My Favorite Weekend: Cat Deeley from ‘So You Think You Can Dance’

Brit-born Cat Deeley is back as host of the Fox hit “So You Think You Can Dance,” now in its seventh season, but her experience with the show hasn’t done much to improve her own floor skills.

“No, not at all — I’m terrible,” said the 33-year-old former model. “I ought to try nudging up against them to see if some of their talent rubs off on me. But one thing that has grown is my appreciation of dancers. When I was a child, I used to be taken occasionally to the ballet or to see ‘The Nutcracker’ at Christmas, but I had never taken a proper interest in dancing until I started doing the show, and I think a lot of people watching at home feel the same way. Once in a while there is a performance in which everything is just so right that something magical happens. It makes the hairs on your arms stand up. Dance can absolutely move you as much as any other art form.”

Cat moves pretty well off the set, however. Here she is, prowling all over town.

A bit of the bubbly

There’s a new place that just opened up that feels a little bit like home to me. It’s called Soho House — they have them all over the world, and now there’s one on Sunset in West Hollywood. There are always people there that I’ve met before — it’s like the bar on the show “Cheers” where everybody knows your name. I’m kind of like the “Norm” there, except for me it’s not a pint of beer, it’s a flute of Champagne. Even on the most depressing, dreary day imaginable, as soon as you hear that cork pop open, it’s “Woo-hoo! Now we’re having a good time!” I always say, “There’s happiness in every bubble.” And the food is great at Soho House — I love the steak, the macaroni and cheese and the ceviche. I play some pool there as well, because I’m a bit of a hustler.

A touch of France

For breakfast, I love the Little Door Next Door. Going there makes you feel as if you’re on some Parisian street, and that the Eiffel Tower is just over there in the distance. They have the most fabulous coffee, and then I always get my favorite, eggs Benedict. You can sit outside, and there’s always some great music playing in the background.

(Ssshh!) shopping

I really like the vintage stores and flea markets in L.A. But one of my favorite places, Shareen in Pasadena, has rules that are almost like in the movie “Fight Club.” You know, “No one talks about Fight Club, no one admits it exists....” I’ve already been sworn in at Shareen. If I’m feeling brave, I’ll take the freeway there; if not, surface streets. It looks as if it’s part of a warehouse and you think you’re in the wrong place, then you pull up alongside and there will be this one beautiful vintage dress hanging outside and a chalkboard that says, “No Boys Allowed.” And you get inside and it’s one big room with racks and racks of the clothes, and everybody’s talking to everybody else and swapping bits that don’t match. And you can change right there because there are no boys around. The owner, Shareen, has the best taste ever. It’s quite similar to mine, actually — very European and very fashion-forward.

Back in the saddle

For some fun I’ll go to Sunset Ranch, where I keep a horse that I share with my yoga teacher. I’ll just take him out and go galloping about in the Hollywood Hills. And it’s the craziest thing. In 20 minutes you can be up there in jeans and no makeup, looking down at sunset over all the busy-busy craziness of the city, the show business capital of the world. And the stables also offer a sunset ride where you go over the hills to a Mexican restaurant, have dinner and a margarita or two, and then ride back. It’s quite brilliant.

mark.sachs@latimes.com