90024

When the Shah ruled Iran, Los Angeles was recognized as Tehran’s sister city. Now the largest Iranian population outside Iran is in L.A., and locals refer to their main hangout (which extends into 90025) as Little Persia, Irangeles or Tehrangeles. Shopkeepers say the first Iranian store on the 1.2-mile strip of Westwood between Wilshire and Olympic was the Attari market; it opened in 1978, the year before the revolution. Today the street buzzes with bookshops, restaurants, music stores and salons, their signs written in flowing Persian script.

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ONE THING TO DO

I Scream, You Scream . . .Taste history. Legend has it that Alexander the Great grew fond of flavored ices after he invaded the Persian Empire in 334 BC. These days, Iranians and other foodies enjoy a traditional icy sweet called faludeh, which is flavored with cherry or lime juice. You can sample it and rich Persian ice cream at Rose Market, where Al Kashani employs ice cream-making skills he’s been honing for 55 years. The result is thick, almost chewy, and comes in a variety of “how-did-they-do-that?” flavors, including saffron, rose water, pomegranate and cucumber. Manager Michell Kash says that Kashani uses ripe, seasonal fruits--and nothing artificial. “You cannot have Pinto wheels on a Mercedes,” he says. Three scoops cost $3. 1922 Westwood Blvd., (310) 470-2121.

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32, 598:

Number of Iranian Americans the U.S. Census estimates live in the 30th Congressional District

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EAT, DRINK

Like Mother Used to Make

After she immigrated, Parvin Bastani would prepare Persian sandwiches for her son, Mike, and anyone else who happened by her kitchen in West L.A. “She liked to cook and be with people,” Mike says. In 1991, she went public with Attari Sandwiches. It has a shady patio with a trickling fountain and specializes in kuku, an airy frittata-like patty of parsley, cilantro, tarragon and egg. Also on the menu: a creamy lentil and barley soup called ash-joe, which Bastani tops with grilled mint and a fermented yogurt known as kaskh. 1388 Westwood Blvd., Suite 103, (310) 441-5488 . . . Sit at a lace-and-plastic-covered table at Canary Restaurant and inhale the aromas of juicy kebabs and tangy herbs as pots of savory gheymeh stew (beef, split peas, tomato sauce, potatoes and dried lime) simmer on the stove. 1942 Westwood Blvd., (310) 470-1312.

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SHOP, DROP

Take a Magic Carpet Ride

Damoka owner Alex Helmi keeps tradition alive with his inventory of 5,000 woven wonders, including a 300-year-old silk creation (price: $100,000) made in Heriz, a tribal area in the prime carpet-producing region of Azerbaijan. 1424 Westwood Blvd., (310) 475-7900 . . . Expats flock to Ketab for Persian newspapers and books, some of which are banned in Iran. Owner Bijan Khalili says Ketab has hosted hundreds of writers, including Iraj Pezeshkzad. 1419 Westwood Blvd., (310) 477-7477.

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Art & Architecture: Built in 1941 by Henry Fonda’s second wife, Frances, the Majestic Crest Theatre is an Art Deco gem. The ceiling sparkles with stars, and black lights shine on murals. It was renovated in the ‘80s by the team that restored the El Capitan. In 2002, there were plans to make the place an adult film house, or even a church, but it was saved by current owner Robert Bucksbaum. 1262 Westwood Blvd., (310) 474-7866.