Awesome: The Sheats-Goldstein Residence at night*

Since the 90s TV-Series “Beverly Hills, 90210”, one knows that this address is one of the most elegant ones in California. In this top quality location the Hollywood stars are next-door neighbors. Here lives the US-American real estate mogul James Goldstein, an eccentric fashion- and basketball enthusiast, who sits in the first row of every international fashion show and whose best friends are the top players of the NBA-League; a secret monger when it’s about his age or how he made his money. In the hills of Benedict Canyon, the cosmopolitan lives in a puristic villa with concrete triangles, steel beam and glass rhombus and overlooks Los Angeles from here, on good days even to the Pacific. 1963, on behalf of the couple Helen and Paul Sheat, the house was built by the architect John Lautner, until Goldstein acquired it in the 70s and, since then, continuously reconstructed.

Stunning view from the pool terrace to Los Angeles, on the horizon, the skyscrapers of downtown

The living room with a breathtaking view of Los Angeles*

The most beautiful tennis court of Los Angeles: let’s take a pic!

James Goldstein, expert for fashion, architecture and basketball

MyStylery: Jim, is your neighbor Rupert Murdoch actually still speaking to you? You buy off the whole region successively and expect the residents to put up with continual construction sites and the associated background noises.
James Goldstein (laughs): True! I’m not really making myself pleasant. The new project – Club James – is nearly done. Then it will be quite relaxed again. And also, after all these years I’ve never really seen Rupert Murdoch anyway.
MS: To build the new grounds, you took down the house which stood on there. Now there is a new construction with guest rooms and a nightclub, above all a tennis court. Why the private nightclub?
JG: There are no good clubs in LA, so I needed my own one. And the first parties where well received by my guests like Quentin Tarantino or Karolina Kurkova.

Five years ago still under construction: Nightclub James

Infront of the glazed bedroom with it’s completly opened windows, there is an outside whirlpool

MS: Why would one buy a house which is constantly in renovation?
JG: I love changes. The actual reason for buying the house was my afghan dog Natasha, the love of my life. These dogs love to run. Therefore I needed more space. So I thought this house would be the ideal. Also I’ve always been a big fan of the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wrights, who is from Wisconsin just like me. Coincidentally I was able to buy this house in 1972 and showed it John Lautner, one of Wrights’ pupils. He was shocked about the conditions and what the former owner had changed. They nearly destroyed the house, as they painted the concrete roof green and yellow. This is how our 15-year collaboration started, in which we transferred inside and outside of the house into its original condition, until John died. Now I work together with Duncan Nicholson.

Kitchen and counter were also designed by designer-legend John Lautner

MS: In the kitchen, the dining room and bathrooms one can now retract the sealing electronically, in the entrance hall there is a koi pond including a water fountain, the windows of your bedroom can be retracted as well… All this sounds pretty elaborate and expensive.
JG: Still there had never been a budget. It should always be realized, what is best for the house. This also applies to the new nightclub.
MS: Three Angels for Charly and The Big Lebowski – your house already served many film productions as a setting…
JG: … and Snoop Dogg got his music video produced here. Yes, this gave me a kick. I don’t open the house due to monetary reasons. I just want to have fun.  BvH

The dining room with a concrete and glass table and chrome leather chairs designed by John Lautner

James Goldstein in front of the stairs leading down to his private bedroom

Designer fashion is part of the lifestyle of James Goldstein. He knows all the top designers in person

Never without headgear: Part of the hat collection of James Goldstein

Room with a view: Watching L.A. downtown from the daybed

James with his VIP friends: fashion guru Karl Lagerfeld and model-icon Kate Moss

James’ retreat to relax and to chill

So cool!

Also the fireplace is made of concrete, beside an African sculpture

James Goldstein and the stars … everywhere in the house are framed photographs of James and his famous friends

The fashion-king and I

James Goldstein and me

The property is surrounded by exotic plants

Jim’s car collection includes a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud convertible from the 60s …

… and a Cadilliac from the 60s

Featured pic and photos marked* © ARTJOCKS

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The US Residence is located in a white Wilhelmanian-style house in Berlin-Dahlem

Today is Thanksgiving, which, for many Americans, is the most important of all family celebrations. And for Kimberly Marteau Emerson, the wife of US Ambassador John B. Emerson, this is the most important time of the year. I met the professional lawyer in her residence, a white Wilhelmanian-style house in Berlin-Dahlem. As a member of the board of directors of Human Rights Watch, she is heavily involved in the struggle for human rights and equality of women.

“I dedicate a lot of time and energy to human rights, which is important to me and is part of what makes me tick.”

MyStylery: Kimberly, what is so special about Thanksgiving?
Kimberly Marteau Emerson: Thanksgiving was originally celebrated in the 17th Century by the Pilgrims, refugees who were some of the first immigrants to come to the New World. Native Americans had helped the newcomers survive in this strange land called America. Thanksgiving was the Pilgrims’ way to say thank you. It is parallel to what is happening right now with the refugees in Germany. They are experiencing big changes and learning in a new world with the help of Germans who are volunteering and assisting them.

Sitting area and fireplace in the US Residence

MS: What does Thanksgiving mean to you and your family?
KME: To us, it’s the most important holiday of the year, a uniquely American holiday, where everyone comes and cooks together. The central idea is to break bread and be together. Being grateful for what we have and giving back to those who have less. This year we are focusing on the refugees, and we are making donations to the ‘Berliner Stadtmission’ and ‘Doctors Without Borders’ (Médecins Sans Frontières). Christmas is a fantastic holiday, too, but you have to keep trying to find the real meaning of Christmas and not let it get too materialistic and commercial.

Family dog Ginger, a Golden Retriever, welcomes me

MS: Right now everyone in the residence seems to be very busy …
KEM: That’s right. We are hosting three different Thanksgiving dinners this week, so the kitchen is prepping around the clock. It will be especially wonderful to share this holiday with our German friends.

On the coffeetable is the artwork ‘Love-Hate’ by the Berlin artist Mia Florentine Weiss. The embroidered cushions on the chairs are a homage to Berlin and Los Angeles

MS: A Thanksgiving dinner without a pumpkin pie is not conceivable. Tell me about what makes your pie so unique.
KME: This pumpkin pie is one of my family’s recipes. It’s about things you can find from the earth. The secret is the right balance of spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. They give pumpkin pie a kick. Otherwise you can’t bring out the complexity of the pumpkin. And you should try to add your personal twist, too.

The table is already set: “We will have three different Thanksgiving dinners with approximately 150 kilos of turkey this week and every person is somebody we know and like personally.”

MS: What is yours?
KME: I prefer a little extra cinnamon. And for the topping I only use freshly-made whipped cream.
MS: Sounds great! What do you miss most about Los Angeles and your life in the US?
KME: Well, I miss my family and my friends, even though I have made some wonderful friends here. Also, the beach and the beautiful weather. What I really don’t miss is the driving in L.A. and the permanent traffic jams. (Laughs)

On the piano: family photos and memories

MS: What do you like most about Berlin?
KME: Berlin has something really meaningful because of its history: It’s only been 25 years since the fall of the Wall and before that, the Cold War. I love the creativity of Berlin and the people I meet here. The mix of new and old, before and after. The way it faces its WWII history. It’s a beautiful, green city with edge and grunge. It’s like New York in the late seventies, it offers you so much space to grow and is still affordable. Berlin is a cool place.

The Livingroom: Remarkable is the beautiful wooden ceiling

MS: Your daily schedule is really packed. Do you still have time remaining for your family and hobbies?
KME: I have less time for everything, but I love reading books, even if it takes awhile. I spend time with my kids, and it’s a priority to go see my girls playing soccer. They actually attend a lot of events with us, which makes going even more fun. I make time to play tennis. It’s not just a hobby, it’s about health. And John and I try hard to keep up watching the TV series ‘Homeland’, where one scene of the last season was shot under the Berlin Reichstag in the subway station. Great, right?

Library and small dining room

MS: Absolutely. I am also addicted to ‘Homeland’. Beside this, can you remember the last time John and you spent an enjoyable evening together, just the two of you?
KME: Yes, a month ago we went to an island for one week to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We had dinners on empty beaches, with nobody else around. Honestly, we couldn’t remember the last time we did anything like this. But we also realize how lucky we are to have had that luxury. Now we are back at work and really are dedicated to helping the less fortunate during the holiday season. That’s important for us.

The Obamas and the Emersons

MS: You are already the so called Ambassadorable. Could you imagine becoming an Ambassador yourself?
KME: (Laughs) I have some background in foreign policy and foreign affairs. I got a Masters Degree in French Private Law and spent two years in France. I worked as an official in the US Information Agency during the Clinton Administration. Obviously to have this opportunity would be an enormous honor, but right now it’s not something I think about. Right now I am supporting John to do the best job possible.

The Emersons are art enthusiastics. In the residence they have assembled and brought together a collection of abstract and representational artworks in a variety of media in collaboration with the US Department of State’s office of Art in Embassies. Here the painting ‘In every city’ by Martinez

MS: John’s term formally ends on January 20th in 2017 …
KME: … but fortunately there’s still a year left and we have many things to do. We have enormous affection for Germany and especially for Berlin. This is an important chapter in our lives. We are not ready to leave yet. BvH

This Interview was first published November 25, 2015.

Kimberly Marteau Emerson and me

Contact:

www.hrw.org

Merken

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Insights into the Stahl House in Los Angeles

Two years ago I had the unique experience to leave my Berlin life behind and move to Los Angeles for the duration of six months. An amazing chance and I tried to make the best of it: For example, the frame and first contents for MySylery were developed there. California – especially Palm Springs – is an Eldorado for architecture enthusiasts. But L.A. has a lot to offer as well architectural wise. I don’t necessarily mean the multi-million dollar villas in Beverly Hills and Bel Air. Anyone who comes to the City of Angels should absolutely include the Stahl House (also known as Case Study House no.22) into their sightseeing program.

The bluest sky in competition with the turquoise pool

Named after it’s owner, former American Football Player C. H. “Buck” Stahl, American architect Pierre Koenig designed a modern glass construction in 1959, which by all means – if one doesn’t know any better – could also pass as a current design. Large-scale glazing as well as the use of industrial material such as steel are nothing spectacular in the minimalistic architecture nowadays – but in the 1950s it was an absolute first. Till this day the Stahl House is still in possession of the Stahl family.

Wow, what a view! On the right the Skyline of Santa Monica

The drive alone to this impressive iconic building is a highlight for itself: From Sunset Boulevard you have to drive up the partially narrow and steep streets into the Hollywood Hills. As a driver I’m constantly hoping that as little cars as possible are coming my way. From up here you have a full view over Los Angeles. When the view is good – without smog or fog – you can see the skyline of Downtown Los Angeles on the left hand and on the other side the Pacific Ocean at the horizon. What a truly stunning view!

View to the horizon

The Stahl House is not only exceptionally situated. What is mostly not possible with other ‘case study’ houses: you can also have a tour of the inside. Melissa Stahl, a friendly woman in her late-forties welcomes me and the other tour members while conducting the small car-convoy onto the restricted parking area. The mother of three and wife of one of the Stahl sons very personally narrates the experiences of her husband, who has spent his childhood here. The construction of the building then cost 35.000 US dollars. Today there are buying offers of over 15 million dollars. But the Stahl’s don’t even think about selling this incredible piece of architecture. Even though none of them lives here and the preservation of the building is connected with a lot of work and money.

Clare and I have decided: we move here!

In the late nineties the landmarked building has been extensively renovated and today it is furnished with modern design classics. How Melissa’s parents-in-law have lived here is largely only documented on the framed family photos. The kitchen however is – beside the fridge – still maintained in its originality. And the guest-toilette, a transcendence of the taste of the 70s: brown-orange flowered retro wallpapers, flowery Pril-stickers on the tiles, behind the toilette a green fluffy carpet sticking on the wall. This little imperfection is everything but design-award-worthy, therefore much more authentic. After all, there have been real people living in this monument. BvH

I was a bit queasy when I look down the steep slope. The L-shaped building has been built on a hill which had seemed not useable for construction

MyStylery’s Tip:

Book your online tickets for a tour through the Stahl-House before your stay in L.A., the tours are restricted to 25 people max and extremely popular. Tickets from 35 US Dollar. By the way, the Stahl House will be closed from May 26th to June 5th 2016

The entrance

The south wing is completely glazed from the floor to the steel roof and offers an incredible view over the city from each room. The original simple glazing slightly broke and was later replaced with break-proof glass

The kitchen however is still maintained in its originality – beside the fridge

Since 1999, the Stahl House is a listed building …

… and has been decorated with designer furniture such as the dining table by Warren Platner

In 1960, Arts and Architecture, a magazine for experimental residential living, included the Stahl House into the ‘Case Study Houses Program’

I don’t know what attracts me more? The gorgeous vase or the wow-view behind …

The open stone fireplace separates the living and dining area

One of two bedrooms. On the bedside table a photograph of the owner Buck Stahl, who enjoyed from here a panoramic view …

… to the pool and the city of L.A.

Sure, that an Eames Lounge Chair may not be missing in the Stahl House

Anyone wanting to go inside has to take off his shoes!

Buck Stahl, the owner already acquired the property in 1954 and built terraces in the following years to prepare it for the construction …

… Until his meeting with Pierre Koenig he handcrafted many models for his house

After nine months, in June 1960, the constructions ended. With this house Koenig tried to show, that industrial materials such as steel were suitable for residential buildings. Adventurous are the unsecured hillsides – something the building authorities would surely not approve today

I could sit here for hours and enjoy the unique view over Los Angeles

The house also served as a production location for movie- and photoshoots …

… for example detective Colombo alias Peter Falk investigated here and Leonardo DiCaprio fled here as an alleged pilot in ‘Catch Me If You Can’ (2002)

The Stahl House, still in private possession of the Stahl family, has been awarded numerous times and is included in many lists of significant architecture. Among others: „America’s Favorite Architecture “ and „The best houses of all time in L.A. “

Contact:

www.stahlhouse.com

The post A visit to the Stahl House in L.A. appeared first on My Stylery.

Indian Wells is set in the California desert and is known for its international tennis tournament

Parts of the Coachella Valley in California – known for the famous Coachella Music Festival – are cities like Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells. The latter also famous for the ‘BNP ParibasTennis Open’ and since 2013 the home of Jana Neudeck-Helmig, a native from Dresden in Germany. She left Dresden in 1984, before the wall came down. And for the 15 year old it was the first step into many adventures. She started in Hamburg with her training to become a Journalist and Editor and moved to Los Angeles in 1993. In 2010 she went for two years to Mexico, and in 2012 she sold her house in L.A. and came to the California desert, where celebrities like Bill Gates, Pete Sampras und Leonardo DiCaprio keep residences, where president Obama loves to play golf. The real estate expert lives on the 15th green of the famous Indian Wells Country Club.

Lives in the USA for 22 years: real estate broker Jana Neudeck

MyStylery: How do you like living in the desert?
Jana Neudeck: It is better than I thought. I am here two years now and rented to see if I could stand the heat. But it is dry and of course there is an air condition and a pool to cool down. I changed my rhythm a little bit. Get up very early, take a hike or walk, then I meet clients or look at properties. To break up the day in the summer I sometimes catch a movie in the afternoon, where it is always nice and cool. And I work a little more in the evenings.

The real estate expert lives on the 15th green of the famous Indian Wells Country Club

MS: The area around Palm Springs is known for its over 120 golf courses. Your terrace backs right into the Indian Wells Country Club. Seems perfect for a spontaneous round?
JN: Yes, right? I am not a member of the club, but nobody minds when you hit a few balls in the evenings. Golfing is very time consuming and as a real estate broker time is luxury for me. But my business partner, she is actually a member, and I sponsor the ‘Snowbird Open’ tournament at the club since 2014. Snowbirds are Americans and Canadians, who are coming south for the winter season and go back north in spring.

The Livingroom: “The French Louis XV armchairs I got from the auction house ‘Butterfield & Butterfield’ over 10 years ago in L.A.”

MS: How different is your life here compared to the life you had in hip Los Angeles?
JN: When I came back from a two year stretch on the Mexican island of Cozumel to Los Angeles in 2012, the traffic and smog was just too much. One hour in the car to see a friend for lunch, it made me crazy. So I sold my house in ‘Hidden Hills’ and started the real estate company ‘Modern Properties’ in Palm Springs with a good friend.

Jana Neudeck bought her restored antique pedestal desk in England

MS: You are a journalist by trade – how did you get the idea to become a real estate broker?
JN: Long ago, when I was looking for a house with my then boyfriend in 1996, I ran into an agent who was not very qualified. So I saw an opportunity. As editor and detail oriented German I always was curious and worked hard. In a short time I got my license and knew my real estate. A license in the US has to be renewed every four years and real estate professionals, especially after the crash in 2008, have to follow tough laws and rules.

The brass Victorian fireplace fender Jana Neudeck spotted in England

MS: How is the real estate market different than in Germany?
JN: We, in the US have a different mentality when it comes to home ownership. Many Americans move every five years. And since you can write off a big portion or all the interest on a real estate loan from your income taxes, it is also a good investment to own your home. When you have the income, buying is often better than renting. After the 2008 house market crash the prices in California have recovered a lot, also in the desert, which is for many only a vacation home or winter residence. Many Canadians and Europeans buy as if there was no housing crisis. And cash is king.

Coffeetablebooks and sculpture ‘Brass Monkey on marble’

MS: You must have had some interesting encounters in your 18 years as an agent?
JN: Sure, from the NVA-Uniform, the East German Military, in a closet of a client on ‘Mulholland Drive’ in L.A. and the acompanying German Shepard to Marilyn Manson with no makeup. Last week I showed a client the 1925 built love-nest of Carole Lombard und Clark Gable, that is now owned by the Douglas family. Amusing is also the story of Max Hushahn, a German who has been in L.A. forever. He owns the best Harley Davidson shop. I found him a property on Santa Monica Boulevard. When he built his project, he was required to have 19 parking spots. In the middle of planning, the city did not want to allow an in- and egress from the lot. Absurd. Was he supposed to fly the cars in by helicopter? In these situations you just have to stay calm.

Dining area with antique, American wooden chairs

MS: What do you miss in your new homeland?
JN: Totally cliché, German bread. A good Wiener Schnitzel. A traditional christmas market, snow melting on the ground. But most of all my family and friends, my three godchildren. By now I have lived in four countries – if I can say politically incorrect that the former GDR (East Germany) was a separate country – sometimes I feel as if I don’t have roots anywhere.

“The French Club Chair from 1920 I bought on the antique market ‘Marché aux Puces’ in Paris,” says Jana Neudeck

MS: Is that one reason some of your furniture and accessories have special meaning?
JN: Exactly. Pieces like the ‘Brass Monkey on marble’, which I found in England. I also bought my restored antique pedestal desk there, which I use daily. The French Louis XV armchairs I got from the auction house ‘Butterfield & Butterfield’ over 10 years ago in LA. A bronze Victorian fireplace fender I couldn’t resist buying in one of my favorite little stores named No.19 in Notting Hill, London. I would not want to part from those, they hold memories.  BvH

Jana Neudeck‘s ultimate sightseeing-tips

Who knows the architecture scene of Palm Springs better than a local real estate broker?
Jana Neudeck presents her personal architectural highlights:

Hi Leo! Actor Leonardo DiCaprio moved into this fabulous villa one year ago. The Hollywood star bought the property, which is located in the old part of Palm Springs, for 5.2 million US Dollars

Alexander Estate: The so-called ‘house of tomorrow’ was the honeymoon residence of Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla. Even today, images and accessories remind of the King of Rock’n’Roll

Richard Neutra designed the ‘Kaufman House’ in 1947. It is one of the sought-after and therefore one of the most expensive architectural monuments in Palm Springs

Palm Springs – a paradise for architecture lovers

Today a monument: The former town hall of Palm Springs

‘Twin Palms House’ by Stewart Williams: Here the US actor Frank Sinatra lived with his wife, the Hollywood star Ava Gardner in the 1940s

Formerly a gas station, today it is the Visitor Center of Palm Springs: ‘AM’ by Albert Frey

The ‘Elrod House’ by John Lautner: In 1968 this futuristic architecture design used to be a film set for the James Bond movie “Diamonds are forever”

Villa with a view: The Swiss architect Albert Frey built the fully glazed ‘House II’ in the mountains of San Jacinto in 1964

Tip:
Organized architecture tours in Palm Springs offered by
www.palmspringsmoderntours.com
Contact Jana Neudeck:
www.ourmodernproperties@gmail.com

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The record department at “Urban Outfitters” at Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, California

I really miss my old collection of long playing records. Good to know, that in 2013 the multinational clothing giant “Urban Outfitters” started to add records to its range – including cult bands like The Ramones or Lou Reed. Of course the revival of the vinyl is not Urban Outfitters invention itself, but the way of their optical presentation as well as the positioning in the shops is a feast for the eyes and a smart decision.

The condemned live longer

Moms and daughters shop ‘til they drop, while less fashion-interested dad or boyfriend waits in the record department. The LPs are reprints and unfortunately not vintage, however there is an offer of turntables in a retro look. Happy shopping!  BvH

Nice combination: vinyl and coffee at the Urban Outfitters shop in London

Good idea: A room divider out of longplaying records, seen at the interior fair Maison et Objet in Paris

Contact:
www.urbanoutfitters.com

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