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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250926T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250926T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T230457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T230457Z
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SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Robert Oventile and Contributors read from\, discuss & sign The Canyon
DESCRIPTION:Through poems and photos\, The Canyon meditates on Eaton Canyon\, a unique ecosystem nestled adjacent Pasadena and Altadena\, California. \nIn January 2025\, the Eaton Fire devastated the canyon\, along with parts of Altadena and Pasadena. The Canyon reflects on the resilience of this environment\, recalling how its wildlife\, plants\, and terrain rebounded after the 1993 Kinneloa Fire. Shaped by fire and now increasingly by human-driven climate change\, Eaton Canyon is part of a larger story-one that climate scientists place within the evolving Earth System. \nA celebration of Eaton Canyon’s beauty and endurance\, The Canyon invites readers on a journey through an ever-changing landscape. \nAbout the Author and the Photographers\nSusan Hopkins has been an Eaton Canyon Docent Naturalist since 2018 and a UC California Naturalist since 2019. Susan’s passion is taking long in duration\, very short on distance hikes in Eaton Canyon. The slower you go\, the more you see. She is also a nature gossip. \nEdgar McGregor is a meteorologist and environmentalist living in Southern California. He takes daily walks at Eaton Canyon to pick up litter\, speak about environmental issues\, and monitor changes to the park. He specializes in forecasting Santa Ana windstorms and aided in warning the Altadena community in the days before the 2025 Eaton Fire. \nTom Mills is an amateur nature and wildlife photographer who is one of many volunteer docents at the Eaton Canyon Natural Area. Born and raised on the North Shore of Long Island\, N.Y.\, Tom relocated to California in 1988 and has lived in Pasadena\, California with his wife\, Simone\, for over thirty years. Tom is also a member of the Pasadena Audubon Society\, with whom he also volunteers his time and photographs for use in the Society’s publications. \nRobert Savino Oventile hikes Eaton Canyon regularly. He is coauthor with Sandy Florian of Sophia Lethe Talks Doxodox Down (Atmosphere\, 2021).
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-robert-oventile-and-contributors-read-from-discuss-sign-the-canyon/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250925T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250925T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T230247Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T230247Z
UID:10014344-1758826800-1758830400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Vroman’s on Screen - Tim Greiving\, in conversation with Matt Gourley\, discusses & signs John Williams: A Composer’s Life
DESCRIPTION:John Williams is one of the most important film composers of all time\, having almost singlehandedly revived the Hollywood symphonic scoring tradition and helped restore the livelihood of American orchestras through the popularity of film music programming. His film music\, in the words of director Oliver Stone\, “came to stand for the American culture.” \nIn John Williams: A Composer’s Life\, the first biography of the composer\, author Tim Greiving offers an engaging account of a man whose body of work is well-known but whose personal life has consistently remained very private. Williams wrote the memorable scores and hummable themes for a staggering number of popular touchstones across multiple generations–among them Star Wars\, Indiana Jones\, Jaws\, E.T.\, Jurassic Park\, Schindler’s List\, and the Harry Potter series–and earned more Oscar nominations than any individual artist in the history of the motion picture Academy. He also composed dozens of concerti\, fanfares\, and other concert works and was a national presence as music director of the Boston Pops for more than a decade. He inspired countless children to pursue a career in the orchestra and won the respect of the classical community worldwide. Seeking to understand what drove Williams’s musical productivity and its effects on the lives of those close to him\, Greiving delves deeply into the composer’s decades-long career\, uncovering countless new stories and revelations. Throughout\, he analyzes and describes Williams’ film scores\, recalling them primarily in narrative and emotional terms rather than purely musicological ones\, and in doing so emphasizes one of Williams’s principle strengths: his musical storytelling. \nWith unprecedented interview access to Williams and those close to him\, Greiving presents the definitive portrait of a beloved but famously private doyen of twentieth-century pop culture. Featuring 175 exclusive interviews–including with Steven Spielberg\, Oliver Stone\, George Miller\, Mia Farrow\, Hans Zimmer\, Yo-Yo Ma\, session musicians\, family members\, and friends–John Williams: A Composer’s Life is the first and last word on the great court composer of the cinema age\, the musical conductor of our collective memory.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-vromans-on-screen-tim-greiving-in-conversation-with-matt-gourley-discusses-signs-john-williams-a-composers-life/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/tim-greiving-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250921T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250921T140000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T225803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T225859Z
UID:10014343-1758463200-1758463200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: An Afternoon with author & director Andrew Davis
DESCRIPTION:The director of Holes\, Under Siege\, A Perfect Murder\, and the Academy Award nominated hit The Fugitive joins us for a discussion about his films and his debut novel Disturbing the Bones\, co-authored with Jeff Biggers\, which features subjects & themes that reverberate throughout his filmography. \nCover of Disturbing the Bones with a picture of author Andrew Davis and at the bottom it says TICKETED\nAn Afternoon with author & director Andrew Davis\nThe director of Holes\, Under Siege\, A Perfect Murder\, and the Academy Award nominated hit The Fugitive joins us for a discussion about his films and his debut novel Disturbing the Bones\, co-authored with Jeff Biggers\, which features subjects & themes that reverberate throughout his filmography. \nAbout the book\nA propulsive debut political thriller set in the aftermath of a global nuclear weapons crisis—from the acclaimed filmmaker of The Fugitive and an award-winning journalist . . . \n“A knife-edged investigation that morphs into a political thriller about a world on the brink. An ingenious page turner.” —Michael Mann \nA plot to disrupt a global peace summit in Chicago collides with a civil rights case breakthrough at a mysterious archaeological site . . . \nChicago detective Randall Jenkins has not been back home to the historic Civil Rights hotspot of Cairo\, Illinois since the disappearance of his mother\, a well-known journalist\, several decades ago. That all changes the day Dr. Molly Moore\, an ambitious young archaeologist in the national spotlight for her groundbreaking high-tech discoveries\, uncovers a set of strange bones at a huge 12\,000-year-old site at a highway construction project. With retired military general and contractor William Alexander breathing down her neck to cover up the dig\, Molly and Randall soon find themselves in the middle of a wild military conspiracy.The detective and archaeologist’s entwined family mysteries suddenly thrust them into the central position as the only people who can ensure the safety of the ongoing Chicago global peace summit. They must take on the rogue general who views any disarmament agreement as a clear and present danger to the United States. The fate of global peace and the lives of Molly and Randall hang in the balance. \nAbout the authors\nAndrew Davis\, raised on the southside of Chicago\, is the acclaimed director and screenwriter of numerous films\, including Holes\, Under Siege\, Code of Silence\, A Perfect Murder\, and The Guardian\, and whose landmark film\, The Fugitive\, chosen in 2020 by Los Angeles Times readers as the ultimate summer film\, was nominated for seven Academy awards including Best Picture. \nJeff Biggers is an American Book Award-winning historian\, journalist and playwright. Based part-time in Italy since 1989\, he is the recipient of the David Brower Award for Environmental Reporting\, the Foreword Magazine Book of the Year for Travel Writing\, a Lowell Thomas Award for Travel Journalism\, and other honors. Author of ten books of cultural history and investigative reporting\, his work has appeared in the New York Times\, The Atlantic Monthly\, Salon.com\, and on National Public Radio and Public Radio International.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-an-afternoon-with-author-director-andrew-davis/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/davis-website-event.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250920T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250920T140000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T225528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T225528Z
UID:10014342-1758373200-1758376800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Leslie Adame\, in conversation with Tamika Burgess\, presents & signs Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic (Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic #1)
DESCRIPTION:A new Latinx middle grade fantasy debut where a secret magical academy\, an evil sorcerer\, and a powerful\, coveted gem awaits one girl in her quest to reunite her family. Perfect for fans of Claribel A. Ortega and B. B. Alston! \nTwelve-year-old Chloe Vega’s biggest fear is that her undocumented parents will be detained by immigration. That is\, until she learns that her parents are actually part of a secret magical society…and that the suspicious looking police officers who have been hanging around their block are henchmen for an evil sorcerer determined to settle a decades-old score. \nJust when Chloe discovers that she has powers\, too\, her parents are kidnapped. In order to rescue them\, she’ll need to harness her abilities at an elite academy\, run by the very agency who exiled her parents from the magical world. \nFinding herself in the center of a magical war that might destroy everything she has ever known\, Chloe can’t shake the feeling that the Agents of Magic are hiding secrets. With her parents’ lives hanging in the balance\, she must uncover who is truly on her side and fast to save her family–and the world itself.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-leslie-adame-in-conversation-with-tamika-burgess-presents-signs-chloe-vega-and-the-agents-of-magic-chloe-vega-and-the-agents-of-magic-1/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/leslie-adame-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250920T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250920T120000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T225304Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T225304Z
UID:10014341-1758366000-1758369600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Ashlee Yates reads from & signs The Stink
DESCRIPTION:Our life is perfect until one day a new smell enters our home\, PEE EWW! This playful children’s book follows an English Bulldog as he navigates life with his new very stinky baby sister. A heartwarming tale about home life changes shown through quirky illustrations and vivid language. \nPerfect for parents to read to their kids or for kids to read to their pets. The perfect addition to any child’s bookshelf!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ashlee-yates-reads-from-signs-the-stink/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ashlee-yates-600x600-1.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250919T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250919T190000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T224959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T224959Z
UID:10014340-1758304800-1758308400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Chris Colfer discusses & signs Roswell Johnson Saves the Galaxy!
DESCRIPTION:Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Land of Stories in this sequel to Roswell Johnson Saves the World! Packed with humor\, heart\, and action\, the second book in this adventure series will take middle grade readers on another epic journey\, this time\, to save the galaxy! \nSomething very strange is happening in our galaxy. People\, spaceships\, and whole stars are disappearing without a trace. The Milky Way Galactic Alliance can’t explain the bizarre phenomena\, prompting Roswell and his alien friends to solve the mystery themselves. Along the way\, Roswell discovers new technology that puts our entire solar system in grave danger\, and he learns he’s closer to the problem than he ever thought possible.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ticketed-chris-colfer-discusses-signs-roswell-johnson-saves-the-galaxy/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/chris-colfer-600x600-1.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250918T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250918T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T224733Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T224733Z
UID:10014339-1758222000-1758225600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Chip Jacobs discusses & signs Later Days
DESCRIPTION:In an evocative follow-up to his Los Angeles-Times bestselling Arroyo\, Chip Jacobs returns with a gripping tale of brotherhood\, recklessness\, and last-ditch redemption against the backdrop of a Southern California prep school in gender upheaval. \nAs the elite\, all-boys institution transitions to coed\, transforming the place from suburban Lord of the Flies to soap-operatic play\, two unlikely friends–Luke Burnett and Denny Drummond–alternate rescuing the other from self-destruction and home lives gutted by loss and distracted parents. Eager to maximize their era as God-like Seniors at Stone Canyon Prep\, the pair and their classmates act invincible. They commandeer Bob’s Big Boy and wander the secret world beneath Caltech\, meeting a charismatic Nobel Prize physicist in the process. They sweat destiny-making S.A.T.s\, grapple with fallout when two boys fall for the same girl\, and watch in horror as a playoff basketball game is upended by the chemistry lab. Just when our heroes barely graduate\, en route to prized universities\, their bond is severed by a wild gunshot that will haunt them for decades. \nTwenty years later\, Luke is a hard-charging journalist with an imploding career\, while Denny is a visionary software engineer on the verge of a breakthrough–until a terminal diagnosis rewrites any happy ending. Their reunion forces both to confront the worst of themselves\, a luminous female classmate who predicted her own death\, and exactly how they squandered the potential Stone Canyon draped around them. As Denny’s time runs short\, Luke races to make peace with his failures in a world shorn of the magic his teachers once heralded. In a final act of reckoning\, with the famous Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in the mix\, fate offers them one last chance to heal the other by confronting mortality and pleading for goodbyes slippery before. \nLater Days is a powerful exploration of the ties that bind and break us. Perfect for readers drawn to fierce\, flawed friendships\, the currency of forgiveness\, and the raw beauty of life skimming its edge. With rich insight into the secret histories of the late-seventies Pasadena area\, and the psychological baggage of growing up in the shadows of “Great Men\,” father\, Jacobs second novel is as emotionally resonant as it is intellectually sharp.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-chip-jacobs-discusses-signs-later-days/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/chip-jacobs-600x600-1.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250917T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250917T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T224333Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T224333Z
UID:10014338-1758135600-1758139200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: D.J. Waldie discusses & signs Elements of Los Angeles: Earth\, Water\, Air\, and Fire
DESCRIPTION:In Elements of Los Angeles: Earth\, Water\, Fire\, Air\, acclaimed essayist D.J. Waldie continues his singular meditation on Los Angeles: a place of contradictions\, dreams\, and disquiet. With uncommon clarity and emotional depth\, Waldie considers Los Angeles as a place of both promise and disillusionment\, of civic memory and strategic forgetting\, of natural beauty and environmental fragility. Each of the four classical elements forms the basis for a profound and poetic reassessment of the city’s image\, exploring topics as diverse and resonant as the unlikely history of the Hass avocado\, the St. Francis Dam disaster\, an endurance contest that saw a young woman buried alive\, and the sound of Vin Scully’s voice carried across the summer air.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-d-j-waldie-discusses-signs-elements-of-los-angeles-earth-water-air-and-fire/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/dj-waldie-600x600-1.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250915T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250915T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T224044Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T224044Z
UID:10014337-1757962800-1757966400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Zoe B. Wallbrook\, in conversation with Elise Bryant\, discusses & signs History Lessons
DESCRIPTION:A college history professor must solve her superstar colleague’s murder before she becomes the next target in this funny\, romantic debut mystery\, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich\, Kellye Garrett\, and Ali Hazelwood. \nAs a newly minted junior professor\, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism\, working on her next academic book\, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies. \nThe rising star of Harrison University’s anthropology department was never one of Daphne’s favorites\, despite his popularity. But that doesn’t prevent Sam’s killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam–something the killer will stop at nothing to get. \nBetween grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life\, Daphne embarks on her own investigation to find out what connects her to Sam’s murder. With the help of an alluring former-detective-turned-bookseller\, she unravels a deadly cover-up on campus. \nThis well-crafted\, voice-driven mystery introduces an unforgettable crime fiction heroine.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-zoe-b-wallbrook-in-conversation-with-elise-bryant-discusses-signs-history-lessons/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Free,Ice House,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/zoe-b-wallbrook-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250913T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250913T150000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T223801Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T223801Z
UID:10014336-1757772000-1757775600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Ezra Edmund reads from & signs Cerberus The Tiger: The Tiger Saga
DESCRIPTION:Cerberus The Tiger: A Middle Grade Portal Fantasy Adventure Full of Mystery\, Science\, and Myth Cerberus The Tiger (The Tiger Saga\, Book One) \nCerberus saw the portal open. He saw the beast come through. Now he’ll risk everything to uncover the truth… and stop it from happening again. \nTen years ago\, Cerberus witnessed something no one else believes. His father\, a brilliant scientist\, opened a portal in their lab\, and a towering two-headed beast came through. Cerberus watched it take his father. Everyone else called it an accident. He wanted to believe them. \nNow\, a strange energy signal pulses with the same pattern from that night. It should be impossible. But it could mean that his father is still alive. Somewhere. \nWith help from Ricky\, a childhood friend turned controversial researcher\, Cerberus begins tracking ancient energy pulses and fractured time. At the center is MonFus\, a strange force binding lost worlds and missing creatures. But each test risks waking something older… something that has waited long enough. \nCerberus is pulled into an unfamiliar world filled with forgotten cities\, dangerous beasts\, and suspicious allies. High above\, a dark castle looms\, its roots sunk into rivers of glowing magma. Something waits inside. And it remembers him. \nIf Cerberus fails\, he may lose more than his father. He could unleash a villain powerful enough to bend time itself. \nHe wants the truth. But the truth might come at a terrible cost.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ezra-edmund-reads-from-signs-cerberus-the-tiger-the-tiger-saga/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ezra-edmund-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250913T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250913T120000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T223512Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T223512Z
UID:10014335-1757761200-1757764800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Matthew Forsythe reads from & signs Aggie & the Ghost
DESCRIPTION:“A book that captures the dance of unlikely bonds and a way to move from a place of acceptance.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review) \nFrom Matthew Forsythe\, the creator of the acclaimed and beloved Pokko and the Drum\, comes a surprising and pleasing picture book about rules. And sharing. And an epic game of tic-tac-toe. \nAggie is very excited to live on her own–until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear\, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of rules: No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food. \nBut the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe–winner gets the house.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-matthew-forsythe-reads-from-signs-aggie-the-ghost/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/matthew-forsythe-600xx600.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250909T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250909T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T223129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T223129Z
UID:10014334-1757444400-1757448000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Dr. Ingrid Clayton\, in conversation with Dr. Ramani Durvasula\, discusses & signs Fawning: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves--And How to Find Our Way Back
DESCRIPTION:From a clinical psychologist and expert in complex trauma recovery comes a powerful guide introducing fawning\, an often-overlooked piece of the fight-flight-freeze reaction to trauma–explaining what it is\, why it happens\, and how to help survivors regain their voice and sense of self. \nMost of us are familiar with the three F’s of trauma–fight\, flight\, or freeze. But psychologists have identified a fourth\, extremely common (yet little-understood) response: fawning. Often conflated with “codependency” or “people-pleasing\,” fawning occurs when we inexplicably draw closer to a person or relationship that causes pain\, rather than pulling away. \nDo you apologize to people who have hurt you?\nIgnore their bad behavior?\nBefriend your bullies?\nObsess about saying the right thing?\nMake yourself into someone you’re not . . . while seeking approval that may never come?\nYou might be a fawner. \nFawning explains why we stay in bad jobs\, fall into unhealthy partnerships\, and tolerate dysfunctional environments\, even when it seems so obvious to others that we should go. And though fawning serves a purpose–it’s an ingenious protective strategy in unsafe situations–it’s a problem if it becomes a repetitive\, compulsory reaction in our daily lives. \nBut here’s the good news: we can break the pattern of chronic fawning\, once we see it for the trauma response it is. Drawing on twenty years of clinical psychology work–as well as a lifetime of experience as a recovering fawner herself–Dr. Ingrid Clayton demonstrates WHY we fawn\, HOW to recognize the signs of fawning (including taking blame\, conflict avoidance\, hypervigilance\, and caretaking at the expense of ourselves)\, and WHAT we can do to successfully “unfawn” and finally be ourselves\, in all our imperfect perfection. \nDate:\nTue\, 9/9/2025\nTime:\n7:00pm – 8:00pm\nAdult Event Book Signing\nEvent Related Books & Products
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-dr-ingrid-clayton-in-conversation-with-dr-ramani-durvasula-discusses-signs-fawning-why-the-need-to-please-makes-us-lose-ourselves-and-how-to-find-our-way-back/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/dr-ingrid-clayton-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250906T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250906T160000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T222626Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T222626Z
UID:10014333-1757170800-1757174400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Jenny Andrus reads from & signs Elsa’s Chessboard - Includes Art Activity
DESCRIPTION:Elsa carries her chessboard everywhere\, always ready for a game. When World War II forces her from Europe\, can chess help make America home? \nGrowing up in 1900s Vienna\, Elsa’s brothers are always playing chess. “No girls!” they tell her when she first asks to learn; but she wears them down\, and soon she’s such a pro that they give her a special chess set of her own. \nElsa plays chess whenever she can. When she grows up\, she even meets her husband over games in the park. But when World War II grips Europe\, the young Jewish family flees to America\, where they find themselves surrounded by unfamiliar languages. \nLuckily\, Elsa knows one language that can always bring people together: chess! \nMillions of Americans are falling in love with chess\, and young people are no exception.  Based on the life of author Jenny Andrus’s grandmother\, Elsa’s Chessboard is a gripping tale of resilience\, human connection\, and the boundless potential of women in male-dominated fields.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-jenny-andrus-reads-from-signs-elsas-chessboard-includes-art-activity/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Free,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jenny-andrus-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250906T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250906T123000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T222218Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T222218Z
UID:10014332-1757158200-1757161800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Pasadena Conservatory of Music presents Musical Storytime: Barnyard Dance! (Boynton on Board) by Sandra Boynton
DESCRIPTION:The Pasadena Conservatory of Music will be putting on a special musical storytime with featured book: Barnyard Dance! (Boynton on Board) by Sandra Boynton. Caregivers and children aged 3-9 will enjoy story\, craft activities\, creative movement and a mini-concert!
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-pasadena-conservatory-of-music-presents-musical-storytime-barnyard-dance-boynton-on-board-by-sandra-boynton/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Kids,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/storytime-600-x-600-6.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250903T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250903T193000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T221952Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T221952Z
UID:10014331-1756924200-1756927800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Keala Kendall\, in conversation with Dana Ledoux Miller\, discusses & signs How Far I'll Go: A Twisted Tale
DESCRIPTION:After a devastating battle with Te Kā\, Moana’s worst fears are realized: the heart of Te Fiti is in ruins\, Maui is frozen in volcanic rock\, and darkness threatens to envelop her beloved home. Desperate to fix things\, Moana stumbles upon an island already crumbling under the blight. All life is gone\, save one sole survivor–a young woman named Noe. \nMoana is relieved to find another wayfarer\, even if this stranger is more than a little intimidating. Better still\, Noe has an idea how to fix the heart: using the tears of Te Fiti\, gems infused with the goddess’s essence. The catch? The tears are said to be scattered throughout the realm of monsters. \nBanded together\, Moana and Noe set a course for an impossible mission to find the powerful lost tears. Will Moana be able to restore the heart amid secrets and monsters? Or will the blight overtake everything Moana holds dear? \nKeala will be joined in conversation with Moana 2 co-director & writer Dana Ledoux Miller\nDana is a Samoan American writer\, producer\, director\, and showrunner\, known for her work on various television series and Moana 2. She co-founded the Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (PEAK)\, a non-profit dedicated to uplifting Pacific Islander voices in entertainment.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-keala-kendall-in-conversation-with-dana-ledoux-miller-discusses-signs-how-far-ill-go-a-twisted-tale/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/keala-kendal-600x600-updated.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250902T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250902T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250814T221544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T221544Z
UID:10014330-1756839600-1756843200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Dax Dasilva & Eric Hendrikx\, discuss & sign Echoes from Eden: A Daring Voyage to Protect Earth's Last Wild Places
DESCRIPTION:“Echoes from Eden recounts Dax Dasilva’s journey supporting conservation efforts in the places that need it most. This book is a testament to the power of direct action\, a blueprint for environmental conservation\, and\, as well\, a deeply personal exploration of spirituality and Earth stewardship.” \n— Jane Goodall\, PhD\, DBE \nAll proceeds from this book will be donated to the Jane Goodall Legacy Fund \nFrom the frontline protests of Clayoquot Sound to the helm of a global tech empire\, Dax Dasilva’s path has always straddled two worlds–innovation and conservation. Echoes from Eden is not just the story of a man who walked away from business as usual; it is a call to arms for the wild. \nAs the world reeled from the pandemic and conservation efforts collapsed\, rangers were sent home\, funding dried up\, and poachers and loggers swept in like vultures. Instead of retreating\, Dasilva launched the Age of Union Alliance\, committing $40 million to safeguard the planet’s last wild places. What followed was a journey into the heart of the Earth’s most endangered landscapes–tracking Grauer’s gorillas in the Congo with Dr. Kerry Bowman\, navigating Amazonian rivers with Paul Rosolie and Junglekeepers\, braving militia-held territories in Haiti to protect community forests\, and sailing with Sea Shepherd to shut down illegal fishing operations in the Bay of Biscay. \nAlong the way\, he met those who risk everything to defend the land: Dr. Jane Goodall and Juma Xipaya in the Amazon\, Suzan Baptiste protecting the leatherback turtles of Trinidad\, Dr. Russell Mittermeier conserving the endangered lemurs of Madagascar\, and the fearless eco-warriors fighting in Indonesia\, Canada\, and beyond. \nBut Echoes from Eden is more than an expedition log–it is a reckoning. Told with an urgency sharpened by experience\, it asks us to see the world as it is: beautiful\, brutal\, and slipping through our fingers. This isn’t a plea for awareness–it’s a battle cry. \nThe time to act isn’t tomorrow. It’s now.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-dax-dasilva-eric-hendrikx-discuss-sign-echoes-from-eden-a-daring-voyage-to-protect-earths-last-wild-places/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/dax-desilva-and-eric-hendrikx-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250828T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250828T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T230947Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T230947Z
UID:10013925-1756407600-1756411200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Joanne Yi\, in conversation with Yi Shun Lai\, discusses & signs All The Tomorrows After
DESCRIPTION:A captivating\, heartrending novel about a Korean American teen navigating grief and first love who agrees to accept money from her estranged father in exchange for letting him get to know her–for fans of Nina LaCour\, Kathleen Glasgow\, and All My Rage. \nEach night\, Winter Moon counts her earnings dreaming of escape. Once she’s saved enough\, she and her grandmother can finally take flight and disappear. But when her spiteful mother steals her money and blows through it all in one day\, Winter is forced to turn to her estranged father\, who recently reappeared in her life after being absent for more than a decade. They agree upon a simple contract: she spends time with him in exchange for payment. \nIt’s not easy reconciling the past and the present\, though\, and when she’s struck with a sudden loss\, Winter flounders in grief and rage. The only person offering a hand is Joon\, the new boy at school who sees Winter when no one else does. \nWhen Winter discovers a secret her father has been keeping from her\, things get even more complicated. As she navigates grief\, first love\, and forgiveness\, Winter begins to forge connections\, new and old\, that make her question everything: her future\, her conviction to disappear\, and what it really means to be family. Winter knows that broken things can never be fixed\, but can they come back together in a different way?
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-joanne-yi-in-conversation-with-yi-shun-lai-discusses-signs-all-the-tomorrows-after/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Archetype Yoga
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/joanne-yi-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250827T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250827T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T204042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T204042Z
UID:10013924-1756321200-1756324800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Fiction Reading Group
DESCRIPTION:The Vroman’s Fiction Reading Group meets on the 4th Wednesday of every month at 7pm. \nThis event is free and open to the public. \nAugust’s pick is When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut. \nFiction Reading Group meetings are held inside Vroman’s Bookstore on the second floor in the event space.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-fiction-reading-group-6/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250826T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250826T190000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T203831Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T203831Z
UID:10013923-1756231200-1756234800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Tess Holliday & Kelly Coon discuss & sign Take Up Space\, Y'All: Your Bold & Bright Guide to Self-Love
DESCRIPTION:Make your own rules and treat your body well in this uplifting\, inspirational\, and fact-filled guide to navigating social media\, taking care of yourself\, and loving your body by top plus-size model Tess Holliday and award-winning author Kelly Coon. \nTake Up Space\, Y’all gives teen readers a joyful\, can’t-put-this-down reading experience with advice and colorful anecdotes from body positivity activist\, top plus-size model\, and inclusivity consultant\, Tess Holliday. Tess Holliday has been on a mission to shift society’s mindset on what is beautiful\, what is healthy\, and what matters most of our life and living authentically. Now she and co-author\, Kelly Coon\, are combating the immense pressures society places on teens–from grades to social status to looks–and acknowledging these can have a negative impact on one’s physical and mental health. Let Tess\, Kelly\, and various professionals guide you to taking up all the space you need by: \n\nmaking good eating choices for your body\nchoosing fashion that defines you\nsteering clear of social media trolls\nseeking help from trusted adults in hard situations\nand more!\n\nThrough fun quizzes\, bit-sized stories from Tess’s life\, writing prompts\, and digestible sidebars\, this guide is sure to empower you to unleash self-love and to conquer societal pressures while having fun at the same time. \nBIOS: \nTess Holliday is one of the world’s most famous plus-size models and the first of her size ever to be signed to a major agency. She has been a pioneer of the body positivity movement since 2010\, broke boundaries with her Cosmo UK cover\, and was the first-ever digital cover star for Self. She is one of the top six plus-size models globally by Vogue Italia. She has created and sold her own clothing lines\, speaks at panels around the world\, consults for H&M on inclusivity and diversity\, and has hosted a podcast. \nKelly Coon is an educator with more than twenty years’ writing experience. She was executive editor for Blue Ocean Brain\, a high school English teacher\, and is a published fiction and nonfiction author for teens and adults. She’s written articles for The Washington Post\, Scary Mommy\, ThoughtCo\, and more.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-tess-holliday-kelly-coon-discuss-sign-take-up-space-yall-your-bold-bright-guide-to-self-love/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/tess-holliday-and-kelly-coon-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250825T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250825T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T203509Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T203509Z
UID:10013922-1756148400-1756152000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Winnie M. Li\, discusses & signs What We Left Unsaid
DESCRIPTION:A purchase of the book from Vroman’s is greatly appreciated and makes events like this possible. \nFrom Winnie M. Li\, author of the “dazzling and devastating” (Chris Whitaker\, New York Times bestselling author) thriller Complicit\, comes WHAT WE LEFT UNSAID\, an emotive and eye-opening novel that explores family\, race\, growing up\, and what it means to be American. \nThe Chu siblings haven’t seen each other in years. Thirty years ago\, a strange incident had aborted a family road trip to the Grand Canyon. No one’s ever really spoken about it\, and over the years\, Bonnie\, Kevin\, and Alex lost touch. \nWhen they are told that their ailing mother is scheduled for an operation\, they agree to come visit her. But their mother makes an odd request: before seeing her\, they must go on a road trip together to the Grand Canyon. \nTogether\, the siblings travel along Route 66 – but as the trip continues\, they realize the Great American Road Trip may not be what they expected. Facing their own prejudices and those of others\, the Chu siblings learn to bridge the distance between them\, the present day\, and their past childhood experience. \nWith “powerful and beautiful writing” (Sarah Pearse\, New York Times bestselling author)\, Winnie M Li shares her most accessible story yet. Regardless of race\, gender\, or family circumstances\, every reader will be able to relate to something in the Chu family story.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-winnie-m-li-discusses-signs-what-we-left-unsaid/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/winnie-m-li-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250824T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250824T170000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T203117Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T203117Z
UID:10013921-1756051200-1756054800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Local Author Day Introducing Jonathan Grimm
DESCRIPTION:Jonathan Grimm presents The Future Poor: How families and communities can join together to survive the looming retirement crisis\nThe Future Poor reveals how millions of Americans under 50 earning less than $150\,000 are heading toward poverty in retirement. Author and licensed financial advisor Jonathan Grimm exposes the broken retirement system and offers hope through community cooperation\, financial literacy\, and reimagined social pillars. An urgent wake-up call with practical solutions for surviving the looming retirement crisis.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-local-author-day-introducing-jonathan-grimm/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/local-authors-600-x-600.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250824T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250824T120000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T202738Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T202738Z
UID:10013920-1756033200-1756036800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Local Author Day - Young Readers Edition - Introducing Shvona Chung and Sarah McLean
DESCRIPTION:Shvona Chung presents Hop Around\nJoin the hoppers as they go on a journey around the world. We will learn about customs\, culture\, and the arts together! Hop on the magic\, uni-carriage\, and explore! \nSarah McLean presents Leah Is A Dragonfly Now: A true story of grief and everlasting friendship\nBased on the award-winning animated short film\, this poignant\, touching\, and uplifting picture book about grief reminds us that loved ones never truly leave our side\, and that they can even take shape as tiny\, little dragonflies. \nWhen Celine’s best friend dies\, she decides to wear a dragonfly bracelet to keep her close. After Celine and her family escape a car accident unharmed\, she realizes she has lost the dragonfly bracelet. Rattled by the scary and unexpected series of events\, Celine determines they must have a guardian angel watching over them. \nDragonflies symbolize transformation from a physical presence to a spiritual one. All too often we lose loved ones only to wonder where they’ve gone and if we’ll ever see them again. In this true story of life\, death\, and everlasting friendship\, Leah Is A Dragonfly Now helps readers cope with the loneliness\, sadness\, and anxiety we may feel after someone we love leaves us. Leah\, now a dragonfly\, reminds her best friend that she will always be by her side\, even if she doesn’t see her\, and will always be looking out for her. \n“Hi\, friend. I’m here with you and always will be.” \nA heartwarming gift for older children and adults who have suffered loss and want to stay connected to their loved ones.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-local-author-day-young-readers-edition-introducing-shvona-chung-and-sarah-mclean/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250823T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250823T160000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T201027Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T201027Z
UID:10013919-1755961200-1755964800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Kimberly Tso reads from & signs Tic Tac Toe Chicken
DESCRIPTION:“I loved reading this story inspired by the real Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken of Chinatown! Kids will be encouraged to seek clever solutions for the problems they see being ignored.”\n–Grace Lin\, award-winning author of A Big Mooncake for Little Star and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon \n“An imaginative retelling of a true story\, Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken is something to squawk about!”\n–Elana K. Arnold\, author of the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of and the A Boy Called Bat series \nNew York City is not a great place for a chicken to live. It’s crowded and loud and busy. But you can find the city’s most famous chicken\, Lillie\, a.k.a. the Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken\, in Chinatown. \nWhen tourists ask\, “Where’s the Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken?” locals point them to a video-game arcade on Mott Street\, where Lillie plays games of tic-tac-toe against anyone who wants to play against her. \nBut eight-year-old Beatrice worries that the dark arcade is just not a good place for Lillie to live. She devises a clever plan: She will challenge the arcade’s Big Boss in a game of tic-tac-toe. Will Beatrice win Lillie’s freedom? \nTic-Tac-Toe Chicken is a picture book inspired by the true story of Lillie\, a real chicken trained to play tic-tac-toe in New York’s Chinatown Fair arcade\, and her relocation to a farm for rescued animals. Featuring vibrant paintings of Chinatown by the award-winning illustrator Louie Chin (Bodega Cat\, Fighting to Belong! Vols. I and II)\, Tic-Tac-Toe Chicken showcases a local cultural touchstone and shows how children can stand up for what they believe in and solve tough problems with ingenuity and heart.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-kimberly-tso-reads-from-signs-tic-tac-toe-chicken/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/kimberly-tso-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250821T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250821T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T200522Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T200522Z
UID:10013918-1755802800-1755806400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Stephen Vittoria\, in conversation with Sonali Kolhatkar\, discusses & signs Christina and the Whitefish
DESCRIPTION:The debut novel from award-winning filmmaker and author\, Stephen Vittoria. This is a book for the moment-a heart wrenching tale about overcoming your demons and finding your people. Vittoria doesn’t flinch in the face of painful subject matter. At its heart\, Christina and the Whitefish is an antiwar\, anti-empire narrative\, one that underscores love and empathy. \nABOUT THE AUTHOR \nStephen Vittoria is an award-winning filmmaker and author. His last two feature documentaries—Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary and One Bright Shining Moment: The Forgotten Summer of George McGovern—have been embraced by moviegoers and audiences worldwide. Vittoria was also a producer on two feature documentaries by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney: Gonzo: The Life & Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson and Magic Trip: Ken Kesey’s Search for a Kool Place.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-stephen-vittoria-in-conversation-with-sonali-kolhatkar-discusses-signs-christina-and-the-whitefish/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/stephen-vittoria-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250819T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250819T190000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T200113Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T200113Z
UID:10013917-1755626400-1755630000@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Mariko Tamaki and Nicole Goux discuss & sign This Place Kills Me
DESCRIPTION:A compelling\, propulsive YA graphic novel mystery from acclaimed Eisner Award-winning author of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me\, Mariko Tamaki\, and Eisner-nominated illustrator Nicole Goux \nMultiple starred reviews! “Certain to leave readers breathlessly enthralled.” ( Kirkus starred review) \nAt Wilberton Academy\, few students are more revered than the members of the elite Wilberton Theatrical Society–a.k.a. the WTS–and no one represents that exclusive club better than Elizabeth Woodward. Breathtakingly beautiful\, beloved by all\, and a talented thespian\, it’s no surprise she’s starring as Juliet in the WTS’s performance of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. But when she’s found dead the morning after opening night\, the whole school is thrown into chaos. \nTransfer student Abby Kita was one of the last people to see Elizabeth alive\, and when local authorities deem the it-girl’s death a suicide\, Abby’s not convinced. She’s sure there’s more to Wilburton and the WTS than meets the eye. As she gets tangled in prep school intrigues\, Abby quickly realizes that Elizabeth was keeping secrets. Was one of those secrets worth killing for? \nTold in comics\, letters\, diary entries\, and news articles\, This Place Kills Me is a page-turning whodunnit from award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki and acclaimed illustrator Nicole Goux that will have readers on the edge of their seats and begging for an encore.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-mariko-tamaki-and-nicole-goux-discuss-sign-this-place-kills-me/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/mariko-tamaki-nicole-goux-600x600-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250814T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250814T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T195638Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T195638Z
UID:10013916-1755198000-1755201600@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Oliver Wang\, discusses & signs Cruising J-Town: Japanese American Car Culture in Los Angeles
DESCRIPTION: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. \n  \nAbout the author\nOliver 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. \nAbout the conversation partner\nNaomi 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.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-oliver-wang-discusses-signs-cruising-j-town-japanese-american-car-culture-in-los-angeles/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250812T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250812T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T195353Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T195353Z
UID:10013915-1755025200-1755028800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore:  Chris Butera discusses & signs The Darkest Deep
DESCRIPTION: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. \nThe 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. \nNot 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. \nWith 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 . . .
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-chris-butera-discusses-signs-the-darkest-deep/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event,In-Person,Vroman's Bookstore
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250810T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250810T140000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T185251Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T185251Z
UID:10013914-1754830800-1754834400@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vromans Bookstore:  Ellen Phinney reads from & signs A Dog and His Boy: The Switch
DESCRIPTION:Meet Scout\, a golden retriever puppy who is scouting for his new family. \nMeet Jax\, an eleven-year-old boy who misses his best friend. \nOne 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?
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-ellen-phinney-reads-from-signs-a-dog-and-his-boy-the-switch/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Vroman's Bookstore
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250809T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250809T120000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T180007Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T180007Z
UID:10013913-1754737200-1754740800@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Linda Liu reads from & signs Falling Star
DESCRIPTION: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. \nBeing 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. \nAs 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.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-linda-liu-reads-from-signs-falling-star/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Vroman's Bookstore
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://playhousevillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/linda-liu-600x600-1.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250808T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20250808T200000
DTSTAMP:20260405T044902
CREATED:20250805T175753Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T175753Z
UID:10013912-1754679600-1754683200@playhousevillage.org
SUMMARY:Vroman's Bookstore: Dennis McNally\, discusses & signs The Last Great Dream: How Bohemians Became Hippies and Created the Sixties
DESCRIPTION: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. \nFew 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. \nThe 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. \nFascinating 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.
URL:https://playhousevillage.org/event/vromans-bookstore-dennis-mcnally-discusses-signs-the-last-great-dream-how-bohemians-became-hippies-and-created-the-sixties/
LOCATION:Vroman’s Bookstore\, 695 E. Colorado Blvd.\, Pasadena\, CA\, 91101\, United States
CATEGORIES:Books,Community Event,Free,In-Person
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