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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260415T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260415T120000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260318T180317Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T180317Z
UID:10015102-1776250800-1776254400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Storytime with Mr. Steve\, Miss Marie and the British Swim School!
DESCRIPTION:Vroman’s Bookstore invites families to a splashtastic storytime all about water safety. This fun-filled outdoor event\, taking place on April 15 at 11 AM\, is perfect for little ones and caregivers eager to learn how to stay safe in and around water. \nMr. Steve and Ms. Marie will lead the storytime with engaging reads that share important lessons about being water wise. Following the program\, British Swim School will be on-site to provide water safety information and answer questions. \nFamilies are encouraged to bring their imagination (and maybe their life vests) for a whale of a time filled with stories\, learning\, and safe swimming tips.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-storytime-with-mr-steve-miss-marie-and-the-british-swim-school/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/storytime-website-image-6.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260414T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260414T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260318T175725Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T175725Z
UID:10015101-1776193200-1776193200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kelly Yang\, in conversation with Lisa Ling\, discusses & signs The Take
DESCRIPTION:A provocative\, fast-paced novel about two creative women—a young writer fighting to be heard and an older producer clinging to relevancy—and the age reversal treatment that intertwines both of their lives…from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the beloved Front Desk series \nWould you sell your youth for $3 million? \nMaggie Wang\, a broke young Asian American writer\, needs a lifeline. Ingrid Parker\, a veteran white Hollywood producer with her career on the edge\, offers an irresistible deal: $3 million for ten experimental medical sessions to reverse her aging\, using Maggie as a transfusion partner\, and mentorship. \nFor Ingrid\, it’s a chance to reboot her fading career. For Maggie\, it’s access and freedom—money to support her parents and the connections to finally get her novel published. \nWhat starts as a professional transaction exchanging blood quickly becomes a complex psychological dance. As Maggie gains unprecedented access to Ingrid’s hard-earned wisdom\, Ingrid sees in Maggie a weapon against an industry that’s been trying to sideline her. \nAs their relationship intensifies\, the rules around aging begin to shift. So does the balance of power between the two women\, leaving both questioning who holds the upper hand and what they’re willing to sacrifice to succeed. \nSharp\, timely\, and utterly compelling\, The Take is perfect for readers of Yellowface and Such a Fun Age—a searing portrait of two women fighting to rewrite their story. \n  \nThis ticketed event is FREE and will take place at Vroman’s Bookstore\, located at 695 E. Colorado Blvd\, Pasadena\, CA 91101. \nThere is a ticket option that includes a book. A purchase of The Take from Vroman’s is greatly appreciated and makes events like this one possible. For this ticket option\, refunds are available until one day before the program. \nA public book signing will follow the conversation. \nRefunds are available until one day before the program.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kelly-yang-in-conversation-with-lisa-ling-discusses-signs-the-take/
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/2026/03/kelly-yang-rsvp.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260412T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260412T140000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260318T175413Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T175413Z
UID:10015100-1776002400-1776002400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Leonard Maltin & Jessie Maltin discuss & sign Family Movie Night Menus: Recipes & Films for Unforgettable Times Together (Turner Classic Movies)
DESCRIPTION:Father-daughter film critics and podcast hosts Leonard Maltin and Jessie Maltin team with Turner Classic Movies for the essential guide to 25 family-friendly classic films\, paired with delicious and simple recipes to make movie-watching a next-level experience for all ages. \nFamily Movie Night Menus is the ultimate guide to family-friendly classic movie viewing. In this volume\, bestselling author and critic Leonard Maltin teams with his daughter and Maltin on Movies podcast host Jessie Maltin to help introduce classics in the same way he did with his own family: by sharing the best of the best that’s fit for the enjoyment of a range of ages from pre-school on up. And just like in the Maltin household\, enhancing the experience with easy dishes—from snacks to entrees and desserts—inspired by the films to make together only adds to the experience. \nEach entry includes a film profile filled with behind-the-scenes stories about the production\, stars\, and filmmakers; moments to watch (or watch out) for; recommended further viewing; and a recipe inspired by the film to make together before the credits roll and enjoy while watching. The movies span one silent entry (The Kid)\, through classic horror (Bride of Frankenstein)\, to legendary stories (The Wizard of Oz)\, musicals (The Sound of Music)\, can’t-miss adventures (Star Wars)\, and modern must-sees (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone). \nOther featured titles include: Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)\, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)\, Singin’ in the Rain (1952)\, To Kill a Mockingbird(1963)\, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory(1973)\, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982)\, Princess Bride (1987)\, Addams Family (1991)\, The Secret Garden (1993)\, Enchanted (2007)\, and more!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-leonard-maltin-jessie-maltin-discuss-sign-family-movie-night-menus-recipes-films-for-unforgettable-times-together-turner-classic-movies/
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/2026/03/maltin-web.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260411T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260411T150000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T234936Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T234936Z
UID:10015087-1775919600-1775919600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Nadine Takvorian discusses & signs Armaveni: A Graphic Novel of the Armenian Genocide
DESCRIPTION:A bold\, autobiographical graphic novel chronicling one girl’s quest to uncover her family’s history during the Armenian genocide. \nNadine loves stories and her mother loves to tell them–all but one. Nadine would give anything to learn about her family’s history in Armenia and Turkey–where they came from and how they came to America–but it is just too painful for her parents. All Nadine knows is that they were caught up in the Armenian genocide. \nUntil one day the dam bursts. And through that flood of stories and memories\, and a trip back to their people’s homelands\, Nadine discovers a key to unlocking her own heritage and the courage to speak up when injustice rears its head again. \nTold in interwoven historical\, contemporary\, and fantastical sequences\, Armaveni is a gripping graphic novel debut and a much-needed historical document.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-nadine-takvorian-discusses-signs-armaveni-a-graphic-novel-of-the-armenian-genocide/
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/2026/03/nadine-takvorian-web.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260410T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260410T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T234609Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T234609Z
UID:10015086-1775847600-1775847600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Jon Lindstrom discusses & signs Hollywood Payback: A Thriller
DESCRIPTION:A struggling Hollywood actor falls into a life of crime in this highly anticipated second novel from Hollywood Hustle author and four-time Emmy Award nominee Jon Lindstrom. \nTwenty years ago\, Jake Ferguson threw his life away. Once a promising Hollywood actor\, he crashed and burned the usual way: with coke\, booze\, and pills. When that path reached its inevitable end\, he made a desperate choice\, and an innocent woman was killed. Before being convicted and shipped to Folsom Prison\, Jake agreed to testify against his own partners-in-crime as the star witness for the prosecution. \nNow Jake’s reentering society–coming home to an LA he no longer recognizes and to a life that has lost all meaning. Then he meets Carla\, a waitress who understands him better than he expects\, and he begins to believe deliverance may be possible after all. Until one night\, a murder is committed right in front of him\, and Jake knows he’s been set up.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-jon-lindstrom-discusses-signs-hollywood-payback-a-thriller/
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/2026/03/jon-web-updated.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260409T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260409T180000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T234220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T234220Z
UID:10015085-1775757600-1775757600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Terry Crews signs Terry’s Many Hats
DESCRIPTION:Terry is a talented kid with big dreams and a whole lot of hats. On the football field\, he’s a star\, and when he takes off his helmet\, he puts on his other hats: in his beret he becomes an artist\, in his chef’s hat he cooks\, and in his sparkly top hat\, he’s a magician! \nEveryone’s always telling him he can only be one thing and do one thing. But Terry’s just the kid to prove that his dreams—and his hats—are limitless. \nThis is a ticketed program and will take place at Vroman’s Bookstore\, located at 695 E. Colorado Blvd\, Pasadena\, CA 91101. \nYour Eventbrite ticket will include a copy of Terry’s Many Hats\, to be handed out at check-in on the night of the program. \nThis is a book signing only\, with a photo opportunity. There will not be a seated conversation. \nYou will be asked to queue inside and outside of the store. If you need accommodation\, please let us know..
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-terry-crews-signs-terrys-many-hats/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/terry-crews-web.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260409T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260409T110000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T230052Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T230052Z
UID:10015084-1775732400-1775732400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Vroman's Children's Department Presents Trinity's Watercolor Workshop
DESCRIPTION:Vroman’s Children’s Department invites young artists to a watercolor workshop on Thursday\, April 9 at 11am\, led by Vroman’s resident artist\, Trinity. Materials will be provided. Trinity has worked as an educator\, bookseller\, and book illustrator\, and now works as a freelance art instructor. Her contact information and more of her work can be found here. \nInstagram: @trinitypoints\nWebsite: pointstrinity.weebly.com\nEmail: trinityLpoints@gmail.com
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-vromans-childrens-department-presents-trinitys-watercolor-workshop/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Craft & DIY,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/web-images-600x600-2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260408T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260408T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T224932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T224932Z
UID:10015083-1775674800-1775674800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Raziq Rauf\, discusses & signs This Is Running: A Celebration of the World of Running\, Exploring the Culture\, History\, Brands\, Races and People Behind It
DESCRIPTION:This is Running is a celebration of the world of running\, exploring everything you’d need to know about the sport and the rich culture that surrounds it. \nRunning is huge with an estimated 621 million runners worldwide\, but behind that statistic is a world that is as diverse as the people who engage in it. From the elite endurance of the Rarámuri tribe from Mexico who frequently run ultramarathons in nothing but simple sandals made from discarded car tires to some of the most famous races which are household names for runners and non-runners alike\, coach and journalist Raziq Rauf gives a fascinating snapshot of this world. \nThis is Running covers why\, where\, and how we run\, incorporating insights from psychologists\, sociologists\, and other experts from our first dash around a childhood playground to joining a run club or hitting high-altitude mountain trails whether that be for the health benefits\, to make friends\, test your own limits\, or to explore the world around you. \nA host of compelling essays explore topics such as running’s technological revolution\, brands and streetwear\, women’s experiences of running\, the boom of trail running\, and the future of the sport. Also included is a selection of the world’s most notable runs including The London Marathon\, the UTMB\, and the Barkley Marathons\, and Q&As with individuals who are pioneering global running culture including influencer and comedian Laura Green\, Nils Arend from The Speed Project\, professional trail running athlete Dylan Bowman\, and Jessica Zapotechne from Girls Run NYC. \nBeautifully illustrated throughout with striking photography\, This is Running is the perfect gift for the obsessive runner in your life\, or for anyone who wants to know more about the sport and the culture that surrounds it. \nQuite simply\, if you are a runner\, this book is catnip to your passion.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-raziq-rauf-discusses-signs-this-is-running-a-celebration-of-the-world-of-running-exploring-the-culture-history-brands-races-and-people-behind-it/
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/2026/03/raziq-rauf.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260407T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260407T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T224626Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T224626Z
UID:10015082-1775588400-1775588400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman'sBookstore: TICKETED - Andrew McCarthy discusses & signs Who Needs Friends: An Unscientific Examination of Male Friendship Across America
DESCRIPTION:A moving and provocative exploration of male friendship and loneliness\, from New York Times bestselling author\, filmmaker\, and actor Andrew McCarthy as he crisscrosses the country to reconnect with his friends. \n“You don’t really have any friends\, do you\, Dad?” \nA seemingly innocuous\, if direct\, question from Andrew McCarthy’s son left him reeling. McCarthy did have friends\, but like so many other men\, the necessities of modern adult life had forced his friendships to the background. At one point his friends had been instrumental in broadening his horizons\, bolstering his courage\, providing safe harbor. Now\, McCarthy found himself questioning what had happened to those friendships\, whether he needed them\, what he valued\, and what he had to offer. A simple question had become a moment that demanded a reckoning. \nWho Needs Friends charts McCarthy’s journey over nearly ten thousand miles behind the wheel\, following him on often-unexpected travels through Appalachia\, the Mississippi Delta\, the Chihuahuan Desert\, the Rocky Mountains with one driving purpose: to reconnect. Along the way he talks to countless men about their male friendships\, from cowboys and blues musicians to preachers and rootless teens. What began as a simple desire to catch up with a few friends turned into a deep exploration of the challenges and rewards that men experience in forming bonds with each other. \nIn McCarthy’s own words\, “It turns out that guys have a difficult time with friendship.” But that’s not the way it needs to be.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromansbookstore-ticketed-andrew-mccarthy-discusses-signs-who-needs-friends-an-unscientific-examination-of-male-friendship-across-america/
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/2026/03/andrew-mccarthy-web.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260407T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260407T110000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T221032Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T221032Z
UID:10015081-1775559600-1775559600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Mr. Steve's Comic Book Workshop
DESCRIPTION:You might know Mr. Steve as your favorite storytime host… But did you know he also works with comic books? Join Mr. Steve and the Kids Department for a comic book workshop on Tuesday\, April 7th at 11am. Previous artistic skill is not required—just bring your craziest ideas and Mr. Steve will help you bring them to life!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-mr-steves-comic-book-workshop/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/storytime-website-image-20.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260407T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260407T210000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T220749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T220749Z
UID:10015080-1775556000-1775595600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Captain Underpants Release Day in the Children's Department!
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the release of the new Captain Underpants manga with Vroman’s Children’s Department! Stop by the Children’s Info Desk on April 7th for some Dav Pilkey-inspired activities! We will have coloring pages\, a scavenger hunt\, and more.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-captain-underpants-release-day-in-the-childrens-department/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/storytime-website-image-18.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260404T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260404T160000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T220520Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T220520Z
UID:10015079-1775318400-1775318400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Woody Brown presents Upward Bound: A Novel
DESCRIPTION:Upward Bound is not a place anyone dreams of spending their days. The dreary adult daycare center for Los Angeles’s disabled community is\, for many of its clients and staff\, a place of last resort. This includes Carlos\, a young aide who lost his mother as a boy and now works there alongside his beloved sister\, Mariana; Jorge\, the gentle nonspeaking giant whom Carlos seeks to befriend (and prevent from escaping); Tom\, a beautiful young man with cerebral palsy who pines for Ann\, the summer lifeguard at the center’s pool who feels out of her depth. Then there’s Dave\, Upward Bound’s director\, who came to L.A. to pursue an acting career but now channels his passion into staging an overly ambitious holiday show starring the center’s irrepressible clients. Framing these intertwined narratives–and connecting them in surprising\, shattering ways–is the riveting and sometimes ironic testimony of Walter\, a recent community college graduate who\, after a family tragedy\, must return to the company of his disabled peers. \nIn Upward Bound\, Woody Brown has created an indelible\, authentic\, and profoundly moving group portrait of autism and other disabilities\, all illuminated by his empathy\, sly sense of humor\, and enormous gifts as a novelist. With remarkable sophistication\, insight\, and creativity\, Brown depicts a community too-often invisible in literature and society. Filled with characters you won’t soon forget\, Upward Bound will inspire and touch you\, teaching you as much about yourself as the tender\, miraculous world behind the center’s doors.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-woody-brown-presents-upward-bound-a-novel/
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/2026/03/woody-brown.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260404T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260404T113000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T220241Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T220241Z
UID:10015078-1775302200-1775302200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Pasadena Conservatory of Music presents Musical Storytime: Together by Mona Damluji
DESCRIPTION:The Pasadena Conservatory of Music will be putting on a special musical storytime with the featured book: Together by Mona Damluji. Caregivers and children aged 3-9 will enjoy story\, craft activities\, creative movement\, and a mini-concert!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-pasadena-conservatory-of-music-presents-musical-storytime-together-by-mona-damluji/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Free,In-Person,Kids,Music,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/storytime-600-x-600-14.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260403T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260403T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T215920Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T233546Z
UID:10015077-1775242800-1775242800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Scott Broker & Sheldon Costa discuss & sign The Disappointment and The Great Work
DESCRIPTION:Set during a doom-fated vacation to the Oregon coast\, The Disappointment follows a couple trying to hold close to one another while a bent reality–warped by personal losses and an ever-increasing drift toward the surreal–threatens to unravel them \nIt’s the night before a much-needed vacation\, and Jack–a former playwright mourning his failed career–catches his husband\, Randy\, packing his mother’s urn. They had agreed: no mother on this trip. Parents\, living or otherwise\, aren’t the ideal guests for romantic getaways. But Randy has been carrying his mother’s remains everywhere since her death\, and he isn’t ready to let go now. \nDespite its natural beauty and kitschy charm\, the Oregon coast does not provide the respite the couple seeks. Instead\, their surroundings and encounters with locals grow increasingly surreal as the days pass. An overly dedicated Method actor\, tantra-obsessed neighbors\, and a child environmentalist who may be able to communicate with the dead are but a few of the characters whose presence exposes long-simmering tensions that threaten to undo Jack and Randy’s marriage–to say nothing of their hold on reality. \nTold with sly\, irreverent humor and shot through with dark currents of envy and longing for something other than what one has\, The Disappointment explores the mutual exhilaration and terror of being placed center stage in one’s own life. \nThe Great Work\n“A moody\, atmospheric\, and singular novel which navigates corners of American history through the complicated territory of horror\, the monstrous\, and the heroic.”–Kelly Link\, best-selling author of The Book of Love \nAn alchemist and his teenage nephew hunt down a legend in this profound and unsettling speculative Western\, for fans of Karen Russell and Victor LaValle. \nAlone in a frontier town in the nineteenth-century Pacific Northwest\, Gentle Montgomery is grieving his best friend. Liam was an alchemist\, killed when he tried to capture a creature that shouldn’t exist: a giant salamander that drives men mad. When Gentle’s nephew\, Kitt\, arrives at his doorstep\, the two set out together to track the monster down so they can use its blood in an alchemical formula that will bring Liam back to life. \nIt’s a hard and haunted journey. The salamander produces surreal nightmares and waking dreams of a blighted\, burning future. And Gentle and Kitt soon find themselves pursued by a bloodthirsty hunter\, a sadistic judge\, and a doomsday cult\, all of whom have their own plans for the river monster. Armed with nothing but Liam’s alchemical notebooks\, they must not only find the salamander but learn to understand it–and the terrifying visions it causes–before it’s too late. And as Gentle struggles to comprehend this harrowing experience\, it becomes clear that the Great Work of the alchemists may pale in comparison to the small work of human connection. \nSheldon Costa’s dark\, vivid\, and strangely hopeful debut novel is a supernatural adventure through the wilderness of friendship and the rotten heart of the early American empire.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-scott-broker-sheldon-costa-discuss-sign-the-disappointment-and-the-great-work/
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/2026/03/scott-sheldon-web.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260401T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260401T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T215532Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T215532Z
UID:10015076-1775070000-1775070000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Ava Morgyn discusses & signs Only Spell Deep
DESCRIPTION:Rebecca meets The Craft in this dark\, atmospheric novel of one witch rediscovering her power while on the run from another willing to kill her for it. \nFrom the USA Today bestselling author of The Bane Witch! \nJudeth Cole has always had certain uncanny abilities. But when she arrived at Solidago\, her grandfather’s estate by the sea\, she was forced to keep them secret. There she lived a harsh life under his rule and the haunting legacy of her late grandmother\, Aurelia. Until the fateful day she ignited a fire with her magic. It was the last time she saw her family alive. \nSeventeen years later\, she’s living in Seattle as Jude Clark\, and failing at life\, when she makes a last detour through her favorite bookstore\, selecting a book to read as she waits to die. But when she pulls it from the shelf\, an invitation to her for a clandestine midnight meeting slips out. \nJude is quickly swept up into a world of secrets and magic\, discovering a circle of powerful new companions led by the mysterious\, enigmatic Arla. The source of their magic\, Arla tells her\, is an entity\, trapped and bound\, that they call The Fathom. But Jude swiftly realizes Arla wants this power all to herself\, and that she’s willing to kill for it. \nTerrified\, Jude turns to Levi\, the handsome bookseller who’s seen her at her worst. With his help\, she begins a research journey that leads her all the way back to Solidago\, the house she swore to never return to. Now\, the Fathom threatening to break free and Arla on the hunt\, Jude must finally face her past to save her future. \nAva Morgyn’s Only Spell Deep is a novel that takes readers on a journey into a dark\, glittering world of magic\, a place where power should never be caged and misplaced trust can have deadly consequences. \n“Only Spell Deep is beautifully written and richly immersive\, weaving a gothic atmosphere with supernatural tension in a story about reclaiming one’s power in more ways than one and unraveling generational trauma. Morgyn builds a world that feels both mythic and real\, where gods walk among us and the most terrifying magic is the kind passed down through blood. This novel cast a lasting spell on me. I was all in.” – Katy Foraker\, author of Memories\, Lies\, and Other Binds \n“Only Spell Deep is a dark parable of feminine rage and power\, blending horror\, fantasy\, and mythology seamlessly into the streets and hidden places of modern-day Seattle. With gorgeous prose\, Ava Morgyn weaves a spell of her own and gives us a courageous heroine to root for.” – Alyssa Palombo\, author of The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ava-morgyn-discusses-signs-only-spell-deep/
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/2026/03/ava-morgyn-3.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260401T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260401T120000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260317T215105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260317T215105Z
UID:10015075-1775041200-1775044800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Easter Storytime with Mr. Steve and Ms. Marie
DESCRIPTION:Vroman’s Bookstore invites little readers to a very special Easter Storytime with Mr. Steve and Ms. Marie on Wednesday\, April 1 at 11am. Filled with books and songs celebrating bunnies\, Easter eggs\, and baby chicks\, it’s sure to be an egg-citing morning that every-bunny will not want to miss.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-easter-storytime-with-mr-steve-and-ms-marie/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/storytime-website-image-19.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260330T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260330T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T190719Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T190719Z
UID:10015045-1774897200-1774897200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Chris Jennings\, in conversation with Jim Newton\, discusses & signs End of Days: Ruby Ridge\, the Apocalypse\, and the Unmaking of America
DESCRIPTION:The gripping story of the Ruby Ridge siege\, showing how the historic standoff between federal agents and a white-separatist family set the stage for the conspiracy-laced politics of the Trump era. \n“Vivid\, frightening\, and fascinating…This book blew me away and opened my eyes.”–Walter Isaacson\, author of The Code Breaker and Elon Musk \nOn August 21\, 1992\, shots rang out while federal agents were surveilling a cabin in Boundary County\, Idaho as part of an operation to arrest Randy Weaver–a reclusive\, mountain-dwelling survivalist–for failure to appear in court on a gun charge. When Weaver finally surrendered to the authorities eleven days later\, his wife\, son\, and dog lay dead\, as did a US Marshal. Ever since\, America has been trying to make sense of what happened on Ruby Ridge. Today\, the question could not be more urgent\, as the shock waves from Ruby Ridge have amplified and compounded\, cracking the very foundations of our democracy. \nIn End of Days\, Chris Jennings explains the significance of this historic siege by setting the story of the Weaver family within the long history of apocalyptic Christianity in the United States\, illuminating the ways in which that faith has gradually transformed the nation. The strain of doomsday Christianity that gripped the Weavers\, he shows\, was grounded in a particular reading of biblical prophecy that can be traced back to the 1870s and up through the twentieth-century rise of Christian fundamentalism to the right-wing conspiracism that now defines American society and politics. The events at Ruby Ridge acted as an accelerant for this spreading worldview\, and are essential to understanding the crisis that our nation confronts today.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-chris-jennings-in-conversation-with-jim-newton-discusses-signs-end-of-days-ruby-ridge-the-apocalypse-and-the-unmaking-of-america/
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/2026/02/chris-jennings-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260324T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260324T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T190349Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T190349Z
UID:10015044-1774378800-1774378800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Benjamin Stevenson\, in conversation with Jordy Moblo\, discusses & signs Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief
DESCRIPTION:Ten heists. Ten suspects. A murder mystery only Ernest Cunningham can solve in this delightfully clever and twisty new novel in Benjamin Stevenson’s bestselling series–perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz. \nI’ve spent the last few years solving murders. But a bank heist is a new one\, even for me. I’ve never been a hostage before. \nThe doors are chained shut. No one in or out. Which means that when someone in the bank is murdered\, everyone is a suspect. \nTHE BANK ROBBER \nTHE MANAGER \nTHE SECURITY GUARD \nTHE KID \nTHE FILM PRODUCER \nTHE PRIEST \nTHE RECEPTIONIST \nTHE PATIENT \nTHE CAREGIVER \nME \nTurns out\, more than one person planned to rob the bank today. You can steal more from a bank than just money. \nWho is stealing what? Are they willing to kill for it? And can I solve the crime before the police kick down the door and rescue us?
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-benjamin-stevenson-in-conversation-with-jordy-moblo-discusses-signs-everyone-in-this-bank-is-a-thief/
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/2026/02/benjamin-stevenson.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260323T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260323T180000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T190104Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T190104Z
UID:10015043-1774288800-1774288800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  TICKETED - Valerie Bertinelli signs Getting Naked: The Quiet Work of Becoming Perfectly Imperfect
DESCRIPTION:With her signature warmth and disarming humor\, the beloved actress and New York Times bestselling author strips away the polished façade and shares what it’s really like to grow older\, love harder\, and start over. Now in her mid-sixties\, Valerie reflects on the hard-won lessons of aging\, self-worth\, and letting go. From her experiences with menopause\, relationships\, and family trauma\, she writes with clarity and compassion about the insecurities that have haunted her for decades: shame and anxiety about her body\, and the false belief that her value depended on perfection. Through it all\, Valerie reflects on the quiet\, daily work of self-acceptance—the kind that doesn’t make headlines but changes lives. Getting Naked isn’t just a story of survival. It’s a reckoning—with her past\, her family history\, and the generational pain that shaped her. It’s about the myths we believe when we’re young—about beauty\, love\, success—and how we carry them until they break us open. It’s about unlearning the script that says women must please\, endure\, and stay silent. \nThe result is a deeply personal\, unexpectedly funny\, and profoundly uplifting look at the inner journey we all share. Getting Naked isn’t about vulnerability for vulnerability’s sake. It’s about finally letting go of the need to be perfect\, quieting the harsh inner critic\, and choosing compassion over judgment. After all\, it’s never too late to make peace with yourself—and to fall madly in love with the perfectly imperfect person you already are.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-valerie-bertinelli-signs-getting-naked-the-quiet-work-of-becoming-perfectly-imperfect/
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/2026/02/valerie-web.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260321T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260321T160000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T185733Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T185733Z
UID:10015042-1774108800-1774108800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Michael Yang discusses & signs Coming Alive on the Ride: A Memoir of Motorcycle Travel\, Self-Discovery\, and Korean Heritage
DESCRIPTION:Answering the call of the open road–from Seoul to Silicon Valley to riding 40\,000 life-changing miles across America \nWhen Michael Yang bought his first motorcycle\, he was a teenager who’d just moved to America. He knew little English and had few friends. Still\, whenever he rode that green Yamaha\, he felt more in touch with life’s possibilities. The bike was stolen a few months later\, but Yang never forgot the feeling. \nIt wasn’t until later in life that Yang got back on a motorcycle. By then\, he’d settled into Silicon Valley amidst the technology revolution; and founded\, scaled\, and sold a half-billion-dollar tech startup. Then\, during the upheaval of the dot-com bubble burst and a few failed attempts to get new companies off the ground\, Yang felt a strong pull to reengage with himself. Sensing that this midlife crisis was an opportunity to do something fun and exciting\, he revved up his bike and began riding into unfamiliar landscapes. Coming Alive on the Ride narrates more than 40\,000 miles of his travels\, from California’s coast to the upper reaches of Alaska\, Canada’s far eastern edge\, and more. \nOne thing about long motorcycle trips is that there’s a lot of time to think. Yang describes the unique bliss of watching the miles pass beneath two wheels as he relives moments from his past–growing up in Korea during the turbulent years after the Korean War\, and moving to America as a fourteen-year-old–all the while taking in North America’s astounding scenery\, from the stillness of the desert to heart-racing glimpses of a bison herds and grand mountain ranges. Somewhere along the way\, it happens: Past experiences and future aspirations converge into a present discovery. This inspiring memoir is a reminder that\, if we slow down and tune in our senses\, adventure inspires and instructs the way nothing else can.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-michael-yang-discusses-signs-coming-alive-on-the-ride-a-memoir-of-motorcycle-travel-self-discovery-and-korean-heritage/
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/2026/02/michael-yang-web.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260320T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260320T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T183928Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T183928Z
UID:10015038-1774033200-1774033200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kalina Silverman discusses & signs Big Talk: How to Skip the Small Talk\, Make Meaningful Connections\, and Enrich Your Life
DESCRIPTION:From the wildly popular and innovative creator of @MakeBigTalk\, a practical and comprehensive guide to forming deeper connections to combat loneliness and strengthen existing relationships \nOur world is increasingly connected–yet so many people feel alone and without purpose. Big Talk offers a powerful antidote. With simple tools and inspiring real-life stories\, Kalina Silverman shares how you can go beyond small talk and unlock hidden emotional depths in everyday interactions–whether with a stranger\, a friend\, a coworker\, a community member\, a family member\, a partner\, or even yourself. \nWhat began as one young woman’s mission to fight loneliness has since grown into a global movement\, featured in major media and used in schools\, workplaces\, governments\, and communities around the world. \nIn this book\, Silverman distills more than a decade of insights from “making Big Talk” into easy-to-apply questions\, prompts\, and techniques that will help you: \n\novercome social anxiety and start more meaningful conversations;\ndeepen relationships and build new ones that last;\nfoster empathy\, trust\, and belonging in your community;\ncreate spaces where truth\, vulnerability\, and real connection can thrive; and make everyday moments\, from date nights\, to workplace chats\, to vacations\, to neighborly exchanges\, more meaningful and memorable.\n\nConcise\, practical\, and full of heart\, Big Talk is for anyone who’s tired of small talk and ready to have conversations that matter. \n 
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kalina-silverman-discusses-signs-big-talk-how-to-skip-the-small-talk-make-meaningful-connections-and-enrich-your-life/
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/2026/02/kalina-silverman.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260318T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260318T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T183638Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T183638Z
UID:10015037-1773860400-1773860400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Mopreme Shakur\, in conversation with Robin D. G. Kelley\, discusses & signs This Thug’s Life: An Unapologetically Black Story
DESCRIPTION:The first-ever insider account of the Shakur family\, the iconic hip hop group T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.\, and the life and death Tupac Shakur – written by Mopreme Shakur\, the legendary rapper’s big brother and eldest son of Black liberation activist Mutulu Shakur. \nMaurice. Little Mutulu. Mogie. Mocedes. ‘Preme. Wycked. Mopreme Shakur has been known by many names. Fitting for a multi-hyphenate like Mo: hip hop artist and sole surviving member of T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E. and Outlaw Immortalz\, soldier\, writer\, husband and father\, filmmaker\, record producer\, and the big brother of\, and co-collaborator with\, the legendary Tupac Shakur\, the greatest rapper of all time. The one thing Mo hasn’t done–until now–is to tell his story\, one of complex family relationships\, fame\, tragedy\, politics\, musical innovation\, and brotherly love. \nBorn in Flushing\, New York\, in 1967 and raised in South Jamaica\, Queens\, Mo got an early education in what it meant to be a man of righteous New Afrikan values imparted by his activist and healer father\, Mutulu. The son of revolutionary\, Mo’s childhood was rife with upheavals\, inspiration\, dramatic highs and lows\, and unbreakable bonds of love. None stronger than when he met his new baby brother\, Tupac. Mutulu said\, “This is your brother. Hold his hand.” Over the more than two decades that followed\, Mopreme never let go. As Tupac rose to transcendent heights in the industry\, Mo was on Pac’s team as writer and collaborator\, producer\, stagehand\, and sibling confidante. Everything Pac did\, Mo was there–right up until the day Pac’s life was cut short in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. \nIn his memoir\, Mo shares not just an intimately personal story of family\, but also one of resilience\, a quest for racial justice informed by decades of struggle for Black liberation long before the Black Lives Matter movement\, and of two brothers who rose from the streets to become icons. It’s insightful\, inspirational\, powerful\, and authentically and unapologetically Black. As Mo himself would say: dig that!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-mopreme-shakur-in-conversation-with-robin-d-g-kelley-discusses-signs-this-thugs-life-an-unapologetically-black-story/
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/2026/02/mopreme-shakur-600-x-600-vromans.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260317T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260317T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T183429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T183429Z
UID:10015036-1773774000-1773774000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kim Samek\, in conversation with Aimee Bender\, discusses & signs I Am the Ghost Here: Stories
DESCRIPTION:Twelve women confront the mounting existential terrors of modern life in this absurd\, wryly hilarious debut story collection. \nA woman’s limbs disappear into “the cloud” during wildfire-induced power outages. A lonely DoorDasher accidentally becomes the star of someone else’s reality show\, forced to resolve her fraught relationship with her immigrant mother for the narrative. Succumbing to a widely denied pandemic\, a gymnastics coach must carry her heart around in a Mason jar\, using her disability to become an influencer. Two chronically single\, chronically ill people become soulmates\, only to discover their meeting was algorithmically orchestrated by ad tech. Other dramas unfold as icebergs melt and island-sized trash heaps burn. \nThreaded with sharp social commentary\, these stories question the engineering of human connection through technology\, social media\, and reality television. Warm\, endlessly strange\, and filled with dark yet hopeful humor\, I Am the Ghost Here casts familiar crises of contemporary life in a wholly unique light\, offering a pathway towards our shared humanity even as reality comes crumbling down.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kim-samek-in-conversation-with-aimee-bender-discusses-signs-i-am-the-ghost-here-stories/
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/2026/02/kim-samek-2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260311T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260311T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T182917Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T182917Z
UID:10015034-1773255600-1773255600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Cara Black discusses & signs Huguette
DESCRIPTION:In the lawlessness of post-World War II France\, a resilient young woman fights to survive and make a living\, no matter the cost–from the New York Times bestselling author of Three Hours in Paris and the Aimée Leduc series \nAfter Libération\, spring 1945: Seventeen-year-old Huguette Faure is a survivor. The war has taken everything from her–both her parents and her sense of safety. Now\, pregnant and on the lam\, she cannot return to her childhood home in Paris. Forced to reinvent herself\, she must outrun her father’s enemies\, who want her dead. After narrowly avoiding jail time–thanks to the help of a kindhearted police officer named Claude Leduc–Huguette lands a job assisting a legendary film director. As her role develops from helping him with chores to cooking his books\, she sees an opportunity to break free from the ghosts of her past once and for all. \nIn this big-hearted story of resilience\, New York Times bestselling author Cara Black offers a wholly original depiction of postwar France as well as introduces Claude Leduc–the man who decades later inspired his granddaughter\, Aimée\, to become a private investigator.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-cara-black-discusses-signs-huguette/
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/2026/02/cara-black-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260310T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260310T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T182515Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T182515Z
UID:10015033-1773169200-1773169200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Margaret Chandra Kerrison\, in conversation with Diane Ikemiyashiro\, discusses & signs Los Angeles Lost and Found: Essays on Identity\, Place\, and Belonging
DESCRIPTION:Join Vroman’s Bookstore to hear author Margaret Chandra Kerrison discuss her new book\, “Los Angeles Lost and Found: Essays on Identity\, Place\, and Belonging.” Los Angeles Lost and Found is a collection of essays and photographs that explores Los Angeles as a city of constant reinvention\, where history is often buried beneath layers of change. Experience designer Margaret Chandra Kerrison uses the lens of narrative placemaking to examine how LA’s physical spaces—its streets\, neighborhoods\, and landmarks—shape both individual and collective identity. What sets this collection apart is Kerrison’s deeply personal approach. She weaves her own story into the fabric of the city’s landscape\, grounding cultural analysis in lived experience.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-margaret-chandra-kerrison-in-conversation-with-diane-ikemiyashiro-discusses-signs-los-angeles-lost-and-found-essays-on-identity-place-and-belonging/
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/2026/02/margaret-chandra-kerrison_0.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260308T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260308T150000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T182229Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T182229Z
UID:10015032-1772982000-1772982000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Rep. Steve Israel\, in conversation with Senator Adam Schiff\, discusses & signs The Einstein Conspiracy
DESCRIPTION:Based on actual events\, The Einstein Conspiracy pits two FBI agents against a cunning undercover operative on a mission to abduct Albert Einstein\, who Hitler believes holds the key to building the atomic bomb. Agents James Amos and Harry Weiss plunge into a shadowy\, surreal America where Nazi rallies take place in the iconic Madison Square Garden\, and small\, once quaint villages have transformed into mini fascist utopias; appearances are not only deceiving\, but deadly. The Einstein Conspiracy is a gripping historical thriller\, rich in chilling detail and haunting reminders of a moment in American history when the line between foreign enemy and domestic threat was perilously thin. \n  \nThis is an in-store ticketed event with two ticket options: \n– General Admission + 1 copy of The Einstein Conspiracy \n– 2 General Admissions + 1 copy of The Einstein Conspiracy \nBooks will be handed out at check-in.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-rep-steve-israel-in-conversation-with-senator-adam-schiff-discusses-signs-the-einstein-conspiracy/
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/2026/02/steve-israel-web.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T150000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T183149Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T183149Z
UID:10015035-1772895600-1772895600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Dr. Deepika Chopra\, in conversation with Mindy Kaling\, discusses and signs The Power of Real Optimism: A Practical\, Science-Based Guide to Staying Resilient\, Curious\, and Open Even When Life Is Hard
DESCRIPTION:Optimism isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about staying open and flexible–especially when it’s not. In this fresh\, science-backed debut\, professional psychologist and media expert Dr. Deepika Chopra shows us how to build the kind of optimism that can actually withstand real life. \nWe’ve been sold the idea that optimism is a mood\, a mindset\, or worse–just an inherent trait. But what if real optimism is something else entirely? \nIn The Power of Real Optimism\, Dr. Deepika Chopra–known as The Optimism Doctor(R)–offers a radically different definition: optimism as a science\, a skill\, and a psychological muscle we can strengthen. Drawing from over a decade immersed in the science of resilience\, emotional well-being\, and cognitive psychology–as well as her work with clients\, innovative workshops\, and hallmark practices (think: evidence-based visualization\, narrative reframing\, her signature “self-worth work\,” and even color therapy)–Dr. Chopra offers a toolkit for navigating the chaos\, uncertainty\, and nuance of being human–without losing yourself to it. \nGrounded\, practical\, and poetic in all the right ways\, this book will challenge your relationship with hope\, rewire how you recover from hard things\, and invite you to stay soft without falling apart. With her blend of intimate storytelling\, psychological insight\, and tangible tools–including a 33-day Real Optimism Challenge–Dr. Chopra offers something far more enduring than a quick fix or fleeting affirmation. She invites us into a deeper\, more resilient way of living–one where we can stay curious in the face of fear\, open in the face of grief\, and grounded even as the world wobbles beneath us. \nBecause real optimism doesn’t deny the dark–it teaches us how to see in it.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-dr-deepika-chopra-in-conversation-with-mindy-kaling-discusses-and-signs-the-power-of-real-optimism-a-practical-science-based-guide-to-staying-resilient-curious-a/
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/2026/02/deepika-chopra-web-updated.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T120000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T181523Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T181523Z
UID:10015031-1772884800-1772884800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Shi Heng Yi discusses Shaolin Spirit: The Way to Self-Mastery
DESCRIPTION:The renowned teacher & founder of the Shaolin Temple Europe shares his wisdom and insight in his new book. \nBring clarity\, strength\, and purpose to your modern life through the ancient wisdom of Shaolin. \nWhat do you imagine when you think of Shaolin? Ferociously strong warriors flying through the air? \nShaolin is more than just a martial art–it is a way of life. Rooted in Zen and Taoist philosophy\, its ancient wisdom teaches us how to unite mind and body\, cultivate resilience\, and develop an equanimous perspective amongst a chaotic world. \nIn the international bestseller Shaolin Spirit\, renowned teacher and founder of the Shaolin Temple Europe Shi Heng Yi reveals profound insights to human development paired with twelve personal core practices to foster essential transformation of body and mind. From improving sleep and mental clarity to building strength\, flexibility\, and focus\, these time-honored techniques offer a practical and personal way to self-mastery. \nBlending profound philosophy with practical guidance\, Shaolin Spirit is an invitation to step into the discipline\, determination\, and power of the Shaolin way–no matter where you are in life.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-shi-heng-yi-discusses-shaolin-spirit-the-way-to-self-mastery/
LOCATION:Pasadena Presbyterian Church\, 585 East Colorado Boulevard\, Pasadena \, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T113000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T181302Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T181302Z
UID:10015030-1772883000-1772883000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Pasadena Conservatory of Music presents Musical Storytime: To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell
DESCRIPTION:The Pasadena Conservatory of Music will be putting on a special musical storytime with the featured book: To See an Owl by Matthew Cordell. Caregivers and children aged 3-9 will enjoy story\, craft activities\, creative movement\, and a mini-concert!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-pasadena-conservatory-of-music-presents-musical-storytime-to-see-an-owl-by-matthew-cordell/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event,Free,In-Person,Kids,Pasadena Conservatory of Music,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/storytime-600-x-600-13.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260306T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260306T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T062447
CREATED:20260217T180913Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T180913Z
UID:10015029-1772823600-1772823600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Dr. Melisa Moore discusses & signs The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids: Science-Backed Strategies for Children and Teens with Adhd\, Autism\, and Other Neurodiversities
DESCRIPTION:A compassionate\, science-backed guide to improving sleep in children and teens with neurodiversities — written by a renowned pediatric sleep expert who is also the parent of a neurodivergent child. \nWhen Dr. Melisa Moore realized her son had autism and ADHD\, she already had a decade of experience helping families navigate sleep issues\, but nothing had prepared her for the reality of managing sleep in her own household. The advice she had learned felt too rigid\, unrealistic\, or simply ineffective for kids like hers. What she needed was a different kind of guide — so she set out to create one. \nWith humor\, validation\, and true empathy\, Moore offers a multifaceted framework that blends evidence-based science with real-life parenting wisdom. She breaks down the myths of sleep training\, redefines “healthy sleep” for neurodiverse families\, and provides a toolkit for finding what works — for your child\, in your life\, right now\, even if it doesn’t look the way anyone told you it should. As Moore shows\, consistently better sleep is possible\, and The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids will get your family there.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-dr-melisa-moore-discusses-signs-the-good-sleep-guide-for-neurodivergent-kids-science-backed-strategies-for-children-and-teens-with-adhd-autism-and-other-neurodiversities/
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/2026/02/dr-melisa-moore.png
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END:VCALENDAR