Sinking her teeth into free time

BEVERLEY MITCHELL broke into the big time a decade ago on the WB’s Monday night mainstay “7th Heaven,” and with that cherubic smile and the 5-foot-2 perkiness of the cheerleader that she was, it’s been a match made in, well, you know. But just in time for Halloween, Mitchell takes a stroll on the dark side with Friday’s opening of “Saw II,” a film that bears the tagline, “Oh yes, there will be blood.”

Now the 24-year-old Valley resident, after toiling in the sizable ensemble casts of her family drama on TV and the horror-movie sequel, embarks on a weekend that’s all her own. And oh yes, there will be red meat.

Bring on the buffalo

On Friday nights my boyfriend, Michael, and I like to go shopping for a whole bunch of food and have a barbecue/spa party with friends in our beautiful backyard. I like to cook buffalo steaks, because they’re lean and delicious. If I think my friends will be skittish about eating buffalo, I won’t tell them what it is. Then we’ll just hang out and enjoy the weather. We’re usually up pretty late and can get a little rowdy, but I don’t let anyone drive home, so it becomes just a big old slumber party.

Steak and a movie

On Saturday morning I’ll get up and cook breakfast for the whole crew. I have a really cool waffle maker, so I’ll make Belgian with lots of cream and berries. Then we might watch whatever college football games are on before I send everyone off for their own weekends.

After the house is cleared out, it’s time for some tennis at our community courts. My boyfriend is trying to teach me, but we usually end up chasing the balls more than playing.

We like to go shopping, especially places with the outdoors feel of the Grove. I tend to be frugal with my money, but I can’t resist buying things for the house or for my dogs: Pucker, the golden retriever; Chico, the Chihuahua; and Bella, the pug. They all love each other, and we love to take them for walks.

We’ll go out to dinner at a place I discovered a couple of months ago, Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Woodland Hills. I’m obsessed with that place, because it’s got great food and great service from Patty, our usual waitress. I’ll get the 8-ounce filet, the monster baked potato and creamed spinach. We’ll sit there for hours. Afterward, we’ll go see a movie, maybe one of my own. I don’t mind watching myself; it’s my little piece of art, and it’s fun to share it with people and see how they react.

Lobster and hockey

On Sunday I love to go to brunch at Geoffrey’s in Malibu, where I can eat lobster, stare at the ocean and relax. I’m the kind of girl who can eat lobster any time of day.

My boyfriend plays with an adult-division hockey team, so I’m usually there in the stands with my cowbell, air horn, stat sheet and video camera. I’ll be there even if his game is at midnight -- I’m a crazy hockey fan. But if it’s an afternoon game, we’ll go to dinner afterward at Padri in Agoura. We’ll have the calamari appetizer, and I’m a big fan of their pasta pomodoro. After that, I might like to go to a concert, maybe see Rascal Flatts. Or Tim McGraw, he’s always a hottie.

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-- Mark Sachs