Welcome to your weekly San Fernando Valley update: September 25–October 1, 2025.

In this week’s NoHo Nick:

It’s officially the end of summer.

And that means my sparkling water consumption is about to drop.

Here are my top flavors from 2025—

🥈 Honorable Mentions

🏆 Winner

Unfortunately, Polar Seltzer and Waterloo didn’t impress. Better luck next year.

👻 Los Angeles Breakfast Club (Griffith Park/Los Feliz)

The L.A. Breakfast Club is a 100-year-old weekly social club that serves breakfast, hosts interesting speakers, and helps build community every Wednesday morning.

Grab some coffee and pancakes and listen to talks from:

$35. Starts at 7 AM every Wednesday.

Get tickets →

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Here’s what’s happening:

🎬 Film School Fraud: Two former executives allege the Los Angeles Film School faked thousands of job placements. The suit claims that graduates often earn less than $5,000/yr, despite tuition of $40,000/yr. The school allegedly paid vendors to create fake jobs. LAFS denies this. (Variety)

🏛️ LA Avoids City Layoffs: Mayor Karen Bass struck a deal with unions to prevent more than 600 planned municipal job cuts, averting a crisis tied to the city’s $1B budget deficit. (NBCLA)

These are my favorite upcoming events:

🍎 Urban Foraging Walk (Granada Hills): Identify edible plants on a 2-mile guided walk—100+ fruit trees (grapes, oranges, mint, figs, and more). Host Alex has foraged for 6+ years. $15 per adult, kids free. Saturday, October 5, at 11 AM.

🧠 Trivia Tycoon Bar Trivia (New—Various Locations): 2 hours of competitive fun with prizes for the top teams. Bring a crew or fly solo. Weekly brain battles around the Valley (North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys) on Monday and Tuesday nights.

🎵 LA Songwriters Circle (North Hollywood): Share original songs and stories in this monthly gathering. Bring your instrument or backing track (piano provided). Every 4th Sunday of the month, from 2 PM to 6 PM at 10747 Magnolia Blvd.

🦔 Neighborhood Wildlife Program (Encino): Learn to coexist with coyotes, possums, and other critters. Discover what attracts animals to your property and humane alternatives to traps and poisons. Thursday, September 25, from 7 PM to 8:15 PM at Encino Community Center Auditorium.

🎮 Video Game “Book Club” (Sherman Oaks): Join local gamers. Play new releases. Meet up to chat about the game with the community. Games are usually multi-platform and under $20. Thursday, September 25, from 7 PM to 9 PM at GeekyGlamorous, 13634 Burbank Blvd.

🧘 Meditation Group (Toluca Lake): Develop a meditation practice with a UCLA-trained facilitator. Reduce stress, improve focus. Guided sessions. $20 donation. Or, pay what you can. Friday, September 26, from 9 AM to 10 AM at Davis Educational Center.

🎤 Wine + Espresso Speakeasy & Open Mic (San Fernando): Intimate poetry and music showcase, plus an open mic. Sip wine and espresso while supporting a local nonprofit that helps immigrants and children. $5. Friday, September 26, at 7 PM at Bodevi Wine and Espresso Bar.

🎬 The Princess Bride Screening (Studio City): True love, adventure, and inconceivable moments. Fresh popcorn for this cozy outdoor movie night. $15, includes headphones, seating, and popcorn. Friday, September 26, from 7 PM to 9:30 PM, at The Shops at Sportsmen's Lodge.

🕺 Bee Gees Dance Night (Calabasas): Step into the disco era. Vegas-style tribute show. All the Bee Gees hits come to life. Harmonies, iconic dance moves, and timeless songs.$25. Friday, September 26, from 8 PM to 11:30 PM at 23527 Calabasas Rd.

🎨 Art Night Market (Studio City): Car-free street featuring local artists in Tujunga Village. Ceramics, photography, street chalk, pottery, sculpture, and metalwork. Face painting and balloons. Businesses stay open late. Free. Saturday, September 27, from 5 PM to 9 PM on Tujunga Avenue between Moorpark and Woodbridge.

🎃 Espooky Night Market (Sylmar): Vendors offering spooky-themed food, coffee, clothing, and more at this atmospheric pop-up market. Celebrate Halloween early with the community. Community resources for ICE raids. Free. Saturday, September 27, from 4 PM to 9 PM, at 14822 Polk St.

🎤 Comedy Special Taping (Sherman Oaks): Kyle Rehl films his debut stand-up special. Sharp wit and pop culture commentary. $17.85. 21+. Saturday, September 27, from 7:30 PM to 10 PM at The Green Room.

🚶 Women’s Walk (Studio City): Walk around the neighborhood and shops of Studio City. A 2-hour community stroll begins with coffee and finishes with time at the Studio City Farmers Market. Sunday, September 28, at 9:30 AM. Meet at the corner of Valley Spring Lane and Bellingham Ave.

⚔️ Medieval Weapons Training (North Hollywood): Learn authentic medieval swordfighting from a 30-year veteran weaponsmaster. Focused on core strength, technique, and chivalric values in this outdoor workout. $20. Sunday, September 28, from 9 AM to 10:30 AM at Valley Village Park.

💎 DIY Keychain & Bag Charm Night (Studio City): Transform broken vintage jewelry and secondhand treasures into unique accessories—hands-on crafting evening. Create one-of-a-kind trinket carabiner accessories. $12. Materials included. Tuesday, September 30, from 6 PM to 9 PM at Yes Baby Vintage.

🎨 Reseda Artwalk (Reseda): Sherman Way transforms into an outdoor gallery, featuring art, music, dance, food, and community. 75+ vendors, beer garden, art installations, and live painting. Family-friendly. Free. Saturday, October 4, from 5 PM to 10 PM at Sherman Way and Lindley Ave.

🧟 Graveyard Movie Night (Sylmar): Watch Night of the Living Dead under the stars and above the graves at the historic Pioneer Memorial Cemetery. Plus, food vendors. Bring your own chair and blanket. $20. Saturday, October 4, from 6:30 PM to 10 PM at San Fernando Pioneer Memorial Cemetery.

🍷 Unidos Wine Bar (New—Studio City): Wines and small plates. Warmth of Mexican heritage and the bounty of Southern California. UNIDOS is inspired by a love for Spanish cuisine, paired with a deep respect for local, sustainable ingredients.

🍕 Pizza Club (North Hollywood): Pizza enthusiasts try different slices around the Valley and L.A. Next is Ozzy’s Apizza in NoHo—crispy pizza at one of LA's highest-rated spots. Connect with other food lovers. Sunday, September 28, from 5 PM to 7 PM at Ozzy's Apizza, 5300 Lankershim Blvd.

🦸 L.A. Comic Con (Downtown LA): Comics, gaming, anime, cosplay, and pop culture. 800+ artists and vendors. Interactive exhibits, gaming arcades, and live performances. $40-$299. September 26-28 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

This month, lots of Valley bars and restaurants are celebrating Oktoberfest:

🍺 Oktoberfest @ Lawless Brewing (North Hollywood): NoHo's biggest Bavarian celebration. German-style beer pours, fest food, and the beloved Fest-lympics. Humans and dogs can compete on the obstacle course. Friday & Saturday, September 27-28, at Lawless Brewing Co.

🍺 Oktoberfest @ The Thirsty Merchant (Valley Village): $5 Oktoberfest pints. Enjoy live music, games, and authentic German celebration vibes at this neighborhood pub. Saturday, September 27, starting at 2 PM at The Thirsty Merchant. $5 Oktoberfest pints, daily Happy Hour 12-7 PM.

🍺 Friends of Camp Whitsett Oktoberfest (San Fernando): Support Camp Whitsett improvement projects. Tickets include five craft beers from Shadow Grove Brewing. $55 beer drinkers, $35 non-beer drinkers. Includes food and a pint glass—Friday, October 18, from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Shadow Grove Brewing.

🍻 11th Annual Oktoberfest Beer and Wine Tasting (Granada Hills): Sample 10 local craft beers and wines. Support the Granada Hills Rotary Foundation and local charities. $30. Friday, October 18, from 12 PM to 4 PM at Granada Hills Street Faire.

📍 The $50B Olympic investment will transform L.A.

🍸 Chimps drink the equivalent of 2 alcoholic drinks daily through boozy fruit.

👂 All Valley Everything is a local SFV podcast.

❓ Which university is older, Pepperdine or UCLA?

Hint: They’re closer in age than you think.

Last week’s question: What is the name of the official song of LAX?

Answer: “L.A. International Airport”

Thank you for reading. See you next week!

PS Tía Chucha’s Bookstore (Sylmar) had a Mario Kart tournament for kids this week. Comment and suggest they create an adult version?

PPS I’m making a Halloween activity list for the Valley.

PPS Thanks for all the followers on social media this week—10k on TikTok and 3k on Instagram!

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