How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Tia Mowry
(Illustration by Lindsey Made This / For The Times; Photo courtesy of Tia Mowry)
Sunday is Tia Mowry’s favorite day of the week because it’s the day that she gets to do whatever she wants.
“With my career, there’s always some sort of schedule,” the actor and entrepreneur said. But on Sundays, “it’s just really free-flowing. I mean, yes, there are some routines and traditions that we have on Sunday, but it’s not a strict schedule.”
Mowry has been lighting up our TV screens since her debut on the beloved ‘90s sitcom “Sister, Sister” alongside her twin sister, Tamera. Since then, Mowry has picked up several other notable roles on shows and films like “The Game,” “Twitches” and “Family Reunion.” She also starred in a Style Network reality show about her and her sister’s lives called “Tia & Tamera,” released two cookbooks and launched 4u by Tia, a sustainable, science-backed hair care line for natural hair.
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.
The latest venture for the mom of two? Mowry is heading back to reality television to star in WEtv’s “Tia Mowry: My Next Act,” a show about her post-divorce life. “I’m removing the filter like never before,” she wrote on Instagram.
An Army kid born in Germany and raised in multiple parts of the U.S., Mowry said she loves Los Angeles — where she’s lived for more than 30 years — because of the city’s emphasis on wellness. “There’s always some sort of healthy grocery store or smoothie spot or juicing spot [or] great, trendy exercise program all within one block of each other, which is just so beneficial especially when you are a mom,” she said.
Mowry’s ideal Sunday in L.A. involves playtime with her kids (Cairo is 5 and Cree is 12), sweating it out at Equinox and dinner at her favorite pasta spot. Here’s how she’d spend the day.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for length and clarity.
6 a.m.: Meditate, journal and read
The first thing that I do when I wake up is meditate. I literally put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on my door and the kids know. They are 12 and 5. Even the 5-year-old knows not to walk into Mommy’s room when that sign is on and her door is closed. I will meditate for an hour on the weekend.
I’m up at 6 a.m. because I have to get it in before the kids wake up at 7:25 a.m. I don’t know why it’s 7:25 a.m. [Laughs] Then I will do some journaling. I have this really cool manifestation journal where I write down my manifesto every single day and answer some questions. It takes about five minutes. Then I will do about 15 to 20 minutes of reading every Sunday. I just finished reading “Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself.” It’s by an amazing Black woman named Nedra Glover Tawwab. She’s a psychologist and this is an incredible book.
Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph of ‘Abbott Elementary’ likes to spend Sundays with her adult children doing yoga, eating ice cream and going to the movies.
7:25 a.m.: Fun time with the kids
Once I’m done with that, the kids will come in and then they’re playing around, jumping on my bed and it is just fun time. We spend about an hour in my bed just hanging out, giving kisses and cuddles. And of course between the two of them, it’s not always pleasant [laughs]. There might be some back-and-forth between the kids, and some “Mommmmm” [imitates in agitated kid voice]. Then we’re maybe watching “Avatar” or “Bluey.” Basically whoever grabs the remote first, that’s what we’re watching.
9 a.m.: Order in or go out for breakfast
We will sometimes order food on Postmates or we’ll walk to our favorite restaurant. It’s called Le Pain Quotidien. It’s a French breakfast spot. I always order my favorite drink, which is the matcha latte with vanilla extract and oat milk. I usually get the three-egg scramble, which comes with a green salad. And then Cairo will have the pancakes with bananas and extra syrup, and Cree will get a chai latte with oat milk and avocado toast.
I’ve tried everything on that menu. The waiters know us there. And like I said, sometimes I’ll take the kids and we’ll walk. Cree will get on his bike, I will put Cairo in a wagon and we’re off.
11 a.m. Drop the kids off and go to gym
We’ll come home around 11 a.m., then the kids will hang out at the house. They are either hanging out with grandpa, grandma or uncle Tahj Mowry, and I will go off to my favorite gym, Equinox. I feel like where I’m at right now in my life, it’s not about that intense workout where you’re just so drained after. It’s more about just moving the body. So I will do maybe 20 minutes of a nice walk on the treadmill, then I’ll do another 20 minutes on the Stairmaster. After that, I’ll maybe do a little bit of floor Pilates and some stretching, and that’s it. The steam room is one of my favorite things to do right after a workout. That’s how you know you’re getting older [laughs].
You know, just really, really take care of yourself and fill up your cup, so that you will be able to pour into your children, your work life, your friends and all of that. So that’s like a must.
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2:30 p.m. Grocery shopping at Erewhon
I’ll come back home and freshen up, then I’ll head out to do some grocery shopping. Sometimes the kids will join me; sometimes they won’t. Cree usually loves to join me because he loves food. I will go to Erewhon. I know some people say it’s this bougie grocery spot, but I’ve actually been going there for years before it was even popular.
Grocery shopping is kind of like my zen place. I will go through the recipes in my cookbook, “The Quick Fix Kitchen” or my other cookbook, “Whole New You,” and choose what we’re going to have that week. Then I’ll get everything that we need. I always like to have something planned so I’m not scrambling. I’ll grab some essentials, then come home and unpack. As you can see Sundays are clearly a day that I’m not doing too much cooking cause it’s a chill day.
My favorite smoothie at Erewhon is the Royal Defense 13, which basically just has protein, berries and apple juice. It comes with bananas but I have an allergy, so I usually just get it without and it is so good. I like to keep it very simple.
5:00 p.m. Dinner at Uovo
One of our favorite things to do is go to a pasta spot called Uovo. The reason we go all the time is because Cairo is obsessed with pasta. If she can eat pasta for breakfast, lunch and dinner, she would. What’s so great about this spot is — ‘cause I’m a foodie — is it’s simple but good, meaning it’s not this huge, massive menu. And they make their pasta fresh. It’s intimate and the waiters know us too. It’s kid-friendly, but it’s also a great environment for adults as well.
Cairo and I love the pasta with the truffle and Parmesan cheese, and Cree loves the beef ravioli. It’s nice to end the day with a nice glass of wine and everyone is full of pasta.
6:30 p.m. Get ice cream for dessert
Uovo only has tiramisu for dessert and the kids always want ice cream, so we’ll go to Salt & Straw. When it opened up, I was so incredibly excited. What I love about it is that it’s unique. The combinations are something that you’ve never heard of, like lavender. It’s not your traditional flavors that you would expect in ice cream, which I think is such an incredible experience and the kids love it.
7:00 p.m. Get the kids ready for bed
We’re home by 7 p.m. Cree is able to put himself to bed, thank God. [As for] Cairo, I will read her a book and give her a bath. She has her whole routine — she’s so spoiled. She has white noise going and an air purifier with a scent in it. She gets a massage every night. She’s the princess. Then they’re off to bed.
8 p.m. Listen to affirmations until I fall asleep
I will take my shower and do all that kind of stuff, then go to bed [listening] to affirmations. That’s kind of been my new thing. I’m really trying to get enough sleep throughout the night and so I’m in bed at around 9 or 9:30 p.m.
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