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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260404T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260404T113000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260401T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260401T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260401T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260401T120000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260321T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260321T160000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260320T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260320T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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:20260501T075730
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T150000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T120000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/shi-heng-yi_0.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260307T113000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260306T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260306T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260305T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260305T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260217T180629Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T180641Z
UID:10015028-1772737200-1772737200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Steven C. Bowie discusses & signs Concerto for Cootie: The Life and Times of Cootie Williams
DESCRIPTION:Jazz legend Cootie Williams left home to start his career as a professional musician at the age of fifteen. In 1940\, after eleven years as one of the major soloists with the Duke Ellington orchestra\, Williams was lured away to the band of Benny Goodman\, one of the most popular bands in the country. At the time\, it was a controversial move–it was still taboo for African Americans to share the bandstand with white people. Current references to the move usually reduce it to a song written by Raymond Scott\, “When Cootie Left the Duke.” In reality\, it was a seismic event. The Black press predicted Black bands would collapse from raids on their ranks. White musicians were afraid they would be put out of work. And the white press stirred up visions of Black musicians mixing with white women in the new landscape of integrated orchestras. \nThe twenty years trumpeter Williams spent as a band leader (1942-1962) have been covered in only the barest of details. His involvement in politics and the civil rights movement have not been detailed before. An astute talent scout\, Williams and his band launched the careers of Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson\, Earl “Bud” Powell\, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis\, and Pearl Bailey. He also was the first to record the music of a young Thelonious Monk\, using two of Monk’s compositions (“Epistrophy” and “‘Round Midnight”) as theme songs for his band. \nSteven C. Bowie respectfully tells Williams’s story\, from his Alabama ancestry onward\, including many new details rediscovered from the historical archives of the African American press and those gleaned from the author’s interviews with his friends and colleagues.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-steven-c-bowie-discusses-signs-concerto-for-cootie-the-life-and-times-of-cootie-williams/
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/steven-c-bowie-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260304T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260304T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260217T180435Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T180435Z
UID:10015027-1772650800-1772650800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Hal Eisner discusses & signs An Accidental Career: My Fifty-Eight-Year Adventure as a Broadcast News Reporter
DESCRIPTION:A remarkable journey through the world of broadcast journalism\, showcasing resilience and dedication. From humble beginnings to a celebrated career in Los Angeles\, this story highlights the challenges faced and triumphs achieved in the pursuit of truth and candor. \nIn An Accidental Career\, Hal Eisner recounts his extraordinary life\, beginning with his formative years in Pittsburgh and Dallas. His passion for communication and reporting ignited during his early days in radio\, where he honed his skills and developed a unique voice that would resonate with audiences for decades. Transitioning to television\, Hal spent 43 years as a news reporter in Los Angeles\, working first with CNN and then local news stations KTTV and KCOP. His commitment to delivering accurate and compelling news earned him numerous accolades\, including a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California (RTNA). \nHal’s journey was not without its trials. In 2021\, while covering a story in Hollywood\, he was severely injured in a crash caused by a drunk driver. This life-altering event tested his resolve and determination. Despite the challenges of recovery\, Eisner’s unwavering spirit propelled him back to the airwaves just months later\, demonstrating his dedication to journalism and the communities he served. \nThrough candid reflections and engaging anecdotes\, Eisner provides readers with an insider’s view of the broadcast industry\, revealing the intricacies of news reporting and the ethical dilemmas faced by journalists. His story is not just about personal achievement; it is a testament to the power of resilience and the importance of accuracy and getting the story right no matter the obstacles. An Accidental Career is an inspiring narrative that will resonate with anyone who appreciates the art of storytelling and the impact of news on society.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-hal-eisner-discusses-signs-an-accidental-career-my-fifty-eight-year-adventure-as-a-broadcast-news-reporter/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260304T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260304T114500
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260217T180236Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T180236Z
UID:10015026-1772622000-1772624700@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Dr. Seuss Storytime with Mr. Steve and Miss Marie
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s Birthday with Mr. Steve and Ms. Marie on March 4th at 11am! Join us for a reading of everyone’s favorite Dr. Seuss classics\, along with other crafts and activities!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-dr-seuss-storytime-with-mr-steve-and-miss-marie/
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/2026/02/storytime-website-image-17.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260303T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260303T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260217T175930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T175930Z
UID:10015025-1772564400-1772564400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Lauren Groff discusses & signs Brawler: Stories
DESCRIPTION:A stunning\, fierce collection from a master of the short story and one of the most important writers of our time \nRead alone\, each story in Lauren Groff’s electric collection is an individual triumph\, bold\, agile\, and packed with power. Read together\, they hum in exhilarating resonance. Ranging from the 1950s to the present day and moving across age\, class\, and region — from New England to Florida to California — these nine stories reflect and expand upon a shared theme: the ceaseless battle between humans’ dark and light angels. \n“In every human there is both an animal and a god wrestling unto death\,” one character tells us. Among those we see caught in this match are a young woman suddenly responsible for her disabled sibling\, a hot-tempered high school swimmer in need of an adult\, a mother blinded by the loss of her family\, and a banking scion endowed with a different kind of inheritance. Motivated by love\, impeded by the double edges of other peoples’ good intentions\, they try to do the right thing for as long as they can. \nPrecise\, surprising\, and provocative\, anchored by profound insight into human nature\, Brawler reveals the repeated\, sometimes heartbreaking turning points between love and fear\, compassion and violence\, reason and instinct\, altruism and what it takes to survive.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-lauren-groff-discusses-signs-brawler-stories/
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/2026/02/lauren-groff-ticketed.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260301T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260301T140000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260217T175705Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260217T175705Z
UID:10015024-1772373600-1772373600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Jenine Pastores & Josh Jackson read from & sign The Adventures of Tubby Nugget: Escape from Nuggetville
DESCRIPTION:Embark on an unforgettable journey with social media sensation Tubby Nugget in this delightful graphic novel! \nWelcome to Nuggetville\, a quaint town on Planet Nüg that the adorable and ever-optimistic Tubby Nugget calls home. Life there is sweet\, filled with playful friends\, delicious snacks\, and endless creativity. \nBut when the time comes for Tubby to take part in the customary Dunking ceremony to become a golden nugget–and say goodbye to the life he’s always known as a little nug–he realizes that he yearns for something different. Can his heart feel at home somewhere new? Join Tubby on a daring journey as he bravely defies tradition to stay true to himself. \nWhether you’re a longtime fan of Tubby Nugget or new to his adventures\, this graphic novel promises to be a nugget of joy in your reading collection. Grab your favorite snack and get ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure with Tubby Nugget!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-jenine-pastores-josh-jackson-read-from-sign-the-adventures-of-tubby-nugget-escape-from-nuggetville/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jenine-pastores-josh-jackson-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260228T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260228T160000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260123T230910Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T230910Z
UID:10014950-1772294400-1772294400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Elizabeth Day\, discusses & signs One of Us
DESCRIPTION:“Funny\, sharp\, sophisticated\, this is Elizabeth Day’s writing at its finest.” \n–Dolly Alderton\, New York Times bestselling author of Good Material \n“The thinking person’s thriller. A Trojan horse of a book–part Highsmith\, part Waugh–that hides within its superbly gripping plot a gimlet-eyed interrogation of class\, privilege and power.” \n–Lucy Foley \nWhen Fliss\, the eccentric grown daughter of the powerful Fitzmaurice clan\, is found dead on beach in Bali\, what seems like a tragic accident stirs more suspicion than closure for those who’ve traded favors with–and within–her family for decades. \nThere is Ben\, Fliss’s brother\, eager to minimize his sister’s passing\, since it’s suddenly clear he’s next in line to be Prime Minister. And Martin–Ben’s erstwhile best friend–who is just happy that Fliss’s memorial gives him the chance to re-enter the Fitzmaurice orbit\, seeking revenge and acceptance. He can’t help but notice that Ben’s wife\, Serena\, seems to have discovered in middle age that her privileged existence is more like a gilded cage. Or that Ben and Serena’s daughter Cosima has become an environmental activist fighting against everything her parents seem to stand for–a pivot her late aunt would’ve applauded. Where does Richard Take–Ben’s disgraced colleague\, determined to make his big comeback\, fit in? And circling them all is Andrew Jarvis and his money: Has he been their loyal hero\, or the one who has thrown his weight around just to keep them all in check? \nDelivering incisive commentary on the hypocrisies of the elite\, this juicy ensemble drama about old friends and dazzling wealth perfectly captures the uneasy balance between personal ambition and collective responsibility. One of Us is a page-turner with teeth\, a mash-up of The Wedding People and Succession–darkly comic and cutting\, as well as unexpectedly hopeful.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-elizabeth-day-discusses-signs-one-of-us/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,Ice House,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/elizabeth-day-book-only.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260227T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260227T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260123T230704Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T230704Z
UID:10014949-1772218800-1772218800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Michiko Aoyama discusses & signs Hot Chocolate on Thursday
DESCRIPTION:Across a bridge in a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo\, a seasonal cherry blossom sits on the river. Nearby is the Marble Cafe\, where a woman writes in a notebook and a young waiter prepares her favorite hot drink. Both wonder about each other and about the other lives of the clientele who frequent this charming little cafe behind the trees… \nWithout even realizing it\, we may touch and change someone else’s life. \nTaking a walk along the river\, cooking the best tamagoyaki\, ordering hot chocolate\, forgetting to remove our nail polish… The small\, everyday acts that we do can lead to unexpected encounters\, reverberate far beyond our own circle\, and ultimately make a difference in the world around us. \nHot Chocolate on Thursday is a tapestry of slice-of-life moments that each open and close with a woman ordering her regular hot chocolate at the mysterious Marble Cafe. What happens in between will touch and swell your heart\, as we connect with a community of untold unfolding lives.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-michiko-aoyama-discusses-signs-hot-chocolate-on-thursday/
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/2026/01/michiko-aoyama.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260223T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260223T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260123T230458Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T230458Z
UID:10014948-1771873200-1771873200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Michelle Maryk\, discusses & signs The Found Object Society
DESCRIPTION:Description\nAn atmospheric speculative suspense novel following a mysterious society offering its members the chance to relive the death of another person—and the self-destructive woman determined to uncover its secrets \nThis ambitious\, genre-bending debut is perfect for fans of time-travel fiction including Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library and Gareth Brown’s The Book of Doors \nFor twenty years\, Greta Davenport has lived with the guilt of surviving the accident that killed her parents. She’s tested the limits of her own mortality ever since\, but little gives her the dopamine rush she craves. Not until the night she almost drunkenly crashes her car into a tree\, and a peculiar blank card slides under her front door—an invitation to the Found Object Society. What she discovers there is beyond comprehension: an opulent\, subterranean playground filled with aisles of objects from different eras and regions of the world. Pick an object and go on a voyage to relive the final moments of the person who died holding it\, along with an unparalleled\, irreplicable high. Greta’s hooked\, but she can’t quiet her questions about the society and its enigmatic creators\, the answers to which have implications far beyond her growing dependence on the voyages. Death is addictive\, and what she uncovers will put her entire life into question. \nA fever dream of a novel with episodic\, time-traveling chapters told from multiple points of view\, The Found Object Society examines the depraved whims of the ultrarich and the breadth of unresolved trauma—all while asking how grief and the choices we make in its aftermath can change the course of our lives. Michelle Maryk’s wholly original and ambitious debut opens an impeccably wrought speculative world of greed\, power\, and destiny. \n\n\nAbout the Author\nMichelle Maryk graduated from Cornell University with a degree in English and attended the Yale Writer’s Workshop. For the better part of twenty-five years\, she’s been a successful voiceover\, on-camera commercial\, and comedic actor\, and she is a dual Swedish and US citizen. The Found Object Society is her debut novel.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-michelle-maryk-discusses-signs-the-found-object-society/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260222T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260222T110000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260123T230000Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T230000Z
UID:10014947-1771758000-1771758000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Local Author Day (Young Readers Edition) Introducing Susana Porras
DESCRIPTION:Susana Porras presents DANNY’S TRAILS – Mossley\, England. Danny’s Trails: Mossley\, England\, is loosely based on a true story and is filled with youthful creativity\, lessons in inner awakening\, and mindfulness. This children’s book is appropriate for children ages 6-9. Consequently\, the story’s imaginative use of real landmarks\, a walkable trail\, and a map makes it engaging for readers of all ages.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-local-author-day-young-readers-edition-introducing-susana-porras/
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/2026/01/local-authors-600-x-600-kids.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260221T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260221T160000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260123T225615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T225615Z
UID:10014946-1771689600-1771689600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Susan Walter discusses & signs Murder at 30\,000 Feet
DESCRIPTION:Under the cover of turbulence\, a killer strikes. With nowhere to land and nowhere to hide\, who will save the passengers from this nightmare at 30\,000 feet? \nIt’s a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 with nonstop service to San Juan\, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players is headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives\, and others who can’t wait to return to their beloved home. \nBut sweet anticipation turns to terror when a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on\, a passenger is found brutally murdered\, with only a bewildered air marshal to solve the crime. He soon realizes that several passengers are harboring dark secrets\, but the identity of the murderer eludes him. There’s only one certainty: the killer is on the plane. \nThousands of feet above the earth with thunderstorms closing in\, the danger outside is as grave as the mounting threat within. Can the captain outrun the storm? Or will the murderer among them bring the plane down first? \nPassion\, betrayal\, and murder collide in this high-stakes\, locked-room mystery. A must-read for fans of T.J. Newman and Jeneva Rose.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-susan-walter-discusses-signs-murder-at-30000-feet/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/susan-walter.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260221T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260221T110000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260123T225301Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T225301Z
UID:10014945-1771671600-1771671600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Lars Kenseth reads from & signs Call Me Moby
DESCRIPTION:A lovable white whale tries to befriend a shipful of sailors with hilarious results\, in this clever debut from a celebrated New Yorker cartoonist and television writer. Perfect for fans of Jon Klassen and Jory John. \nMeet Physeter Macrocephalus – but you can call him Moby. \nHe’s got the BIGGEST toothy smile. He’s always up for a game of tag. And his backflips can’t be beat! Who wouldn’t want to be his pal? \nSo when he meets a ship full of sailors out on the ocean\, he just knows they will get along swimmingly. Moby is as fin-tastic and friendly as he can be\, but the guys still seem a little…salty. What could he be doing wrong? \nThis clever riff on the Melville classic is at its heart a story about how to make friends – and find ones who appreciate the real you.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-lars-kenseth-reads-from-signs-call-me-moby/
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/2026/01/lars-kenseth.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260220T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20260220T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T075730
CREATED:20260123T224905Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T225024Z
UID:10014944-1771614000-1771614000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Simona Supekar\, discusses & signs Stock Photo (Object Lessons)
DESCRIPTION:Object Lessons is a series of short\, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. \nPart memoir\, part cultural criticism\, Stock Photo mines the significance of the stock photo in our everyday lives\, from the ads and websites we browse\, to the menus and memes that we consume. Through interviews with stock photography experts\, photographers\, models\, consumers\, and other stakeholders\, Simona Supekar explores the evolution of the industry by tracing the creation of a stock photo from concept to usage while highlighting significant historical moments. \nSupekar weaves in her own experiences as a keyworder for a stock photography company while reckoning with her Asian American/South Asian identity in a post-9/11 world. Stock Photo also addresses how these images have the power to shape our perceptions about race\, class/caste\, gender\, ability\, and more\, thus underscoring the importance of representation even in something as innocuous as a stock photo.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-simona-supekar-discusses-signs-stock-photo-object-lessons/
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/2026/01/simona-supekar.png
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