bugsy siegel

"Just Don't Call it Wolf's Lair," Estate of the Day

Filed under: Estates

What's not to love about a castle that sits under the Hollywood sign? Especially if the price has been chopped from $7.5 million (the price the house was listed for in June 2008) to $4.7 million?

TV personality Debbie Matenopoulos and her soon-to-be-ex-husband Lionsgate Entertainment music executive Jay Faires have re-listed their Norman-style castle, once known as Wolf's Lair. The couple reportedly bought in 2002 for $2.9 million. Because of the association with Hitler's bunker of the same name, plans are to change the name to something, well, more castle-y.

The turreted 5,485-square-foot castle that sits on 3.3 acres was built in the 1920s and includes a two-bedroom guest house designed by architect John Lautner. The main house was built by and named after L. Milton Wolf, the developer of Hollywoodland. In fact, the Hollywood sign that sits behind the home was put there by Wolf to advertise Hollywoodland. ( The original sign bore that name and was covered with 4,000 flashing electric light bulbs.) There is a heart-shaped black-bottom pool and eight bedrooms total on the property, which sits high above Los Angeles' Beachwood Canyon.

Lure about this property is legendary. Wolf, something of a ladies' man, reportedly installed a secret apartment under the gatehouse where he entertained, ahem, privately.

Bugsy Siegal's former castle -- the one Madonna owned subsequently -- is right up the road a piece. Castillo del Lago is listed at $9.95 million, making the former Wolf's Lair a relative bargain.

Ernie Carswell of Teles Properties, Beverly Hills, has the listing.

Gallery: Just Don't Call It 'Wolf's Lair'

Tags: bugsy siegel, BugsySiegel, castillo del lago, CastilloDelLago, celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, debbie matenopoulos, DebbieMatenopoulos, estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, hollywood, john lautner, JohnLautner, madonna

Continue reading “"Just Don't Call it Wolf's Lair," Estate of the Day ”

Castillo Del Lago, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Today's home, Castillo del Lago is one of the legendary homes tucked up into the Hollywood Hills. It was originally built for oil explorer Patrick Longdon but more famously was later the home to mobster Bugsy Siegel who may have turned the castle into a speakeasy. The story gets interesting again when Madonna picks up the home in 1993 for around $5 million and her brother sets to work decorating it for another $3 million. Those rather interesting stripes on the outside? Blame Madonna's brother who says in his memoir that he got the idea from a little church in Portofino. The home has nine bedrooms and the property roams approximately three acres on a hilltop with views of the Hollywood reservoir.

The interior has tall beamed ceilings, cool tile floors, and has a huge spiral staircase for ascending the home's many levels (there is also an elevator). The bright white kitchen includes a vintage O'Keefe and Merrit stove and twin SubZero refrigerator/freezers. For those who prefer a little less light there are also a few rooms that look cool and dark including a long library, paneled billiard room and some sort of cozy space draped in multicolored fabrics. As you might imagine, the tower provides full views as far as the eye can see (or the smog will allow).

Outside there is a courtyard,, a long lap pool, fountains, rose gardens and a small mazelike formal garden. Madonna sold the home to commercial director Joe Pytka for $5.3 million and he has now listed the home for $14.95 million.

UPDATE: As of November 2009, this home has been relisted at $9.95 million.

Experience more lush living in luxury homes and mansions or see the stars living large with celebrity homes galleries at AOL Real Estate.

Gallery: Castillo del Lago