Skylight Books

Los Angeles author and climate activist Nicole Levin celebrates the release of “Diary of a Mad Girl; Me Vs. The Oil Industry Vs. My Nonprofit Job”—an illustrated literary comedy exploring climate anxiety, burnout culture, millennial disillusionment, and the absurdity of surviving late-stage capitalism—with a launch event at Skylight Books (1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027) on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 7:00pm.
The official launch celebration will feature a reading by Nicole Levin, followed by a conversation facilitated by Los Angeles comedian, writer, and actor Sierra Katow, audience Q&amp;A, and a book signing. Katow is known for her work on HBO Max's “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” Netflix's “The G Word with Adam Conover,” the CBS sitcom “Eternally Yours” and her debut Amazon Prime comedy special “Funt.” For more information and to RSVP visit: <a href="https://skylightbooks.com/event/2026-09-15/nicole-levin-diary-mad-girl-me-vs-oil-industry-vs-my-nonprofit-job" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://skylightbooks.com/event/2026-09-15/nicole-levin-diary-mad-girl-me-vs-oil-industry-vs-my-nonprofit-job</a>
Guests can preorder signed and personalized copies of “Diary of a Mad Girl” through Skylight Books: <a href="https://skylightbooks.com/pre-order-signed-copies-diary-mad-girl-nicole-levin" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://skylightbooks.com/pre-order-signed-copies-diary-mad-girl-nicole-levin</a>
The book will be released the same day in paperback, audiobook, and eBook formats. Additional events will follow at Scribble in Highland Park, Page Against The Machine in Long Beach, and Rose City Book Pub in Portland, with more dates to be announced. For more information and updates, please visit<a href="https://www.nicolejlevin.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"> www.nicolejlevin.com </a>NICOLE LEVIN Nicole Levin is an artist and environmental organizer living in Los Feliz. Raised in Fairfield, California, Levin studied environmental science at Harvard, and her work reflects contemporary social anxieties in a conscious, poignant voice—with a hearty portion of Jewish humor.
Her writing has appeared in “The New Yorker” and “The Harvard Crimson,” and she has written for “The Harvard Lampoon” as well as the television series “Lethal Weapon.” Levin previously worked at the Sierra Club, where she helped lead campaigns to phase out urban oil drilling in Los Angeles. Most recently, she has devoted her time to completing an all-white 1,000-piece puzzle. She lives in Southern California with the love of her life, Nina.

Local Event: Nicole Levin Launches “Diary of a Mad Girl,” a Satirical Take on Climate Anxiety, at Skylight Books

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles

California

Nicole Levin Launches “Diary of a Mad Girl,” a...

Los Angeles author and climate activist Nicole Levin celebrates the release of “Diary of a Mad Girl; Me Vs. The Oil Industry...

Nicole Levin Launches “Diary of a Mad Girl,” a Satirical Take on Climate Anxiety, at Skylight Books

Inner-City Arts

The Roots and Wings Project presents the world premiere of “Realm of the River,” a new play written and directed by founder and artistic director Jesse Bliss, running Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 27, 2026, at The Rosenthal Theater at Inner-City Arts.&nbsp;
Close friends enjoy a magic night out. Fun and freedom suddenly take a dark turn when an unforeseen and insurmountable circumstance invokes a mystic force, bringing everyone face to face with the true work of healing.
Water runs through the story as a source of danger and restoration, carrying memory and transformation with it. Bliss’s writing creates an emotional and mystical landscape that is further brought to life through projections, music, lighting, and atmospheric stage design, transforming the venue into an immersive theatrical world.
Moving between the charged environments of a nightclub and a sacred river, “Realm of the River” explores female friendship, collective healing, women’s freedom, joy, self-determination, romantic love, and our relationship to the divine. The premiere follows The Roots and Wings Project’s recent sold-out site-specific Highland Park theatrical tour, “Luminous Streets,” and continues the company’s exploration of ways theater can move beyond a single stage or audience. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm, with Sunday matinees at 2:00pm. Opening night begins at 7:00pm with doors and a special pre-show vinyl DJ set by Sherry Younge and Patchouli Nomad of The Artform Studio DJ Collective, followed at 8:00pm by the World premiere performance of “Realm of the River” and an opening night reception. Located at 720 Kohler Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021. Free parking is available at the Inner-City Arts visitors’ lot on Kohler Street. Tickets are $25 and are available at<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/realm-of-the-river-a-world-premiere-play-by-jesse-bliss-tickets-1996257931210" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"> www.eventbrite.com/e/realm-of-the-river-a-world-premiere-play-by-jesse-bliss-tickets-1996257931210</a>. Run time is approximately 90 minutes, including one intermission. Recommended for audiences ages 18+. Jesse Bliss is an L.A. playwright, director, and founder of The Roots and Wings Project, whose latest work, Realm of the River, has its world premiere September 18 at The Rosenthal Theater at Inner-City Arts in DTLA. For more than two decades, Bliss has created intersectional work around women’s lives, incarceration, social justice, trauma, survival, and healing—including extensive theater and writing work inside California prisons. Her work has also reached the United Nations and Edinburgh Festival, and she spent roughly a decade co-producing and co-hosting KPFK’s Think Outside the Cage. Southern California audiences may know Bliss from “Tree of Fire” (2009–), “A Record of Light” (2011), “Matriarch” (2014–), “Luminous Streets” (2019 and 2025), and “The Joy Ride” (2024), all part of a sustained body of work presented at performing arts venues including Theatre of NOTE, CASA 0101, UCLA, and Inner-City Arts, as well as unexpected spaces throughout Los Angeles—from The Last Bookstore and King Eddy Saloon to a vintage convertible used as a mobile performance space. CAST: Morgan Danielle Day – Auggie Krystle Tugadi – Dessa Sawyer Shine – Otto Sarah Ann Sulewski – Oshun Corina Vela – Esme Brandon Ramon Williams – Emir PRODUCTION TEAM: Jesse Bliss – Executive Producer Nastassia Cordeiro – Producer / Media Director Gabriela López de Dennis – Producer / Development Director Angelica Robinson – Producer Chiana Niedbalec – Stage Manager (and Lighting Designer) Kenzo Martinez – Box Office Manager
CREATIVE / DESIGN TEAM: Abel Alvarado – Costume Designer Boogie Frantick – Choreographer Hessed Porras – Projection Art Designer Chiana Niedbalec – Lighting Designer (and Stage Manager) Siobhán Dougall – Projectionist Raisa Donato – Fight Coordinator Joy DeMichelle – Intimacy Coordinator Romanowski – Music
WHEN: Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 27, 2026 Friday, September 18 – 8:00pm Saturday, September 19 – 8:00pm Sunday, September 20 – 2:00pm Friday, September 25 – 8:00pm Saturday, September 26 – 8:00pm Sunday, September 27 – 2:00pm

Local Event: The Roots and Wings Project presents the World Premiere of Jesse Bliss’ “Realm of the River”

The Roots and Wings Project presents the World...

The Roots and Wings Project presents the world premiere of “Realm of the River,” a new play written and directed by founder and...

The Roots and Wings Project presents the World Premiere of Jesse Bliss’ “Realm of the River”

Scribble

Los Angeles author and climate activist Nicole Levin celebrates the release of “Diary of a Mad Girl; Me Vs. The Oil Industry Vs. My Nonprofit Job”—an illustrated literary comedy exploring climate anxiety, burnout culture, millennial disillusionment, and the absurdity of surviving late-stage capitalism—with a launch party and show at Scribble (5541 York Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90042) on Friday, September 18, 2026 at 7:30pm.
The launch party will be an immersive evening of performance, art, community, and live music by Pacing and Levin’s new band, West Coast Fruits—all inspired by the book’s themes of resistance, intimacy, and survival in contemporary Los Angeles. Tickets are $11.54. For more information and to purchase tickets visit: <a href="https://dice.fm/partner/tickets/event/l87qvp-diary-of-a-mad-girl-book-launch-party-18th-sep-scribble-los-angeles-tickets" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://dice.fm/partner/tickets/event/l87qvp-diary-of-a-mad-girl-book-launch-party-18th-sep-scribble-los-angeles-tickets</a>
The book will be released on September 15 in paperback, audiobook, and eBook formats. Additional events will follow at Page Against The Machine in Long Beach, and Rose City Book Pub in Portland, with more dates to be announced. For more information, updates, and to preorder the book, please visit<a href="https://www.nicolejlevin.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"> www.nicolejlevin.com </a>NICOLE LEVIN Nicole Levin is an artist and environmental organizer living in Los Feliz. Raised in Fairfield, California, Levin studied environmental science at Harvard, and her work reflects contemporary social anxieties in a conscious, poignant voice—with a hearty portion of Jewish humor.
Her writing has appeared in “The New Yorker” and “The Harvard Crimson,” and she has written for “The Harvard Lampoon” as well as the television series “Lethal Weapon.” Levin previously worked at the Sierra Club, where she helped lead campaigns to phase out urban oil drilling in Los Angeles. Most recently, she has devoted her time to completing an all-white 1,000-piece puzzle. She lives in Southern California with the love of her life, Nina.

Local Event: Nicole Levin Celebrates “Diary of a Mad Girl,” a Satirical Take on Climate Anxiety, at Scribble

Nicole Levin Celebrates “Diary of a Mad Girl,”...

Nicole Levin Celebrates “Diary of a Mad Girl,” a Satirical Take on Climate Anxiety, at Scribble

Mount Wilson Observatory

Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO), Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical discoveries in history, welcomes the public to the fifth Saturday Evening Talks &amp; Telescopes of the season on Saturday, September 19, 2026. MWO is honored to present “The Brightness of Stars: Henrietta Leavitt and the Transformative Nature of Attention in Art and Science,” a lecture by artist and writer Anna Von Mertens. The presentation explores how Henrietta Leavitt’s pioneering studies of variable stars provided the first reliable way to measure vast cosmic distances. Working among the women now known as the Harvard Computers at the Harvard College Observatory, Leavitt laid the foundation for major breakthroughs at Mount Wilson, including Harlow Shapley’s mapping of the Milky Way and Edwin Hubble’s discovery of an expanding universe. Drawing from her book “Attention Is Discovery: The Life and Legacy of Astronomer Henrietta Leavitt,” von Mertens shares archival materials alongside her own artwork inspired by Leavitt’s life, using art to celebrate not only how careful, trained attention leads to scientific discovery, but also how that applied attention creates a meaningful life. Tickets are available here: <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/lecture091926/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/events/lecture091926 </a>During the six-month season, each Talks &amp; Telescopes event runs from 5:30pm to 11:30pm with the “talk” portion of the evening beginning in the Observatory’s Auditorium. The 60+ minute presentation is followed by picnic dining—bring your own, or purchase from a food truck or caterer—and then, after the sun goes down, stargazing through Mount Wilson’s immense telescopes, the largest in the world made available to the public. Additional stargazing around the grounds will be available thanks to members of the Los Angeles Astronomical Society. Both the 60-inch telescope and the 100-inch—the latter famously used by Edwin Hubble to discover the expanding universe—will be available for viewing the night sky. Priced at $50, this event series offers the most economical stargazing event option on the mountain. Tickets and more information are available on Mount Wilson Observatory’s website here: <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/lectures" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/lectures</a>. Advance purchases are highly recommended. THE FINAL SATURDAY EVENING TALKS &amp; TELESCOPES OF THE 2026 SEASON October 17: “The Duality of Genius and Struggle: G.E. Hale” <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/events/lecture101726/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/events/lecture101726 </a>This talk, presented by Sam Hale, explores the extraordinary life and legacy of his grandfather, George Ellery Hale—the visionary behind some of the world’s most important astronomical institutions. Drawing on both history and personal connection, Sam Hale offers insight into a legacy that continues to shape science and culture today. VISITING MWO The gate to Mount Wilson’s campus opens at 10:00am daily and closes at 5:00pm from early April through November. Entrance to the grounds is free. Visitors can hike, gaze at the telescope domes and towers that dot the landscape, and take a look at historic Mount Wilson photos and letters in the Museum. PARKING A U.S. Forest Service Adventure Pass is required to park at the Observatory. A $5 day pass or a $30 dollar annual pass may be purchased at the Cosmic Cafe on weekends between 10:00am and 5:00pm. During the week, passes are available at locations around Los Angeles. The most convenient location before heading up is at the Shell station in La Canada Flintridge at the bottom of the Angeles Crest Highway (<a href="https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://find.shell.com/us/fuel/10007957-4530-angeles-crest-hwy/en_US</a>). Visit the U.S. Forest Service website for more information about Passes and other locations to buy them: <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.fs.usda.gov/r05/passes/adventure-pass </a>For more information about Visiting Mount Wilson Observatory, please visit: <a href="https://www.mtwilson.edu/visiting/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.mtwilson.edu/visiting </a>PLEASE NOTE The Observatory is not ADA-compliant. Access to the 100-inch dome is via an open-air, 53-step staircase inside the building that could present challenges to those with difficulties.
There is a 10-minute walk from the parking lot to the 100-inch telescope; be prepared with comfortable shoes.

Local Event: MWO’s Talks & Telescopes presents “The Brightness of Stars: Henrietta Leavitt” with Anna Von Mertens

MWO’s Talks & Telescopes presents “The...

Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO), Southern California’s esteemed home to several of the most groundbreaking astronomical...

MWO’s Talks & Telescopes presents “The Brightness of Stars: Henrietta Leavitt” with Anna Von Mertens

Green Gal

Chris Lindahl

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Echo Park-Silver Lake

Highland Park-Mount Washington

Eagle Rock

Hollywood

South Pasadena

West Hollywood

South Gate-Lynwood

Culver City

Beverly Hills

San Marino

The Fall Gallery Artists’ show at Destination: Art offers a look at life in the South Bay by the 15 elite artists who call it home, through a showcase of 90 works.&nbsp;&nbsp;The fine art runs the gamut from traditional oils to photography to mixed media.&nbsp; Debbie Abshear and Robin Kirk will each talk about their artworks at the Reception.&nbsp; The exhibition is on display through 10/17. Gallery hours Thursdays through Saturdays, 11 am - 4 pm.&nbsp; ICs:&nbsp; Debbie Abshear's "Aerial Beauty,"&nbsp;watercolor, acrylic and gold metallic; Robin Kirk's "Death Valley's Mosaic Canyon,"&nbsp;mixed media.

Local Event: "Made in the South Bay" Reception and Artists' Talk

Redondo Beach

"Made in the South Bay" Reception and Artists'...

The Fall Gallery Artists’ show at Destination: Art offers a look at life in the South Bay by the 15 elite artists who call it...

"Made in the South Bay" Reception and Artists' Talk

Watch &amp; Interact Live September 14, 2026
7 p.m. Pacific, 9 p.m. Central, 10 p.m. Eastern
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By K.P. Lynne
If you love Christian music, Tower of Power and Sara Niemietz...you won&rsquo;t want to miss tonight&rsquo;s Jam&rsquo; n Java online.
Robby&rsquo;s special guests are the legendary Doc Kupka from Tower of Power and internationally renowned vocalist Sara Niemietz.
&ldquo;My friends Doc Kupka and Sara Niemietz will be joining me LIVE on Jam&rsquo;n Java for our record release party! Doc and I have been finding time to write and record between our touring schedules with Tower of Power and Frankie Valli &amp; The Four Seasons. Now it&rsquo;s time to share the music with YOU! This is the follow-up to &ldquo;Jam for Jesus,&rdquo; which has received more than 2 MILLION views on YouTube. And at its heart, this new song carries a simple message: &ldquo;Ask Him in the morning&hellip;and thank Him at night.&rdquo; Let&rsquo;s celebrate the music together and spend an evening with the friends who helped bring it to life. Music&hellip;conversation&hellip;faith&hellip;and a little FUNK!&rdquo;, said Robby Robinson.
The word &ldquo;legendary&rdquo; tends to get tossed around a lot in the music world...but when it comes to baritone sax master, Doc Kupka, &rdquo;legendary&rdquo; is the only word that genuinely applies to a player of his caliber, experience, success and versatility. 
As a founding member of Tower of Power, Doc Kupka has been a driving force in the music industry since the 1960s, commanding the stage, live in concert, as a headliner, as well as an opening act for immortal greats, such as Aretha Franklin, while creating scintillating original recordings with Tower of Power.
Sara Niemietz is one of the most versatile professionals in the entertainment industry today, who performs internationally as a solo artist, and alongside stellar groups such as Postmodern Jukebox and Danny Seraphine&rsquo;s Chicago Legacy band.
With over 33 million views on You Tube...Sara has a worldwide fan base and a multitude of solo albums including &ldquo;Superman&rdquo;, &ldquo;twenty, twenty&rdquo;, &ldquo;Get Right&rdquo;, &ldquo;Travel Light&rdquo;, &ldquo;Fountain and Vine&rdquo;, &ldquo;By Request&rdquo;, &ldquo;Christmas Favorites&rdquo; and &ldquo;Push Play&rdquo;. Sara&rsquo;s recording of &ldquo;Rolling In the Deep&rdquo; garnered over 7 million views. She appeared on &ldquo;The Ellen DeGeneres Show&rdquo; as a featured artist and charted #14 on &ldquo;Billboard Magazine&rsquo;s&rdquo; Next Big Sound. 
Sara Niemietz has worked with Melissa Manchester, Richard Marx, B.J. Thomas, W.G. Snuffy Walden, Travis Cloer, Vince Martell and Robby Robinson just to name a few. Sara collaborated with Melissa Manchester, writing the song, &ldquo;Feeling For You&rdquo;, which debuted at #2 on the Smooth Jazz Chart, and catapulted the album &ldquo;You Gotta Love Life&rdquo; to a Top 20 spot on Billboard. 
Sara&rsquo;s scintillating vocals appear on movie soundtracks for &ldquo;The Exorcism of Emily Rose&rdquo;, &ldquo;Teen Witch the Musical&rdquo;, &ldquo;The Uninvited&rdquo;, &ldquo;In the Key of Eli&rdquo;, &ldquo;Moondance Alexander&rdquo;, &ldquo;Polly World&rdquo; and &ldquo;Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper&rdquo;. 
Sara performed on Broadway alongside the legendary Carol Burnett, starring in &ldquo;Hollywood Arms&rdquo;, which led to her beloved performance of &ldquo;I&rsquo;m Always Chasing Rainbows&rdquo; for a crowd of 50,000+ in Times Square and a reprise of the song on ABC-TV&rsquo;s &ldquo;The View&rdquo;. 
Jam&rsquo; n Java For the Soul
Jam&rsquo; n Java is blessed to have #1 Christian author, Pastor Chuck aka C.W. Pearson, as the program&rsquo;s official chaplain.
Pastor Chuck is the #1 best-selling author of &ldquo;Jam&rsquo; n Java For the Soul: Book One&rdquo;. Robby Robinson wrote the foreword, with back cover endorsements from legendary recording artist Vince Martell of Vanilla Fudge and #1 Hypeddit recording artist, Andrea Hammond! 
Jam' n Java For the Soul: Book One 
Amazon <a href="https://a.co/d/05GaJTvz" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://a.co/d/05GaJTvz</a>
Walmart: <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Jam-apos-n-Java-For-the-Soul-Book-One-Paperback-9798999985309/17802014018?fbclid=IwY2xjawSAvLhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe9fiT_h_yY-akRPhwri_mQpBzncrjcY5U2RbDbMCPq11AmXp6zwOGk7u9A40_aem_7WevrZwMMydnanGSexLBJw&amp;sid=3c50add1-0f48-4773-afcf-12915168c7ff" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.walmart.com/ip/Jam-apos-n-Java-For-the-Soul-Book-One-Paperback-9798999985309/17802014018?fbclid=IwY2xjawSAvLhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe9fiT_h_yY-akRPhwri_mQpBzncrjcY5U2RbDbMCPq11AmXp6zwOGk7u9A40_aem_7WevrZwMMydnanGSexLBJw&amp;sid=3c50add1-0f48-4773-afcf-12915168c7ff</a>
Books A Million: <a href="https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Jam-n-Java-Soul/Pastor-Chuck/9798999985309" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Jam-n-Java-Soul/Pastor-Chuck/9798999985309</a>
Barnes &amp; Noble: <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jam-n-java-for-the-soul-k-p-lynne/1149171486?ean=9798999985309" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/jam-n-java-for-the-soul-k-p-lynne/1149171486?ean=9798999985309</a>
Pastor Chuck was blessed with another #1 New Release, entitled, &ldquo;The Gift&rdquo;. 
The Gift <a href="https://a.co/d/04zE2dmc" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">https://a.co/d/04zE2dmc</a>

Watch Jam' n Java Online Tonight for Sara...

Watch & Interact Live September 14, 2026...

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Nicole Levin Launches “Diary of a Mad Girl,” a Satirical Take on Climate Anxiety, at Skylight Books

SEP

15

7:00 PM

Skylight Books, 1818 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA

The Roots and Wings Project presents the World Premiere of Jesse Bliss’ “Realm of the River”

SEP

18

7:00 PM

Inner-City Arts, 720 Kohler St, Los Angeles, CA

Nicole Levin Celebrates “Diary of a Mad Girl,” a Satirical Take on Climate Anxiety, at Scribble

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18

7:30 PM

Scribble, 5541 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

MWO’s Talks & Telescopes presents “The Brightness of Stars: Henrietta Leavitt” with Anna Von Mertens

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19

5:30 PM

Mount Wilson Observatory, 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson, CA

"Made in the South Bay" Reception and Artists' Talk

Watch Jam' n Java Online Tonight for Sara Niemietz & Doc Kupka's Record Release with Robby Robinson