Best use of leisure time, if he says so himself

IN “For Your Consideration,” opening Friday, John Michael Higgins and the rest of director Christopher Guest’s company of chameleons return with a jab at self-congratulating Hollywood. “They’re a blast,” says Higgins, who gained fame playing David Letterman in the HBO film “The Late Shift.” “He makes movies that are fun to be in as well as fun to watch.”

He and actress-wife Maggie Welsh and their kids Maisie and Walter are proud to be Eagle Rock Eastsiders.

Carnivores’ delight

A favorite place for us on a Friday is Derek’s Bistro, in a Pasadena strip mall behind a gas station. Very splurgy, almost like a private club with a high-end wait staff, and it’s got the best red meat in L.A. We’ll order the steak, but lamb and pork is good too. The guy is a genius; I guess that would be Derek.

After that we’ll see what the L.A. Phil is doing. An ideal night would be a Mahler program; I think that orchestra does Mahler better than anyone, and Esa-Pekka Salonen is an absolute treasure.

A dip downtown

On Saturday, everyone knows Philippe’s downtown for French dip sandwiches, but not many know how great it is for breakfast. You can get a big ham steak with eggs and everything for $5. The famous beef dips are good, but the lamb is one of the great L.A. treats. Is there something that tastes better? Probably not, and that’s not just an opinion, it’s a fact.

Then we’ll drive into Angeles Crest Forest. The road winds around and everybody gets sick, but at the top is a ranger station where they’ll give you a free copy of an old Smokey the Bear comic book.

After that, I’ll go to the Brand Library in Glendale. It’s this crazy old building with a huge collection of fine art and maybe 15,000 LPs and 20,000 CDs. It’s at the top of a hill on Grandview; never has there been a more aptly named street.

At night, Westsiders invade Eagle Rock to go to Casa Bianca pizza, standing in line with their sideburns and porkpie hats. But around the block is Capri, a Chianti-bottle-on-the-table, pizza-pasta joint with no line, run by a jolly pair of twins. You get atmosphere and great pizza like Casa Bianca, but you don’t have to sit next to a development executive.

After that, I’ll see who’s playing at the Jazz Bakery. It’s a great institution with the biggest headliners in jazz, and the whole night will cost you about $20.

Tasty freebies

On Sunday we’ll go to Eat Well in Glendale for breakfast. It’s got good waffles and also Jose, the most gifted waiter I’ve ever had. When you get there, they put a plate of freshly made coffeecake in front of you. And when it’s time to leave, Jose will hand me a bag with six more pieces inside.

After that we like the botanical gardens in Arcadia or the Descanso Gardens in La Canada-Flintridge. Just gorgeous.

In the afternoon, we’ll go to the Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, where the Phil Norman Tentet often plays. Because of the studios, L.A. has ended up with some of the heaviest jazz players in the country. They can play on the soundtrack to “Braveheart” and then go blow some real notes at places like the Lighthouse.

We might get some ice cream at my wife’s favorite place, Tutti Gelati in Old Town Pasadena, and browse around at Brand Bookshop in Glendale or the Iliad used bookstore on Cahuenga in North Hollywood. My favorite ice cream place is Diddy Reese in Westwood, for an ice cream sandwich. You choose any two of their freshly made cookies and they put a scoop of their ice cream in it and you’re off. Unfortunately, it’s on the Westside.