A home run for slugger?
Lenny Dykstra, the scrappy, major league ball-playing spark plug who became a stock market savant, has listed his Lake Sherwood Georgian estate for $24.9 million.
The property, designed by architect Richard Landry and sitting on 7 acres atop a secluded promontory with mountain and golf-course views, includes verandas for outdoor entertaining; a pool, a spa and a championship tennis court; servants quarters; and manicured lawns and gardens. The main house has 12,713 square feet of living space, including a receiving parlor and an opulent formal dining room. There is also a paneled study, a professional kitchen and a state-of-the-art screening room. The house was previously owned by hockey great Wayne Gretzky.
OK, stop. Dykstra, this is Dykstra we’re talking about -- the man whose nicknames are “Nails” and “The Dude.” Come on, the man chewed tobacco. (To be fair, he later renounced the stuff and urged his fans to copy his work ethic, not his bad habits.)
The 45-year-old Dykstra, a legend who played outfield with the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies and got 1,298 hits during his career, was always a fan favorite -- in no small part because of his hard play and street sensibilities.
Dykstra’s street smarts served him well when he hung up his cleats and retired. He knew how to please a crowd and followed his instincts about what people wanted: His first post-baseball investment was a car wash in California.
From there he became a columnist on TheStreet.com, recommending stocks to the eager ears of the masses. He has written books, led motivational seminars and pretty much reinvented himself as a one-man show of investment wisdom.
Baseball, however, will stay in the family. On June 5, his son Cutter was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the Major League Baseball draft.
F. Ron Smith and Nick Segal, both of Sotheby’s International in Brentwood, share the listing.
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Anchored in Santa Monica
“And now for the fake news. . . .” Don’t panic, that’s Norm MacDonald’s “Saturday Night Live” line from the anchor desk -- not mine.
The not-fake news is that MacDonald just bought a two- bedroom, two-bathroom loft in Santa Monica with ocean views for $1.8 million. The 2,000-plus-square-foot unit was listed at $1,895,000 and is described as a “chic, urban retreat.”
It has white concrete floors, two large terraces and 14-foot-high ceilings.
The 44-year-old MacDonald joined the cast of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” in 1993, where he left his mark as the anchor of the “Weekend Update” segment -- earning praise from even Chevy Chase, who originated the skit. Chase said the comedian was the first one to do it “right.” The NBC suits perhaps didn’t agree when they took the irreverent MacDonald off “Update” years later.
After leaving “SNL,” MacDonald starred opposite Laurie Metcalf in the ABC sitcom “The Norm Show” for three seasons and has released a comedy album, done voice work for movies and has appeared on “My Name Is Earl.”
Drew Fenton of Hilton & Hyland, Beverly Hills, had the listing.
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‘Barbie’ house in Beverly Hills
Just curious: What do you have to do to get them to make a Barbie doll in your image? (Besides lose weight, that is.) Kimora Lee Simmons, the designer behind the sizzling-hot Baby Phat fashion label, is also a Barbie. And this Barbie, after ditching her Ken, has listed her Beverly Hills home at $7.75 million. Ah, life in the fab lane.
Simmons, who is split from rap-mogul husband Russell Simmons -- he co-founded Def Jam Records -- hopes to next part company with her five-bedroom, eight-bathroom, country-style home. The guard-gated, 6,000-square-foot property has a private courtyard entry with a sitting area and a fireplace. The home has a two-story entranceway, a formal living room with a fireplace, a formal dining room, a bar and a new gourmet kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances. There are dark hardwood floors, a spacious master bedroom suite and leaded-glass windows. Outside, there is a swimming pool and room for a tennis court.
Former runway model Simmons, 33, started when she was 13. She began to work under the tutelage of Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld just after her 14th birthday.
In 1999, she launched the Baby Phat line -- slinky, sexy clothes for ‘tweens, teens and those who wish they still were.
She was one of the judges in the first season of “America’s Next Top Model” and co-hosted the Sony Television talk show “Life & Style.” Then there’s her reality show, “Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane.” She also wrote “Fabulosity: What It Is and How to Get It,” published by HarperEntertainment in 2006. She appeared in “Beauty Shop,” with Queen Latifah.
Then last year came the Kimora Lee Simmons Barbie doll. I bet if you buy the house, you’d get a free doll.
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He’s produced a desert retreat
When I daydream about owning a desert home -- which for this surf lover isn’t that often -- this is pretty much the house I have in mind: one with a cascading waterfall that runs into a lazy-river kind of pool, desert landscaping, a Spanish tile roof and wrought-iron archways.
Greg Berlanti, executive producer of the quirky 2008 TV series “Eli Stone,” has listed his Palm Springs home for $1,949,000. There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms in 3,202 square feet. The mountain-view home was built in 1994. A stone wall surrounds the property, which is filled with indigenous desert plants. There’s a koi pond and a fire pit, and the Pebble Tec pool has swim-up seating. The cook’s kitchen has custom wood cabinetry, and the great room has exposed wood beams and a custom tiled fireplace. All the main living spaces have access to the outdoors through oversized French doors, and the flooring is custom pavers with inset tiles.
In addition to “Eli Stone,” the 36-year-old Berlanti has served as executive producer on “Everwood” (2002-06), “Brothers & Sisters” and “Dirty Sexy Money.”
Tyler Morgan of Pacific Union GMAC Real Estate, Palm Springs, has the listing.
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Jimmy Jam hopes next hit’s a sale
If the true mark of success is the ability to evolve and reinvent yourself, move Jimmy Jam to the head of the class. The three-time Grammy-winning songwriter, record producer and musician is half of one of the most successful duos in modern music history -- Terry Lewis being the other half.
Jam and Lewis have been around for decades, making music for themselves and a wide variety of artists.
The duo has scored hits for Janet Jackson, Bryan Adams, Mary J. Blige, the Isley Brothers, Sting and Usher.
Now, the man born James Harris III would like to score a hit on the real estate front. He and his wife, Lisa, are selling a 20-acre property they own in Thousand Oaks for $7,995,000. It is a gated ranch adjacent to the Sherwood Country Club.
The couple tore down the existing house, and plans have been approved for a 17,000-square-foot estate with a 2,500-square-foot guesthouse. There are existing barns and horse facilities.
Barbara Tenenbaum of Coldwell Banker, Beverly Hills East, and Nicole Van Parys of Coldwell Banker, Westlake Village, co-listed the property.
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