Julia Cobbs: Sofa, so good

Julia Cobbs has made a name for herself -- well a first name, anyway -- as one of the girls of gossip on the popular drive-time show "Lori and Julia." We talked with the impish, energetic and talkative talk-show host about her Sundays at home, why she downloaded Led Zeppelin and what's stuffed under her sectional.

Q Tell us about your house.

A This house, when we bought it eight years ago, was supposedly perfect. But we've changed everything. We added to the kitchen island, put in an archway in the great room. I designed the laundry room, which isn't done yet. And I'm painting all the woodwork, the cabinets, everything. Painting to me is instant satisfaction.

Q What's your daily routine?

A I go to the club, come home and get the kids off to school and then I prep for work -- reading the papers, the magazines, watching TV -- and I try to make dinner for the family. The usual mom stuff.

Q Does your routine differ on Sunday?

A Oh yeah. On Sunday, we actually sit in the living room and the read the papers and wait for the kids to wake up and straggle down.

A No, the kitchen is. I love the brightness and the openness. This is where I prep for work and the kids do their homework. We are all together here.

Q How much time do you spend prepping for work?

A A lot more than you'd think and a lot less than a banker. I have the best job in the world. Lori [Barghini] and I struck gold.

Q What book is on your bedside table?

A I don't read in bed. But I am a reader. I have to be for my job. Let's see, what am I reading? "Loving Frank," it's about Frank Lloyd Wright, "Rhett Butler's People," "A Year in the Perfume Industry," it reads like a novel. See, it's not all chick lit.

A Don't look in the closet, look under the couch. That's where I hide stuff. Let's see ... I've got a snowboard (I got it for Valentine's Day), a big huge bowl, some Teddy Graham wrappers, a framed print of the 23rd Psalm, the cutest little baby pictures of my boys. You gotta love a sectional. There's so much room.

Q Why aren't those pictures on the wall?

A Oh, I've got so many pictures of the kids. I try to hang them in here, and my friends say "You can't have so many pictures of your family up." But that's all I want on my walls.

Q What's your favorite household chore?

A I really don't mind vacuuming. I got a new Dyson. It's supposed to work miracles.

A I hate going to the grocery store and meal planning and all that. I can't believe you make a meal and then they want another one.

Q Do the kids pitch in?

A They have chores. They walk the dog, they load and unload the dishwasher. They're not so great at wiping down the counters, but they have to learn these things.

Q What's in your iPod these days?

A I have everything from Madonna to Arrowsmith to B.B. King to Britney Spears. I downloaded some Led Zeppelin because I wanted the kids to hear some of the old stuff.

A Gardened. We do our gardening by osmosis. Our neighbors have great gardens.

Q Do you entertain much?

A I don't have parties per se but people drop by. And I'm good at serving cocktails. I'm into flavored martinis. We entertain at our cabin [in western Wisconsin] more than we do here.

Q What's one thing we should know about you?

A I'm not really blond.

A I don't floss every day of the week.

Q If your house were on fire and everyone was out, what one thing would you save?

A My pictures ... but they're dispersed all over the house. Yeah, I'd save my pictures. And a couple of rings. And my wallet. And my iPod.