Always looking simply fabulous

It was a labor of love with a gestation period of nearly 15 years, but Finola Hughes’ first novel, “Soapsuds,” hit bookstores this month, and the fledgling author will even do the signing thing tonight at 7 at Vroman’s Pasadena. Written with Digby Diehl, it’s the story of an English actress who moves to L.A. to join a soap opera, only to find that the real high jinks are off screen.

One can only wonder where Hughes, an English-born actress who went on to long-running fame (and an Emmy) on “General Hospital” and “All My Children,” got the inspiration for the novel. But with the book tour, her third season as fashion maven on the Style Network’s “How Do I Look?” and a husband and two young sons to look after in Santa Monica, she’s wants to talk relaxation, not inspiration.

A quiet start

My husband, Russell Young, is an excellent cook, so I’d have him make me something really wonderful for dinner on Friday. I like the salmon that he pan-fries in this heavy griddle, and we’d have salad and a baked potato. After that I’d get the boys (Dylan, 4 1/2 , and Cash, 10 months) in the bath and settled down for the night so I could relax and have a glass of wine with my husband. Then we’d watch our friends’ TV show, “Hope & Faith.” Kelly Ripa and I have been friends for a long time from “All My Children,” and I met Faith Ford through Kelly, so it’s fun to sit back and watch their show.

On Saturday morning we’ll stop at Starbucks and then head for the beach with the boys. For kids, there’s nothing better -- it’s a match made in heaven. Later, we’ll put those wet puppies back in the car, drop them off with my husband and then I get to have some time for myself.

I’ll hot-foot it down to 3rd Street in Los Angeles where they have a little collection of shops that I love. Women really like shopping alone. It’s therapeutic for a lady to hang out and not necessarily spend a lot of money, but just treasure hunt. One of my favorite places is Polkadots & Moonbeams, which is actually two shops -- vintage and contemporary. Wendy Freedman owns it, and she has a really good eye for things, a real flair. Then I’d go over to Chado, a tea shop, where they also have terrific sandwiches.

After I got home, I’d play with the boys and then we’d get a baby-sitter and my husband and I would hook up with friends and go to the Water Grill downtown. I love putting together a nice, diverse group, and we have a friend who’s a nuclear physicist at Caltech, another who’s a chef married to a businessman, and we’d invite my friend, Ian Buchanan, who I used to work with on “General Hospital.” I’m part Irish, so to have a great table with people who can tell stories and make one another laugh, to have great conversation with great food, that’s a genius evening.

Free entertainment

On Sunday we’ll read the paper. Then there’s a cool place called Vedanta Temple, where they have lectures and a Sunday school for Dylan. After that we have to stop at a playground at some point, and then we might go to Third Street Promenade and get something to eat at a relaxed outdoor cafe. My sons love to watch the buskers and singers. Then maybe we’d go to the park in Santa Monica before coming back home, where the boys would take a nap and I’d start studying my script and the videotapes of the people who are going to be on “How Do I Look?” that week. I like to be prepared.