Vroman's Bookstore: Meg Waite Clayton discusses and signs Typewriter Beach
2025-07-17 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | 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.

Vroman's Bookstore: Bruce Holsinger, in conversation with Sara Sligar, discusses & signs Culpability
2025-07-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK – “I was riveted until the very last shocking sentence “–Oprah Winfrey
From the bestselling author of the “wise and addictive” (New York Times) The Gifted School comes a riveting family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence.
When the Cassidy-Shaws’ autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, killing an elderly couple, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver’s seat, with his father, Noah, riding shotgun. In the back seat, tweens Alice and Izzy are on their phones, while their mother, Lorelei, a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, is absorbed in her work. Yet each family member harbors a secret, implicating them each in the tragic accident.
During a weeklong recuperation on the Chesapeake Bay, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash. Noah tries to hold the family together as a seemingly routine police investigation jeopardizes Charlie’s future. Alice and Izzy turn strangely furtive. And Lorelei’s odd behavior tugs at Noah’s suspicions that there is a darker truth behind the incident–suspicions heightened by the sudden intrusion of Daniel Monet, a tech mogul whose mysterious history with Lorelei hints at betrayal. When Charlie falls for Monet’s teenaged daughter, the stakes are raised even higher in this propulsive family drama that is also a fascinating exploration of the moral responsibility and ethical consequences of AI.
Culpability explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative.

Vroman's Bookstore: Michael C. Higgins discusses & sings Exploring Wine Regions - Mexico: Discovering Mexico’s Quality Wines and Phenomenal Cuisine
2025-07-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Exploring Mexico’s Quality Wines and Phenomenal Cuisine: Exploring Wine Regions – Mexico is the fourth book in the award-winning series, now exploring the wine Regions. Does Mexico make wine? Yes. Any good? Very good. While Mexico is famous for producing Tequila, this book opens our eyes to high-quality Mexican wines. And the phenomenal cuisine and extraordinary tourism. This book takes you on a journey to discover these amazing wines, combining wine education, an insider travel guide, and spectacular photography. Higgins again dazzles his audience with another informative and beautiful book.
Tourism in Mexico is outstanding; we all know it. And the Mexican wine regions are no exception. Wine regions are always very beautiful places. Here, the mountains and valleys are ever so enchanting. The wineries are engaging, have lots of tourism activities available, and are especially inviting and friendly with their warm Mexican hospitality. Both connoisseurs and novices turn to this book series for insider information and inspiration. It is a must-have book for expanding your knowledge of Mexico and its wines. With 340 full-color pages and over 600 photographic images, this fourth edition explores Mexico’s regions of Valle de Guadalupe (including Ensenada), Guanajuato (including San Miguel de Allende), and Queretaro (with its rich history).
With breathtaking photography and personal commentary, readers are mesmerized by the world of wine, food, and travel. Extensive resources are provided for wine lovers who want to know where to go, what to look for, and how to discover their favorite wines.

Vroman's Fiction Reading Group
2025-07-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Atrium Building, 709 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The Vroman’s Fiction Reading Group meets the 4th Wednesday of every month at 7pm.
This event is free and open to the public.
July’s pick is This Other Eden by Paul Harding.
Fiction Reading Group meetings are held inside Vroman’s Bookstore on the second floor in the event space.

Vroman's Summer Reading Program - Creative Craft Workshop with Joel Stern!
2025-07-24 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 Thursday, July 24th from 4-5pm! Watch as pop-up creations and origami creatures come to life through the magic of paper folding.
Joel is the author of the recently published Into the Deep Blue Sea: An Ocean Pop-Up, as well as many other papercraft books and art kits. His art has been featured in movies, commercials, and on television. Visit his website here.

Vroman's Summer Reading Program - Crochet Workshop with Maya!
2025-07-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Join us on Thursdays from July 10th-July 31st from 6-7:30pm for a four part crochet workshop, just for teenagers! Vroman’s very own resident crocheter, Maya, will be available to teach beginner crochet crafts. Or: bring your own projects and get to know other crafters! We will have yarn and hooks available for attendees. Open to ages 13-18.
RSVP at rsvp@vromansbookstore.com.

Vroman's Summer Sale July 26-August 3
2025-07-26 10:00 - 17:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Vroman’s Summer Sale starts on Saturday, July 26th, through August 3! The sale is located upstairs in the Vroman’s Event Space
All sales are final. May not be combined with other discounts.

Vroman's Summer Reading Program - End of Summer Party!
2025-08-07 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Vroman’s Bookstore invites young readers and their families to the final Summer Reading event of the season, taking place in the event space at 11:00 AM. Guests can enjoy arts, crafts, and other fun activities. From 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, participants can visit the Kid’s Info Desk to collect their prizes, including free books and other rewards.
Those unable to attend the End of Summer Party can still pick up their prizes between August 7 and August 24.

Vroman's Bookstore: Dennis McNally, discusses & signs The Last Great Dream: How Bohemians Became Hippies and Created the Sixties
2025-08-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Strange Trip and the publicist of the Grateful Dead, a riveting social history of everything that led up to the 1960s counterculture movement.
Few cities represent the countercultural movement of the 1960s more than San Francisco. By that decade, the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood was home to self-branded “freaks” (dubbed “hippies” by the media) who created the world’s first psychedelic neighborhood–an alchemical chamber for social transformation. They rejected a large part of the traditional American identity, passing over American exceptionalism, consumerism, misogyny, and militarism in favor of creativity, mind-body connection, peace, and love of all things.
The Last Great Dream is a history of everything that led to the 1960s counterculture, when long-simmering resistance to American mainstream values birthed the hippie. It begins with the San Francisco Poetry Renaissance, peaks with the Human Be-in in Golden Gate Park, and ends with the Monterey Pop Festival that introduced Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin to the world. It tells of several micro-histories, including beat poetry, visual arts, underground publishing, electronic/contemporary compositional music, experimental theater, psychedelics, and more.
Fascinating and definitive, The Last Great Dream is the ultimate guide to a generation-defining countercultural movement–an Underground 101 course for newcomers and aficionados alike.

Vroman's Bookstore: Linda Liu reads from & signs Falling Star
2025-08-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From the creator of Hidden Gem and Sour Apple comes a new out-of-this-world picture book about a star who loses their shine from the pressures of overachieving.
Being the star that people wish on is demanding work! And when the burden of performing becomes too much to bear, even celestial bodies take a hit.
As a star falls from its sky-high position, its self-esteem takes a real nosedive. But a lift from an unlikely source gives this star a new purpose, along with the courage to glow again.

Archetype Yoga Bookclub: The Creative Act by Tony Rubin
2025-08-09 11:30 - 12:30 | Archetypa Yoga, 638 e colorado ave, pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Archetype Yoga’s Book Club dives into The Creative Act by Rick Rubin this month—a thoughtful guide on embracing creativity as a way of life. Discover how Rubin’s insights on artistry and openness can inspire your own practice, both on and off the mat.
📚 Book ClubSaturday, August 9 | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Bookclub meets every second saturday at Archtype Yoga

Ready, set, read!

Archetype Yoga: Second Saturdays Jazz Night
2025-08-09 19:30 - 22:00 | Archetypa Yoga, 638 e colorado ave, pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Archetype Yoga sets the stage for Second Saturdays: Jazz Night on Saturday, August 9. This special birthday show features Jason Luckett and friends for an evening of soulful live jazz. Doors open at 7:30 PM, and the music begins at 8 PM. Experience an intimate night of music, community, and fresh-baked cookies!

Suggested donation of $25 goes to the artist and covers the costs of event production.
Please note: This event takes place on the 3rd Floor. If anyone requires use of the service elevator, please call Archetype Yoga at 626.345.5676.

Vromans Bookstore: Ellen Phinney reads from & signs A Dog and His Boy: The Switch
2025-08-10 13:00 - 14:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Meet Scout, a golden retriever puppy who is scouting for his new family.
Meet Jax, an eleven-year-old boy who misses his best friend.
One day a mishap occurs, and Scout and Jax accidentally switch places. What does a dog do in a boy’s body? How does a boy face life as a dog? Scout and Jax must navigate life at home and school and figure out how to switch back. The two become inseparable, trying one failed attempt after another. When Jax’s parents send him to the animal shelter, his life is at stake. With so much to lose after being separated, Jax and Scout’s bond of friendship and family is tested. Will Jax be able to get through to his parents, and will Scout be able to rescue Jax before it’s too late?

Monopole Wine by RX: Ancient Peaks: Meet the Winemaker
2025-08-12 17:30 - 20:00 | Monopole Wine By RX, 21 S. El Molino Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
🥂 Ancient Peaks: Meet the Winemaker
Tuesday, August 12, 2025 | 5:30 PM – 8:00 PMWine lovers are invited to an exclusive evening at Monopole Wine by RX with winemaker Mike Sinor of Ancient Peaks. Guests can sip through a curated flight of wines, meet the winemaker behind the bottle, and have their favorites signed. Tickets are just $25—reserve early for this intimate tasting experience.

Landmark Theatres: Retro Replay: Lost in Translation
2025-08-12 19:00 | Landmark Theatre, 673 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Retro Replay, our weekly series of modern and vintage film favorites, features films so satisfying we’re reviving them on the big screen to enjoy again—or to see for the first time! Each month’s thematic program offers a new film on Tuesdays!
Retro Replay continues with Festival Cinema Films in August!
Titles screen on Tuesdays in August from 8/05 through 8/26, and all seats are only $5 for Paid Loyalty Members!*

Vroman's Bookstore: Chris Butera discusses & signs The Darkest Deep
2025-08-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A scavenger trapped in a defunct undersea train tunnel struggles to escape as his air supply–and his sanity–dwindles in this debut psychological thriller.
The Transatlantic Train Tunnel, connecting New York and London, was meant to be the next Wonder of the World. But after the disastrous maiden voyage seven years ago, it’s generated nothing but protests, lawsuits, and bankruptcy. The only traffic the tunnel sees these days is scrappers harvesting its useless remains before it’s fully dismantled.
Not everyone is willing to take a tedious job one hundred and fifty feet below sea level, but Ben Breckenridge doesn’t have a choice. He needs the money, and the work will help quiet his anxieties. That is, until one of the bulkhead doors mysteriously locks, trapping him inside.
With limited air supply, Ben must race deeper into the tunnel to find a way out. Yet the farther he goes, the more his mind disintegrates. To survive, he’ll have to reckon with the monsters in his head. Only then will he be able to face the actual monster that’s now hunting him down . . .

The Mixx Pasadena: Pasadena Comedy Show, Always Free
2025-08-13 20:00 - 22:00 | The Mixx, 443 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Get ready to have your funny bone tickled by some of the funniest comedians in town. This in-person event guarantees an unforgettable night of comedy and entertainment hosted by the very funny Paddy for comedy + weekly guest comedians.
Whether you’re looking for a midweek pick-me-up or just want to unwind after a long day, our comedy improv happy hours are the perfect way to do it. Our talented performers will have you rolling in the aisles with their hilarious on-the-spot antics.
So grab your friends, come on down to The Mixx, and get ready to laugh until your sides hurt. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind comedy experience in Pasadena!
2×1 Drinks All Night Long

Wellness in the Park: Soundbath & Breathwork
2025-08-14 18:00 - 19:00 | Playhouse Village Park, 701 Union St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Archetype Yoga presents Breathwork & Soundbath at Playhouse Village Park, a tranquil outdoor experience that combines deep, intentional breathing paired with immersive sound healing. Bring a mat and prepare to journey inward.

Vroman's Bookstore: Oliver Wang, discusses & signs Cruising J-Town: Japanese American Car Culture in Los Angeles
2025-08-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Cruising J-Town: Japanese American Car Culture in Los Angeles explores how generations of Japanese Americans in Southern California shaped, and were shaped by, local automobile cultures and industries: from desert lakebeds to concrete speedways, gas stations to design centers, souped-up import tuners to humble gardening trucks. Along the way, cars and trucks became literal and figurative vehicles for Japanese American self-expression, social mobility, community identity, and much more. Cruising J-Town is driven to explore how these diverse relationships between people and the world of cars have steered the Nikkei community’s American stories across the generations.

About the author
Oliver Wang is a professor of sociology at California State University, Long Beach, and the curator of Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community, produced by the Japanese American National Museum, and hosted at the Peter and Merle Mullin Gallery at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena in 2025. Oliver previously wrote Legions of Boom: Filipino American Mobile Disc Jockey Crews of the San Francisco Bay Area (Duke University Press, 2015) and has written about Asian American music, film, food, sports, and other arts/culture topics since the 1990s. He lives with his wife, Sharon Mizota, in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles.
About the conversation partner
Naomi Hirahara is an multi-award-winning author and journalist who was born and raised in Pasadena, California. She was a reporter and editor of The Rafu Shimpo during the culmination of the redress and reparations movement for Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes during World War II. She is the author and/or editor of several books including: Green Makers: Japanese American Gardeners in Southern California (2000), A Taste for Strawberries: The Independent Journey of Nisei Farmer Manabi Hirasaki (2003), A Scent of Flowers: The History of the Southern California Flower Market (2004), among many others. She is also a celebrated author of many mysteries and short stories. She lives in Pasadena.

Monopole Wine by RX:
2025-08-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Monopole Wine By RX, 21 S. El Molino Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
🎶 Yacht Rock Sing-Along
Thursday, August 14, 2025 | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PMGet ready to sail away with smooth tunes at Monopole Wine by RX’s Yacht Rock Sing-Along night! The duo Yachty & Nice—featuring Nina Lares and Tim Kobza—bring the soft rock classics to life in a lively sing-along session. There’s no cover, just a two-glass minimum. Grab a glass and join the chorus.

The Mixx: Alternative Karaoke
2025-08-14 20:00 | The Mixx, 443 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The Mixx Pasadena presents Alternative Karaoke Night. Featuring 2×1 Drihks all night long.
Full dinner and drink menu. FREE Parking
SING LIKE A ROCK STAR!

Ice House Comedy: Jiaoying Summers
2025-08-14 20:00 - 21:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Jiaoying Summers! LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 7pm. Show Starts at 8pm.
**21+ with a 2 item minimum per seat in the showroom.**

Ice House Comedy: Adam Hunter, Erica Rhodes, Katherine Blanford
2025-08-14 20:00 - 21:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy Club presents Adam Hunter, Erica Rhodes, Katherine Blanford. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm.
Show Starts at 8:00 pm. **21+ only with a 2 item minimum per seat in the showroom**

Ice House Comedy: The Oil Rig
2025-08-15 19:30 - 21:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice house Comedy Club presents The Oil Rig. Live In The California Room! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show starts at 7:30pm. **21+ only with a 2 item minimum per seat.**

Ice House Comedy: The Shin Dig Show
2025-08-15 19:45 - 21:15 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents The Shin Dig Show.LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 7:45pm.
**21+ with a 2 item minimum per seat.**
