The quintessential NYLA Persian Hottie of the Week is equal parts spicy, sophisticated, sexy, and for good measure, into sports. L.A. resident Niki Ghazian is all of that, and then some.

You want spicy? The 27-year-old model has appeared in Maxim and FHM magazines, garnering a nomination for Miss FHM in 2006 and the nicknamed “Persian Barbie” by the magazine’s writers.

Sophisticated? The California State University, Northridge graduate will soon wrap up her last year of law school. Just picture this: a law school professor exercising the Socratic method, but more nervous about the student he’s probing than the student being probed.

Besides oozing sex appeal in every respect, Niki is sexy at its peak, literally: she’s 5-foot-8 (that’s NBA point-guard tall) and weighs just under a buck-twenty.

But nothing consummates Niki as the exemplary NYLA Hottie quite like her penchant for sports. Not only is she an Oakland Raiders aficionado, her passion for the gridiron goes deeper than pretty much every girl you’ve ever met in your life.

Gentlemen, please meet Niki Ghazian, professional football player in the Lingerie Football League (LFL). Sporting a No. 11 jersey, Niki, an offensive guard, has been active with Lingerie football for the past 3 years, helping her Los Angeles Temptation secure the inaguaral league championship during the halftime of the 2010 Superbowl in Florida. The LFL is helmed by Afghan-American sports marketer Mitchell Mortaza (among other year-end awards, including a most valuable player, the league also gives out a Mortaza Award).

Niki sat down with NYLA shortly after her recent law school finals, and she dished off on everything from torts to Tahdig, Googoosh to the Gridiron.

What is your favorite Persian food? Who is your favorite Persian singer? I love Gheyme (traditional Persian stew) with Tahdig (crispy rice). As for a singer, it’s Googoosh. The albums she put out in the 1970s are epic, I listen to them all the time. It is the only Persian music I own.

Go-to Karaoke Song: Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.”

Anything interesting/noteworthy happen to you recently? I was nominated for FHM’s 100 Hottest Women in the World again this year.

Who do people say you look like? Shakira and (news anchor and model) Jillian Barberie.

What do you feel most comfortable wearing? I feel most comfortable naked.

What would you like to do in the future? Rule the world…just kidding! Be successful and happy.

Are you single? Yes.

Describe your ideal guy. Ever dated a Persian guy? I like a guy who is smart, funny, loyal, and athletic. And I once dated a Persian guy! He was a surfer like me, very laid back and also an LA native, so we got along well.

You were recently linked with international soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. Do you keep in touch? We are friends.

Do u have any Persian friends? Yes I have a lot of Persian friends. Persian people are the most loyal & funny people you can ever meet, everybody needs a few Persian friends in their circle.

Any siblngs? I have a sister that is five years older than me.

Favorite Movie/Actor/Actress? I have a few favorite movies – I am a fan of old movies. Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate was a classic. Robert Redford and Barbara Streisand in The Way We Were were amazing. But as far as contemporary actors, I like Robert Pattinson and Natalie Portman – he is so gorgeous, and she is so talented.

Any piercings/tattoos? What/where/meaning? I have no tattoos, I don’t believe in marking my body in a permanent way. I have my navel pierced.

What fun fact, talent or superpower of yours should guys know about? I’m pretty clairvoyent, I find out about the truth of matters in strange ways; I feel like God really has my back in that sense.

Tell us the craziest thing you’ve ever done. I’ve done too many crazy things & I think its better at this point for me to stop incriminating myself on interviews, haha!

Who would win in a race, former Iranian-American NFL player Shar Pourdanesh or you? Shar would win because men are inherently stronger and faster than women. It’s the truth ladies.

Who is your favorite NFL player? Favorite athlete? What’s your favorite sport? Who is your favorite Iranian athlete? My favorite contemporary NFL player is Matt Ryan, the Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback. He is really hot and has a lot of guts. I love that when no one’s open, he is not afraid to run the ball in for a touchdown himself. You can tell he still plays with the same passion he played with in college, and the NFL has not gotten to him one bit. He is going to be great, watch. As far as all-time favorite player, I would say Ronnie Lott. That guy had no sense of fear and played with a reckless abandonment of his body. If you ran a route into his zone, he would annihilate you. My favorite Iranian athlete is basketball player Hamed Haddadi of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies. I love Hamed!

What do you think of NYLA magazine? I think it’s fabulous because you guys cover everything from Hollywood, to music, to sports.

Been back to Iran recently? No I have not, but I would like to.

What’s the coolest thing about being Iranian? Coming from a rich culture with a lot of history is something that sets Persians apart from most races. Also, Persians are extremely intelligent and compassionate people.

What’s it like being a female football player? This was my 3rd year with the LFL and this year was an amazing experience. Being able to play such a physically demanding sport that women haven’t traditionally played is exhilirating and groundbreaking in itself.

How’d you become one of the pioneers of this league? My agent Tuesday got me an audition with the Lingerie Bowl back when it was just models. I had first appeared in FHM. Once the Lingerie Bowl became the Lingerie Football League, I was still able to make the cut because of my athletic background – I swam competitively my entire childhood and played water polo in high school and college. I have always been, and will always be an athlete. I am a competitor and a fighter on and off the playing field.

What kind of law do u want to practice? I am in my last year of law school and I would like to do contracts and criminal defense.

Case closed. Hottie is certified. The defense rests.

Check out last week’s NYLA Hottie of the Week, Parisa

A Lady Gaga music video on a Persian website? Besides the fact that Persians love her, we also posted this clip because of the Gaga gives Persians via her ‘Gher’ dancing and shoulder action at the 4:20 mark of her newest video!

Editor’s note: John Wooden died on June 4, 2010, at the age of 99 in Los Angeles, California. The following article was published in October of 2008.

John Wooden sits in the same booth, at the same coffee shop at the same time every morning. The only thing that might change from time to time is his order.

“I like the No. 1 which is two eggs, two hotcakes and two slices of bacon or sausage,” he says. “They also have the No. 2 which is two eggs, two slices of bacon or sausage with a choice of toast or biscuit and gravy. I usually get one of those two.”

There isn’t a menu within Wooden’s reach as he recites the breakfast specials at this quaint diner near his home in Encino, Calif., which has been his home away from home for the past decade.

Earlier this month, Wooden celebrated his 98th birthday with friends and family the same way he has for the past dozen years — over breakfast at the diner. It’s one of the rare times that Wooden moves from his regular seat in the middle booth near the kitchen to the tables in the back of the restaurant to accommodate all his guests. Most mornings he’s only joined by Tony Spino, a UCLA trainer who takes care of Wooden and has been checking in on him every morning for some time. He was actually the one who found Wooden lying on the floor of his condominium after he had been there for several hours. Wooden broke his collarbone and wrist and was hospitalized for two weeks.

While Wooden is in better health these days, despite another minor fall last week, he needs to be helped in and out of his wheelchair by Spino every morning. Still, he comes to the diner for breakfast and the familiar faces around the counter.

“It’s great. Some of the people I’ve known for about a dozen years and I see them everyday,” he says. “It’s the only place I see them. We’ve become very friendly and close to each other and it’s just like home. It has a homey atmosphere and I like that. I’ve been going there for a dozen years, seven days a week.”

Wooden knows the names of all the regulars at the Cheers-like diner, shaking each one’s hand after they sing “Happy Birthday” and the waitresses pass out pieces of his birthday cake. “It’s nothing special,” says Wooden with a smile. “It’s just another year.”

While Wooden looks at his birthday as nothing special, the same can not be said for those that travel from all over to have breakfast with him. Even Spino, who has breakfast with Wooden almost every morning, says he learns something new from him all the time. Wooden’s wit is still as sharp as ever and his memory is better than most, regardless of age.

For those unnfamiliar with the significance of such an honor, the throwing of the ceremonial “first ball” is a longstanding baseball tradition usually accorded to a notable person in the home team’s city or state, and sometimes, a national figure such as an actor or the U.S. President, Vice President or other dignitary. Notable figures who preceded Toub include fellow actor Matthew McConaughey, who exhibited his pitching prowess at a Dodgers game last season.

The honor sparks a promising summer for Toub, who will return to the big screen this July as General Iroh in the Hollywood live-action film adaptation of the popular Nickelodeon animated television series, The Last Airbender. Written and directed by famed Indian-American filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense), Airbender also stars Dev Patel, best known for his role as the male lead character Jamal Malik in the multiple Academy Award-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire.

The movie also features a bit of Iranian synergy in the form of controversy, as it is the second movie released by Hollywood studios in a span of two months which has been plagued by accusations of “white-washing,” as producers cast white actors to play the roles of characters which are in earnest, people of color. Actor Jake Gyllenhaal, a Swedish-American actor, plays the role of Persian prince Dastan in Prince of Persia, and the majority of the principal roles went to relatively unknown British actors, who were made up to look Persian. The case of Airbender is seemingly more ignominious, as white actors were chosen to play the East Asian characters.

Check out Toub on Facebook.

Check out this Airbender teaser that recently ran as a commercial on the hit TV series, Glee:

After 200 episodes, the Howie Mandel-driven game show, Deal or No Deal, was taken off the air in early 2009. But among the 26 briefcase-bearing models who made the show what it is, perhaps the most popular and successful of them all seems to be Canadian-born Iranian actress and model Leyla Milani. Heck, Ms. Television herself, Oprah Winfrey, anointed Milani her favorite Deal princess when Milani and a few of her cohorts made an appearance on Oprah’s eponymous show last year.

Her newest endeavor is quite an interesting and hair-raising venture.

Literally.

Milani announced on a recent television appearance for the Game Show Network that she had started her own hair extension line, Milani Hair, and was also featured in a cover story for popular international magazine, Javanan. We sat down with the aspiring entrepreneur to discuss her exciting new project.

NYLA: Tell us a little about how you come up with the idea of a hair extension line, how it’s different from other similar products on the market, if it’s marketed specifically to Iranians, where it will be sold and what you envision it becoming.

LEYLA MILANI: After more than 200 shows on Deal or No Deal and other TV and film roles, I noticed my hair beginning to lose its once healthy sheen and luster. My hair was being totally fried by the constant heat-styling of curling irons, blow dryers and hair sprays. I had no choice but to keep trimming my hair and after a while, the fullness and length my hair was famous for began to deteriorate.  I did not want to turn to traditional salon hair extensions that are not only super-expensive, but very damaging to the hair and scalp and I just couldn’t find high quality yet affordable human hair clip-on extensions.  That’s when Milani Hair was born: the do-it-yourself, affordable, low maintenance and commitment-free hair extension solution.

Unlike other clip-in hair extensions on the market that are made of cheap synthetic fibers and cannot be heat-styled, Milani Hair is 100% human hair, which means you can cut it, color it and style it using your favorite hot tools and hair care products – just like your own hair. Also, unlike other human hair clip-on options that run upwards of $400, Milani Hair is affordable. For the cost of an average salon visit, you can get a full head set of real, human hair extensions that look natural and truly last.

Milani Hair is not specifically marketed to any nationality or race. It is for women of all age and ethnicities who want longer, fuller more beautiful hair.

Milani Hair is now available at, www.milanihair.com, as well as select Planet Beauty stores in Southern California and soon Milani Hair will be seen on television screens all across America through our very own infomercial ads.

NYLA: What happened to Deal or No Deal?

LM: After 4 seasons and over 200 shows, Deal or No Deal ran its course and sadly was taken off the air. It was a big surprise for all of us and many of the viewers since the show’s rating was still quite high towards the end. I think the producers and network did not want to make D.O.N.D another Who Wants to be a Millionaire. They wanted to show to leave ‘at the top!’ I personally think it had a few more seasons left in it…but hey, like all good things, it must eventually come to an end – and so we move on.

NYLA: What have been some of your more recent projects/endeavors?

LM: I just shot a national commercial for Experian Credit with comedian Pauly Shore. It’s a really funny piece and I really enjoyed working with Pauly.

You can find it on YoutTube by searching ‘Experian,’ ‘Pauly Shore’ or my name. I’m also co-hosting a new wrestling show with Jimmy Hart called ‘Wrestlicious,’ which will be out later in the year.  Aside from that, working around the clock on my baby, Milani Hair.

NYLA: This may break some of our readers’ hearts, but we hear you are no longer single!

LM: Haha…no, not any longer.  I am now a happily engaged woman.

NYLA: Any final words?

LM: Yes, check out Milani Hair and get that ‘Million-Dollar Mane’ without spending a fortune!

Following the success of expatriate underground indie rock bands Hypernova and Tarantist, Iranian quartet Yellow Dogs has landed in Brooklyn, New York. The group, which was featured in prominent Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi’s latest flick, No One Knows About Persia Cats (which was co-written by Ghobadi’s girlfriend, journalist Roxana Saberi, who was briefly encarcerated in Iran under the suspicion of espionage, but was later released), recently performed at the prestigious annual South By Southwest (SXSW) music conference in Texas and were praised as “one of the best bands in the world” by Huffington Post columnist Andrea Chalupa in March.

According to their wikipedia page, the Yellow Dogs played their first legal concert at Peyote, in Istanbul, Turkey January 2010. Two days later, they flew to New York City and soon after played their second legal concert at Cameo, in Brooklyn. Since then, they have played Santos Party House and the Delancey in New York, as well at the afterparty for the U.S. premiere of No One Knows About Persian Cats at 2nd St. Y Tribeca. The band is comprised of members Obash, a lanky, shaggy-haired vocalist who sounds eerily like Iranian pop crooner Mansour; guitarist Looloosh, who doubles on the synth; bassist Koory, and Zina on drums. The group formed in 2006 and claims to be the youngest (none of their members are older than 23 years of age) Iranian rock band alive.

Yellow Dogs’ upcoming shows include May 29th (Fat Baby concert venue) and June 21st (Make Music Festival), both in New York, as well as west coast gigs with Hypernova in Sacramento on July 14th (Shire Road Club) and July 21st in Hollywood (Troubador). Check out their Facebook and MySpace pages for more info.

Get to know the Yellow Dogs in this piece by Jehangir Irani:

Also, check out a music video by the Yellow Dogs, compiled with footage from No One Knows About Persian Cats:

We were able to dig up a CNN interview as well, from 2009:

We started the NYLA Persian Hottie of the Week back in 2006, and were flattered by all imitations it spawned on other websites and blogs. After a little hiatus, it’s baaaack…

We spearhead this generation of Hotties with a worthy pioneer: Parisa from Montreal, Canada. Montreal is the second biggest city in Canada, and proliferated with Persian Hotties. After getting to know Parisa and a learning about all the Iranian candidates in the Miss Universe Canada pageant (the 2008 overall winner was Iranian Samantha Tajik, and three of the past eight winners were of Iranian descent), we beg the question: Who has hotter Persian imports in North America, Canada or the U.S.?

Judging from Parisa’s profile, let’s score it at Canada 1, U.S. 0. The 25-year-old graduate student, who was born in Montreal is pursuing her Masters’ Degree in Economics at Montreal’s McGill University, took time from her busy schedule of work and hobbies – she fervently cheered on her beloved Montreal Canadiens hockey team during their recent playoff run in the NHL Playoffs – to enlighten us on some a little about her sexy, brown-haired, brown-eyed, 5-foot, 7-inch self…

What is your favorite persian food? I love to eat (it’s my favorite thing to do) and Persian food is the best. I love it all from Ghormeh Sabzi to kabob barg.

Persian singer? I love Persian music but have no idea of who sings what!

Go-to Karaoke Song: Anything Michael Jackson.  R.I.P.

Have u ever modeled/been on tv/radio/etc? I’ve modeled part time but I’m a shy girl at heart. Much to shy to go on TV or RADIO.

Anything interesting/noteworthy happen to you recently? Everyday is interesting and noteworthy.

Who do people say you look like? I always get Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussy Cat Dolls.

What would you like to do in the future? CFO of a major corporation and/or bank, or even a fashion company. And, always a part time model.

Are you single? Maybe.

Describe your ideal guy. I like real men. Someone who is kind, caring, considerate, respectful, treats me like a lady and doesn’t take longer than me to get ready to go out.

Do you have a website? No I can barely keep up with Facebook!

Any siblngs? A not so little anymore brother.

How different is it living in Canada vs U.S.? I have a lot of friends and family in the United States so I visit often. I have to say that Canadians are much nicer, more tolerant of one another, and there is much more diversity than some places in the United States. Canadians are much more laid back.

Favorite Movie/Actor/Actress? I’m a movie buff.  I love movies and there are too many movies and actors to name.  It really depends on what and who I’m in the mood to watch.

Let’s just say Warner Music Sweden A&R Mattias Wachtmeister has a really good track record when it comes to discovering musicians who either appeal to Iranians, or are Iranian themselves. Though the majority of artists he has worked with are not of Iranian descent (bonafide U.S. big-stage anchors The Sounds and electro-pop viral sensations Basshunter and Gunther & the Sunshine Girls are just a few of the myriad of chart-topping acts Wachtmeister has worked with or directly signed to Warner), his artist roster is peppered with Iranian-born sensations like Arash, DJ Aligator and Laleh.

Wachtmeister seems to have his finger on the melodic pulse of Sweden, Iran, Europe and beyond.
His latest discovery, however, may potentially be his best. His name is Armand Mirpour, and after engaging in a bidding war for Mirpour with a couple of other labels, Wachtmeister signed the lanky, Iranian-Swedish crooner to a multi-album deal with Warner Sweden. The agreement calls for an EP this summer, and a full-length album, tentatively dubbed Boy Will Sing for Directions Home,  later in the fall.

Mirpour is an eccentric talent and former model whose music can best be described as Tracy Chapman meets The Smiths meets Belle and Sebastian meets The Decemberists. Get it? Boy Will Sing for Directions Home will reportedly be a concept record with a storyline that you can follow from song to song. And how can you not love a guy who proposes a video game challenge to his fans online? “I really enjoy videogames! Super Smash Bros.in particular,” Mirpour relayed a Swedish blogger a few months ago. “My friendcode is 4725-9375-8797. Anyone who wants a good challenge can send me theirs on MySpace.”

Even if his eclectic sound isn’t your cup of tea, you can’t deny that based on solely his looks and affinity for video games, he’s got to be one of the coolest new singers you’ve ever heard of.

Check out some Swedes playing dodgeball in the official music video for “Curly Boys Law (Step Aside)“:

We’ll keep you updated on when Mirpour will be touring the U.S., as well as his album release.

Iranian-born mogul and SBE CEO Sam Nazarian (pictured above, left, alongside actor Edward Norton), whose success in assembling an eclectic stable of Los Angeles-area nightclubs and restaurants have catapulted him to the top of the Hollywood nightlife hierarchy, is at it again.

SBE has finished a 6-month renovation on the venue located at the 1700 block of North Caheunga Blvd. in Hollywood (formerly owned by the Sunset Entertainment Group under the names White Lotus, Ritual and Halo), and is slated to unveil the new 13,000-square foot club in late May.

The Colony, as the venue will be known, derives its name from the winning entry in a ontest SBE held through the website, nameyourclub.com and promoted  virally through the Facebook profiles for its four Katsuya sushi restaurants.

The winner, who won $1000 and exclusive entry to the club’s grand opening, spent some time in the Hamptons and after reading the description of the venue (SBE described the venue’s aesthetic as “the spirit of the exclusive Hamptons’ lifestyle”) and its amenities, he was reminded of the exclusive beachside community know as the Summer Colony, a gathering place for the trendsetting elite from all over the world which reminded him of Hollywood and inspired him to choose Colony as the new name.

The Colony is SBE’s largest club to date, replete with oversized wood shutters, a dance floor and cabanas in a beach house setting. It’s likely that Persian event industry leader One Group Events, which has produced events at all of SBE’s venues during the past 5 years, will host an event at the venue soon.

NYLAMAG.COM correspondent Amir Zomorrodian captured some images of the nearly completed venue’s exterior earlier this week.

Nazarian, who reportedly recently split with girlfriend and reality television star Kristin Cavallari of MTV’s The Hills, hasn’t missed a step since splitting with resident SBE promoter and longtime Hollywood nightclub-circuit staple Brent Bolthouse Productions last September.

Nazarian followed up the success of Hollywood’s uber-exclusive Hyde Lounge with 2 more venues with the same moniker, one at Staples Center in Downtown, L.A. (which opened, ironically, on the same night Iranian-born center Hamed Haddadi and his NBA club, the Memphis Grizzlies, played the Los Angeles Lakers last November at Staples) and another in Mammoth Mountain.

Lock maintenance aside, in addition to picking up the gym bug, it seems like Gyllenhall also picked up at least one new Persian-oriented habit while making flick: an affinity for Persian food. In a cover story for the May 2010 issue of GQ magazine, Gyllenhaal talks about preparing for his role as Dastan, finding the perfect woman and the loss of his good friend, late actor Heath Ledger, among other subjects.

But the coolest thing about the article? Gyllenhaal does the majority of the interview with GQ writer Chris Heath at Ravagh Persian Grill in Manhattan, New York. The restaurant, according to the article, was Gyllenhaal’s choice. A classic example of life imitating art?

Maybe.

But those who have frequented one of the three Ravagh locations in New York (two in the city, one in Long Island) know there’s no denying that Ravagh is arguably the best Persian grub in the Big Apple.

Proprietor Kaveh Tehrani and his father run all 3 locations, spearheaded by the 30th St. location (the 1st to open, in 1996), which is straddled in the Persian rug dealer district. The Tehranis are no strangers to the entertainment industry, as they have produced some of the biggest Persian concerts in New York for the past few years, and have hosted many prominent Iranian performers at their eateries, including pop phenomenon Arash, who recently visited New York in February to accept the top International Artist of the Year at the Big Apple Music Awards. Arash was reportedly seen at Ravagh with his U.S. agent, Mayar Zokaei, and executives from G Unit Records, who met with Arash’s camp during the weekend to discuss the prospect of a musical collaboration between the popular Iranian-born Warner Music Sweden artist and an unnamed G Unit rapper.

Could this be G-G-G G Unit meets J-J-J- Jigar? Stay tuned!