BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Playhouse Village Association - ECPv6.18.0//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Playhouse Village Association
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://playhousevillage.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Playhouse Village Association
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Los_Angeles
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20250309T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20251102T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20260308T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20261101T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20270314T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20271107T090000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260901T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260901T190000
DTSTAMP:20260817T224348Z
CREATED:20260817T224118Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T224348Z
UID:10015811-1788289200-1788289200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Joseph Fink\, in conversation with Mara Wilson\, discusses & signs The Nudge: A Psychological Thriller
DESCRIPTION:A purchase of the book from Vroman’s is greatly appreciated and makes events like this possible.\nA new horror novella from the creator of Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn’t Dead featuring original illustrations from Night Vale series artist Jessica Hayworth. \nOn the open road\, evil doesn’t chase you. It waits . . . \nLate one night\, a wounded man checks into a remote roadside hotel. He’s running from something he can’t explain or escape. And over the course of a night\, he’ll tell the hotel’s proprietor how his life fell apart. \nIt started with his wife. Subtle changes. Smiles that didn’t belong to her. Then violence–sudden\, intimate\, almost casual. Therapy offered hope. Recovery seemed possible. Until it wasn’t. He believes a hidden influence has attached itself to him\, one that never forces\, never commands. It whispers. It suggests. Nudges people toward their worst impulses. \nNow the man wanders the country as a fugitive\, hoping to break free from the evil that’s wormed its way into him. But as our narrator’s story unfolds\, he begins to question whether he’s fled far enough . . . \nTense\, atmospheric\, and chilling\, The Nudge is a slow-burn tale of suspense that will linger like a whisper in the dark\, long after the story is over. \nCan’t make it to the event but still want a signed copy? Pre-order your signed copy here.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-2/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/joseph-fink-2_0.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260902T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260902T190000
DTSTAMP:20260817T224626Z
CREATED:20260817T224626Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T224626Z
UID:10015812-1788375600-1788375600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Andre Hardy\, in conversation with Mark Sarvas\, discusses & signs Tear the City Down
DESCRIPTION:This debut novel from a former NFL player is a hard-hitting\, heart-wrenching crime novel that brilliantly blends elements of jazz\, football\, and a gritty portrait of a city divided–perfect for fans of S.A. Cosby and Walter Mosley. \nColtrane Davis is at once a knight and a hustler. He has risen to wealth and success\, graduating from San Diego’s back alleys to the halls of power through his partnership with Saul Sollman\, a crooked kingmaker among the city’s elite. Running multimillion-dollar scams with Saul\, he has been Saul’s fixer\, but now he wants out of the hustle so that he can focus on his teenage daughter’s burgeoning tennis career and finally be the dad he has always wanted to be. \nBut when the Los Angeles Chargers’ star running back vanishes one evening before a big game\, Coltrane is drawn into an investigation of what happened by Saul and his protégé\, the player’s agent; the stakes escalate with a gut-punch when the trail leads into San Diego’s underworld of drugs and prostitution and reveals clues to the disappearance of his daughter’s best friend\, whose loss has haunted him. \nTorn by the unreconcilable demands of the life he can’t seem to quit and the fierce desire he has to protect his own\, Coltrane brings himself and his loved ones to the brink of destruction in his quest to free himself once and for all of Saul’s control–and focus on what really matters: family.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-andre-hardy-in-conversation-with-mark-sarvas-discusses-signs-tear-the-city-down/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/andre-hardy.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260903T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260903T190000
DTSTAMP:20260817T224932Z
CREATED:20260817T224932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T224932Z
UID:10015813-1788462000-1788462000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Sonali Kolhatkar discusses & signs Breaking Ice: Community Defense Against State Terror and Maga Fascism
DESCRIPTION:A gripping\, on-the-ground account of the growing movement against state violence\, featuring interviews with those on the frontlines of the fight for immigrant justice and what it means to belong. \nFeatures a foreword by Salvadoran American journalist and author Roberto Lovato. \nA war is being waged on the streets of the United States of America: MAGA’s violent anti-immigration regime is being challenged by a growing national movement dedicated to protecting communities and reversing racist and authoritarian policies. In Breaking ICE\, award-winning journalist Sonali Kolhatkar presents her conversations with over a dozen movement organizers\, lawyers\, artists\, labor leaders\, and scholars on the frontlines of the fight. Through their courageous stories\, Kolhatkar documents the impact of ICE violence\, workplace raids\, mass surveillance\, and intimidation tactics\, and how communities from Maine to California are organizing for a better world. Our present actions will not only determine the nature of American demographics from here on out\, but also whether the future of the United States will look like an open multiracial democracy or a fascist police state. \nFeatures conversations with: Pablo Alvarado\, Nikki Marín Baena\, Eduardo Delgado\, Adela de la Torre\, Shannon Gibney\, Ron Gochez\, David Huerta\, Ibram X. Kendi\, Robin D. G. Kelley\, Josefina Lopez\, Leonardo Martinez\, Christine Neumann-Ortiz\, Viet Thanh Nguyen\, Favianna Rodriguez\, Luis Rodriguez\, Ruben Torres\, Richard Wallace\, Yohuru Williams\, and Kent Wong. Foreword by Roberto Lovato.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-sonali-kolhatkar-discusses-signs-breaking-ice-community-defense-against-state-terror-and-maga-fascism/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sonali-kolhatkar.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260904T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260904T190000
DTSTAMP:20260817T225445Z
CREATED:20260817T225445Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T225445Z
UID:10015814-1788548400-1788548400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Sara Kehaulani Goo discusses & signs Kuleana: A Story of Family\, Land\, and Legacy in Old Hawai'i
DESCRIPTION:Set in one of the world’s most beautiful landscapes\, Kuleana is the story of an award-winning journalist’s effort to hold on to her family’s ancestral Hawaiian lands—and find herself along the way. \n“A powerful story of land\, belonging\, loss\, and survival that challenges us all to think about what we are responsible for.” —Rebecca Nagle\, bestselling author of By the Fire We Carry \nFrom an early age\, Sara Kehaulani Goo was enchanted by her family’s land in Hawai‘i. The vast area on the rugged shores of Maui’s east side—given by King Kamehameha III in 1848—extends from mountain to sea\, encompassing ninety acres of lush\, undeveloped rainforest jungle along the rocky coastline and a massive sixteenth-century temple with a mysterious past. \nWhen a property tax bill arrives with a 500 percent increase\, Sara and her family members are forced to make a decision about the property: fight to keep the land or sell to the next offshore millionaire. When Sara returns to Maui from the mainland\, she reconnects with her great-uncle Take and uncovers the story of how much land her family has already lost over generations\, centuries-old artifacts from the temple\, and the insidious displacement of Native Hawaiians by systemic forces. \nPart journalistic offering and part memoir\, Kuleana interrogates deeper questions of identity\, legacy\, and what we owe to those who come before and after us. Sara’s breathtaking story of unexpected homecomings\, familial hardship\, and fierce devotion to ancestry creates a refreshingly new narrative about Hawai‘i\, its native people\, and their struggle to hold on to their land and culture today.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-sara-kehaulani-goo-discusses-signs-kuleana-a-story-of-family-land-and-legacy-in-old-hawaii/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sara-kehaulani-goo.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260908T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260908T190000
DTSTAMP:20260817T225709Z
CREATED:20260817T225709Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T225709Z
UID:10015815-1788894000-1788894000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Dan Werb discusses & signs Our Wild Familiars: How Animals Are Adapting to Cities and Reshaping the Natural World
DESCRIPTION:A dazzling journey into the hidden lives of synanthropes\, the wild animals who’ve found ingenious ways to survive and thrive in human communities—from award-winning writer and scientist Dan Werb \nSynanthropes have always been an immutable part of the tapestry of our lives. They are the reason we hear birdsong in the morning and skittering throughout the day\, and why we take such pains to fix lids to our garbage cans. But they are so much more than that\, too: epidemic vectors\, churners of soil\, ecosystem evolvers\, spiritual lodestars\, and\, sometimes\, sharp-toothed marauders making their way through our most intimate spaces with cruel intent. But beyond their quotidian impact on our lives\, synanthropes have a critical part to play in how our communities are shaped and how sustainably they function. These creatures are ambassadors from nature\, arbiters of our planet’s future\, and a key influence on our species’ ongoing evolution; and recently\, something essential has shifted with them. \nWe are in a fraught era of environmental disruption\, habitat destruction\, and human population expansion that is ravaging formerly wild and untouched habitats. That’s caused us to become ever more inundated with synanthropes\, which are bringing delight\, chaos and danger to our doorstep. These species\, so long dismissed\, are forcing us to reckon with them—from the hundreds of thousands of raccoons in urban spaces that spread our refuse no matter how many “raccoon-proof” bags and bins we invent\, to the invasive kudzu plants that grow a foot a day\, enveloping houses\, telephone poles\, trees\, and any other structures into their green abyss. Now\, as urban spaces increasingly become wild spaces\, we have a choice: continue to resist them by any means necessary\, or take the opportunity to promote a more harmonious coexistence. \nThrough vivid storytelling\, Our Wild Familiars brings to spectacular life the world’s most successful synanthropes\, from bats\, raccoons\, and crows\, to some of its weirdest\, including the Giant Pacific Octopus. Acting as a guide to the curious\, Werb reveals how the cracks in our millennia-long efforts to shield ourselves against the outside world might just lead us to a new and necessary balance with nature—or to an ever more savage future.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-dan-werb-discusses-signs-our-wild-familiars-how-animals-are-adapting-to-cities-and-reshaping-the-natural-world/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/dan-werb.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260909T190000
DTSTAMP:20260817T230055Z
CREATED:20260817T230055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T230055Z
UID:10015816-1788980400-1788980400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kate Stayman-London\, in conversation with Maurene Goo\, discusses & signs See You Next Tuesday
DESCRIPTION:From the bestselling author of One to Watch comes a heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance perfect for fans of The West Wing and When Harry Met Sally\, featuring two campaign staffers who agree on their politics\, but disagree on everything else. \n“A West Wing love story with Heated Rivalry storytelling . . . all of the heat of an enemies-to-lovers romance with the adrenaline-pumping excitement of a political drama . . . charming\, propulsive\, topical.”–Iman Hariri-Kia\, bestselling author of Female Fantasy \nIn every election\, they’re the issue. \nAnya Katz is Type A and highly driven with unfaltering morals; she’s never met a group project she wouldn’t rather do all by herself. Gabe Hunt is a staggeringly handsome and charming golden boy who’ll do whatever it takes to win. At work on Democratic campaigns\, Anya and Gabe fight about everything–but how long can they fight their undeniable attraction? \nSee You Next Tuesday follows Anya and Gabe through a decade of elections\, from all-night phone banks and piles of greasy takeout to glitzy celebrity fundraisers and presidential debates. They say politics is the art of making change\, but working in politics changes you–and Anya and Gabe navigate dizzying highs and devastating lows in their professional and personal lives as they evolve from enemies to grudgingly respectful colleagues to best friends to lovers . . . to bitter rivals. \nWith breakneck banter\, sizzling chemistry\, and clear-eyed optimism\, See You Next Tuesday is an uplifting and addictive portrait of two lovers passionately working to make history–if only they can overcome their own.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kate-stayman-london-in-conversation-with-maurene-goo-discusses-signs-see-you-next-tuesday/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/kate-stayman-london.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260910T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260910T190000
DTSTAMP:20260817T230437Z
CREATED:20260817T230437Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T230437Z
UID:10015817-1789066800-1789066800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Michelle Berenfeld discusses & signs Lessons from a Lost Republic: What Ancient Rome Can Teach Us about This American Moment
DESCRIPTION:A lively pocket history of the Roman Republic’s collapse–and its unsettling echoes in our own political moment. \nAmericans are obsessed with Rome. Billionaires and manosphere pundits wax on about its military might\, its gladiators\, its emperors\, its greatness. \nBut we’re telling ourselves the wrong story. \nIn this sharp\, eye-opening account\, classics professor Michelle Berenfeld redirects our gaze. The Roman Empire isn’t the lesson–the Roman Republic is. Nearly five centuries of representative government\, undone by forces that should sound familiar: wealth and power concentrated in the hands of elites\, rampant political violence\, endless expansionist wars\, and a Senate that normalized emergency measures until it had nothing left to protect. One by one\, aspiring strongmen seized what the Senate had surrendered\, stretching the limits of their legal power\, using the military against their own people\, undermining elections\, and killing their enemies–until one of them\, Augustus\, gained total control and became an emperor. \nBerenfeld’s argument is both clarifying and urgent: Rome’s slide into autocracy was not inevitable–and neither is ours. Smart\, spirited\, and packed with revelatory detail\, Lessons from a Lost Republic is a wake-up call two thousand years in the making\, a reminder that the republic is ours to protect.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-michelle-berenfeld-discusses-signs-lessons-from-a-lost-republic-what-ancient-rome-can-teach-us-about-this-american-moment/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/michelle-berenfeld.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260912T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260912T110000
DTSTAMP:20260817T230936Z
CREATED:20260817T230936Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T230936Z
UID:10015818-1789210800-1789210800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Sandra Equihua reads from & signs Hola\, Lola! to the Bodega: A Bilingual First Words Book/¡hola\, Lola! a la Bodega: Un Libro Bilingã1/4e de Primeras Palabras
DESCRIPTION:A bilingual picture book from the Emmy Award-winning creator of El Tigre\, featuring a spunky girl on a mission at the local bodega for her grandfather’s birthday. With over 100 first words in English and Spanish! \nUn libro bilingüe\, de la creadora de la serie El Tigre: las aventuras de Manny Rivera\, y ganadora de un premio Emmy\, protagonizado por una niña alegre con una misión en la bodega para el cumpleaños de su abuelito. ¡Con más de 100 primeras palabras en inglés y español! \nIt’s Abuelito’s birthday\, and Lola must go to the neighborhood bodega to get a candle for his cake! But there’s just so much at the store that catches Lola’s eye\, from the fresh fruits and vegetables to the delicious sandwiches at the deli counter–not to mention the sweet breads and paletas. \nLittle ones will lose themselves in the aisles along with Lola as she delves into all areas of the bodega. English and Spanish labels introduce young readers to all the common foods and items found at the grocery store. \nEs el cumpleaños del abuelito de Lola\, y ella debe ir a la tiendita de la esquina a comprarle ¡una vela para el pastel! Pero hay tanto que ver en la tienda que se distrae\, desde la fruta fresca y los vegetales hasta los sándwiches en los mostradores. ¡Y no hay que olvidar el pan dulce y las paletas! \nLos pequeños se perderán en los pasillos junto con Lola mientras ella explora la bodega. Las etiquetas en inglés y español introducen a pequeños lectores a todas las comidas y los artículos que se encuentran en una tienda.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-sandra-equihua-reads-from-signs-hola-lola-to-the-bodega-a-bilingual-first-words-book-ahola-lola-a-la-bodega-un-libro-bilinga1-4e-de-primeras-palabras/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/sandra-equihua.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260913T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260913T150000
DTSTAMP:20260817T231605Z
CREATED:20260817T231605Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260817T231605Z
UID:10015819-1789311600-1789311600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Marie Miranda Cruz discusses & signs A Boy Called Hero
DESCRIPTION:A time-travel adventure story about finding ways to make a difference\, connect with others\, and be true to yourself no matter where (or when) you are. \nTwelve-year-old Hero Del Rosario isn’t happy about staying with his grandfather in the Philippines while the rest of his family takes a trip back to the States. He’s always been the overlooked one\, the one who gets left behind\, the one who–despite his name–is nothing special. But when he’s transported more than a century into the past\, he suddenly has bigger problems. \nIt’s 1892\, and the Philippines is controlled by Spain. Hero doesn’t know how he got here or how to get home. Luckily\, he meets two kids his age–his great-great-grandfather\, Teo\, and Teo’s twin sister\, Olivia–who take Hero under their wing. \nHero’s ancestors are secretly resisting the oppressive colonial government and working for Philippine independence. Their current mission: distributing copies of a banned book that promotes revolutionary ideas. Soon\, Hero is drawn into this work . . . and discovers that he may be able to live up to his name after all. \nAs the Spanish authorities close in\, Hero must act fast to save his family and the seeds of revolution―without losing his chance to return to his own time.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-marie-miranda-cruz-discusses-signs-a-boy-called-hero/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/9798765690734.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260915T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260915T190000
DTSTAMP:20260818T160652Z
CREATED:20260818T160652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T160652Z
UID:10015820-1789498800-1789498800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kaitlin Reilly\, discusses & signs Look What You Did
DESCRIPTION:A page-turning debut thriller for fans of Kathleen Glasgow and Megan Lally about a teen who must confront her own buried trauma to clear her friend’s name of murder and expose the dark secrets of her small town. \n“I know about Will….I know what he did that night” \nAfter the tragic death of golden boy Will Ashford\, everyone in town is in mourning. Or almost everyone. Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie couldn’t be more relieved. Because she knows Will’s veneer of perfection hid something dark and dangerous. It was a truth she learned one night at the Ashford house and swore never to tell. \nBut her plan is threatened when she starts receiving texts from an unknown number. Someone knows the secret Mackenzie has tried so hard to hide–and they are determined to reveal it. \nWhen Mackenzie’s former best friend is found dead\, she is convinced the anonymous texter is connected to her murder\, and she will stop at nothing to find them. But doing so will mean confronting the trauma she’s fought so hard to suppress and exposing the dark secrets her town has tried to keep buried–or risk being the next girl dead.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kaitlin-reilly-discusses-signs-look-what-you-did/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/kaitlin-reilly.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T110000
DTSTAMP:20260818T161103Z
CREATED:20260818T161103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T161103Z
UID:10015821-1789808400-1789815600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore - Blood Drive
DESCRIPTION:Draw Hours : 9 – 11 a.m. and 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.\nLunch/Break : 11:50 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.\nPlease click here to schedule your appointment. Walk-ins are welcome!\nPlease eat and stay hydrated prior to donation.\nFor any questions regarding donating blood\, please call Huntington Hospital’s Blood Donor Center at (626) 397-5422.\nAll donors will receive a $10 giſt card to In-N-Out or Starbucks for their\nlifesaving donation
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-blood-drive/2026-09-19/1/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/D84CE80947F7A2C559243268A728D594_200124925.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T110000
DTSTAMP:20260818T161955Z
CREATED:20260818T161955Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T161955Z
UID:10015824-1789815600-1789815600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Caroline L. Perry & Sydney Hanson read from & sign I Am Not Grumpy! (Critter Complaints)
DESCRIPTION:In the vein of Grumpy Monkey and Unicorns are the Worst!\, this laugh-out-loud picture book from the creators of I Am Not Happy! gives voice to a black rain frog who swears she’s not grumpy–despite what her expression may suggest! \nWith a cozy burrow\, puddles to play in\, and a never-ending buffet of juicy bugs\, this black rain frog is the happiest amphibian in the land…so why does everyone think she’s grumpy? Sure\, she may have a permanent pout that you might call a serious case of “Resting Frog Face\,” but this sulky squeaker is as content as can be. Don’t you believe her? \nThe cheerful little frog teaches her animal neighbors to not judge a critter by its cover in this hilarious and heartwarming story.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-caroline-l-perry-sydney-hanson-read-from-sign-i-am-not-grumpy-critter-complaints/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/caroline-l-perry-sydney-hanson.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T153000
DTSTAMP:20260818T161103Z
CREATED:20260818T161103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T161103Z
UID:10015822-1789821000-1789831800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore - Blood Drive
DESCRIPTION:Draw Hours : 9 – 11 a.m. and 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.\nLunch/Break : 11:50 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.\nPlease click here to schedule your appointment. Walk-ins are welcome!\nPlease eat and stay hydrated prior to donation.\nFor any questions regarding donating blood\, please call Huntington Hospital’s Blood Donor Center at (626) 397-5422.\nAll donors will receive a $10 giſt card to In-N-Out or Starbucks for their\nlifesaving donation
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-blood-drive/2026-09-19/2/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/D84CE80947F7A2C559243268A728D594_200124925.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T140000
DTSTAMP:20260818T162217Z
CREATED:20260818T162217Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T162217Z
UID:10015825-1789826400-1789826400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Alina Chau discusses & signs Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven
DESCRIPTION:Drawing from classic Chinese adventure Journey to the West\, Alina Chau’s bright new adaptation centers on the Monkey King’s wild beginnings and brings one of mythology’s most unforgettable troublemakers to life in a whole new way. \nSun Wukong wasn’t born in the usual way–he hatched from an egg atop Hua Guo Mountain\, full of big dreams and an even bigger attitude. With a shape-shifting staff\, a cloud he can ride like lightning\, and an unstoppable belief in himself\, Wukong isn’t just another monkey . . . he’s the Monkey King. \nWhen word of his wild powers reaches the Heavenly Realm\, the gods try to keep him close to prevent any chaos. But Wukong didn’t come all this way to play by someone else’s rules. And when he decides to shake things up\, the skies themselves might not be ready for the storm he’s about to unleash. Can one monkey’s mischief really cause an uproar in heaven? \nCombining Alina’s sumptuous\, dreamy art with a faithful\, respectful adaptation of a favorite mythical tale\, Uproar in Heaven still manages to be as much fun as a barrel full of monkeys.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-alina-chau-discusses-signs-monkey-king-uproar-in-heaven/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/alina-chau.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260919T190000
DTSTAMP:20260818T161500Z
CREATED:20260818T161500Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T161500Z
UID:10015823-1789844400-1789844400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  TICKETED - Dolph Lundgren\, presents Fights Worth Fighting
DESCRIPTION:Best known for his role as Ivan Drago in Rocky IV\, Lundgren skyrocketed to fame in the 1980s and has since built a remarkable career spanning over a hundred films—including producing\, writing\, and directing multiple projects. But beyond the on-screen battles lies a far more compelling story: the real-life fights Lundgren has faced behind the scenes. \nIn this deeply personal account\, Lundgren opens up about his upbringing in Sweden\, his rise from a chemical engineering student to a martial arts champion\, and his eventual transformation into an international movie star. He explores the pressures of fame\, the emotional and physical toll of life in a cutthroat industry\, and his private struggles. Now\, as he faces his most difficult challenge yet—a fight against cancer—Lundgren reflects on the cost of survival and what it truly means to keep going. \nMore than just a Hollywood memoir\, Fights Worth Fighting is a guide to resilience. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Be Useful\, it blends life lessons with personal storytelling\, offering practical insights on discipline\, reinvention\, and the importance of mental and emotional strength. \nLundgren’s story arrives at a time when audiences crave authenticity. This isn’t just the tale of a movie star—it’s a call to arms for anyone struggling with their own battles. Candid\, inspiring\, and unexpectedly vulnerable\, Fights Worth Fighting shows us that real strength isn’t just about winning—it’s about continuing the fight when no one’s watching. \nThis is a ticketed event at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Tickets include one entry and one copy of Fights Worth Fighting to be handed out at check-in.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-dolph-lundgren-presents-fights-worth-fighting/
LOCATION:Pasadena Presbyterian Church\, 585 East Colorado Boulevard\, Pasadena \, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/dolph-lundgren-2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260923T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260923T190000
DTSTAMP:20260818T162515Z
CREATED:20260818T162515Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T162515Z
UID:10015826-1790190000-1790190000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Reading Group: Remarkably Bright Creatures
DESCRIPTION:The Vroman’s Fiction Reading Group explores contemporary fiction -– long and short -– from a diverse selection of writers.  Enjoy lively discussions at our one-hour meetings.  Our Fiction Reading Group is free and inclusive – there are no requirements nor criteria to join. We announce upcoming titles 3-6 months in advance and choose titles that are available in paperback.  Drop by our next meeting! \nSeptember’s pick is Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. \nFiction Reading Group meetings are held inside Vroman’s Bookstore on the second floor in the event space.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-reading-group-remarkably-bright-creatures/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/heading-26.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260924T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260924T190000
DTSTAMP:20260818T162749Z
CREATED:20260818T162749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T162749Z
UID:10015827-1790276400-1790276400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Nadia Bowers & Stephanie Wittels Wachs discuss their books\, Dear Dealer: A Memoir\, and Last Day: How to Stop Losing Our Loved Ones to the Opioid Crisis
DESCRIPTION:About Dear Dealer: \nFor readers of Beautiful Boy and The Night of the Gun\, this gripping memoir explores addiction\, grief\, and family trauma as one woman goes in search of her sister’s killer. \nIn the summer of 2015\, Nadia Bowers’s beloved older sister\, Sasha—a social worker and Ivy League graduate—was found in her car in a restaurant parking lot in their hometown outside New Haven\, Connecticut\, dead from a fentanyl overdose. Plunged into grief\, equipped with Sasha’s phone\, and just weeks from giving birth to her first child\, Nadia began to investigate her sister’s shadow life: who sold Sasha the drugs that killed her? Did they know each other well? Did the dealer have any idea who Sasha was\, outside of addiction? \nExpanding on her viral 2018 This American Life essay of the same name—a letter to this imagined dealer—Bowers’s memoir is a love letter\, a diary\, and a quest in search of the dealer’s identity\, as well as her own. Who is she without her sister? Who is she because of her sister? And what now? Bowers reflects on her shifting roles as sister and mother\, examining how loss has reshaped her sense of self. Her letters to the faceless dealer are interwoven with rage\, reflection\, and even moments of humor as she recounts their intertwined lives alongside memories of charismatic and complex Sasha. \nRooted in unflinching honesty and poetic prose\, Dear Dealer is a richly compelling account of one woman’s search for meaning\, forgiveness\, and hope in the aftermath of tragedy. \nAbout Last Day: \nBased on the groundbreaking podcast of the same name\, Last Day weaves together a heartbreaking story of personal loss and an unflinching investigation of what could have prevented it. Alongside expert voices on opioid addiction\, Stephanie Wittels Wachs issues a clarion call for change in an ongoing and overwhelming opioid crisis. \nBased on the groundbreaking podcast of the same name\, Last Day is borne of Stephanie Wittels Wachs’s determination to shed light on the ongoing opioid epidemic in America. \nAfter the tragic and untimely death of her brother Harris Wittels to an opioid overdose\, Stephanie connected with Jessica Cordova Kramer\, whose brother died under nearly identical circumstances. Together they launched Last Day\, a podcast that facilitates unflinching conversations with addiction specialists\, harm reductionists\, people in long-term recovery\, public policy experts pushing for reform\, and many others\, to determine what could have saved their brothers lives and how we can prevent overdose deaths moving forward. \nTen years ago\, Stephanie lost her brother—her person—and over the last seven years\, her interviews and research have become a vital resource for others fighting not to lose their person. Heartbreaking yet deeply hopeful\, Last Day is\, at its core\, a powerful story of love that endures long after loss.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-nadia-bowers-stephanie-wittels-wachs-discuss-their-books-dear-dealer-a-memoir-and-last-day-how-to-stop-losing-our-loved-ones-to-the-opioid-crisis/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/9781668037898.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260927T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260927T160000
DTSTAMP:20260818T163030Z
CREATED:20260818T163030Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T163030Z
UID:10015828-1790524800-1790524800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Local Author Day Introducing m.a. Arana\, Esma Ali & Paul J. Ramirez
DESCRIPTION:With entrancing violet eyes and telepathic gifts\, Jalyn Wilds has spent years hiding from her former mentor\, the enigmatic Madam. But when an attempted robbery at Jones’ Store reveals her powers\, she becomes the center of a dangerous conspiracy. \nDetective Ed Daza senses something otherworldly in Jalyn\, and as he follows the trail\, he discovers a hidden network of “Others”-individuals with extraordinary abilities targeted by Madam’s shadow organization with deadly plans. Each step pulls Ed deeper into a world of manipulation\, betrayal\, and supernatural intrigue\, where those he trusts may not be who they seem. \nHunted and caught between forces far beyond ordinary law enforcement\, Jalyn must navigate a web of psychic danger and hidden agendas to survive. Violet Mystique is an urban fantasy thriller that pulses with suspense\, mystery\, and supernatural power-a story of gifts\, secrets\, and the lengths one young woman will go to protect herself and the lives she touches.\nEsma Ali presents Was Jesus A Narcissist?: A Muslim’s Defense of Jesus!\nAs a Christian\, I found this book thought provoking. Well-researched. It has helped me understand the Muslim mindset. I appreciate Esma’s use of Psychology in her illustrations. \n-Anne Nolty\, PhD\, Psychologist\, Pasadena\, CA. \nAs a Catholic\, I have immensely enjoyed the reading!!! Esma Ali brings out perspectives that have never crossed my mind. The book has enhanced an understanding of my own faith as well as Islam. Although I disagree with some of her statements\, I recommend this book. A good educational source for everyone! \n-Adolfo Sanchez\, Accountant \nAs a Bible Study Pastor\, I have grasped the Muslim viewpoint on scripture. This book has enhanced my knowledge. Esma Ali has demonstrated a thorough understanding of the Bible. \n-Jolene Cadenbach\, Pastor\, Arcadia Congregational Church \nAs a Muslim\, I value this book. Esma Ali has illuminated me about the Bible. Her work has enabled me to converse intelligently with Jews and Christians. \n-Dr. Tehmina Khan \nPaul J. Ramirez presents The Fatherless Life: Letters From an Abandoned Playground\nGrowing pains\, adversity\, love\, sadness\, and joy. A broken father preparing his children for the future without him by writing them personal letters from the now abandoned playground they used to play on. A book all should read Please note that purchasing the hardcover helps Paul with his auto-immune treatments. The softcover is at the lowest price possible.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-local-author-day-introducing-m-a-arana-esma-ali-paul-j-ramirez/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/local-authors-600-x-600.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260928T190000
DTSTAMP:20260818T163810Z
CREATED:20260818T163810Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260818T163810Z
UID:10015829-1790622000-1790622000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Jon Else discusses & signs Frenchman Flat: The Rise and Fall of Atomic Bombs
DESCRIPTION:The story of a single nuclear bomb’s deep origins\, brief life during the Cold War\, and lasting environmental and political legacies–as a fresh path to consider the entire sweep of the American nuclear enterprise. A grave reminder of the frightening truth about nuclear testing\, as international norms waver. \nAs the US and Russia let one treaty after another falter and expire\, this urgent book reminds us of the price of those tests. Frenchman Flat recounts the science\, politics\, and human experience of those who developed nuclear weapons\, suffered the consequences\, and fought for and against arms control between the 1940s and 1990s. The throughline of this vast\, complex story is a 37-kiloton atomic bomb dubbed “Priscilla” that was exploded above a custom-built mini-civilization at Frenchman Flat\, Nevada\, in 1957. Jon Else uses Priscilla and the bombs that preceded and followed to highlight the terrifying ways we have stockpiled and tested nuclear weapons\, how near and often we came to self-annihilation\, how we managed to avoid it\, and what we did to the planet and to our own bodies in the process\, from wartime Los Alamos to the suspension of US and Soviet nuclear testing in 1992. \nIn the two decades after Hiroshima\, a pair of dramatic stories unfolded alongside each other: the scramble to produce ever more powerful nuclear weapons\, and the struggle to ban testing of those same weapons. The dramatic narrative takes in the physics of the megaton postwar bombs\, the role of private industry\, the near misses of the Cuban Missile Crisis and less well-known events\, and the testimony of scientists\, politicians\, doctors\, weapons developers\, test-site workers\, ranchers\, and families downwind of test sites. \nThis powerful and persuasive book reminds us how we have–so far–prevented nuclear war by deterrence\, diplomacy\, and luck. It is for the moment a success story\, and a warning.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-jon-else-discusses-signs-frenchman-flat-the-rise-and-fall-of-atomic-bombs/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/jon-else.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR