🦓 L.A.'s Budget, Pretzels, and the Zoo.

Welcome to your weekly San Fernando Valley update: April 24–30, 2025.

In this week’s NoHo Nick:

• 🌠 Star Wars III

• 🌎️ Earth Day

• 🍻 Brewery anniversary

• 🦓 The L.A. Zoo

Is it just me, or does the price of everything feel made up now? Like it’s disorienting?

A bag of potato chips could be $7 on Thursday, $4 on Monday, or $2.50, but only if you buy five bags.

Gas is $4.98/gallon, $4.67 with a car wash, or $4.61 if you pay cash. It's $4.39 at Costco, but you need a $65 annual membership.

Sometimes, the store gives out $5 gift cards when you spend $100 or more on regularly priced items.

But the cards expire at the end of the month. (And I lose them underneath the CVS receipts in my car’s center console.)

At this point, I’m wondering if paying to fix my cavities is cheaper than buying mouthwash—can someone run the numbers?

Here’s what’s happening this week.

📉 Mayor Bass’s city budget calls for cuts and layoffs. The proposed budget would eliminate 1,600+ city jobs due to a nearly $1 billion deficit. Layoffs would affect departments like sanitation, libraries, and animal services. The city could also pause hiring and offer early retirement packages to reduce costs. (LAist)

🖼️ The Broad Museum starts a $100M expansion. The Broad Museum in Downtown LA is growing its gallery space by 70% before the 2028 Olympics. The project will add 50,000 square feet, including new courtyards, event spaces, Metro access, and a public art storage gallery. Admission will remain free. (Urbanize LA)

🦁 Habitat restoration program arrives at the LA Zoo. The LA Zoo has teamed up with local nonprofit Outward Bound Adventures to restore native habitat on its grounds. The project will remove invasive plants and plant natives like white sage and coast live oak. Youth from underserved communities are helping lead the effort as part of a paid job-training program. (The Eastsider)

🌭 Pink’s Hot Dogs opens at the LA Zoo. Pink’s Hot Dogs, the legendary LA hot dog stand, opened a new outpost at the Los Angeles Zoo. It's the company's first-ever zoo location and will offer its classic menu of hot dogs, chili fries, and more. (NBC4)

🎥 Star Wars Episode III Movie Night (North Hollywood): Head to Regal North Hollywood for a Revenge of the Sith community screening. Join other Star Wars fans and feel free to bring your lightsaber. Buy your movie ticket in advance. Thursday, April 24, at 7:45 PM.

🐶 K-9 Comedy Night (North Hollywood): Laugh it up at this pet-friendly stand-up comedy show hosted by Tommy Mitchell, featuring a lineup of LA comedians and an open bar. Dogs are welcome. $25. Includes an open bar. Friday, April 25. Doors at 7 PM, show at 8 PM.

🧼 Neighborhood Cleanup (Van Nuys): Help beautify the Valley and meet your neighbors at this community cleanup event. Most tools are provided. Bring a smile (and gloves). Free. Saturday, April 26 at 8:30 AM.

🌎 Earth Day Party (Burbank): Celebrate sustainability at Burbank’s Earth Day 2025 party. Roller skating, live music, food trucks, arts, and vendor booths at Ralph Foy Park. Free. Saturday, April 26 at 10 AM.

🎨 Granada Hills Mural Dedication (Granada Hills): Check out the new Centennial Historical Wall Mural, honoring the stories that shaped the neighborhood. Keynote by Councilmember John Lee. Community BBQ hosted by the VFW. Free. Saturday, April 26 at 12 PM.

💋 Bottomless Drag Brunch (North Hollywood): LA Weekly's #1 Drag Brunch is back at Idle Hour. Glam performances, crowd interaction, and bottomless drinks. $10. Saturday, April 26 at 11:30 AM.

🏐 NoHo Volleyball Meetup (North Hollywood Park): Whether you're a seasoned server or just learning, all are welcome at this relaxed community volleyball hangout. Nets and balls are provided. 6×6 games. Free. Saturday, April 26 at 2 PM.

🍷 Wine Tasting & Music Night (Sherman Oaks): Intimate wine and music experience at Who Goes There, an art and social club. Soulful sounds with a premium wine tasting. $40. Saturday, April 26, from 6 to 10 PM.

🌵 Cactus Meetup (Van Nuys): Join local growers for a plant sale and hangout featuring cacti, fruits, veggies, and houseplants. Coffee, community, and cactus knowledge included — all plant lovers welcome. Free. Sunday, April 27 at 10 AM.

💫 Jewish Singles Spring Social (Sherman Oaks): Mingle with other Jewish singles ages 45–60 at this Spring Social hosted by The Dating Concierge. Drinks, bites, and curated conversation starters are included. $34. Sunday, April 27, at 7:30 PM.

🎶 American Folk Music Concert (North Hollywood): The San Fernando Valley Master Chorale journeys through American folk music, from traditional ballads to Civil War-era classics and stunning original arrangements. $30. Sunday, April 27, at 3 PM.

🍷 California Winemasters (Burbank): Sip from 75 wineries and feast from 50 restaurants at Warner Bros. Studios during this major fundraiser for cystic fibrosis research. 36th annual event. Tickets start at $150. Saturday, May 17.

🎬 Movies That Rock (Coming Soon: Burbank): Watch iconic ‘80s films like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Top Gun outdoors with food trucks, music, and good vibes. Held monthly in the UMe Credit Union parking lot. Free. Last Fridays of the month. Starting May 30 until September.

🤼 WWE: Money in the Bank (Coming Soon: Inglewood): After “winning” Wrestlemania 41, John Cena will headline his final Los Angeles match at the Intuit Dome—tickets on sale Friday, April 25. The event is Saturday, June 7.

🍰 Brewery Anniversary (North Hollywood): Lawless Brewing turns 4 with a two-day party featuring new beers, slushies, games, food, music, and kids' activities. There will also be merch, a VIP beer hour, and live music. Free. Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27.

🥨 National Pretzel Day Pickup (North Hollywood): In celebration of National Pretzel Day, score a free Philly-style pretzel with any $10 order from West Coast Pretzels. Preorder by Friday, April 25 for pickup between 12 and 12:30 PM on Saturday, April 26.

🍕 Wallflour Pizza Soft Opening (Eagle Rock): Grab a first bite of this much-anticipated new pizzeria during its soft launch. Limited menu. Sunday, April 27, at 1 PM.

🍺 Craft Beer Tap Takeover (Canoga Park): Osborne Pizza Kitchen is starting a new “tap takeover” series. New beers from local brewers will be on tap every month. The first one features Trademark Brewing from Long Beach. Free. Tuesday, April 29, at 4:30 PM.

🛍️ Saturday afternoon is a monthly pop-up market in the NoHo Plaza on Lankershim.

🎓️ A 10-year-old California girl is about to graduate from college with two Associate’s degrees. (NBC)

❤️‍🔥 “My year investigating and dating alt-right men. 60 men and 26 dates.” (Vera Papisova for Cosmopolitan)

🤖 New robot-operated convenience stores are now open in NoHo and Glendale. They were in beta back in February.

❓️What’s farther north? Santa Monica Pier or the Crypto.com Arena (Staples Center)?

Hint: One location is 34.0430° N and the other is 34.0094° N.

Last week’s question: Founded in 1873 in Los Angeles, what is the oldest continuously operating supermarket chain west of the Mississippi River?

Answer: Ralphs.

Thanks for reading, and see you next week!

PS There will be more Star Wars events next week for “May the Fourth.”

PPS Follow Your Heart Market is a vegetarian and vegan café and grocery store in Canoga Park. It has been open since 1970. Follow them for weekly coupons and pop-up events.

PPPS Someone reminded this week that we’re closer to the year 2050 than the year 2000.

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