Calabasas

Our second stop was Calabasas where we stayed with Kio (pronounced "Q") and Mehri.

Roger and Kio have been friends since high school when they were both in a four year boarding school that provided scholarships to 100 boys to teach them agricultural engineering.  After graduation, they were sent to outlying poor areas in the countryside to teach people how to farm and grow their own food.

Living together for four years cemented friendships that have lasted all of their lives even though many of them haven't seen each other for many years.  Kio and Roger had non-stop conversation the entire time we visited and Mehri and I had a great time doing "girl things" and getting acquainted.

This is their adorable African Grey Parrot "child", BeBe Naz.  BeBe speaks both English and Farsi and she talks, whistles and sings, especially when she wants to eat.  She knows the names of her favorite foods so she'll say "almond" or "give me that" if we're eating something.  One of her favorite toys is a bell with a handle that she holds in one claw and waves back and forth so it makes a ringing noise.

After an afternoon touring Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills we were treated to a Persian dinner at Raffi's Place in Glendale.