How to have the best Sunday in LA, according to Kate Berlant

On the stand-up stage, comedian Kate Berlant is a lot of – lots of exaggerated faces, lots of abrupt, free-form physicality and lots of thematic pivots on a dime.

She's brought that same frenetic theatricality to both the small and big screen, including last year's Emmy-nominated sketch comedy special “Would it be fatal to laugh?” with her boyfriend and frequent collaborator John Early, as well as scene-stealing roles in HBO's “Search Party” and the Boots Riley film “Sorry to Bother You.”

Now she is exuberant additional-ness is on full display in her one-woman off-Broadway production “Kaat,” runs through February 11 at Pasadena Playhouse.

Written and performed by Berlant and directed by Bo Burnham (who also directed her 2022 Hulu comedy special, “Cinnamon in the wind”), the quasi-autobiographical piece is, in her own words: “a bit like my ridiculous clown show. It is an absurd, but also sincere, theatrical experience.”

Although she is a blur of hyperactivity during performances, she is considerably calmer away from the spotlight.

“I am a bon vivant,” she says. “I pursue pleasure openly and quickly and it is not difficult for me to relax.”

Born and raised in Santa Monica and now living in Silver Lake, her version of relaxation ranges from quiet lounging at Silver Lake Meadow to an hour-long cold immersion contrast therapy session at Pause Studio in West Hollywood. And when it comes to pleasure, her thoughts immediately turn to food: “I guess I don't know what else makes people tick!”

She came up with an ideal Sunday route in which her desires would accompany her on a food festival through the city. She would unapologetically frequent frequent eateries, and not just one two trendy health food stores, as well as a few old haunts from her adolescence.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.

9am: No rush to get up

Since the weekend has no meaning for me because my life doesn't follow the rhythm of a normal life, I think there is a bit of a feeling of “The office is closed.” I'd like to sleep until 8:30 or 9. I need at least eight hours of sleep and I really, honestly want to get ten. I like being able to sleep freely and not have anywhere to go. I woke up and stayed in bed for an hour.

10am: Play barista at home

I'm obsessed with my new coffee maker, a Breville Bambino espresso machine. I have to say it changed my life. It makes better coffee than I can ever get in the world. Plus—I'm sure this is a habit that will probably disappear in the next week or two—I'm currently hyper-fixated on making green juice every morning, as is a natural symptom of living in Los Angeles.

11 a.m.: Make a breakfast decision

I love Sqirl – it's still one of the most reliably delicious meals you can get. I also love Courage bagels, which obviously receives an extraordinary amount of attention in the press, but it lives up to its reputation. The line at Courage is often overwhelming and impenetrable, especially when people are hungry. There is a rare occasion where, if I can handle waiting in line, it's Courage. I'm often hungry and when I need food, I usually need it within 20 minutes. When I go to Sqirl I really like the rice bowl with sorrel pesto, and the frittata thing they do is beautiful.

Afternoon: Embark on a Westside trek

I would probably go to Santa Monica to visit my parents, which I do quite often on Sundays. It is a shocking sacrifice I make as an only child who loves his parents. You have to completely surrender to the traffic and get over it. Normally I just listen to the same songs on a loop because I'm such a creature of habit. (Currently some songs on repeat are: “Let 'Em In” by Wings, “When the Morning Comes” by Hall & Oates, “Number One Fan” by Muna, “What It Is” by Doechii and “Party 4 U” by Charli XCX.) Or I take the opportunity to call. When I complain about the traffic, I realize how lucky I am to be able to see my parents; they are just an annoying traffic ride away. We just sit at the dining table and chat. I often bring them food, so I bring some from Sqirl, or I pick it up Tacos Por Favor, a town in Santa Monica from my youth that is still there. Their chile rellenos are an important part of my childhood; my parents ordered them in bulk for parties.

3 p.m.: Comparison shopping

I'm going to Erewhon – as the government requires of me – at least three to five times a week. (I have a habit of buying their soups that come in a jar as emergency post-show food when I get home late from the movies.) That would not It would be different if I were to go to two different Erewhons in one day and consider it a ridiculous indulgence. I'll go to Silver Lake and look around. Then I'll actually go to the Santa Monica Erewhon, just to compare and contrast. And if I'm in Santa Monica, I would make a nostalgic stop at the Brentwood Country Mart, to see how the 0.5% live and maybe do some shopping. [Growing up] I spent a lot of time there.

5 p.m.: An atmosphere check during dinner

If I wanted a burger I would go there Lowboy in Echo Park. If I wanted pizza I would go there Quarterly magazines. I like to eat very early; My partner and I both want to eat at five o'clock.

7 p.m.: Join us in an attractive bar

We would go there as a date Cafe Triste in Chinatown and have a nice glass of wine and hang out outside. Atmosphere is key and Café Triste is quite sexy and has a nice energy. Or I love too Capri club. I have no qualms about fully embracing, loving, and worshiping the most media-hyped places in Los Angeles. I could rack my brain for a more specialized list to portray myself as someone who walks their own path. But I'm on the Commoner's Trail!

9 p.m.: Back home to look at houses

To be honest, it's really nice to be home at nine o'clock on a Sunday and then, realistically, watch for an hour Architectural summary videos. I am aesthetically driven and obsessed with people's homes and spaces and how the wealthy reproduce a certain aesthetic. To capture people in that 'performance' of the Architectural Digest tour, it's some of the most terrifying material you can find. To be clear, I'm raw, wild and I like to go out late. I love partying, I love glamor and I love Hollywood, but I also love having dinner at five o'clock and then going all REM [sleep] by 11.