Fans packed the grounds of the Brookside at the Rose Bowl golf course early in the day to hear a mix of vintage acts that either broke out in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s or younger bands for whom that sound and style is a primary influence.

In the former group you had bands such as Berlin, which played early hits such as “The Metro” and “Take My Breath Away,” as well as one-hit wonders like the Vapors of “Turning Japanese” fame.

“OK, we’re going to play that song now,” announced Modern English singer Robbie Grey as the band kicked off its biggest hit, “I Melt With You” on a day hot enough to melt everyone everywhere all at once.

Later in the day Cruel World had bigger names on tap including Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, Love and Rockets, and Echo and the Bunnymen.

But the biggest draw was headliner Siouxsie of Souxsie and the Banshees playing solo now. Cruel World is only her sixth show anywhere since 2008 when she last appeared in the United States.

The excitement for her set was clear from the T-shirts on fans Saturday, a plurality of which featured her face and name.

Check back for updates on the Cruel World Festival.

So first I had to get over the eeep-moment when I realize Andrew McCarthy has written a book about walking 500-miles across Spain with his 19-year-old son and yes, OK, hello, how is it that Blane from “Pretty in Pink” has three kids now?

Never mind that three children in this house call me “Mom,” too. Wasn’t McCarthy just declaring his love to Molly Ringwald in that parking lot, struggling to write in “St. Elmo’s Fire” or swoonily defending Rosalind Chao in “Joy Luck Club?”

Eighties-flashback aside, McCarthy, 60, is of course not only “an avatar of a generation’s youth,” but also an award-winning travel writer and television director.

His new travel memoir “Walking with Sam: A Father, a Son and Five Hundred Miles Across Spain,” debuted in the Top 10 of the New York Times bestseller list this week.

McCarthy dropped by Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena on May 18 to talk about the book, which chronicles the five-week, 500-mile Camino de Santiago pilgrimage he completed with his then 19-year-old son Sam in 2021

“I really wanted to try and transition our relationship from parent/child to two adults,” McCarthy said. “At one point Sam said, ‘It takes a long time, if ever, for a child to see their parents as real people.’ I think the inverse can be very true as well. One of my goals for the trip was to ‘see’ each other more clearly.”

Against the backdrop of the Camino, starting from France, over the Pyrenees, into Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon and Galicia, ending at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, the father-son trip followed the footsteps of centuries worth of pilgrims.

During McCarthy’s first Camino, done in the ’90s when he was grappling with his “Brat Packer” fame, his “white-light” moment was how much fear he carried about life. This time, having his firstborn as his companion on the road, was enough.

“You just go, you need so little,” McCarthy said. “You start walking and everything falls into place. Have some laughs, have a good time, and the big stuff happens.”

Blisters and hard beds were part of the course. But moments of grace came, too.

“On the walk I had the ultimate luxury that a parent can have with an adult child, the luxury of time,” McCarthy said. “I didn’t feel the need to offer advice and impart ‘wisdom.’ I simply walked beside him and let Sam hash things out for himself. To simply listen. I didn’t have to be wise.

Since the walk, Sam has mentioned that he now has more trust with me, I would say that’s largely the result of my keeping my mouth shut as much as I could.”

Sam would later say the Camino was the only 10 out 10 thing he’d done in his life. His father said his first pilgrimage also yielded “marrow-deep realizations.”

“My wife is Irish and there’s an Irish saying, ‘I felt like myself from the toes up,’” McCarthy said. “I felt like that. The only other time that happened was when I was 15 and had just been cut from the basketball team and my Mom suggested I try out for the school play.

I ended up getting the part of the Artful Dodger in ‘Oliver!’ When I walked onstage, I felt like myself from the toes up. In that instant, I knew it was what I was doing with my life.”

Fatherhood is a journey McCarthy walks with Sam, now 21, daughter Willow, 16, and son Rowan, 9. McCarthy left home at 17 and didn’t have much of a relationship with his father, to whom “Walking with Sam” is dedicated. The two did come together before his father’s death.

“We didn’t solve any of the past,” McCarthy said. “We just dropped it, and all that was left was love.”

More relaxed (or exhausted) now as a parent, when he first became a father, McCarthy said he was “what I’m sure most every new father is like — thrilled, scared, proud, sleep deprived, hyper-vigilant, clueless.

“A friend’s father, a quiet man from a small southern town whom I had previously dismissed as a bit of a country bumpkin, took one look at me, saw the fear in my eyes and said in his soft drawl, ‘Andy, you just love ’em and keep ’em dry. The rest works out.’ Still the best advice I’ve ever gotten on parenting.”

Post-Camino, McCarthy is working on a documentary based on his book, “Brat: An ’80s Story,” set for probable release in the fall. He’s come to see how people perceive themselves through his role in their youth as something beautiful.

“I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and was part of a cultural shift in entertainment,” he said. “That over the decades, I and other members of the Brat Pack have come to be seen as ‘avatars’ of youth for a certain generation has become a blessing that only increases with time.”

The reward is the work, he said, be it making movies, travel writing or raising kids. Walking the Camino was work too — walking as a form of prayer, walking as a way to love.

When the time comes, will McCarthy embark on another Camino trip with his 9-year-old?

“He better grow up quick, I’m not getting any younger,” McCarthy said. “But yeah, I’d do it in a second if he wants to. I did offer to walk with my 16-year-old daughter Willow. She said, ‘Can we just go to Paris?’”

Anissa V. Rivera, columnist, “Mom’s the Word,” Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Whittier Daily News, Azusa Herald, Glendora Press and West Covina Highlander, San Dimas/La Verne Highlander. Southern California News Group, 181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 209 Monrovia, CA 91016. 626-497-4869.

“Inner Space and Outer Thoughts: Speculative Fiction from Caltech and JPL Authors” is a first-of-its-kind anthology written by Caltech and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists, engineers and students.

“It turns out that real scientists write incredibly interesting and unique science fiction,” said Rachael Kuintzle, editor and writer. “These stories were like nothing I had ever read before.”

More than 300 people are expected at an author reading and Q&A from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 20, at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. Admission is free. All are welcome. Caltech alumni and award-winning authors S. B. Divya, David Brin and Larry Niven and first-time authors and experts in bioengineering, astronomy and geophysics will talk about the science behind their stories.

Kuintzle, a PhD candidate in biochemistry and molecular biophysics, said the idea to tap scientific minds to write sci-fi and fantasy started at a meeting for TechLit, Caltech’s creative writing club she helped start in 2017. All royalties from the book will benefit the club.

“It was amazingly fun to read the story submissions when they first came in,” she said. “We didn’t know what to expect when we first put out the call for submission. I mean, a magic system based on dark photons, written by an expert particle physicist?”

That story is “A Thousand, Thousand Pages” by Allic Sivaramakrishnan, a post-doctoral research associate in theoretical physics at Caltech. He said the story is a look at “anything that has kept you up at night, gotten you out of bed in the morning, and made you take each day in a headlong sprint.”

Kuintzle herself wrote two stories, including “The Bittersweet Magic of Neuroplasticity,” an examination of what love is on a cellular and molecular level.

Award-winning author David Brin said the book is proof of a lesson that goes beyond the scientific method.

“Be many,” he writes in the book’s foreword. “Never settle for zero-sum. None of us has to be just-one-thing. Let your creative energies flow in many ways.”

Brin joined 21 other current and former Caltech and JPL folks in writing for the collection.

“Many years ago, as an undergrad at Caltech, I soon realized how broadly talented and even artistic many scientists and techies can be,” he said. “Even so, the breadth and depth of storytelling talent shown in this anthology surprised me.”

The STEM stories delve into alien astrobiologists, AI parenthood, a quest to preserve our histories beyond the heat death of the universe, a heist to steal engineering secrets from an ancient monk-scientist, the recovery of a long-lost phase of the human life cycle, the demise of Earth’s first intelligent species billions of years before the rise of humanity, and more, Kuintzle said.

Science fiction and fantasy author S.B. Divya used her Caltech background to craft “Microbiota and the Masses: A Love Story.” She also combined lyrical prose with scientific terminology, using Latin scientific names for their poetic rhythm.

“People often claim that ‘hard’ science fiction cannot have literary value because the prose is too plain,” Divya said. “I’m hoping that my novels and short stories, including the one in this anthology, add to the body of work that shows this isn’t true.”

For Kuintzle, the three-year process from concept to publication was a lot like science fiction itself. From writing, and editing, to typesetting and wrangling legalities, the project inspired a lot of learning. The result? More author readings and an audiobook. The author scientists of TechLit continue to write and alumni have become mentors. And as with the best of speculative fiction, Kuintzle said, who knows what the future holds?

“Inner Space and Outer Thoughts” is available at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, Once Upon a Time in Montrose, The Last Bookstore in L.A. and on Amazon.

For more information, follow @TechLitClub on Twitter.

Our dear departed cat, Tubby, was “special,” bless his heart. We adopted him when he was a senior. I specifically asked to adopt the cat who had been in the shelter the longest and was least likely to be adopted. Tubby! was the answer I received from staff at the Virginia Beach SPCA.

Tubby’s name was, how should I say it…well-deserved. He was a BIG cat! He wasn’t fond of people, and he didn’t like animals either. I quickly learned that one thing he DID like (besides food, of course) was scratching — especially my upholstered furniture.

Cats love to scratch. In fact, scratching is an instinctual and healthy feline behavior. Cats scratch to sharpen their nails, relieve anxiety, stretch their muscles, get some exercise and establish their territory.

Scent glands in their paw pads release pheromones when cats scratch. Pheromones do not have an odor that people can smell, but other cats definitely take note. Cats feel safer and more comfortable in their environment when they mark it by scratching.

The good news is that if you provide your cats with a variety of appropriate scratching options, you can stop them from damaging your belongings.

Finding your cat’s favorite scratching surfaces may take some trial and error. Each cat has their own scratching preferences. Some cats prefer vertical surfaces, while others like horizontal scratchers.

Fortunately, you can choose from an abundance of cat scratchers. From big cat trees and standalone scratching posts to wall-mounted pads, corrugated cardboard, carpet mats, sisal ropes…the options are endless.

When selecting your cat’s new scratcher, size matters. Cats prefer large, sturdy items. They also like to stretch their whole body, so buy a scratcher that allows them to fully extend.

In terms of placement, cats generally prefer to scratch in socially significant areas of the house. While it might be tempting to hide your cat’s scratcher out of sight, they will be less likely to use it.

Once a new scratcher is in place, many curious cats will explore it immediately, while others may need some encouragement.

Try sprinkling some catnip or silvervine (Actinidia polygama, an alternative to catnip) to entice kitty over to play on or near the new scratcher. Reward your cat with a favorite treat for investigating or giving it a scratch or two.

Never punish your cat for scratching, even if you find them clawing in an inappropriate area. While using a spray bottle, noisemaker or physical punishment might work in the moment to deter your cat from scratching, it can create long-term behavioral problems such as litter box issues, avoidance or fear and aggression towards humans.

Instead of punishment, redirect your cat’s scratching. For example, if your kitty scratches the arm of your fabric sofa, try a vertical scratching post placed right next to the arm of the couch. If your cat prefers scratching horizontally on the back of the sofa, place a sturdy horizontal scratcher on the ground near the couch.

A final word about scratching — cats need their claws for grooming, balance, mobility, gripping and protection. Declawing should never be a solution to cat scratching. Declawing is an inhumane and incredibly painful procedure that leads to arthritis and, often, long-term litter box issues.

Pasadena Humane is launching a “purr-fect” new training class this June to help you learn more about scratching and getting your kitties off on the right paw.

“Kitten Kindergarten” is a fun, interactive experience that allows kittens ages 8 to 14 weeks to safely socialize with other kittens and new people in a clean, managed environment. Kitten parents will learn about litter box habits, mouthing, harness training and much more! Register at pasadenahumane.org/training

Dia DuVernet is president and CEO of Pasadena Humane. pasadenahumane.org

The annual speech, given Thursday, May 17, at John Muir Early College Magnet High School, is required by the Pasadena City Charter and provides the public an update on the district’s finances, student achievement and goals for the future.

Since March 2019, PUSD has received a “Positive Certification” on each of its financial reports. The district has also continued to receive the highest possible rating for its annual outside audits of its financial statements and the facilities bond program since 2019.

Bailey said the district’s financial status this year was driven by state and federal COVID relief funding and increased cost-of-living adjustments, leading to nearly $70 million in reserves. However, years of declining enrollment could threaten to eat into those funds.

Measure J, which gives a small percentage of the city’s sales tax to the PUSD reserve fund, will help sustain signature programs like Dual Language Immersion, STEM, and the robust Visual and Performing Arts programs to the tune of $10 million this year.

Bailey pointed to the district’s academic success, as well, with Sierra Madre Elementary being named a California Distinguished School and Altadena Arts Magnet being named a National Magnet Model School.

“It’s not common for school districts to get a third grant, and it’s a testament to the quality of our collective efforts that the federal government has in PUSD,” she said. “Our high schools are also earning 6-year accreditation from WASC.”

The district also made strides in reducing Black student suspensions and expulsions, with fewer than 55 suspensions across eight schools hailed as a “significant decrease.” PUSD teachers were also given a 10% salary increase, the largest single increase in district history.

Looking forward to next year, the district is setting goals to create a transition plan for the loss of COVID relief funds, continue to increase salaries in order to retain and recruit qualified staff, and complete a Facilities Master Plan to move into the planning and construction phase for school improvement bond, Measure O.

Bailey also addressed the recent departure of high-level district employees, not including PUSD Superintendent Dr. Brian McDonald, who was a finalist for Columbus City School District’s superintendent position.

“As changes happen at the leadership level, I know that there is speculation and uncertainty. But I want to say this: PUSD is a school system that stays focused on the success and well-being of our students,” Bailey said. “Our previous and current leadership have gotten us to this point. Together, we must lead through any change in unity, steadiness, and a clear vision to serve our students.”

The 16-member board, which at the meeting renamed itself the Reconnecting Communities 710 advisory group, is tasked with providing a broad vision for the area, including a draft concept plan that identifies its future land uses, scale of development, and infrastructure needs.

While several other government bodies —  the planning commission, design review commission and transportation advisory commission, for example — will be involved in developing specific elements of the site’s future, the Reconnecting Communities group is the only one expected to take a holistic view of the project.

Once home to largely minority single-family neighborhoods, for years the site has become a battleground where city officials, state leaders, and residents fought for their vision of the region’s transportation needs.

Decisions by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 2017 and Caltrans the following year to move away from funding plans for extending the freeway — which included what would have been the longest tunnel in the country— culminated in Pasadena regaining control of the corridor in its city limits last June.

According to Assistant City Manager David Reyes, while the high-level concept planning will be recommended by the group, city staff and consultants will handle much of the details. Reyes said the city is planning to bring a senior project manager on board to help oversee the whole process.

In March, the city sent out a request for information seeking firms that could help guide the strategic planning process, which received about 20 responses with an awardee expected to be selected the first week of June.

Reyes said the city next week plans to send a request for proposals for compiling a history of the area, which would include data on people displaced and homes destroyed, direct interviewers with affected residents compiling an oral history, and an evaluation of how the freeway expansion contributed to segregation in Pasadena.

A component on restorative justice could be included in that proposal, Reyes said, or may be a separate request to come.

Pasadena will receive a $2 million planning grant through the state’s Reconnecting Communities pilot program, which seeks to reconnect neighborhoods torn apart during the interstate and highway boom of the 50s and 60s, though it’s a drop in the bucket compared to anticipated planning costs alone.

The vision plan stage is expected to take 9 months to one year to complete, which will be followed by a feasibility analysis anticipated to take just as long. Then, the development of a specific plan from those recommendations is expected to take 12 to 15 months, into spring 2025. Once finalized, it will be years before the plans expected to shape Pasadena’s future see any significant development.

He asked for a TAP card embedded with the LA Metro senior discount, since he was 62 years old and qualified. He provided his information, the attendant took his photo and he was presented with a temporary senior TAP card.

“I am looking forward to using it,” said the Monrovia resident. “I won’t have to drive the freeways and I can get out of my car, and like I said, it is important to make a difference for the planet.”

After investing heavily the last few years in ride-free passes for K-12 students and community college students as well as low-income riders, the county mega transit agency made a big push on Thursday, May 18 toward getting senior citizens to use mass transit.

An “older adult transportation expo” brought about 400 people to the Pasadena Convention Center who learned about which train or bus went where, what is this thing called the “Regional Connector” rail line, the logistics of paying with a TAP card instead of cash, and applying for the senior discount.

Whether one calls it social engineering or inevitability, if there’s anyone in the inner city or the suburbs of car-centric Southern California that may have to reckon with the loss of driving privileges, it’s older adults.

“There will come a time when we all won’t be able to drive, so public transportation will be an option,” said Lily Ortiz, who oversees Metro’s older adults program, called On The Move Riders.

Ridership on its seven rail systems is at 58% of pre-pandemic levels, while bus ridership is at 78% of pre-pandemic levels, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins reported in April. Rail ridership has been flat in the first quarter of this year, she said.

Bringing back those riders has Metro straining against the trend. More commuters are working remotely, instead of taking the train to job centers in downtown L.A., Culver City, Long Beach, Torrance, North Hollywood and Pasadena, for example. So the agency has added more service to weekends, when rail ridership is increasing due to soccer, basketball and football fans heading to sports venues.

To increase bus and rail ridership, Metro has planned to spend $32.5 million in its 2023-2024 budget for its Low-Income Fares is Easy (LIFE) Program, which provides fare-less rides for 200,000 low-income Metro riders. The program includes 13 other participating transit agencies. Metro will spend $20 million in the next year’s budget to continue its GoPass Program for K-12 and community college students.

Those 62 years of age and older who sign up through Metro get discounted fares when using their TAP cards. The base fare of $1.75 drops to $0.35 off-peak one-way, and $0.75 during peak hours.

But many riders still pay cash and therefore don’t automatically get the discount, so a session at Thursday’s expo taught seniors like Fernandez how to apply for a TAP card with the senior discount.

“It is a little complicated for older adults to apply for their TAP cards,” Lily Ortiz said.

Many bus riders, especially those who are unbanked, low-income and not familiar with loading money onto a plastic transit card, often pay full fare with cash. Metro reports that 43% of seniors pay cash.

In the past year, Metro reported 3.3 million monthly senior fares were collected. Of those, 92% of the seniors rode the bus, while only 8% rode on a train.

That follows what Grace Kim, manager of the Korea Town Senior and Community Center at Normandy Avenue and Olympic Boulevard in L.A. reported. “Most of our seniors use the bus,” she said.

A survey of riders 65 years or over taken last spring by Metro found that 68% of the respondents were “satisfied” with Metro, while 75% said Metro offered a good value.

Kim said many seniors who take the bus to attend classes or eat meals at the Korea Town Senior and Community Center complain to her about buses that did not show up, which is known as a cancellation. “Sometimes they would miss their class (because the bus was not on time and delayed their arrival),” she said.

The Foothill Transit bus agency, operating in the San Gabriel Valley, Inland Empire and downtown Los Angeles, also sent representatives to the senior adult expo. Their senior customers, 62 and up, ride for $0.75, said Felicia Friesema, spokesperson for the agency.

“If you don’t have the ability to drive yourself, having this access to transit enables you to go to doctor’s appointments, to visit family and to explore your town and neighborhood you live in,” Friesema said on Wednesday.

Laura Trejo, director of L.A. County Aging & Disabilities Department, said it’s important for seniors to connect with others and using public transit is one way to do that. “What we are finding out from research is connections matter in very deep ways, to live well and live longer,” she told the audience. “Social connections are a factor in a good, long life.”

Panelists from the L.A. historic core and Little Tokyo talked about possible field trips run by senior groups to  visit shops, museums and restaurants. Thirty-five new restaurants opened downtown last year, and the area added 10 more this year, said Elan Shore, director of Economic Development for the Downtown L.A. Center Business Improvement District.

Roberta Martinez, 68, lives in San Bernardino. She takes Metrolink to Union Station, then rides Metro rail lines. She recently took the B (Red) Line to watch a movie at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. She’s also taken the E (Expo) line to Santa Monica. “It was 100 degrees in San Bernardino that day and it was a lot cooler there,” she said.

There are many reasons why senior citizens no longer drive, Friesema said. “It might be a financial reason. It is so expensive to maintain a car,” she said.

Katie Brandon, executive director of Pasadena Village, a community of active older adults who want to age in place in their own homes, said her group booked a Metro community liaison to talk to members. She said community members often take field trips to L.A. But before they go, they map out the routes ahead of time and make sure it is safe.

She said the Metro community liaison goes over basic safety measures, such as staying in groups, looking up and not at your phone, and being aware of your surroundings.

“We have heard a lot of concerns about safety on the Metro,” Brandon said on Wednesday. “We’ve had people ask questions, people who said, ‘I haven’t been back on the trains because I am nervous.’ “

Present at the expo were officers from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, who contract with Metro, as well as Metro’s Transit Security Officers. The safety contingent did not make a presentation, although the topic was raised by attendees.

Ken Gee, a senior from Monrovia, was concerned whenever his wife rode Metro rail to work. He said there were too many scary incidents and he was glad she stopped riding on Metro.

He said he’d seen homeless people on the L (Gold) Line, and a couple of months ago one was lying across the seat and blocking the aisle. “We had to step over him,” he said.

Martinez said she has seen more law enforcement on trains lately, but gets nervous sometimes. “When I rode the Red Line two weeks ago, I saw two county sheriffs stepping off and I said: ‘Please don’t leave us.’ Because there is a safety issue. I don’t blame a lot of people being afraid and not using public transportation.”

Other presentations and exhibits included trip planning, how to use Metrolink to get to other counties and joining a “travel buddy” group. Ortiz said riding with one of the Metro volunteers can make a senior rider feel more safe.

“Our goals is to remove barriers for older adults,” said Ortiz.

Artazan — the two-day, handcraft market and trade showcase — will be hosted at the Pasadena Convention Center on May 20-21, starting at 10 a.m. each day.

The event, inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement of the late 19th century, will feature more than 200 exhibits, artist demonstrations, fine foods, and live music in a showcase to celebrate today’s artists and artisans.

People can find handcrafted treasures made with meticulous detail, natural materials, and brilliant colors, as well as beautiful and practical everyday items, presented by the artists and makers themselves.

The market creates an interactive space where visitors can watch artists demonstrate their work or get in the creative spirit and join in a series of workshops, such as plein air painting, and mixed media.

The show offers a range of products designed and created by independent artisans, studio artists, and small production workshops, including hand printed fabrics, hand-loomed textiles and tapestries, handcrafted jewelry, hand sewn clothing, woodblock fabrics, handmade household goods, furniture, original paintings, and small selection of artisan wine and gourmet food.

The exhibits offer a range of art, jewelry, woodwork, ceramics, clothing and artisan foods, as well as a selection of fine antiquities. Live demonstrations will include wine tasting, block printing, wire wrapping, and earring making.

Produced by Garan-Beadagio, LLC, which produces 14 annual shows in Pasadena, Santa Monica, Walnut Creek, San Rafael and Tucson, the event will encompass all handcrafted media, including jewel smithery, painting, ceramics, wood working, glass work, textile weaving, hand tooled leather, handspun yarn, felting, natural-dyed fiber, paper arts, beadmaking, lapidary, gem cutting, metalwork, embroidery, hand sewn clothing, and wearable art.

Admission is $8 online or $10 at the door, for both days at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E Green St, Pasadena.

Here is a sampling of things to do in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier, May 19-26.

Raging Waters celebrates its 40th season on May 20, with the debut of “Bombs Away,” its newest 300-foot plunge ride. Riders can choose from two drop tubes to either fly straight down at 26 feet per second or loop around to splashdown. The largest water park in California will also offer its Father’s Day Flop on June 18 and an all-new Pirates Day Treasure Hunt in September. Season passes start at $99. For more information, ragingwaters.com/buy-tickets/tickets

Forest Lawn Museum – Glendale: New: “Grand Views: The Immersive World of Panoramas,” through Sept. 10. The exhibit is in partnership with the Velaslavasay Panorama in Los Angeles (www.panoramaonview.org). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Free admission. Location, 1712 S. Glendale Ave. forestlawn.com/events/grand-views/

An Evening with David Sedaris: Purchase presale tickets for the author’s talk, to be held at 8 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The general sale begins at 10 a.m. May 19. The one-night-only event follows the release of Sedaris’ newest book “Happy Go Lucky.” For more information, go to visitpasadena.com and click on “Pasadena Events.”

Los Angeles County Fair: The fair’s theme this year is “Spring into Fair,” through May 29. Admission is available online now for discount. Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday-Sunday and Memorial Day (May 29). Admission online $15/$18/$21 (depending on date); ages 60 and older and ages 6-12 admission online $10/$12 (depending on date). Admission at the gate $30; $15 ages 60 and older and ages 6-12. Parking in advance online $17; $22 at the gate. Also, Fairplex is a cashless venue. Some concessionaires and vendors may accept cash, but credit or debit card is preferred. Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona. www.lacountyfair.com

Covina Woman’s Club’s Bunco Afternoon: Join the fun at 2 p.m. May 19. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Admission $20. Tickets will be sold at the door but come early to ensure a seat. Finger foods and drinks will be served after the games. Clubhouse, 128 S. San Jose Ave. (off of Badillo Street), Covina. covinawomansclub.org

Car show: Ruby’s Cruise car show starring American Streetrodders happens at 5 p.m. Fridays, through October. 10109 Whittwood Drive, Whittier. Come for food, family fun, trophies and prizes. Location, 10109 Whittwood Drive, Whittier. For more information,  SoCalCarCulture.com. Flyer: bit.ly/44MQ9D8

Vroman’s Bookstore: Holly Goldberg Sloan discusses her novel “Pieces of Blue,” 7 p.m. May 19. Local Author Day: Clarence Irwin (“The Fourth Canton: Adventures of the Rhett Family and Co.”), Anthony J. Mohr (“Every Other Weekend – Coming of Age with Two Different Dads”) and Melina Maria Morry (“The Manhattan Mishap”) discuss their books, 4 p.m. May 21. Héctor Tobar discusses “Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of ‘Latino,’” 7 p.m. May 22. Louise Penny signs “A World of Curiosities,” 4 p.m. May 23. Joe Ide discusses “Fixit – An IQ Novel,” 7 p.m. May 24. T.J. Newman discusses “Drowning: The Rescue of Flight 1421,” 7 p.m. May 31. Location, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 626-449-5320. vromans.com

The Dance and the Railroad: The play by David Henry Hwang, set in 1867, follows two Chinese artists and their fellow railroad workers as they hold a strike to protest inhuman conditions suffered by Chinese laborers in the American West, opening night, 8 p.m. May 19. Show runs 8 p.m.  May 20; 2 p.m. May 21 and 7 p.m. May 22. Tickets are pay-what-you-choose with options, $30 or $50. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. 626-356-3100. anoisewithin.org/noise-now. www.anoisewithin.org/play/dance-and-the-railroad

Wheel fun time: The Los Angeles Invitational features three gravel ride options kicking off at 7:30 a.m. May 20 and followed by the sixth annual bike/car show and swap meet, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 21. The Cub House, 2510 Mission St., San Marino. 626-755-3003. losangelesinvitational.com

Farmers market at Mount San Antonio College Farm fresh everything is available, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. May 20 at Parking Lot B, 1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut. Aside from fruits and vegetables, find all kinds of nuts, breads, desserts, snacks, juices and ready-to-eat dishes such as dumplings. Vendors also sell handmade items and plants. 909-869-0701. Email: info@regionalchambersgv.com. Regional Chamber of Commerce – San Gabriel Valley: bit.ly/3WK4ZFj. www.facebook.com/MTSacFarmersMarket

West Covina Farmers Market: Shop for in-season fruits and vegetables, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 20 (and also on most Saturdays). The market also offers prepared foods and artisan crafts. EBT is accepted. Location, 195 Glendora Ave., West Covina. For more information, email: Fmlcevendor@gmail.com. Check here for updates: www.facebook.com/westcovinafarmersmarket

Handcraft heaven: Artazan, a springtime market inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 20 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 21. Check out more than 200 exhibits, artist demos, food and live music. The exhibits celebrate handmade artisanship. Admission $8 online; $10 at the door; admission is good for both days. Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St. Artazan.com

Repair Café: A free, all-purpose repair party, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 20. Learn how fix household appliances. Bring your torn jeans, dull knife or faulty lamp. Arrive early to ensure your item is looked at. Bring your own replacement parts (no replacement parts for items will be available. This event will be indoors. There will also be plant-sharing and a free market. Park across the library at 120 Artsakh Ave. The library validates for three hours parking. Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St., Glendale. For questions, 818-548-2021 or email at LibraryInfo@GlendaleCA.gov. Details, and to see what can’t be repaired: bit.ly/44NRSIs

Renaissance Pleasure Faire: Immerse yourself in the time of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign and have some fun with cosplay of the time period, speaking the lingo, shopping in the marketplace, listening to music and laughing at performances, May 20-21. Fun dress code: period “faire” costume (optional). Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Admission $42; $21 ages 5-12; $225 season pass. There is a mandatory entry fee $12 to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation area. Parking is free, first-come, first served; VIP parking $25 (must be purchased in advance online). Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, 15501 E. Arrow Highway, Irwindale. 626-969-4750. renfair.com/socal

Glendora Genealogical Society: Penny Walters, speaking on Zoom from England, gives a talk at the society’s next meeting, noon May 20. Walters discusses ethical dilemmas in genealogy and considering ethical issues with empathy and diplomacy. For more information and to get the Zoom link, email lorman1237@gmail.com or call 909-592-4030.

Crown City Symphony: The program includes Pelleas et Melisande Suite by Faure, L’Arlesienne Suite by Bizet and Concertina for Flute by Chaminade, with flute soloist Debbie MacMurray, 2 p.m. May 20. Free admission. First Baptist Church, 75 N. Marengo Ave., Pasadena. 626-797-1994.

Third@First Concert Series: Women composers are in the spotlight for “Joy of Chamber Music,” 4 p.m. May 20. The program includes Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio in G Minor and Amy Beach’s Piano Quintet in F-sharp Minor. Free admission. First United Methodist Church of Pasadena, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. thirdatfirst.org

Storied science: TechLit, Caltech’s creative writing club, invites the public to an author reading and Q&A at 7 p.m. May 20. Delve into “Inner Space and Outer Thoughts: Speculative Fiction from Caltech and JPL Authors,” the group’s first science fiction anthology. Award-winning alumni and sci-fi legends S. B. Divya, Larry Niven and David Brin will read and Caltech and JPL research scientists will talk about the science behind their stories. Free admission, but make a reservation on the Eventbrite link. Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena. bit.ly/Caltech-reading-tickets

Life in the Past Lane: “Museums of the Arroyo Day” returns, noon to 5 p.m. May 21. MOTA is the one day that five museums in Los Angeles and Pasadena open their doors to show off great architecture, historical discoveries, family fun and entertainment. Free shuttles will connect the museums: Gamble House; Heritage Square; Los Angeles Police Museum; Lummis Home and Garden;  Pasadena Museum of History. The best plan would be to pick no more than three museums to visit. For more information, visit MuseumsOfTheArroyo.com

Civil War talk: The Pasadena Civil War Round Table presents a talk by author Mark Cannon at its next meeting,7:15 p.m. May 23. Cannon discusses his book “Lincoln’s Scout: The Diary of Horatio Cooke, Soldier, Spy, Escape Artist.” Free admission/donations appreciated. Enter the parking lot at the driveway at 165 N. Madison Ave. (second driveway south of Walnut Street). Use rear door entrance to the Blinn House, 160 N. Oakland Ave., Pasadena. For more information, PasadenaCWRT.org

Music on Main: The city of El Monte brings music to its farmers market, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 25 with 4 The People. Main Street between Santa Anita and Tyler avenues, El Monte.  For more information, 626-580-2200. ci.el-monte.ca.us

Water safety fundraiser: The award-winning Rose Bowl Aquatics Center hosts “Water Safety for All,” a fundraiser featuring a paella-themed cocktail reception and documentary screening of “Drowning in Silence” on May 25. Tickets $100; $75 ages 55 and older. Reservations required. Garland Auditorium on the grounds of Polytechnic School, 1070 Cornell Road, Pasadena. Tickets: rosebowlaquatics.org/water-safety-for-all. See May 4 posting on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRBAC/

Save the theater dates: Whittier Community Theatre is back at the newly refurbished Whittier Center Theatre. Celebrate 100 years with a new season, including “The Importance of Being Earnest (A Wilde New Musical)” opening in September. “The Ghost Train” follows in November, Neil Simon’s “California Suite” in February and “Moon Over Buffalo” in May. For more information about the plays and tickets, 562-696-0600. www.whittiercommunitytheatre.org

Ongoing

Pasadena Showcase House of Design: The 58th showcase highlights the talents of 32 interior and exterior designers who have transformed the Stewart House, a 1933 Pasadena colonial estate designed by Marston & Maybury. The estate is open for tours through May 21. Explore more than 30 design spaces and check out 20 boutique shops vendors, two restaurants, a wine bar and more than two-acres of gardens. Tour hours: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Friday; 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Tour tickets are by a timed entry: $40 (1:30-4 p.m.); $50 (9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.); $35 (“Happy Hour,” 4 p.m. to closing). Parking and shuttles depart from Santa Anita Race Track, Gate 6 Lot on Colorado Place. Proceeds from the tours of the house go to fund three music programs. For more information, pasadenashowcase.org

Pasadena Tournament of Roses House: The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association offers free guided tours, 2 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 31. The Tournament House tours reveals little-known facts and trivia and also includes the Wrigley Gardens. Explore the house that has served as headquarters for the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game. Reservations are required for the hour-long tours. For groups of 10 or more, call 626-449-4100 or email membership@tournamentofroses.com. Book a tour here: tournamentofroses.com/house-tours

Book a castle visit: Rubel Castle is an elaborate folk-art medieval castle in the foothills of Glendora, with five-story tall towers solidly built out of junk and river rocks by the late Michael Rubel and his friends. The castle offers eight scheduled tours each month. Tours are two hours long. Admission is $20 for adults; $10 ages 8-18. The property is not Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible; see website for details. Rubel Castle, 844 N. Live Oak Ave., Glendora. Glendora Historical Society voicemail, 626-963-0419. rubeltours.org

Descanso Gardens: Ongoing special art exhibit: “Shiki: The Four Seasons in Japanese Art,” in the Sturt Haaga Gallery and runs through May 21. Gardens hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The gallery is open, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission $15; $11 ages 65 and older and student with valid ID; $5 ages 5-12. Location, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintidge. 818-949-4200. descansogardens.org

Kidspace Children’s Museum: The 27th annual “Butterfly Season” at the museum is open with children’s activities including going on a big safari, playing dress-up, viewing live caterpillars, moths and honeybees, through May 14. Also, learn from “Los Trompos,” an interactive art installation that honors the monarch butterfly’s cultural and ecological ties to Mexico. Tickets are by time and date: $14.95 ages 1-61; $12.95 ages 62 and older (purchase here: bit.ly/3mJOFoh). Location, 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena. 626-449-9144. kidspacemuseum.org

Los Angeles Arboretum and Botanic Garden: Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Purchase tickets online and in advance. Admission $15; $11 ages 62 and older and students with ID; $5 ages 5-12. Due to construction of a new visitor entrance, entrance is temporarily at the south parking lot and north of Ayres Hall. The arboretum is at 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia. 626-821-3222. arboretum.org

Monrovia Historical Museum: Explore the museum, 1-4 p.m. Thursday and Sunday. Docent-led tours are available. Free admission/donation. The museum is at 742 E. Lemon Ave., Monrovia. 626-357-9537. monroviahistoricalmuseum.org

Norton Simon Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Saint Sebastian: Anatomy of a Sculpture,” learn about the 15th-century Italian painted sculpture from the Norton Simon collections, through July 3. “All Consuming: Art and the Essence of Food,” through Aug. 14. An online exhibit: “Representing Women: Gender and Portraiture in 17th Century Europe” (view here bit.ly/3zLRR9p). Hours: noon-5 p.m. Monday and Thursday-Sunday. Admission $15; $12 ages 62 and older; free for ages 18 and younger and students with a valid ID. Location, 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 626-449-6840. nortonsimon.org

USC Pacific Asia Museum: Ongoing special exhibit: “Global Asias: Contemporary Asian and Asian American Art — From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation,” through June 25. Also, explore the Sunkal Ceramics Gallery and the specific galleries for art of South and Southeast Asia, China, Himalaya, Pacific Island, Japan, Korea and Silk Road. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Admission is by advance timed purchase, $10; $7 ages 65 and older and students with valid ID; free for ages 17 and under. Also, free admission from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays and on the second Sunday of the month. 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. 626-787-2680. pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu

Whittier Museum: Exhibits on aspects of Whittier history including agriculture and Quaker settlers. Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 1-4 p.m. Saturday. Free admission/donations. Location, 6755 Newlin Ave., Whittier. 562-945-3871. Email: info@whittiermuseum.org. whittiermuseum.org/visit

Send calendar items to Anissa V. Rivera at sgvncalendar@gmail.com. Please send items at least three weeks before the event. Please list phone, email and/or website for additional information.

According to the CHP, the 24-year-old Pullos was heading east on the freeway near Orange Grove Boulevard around 1:30 a.m. April 29 when she inexplicably swerved into the westbound lanes, slamming into another vehicle.

Pullos was trapped in her mangled vehicle and had to be pulled from the wreckage by Pasadena Fire Department crews, according to the CHP. She and the other driver were both injured and taken to hospitals, although the exact extent of their injuries and their current conditions were not immediately known.

According to the CHP, Pullos was ultimately arrested on suspicion of “driving under the influence of alcohol and driving the wrong way on a freeway, causing injury.” CHP investigators also said Pullos had been involved in an earlier hit-and-run crash before entering the 134 Freeway, although no other details were provided.

After the crash, the Pasadena Fire Department posted photos of the mangled cars on its social media pages, saying at the time the cause of the crash was unknown, “but always a reminder to stay within the speed limit, avoid drinking and driving and never be distracted by passengers, phones, etc.”

Pullos has played Molly Lansing-Davis on “General Hospital” since 2009.

The magazine Soap Opera Digest reported last week that Pullos’ role had been temporarily recast, saying Pullos was on medical leave. Pullos sent the publication a statement saying “Unfortunately, I was involved in an automobile accident and I’m doing okay, but I am going to need a little time to recover. I will be back as soon as possible.”