Playhouse Village Association

Vroman's Ed - Bonsai Workshop with Daniel Deephouse
2025-06-04 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Daniel brings more than 40 years of experience in Bonsai care and cultivation. He has created and cared for Bonsai in Australia, the UK and the US.
You’ll repot, trim, and wire your own Japanese garden! Part of our ongoing Bonsai series, Daniel will take you through the process of creating and caring for your very own Bonsai. We provide all the supplies you need, you bring your enthusiasm and willingness to learn. We can’t wait to meet you.
This month’s plant selection is ficus trees. Daniel chose this because they are ok being potted in hot weather, and they are one of the few trees that can be kept indoors as well as out.
Daniel fell in love with the art when his Oma (grandmother,) Elizabeth Deephouse introduced him to it when he was eight. He loves to share his passion with anyone interested in learning. Daniel currently volunteers to help maintain the Bonsai collection at the Huntington Gardens and the Lake Balboa Japanese Garden. He also tends to private collections in the Los Angeles area and styles private trees. You can see some of his work at www.deephouseland.com

AC Hotel: Live Music: Joanna Gerolaga (R&B Pop Island Vibe Beach Vibe)
2025-06-06 17:00 | AC Hotel Pasadena, 19 S Madison Ave, Pasadena, 91101, United States
It’s now possible to book a stay in Playhouse Village—AC Hotel by Marriott Pasadena is officially open for business. Guests and locals alike can unwind with a drink at one of their stylish lounges and drop in for live music every Friday and Saturday night.

Vroman's Bookstore: Cory O’Brien discusses & signs Two Truths and a Lie
2025-06-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
From the beloved internet humorist, a debut novel that introduces an unforgettable investigator to the drowned streets of L.A. in a hugely imaginative and heartfelt blend of noir and cyberpunk.
In a mostly underwater near-future Los Angeles, aging combat-drone veteran Orr Vue now lives a simple and small life, trading snippets of what’s become the most valuable currency: information. So when the cops show up at his door looking for data on a murder he’s not even aware has happened, things get interesting for the first time in 25 years.
At first, Orr is happy to exchange whatever he knows about the demise of InfoDrip’s top exec to buy booze and pay rent on his memory storage, but that plan goes to hell when Orr’s old boyfriend, Auggie Wolf, shows up as the number one suspect. Forced to stretch his atrophied spy skills and take his illegal horde of drones out of retirement alongside his busted knees, Orr finds himself in the crosshairs of the militarized police, a family of megarich corporate heirs, a clan of emancipated AIs, and a cult. Barely avoiding getting killed with every clue he collects, Orr realizes he’s uncovered not just a murder, but a conspiracy that threatens Auggie’s very existence. Ahh, the things we do for love…
But in a world where memories can be bought and sold, how can you truly know who anyone is—or what you yourself are capable of? Fast paced, funny, and shockingly romantic, Two Truths and a Lie is Raymond Chandler reinvented for the 22nd century.
Cory O’Brien is the author of Zeus Grants Stupid Wishes and George Washington Is Cash Money. He has written for numerous award-winning video games, including Monster Prom and Holovista, and designed multiple tabletop games, including Inhuman Conditions and Hand to Hand Wombat. He lives in Chicago.

Vroman's Bookstore: Delanie Fischer presents & signs Mocktales: 50+ Literary Mocktails Inspired by Classic Works, Banned Books, and More!
2025-06-07 14:00 - 15:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Alcohol-Free Reimaginings of Literary Classics
Enjoy co-authors Delanie Fischer and Lindsey Smith’s delicious mocktail adaptations of your favorite books and authors.
Beloved stories with a sober twist. Have you ever wondered what the ladies from your favorite Jane Austen books would drink at a ball? What Jay Gatsby would be serving at his crazy parties? Experience these answers for yourself with Lindsey Smith and Delanie Fischer’s all-new zero-proof drink cookbook. MockTales captures the intoxicating atmosphere of the bestsellers that we know and love. Featuring over fifty plant-based recipes that are easy to make and full of nutritious flavors, you’ll enjoy your next reread like never before with these delicious mocktails.
A toast to the authors who made history. Each recipe inside MockTales is inspired by the literary characters and settings, but also the minds behind these incredible stories. Explore alcohol-free concoctions based on famous authors such as Alice Walker, Ernest Hemingway, Margaret Atwood, and more. Using ingredients that pay homage to their biographies, writing styles, and famous quotes, each sip will have you and fellow book lovers falling in love with these incredible writers all over again.
Enjoy over 50 recipes inspired by banned books and literary classics from all genres, such as:

Historical fiction novels like Les Miserables, Little Women, and Huckleberry Finn
Romance books such as Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice
Fantasy adventures including Alice in Wonderland and The Chronicles of Narnia
Science fiction and horror tales such as Frankenstein
Book-to-film adaptations like A Clockwork Orange and Fight Club

So if you liked fun mocktail and cocktail books such as Tequila Mockingbird, The Art of Mixology Mocktails, or Flavor Lab Creations, then we recommend MockTales for you.

Vroman's Bookstore: Mike de la Rocha discusses & signs Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love
2025-06-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
In Sacred Lessons: Teaching My Father How to Love, Mike de la Rocha explores how inherited definitions of manhood profoundly impacted his ability to connect with his father, his family, and ultimately himself, inviting readers on a transformative journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and love.
Sacred Lessons is a deeply moving and inspiring memoir for those seeking self-love and healing. Intensely personal, this memoir delves into the struggle men face in connecting with themselves and others, offering tools for personal growth and ways to build meaningful and authentic relationships in their lives.
Through his story, Mike de la Rocha reflects on his father’s legacy as a beloved professor who impacted tens of thousands of students, yet struggled to teach his own son how to be emotionally vulnerable. Reflecting on the most important relationships in his life, Mike explores the difficulty in communicating with his father and loved ones–a byproduct of a toxic culture that prohibits men from truly expressing themselves, and purposely doesn’t teach men how to give and receive love. Through these stories, we see how trauma is passed on intergenerationally and how to find ways to stop the cycle of harm. In the end, both Mike and his father teach each other the greatest lesson of all: the sacredness of the love between a father and a son.
Told with raw emotion and vulnerability, Sacred Lessons is the human story of the impact that history and culture have upon us all. This is a book for those of us seeking community in a time when too many of us feel alone, as well as a testimony to the legacy of a brilliant father, a brutal indictment of patriarchy, and an affirmation of the transformative power of love.
BIO:
Mike de la Rocha is a visionary strategist, acclaimed artist, and compelling voice for change. Celebrated as one of the most influential changemakers of our era, Mike has been behind several of the largest policy victories and cultural shifts in United States history. He’s earned accolades as one of GOOD magazine’s top 100 people reshaping our world, recipient of the AFL-CIO’s prestigious Justice, Peace and Freedom Award, and was lauded as a groundbreaking innovator by Stanford Social Innovation Review. A proud alumnus of UCLA, Mike co-founded Revolve Impact, one of the leading creative agencies in the world, and Tepito Coffee, one of the fastest growing Latinx coffee companies in America. Mike calls Los Angeles home, where he resides with his family. Learn more about his journey at mikedelarocha.com and join the conversation online at @mrmikedelarocha.

AC Hotel: Live Music: Shea Givens (Soul Pop Classic Rock R&B)
2025-06-07 18:00 | AC Hotel Pasadena, 19 S Madison Ave, Pasadena, 91101, United States

Jazz in the Park: Michael Haggins (Smooth Jazz)
2025-06-08 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.

Landmark Theatre Pasadena: Retro Replay: Milk
2025-06-10 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 June’s Pride Series!
Titles screen on Tuesdays in June from 6/03 through 6/24 at 7:00pm, and all seats are only $5 for Paid Loyalty Members! Become a loyalty member and avoid the additional online service fees. Click Here To Join Landmark Paid Loyalty Today and Avoid Ticketing Fees!

Vroman's Bookstore: Kyra Davis Lurie discusses & signs The Great Mann
2025-06-10 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
In this poignant retelling of The Great Gatsby, set amongst L.A.’s Black elite, a young veteran finds his way post-war, pulled into a new world of tantalizing possibilities–and explosive tensions.
In 1945, Charlie Trammell steps off a cross-country train into the vibrant tapestry of Los Angeles. Lured by his cousin Marguerite’s invitation to the esteemed West Adams Heights, Charlie is immediately captivated by the Black opulence of L.A.’s newly rechristened “Sugar Hill.”
Settling in at a local actress’s energetic boarding house, Charlie discovers a different way of life–one brimming with opportunity–from a promising career at a Black-owned insurance firm, the absence of Jim Crow, to the potential of an unforgettable romance. But nothing dazzles quite like James “Reaper” Mann.
Reaper’s extravagant parties, attended by luminaries like Lena Horne and Hattie McDaniel, draw Charlie in, bringing the milieu of wealth and excess within his reach. But as Charlie’s unusual bond with Reaper deepens, so does the tension in the neighborhood as white neighbors, frustrated by their own dwindling fortunes, ignite a landmark court case that threatens the community’s well-being with promises of retribution.
Told from the unique perspective of a young man who has just returned from a grueling, segregated war, The Great Mann weaves a compelling narrative of wealth and class, illuminating the complexities of Black identity and education in post-war America.

Vroman's Bookstore: Renée Ahdieh, in conversation with Dahlia De La Vega, discusses & signs Park Avenue
2025-06-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
has always been destined for greatness. As the daughter of Korean bodega owners, she promised herself that she would have every Fifth Avenue luxury when she grew up, and it is all finally within reach. She has just made junior partner at her prestigious Manhattan law firm, she can count on her two best friends to have her back, and she is about to score the ultraluxe gold-on-gold Birkin bag of her dreams. So when her boss asks her to sit in on the hush-hush family implosion of a high-level client, she accepts without hesitation—only to find out that it is one of the most famous Korean families in the world.
The Park family’s net worth is estimated at a billion dollars, and their mega-successful Korean beauty brand has shaped the culture for the past two decades. But the patriarch is filing for divorce while his wife is dying, and their three children can’t stop snapping at one another. With both the family fortune and legacy under threat from the worst kind of scandal, it’s up to Jia to set things right—and she only has a month to do it.
As Jia sorts through the lies and subterfuge, chasing the truth across the globe on private jets, she finds herself falling for this broken, badly-behaving family in ways she can’t quite explain. But it is also becoming clear that the Parks are hiding dark secrets. Can she find the truth in time to protect the Parks’ fortune and secure her success at the firm? And can she hold on to what’s most important, even if it means admitting that what she’s always wanted isn’t what she actually needs?

Vroman's Summer Reading Program 2025 Kick-Off with Kidd's Jewely Heist!
2025-06-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Embark on a treasure hunt adventure like no other! Kidd’s Jewelry Heist is famous for combining clue-solving fun with imaginative jewelry design that results in a truly unique keepsake of your very own creation!
Children who RSVP have an opportunity to participate in their very own bracelet-making experience inspired by their favorite books and stories. Let your child’s creative side run wild this summer during our “Picture This!” reading program, where Kidd’s Jewelry Heist and Vroman’s Bookstore have created the perfect blend of literacy and entertainment to spark any imagination!
RSVP at rsvp@vromansbookstore.com
More information about Kidd’s Jewelry Heist can be found here.

Wellness in the Park: Archetype Yoga
2025-06-12 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!
Archetype Slow Flow – A gentle fusion of slow-flow movement and deeply restorative yoga, enriched with imaginative breathwork to highlight the unique benefits of each practice.

Vroman's Bookstore: Mimi Slawoff discusses & signs Historic Los Angeles Roadsides
2025-06-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Jazz in the Park: Marcelo Bucater & Friends (Brazilian Rhythms & Odd Meters)
2025-06-15 18:00 - 20:00 | Playhouse Village Park, 701 Union St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Vroman's Bookstore: Bridget Crocker, in conversation with Jim Benning, discusses & signs The River’s Daughter: A Memoir
2025-06-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A vivid and propulsive memoir about finding courage and meaning in a life outdoors, by a world-class whitewater rafting guide.
After Bridget Crocker’s parents’ volatile divorce, she moved with her mother from Southern California to Wyoming . Her life was idyllic, growing up in a trailer park on the banks of the Snake River with a stepfather she loved, a new baby brother, and the river as her companion–until her mother suddenly took up a radical new lifestyle, becoming someone Bridget barely recognized. The one constant in her life–the place Bridget felt whole and fully herself–was the river. When she discovered the world of whitewater rafting, she knew she’d found her calling.
On the river, Bridget learned to read the natural world around her and came to know the language of rivers. One of the few female guides on the Snake River, she then traveled to the Zambezi River in Africa, some of the most dangerous whitewater in the world, where she faced death and learned to conquer her fears–both on the water and off. The river taught her how to overcome years of betrayals and abuse, to trust herself, and, finally, how to help heal her family from generational cycles of trauma and poverty.
A beautifully rendered memoir of a woman coming into her own, The River’s Daughter opens us to the possibilities of transformation through nature.

Landmark Theatre Pasadena: Retro Replay: The Kids Are All Right
2025-06-17 19:00 | Landmark Theatre, 673 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Vroman's Bookstore: Megan Greenwell, in conversation with Ann Friedman, discusses & signs Bad Company
2025-06-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A timely work of singular reportage and a damning indictment of the private equity industry told through the stories of four American workers whose lives and communities were upended by the ruinous effects of private equity takeovers.
Private equity runs our country, yet few Americans have any idea how ingrained it is in their lives. Private equity controls our hospitals, daycare centers, supermarket chains, voting machine manufacturers, local newspapers, nursing home operators, fertility clinics, and prisons. The industry even manages highways, municipal water systems, fire departments, emergency medical services, and owns a growing swath of commercial and residential real estate.

Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - George Takei signs It Rhymes with Takei
2025-06-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Following the award-winning bestseller They Called Us Enemy, George Takei’s new full-color graphic memoir reveals his most personal story of all—told in full for the first time anywhere!
George Takei has shown the world many faces: actor, author, outspoken activist, helmsman of the starship Enterprise, living witness to the internment of Japanese Americans, and king of social media. But until October 27, 2005, there was always one piece missing—one face he did not show the world. There was one very intimate fact about George that he never shared…and it rhymes with Takei.
Now, for the first time ever, George shares the full story of his life in the closet, his decision to come out as gay at the age of 68, and the way that moment transformed everything. Following the phenomenal success of his first graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy, George Takei reunites with the team of Harmony Becker, Steven Scott, and Justin Eisinger for a jaw-dropping new testament. From his earliest childhood crushes and youthful experiments in the rigidly conformist 1950s, to global fame asv an actor and the terrible fear of exposure, to the watershed moment of speaking his truth and becoming one of the most high-profile gay men on the planet, It Rhymes with Takei offers a sweeping portrait of one iconic American navigating the tides of LGBTQ+ history.
Combining historical context with intimate subjectivity, It Rhymes with Takei shows how the personal and the political have always been intertwined. Its richly emotional words and images depict the terror of entrapment even in gay community spaces, the anguish of speaking up for so many issues while remaining silent on his most personal issue, the grief of losing friends to AIDS, the joy of finding true love with Brad Altman, and the determination to declare that love openly—and legally—before the whole world.
Looking back on his astonishing life on both sides of the closet door, George Takei presents a charismatic and candid account of how far America has come…and how precious that progress is.
Event guidelines:
– George Takei will personalize with names only, no messages.
– Photos from the line are OK, posed photos are NOT okay.
– George will be signing copies of It Rhymes with Takei ONLY and will NOT sign any Star Trek items or any other memorabilia.
This in-store ticketed event is a book signing only. Your ticket includes access to the signing line and a copy of IT RHYMES WITH TAKEI to be handed out at check-in the night of the event.
Questions? email promo@vromansbookstore.com

Vroman's Bookstore: NEW DATE! Tom Toro reads from & signs Crocodiles Need Friends, Too!
2025-06-21 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
This action-packed story full of humor and heart follows a lonely predator on the hunt…for pals. Perfect for fans of Grumpy Monkey.
Croc isn’t like other crocodiles. She is a reptilian ballerina! An aquatic architect! A croc ‘n’ roll STAR! She is creative, cool, and fun. But the other animals only notice her sharp teeth and scary eyes. It’s lonely when nobody sees who you are deep down.
When disaster strikes, Croc has a chance to use her super-special talents to prove what a great friend she can be–and show the savanna that you can discover something new about someone by simply looking under the surface.

Vroman's Bookstore: Racquel Marie, in conversation with Justine Pucella Winans, discusses & signs If We Survive This
2025-06-21 14:00 - 15:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The Walking Dead meets Yellowjackets in If We Survive This, a tense and emotional young adult horror novel from award-winning author Racquel Marie about a teen girl leading a group of survivors on a perilous journey during the apocalypse.
Flora Braddock Paz is not the girl who survives. A colorful, creative woman who spends as much time fearing death as she does trying to hide that fear from her loved ones, she’s always considered herself weak. But half a year into the global outbreak of a rabies mutation that transforms people into violent, zombielike “rabids,” she and her older brother, Cain, are still alive. With their mom dead, their dad missing, and their Los Angeles suburb left desolate, they form a new plan: venture out to the secluded Northern California cabin they vacationed in growing up–their best chance at a safe haven and maybe even seeing their dad again.
The dangers of the world have changed, but so has Flora. Still, their journey up the state is complicated by encounters with familiar faces, hidden truths, new allies, and painful memories of the whole family’s final time making this trip the previous year. And for Flora, one thing inevitably remains: No matter how far you run, death is never far behind.

Vroman's Bookstore: An Octavia E. Butler Birthday Celebration! Chi-Ming Yang discusses & signs Octavia E. Butler: H is for Horse
2025-06-22 15:00 - 16:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
An homage to the childhood genius of Black science fiction writer Octavia E. Butler. Bringing to view a selection of Butler’s unpublished writings and drawings, this book traces her fascination with human-alien symbiosis to her early empathy with horses and other marginalized creatures.
The figure of the horse, at once earthly and transcendent, represented the contradictions of freedom and captivity that enabled young Octavia to develop her nuanced sense of voice and place. Drawing on previously unknown archival research, this volume illustrates how Butler’s development as a writer was tied to her extraordinary resourcefulness and self-awareness growing up as an awkward, bookish Black girl in segregated, Cold War Pasadena. She persistently re-visited and revised her early writings on teenage angst, Martians, Westerns, and racial politics. In one way or another her supernatural characters defied the constraints of gender, race, and class with equine-inflected resilience.
In the spirit of Butler’s passion for library research, this book is comprised of twenty-six short A-Z chapters, on vocabulary, images, and themes central to her authorial formation. It is part childhood biography, art and literary analysis, and memoir. It interweaves the author’s personal recollections with scholarly musings on poetry, film, and literature inspired by Butler’s encyclopedic reading habits and experiments with genre. Just as cross-species kinships are at the heart of her Afro-futurist, eco-feminist storytelling, Butler demonstrates that coming-of-age is an ongoing process and key to healing our damaged planet.

Jazz in the Park: Elliott Caine Quintet (Bepop & Boogalo)
2025-06-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Playhouse Village Park, 701 Union St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Vroman's Bookstore: Kelly Ramsey discusses & signs Wildfire Days: A Woman, a Hotshot Crew, and the Burning American West
2025-06-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
In the exhilarating spirit of Wild and A Walk in the Park, an adventure-filled memoir of one woman’s struggle to succeed as a wildland firefighter on an elite, male-dominated crew as they battle some of the fiercest wildfires in the West.
When Kelly Ramsey drives over a California mountain pass to join an elite firefighting crew, she’s terrified that she won’t be able to keep up with the intense demands of the job. Not only will she be the only woman on this hotshot crew and their first in ten years, she’ll also be among the oldest. As she trains relentlessly to overcome the crew’s skepticism and gain their respect, megafires erupt across the West, posing an increasing danger both on the job and back home. In vivid prose that evokes the majesty of Northern California’s forests, Kelly takes us on the ground to see how major wildfires are fought and to lay bare the psychological toll, the bone-deep weariness, and the unbreakable camaraderie that emerge in the face of nature’s fury.
Despite the wear and tear of her rookie year in fire, Kelly gears up for a second season, determined to prove that not only can a woman survive this work, she can excel. But when her plans to marry her partner start to crumble and sparks fly with a fellow crew member, Kelly wrestles with whether she’s truly outgrown the self-destructive patterns she’s learned from her father, whose drinking and itinerant ways haunt her. And as the season wears on, she discovers how tenuous “belonging” can be amid ever-changing crew dynamics.
In this vivid, visceral, and intimate memoir, Kelly wrestles with the immense power of fire for both destruction and renewal, confronted with the questions: Which fires do you fight, and which do you let burn you clean?

Vroman's Summer Reading Program - Clay Workshop with Kat!
2025-06-24 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Join Vroman’s Bookstore on Thursday, June 26th at 11am for an air-dry clay activity led by Vroman’s resident artist, Kat! Construct miniature sculptures (or just let your imagination run wild) in a guided craft. Materials will be provided.
RSVP at rsvp@vromansbookstore.com.

Landmark Theatre Pasadena: Retro Replay: Pariah
2025-06-24 19:00 | Landmark Theatre, 673 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Vroman's Bookstore: Becky Aikman, in conversation with Mary Pilon, discusses & signs Spitfires
2025-06-24 19:00 - 20:00 | 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.
