Kate Hudson Rents Out Malibu Mansion For $90k/Month

EXCLUSIVE: Kate Hudson Rents Out Malibu Mansion For $90k A Month | RadarOnline.com

We're on vacay for the rest of the week, but just thought we'd share this before we go. Too bad we're not the lucky ones to rent Kate's digs. Oh well! See you next week!

Price Reduction on Donald Trump's Park Avenue Hi Rise Condo

Donald Trump, author of the Art of the Deal and television star of NBC's The Apprentice, should star in another TV Show: Let's Make a Deal. Trulia reported last week that the asking price on The Donald's Park Avenue condo on the Upper East Side of New York has been lowered from $51M to $31M. How could he have been off base by 20 million dollars?!!!


Here's the floorplan:

The listing says it's "priced very well for immediate sale." Let's hope he got it right this time!

Photos: Prudential Douglas Elliman

The Obamas Will Vacay in the Vineyard

Everybody sing a little Cole Porter now: Kennedys do it. Clintons do it. Even the Farrelly brothers do it. Let's do it. Let's fall in love . . . with Martha's Vineyard!



President Barack Obama and his family are headed there next month to spend a few weeks chillin'. Gotta admit he deserves a break. After all, he IS the hardest workin' man in presidency.



They're staying at Blue Heron Farm, a 30-acre Chilmark property overlooking Tiah's Cove currently owned by William and Mollie Van Devender (John McCain supporters, fyi). It is the same property formerly owned by the late couple Anthony Fisher and his wife.



Okay, so the Vineyard is not a very original vacation destination, since it's the stomping ground of former presidents, most notably John F. Kennedy. It's still beautiful.

But we're starting to wonder whether, much like the Clintons, the Obamas just want to BE the Kennedys.

Tacky Tuesday: Tour the Homes of the Real Housewives of Atlanta

For those who are interested -- and you know who you are! -- Bravo has posted videos of the houses of the unReal Housewives of Atlanta on its website. Go here to check them out. We can't bring ourselves to look.

Dr. Phil Sued By His Interior Designers

Perez Hilton reported on Friday that Dr. Phil McGraw and his wife Robin are being sued by two women who claim that they are owed for performing home design and whole host of other duties. And apparently Robin has even taken credit for the interior design work seen when she and Dr. Phil were featured in People and Ladies Home Journal magazines.

Judging from the photo above, the home's exterior and gardens are lovely. Photo by Marybeth Welsh Dulany.

Naturally, we wanted to see the interior for ourselves. So we checked out the spreads in People and LHJ online, but neither revealed much.

So we next decided to check out the plaintiffs, Deborah Flattery and Brynja McGrady. We found a news article that mentioned that they were featured on HGTV's Designers' Challenge. So off we went to look for it!

Ahem, here's what we found:



All we could say is, if this is the kind of work they did for Dr. Phil, perhaps he should be suing them!

Celebrity Home of the Week

Gee, it was a tough decision this week. Lots of house eye candy. The three finalist were Debi Mazar's livable Los Angeles villa, Biz Stone's artsy Berkeley bungalow, and Rob Cohen's Balinese beauty. Here's a recap:

1. Debi's Digs. Her home is very livable and stylish. But she probably could have used a designer to pull together her dining room a little. Still, you can't beat that cool chandelier.

2. Biz's Digs. His home is ultra cool. It's also located in a hip, funky town full of intellectuals. Perfect spot for a creative tech genius type. But at 800sf it was a little on the small side. Plus, that decor certainly was uninspiring--staged or not.

3. Rob's Digs. His vacation home is unbelievably beautiful--pure fantasy. We really dig the seclusion offered by the separate bedroom pavilions. And it's eco-friendly to boot. But Bali sure is a long way away. And what happens when that volcano erupts?

We have to declare Debi Mazar's digs the winner this week! We could actually picture ourselves living in her house. Makes us wonder why she's put it up for sale . . . .

Ah well, congratulations Debi! You have the Celebrity Home of the Week (CHOW)!

CIAO!

Film Producer's Paradise: Eco-Friendly Retreat in Bali

The East Bali vacation home of american film producer/director Rob Cohen is featured in the August 2009 issue of Architectural Digest. Cohen, who brought us movies like xXx: State of the Union and The Fast and the Furious, acquired the property while on holiday with his wife and decided to build an environmentally friendly retreat there.

The home consists of several elevated pavilions -- including a living/dining pavilion and two guesthouses -- built almost entirely from recycled woods and bamboo.

Pictured below is the master bedroom pavillion, which has a view of the Indian Ocean as well as the sacred volcano Mount Agung and Seraya mountain range.

Well, we always thought only people in the movies live like this. Turns out that it's actually people who make movies that get to live like this. Can't blame them, though. This is truly paradise.

FYI, this is a great issue of AD, so be sure to pick up a copy. For more information and photos, check out AD's article here. Photography by Tim Street-Porter.

Twitter Co-Founder's Berkeley Digs Up for Sale

Last week, Twitter co-founder and creative director Biz Stone tweeted that he's selling his home in Berkeley, California. For all you architectural buffs, it's a 2-BR, 800sf midcentury cottage built by California architect William Wurster, who used it as his own personal studio.

The house is totally cool and totally minimalist. Judging by these photos, Stone's views interior design the same way: Less is more. Probably keeps his mind clear to come up with more creative ventures!

Okay, so he could have upgraded the bed linens and hopefully the wall art at least has meaning. Or, maybe he's moved out and this is all generic staging furniture.

Whatever! We really DIG those floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room and upper level bedroom. And the redwood-paneled ceiling in the lower level bedroom is simply divine!

Probably a steal at the $575,000 asking price!
Photos: Urban Bay Properties

Clooney Cruises Around Near His Lake Como Home

Handsome actor George Clooney owns this beautiful villa in Lake Como, Italy. Photo: Frezza-Lafata/Matrix. He was spotted earlier this week riding around near Lake Como on what looks like a motorcycle with training wheels.

As we know, Clooney had a bad motorcycle accident back in 2007--which could explain the new-style bike.

Anyway, the views around the lake are stunning. For a jaw-dropping 360-degree view, visit this site: tour. Nice!

Debi Mazar's Digs Up For Sale

Debi Mazar of HBO's hit show Entourage has placed her colorful Los Angeles home up for sale for $1.4M. And, though we love the chesterfield sofa shown in the photo above, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT HER HOUSE. Photo: More.com


It's THIS small spanish villa and it's so charming!


The kitchen (above) has pretty turquoise tile countertops, and the dining room (below) has the coolest retro chandelier.
Yes, it looks like she hasn't had the benefit of an interior designer. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Her home looks real. And stylish. Just like her.


Have a look at the personality-infused kids' bedroom:

Even her musician husband's studio looks lively.

Debi has always had that imperfect kind of beauty. The same can be said of her lovely home.

Opposition Says "NEVER!" to Neverland as Tourist Spot

The Associated Press reports that the neighbors of Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch have formed a group called "Never!" to oppose any attempts to turn the property into a tourist destination. Of course, no development has been proposed . . . yet.

WTF? Harvard Professor Gates Arrested at His Home

P.M. UPDATE: THE CHARGES AGAINST PROF. GATES WERE DROPPED TODAY!

The New York Times is reporting today that Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates, prominent scholar of African-American studies, was arrested AT HIS OWN HOUSE last week by a police officer who responded to a "robbery in progress" report.

Gates had just returned from a trip to China to his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He found his front door jammed and forced the door open, with the assistance of his cab driver. Someone saw this activity, called the cops and, well, we know where this is going . . . .

The funny thing is that the police officer acknowledged that Gates proved that it was his house, but claims that Gates became so belligerent that he had to arrest him for disorderly conduct. All we can say is, WTF?

Anyway, the house is cute. It is a part of the University's faculty housing network.

Photo Source: Harvard University Affiliated Housing Network

Buzz Aldrin's Boyhood Home

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of NASA's Apollo 11 lunar landing, we thought we'd search for homes of the three astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. So far, we've only run across Buzz's boyhood home in New Jersey. Found it on Flickr. Very quaint.

Thug Monday: 50 Cent Lowers Asking Price Again

Our favorite thug rapper 50 Cent aka Fiddy aka Curtis Jackson aka P.I.M.P. is still trying to unload that 50,000sf museum he calls a house (50 for 50, get it?) in Hartford, Connecticut. He purchased it from known arbiter of style and good taste, boxer Mike Tyson, for $4.1M and then reportedly added at least $6M in updates before setting the original asking price of $18.5M. After getting no takers, he lowered it to $14.5M and now it's down to $10.9M.

Last year, he let MTV Cribs tour his 19-bedroom, 37-bathroom crib with 6 kitchens, a home movie theater and a disco, allegedly to give prospective buyers a peek.

MTV Shows

Heard Michael Vick is being released from home confinement today. He might start shopping for digs large enough to house his posse and his, um, pets.

Thug Monday: Michael Vick Released From Home Confinement

Pro Footballer Michael Vick is being released from home confinement today. After serving 19 months in a federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas, for an illegal dogfighting operation, Vick has remained under confinement at his McMansion in Hampton, Virginia, for the last 60 days.

Photo: Hamptonroads.com

Earlier this year, the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback's 8-bedroom, 11-bath Mega-mansion outside Atlanta (shown below) went up for auction. Alas, no takers.

Photos: Funari Realty

Mandela Day: A Look at the "Homes" of Mandela

AP Photo/Debbie Yazbek-Nelson Mandela Foundation

SPECIAL SATURDAY EDITION--World renown human rights activist and former South African President Nelson Mandela turns 91 today. In an effort to start an official Mandela Day to be celebrated every year on his birthday (July 18th), numerous celebrities are participating in various events--including a birthday bash hosted by former President Bill Clinton and a concert tonight with performances by Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Josh Grubin, Queen Latifah, and others.

In honor of Mr. Mandela, Celebrity Digs HQ thought we'd show you the places he lived throughout his years as a public figure.

Below is his modest tract home in Soweto (now part of Johannesburg, South Africa). He lived here for several years until 1961, when he was forced to go underground in his struggles against apartheid. The home was recently restored and turned into a museum.

Photos: Soweto Heritage Trust

Mr. Mandela was subsequently arrested in 1962 and spent the next 27 years in prison. The first 18 were spent in the prison cell below on Robben Island, South Africa, where he performed hard labor in a lime quarry. He had the floor for his bed and a bucket for his toilet.

Photo: Wikipedia

He was transferred in 1982 to Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town, where he remained until he was freed in 1990. Below is his prison cell. (We apologize for the tiny photo. It's the only one we could find.) Although the cell looks large, he was isolated from other prisoners and lived a lonely existence.

And, finally, below is his home today in Johannesburg. It appears to be a stately home, befitting a person of his stature. In light of all that he endured, we can't think of anyone more deserving.

Photo: David Henderson

Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela! Happy Mandela Day too! More details on the Mandela Day Concert here.

Walter Cronkite Dies at New York Home

SPECIAL SATURDAY EDITION--Legendary News Anchor Walter Cronkite died yesterday at his home in New York. He was 92 years old. Known as "Uncle Walter," Cronkite anchored the CBS evening news for many years and is best remembered for breaking the news of John F. Kennedy's assassination and covering the early days of America's space program. He was also an avid sailor. Trolling the internet, we ran across a beautiful photograph of a house in Edgartown (on the Vineyard) identified as his summer home:

R.I.P. Uncle Walter.

CHOW & CIAO!

It was an eventful first week for us here at Celebrity Digs HQ! Lots of juicy bits on all sorts of famous folks and how they're livin'. We'll see you back here on Monday.

Before we go, we have to identify our first CHOW--Celebrity Home of the Week:

You guessed it! Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch! We love it and we love him!

Ciao!

Late Steve McNair's Estate in Limbo?

As we all know by now, married superstar football player Steve McNair was shot and killed on July 4th in a murder-suicide by his 20-year-old girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi. Now The Tennessean reports that McNair died without a will and that the probate court gave his wife Mechelle McNair control of his estate, on behalf of herself and their two sons.

Problem: Steve has two other children from previous relationships with two other women. At least one baby mama is planning to file a claim against the estate today.

Looks like McNair -- who earned more than $75 million in the NFL -- did no estate planning. Apparently, his personal affairs were as messy as his other personal affairs.

Maybe his baby mamas and children should just move into that $3 million, 9-bedroom, 14,000s.f., monstrosity (shown above) that he left behind in Green Hills, Tennessee.

Stedman Cruises Around Oprah's Hawaii Digs

So they ARE still together! Oprah's longtime beau Stedman Graham was recently spotted biking around Oprah's posh Hawaii home, shown here:

And what a gorgeous home it is--albeit a little generic in decorating. Enough with the horses and roosters already!

I guess we can't blame Stedman at all for sticking around for all these years. Photos: Michel Arnaud. Visit Oprah's site for the slideshow.

Bling Burglary at Orlando Bloom's Hollywood Home

TMZ reports that sexy Orlando Bloom's home in the L.A. Hollywood Hills was burglaraized last night. Burglars reportedly entered through a window and made off with watches and jewelry worth $500,000. There are rumors that it might have been an inside job though. Check out his digs:

Celebrity Homes in Foreclosure

CNN reports today that 1.53 million U.S. homes are in foreclosure so far this year. And we're only halfway through the year. Unfortunately, even celebrities aren't immune to these rough economic times.

Photo: Vincent DeSalvio/Journal News

According to the Journal News, Actor Stephen Baldwin and his wife, Kennya, are in default on their home (pictured above) in Upper Grandview, NY. They owe more than $800,000 on a house that only cost them $515,000.

At first we thought only somebody like Stephen could let that happen to him, especially since we aren't talking about a terribly expensive house. And we suppose this could happen to anyone. But what we can't understand is, why his brother Alec (who is reportedly house-shopping in NYC) and the rest of the Baldwin clan can't help him out. Anyway, more details here.

Other celebrity homes in foreclosure include those belonging to Bravo's unReal Housewives of Atlanta and Orange County.

Nevermind that none of the Real Housewives of Atlanta really lived in Atlanta. They still faced the real issue of wannabes pretending to be high-rollers. Sheree Whitfield's ginormous home in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs, GA, reportedly went into foreclosure in February, eventually selling via auction for $1.1 million.

We might as well mention that the trashy Atlanta Housewife NeNe Leakes lost her digs too earlier this year, but she was just a renter anyway. That was just more proof of her wannabe status.

Finally, Real Housewife Jeana Keough of Orange County -- another wannabe and a freakin' realtor -- also fell behind on her ostentatious home and various rental properties, but at least she was smart enough to seek a loan modification and put her home up for sale. For more details and photos of her less-than-stellar interiors, go here.

Looks like REALITY is the New Reality TV. Good luck to all of them in finding new digs.