Vroman's Bookstore: Rick Jackson and Matthew McGough discuss Black Tunnel White Magic: A Murder, a Detective’s Obsession, and ’90s Los Angeles at the Brink
2025-02-25 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Detective Rick Jackson, a decorated LAPD detective and a key inspiration in the development of Harry Bosch, delivers a shocking and immersive look into the one case he could never let go.
In June 1990, Ronald Baker, a straight-A UCLA student, was found repeatedly stabbed to death in a tunnel near Spahn Ranch, where Charles Manson and his followers once lived. Shortly thereafter, Detective Rick Jackson and his partner, Frank Garcia, were assigned the case. Yet the facts made no sense. Who would have a motive to kill Ron Baker in such a grisly manor? Was the proximity to the Manson ranch related to the murder? And what about the pentagram pendant Ron wore around his neck?
Jackson and Garcia soon focused their investigation on Baker’s two male roommates, one Black, and one white. What emerges is at once a story of confounding betrayal and cold-hearted intentions, as well as a larger portrait of an embattled Los Angeles, a city in the grip of the Satanic Panic and grappling with questions of racial injustice and police brutality in the wake of Rodney King.
In straightforward, matter-of-fact prose, Rick Jackson, the now-retired police detective who helped inspire Michael Connelly’s beloved Harry Bosch, along with co-writer, Matthew McGough, take us through the events as he and his partner experienced them, piecing together the truth with each emerging clue. Black Tunnel White Magic is the true story of a murder in cold blood, deception and betrayal, and a city at the brink, set forth by the only man who could tell it.

Ice House: Guy Torry's Phat Tuesdays
2025-02-25 20:00 - 21:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House comedy presents Guy Torry’s Phat Tuesdays! LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 7pm. Seating in the showroom begins 30 minutes prior to showtime. The show Starts at 8pm. 21+ with a 2-item minimum per seat.
In the tradition of comedians who have made the transition from the stage to the screen, such as Richard Pryor and Bill Cosby, multi-talented Guy Torry has made the leap to comedic actor with great success. Guy has been seen on BET’s “Comic View,” Comedy Central’s “Premium Blend,” “Showtime at the Apollo” and “Russell Simmons: Def Comedy Jam” where he made his stand up debut to a national audience. Guy also hosted the enormously successful 52 city comedy tour The Kings of Comedy, which grossed over $37M. He created a unique concept called Phat Comedy Tuesdays which was a weekly showcase for up and coming comedians. This evolved into a weekly spotlight at the Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip entitled The Guy Torry Show where Guy hosts and produces a comedy showcase featuring an improv comedy troupe. This event was regularly attended by the comedy A-List including Eddie Murphy, Chris Tucker, and Chris Rock.

Music at Noon: Danny Holt, pianist
2025-02-26 12:10 - 12:40 | Pasadena Presbyterian Church Musical Events, 585 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California, 91101
Pasadena Presbyterian Church presents Music at Noon a free lunchtime concert spotlighting local artists this week enjoy Evan Marshall showcasing his work on the Mandolin. Can’t make it in person check out their YouTube channel for new virtual concerts every week.

FUMC: Sing America Part One: I, Too
2025-02-26 19:30 | First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Sing America Part One: I, Too features two powerful beautiful large-scale works by Black American composers Florence Price and Margaret Bonds and a new piece, Wayfaring Stranger, composed by Jen Wang for the Pasadena Chorale in 2024.

Top Dog / Underdog
2025-02-26 20:00 | Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Two brothers in freefall struggle to find their footing as they hustle their way through life. Haunted by the past and their obsession with street cons and cards, the brothers come to learn the true nature of their fate. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Suzan-Lori Parks’ darkly comic fable is poetic, gripping, and unforgettable.

Ice House: Wednesday's at the DL w/ DL Hughley & friends
2025-02-26 20:00 - 21:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Wednesday’s at the DL with DL Hughley & friends. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 7:00pm. The show Starts at 8pm. 21+ with a 2-item minimum per seat.

Monopole Wine by RX: House of Brown (Black History Month Event)
2025-02-27 17:30 - 19:30 | Monopole Wine By RX, 21 S. El Molino Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Sip, savor, and discover the bold flavors of House of Brown, Napa Valley’s first Black-owned winery, at Monopole Wine by RX. This special tasting experience brings a selection of their finest wines, paired with small bites, for an evening of refined indulgence.

Vroman's Bookstore: Michael Hiltzik discusses Golden State: The Making of California
2025-02-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
California has long reigned as the land of plenty, a place where the sun always shines and opportunity beckons. Even before its statehood in 1850, it captured the world’s imagination. We think of bearded prospectors lured by the promise of gold; we imagine its early embrace of immigrant labor during the railroad boom asa prologue to its diverse social fabric today. But what lies underneath the myth is far more complicated.

Thanks to extensive research by Michael Hiltzik, one of our longstanding voices on California, Golden State uncovers the unvarnished truth about the state we think we know well. From Spanish incursions into what became known as Alta California to the rise of Big Tech, the history of California is one of stark contradictions. In rich, previously overlooked detail, we see its earliest statesmen wreak havoc among native peoples while racing to draft their own constitution even ahead of statehood. Gold-hungry settlers venture into the Sierra foothills only to leave with little, while a handful of their suppliers turn themselves into millionaire railroad magnates. Wars erupt in the name of water as Los Angeles booms, and early efforts to tame the vast landscape create a haven for fossil fuel extraction and environmental conservation alike. Hollywood politicians stoke fear, contributing to a centuries-long tradition of anti-Asian violence, and, remarkably, legal redlining and free higher education take root together.

Golden State brings a fresh critical eye to the origins of the state against which the rest of the country measures itself. From its very start, Hiltzik shows, that the story of the United States was written in California.

Ice House: MAS LOCOS w/ Pablo Francisco & friends
2025-02-27 20:00 - 21:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents MAS LOCOS with Pablo Francisco & friends. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! 21+ only with a 2-item minimum per seat.

SCCM: Mindful Mondays
2025-03-03 10:30 - 11:00 | Southern California Children’s Museum, 459 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91011, United States
Southern California Children’s Museum invites families to start the week with mindfulness through a gentle introduction to breathing exercises, sensory awareness, stretching, mantras, and easy meditations. This weekly program includes a storytime and mindfulness exercise, offering techniques that benefit all ages. No special equipment is needed—just come as you are!

Vroman's Bookstore: Nicole Maggi, in conversation with Gretchen McNeil, discusses & signs A Murder in Zion
2025-03-03 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
When the body of a childhood friend turns up in the Narrows of Zion National Park, Emmeline Helliwell, a special agent with the National Park Service, is called in to investigate. As bodies start to pile up, Emme soon realizes that the breathtaking beauty of Zion National Park may hide sordid secrets in its depths.

SCCM: Story & Craft
2025-03-05 10:30 - 23:00 | Southern California Children’s Museum, 459 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91011, United States
At Southern California Children’s Museum, Story & Craft brings stories to life through arts, crafts, and interactive play! Designed for toddlers to kindergarteners, this weekly program introduces children to diverse authors, illustrators, cultures, and characters through storytelling, music, and hands-on creativity. Cultural lessons are woven in, celebrating heritage months and awareness days in a fun and engaging way.

Music at Noon: Hannah White, violin and Hyewon Chang, piano
2025-03-05 12:10 - 12:40 | Pasadena Presbyterian Church Musical Events, 585 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California, 91101
Pasadena Presbyterian Church presents Music at Noon a free lunchtime concert spotlighting local artists this week enjoy Hannah White, violin, and Hyewon Chang, piano showcasing his work on the Mandolin. Can’t make it in person check out their YouTube channel for new virtual concerts every week.

Vroman's Bookstore: Margaret Chandra Kerrison, in conversation with Todd Martens, discusses The Art of Immersive Storytelling
2025-03-05 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Level up your storytelling with award-winning experience designer, world builder, and former Disney Imagineer.
Immersive experiences and interactive exhibits are popping up all over the world, telling stories that engage our imaginations and sense of play like never before.
Exploring the parallels between video games and the world’s most exciting, innovative spaces, this sequel to the groundbreaking Immersive Storytelling for Real and Imagined Worlds explains how the same techniques that pull players into games for hours at a time can be employed to draw participants into immersive experiences. Join Margaret Kerrison as she guides our next generation of immersive storytellers on a deep dive into the creative possibilities of this new realm of storytelling.
Todd Martens is a features columnist at the Los Angeles Times who writes about theme parks and West Coast Experiences, among other topics. Martens joined the Los Angeles Times in 2007 and has covered a mix of interactive entertainment as its game critic and pop music as a reporter and editor.

Vroman's Bookstore: Tim Z. Hernandez discusses They Call You Back
2025-03-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A haunting, an obsession, a calling: Tim Z. Hernandez has been searching for people his whole life. Now, in this highly anticipated memoir, he takes us along on an investigative odyssey through personal and collective history to uncover the surprising conjunctions that bind our stories together.
Hernandez’s mission to find the families of the twenty-eight Mexicans who were killed in the 1948 plane wreck at Los Gatos Canyon formed the basis for his acclaimed documentary novel All They Will Call You, which the San Francisco Chronicle dubbed “a stunning piece of investigative journalism,” and the New York Times hailed as “painstaking detective work by a writer who is the descendant of farmworkers.”
In this riveting new work, Hernandez continues his search for the plane crash victims while also turning the lens on himself and his ancestral past, revealing the tumultuous and deeply intimate experiences that have fueled his investigations—a lifelong journey haunted by memory, addiction, generational trauma, and the spirit world.
They Call You Back is the true chronicle of one man’s obsession to restore dignity to an undignified chapter in America’s past, while at the same time making a case for why we must heal our personal wounds if we are ever to heal our political ones.

Vroman's Bookstore: Surekha Davies, in conversation with Megan Kate Nelson, discuss Humans: A Monstrous History
2025-03-07 08:00 - 17:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A history of how humans have created monsters out of one another—from our deepest fears—and what these monsters tell us about humanity’s present and future.
Monsters are central to how we think about the human condition. Join award-winning historian of science Dr. Surekha Davies as she reveals how people have defined the human about everything from apes to zombies, and how they invented race, gender, and nations along the way. With rich, evocative storytelling that braids together ancient gods and generative AI, Frankenstein’s monster and E.T., Humans: A Monstrous History shows how monster-making is about control: it defines who gets to count as normal.
In an age when corporations increasingly see people as obstacles to profits, this book traces the long, volatile history of monster-making and charts a better path for the future. The result is a profound, effervescent, empowering retelling of the history of the world for anyone who wants to reverse rising inequality and polarization. This is not a history of monsters, but a history through monsters.

Vroman's Bookstore: Angie Kang discusses Our Lake
2025-03-08 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A tender and vulnerable exploration of love and loss that follows two boys as they take their first trip back to the lake without their father, from debut author-illustrator Angie Kang.
Today, Brother is taking me up to swim in the lake like Father used to.
I want to thank him for bringing us here, but I can’t find the words.
Instead, I loop my arms around his torso, and he does the same back.
Here, in our lake, the water holds us close.
On a sweltering hot day, a little boy mirrors his brother as he takes off his shirt, stretches, and walks toward the edge of the tall rock, ready to dive into the cool lake waters glistening below. Only this time, Father is not here. And the water looks so far away. How can he take the plunge?
With a gorgeous, deft touch in her exquisitely soft illustrations and words, Angie Kang conveys vulnerability, longing, and connection as these two boys hear Father’s laugh and see his memory all around them, uniting them in a bittersweet moment.

Vroman's Bookstore: Kim Fay, in conversation with J. Ryan Stradal, discusses Kate & Frida: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Books
2025-03-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From the author of instant national bestseller Love & Saffron, this bright and comforting novel follows the surprising friendship between two young women in 1990s Seattle and Paris, illuminating the power of books to change our lives.
Sometimes a book can change your life…
Twentysomething Frida Rodriguez arrives in Paris in 1991, relishing the city’s butter-soaked cuisine and seeking her future as a war correspondent. But then she writes to a bookshop in Seattle, and receives more than just the book she requests. A friendship begins that will redefine the person she wants to become.
Seattle bookseller Kate Fair is transformed by Frida’s free spirit, spurred to believe in herself as a writer, to kiss her handsome coworker, and to find beauty even in loss. Through the most tumultuous years of their young lives—personally and globally—Kate and Frida sustain and nourish each other as they learn the necessity of embracing joy, especially through our darkest hours.
This mouthwatering oasis of a novel is a love letter to bookshops and booksellers, to the passion we bring to life in our twenties, and to the last precious years before the internet changed everything.

Music at Noon: Andrew Bacjoe Egbuchiem, countertenor
2025-03-12 12:10 - 12:40 | Pasadena Presbyterian Church Musical Events, 585 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, California, 91101
Pasadena Presbyterian Church presents Music at Noon a free lunchtime concert spotlighting local artists this week enjoy Andrew Bacjoe Egbuchiem. Can’t make it in person check out their YouTube channel for new virtual concerts every week.

Vroman’s presents Joel Stern presenting "In the Easter Egg Workshop" Papercraft Workshop
2025-03-12 16:00 - 17:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Join origami artist and author Joel Stern for a creative craft workshop on March 12th, from 4-5pm! Watch as Easter pop-ups and origami creatures come to life through the magic of paper folding.
Joel is the author of the newly published In the Easter Egg Workshop: A Pop-Up Adventure, as well as many other papercraft books. His art has been featured in movies, commercials, and on television. Visit his website here.
Please RSVP at rsvp@vromansbookstore.com with the subject “Stern Workshop”

Pasadena Heritage: Irish Tales By The Fire
2025-03-13 18:00 - 19:00 | Blinn House, 160 N. Oakland Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Padraic P. Keohane, storyteller, author, and teacher, shares tales of wit, wonder, and wisdom, captivating audiences for nearly 50 years.

Vroman’s Ed – Romance Writing Class with Amy Spalding (8 weeks)
2025-03-13 18:30 - 19:30 | Atrium Building, 709 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Please note, this class has been moved from January 9th. (Please note: this 8 week class will be held on Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm – *3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3, 4/10, 4/17, 4/24 and 5/1)
Have you always wanted to write your own HEA (that’s a happily-ever-after)? This class is for anyone interested in writing a romance novel—or who’s started one but feels like they need some help getting to that happy ending! In this 8-week course, bestselling author Amy Spalding will teach you the fundamentals of romance novels.
From Meet Cute to HEA: Writing the Modern Romance Novel will focus on structure, with specialized lectures each week to learn more about each beat, from the setup to the meet-cute, all the way through to that glorious HEA. Topics covered will include genre conventions (yes, like tropes!), dialogue/banter, building tension (sexual and otherwise!), inclusivity/diversity in storytelling, common pitfalls, and more.
Classes will be mostly lecture/discussion, with time set aside each week for writing exercises and brainstorming. The goal is for each writer to leave class with a full outline of their romance novel, as well as some example scenes and exercises they may be able to use in the manuscript as well.
Students will also leave class with resources: each week’s presentation will be sent out to all students, as well as additional links for further examples/education.
Amy Spalding is the author of several adult and YA novels, including the bestselling romance For Her Consideration, We Used to Be Friends, and YA romance The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles), which was named the best book of 2018 by NPR, the Boston Globe, Kirkus Reviews, and more. She is a recipient of the 2023 Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award for the authentic, funny, and diverse representation of the LGBTQ+ community in her books.
Amy grew up in St. Louis and now lives in Los Angeles. She has a B.A. in Advertising & Marketing Communications from Webster University and an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School. Amy studied long form improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
*This class will be held on the following dates – 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, and 3/6 (with no class on 2/27) and will take place in the Vroman’s Meeting Room located next door to Vroman’s Main Store in the Atrium at 709 E. Colorado Blvd. Suite 120.
(Please register by the end of day 1/8/25)
Questions? Email@vromansbookstore.com or call (626)449-5320

Vroman's Bookstore: Mallory O’Meara discusses Daughter of Daring: The Trick-Riding, Train-Leaping, Road-Racing Life of Helen Gibson, Hollywood's First Stuntwoman
2025-03-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From LA Times bestselling author Mallory O’Meara, the story of America’s first professional stuntwoman, Helen Gibson, who rose to fame during a time when women ruled Hollywood.
Helen Gibson was a woman willing to do anything to give audiences a thrill. Advertised as “The Most Daring Actress in Pictures,” Helen emerged in the early days of the twentieth-century silent film scene as a rodeo rider, background actor, stunt double, and eventually one of the era’s biggest action stars. Her exploits on motorcycles, train cars, and horseback were as dangerous as they were glamorous, featured in hundreds of films and serials–yet her legacy was quickly overshadowed by the increasingly hypermasculine and male-dominated evolution of cinema in the decades that would follow her.
Award-winning author Mallory O’Meara presents her life and career in exhilarating detail, including:

Helen’s rise to fame in The Hazards of Helen, the longest-running serial in history
How Helen became the first-ever stuntwoman in American film
The pivotal role of Helen’s contemporaries–including female directors, stars, and stunt women who shaped the making of cinema as we know it.

Through the page-turning story of Helen’s pioneering legacy, Mallory O’Meara gives readers a glimpse of the Golden Age of Hollywood that could have been: an industry where women call the shots.

Blaze Pizza: Pi Day!
2025-03-14 08:00 - 22:00 | Blaze Pizza, 667 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Blaze Pizza is celebrating Pi Day! Enjoy pizzas for just $3.14 each. Head to Blaze Pizza and make Pi Day delicious!

ArtNight Pasadena
2025-03-14 18:00 - 22:00 | USC Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
ArtNight Pasadena is an ongoing partnership among many cultural institutions and the Cultural Affairs Division of the City of Pasadena. Enjoy an evening of art, music, and entertainment as Pasadena’s most prominent arts and cultural institutions offer free admission for the evening. Be sure to check out USC Pacific Asia Museum’s exhibit Cai Guo-Qiang: A Material Odyssey.

Vroman's Bookstore: Rima Fakih Slaiby & Theresa AlHayek read from Brave Buzzy Bee
2025-03-15 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From Miss USA 2010, Rima Fakih Slaiby, and debut author Theresa AlHayek comes a story about a brave little bee who never gives up.
Buzzy Bee is excited to participate in the Colony’s upcoming race. There’s just one problem: he isn’t very fast! But Buzzy is not a quitter, so he practices tirelessly to get better and better. But on the day of the race, things don’t exactly go as expected. Can Buzzy save the day and win the race?
Told in beautiful bouncing rhyme with gorgeous illustrations by Angela Li, Brave Buzzy Bee provides a lesson for young readers about the true meaning of bravery, featuring a character that audiences can’t help but fall in love with.

FUMC: Third@First: St. Patrick’s Day Concert
2025-03-15 16:00 - 17:00 | First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
First United Methodist Church’s Third@First concert series presents a special program of Irish music in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoy a lively performance by the Irish band Sligo Rags and don’t forget to wear your favorite green attire!

Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition: Let's Go Visit the Neighbors!
2025-03-16 10:00 - 13:00 | Playhouse Village Park, 701 Union St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition proudly announces their first ride of the year! Riders will journey to the neighboring city of San Marino, exploring its historic sites. The excursion will include a stop at the Huntington Library’s coffee shop/cafeteria area, where coffee and food items will be available for purchase at two locations. This cycling adventure will cover approximately 12 miles with an elevation gain of 500 feet.

T. Boyles Tavern: St Patricks Day
2025-03-17 12:00 | T. Boyle’s Tavern, 37 N Catalina Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106, Select a Country:
T. Boyle’s Tavern is serving up a special St. Patrick’s Day menu featuring a corned beef and cabbage plate with red potatoes, corned beef sandwiches, Reuben sandwiches, and their signature Irish Nachos—crispy potato chips topped with beer cheese and corned beef. Don’t miss out on these festive flavors!

Vroman's Bookstore (Ticketed): Torrey Peters discusses Stag Dance
2025-03-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
This is an in-store ticketed event with two ticket options:

General Admission to the event + 1 copy of Stag Dance which will be handed out at check-in
General Admission to the event

In this collection of one novel and three stories, bestselling author Torrey Peters’ keen eye for the rough edges of community and desire push the limits of trans writing.
In Stag Dance, the titular novel, a group of restless lumberjacks working in an illegal winter logging outfit plan a dance that some of them will volunteer to attend as women. When the broadest, strongest, plainest of the axmen announces his intention to dance as a woman, he finds himself caught in a strange rivalry with a pretty young jack, provoking a cascade of obsession, jealousy, and betrayal that will culminate on the big night in an astonishing vision of gender and transition.
Three startling stories surround Stag Dance: “Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones” imagines a gender apocalypse brought about by an unstable ex-girlfriend. In “The Chaser,” a secret romance between roommates at a Quaker boarding school brings out intrigue and cruelty. In the last story, “The Masker,” a party weekend on the Las Vegas strip turns dark when a young crossdresser must choose between two guides: a handsome mystery man who objectifies her in thrilling ways, or a cynical veteran trans woman offering unglamorous sisterhood.
Acidly funny and breathtaking in its scope, with the inventive audacity of George Saunders or Jennifer Egan, Stag Dance provokes, unsettles, and delights.
