Monday, June 20, 2005

La Rondinaia: For Sale by Gore Vidal

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(image via NYTimes)

Our favorite living novelist, Gore Vidal's cliffside Mediterranean pad is, if the rumors are true, one of the most spectacular "Cribs" in the world. But, alas, there are no built-in strippers' poles in the bedroom, or posters of Scarface, or even -- dare we say it? -- the odd coin operated video game machines lurking about (Averted Gaze). Gore Vidal is Old School like that. The Old Gray Lady even speaks fondly of La Rondinaia's (which means Swallow's Nest) "forever view." Says Cindy Adams:

"GORE VIDAL, ailing and now in California, is selling his Ravello, Italy, villa. One of those classy joints with its own name, it's called La Rondinaia. It's on the Amalfi coast, 2,200 feet up, near Positano. Try 6 acres of gardens with olive trees, lemon trees and chestnut trees. Six bedrooms, two studies, five fireplaces, 20 terraces, pool, sauna, changing rooms, cantina, guesthouses and God knows what else. Guests have included Sting, Bruce Springsteen, the late Princess Margaret and Rudolf Nuryev and the not yet late Mick Jagger."

Sting once joked to Vidal (where did we read that? Palimpsest?) that the musician wanted to toss the author off the cliff to take possession of the property immediately. We predict Sting will presently take to shlocking some of his catalogue for tv commercials for luxury brands to achieve this now possible dream.

"After a final summer there, Vidal's given it into the hands of L.A. broker John Bruce Nelson. Ralph Lauren flew over to check it out. Another interested buyer's been Lord Archer, Britain's convicted perjurer high-class author, who has returned home after a couple of years in his high-class home, the slammer, and who knew he still had that kind of bread left. Even Peter Jennings had loved it.

"Anyway, asking is $17 million, which, in Beverly Hills money, is considered so cheap it's a tear down."

If you have the money, here's the listing. Invite us up for a summer. We'll hang.

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