(Before we get started with this tale, a quick and terribly shameless bit of braggadociousness. Yesterday was — quite easily — a record-breaking day for Yolanda’s blog. At least in terms of hits and traffic. We sincerely thank our subscribers and lurkers alike for your generous support. But on a more somber note, at least some of that enormous traffic stems from Yolanda being the first to write about Gerard Butler’s Malibu compound after he bought it two years ago. As many of y’all know, that place was destroyed over the weekend in the devastating Woolsey Fire and it seems that many curious lookie-loos want a peek at how it looked before the all-conquering flames returned it to the dust from whence it sprung.
Pity about the loss of Mr. Butler’s home. It was amazing. But we digress.)
———–
“In the spring,” according to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” That’s still true, of course. But ol’ Al lived back in the day, back when young men loved spinning poetry verses and owning the finest horses. Nowadays, savvy (and wealthy) young fellas amuse themselves by spinnin’ the tires on Ferraris and owning sexy bachelor pads in the hills.
Take Daniel Ricciardo. Still a very young man — not yet 30, in fact. But he’s got money and fame. While most of us ignorant Yanks (Yolanda included) have never before heard of this Aussie lad, he’s a very big deal in Europe and to anyone who follows Formula One, the world’s premier motorsport racing competition. Since the 2014 season, Mr. Ricciardo has competed in F1. And very lucratively, we might add — he was reportedly paid $6 million per year at the start of his professional career.
Clik here to view.
But life in the fast lane hasn’t all been fun and games for our Mr. Ricciardo. Our online research indicates that he’s faced some challenges in F1. He notoriously clashed — both personally and literally on the racetrack — with at least one of his Red Bull Racing teammates and was eventually ordered (by his bosses) to apologize to the team. That could be why — a couple months ago — Mr. Ricciardo announced his departure from Red Bull in favor of a new contract with Renault for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
We don’t profess any knowledge of Mr. Ricciardo’s total net worth, but his new contract is rumored to be worth a whopping $70 million. Ka-ching!
Anyway, Mr. Ricciardo prefers to spend his summer off-seasons in Los Angeles, as he has done for each of the past three years. And now, as young bachelors of substantial means are wont to do, our boy has finally bit the bullet and purchased a new contemporary home with views for miles. Yes, kids, we know this is fall and not spring, but who cares. LA doesn’t have seasons. Love is in the air.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Located way high up in the mountains above Beverly Hills, in an area of LA city known as Beverly Hills Post Office, the sharply-creased and wood-sided contemporary was originally constructed in 1961 but rebuilt in 2018 by Woodbridge, the legally-embattled investment group that has been much in the real estate headlines over the past year. Records show that Mr. Ricciardo coughed up a hefty $8,750,000 for the property, just a tad under the $9 million ask.
The newly-reimagined box has 5 beds, 5.5 baths and a two-car garage in 5,255-square-feet of living space. A glassy front door leads to a toned-down open living spaced with wide-plank hardwood floors and white walls + ceilings. An enormous floor-to-ceiling wall of windows spans the room’s entire length.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Naturally the chic kitchen has high-end everything — SubZero fridge, Miele appliances, wine cooler.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
The master suite takes up about half of the home’s second floor and includes a glassy bedroom with sitting area, an all-walnut closet, and a master bath with striking wood and stone accents, dual vanities, and a soaking tub. And just outside the master bedroom is a massive outdoor deck — one of the largest upstairs terraces we’ve seen in quite some time, actually. There are lovely views of Coldwater Canyon and out towards the Pacific Ocean.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
While the .34-acre lot won’t win any size awards, the land is (mostly) usable and nicely terraced with various seating areas, palm trees, and drought-resistant landscaping. The pool features a sunbathing shelf and an inset spa. Plus there’s a large wood terrace perfect for outdoor entertaining.
Now let’s all wish Mr. Ricciardo luck with his upcoming 2019 racing season, his first with Renault. Remember, Mr. Ricciardo, you’re halfway a winner just by showing up. As ol’ Alfred famously said, it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.
(If anyone is interested in helping victims of California’s deadly wildfire season — particularly the more financially disadvantaged victims in Northern California — click here for further information.)
Listing agent: Sally Forster Jones, Compass
Daniel Ricciardo’s agent: KJ Marmon, Pacific Union