Hot sauce

Another week has whizzed past. What the heck have I been up to? Yoga on Tuesday and Thursday morning; lunch with Regi Tuesday afternoon; acting class with Vinny on Tuesday night; re-recording voice over for Ginger on Wednesday; casting workshop Thursday night. And today's Friday. OK, so yoga. I've started attending some different classes; still love Shari's classes but am enjoying the extra challenge of a slightly more advanced class with Sigrid, who also likes to play music during the class, an eclectic mix with everything from atmospheric instrumental compositions through to Madonna and the Rolling Stones.

On Tuesday, Regi took me to lunch at 'The Cow Jumped Over the Moon', a kosher cafe/restaurant nestled in a sort of open-air courtyard of a small boutique 'mall' (Chadstone this is not) off Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The food was simple and delicious; my vegetable panini contained home-made pesto (and, somewhat surprisingly, only one vegetable - grilled zucchini - nonetheless delicious). Their only real failing in my view was the coffee. I ordered an espresso and knew at first sight it was not going to be good. It looked watery, almost transparent; more like strong tea than coffee. Alas! The waiter asked if we would like to see the dessert menu. Always! He brought out a serving of each available dessert on a plate. No leaving the decision to chance interpretations of the written word, here you are folks, we know you can't resist this! Neither did we; the strawberry tart, thanks, to share.

Yesterday I took myself to Aroma for a modest lunch and a sunny spot in which to read my book, A Prayer for Owen Meany (enjoying it very much and nearly finished). I ordered a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich and while I waited for it to be delivered, I checked out the array of condiments available on the table. The usual salt, pepper and various sugar and sugar replacements, plus ketchup and hot sauce. Hot sauce is chilli sauce, but not the glutinous, sweet chilli version I've more often seen gracing the tabletops in cafes around Melbourne. I suppose hot sauce is more like Tabasco, it has a relatively thin consistency and is bright red. I thought a dash to two might be quite tasty with my toasted sanga. Indeed! Bring on the hot sauce! I now see why it is a staple condiment, and unlike so many American flavour enhancers, it is not sweet. Hallelujiah!

Last night I attended a casting workshop at TVI, my first for about a month - November proved to be such a busy month for me, what with improv and short films. It was kind of a last minute decision, but when I checked the website in the afternoon and saw there were still places available I figured, what the hell. I'm so glad I did. It was a really fun night with an associate from the casting office that casts The Dollhouse (which has just been cancelled, sorry Joss Whedon fans out there) and two new shows which I haven't yet seen, Hung (about a retired football player with one large, ahem, asset left) and Party Down (about a group of actors who come to LA and end up working as caterers). So, quirky comedy seems to be their thing. Perfecto! I scored a very funny scene about a woman in her 30s waking up with a blinding hangover to discover a cute 20-something guy in her bed. She has a vague memory of meeting him in a bar last night but is now feeling pretty seedy and embarrassed, "my cup of shame runneth over," she says; she wants him out of there, but he's smitten. Really fun scene, my scene partner was great, and Garrett (the casting director) liked it too much to give any redirection. I think we were the only scene of the night that got no redirection. Although Garrett advised me to get new headshots (which I've been thinking about, since it is now two years since I had them done) because my current one doesn't reflect the light shining in me, or words to that effect. Interesting. I have been thinking that although I like my photo - it's a nice shot, looks like me, very natural etc - it doesn't distinguish me, doesn't show what is unique or special about me. Basically, it's about capturing my personality, but I don't know how to demonstrate that in a still photo without it coming off cartoon-like.