The Richness of Crestwood Living

Filthy Rich Entertainment is BACK for a new season!!!
Would I dare to brag about thousands of views and multiple celebrity promotions on just 25 posts? Why yes, yes I would! Get ready for a new year of top shelf blogging! Ladies and gents, buckle the seat belts on your G5 and enjoy the ride...

The Richness of Crestwood Living

If you happen to find yourself cruising with the top down on a Sunday afternoon in Westchester county, I highly recommend passing through a quiet neighborhood filled with beautiful and extravagant homes known as Crestwood. This posh neighborhood is perfectly located in the middle of Eastchester, Tuckahoe, Bronxville and Scarsdale. You'll know you're in the right place when you see a classic model Porsche parked right next to a new one! Late Monday evening I attended a dinner soiree a few blocks away in the town of Bronxville. I must say that I was impressed by the number of restaurants and quaint boutique stores that were located within a few blocks of each other. Being smitten with the area, I of course had to invest and purchase a piece of property there for myself.

I was originally drawn to Crestwood about six years ago when I noticed a fairly large house being built in the neighborhood. Calling it a house may be a tad insulting since Home Plans Incorporated states that mansion plans begin around the 5,000 square foot mark. After all, the late gangster Al Capone's mansion in Miami was indeed around 6,000 square feet. Needless to say, I was dazzled by the magnificent architectural work and even more by the $20,000 Baccarat crystal chandelier hanging above the foyer window. As you should already know, this was definitely my cup of tea!

According to city-data.com, the median household income of Crestwood is over $100,000 and the average home is valued around $811,325 to $1.2 million. In the heart of town you can find the Crestwood train station. With Manhattan just 30 minutes away, business tycoons can enjoy a hot cup of coffee and the crisp feeling of the Wall Street Journal as they ride to work. During the Christmas season, a tree lighting ceremony takes place outside of the station and beautiful lights and decorations fill the entire neighborhood.

Crestwood itself is an independent community. Equipped with their own representatives, the neighborhood has successfully established its own identity as a unified community filled with grand estates, an appealing mix of professional people, its own fire department and the Roman Catholic Church of Annunciation. Many children in the neighborhood attend Annunciation school which is conveniently located on Westchester Avenue in Crestwood, New York (as stated on their website).

Skeptics of the area like to point out the school system and knock the uppity atmosphere. They try to put down a neighborhood that successfully strives to be its own entity. I believe that everyone has a certain job. Skeptics are meant to be skeptic, I however, am meant to sit in my versace tiled bubble bath drinking a glass of vintage 1961 Dom Perignon and not think about such skeptics... Cheers!

Sincerely yours, 

The Wolf of Crestwood

The Chrisleys, The Housewives, The Kardashians Oh My!

Money, fame and wealth have taken over prime time television! 
We most definitely have come a very long way from the millionaire Thurston Howell III on Gilligan's Island and the wealthy Park Avenue business man Mr. Drummond on Different Strokes. Shows like Keeping up with the Kardashians, Chrisley Knows Best and The Real Housewives have brought fancy cars, luxurious homes, and glamorous lifestyles right into our very own living rooms!

In 2007, Ryan Seacrest and Eliot Goldberg created a reality show that would change reality television forever. Keeping up with the Kardashians gave home viewers a look into the lives of the pretty and privileged. The show developed multiple spin offs which to no surprise, became just as successful and also jump started the careers of the youngest sisters Kylie and Kendall. I was personally introduced to Kim, Kourtney and Khloe and found them to be quite lovely in person. I must say that I do enjoy Khloe's ability to keep the show lighthearted and funny even through the toughest of times. If you are an avid reader of my articles, you know Scott Disick (Kourtney's boyfriend) and I share similar interests such as watches, fashion, boats, and luxury cars. His posh personality adds a certain charisma to the ever growing franchise.
Fans are currently sitting on the edge of their seats awaiting the latest spin off, Kourtney and Khloe take The Hamptons! The girls recently opened a new Dash clothing store in the Hamptons located near Ralph Lauren. I recently passed by Dash Miami while I was vacationing there this summer. I was only there for a moment but the store seemed very busy and the location was superb. I couldn't stay long because I was on my way to the Versace Mansion but sadly it had closed early that afternoon. I did however settle for a yacht cruise down the famous Millionaire's Row, but I'm not complaining of course... 

New to the wealth on prime time is a family show titled Chrisley Knows Best. It is a delightful show about family values and success. The father of the show is Todd Chrisley. Todd certainly has a larger than life personality! Although Todd is a millionaire, he keeps his family level headed and in good moral standing. Some may view Todd's personality as a little overprotective but as you watch the show, you can obviously see that his actions are purely out of love. In a recent episode, Todd's son Chase deliberately goes against his father's wishes and sneaks out with his friends. The very next morning, Chase finds a boot placed on the front tire of his Range Rover. It may sound a bit extreme but you do have to admit, it does sound entertaining! You may recall an article I had written some time ago expressing my excitement for the new Mercedes Benz E class. I was inspired to write that piece because Todd purchased that particular automobile in one of the earlier episodes. Of course I ended up buying the Mercedes and I am very pleased thus far. Great marketing you might say.

Who doesn't fancy themselves a little Real Housewives franchise? Year after year we watch in suspense how each family grows in controversy and style. Is it the shiny new Bentley in the driveway that captures our attention? Could it be the many diamond studded Breitling watches that appear throughout the series that lures America to tune in? I believe it just may be the insanity that goes on in every family that makes for good T.V. Either way, there is no question that money and family issues do mix!  



 

Bringing Classy Back!

I was attending a dinner party late Friday evening and a discussion arose about how people used to dress back in the good old days. I had a picture of my grandfather on my phone and showed it to the table to point out how well dressed he was. It was easy to see that even the most expensive of t-shirts could not compare to a fine tailored suit. Why did I choose a photo of Sean Connery to head this blog? This photo spoke to me on many levels. First and most obvious, this is a clip from a James Bond film. From the bow tie to the brandy decanter, you can get a sense of how gentlemen were portrayed years ago. In old movies, everyone is dressed well and manners were present at all times. You can still see this behavior today but it is often acted out by those of royalty or old wealth. What happened to the cool classy things people used to do? Can we bring classy back?
For example, there is something to say about a person who has a library in the home or a wine cellar in the basement. It adds a sort of sophistication to the house. Playing a competitive game of chess or sipping tea in the afternoon has high class style to it. I love the simple idea of having my hands wrapped around a cherry wood steering wheel surrounded by gold trimmed accents on a 30' bowrider on the open water. I find playing a musical instrument shows culture and work ethic to one's life resume. In fact, I am currently in the beginning stages of learning the piano. While conversing with my good friend Brian last week, he asked me if I was playing the piano because I thought it was a "fancy" thing? I wasn't thinking of it that way but the old sport was spot on! I do believe that it is a very classy skill to add to my repertoire. What beautiful sophisticated woman wouldn't mind a nice glass of Harlan in front of the fireplace while the sound of a piano filled the room? Beethoven once said, "Music should strike fire from the heart of  man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman."
Have you ever asked yourself why the opera is so special or why giving a fancy name like caviar to fish eggs makes it a delicacy? It may not be the contralto you're attracted to from the balcony of the Royal Opera House in London or the crisp pop of wild sturgeon roe from the Russian Tea Room in New York City. What draws you in just may be the representation of these things. We like fancy. We want exclusive. It is quite expensive to enjoy the finer things in life but the feeling you can get from it is priceless.          

Having an "Entourage"

   

Every wealthy individual understands that good company is a pleasure that money CAN'T buy!
In 2004, a television series appeared on HBO about an actor who succeeded in Hollywood and brought his neighborhood friends along for the ride. The show is based on the prodigious movie career and experiences of Mark Wahlberg. Mark is also one of the executive producers of the show. Aside from the numerous celebrity cameos, the series has a brilliant cast. Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven are the stars of Entourage. Without being too verbose, I'll share a synopsis of my favorite episode with you from season one. The star actor Vinny Chase (Adrian Grenier) receives a shaky film review from a local popular critic. His agent Ari Gold, who is played by veteran actor Jeremy Piven directs the boys to take Vince out and keep him happily distracted from the article. Needless to say, the entourage ends up at a Rolls Royce dealership in Hollywood to purchases a stunning black Phantom. The next scene sums up the whole idea of the series as the team cruises down the strip listening to 99 Problems by Jay Z. I can appreciate a show that promotes success and friendship. I have extremely loyal friends and can relate to the show's vision of "extended" family. Ari Gold is my favorite character in the series. He is a successful movie agent who speaks his mind and gets things done. I honestly enjoy television shows that spark my interest and motivate me. Ari Gold is a character who is either pushing his company to the top, playing golf with Hollywood's finest or power suit shopping before meetings! Jeremy Piven was a perfect choice for this role. The Golden Globe winning series ended in 2011 but fans await Entourage the movie coming to theaters in 2015! Who wouldn't shower their friends with gold watches, fancy cars and a life that only the voice of Robin Leach can explain?