Playhouse Village Association

Vroman's Bookstore: Becky Aikman, in conversation with Mary Pilon, discusses & signs Spitfires
2025-06-24 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The heart-pounding true story of the daring American women who piloted the most dangerous aircraft of World War II through the treacherous skies of Britain.
They were crop dusters and debutantes, college girls and performers in flying circuses-all of them trained as pilots. Because they were women, they were denied the opportunity to fly for their country when the United States entered the Second World War. But Great Britain, desperately fighting for survival, would let anyone-even Americans, even women-transport warplanes. Thus, twenty-five daring young aviators bolted for England in 1942, becoming the first American women to command military aircraft.
In a faraway land, these “spitfires” lived like women decades ahead of their time. Risking their lives in one of the deadliest jobs of the war, they ferried new, barely tested fighters and bombers to air bases and returned shot-up wrecks for repair, never knowing what might go wrong until they were high in the sky. Many ferry pilots died in crashes or made spectacular saves. It was exciting, often terrifying work. The pilots broke new ground off duty as well, shocking their hosts with thoroughly modern behavior.
With cinematic sweep, Becky Aikman follows the stories of nine of the women who served, drawing on unpublished diaries, letters, and records, along with her own interviews, to bring these forgotten heroines fully to life. Spitfires is a vivid, richly detailed account of war, ambition, and a group of remarkable women whose lives were as unconventional as their dreams.
BIO:
Becky Aikman is the author of two books of narrative nonfiction: her memoir Saturday Night Widows and Off the Cliff: How the Making of Thelma & Louise Drove Hollywood to the Edge. Aikman was a journalist at Newsday, and her work has also appeared in the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and other publications. She lives in New York and Los Angeles.

Wellness in the Park: Basecamp Fitness Pasadena
2025-06-26 18:00 - 19:00 | Playhouse Village Park, 701 Union St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Playhouse Village is ready to move this Summer! Wellness in the Park is a free outdoor series featuring fitness and wellness classes brought to you by local Playhouse Village studios. This spring and summer, reconnect with your body and your community on each 2nd and 4th Thursday in Playhouse Village Park. Classes are open to all levels. Bring a friend, and get ready to breathe, stretch, move, dance, and be well!
Basecamp Fitness is offering – High Intensity Interval Training Full Body workout – This all-in, high-energy group workout packs a supercharged calorie burn into just 35 minutes, alternating between heart-thumping cardio to strength moves, modified to your level. Following this workout, get focused on 10 minutes of core exercises.

Vroman's Bookstore: Jayson Greene, in conversation with Alua Arthur, discusses & signs Unworld
2025-06-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From the author of Once More We Saw Stars comes a gripping novel about four intertwined lives that collide in the wake of a mysterious tragedy. Set in a near-future world where the boundaries between human and AI blur, the story challenges our understanding of consciousness and humanity.
Anna is shattered by the violent death of her son, Alex, and tormented by the question of whether it was an accident or a suicide. Samantha is Alex’s best friend, and the only eyewitness to his death. She keeps returning to the cliff where she watched him either jump or fall, trying to sift through the shards. Aviva is an “upload,” a digital entity composed of the sense memories of a human tether. But she’s “emancipated,” having left her human behind. Set free from her source and harboring a troubling secret, she finds temporary solace in the body of Cathy, a self-destructive ex-addict turned AI professor and upload-rights activist.
With UnWorld, Jayson Greene envisions a grim but eerily familiar near-future where all lines have blurred–between visceral and digital, human and machine, real and unreal. As Anna, Cathy, Sam, and Aviva’s stories hurtle toward each other, the stakes of UnWorld reveal themselves with electrifying intensity: What happens to the soul when it is splintered by grief? Where does love reside except in memory? What does it mean to be conscious, to be human, to be alive?

Vroman's Bookstore: Jayson Greene discusses & signs Unworld
2025-06-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Vroman's Bookstore: Jenean Atwood Baynes & John H. Atwood read from & sign The Butterbean Balls Came Yesterday
2025-06-28 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Back from a self-imposed hiatus, the indelible father & daughter writing team of John H. Atwood and Jenean Atwood Baynes is back! And with purpose, they keep the spirit of the late Mary L. Atwood, wife & mother, firmly at their side.
After the success of the 2nd edition of Blue Spots! Yellow Spots! Atwood Legacy Enterprises is proud to present The Butterbean Balls Came Yesterday! In this new publication, John & Jenean introduce a new character who faces a decision that sometimes besets us all! Come with them again as they travel into The Land of Dushkin – a mystical magical storyland for children and the young at heart!
When Pincher Dushkin asks Ushkin Dushkin for help with a surplus of butterbean balls, Ushkin has the chance to help his neighbor. Instead, he chooses to walk away. In the end, Ushkin learns that it’s good to help your neighbors when asked, and that helping others can ultimately help him too.
These imaginary, fanciful characters with human-like qualities live in a colorful make-believe world solving everyday problems. The Dushkins help readers learn how to understand the world around them, along with concepts such as critical thinking and decision-making.

FUMC: Rep Judy Chu Town Hall
2025-06-28 15:00 - 16:00 | First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Rep. Chu represents the 28th Congressional District, which includes Pasadena and the West San Gabriel Valley. She currently serves on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over legislation pertaining to taxes, revenues, Social Security and Medicare. She is also a member of subcommittees Health, Workers, and Family Support, and Oversight. She serves on the House Budget Committee. She welcomes the community to respond to questions and concerns. Please feel free to invite friends and neighbors!
Rep Judy Chu Town Hall First United Methodist Church Press Release

Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Jess Walter, in conversation with David Duchovny discusses & signs So Far Gone
2025-06-28 16:00 - 17:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
“A warm, funny, loving novel. . . . It’s an American original.”–Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of Tom Lake
“So Far Gone is a marvel.”–Tom Perrotta, New York Times bestselling author of The Leftovers
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins–and in the propulsive spirit of Charles Portis’ True Grit–comes a hilarious, empathetic, and brilliantly provocative adventure through life in modern America, about a reclusive journalist forced back into the world to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren.
Rhys Kinnick has gone off the grid. At Thanksgiving a few years back, a fed-up Rhys punched his conspiracy-theorist son-in-law in the mouth, chucked his smartphone out a car window and fled for a cabin in the woods, with no one around except a pack of hungry raccoons.
Now Kinnick’s old life is about to land right back on his crumbling doorstep. Can this failed husband and father, a man with no internet and a car that barely runs, reemerge into a broken world to track down his missing daughter and save his sweet, precocious grandchildren from the members of a dangerous militia?
With the help of his caustic ex-girlfriend, a bipolar retired detective, and his only friend (who happens to be furious with him), Kinnick heads off on a wild journey through cultural lunacy and the rubble of a life he thought he’d left behind. So Far Gone is a rollicking, razor-sharp, and moving road trip through a fractured nation, from a writer who has been called “a genius of the modern American moment” (Philadelphia Inquirer).

Jazz in the Park: The Larry Muradian Quintet (Straight-ahead Jazz)
2025-06-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Playhouse Village Park, 701 Union St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Playhouse Village sizzles this summer with the return of the beloved Jazz in the Park concert series presented by Playhouse Village Association in partnership with Playhouse Village Foundation. The free concerts will take place every Sunday in June and July from 6PM to 8PM on the Van Halen Stage at Playhouse Village Park. This project is partially funded by a grant from Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and the generous donors of Playhouse Village Foundation as a result of A Night Out In Playhouse Village. Bring a blanket or low chair and a picnic from your favorite local restaurant.

Vroman's Bookstore: Heather Buchta discusses & signs All For the Game
2025-06-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From beloved author Heather Buchta comes a juicy, mind-twisting thriller about football, romance, and the cost of playing the game.
In Texas, football is life.
For Finn Geringer, it’s a ticket to a better future. Transferring to East Pages High, Finn hopes to secure a college scholarship and a chance to provide for his grandmother. In this town where football reigns supreme, East Pages seems perfect. Until it’s not.
Finn’s girlfriend, Megan, notices rival players absent from games. As she digs deeper, her life becomes increasingly dangerous: Mysterious cars tail her, strangers issue threats, and she’s sure someone’s been in her bedroom. Is it her imagination, or is East Pages hiding a dark secret?
Meanwhile, Finn’s cousin, Brit, the head cheerleader, revels in the perks of popularity and the prestige of attending a renowned sports school. But when a football player dies, she learns that her peers are purposely keeping her in the dark. Is her popularity an illusion?
Finn must choose between pursuing his dreams or uncovering the truth. As he, Brit, and Megan unravel the team’s mysteries, they face a powerful force determined to protect the school’s legacy at all costs. From veteran author Heather Buchta comes a gripping second-guessing game of suspicion and paranoia, romance and reputation, and the lengths people will go to protect who–and what–they love.

Vromans's Bookstore: Sachiko Kashiwaba & Avery Fischer Udagawa discuss & sign The Village Beyond the Mist
2025-07-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
“Kashiwaba’s novel is indeed transporting. . . . Pick up this book and be spirited away.” — Gregory Maguire, The New York Times
From the bestselling, Batchelder Award-winning author and translator of Temple Alley Summer and The House of the Lost on the Cape comes the fantastic adventure that first inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film, Spirited Away.
Lina’s father had suggested she go “someplace different” for the summer, and she’s beginning to wish she hadn’t listened. She could be at her grandma’s house in Nagano now, instead of trudging through a forest in search of a town that might not even exist. But when a gust of wind carries off her umbrella, it leads Lina down a secret path between the trees to a strange and incredible world. In the hidden village of Misty Valley, centaurs roam the cobblestone streets and gnomes visit shops stuffed with spellbooks and enchanted desserts. All magic has a dark side, though, and sometimes even sorcerers need a human’s helping hand.
Now, fifty years after its debut and decades of blockbuster success in Japan, Sachiko Kashiwaba’s acclaimed novel is available in English and certain to delight readers of all ages.
Bios:
Sachiko Kashiwaba is a prolific writer of children’s and young adult fantasy whose career spans more than four decades. Her works have garnered the prestigious Sankei, Shogakukan, and Noma children’s literature awards, and have recently been animated as the films The Wonderland and The House of the Lost on the Cape. Her novel Temple Alley Summer, illustrated by Miho Satake and translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, won the American Library Association’s 2022 Mildred L. Batchelder Award. She lives in Morioka, Iwate.
Avery Fischer Udagawa grew up in Kansas and studied English and Asian Studies at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. She holds an MA in advanced Japanese studies from the University of Sheffield. She has studied at Nanzan University, Nagoya, on a Fulbright fellowship, and at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies, Yokohama. She writes, translates, and works in international education near Bangkok, where she lives with her bicultural family.

Jazz in the Park: Kira & the Major 3 (American & World Standards)
2025-07-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Playhouse Village Park, 701 Union St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Vroman's Bookstore: Josh Jackson, in conversation with Jaclyn Cosgrove, discusses & signs The Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California's Public Lands
2025-07-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A galvanizing road trip across California’s immense public wilderness from a beloved adventurer.
“The Enduring Wild is a call to look beyond the surface, embrace the deep connections that tie us to our public lands, and commit to safeguarding them for future generations.” –QT Luong, author of Treasured Lands: A Photographic Odyssey Through America’s National Parks
It all began with a camping trip. Outdoor enthusiast Josh Jackson had never heard of “BLM land” before a casual recommendation from a friend led him to a free campsite in the desert–and the revelation that over 15 million acres of land in California are owned collectively by the people. In The Enduring Wild, he takes us on a road trip spanning thousands of miles, crisscrossing the Golden State to seek out every parcel of public wilderness therein belonging to the federal Bureau of Land Management, from the Pacific shores of the King Range down to the Mojave Desert. Over mountains, across prairies, and through sagebrush, Jackson unravels the stories of these lands. He tells of the Indigenous peoples who have called them home for millennia, of the extractivist threats that imperil them today, and of the grassroots organizers and political champions who have rallied to their common defense to uphold the radical mandate to protect these natural treasures for generations to come. For the adventurers, campers, explorers, map readers, road trippers, nature enthusiasts, and public lands lovers out there, The Enduring Wild is an indispensable invitation to know these places more deeply and to embrace our common inheritance. Illustrations by Rebekah Nolan.

Vroman's Bookstore: Josh Jackson, in conversation with Jaclyn Cosgrove, discusses & signs The Enduring Wild
2025-07-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Vroman's Bookstore: Jen Pastiloff, in conversation with Henry Czerny, discusses & signs Proof of Life: Let Go, Let Love, and Stop Looking for Permission to Live Your Life
2025-07-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
An urgent rallying cry to stop holding back and start living life on your terms.
Jen Pastiloff convinced herself My life is fine and fine’s enough, until the whisper that something was missing turned full-on scream.
This is Pastiloff’s account of how she reclaimed her voice and desire by radically changing her life. She did this despite believing that change equaled death ever since her beloved father died when she was eight. (Much to her shock, change did not equal death.) She shows us it is never too late to begin again, or to let go of stories like: I don’t deserve this; I don’t get to be happy; no one will love me; I’m too old, to name a few.
Through this book, you’ll quiet your Inner Asshole, participate in the cathartic process of Shame Loss, ignore the Imaginary Time Gods, use creativity as a portal into healing and connection, and become your own permission slip. Complete with takeaways in Jen’s signature style, creativity prompts, and poetry, Proof of Life is funny, inspiring, and full of love. This book is a reminder that your birthright is not stress or shame and that you don’t have to show proof that you are worthy or deserving. You are your own proof of life.

Vroman's Summer Reading Program - Tiny Art Show with Sara!
2025-07-10 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Playhouse Village invites the community to the first annual Tiny Art Show at Vroman’s Bookstore on Thursday, July 10 at 11 AM. This charming event features tiny artwork created by the attendees themselves. Normal-sized tiny art specialist Sara Luna will lead a hands-on workshop, guiding participants as they paint on miniature canvases. All finished pieces will be displayed inside the event space in a special pop-up miniature art gallery.
RSVP at rsvp@vromansbookstore.com

Vroman's Summer Reading Program - Crochet Workshop with Maya!
2025-07-10 18:00 - 19:30 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Playhouse Village welcomes teens to a four-part crochet workshop at Vroman’s Bookstore, held Thursdays from July 10 through July 31, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Designed for ages 13–18, the workshop is led by Vroman’s own resident crocheter, Maya, who will guide beginners through simple crochet crafts. Teens are also welcome to bring their own projects and connect with fellow young crafters. Yarn and hooks will be provided.
RSVP by emailing rsvp@vromansbookstore.com

Vroman's Bookstore: Dr. Julie Taylor discusses & signs The Hormone Manual
2025-07-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From hormone specialist and functional medicine doctor, Dr. Julie Taylor, comes a paradigm-shifting guidebook to help women optimize their hormones, starting from birth, through every stage of life, so they can reverse their symptoms, prevent disease, and thrive as they age.
Have the vibrant life you’ve always wanted. No matter your age or stage.
We have a manual for everything from our smartphones to our printers to our refrigerators. But where is the manual for our most important asset?
Where is the manual for you?
We’re all different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all rulebook. But there are universal truths that apply to all of us at every stage. Dr. Julie Taylor understands this. After being disillusioned by the lack of solutions within conventional medicine–a system aimed at treating not preventing diseases and disorders–she walked away from her medical residency in search of something better. A way to stop diseases before they even start.
And now, Dr. Taylor has created a Manual just for women. One where she starts at the very beginning and shares paradigm-shifting advice that details a woman’s needs from birth through her senior years. Dr. Julie believes that when a person’s hormones are balanced, everything changes for the better. And she has proof: from physical to mental to relational transformations–Dr. Taylor has seen it all.
This Manual filled with carefully crafted, age-specific guidance was written so that you can see yourself reflected in its pages. No matter what age or stage you’re in, know that you do not have to suffer with symptoms and sickness. The buck stops with you. Your body is your airplane, and you are the pilot. You can function at your best and feel better than ever. Dr. Taylor is providing you with the Manual.
Now go live!

USC PAM: Tea Tasting
2025-07-11 17:30 - 19:30 | USC Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Enjoy free music in the courtyard while tasting organic teas courtesy of Silk Road Teas. Spend $45 at Shop@PAM and receive a free gift.

Pasadena Heritage: The Art Deco Architecture of the Playhouse Village
2025-07-12 10:00 - 11:30 | Pasadena Heritage, The Blinn House 160 N Oakland Ave, Pasadena, 91101, United States
The Pasadena Playhouse Historic District contains approximately 34 buildings, which represent the eastward growth of the City’s urban core during the 1920s and 1930s, after Pasadena’s economy had changed from agriculture to tourism. During this period of development, Art Deco architecture was gaining popularity and was the chosen style for several commercial buildings in the District. This walking tour includes some notable landmarks designed in the style, including the Scottish Rite Temple, the United Artist Theater, and the Warner Building plus many other notable buildings of the period that are on the route. Join us as we explore Art Deco in this historic district (both old and new!), learn about the prominent architects behind their design, and hear about Pasadena Heritage’s involvement in the preservation and development of these buildings!
Tours last approximately 1.5 hours with a walking distance of approximately 1 mile. For the comfort of all our guests, dogs are not permitted on Pasadena Heritage walking tours.

Vroman's Bookstore: Morgan English reads from & signs Gilmore Girls: Goodnight, Stars Hollow
2025-07-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
End the day with the quirky residents of Stars Hollow in this adorable, charmingly illustrated board book for Gilmore Girls fans of all ages.
Say goodnight to the distinctive town of Stars Hollow and its interesting mix of residents in this lyrical board book featuring familiar locations and beloved friends that adult fans may have grown up with themselves. This is one bedtime book that will have kids and their parents drifting off to sleep with dreams of a quaint little Connecticut town they’d all love to call home.
A NEW BEDTIME ROUTINE: Explore Stars Hollow as these beloved characters close down the town for the night and prepare for bed in a book that is sure to become a favorite part of your family’s nighttime routine
FOR FANS OF ALL AGES: Fans and parents can share their love of this iconic mother-daughter sitcom with this board book told in rhyming verse that they can enjoy with young readers as they drift off to sleep
OLD FRIENDS, MEMORABLE MOMENTS: Filled with fan-favorite characters including Lorelai and Rory, Miss Patty, Luke, Sookie, and more
BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED: Original full-color illustrations bring the town and residents of Stars Hollow to life in a brand-new way

Vroman's Summer Concert Series Co-Sponsored by The Pasadena Conservatory of Music
2025-07-12 17:00 - 18:00 | Vroman’s Stage, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, Select a Country:
Vroman’s Bookstore invites the community to enjoy live music outside on the Vroman’s Paseo from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. Band details will be announced soon—stay tuned for an evening of great tunes and relaxed outdoor vibes.

Vroman's Bookstore: Sarah James discusses Last Stop Union Station
2025-07-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Murder, movie stars, and mystery await those who climb aboard this cross-country train, inspired by the real-life history of the Hollywood Victory Caravan
Hollywood, 1942. Jacqueline Love’s acting career is flailing. Suddenly on the wrong side of 40, parts are drying up, directors are calling her “difficult,” and Humphrey Bogart has definitely stopped taking her calls. Desperate to cling to stardom, Jackie takes the only gig that will have her: the Hollywood Victory Caravan, a train full of movie stars crossing the country to fundraise for the war effort. Jackie wouldn’t call herself patriotic, but with her life’s work on the line, she’ll do anything.
When a fellow star dies on board, everyone assumes the death was a tragic accident-but Jackie isn’t so sure. Stuck in Chicago’s Union Station, Jackie enlists the help of Grace, one of the few women in the police force, to investigate. But “difficult” outside of a movie set is dangerous, and when the pair fall into a homegrown Nazi scheme, Jackie must ask herself what’s more important: her career, or her country?

Vroman's Summer Reading Program - Stuffed Animal Sleepover!
2025-07-17 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Your stuffed animals are invited to an overnight sleepover in the Vroman’s Children’s Department! The plushies will get a chance to experience the fun of a bookstore after dark, climbing ladders, browsing books, and making new friends!
Drop your plushie off at the Kids Info Desk on Wednesday, July 16th, between the hours of 5-8pm, and then come back on Thursday, July 17th at 11am to see all the mischief they’ve gotten up to throughout the night!
They will have a slideshow and craft in the morning in the Vroman’s Event Space, located on the second floor.

Vroman's Summer Reading Program - Crochet Workshop with Maya!
2025-07-17 18:00 - 19:30 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Vroman’s Bookstore invites teens ages 13–18 to a four-part crochet workshop series, happening Thursdays from July 10–31, 6:00–7:30pm, in the Children’s Department. Resident crocheter Maya will guide beginners through fun and easy crochet crafts. Experienced crafters are welcome to bring their own projects and connect with fellow makers. Yarn and hooks will be provided.
To reserve a spot, email rsvp@vromansbookstore.com.

Vroman's Bookstore: Meg Waite Clayton discusses and signs Typewriter Beach
2025-07-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Set in Carmel-by-the-Sea and Hollywood, Typewriter Beach is an unforgettable story of the unlikely friendship between an Oscar-nominated screenwriter and a young actress hoping to be Alfred Hitchcock’s new star.
1957. Isabella Giori is ten months into a standard seven-year studio contract when she auditions with Hitchcock. Just weeks later, she is sequestered by the studio’s “fixer” in a tiny Carmel cottage, waiting and dreading.
Meanwhile, next door, Léon Chazan is annoyed as hell when Iz interrupts his work on yet another screenplay he won’t be able to sell, because he’s been blacklisted. Soon, they’re together in his roadster, speeding down the fog-shrouded Big Sur coast.
2018. Twenty-six-year-old screenwriter Gemma Chazan, in Carmel to sell her grandfather’s cottage, finds a hidden safe full of secrets–raising questions about who the screenwriter known simply as Chazan really was, and whether she can live up to his name.
In graceful prose and with an intimate understanding of human nature, Meg Waite Clayton captures the joys and frustrations of being a writer, being a woman, being a star, and being in love. Typewriter Beach is the story of two women separated by generations–a tale of ideas and ideals, passion and persistence, creativity, politics, and family.

Meg Waite Clayton is the New York Times bestselling author of eight previous novels, including the Good Morning America Buzz Pick and New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice The Postmistress of Paris, The Last Train to London, and The Wednesday Sisters. Her books have been published in twenty-four languages, and have been finalists for the Bellwether Prize (now the PEN Bellwether), the National Jewish Book Award, and the Langum Prize. She also writes for major newspapers and magazines, mentors in the OpEd Project, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the California bar. She lives in California and Connecticut.

Vromans Bookstore: Steven Borzachillo discusses & signs Brochet: 30 Easy Patterns for Crochet Weaponry and Ami-Gore-Rumi
2025-07-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Assemble your skeins and polish your hooks: The crochet war has begun. From the creator behind viral crochet sensation Brochet, Steven Borzachillo presents an all-inclusive guide to plush weapons, armor, and ami-GORE-rumi. Perfect for beginner crocheters, crafters who need a laugh, con attendees who need an epic prop, and everyone in between, grab a hook and get ready to craft 30 bold projects including:
– Sure-U-Can Ninja Star
– Yarn-ssassin’s Dagger
– Wizard’s Staff
– Medieval Flail
– Alien Blaster
– Feeling Wiley TNT
– Guillo-ton of Fun
– Brainy Bro
Because really, who doesn’t need a giant crocheted cannon to face off with a fuzzy foe? Or a cute, cuddly pile of said foe’s entrails? (Side note: Crochet guts make great winter scarves!)
With accessible instructions and patterns, anyone can craft their very own plush armory. But fair warning! Be careful who you test these on, or you might just find yourself running away from a red yarn-covered crime scene screaming, “It works!”

Vroman's Bookstore: Chiquis reads from & signs The Girl Who Sings to Bees/La Niña Que Les Canta a Las Abejas
2025-07-19 13:00 - 14:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
New York Times-bestselling author and Latin Grammy Award-winner CHIQUIS shares a heartwarming story inspired by her journey about overcoming bullying and self-doubt and finding strength in a mother’s everlasting love.
Janney and her mom always sang together to help the flowers in Abuelita’s garden grow. But now her mom is gone, and Janney’s song is stuck, somewhere deep inside. Bullies at school don’t help.
Every day, Janney watches one particular bee in Abuelita’s garden. Working harder than the others–focused and unafraid–the tiny bee doesn’t give up. Janney begins to feel inspired by the hardworking bee as the seasons change, until one afternoon, a melody escapes her lips, and Janney’s song once again fills the air in the garden.
And when the music begins, her mom’s songs sing through her heart, giving Janney the strength to overcome her fears and sing loudly and proudly to the bees . . . and beyond.
De la autora bestseller de The New York Times y ganadora del Latin Grammy, CHIQUIS.
Una tierna historia inspirada en su infancia y cómo pudo superar problemas de bullying y de baja autoestima, guiada por el amor eterno e incondicional de su madre.
This is a ticketed event that will take place at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, located at 585 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101 (just two blocks from Vroman’s).
This is a ticketed event with four ticket options. All books will be handed out at check-in.
– General Admission + 1 book in English – includes one event entry and one copy of The Girl Who Sings to Bees
– General Admission + 1 book in Spanish – includes one event entry and one copy of La Niña Que Les Canta a Las Abejas
– 2 General Admissions + 1 book in English – includes two event entries and one copy of The Girl Who Sings to Bees
– 2 General Admissions + 1 book in Spanish – includes one event entries and one copy of La Niña Que Les Canta a Las Abejas

Boston Court: NT Live: A Streetcar Named Desire
2025-07-19 14:00 - 17:00 | Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91206, United States
Gillian Anderson (Sex Education), Vanessa Kirby (The Crown), and Ben Foster (Lone Survivor) lead the cast in Tennessee Williams’ timeless masterpiece, returning to cinemas.
As Blanche’s fragile world crumbles, she turns to her sister Stella for solace – but her downward spiral brings her face to face with the brutal, unforgiving Stanley Kowalski.
From visionary director Benedict Andrews, this acclaimed production was filmed live during a sold-out run at the Young Vic Theatre in 2014.
Run time: 180 minutes

Vroman's Local Author Day - Young Readers Edition - Introducing Kyriacos Vidalakis and Norah Lally
2025-07-20 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
My journey through faith was profoundly shaped by my father, whose colorful and varied career brought unique experiences into my life. From cooking in France, working at Universal Studios, developing real estate, to creating an Italian restaurant, my father’s career took us around the world, exposing me to adventures like tasting Szechuan rabbit heads and fried scorpions in China and exploring a decommissioned nuclear missile silo in Moscow. However, his most impactful gift was sending my brother and me to the Missouri Military Academy (MMA) in Mexico, Missouri, the summer I was twelve. This was no ordinary summer camp. At MMA, I faced rigorous military training: crawling under barbed wire, rappelling down 50-foot walls, and enduring homesickness that felt almost unbearable. It was in these moments of struggle that I found a deeper understanding of God’s presence in my life.
Throughout my life, it hasn’t been the amazing moments that have taught me God’s glory, but rather the harsh and arduous obstacles I’ve encountered. I believe struggle is the key to developing both as a person and growing spiritually. MMA represented the greatest challenge of my young life, and through this trial, I grew tremendously—both spiritually and in understanding myself as a young man. In Murky Waters, I recount my transformative experience at MMA, where I navigated the emotional and physical demands of military life. Through the friendships I forged and the moments of deep reflection, I discovered that faith, resilience, and God’s love can help overcome even the greatest obstacles. My story explores how the toughest trials can bring about the greatest growth, revealing the power of spirituality in times of struggle.

Norah Lally presents Back to Bainbridge
2024 CIBA Gertrude Warner Book Awards Grand Prize Winner for Middle Grade Fiction
Amazon #1 New Release in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Being a Teen
A “moving, empathetic must-read about growing up and discovering what matters.” -BookLife by Publishers
Weekly Editor’s Pick” An] accomplished work that packs a big emotional punch…” -Readers’ Favorite”
…emotively captures the struggles of a young teen as she tries to find a place that feels like home…” –IndieReader, IR Approved
Welcome to Bainbridge Avenue, where fourteen-year-old Vicki’s life takes a bumpy turn. She’s got a lot on her plate-sharing a cramped room with her siblings, worrying about her mom who can’t catch a break, and dreaming about a dad who’s nowhere to be found.
But things start to change when Vicki meets Rosa from Apartment 1A, who introduces her to the building’s basement, a hidden world full of forgotten stories and secrets waiting to be uncovered.
As Vicki sets out beyond her neighborhood, searching for her place in the world, she wonders if the imperfect family and friends she has on Bainbridge Avenue might just be the treasures she’s been looking for all along. Join her on a journey of hope, heartache, and unexpected discoveries in Back to Bainbridge.

Vroman's Local Author Day Introducing Carlos Vasquez, S.L. Cook, and Scott Coon
2025-07-20 16:00 - 17:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
This work is an exploration of masculinity penned by an author who unearthed the essence of true manhood under harrowing circumstances in prison serving a 20-year sentence. Vasquez’s work reveals how the rules he learned for survival and integrity behind bars are equally vital for men in the free world.
S.L. Cook presents A Snow Leopard Names Midas
After his girlfriend is kidnapped, brutalized, and left drugged in a filthy hotel, Midas McNight is forced to return to a persona he buried years before: A ruthless and lethal black bag operator known to a chosen few as The Snow Leopard.
But that was a long time ago, and Midas is not the same man. This wary and aging soldier now has no choice but to face a small army of former associates who want to eliminate him and everyone he cherishes.
“A Snow Leopard Named Midas” goes to the heart of the anxiety and unease now pervasive throughout not only the United States but beyond its borders as well. Told through flawed survivors committed to a war against apathy and fear, as well as enemies which, due to sheer numbers and organization, can never truly be overcome.
Those trying to make incremental improvements in a world where wrong people inevitably win.
Scott Coon presents Godless Armageddon
Thom dies in World War II and enters a godless afterlife where souls are clouds upon a golden ocean around the Earth.
He blames himself for ending his family name. He doesn’t know why he never married because he’s buried it too deep: Thom is gay.
To help him, Thom’s dad reaches out from inside a soul well-a monster made of captured souls. But all Thom sees is his father apologizing for something while dying in World War I. Determined to rescue his father, Thom teaches himself how to fight the soul wells with weaponized memories.
Others want Thom to stop the soul wells before they unleash Earth’s Armageddon and consume all souls, living and dead. But Thom just wants to atone for ending his family name.
