Saturday, September 11, 2010

The Candy Brothers Do It Again

Last week brought the traumatizing and mind numbing news that a penthouse doo-plex at London's wickedly pricey and posh One Hyde Park development sold to an unknown buyer for a hair raising $220,000,000. One Hyde Park, the children will recall, was developed by the illustrious and internationally renowned interior designers and property development managers Candy & Candy.

Now word comes slip sliding down the international real estate gossip grapevine that the Candy brothers Christian and Nick–they would be the Candy in the Candy & Candy company–have sold their private penthouse in Monaco's über-moneyed Monte Carlo for even more moolah.

That's right butter beans, more money. So, sit yourselves down, buckle your safety belts, and grab yourself a stiff cocktail and a nerve pill because according to reports, the Candy brothers sold their 17,500 square foot penthouse at the La Belle Epoque building for a diarrhea inducing £199,000,000. Your Mama's currency conversion contraption indicates that figure translates to a truly shocking $306,446,000. Take a few moment, children, to let that settle in.

The buyer, according to the Financial Times, is an unnamed Middle Eastern investor who bought the penthouse on a 97 year lease.

The palatial penthouse, which sits directly above Monte Carlo's magnificent and glittery mega-yacht filled marina, appeared on the glossy pages of Architectural Digest in November of 2009. The cavernous two floor penthouse has shared living spaces that include a double height library, various dining areas, and a titanic oval shaped office where the brothers sit opposite each other at what Architectural Digest called "streamlined desks that incorporate the latest in communications technology." The common spaces also include vast terraces with 12+ foot tall mature trees, shaded porticoes with panoramic views, a games room, spa facilities, and media room in which the armchairs convert into beds at the mere touch of a button.

In addition to the shared spaces,each of the brothers has a large, separate and private suite that includes a reception room, bedroom, behemoth pooper, elaborate and expansive dressing rooms, and a kitchen.

The penthouse was formerly and famously owned by billionaire financier Edmund and his international socialite doyenne wife Lily Safra. The penthouse was scene of a bizarre 1999 conflagration that took the life of the billionaire financier and one of the nurses employed to take care of him. Another of his nurses, the American Ted Maher, was convicted of starting the deadly fire.

Your Mama imagines that the most popular parlor game among the jet setting elite this fall will be to guess the name of the ridiculously deep pocketed new owner. Anyone?

photo: Vmenkov

12 comments:

Fancy Nancy said...

Nice work mama! Love the international flavor! Have a great weekend! xox

peadu said...

I found a slideshow of some of the photos from the Arch Dig feature on its website:

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/homes/homes/2009/11/view_from_the_top_slideshow

Luis said...

It would be great if anyone could show us the floor plan...

Anonymous said...

I would be interested in knowing how much the Gilded Lilly got the earth tone twins to pay her for it? You know even if it was a gut job because of the fire that poor nurse started (wink wink), you know the widow was going to have a price on it like it was Blenheim Palace.

Anonymous said...

Monaco is not, in my opinion, very attractive. It is far too crowded and urbanized. People who make it their base do so, I suspect, only for money reasons. As I recall, being cooped up there turned Princess Grace into an alcoholic. I was not surprised.

Anonymous said...

now maybe they can back the bank of iceland some of the 500m they borrowed to buy 9900 wilshire boulevard in beverly hills to build 200 condos and then changed thier minds..

Anonymous said...

I doubt it. This guys are a scam, just like Montecarlo.

Anonymous said...

How are they a "scam"? They have an internationally renowned company based in London. They started their company from absolutely nothing & have achieved a ridiculous amount of success. The only "scam" part is that they live in Monaco avoiding UK taxes which isn't a 'scam' as hundreds of thousands of Brits do the same - it's pretty easy to commute from Monaco to your office in London.

As for the Icelandic bank, didn't the bank go bust like so many of the Icelandic banks? It's not like the banks are angels ... they still owe $6 Billion to British & Dutch customers! Actually, now that they're bankrupt I guess the Icelandic Government owes them ... but my point remains the same.

Chardonnay Bernstein said...

my bejeweled abacus just exploded.....

Rosco Mare said...

9900 Wilshire, the site of JW Robinson's, is a beautifully crafted MCM building designed by William Pereira in 1951. I slow down and look at it every time I drive past it or go to the Beverly Hilton next door. It would make a great conference center.

The structure deserves restoration, not demolition as proposed by Candy & Candy who stated that their condo project would bring class to Beverly Hills. As Mama would say, "Oh, puleeez!" I'm not sure they understand that Beverly Hills is a small, unique Southern Californian city. Not every locale desires to be like Monte Carlo or London.

Anonymous said...

We need our good friend Pierre to jump in. He is very knowledgeable with the High End Real Estate on the French Riviera.

Cheers,

JP

Anonymous said...

the widow sold it for $10milion what a profit for the brothers.