beverlyhills

The Recession, Botox And Looking Good: An Interview With A Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Filed under: Services, Cosmetics and Fragrance

As the recession began to dig its claws in last year, the NY Times ran an article on how plastic surgery was becoming a luxury that some were cutting back on. It seemed like vanity just might be yielding to practicality.

But now six months later, how are people feeling about plastic surgery? We asked Dr. Gabriel Chiu, the surgeon behind Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, Inc to tell us what he's been seeing in his office. Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery is a full-service plastic and cosmetic surgery practice offering services that range from skincare and injectables to more invasive procedures such as breast augmentation. Their spa-like office is located on Wilshire Blvd. and has a retail skincare lounge, valet parking for medical appointments and the all-important private VIP reception.

It seems that while people are cutting back on some things, no one really wants to look badly. As Dr. Chiu puts it once they have "gotten used to looking a certain way and they don't want to risk losing it." In fact, in an increasingly competitive job market, some people are now coming in so that they can look younger and hold their own against floods of eager job seekers. What are people cutting back on most and what new treatments is Dr. Chiu most excited about? Our full interview is after the jump.

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Tags: beverly hills, BeverlyHills, botox, injectables, injections, plastic surgery, PlasticSurgery, rhinoplasty

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Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Events, Green

Looking for a fun and free Father's Day event in the Los Angeles area? On June 21 the 2009 Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance will take place in Beverly Hills featuring more than 100 exotic cars on display lining Rodeo Drive north of Wilshire Boulevard. "In addition to our traditional and classic collector cars featured at the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance, this year we are also proud to showcase a unique selection of alternative energy vehicles, micro and electric cars, and solar vehicles, amongst others," notes Bruce Meyer, co-chair of the Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance. "From the display of luxurious, cutting-edge automobiles to the world-renowned fashion boutiques, Rodeo Drive offers something for everyone to enjoy on Father's Day."

Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, classic cars, ClassicCars, electric car, ElectricCar, Fathers Day, FathersDay, Los Angeles, LosAngeles, Rodeo Drive, Rodeo Drive Concours dElegance, RodeoDrive, RodeoDriveConcoursDelegance

Cody Leibel in Los Angeles, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Berg Properties Big Time Listings mentioned a couple of weeks ago that investor and record label owner Cody Leibel had put a home in the Beverly Hills Post Office Area up for sale for $16.5 million but now that it seems that it's getting some celebrity attention perhaps it's time to give this one a closer look. The Real Estalker reports that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban may have made an offer on the home although it appears that it hasn't gone to contract yet so a deal may not have been made. Leibel, who is still in his 20s, is also business partners with Sam Nazarian, who has a home listed for $18.95 million. Leibel paid $9.205 million for the property in 2007. It is on five acres and includes an infinity pool and a motor court for 20 cars. The home was originally built in 1959 but has been rehabbed and expanded into a modern home aimed at attracting a deep-pocketed buyer. It has five bedrooms, five bathrooms and an eat-in kitchen.

Gallery: Cody Leibel in Los Angeles

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Tags: beverly hills, BeverlyHills, california, cody leibel, CodyLeibel, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, keith urban, KeithUrban, los angeles, LosAngeles, nicole kidman, NicoleKidman

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Britney Spears Puts Her Beverly Hills Home Back On The Market

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

It's baaaack. Britney Spears has flopped her home in the Summit community of Beverly Hills back on the market yet again. Spears bought the home on what appears to have been a quick impulse back in 2007 during her more manic days and she's been trying to sell off and on ever since. The home has been listed as high as $7.9 million last fall but now the six-bedroom villa is at a more realistic $6.499 million. Spears meanwhile has decamped to Calabasas when she's not on tour. The new price means that she will likely lose money on the deal, Spears bought for $6.75 million when it was on the market for $7.2 million, but I'm sure she'll be glad to be rid of the home once it finally sells.

[via The Real Estalker]

Gallery: Britney Spears Summit Home

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Tags: beverly hills, BeverlyHills, britney spears, BritneySpears, real estate, RealEstate, summit

Simon Cowell Moves Into New $22 Million Mansion

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Back in March we reported that American Idol star Simon Cowell was installing a private tanning salon in his new $22 million mansion in Beverly Hills. Now the London Daily Mail reports Cowell is finally ready to occupy the lavish 11,550-sq.-ft. estate. Cowell bought the property for $12 million nearly two years ago but razed the original structure. The new modern mansion has 24-ft. tall windows in the living rooms with sweeping views over Los Angeles. Neighbors include Tom Cruise, Madonna, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and Victoria and David Beckham.

"I look out over the Hollywood Hills into my neighbors' gardens," Cowell said in an interview last year. "It's an amazing view." Not good enough to "see into their homes," he noted, "so you can't see them in the shower - but you can see into their gardens. It's great fun. I just like to keep an eye on what is happening." Cowell has described the modern mansion as his "dream home" and has said he's been involved in the design "right down to the doorknobs."

The five-bedroom mansion features a state-of-the-art gym in the basement, a luxury spa complete with wet steam room, a custom-made media room with a marble bar area and plush leather seating for 20, a gallery for Cowell's gold and platinum records and awards, and an indoor lap pool. The property has a separate staff quarters containing a servants' kitchen for Cowell's live-in butler and maid. The pool cabana has a retractable roof, wet bar and changing rooms and there's a putting green at the rear of the property.

Tags: American Idol, AmericanIdol, Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, celebrity, Hollywood Hills, HollywoodHills, mansion, Simon Cowell, SimonCowell, TV

Pickfair, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

We've been covering Pickfair practically since we started this blog and yet never given it full estate of the day treatment. I recently came across the sales website for the estate which features a bumper crop of photos that show how Pickfair is now. The current estate which occupies a prime spot on Summit Drive in Beverly Hills, California and has a $60 million price tag. Unfortunately the home that exists currently bears little if any resemblance to the original.

In the 1920s, this was the most fabled home in America, a stately manor owned by two of the world's most popular stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. This pair, the girl with the curls and the winsome smile, the original "America's Sweetheart" and the man with energetic physicality and devil-may-care smile, the original movie action hero captured the minds of a nation even though their romance was born in scandal. Their home, Pickfair was the stuff of dreams and legends, a place where they entertained anyone of consequence. The couple spent a fortune expanding their home, turning a small hunting cabin into a huge mansion.

Gallery: Pickfair

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Tags: beverly hills, BeverlyHills, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, luxury real estate, LuxuryRealEstate, pickfair

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Mariah Carey Buys $7 Million Mansion

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

It looks like Mariah Carey was only dreaming when she reportedly made an offer on Fleur de Lys, the $125 million Beverly Hills mansion once ranked as the world's most expensive estate (that title is now held by the $150 million Spelling mansion). According to the Real Estalker, the pop star just purchased this somewhat more modest mansion in Bel Air (above) that once belonged to Farrah Fawcett for about $7 million. The private gated estate on 3 acres designed in the Hamptons style and originally built in 1950 is about 10,000-sq.-ft. with 6 bedrooms and 7 baths.

The property features incredible 360-degree views and the renovated house has an "Aspen-style" great room, seven fireplaces, formal living and dining rooms, a library, media room, office, an eat in gourmet kitchen. The grounds boast three gated entrances, two motor courts, a huge rectangular swimming pool with a poolside pavilion, a large brick terrace, several lush lawns areas, a gazebo, and an Indoor racquetball court. The closing price is about $2.5 million less than the sellers were originally asking.

Tags: Bel Air, BelAir, Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, California, celebrity, Farrah Fawcett, FarrahFawcett, mansion, Mariah Carey, MariahCarey

Aspen Comeback? Now Most Expensive Zip Code in U.S.

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

The real estate market in Aspen, CO has recovered somewhat and its priciest zip code is now the most expensive neighborhood in the U.S., according to a new ranking by Forbes. Back in February we reported on the dire straits of Aspen real estate, when Sotheby's International Realty shuttered its Aspen office in the wake of plummeting sales. Now Aspen's south end 81611 zip code, home to ultra-luxe ski lodges, is top of the field with an impressive $6.5 million median home sale price, the magazine reports. However the seasonal nature of the Aspen market gives it a yearly boost which might well mean its triumph is temporary; and indeed the big picture is still pretty glum. "In 2007, the market in our valley was $2 billion in sales," top Aspen broker Steve Walker tells Forbes, "this year it'll be between $500 million and $1 billion. In volume and dollars, it's been a 50% drop."

We predict that Beverly Hills, which is currently in 3rd place, will quickly eclipse Aspen especially since a mansion was just sold there for $31.5 million, the most expensive property sold in California so far this year, while a second recently changed hands for $22 million. The former, a 27,000-sq.-ft. Norman-style estate on 2 acres with 10 bedrooms, 14 baths and seven fireplaces, had originally been listed at $45 million and was on the market for almost nine months. Aspen's neighboring Snowmass Village has also experienced a resurgence. Other neighborhoods that have clocked recent gains include the Hollywood Hills and Chappaqua, NY, while the second most expensive zip belongs to Alpine, NJ, a luxurious New York suburb home to Wall Street execs and rap moguls like Sean Combs and Damon Dash.

Want to live in the country's priciest zip? There are several choice Aspen properties available including this $60 million estate, this $58 million spread and this cozy $43.8 million ski lodge. Here's the new list of the top five most expensive zip codes in the U.S. as determined by median prices (which are quite high overall right now at the top end):

1. Aspen, CO, 81611: $6.5 million
2. Alpine, NJ, 07620: $4.7 million
3. Beverly Hills, CA, 90210: $4.04 million
4. Snowmass Village, CO, 81654: $3.99 million
5. Newport, CA, 92661: $3.9 million

Tags: Alpine, Aspen, Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, Colorado, Forbes, Hollywood Hills, HollywoodHills, New Jersey, NewJersey, real estate, RealEstate, Sean Combs, SeanCombs, Snowmass, Sothebys, zip code, ZipCode

The Classicist: The New World's Most Expensive Estates

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, The Classicist, Wealth

Five months ago when Forbes ranked the world's most expensive houses (in terms of current listings) only three of them clocked in at over $100 million. And in fact, one of those, Leona Helmsley's Dunnellen Hall in Greenwich, CT which started out at $125 million had already been reduced to $95 million by the time the list was published (it's currently being offered at $75 million). The other, Fleur de Lys in Beverly Hills listed at $125 million, was therefore the world's most expensive and one of only two $100 million-plus properties officially on the market.

Re-surveying the field now we've decided it's time for a new World's Most Expensive list, mainly because despite the recession - or, perhaps, because of it - there are now seven properties in what we've dubbed the Hundred Million Club (N.B. - those listed at only $100 million don't make the cut), three of which are in the U.S. These are the modern-day equivalents of the magnates' great estates we wrote about back in February.

Some recent market activity which regular Luxist readers will be aware of makes a new ranking imperative. For starters, last month Candy Spelling listed her Holmby Hills mega-mansion at $150 million, making it the world's most expensive estate. Then just last week a mansion at No. 10 Belgrave Square in London hit the market for around the same price - £100 million, or about $149 million (depending on exchange rates), while a second Belgrave Square property finally completed renovations and has been listed at £80 million, or about $120 million.

We also received confirmation this week that an incredible 40-room private mansion in Paris' Place des États Unis (above), built in 1890, has been listed at €105 million, or about $138 million. Fleur de Lys, whose "world's most expensive" status (though not its "legendary estate" status) was also usurped by the $135 million Manaplan Residence in Palm Beach now languishes in 5th place (sorry, Mariah).

Here is our new ranking of the world's most expensive estates (in terms of current verifiable listings), all members of the Hundred Million Club:

1. The Manor - Holmby Hills, CA: $150 million
2. No. 10 Belgrave Square, London, UK: $149 million
3. Place des États Unis, Paris, France: $138 million
4. The Manalapan Residence, Palm Beach, FL: $135 million
5. Fleur de Lys, Beverly Hills, CA: $125 million
6. No. 31 Belgrave Square, London, UK: $120 million
7. Updown Court, Surrey, UK: $110 million

Gallery: $100 Million is Not Enough

1. The Manor - Holmby Hills, CA: $150 million

2. No. 10 Belgrave Square, London, UK: $149 million

3. Place des États Unis, Paris, France: $138 million

4. The Manaplan Residence, Palm Beach, FL: $135 million

5. Fleur de Lys, Beverly Hills, CA: $125 million

Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, Candy Spelling, CandySpelling, Connecticut, Dunnellen Hall, DunnellenHall, Fleur de Lys, FleurDeLys, Florida, Forbes, Greenwich, Leona Helmsley, LeonaHelmsley, London, Manaplan Residence, ManaplanResidence, mansion, Palm Beach, PalmBeach, Paris, The Manor, TheManor, Updown Court, UpdownCourt, Villa Leopolda, VillaLeopolda, worlds most expensive, WorldsMostExpensive

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Diane Keaton's Beverly Hills Mansion for Sale

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton has already dropped the price on her meticulously-restored Beverly Hills Spanish Colonial Revival mansion. It was first listed at $12.95 million in March and is now on the market for $11.995 million.. Built in 1927 by architect Ralph Flewelling, the 7,145-sq.-ft. seven-bed, nine-bath spread features an inner courtyard with a fountain (above, surrounded by sleepy Mexican gnomes) separating the kitchen and family room on one side from the media room, den and staircase leading to the upstairs, the L.A. Times reports. It has thruway arches in the living and dining rooms, a movie star-worthy pool, and a garden with olive tree-lined walkways. Keaton's acting career has been interspersed with her home- and building-preservation efforts, the paper notes, and she is a member of America's National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The home was featured in Architectural Digest in November 2008 and the slideshow is here.

Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, celebrity, Diane Keaton, DianeKeaton, Los Angeles, LosAngeles

Simon Cowell Installs Private Tanning Salon in New $22 Million Mansion

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth

TV star Simon Cowell obviously hasn't been much affected by the credit crunch; he's installing a private tanning salon in his brand new $22 million Beverly Hills mansion (above) so he can maintain the perfect bronzed appearance, the London Daily Mail reports. The paper got an exclusive look at plans for the lavish 11,550-sq.-ft. estate, which is due to be completed next week, and they revealed a solarium off the master bedroom complete with one full-length tanning machine and a smaller "booster" facial tanner. Cowell, 49, is reportedly worth $190 million.

He bought the property for $12 million nearly two years ago but razed the original structure to build what he has called his "dream home," the paper reports. The new modern mansion has 24-ft. tall windows in the living rooms with sweeping views over Los Angeles. Neighbors include Tom Cruise, Madonna, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne and Victoria and David Beckham. "I've been involved in every aspect of the design of the new place, right down to the doorknobs," Cowell tells the paper. "I have other houses but this is my dream home."

Cowell and his ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour, who will have her own suite at the house, visited the property last weekend in his Bugatti Veyron and he later returned in his black Bentley convertible, the paper reports. The five-bedroom mansion also features a state-of-the-art gym in the basement, a luxury spa complete with wet steam room, and an indoor lap pool in addition to the solarium. The property has a separate staff quarters containing a servants' kitchen, and a source tells the paper Cowell will have a live-in butler and maid.

Other features of the estate include a custom-made media room with a marble bar area and plush leather seating for 20 in a private cinema. The pool cabana has a retractable roof, wet bar and changing rooms and there is a putting green at the rear of the property. Cowell s also building a $13 million vacation home in Barbados. His main UK property is an $11 million house in London's upscale Holland Park. He also owns a villa in Spain and a $1.5 million investment property on the Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai.

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Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, celebrity, Los Angeles, LosAngeles, mansion, Simon Cowell, SimonCowell, television

Mariah Carey Makes an Offer on World's Most Expensive Mansion

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Pop diva Mariah Carey has reportedly made an offer on Fleur de Lys, the world's most expensive estate, which is listed at $125 million. The the palatial 15-bedroom mansion in Beverly Hills (above) was built by Texan billionaire David Saperstein. The five-acre estate is home to a 41,000-square foot French limestone mansion inspired by France's magnificent Vaux le Vicomte palace outside Paris. It features Italian marble walls, French limestone floors, gold-embossed leather wall coverings, gold-leaf crown moldings, a ballroom with ceiling frescoes, a library complete with rare books, two kitchens and a screening room with seating for 50.

Surrounding the mansion are rolling lawns, ornamental gardens and mature trees, a 3,000-square-foot manager's house, staff quarters for 10 people, a spa and pool with a pavilion, a championship tennis court, and a lavish garden folly. Contactmusic reports that after three months of house hunting Carey and her rapper / actor husband Nick Cannon have made an offer on the estate, for an undisclosed amount. "They like the home because there's so little that needs doing to it," a source close to the couple allegedly remarked. The house is currently owned by Saperstein's ex-wife Suzanne, whom he ditched for the childrens' hot Swedish nanny.

Gallery: Fleur de Lys

Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, celebrity, David Saperstein, DavidSaperstein, Fleur de Lys, FleurDeLys, mansion, Mariah Carey, MariahCarey, pop star, PopStar

Beverly Hills Faces Financial Woes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Hard times have even come to Beverly Hills, California. The LA Times is reporting that city officials in Beverly Hills have said that the city predicts a $24-million drop in tax revenues over the next 16 months which is about 15 percent of the general fund budget. It is said to be the largest percentage budget reduction in the city's history. The city is enacting a formal hiring freeze. Other wealthy Southern California cities including Santa Monica and Newport Beach are also facing budget woes. As shopping declines so does the revenue from sales tax on all those purchases (including the sale of luxury cars). There has also been a decline in building permit and planning fees in some cities as even the wealthy are holding back on major remodels. The fallout could continue for a long time especially for California cities which rely on property taxes which may decrease as the real estate market continues to drop.

Often in hard times the wealthy enclaves are safe because visitors are spending. Out on Rodeo Drive, the street is still bustling with shoppers from around the world but they may be doing less buying and more browsing. Also many brands are advertising their wares on sale and there are more vacant stores than there have been in the area in years.

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Tags: beverly hills, BeverlyHills, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, rodeo drive, RodeoDrive

77 Beverly Park, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's estate first came to my attention in April of last year when the Wall Street Journal reported that Prince was renting this home in the Beverly Park area of Beverly Hills for $200,000 a month. Developer (and former husband of Vanna White) George Santo Pietro put the house up for sale in August of 2007 for $50 million. The 30,000-square-foot Tuscan-style mansion is a spec house seeking one very wealthy buyer. The home has nine bedrooms, a screening room, brick wine cellar and giant public rooms done on a grand scale. The two acre property also includes an outdoor kitchen, heated swimming pool, sand volleyball court and an herb and vegetable garden. Houses with this kind of price tag can sit on the market for a while but I'm wondering why this one is hard to sell. Is it just the price tag or is it the odd mix of grand vaulted space with rough hewn beam details. There's something off about this one, as if it is trying to be outlandishly extravagant and comfortably cozy at the same time and isn't fully doing either one with any great aplomb. It remains listed at $50 million.

Gallery: 77 Beverly Park

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Tags: beverly hills, beverly park, BeverlyHills, BeverlyPark, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, george santo pietro, GeorgeSantoPietro

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Fleur de Lys Named World's Most Expensive Estate

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Forbes has named Fleur de Lys (above), the lavish Beverly Hills estate featured in this week's Classicist column, as the world's most expensive house currently on the market with its $125 million pricetag. The palatial mansion beat out Leona Helmsley's Dunnellen Hall in Greenwich, Conn., which had been listed at $125 million as well, but saw its price cut by $30 million back in October (Forbes has not yet registered the change). Fleur de Lys has been on the market since 2007, but unlike some other major property owners, billionaire's ex Suzanne Saperstein has yet to slash the price. In compiling its list of the world's 10 most expensive estates, Forbes culled from property listings, high-end brokerages and conversations with real estate agents. "We include only publicly listed properties," they note. "In Europe, especially, estates and luxury residences that might qualify are shopped privately for undisclosed prices." You can see a slideshow of the list here.

Gallery: Fleur de Lys

Tags: Beverly Hills, BeverlyHills, Dunnellen Hall, DunnellenHall, Fleur de Lys, FleurDeLys, Forbes, suzanne saperstein, SuzanneSaperstein

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