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

Check It. Jim Carrey on SNL tonight.

I'm going to watch Saturday Night Live tonight for the first time in a long time. Jim Carrey is hosting, and the Black Keys are the musical guests.

Some Newman's Own popcorn and lemonade sounds great as a viewing snack. Or a deliciously rich 'Milk' milkshake.

Tonight, NBC 4 - 11:29 p.m. till 1:00 a.m.

Milk is located at 7290 Beverly Boulevard in Los Angeles. Info: themilkshop.com

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Check It. Free Community Weekend at LACMA.

This weekend LACMA is opening its doors to the members of the community for free.

Both Saturday and Sunday visitors can view the museum's exhibits on fashion, masterpieces from Mexican history, and their "Eye for the Sensual" exhibit. There will also be live performances that compliment the museum's exhibit on Mexico Saturday between 12-4 p.m. in Hancock Park and a free photo booth is on the marquee.

Timed reservation tickets are required for admittance.

LACMA is located at 5905 Wilshire Blvd.

-- Lauren Williams

Do It. Vaudeville at the Alex.

This Sunday the Alex Film Society is presenting a night of vaudevillian inspired performances and a series of short silent movies.

The theater is a beautiful art deco building that is in great shape, a lot like The Wiltern in design.

This is an event I would look forward to all year, and I'm kicking myself that I'll be out of town for this one. Past events have had comedic acts, magic, and 1920s style sing-alongs.

This year's event is a matinee only, at 2 p.m. this Sunday. Tickets are $20.

The Alex Theatre located at 216 N. Brand Blvd. in Glendale.

-- Lauren Williams

Do It. The Town.

Aside from an Indian feast tonight, and plenty of sleep tomorrow and Sunday, my big weekend plan is to see The Town. I was fortunate enough to catch a conversation with Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner about the new release at the L.A. Film Fest in June, and have been looking forward to seeing it ever since. If masked nuns in habits carrying machine guns isn't a scary image, I don't know what is.

The Town is playing at all three ArcLight Cinemas, as well as many other theaters nationwide.

A good suggestion for a pre or post-film meal: Umami Burger (Hollywood) is in walking distance from the ArcLight Hollywood, at 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: geektyrant.com

Do It. LA County Fair.

Those interested in seeing some horse racing, eating heart-stoppingly-delicious food, and checking out some animals have 19 days to head over to the Los Angeles County Fair, which will be wrapping up Oct. 3.

Among the attractions at the fair are The Wine & Spirits Marketplace, The Bark Park where talented dogs put on performances, a carnival, circus, a flower and garden pavilion, and an exhibit of Our Body: The Universe Within which has actual human bodies on display.

Also, OK Go is scheduled to be performing at the fair on its final day, Oct. 3.

If you plan on attending on a Friday, admission is free if you bring five cans of food for Ralph's food drive. Regular admission for those 13 and over is $12 on weekdays, and $17 on weekends.

The LA County Fair is at the Fairplex in Pomona at 1101 W. McKinley Ave.

-- Lauren Williams

Do It. Fashion's Night Out.

L.A.'s best shops and boutiques will be staying up late tonight in honor of Fashion's Night Out, a worldwide event celebrating the best in fashion with special deals and surprises all over. Being a star-studded fashion capital itself, expect some great events right here in L.A., including:

- Samuel L. Jackson (?!) hosts an exhibit at Giorgio Armani from 6:30-8:30pm, at 436 N. Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills
- Also at Rodeo Drive, play a fashion trivia game with real-life pieces, like Kelly Osbourne, at 6 pm (next to a Ferris wheel?)
- Justin Timberlake promoting his William Rast line at both the Century City mall and the new Santa Monica Place
- Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh (he also soundtracks all the Wes Anderson movies) and "Rachel Zoe"'s Taylor Jacobson will be at the Fred Segal at 8100 Melrose Ave.
- Rachel Bilson and Rashida Jones expected at the 3.1 Phillip Lim party on 631 N. Beverly Blvd.
- will.i.am and skateboarder Rob Dyrdek will be on the red carpet at the Beverly Center (8500 Beverly Blvd.), which will have free parking and shuttles to other FNO events

Check out more events on Fashion's Night Out site, and have a stylish time!

**Also this weekend:
- Fashion-related: did you get a hold of Alexa Chung x Madewell yet?
- Not fashion-related: Sound of Music all weekend at the New Beverly, the second-to-last weekend of the Dennis Hopper exhibit at MOCA, Joaquin Phoenix's bizarre I'm Still Here opens at the Landmark

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Cirque du Soleil at the Grove.

It's amazing to think that Cirque du Soleil has been around for years now, and they're still captivating us with every new show they open. Haven't been to Vegas to catch a show yet? Luckily for you, they're bringing the crazy acrobatics out of the desert and into our neighborhood.

Get a sneak peek at the amazingness of Cirque as six of the famous circus shows will be heading to the Grove for a special live performance this Sunday. For Summer of Cirque, performers from Mystère, “O”, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE and Viva Elvis will be on hand for fun activities and performances that are free and open to the public. And for some reason, Criss Angel's Believe show is also scheduled to appear?

Either way, it sounds like a fun excuse to get outside and see some great performances, without wasting your gambling money.

Summer of Cirque will take place this Sunday with activities at 11am and performances at 1pm. The Grove is located 189 The Grove Dr. in Mid-City.

**ALSO THIS WEEKEND:
- Sunset Junction in Silver Lake
- Bryan Lee O'Malley signing at Giant Robot
- Test Kitchen with Red Medicine's Jordan Kahn
- Down and Derby Roller Disco at the Echo (Michael Jackson night)
- Disposable Film Festival Bike-In in Santa Monica

-- Chau Tu

Do It. British Noir at the Nuart.

The "Rialto's Best of British Noir" festival starts tomorrow at West L.A.'s Nuart Theatre. Brighton Rock, adapted from the Graham Greene novel of the same name, It Always Rains on Sunday, Peeping Tom, Carol Reed's The Fallen Idol, and the one I'm most excited to see, Reed's The Third Man, are all included in the week's screenings. The series runs February 5 - 11. Check www.landmarktheatres.com for exact showtimes.

The Nuart is a very cool one screen theater just west of the 405 that most often screens interesting films--I last saw M. Hulot's Holiday there, and before that Harvard Beats Yale 29-29. They also sell Fiji water. Tickets are $10.50.

The Nuart is located at 11272 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Los Angeles.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: www.impawards.com