LadyCars stroud.co.uk

26/08/2026

What the Iranian people are doing right now is unbelievable.
Standing unarmed in front of bullets. With the internet shut down. With families trapped in silence. This is courage at its highest level.

I have never been prouder to be Persian.

Like so many Iranians around the world, I have no news from my family. We are worried. We are exhausted. But something feels different this time. In the past, fear always won. This time, despite the anxiety, there is strength and clarity. People know this is the moment.

Most of us in the Iranian diaspora share the same story. We didn’t leave for comfort or ambition. We were forced to leave our homes, our families, our roots, for one simple reason: to live freely.

Wherever Iranians went, we studied, worked, built, and contributed. We became doctors, engineers, chefs, artists, entrepreneurs. We respected the countries that gave us a home. We didn’t leave to recreate the fear we escaped. We left because we believe in freedom and dignity.

I was born into war and raised inside fear. Sirens, blackouts, anxiety as background noise. Every mehmooni, every birthday came with curtains closed, dark blankets on the windows, music low, laughter careful. Inside the house we spoke truth. Outside, at school and on the streets, we performed. Two lives at once. Fun always wrapped in fear. Every knock at the door could end everything.

This was done in the name of religion. Not faith, control. Arrests for nothing. Fear for everything. This was daily life for my generation.

People in Iran are fighting now so the next generation doesn’t grow up like this. They are fighting for dignity, identity, and a normal life.

To my Persian people outside Iran: stay united. The path is clear. Listen to what Iranians are saying in the streets.

And to creators, chefs, artists, and anyone with a platform around the world: stand with the people of Iran. Use your voice.

And when Iran is free, I promise you this: I’ll invite you all, and I’ll cook for you in Iran. Very soon.

They are not Iran. We are. ✌🏽

14/06/2025

You've all probably heard of Michelin-rated restaurants, but did you know the rating system in all seriousness started because the Michelin company wanted to sell more tires.

It starts with the man pictured below: the original Michelin Man from 1894.

He was in white because rubber tires are naturally white. It was not until 1912 that carbon chemicals were mixed into the white tires, which turned them black. The change was structural, not aesthetic. By adding carbon, tires became more durable.

Michelin also began reviewing restaurants so that more people would travel further distances in their cars to eat at these restaurants. This, in turn, would wear down their tires faster and force them to buy more.

The star system that Michelin uses goes up to three and is broken down by whether or not it's worth driving to the restaurant:

One star: "A very good restaurant in its category" (Une très bonne table dans sa catégorie)

Two stars: "Excellent cooking, worth a detour" (Table excellente, mérite un détour)

Three stars: "Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey" (Une des meilleures tables, vaut le voyage).

17/05/2025