As for leisure, she’s on the case
HOWIE MANDEL and his 26 cover-girl costars return Monday, briefcases in hand, for a weeklong run of NBC’s game-show hit “Deal or No Deal.” Patricia Kara has emerged as one of the featured females, which she credits to her “Chatty Cathy” nature and a long string of hosting and guest-star gigs on TV.
But now the single Hollywood resident embarks on a weekend assignment, one she doesn’t have to share with Howie and the harem.
Euro-lounging
On a Friday night, I love to go to Malibu and hang out on the back patio of Moonshadows restaurant. And no, I’ve never seen Mel Gibson there. But they do have these lounging beds that can fit four or five people, and it feels so European to just relax out there for a couple of hours with friends, maybe the ahi tuna hors d’oeuvres and a bottle or two of wine. I’m from Greece, and there’s something about that place that really reminds me of home. Eventually, though, we’ll leave the patio and go inside for dinner, and I’d have the calamari and then something chocolate for dessert.
Taking fun in stride
On Saturday morning, I’ll have a bite to eat at home and then go for a long power walk around my neighborhood, or if I want to change my routine, I’ll go up to Griffith Park and walk all over.
Then I’ll meet a bunch of friends for lunch on the patio at Pane e Vino. Sometimes I’ve ended up eating lunch and/or dinner there four or five times in a week. I always ask what’s good that day, because they do some great things that aren’t always on the menu. There’s this shrimp with a honey curry cognac sauce that’s fabulous, and I also really like the gamberetti marinati, which is grilled shrimp with feta cheese and a lime-and-mint vinaigrette. And the crab cakes are the best; they have bell pepper in them.
After that, I might go shopping at the Grove for a while. I really like Arden B. -- really cute and nice stuff. After that, I’ll come home and go swimming in my pool, then later head to Koi for dinner. I like to take people there who claim they don’t like sushi, because it never fails to convert them. I like the baked crab rolls and crispy rice with spicy tuna on top. For dessert, I’d have the mochi ice cream. My male cousins like the beautiful women at Koi, but there’s eye candy for everyone.
Later, we might go to the club Mood on Hollywood Boulevard, but I usually do most of my dancing in my living room.
Weighing anchor
On Sunday, I’ll go with friends on their sailboat to Catalina. We head for Emerald Bay, which is on the opposite side of the island from Avalon. We’ll have drinks and lunch and then head back in the late afternoon.
Then in the evening, we’ll go over to a friend’s house in the hills for cocktails, dinner prepared by his chef and then have a movie night. Sometimes he has 20 people up there.
If we wanted to go out, I’d go to Chaya Venice and have the yellowtail sashimi and the uni, or sea urchin. It’s supposed to be a male aphrodisiac, but all I know is that it tastes good.