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BEN LEE’S BLOG
Former Home of Walt Disney Closes for Under $1 Million
A mid-century Palm Springs ranch, which was formerly owned by Walt Disney, has sold (and closed) for a price of $865K, after more than six months on the market. The sale price reflects a discount of roughly $35,000 below its original list price of $899K.
Initially built in the early 1960s – specifically as a desert retreat for Mr. Disney and his wife – this nearly 2,500 square foot residence, which is located at 2688 South Camino Real and on the second fairway of the Indian Canyons North Golf Course, is light and bright, adding truth to Disney’s nickname for its as his “laughing place.”
In addition to its spacious living and kitchen areas, the home offers four bedrooms and four baths, and numerous glass slider doors across the back. There is also a two car garage, along with additional space for parking vehicles outside.
The home is ideally situated on a quarter-acre lot, among lush green gardens and mature palm trees, which offer plenty of ample privacy. The outdoor pool / spa and large patio provide a great space for entertaining, or for enjoying a morning coffee in the sun.
This is actually the second home that Mr. Disney had purchased in the area, as he sold the first one in order to finance the construction of Disneyland. It looks like that turned out to be a highly favorable investment for him.
Attractive Palms Condo for Under $380K
If you’ve been seeking a cozy getaway or the perfect lodging for guests in the Palms vicinity, then this top-floor, oversized, one-bedroom one-bath condo could be the answer – all for under $400,000.
Initially built in 1961, this unique condominium space offers numerous amenities, including a pool and spa, as well as ample parking. The open floor plan features more than 910 square feet of living area, and it offers some quality features like hardwood flooring, numerous windows – which provide a light and bright feel – and an enclosed porch that could be used as a pleasant sitting area, an additional bedroom, or the ideal home office.
While the kitchen is somewhat dated, it is functional, and provides plenty of cabinet space and cooking area. There is also a separate breakfast room / dining space that opens to the spacious living room area.
Condo living can offer the perfect maintenance free lifestyle, with no yard work or exterior maintenance issues to contend with. Because this particular residence is considered a co-op, renting the unit to third-party tenants is not permitted.
Located at 11120 Queenland Street on the Westside, this attractively priced condo is currently listed at $379,900 and monthly homeowners association dues of $395. Private showings can be arranged for interested buyers.
Angelina Jolie Settles on Home in Los Feliz
More than a year after announcing her split from husband Brad Pitt, actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie has purchased the former home of filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille for the sale price of $24.5 million.
Built more than a century ago, this six-bedroom, ten-bath mansion and sprawling two-acre estate, which was home to DeMille for four decades, offers a plethora of amenities that Jolie and her children will surely enjoy, including lush green exterior gardens, several outdoor sitting areas and an in-ground pool. The home also offers a detached guest house, which shares in the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and the L.A. city lights below.
The roughly 11,000 square foot interior of the home has been fully restored recently, including an updated chef’s kitchen with a spacious center island, and a wood-paneled dining room. The home also features beautiful molding throughout, as well as arched doors and four fireplaces.
Situated in the Laughlin Park area of Los Feliz, Jolie’s new abode will also provide her with privacy and security, along with plenty of space for both residents and guests.
Listed for sale in March of this year, the estate was owned and maintained by Cecil DeMille’s family for more than 30 years after his passing in 1988.
Take a Trip Back in Time to California’s Best Yesteryear Motels
You may or may not have a first-hand memory of traveling in the 1950s or 60s – a time when many families would pack up for their yearly vacation, and stay at roadside motels. Unlike today, where you see the same-looking franchised hotels and motels in nearly every town along your route, these one-of-a-kind inns were unique, colorful, and in some cases, they themselves were the actual destination.
While there are only a few of these smaller, oftentimes themed, time capsules remaining, you can find them along California’s west coast – and not only do they make for good sight-seeing, but many of them are still a great place to settle in for the night.
For instance, the Ambassador Motor Lodge in South Lake Tahoe still looks amazingly like it did 50 years ago – starting with its eye-catching sign out front. This cool motel also offers a pool for cooling off, and it’s within easy walking distance to several casinos and the beach.
Speaking of casinos, the Stardust Lodge – also situated in the South Lake Tahoe locale – opened soon after the iconic Stardust Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in the late 1950s. With a similarly shaped sign to catch travelers’ attention, this lodge offers reasonably priced rooms, and is close enough to stroll to Stateline.
For more details on these and other retro destinations, check out Heather David’s book, “Motel California,” which is due out in mid-summer,
Make Way for Metro’s Smart Phone Fare Payment System
Gone are the days – well, almost – of having to rustle around and find a subway token, or even of making sure you have your TAP card ride pass. That’s because soon, everyone will be able to easily pay their Metro fare using a smart phone.
Recently, the Los Angeles transit agency started to set the ball in motion for the creation of software that will put the transportation era in Southern California into the modern age. As it now stands, the plan is for the development of a cloud based connection system known as Nextlink, which will essentially link up the current TAP fare infrastructure to a convenient mobile payment app.
This being the case, it may not be too long before TAP cards are no longer in existence at all, as riders will be able to easily use a TAP card that is “virtual” for paying fares directly from their mobile devices.
Just as with any of the other countless venues that now allow payment via phone, it was only a matter of time before the L.A. rapid transit system went digital. The estimated time frame for this switchover is roughly 7 to 9 months after the start of the app’s development.
https://la.curbed.com/2017/5/26/15701664/metro-tap-card-phone-pay-fare