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Sweetie, ready to share that inner self?

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Special to The Times

Ever had a date during which you had a knot in your stomach the entire time?

This was one -- and it wasn’t even the company. Or the dinner.

My husband and I took in the “Body Worlds: The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies” at the California Science Center. (The sequel, “Body Worlds 2,” opens Saturday.)

The “real human bodies” part certainly was truth in advertising. The show was composed of more than 200 perfectly preserved human specimens. This included 25 whole bodies, every one of them skinless, and, well, filleted to expose the innards of each man, woman or child, close up and real as the nose on your face. Bladders, brains, kneecaps, you name it.

The bodies had been preserved through “plastination,” a technique that replaces body fluids with plastics, and Paul and I had heard that this blockbuster exhibition was “life changing.” All true.

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But even the plasticized ballet dancer in a graceful arabesque gave me the willies. Not to mention a tattooed guy who still had a whole lot of body hair. A stand-alone bisected brain inside a glass case glistened.

Of course, “The Human Body” IMAX film we saw provided a great introduction to the exhibit. But did they have to go close-up on that teen popping a pimple?

Walking back to the car through the Exposition Park rose garden was comforting. The fountain whooshed and a bird called.

For dinner, we drove a few blocks to Pasta Roma, which a museum employee had recommended as uncommonly good for the money. It was. Large portions, great marinara sauce.

Unfortunately, though I’d called ahead to check closing time, when we arrived the manager barked, “takeout only.” After promising to eat fast, we were allowed to sit, but workers dimmed lights and stacked every chair in the place, except ours, atop its table.

“The manager probably has a date,” Paul said. Hmmm, maybe it was a good thing ours was ending early. At least we got to take home leftovers. Not wrapped in plastic.

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The tab

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Science $36.75

What: “Body Worlds 2” exhibition and “The Human Body” IMAX film, plus parking. (213) 744-7540

Where: California Science Center, Exposition Park, 700 State Drive, L.A.

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Dinner $12.53

What: Dinner for two

Where: Pasta Roma, 2827 S. Figueroa St., L.A. (213) 742-0303

Total $49.28

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