Happy Mardi Gras

Today's not just any Tuesday. It's Mardi Gras -- Fat Tuesday -- Shrove Tuesday -- Carnival. Whatever you want to call it, it's a day to rock yer socks off. And since we're not in Rio or in New Orleans right now flashing for beads and drinking Dixie Beer on the street, LAist has thought of a few places to celebrate around LA today:

- Amoeba Records starts its festivities at 4 PM with a little parade and charity auction. (We don't know, however, what they make Hollywood rockers do for their beads. Flash their tats, perhaps?)

- Temple Bar in Santa Monica is holding its 7th Annual Mardi Gras Carnival, Latin American style, with doors at 8:30 PM.

- And last but not least, the Farmer's Market on Fairfax is open until 9 PM -- and so you can order your crawfish po'boy or jambalaya at the Gumbo Pot for dinner tonight. And remember that the Farmer's Market happy hour is from 5-7 PM.

So even if we're only in LA, remember to laissez les bon temps roulette.

AP Photo/Jorge Saenz