Gotta love L.A.

Ah, Los Angeles, where the gas stations have water features.  Is this just another example of profligate waste, or an artful reference to a desert oasis, that island of greenery thirsted for in a dry, hot land?  I'm inclined to the former, but draw your own conclusions.

It's Sunday night and I'm here again at Fabs, sipping a rather fabulous Napa Cab Sav and hand writing the blog.  It's busier than last week, but the barman remembered what I ordered last week (a Syrah), with families gathered in the restaurant area while hip singles (moi??) slouch at the bar.  Every now and then a child shrieks; whether from delight or outraged indignation, it's impossible to tell.

I've had a lovely weekend.  On Friday I lent my car to Regi as his was at the mechanic and he had three auditions to attend.  Yes, three in one day.  I can't wait until I'm that busy!  In all liklihood he will book at least one of them.  Anyway, as thanks he took me to dinner to Kate Mantilini, Woodland Hills.  It was a bit of an adventure finding the place as his iPhone was dead, but that just sharpened the appetite.  Great place; a stylish but family-friendly bistro serving up a huge menu without sacrificing quality.  I had the crab cakes (a signature dish) which were delish.  Regi had the chicken pot pie, apparently voted the best in town by the L.A. Magazine, which lived up to high expectations.  The only slight problem (for me) was that I sat very short at the table.  I asked a waiter of they had any cushions I could sit on.  No, but would I like to try the child seat?  Sure, why not, bring it on.  As small and perky as my butt is, it was a little too small to fit.  Probably for the best.  Not the most dignified seat in the house.

On Saturday I caught up with Jen, a friend I met in acting class.  She's American but also new in town, having come to L.A. about the same time as me, from Florida.  We went to Pasadena for lunch, about 20 minutes east of Sherman Oaks along the 101 highway.  The main drag has a Chapel St, South Yarra vibe; a tourist spot, lots of cafes and bars and mid-to-high end boutiques, without the gilt-edge of Beverly Hills.

Thanks to Skype, I had some major catch-up sessions with three of my besties; Bridgette, Tiffany and Gordi over the weekend.  It was so great to see you guys, hear your voices, have a laugh and exclaim further over a certain roommate.  Good news in that department; I've found another place to live, quite nearby in Sherman Oaks.  The new place is a kind of Melrose Place set-up; a small, gated complex of modest apartments surrounding a central patio and large swimming pool.  My new roomie-to-be is an older lady, probably in her 60s as she has kids my age.  We got along very well upon meeting and chatted for over an hour.  It's a bit smaller than where I am now, but it's considerably cheaper also, with more natural light and a friendly, relaxed vibe.  I'm moving next weekend.  Hooray!

This afternoon I sweated it out in an intense Boot Camp class - cardio high, anyone? - and later on stopped by Aroma for a coffee.  There I got chatting to three guys, two of whom are in 'the biz'.  Robert is a veteran actor who trained alongside Pacino in New York.  He came to L.A. 20 years ago and is a font of information and advice.  He also works as a script writer and producer.  Samah is a young director whose most recent short film stars Rainn Wilson (Dwight Shrute from the U.S. The Office).  Samah was sharing a huge piece of chocolate cake with a friend, and we got talking because they needed an extra chair which they took from my table, we joked about it, they inquired about my accent etc, then Robert joined in because he knew them and the four of us chatted about acting, filmmaking, L.A., the business and so forth.  It was most convivial and we exchanged cards.  As you do.  Ah, Los Angeles, where having coffee is a networking opportunity!