This seems to be writer week here on Luxist. Today we've got the home of thriller writer Scott Turow. Turow, writer of books such as "Presumed Innocent" and "The Burden of Proof" owns a home on Lake Michigan in Glencoe, Illinois. The five-bedroom home has high ceilings and huge windows facing the lake. The contemporary home has a first floor lake-view master suite with a dressing room and his and hers baths and an office. Additional bedrooms are located on the second floor. The home also has a four-car garage and has stairs leading directly to the beach. The Chicago Tribune's Elite Street column reports that Turow recently reduced the price from $6.25 million to $5.9 million. He bought the home in 2001 for $4.79 million.

This is not a church, but the owner tried to claim it was to avoid paying real estate taxes. The Chicago Tribune's Elite Street column brings in the story of a home in Lake Bluff, Illinois owned by a banker who tried to duck out of around $80,000 in property taxes because he said that parishioners had congregated in his home so that his disabled wife could worship without leaving the house. Neighbors debunked that claim, telling the Tribune they never saw services held at the mansion. Over the summer an independent state administrative law judge for the Illinois Department of Revenue reversed the ruling leaving the banker liable for the tax bill. Now the property has hit the market. The Armenian Church of Lake Bluff is now for sale for $12.5 million, a hefty rise over the $3 million paid for the property in 2004.

The five-acre property is listed through Michael Realty & Associates and has 265 feet of private beach with elevator lifts to the beach. Listing pics are tiny but they show an exercise room, a barbershop with a mural, indoor pool, home theater, and a 12-car heated garage. The property was renovated with a 15,000 square foot addition in 2005. The master suite has a private wet bar, walk-in his and her closets and outdoor balconies overlooking Lake Michigan and an indoor private balcony overlooking indoor pool. The first floor great room has vaulted ceilings with four rain sensored skylights, a full formal dining room with attached butler pantry, with warming drawers and dishwasher, along with fireplace and wet bar. There does not appear to be a chapel.

The Wilmette, Illinois home of former Rod Blagojevich fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko hit the auction block this week. Bank of America attempted to sell the home on Monday. The multimillion-dollar mansion belonged to the bank after a $5.9 million foreclosure judgment against Rezko in May. Unfortunately, the bank will be saddled with the house a while longer. No one went above the bank's $2.8 million opening bid and so it was sold back to the bank. The former owner remains in custody and is awaiting sentencing on fraud, money laundering and abetting bribery charges. The fancy 8,500 square foot home was used for political gatherings and was the location of a 2003 fundraiser for the Senate campaign of Barack Obama. The bank may soon put the house up for sale.

Few homes make as bold an impression as the Villa Taj in Burr Ridge, Illinois. This massive home is, at $25 million, the most expensive home on the market in Illinois. The outside includes over 15,000 square feet of terrace space. The developer has created a home that pulls in influences from around the world, a pastiche of Greco-Roman columns, Moorish chandeliers and Mughal wall details. He says that the home is named Villa Taj because it is a "crown jewel" but I'm sure the immediate mind association with the Taj Mahal doesn't hurt either. Last month, CBS2 News in Chicago took a video tour of the home which is over 35,000 square feet total. The scale of the home is incredible, it looks more like a museum than a private residence.

The front doors weigh 4,000 pounds. The palatial interior features two formal living rooms, staff quarters, a home theater, library and even a bowling alley. Ceilings in some rooms are 38 feet high. Antiques built into the home have been flown in from around the world. The home has made use of 160 tons of imported Gold Jerusalem stone both inside and outside the residence. The carved stonework took over two years to install. Two powder rooms are outfitted with over 4,200 square feet of Pineapple Onyx from Mexico with Italian marble accents. The home has multiple service areas including one area between the kitchen and ballroom which provides has a wet bar, icemaker, refrigerator and space for catering setup.

The initial landscaping has been completed with over 600 trees planted at the home. A swimming pool and pool pavilion are planned.There are just a few photos here, check out the property website for the full effect of this home.



[Thanks, Brad]

If you are in Illinois go ahead and splurge on that piece of bling. Jewelers of America has announced in a press release that the Illinois State Legislature's Revenue and Finance Committee has opted not to move forward with HB 451, a bill that would have slapped a five percent luxury tax on watch and jewelry purchases over $20,000. Jewelers of America had created an anti-luxury-tax letter and fundraising campaign to stop the bill fearing the impact the luxury tax could have on the industry. Now Jewelers of America is setting their sights on New York which also has a similar luxury tax proposal that calls for a percent tax on jewelry and watches over $20,000.

According to Gregory Mottola, of Cigar Aficionado, most of Chicago's cigar smoking takes place in local smoke shops. A smoking ban has whittled the field of options down, and there aren't any grandfathered establishments (as there, for example, in New York). Of course, lighting up on Michigan Avenue works for only part of the year, thanks to the city's brutal winters.

Mottola did find luck at Jack Schwartz Importer, a small shop on West Jackson Boulevard in the financial district. The store is small, but it does have a few chairs – for which there is considerable competition. Unfortunately, Jack Schwartz closes at 5 PM, leaving few options for an evening smoke.

When Mottola asks a store manager where people smoke after work, the reply was brutal and blunt: "They don't. This is pretty much it."

Iwan Ries, which also closes at 5 PM, has a 1,000 square-foot lounge on its second floor, with large windows that allow plenty of sunlight. Black leather chairs, televisions and wood floors adorn the lounge. Non-members have to pay a $10 fee (per day), and they, like members, are required to bring their own spirits. The store does not have lockers or personal humidors on site.

One of the grandest estates in the Midwest has hit the market. Built in 1917, the Schweppe Estate in Lake Forest, Illinois was a wedding gift from Marshall Field and Company president John G. Shedd to his daughter Laura. It was famous for parties and on one occasion, Lake Forest society entertained the heirs to the crown of Sweden and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. The home has 11 bedrooms and was vacant for 40 years but was restored in the 1980s by over 70 craftsmen who tended to the marble fireplaces, wood paneled library and the plaster relief ceilings and limestone moldings. It is listed at $18 million.

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

I'm not sure if today's home belongs to a sports star but the indoor basketball court with the Chicago Bulls logo in this home in Burr Ridge, Illinois does make me wonder. No matter what this is one extravagant home that could easily appeal to someone finding themselves suddenly in need of a place to spend their big paychecks. In addition to six bedrooms the over 20,000 square foot home home also has an indoor swimming pool, locker room, spa, sauna, home theater, elevator, two kitchens, an outdoor patio and pond with a huge fountain (even more pictures at the virtual tour here). It is listed at $8,999,999.

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

Another multi-million house is headed to auction, this time in Highland Park, Illinois on Chicago's North Shore. The home is a model home overlooking a ravine on 1.35 acres. The five-bedroom home is located a short walk from Lake Michigan and is over 11,000 square feet. The rooms have 10' ceilings and feature Wisconsin stone and Brazilian Mahogany details. Other features include a home entertainment area with its own kitchen and a wine cellar. There is also a four-car garage with cedar doors and the plumbing and infrastructure for an indoor pool is in place. How much of a deal can you get on this one? The press release says that it was originally priced at nearly $4 million and the minimum bid is $2.45 million. The auction will be on December 9, the next day the same auction broker, Inland Real Estate Auctions will auction off a variety of properties that include a 2,600-square-foot, eighth-floor penthouse condominium in Lincolnwood, Ill. and a newly-built three-bedroom single-family home in west suburban Plano.

Real estate may be sluggish but that hasn't seemed to stop the luxury home tours. For three weekends in September, Sept. 5- 21, Chicago-area real estate gawkers can check out the houses in the 5th annual Chicago Luxury Home Tour. The homes are all new and feature green construction such as asphalt shingle roofs, geo-thermal heating and cooling, radiant in-floor heating and recycled and recyclable materials. Tickets can be bought in advance for $15 at local locations or for $20 at the homes. Or if you aren't in the area, sneak a peek at the photo gallery on the Chicago Home Tour website.

[via Chicago Tribune]

When most people think of American wines they name California, Oregon and Washington but amazingly wine making is something every state has in common. With all the political hubbub happening currently it seems timely that someone would pin the red and blue states against each other in a more delicious contest. Sure the Blue's come in heavy with the three states mentioned above but the Red-leaning states have Arizona's Caduceus and Virginia's Barboursville to tout. Among the Blue states there is the lesser known Finger Lake region of New York highlighting Heron Hill's Reisling and Illinois' hybrid varietals.

Personally, I'm interested in trying Hawaii's Pineapple Wine -- that has to be perfect for dessert or sipping on a hot day -- which I didn't know existed until today! I'll take a hammock on the beach with a glass of wine any day and leave the politicking to the experts.

For the next couple of weeks we will be checking out some homes in the most expensive zip codes in the United States, up today, 60022 . This zip code refers to the town of Glencoe, Illinois. This zip code has a median price of $1,850,000 with an appreciation rate of 218% since 1990. Glencoe is a small, highly affluent community on Lake Michigan that is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Today's estate is definitely not a representative sample of the real estate in the area. Glencoe homes tend to run to the traditional and this home is definitely not that. It's a bit of a contemporary fun house.This home is full of wacky modern furniture and all sorts of funky details including multi-colored wood floors, a bulbous fireplace, a kitchen full of swooping counters and wild bathrooms. It is listed at $6.9 million.

For the next couple of weeks we will be checking out some homes in the most expensive zip codes in the United States, up today, 60093 . This zip code refers to the town of Winnetka, Illinois. Winnetka is one of the North Shore of Chicago's older communities and is known as being one of the best places to raise a family in the area. This zip code has a median price of $1,790,000 with an appreciation rate of 207% since 1990. We've covered Winnetka as recently as last summer as an estate of the day.

Today's home has the type of wide green lawns and Tudor facade that make up many homes in Winnetka neighborhoods. The home is over 80 years old but has been through a major renovation. It has six bedrooms and new hardwood floors and windows. The wallpaper in the breakfast room is bit suspect but overall the new decor looks freshly sprung from the Pottery Barn catalog. The over one-acre property includes a pool and pool house. This home is listed at $4,490,000.

For the next couple of weeks we will be checking out some homes in the most expensive zip codes in the United States, up today, 60043 . This zip code refers to the town of Kenilworth, Illinois. This zip code has a median price of $1,900,000 with an appreciation rate of 226% since 1990. Kenilworth is a planned community. In 1889, Joseph Sears purchased 223.6 acres for $150,300 to develop into an exclusive community. Over the years, Kenilworth has remained one of the wealthiest communities in the U.S.

Today's home isn't the most expensive in the region but it does demonstrate the large scale of homes in the area. This Prarie-style home has large open rooms with dramatic windows and arches and a stark contemporary black and white palette. There is a large indoor pool an a lower level great room. The six-bedroom home sits on just half an acre and is located a few blocks from Lake Michigan. This home is listed at $3,995,000.

For the next couple of weeks we will be checking out some homes in the most expensive zip codes in the United States, up today, 60611 . This zip code is in Chicago, Illinois and encompasses pricey Chicago's Gold Coast area. This zip code has a median price of $1,954,000 with an appreciation rate of 236% since 1990.

Right now, the most expensive listings in this area belong to the Chicago Spire, the massive spiraled Santiago Calatrava masterpiece that will be the new defining piece in the Chicago skyline. The MLS is also sprinkled with some pricey listings for Trump's Chicago offering. But for today's estate I chose something a little older that speaks to this area's history. This duplex is part of a building built in 1913, designed by architect Benjamin Marshall and located on East Lake Shore Drive. The unit was purchased as raw space by the current owners in 1998 and redesigned by architect Scott Himmel. The main level has a round entry foyer with curved stairway, large living room with lake views, a separate dining room/library, family room, eat-in kitchen with breakfast room and butler's pantry, and a separate laundry room. The upper level has three bedrooms including a master suite with a study, dressing rooms and a terrace over looking the lake. This home is listed at $5.6 million.