe Musset and my favorite breakfast place is Cafe Paul which has a delicious assortment of fresh backed french bread, pastries and sandwiches.

Ja'dore Paris... I will be back!

Till next time,

Xoxo

Sanaz

30s so far....Greetings from Sweden

A couple of days ago I turned 30 years old. I celebrated it with friends and family in Sweden and we had a wonderful time. I come to realize that my age is nothing but a number. It is only I who can make myself feel as old as I turn. And therefor as my dear friend Patrick Cupid would say, "Cheers to me self"! I feel as good as I felt ten years ago when I turned 20.

This will be a very exciting summer as I have started my European journey with an unexpected stay in Keflavik, Iceland and will continue to Paris, which was my birthday gift from my wonderful man, Randy. I will keep my blog updated with my European experience as I am heading to Copenhagen, Denmark tomorrow! It will be a very relaxing summer with a lot of new experiences and new memories to treasure.

Will keep you posted,

xxx

Sanaz

Hectic NYC, offers a piece of mind...

Living in New York City, sometimes I feel like life flies right before my eyes and I don't get to enjoy the ride. It s a roller coaster that never ends.  You take the city for granted and don't get to enjoy the simple things. So today friend and I went for a three hour walk in Central Park. The weather was beautiful and we walked through the park and enjoyed the scenic view. I brought my iPhone with me and took some pictures.

Simple Restaurant Etiquette

After working in the restaurant industry for over a decade, it has come to my attention how many guests lack simple etiquette while eating out. These simple steps applies both to domestic as well as international guests visiting any eatery, specially in NYC. So to make things a little easier here is the LIST!

As a guest, please
- Don't dissect the menu or create your own, it is disrespectful towards the head chef and his creations.  After all there is a reason why you go to certain eateries, specially the ones serving ethnic food.

- Please tell your server, manager, Maitre d of any food allergies you  might be suffering from or any diet restrictions you have. It is not your servers duty to ask you, and they don't have a sixth sense.

- DO NOT seat your self upon entering a restaurant, unless instructed otherwise. If you don't see anyone at the door, chances are that they are busy seating someone else. Please just wait your turn. You don't want to be called a "self seater".

- Please do not request larger tables for minor parties. If the house is not fully booked, you will most likely get a better table. It is all based on availability.

- Do not walk in a restaurant with any food or beverages from other locations. A manager has the right to tell you to throw it away before entering the premises. So save yourself the embarrassment, and just enter without one.

- Don't be needy of attention, Your server is aware that you are there, there is no need for hollering, snapping fingers, chasing your server around just because you need something. They will be with you as soon as they have time.

- Please update the restaurant upon added number of guests to your party, specially if you are a larger group. Restaurants always want to accommodate all their guests, and in order to better serve you don't tell them about the changes last minute. There might not be room for the added number of guests.

- It is unfortunate if you come across a bad meal and upon telling the management they will be more than happy to replace it for you. However if you order something, and after eating half of your dish, decide that you don't like  it you might still get fully charged for the food.   The menu clearly states the ingredients that are in every dish, so please pay attention.

- As we all try to accommodate our guest, certain restaurants are a bit louder than others. It might be hard for the hostess to get you a "quiet area", specially in NYC. If you feel that the environment you are dining in is loud you have the right to cancel your reservation or leave.

- It is important to tip for service received. Common gratuity appreciation is 15-20% in the USA. NOTHING LESS. Unless you have had the worse service ever, it is the courtesy to leave that amount for your server. Please pay attention to that, specially if you decide to go back to the same restaurant in the future.

- We are more than happy to provide you with a taste of our wine selection. Don't be greedy and try all available bottles. If you are a wine drinker, you most likely know what you like.

Loosing it and feeling great.

Since I started working out about two months ago I have been gradually loosing weight, which is exactly how I want it. I have been working out 3--4 times a week, mostly doing cardio.  I am a healthy eater during the weeks and usually cheat a little in the during the weekends. My goal is 15-20 lbs (7-10 kg). And my deadline is by June 5th. So far I have lost 5 pounds in 7 weeks.  I try to eat a large breakfast that way the I don't have to refuel to much on the carbs towards the end of my day. Lunch is a smaller portion carb with vegetables and protein. For dinner I try to have a protein with salad or vegetables. Snacking can be hard at times and I do crave chocolate a lot of times but I try to not over do it. A small piece of chocolate last me all day and then I snack on fruits and veggies. I am not starving my self at any time during the day and I eat less than 2000 calories a day. I drink a lot of fluids (tea and water). No soda or juice is in my weight loss regime unless the juice is fresh squeezed. I am determined to look good for the rest of the year and for the rest of my life. I would love to hear about your routine or diet on how you keep your self in shape so please share it with me.  Great advice goes a long way.

Lots to be celebrating about

Well I never thought I would see the day where I would write a positive blog post about my apartment considering all the malfunctions during the last three months. But I have some awesome news.

DRUMB ROLL PLEASE!!!!!!!!! 

They finally came to fix my bathroom wall!!!!! I am so excited that I can finally take a shower without feeling a draft from the whole in the wall. They also said that they would come and fix the water damage from a previous leak this Friday! So I am holding my fingers....