I was born at a young age..JK… in NY, and had a lifelong dream to come to LA…long story short, after my mom passed away my dad brought our family for a vacation to LA and i thought it was the most amazing place i had ever been to. I saved up as much money as I could, and figure out a way to get out here with my wife and kids. We came to visit the Palisades, and never thought we could make this dream come true…it was a true “east coast” town on the west coast. It was like mulberry street…we fell in love with it instantly. The people, the walkability, the proximity to the beach…you can’t lose living in the Palisades. When we finally saved up enough money, I started looking for work opportunities to come out here, and everything just aligned…it was the most amazing feeling driving from east coast to Cali…and we never looked back!
Let’s Share Your Story
Tell us a little about yourself. Where did your story begin, and what led you to the Palisades?
I was born at a young age… JK… in NY, and had a lifelong dream to come to LA…long story short, after my mom passed away my dad brought our family for a vacation to LA and I thought it was the most amazing place I had ever been to. I saved up as much money as I could, and figured out a way to get out here with my wife and kids. We came to visit the Palisades, and never thought we could make this dream come true… It was a true “east coast” town on the west coast. It was like mulberry street… we fell in love with it instantly. The people, the walkability, the proximity to the beach… you can’t lose living in the Palisades. When we finally saved up enough money, I started looking for work opportunities to come out here, and everything just aligned… it was the most amazing feeling driving from east coast to Cali… and we never looked back!
How long have you lived or worked here — and what do you love most about it?
We just hit our 11 year mark… and one of our kids was born here, so we are officially Cali people! We love the people, the weather, the outdoor expectations, and how we can go to so many different places so easily to just get out of the area for a weekend.
Tell us about your work or your passion — past, present, or future. What lights you up?
I am the Senior Vice President of iHeart Media, and my wife and I are the proud owners of The Yogurt Shoppe and Toppings. What we love about our business is how the community responds. We love being a part of the community… there is so much support!
Tell us a little about your family, community or what “home” means to you.
We are a family of five… three kids that go to Pali schools, two at Pali High, and one at Marquez. We are a close knit family, especially because we have no other family living in LA. Our friends are our family here. By owning the shoppes, we feel as we are so much apart of the community and other peoples lives. We help others celebrate their milestones, and part of the positives of life!
What’s something unique or special about the Palisades that you’ve experienced firsthand?
Togetherness… this community comes together in tragedy like no other… everyone wants to help each other out… even when we are all down. Everyone knows everyone else here, and you can’t go a block without seeing a friend or neighbor. it’s a small town in one of the biggest cities in the world!
Community Favorites
Is/Was there a local business that makes you feel nostalgic or rooted here?
The Yogurt Shoppe and Toppings… it is where we went for all positive events!
Who’s the most interesting or inspiring person you’ve met here in the Palisades?
So many to pick from. This community has all walks of life, with the most interesting stories!
Fire Reflection
What stands out most from your experience?
How everyone came together to let each other know updates, and what was going on. We were ALL in this together, between text chains, Whats App, and more, we were all in the know right away.
Was there someone — a neighbor, local hero, or group — that really made a difference for you during or after the fires?
Kambiz Kamdar… he has lead the charge on so many fronts and helped us all out! Also, my wife!
What did the experience teach you about the Palisades or about yourself?
It really taught me to not care much about the material things… my family is what matters most. I already knew this, but this really helped me reset.
A Few Fun Ones
What advice would you give to others — in life, work, or being a good neighbor?
Create more experiences in life… owning things are useless… but memories are the best!
What’s something about you that would surprise most people?
How optimistic I am about things… I can’t stay down for too long.
Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
Hopefully traveling with my family… I want to do that more and more… I would like to have some side businesses to really keep and travel the world.
