Liana Aghajanian

Editor-In-Chief of IANYANMAG, as well as full time editor and part time writer living in Los Angeles. I take my chai without sugar, but my dolma with lots of yogurt.

Yerevan Hopes to Shine as Literary Capital in 2012

Yerevan Hopes to Shine as Literary Capital in 2012

While it dates back thousands of years, with notable authors including Hovaness Toumanyan and Gostan Zarian, Armenian literature has largely remained overlooked by the international community, but that might be changing in 2012, when Armenia’s capital city Yerevan will hold the title of  UNESCO World Book Capital.
Granted by the International Publishers Association (IPA), the International [...]

Overheard on the Net: Perceptions of Armenian Women

Overheard on the Net: Perceptions of Armenian Women

“Overheard on the Net” has been on a mysterious hiatus for some time, but don’t worry, it’s back, with more than enough virtual eavesdropping to keep you satisfied. I guess the Twitterverse got together these last few weeks and decided unanimously to direct their grievances towards Armenian women. Very odd.  Shall we?

An Armenian woman just [...]

Letter From the Editor: Publishing, Panels and Passions

Letter From the Editor: Publishing, Panels and Passions

It’s hard to believe that six months of 2010 have already gone by. There have been amazing things happening at this humble website, which has grown immensely since the tires were put in place a little over a year ago.
Just recently, we published the first article in a series about what it means to be [...]

Overheard on the Net: Hookah, Shaved Heads and the Mafia

Overheard on the Net: Hookah, Shaved Heads and the Mafia

I was at the grocery store when a little old Armenian lady with one eye waggled a cucumber at me and made a smoochie face. #scarredforlife

This is a good one. Old Armenian ladies are scary on their own, what with their quick dolma wrapping fingers and sharp tongues - but cucumber and only one eye? [...]

Best of What’s Next: Armenian Folk Singer Mariam Matossian

Best of What's Next: Armenian Folk Singer Mariam Matossian

The music industry has evolved so dramatically over the last few decades that everything - from back up singers to digital voice enhancement - enables anyone from squeaky clean Disney stars to A-list celebrities to prove their vocal worth to the world.
While voices get altered, replaced and even lost in their background music, there are [...]

Review: HBO’s You Don’t Know Jack (Kevorkian)

Review: HBO's You Don't Know Jack (Kevorkian)

“I have a God,” proclaims Jack Kevorkian, “his name is Bach. Johann Sebastian Bach.” That one-liner in HBO’s “You Don’t Know Jack” should be enough to tell you that you needn’t  know Kevorkian’s moniker of “Dr.Death” to realize he was different. After assisting 130 patients exercise their right to die and serving an almost 9 [...]

Paska: Discovering Diversity in Easter Bread

Paska: Discovering Diversity in Easter Bread

As Easter rolls around, the number of eggs in my house tends to increase by the day. Brown ones, white ones, organic ones, free-range ones, they pile up one by one in the inconspicuous refrigerator drawer, and while this may seem normal for the general population, these eggs will not be dyed in brilliant shades [...]

How We Live: Exhibit Highlights Growing Poverty in Armenia

How We Live: Exhibit Highlights Growing Poverty in Armenia

Grigor, a 29-year-old husband and father who lives on the outskirts of Etchmiadzin in Armenia gets up for work at 6 a.m and doesn’t leave until 5. Unlike most of the typical workforce however, Grigor’s day is spent rummaging through a garbage dump, where he searches for odds and ends like plastic to sell and [...]

The Khohanotz: A Vegan Guide to Armenian Lent

The Khohanotz: A Vegan Guide to Armenian Lent

For some, the 40 days of Lent, in which Christians abstain from any and all animal products is a time of spiritual reflection and cleansing. For others, including many of those who make up a new generation of Armenians, it’s a 40 day challenge to see if discipline and self control over power one’s desire [...]

Armenia at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Armenia at the 2010 Winter Olympics

While other countries debuted at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver with hundreds of participants, Armenia strutted down  the opening ceremonies with four athletes and became known as the country that’s slightly smaller than Maryland. With a population of only 2.9 million according to the CIA Factbook, Armenia is a true underdog in a competition [...]