Susanna Thompson

* The actress stars on the ABC drama “Once and Again.�When Dining Is Easy: Right now, when it’s summer, and in the soon-to-be-hot months of fall in Southern California, I love outdoor dining. I like sitting somewhere and pretending I’m in Hawaii. I also love restaurants that sort of take me away a little bit. I love going to Pastis on Beverly Boulevard, a little French sort of bistro. The owner and the people who run it make you feel like you’re their guest.

Noshing: I love to sleep in, but if I was meeting people, we’d go to Peet’s Coffee in Beverly Hills or Santa Monica, then figure out where to have breakfast. In Beverly Hills there’s this little typical neighborhood restaurant that’s not any great shake, the Bagel Nosh, but I love the bagels and I like the everydayness about it.

Outdoor Workout: I love to exercise, though for that you’d probably find me in closer to nature, like Will Rogers State Park or the Santa Monica Mountains for hiking. I like being near the ocean more than anything. I’m not a sunbather, but I like to hike and then jump in the ocean.

Acting Out: I love going to the theater and I’ll go anywhere to see it, even to the La Jolla Playhouse. I love the Mark Taper Forum, generally. I’ve been to a few shows at the Geffen Playhouse over the last year and like their work. And I look in the Weekly to see if there’s a small worthwhile show playing in some dark corner of L.A. I just went to see a piece at the Taper. It was a beautiful evening, the breeze blowing. We sat at an outdoor table and enjoyed the fountain and a glass of wine. I thought, you know, this is really peaceful.

Sunday Drive: Sunday is a great day to wander. It reminds me of my father; he used to like to take Sunday drives. I’ll go out to Old Pasadena or Sierra Madre or the mountains. I really like the old part of Pasadena, like the Gamble House. I’ve yet to go to the Huntington Gardens. That and Descanso Gardens are on my to-do list.