Celebrate New Year’s the Persian way

Every spring in L.A.'s Persian neighborhoods, markets and stores take on a festive buzz. Westwood, Glendale, and the San Fernando Valley together have the highest concentration of Iranians in the U.S., and during the two-week celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, you'll see ceremonial symbols of rebirth and abundance all over the place: goldfish in shop windows and shelves full of potted wheatgrass and hyacinths. Local restaurants serve a New Year’s menu of noodle soups, fish, and rice with greens and herbs, plus meat or vegetable stews with pomegranates. Stop by some of our favorite places along Westwood Boulevard, the epicenter of Nowruz festivities, to soak up the celebration:

• Shamshiri Grill: Go for the warm, freshly baked breads and grilled kebabs.
• Saffron & Rose Ice Cream: Don’t miss the saffron-scented, rosewater-pistachio ice cream
• Jordan Market (310/478-1706): Find eight kinds of lime juice, seven kinds of rose water, frozen sabzi (herbs and greens), and a full deli