the BEAT of the week: LA Street Food Fest.

It's back! Just as its website says, this is the first and the original of the numerous amounts of street food fests that now populate L.A.'s calendars. And the LA Street Food Fest isn't slacking on its game. This year, the truck lineup includes: Border Grill, Nonna's Kitchenette, Gravy Train Poutinerie, Waffles de Liege, Kogi BBQ, Frysmith and more. Restaurants like Haven Gastropub, Short Order, Lazy Ox Canteen, Starry Kitchen and Playa are even getting into the action. And of course, for dessert -- look out for Longboards Ice Cream, Mother Moo Creamery, Short Cake, Coolhaus, Beachy Cream and other icy delights. There'll also be Singha beer and wine and tequila tastings on site as well.

Suffice it to say, the LA Street Food Fest knows what it's doing. It's all taking place this weekend at the Rose Bowl, so get your all-inclusive tickets for $45 here. (or go VIP for just $65) Check out all the detail here, and happy eating!

LA Street Food Fest takes place this Saturday, July 21st from 5pm-9pm at the Rose Bowl, located at 1001 Rose Bowl Dr. in Pasadena.

-- Chau Tu

Advance Notice. LA Street Food Fest.

L.A.'s food truck boom seems to have calmed down a bit now, but all that really means is that the best have stuck around. And many will surely be showing up for the grand L.A. food event: this year's LA Street Food Fest.

It's only the second year for this big foodie extravaganza, but last year's fest was an astounding success, so be prepared for a huge step up. The participants haven't even been announced yet, but they're already boasting more than 80 different street food vendors among celebrity chefs and L.A.'s own best restaurants. And what will be special this year are the different sessions, limited to 1,500 attendees each, so there won't be overcrowding, and participants will be able to enjoy their food and experience on a much more comfortable level. Two of the sessions are family-friendly, while the night one is 21+ only. But no matter what session you attend, the $60 price is all-inclusive, which means, yes: food, beers, cocktails, non-alcoholic drinks, parking, music -- everything you'll need for the event. So all you've got to do is show and eat! Hooray!

Considering its popularity last year, and the limitations set for this year, tickets are sure to sell out fast. Pick your session now and get ready to grub.

The LA Street Food Fest is taking place July 16 at Brookside Park at the Rose Bowl, located at 360 N. Arroyo Blvd. in Pasadena.

-- Chau Tu

The monthly BEAT: Pasadena. Make Music Pasadena.

All month in our new neighborhood series the monthly BEAT, we've been focusing on some spots special to Pasadena. Now I've got a reason for you to come back to the area later.

June 18th, to be specific. That's the date for Make Music Pasadena, a free music festival set right in the heart of the city. The festival is relatively new, but this year is already boasting a huge and awesome lineup, including Best Coast, Ra Ra Riot, The Morning Benders, Kisses, Zola Jesus, and much much more. And did I mention that it's all free??

Seriously too good to pass up. The bands will be spread out across different stages around the area, outside restaurants and stores, so this'll be the perfect chance to check out 21 Choices or the PMCAor all the other wonderful Pasadena wonders. Oh, and the great music on hand too. Happy Pasadena-ing!

Get more info onMake Music Pasadena here.

--Chau Tu

Do It. Mandy Ingber at Whole Foods Pasadena.

Mandy Ingber will be at the Arroyo Parkway Whole Foods in Pasadena tonight for a lecture and Yogalosophy DVD signing. Even if you're not interested in purchasing a DVD, show up to listen to what the renowned fitness guru has to say, and bring questions!

Jennifer Aniston, widely admired for having one of Hollywood's hottest bodies, is a longtime devotee of Ingber's yoga practice.

Time & location: May 24 at 6:30 p.m., 465 South Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena.

RSVP to sparr.marketing@wholefoods.com, subject line "RSVP for Mandy Ingber Event".

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: sourcesanddesign.com

The monthly BEAT: Pasadena. Pasadena Museum of California Art.

Today, we continue our new end-of-the-week series, the monthly BEAT, where we focus on one specific area of Los Angeles for one month.

To me, there's just something so inherently Californian about Pasadena. Maybe it's the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl, or the carefully tended-to tree-lined streets, but the town just seems to embodies all the old-school perfection that California's supposed to be famous for.

And that's why it's perfect that it's home to a museum of California art. The Pasadena Museum of California Art doesn't quite have the name recognition or star power of LACMA or MOCA, but in staying true to its Californian roots, can often house some pretty great, underrated exhibits.

This month boasts a great example: PMCA will be reopening Sunday, May 15 with three new exhibits focused on local contemporary art. In coincidental timing with MOCA's Art in the Streets, PMCA's got Street Cred: Graffiti Art from Concrete to Canvas, which boasts its own street art stars and works like DASH 2000, REVOK and MAN ONE. (And hey, street art's all about real locality, right?) Then there's Getting Upper: Graphic Designers and Artists Reconsider the Alphabet, which "charged curator Amos Klausner charged 26 designers with re-imagining a letter from the alphabet, using the illegibility and deconstructive nature of graffiti as their starting point." The results already look like a lot of fun. And then there's the work of the Clayton Brothers, one of which is seen above, and will be their first major exhibit. Brothers Rob and Christian also take influence from graffiti, as well as California skateboard and surf culture, and punk rock, to create contemporary characters.

Who knew Pasadena could have so much edge? I should have known -- it's just acting like a true Californian.

The Pasadena Museum of California Art reopens this Sunday and is located at 490 East Union St. in Pasadena.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Patient-Girl (from the series Patient), 2007, mixed media on canvas, 40 x 30 inches, Collection of Gary Baseman.

The monthly BEAT: Pasadena. Rose Bowl Flea Market.

Starting this weekend, the BEAT will focus on a specific area around Los Angeles for end-of-week posts through the month.

We're starting the series with Pasadena for May, and recommending the Rose Bowl Flea Market as a Sunday morning activity tomorrow. Bring your mother, or pick up a last-minute one-of-a-kind thoughtful gift for her there (tomorrow is Mother's Day!).

Tips:

Start your morning with great coffee

Arrive early (before 8:oo a.m.) General admission begins at 9:00, but for just $2 more ($10 vs. $8), there is express admission from 8:00 a.m. till 9:00 a.m.--well worth it when 15,000 to 20,000 people are involved.

Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and comfortable shoes

Bring cash (not only for the $10 express admission, but for the goods!)

Be selective (so you don't end up with a house full of junk)

Have fun!

Sunday May 8 from 5:30 a.m. (special preview VIP admission for $20) till 4:30 p.m.

Info: www.rgcshows.com/RoseBowl

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: craftstylish.com

Eat Out. Oak Tree Inn. [Guest Post]

Touted by Caltech scientists as the best Chinese restaurant near campus, Oak Tree Inn serves great fine dining for Chinese cuisine. The name might throw off a lot of people and the outside may look a little off-putting, but that's part of the restaurant's charm. It is based on word-of-mouth -- and now you have mine.

Be sure to get the peking duck, with its succulent cracked skin and the white sweet fluffy buns they're served with. The walnut shrimp is pretty spectacular as well if you want a simple seafood dish. If you can't decide what you want, the chef's specials will be able to help you out. And of course, your entrees are served family-style. Your meal is finished off with white chocolate covered fortune cookies, a sweet ending to perfect meal.

Oak Tree Inn is located on 1315 Fair Oaks Ave. in South Pasadena.

-- Muriel Nacar

Photo credit: eatoaktreeinn.com

Drink It. Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week [Thirsty Thursdays!]

It's a new month -- March, already! Celebrate by heading up to Old Pasadena and partaking in their Happy Hour Week, which includes discounts and specials from up to 20 restaurants and bars around the area.

Think $10 cheese or chocolate fondues with $5 well cocktails at The Melting Pot; $20 pitchers of sangria and $4 Spanish chili cheese fries at Bar Celona; $5 cut rolls at Sushi Roku; $4 mimosas and 20% off all appetizers at POP Champagne and Dessert Bar. And of course, many many more specials. Check them all out here, and enjoy!

Old Pasadena Happy Hour Week lasts until next Tuesday, March 8.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Slake pre-Valentine's celebration at Vroman's.

I never did pick up the first issue of Slake, but I just may get Volume 2. Plus their current cover goes along with our apparent black and white theme of the day.

On Sunday, Vroman's is hosting a pre-Valentine's celebration of love, and of Charles Bukowski. Slake editors Laurie Ochoa (former editor-in-chief of LA Weekly, and wife of Jonathan Gold) and Joe Donnelly will be there, as well as writers Geoff Nicholson, Victoria Patterson, Sam Slovick, and more.

Sunday February 13 at 6:30 p.m.

Vroman's is located at 695 E Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.

Slake: Los Angeles, a City and Its Stories, No. 2: Crossing Over, $18

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: good.is

Do It. Stephen Hawking at CalTech.

There's only so many chances that you might get to be in the presence of a true genius. This is one of them.

Stephen Hawking, the theoretical physicist who's known for his works and insights on black holes and the universe, will be making an appearance at the Beckman Auditorium at CalTech University next Tuesday at 8pm. The event is free and is open to anyone, but be prepared to see some real enthusiasts getting in line early. But can you blame them? Hawking is infamous for his tremendous research and knowledge on basically everything involving space and physics, and he's also got quite the personality. It'll be interesting to see what he has planned for this appearance. Start pondering your questions now!

Stephen Hawking will be appearing at 8pm on Jan. 18 at the Beckman Auditorium at CalTech University, located at 332 S. Michigan Ave. in Pasadena.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: BBC News; Hawking experiencing zero-gravity

Do It. Clueless at the Nuart.

The internet was recently graced with a beautiful video of Paul Rudd, prior to his rise as a Hollywood pretty boy stud, fulfilling his duties as a DJ at a bat mitzvah. He was really into limbo!

Now that you're in the mood for some old school Rudd, you can check out one of my favorites of his roles: the laid-back, unassumingly cute ex-stepbrother Josh in Clueless. The 90s movie starring Alicia Silverstone has surprisingly aged well, and is sure to bring back some great memories of weird fashions (knee high socks are back! And so are crop tops?) and funny catchphrases. And of course, it'll be great to see Brittany Murphy, so young and gawky. But it'll also probably make you wonder why we don't have a technology a la Cher's outfit-making closet yet. Whatever!

Clueless screens tonight at midnight at the Nuart, located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West L.A.

**And if you're in the mood for even more young Paul Rudd (and who isn't!?), the Academy Cinemas in Pasadena is screening Wet Hot American Summer at midnight on Saturday.

-- Chau Tu

Drink It. Intelligentsia Pasadena [Guest Post].

Three years and one summer after breaking bean in Silver Lake and Venice, Intelligentsia, the couture coffee clubhouse hailing from Chicago, flew into Old Town Pasadena on its famous brewshtick with a shoulder-bumping grand opening party earlier this month.

The 73-seat lofty-aired space, with alley and sidewalk entrance, houses communal tables, church pews, wide open street side windows and electric blue walls perfect for a quick java fix or a sit-down lunch with small plates served up via chef Matthew Poley of Heirloom LA. The double bar is manned with primly trimmed and ‘stached baristas who’ll soon be slinging a different kind of brew in addition to the house blend: Los Feliz's Covell Bar GM Matthew Kaner will offer up a selection of wines and beers for the tap happy. Nummy pastries a la Bottega Louie and Cake Monkey Bakery are served daily, in addition to talks of Poley filtering in grilled cheese nights and a whole pig roast.

Beyond the bustling G.O. party (which had a line wrapped around the back alley), it’s been a quiet stream of laptop laden studs, modelesque espresso sippers, a woman dictating a script to the mysterious caller and the occasional hipster in for a routine inspection. All in all, just your average cuppa joes.

*A sweet treat must-try: Chocolate Locket Cookies Chocolate sable cookies (courtesy of Cake Monkey Bakery) are filled with house made caramel and sprinkled with Fleur de Sel. Life changing.

-- Nairi Najarian

Photo credit: Intelligentsia

Advance Notice. L.A. Street Food Fest.

A sure-to-be-streamlined L.A. street food fest/extravaganza is in the works to take place on the evening of Saturday July 24 at the Rose Bowl. Participants will include favorites of the Los Angeles streets like Louks, the Border Grill Truck, The Grilled Cheese Truck, and many more (Coolhaus and other dessert trucks too). Rather than in the actual trucks, vendors will be in booths, for better ease of serving and less time waiting in lines.

The ticket price is all-inclusive, so once you're in, all you have to think about is which food you'd like to eat--not bad. Also included are drinks. There will be mixologists on-site, as well as tequila tastings. Picnic areas, live music, and of course plenty of food. A (hopefully) warm summer night in Pasadena, Calif. Sounds perfect.

Tickets are only available online, there won't be tickets at the door, so order soon if you want to go, or they may sell out. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to charities.

5:30 p.m. July 24; 4:00 p.m. early entrance with VIP ticket.

Tickets $45 general admission, $65 VIP available online only. More info: lastreetfoodfest.com

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: lastreetfoodfest.com

Do It. Old Pasadena Film Fest.

Honestly, if you don't see an outdoor movie screening sometime this summer, you really have no excuses. Because here's another one to get you in the summer spirit, and totally worth heading up the 110 to catch.

The Old Pasadena Film Festival takes place for three weeks in July, featuring multiple screenings on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays all throughout the lively Old Pasadena district. Beginning tonight, you can catch modern classics like Annie Hall, Jurassic Park, Labyrinth, Harold and Maude and more in the area's many courtyards and other mini open spaces.

And since it's free, it's simply the perfect way to kick off your weekend. Think enjoying a fun dinner at Il Fornaio, Buca di Beppo or A'Float Sushi, then grabbing dessert at 21 Choices before heading to a nearby courtyard to see Night of the Living Dead. Perfect for a date night, or just hanging out with friends, all in one convenient spot.

The Old Pasadena Film Festival begins tonight in the One Colorado Courtyard, 41 Hugus Alley with Annie Hall at 8:30pm. For more info, click here.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Old Pasadena Film Festival

Do It. Make Music Pasadena.

Don't you love it when certain songs or albums just transport you back to a specific memory, no matter how long ago that was, or how many times you've listened to them? For me, re-listening to Matt and Kim's Grand will always take me back to last summer, on my lone commutes into downtown. It was summer, I had my first post-grad job, and all I wanted was to be young and free out in the sunshine. And "Daylight" just got me through that treacherous 110 traffic.

Which makes it seem all too appropriate to me that Matt and Kim will be headlining this year's Make Music Pasadena music fest, right on the verge of summer. They were amazing at Coachella this year, and will surely thrive again in this outdoors environment. The FREE event will be taking place this Saturday right in the heart of downtown Pasadena, and will also feature up-and-coming bands like The Antlers, Warpaint and The Growlers. Definitely a great excuse to breach the 110 again.

Make Music Pasadena will be taking place in various venues all over downtown Pasadena, from 11am-11pm on Saturday, June 19. Check their Facebook for the best information, although the full line-up with set times is available on their otherwise info-less main site.

-- Chau Tu

Eat Out. Intelligentsia.

Overheard on a busy Saturday afternoon, in line at Intelligentsia Silverlake:
Boy 1: "So what's the big deal about this Intelligentsia place anyway? Why is everyone so crazy about it?"
Girl: "Oh, you'll see."
Boy 2: "Yeah, it's basically like crack."

That's one way to put it. The popular coffeehouse opened here just a mere three years ago, but quickly became a hip mainstay, later expanding to Venice on the Westside, and in the near future--the north in Pasadena.

So what's the big deal, right? I wouldn't quite liken it to an addictive substance, but the coffee here is excellent. The baristas here certainly know their coffee and tea, and are willing to spew off a billion different adjectives for any chosen variety. I tend to opt for the mocha or the cappuccino, simply because I can't resist the creaminess of their froths. They're also never too sweet (the mocha obviously being made from real chocolate) and are pretty decently priced, in terms of artisan coffee. And this time, I splurged ($2.75) on an irresistible caramel shortbread cookie with chocolate filling...do I even need to say it was worth it? Because it totally was. Leslie got the chai, pictured at top above.

The Sunset Junction was especially buzzing this afternoon, and Intelligentsia was no exception. It can be difficult at times to find a seat, but the outside seating space is still strangely nice and cozy, perfect for a day out catching up with friends. And who wants to go to Starbucks again, right? Pretend you're a coffee connoisseur and impress your friends with your hip taste--maybe you'll even get a little addicted.

Intelligentsia in Silverlake is located at 3922 W. Sunset Blvd.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: theBEAT

Check It. A book and two films.

Leslie Caron (An American in Paris, Gigi) is discussing and signing her new memoir, Thank Heaven, at where else but a place of worship? The Vroman's Bookstore Friday night event will be held at the All Saints Church in Pasadena. In the book, the Golden Age actress shares stories about everyone from Gene Kelly to Warren Beatty.

All Saints Church is located at 132 N Euclid Ave. in Pasadena. Free. Doors open at 6 p.m., event begins at 7 p.m. Book price, $25.95.

At the movie theater this weekend, we have (aside from Up in the Air) the choice of: Everybody's Fine or Brothers. Barrymore, Beckinsale and De Niro, or Gyllenhaal, Portman and Maguire? For a couple of films that I have very little interest in seeing, these are impressive lineups.

With the former, you have the likely feel good family/holiday theme going on--in the vain of the flawless Planes, Trains and Automobiles and maybe some Home for the Holidays disfunction thrown in for good measure. The man who played Jack Byrnes (among many, many other great characters) needs no explanation, and Drew Barrymore is just plain adorable.

The latter appears to have the over-the-top domestic drama of, say, Enough, with a hint of Coming Home? Director Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In America) and screenwriter David Benioff's (25th Hour, The Kite Runner) involvement definitely help the case, along with the fact that Natalie Portman can do no wrong.

Choose wisely, my friends.

Or just stay in and rent a Disney classic in honor of Walt, whose birthday was December 5.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: www.artfiles.art.com