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Brad Pitt Moving to Monterey County, Buys Himself A Getty House (In L.A.)

Joe Kukura — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 22:34:16 GMT

Some Big Divorce Energy coming from movie star Brad Pitt, as he’s bought a “historic, castle-like oceanside home” in Monterey County’s Carmel Highlands, but he also bought Aileen Getty’s SoCal house for the occasional L.A. work trip or hook-up.

We have not featured much Brad Pitt content on the pages of SFist since back when Pitt played former Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane in the 2011 film Moneyball. But things might get more Pitt-iful around here when Brad Pitt moves to NorCal, as the Bay Area News Group reported last week that Pitt is moving to Carmel, and has a further celebrity junk news update Friday that he bought Aileen Getty’s house in Los Feliz as his Hollywood area home-away-from-home.

(If you need a Getty fresher-upper, Aileen Getty is the granddaughter of J. Paul Getty, her brother was the one who got “kidnapped,” she was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1985, and these days she does philanthropy for HIV/AIDS research and climate advocacy.)

These real estate transactions tell the tale of rich people who are nothing like us. TMZ reported last week that Pitt sold his Los Feliz mansion for $39 million. (It used to be Elvira a.k.a. Cassandra Peterson’s place, and she sold for $1.7M back in 1994.) This follows news from last summer that Pitt had bought a $40 million castle-looking home overlooking the ocean in Monterey County’s unincorporated Carmel Highlands. Now add the development that it was Aileen Getty who bought Pitt’s Los Feliz mansion, and he bought her 2,000-square-foot home nearby for $5.5 million, to "downsize" and do whatever Brad Pitt does when Brad Pitt is in Los Angeles.

Reportedly, Brad is looking for a calmer life these days, and may be spending more time in Northern California than Southern California in the coming years.

The Bay Area News Group describes Pitt’s Monterey property as “'Seaward,' a historic, castle-like oceanside home in Carmel Highlands.” The Robb Report has pictures of the place, saying it was “originally built by architect Charles Sumner Greene around 1918,” and “Sited on a rocky cliff, the off-market property was previously occupied for over two decades by late Chicago financier Joe Ritchie.”

A historic pic is below.

Seaward. Photo via Wikimedia

Carmel Highlands is not to be confused with Carmel-by-the-Sea, which is about five miles away, and where Clint Eastwood was mayor for a while in the late 1980s.

Image: PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 24: Brad Pitt onstage while David Fincher receives the "Honorary César Award" during the 48th Cesar Film Awards at L'Olympia on February 24, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Betty White's Carmel Vacation Home Hits Market For $8M

Jay Barmann — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 22:19:31 GMT

A Monterey County vacation home with sweeping ocean views that the late Betty White built with her husband Allen Ludden in the late 1970s has just hit the market for the first time, listed for $7.9 million.

"Infused with an effervescent energy, this three-story manor offers a parade of serene moments from outdoor decks, discrete spaces lush with blooms, and through generous windows that showcase the majesty of land meeting sea," reads the Sotheby's listing for 2625 Ribera Road in Carmel. "Step through the back gate to put your toes in the sand, or choose from an assortment of walking trails throughout the elegantly understated Carmel Meadows neighborhood. Here, paradise is yours."

White and Ludden purchased the land in 1978 for $170,000, as NBC Bay Area reports. The four-bedroom, five-bath vacation retreat would be completed three years later, in 1981 — though it's unclear if Ludden ever got to see it finished. He died in June of '81 of stomach cancer — though Wikipedia notes that he first slipped into a coma while on vacation in Monterey County in October 1980 due to the cancer treatments he was taking.

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Photos via MLS/Sotheby's

White, of course, died on New Year's Eve, just 17 days shy of her 100th birthday.

The photos show a very pleasant, still fashionable, beach-y vibe in the house — though the listing photos very purposely leave out the kitchen, which you can see from a sliver of an oven in the dining room photo is dated and untouched since 1981.

See more via Zillow.

Photos via MLS/Sotheby's

Three Bay Area Residents Charged In Murder of 19-Year-Old Carmel Woman In Fairfield Following Halloween Party

Jay Barmann — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 18:18:07 GMT

Three Bay Area residents, including an airman assigned to Travis Air Force Base in Solano County, have been charged in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old woman from Carmel following a Halloween party in Sacramento, whose remains were found in Monterey County on Sunday.

19-year-old Leilani Beauchamp of Carmel was last seen leaving a Sacramento area Halloween party early Saturday morning with two active duty Air Force members. After Beauchamp was reported missing Saturday evening, the Fairfield Police Department says it worked with detectives and members of Travis Air Force Base’s Office of Special Investigation and soon determined that a murder had taken place at the home of the two airmen.

Beauchamp's remains were found Sunday evening on the 300 block of Corral De Tierra Road in Salinas.

As the police department reported in a statement posted to Facebook, three individuals were arrested Monday for Beauchamp's murder, including 21-year-old Jessica Quintanilla of Pittsburg, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Quintanilla's brother, 27-year-old Marco Quintanilla, was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to murder and violation of his parole — which is associated with an attempted murder conviction.

Also arrested was 20-year-old Juan Parra-Peralta, an airman 1st class assigned to the 60th aerial port squadron at Travis Air Force Base who lived at the home on Cascade Lane in Fairfield where investigators say the murder took place. Parra-Peralta was also arrested for accessory to murder.

As KCRA reports, via a spokesperson with Travis Air Force Base, Parra-Peralta has been released on $25,000 bail.

The base said in a statement, "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with family and friends of the victim," and "At this time, Travis Air Force Base is engaging with and fully cooperating with civil authorities." Also, they explained that when bailed on any charges, an airman is "released to report to their assigned duty," and "It is the Airman’s responsibility to then adhere to all legal proceedings or investigative processes with civil authorities."

The story certainly sounds like a love-triangle or angry ex-girlfriend scenario, given the details we have, but no motive for the crime has yet been discussed by investigators.

Another roommate at the home in Fairfield, Jesse Borbe, told KCRA he was "shocked" by the investigation and what allegedly occurred at the home. He said, "My condolences to the family. I give them my prayers."

The family of Beauchamp issued a statement saying, "Leilani was truly a blessing to us and her beloved friends. Leilani shared a very close relationship with her younger brother and sister who, after she ventured out to college, maintained daily communication with them. We will miss her smile, her laugh, her caring demeanor, her strong will, her passion for life and the love she brought to our family."

Photo courtesy of the Beauchamp family

Multi-Building Carmel Estate Featured In 'Big Little Lies' and 'Basic Instinct' Hits Market For $52M

Jay Barmann — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 23:14:06 GMT

A massive Carmel compound with dramatic ocean views has just hit the market, in case you or someone you know has $52 million lying around.

The multi-building estate, as the SF Business Times explains, has been dubbed Seven Coves, with the main residence called the Lodge at Seven Coves. It's a collection of five residential buildings on four parcels, totaling 17,000 square feet of living space, with 12 bedrooms. It seems ripe to become a boutique hotel, but perhaps someone wildly wealthy would like this as a party retreat, where guests have a choice of staying in the "Writer's Cottage," the "Forest Cottage," or two other two-bedroom cottages scattered on the property.

The current owner, Gary R. Vickers, has apparently been assembling and constructing the property over 12 years, and tells the publication that it's "one of the most rewarding projects that I have tackled in my lifetime."

The main house was apparently used as the residence of Sharon Stone's character in Basic Instinct over two decades ago. And more recently, the crew of Big Little Lies used it to film a scene in Season 2 in which Reese Witherspoon and Adam Scott go to Big Sur for a hippie-ish couples retreat.

In addition to a spacious commercial kitchen, the "lodge" also boasts a 1,250-bottle wine fridge, a pool, steam room, and dry sauna.

Check out the photos and drool here.

9-Year-Old Boy Dies After Being Swept Out To Sea At Carmel Beach

Jay Barmann — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 13:00:30 GMT

A young boy who had been playing in the surf with his father is dead after being knocked down by a large wave and swept out to sea in Carmel. The incident occurred Tuesday at around 12:40 p.m. on Monastery Beach, and as KSBW reports, rescuers were able to retrieve him by boat after about 20 minutes, however after performing CPR they were unable to revive him.

Monastery Beach has been nicknamed "Mortuary Beach" by locals because of the frequency of drownings that have occurred there over the years. The reason, as State Parks Monterey District superintendent Jim Bilz tells KSBW, is the steep contour of the beach. "It's probably 30 feet that it very sharply goes down at an angle," Bilz says. "The contour is created by the deep shelf off the coast here."

Witnesses prevented the father from swimming out to save his son, thinking that he could drown too and did not appear to be a strong enough swimmer, according to CalFire captain John Spooner. "He had been playing with his father near where the waves break on the shore and it sounded like, from the description bystanders gave us, that a sneaker wave came in and hit him, separated the two of them and then another large wave came in and swept the boy out into the water," Spooner tells the Monterey Herald.

Waves at the time were breaking at between 8 and 12 feet.

Spooner further explained, "The waves come in basically perpendicular to the beach... and as they come in it forces the rip current to form right in the middle of the bay and it pushes back out to sea."

Reportedly, one third of all aquatic deaths in Monterey County have occurred at Monastery Beach, 18 in just the last 20 years, including the death of 57-year-old tourist Linda June, who was dragged out to sea by a wave after walking along the beach in February 2015.

Big Sur Wildfire Grows To 10,000 Acres, 1,650 Structures Now Threatened

Jay Barmann — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 12:20:01 GMT

#SoberanesFire [update] 5 miles south of Carmel Garrapata State Park (Monterey County) is now 900 acres. pic.twitter.com/yPvDy3ZIjj
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) July 23, 2016

What began as a brush fire of a couple hundred acres on Friday near Big Sur in Monterey County, dubbed the Soberanes Fire, has now grown to over 10,000 acres as of Sunday morning and 1,650 structures are now reportedly threatened. As of Saturday night, as ABC 7 reported, evacuations were under way for residents near Palo Colorado Road, and now a mandatory evacuation order has been issued to residents of Carmel Highlands as well, according to this update from CalFire. It is only five percent contained.

According to SFGate, the fire broke out Friday morning in Garrapata State Park, five miles south of Carmel, and had grown to 900 acres by Friday night.

780 firefighting personnel are now on the scene. No injuries have been reported and only one outbuilding has been destroyed.

High temperatures and low humidity will continue to help the fire spread over the next several days, and according to Cal Fire, "Access to [the] fire is very challenging, but firefighters are actively battling the fire from the air and on the ground."

Capt. Lucas Spelman with Cal Fire tells SFGate, "We definitely have a hard firefight in front of us."

#SoberanesFire [update] near Big Sur (Monterey County) is now 10,262 acres - 5% contained. https://t.co/XkVQIsRv6J pic.twitter.com/vRFHQqen2m
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) July 24, 2016

#SoberanesFire [update] south of Carmel (Monterey County) is now 6,500 acres & 5% contained. https://t.co/XkVQIsRv6J pic.twitter.com/GP9jXmaRai
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) July 24, 2016

#SoberanesFire [update] south of Carmel (Monterey Co) now 1,800 acres. https://t.co/XkVQIsRv6J Photo by: Ada Beasley pic.twitter.com/bfbdrKhNol
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) July 23, 2016

Bill Murray Angrily Tosses Fans' Phones Off Roof At Carmel Restaurant

Caleb Pershan — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 14:40:10 GMT

As a modern day Johnny Appleseed or Davey Crocket, folk hero Bill Murray is entitled to move about the world with puck-like impunity, his shrugs, winks, and grimaces accepted as apologies wherever he goes. TMZ reports that such is the case now, as in one of the actor's grumpier or more mischievous moods he took a bunch of phones from fans who were gawking at him and chucked them off a roof.

In Northern California to compete in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am through Sunday, Murray, whose appearance in Caddyshack can now be seen as autobiographical, was chilling at popular see-and-be-seen Carmel hot spot Vesuvio. The particulars of the occasion, reports KSBW, involve Justin Timberlake's annual tequila party.

Okay, it's not exactly what you're thinking: Murray reportedly wasn't drinking. But maybe he should have been. Fans taking his photo on their phones, with flash, from nearby, got more Lost in Translation/Scrooged Bill Murray when he grabbed the phones out of their hands and hurled them from the rooftop bar, two stories up.

But not to worry: Murray has agreed to pay for the phones, police say, and that's okay with the would-be paparazzi. The star can now hit the links again in peace — except for the frequent questions and camera attention he gets there. SB Nation reports that onlookers turn to Murray after every stroke to catch a potential Carll Spackler bit — something he never delivers.

Previously: Bill Murray Was In Oakland Last Week, Taking Over A Taxi So The Driver Could Play His Sax

Thomas Kinkade, Painter of Light, Arrested for DUI

Brock Keeling — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:35:33 GMT

On this lackadaisical news day, we bring you word that Thomas Kinkade, painter of Christ's love reborn 10 million times over in picturesque cottage form, was recently arrested for alleged DUI. The California artist, according to reports, was pulled over Friday night just outside Carmel and arrested by an officer a little after 10 p.m. The 52-year-old "Painter of Light" was booked into the Monterey County Jail "on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving." After performing sobriety tests, police say Kinkade remained "very polite" throughout the ordeal. Aw.

What's That Smell In the Air? Why, It's NorCal Burning Down!

Brock Keeling — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:12:54 GMT

If you've noticed over the past couple of days, it's smells a bit smoky, a bit ashy in Baghdad by the Bay. It seems, according to CBS 5, Northern California is suffering from about 950 wildfire right now.The top half of the state is, in essence, on fire. Yikes! So far, Carmel Valley residents have been forced from their homes due to the massive blaze in the Los Padres National Forest over in Monterey County, which is the largest blaze yet.

Overall, 58,000 acres have been torched over the past couple of weeks. Firefighters from Oregon and Nevada have been imported to help tame the blazes running rampant. What's more, 2,237 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation inmates have been let loose "to battle the Wild Fire in Solano and Napa counties, and other raging wildfires statewide." Double yikes! According to CDCR Secretary Matthew Cate:

Inmate firefighting crews and the custody staff who supervise them are a critical component of the state's coordinated effort to battle wildfires and to respond to other emergencies ... Right now, a total of 156 inmate firefighter crews from 42 conservation camps are assisting the state gain control of these devastating fires scattered primarily throughout Central and Northern California.

Only minimum-custody inmates, however, can participate in the program.

The fires sparked sue to dry weather and lightning strikes throughout the state. Seeing as how we're not "into the meat of the fire season at this point," this could signify a frightening and disastrous fire season this year.