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      in Vacation Homes

      You Can Rent the Lake Como Cottage from Amazon’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith IRL

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      In Amazon‘s adaptation of the 2005 blockbuster film Mr. & Mrs. Smith, John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine) jet off to Italy’s Lake Como for an extraction mission. Now, if you want to make like a couple of spies in an arranged marriage, you can book the same lakeside cottage that the faux-couple stayed in in the limited series. 

      Nestled on the picturesque Faggeto Lario shoreline, the charmingly unfussy, and spectacularly sited rental property is known as The Writer’s Nest and actually dates back to the 1800s. Built within a stone quarry, the centuries-old hideaway is where author Giuseppe Guin famously penned his novels (hence the name). Altogether, the nearly 1,300-square-foot spread comprises three bedrooms and two bathrooms and begins at just shy of $860 per night.  

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      “At the bottom of the quarry, the overhanging rock still retains the signs of the stone quarrymen who worked there for centuries, drawing stones from the mountains to build homes and churches of Lake Como,” notes the listing. 

      The idyllic retreat is surrounded by a grassy beach and dotted with circular stepped rocks, which, according to the listing, were formerly used by “the fishermen of twaite shads and perchs.” Inside, the charming pad is filled with antiques and natural materials. Most notably, the home’s library was made from chestnut wood that is hundreds of years old. Elsewhere, the kitchen features a sink carved into granite. There are also hand-forged iron lanterns and a glass veranda that overlooks the lake. Of course, there are a slew of modern comforts too, including air conditioning, a washing machine, a dishwasher, and Wi-Fi.  

      You can rent the Lake Como house from episode 5 of Prime Video’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

      David Lee/Prime Video

      If you’re up for exploring the grounds, the property features a barbecue area, an outdoor dining table, and sunbeds for lounging. The Writer’s Nest can only be accessed by boat, and a private transfer can be arranged during your stay. 

      In the streamer reboot, which hit Prime Video in February, two secret agents who have never met are brought together in an arranged marriage as Mr. and Mrs. John and Jane Smith. Every week, the duo must complete a high-risk mission while also navigating a budding romance between them. Since the eight-episode show premiered last month, web searches for travel to Lake Como have increased by a whopping 36 percent, according to HomeToGo. The trend marks a similar phenomenon to what occurred after viewers tuned into seasons one and two of The White Lotus. 

      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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      in Luxury

      ’80s Pop Star Taylor Dayne Lists Her L.A. Home for $2.5 Million

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      An enduring icon of the late 1980s glam-pop scene who is still best known for her 1987 earworm debut single Tell It to My Heart and last seen on TV performing as Electra Owl on season two of RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race (2022), Taylor Dayne has put her longtime home in the Valley Village area of L.A.’s San Fernando Valley up for sale for a sliver under $2.5 million. The asking price is about two and a half times the slightly more than $1 million paid for the property in 2013. Michael Okun of Sotheby’s International Realty–Sherman Oaks Brokerage holds the listing.

      Cleared of personal belongings and staged for the selling process, the two-story residence has five bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms in about 3,900 square feet. The detached two-car garage has been converted to additional living space and includes a modern bathroom. (Reality TV fans will note, the property is just around the corner from the Valley Village home owned—and apparently still shared—by bitterly broken up Vanderpump Rules stars Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval.)

      The two-story home has five bedrooms, plus a detached garage converted to additional living space.

      Daniel Dilanian with Revepix for Sotheby’s International Realty

      The suburban traditional, peeking out above security gates and a row of clipped hedges, freely borrows from a variety of architectural styles. The shape of the two-story bay that protrudes from the front of the house alludes to a Tudor-esque turret; there’s a classical Palladian window over the front door; and the staircase and upper landing are lined with the looping sort of wrought-iron railings expected to be found in a Mediterranean villa.

      The grand central staircase separates the combination formal living and dining room, which looks out on the orange tree in the front yard, and the updated, all-white kitchen that stretches almost 22 feet long with marble counters, a small work island, and shiny stainless-steel appliances.

      The family room flows out to a deck overlooking the backyard and swimming pool.

      Daniel Dilanian with Revepix for Sotheby’s International Realty

      There’s a spacious ensuite guest bedroom on the main floor, along with a fancifully wallpapered powder room. The other four bedrooms, along with three bathrooms and a laundry closet, are upstairs. The primary suite includes a fireplace, a walk-in closet, a private balcony, and a contemporary bathroom with a floating wood vanity, glass shower, and egg-shaped soaking tub.

      Just outside the family room, there’s a deck with an outdoor fireplace, and beyond that, a grassy, simply landscaped yard with a swimming pool. The roll-up doors of the detached two-car have been replaced with French doors, and the interior is finished with wood floors and a spacious modern bath.

      Dayne seems to have set her real estate sights to the east a couple of years ago, when property records indicate she coughed up $800,000 for a two-bedroom condo in a full-service, circa 1960s oceanfront tower in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

      Click here for more photos of Taylor Dayne’s home.

      Daniel Dilanian with Revepix for Sotheby’s International Realty More

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      in Luxury

      Rihanna Seeks $25 Million for Matthew Perry’s Former L.A. Penthouse

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      Less than one year after Rihanna splashed out $21 million to buy one of the greater L.A. area’s most expensive condos, the Barbadian music superstar has put the sky-high penthouse back up for sale, asking just a hair under $25 million. Located at The Century skyscraper near Century City’s bustling Wilshire Corridor, the penthouse spans the building’s entire 40th floor. With more than 9,000 square feet of living space, numerous bespoke touches and incredible views, the spread is worthy of any A-lister.

      Rihanna reportedly never moved into her pricey penthouse and has been trying to unload the place off-market for the past few months; current listings reveal the place offers clearly staged interiors. The 36-year-old billionaire bought the condo last spring from Nick Molnar, the billionaire cofounder of tech company Afterpay, who himself had bought the place less than two years prior from the late Matthew Perry.

      Rihanna’s $25 million penthouse spans the entire 40th floor of the 42-story building and offers 360-degree views of mountains, the ocean and city lights.

      Google Earth

      During his four-year ownership, the beloved Friends actor extensively customized the place with the help of architect Scott Joyce and interior designer LM Pagano, and it doesn’t appear Molnar or Rihanna made any significant changes to Perry’s designs.

      A private elevator landing opens into the condo’s entrance gallery, and guests will be wowed by the living room’s curvaceous wall of floor-to-ceiling windows flaunting skyline views. Dark brown hardwood floors flow into the dining room, which is serviced by an all-white kitchen with marble countertops, dual islands and premium appliances.

      Also on the premises are a soundproof movie theater with velour couches and a master suite equipped with a curved bedroom, dual bespoke closets, dual bathrooms and its own private lounge. But the condo’s most impressive features are likely its four separate outdoor terraces, which face four different directions — north, south, east and west — and sport panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, Downtown L.A. skyscrapers, the San Gabriel mountains and even snowcapped Mount Baldy.

      Other notable residents at The Century include Denzel Washington and reality TV stars Terry and Heather Dubrow. And then there’s Candy Spelling, whose famed two-floor penthouse lies just above Rihanna’s, spanning the 41st and 42nd floors of the building.

      Completed circa 2010 and designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, The Century has been Century City’s premier residential skyscraper since its completion. Rihanna’s penthouse includes a hefty $8,814 in monthly HOA dues — for that, she receives a host of building’s best amenities, including four deeded parking spots in its underground garage, 24/7 concierge and security guards, access to an outdoor swimming pool and lush gardens, onsite storage facilities, an in-house restaurant, conference rooms and much more.

      Rihanna also owns another smaller condo at The Century, but her current main residence is a $14 million mansion in the mountains above Beverly Hills. According to Forbes, the We Found Love hitmaker is now the world’s richest female musician, with a $1.4 billion net worth. More

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      in Luxury

      Johnny Cash Built This Rustic Tennessee Home for His Son. Now It Can Be Yours for $6.25 Million.

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      Sometime in the 1980s, country music icons Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash commissioned the late master builder Braxton Dixon to build a home for their son, Johnny Carter Cash. At that time, the younger Cash was just a teenager who eventually followed in his family’s legendary footsteps to become a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. Dixon—aka Nashville’s builder to the stars—also restored and updated an 18th-century log cabin on the thickly wooded 21-acre parcel in Hendersonville, Tennessee, about 30 minutes outside of downtown Nashville. 

      Known as Dogwood Estate, the property has just come up for sale with an asking price of $6.25 million. Erin Krueger and Mary Spotts of Compass hold the listing.

      The location of Dogwood Estate was hardly arbitrary; the elder Cashes had long owned a nearby spread, a six-structure compound also built by Dixon called Sycamore Homestead. In fact, the two properties share a driveway that passes over a wooden, Dixon-built covered bridge. 

      The rustic home was built in 1987 by the late master builder Braxton Dixon.

      Realkit / Compass

      The main house is set in a small clearing with two bedrooms and three bathrooms in nearly 4,300 square feet. Among its many rustic charms are exposed wood walls, yellow heart pine floorboards, stained glass windows from Europe, and Amish-built stone fireplaces.

      The great room includes an open kitchen with custom oak cabinetry that incorporates a charming built-in dining booth, while a huge three-season porch and an equally spacious adjoining screened porch both have treehouse-like views into the canopies of surrounding trees. Elsewhere, a den does double duty as an office with a long, built-in desk, and a massive fireplace anchors a lower-level family room. All three bathrooms are updated—one has a classic claw-footed tub—and the primary suite is a spacious retreat that includes a sitting area with a thirty-foot cathedral ceiling, a fireplace, and a roomy dressing area.

      The cabin, which dates to 1789 according to marketing materials, stands apart from the house. There’s a large room joined by a porch, along with a lofted area. There is not a kitchen or bathroom, so it’s perhaps best suited as a place for quiet relaxation or as a music studio or creative space.

      A 18th-century cabin on the property was also refurbished by Braxton Dixon.

      Realkit / Compass

      Johnny Carter Cash sold Dogwood Estate in 1993, and nearby Sycamore Homestead, which spans nearly six acres with six structures, has not been in the Cash family for quite some time either; the current owner bought Sycamore Homestead in 1992 and now has it on the market for $3.3 million.

      For more than 30 years and until they died within months of each other in 2003, Johnny and June Carter Cash made their primary home a 14,000-square-foot mansion on the shore of Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville. Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees bought the 4.5-acre property in 2005, but the house burned to the ground in 2007 while undergoing renovations. Gibb built a new house, and the property has since changed hands several times.

      Click here for more photos of Dogwood Estate.

      Realkit / Compass More

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      in Luxury

      In Beverly Hills, an Extravagant William Hefner-Designed Mansion Sells for a Discounted $30 Million

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      Almost four years after it first hit the market with an aggressive $40 million asking price—and was floated for rent along the way at a pricey $165,000 per month—luxury developer Adnan Sen of Sen Properties has officially sold his Hollywood Regency-inspired spec mansion in Beverly Hills for $30 million, still easily one of the priciest residential real estate deals inked in 90210 over the past few months.

      Per The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the sale, the buyer is real estate investor David Nagel—the CEO of Decron Properties, which has apartment, office and retail holdings in Arizona, California and Washington—and his wife Marnie, who forked over around $21 million more than Sen paid for the 1940s estate almost eight years ago, before it was leveled and rebuilt by noted architect William Hefner.

      A fireside living room is lined with majestic arched windows and glass pocketing doors spilling out to the park-like grounds.

      Noel Kleinman

      Hidden securely behind gates, on a corner parcel spanning almost three-quarter acres, the au courant spread was completed in 2020. Known as Laurel House, the property includes a main house and detached guesthouse—for a total of nine bedrooms and 14 baths in almost 16,000 square feet of modern European-style living space imbued with chic neutral and black interiors.

      Among the main-level highlights: a double-height foyer displaying a statement-making staircase, which flows to formal living and dining rooms spotlighted by large expanses of glass spilling outdoors. A fireside family room connects to the gourmet kitchen, which is outfitted with marble countertops, an eat-in island, top-tier stainless appliances, a windowed breakfast area and secondary catering kitchen; and elsewhere are two offices, plus a cozy den with a fireplace and wet bar.

      The 12-seat movie theater sits adjacent to a billiards room.

      Noel Kleinman

      An opulent upstairs master retreat comes complete with a fireplace, dual balconies, designer closets and a pair of baths sporting soaking tubs and other spa-like amenities, while the lower level is decked out with a “glam room,” 12-seat movie theater flanked by a billiards area and wet bar, glass-encased wine cellar with a tasting room and gym equipped with an infrared sauna.

      Outdoors, the private and grassy grounds are laced with mature trees and gardens, and host an eye-catching pool and spa with built-in seating, as well as an open-air cabana warmed by a fireplace, a barbecue setup, fire-pit, and several lounging and entertaining vignettes. There’s also a gallery-style garage that can accommodate up to 10 vehicles.

      The listing was held by Pate Stevens of The Agency; Dustin Nicholas and Jackie Feldmar-Cohenca of Nicholas Property Group repped the buyers.

      Click here for more photos of Laurel House.

      Noel Kleinman More

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      in Luxury

      A Tech Billionaire Dropped $12 Million on a Malibu Estate With Nearly 200 Feet of Beach Frontage

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      In a beach town where home prices have topped $170 million on more than one occasion, It’s rare to find 1.5 acres of contiguous oceanfront land available to buy at an affordable price. But Jeff T. Green, the tech investor who was at one point Utah’s richest man, has indeed done just that. Records indicate the 46-year-old CEO of The Trade Desk was the buyer who recently scooped up a significant property in the far western reaches of Malibu.

      Of course, “affordable” is a relative term in this case. Green’s little splurge set him back about $12.3 million, certainly a huge sum of money but nothing out of the ordinary as Malibu beachfront prices go. For that chunk of change, Green received two side-by-side properties: one of them a 0.28-acre parcel with a 5,000-square-foot house, and the vacant lot immediately next door, which spans about 1.2 acres.

      Green—who sports a net worth of $4.6 billion, per Forbes—actually closed on the two-parcel estate at the tail end of 2022, although the transactions were not reported at that time. Since then, he has not moved into his new beachfront estate; the existing house, a large but dated modern-style structure built in the early 1990s, appears to be undergoing a big renovation. It’s still unclear what Green plans to do with the empty lot next door, which could easily accommodate an oceanfront mansion all on its own.

      Sited behind gates and greenery, the 1990s house and the vacant lot next door together span some 1.5 oceanfront acres.

      Google Earth

      Long owned by a non-famous businesswoman from Chicago, the current structure appears to be mostly unchanged since it was completed in ’93. Tucked behind gates, the notably boxy, tri-level residence will wow guests with its three-story foyer. There are beige stone floors throughout, plus numerous sets of sliding glass doors that spill out onto ocean-view terraces.

      Other highlights include a mostly all-white kitchen with tile floors and premium SubZero and Wolf appliances, plus a main level bedroom with ensuite bathroom. The home’s three family bedrooms are located on the second floor, including the spacious primary suite. Also on the second floor lies a separate but in-house apartment complete with a living room, fireplace, kitchenette, full bath, and separate entrance with a balcony just outside. This space would be ideal for a live-in staff member, or for an extended family member, guests or as a deluxe work-from-home office space.

      But the home’s third floor is what really impresses. Up there is a big sunroom, plus a 2,000-square-foot, open-air rooftop deck with stunning views for miles up and down the scenic Malibu coastline. And while some naysayers may decry this home’s location as being “too far” from the bustle and shopping destinations of Malibu’s downtown area, it should be noted that this area is far less crowded than downtown Malibu, and Green’s estate is blessed with more than 180 feet of sandy beach frontage.

      Green’s Thousand Oaks main residence, which he bought from Britney Spears in 2017.

      Google Earth

      Green, who appears to have split from wife Lynette a few years back, continues to maintain a main residence in Thousand Oaks, where in 2017 he paid Britney Spears $7 million for a sprawling Spanish-style estate behind the guarded gates of the exclusive Sherwood Country Club. More

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      in Luxury

      Actor Max Greenfield Is Selling His Revamped L.A. Beach House for $3 Million

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      Back in 2020, while some folks were learning to speak another language or taking up a new hobby to bide their time during the pandemic, Tess Sanchez went a completely different route. The longtime wife of veteran actor Max Greenfield—probably best known for his role as Schmidt in the sitcom New Girl—decided to while away her spare time remodeling a “neglected and odd” beach house in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades that the couple had picked up for $1.6 million in late 2019.

      “I was home all the time, for the first time,” the former Fox casting executive and mother of two told Sunset magazine in a 2022 article. “My kids didn’t know what to do with me. I got laid off at the beginning of quarantine in 2020. And I’m not good with idle time.”

      Armed with an ardent love for home-renovation shows, and help from K&M Contractors, Sanchez went on to convert the formerly cramped, dark space into a haven of natural light and beautiful textures, as well as to fully cover a façade emblazoned with a funky beach-themed mural with copious amounts of white paint. Now, a little more than four years later, the revamped cottage has popped up on the market again, this time asking a smidge under $3 million.

      A before photo shows the mural-painted house as it appeared prior to Greenfield’s purchase.

      Google Images

      Originally built in the late 1940s, the two-story structure rests amid a compact hillside parcel atop the sought-after and secluded Castellammare community, just steps from a pedestrian bridge leading to Will Rogers State Historic Park, and offers “stunning ocean and mountain views,” per the listing.

      Three bedrooms and two bathrooms are packed into just over 1,900 square feet of living space boasting white, cream and beige interiors complemented by hardwood floors, high ceilings and plentiful windows allowing for an abundance of natural light. Highlights include a stylish living room displaying an oversized wood-burning brick fireplace with a floating hearth, plus sliding glass doors spilling out to a fenced wraparound deck overlooking the Pacific.

      Also standing out on the main level is a marble-clad kitchen, which comes complete with hanging shelves, a wine cooler, an eat-in breakfast bar and a pass-through window opening to a seated bar on the deck. An adjacent dining area has a built-in buffet, while the primary bedroom suite’s bath is decked out with dual vanities.

      A laundry room, another bath and two guest bedrooms are sequestered on the lower level, including one with two sets of double built-in bunk beds and another that could easily double as a media room; and rounding it all out is a driveway and an attached garage that can accommodate up to two vehicles.

      In addition to their for-sale Pacific Palisades home, Greenfield and Sanchez still maintain a primary residence in L.A.’s Hancock Park enclave that they paid Emmy-winning television producer Scott Stone $2.8 million for back in 2014. More

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      in Luxury

      Married Skincare Entrepreneurs Drop $25 Million on a Lavish L.A. Spec Mansion

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      An extravagant Tobe Morrow-designed spec mansion recently traded hands in the ultra-posh Brentwood Park enclave of Los Angeles. The seller was local developer Gil Charash of AMG Capital, who paid $8 million for the existing property on the site in summer 2022, then didn’t even get a chance to officially list the newly built place in its stead before it was snapped up in an off-market deal that reportedly set a price-per-square-foot sales record for the area.

      Property deeds show the eager buyers are Dr. Katie Rodan and her husband Amnon Rodan—she a dermatologist who co-founded the anti-aging skincare powerhouse Rodan + Fields, makers of the acne-management brand Proactiv, and he the former chairman of the company—who doled out a dab over $25 million for the six-bedroom, nine-bath home in early February.

      Completed this year, the Rodans’ new contemporary estate rests on an a little over a half-acre of land secured by gates and enhanced by an attached three-car garage. Roughly 8,000 square feet of two-level living space is adorned throughout with hardwood floors, high ceilings, designer light fixtures and large expanses of glass offering seamless indoor/outdoor environs.

      A lofty wood-beam ceiling tops the living area, which leads out to a covered terrace overlooking the grassy backyard.

      Lawrence Fitz-Simon

      Glassy arched double doors open into an attractive wood-paneled foyer, which flows to a fireside living room spilling out to a covered terrace. There’s also a formal dining room equipped with wine storage, as well as a sleekly designed gourmet kitchen that comes complete with an oversized eat-in island, top-tier appliances and an accompanying breakfast room.

      Elsewhere is a sumptuous master retreat featuring a fireside sitting area, private balcony, walk-in closet, and marble-clad bath spotlighted by an enclosed wet room sporting a soaking tub and shower; and topping it all off are the lushly landscaped grounds, which host a Pickleball court, swimming pool and spa, and numerous spots ideal for al fresco lounging and entertaining. There’s also a detached guesthouse on the premises.

      In addition to their new Brentwood Park home, the couple—who launched the Rodan Family Foundation in 2018—own at least two properties in L.A.’s Pacific Palisades area, including one that’s been razed and is now up for sale at $8.5 million with plans for a new Marmol Radziner-designed structure, as well as houses in Aspen and San Francisco. A year ago, they sold a 6,750-square-foot residence in the California town of Piedmont for $7.2 million, and they also are rumored to have recently paid actor Ben Affleck $28.5 million for another Pacific Palisades mansion that’s currently undergoing an extensive renovation.

      The listing was held by Maxwell Hutchison of Official and Conrad Adamczak of The Beverly Hills Estates; Lisa Kirshner and Dylan Elkin of Guide Real Estate repped the buyers.

      Click here for more photos of the Rodans’ Brentwood Park house.

      Lawrence Fitz-Simon More