What is better than watching the Academy Awards!!!  All the glamour, glitz, and of course the seduction of the red carpet!!!   As I was watching the awards, two thoughts hit me; 1. I hated most of the "fashion" I saw (HORRIBLE) and 2. I have never thought about where the awards are actually held.  I knew of the Kodak Theatre but didn't know much about it.  So – this morning – I did a little research and BAM – here is the scoop!

According Wikipedia (always a reliable source):  "The first awards were presented on May 16, 1929, at a private brunch at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with an audience of about 270 people.   Since the first year, the awards have been publicly broadcast, at first by radio then by TV after 1953. During the first decade, the results were given to newspapers for publication at 11 p.m. on the night of the awards.  This method was used until the Los Angeles Times announced the winners before the ceremony began; as a result, the Academy has used a sealed envelope to reveal the name of the winners since 1941.   Since 2002, the awards have been broadcast from the Kodak Theatre."

The theatre has approx 3,200 seats, it cost $94 million dollars to build and was opened in 2001.   The Kodak Theatre has a neat history, click here for the full profile.

March's issue of Architectural Digest will feature Jennifer Aniston's LA home.   She has described the home as a "big hug" and it sounds like one!!!  It sounds fabulous – she converted spaces into a spa and has a dining room table for 24! 

For the complete story click here.

It came to my attention that Lenny Kravitz was selling two of his homes.  He is selling his NY SoHo Duplex as well as his Biscayne Point Circle (amazing neighborhood) home in Miami.    I would love to be a fly on Lenny's wall.  The parties, art, and general atmosphere would give you great stories for life!

Here is the real estate skinny;

30 Crosby Street, NY, NY:  The 6,000 SF  (with 3,000 SF of outdoor space) Duplex was  originally bought for $7 Mil and underwent a million dollar renovation.  The current sale price is $14,900,000. 

The discript is as follows:  Listing description by Corcoran — This spectacular duplex PH loft with 6000 SF of interior space and 3000 SF of outdoor space has been newly redesigned and renovated with no expense spared to create the most luxurious and important property downtown. The 1st level contains a grand entrance area w/ 2 powder rms, living rm w/ marble FPL, a large terrace w/ a WBF, Din Rm, Media Rm w/ full bth, and a gourmet state-of- the- art kitchen w/ bth. A suspended glass staircase leads to the 2nd level which features the Mstr BR w/ a sitting area, a huge Mstr Bth and 3 addtl. BRs each w/ their own bath. Another glass staircase leads to an enormous roof deck w/ a built in barbecue. There are two large outfitted storage rooms that are included in the sale. This loft is for the Connoisseur of First Class Luxury Living and Ultimate Entertaining.

7936 Biscayne Point Circle, Miami, FL:  Recently SOLD!!  (Go Lenny!) The 5,717 SF house was listed for $2.85 Million and sold for $2.45 Mil.  ( It was originally bought for $7$725,000. )  The house has 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and is in one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Miami. 

I hope all is well with Mr Kravitz and that he has no plans to leave the US or anything like that!  I hope he is making money in this crazy real estate market!  (Because if he is – hopefully that means that we all are!!!)

If you had as much money as Brad and Angelina – what would you do?   From what I understand and I have direct knowledge about this sort of thing (NOT AT ALL – ASSUMPTIONS AS ALWAYS!), the power couple has been prudent with their cashola and has invested in wisely.  They own tons of prime real estate all over the world, homes in great areas, and give generously to charities.   This week was no exception, Brad Pitt added to his compound in LA. 

It is reported from various sources that:  Brad Pitt has splashed out $1.1 million buying his fifth house on one estate.  The huge Loz Feliz property as his base in Los Angeles when he's in town with partner Angelina Jolie and their six children – has bought the 3,232-square-foot home next door to his main home.

The 46-year-old actor managed to knock an additional $400,000 off of the asking price of the two-bedroom house, which sits in a 0.25 acre lot and boasts a stone fireplace, a huge main room, a bonus room, plus a bar area and secret cave.

The Hollywood star bought the home from the estate of the late Anne Tyler Sherman through his Mondo Bongo Trust.

Prior to buying the property, Brad already owned four other luxurious houses in the compound. These included a five bedroom, 5,760-square-foot main Craftsman-style house, an adjoining 1,653-square- foot house, a 1,307-square-foot strip of vacant land, and a 1,534-square-foot house.

I WANNA COMPOUND!!  One day……….

This story should be filed under HOW NOT TO SHOW YOUR HOME!!!!  Oh My!!!  I have to admit I have been smiling since I read the story.  The NY Post and All Hip Hop. com are writing that Lil' Wayne is currently leasing an apartment in Miami.  The property owner has put his apartment on the market and is asking $520,00 – it could be yours!  Most Realtors ask for a pre-qualification letter prior to showing you a property, this poor Realtor is dealing with the following;

"My fiancée and I called to make an appointment to see it, and the broker, deadpan, goes, 'I have two questions: Are you offended by the smell of marijuana?” an unidentified couple told the NY Post. “And do you mind coming late in the afternoon? It's currently rented by Lil Wayne, and these are not morning people."

Translated, this is what the people saw: "Once we got there, a member of Wayne's posse opened the door to the overwhelming smell of marijuana. Two hot, rap-video-looking girls were walking around in nothing but a bra and underwear, blasting hip-hop. We just went in and looked around and tried not to stare,” they revealed. "He had a perfectly organized closet of crisp T-shirts on hangers, neatly stacked piles of XXL magazine, and a fully stocked bar featuring multiple bottles of Hennessy Black." WOO HOO!!!!

Well – at least the guy is neat!  For the full story click here!   I love this story – I admit.  I mostly love it because it is just odd and surreal.  WHO LIVES LIKE THAT??!! Lil' Wayne!!!

The National Enquirer is not the best source for info BUT this story (if true) just exemplifies that no one is immune from eviction, not even celebutards!

Hollywood legend Faye Dunaway is facing eviction for alleged non-payment of rent.

In fact, Vanderleigh Properties, the building's owners have gone to NY County Civil Court in an attempt to get the Chinatow beauty to pony up the cash or hit the highway if evicted.

$1,920 doesn't seem that expensive for rent in NYC or enough to evict someone.  (I would assume her rent is upward of at least $5,000- $10,000 per month if she has a "swanky apt."  Something doesn't seem right but we will see!!!

Nicholas Cage sold his house!!!  WOO HOO 

Perez Hilton Reports:

It's finally off his hands!

After a number of months on the market, Nicolas Cage has managed to unload his Bel Air mansion for an amount some believe to be between $9.5 and $15 million!

Cage was originally asking $35 mil for the property, but quickly dropped the asking price to $17.5 million – even though Nic only paid $6.469 million for the mansion back in 1998!

Will the sale finally clear Cage of his $6 million debt to the IRS????

Or does the actor have even more bills looming over his head??

Good luck with that, bb!

Nicholas Cage has sold a number of his properties this year – hopefully he has something left to live in!!!!

I can't imagine slashing the price of my house by $15 Million!  That is what Eddie Murphy has done in an attempt to sell his home.  It has been on the market for over 5 years now!  (I hope we never get there!)

Here is the full story:  EDDIE MURPHY is suffering in the global economic downturn – he's been forced to slash the asking price for his home by $15 million (£10 million).
The Shrek star put his New Jersey estate on the market almost five years ago, with a price tag of $30 million (£20 million).
The property, which boasts a bowling alley, theatre and recording studio, failed to sell – and the price has now been cut by half, according to the New York Daily News.
Real estate broker Dennis MCCormack says, "It's a beautiful house and 10 minutes from Manhattan. The home was recently renovated and I listed it three weeks ago."

Karma's a bitch!  Click here for his house listing.

WTF!!!  We are trying to sell our luxury condo for a measly $114,000 and no bites! (BOO but we have had 6000 showings)  Bernie sold his beach house almost immediately for more than the asking price.   The man is just lucky – in an odd sense of reality.

NEW YORK (Fortune) — It looks like Fed chief Ben Bernanke is right in saying the recession is ending: Today, Tiffany's & Co. advertised a $115,000 diamond and platinum bracelet in its page three New York Times spot — and convicted swindler Bernie Madoff's Montauk beach house sold for more than its $8.75 million list price.

 I am sure it is not a stretch of the imagination to believe that I am a HUGE Madonna fan.  All you thumpers put your angry fingers down – don't want to hear about it!  Madonna is a person I have admired greatly for years.  I like that she has been musically as well as financially talented, she has hasn't missed a beat OR AN OPPORTUNITY!   Most people don't know, but, Madonna has one of the largest private art collections in the world, she also has a housing collection that makes me weep!   In 2008, Madonna bought her neighbor's home in the posh neighborhood of Central Park West (64th Street in Manhattan) to combine two apartments to create a mansion.  SO – is it any surprise that her good friend Gwenny Paltrow, when given the opportunity, expanded her estate in London in the same fashion… (Hopefully Gwyneth got a building permit!)

The Daily Mail in the UK is reporting that Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband Chris Martin bought the house next to their currently home.  They plan to expand the two homes into one 33 bedroom "Super House."  HHHEEYYY   The house will feature eight rooms on the lower ground floor, six on the upper ground, five on the first floor and eight on the second floor.  A two-storey extension at the side of the existing house includes a gym, changing room, three bedrooms and a bathroom.  

For the full story read: Copycat Gwyneth Paltrow follows in Madonna's footsteps with her 33-room superhouse

And – If you would like to read about Madonna's Housing Expansion and real estate housing collection click here!