Beach House, Bolivar Style

 

Remember this? 

 

 

Or, remember this?   Remember how much you all loved this house?  Remember how you left 84 comments almost overnight?   Well, just in case you don't remember, or if you want to relive the beauty, read the story of how I Stalked the Wheats HERE.

 

Sally Wheat, the owner of that beautiful Belgian style home in West University,  loves decorating so much that she couldn't stop at fixing up  just one house.  No, of course she couldn't!  Why should she when she also owns a gorgeous beach home that needs her special touch?   Across the bay and a ferry ride away from Galveston, Texas, Sally and her family live here all summer long.

 

 

The Bolivar Peninsula is a sleepy coast off the Gulf of Mexico, with miles and miles of undeveloped shoreline.  From this picture you can see what I mean - the beach stretches undisturbed on both sides of this ecologically sensitive development called The Biscayne.   Sally's beach house is a three story, white, clapboard style home, built to look as if it was from another era in time rather than the 21st century. 

 

Since Sally's beach house is over an hour away from Houston, I hadn't had a chance to stalk it yet, though I was itching for an opportunity to.     After much pleading and prodding, Sally, worried that you, the reader, would be tired of all things Wheat, finally agreed to take pictures of her summer hideaway for us to enjoy.     I am thrilled she did, and hope you are too!   Thanks again Sally!    Enjoy this tour of the Wheat's Beach House:

 

                                    

In accordance with Texas hurricane codes, the main living area is on the second floor.  Wrap around porches extend the living space and provide a great perch to watch the ocean from.  Though not quite beachfront, they have a clear view of the coast and their back yard is on a lake.  Behind the lake is a nature preserve, where no development will ever be allowed to encroach upon.

                   

The lake with a visitor!   Not to worry, the residents had him removed to another area of Bolivar, far, far away.  The lake is stocked with fish which provides plenty of meals for the lucky residents.     

 

  

The main living area soars over two stories.  Slipcovered sofas and chairs in khaki linen make cleanup easy.    Sally accessorized the room with Moroccan styled end tables.

    

  A view of the living room looking up towards the second floor.

 

 

And looking back down.   Slipcovered sofas make great resting places for pets and children.  When soiled, just remove the slips and toss them in the washing machine.  Dry for a short time, and then still slightly damp, place the slips back on the sofa.  No need to iron, especially if you are a fan of Rachel Ashwell.

 

Opposite the slipcovered sofa is the built-in bookcases.  I love her two Chippendale inspired white chairs.   Black and white family photos lead up the stairwell.   Antique French bottles stack on top of the built-in.

Looking from the living room to the dining area and kitchen - all in one big area.  Sally mixed a large, rustic table with contemporary chairs.

   

 The kitchen has clapboard walls and island, concrete countertops and stainless appliances.  I love how Sally uses the antique wine bottle holder for coffee cups!  Notice her stainless pendant lamps and bar stools.  The view out back is of the nature preserve.  Hard to believe this is just one hour outside of Houston.

 Across from the dining table, a plate wall inspired by Kelly Wearstler.    An antique bench is set below it. 

 Computer desk and contemporary print chair liven up a corner of the dining area.   I could be very happy right here just blogging away with a Starbucks!  FYI, the closest Starbucks to Port Bolivar is across the ferry to the Strand on Galveston Island.    It would be worth the trip, except on Sunday afternoons when the ferry is busy with beachgoers heading back to Houston.

 Hallway vignette.  I love how the sunburst mirror looks like it was made out of gray driftwood.

 The master bedroom is a bright, sunny yellow with black and gray accents.      I love the way the walls are paneled throughout the house, it adds to the cottage feel of the beach house.  Rather than furnish the home to match it's clapboard style, Sally has chosen contemporary fabrics and furniture with antique accents added for their texture and warmth.

 This guest room is painted blue instead of the bright white which runs throughout the rest of the house.

 

 Another guest room in black and white and yellow.

 

 

 No beach house is complete without a kid's bunk room.  

 

    

Sharks and surfboards - only in a beach house!

 

 

And last, a glimpse into the bathroom, filled with Sally's touches. 

 

  For more information on The Biscayne at Bolivar Peninsula, Texas, go here.

Ellen Does it Three Times On Cabrillo Drive

While visiting the left coast last week, a good lookin' and well built acquaintance of Your Mama's whispered in our big ol' ear that he heard through the gurl gossip grapevine that talk show titan Ellen Degeneres and gal pal Portia Di Rossi had scooped up a third property on Cabrillo Drive (shown above).

And you know what children? Our little talkative tipster was correct. A peek into the property records reveals that the lesbian lovebirds–who are bizzy as beavers planning their upcoming big gay wedding–did indeed recently close on the last piece of the Cabrillo Drive real estate puzzle that will allow the Sapphic sisters to request permission from the city of Bev Hills to gate the entire damn street and provide them with the perfectly private lesbian lair they've long craved.

Let's recap: First the couple forked over a mind numbing and jaw dropping 29 and some million clams in a private deal for Will and Grace co-creator Max Mutchnick's recently built house that measures 8,500+ square feet and includes a detached guest house and staff quarters located under the infinity edge swimming pool. Yes children, under. Miz Moneybags quickly whirled around and spent another $8,500,000 to buy the 4,580 square foot house across the tiny street that was owned by celebrity real estate agent Jade Mills which Miz D and Missus dR tore down tout de suite.

Miz Degeneres then set her real estate sights on the third and final house on Cabrillo Drive and because money talks she was able to convince the long time owners to sell. Records to not indicate what Miz Degeneres paid for the third property that sits below the two other properties on a hair pin turn, but what is clear is that she has spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $40,000,000 for her Bev Hills compound, a massive and perhaps even masochistic amount of money for these three properties.

Your Mama can't help but wonder if the gurls plan on using the 2,785 square foot house with 1 bedroom and 3 bathrooms as another guest house, staff accommodations, converting it into a security center/gate house or if they'll tear the bitch down and cantilever a tennis court out over the canyon. With this peripatetic pair, one never knows what pricey and privacy making plans they have up their real estate sleeves.

Whatever the case Your Mama asks, pleads and begs that none of you moe-rons get the not very wise idea to motor your automobiles up Cabrillo Drive. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Not only would that be stoopid, but you're likely to get a wicked and well deserved ass pounding by one of Miz D and Missus dR's beefy security goons.

JoeBabs Selling Again

SELLER: Joseph Babajian
LOCATION: Warner Avenue, Los Angeles, CA
PRICE: $1,995,000
SIZE: 2,011 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 1.75 bathrooms
DESCRIPTION: Built in 1935 w/ architectural integrity preserved. Timeless design w/ great scale, proportion & symmetry, wonderful authentic moldings & details. Recently restored & brilliantly refined w/ updated kitchen, baths, wd flring & new roof, central A/C. Separate den/office w/ built-in bookshelves. Formal dining rm plus charming junior dining rm. Private brick courtyard w/ fireplace.

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: It's been quite some time since Your Mama has heard hide, hair or how-dee-do about much maligned and publicly shamed celebrity real estate agent Joseph Babajian who was indicted late last year on multiple counts of conspiracy, bank fraud and loan fraud. In fact, the last we heard was in late March 2008 when his recently and expensively renovated 3 bedroom and 3.5 bathroom domicile in Trousdale Estates sold for $6,510,000. But thanks to Our Fairy Godmother in Beverly Hills, Your Mama has learned that another of JoeBabs' properties has been recently listed for sale.

Located on Warner Avenue in the leafy, lush and centrally located Little Holmby section of Los Angeles, the 2,011 square foot house currently carries an asking price of $1,995,000 and happens to sit spitting distance from Candy Spelling's famously monstrous mansion on S. Mapleton Drive. Property records show that JoeBabs purchased the modest ranch house in February of 2003, long before news of his alleged real estate scheming and conniving became public. Although JoeBabs took a $789,000 mortgage at the time of purchase, Your Mama finds it interesting that the sale price is undisclosed. Hmm. Probably nothing suspicious, but with all JoeBabs' bad press we can't help but look a little cross-eyed at all his real estate doings.

Anyhoo, listing information for the renovated residence shows it includes three bedrooms, 1.75 bathrooms, a nicely sized living room with wood burning fireplace, a den with built-in bookshelves which will be appreciated by the few folks who read actual books anymore, and an updated kitchen with depressing drawer pulls and low-brow tile counter tops. Listing information also indicates there is both a formal dining room and a junior dining room. Your Mama has never heard of a junior dining room but we presume that is high-fallutin' real estate speak for the smart looking breakfast room which has been staged with a slightly too small Saarinen table and a couple of cozy 1940s era upholstered armchairs.

Thanks the keen eyes of one of Your Mama's children we now notice that the oval mirrors in the bathroom are hanging over the damn window. Yes, we realize that people need a mirror to pluck, pick and preen, but surely there was a better solution than this.

Always a fan of outdoor rooms, Your Mama finds the interior courtyard inviting and lovely. Once the awning striped patio furniture was swapped out for something more to our liking we can imagine that sitting next to the outdoor fireplace working the knitting needles and sipping gin and tonics would be a perfectly pleasant way to spend the a late November afternoon. However, it concerns and troubles Your Mama that this appears to be the only outdoor space besides the front yard and the long driveway up the side of the house. While this somewhat wee courtyard would be adequate for Your Mama and the Dr. Cooter's long bodied bitches Linda and Beverly, it might not be so desirable for someone with a few bratty toddlers who require swing sets, sand boxes and room to swing a cat by its tail.

A quick search of property records reveals that the once high and mighty real estate agent who regularly brokered multi-million dollar deals for the likes of David Beckham and The Spice Gurl, sold a 1,370 square foot house on Sunset Ridge Drive in Laguna Beach in November of 2007 for $2,650,000. Records show JoeBabs bought the 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom house in the Emerald Terrace neighborhood in December of 2004 for an even steven $2,000,000. Records also show that JoeBabs continues to own the small apartment building on N. Sweetzer in West Hollywood that he purchased in March of 2006 as well as a 2,057 square foot house on S. Palm Drive in Beverly Hills that he purchased in March of 2003.

So it would seem that ol' JoeBabs is unlikely to wind up homeless even after he hands over the considerable cash required to pay his high priced attorneys.