Playhouse Village Association

Vroman's Bookstore: Ice House Comedy: Wednesday's at the DL w/ DL Hughley & friends
2025-04-02 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Famed comedian DL Hughley is bringing a one-of-a-kind residency to the Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, CA this summer. Billed as “Wednesdays at the DL with DL Hughley and Friends”, the show will be a weekly show every Wednesday night at 8:00pm. Hosted by DL himself, the night will feature a variety of hilarious comedians, both established and upcoming. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 7:00pm. Show Starts at 8pm. 21+ with a 2-item minimum per seat in the showroom.

Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Patti Callahan Henry, in conversation with Julia Whelan, discusses and signs The Story She Left Behind
2025-04-03 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Inspired by a true literary mystery, New York Times bestselling author of the mesmerizing The Secret Book of Flora Lea returns with the sweeping story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.
In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s magical childhood shatters when her mother, renowned author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham, disappears off the coast of South Carolina. Bronwyn stunned the world with a book written in an invented language that became a national sensation when she was just twelve years old. Her departure leaves behind not only a devoted husband and heartbroken daughter, but also the hope of ever translating the sequel to her landmark work. As the headlines focus on the missing author, Clara yearns for something far deeper and more insatiable: her beautiful mother.
By 1952, Clara is an illustrator raising her own daughter, Wynnie. When a stranger named Charlie Jameson contacts her from London claiming to have discovered a handwritten dictionary of her mother’s lost language. Clara is skeptical. Compelled by the tragedy of her mother’s vanishing, she crosses the Atlantic with Wynnie only to arrive during one of London’s most deadly natural disasters—the Great Smog. With asthmatic Wynnie in peril, they escape the city with Charlie and find refuge in the Jameson’s family retreat nestled in the Lake District. It is there that Clara must find the courage to uncover the truth about her mother and the story she left behind.
Told in Patti Callahan Henry’s lyrical, enchanting prose, The Story She Left Behind is a captivating novel of mystery and family legacy that captures the profound longing for a mother and the evergreen allure of secrets.
About the author
Patti Callahan Henry is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of several novels, including Surviving Savannah and Becoming Mrs. Lewis. She is the recipient of the Christy Award, the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of the Year Award, and the Alabama Library Association Book of the Year. She is the cohost and cocreator of the popular weekly online live web show and podcast Friends and Fiction. She lives in Alabama and South Carolina with her family. Find out more at PattiCallahanHenry.com.

This is a ticketed in-store event. Tickets include one seat/entry and one copy of The Story She Left Behind which will be handed out at check-in.

Vroman's Bookstore: Alwyn Hamilton, in conversation with Victoria Aveyard, discusses The Notorious Virtues
2025-04-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Please note: an RSVP does not guarantee seating if we reach capacity. Please plan on arriving early. A purchase of the book from Vroman’s is greatly appreciated and makes events like this possible.

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Bestselling Rebel of the Sands author Alwyn Hamilton is back with a glittering fantasy thriller about a glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.
This gorgeous hardcover first edition features emerald-hued edges, creating a lush look for this stunning fantasy.
At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for grabs, and Nora will be pitted against her cousins in the Veritaz, the ultimate magical competition for power that determines the one family heir.
But there’s a surprise contestant this time: Lotte, the illegitimate daughter of Nora’s aunt. When Lotte’s absent mother retrieves her from the rural convent where she’d abandoned her, Lotte goes from being an orphan to being surrounded by family. Unfortunately, most of them want her dead.
And soon, Nora discovers that her mother’s death wasn’t random–it was murder. The only person she can trust to uncover the truth of what happened is a rakish young reporter who despises everything Nora and her family stand for.
While the dangers of the Veritaz competition threaten each of the Holtzfall girls, and the stark class differences turn political outrage to terrifying violence–the new cousins must fight to stay alive, no matter what.
Incredible tests, impossible choices, and deadly odds await both girls. But there can only be one winner.

Ice House Comedy: Adrienne I. Al M. Jodi M. Bassem Y.
2025-04-04 19:30 - 21:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy Club presents Adrienne I. Al M. Jodi M. Bassem Y. Live in the Legendary Room. Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. The show Starts at 7:30pm. 21+ with a 2-item minimum per seat.

Ice House Comedy: DoKnow & Concrete
2025-04-04 20:00 - 21:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents DoKnow & Concrete. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! **21+ only with a 2-item minimum per seat in the showroom**
DoKnow is a young comedian who made his rise throughInstagram/TikTok videos and took over the internet. Most known for his funny, crazy thoughts on real life situations, relationships, and more. He’s also part of the Brown Bag Podcast, Figgmunity Worl,d and more.

Ice House Comedy: DoKnow & Concrete
2025-04-04 22:00 - 23:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents DoKnow & Concrete! Live in the Califrornia Room! 2-drink minimum required!

Vroman's Bookstore: Pasadena Conservatory of Music presents Musical Storytime: The Bunny Rabbit Show by Sandra Boynton
2025-04-05 11:30 - 12:30 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The Pasadena Conservatory of Music will be putting on a special musical storytime with the featured book: The Bunny Rabbit Show by Sandra Boynton. Caregivers and children aged 3-9 will enjoy the story, craft activities, creative movement, and a mini-concert!

Vroman's Bookstore: Stephen Witt discusses & signs The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World's Most Coveted Microchip
2025-04-07 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A purchase of the book from Vroman’s is greatly appreciated and makes events like this possible.
“Stephen Witt’s deep reporting shines through every page of The Thinking Machine. The result is a page-turning biography of perhaps the most consequential CEO and company in the world.” –David Epstein, New York Times bestselling author of Range
Nvidia is as valuable as Apple and Microsoft. It has shaped the world as we know it. But its story is little known. This is the definitive story of the greatest technology company of our times.
In June of 2024, thirty-one years after its founding in a Denny’s restaurant, Nvidia became the most valuable corporation on Earth. The Thinking Machine is the astonishing story of how a designer of video game equipment conquered the market for AI hardware, and in the process re-invented the computer.
Essential to Nvidia’s meteoric success is its visionary CEO Jensen Huang, who more than a decade ago, on the basis of a few promising scientific results, bet his entire company on AI. Through unprecedented access to Huang, his friends, his investors, and his employees, Witt documents for the first time the company’s epic rise and its single-minded and ferocious leader, now one of Silicon Valley’s most influential figures.
The Thinking Machine is the story of how Nvidia evolved to supplying hundred-million-dollar supercomputers. It is the story of a determined entrepreneur who defied Wall Street to push his radical vision for computing, becoming one of the wealthiest men alive. It is the story of a revolution in computer architecture, and the small group of renegade engineers who made it happen. And it’s the story of our awesome and terrifying AI future, which Huang has billed as the ‘next industrial revolution, ‘ as a new kind of microchip unlocks hyper-realistic avatars, autonomous robots, self-driving cars, and new movies, art, and books, generated on command.
This is the story of the company that is inventing the future.

Vroman's Bookstore: Jennifer E. Smith discusses Fun For the Whole Family
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A breathtaking, joy-filled novel about the people we love, the secrets we keep, and the enduring power of family, from the bestselling author of The Unsinkable Greta James.
“A glorious novel of love in all its forms–familial, romantic, lost, and found. Jennifer E. Smith is a ray of literary sunshine.”–Jenny Jackson, author of Pineapple Street
The four Endicott siblings–Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude–were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country.
Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years . . . until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. They’re each at a crossroads: Gemma, who put her own ambitions aside to raise the others, now isn’t sure if she wants to be a mother herself; Connor, a celebrated novelist, is floundering after his recent divorce and suffering from an epic case of writer’s block; and Roddy, at the tail end of a professional soccer career, is dangerously close to losing his future husband for the chance at one last season.
Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together–but appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds, and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets . . . each of which could change everything.
A captivating journey and an ode to forgiveness that takes readers across all fifty states, Fun for the Whole Family brims with heart and resonates long after the final page.

Vroman's Bookstore: Blood Drive
2025-04-10 09:00 - 15:30 | Vroman’s Bookstore
The Huntington Health mobile blood donation team is pop-up at Vroman’s Bookstore get out and donate blood!

Thursday, April 10 – 9am – 3:30pm
Vroman’s Book Store
695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena 91101
Please scan the QR code to sign up.

Pasadena Heritage: The Dr. Robert Winter Memorial Lecture and Reception
2025-04-10 18:30 - 20:30 | Blinn House, 160 N. Oakland Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Join Pasadena Heritage for an evening celebrating the legacy of Dr. Robert Winter, a renowned architectural historian and advocate for historic preservation. This year’s lecture will highlight the enduring significance of historic tile, including the iconic work of Ernest Batchelder and recent efforts to rescue and preserve these artistic treasures.
Our featured speakers include:

Anuja Navare, Director of Collections, Pasadena Museum of History – Anuja will discuss the Batchelder Tile Registry, offering insights into Batchelder’s impact on Pasadena’s architectural landscape and the broader Arts & Crafts movement.
Stanley Zucker and Amy Green of Save The Tiles – Zucker will discuss the collective efforts to salvage and preserve historic tile, including Batchelder pieces, following the Eaton Fire in Altadena.

Following the discussion, guests are invited to a reception where they can connect with speakers and fellow preservation enthusiasts.
This program honors the life and work of Dr. Robert Winter, whose scholarship and passion for preservation continue to inspire efforts to protect Pasadena’s architectural heritage.
🎨 Special Announcement: Art Unveiling at 8:00 PM!
We are thrilled to announce that this year’s event will include a special unveiling of the official artwork for the 2025 Pasadena Heritage Bridge Party, happening Saturday, July 19, 2025. Join us at 8:00 PM as we reveal this one-of-a-kind piece created by renowned Pasadena native Kristopher Doe—an artist whose work captures the spirit of Pasadena and the enduring charm of the Colorado Street Bridge.
A graduate of Art Center College of Design and a lifelong artist and educator, Kris Doe is known for his richly detailed work inspired by California Impressionism, pop culture, and disappearing Americana. His family has been part of Pasadena’s preservation story, maintaining historic bungalow court units in the Villa Park neighborhood for generations.
✨ Watch for the official ‘Save the Date’ announcement for the 2025 Bridge Party—coming soon!
RSVP Required | Space is Limited
We will host a cocktail reception following the presentation to toast to the late Dr. Robert Winter. Martinis (Dr. Winter’s cocktail of choice) and light hors d’oeuvres will be served.
You are invited to join us in person or virutally for this special program! The lecture will be live-streamed via YouTube.
DR. ROBERT WINTER
Dr. Robert Winter was a gift to us and the cause of historic preservation nationwide – his teaching, writing, critical eye, and witty commentary still influence what we do and how we look at historic places. He led the way in creating Pasadena’s preservation ordinance and commission and supported us, educated us, and urged us to be a strong voice for the architectural legacy that surrounds us. The first Dr. Robert Winter Memorial Lecture was held during Craftsman Weekend in 2019 after his passing and is a lasting tribute to his impact on historic preservation communities both near and far. He would be thrilled to know that Pasadena Heritage now resides in the historic Blinn House, designed by Chicago architect George Washington Maher.

USC PAM: Pushing the Boundaries of Traditional Art Forms: Young Joon Kwak, Rafa Esparza, and Jennifer Ling Datchuk
2025-04-11 18:30 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
ADMISSION:
Admission is free. Reservations required.
RSVP
DESCRIPTION:
In a wide-ranging conversation moderated by L.A.–based art historian Danielle Shang, artists Young Joon Kwak, Rafa Esparza, and Jennifer Ling Datchuk will share insights into their creative processes and discuss how they push the boundaries of traditional art forms through the innovative use of unique and unusual materials, as well as the challenges they face in working with unconventional mediums.
This event is inspired by the USC Pacific Asia Museum’s newest exhibition, Cai Guo-Qiang: A Material Odyssey, which explores the transformative potential of diverse materials in contemporary art.
Bios:
Rafa Esparza was born and raised in Los Angeles and received a BA from UCLA in 2011. Solo and two-person exhibitions have been held at Commonwealth and Council, Mexico City (2024); Artists Space, New York (2023); Commonwealth and Council, Los Angeles (2021); MASS MoCA, North Adams (2019); ArtPace, San Antonio (2018); and Ballroom Marfa (2017). Esparza’s work is in the collections of Aïshti Foundation, Beirut; Dallas Museum of Art; Kadist Art Foundation; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Minneapolis Institute of Art; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; San Jose Museum of Art; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Vincent Price Art Museum, Monterey Park; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Born in Queens, NY, and based in Los Angeles, Young Joon Kwak received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2007, an MA from the University of Chicago in 2010, and an MFA from USC in 2014. They are the founder of Mutant Salon, a queer-transfem-BIPOC collective beauty salon and collaborative art and performance platform. They are also the lead performer of the drag-electronic-dance-noise band Xina Xurner. Their work has been widely exhibited at galleries and museums internationally, including at the Hammer Museum’s biennial exhibition Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living. Their next solo exhibition, Resistance Pleasure, opens at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive in August 2024, with another major exhibition following at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in New York in 2025.
Artist Jennifer Ling Datchuk was born in Warren, OH, and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Her work is an exploration of her layered identity—as a woman, a Chinese woman, as an “American,” as a third culture kid. Trained in ceramics, Datchuk works with porcelain and other materials often associated with traditional women’s work, such as textiles and hair, to discuss fragility, beauty, femininity, intersectionality, identity, and personal history. Her work is in the collection at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, San Antonio Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. She is an assistant professor of ceramics at Arizona State University and lives and maintains a studio practice in Phoenix, AZ.
Danielle Shang (moderator) is a Los Angeles–based art historian, exhibition organizer, and artistic director at Cc Art Foundation, where she has shaped the collection and programs to focus on the Global South and Asian diasporas. Her research delves into the impact of globalization, urban renewal, social change, and class restructuring on artmaking and the narrative of art history. Shang has been a guest lecturer and speaker at institutions including the Hammer Museum, USC, UCLA, and Sotheby’s Institute of Art, as well as institutions in Asia. Her upcoming publications include a monograph on Huma Bhabha and a catalog for Minerva Cuevas, and future exhibitions include solo shows by Mexican artist Minerva Cuevas, Indonesian artist Julian Abraham Togar, and Chinese artist Liu Wei.
Presented by USC Visions and Voices. Organized by the USC Pacific Asia Museum.

OH LA LA — Restaurant & Bakery: Bubbles: Fancy, But Make it fun
2025-04-12 16:00 - 18:00 | OH LA LA — Restaurant & Bakery, 921 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, California, 91101, United States
Oh La La Restaurant and Bakery invites guests to an afternoon of exceptional sparkling wines, laughter, and great company on Saturday, April 12, from 4–6 PM. Hosted by beloved sommelier Matteo—known for his fun anecdotes, cool wine facts, and signature French-Italian charm—this lively tasting offers a sparkling experience like no other.
Guests will enjoy pours of the finest Champagne, Prosecco, and Crémant, perfectly paired with shared appetizers crafted by Oh La La’s kitchen. Pop, sip, and discover why not all bubbles are created equal.

USC PAM: Free 2nd Sunday@PAM: Teen Takeover
2025-04-13 11:00 - 17:00 | USC Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Join USC Pacific Asia Museum for a fun afternoon of activities designed by the USC PAM Teen Ambassadors! Enjoy artmaking, anime portraits, live music, and more. Snap a photo at our custom photo booth and go on a gallery scavenger hunt. FREE boba milk tea while supplies last!
Don’t miss your chance to see our student exhibition, “Past, Present, Future”, inspired by the explosive work in the special exhibition, Cai Guo-Qiang: A Material Odyssey.
This event is FREE and open to all ages and includes admission to the galleries.
Schedule of Activities:
11:00 am – 5:00 pm – “Past, Present, Future” student art exhibition
11:00 am – 3:30 pm – Calligraphy and Brush Painting
11:00 am – 3:30 pm – Zine Creation Station
11:00 am – 3:30 pm – Collaborative Poetry
11:00 am – 3:30 pm – Altadena Library Mobile
11:00 am – 4:00 pm – Rice Balls of Fire Food Truck (*for purchase)
12:00 pm – Storytime
12:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Anime Portrait (*limited availability)
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Photobooth
3:00 pm – Dance by Rangashree Dances of India

Pasadena Heritage: The Mad Hatter's Tea Party
2025-04-13 15:30 - 17:30 | Blinn House, 160 N. Oakland Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Come to the magical Blinn House for The Mad Hatter’s Tea with Alice and her Looking Glass friends. It will include a fantasy tea party for two filled with gourmet tea time foods, tea/lemonade, sweets, a photobooth, magic, costumed characters, and stories served up with whimsy. Family Memberships and Golden Tickets get early ticket-buying opportunities—no discounts are available for this event.
$65 for two seats (plus fees): one adult over 16 and one child (4-12 years old). However, please bring a stuffed animal, doll, or imaginary friend that doesn’t require an extra seat. All children must be escorted. Fancy Dress or Cosplay is encouraged.
Only 32 tickets will be sold! (64 seats) First come, first served with early buying for Family and Golden Ticket Members.

Pasadena Heritage is thrilled to have ID-Eclair and La Cave as our generous sponsors for the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party!
✨ ID-Eclair is a charming French-inspired plant-based bakery and salon de thé, offering exquisite pastries crafted by Chef Romuald “Romy” Guiot, a fourth-generation pastry chef and finalist on the Spring Baking Championship. Known for their vegan viennoiserie, delicate macarons, and decadent éclairs, ID-Eclair is a must-visit for those who appreciate fine French pâtisserie. Now open in Pasadena!
🍷 La Cave is a sophisticated yet inviting wine bar specializing in organic, biodynamic, and vegan wines from both local and international producers. Paired with artisanal French dishes, La Cave is the perfect spot to enjoy a refined yet relaxed dining experience.
📍 Visit them at 169 & 163 W. Green Street, Pasadena, CA
📲 Follow @ideclairlosangeles | @lacavepasadena

Vroman's Bookstore: Ann Whitford Paul discusses If Animals Celebrated Easter
2025-04-14 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A must-have for any nursery! If Animals Celebrated Easter is another charming picture book in the bestselling If Animals Kissed Goodnight series that imagines springtime celebration from creatures all across the animal kingdom – making it a perfect gift for Easter baskets.
What if animals did what YOU do?
Colt would weave a basket of hay. Calf would splat-splatter his eggs with spots. Mama and Lamb would lead their friends in a parade. All the farm animals would celebrate Easter in their own special way.
Featuring playful rhymes and adorable art, little ones can see how creatures, great and small, celebrate Easter. Families will giggle along as they imagine the critters that inhabit places near and far. A wonderful gift for baby showers, birthdays, new parents, or any occasion!
Don’t miss the other books in this adorable series: If Animals Kissed Good Night, If Animals Said I Love You, If Animals Celebrated Christmas, If Animals Went to School, If Animals Gave Thanks, If Animals Tried to Be Kind, If Animals Trick-or-Treated, and If Animals Went to Work.ree

Vroman's Bookstore: Mark Whicker & Bill Plunkett discuss & sign their new books Don Drysdale: Up and in: The Life of a Dodgers Legend and L.A. Story: Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and a Season for the Ages
2025-04-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Larger than Life. In the history of American sports, rare is the athlete who fits that description better than Don Drysdale. On the mound, the towering 6-foot-5 righthander intimidated National League hitters for more than a decade, amassing career totals of 209 wins, 2,486 strikeouts…and hitting 154 batters, a stat he lead the major leagues in four times. Off the field, Drysdale’s personality dominated every room he walked into. With a smile as immense as the sun, Drysdale’s contemporaries included Frank Sinatra and Howard Cosell. In Up and In, longtime Orange County Register sportswriter Mark Whicker takes readers on a remarkable journey through Drysdale’s life and career. Featuring exclusive interviews with Drysdale’s teammates, broadcasting, and colleagues, this new biography paints a complete portrait of an unparalleled baseball life – from Drysdale’s early years in Van Nuys to his sudden passing in 1993 at age 56.
Mark Whicker began his career as a sportswriter in 1974 and worked for SCNG newspapers from 1987 until his retirement in 2022. He was selected for induction to the U.S. Basketball Writers Hall of Fame in 2020.

Vroman's Bookstore: Sam Lumley and Daryl Wood Gerber discuss their new books How to Have a Killer Time in DC and Essence of Foul Play
2025-04-15 08:00 - 17:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A young, gay, autistic travel writer takes a head-spinning detour when murder and romance unbalance his well-planned life and career in this fun, quirky debut mystery . . .
For twenty-four-year-old Oliver Popp, autism is just another fact of life. As long as Oliver sticks to a comfortable itinerary planned well in advance, he gets by just fine as a staff writer for Offbeat Traveler magazine. But a curveball drops into Oliver’s budding career when his first feature assignment takes him to Washington, DC, to chronicle the latest tourism trends.
His freelance project photographer is Ricky Warner, a gregarious and impulsively adorable shot of adrenaline. If the flirty gay photographer isn’t enough to unbalance shy Oliver at the get-go, there’s also an unsettling chance encounter with old acquaintance, Elise Perkins, and a congressional hearing that’s shaking up both the capitol and an entrepreneurial billionaire. The unexpected distractions soon collide–quite literally–when Elise is struck dead by a speeding car. Funny how she didn’t move and didn’t scream. She just stared it down like she knew it was coming. Forget the National Mall and Mt. Vernon Square. Oliver and Ricky are game for something much more interesting: solving a mystery and a murder.
With their focus shifted and a deadline coming, they only have a few days to solve the crime. For Oliver, it’s a weeks of firsts: first crush, first time without a schedule, first time playing amateur sleuth, and first time getting wrestled out of his comfort zone. But with a loosey-goosey new partner like Ricky, that might not be such a bad thing at all.

Emma Brennan may have her head in a cloud of eucalyptus, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground in breathtaking Carmel, California, as she prepares to open her new spa business, Aroma Wellness. But all the reiki, shiatsu, and massage in the world can’t help her relax when she’s accused of murder . . .
Everything is going smoothly as Emma prepares for the grand opening of the spa. The therapy rooms are painted. The sales shop and café are stocked with meditative and delicious goodies, from essential oils to avocado masks and prickly pear massages. The fountain in the Courtyard of Peace is burbling with good vibrations. In fact, there isn’t a whiff of trouble until that morning when Emma is shocked to learn that a rival spa owner has been bludgeoned . . . with an item from the goodwill basket Emma gave her. Worse, a witness is pointing the finger at Emma . . .
With the police treating Emma like she’s the only suspect, and the town’s anti New Age anything posse
badmouthing her every step of the way, she’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Incensed by the accusations but empowered by her cousin, her nana, and her trusted Birman cat, Vivi, Emma reviews the potpourri of possible suspects, determined to uncover the essence of foul play–before she’s cold-pressed for murder . . .

Vroman's Bookstore: Anna-Marie McLemore discusses & signs The Influencers
2025-04-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A social media influencer’s empire is burned to the ground–literally. The top suspects? The five daughters who made her famous.
“A witty and razor-sharp whodunit that will leave you both satisfied and challenged . . . A gorgeous, gloriously scathing story.”–Ashley Herring Blake, author of Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date
What do you really know about the people you’ve made famous?
“Mother May I” Iverson has spent the past twenty-five years building a massively successful influencer empire with endearing videos featuring her five mixed-race daughters. But the girls are all grown up now, and the ramifications of having their entire childhoods commodified start to spill over into public view, especially in light of the pivotal question: Who killed May’s newlywed husband and then torched her mansion to cover it up?
April is a businesswoman feuding with her mother over intellectual property; twins June and July are influencers themselves, threatening to overtake May’s spotlight; January is a theater tech who steers clear of her mother and the limelight; and the youngest . . . well, March has somehow completely disappeared. As the days pass post-murder, everyone has an opinion–the sisters, May, a mysterious “friend of the family,” and the collective voice of the online audience watching the family’s every move–with suspicion flying every direction.
A campy and escapist exploration of race, gender, sexuality, and class, The Influencers is an evisceration of influencer culture and how alienating traditional expectations can be, ripe for the current moment when the first generation of children made famous by their parents are, now, all grown up–and looking for retribution.

AC Hotel: Live Music: Drew Cole
2025-04-18 15:30 | 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.

Wolhaus: Knitting Foundations
2025-04-19 09:00 - 11:00 | Wollhaus Artisan Yarn & Tools, 696 E. Colorado Blvd. Suite 2, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Always wanted to learn to knit? Need a refresher? In this class,0 you will learn the skills required to get you started or continue on your knitting journey. No previous experience is required!
Cost $40

Monarca Sol Collective: Starting your Wellness Practice: Plactica and Zine Making Workshop
2025-04-19 12:00 - 15:30 | The Monarca Collective, 696 E. Colorado Blvd STE 19, Pasadena, 91101, United States
Join Monarca Sol Collective Saturday, April 19, 12:00 PM – 3:30 PM at Monarca Sol Collective (Pasadena, CA) for a sacred gathering where storytelling, reflection, and zine-making become tools for healing. Explore the 8 Dimensions of Wellness, honoring the people, places, and practices that nourish us.
This is more than a workshop—it’s a ceremony of remembering that we are whole, our culture heals, and we are worthy of joy, liberation, and care.
Register now & reclaim your wellness! Only 12 spots are available.

Vroman's Bookstore: 19 William Archila reads from & signs his poetry collection S is For, with special guests Michelle Bitting, Amaud Jamaul Johnson & Luis J. Rodriguez, moderated by Douglas Manuel
2025-04-19 14:00 - 15:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
S is For is an investigation by poet William Archila of the Central American migrant crisis haunted by the past of the civil war in El Salvador, the meanings of family spirits, and trees disappearing to urban sprawl–always wielding the voice of the immigrant, the refugee, and the ever-present exile as a weapon against invisibility and displacement. Inventive and compassionate, Archila’s poems navigate the meanings of family spirits, weeds and wildflowers, and the irreverence to lay down roots with our dead. The collection expresses the importance of an inner voice from the perspective of exile–people with no country, no language, ghosts split between present and past, between home and foreign. In a variety of forms–quasi-sonnet, sestina, ekphrastic, syllabic, lyric, memorial–the poems create a bridge between flaws and fractures, between the northern region of Central America and the beloved north which is the US. S is for: every letter never uttered, but evoked.

First United Methodist Church: Third@First: Observance Through Music
2025-04-19 16:00 - 17:00 | First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
First United Methodist Church presents Third@First: Observance Through Music. Intimate and meditative, three unaccompanied Bach Cello Suites will be played by three LA leading cellists to observe the holy weekend.

AC Hotel: Live Music: K. Emeline R&B Soul Pop
2025-04-19 18:00 | AC Hotel Pasadena, 19 S Madison Ave, Pasadena, 91101, United States

Hello You're Welcome: Spring Equinox
2025-04-19 19:00 - 23:00 | Hello You’re Welcome, 445 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Hello You’re Welcome teams up with @girl.dinner.la to present an intimate sit-down dining experience in celebration of spring and new beginnings. Girl Dinner creates space for women and non-binary folks to forge meaningful friendships over a shared meal. Proceeds from the evening will support @altadenabev as they work toward reopening after the Eaton Fire—an essential hub for food and beverage lovers (ourselves included). Gluten-free and vegan options will be available upon request. This event is proudly sponsored by EAT Marketplace @eatmarketplace.

Vroman's Bookstore: Emily Henry’s Great Big Beautiful Life Release Party!
2025-04-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Please note: Emily Henry will not be in attendance for this event. (You should still come though!)
Join Vroman’s Bookstore for a fun-filled night as we celebrate the release of Emily Henry’s latest book, Great Big Beautiful Life!
We will kick off the night at 6 pm with activities, with raffles through the evening, and then Romance Trivia at 7pm.
Activities will include:

Friendship Bracelet Bar
Photo Backdrop
Activity Station with cootie catchers and more!

Romance Trivia (7 pm-8 pm)

This will be individual trivia, with the 1st place winner receiving a $25 Vroman’s Gift card and a special Emily Henry goody bag. (We will have prizes for the runners-up too!)
The topic will be Romance Trivia (emphasizing movies and books) with a bonus round specific to Emily Henry’s books. The winner of the bonus round will get an Emily Henry goody bag.

This is an in-store ticketed event with two ticket options:

General Admission to the event (including a party starter pack) + 1 copy of Great Big Beautiful Life that will be handed out at check in.
General Admission to the event (including a party starter pack)

Pasadena Heritage: Ian Whitcomb
2025-04-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Pasadena Heritage, The Blinn House 160 N Oakland Ave, Pasadena, 91101, United States
Janet Klien and bassist Marquis Howell, of the inimitable “Janet Klein and Her Parlor Boys,” along with Ian’s widow, Regina Whitcomb, will review the life and music of Altadena’s own Ian Whitcomb on the anniversary of his passing. An alumnus of the British Invasion, with his 1965 song You Turn Me On reaching #8 on the Billboard Top 100, Ian and his ukelele inspired others like Tiny Tim. He won a 1998 Grammy for his Titanic: Music Heard on The Fateful Voyage. After invading America, Ian spent most of his life in Altadena as the grand master of folk accordion, ukulele, Ragtime, and other important early American styles. He served as Grand Marshal of the Doo-Dah Parade in 1999, was a regular “Parlor Boy,” and hosted the Ian Whitcomb show on internet radio until his passing in April 2020 from complications of a stroke. His wife, Regina, lost their home and Ian’s archive in the Eaton Fire this past month. We thought it was a great time to celebrate the life and work of this music preservationist and Pasadena/Altadena treasure! Expect to hear great Early Americana music while learning more about Ian’s life and work.

AC Hotel: Live Music: Sierra Blax
2025-04-25 17:00 | AC Hotel Pasadena, 19 S Madison Ave, Pasadena, 91101, United States

Ice House Comedy: Carlos Mencia
2025-04-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Carlos Mencia!
Comedian Carlos Mencia is best known for his raw and unfiltered style of comedy, which he has showcased to great success on comedy stages, and in television shows and movies. He has recently gone back to his comedic roots on his No Hate No Fear comedy tour, sharing his newest material with smaller, more intimate audiences. As a comedian who finds the hilarious irony in both the day-to-day and the newsworthy events, Carlos is never lacking in material; he recently shot two stand-up specials due out later this year. Carlos will also reprise his role as Felix Boulevardez in Disney+’s “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” the revival of the groundbreaking animated series “The Proud Family.” The show is heading into its second season.

Mencia comes from a humble background, born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the 17th of 18 children. His parents sent him to the United States when he was three months old, where he was raised in the Maravilla Projects in Los Angeles by his aunt and uncle. In his early teens, Mencia moved back to Honduras. When Mencia returned to Los Angeles, he showed such educational prowess that he pursued a career in engineering. But an amateur night at the world-renowned Laugh Factory comedy club would change his path, and a career in comedy began. He became a regular at The Comedy Store, performing nightly. After he found success on the Los Angeles comedy circuit, Mencia was named International Comedy Grand Champion from Buscando Estrellas (the Latin version of Star Search), eventually landing on shows such as “In Living Color,” “The Arsenio Hall Show,” and “An Evening at the Improv.”
