Marine Lair

July 4, 2018July 4, 20183 Comments

I love stalking real estate listings for places that I travel to and since we are in La Jolla, California I thought I’d share “Marine Lair” with you today. The 3,124 square foot home with 3 bedrooms and 4.5 baths is situated on a tiny 2,560 square foot lot located directly across the street from the beach. The home was built by Andrew Canter, the 34-year-old owner of Canter Companies and real estate investment banker, who spared no expense in designing and building a contemporary beach home (and bachelor pad…he’s single) in one of Southern California’s premier oceanfront communities.

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Andrew Canter at Marine Lair

Canter put his development team to the test by informing them that his vision and “…concept was to create something rare and extraordinary in every aspect of the design.” The home is very sculptural in nature and incorporates carefully curated rugged and exotic materials, such as koa wood veneer harvested from Hilo, Hawaii. This isn’t surprising coming from an owner working with a craftsman who spent a lot of time building boats. It feels like a little jewel box on the beach and it can be all yours for $11.8 million. If you don’t have access to that much cash don’t worry…the seller is accepting bitcoin.

THE CHARM OF KNOWLTON FARMS VINEYARD & ESTATE

February 5, 2018February 6, 20181 Comment

The recent California fires, particularly those in Northern California, devastated entire regions. A friend of mine told me a story of their friends who were looking for a vacation home in the Napa area and found one that they were considering to buy. They left town and just a few days later they learned that the home they were thinking of purchasing had burned down. They were lucky, but many were not. The fires caused loss and injury. Many people were displaced and stories of price gouging for rental housing in an area hit hard by the fires started to emerge. While some people took advantage of the situation, others decided to do a good deed. One such person was the owner of Knowlton Farms Vineyard & Estate located in Sebastopol, California, who rented the homes on his 6+ acre property to first responders for free or at a heavily discounted rate. The owner has since decided to sell the property because he wishes to move to New York City and doesn’t want the responsibility of managing the property from the east coast. The owner purchased the property 15 years ago and has done several additions and updates. He’s also leaving everything behind, including the kitchen plates! All you need is to do is pack your bags and for $5.25 million, the property could be yours. Considering the amount of land and number of structures on the property, and the fact that it’s California real estate (i.e. never affordable) it actually seems like a fair price. The official listing is here.

Be warned…there are lots of pictures in this post so grab a cup of coffee, tea, or your favorite beverage and enjoy…

The Main House

The Guest House

The Pool

The Red Barn

Vineyard & Garden

The Estate of Cecil B. DeMille

April 6, 20174 Comments

History about the golden age of Hollywood is fascinating to me. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I was born and raised in sunny Southern California. But I become particularly interested in the topic when it comes to learning about the historic homes of Hollywood’s legendary directors, actors, and actresses. Cecil B. DeMille (1881-1959) is credited as being one of the founding father’s of Hollywood’s motion picture industry. He is the winner of numerous awards and honors, including two Academy Awards and the namesake Cecil B. DeMille Award given out at the Golden Globes bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign press for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment”.

Creativity is a drug I cannot live without. –Cecil B. DeMille

The current owners of the Cecil B. DeMille estate embarked on a six-year renovation of the property paying close attention to the original architectural details. The pool with its arched fountains is a new addition although it looks like its always been there. The 2.1-acre estate in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles is for sale so if you like what you see you can make it yours for just under $30 million. No biggie, right??!!! cecil b demille home cecil b demille home los angeles landscape cecil b demille home 2

Be sure to check out the video to get your own personal tour of this stunning estate.

Photos and video via listing agent Hilton & Hyland.

MICHELANGELO SLEPT HERE

August 23, 20165 Comments

There is something to be said about provenance and it doesn’t get much more interesting than being able to say, “My house was once owned by Michelangelo”. Yes, that Michelangelo. You know…the one that painted the Sistine Chapel. The property once owned by Michelangelo is currently available for $8.4 million and a lucky new owner will soon be able to call it their own.

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The property is situated among the rolling hills of Tuscany surrounded by 200 olive trees. Michelangelo purchased the property in 1549 and it remained in the family until 1867. Over the course of twenty years, the current owner has lovingly restored the ten bedroom, 12,916 square foot estate while maintaining many of the original architectural features. Included in the sale is the original deed to the house, signed by the artist himself. That sounds like something definitely frame-worthy.

villa michelangelo via RevivingCharm_com

My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth’s loveliness. –Michelangelo Buonarroti

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The brick barrel vaulted ceiling is original.

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The kitchen has its original stone hearth.

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A second floor bedroom maintains its original wood beam ceiling.

There is an interesting article about the property in the New York Times. You can read about it here.

A RELAXING NEW HAMPSHIRE RETREAT

April 12, 2016May 15, 20163 Comments

In yesterday’s post I wrote about National Library Week. And while I love books, I will be the first to admit that I rarely have time to read one. I have been wanting to book (no pun intended) a relaxing vacation to get caught up with things on my reading list. For quite some time Mr. B and I have talked about spending some “down time” on Lake Winnipesaukee and I wish I could find a place like Boulder Lodge that was available to the public. Boulder Lodge is actually a gorgeous 6 acre property built in 1840 with over 600 feet along the lake. It was once owned by the Lipton family and is currently on the market for $4.5 million. In addition to the main house, it is developed with 5 guest cottages making it the quinntessential camp-like compound. I don’t think I would actually like to own a place like Boulder Lodge due to the amount of upkeep it would require to maintain it properly but I wouldn’t mind being a guest for an extended period of time. It looks like the perfect peaceful retreat to enjoy some quiet time. If you know anyone who wishes to purchase it be sure to ask them if they can spare a room (or a cottage!) for a few nights. Afterall, I have some reading to do.

new hampshire boulder lodge reviving charm

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgement will be surer. –Leonardo Da Vinci

reviving charm cottage on the lake Lake Winnipesaukee real estate reviving charm new hampshire Lake Winnipesaukee reviving charm reviving charm vacation home new hampshire new hampshire real estate Lake Winnipesaukee reviving charm new hampshire real estate reviving charm Lake Winnipesaukee new hampshire vacation real estate reviving charm vacation home Lake Winnipesaukee OUTDOOR FIREPIT REVIVING CHARM BOULDER LODGE

Listing by Kristin Hayes Claire

Phone (603) 227-2411 / 16 Centre Street, Concord, NH 03301

Contents of the Kennedy “Winter Whitehouse” to be Auctioned

October 21, 2015May 15, 2016Leave a comment

It just might be the sale of the year.

2016, that is.

On January 23, 2016, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will host an auction of Kennedy furnishings and belongings. The contents belonged to the Palm Beach, Florida estate officially known as “La Guerida” — bounty of war, which was affectionately nicknamed the Kennedy “Winter White House”.

The cover (shown above) of the auction catalogue house is already listed on the Leslie Hindman Auctioneers website. But it is reported that the catalog will not be made public until about a month before the auction takes place. If you’re allured by the Kennedy mystique, then this sale will be something worth keeping an eye on.

Items to be included in the auction.

In 1995 the Kennedy family sold the 15,000 square foot estate, complete with its contents to John K. and Marianne Castle. You can read about the sale here. The Castles lovingly restored the estate over several years and preserved some of the rooms with its original contents. The Castles sold the estate this summer with a condition that they be able to maintain its contents. They have since decided to auction them off. Not a bad business move.

Here is a round up of pictures featuring the lovely estate then and now.

For more history on the Kennedy Winter White House, take a look at THIS post.

Sources: Palm Beach Daily News, Statesman, Veranda Magazine (online) & Curbed.Com, LeslieHindman.Com. NYTimes.com

Dreaming of a Carmel Ranch Cottage

July 20, 2015September 6, 2015Leave a comment

More often than not, I come back from a vacation dreaming about buying a vacation home in the far away place I just came from. Mr. B and I recently came back from a trip to Carmel, California. Of course I came back with visions of buying a cute seaside getaway. I could see us settling into the picturesque community of Carmel quite well. Carmel is a well-established, affluent California seaside community known for its gorgeous scenery, quaint shops and a rich artistic community.

I stumbled upon a real estate listing that features a charming 1,694 square foot ranch cottage with a view of the Pacific Ocean. It’s definitely the kind of place you can easily feel comfortable calling “home”.

“Located on Carmels most sought after street with both classic style and privacy. Rare blend of a Carmel cottage on the quiet and desirable section of Scenic Road with 3 courtyards, 4 bed, 2.5 bath, overlooking Carmel Beach. With Point Lobos views from the balcony, hardwood floors, high beam ceilings, and fireplace. Sophisticated coastal living with Pacific sunsets and the sounds of ocean waves.”