🗺️ Potholes, Witches, and a Map

Welcome to your weekly San Fernando Valley update: January 15–21, 2026.

In this week’s NoHo Nick:

• 🌒 NoHo After Dark

• 🗺️ SFV Map Giveaway

• 👕 Clothing Swap

• 🍔 Food Fest

These potholes are getting bad, huh?

That usually happens after it rains.

Have an annoying pothole in your neighborhood? Here’s what you can do about it:

Report it to 311. Send a photo and location info. The city aims to fix potholes in about two days. In reality, it could take longer.

No fix? Contact your ‘Council District’ office to escalate it. There are 7 Council Districts in the Valley. Find yours.

Still no fix? Attend your neighborhood council meetings. They can make sure a Council District member is aware of it.

You can also sometimes get compensated if your car gets damaged by a pothole.

🚨 Giveaway alert: I'm partnering with Valley Mentality to give away one of their brand-new illustrated San Fernando Valley maps!

Designed by a third-generation Valley-native, Duke Van Patten.

It's 16" x 20", printed on 80lb matte paper. The kind of thing you frame and put on your wall.

From Smoke House and Casa Vega, each place reflects a chapter of the Valley’s cultural history.

🎟️ How to enter: Enter your email address here.

I’ll pick a random winner on Wednesday, January 21, at 9 PM and email you.

Can't wait? Use promo code NOHONICK to get 20% off a limited-edition map. Follow Valley Mentality for future product drops.

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Here’s what’s happening:

🌧️ California is drought-free for the first time in 25 years. Winter storms have pushed the state's 17 major reservoirs to 129% of average levels. (NBC News).

💰 Newsom proposes $349 billion state budget. The governor's 2026-27 spending plan is $30 billion more than last year. It’s banking on AI-driven stock market gains to generate $9 billion more revenue than previously expected. (LAist)

These are my favorite upcoming events:

Ongoing

🎭 The Witch's Cottage Seeks Performers (NoHo Arts District): NoHo’s newest venue, The Witch’s Cottage, is accepting performance submissions from musicians, theatre companies, drag performers, burlesque artists, dancers, poets, and more.

🎭 Affordable Improv: 6-Week Course (Valley Glen): Learn the basics of comedic improv scenes. This course runs six Saturday afternoons. $135–$225 sliding scale. Saturdays, January 17 through February 21, 2026, at 14042 ½ Victory Blvd, Valley Glen, CA 91401.

Friday, January 16

🚴 Community Bike Ride (Panorama City): Relaxed 6-mile social ride through the Northeast Valley ends with food and beer at Shadow Grove Brewing. All levels welcome. Free. Friday, January 16, 2026. Meet at 5 PM, roll out at 6:30 PM at Cottonwood Urban Farm.

🎲 Game Night: Pajama Party (Canoga Park): Wear cozy PJs to this game night at the historic Canoga Park Women's Club (they founded the Canoga Park library!). $25. Friday, January 16, 2026, from 5:30 to 9:30 PM at Canoga Park Women's Club.

🎤 2000s Karaoke Night (Sherman Oaks): Sing your favorite throwbacks across all genres from pop and emo to hip hop, alternative, and R&B. Free. Friday, January 16, 2026, from 9 PM to 2 AM at The Aftermath Bar.

Saturday, January 17

🌿 Community Market & Clothing Swap (Panorama City): Wellness products, natural skincare, eco-friendly goods, a children's art corner, and a free clothing swap. Free. Saturday, January 17, from 10 AM to 1 PM at Cottonwood Urban Farm.

🎛️ Audio Production & Mixing Workshop (North Hollywood): A two-day hands-on masterclass with producers Joey Sturgis (Asking Alexandria, Of Mice & Men) and Eric Emery (Blink-182, Yellowcard). Drum recording and vocal production. $86. Friday, January 17 & 18, 2026, at Emery Recording Studio.

🤠 Country Line Dancing (Burbank): Beginner-friendly lessons and dancing until midnight. Tacos, a full bar, and a DJ taking requests all night. $10. 21+. Friday, January 16, from 8 PM to midnight at VFW Burbank.

📺 Buffy's Birthday Bash (Burbank): Celebrate the Slayer's 45th at this fandom party featuring trivia, cosplay contests, karaoke, vendors, and birthday cake. $30. Friday, January 17, 2026, from 6 to 10 PM at IATSE Local 80.

🎵 Music Bingo for Adults (Sherman Oaks): Play bingo with hits from the '50s through the '80s. Light refreshments and prizes. Free. Friday, January 17, 2026, from 11:30 AM to 1 PM at Sherman Oaks Branch Library.

🎤 Variety Comedy Show (North Hollywood): Avatar 2: Love and Thunder, a Thor-themed variety comedy show, features stand-up, music, food, and karaoke afterward. $10 online, $15 at the door. Friday, January 17, doors at 6 PM, show at 7 PM at The Good Nite.

Sunday, January 18

🥕 Farmers Markets: Check out the Valley farmers’ markets happening on Sundays.

Happening Soon

🤓 Nerd Nite LA (Glendale): Presentations with libations. 20-minute talks on topics from the rarity of Earth to traffic engineering. “TED Talks with beer and tacos.” $15. Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at 8 PM at Brewyard Beer Company.

🍽️ LA Restaurant Week: 460+ restaurants offering specially priced lunch and dinner menus starting at $15. Discover new spots or revisit favorites. Thursday, January 23 through Friday, February 6, 2026.

⚡ Pokémon Card Trading Party (Sherman Oaks): Swap your unwanted cards at the free trade tables, meet Pokémon voice actor Casey Mongillo and artist Agnes Garbowska, and grab themed drinks from MatchaKat. Free. Saturday, January 24, 2026, from 12 to 4 PM at Geeky Glamorous.

Kid Stuff

🏀 Basketball Development Program (Encino): Weekly skills training for 2nd through 5th graders covering shooting, dribbling, passing, and defense. Beginners and experienced players welcome. $66 per class. Sundays at 16940 Ventura Blvd, Encino.

🍔 FOODZILLA (San Fernando): This monthly food festival features rotating vendors. Pet-friendly. Supports aspiring food truck and restaurant owners. Free. Saturday, January 17, 2026, from 5 to 9 PM at San Fernando City Hall.

🥐 Cinnamon Roll Pop-Up (Toluca Lake): Cinnamon roll specialists pop up at Cocoa + Cream. Walk-ups and pre-orders available. Pre-order and get 25% off one drink. Sunday, January 18, 2026, from 10 AM to noon at Cocoa + Cream.

🥯 Hank's Bagels New Location (Sherman Oaks): The bagel and deli spot has moved to a bigger space just around the corner. Next to Starbucks. The original bakery is expanding. 14017 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks.

🧆 Amir's Falafel (Studio City): Four generations of family recipes from Yemen to Jerusalem to Ventura Boulevard. Crispy falafel balls, smoky fried eggplant, great hummus, and a house-made hot sauce.

🔭 All Space Considered (Los Feliz): Griffith Observatory's curators explain the biggest topics in astronomy and space science at this monthly live program. Free. Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 7 to 8:30 PM at Griffith Observatory.

😏 The Naked Comedy Show (Elysian Heights): Exactly what it sounds like. Top comics with no bottoms. Comedians from Comedy Central, Netflix, HBO, The Tonight Show, and more. 18+. $47. Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 8 PM at The Elysian Theater.

🤝 MLK Day Volunteer Festival (Exposition Park): LA's largest MLK Day of Service with projects supporting wildfire recovery, displaced families, and immigrants. Free. Monday, January 20, 2026, from noon to 4 PM at the LA Memorial Coliseum.

🍷 Check out my guide to “North Hollywood After Dark” for date night ideas, bars and restaurants open late, and more.

🐻 A 550-pound bear that was trapped for a month under an Altadena home is free. They covered him in vegetable oil so he could squeeze out.

❓️ The 10/405 freeway interchange in Los Angeles is named after the female engineer who designed it. What was her name?

Hint: She was the first female civil engineer licensed by California in 1954.

Last week’s question: Bob Dylan once painted a local SFV donut shop. Which one?

Answer: Donut Hut (Burbank) on Magnolia Blvd.

Thank you for reading. See you next week!

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