Last week brought the traumatizing and mind numbing news that a penthouse doo-plex at London's wickedly pricey and posh One Hyde Park development sold to an unknown buyer for a hair raising $220,000,000. One Hyde Park, the children will recall, was developed by the illustrious and internationally renowned interior designers and property development managers Candy & Candy.Now word comes slip sliding down the international real estate gossip grapevine that the Candy brothers Christian and Nick–they would be the Candy in the Candy & Candy company–have sold their private penthouse in Monaco's über-moneyed Monte Carlo for even more moolah.
That's right butter beans, more money. So, sit yourselves down, buckle your safety belts, and grab yourself a stiff cocktail and a nerve pill because according to reports, the Candy brothers sold their 17,500 square foot penthouse at the La Belle Epoque building for a diarrhea inducing £199,000,000. Your Mama's currency conversion contraption indicates that figure translates to a truly shocking $306,446,000. Take a few moment, children, to let that settle in.
The buyer, according to the Financial Times, is an unnamed Middle Eastern investor who bought the penthouse on a 97 year lease.
The palatial penthouse, which sits directly above Monte Carlo's magnificent and glittery mega-yacht filled marina, appeared on the glossy pages of Architectural Digest in November of 2009. The cavernous two floor penthouse has shared living spaces that include a double height library, various dining areas, and a titanic oval shaped office where the brothers sit opposite each other at what Architectural Digest called "streamlined desks that incorporate the latest in communications technology." The common spaces also include vast terraces with 12+ foot tall mature trees, shaded porticoes with panoramic views, a games room, spa facilities, and media room in which the armchairs convert into beds at the mere touch of a button.
In addition to the shared spaces,each of the brothers has a large, separate and private suite that includes a reception room, bedroom, behemoth pooper, elaborate and expansive dressing rooms, and a kitchen.
The penthouse was formerly and famously owned by billionaire financier Edmund and his international socialite doyenne wife Lily Safra. The penthouse was scene of a bizarre 1999 conflagration that took the life of the billionaire financier and one of the nurses employed to take care of him. Another of his nurses, the American Ted Maher, was convicted of starting the deadly fire.
Your Mama imagines that the most popular parlor game among the jet setting elite this fall will be to guess the name of the ridiculously deep pocketed new owner. Anyone?
photo: Vmenkov
