the BEAT of the week: Dia De Los Muertos at Hollywood Forever.

In my new weekly post, I'll be sharing what will be called 'the BEAT of the week' -- my pick for what's coming up soon here in L.A. (and maybe a bit beyond) that's surely worth a bit of your time.

We kick it off with what has surely become a regular yearly attraction for many: Hollywood Forever Cemetery's Dia De Los Muertos festival. Also known as The Day of the Dead, Dia De Los Muertos is the Mexican holiday celebrated after Halloween to remember and honor those who have passed on. The festivities generally include building altars and shrines complete with photos, candles, incense and more; and then there's also music, dancing, storytelling and feasting to celebrate 'with' the dead.

It's a tradition extra special here thanks to L.A.'s large Hispanic demographic, and the perfect venue is found in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery (and in fact, Hollywood Forever claims it is the only cemetery in the country that opens itself for such festivities). This year -- its 12th -- the event will include musical performances by Astrid Hadad and Ruben Albarran, as well as a grand procession for the holiday. Everyone's encouraged to dress up -- especially in the traditional painted skull face known as Calaca.

It's a great way to indulge and learn about an ancient ritual, while also getting in on the spooky festivities of Halloween early -- and really, there's no better place to do it in L.A.

Dia De Los Muertos takes place this Saturday from 12pm to 12am (there are three ticketing times, click here for more info) at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, located at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. Tickets are $10.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: Ofrendas Inc.

**Check back on Thursday for Leslie's weekend list!

Make It. Pan muerto.

Today is Dia de los Muertos -- a Mexican celebration of love ones who've died -- and for the first time I can't just go out to a panaderia and buy pan muerto (dead bread).

Pan muerto is a delicious traditional sweet bread made and sold for this holiday, and today I'll be making my first pan muerto since it's not a celebrated holiday where I live in Chile.

What you'll need:

1 1/4 teaspoon of dry-active yeast

1/4 cup margarine

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs, beaten

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons orange zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup warm water

What you'll do:

1. First combine all the liquids, milk, melted margarine, then warm water. Set aside.

2. Mix all dry products: salt, 1/4 of the sugar, yeast, and 1 cup of the flour.

3. Beat in the warm milk mixture, eggs, and orange zest. Then gradually add flour.

4. Knead the mix, and let sit for 1-2 hours until it rises, doubling in size.

5. Shape the bread however you want it to look, usually with a design on top, then pop it into the oven at 350 F for 35-45.

6. To make the glaze, combine 1/4 sugar, orange, and orange zest in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, and glaze over the warm bread.

-- Lauren Williams

Photo credit: Pan Muerto being sold in the streets of Santiago, Mexico. WikiCommons.