While it’s true that who you know can matter just as much as talent, for Topher Grace, the connection that ultimately launched his career was formed in New Hampshire, not L.A.
In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
While attending a New Hampshire boarding school in the late 1990s, Grace appeared in his first play and befriended a girl who worked on the set design. Later, after he had moved to L.A. to attend USC, he got a phone call from the girl’s parents, who were “big-time Hollywood producers.”
“They said, ‘Do you want to come try out for this show about the ’70s?’”
That began Grace’s journey playing Eric Forman on the hit sitcom “That ’70s Show.” For a while, before the show was officially picked up, he stayed with one of the producers’ kids in a house full of college-age roommates — a place Grace describes as a “Real World” house.
“I was so green, I had no idea what was going on for the first five years of that show, but it was a wonderful introduction to L.A.,” said the actor, who appears in the Mel Gibson-directed film “Flight Risk” this month. “Just going to college in L.A. was cool enough, but the next year, I was driving onto a Studio City lot and starting to do movies. It was just the dream entry to this place.”
Today, Grace, his wife and their three kids are settled on the east side of the city, where an ideal Sunday includes a rooftop bar, an outdoor movie and quality family time.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
7 a.m.: Go big on breakfast
We’re a big breakfast family: pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, syrup and all that stuff. Our breakfast nook in the morning is a big gathering spot for us. [If we go out for breakfast], we love Joan’s on Third, [especially] their avocado toast with the poached egg on it. That specifically is the thing to have there. I can taste it right now just thinking about it.
9 a.m.: Be first in line at the farmers market
We’re big on the Studio City Farmers Market. We’re the first ones there, and we’re getting all the ripest produce because we are up early. But then you look around and realize that’s when all the other people with kids are there too.
What’s great about the farmers market at Studio City is they also have — I wouldn’t say rides, but they’ve got those blow-up slides, they sometimes have animals, and so it’s a really great activity beyond just us buying fruit.
11 a.m.: Activity time with the whole fam
On Sundays, the best thing to do is have an activity that both gives us something new and wears out the kids. So we’re big on the L.A. Zoo. Do you know Reggie, the alligator? Well, my son does.
Or else there’s the Skirball Center [which reopens Sunday] right next to the Getty Center. It’s got this thing called “Noah’s Ark,” which is really cool. It’s like an artistic kids amusement center, but it’s beautifully done and the kids love it. There’s all these ropes and obstacle courses, but it’s like going through a piece of art. Also, the Getty has some really cool arts programs on Sundays. We love a lot of family time.
7 p.m.: Date night begins
One night a week, we get a babysitter. Downtown L.A. has a great local food scene. A lot of the emerging stuff is downtown.
I didn’t spend a lot of time in downtown L.A. when I was younger, but one of our favorite restaurants is Bavel. I think it might be my favorite restaurant in the world. It’s Middle Eastern cuisine that is so good, and the atmosphere is really great with the food. It’s just unbelievable. They have a lamb neck shawarma that’s so good.
There’s also Badmaash. They have such cool dishes that are mashed up. I hear the chef lived in Canada and India and L.A. I like the chicken tikka poutine. Dama is great for Latin American small plates. We love tapas because the longer you’re married, the more you are sharing the meal. It’s got this amazing Havana-style dining room, which is very cool.
8 p.m.: Nightcap under the stars
Afterward, we’re really into rooftop bars. We love Cara Cara just above the Proper Hotel. It’s got insane views and a DJ and is just relaxed. It’s so great to be on top of a building. What’s amazing about L.A. is that you can live in a little valley, but then you’re on top of a skyscraper and you get to do it all in one day. You can go skiing in the morning, swimming at night. By the way, we’ve never actually done that, but theoretically we could.
I’m also a big sweets guy. When I was living in Westwood, I’d go to Diddy Riese a lot. I still go there. Perch L.A. has really good desserts. We sometimes don’t do dessert at the restaurant and will go there and that’s a great date night for us. Man, I wish it was Sunday right now.
9 p.m.: Late-night movie time
We love classic movies on the big screen, and our favorites are at the New Beverly Cinema. Tarantino bought it a couple years ago. The American Cinematheque has late-night movies on Sundays, which are great. And then Rooftop Cinema Club, their movies are a little more commercial, but it’s a really fun atmosphere.
I definitely was [a night owl] before we had kids, but now we can get between half an hour to an hour of television in. Me and my wife are slowly making it through some series we’re bingeing. You can’t even call it bingeing, we’re going so slowly. I don’t want to out my wife in the L.A. Times, but she’s into some reality television that is just so bottom of the barrel. My wife’s a college professor, she’s involved in politics, so she’s much smarter than I am. But not when it comes to watching TV. I think that’s where she relaxes her brain or something. We do “The Bachelor” together, and it’s not something I ever would have done before I got married, but there are some roads I just can’t follow her down.
