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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Playhouse Village Association
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250201T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250201T123000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250122T231931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250122T231931Z
UID:10008030-1738409400-1738413000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Pasadena Conservatory of Music presents Musical Storytime: Charlie Parker Played Be-Bop by Chris Rathko
DESCRIPTION:Vroman’s Bookstore presents a special Musical Storytime featuring Charlie Parker Played Be-Bop by Chris Rathko
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/pasadena-conservatory-of-music-presents-musical-storytime-charlie-parker-played-be-bop-by-chris-rathko/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250201T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250201T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250122T232418Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250122T232418Z
UID:10008031-1738425600-1738429200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kim Dower discusses What She Wants
DESCRIPTION:Obsessive love has never been so much fun! What She Wants: Poems on Obsession\, Desire\, Despair\, Euphoria is a powerful tribute to the intensity of obsessive love\, told through the trademark humor and heartbreak of bestselling poet Kim Dower. \nFollowing the commercial and literary success of her bestselling poetry collection\, I Wore This Dress Today for You\, Mom: Poems on Motherhood\, Kim Dower delivers What She Wants: Poems on Obsession\, Desire\, Despair\, Euphoria–turning her keen eye\, vibrant imagination\, trademark insight\, and humor to the intensity of obsessive love. These steamy and provocative poems\, combining humor and heartache\, run through the four phases of Limerence\, the state of being infatuated or obsessed with another person: Infatuation\, Crystallization\, Deterioration\, and Ecstatic Release. From the opening poem\, “She’ll do anything for food\,” to the sexy title poem\, “What She Wants\,” the painfully funny\, “His Other Girlfriend\,” to the longing in “Visiting Baudelaire\,” and the sad\, sweet final poem\, “Fish’s Lament\,” Kim Dower captures the essence of what it means to be stuck on someone–even on a squirrel! Her eclectic\, growing readership will savor these poems that can be read in one sitting\, like a story with an arc\, or separately\, each one recalling the moment of falling in or out of love\, the moment our hearts skipped a beat.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kim-dower-discusses-what-she-wants/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/kim-dower-600.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250204T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250204T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250122T232807Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250122T232807Z
UID:10008032-1738695600-1738699200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Jacqueline Winspear
DESCRIPTION:Psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs unravels a profound mystery from her past in a war-torn nation grappling with its future. \nLondon\, 1945: Four adolescent orphans with a dark wartime history are squatting in a vacant Belgravia mansion—the owners having fled London under heavy Luftwaffe bombing. Psychologist and Investigator Maisie Dobbs visits the mansion on behalf of the owners and discovers that a demobilized soldier\, gravely ill and reeling from his experiences overseas\, has taken shelter with the group. \nMaisie’s quest to bring comfort to the youngsters and the ailing soldier brings to light a decades-old mystery concerning Maisie’s first husband\, James Compton\, who was killed while piloting an experimental fighter aircraft. As Maisie unravels the threads of her dead husband’s life\, she is forced to examine her own painful past and question beliefs she has always accepted as true. \nThe award-winning Maisie Dobbs series has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers\, readers drawn to a woman who is of her time\, yet familiar in ours—and who inspires with her resilience and capacity for endurance. This final assignment of her own choosing not only opens a new future for Maisie and her family\, but serves as a  fascinating portrayal of the challenges facing the people of Britain at the close of the Second World War.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-jacqueline-winspear/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/jacqueline-w-600.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250205T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250205T114500
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250106T200208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250106T200208Z
UID:10007716-1738753200-1738755900@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Storytime with Mr. Steve and Miss Marie!
DESCRIPTION:Mr. Steve and the gang host story time every Wednesday at 11 AM in the upstairs children’s section of Vroman’s Bookstore.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-storytime-with-mr-steve-and-miss-marie-2/2025-02-05/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Families,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/storytime-website-image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250207T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250207T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250122T234107Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250122T234107Z
UID:10008033-1738954800-1738958400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Dinah Lenney\, in conversation with Alex Espinoza\, Lynell George\, Susan Straight\, and Diana Wagman\, discuss Snapshots
DESCRIPTION:If pictures are worth a thousand words\, what kinds of words might they inspire? What stories would they tell and would they be joyful or sad\, elegant or savage? \nSnapshots feature 36 such meditations from a diverse group of writers\, each of whom draws on a photograph from their personal archive to inspire a short essay. \nIntimate and powerful\, these reflections exhibit a range of sensibilities and experiences\, offering unique insight into the lives and interests of both established and emerging authors. Expressing a dynamic array of styles\, relationships\, landscapes\, and preoccupations\, Snapshots is an album for our life and
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-dinah-lenney-in-conversation-with-alex-espinoza-lynell-george-susan-straight-and-diana-wagman-discuss-snapshots/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/dinah-lenney-600.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250208T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250208T120000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250122T234445Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250122T234445Z
UID:10008034-1739012400-1739016000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Erica Lee Schlaikjer discusses Wild Greens\, Beautiful Girl
DESCRIPTION:On the eastern plains of Taiwan\, a young girl and her mother pick wild greens before a rainstorm drenches them and their garden. When she goes to pull at the roots of a spiky\, stalky weed\, she learns that the plant is not what it seems. A lyrical story that shows young readers how to appreciate the bounty of nature and the beauty of identity. \nThis event will take place at our outdoor paseo!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-erica-lee-schlaikjer-discusses-wild-greens-beautiful-girl/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/erica-600.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250212T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250212T114500
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250106T200208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250106T200208Z
UID:10007717-1739358000-1739360700@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Storytime with Mr. Steve and Miss Marie!
DESCRIPTION:Mr. Steve and the gang host story time every Wednesday at 11 AM in the upstairs children’s section of Vroman’s Bookstore.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-storytime-with-mr-steve-and-miss-marie-2/2025-02-12/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Families,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/storytime-website-image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250212T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250212T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250122T234812Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250122T234812Z
UID:10008035-1739386800-1739390400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Tommy Siegel discusses The Secret Lives of Candy Hearts
DESCRIPTION:Never have the secret lives of relationships been so clearly and amusingly on display as in Tommy Siegel’s Candy Hearts comics. \nTommy Siegel’s Candy Hearts comics reveal the most awkward and amusing truths about relationships\, and since their viral debut in 2020\, the inner world of Candy Hearts has only gotten stranger. This new collection of Candy Hearts comics explores topics like commitment\, cohabitation\, family dynamics\, pets\, dating apps\, and wedding planning. With dozens of comics never before seen in print or online\, The Secret Lives of Candy Hearts hits everything from disaster to happily-ever-after\, with hilarious resu
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-tommy-siegel-discusses-the-secret-lives-of-candy-hearts/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/tommy-siegel-website.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250215T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250215T120000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250123T000604Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250123T000604Z
UID:10008036-1739617200-1739620800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Will Power discusses Nana’s New Soul Food
DESCRIPTION:Theater pioneer Will Power inspires families to connect through healthy eating choices\, vegan soul food\, and community in this heartwarming story of a boy’s love for his grandmother–and good food! Includes a vegan recipe! \nCan healthy food be delicious food\, too? A young boy helps us discover that yes\, it can! Nana’s New Soul Food follows this energetic boy on an adventure with his mom to find healthy food in his neighborhood. Motivated by his love for his nana\, who has to change the way she eats because of her health\, the boy rediscovers his neighborhood while finding tasty vegan soul food. \nAward-winning playwright\, pioneer of hip-hop theater\, and performer Will Power injects masterful rhythm into this uplifting story of family and community\, which teaches us that healthy food can be a joy. The pages are graced with beautiful\, vibrant illustrations from Coretta Scott King Award Honor and Caldecott Honor illustrator R. Gregory Christie\, who captures the loving relationships within a family as they connect through their mission to make better eating choices. Back matter includes a fun recipe for Mango-Coconut-Lime Ice Pops courtesy of Chef Bryant Terry\, along with a letter from Will Power.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-will-power-discusses-nanas-new-soul-food/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/will-power-600.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250215T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250215T150000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250129T225341Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250129T225341Z
UID:10008057-1739628000-1739631600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Raegan Fordemwalt discusses Prince of Hearts
DESCRIPTION:Raegan Fordemwalt—poet and author of the runaway hit Lover Girl—is back with the highly anticipated follow-up collection of poetry and art\, Prince of Hearts. \nFollowing the success of Lover Girl\, Raegan Fordemwalt returns with Prince of Hearts. An indirect sequel to her bestselling debut\, this all-new collection of art and poetry takes readers along the narrator’s journey through abandonment and dismantled trust following the loss of significant relationships\, both platonic and romantic. \n A far-too-relatable retelling of the courage required to survive young love\, first heartbreaks\, and your early-20s\, Prince of Hearts is a look through both the rearview and the windshield along the journey to self-love.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-raegan-fordemwalt-discusses-prince-of-hearts/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/raegan-fordemwalt-website.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250215T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250215T150000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250225T190254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250225T190254Z
UID:10013141-1739628000-1739631600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Henry Lien discusses & signs Spring\, Summer\, Asteroid\, Bird: The Art of Eastern Storytelling
DESCRIPTION:Discussions in the West around diversity in the arts often focus on the identities of characters and creators. Speculative fiction author and writing instructor Henry Lien makes the pathbreaking argument that diversity is about more than just plopping different faces into stories that are 100 percent Western in spirit; it can–and should–encompass diverse structures\, themes\, and values. \nUsing examples ranging from Parasite to The Thousand and One Nights to the Mario video game franchise\, Lien shows how storytelling staples in the West\, such as the three-act structure and themes of empowerment and change\, are far from universal. He introduces the East Asian four-act structure (kishotenketsu)\, as well as circular and nested structures\, and explains how Eastern value systems such as collectivism can dictate form. Spring\, Summer\, Asteroid\, Bird is essential reading for any writer or reader who wants to broaden their understanding of how to tell a satisfying story.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-henry-lien-discusses-signs-spring-summer-asteroid-bird-the-art-of-eastern-storytelling/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/henry-lien-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250216T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250216T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250129T225557Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250129T225557Z
UID:10008058-1739721600-1739725200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Local Author Day Introducing Steve Fortunato & Nika Hogan
DESCRIPTION:Steve Fortunato presents The Urgent Recovery of Hospitality: How Rediscovering Generosity Restores a Civil World \nAre we losing the art of hospitality in an age dominated by entitlement and transactional relationships? \nIn The Urgent Recovery of Hospitality\, award-winning experience specialist Steve Fortunato illuminates how our modern interactions have been tainted by competition and celebrity culture\, leaving us feeling isolated and undervalued. Driven by his own personal confessions\, he implores us to rediscover the essence of true hospitality—where each interaction is rooted in authenticity and connection. Join Fortunato on this urgent journey to recover true hospitality\, where valuing others creates a virtuous cycle of generosity and understanding that enriches our communities and transforms our lives.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-local-author-day-introducing-steve-fortunato-nika-hogan/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/feb-local-author-600_0.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250217T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250217T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250129T225912Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250129T225936Z
UID:10008059-1739818800-1739822400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Alejandro Heredia\, in conversation with Myriam Gurba\, discusses Loca
DESCRIPTION:If Junot Diaz’s critically acclaimed collection Drown and Janet Mock’s Emmy-winning series Pose produced offspring\, Alejandro Heredia’s Loca would be their firstborn. \nIt’s 1999\, and best friends Sal and Charo are striving to hold on to their dreams in a New York determined to grind them down. Sal is a book-loving science nerd trying to grow beyond his dead-end job in a new city\, but he’s held back by tragic memories from his past in Santo Domingo. Free-spirited Charo is surprised to find herself a mother at twenty-five\, partnered with a controlling man\, working at the same supermarket for years\, her world shrunk to the very domesticity she thought she’d escaped in her old country. When Sal finds love at a gay club one night\, both his and Charo’s worlds unexpectedly open up to a vibrant social circle that pushes them to reckon with what they owe to their own selves\, pasts\, futures\, and\, always\, each otherdd \nLoca follows one daring year in the lives of young people living at the edge of their own patience and desires. With expansive grace\, it reveals both the grueling conditions that force people to migrate and the possibility of friendship as home when family\, nations\, and identity groups fall short.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-alejandro-heredia-in-conversation-with-myriam-gurba-discusses-loca/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/alejandro-heredia-website.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250219T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250219T114500
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250106T200208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250106T200208Z
UID:10007718-1739962800-1739965500@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Storytime with Mr. Steve and Miss Marie!
DESCRIPTION:Mr. Steve and the gang host story time every Wednesday at 11 AM in the upstairs children’s section of Vroman’s Bookstore.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-storytime-with-mr-steve-and-miss-marie-2/2025-02-19/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Families,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/storytime-website-image.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250219T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250219T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250129T230325Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250129T231123Z
UID:10008060-1739991600-1739995200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Julie Tieu\, in conversation with Erin La Rosa\, discusses Girl Most Likely To
DESCRIPTION:A frenemies-to-lovers contemporary romance by Julie Tieu which takes place over the course of one make-or-break evening\, almost entirely at a high school reunion…. \n“For the rom-com fans\, you can never go wrong with a Julie Tieu book.”— Buzzfeed \nRachel Dang once voted “Most Likely to Succeed” in high school\, is unemployed for the first time. After years of doing everything her boss asked\, it’s time to say yes to new opportunities. So when she gets invited to her twentieth high school reunion by none other than her former frenemy\, Danny Phan\, Rachel agrees despite their unresolved past. \nAs a teenager\, Danny was seen as smart\, but unfocused. Teachers often paired him with Rachel\, hoping her work ethic would rub off on him. Though Danny and Rachel weren’t exactly friends\, she had seen a different side of him\, one that only existed online over intimate late-night AIM chats that never translated into real life. When they meet again\, Rachel discovers their roles have reversed. Danny is thriving in his career while she’s the one flailing. \nThe reunion takes an unexpected turn when a simple errand takes them into town for a night of mishaps and misadventures where they run into a colorful cast of characters from their childhood. Rachel and Danny soon rediscover the feelings they once shared and must decide if this is only a quick trip down memory lane or a second chance for their happily ever after. \nErin La Rosa is the author of The Backtrack\, Plot Twist\, For Butter or Worse\, Womanskills\, and The Big Redhead Book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four daughters (two human\, and two feline).
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-julie-tieu-in-conversation-with-erin-la-rosa-discusses-girl-most-likely-to/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/julie-tieu-website_0.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250220T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250220T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250129T231413Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250129T231413Z
UID:10008061-1740078000-1740081600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Jenn Bregman discusses The Last Hamilton
DESCRIPTION:After the last heir of Alexander Hamilton’s line is murdered\, her heartbroken husband and best friend team up in this twisty thriller where a mysterious death uncovers not just an ancient secret society\, but the treasures it holds—perfect for fans of Dan Brown and Sarah Penner. \nThe more they know\, the more danger they’re in. \nWhen Elizabeth Walker\, the last heir of the Alexander Hamilton line\, is tragically killed by a subway train in New York\, foul play is immediately suspected. Elizabeth had been terrified\, frantic\, and manic during her last days\, running mysterious errands\, searching for a strange antique key\, and sending cryptic messages to her best friend\, Sarah Brockman. \nThe morning after Elizabeth’s death\, a box of tattered documents lands on Sarah’s doorstep\, confirming her suspicions about Elizabeth’s strange behavior and shocking death. She brings the box to Elizabeth’s grieving husband\, Ralph. Working together\, they are stunned to discover that Elizabeth was part of a secret society established by Hamilton himself to keep the United States just and free\, its influence woven into every  corner of the country’s history. As Sarah and Ralph race through the streets of New York to uncover the truth behind Elizabeth’s death\, they must stop an ingenious and sinister plot before someone else catches up to them–and the secrets of Hamilton’s society are lost forever. \nWith fascinating details from the shadows of American history\, The Last Hamilton is a sweeping and fast-paced thriller reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-jenn-bregman-discusses-the-last-hamilton/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/jen-bregman-website-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250222T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250222T120000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250129T231941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250129T231941Z
UID:10008063-1740222000-1740225600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  TICKETED - Patrick Renna signs A Little Slugger’s Guide to the Unwritten Rules of Baseball and Life
DESCRIPTION:Patrick Renna (The Sandlot) signs copies of his book A Little Slugger’s Guide to the Unwritten Rules of Baseball and Life.\nPatrick Renna\, best known for his role in the 1993 film The Sandlot\, offers baseball-themed anecdotes and affirmations. Heartfelt reminders that life’s a marathon\, not a sprint\, may be familiar\, but many young readers will find them revelatory. The author also stresses that failure is just as much a part of life as success\, encourages children to embrace individuality and work hard despite being the underdog\, and emphasizes that practice shows commitment and “prepares you for the big game or the test.” All these lessons will be relatable to young people\, and many are supported by real-life stories: basketball superstar Michael Jordan’s short-lived stint in minor league baseball\, an unexpected victory during Game One of the 2015 World Series\, and Renna’s willingness to swallow his fear when\, as a young teen\, he was handed a new script just an hour before shooting a pivotal scene inThe Sandlot. Each tidbit stands alone\, but taken together\, all 20 tenets provide a lively road map to life. The colorful spot art features images of diverse young baseball players\, plus some visually appealing double-page spreads filled with movement and action. White space is used thoughtfully\, allowing readers to reflect on how these words of wisdom might apply to them. A solid base hit\, with guidance on the great American pastime–and life itself. \nThis ticketed event is a book signing & photo op only and tickets include a copy of A Little Slugger’s Guide to the Unwritten Rules of Baseball and Life\, to be picked up at check in the day of the event. \nEvent Guidelines: \nPatrick Renna will be signing the book only\, no memorabilia. \nPhoto op pictures will be taken with your camera by a Vroman’s employee.plays \nQuestions? Please email us at email@vromansbookstore.com
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-patrick-renna-signs-a-little-sluggers-guide-to-the-unwritten-rules-of-baseball-and-life/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Families,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250225T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250225T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250225T192920Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250225T192920Z
UID:10013148-1740470400-1740502800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Unsolicited Press Reading featuring Raki Kopernik\, Darci Schummer\, Robin Leigh Lear\, and Kerry Donoghue
DESCRIPTION:Raki Kopernik Bio: \nRaki is a first generation American\, queer\, Jewish writer. She is the author of The Things You Left and The Memory House\, both Minnesota Book Award finalists. Her work has appeared in numerous publications and has been shortlisted and nominated for several other awards\, including the Pushcart Prize for Fiction and the Pen Faulkner Award in Fiction. Her queer travel novel\, No One’s Leaving\, is forthcoming from Unsolicited Press in 2025. She teaches creative writing both at The Minneapolis College of Art and Design and at Augsburg University. You can find her here and follow on Instagram @rakikopernik \nWebsite: https://www.rakikopernik.com/ \nDarci Schummer Bio:  \nDarci Schummer is the author of the story collection Six Months in the Midwest (Unsolicited Press)\, the novel The Ballad of Two Sisters (Unsolicited Press)\, and the poetry chapbook The Book of Orion (Bottlecap Press). Her fiction\, poetry\, and essays have appeared in Ninth Letter\, Folio\, Jet Fuel Review\, MAYDAY\, Matchbook\, Necessary Fiction\, Sundog Lit\, and Pithead Chapel\, among many other places. She has been nominated both for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net\, and in 2023\, she was the artist-in-residence at the LaPointe Center for the Arts in LaPointe\, Wisconsin\, on Madeline Island. She is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing and the Director of Creative Writing at Colorado State University Pueblo. \nWebsite: https://www.darcischummer.com/ \nRobyn Leigh Lear Bio: \nRobyn Leigh Lear is the Creative Director for April Gloaming Publishing\, Associate Professor\, and poet living in Nashville\, TN. She is currently finalizing her second manuscript\, Yonderling\, written under the mentorship of Diane Seuss. \n\nKerry Donoghue Bio:\nKerry Donoghue’s poetry and stories have appeared in Ninth Letter\, Painted Bride Quarterly\, Permafrost\, the Louisville Review\, and the South Carolina Review\, among other journals. She also wrote The Loudest Voice of All\, a children’s book\, to fundraise for an organization that educates girls about the power of voting. She earned an MFA in Writing from the University of San Francisco and lives in the Bay Area with her family. Mouth is her first book. \nWebsite: www.kerrydonoghue.com
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-unsolicited-press-reading-featuring-raki-kopernik-darci-schummer-robin-leigh-lear-and-kerry-donoghue/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250225T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250225T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250129T233057Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250129T233057Z
UID:10008064-1740510000-1740513600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Jennifer Finney Boylan\, in conversation with Colm Tóibín\, discusses Cleavage
DESCRIPTION:This event is co-sponsored by PEN America.\nWhat is the difference between men and women? Jennifer Finney Boylan\, bestselling author of She’s Not There and co-author of Mad Honey with Jodi Picoult\, examines the divisions—as well as the common ground—between the genders\, and reflects on her own experiences\, both difficult and joyful\, as a transgender American. \nJennifer Finney Boylan’s She’s Not There was the first bestselling work written by a transgender American. Since its publication twenty years ago\, she has become the go-to person for insight into the impact of gender on our lives\, from the food we eat to the dreams we dream\, both for ourselves and for our children. But Cleavage is more than a deep dive into gender identity; it’s also a look at the difference between coming out as trans in 2000—when many people reacted to Boylan’s transition with love—and the present era of blowback and fear. \nHow does gender affect our sense of self? Our body image? The passage of time? The friends we lose—and keep? Boylan considers her womanhood\, reflects on the boys and men who shaped her\, and reconceives of herself as a writer\, activist\, parent\, and spouse. With heart-wrenching honesty\, she illustrates the feeling of liminality that followed her to adulthood\, but demonstrates the redemptive power of love through it all. \nWith Boylan’s trademark humor and poignancy\, Cleavage is a sharp\, witty\, and captivating look at the triumphs and losses of a life lived in two genders. Cleavage provides hope for a future in which we all have the freedom to live joyfully as men\, as women\, and in the space between us.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-jennifer-finney-boylan-in-conversation-with-colm-toibin-discusses-cleavage/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,Vroman's Bookstore
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250225T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250225T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250225T182221Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250225T182221Z
UID:10013130-1740510000-1740513600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Rick Jackson and Matthew McGough discuss Black Tunnel White Magic: A Murder\, a Detective’s Obsession\, and ’90s Los Angeles at the Brink
DESCRIPTION:Detective Rick Jackson\, a decorated LAPD detective and a key inspiration in the development of Harry Bosch\, delivers a shocking and immersive look into the one case he could never let go. \nIn June 1990\, Ronald Baker\, a straight-A UCLA student\, was found repeatedly stabbed to death in a tunnel near Spahn Ranch\, where Charles Manson and his followers once lived. Shortly thereafter\, Detective Rick Jackson and his partner\, Frank Garcia\, were assigned the case. Yet the facts made no sense. Who would have a motive to kill Ron Baker in such a grisly manor? Was the proximity to the Manson ranch related to the murder? And what about the pentagram pendant Ron wore around his neck? \nJackson and Garcia soon focused their investigation on Baker’s two male roommates\, one Black\, and one white. What emerges is at once a story of confounding betrayal and cold-hearted intentions\, as well as a larger portrait of an embattled Los Angeles\, a city in the grip of the Satanic Panic and grappling with questions of racial injustice and police brutality in the wake of Rodney King. \nIn straightforward\, matter-of-fact prose\, Rick Jackson\, the now-retired police detective who helped inspire Michael Connelly’s beloved Harry Bosch\, along with co-writer\, Matthew McGough\, take us through the events as he and his partner experienced them\, piecing together the truth with each emerging clue. Black Tunnel White Magic is the true story of a murder in cold blood\, deception and betrayal\, and a city at the brink\, set forth by the only man who could tell it.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-rick-jackson-and-matthew-mcgough-discuss-black-tunnel-white-magic-a-murder-a-detectives-obsession-and-90s-los-angeles-at-the-brink/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250226T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250226T114500
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250106T200208Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250106T200208Z
UID:10007719-1740567600-1740570300@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Storytime with Mr. Steve and Miss Marie!
DESCRIPTION:Mr. Steve and the gang host story time every Wednesday at 11 AM in the upstairs children’s section of Vroman’s Bookstore.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-storytime-with-mr-steve-and-miss-marie-2/2025-02-26/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Families,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/storytime-website-image.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250227T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250227T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T125751
CREATED:20250129T233329Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250129T233407Z
UID:10008065-1740682800-1740686400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Michael Hiltzik discusses Golden State: The Making of California
DESCRIPTION:California has long reigned as the land of plenty\, a place where the sun always shines and opportunity beckons. Even before its statehood in 1850\, it captured the world’s imagination. We think of bearded prospectors lured by the promise of gold; we imagine its early embrace of immigrant labor during the railroad boom asa  prologue to its diverse social fabric today. But what lies underneath the myth is far more complicated. \n  \nThanks to extensive research by Michael Hiltzik\, one of our longstanding voices on California\, Golden State uncovers the unvarnished truth about the state we think we know well. From Spanish incursions into what became known as Alta California to the rise of Big Tech\, the history of California is one of stark contradictions. In rich\, previously overlooked detail\, we see its earliest statesmen wreak havoc among native peoples while racing to draft their own constitution even ahead of statehood. Gold-hungry settlers venture into the Sierra foothills only to leave with little\, while a handful of their suppliers turn themselves into millionaire railroad magnates. Wars erupt in the name of water as Los Angeles booms\, and early efforts to tame the vast landscape create a haven for fossil fuel extraction and environmental conservation alike. Hollywood politicians stoke fear\, contributing to a centuries-long tradition of anti-Asian violence\, and\, remarkably\, legal redlining and free higher education take root together. \n  \nGolden State brings a fresh critical eye to the origins of the state against which the rest of the country measures itself. From its very start\, Hiltzik shows\, that the story of the United States was written in California.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-michael-hiltzik-discusses-golden-state-the-making-of-california/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
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