Natalie Imbruglia on the Sunset Strip

SELLER: Natalie Imbruglia
LOCATION: St. Ives Drive, Los Angeles, CA
PRICE: $4,500,000
SIZE: 5,434 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms
DESCRIPTION: Pvt, gated Mediterranean villa nestled in the hills above Sunset Strip. Grmt kit adjoins a gorgeous, sky-lit casual dining area that spills out onto one of many ent patios w/ city lights views. The lv rm is perfect for entertaining - its scale and openness are elegant yet comfortable. The main fl consists of a screening rm, 2 gst rms and a truly extraordinary Zen-like mst bd and spa quality bath. 2 add’tl gst suites w/pvt entrances -one on the lwr level and one on the third flr. 3 garages.

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: We ran across this property a couple of weeks ago but the the property records are a wee bit confusing and although we were able to figure out that the property was purchased in April 2002 for $2,140,000 and then transferred several times through a trust with the name of a music manager as the trustee, Your Mama was unable to suss out the actual owner.

Then, out of the blue, like manna from heaven, Your Mama received an email from someone who would absolutely and without doubt know who owns this property. Children we have it on very good authority this house belongs to songstress Natalie Imbruglia.

The petite singer with the signature short choppy hair-do got her start acting on a soap opera program in her native Australia before moving to swinging London to pursue a music career. Since 1998 she has had a whole bunch of hit songs and records, none of which does Your Mama have any recollection of hearing. Now, we're sure we prolly have heard some of her music, we just wouldn't be able to pick it from a crowd, you know?

It's unclear whether Miz Imbruglia actually lives in this house, but what is crystal clear is that a team of over-zealous stagers has been up in there lighting fires in the fireplace, putting fresh cut flowers around, and for some unknown and disturbing reason popping popcorn to set out on a tray in the media room.

Excessive staging aside, Your Mama has mostly positive feelings about this Mediterranean villa. The stellar Sunset Strip location just North of Sunset and East of North Doheny Drive means not having to navigate the death trap twists and turns of the Hollywood Hills after a long night boozing and hanging with your celebrity peeps at Les Deux.

The large and lounge-like living room works for us. Matching sofas almost always make Your Mama feel warm inside, and this pair in chocolate brown velvet is dee-vine. Also of note in this room is the fantastic fireplace surround. We appreciate that it was kept simple but still manages to have a strong and dignified presence. Although we love the rug and feel it was an excellent choice to use with the sofas, Your Mama has a couple of little bitches who track in dirt and shed like mohair sweaters. So we have to wonder what sort of vacuum does one buy so that the maid can get that thing clean? Or is that the sort of rug that gets tossed out when it gets soiled and full of dog hair?

The kitchen appears to have been recently updated and we notice and appreciate the dark cabinets, the double dishwashers, and the delicious limestone counters (is that limestone?). We've never been fond of the greenhouse window, so we'd recommend getting rid of that middle brow folly. Too often a window like that gets filled up with Hummel figurines and frog collections, so why tempt and invite bad taste like that?

Also, we're a little concerned about that lonely wok hanging on the pot rack. Perhaps the stagers could come back and either add a few more cooking vessels? Or better yet, just remove the pot rack altogether? Can anyone explain the pot rack phenomena? We don't get it. The Dr. Cooter and Your Mama may have obscenely expensive cookery, but we much prefer to hide our pots and pans from the casual kitchen visitor.

All the children surely know we are very appreciative of the numerous dark doors that open just about every room of the house to the city view terraces on the Western side of the house. And despite the wicker furniture, the covered outdoor space is a most beauteous spot to down a bottle of fine wine while the sun sets. Also note how even the master bathroom has doors that open it to the terraces...that is a serious and desirable luxury in Your Mama's book.

While Your Mama is mostly appreciative of this house, there is one feature, or actually the lack of one feature, that cause us to stop dead in our tracks. Children there is no swimming pool on this property. That might be attractive to those who don't know how to swim or don't like pool boys, but Your Mama is not sure we could pay more than $4,000,000 for a house without a swimming pool.

Perhaps Miz Imbruglia, a water baby and one time surfer gurl, is moving back to Australia, back to London, or just to another house in LA that has a swimming pool.

Sources: Windermere Properties, Internet Movie Data Base