I got a big smile out of your letter- thank you. I appreciate your kind comments also.

Here is the scoop on my swimming:

During a race, because my heart rate is up, I breath pretty much every stroke. If the water is very choppy, it helps not to come up or air every stroke as it raises the chance to swallow water. I can bilateral breath (for those of you not familiar with these swimming terms, that means breathing by turning my head both sides) very comfortably (something I learned in twenties to combat boredom in the pool. That is also when I would practice not breathing for as many strokes as possible). I am now as comfortable breathing on my left side as my right (although during a race I notice I breathe mostly on my right side unless for orienting purposes it is not helpful). My workouts then, as now, are a steady hour in the pool, about 45 minutes freestyle and 15 minutes backstroke. Now, I will often “pool run” as I currently have ankle pain and cannot run. When I do my one hour pool workout (I am not in a masters program, although I do recommend them to those of you training for a triathlon) I breath every five strokes, and sometimes six or seven – but dont be too impressed! I am swimming so comfortably that my heart rate is low (120 bpm).

I do recommend all triathletes learn to bilateral breath and to not breath every stroke. It is better for the neck and back muscles and really helps give you confidence in a race.

Thank you for writing and I hope I answered all your questions!

Alexandra

Dear Alejandro (I like your name!),

My favorite episode of Melrose place… well I would say that my favorite scenes were whenever I got to act with the young actress who played my niece, Chea Courtney (who is, by the way, Pete Rose’s daughter). I couldnt tell you what my favorite episode was.

As for Baywatch, I really liked shooting my second episode ever, the one called Rookie of the Year when I am instructing David Charvet’s and Nicole Eggert’s characters as they go through lifeguard tryouts. I really enjoyed my fourth season on the show, because my friends Jaason Simmons and David Chokachi were on. There was a paintball episode that was fun and I do remember the three of us getting the giggles so badly in one scene that the director almost kicked us out! Jaason says his favorite episode was when we spoofed Charlie’s Angels, and we sure did laugh alot on that one (Pamela was really excellent as Farrah Fawcett-Majors). I also enjoyed shooting any scenes with Hasselhoff, because I adore him so much, and any scenes in my apartment because that meant good dialogue stuff with Yasmine and Pamela. Oh and I really liked the Beach Boys episode because I got a love story with an old real-life friend and of course I was front row center at a Beach Boys concert! A real challenge for me was the episode where I got a montage as a lounge singer (blonde wig and lots of jewels) lip-synching this song and seducing Mitch. My acting coach Doug Warhit came to the set to rehearse with me before we shot it. I enjoyed that whole episode alot too (it was when Hasselhoff and I go undercover as rich husband and wife, my first season).

Ahhh. You have me reminiscing… I could go on forever because I had such a wonderful time on Baywatch!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to think back.

Alexandra

Big mistake on my part to not take a credit on “Kuffs” ( a film with Christian Slater that I did about ten years ago). My agent thought it was too small a part but I wanted to do it, and so we decided not to take a credit – I guess so people didnt know it was me in that small part! I regret it.

No, it wasnt my sister Caroline in that part, but as it was shot in San Francisco, she did come visit me on the set!

I really enjoy doing smaller parts in films and you can currently see me in video stores in “12 Bucks”, an independent film starring and written and produced by my friends Sean and Scott. David Chokachi and I appear in the first scene of the movie…

Thank you for writing!

Alexandra