My Favorite Weekend

Charlotte D’Amboise, who plays Roxie Hart in “Chicago,” which continues through Aug. 30 at the Shubert Theater.

* Animal Farm: I love taking my dogs to Runyon Canyon where I can let them run free. I have an Irish terrier and a cocker spaniel, and my roommate has a Rottweiler and a pot-bellied pig. We can’t bring the pig along with us though because all the dogs want to eat the pig!

* Chinese Takeoff: There are some things about L.A. that are a welcome change from New York, where I live permanently. Take Chin Chin, for example. I love the Chinese chicken salad. It’s a new taste that’s different from your run-of-the-mill Chinese food.

* Shop-a-Rama: There is nothing I enjoy more than shopping in a new place. I love Sunset Plaza, which is near where I live. Beverly Hills is expensive but fun to walk around. The malls are a good day trip, and something that we don’t have in New York.

* Dorm Life: I’m living with two of my best girlfriends who are also in the biz. Late at night, after I get home from doing the show, we all sit around the kitchen, pull out the food we have--Lucky Charms cereal, chips and salsa, Rice Krispie treats-- and gossip and gorge ourselves. We’re like college roommates again.

* The Right Moves: I go to the gym or do Pilates every day. I have to keep my muscles tight for all the dancing in the show. I go to Crunch Gym in the 8000 Sunset complex. It’s quite a scene!

* A Getaway: I haven’t even really gotten a chance to go to the beach since I’ve been here. Monday night is my only night off. Most days I have to be at the theater at 5:30 p.m., or earlier if we have a matinee. My husband, [actor] Terrence Mann, is coming out here for a few weeks and we are planning to go to the Malibu Inn, so that will be nice. He’s on Broadway in “The Scarlet Pimpernel” right now so we hardly ever get to talk on the phone because of the time change.