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Porsche Boxster Spyder debuts at LA Show

The Porsche 911 comes in more flavors than Haagen-Dazs, from GT3 to Turbo, Cabrio to Targa and every permutation in between. Notwithstanding the odd designer edition, however, its kid brother the Boxster has had relatively few iterations. But now the diminutive roadster is catching up with the new Boxster Spyder.

Announced back a couple of weeks ago, the Porsche Boxster Spyder has made its official debut at the LA Auto Show. It packs more power (320hp) in a lighter package (176lbs less than the stock Boxster) with a decidedly upscale if minimalist approach. Deliveries begin in February with a base price of $61,200.

Gallery: 2009 LA Auto Show: Porsche Boxster Spyder

Gallery: Porsche Boxster Spyder

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2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe Debuts at LA Auto Show

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Few thought it could really be done, but with the CTS range, Cadillac has proven itself capable of taking on Europe's finest. The original sedan has since been joined by a sport-wagon, and at the LA show this year, by a new coupe.

Taking its cues from the CTS Coupe Concept that made headlines at the show last year, the version you see here is in full production trim. The front end (from the sharp grille to the swept-back windshield) is identical to the sedan and wagon, but from there back it's all new. The coupe is wider in the rear than the others, and has a lower roofline for a more aggressive stance.

Power comes from the same 3.6-liter V6, but will be joined by the 556hp supercharged V8 from the CTS-V shortly after the coupe hits the market late next year.

Gallery: 2009 LA Auto Show: Cadillac CTS Coupe

Gallery: 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

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Tags: 2009 la auto show, 2009 los angeles auto show, 2009LaAutoShow, 2009LosAngelesAutoShow, 2011 cadillac cts coupe, 2011CadillacCtsCoupe, cadillac, cadillac cts, cadillac cts coupe, CadillacCts, CadillacCtsCoupe, cts, cts coupe, CtsCoupe, la auto show, LaAutoShow, los angeles, los angeles auto show, LosAngeles, LosAngelesAutoShow

Triple Header Celebrity Spotting: Bruce Willis, LaToya Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Real Estate Developments

Celebrity spotting is nothing new for Angelenos, who are used to seeing Pamela Anderson squeeze the oranges at the Ralph's and know which Starbucks Pierce Brosnan hits each morning. Ah, we are an inured lot.

But having a triple-header celebrity spotting makes news. And we have heard reliably that while LaToya Jackson and her business manager were spending about an hour touring units at the hot new Carlyle on Wilshire building, who shows up wanting a look-see too but retired NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson. Not enough celebrity wattage for you? Into this scene, walks mega-star Bruce Willis, who already owns a unit in the building. Our spies say Willis was in the lobby but came out to shake hands. How's that for a welcome to the neighborhood?

Coldwell Banker agent Valerie Fitzgerald, in charge of sales for the building, wasn't talking, but she did note that Carlyle resident Larry King and wife Shawn will be attending her holiday party at the building this weekend with Shawn expected to entertain the 250 attendees with a song.

Tags: bruce willis, BruceWillis, carlyle on wilshire, CarlyleOnWilshire, celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, keyshawn johnson, KeyshawnJohnson, larry king, LarryKing, latoya jackson, LatoyaJackson, los angeles, LosAngeles, shawn king, ShawnKing

The Hotel at the LA Athletic Club Hotel Offers Role Play and Workouts in One Place

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas, Sports

In 1880 the Los Angeles Athletic Club became the first private club in the city. This was when Hollywood was little more than a farm and an adobe hut, and the phrase "Malibu Colony" referred to bats. As the city grew, and grew draped in tinsel, so did the club: if you were somebody, you were a member of the LAAC. The fact that any club has lasted 129 years in Los Angeles is incredible; what's more, after throwing a few million at it the owners look to be ready for the next thirteen decades.

The prize draw is the 80,000 square-foot fitness center, where an exhaustive fitness menu offers an indoor Olympic pool, court sports, yoga, squash, and of course a spa and personal training just for starters. After that would come the Trophy Room, where you can sup on a chef's tasting dinner while suffused in the glow of a 1,000 bottle wine cellar and mounted, golden chalices. Say you have a few too many bottles yourself, you can store some of your own collection there, too.

When the running and dining has worn you out you can retire to any of the 72 freshly remodeled rooms, each with custom furnishings, luxurious bedding, roman shades, and flat screen televisions. Nine of those rooms are themed, 1-bedroom suites, in the following flavors: Yacht Club, Country Club, Polo Club, Racquet Club, Beach Club, Athletic Club, Social Club, Bruin Club, and Trojan Club.

No matter which room you choose it will be found down a moody hallway -- the designer calls it "1920s French Moderne with some British Campaign and a touch of Americana," but it's easier imagined as The Shining meets the W meets the batcave. For the moment you can procure one for an introductory nightly rate of $149, which includes a complimentary American breakfast buffet for two in The Grill Room and WiFi. Naturally, you need to be a member to sample the premises, but once you've done the hard work of signing up, where you -- and your yeoman -- choose to get your workout is up to you. Anchors away, fearless voyagers...

Gallery: The Hotel at Los Angeles Athletic Club

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Tags: fitness, hotel, laac, los angeles, los angeles athletic club, LosAngeles, LosAngelesAthleticClub, resort

A Picture (Cake) is Worth a 1,000 Calories

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

SusieCakes, a custom-cake bakery already well-known to Southern Californians, has gotten some big mileage nationally from two "guest cake appearances" on the popular Bravo "Million Dollar Listing" show. Realty agent Chad Rogers shows off the confectionery artwork in a segment where he holds an open house (with the $700 cake showing the house and "Cake Chad" standing outside it, dressed identically to "Real Chad.") The cakes made a repeat appearance in another episode about Rogers getting legal joint custody of Starla, the longhaired Chihuahua he shares with his girlfriend, who is much prettier than her cake.

Custom cake orders are extremely popular and account for over half of SusieCakes' sales. All the desserts are made on-site in one of the four locations, and follow traditional recipes -- read: They use real sugar and real butter. Being purists, SusieCakes only uses buttercream or cream cheese frosting - no fondant or marzipan.

Chad isn't the first celebrity to have ordered a custom cake from SusieCakes. Frequent patrons have included Brooke Shields, Marcia Cross, Laura Dern, Kobe Bryant, Maria Shriver, and Jim Belushi.

Tags: birthday cakes, BirthdayCakes, cakes, celebrity shopping, CelebrityShopping, custom cakes, CustomCakes, los angeles, LosAngeles, special cakes, SpecialCakes, susiecakes

Steve McQueen's 1940 Indian Chief at Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions

Steve McQueen's magnificent 1940 Indian Chief motorcycle, one of the most prized among his collection, is being auction off on Nov. 14 during Bonhams & Butterfields' Classic California sale at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The King of Cool was pictured with the beloved bike on the cover of the book Steve McQueen: The Last Mile. The actor had the classic moto meticulously restored by Southern California's Starklite Motors in the '70s and used it to zoom around the Hollywood Hills. It's estimated at an extremely reasonable $55,000 - $65,000. Also on offer is McQueen's original condition 1949 Chevy pickup which he used to travel incognito around Beverly Hills, wearing sunglasses and a big cowboy hat to dodge the paparazzi; it's estimated at $20,000 - $30,000.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Tags: Bonhams, Bonhams Butterfields, BonhamsButterfields, celebrity, Indian motorcycles, IndianMotorcycles, Los Angeles, LosAngeles, motorcycle, Steve McQueen, SteveMcqueen

Orso Restaurant Closing In Los Angeles

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Celebrity-friendly restaurant Orso Los Angeles becomes the latest restaurant to close. Orso opened in 1989 and its location near Robertson Blvd. and the tree-shrouded smoking-friendly patio have made it a popular film industry haunt. Over the years paparazzi have caught a wide variety of stars including Eric Clapton, Ellen DeGeneres and Sharon Stone dining at the restaurant.

The Italian trattoria serving fare priced at around $25 per entree will close by November 21. Entrees included options like grilled seabass with Sicilian vegetables and garlic-herb butter, veal scaloppine with roasted red peppers, capers and lemon and roasted pork chops stuffed with spinach and fontina with mustard pork sauce. Orso restaurants in New York and London will remain open.

An NY Times article says that Orso Los Angeles began to falter when the Creative Artists Agency and International Creative Management moved into Century City office towers and when the nearby New Line Cinema once a huge client, began deep job cuts. There's no shortage of other restaurants in the area but its always sad to see a restaurant that has survived 20 years in the fickle world of Los Angeles restaurants close down.

There is a spot of good news though. The restaurant may be closing but the space itself may have a new future, LAist reports that restaurant owner Sean MacPherson, who is part of several Los Angeles spots including Bar Lubitsch, Swingers and Good Luck Bar, is listed on a recently submitted alcohol permit for the space.

Gallery: Restaurant Woes

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Tags: los angeles, LosAngeles, orso, orso restaurant, OrsoRestaurant, restaurant closings, RestaurantClosings

NYC, LA Top List of Most Expensive U.S. Cities

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments

The list of the most expensive cities in the United States is now out, and unsurprisingly, New York has taken the top spot, with a cost of living that's double its closest follower. Of course, the financial crisis has put a bit of pressure on real estate prices and the cost of goods all over the country, but there are still some places that just cost a fortune.

New York: a two-bedroom luxury apartment (unfurnished) now costs a mere $4,300, off $200 from last year. And, there are other signs that the most expensive city is becoming less expensive, including the shuttering of Café des Artistes and the opening of our first J.C. Penney (ugh).

Los Angeles: this is where you go if you can afford only half the cost of living in New York. Unlike the most expensive city in the country, it makes sense to have a car out there, but get a nice one: you'll be spending a lot of time in it. LA has some of the longest commutes in the country.

Washington, D.C.: in this part of the country, take advantage of a 3.8 percent unemployment rate for the metro area. That's a hell of a lot better than the nationwide 9.8 percent (expected to break 10 percent early next year).

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Tags: boston, boston massachusetts, BostonMassachusetts, cafe des artistes, CafeDesArtistes, california, hawaii, honolulu, honoluluhawaii, los angeles, los angeles california, LosAngeles, LosAngelesCalifornia, massachusetts, new york, new york city, new york new york, NewYork, NewYorkCity, NewYorkNewYork, ny, washington, washington dc, WashingtonDc, white plains, WhitePlains

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Nic Cage Faces Huge Tax Bill, Sells In Bel Air

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping, Wealth

For Nicolas Cage the internet seems to full of some good news and some bad news today. First the bad, TMZ has documents that show that Nicolas Cage's current total owed to the IRS is now a steep $6,257,005. But here's the good, he may have finally unloaded his Bel-Air Tudor home. The home which once belonged to singer Tom Jones and to Dean Martin was for sale for as high as $35 million back in 2006. A sealed bid auction was scheduled for September 24 with the minimum opening offer set at $9.95 million. The MLS now has the home as "looking for backup" which means an offer has been made, and hopefully will stick. Cage paid around $6.5 million for the home in 1998. Cage also recently sold his New York City apartment which had been listed at $9.75 million.

Gallery: Nicolas Cage In Bel Air, Part 2

He still has four homes on the market in the U.S.:
His Las Vegas home is listed at $9.49 million.

Gallery: Nicolas Cage in Las Vegas

His Rhode Island home sits at $12 million.

Gallery: Nicolas Cage at Gray Craig

One of his New Orleans homes is listed for $3.45 million.

Gallery: Nicolas Cage in New Orleans

The other, the haunted LaLaurie mansion is still listed for $3.55 million.

Gallery: Another Nicolas Cage Home In New Orleans

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Tags: bel air, bel-air, BelAir, celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, irs, los angeles, LosAngeles, nicolas cage, NicolasCage, taxes

Kim Kardashian Lists Los Angeles Condo

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

The Real Estalker's commenters were a bit harsh on it but I don't think the Los Angeles condo reality star Kim Kardashian has put on the market is all that bad. The curvy brunette has a three-bedroom apartment in West Hollywood which has been decorated with an eye toward movie-star glamour. Whether or not it achieves that goal is in the eye of the beholder. The decorator didn't have a lot to work with, the nondescript beige apartment is 1,750 square feet and in a small faux Tuscan building near Robertson Blvd. It's been enlivened with decor that includes a giant gilded wood panel and zebra-print pillows in the living room. The bedrooms feature crystal chandeliers, mirrored furniture and tufted headboards. There are several glamour shots of Kardashian around the apartment including a Marilyn-Monroe-like shot poised above the toilet in the black-and-white wallpapered guest bathroom. This apartment is listed at $1.099 million.

The main Jenner-Kardashian home in Hidden Hills, California is still listed for sale at $3.195 million.

Gallery: Kim Kardashian In Los Angeles

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Tags: celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, kim kardashian, KimKardashian, los angeles, LosAngeles, west hollywood, WestHollywood

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Hotel Angeleno Sold

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

It didn't end up as part of a Chapter 11 filing like so many hotels, but the circular Hotel Angeleno in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles has been sold in what appears to be a deal in the nick of time. The LA Times is reporting that the hotel has been sold for $35 million. The sellers were investors led by Namco Capital Group Inc. which is headed by Ezri Namvar. Both Namco and Namvar had filed for Chapter 11 in recent months. The 16-story tower near the 405 freeway was a Holiday Inn for 35 years before it got a new name and a posh renovation in 2006. It remains open and is managed by Joie de Vivre which manages a string of boutique hotels in California and other places. Rates at the Angeleno start at $179.

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Tags: brentwood, hotel angeleno, hotel sale, HotelAngeleno, hotels, HotelSale, joie de vivre, JoieDeVivre, los angeles, LosAngeles

Meg Ryan Re-Lists Her Bel-Air Home

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Actress Meg Ryan is testing the real estate waters once again, putting her Bel-Air home back on the market. Ryan had first put her Spanish-style home on the market a year ago for $19.5 million. Finding no takers she withdrew it from the market in February. But as the LA Times Hot Property column reports it's back again and with a lower price. The six-bedroom home was purchased for $8.995 million in 2000 and is now listed at $14.2 million.

Listing information says that the home, which was built in 1931 has had a "museum-quality" restoration that includes wood floors and ceilings, elegant tilework and graceful curved arches. Covered outdoor seating offers views of Los Angeles in the distance. It's been moderately well-staged but there are a few off notes including the placement of large photos on the kitchen counter. The property includes a pool and guest house.

Gallery: Meg Ryan in Bel Air

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Tags: bel air, bel-air, BelAir, celebrity real estate, CelebrityRealEstate, los angeles, LosAngeles, meg ryan, MegRyan

Tiffany & Co. Doesn't Want An H&M Next Door

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Sharing the Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles with a grocery store (Gelson's) doesn't seem to bother Tiffany & Co. but the jeweler draws the line at H&M getting too close. The LA Times reveals that Tiffany has sued its landlord at the Westfield Century City shopping center saying that a planned H&M would violate the terms of its contract. Tiffany's contract with Westfield forbids retailers that are not considered to be "luxury, upscale or better by conventional retail industry standards." to use or lease certain spaces within, fronting or adjacent to the Tiffany store. The lawsuit alleges that the location of the H&M store so close to Tiffany will cause "irreparable injury to Tiffany's business reputation as a luxury retailer."

The LA Times keenly points out that in Pasadena along Colorado Boulevard, the H&M store and Tiffany are very close to each other. Also, while H&M is a low-priced retailer, the store's focus on trendy style isn't offensively downmarket. Tiffany's lawsuit seems to imply that the H&M shopper and the Tiffany shopper are such separate people that they don't mingle or that somehow a person who buys a $19 sweater instantly becomes a Tiffany undesirable. It seems an odd distinction for a brand that had spent the last couple years reaching out to the aspirational consumer and bumping up its line of silver jewelry in order to attract new customers. Certainly there is a gap between a silver necklace and a $19 sweater but these days plenty of malls and shopping centers feature both expensive stores and lower market ones reflecting today's affluent shopper who often purchases at both ends of the spectrum.

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Tags: hm, los angeles, LosAngeles, mall, tiffany and co, TiffanyAndCo, westfield mall, WestfieldMall

Dilling House, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home is a mini oasis in the Studio City area of Los Angeles. The property is actually two homes separated by an expansive outdoor recreation area that features a zero edge pool, waterfall jacuzzi, fireplace and pizza oven. The feel of it was designed to give the owners the luxury of having a resort-like retreat at their own home.

The main house which is approximately 2460 square feet has three bedrooms including a large master suite with a bathroom that has a jet tub and large steam shower. The second house is a two-bedroom two-story guest house which is currently in use as a photo studio, gym and offices in the loft. The owners, a fashion photographer and a stylist and fashion editor described the home to me as "pure paradise." This home is listed at $2.295 million.

Gallery: Dilling House

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Tags: estate of the day, EstateOfTheDay, los angeles, LosAngeles, studio city, StudioCity

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Ben Stiller's Los Angeles Home On The Market

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Celebrity Shopping

Is Ben Stiller planning a move to New York City? We've been hearing rumors to that effect for a while and now the Real Estalker reports that Stiller and his wife Christine Taylor have put their home in the Outpost Estates area of Los Angeles on the market for $12.5 million. Stiller's estate is actually two separate homes connected by a pool area and lavish landscaping. There is also a separate one bedroom guest house. The Spanish style homes have ten bedrooms total, plenty of space for even the most extended of families. Curbed LA unearthed the property website which gives us beautiful shots of the exteriors but not a peep inside.

Gallery: Ben Stiller in Los Angeles