Four degrees of DC theater

Got to sleep in, though I don't feel rested. Never took a nap yesterday, nor did I drink enough water. And I had wine with dinner last night. You get so used to having 2 classes a day, you forget how vulnerable your body is to anything vaguely toxic.

Last night, Chris arranged a little reunion dinner for DC-to-LA transplants. We met at Buca di Beppo in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is a cute, cute, cute neighborhood of shiny shops and restaurants. I passed the Lululemon yogawear shop and heard choirs of angels. Maybe normal things just seem sparkly to me because I'm used to living in sweat and grime.

Why, oh why did no one tell me that evenings here are freezing? Why didn't I think to check the weather before I packed? All I brought was hot weather clothes. I would sell my right arm for some jeans and a sweater. Tonight I borrowed some layers from Chasity. I have exactly 10 minutes before I have to be at the restaurant, so I duck into the Santa Monica Goodwill. I buy a Paul Frank t-shirt, a long denim skirt, and a sweater, and change right in the aisle of the Goodwill because they have no dressing room.

The gathering was Chris, me, Jon Cohn, Kevin Price, Richard Dorton & girlfriend, David Levine, and Beth. I'd never met David or Beth, which is sort of amazing, given the number of intersections at the table. Everyone at that table had done at least one show together, though not with any other person. I've done separate shows with Chris, Jon, Kevin & Richard. Kevin & Richard did Winter's Tale together. Beth & Chris: Cherry Red. Chris & Kevin: I Love Robot -- also featuring Lara Rubin, before we ever met and became friends. David, KP, Jon & Lara were all National Players. The cross-currents of rehashing were insane. The next generation of DC actors will have six fingers.

Jon has the same triple-effusive energy. You respond to it, try to keep up with it, but somehow feel dirty afterwards. KP had the most interesting stories of the evening. I thought he came out here to act, but he's actually screenwriting. It was a glimpse into The Business. One of his screenplays was optioned for a year, but never got made. Apparently there is financial benefit from optioning, whether or not anything comes of it. He also works as a private math tutor, sometimes for Hollywood offspring. Without spoiling any of KP's future employment prospects, suffice it to say that he's one of those people that have a lot more under the surface than he lets on.

Meetings of DC theater folk are always surreal. But from the Bikram bubble to this, in LA. I'm not really sure which feels more like the real world. It's probably healthy for me to get out in the unhealthy outside world on a regular basis.

I have to give up this vain idea of cooking every weekend to prepare lunch for the week. Class, grocery store, laundry, nap, pedicure, a meal or two and the weekend's done.