Books: Giada de Laurentiis at Village Books in Pacific Palisades

For a big swath of America, Giada de Laurentiis is the face of contemporary Italian cooking. In “Giada at Home,” she shares the traditional recipes her family has carried for generations alongside her own concoctions, from old country cooking to lighter California fare. Village Books, 1049 Swarthmore Ave., Pacific Palisades. 5 p.m. Friday. https://www.palivillagebooks.com.