She’s digging some calm and quiet after a hectic week

Parties, premieres, press junkets -- Nikki Ziering has been keeping her calendar full while traveling across the country on behalf of her latest film, “National Lampoon’s Gold Diggers,” which opens nationally on Friday. But when you’re an actress still trying to nail that breakthrough role, being busy is a good thing. Or at least that’s what her people keep telling her.

The Southland native first came to prominence in the late ‘90s as one of “Barker’s Beauties” on the “The Price Is Right” TV show, although others may remember her a tad more vividly from Playboy, where she was Miss September 1997. Now single and living in Brentwood, Ziering, 33, talked about a few days away from the grind.

Putting on the dog

I spend so much time going to parties and functions during the week for work that when the weekend comes, it’s hard to get me to go out. I like to stay home and spend time with my dog, Monkey, who’s a Labradoodle [a Labrador-poodle mix]. But if I was going to spend a Friday night out, one of my favorite places is Balboa, a restaurant on Sunset Boulevard that has great steaks. I’m not huge on rice and bread, but I do love a good steak. If I want to be a little healthier, I also love the food at Sushi Roku. But I always save room for dessert. The blackberry cobbler at Cynthia’s on 3rd Street is my favorite.

After that, it’s home. The music is so loud at clubs that you can’t really enjoy the person you’re with, so why go out when you can spend a nice, quiet night at home? And anyway, when I’m out at a place like a club, it can start to feel like I’m back at work.

On Saturday morning, I’ll start with a workout at the Pro Gym in Brentwood. My trainer, Heinz, mixes it up every time, but it’s mostly some type of warmup and free weights. I get my cardio in my lifestyle, like taking my dog to the off-leash park near Barrington and Sunset. He loves to run there, and I can get something at the Coffee Bean that’s right across the street.

Sole Sister

Later, I love to go shopping, so I’ll head to Fred Segal with a friend, and we can have lunch there too. I love shoes, and sometimes I really get carried away. I might start out shopping for a friend’s birthday, but then I’ll end up with nine bags for myself. I’ll feel a little guilty.

In the evening, I’ll have a friend over and we’ll order in, maybe the orange chicken from Chin Chin in Brentwood.

On Sunday, the best place for breakfast is the Coral Tree Cafe in Brentwood. I’ll have either eggs Benedict, French toast or maybe an omelet.

Green thumb

After that I’ll go home and do some gardening. My mom bought me a tree last year, and that got me interested in gardening. It’s so different from what I do in my career, and I really crave that balance. My first project was just keeping that tree alive and growing. I’ve found that it’s therapeutic.

Later, I might visit my mom, who still lives near where I went to high school, Sonora High in La Habra. Now that’s a quiet weekend, but it’s just how I like it.