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      A Mining Billionaire Quietly Dropped $47 Million on an Oceanfront Santa Barbara Mansion

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      Although the secretive deal actually went down last September, it’s only now come to light that billionaire Ivanhoe Mines magnate Robert Friedland and his longtime wife Darlene have very quietly paid a hair under $47 million for an oceanfront estate in the seaside California town of Carpinteria. The deal was far and away the biggest residential real estate transaction recorded in Santa Barbara County in 2023.

      The home’s lucky sellers were Darren Entwistle, the controversial and longtime CEO of Canadian telecommunications giant Telus, and his wife Fiona. The Entwistles had placed the house on the market in the summer of 2022, asking a whopping $55 million, but delisted the property several months later. The $47 million transfer was inked off-market. The Canada-based couple originally acquired the estate in 2012 as a vacation home, paying $17 million.

      The $47 million deal for the 2-acre estate represents one of the largest sums ever paid for a Carpinteria home.

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      Originally designed in the early 1990s by noted architect Robert L. Earl, the East Coast-inspired residence was extensively renovated by architect Andy Neumann and original builder Paul Franz in 2012. The six-bedroom, eight-bath main house features nearly 10,000 square feet of living space. Additional structures include an 800-square-foot guesthouse with one bedroom and a full bath, plus a garage building with room for three cars, plus a gym with an infrared sauna.

      Hidden away behind a long gated driveway flanked by manicured lawns dotted with reflecting ponds, on an almost 2-acre blufftop parcel sited just west of Loon Point, the white-shingled and gable-roof main house is shaded by magnolia trees and fronted by a cobblestone motorcourt. Inside, ornate interiors are studded with coffered ceilings, rich hardwood floors, Murano glass light fixtures and numerous sets of French doors that spill out to the gardens.

      Other highlights include a double-height foyer anchored by a dazzling chandelier and curvy wrought-iron staircase, formal living and dining rooms, and a mahogany-paneled office with a fireplace surrounded by a jade green marble mantle. A cozy family room connects to an all-white gourmet kitchen outfitted with marble slab countertops, an eat-in island and high-end stainless appliances, as well as an accompanying butler’s pantry and breakfast nook.

      Upstairs, the plush master retreat rests beneath an eye-catching recessed ceiling, and offers a fireside sitting area, covered balcony, and dual baths and walk-in closets. Five additional ensuite bedrooms are scattered throughout the house, including one with a private games room. Elsewhere are a wine cellar and an additional private office.

      The posh amenities continue outdoors, where the exquisitely manicured and picturesque Sydney Baumgartner-landscaped grounds host several areas ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. An added bonus: direct beach access and a viewing platform accessible via a private stone pathway.

      It’s also worth noting that the property is located on the most prestigious street in Carpinteria, where other neighboring homes are owned by the likes of Kevin Costner, Kourtney Kardashian, George Lucas, and Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.

      The Friedlands own many other homes, including two side-by-side estates in prime Beverly Hills that they purchased for $26 million in 2021. In late 2020, they paid $16 million for Zsa Zsa Gabor’s longtime Bel Air mansion, which the couple has since demolished.

      Locksley Hall in California’s Belvedere neighborhood, which Robert Friedlend sold in 2015 for a record $47.5 million to former Facebook executive Matt Cohler.

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      But nice as all those properties are, they rather pale in comparison to the Friedlands’ former home up in Northern California’s San Francisco Bay Area. In 2015, that historic hilltop property — known as Locksley Hall — was sold for a record-breaking $47.5 million to venture capitalist Matt Cohler, one of Facebook’s first five employees and an early investor in Instagram.

      Internationally, the Friedlands also continue to maintain a dramatic blufftop villa in Phuket, Thailand, that has no fewer than three infinity pools, though their main residence remains a luxury flat in Singapore. More

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      Marshmello Spins Out of His $15 Million Beverly Hills Mansion

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      Chris Comstock is only 31 years old, but the Philadelphia native is already cashing in big, having sold his lavish mansion in the mountains above Beverly Hills for exactly $15 million in an off-market deal. That’s way more than the $10.8 million Comstock—better known to his millions of EDM fans as Marshmello, the bucket-hat wearing DJ—paid for the place less than four years ago, back in summer 2020. The all-cash buyers, according to tax records, are Hovig and Annie Safoian—the married co-founders of cloud solutions provider SADA Systems. SADA, long a family-owned company, was recently acquired in a landmark deal valued at approximately $800 million.

      It’s been a nonstop party since 2015 for Comstock and his chewily sweet alter-ego, which established itself as one of the world’s top electronic music acts seemingly overnight. Behind the slickly produced hit records (“Silence,” “Wolves,” “Friends,” “Alone”) and the omnipresent smiley bucket head is Marshmello’s well-oiled marketing dream team; his hard-charging manager Moe Shalizi is often credited for the speedy creation of the Marshmello brand, and networking has helped, too—early shoutouts from other big-name EDM acts like Skrillex and Tiesto proved invaluable to his early success.

      The former Marshmello house is located in Mulholland Estates, a guard-gated community where other residents include Kendall Jenner, Paris Hilton and Christina Aguilera.

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      Built in 1992 and designed by Richard Landry—the celebrity-favored architect who frequently puts the “extra” in extravagant—the stylistically opaque house boasts interiors by celebrity designer Jeff Lewis, who was hired to right previous decor wrongs. The blindingly white result has more than a subtle Miami vibe.

      While the house itself is not gated, the property lies within a 24/7 guarded community with frequent patrols and a plethora of security cameras. Glass front doors open into a double-height foyer with marble floors. Flanking the foyer are a fireplace-equipped living room and a dining room with dual chandeliers. Just beyond lies an eat-in kitchen with dual islands and all the expected top-of-the-line stainless appliances.

      There’s also a library/office and a family room that opens, via French doors, to a sprawling back patio. Upstairs are four ensuite bedrooms, including a jazzed-up master with its own kitchenette, plus spa-style bath and dual closets. The nearly 8,000-square-foot mansion also boasts a finished basement level; a lounge/entertainment center with a snazzy wet bar await downstairs. Out back, the hillside lot is steep but nicely terraced with adequate patches of grassy lawn and concrete terraces for al fresco dining.

      No word yet regarding where Comstock plans to move, but the musical sensation still owns three smaller but still multimillion-dollar homes scattered around Los Angeles. At least two of those properties are reportedly occupied by family members. More

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      Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer Are Selling Their Custom-Built L.A. Home for $8 Million

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      Known for their co-starring roles on HBO’s hit vampire drama True Blood, real-life couple Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are parting ways—with their home, that is. And if you want to sink your teeth into their stately abode in Southern California, it’ll cost you a cool $8 million.  

      The property, which measures 7,102 square feet, sits on a large double lot not far from the world-famous (and always entertaining) Venice Beach Boardwalk. According to records, the Hollywood duo purchased the property back in 2009 for $2.2 million. They’ve since transformed the humble beach cottage that stood on the property into a sprawling contemporary residence. They first tried to sell in 2020, listing the beachy spread for a hefty $14 million. It did not entice a buyer, and since then, the residence has been on and off the market at lower prices.

      The third floor has an open kitchen, dining, and living area that extends to a rooftop deck.

      Anthony Barcelo

      The actors tapped architect David Hertz—who designed Hank Moody’s (David Duchovny) house on Showtime’s Californication—to re-imainge the property shortly after they bought it. The project ended up taking seven years. Today, the boxy structure is wrapped head-to-toe in Alaskan yellow cedar. Specifically, Hertz opted to recycle the original, circa-1919 benches from the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to craft the façade. He told Architectural Digest that he wanted “the outside to look like driftwood” and that the goal was for the home to resemble a ship, complete with steel railings and teak decks.  

      When it comes to the layout, the floor plan is flipped, meaning all common areas are on the third floor to maximize access to light, breezes, and views, while the bedrooms are nestled underneath. The open-plan living, dining, and kitchen area on the top floor leads to a rooftop deck that overlooks the ocean. Other standout features include a Zen garden, a partially covered swimming pool, a sauna, a spa, and a fitness room.

      The home was custom-built in 2017 by architect David Hertz.

      Anthony Barcelo

      The compound comprises a five-bed, eight-bath main house. The original beach bungalow was renovated is now incorporated into the existing home. In terms of décor, the salt-air-licked house fits right in with the neighborhood’s free-spirited, bohemian vibe. There’s concrete flooring and tons of eco-friendly touches, including energy-efficient lighting. “There are also skylights that open to draw prevailing breezes in to passively cool the house with natural ventilation,” Hertz told the magazine. 

      Click here to see all the photos of Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer’s L.A. home.  

      Anthony Barcelo

      Authors

      Abby Montanez

      Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, dining, travel and topics…

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      Rapper Lil Dicky Splashes Out Millions for Kenny G’s Longtime L.A. Compound

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      Thought you’d never see a Grammy-winning smooth jazz saxophonist collaborate on a hit record with a rapper known for frequently waxing eloquent about the dimensions of his genitalia? Well, now you have.

      But then again, you can’t exactly rush out to buy this record in stores. We’re talking about this lavish estate in L.A.’s Studio City, which tax records show has just sold for a discounted but still lofty $6.3 million. The buyer? David Burd, the 35-year-old Philadelphia native better known as rapper-comedian Lil Dicky.

      Built in the late 1980s and designed by Ojai-based architect Kevin A. Clark, the 5,600-square-foot house was famously owned by Kenny G from 2007 until 2021, when the jazz musician unloaded the structure and its half-acre of grounds for just under $3 million to a couple who gave the place an extensive remodel and modernization before placing it back on the market last spring, asking $7.5 million.

      Secluded atop a high knoll on a dead-end street in the Studio City hills, the very private home is additionally cloaked from public view behind high gates, towering walls and overgrown hedges. Behind a long driveway, the contemporary-meets-East Coast traditional-style structure features a whimsical Dutch-style front door painted a demure blue, plus an open-concept layout encompassing sizable public rooms, five bedrooms, five full bathrooms and a single powder room.

      Highlights include rustic hardwood floors throughout, numerous sets of French doors opening to the gardens, sweeping views and whitewashed wood-beam ceilings. Notable spaces are a fireplace-equipped living room, a gym, a wood-paneled library equipped with its own fireplace, and an updated kitchen with dual islands, marble countertops and premium Miele, Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances. Upstairs, the master retreat offers a fireplace, sitting area, a spa-style bath and a private balcony with spectacular views from the home’s hillside perch.

      Out back, the manicured grounds offer lush respites for reading or sunbathing, grassy lawns and a lap pool with a spa. There’s also a detached two-car garage topped by a guest apartment that formerly served as Kenny G’s at-home recording studio. More

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      Kylie Jenner Lists Los Angeles Home For $55 Million (PHOTOS)

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      Cosmetics mogul & reality star Kylie Jenner has just listed her modern Los Angeles home for $55 million. She purchased it back in 2020 for $36.6 million. It features a total of 19,250 square feet (15,350 a/c) of living space with 7 bedrooms & 14 bathrooms. There is a main house, detached guard house with […] More

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      Maria Sharapova Scores an $11 Million Montecito Estate

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      Last fall, noted Chicago philanthropist Ann Lurie put her longtime vacation home in California‘s famously posh seaside neighborhood of Montecito on the market, asking just under $13 million. Records now reveal the property has quietly sold for $11.5 million in an all-cash deal, and the spendy buyer is retired tennis superstar Maria Sharapova.

      Lurie, the widow of real estate titan and former Chicago White Sox and Bulls part owner Robert H. Lurie, acquired the stunningly lavish Montecito hideaway in the mid-2000s, paying about $8.3 million. Since then, it’s clear the house and its extensive grounds have been exquisitely and painstakingly maintained.

      Reportedly designed by noted architect Lockwood de Forest Jr. and completed circa 1949, the five-bedroom main house is surrounded by 3.3 acres of lush lawns and terraced gardens shaded by mature specimen trees. Walled and gated, the impressive estate lies high in the foothills above downtown Montecito, at the very end of a quiet and secluded cul-de-sac. The property also happens to sit directly next door to an even larger compound owned by Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom.

      Though it has been modified and expanded over the years, the home’s rustic, wood-trimmed interiors still hark back to its midcentury roots.

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      Best described as an ultra-refined and elegant take on a rustic cabin in the woods, Sharapova’s new home is filled with natural light, thanks to soaring walls of glass that blur the line between indoors and out. Sunlight also filters in through the skylit-topped entry foyer, which connects to a living room equipped with one of the largest brick fireplaces we’ve ever seen.

      Radically overhauled in recent years, the open kitchen offers commercial-grade appliances and a slim island hewn entirely from rustic hardwood. There’s also a separate and full outdoor kitchen tucked under a loggia and equipped with sleek stainless appliances, which we would guess were installed during Lurie’s ownership.

      Other property highlights include a resort-worthy master suite outfitted with a fireplace, a stainless steel-shelled soaking tub and vanishing walls of glass that provide direct access to a covered terrace with pool and ocean views. Speaking of the property’s current pool, it was installed during Lurie’s ownership and is stunning in all its sail-shaped, visually dramatic glory. Also on tap out back are a fully detached guesthouse with its own full kitchen and lounge area, plus a sunken fire-it seating area and a detached three-car garage.

      Sharapova, 36, still maintains a $9 million compound in the Santa Barbara County community of Summerland. But for many years, her main residence has been a heavily customized contemporary home in the affluent city of Manhattan Beach. More

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      Pentatonix’s Scott Hoying Shells Out $4 Million for an All-New L.A. Contemporary Home

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      Grammy-winning a cappella group Pentatonix has come along way over the past decade. Since the band won the third season of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” in 2011, they’ve released multiple EPs and full-length albums, done tribute performances on several award shows, and went viral after their Jolene collaboration with Dolly Parton on Jolene was shown on The Voice. That collab also won Pentatonix their third Grammy trophy.

      Pentatonix’s baritone Scott Hoying married Mark Manio in a lavish Santa Barbara extravaganza six months ago, and now the 32-year-old Texas native—he was born and raised in Arlington before moving to California in his late teens to attend the University of Southern California—has found residential bliss in the form of buying a nearly $4 million home in Encino, a suburban and celebrity-loved neighborhood in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley.

      Built new in 2023 on speculation, the two-story house is styled in a trendy modern farmhouse-meets-contemporary sort of architectural style. Blocky and hard-edged on the outside, the 4,300-square-foot structure gets soft and neutral on the inside, with European white oak hardwood floors, abundant natural light and brass fixtures found throughout.

      Set behind walls and gates, the property’s petite front yard is shaded by a mature olive tree. Behind the custom front door lies a long hallway that runs the full length of the home, helping to marry the kitchen with the open dining, living and family areas. Premium Wolf appliances and travertine imported from Italy give the kitchen a Euro-chic look, and foldaway glass pocket doors allow for easy catering to the al fresco dining area.

      Per the listing, there are five bedrooms in the main house, all of them equipped with ensuite full baths and all but one situated on the home’s upper level. The 6,700-square-foot lot also offers a fully permitted and detached ADU (additional dwelling unit) currently configured as a guesthouse. In between the two buildings is a cozy, courtyard-style backyard equipped with an AstroTurf lawn and a compact plunge pool, plus the aforementioned outdoor dining space.

      As far as we know, this is the second house ever purchased by Hoying, who back in 2018 forked out $2.5 million for a sleekly contemporary house just minutes from Hollywood’s Universal Studios. Per online listings, that property is currently for sale, asking $2.6 million, and recently entered escrow with an as-yet-unknown buyer. More

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      Fear of God Founder Sews Up a $20 Million Estate Buy in Beverly Hills

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      Mega-hot and perennial cult favorite streetwear brand Fear of God has become extraordinarily successful despite—although some might say because—the fact that the indie line eschews traditional fashion industry guidelines. Founder and CEO Jerry Lorenzo has no stores, no formal training in fashion and does little advertising, and the brand does not follow the seasonal calendar for releasing collections. According to conventional wisdom, that sort of maverick behavior shouldn’t add up to positive word of mouth and viral social media fame that has enabled Fear of God’s annual revenues to top $200 million, but it does.

      Lorenzo, a 46-year-old former nightclub promoter, and his longtime wife Desiree Manuel have resided in the Los Feliz neighborhood since 2018, when they forked over $8.5 million for a thoroughly updated 1930s Spanish Revival-style mansion with six bedrooms and nine bathrooms. But with Fear of God’s continued ascent and the company’s lucrative new Adidas partnership, it’s no surprise that the couple has now dropped exactly $20 million to buy a larger and more lavish property deep in the mountains above Beverly Hills, in an L.A. city neighborhood known as Beverly Hills Post Office.

      Sited on a 1.3-acre lot near the end of a secluded, dead-end street popular with celebrities, the circa-1949 house has lived an interesting life. Originally a humble ranch-style structure, the place underwent an expansion in the 1960s. It then appears to have been given a huge and rather unfortunate remodel in the ’80s, complete with heavy draperies, limestone floors and a master bathroom slathered in black marble and floor-to-ceiling mirrors.

      Prior to 2020, the house was an offbeat architectural mishmash of a stone lodge-meets-traditional ranch home sort of thing.

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      In 2020, the dated house was sold for $6.5 million to an entity headed up by real estate developer Max Fowles-Pazdro, who subsequently redesigned and refreshed every inch of the entire property. Today, the chicly demure and sophisticate home “stands as a testament to elegance in restraint,” per the listing. Tucked away from public view behind gates and tall hedges, the glassy contemporary residence fuses five primary materiels—travertine, oak, cedar, bronze, and steel—together to create a harmonious blend of minimalist living spaces that are at once soothing, stimulating, casually luxe, and fashionable.

      Highlights include a skylit kitchen overlooking the grassy backyard, a light-filled primary bath with a freestanding tub set into an alcove and a separate skylit shower, a walk-in closet that would not look out of place in a Rodeo Drive boutique, a glass-walled gym, a full-size tennis court and a 52-foot swimming pool. The main house offers an attached two-car garage, while the detached guesthouse has covered parking for three additional vehicles. Much of the yard is shaded by mature olive and oak trees. More