Mark Danielewski

* The writer’s first novel, “House of Leaves,” is an experimental horror story about a house that is larger inside than out. Published by Pantheon in March, it was recently on the Los Angeles Times’ bestseller list.

Hot Thoughts: Friday I like to go to a gallery opening or a movie at a revival house or something like an architectural lecture. I’m looking for something that is really going to turn my mind on, where someone’s addressing ideas. I find the more engaging something is, the more relaxing it is because it allows me to turn off what I’ve been thinking about all week.

Exercise and Eats: Saturday morning I get up really early and drive north of Malibu to a secret spot where I go body-boarding for three or four hours. Then I go to the the Sawtelle Kitchen in West L.A. They have a great tofu salad and this dessert made of espresso jello, coffee ice cream and condensed milk. It’s amazing.

Book Buys: There are a couple of used-book stores I might wander into. For new books, I will shop online and in university bookstores or Book Soup, Skylight Books or Dutton’s. But there’s something--a corporate influence there. Used-book stores are a great way of reintroducing yourself to books that have not been in circulation for the last year.

Exercise and Eats, Part 2: I might take a yoga class in the afternoon at City Yoga on Fairfax. Then I’m up for a good meal at Itacho on Beverly Boulevard. It’s a Japanese restaurant that doesn’t have sushi, but wonderful sashimi, lotus roots, amazing shrimp dumplings, just great food.

Out on the Town: On Saturday night, clubs are too crowded so I wouldn’t go unless there’s a good band at the Joint or a cool DJ at Sugar. After that--at like 2 a.m.--I go to Home Depot. I like to dwell on objects or possibilities for my house. I love the people there as well. A good bit of the Hollywood pulse can be measured at Home Depot at 3 a.m.