Over the course of his decades-long career, Nick Lachey has done it all in Hollywood: He's acted, released solo albums, fronted campaigns with brands (including Purina) and reigned on the reality TV circuit, hosting dating shows “The Ultimatum,” “Perfect Match” and the phenomenon “Love Is Blind,” which concluded its ninth season in the United States last week.
In Sunday Funday, the people of Los Angeles tell us step by step their ideal Sunday in the city. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
But through it all, he keeps returning to a project he's passionate about: 98 Degrees, the boy band that catapulted him to stardom in the late '90s.
“I feel really blessed to be able to be a part of amazing shows,” Lachey says. “But it really comes back to the band for me. I still love doing that and performing with those guys, so I hope this continues for a long, long time.”
Earlier this year, 98 Degrees released their first non-Christmas album in over a decade, “Full Circle.” It features reworkings of their most iconic songs, including “I Do (Cherish You)” and “The Hardest Thing,” along with five new tracks.
Outside of work, the most important thing in Lachey's life “is being a father, being there for my kids and really being involved in their lives,” he says. He and his wife, Vanessa Lachey, who is also his “Love Is Blind” co-host, have three young children: Camden, Phoenix and Brooklyn.
The Cincinnati native and die-hard Bengals fan takes us to spend his perfect Sunday in Los Angeles, where he has lived for more than 20 years. It involves soccer (of course), a delicious waffle brunch, relaxing on a Malibu beach, and reading a print copy of the LA Times—an activity we can absolutely get behind.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
7:30 am: Coffee and the LA Times
I usually wake up around 7 or 7:30 am. I'm conditioned to get up when the kids do, so that's usually the time, even on a weekend. The first thing I do on a Sunday is have a cup of coffee. I'm a bit old school. I still get the printing paper. So I'll walk out my front door and go get my LA Times and my cup of coffee, and hopefully have a few moments to read the paper before my kids get up and harass me.
9:00 a.m.: soccer time
Are we in football season? That is a very important question. If it's my dream on Sunday, then we're in football season, so around 8:30 or 9 a.m., I turn on “NFL Countdown” and we're getting ready for the games on Sunday. The Cincinnati Bengals are my team. I grew up in Cincinnati, so I'm kind of a born fan, if you will. Now, the Bengals are pretty good. For most of my life, they've been absolutely horrible and I've been stuck with them, but it's fun now that they're really competitive. [laughs].
12:00 p.m.: Indulge in waffles during brunch
We are getting into the afternoon and getting ready for lunch. A place where my family and I love to have lunch or maybe a late brunch. More than waffleswhich is kind of an Encino institution, if you will. I usually grab a skillet or omelette and then pair it with a waffle. I don't eat very well, but if you're ever going to eat poorly, Sunday is the day to do it, so you have to get the waffle. You have to get the whipped cream and the strawberries. Go for it.
2 pm: Hang out at the beach
A good Sunday is going out to the beach. I would take the children to Zuma to see the ocean for a while, even if it's just a car ride away. It's nice to go down there, see the water and feel the wind on your face. I'm not a big fan of getting in the water. If I'm in the Caribbean or somewhere, maybe. [laughs] It's a little cold for me, so I'm more of a lay in the sand and enjoy the scenery at the beach type of person.
5 pm: Burritos and margaritas for dinner.
Let's go back to the house to take a shower and then we'd hit Vega House. That's another one of my favorites in the Valley. My whole family loves it. I like the baked roasted chicken burrito. You have to get the chips and guacamole. You have to get a homemade margarita mixed, without salt, and that's it.
8 p.m.: family reunion
We always have a family meeting on Sunday nights to prepare for the week and go over what's going on. So we would take the family home, sit down with the kids, go over expectations for the week, and plan. Then it's time to shower and bathe because it's a school night.
10:00 p.m.: Mom and dad time
Once the kids are downstairs, maybe Vanessa and I will watch whatever show we're watching at the time. It's a good end to a Sunday. I just finished watching “Perfect Match” on Netflix, which is a classic. I love all the Taylor Sheridans. [shows]. I've already seen them all.
