🌸 Spring, Sourdough, and AOC

Welcome to your weekly San Fernando Valley update! This is the week of April 3 to April 9, 2025.

In this week’s NoHo Nick:

• 🌸 Springtime

• 🍞 Sourdough pop up

• 🍓 Strawberry picking

NoHo Nick is back!

I spent last week on a beach in Cancún and got redder than a lobster at a Cajun seafood boil.

Thanks for welcoming me back with lovely weather and springtime flowers.

(Fun fact: Google Maps still says “Gulf of Mexico” once you cross the border.)

Here’s what’s happening this week.

⚽ Rose Bowl to host 2028 Olympic soccer. Pasadena will host Olympic soccer semifinals and finals at the Rose Bowl during the 2028 Games. The historic stadium hosted Olympic events in 1932 and 1984. Officials expect a tourism boost, and final approvals from the IOC are due by 2027. (City of Pasadena)

🚍 LA Metro breaks ground on G Line upgrades. Metro has started a $668 million upgrade to the G Line rapid bus in the San Fernando Valley from NoHo to Chatsworth. New bridges, better signals, and safety features to speed up bus trips by about 12 minutes. It's part of the prep for the 2028 Olympics, which will hold events in the Valley. (Metro)

🚨 AI bus lane cameras issue 5,500+ tickets in one month. New AI cameras on Metro buses are catching drivers blocking bus lanes. Each ticket costs $293. The goal is to improve bus speed and reliability. More buses across the city will get cameras by May. (LAist)

📚 Virtual library with 300k+ free eBooks and audiobooks. Californians can now access over 300,000 free eBooks and audiobooks using the Palace Project app. Download the app, search for “California’s Bookshelf,” and create a virtual card. No wait times for thousands of titles, and linking your local library gets you even more. “Designed by libraries for libraries.” (Palace Project)

🦋 Butterfly Season at Kidspace (Pasadena): Celebrate spring with butterfly-themed crafts, live caterpillar adoptions, giant spinning tops, pollinator gardens, and immersive art from upcycled materials. $15.50 per person. Open until May 18. 10 AM to 5 PM daily.

🍓 Strawberry Picking (Irvine): Hop on a wagon ride through Tanaka Farms, pick seasonal veggies and strawberries, and take home a basket of fresh produce. $20 weekdays, $24 weekends. Tours run daily through May.

🎨 Afterglow Makers Market (North Hollywood): Shop handmade goods, crafts, and food from local vendors at Lawless Brewing. Food trucks, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks. Friday, April 4 from 5 PM to 10 PM.

🎭 First Fridays Sketching Club (Pasadena): Casual group sketching session at the Norton Simon museum during free-admission night. BYO sketchbook. The museum features European paintings, Asian sculptures, woodblock prints, and Rodin sculptures outside. Free. Friday, April 4 at 4:30 PM.

🧘 Free Yoga + Pilates (Santa Monica): Start your weekend with a group run and outdoor yoga/Pilates fusion at the Santa Monica Pier. Meet under the Pier sign for the run and at the pier's west end for yoga. All ages are welcome. Free. Saturday, April 5, at 8 AM. Every Saturday until October.

🌎 12th Annual Earth Day Festival (Tarzana): Celebrate Earth Day early with free trees, food trucks, music, and green living tips from local organizations. Family friendly eco-education day. Free. Saturday, April 5 from 10 AM to 2 PM.

🥾 Caves Rock-Scrambling Hike (Calabasas): Join the Los Angeles Hiking Group for a rugged 4-hour adventure through the caves and boulders near Stunt Road Trailhead, followed by an optional group dinner at The Stand. Bring plenty of water, sturdy shoes, and a sense of adventure. Free. Sunday, April 6 at 2:00 PM

🩸 Vroman’s Bookstore Blood Drive (Pasadena): Donate blood and receive a $10 gift card or 2 LA County Fair tickets. Hosted in the Vroman’s parking lot. Free. Thursday, April 10 from 9 AM to 3:30 PM.

🎤 Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Downtown LA): The congressional representatives visit LA for their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour. Join them for a rally focused on economic justice. Free. RSVP recommended. Saturday, April 12 at 9 AM.

🎤 Laughs Unleashed Comedy Night (Studio City): A stand-up comedy show at a private dog park. Open to ages 12+ and dog-friendly. Full bar and loaded baked potatoes will be served. $10 suggested donation. Free for dog park members. Friday, April 25 from 6 PM to 9 PM.

🍷 Encino Food & Wine Festival (Van Nuys): 2nd annual Encino festival. Sip unlimited wine, beer, and bites while enjoying music, a boutique vendor area, and a take-home souvenir glass and plate. $125. Saturday, April 26 from 1 PM to 4 PM.

🍞 Sour Suzie Sourdough (Multiple Locations): A small-batch bakery offering sourdough pies and breads. Order online and pick up in Glendale, Atwater, Silver Lake, Eagle Rock, or Burbank. You can also catch them at one of their weekly pop-ups at Trader Joe’s in Toluca Lake and Pasadena. The rosemary garlic is my favorite.

🥟 Taboni Grand Opening (Tarzana): This new kosher spot serves brick-oven munchies like sambosak (hand pies), pizza, and burekas (pastries). Open late Saturday night for a post-Passover feast on Saturday, April 5, from 9 PM to 2 AM.

🌯 Breakfast Burritos (San Fernando): A new burrito and taco shop, Sazon de Corazon, opened in the north Valley. From breakfast burritos with red chilaquiles and eggs to veggie nachos and quesadillas for lunch. Authentic Mexican from a hole-in-the-wall spot.

🍻 Lifetime beer membership at Lawless Brewing in North Hollywood. For $1,000, you can get one free beer daily and 10% off all purchases.

🚐 Metro Micro Rideshare. This is a reminder that LA Metro has its own “Uber” spinoff, an on-demand ride-share service. Most rides are $2.50 in NoHo/Burbank. Book through the Metro Micro app.

🦉 Hooters filed for bankruptcy, restructuring. Neil Kiefer, the original CEO, says it’s time for Hooters to get “back to its roots.” (CNN)

🔴 This is what Kid Rock wore on Monday during his White House visit with Donald Trump, Bill Maher, and Dana White, the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. (BuzzFeed)

❓️California’s coastline is 840 miles long. How long is the LA coastline?

Hint: LA has 20 beaches spanning 25 miles.

Last week’s question: Which national restaurant chain, famous for its 250+ menu items, was founded in Beverly Hills in 1978?

Answer: Cheesecake Factory.

Thanks for reading, and see you next week!

PS: Go Gators!

PPS: As Earth Day approaches, check out this massive list of weekly “climate-friendly” events around LA. Plant trees, recycle food scraps, restore parks.

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