My Favorite Weekend

A Higher Plane: I start the weekend Friday morning by riding my bike from Manhattan Beach, where I live, to Marina del Rey, where I work. I stop at the marina and go rowing at the UCLA Aquatic Center. I’ve been rowing since I lived in Boston and used to go on the Charles River. It’s relaxing in the marina, the water is glassy, there’s a light fog, and sometimes a seal will pop up.

Room With a View: I live right on the Strand in a second-floor apartment with an unobstructed view of ocean. The living room and dining room both have huge windows with panoramic views. It’s a nice setting and makes for great sunsets.

A Blank Canvas: In the afternoons, I like to open a bottle of red wine, put some music on and work on my watercolor painting. I do mostly architectural paintings, but when I travel, I do sketches of places I’ve been. I have never sold any of my paintings; I make them for friends. I did a painting for The Hump at Santa Monica Airport.

Learning Curve: My evenings usually consist of a barbecue on the patio at home. If I do go out to dinner, sometimes it’s to one of my restaurants. When we go to Spago, they treat us very nicely. I don’t go to Barfly anymore, though--I’m married. If I keep hearing about a new restaurant, I make a point of going out and looking at it to make sure I’m in tune with other designs.

The Golden Rule: My wife, Stephanie, and I hardly see movies at all. It doesn’t matter if we rent them or if we go out to see them in the theater, I fall asleep. For me, the barometer of how good a movie is is how long I can stay awake. The last one I stayed awake for was “Titanic.”

Good Plans: Sundays, I like to go bike riding. I meet a friend who lives in Malibu, and we go clear up to the mountains. Another good Sunday outing is going to the Santa Monica Airport to watch the planes take off.