Monday, 25 November 2013

Did Angie Jolie Buy Fiancée Brad P. A Private Island?

International property gossips have gone hog wild over the rumors and reports (and reports of rumors) that Oscar-nominated actress Angelina Jolie bought her über-famous fiancée, Brad Pitt, a private island on small and scenic Lake Mahopac (NY) with a Frank Lloyd Wright pedigree. So the stories go, the hands on super mommy of six and globe-trotting do-gooder shelled out somewhere in the neighborhood of £12.2 million for the 11-ish acre island, an amount that Your Mama's handy-dandy currently conversion contraption indicates amounts to 19,790,600 U.S. dollars, at today's rates.*

However, the daughter of the current owner says all the hullabaloo just ain't true. In fact, the daughter told a local reporter that, as far as she knows, neither Angelina Jolie nor Brad Pitt have ever visited the island. And—let's get real, children—if Angelina Jolie and/or Brad Pitt and/or any of their representatives visited your parents' $20 million private island, don't you think they might have mentioned it?

Petra Island—sometimes Petre Island, is about 50 miles or 15 minutes by helicopter from Midtown Manhattan and is currently owned by retired local sheet metal contract Joseph Massaro who acquired the heart-shaped islet in 1996 for $700,000. At the time of Mister Massaro's purchase the island had only a (rather intriguing) 1,200 square foot cottage (above) designed and built in 1950 by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright for the island's previous owner, an engineer named A.K. Chahroudi. Mister Lloyd Wright had also designed a much larger, approximately 5,000 square foot main residence for Mister Chahroudi but the plans went unfinished and was the residence realized as Mister Chahroudi wasn't prepared to spend the $50,000 Mister Lloyd Wright estimated for construction.

As part of his 1996 purchase of the island Mister Massarro received Mister Lloyd Wright's renderings and floor plans for the unrealized main residence and subsequently hired architect and Frank Lloyd Wright historian Thomas A. Heinz to complete and execute the unfinished design.

The resulting residence, an angled and muscular mix of concrete, wood, stone and glass was completed in 2008. The result—at least to those not attuned to the nuances of FLW's signature architectural contrivances and conventions—appears much in line with a FLW-designed house: There are wrap-around and cantilevered decks galore; half a dozen monolithic fireplaces, both indoors and out; large if awkwardly shaped public space, not always seamlessly incorporated topography (i.e. boulders); and a ceiling of interlocking triangular skylights; long rows of mahogany-framed glass doors that allow for a smooth integration between indoor and outdoor spaces.

The existing house is not without its critics who scream and stomp their feet that the design is not pure and does not hew closely enough to Frank Lloyd Wright's original intentions and/or architectural conventions. Indeed, to date the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation has not certified the house as a Frank Lloyd Wright design, a snub that has long infuriated the current owner who is, technically, only supposed to refer or market the main residence as "inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright."

Whether Miz Jolie and Mister Pitt bought Petra Island—and it appears they did not—they still maintain an international collection of residences that include (but may not be limited to) a multi-residence compound in Los Angeles's Los Feliz area, an oceanfront compound near Santa Barbara (CA), an historic mansion in New Orleans (LA), a rustic spread in Cambodia, and Chateau Miraval, their 1,200-ish acre spread in the Provence region of France.

*Current digital listings for Petra Island don't reveal the asking price but in late 2012 it was widely reported to have a $20,000,000 price tag.

listing photos: Private Islands Online

Snowboarder Shaun White Snags Malibu Mini-Compound

BUYER: Shaun White
SELLER: Mike Fleiss
LOCATION: Malibu, CA
SIZE: 2,625 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms (plus outbuildings)
PRICE: $8,940,000

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Your Mama hears from our already holiday merry-making celebrity real estate yenta Yolanda Yakettyyak that high income earning 27-year old two-time Olympic gold medal winning professional snowboarder Shaun White—a.k.a. The Flying Tomato—quietly, through a generically-named trust shelled out $8,940,000 in an off-market deal for a bluff-top mini-compound in the Point Dume area of Malibu, CA.

According to property records, the seller of the Pacific Ocean-view spread was Mike Fleiss, a distant cousin of (in)famous former lady-pimp Heidi Fleiss and a bona fide reality television pooh-bah who created the crazy successful (if depressingly vapid) The Bachelor and The Bachelorette programs. The fairly recently divorced Mister Fleiss and his ex-Missus also owned the the two-parcel property house next door to the one they sold to Mister White, which they unloaded in the fall of 2012 for exactly $6,000,000.*

Not for looking but Your Mama wasn't able to locate a recent listing for the Mister White's new compound-style crib in Malibu and, ipso facto, we're not sure what if any improvements Mister (and ex-Missus) Fleiss did or did not make to the walled and gated, one-plus acre property. However, with a leg up from our always helpful Fairy Godmother in Malibu, we did come up with up a rental listing for the property from way back in 2005 that shows the ranch-style residence was built in the early 1950s and, at the time, had four bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in 2,625 square feet plus a separate one bedroom and one bathroom guest house and a detached, 800 square foot office or recreation room. The bluff-top location allows for sweeping coastline views and a long, booty-busting stairway down the steep bluff provide direct, if not exactly relaxing access to a deep and wide stretch of (public) beach.

Some of Mister White's new Malibu neighbors include Owen Wilson and film and television writer/director/producer Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, Dirty Sexy Money, and the X-Men franchise)

It was only last August (2012), some of the children may recall, that word slipped down the celebrity gossip grapevine that the fire-tressed snowboarder dropped $3.85 million on a cliff-top house with direct beach access in Encinitas, CA, but, as it turns out the snowboarder maintains a fairly extensive real estate portfolio.

In addition to a Park City, UT, condo and a couple of ho-hum if hardly inexpensive tract houses near San Diego, in Carlsbad, CA, Mister White owns a contemporary, city-view abode in the Hollywood Hills (above) that bought the house in March 2009 for $1.7 million. Your Mama dug up digital evidence that the snow, sand, and real estate loving daredevil put the house out for lease late last year (2012) with an asking price of $10,000 per month.

*Last October (2012) Mister Fleiss paid $9.3 million for Mel and Robyn Gibson's former estate in the star-stocked Serra Retreat enclave in Malibu.

aerial photo (Malibu): Bing
exterior photo (Encintas): Real Living Lifestyles (via Zillow)
exterior photo (Hollywood Hills): The Partners Trust

Filming Locations: Clueless (1995)


Clueless is a 1995 American comedy film loosely based on Jane Austen's 1815 novel Emma. It stars Alicia Silverstone in the lead role, Stacey DashPaul Rudd and Brittany Murphy. The film is set in the town of Beverly Hills and was written and directed by Amy Heckerling and produced by Scott Rudin, it was released in the United States on July 19, 1995 (Wikipedia). 

The locations for this film have already been found at the wonderful filming location websites below which also include the other LA locations. This post would not be possible without their excellent research so please check them out and support their cause. 

  1. Filming Locations of Chicago and Los Angeles
  2. Curbed LA
  3. IMDB
You can view more SFV Filming Locations here

The interior shots of Bronson Alcott High were actually filmed at Grant High School at 13000 Oxnard Street Los Angeles CA 91401. 



I am not sure about some of the outdoor scenes of the high school as they were actually filmed at Occidental College but this one scene may have been at Grant High School based on the hills in the background. 


Cher's house is located at 5148 Louise Avenue Encino CA 91316.


 Driving to the Valley party house. I dont know this location but looks like a major Valley Blvd like Ventura, Sherman Way, Van Nuys, Sepulveda, etc.



The Valley party house was filmed at 16401 Knollwood Drive Granada Hills CA 91344 which was recently sold and discussed here




Cher gets left behind at Circus Liquors on 5600 Vineland Avenue North Hollywood CA 91601. 




Tai is almost tossed over the baloncy railing at the Westfield Fashion Square on 14006 Riverside Drive Sherman Oaks CA 91423. 


Albert Van Dekker Residence by R.M. Schindler in Woodland Hills Back on the Market

[Update January 22, 2014]: This home sold for $700,000 on December 31, 2013. Cant wait to see the restoration. 

[Original Post]:






Images courtesy Architecture & Design Collection, University Art Museum, UC Santa Barbara

Above images courtesy LA Curbed
19950 Collier Street
4 Beds/3 Baths on 2,518 sqft on a total lot size of 0.47 acres built in 1940 designed by world renowned architect R.M Schindler in Woodland Hills available for $799,000 (Schindler also designed the Laurelwood Apartments and Goodwin House both in Studio City).  The price might seem like a good deal but the home needs major restoration work as the home has been neglected for many decades. 

The home was originally commissioned by Albert Van Dekker who was a stage and screen actor best known for playing 1940's Dr. Cyclops and evil villain Dr. Soberin in Kiss Me Deadly. Dekker later sold the property to Al "Buzz" Bezzerides, screenwriter for Kiss Me Deadly, who lived in the property up until his death in 2007 where it remained in neglect for close to 50 years. In 2009, the home was nominated for HCM status (and awarded in 2010) meaning it could never be tore down without special consideration and review and was purchased by Josh Gorrell who planned to restore the home to its former glory on October 16 for $580,000. Gorrell, so far, has replaced the roof and removed the septic tank and instead connected to the city sewer system but is now selling to focus on other endeavors. Since this home needs a lot of work, it appears that this home will need to find a special buyer who has the upfront cash, time, and desire to restore to its original condition which means it will probably be sitting on the market for awhile. You can read more about this home at LA Curbed and check out the latest renovation pictures in 2010 here and here. The listing description states: 
Your chance to own a piece of History. Built in 1940 and designed by the renowned master architect R. M. Schindler for Albert Van Dekker. This 4 Bedroom, 3 Bath three-story is situated on almost a half acre South of Ventura Blvd and exhibits character-defining features of Modern style and architecture. These features include but are not limited to: tightly interlocking volumes, folded planes, an asymmetrical roof, sloping walls & ceilings, polygonal windows, butt-glazed corners, exposed wood interiors, flagstone patios & fireplaces. Major repairs are required to preserve this historic landmark for future generations. (Sterling Realty)
You can view more SFV Architecture and Real Estate here.

Trend Alert - Greek Key * Alerta Tendência - Gregas Infinity

  Greek Key is a trend and one of my favorite patterns ever! I fell in Love with this Chair sometime ago. Isn't it beautiful? I find it so versatilele!

***
A Grega é uma tendência e é um dos meus padrões favoritos de sempre! Apaixonei-me por este cadeirão há algum tempo atráz. Não é lindo?! A verdade é que acho este padrão tão versatil que fica bem em qualquer contexto.
 
 









 Para os apaixonados pelo padrão, a boa notícia é que temos tecido sob encomenda na LojaQuerido, em vários tons para encomendar na forma de cadeiras, cortinados, cabeceira ou almofadas. Contacte-nos para o 213243344 ou envie um mail@lojaquerido.com





E não se esqueçam de ajudar o Home-Styling a contribuir. Por cada 500 cliques neste selo, o Home-Styling! contribui com um peluche para a Campanha de Peluches e a IKEA Foundation contribui com 1€ para a UNICEF e a Save The Children. 
Quanto mais clicar, mais está a ajudar! 
Obrigado por contribuir com o Homestyling e com a IKEA para um futuro melhor.



Até Amanhã 

Ana Antunes
(Thank you for sharing my passion for beautiful homes)
  

Sunday, 24 November 2013

Campanha de Peluches e a IKEA Foundation

Queridas Blogamigas,

 É com muito prazer que o Blogue Home-Styling, está a partir de hoje a contribuir para a campanha da IKEA Foundation que apoia crianças de países em desenvolvimento através da Campanha de Peluches IKEA, financiando programas de educação geridos pelas UNICEF e Save The Children.

Até 27 de dezembro, por cada peluche ou livro infantil vendidos nas lojas IKEA, a IKEA Foundation doa 1€ a programas de educação geridos pela UNICEF e Save The Children em todo o mundo. 

A Campanha de Peluches para a Educação tem como objetivo proporcionar melhores oportunidades e uma educação de qualidade às crianças que vivem num ciclo de pobreza em países em desenvolvimento.

Desde o seu início, há dez anos, em 2003, as doações da Campanha de Peluches IKEA já totalizaram 57 milhões de euros, ajudando mais de 10 milhões de crianças em 46 países a terem acesso a uma educação de qualidade.


Os peluches que apoiam a educação das crianças estão de volta!







O poder de dar a dobrar – duplique o efeito
Por cada peluche ou livro infantil que comprar, a IKEA Foundation doa 1€ para que mais crianças possam frequentar a escola. Quanto maior for o nosso donativo, mais longe chega o poder da educação.


Também pode comprar e doar um dos peluches IKEA às crianças das seguintes instituições portuguesas: 

Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, Ajuda de Mãe, Refúgio Aboim Ascensão, Aldeias SOS, AFID, IPSS – Centro Social da Musgueira, Associação Pomba da Paz, Centro de Acolhimento da Casa do Infantado, Associação de Moradores de Santo António dos Cavaleiros - O reguila, Secretariado Diocesano de Lisboa da Obra Nacional Pastoral dos Ciganos, Centro Popular Infantil Nascer do Sol, Jardim de Infância Nossa Srª dos Anjos, Jardim de Infância o Nosso Mundo, Instituição de Apoio à Freguesia de Bucelas, Associação O Saltarico, Cantinho das Crianças do Prior Velho, Obra do Padre Grilo, Lar Santa Cruz, Internato Nossa Senhora da Conceição, A Causa da Criança, Nuclisol Jean Piaget. 

Encontrará um recipiente para o efeito após a linha de caixas das lojas IKEA em Portugal. O IKEA trata do resto.





Se está a ler este post, também você pode já contribuir para que mais crianças possam frequentar a escola e ajudar a construir um futuro repleto de oportunidades. Como? É simples. 

Basta clicar no Selo Super Poder da Educação (que se encontra na barra lateral do blogue). Por cada 500 cliques neste selo, o Home-Styling! contribui com um peluche para a Campanha de Peluches e a IKEA Foundation contribui com 1€ para a UNICEF e a Save The Children. 

Quanto mais clicar, mais está a ajudar! 
Obrigado por contribuir com o Homestyling e com a IKEA para um futuro melhor.



Até Amanhã

Ana Antunes
(Thank you for sharing my passion for beautiful homes)