UNDERRATED / OVERRATED

PCC FLEA MARKET

Held on the first Sunday of every month, the Pasadena Community College Flea Market (1570 E. Colorado Blvd.) gets less attention than its big brother at the Rose Bowl, but it has the advantage of free entry and a laid-back vibe, plus nearly 500 vendors hawking records, furniture, jewelry and everything in between.

OREAN HEALTH EXPRESS

The idea behind this vegetarian fast-food joint in Pasadena (817 N. Lake Ave. -- what is with us and Pasadena this week?) sounds paradoxical, but the giant tofu burgers, baked fries and veggie Philly cheese steaks are hearty yet don’t leave the disgusting after-meal guilt normally associated with fast food. And the fact that these gems are served from a drive-through shack next to a McDonald’s tickles us as well.

CARL’S JR.

Underrated for just one reason: the Cap’n Crunch Shake. Ever dreamed of drinking your childhood? Ice cream, milk, vanilla syrup, bits of Cap’n Crunch cereal and whipped “topping” lift your spirits on an otherwise drab spring afternoon.

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VALET PARKING

Unless you’re in the super-congested Westside, there’s no excuse for trying to force patrons to pay to park when there are plenty of nearby neighborhood spots available (Mia Sushi, 4741 Eagle Rock Blvd.) or if you have a huge on-site parking lot (Taix, 1911 W. Sunset Blvd.).

MARIAH CAREY

Sure, she has more No. 1 hits than Elvis, but she ain’t never caught a rabbit, she ain’t no friend of mine.

PALM TREES

As our fair city warms, these iconically useless non-natives don’t give shade, do little to counter car emissions and shed dead fronds at the slightest Santa Ana. If we’re really going green, this greenery’s got to go.

PLANNING TO MOVE TO BERLIN

All the cool kids want its cheap rent, great apartments, art revival and cache of Bowie-era cool, especially given the impending President McCain (plus Brangelina’s plans to start saying, “Ich bin ein Berliner”). But the place is lame and completely played out.