My Favorite Weekend

Louise Sorel plays Vivian Alamain on NBC’s “Days of Our Lives� and Margaret in Odyssey Theatre’s “A Perfect Ganesh,� which runs through Sept. 11.

A Perfect Hide-Out: I am shy of going out on big weekend nights. I prefer to hide out at home, reading or writing. I write journal entries every day. I always use a typewriter or longhand; I can’t write on a computer. It’s too cold.

Golden Age: I do love to go to movies. The Crest Theater is wonderful. It’s old Hollywood style, with a shooting star that falls over the stage and show tunes that play before the movie starts. It’s the way a theater should be. I will see anything but violence. I won’t be seeing “Saving Private Ryan,� for example. I don’t need to be reminded of that.

Classical Roots: I love music. Whenever I have the opportunity, I go to the Hollywood Bowl. I have a long history there. I have been going with my mother (a concert pianist) since I was 2 years old, and I graduated from Hollywood High at the Bowl. My first job was ushering at the Bowl for $4 a night. I did it just so I could hear the music. Then I made enough money to have my own seats!

My Place: I know this town keeps opening “the new place.� But those are the places I stay away from. I usually cook or go somewhere in my neighborhood. I like Orso because it throws me back to New York, La Bruschetta and Chez Mimi. Once in a while I find new things, like Jiraffe in Santa Monica. The problem for me is noise. I am really put off when everybody is “on.�

Cooking by Design: I am very creative about cooking. Whatever country I feel like diving into, I’ll choose an exotic recipe, and take a trip. I also cook by color. If I see a photograph or a painting of food that I like, I just have to make it. I have a Viking stove and a wonderful small kitchen that puts out a lot of food.