Off the court, rebounding with good meals, movies

She’s pursuing a doctorate in business -- GPA: 3.97. On the court, she and her Sparks teammates have won back-to-back WNBA championships. Their goal is a three-peat. The team is prepped to follow in the footsteps of its Los Angeles counterpart, the Lakers.

First the food

Friday nights, it’s time to relax, have a meal, maybe catch a movie. Now let’s start with my all-time favorite restaurant. That would be Lawry’s -- the prime rib, corn, the potatoes -- now that’s great. If I’m not at Lawry’s I have fun at Benihana’s -- it’s just a great time, it’s fun. I also love Crustacean.

Bridging the gap

Next it’s time to catch a movie. I like the Bridge theaters. The screens are huge, really large screens. But it’s really the directors I’m looking forward to seeing -- the next “Matrix” movie. Lately, let’s see, I saw “Head of State,” and it was a lot funnier than I had expected it would be.

Actually I’d make a good critic, you know -- an Ebert and Leslie. I love really good movies, all kinds -- like “Scarface” with Al Pacino and “The Color Purple” with Whoopi Goldberg. Drama and chick flicks. And after the meal and the movie, I’ll go to the beach, Manhattan Beach or Venice boardwalk, taking in maybe a two-mile run.

Spa break

I take a real break on Saturday morning. It has to be Thibiant Beverly Hills Day Spa. I get a facial massage, body scrub, the whole works. Century City Plaza, there’s a very nice spa for couples. So if you want to take somebody really nice, men and women can be pampered together.

I like to play games, chess or Mindtrap with my friends, Monopoly or spades or Scrabble. Later, I may go to Baja Fresh and have a chicken, bean and rice burrito.

If I’m playing pool, I usually go out to a place in Santa Monica or Long Beach. And I’m very competitive too. Sometimes I might go bowling. Then it’s probably time to call it a night and finish up a good day watching DVDs at home.

One time I watched “Star Wars” I and II -- I did that for a guy of course. But if I have my choice, it’ll be something else. I bought “Maid in Manhattan” and don’t get me wrong, I love J. Lo, but I’d have to give it thumbs down. Still, everything looks and sounds pretty good from where I sit, there’s Sony surround sound and I’ve got my TiVo hooked up, so when we’re on the road, I can see my shows.

Day for prayer

I go to church Sunday mornings. A huge non-denominational service held in the arena. At 10 a.m. anywhere from 6,000 to 7,000 people file into the Forum for worship. I’m not uncomfortable with church being held in an arena -- it’s just a building. And if I can go there to play a basketball game, I can go there and pray.

In the afternoon, I might take a nap, then eat. Mom will cook rice, greens, black-eyed peas and yams and roast turkey wings. I’ll finish all of that off with her special caramel cake. In the evening, it’s homework. I may meet with a group and go over the material or I might go it alone. Got to do that homework. There’s my next career out there -- my future.

-- Carolyn Patricia Scott