A go-to guy who’s always on the go

FOR years, the mere mention of the L.A. Clippers was good for a snicker, a yawn, maybe a smart-alecky put-down. While the Lakers were flying high, it was tough to be the other team in town. But times have changed, and the Clippers’ 6-foot-8 Elton Brand has had a big hand in changing them.

Brand, 26, a Hollywood Hills resident, is enjoying the best season of his career, and that’s elevated the team too. His efforts have not gone unnoticed: Brand was selected last week to play in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game in Houston. So this weekend is booked. But if it weren’t....

Italian and a movie

On a Friday night, my fiancee, Shahara Simmons, and I might go out for some Italian food, and one of our favorite places is Matteo’s in Westwood. It’s a nice-looking place, and I love their pounded chicken. Shahara’s a vegetarian, so she’d probably get a pasta dish, and if it was the off-season, I’d get that too to go with my chicken.

We’ll go catch a movie in the Dome at the ArcLight. I’m really into movies. My production company, Gibraltar Entertainment, has one coming out in March, “Rescue Dawn” with Christian Bale and Steve Zahn. After the ArcLight, I’d head over to a late-night club like LAX or Xenii, where I’m a member. But I’d only go to the club that late if it was in the off-season.

Art of hanging out

On Saturday morning, I’ll go work out at my house for a while and then go out to breakfast at the Newsroom Cafe. They do these fruit-infused pancakes, and I like the turkey sausage there too.

I’ll also go to the L.A. County Museum of Art; I became a member there too. But I missed the King Tut exhibit, which I really wanted to see.

For the rest of the afternoon, I’ll go down to my beach house in Manhattan Beach and just hang out and relax by the water. That night, I’d go to one of my favorite places for dinner, the Lodge in Beverly Hills. I really like the chicken and the steaks, but the best thing is the mac and cheese. After dinner, a fun place to go is the Hollywood Bowl, because it’s so nice to see a show outside at night in the spring or the summer. I saw Sade there and she was amazing.

Seasonal fare

On Sunday morning, I’d go to the Four Seasons for brunch. It’s kind of a formal place, which makes it good for maybe doing a little business, and it’s got great food too -- so much to choose from.

My fiancee and I would meet my mom for church in Ladera Heights. I always try to make it to church.

After that, we’d all go for a nice, relaxing drive up PCH and then later, if my mom and Shahara didn’t cook, we’d go over to a place on La Cienega called the Spanish Kitchen. I always get the langosta y crepas de chocolate, which sounds like a dessert, but is actually a seafood appetizer.

I also like going to Pearl in Hollywood if I’m in the mood for some good American cuisine. Going out is fun for me, and people are always great, never too intrusive. They just see me and smile and say something like “Go Clippers!” and then we’re both on our way.

*

-- Mark Sachs