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Reaser in the Sun

AT 16, ELIZABETH REASER ran away from her native Michigan to San Diego, in the name of romance. Today, at 33, the Emmy-nominated actress (Grey’s Anatomy, Saved) finds herself back on our shores and again looking for love——only this time as Bella Bloom on CBS’s new fall sitcom, The Ex List, filmed in Ocean Beach. Reaser plays a single, O.B.-dwelling florist who visits a psychic only to learn she has already met and dated the man she will marry. To complicate matters, the psychic tells her that if she doesn’t find him in the next year, she’ll remain alone forever. In each episode, Bella revisits an ex, hoping to find her true love. The show debuts October 3 at 9 p.m. on CBS.

San Diego Magazine: As an actress, you’ve probably lived in a lot of different places.

Elizabeth Reaser: I’ve lived in Michigan, New York, Los Angeles and now San Diego.

SDM: And how does San Diego compare?

ER: I love it! I came here when I was 16 because my boyfriend was living here. He was in Pacific Beach, so I snuck out and ran away until my parents got hold of me and told me to get back to Michigan. But [coming to San Diego] was a fun adventure. I’ve always romanticized it as this little beach town, so it’s fun to shoot here. There’s a completely different rhythm. The people are more laid back here than in Los Angeles, and definitely more laid back than New Yorkers. It seems like a healthy, nice place to live.

SDM: Do you have a favorite place in San Diego?

ER: I love Spread [in North Park]——it’s my favorite place to eat. I’m vegan, so I’m set there. The Thai pizza, the salad with bits of dark chocolate——everything is outrageous there. The whole cast loves it!

SDM: Do you relate at all to your character, Bella Bloom?

ER: Definitely. She’s got an adventurous spirit, and I really admire that. But she’s more laid back than I am. She’s able to bounce back from these relationships in a great way, and it doesn’t drag her down. Her spirit is so bright; I like that. Also, she’s not desperate. She’s all about falling in love and connecting with someone. ——LAUREN STEUSSY

Need for Speed

IMAGINE AN OPEN EXPANSE OF SCENIC ROAD begging to be driven at speeds only reachable in a screaming-red Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. The car sings in operatic pitches as you shift into sixth gear at 110 miles per hour. It’s one of only 50 limited-edition Ferraris that will be shipped to the U.S. this year. And for an exhilarating moment, it’s all yours.

The World Class Driving program tours American cities to let exotic-car enthusiasts get behind the wheel of a fleet of new “supercars,” including the Ferrari Scuderia, Audi R8, Lamborghini Superleggera and LP640, Porsche Turbo Cabriolet, Corvette Z06, Mercedes McLaren SLR, Ferrari F430 and 599 GTB. The perfect test-drive opportunity for those in the market for a new high-performance car——and those who just want to pretend they are——the program costs $1,495 for a half-day experience in which you’ll drive five cars on an arranged route. Members of the World Class Driving staff, each with years of professional driving experience in racing and coaching, accompany drivers.

World Class Driving pulls into Borrego Springs for test drives November 8 and 9. More information: 877-597-6403; wcdriving.com. ——JOAN HEALY

Click, Then Cook

WISH YOU COULD CRACK the recipe safe of your favorite local chef? A new Web site, InYourKitchen.com, gives the public an all-access pass into the kitchens of some of San Diego’s most popular restaurants. Chefs from Pacific Beach to Del Mar are dishing on their signature plates for the InYourKitchen cameras, offering home cooks easy-to-follow, high-definition video recipes.

Hosted by Diane Stopford, former executive chef of Cendio in La Jolla, the site caters to “the anti-apron generation——those cooks who want to forgo the fussiness and formality of traditional cooking.” Most of the recipe videos are less than six minutes long and offer step-by-step instructions that can be paused at any time. Each video is accompanied by an ingredient list that can be sent to a cell phone or PDA for use when grocery shopping. The site also lets users share recipes and upload their own videos. Foodies write weekly columns on various topics, and chefs’ blogs address viewer questions. There’s also a bevy of how-to advice, from grilling the perfect steak to pairing wine and cheese.

Local chefs featured on InYourKitchen.com include David Warner from JRDN, Benjamin Moore of Parallel 33, Carl Schroeder and Terryl Gavre of Market Restaurant + Bar, Orion Balliet of Azul and Giuseppe Ciuffa of Giuseppe Restaurants & Fine Catering and the Museum Café. High-profile chefs from Napa Valley’s Go Fish, Tra Vigne and The Carneros Inn also are featured, and more chefs are added regularly. (The InYourKitchen.com cameras recently visited Las Vegas to film new recipes.)

Joining the online community is free. So get cooking. ——J.B.P.

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