Underrated Cities in Europe

David Raminfard, the CEO and president of NewPoint Fabrics and KasLen Textiles, travels the world to source fabrics from international textile trade shows. Over the years, David Raminfard has visited most of the countries in Europe.

Hundreds of millions of tourists flock to Europe every year, yet many of the continent’s cities remain in relative obscurity. Below are some of the most underrated cities in Europe:

- Maribor, Slovenia. Featuring stunning architecture, the city often remains in the shadow of Slovenia’s more popular destination, Ljubljana. Maribor houses the largest grapevine in the world and maintains numerous spas to help visitors relax.

- Split, Croatia. The coastal town maintains numerous attractions for travelers. Visitors to the city can enjoy a variety of dining, shopping, and nightlife experiences or explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Diocletian’s Palace.

- Ferrara, Italy. Surrounded by ancient walls, the city is packed with cathedrals and palaces that date to the 14th and 15th centuries. Thanks to the broad streets, visitors can easily stroll through the city as they explore.

- Vézelay, France. This ancient city was built on a hilltop in the 11th century. Due to its location, Vézelay has awe-inspiring views. The city is also the home of the Shrine of Mary Magdalene.

The Concours d’Elegance on Rodeo Drive

A professional in the textile industry, David Raminfard owns several businesses, including New Point Fabrics Inc., KasLen Textiles, and Luxury Fabrics, a store in downtown Los Angeles. Aside from his professional pursuits, David Raminfard enjoys attending antique car shows in the Los Angeles area.

For more than 20 years, Father’s Day on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills has meant that it is time for the Beverly Hills Concours d’Elegance, in which more than 30,000 car aficionados, collectors, and tourists gather to see one of the world’s best-curated collections of antique and classic automobiles. In 2016, the theme of the show was “The Fast Lane.” The exhibition featured vehicles manufactured by Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Porsche. The best of show award was bestowed on a 1969 Lamborghini Miura S from Symbolic Motors.

The Concours d’Elegance is the largest public event in Beverly Hills, drawing people from all over the world. Frommer's Travel Guide has called the show one of the 300 unmissable events in the world.

Temescal Canyon Park - A Popular Santa Monica Mountains Destination

As the president of KasLen Textiles LLC, David Raminfard leads a Vernon, California, firm that ships a full range of quality fabric products nationwide. An outdoor enthusiast, David Raminfard enjoys hiking with friends in his spare time in locations such as Temescal Canyon Park.

Situated in Pacific Palisades, the Santa Monica Mountains’ 14-acre park contains canyons and rolling hills dotted with oak and sycamore trees. Originally developed in the 1920s as a Chautauqua movement retreat by Reverend Dr. Charles Holmes Scott, the park came under Presbyterian Synod ownership in 1943 and functioned as a retreat until 1994, when the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy acquired it.

Today, Temescal Canyon Park exists as a wildlife-rich recreational haven that connects with protected land in the Will Rogers State Historic Park and Topanga State Park, as well as a 20,000-acre wilderness area spanning the Santa Monica Mountains. One of the park’s most popular offerings is the Temescal Outdoor Education Program, which focuses on introducing youth from disadvantaged backgrounds to the beauty of nature.

About the Rock Paintings of Sierra de San Francisco

An accomplished textile professional, David Raminfard serves as president and CEO of both Kaslen Textiles and New Point Fabric in Vernon, California. An avid traveler, David Raminfard has visited a number of European destinations and has also spent time touring Mexico.

One of the most culturally significant places in Mexico is the area of Sierra de San Francisco, where there are rock paintings dating back to 100 BC. For approximately 1,400 years, the residents of this area created these artistic expressions of their early civilization, which also depict the unique relationships they enjoyed with their surrounding environment and one another. The region's temperatures and relative lack of humidity have prevented these paintings from decaying over time, giving the visitors of today the opportunity to look through a window in time at human life dating back more than 2,000 years, and to see how a culture developed over many centuries.

These paintings are one of numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites that can be found across the globe. Passing through an exhaustive and varied selection criteria, many sites are chosen for their creative genius, representation of important moments in human history, local cultural significance, and their testament to human diversity.

A Brief History of the Nessah Educational and Cultural Center

David Raminfard, the president and CEO of Kaslen Textiles and New Point Fabric, possesses more than 30 years of business leadership experience. Also dedicated to his community, David Raminfard is a longtime member of the Nessah Educational and Cultural Center in Beverly Hills, California.

The Nessah Center was founded in 1980 by Rabbi David Shofet. When Shofet immigrated to Los Angeles from Tehran, he recognized that Iranian Jews would need a place to worship and pray while maintaining the traditions they enjoyed in Iran. This realization inspired Rabbi Shofet to establish the Nessah Center as a home away from home for Iranian Jews.

The first group of Nessah worshipers consisted of just nine individuals who met at Beth Jacob and had to borrow a congregant from the Orthodox congregation to pray. The group more than doubled by the second Shabbat, and over the next few weeks, close to 300 people were meeting to pray.

Before long, the Nessah Center found its own location and continued growing. The synagogue placed a heavy emphasis on education and helped members of its congregation learn Iranian Jewish history and traditions. A nursery and school were later added as the congregation continued expanding.

In 2002, Nessah made its move to Beverly Hills. The center now offers three Torah classes every week along with daily prayer services and a variety of programs.

Exploring Judaism at Nessah Educational and Cultural Center

An accomplished entrepreneur, David Raminfard is president and CEO of Kaslen Textiles and New Point Fabric in Southern California. Outside of work, David Raminfard gives back to his community through his ongoing support of Nessah Cultural and Educational Center. This religious organization was created to support the Iranian Jewish population of Los Angeles.

Nessah provides the members of its community with a number of different ways to nourish their faith and explore their religion, especially through various classes. Every Monday night, the organization offers Tefila classes with Jack Maghen. Meant to explore the wisdom and power of Jewish prayer, the instructor addresses common questions like how to concentrate Tefilot most effectively with the right Kavanah, or inner intention. 

Another powerful class, offered by Eliza Ness on Mondays and Tuesdays, focuses on Jewish spirituality through the lens of psychology and Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. The Monday course is offered in English and intended for people in their 20s. The Tuesday courses are taught in Farsi and meant for people of all ages.

The organization also offers Nageela, or Jewish education classes, for children between third and eighth grade. In these sessions, young students learn the Hebrew language as well as prayers and Jewish values.

A Brief Overview of NBA Dynasties

David Raminfard has served as president and chief executive officer of Kaslen Textiles in Vernon, California, since 2010, and as president and chief executive officer of New Point Fabric since 2011. David Raminfard is a fan of the National Basketball Association (NBA), particularly during the NBA Finals.

The first NBA Finals series took place after the 1946-1947 NBA season and featured the Philadelphia Warriors winning a five-game series over the Chicago Stags. Over the last seven decades, the Finals have been dominated by championship dynasties, dating back to the Minnesota Lakers franchise, which secured five championships in the six years between 1948 and 1954. Only two seasons passed before the Boston Celtics established the most extensive dynasty in NBA Finals history; between 1957 and 1969, the Celtics played in 12 of 13 NBA Finals and won 11. The team added two more titles in 1974 and 1976.

An era of historic rivalry between the Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers emerged in the 1980s. Boston won three championships in five NBA Finals appearances over the course of the decade, while Los Angeles took five titles in eight attempts. As both franchises receded from the championship circle, a new dynasty immediately took shape. The Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, won six championships over eight seasons without an NBA Finals loss.

Since the turn of the century, the NBA Finals have seen more parity. However, there have still been notable runs of dominance. For example, between 1999 and 2014, the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs have each won five championship titles, and the Miami Heat have won three of the five championships they have participated in since 2006.