Off the set, he’s active and hungry

Actor James Reynolds has traded quips on “Seinfeld,” put on his game face for “The Weakest Link” and, back in the day, spent some flex time on “The Incredible Hulk.” But it’s soap fans who know him best, as Abe Carter on the NBC daytime series “Days of Our Lives.”

Around his South Pasadena neighborhood, however, Reynolds and wife Lissa are known as the artistic directors of the Fremont Centre Theatre, where the holiday play “A Christmas Twist” opens tonight.

Down-home food

If we don’t have a play at the theater, we’ll go someplace in our neighborhood for dinner. Gus’ Barbecue is nice. It’s a real down-home place, so obviously there are ribs and barbecue beef sandwiches, but I’ll often have something light, like the Cobb salad. We also like to go to Firefly, which is a tented restaurant in South Pasadena. It’s got a wonderful ambience, and they have great pork chops, although I’d probably just have a salad there too.

If we have a play running, then it’s a whole different process. We own the building where the theater is located, and there’s a restaurant there called Bistro K. They have wonderful stuff -- there’s escargots in puff pastry that I like. It’s not too heavy, and it’s the right kind of food for transitioning from shooting to going to the theater.

Newspaper hound

We get such early calls during the week that sleeping in on Saturday is a real luxury. Maybe we’ll go to Buster’s nearby for espresso and cinnamon-crusted coffeecake. I read three newspapers a day, so we’ll just sit there for about an hour and read. I always have to have something to read with me.

After that, we’ll go play basketball. I coach a women’s team during the week, and it’s nice to get a game in on a Saturday. We might also go up into the San Gabriel Mountains for a hike. For lunch, we’ll wander around Old Town Pasadena and get a hamburger at Johnny Rockets or a pretzel at Wetzel’s or just some ice cream.

For dinner, I like Saladang Song, a Thai restaurant with an outdoor courtyard and palm trees. It’s the perfect California setting. I like the coconut shrimp, and my wife loves the fritters. We’ll go with friends, and the table will get filled with too much food. We’ll go back to someone’s house and spend the rest of the evening laughing and talking, inevitably way too late.

Plenty to do

The next morning I like to relax with the Sunday paper. I’ll make Swedish pancakes or French toast and have a big mug of coffee. Then it’s an active day -- maybe going down to the arroyo and playing the par-three golf course. There’s also tennis, racquetball, horseback riding and archery, or just some hiking. It’s one of those great urban parks L.A. is blessed with.

After that, brunch with friends at the Ritz-Carlton in San Marino. I grew up in a Kansas farm town, and it’s amazing to me that you can have clams, oysters and fish for brunch.

If there’s a Lakers game in town, that’s definitely where we’ll be next. We also like to go to the Rialto Theater, one of those great ‘20s movie palaces. For dinner, I might go to Bristol Farms and pick up some salmon. I’m an instinctive cook, though, so don’t ask me for any recipes.