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Hot Property: She hopes to be thigh-high in bids [Los Angeles Times :: BC-HOME-HOTPROPERTY:LA]

By Neal J. Leitereg, Los Angeles Times, Source: MCT News Service

LOS ANGELES - Finding no takers for her Palm Springs oasis, which has been on and off the market since 2008, Suzanne Somers is trying other means to squeeze interest into the 73-plus-acre property.

The actress - and face of the Thigh Master exercise machine - and her husband, producer Alan Hamel, are putting their longtime desert home up for auction Jan. 31. The auction will proceed with no reserve, meaning there is no minimum price set for the property that once listed for as much as $35 million.

Sitting on a hillside, among boulders and native outcrops, the bohemian-vibe retreat is known as Les Baux de Palm Springs. It has been owned by Somers and Hamel since 1977, the year they were married.

The estate comprises multiple structures that combine to offer eight bedrooms, nine full bathrooms and two half-baths. The main house, designed by architect Albert Frey, draws from French villa style and has the master suite, office space and an outdoor shower.

Other amenities on the property include a two-room kitchen and a 5,000-bottle wine cellar with tasting room.

A private funicular railway system provides transportation to and from the estate.

Stone-lined pathways connect the various villas, outdoor dining areas and an amphitheater. Also within the grounds are a lap swimming pool, a carousel and a waterfall-fed pond.

Somers, 71, is known for the 1973 film "American Graffiti" and later the sitcoms "Three's Company" and "Step by Step."

Hamel, 81, hosted such 1960s television game shows as "Wedding Party" and "Anniversary Game." He later produced a number of Somers' TV and video specials.

The compound is listed for $14.5 million.

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CHECKING OUT OF WESTWOOD

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who continues to make moves in Santa Barbara County, has parted ways with her remaining condominium at the Beverly West, a Westwood high-rise, for $5.85 million. In May she sold an adjacent unit in the building for $6 million, records show.

The condo she just sold occupies half a floor and has two bedrooms and three bathrooms within its 4,158 square feet of living space.

Recently renovated, the unit features floor-to-ceiling windows, stone and wide-plank wood floors and custom wall paneling. The designer-decor kitchen is equipped with a center island, Italian cabinetry and Miele appliances. There are iPads for controlling the lighting and shade systems, and separate elevators for residents and service.

Views from the residence take in the Los Angeles Country Club, cityscape and ocean.

DeGeneres, 59, has won multiple Emmys for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," which premiered in 2003. She and wife Portia de Rossi are currently seeking $39.5 million for their Wallace Frost-designed stone house in Montecito.

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PROPERTY ON THE CUTTING-ROOM FLOOR

While her billionaire father, Larry Ellison, continues to collect homes in Malibu's Carbon Beach, Megan Ellison appears to be paring down her portfolio in the Hollywood Hills.

A limited liability company connected to the film producer has sold a modern home in the Mount Olympus area for $4.07 million. The buyer was a trust linked to "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" personality Teddi Jo Mellencamp and her husband, security technology entrepreneur Edwin Arroyave.

Wrapped in a facade of horizontal wood panels, the multilevel house has five bedrooms and six bathrooms within a little more than 4,300 square feet of living space. Open-plan living spaces include a chromed-out kitchen, living and dining areas and den. The bathrooms and closets are finished in marble and zebrawood.

Automatic Fleetwood doors on two levels extend the living space outside. Decking surrounds a swimming pool and spa.

The property had been listed at $4.395 million.

It previously sold in 2015 for $5.25 million, records show.

Ellison, 31, is the founder of Annapurna Pictures. Her producer credits include "American Hustle" (2013), "Lawless" (2012), "Zero Dark Thirty" (2010) and "True Grit" (2010). Last year she produced the films "Detroit," "Downsizing" and "Phantom Thread."

Mellencamp, the daughter of musician John Mellencamp, this year joined the cast of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

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ACTRESS GOT HER MONEY IN SPADES

Molly Parker of "House of Cards" fame has sold her home in Echo Park for $999,000. That's $100,000 above the asking price of $899,000 and nearly twice what the actress paid for the property in 2004 - $577,000.

The Spanish-style bungalow, built in 1923, sits up from the street and has rows of terraced drought-tolerant gardens that fill the front yard.

Within the 1,300 square feet of living space are a sunlit living room, a galley-style kitchen, a breakfast nook, two bedrooms and one bathroom. Interior details include painted beams, skylights and original hardwood floors. A midcentury fireplace fills a corner of the living room.

In the master bedroom, which has a reading nook, French doors open to a wrap-around balcony.

Outside, a flagstone path leads up the sloped lot to a small artist's studio. Lawns, landscaping and patio space complete the grounds.

Parker, 45, has more than two decades of acting credits. She received an Emmy nomination for her role as House Majority Whip Jackie Sharp on "House of Cards."

She is set to appear in the TV remake of "Lost in Space."

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SLUGGER COMES BACK TO THE PLATE

Matt Kemp, who is back with the L.A. Dodgers after an offseason trade, has put his mansion in the Heritage Estates, a guard-gated community in Poway, back up for sale. The asking price is $7.95 million.

The 15,884-square-foot home, which Kemp has spent about $3 million to upgrade, was headed for the auction block last year before the slugging outfielder elected not to proceed with the sale. He bought the San Diego County property in 2013 for $9.075 million, records show.

Sitting at the end of a cul-de-sac, the roughly 4-acre estate includes a tennis court, an infinity-edge pool and a six-car garage. A separate pool/guesthouse has a gym and Roman steam spa.

The five-bedroom, five-bathroom main house has 20-foot-high ceilings, an updated kitchen, a barbershop and a private office. The home theater has its own snack bar, and the wine vault has storage for 1,200 bottles. The cigar lounge is equipped with an air filtration system. Two walk-in closets and two showers highlight the over-the-top master suite.

Kemp, 33, is a two-time all-star who began his career with the Dodgers. He was reacquired by the team after spending last year with the Atlanta Braves.

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(c)2018 Los Angeles Times

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