One of Chelsea’s most important modernist houses comes to the market
Built for the parliamentarian and playwright Benn Levy and his actress wife and designed by the Bauhaus school founder Walter Gropius, 66 Old Church Street is one of Chelsea’s most significant modernist houses. It’s no wonder that, even though in need of renovation, therefore, a £45 million price tag has been attached to the house by agents Beauchamp Estates. (more…)
Born in 1993, this heir to the fortune of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is the founder of ARA Capital, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker ZOL. In 2010, he unsuccessfully bid for FC Copenhagen and in March 2013, he snapped up a Siberian oilfield for $46 million. Daddy will make a tycoon of him yet.
The youngest woman to have become a self-made billionaire ever. A former comedian and door-to-door fax machine saleswoman, Blakely founded the privately held Spanx undergarment business at the age of 27. Sales took off in 2000 when Oprah Winfrey endorsed the product and then when she signed a contract with QVC, 8,000 pairs were sold in the first six minutes. Married to a former rapper named Jesse Itzler, Sara Blakely intends to leave at least half of her wealth to charity and of her success comments: “In my wildest dreams I never thought I would have started with their butts. As it turns out, that was a great place to start”. A truly inspirational and decent lady.
The Steeple Times asks TV presenter and model Hofit Golan: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Know what makes you happy and build your life around that. People will always offer their opinion so know how to take the advice you need without compromising your own ambitions, dreams and drive. Where there is a will, there is a way, and the journey to your destination is the fun part. Finally, learn to be present in the moment.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
Mine is: “Actions speak louder than words”.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
I don’t think its fair on Kerry to even start the question that way, but what’s unacceptable for me these days is the horrible biotech company Monsanto and the poisonous GMO foods they have given the world. They have a disregard for mother-nature, to livestock and to peoples’ health. Its truly sad they are even allowed to exist. I think everyone has the right to clean organic food and water. We shouldn’t be messing with nature and DNA
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
I don’t miss anything. If I feel like something is missing, I do something about it. I find it, work for it, create it or replace it.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
The health and happiness of the people I love and even strangers if it came down to it. If I could keep them safe, it would be priceless to me.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
Greed: Corruption and carelessness have influenced the long-term economic effect that this greed has and will cause.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“No. It’s not possible”.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
Charity starts in your heart, then should grow and spread into everything we do. If you can help your local community you can see your work have an effect. Find small organisations you trust and support them. Kindness and love is the beauty of our human nature. We should try to spread as much of that and help people in need every chance we get.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
Appropriate usage of a mobile phone? A camera, a video phone, a mirror, for text, BBM, Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. Oh and yeah, you can use it to call people.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
An eclectic mix of everyone from every walk of life, every class group. I would be a fly on the wall and just be interested to see how people that normally don’t interact would react to one another. It would be so interesting.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
My last meal? So morbid. I don’t think I would have much of an appetite, maybe a dish from home that my mom made me while growing up. I guess I would eat it in jail.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
I am teetotal. I’ve never drunk.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
A cup of organic herbal jasmine green tea.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
I can’t really answer that as every event is lovely and every party has someone working hard to please their guests. They all have their charm. The people you know make a party fun, not the party itself.
Who is the most positive person you know?
My brother, Dror Golan. He always makes me laugh
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
Dark chocolate.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
I’m not that easy to sum up.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
I’m a girl… I don’t even understand this question… For women, make it about shoes!
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I am passionate about the environment, animal rights, organic clean living. I live a very glamourous life but love the most simple basic things like a good walk in the park and a yummy cup of tea.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
Which one? … Photos of family and friends, Ralph Lauren candles and magazines.
Hofit Golan is a TV presenter and model. She is a brand ambassador for a number of companies and consults on media and press strategies for luxury goods brands.
Follow her on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/hofitgolan
The Steeple Times asks concierge Jackie Branston: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Inner strength.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
Fair play.
Social yet serious, this talented Cambridge graduate is now the UK youth advisor for the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations in the UK. (more…)
The Steeple Times asks emerging market investor David Reuben Jr: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
I try to follow the “Golden Rule”. Treat others the way you would prefer that they treat you. Be careful how you are with people on your way up, you just might meet them on the way down.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is probably not for you.
Best known for a brilliant performance in the 2007 prequel Hannibal Rising, this talented Frenchman is to play a young Yves Saint Laurent in an unauthorised forthcoming biopic of the designer’s early career. Having attempted to ride a doberman like at horse at the age of six, he was attacked and claims the resulting scar improves his emotional acting abilities. It hasn’t harmed his modeling career either as he has contracts with both Chanel and Longchamp.
Of Italian-Jewish descent, Caring is of the “supermarket-sweep” school of empire building. This billionaire started out in the rag trade but now controls the majority of the top restaurants and clubs in Central London. He survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and viewed that to be a wakeup call. Since then he’s donated millions to charity and focused on his two passions: golf and shooting. This buccaneering businessman generally passes on breakfast and lunch and lives between a converted stable block set in 500 acres near Dulverton and a mansion on The Bishops Avenue. What will he buy next?
