IDoSugar -- Meant to be.

Christina Aguilera Takes Her Price Tag Down a Note

casasugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:44:35 -0800

Back in April, I let you know that Christina Aguilera and husband Jordan Bratman were preparing to ditch their Steve Hermann-designed Hollywood Hills digs, if a doting buyer were willing to part with a cool $8 million. Well, according to Real Estalker, the couple has flown the coop, but are still sitting on the unsold property. While they've moved into the Osbournes' former abode, their Hermann-designed home, like many houses around the country, remains unsold. So, the couple has decided to chop a little over one million smackers off the asking price, bringing it down to $6.9 million. Ouch, right? Well, actually Aguilera paid $5 million for the property back in '03, so she'll still be making a nice couple mil. on the property — if it sells at this price. And the price was likely inflated to begin with, considering its couture Steve Hermann label. Check out more details and lots of photos of the digs in my previous post.
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Nice and New: California Home + Design Online

casasugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:30:52 -0800

California Home + Design is now online! The West Coast design magazine's website has lots to offer, including daily finds, archives, video, event recaps and photographs, and the currently monthly issue in digital format. For those of you not familiar with San Francisco, here's a fun video of one of our most design-oriented hoods, Hayes Valley. I'll look forward to watching plenty more of these! In other words, if you aren't already spending enough of your time online, prepare to. Just save a few minutes for me, okay? Source

Smog Can Claim More Lives Than Car Crashes

LibertySugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0800

Cars can be deadly in California, but not in the way you expect. Air pollution leads to more deaths than car accidents in two California regions. In addition to saving lives, bringing air pollution up to standards would save $28 billion each year in health care costs, missed work, and a loss of salary due to early death, according to a new study.

Despite what this depressing reality may suggest, California hasn't been sleeping at the environmental wheel. The state has plans to display global warming ranking stickers on every new car, and California was one of seven states to join four Canadian provinces in agreeing to cut greenhouse gas emissions even absent of federal action. News about smog related deaths makes California's maverick environmental policies seem more like a necessity, than a luxury.

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Mormons Leave Church Over Stance on Same-Sex Marriage

CitizenSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:30:45 -0800

People were enraged last week when California passed Proposition 8 to ban same-sex marriage, but now opponents are lashing out at the Mormon church for its well-funded campaign against it. And Mormons themselves are speaking up.

OK, so they're not saying this (warning! NSFW profanity), but they are mad enough to resign from the church and post letters of disappointment on Signing For Something. Their reasons? Hatred, bigotry, and discrimination are cited the most, and claims are backed up with LDS doctrine, which says "We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government."

How can Mormons be blamed for a statewide vote? Besides misdirected anger, it didn't help that church authorities asked members to "do all [they] can to support the proposed constitutional amendment." And with that righteous request came millions of donated dollars to fund a campaign against Prop. 8 and produce what are clearly well-funded videos.

I've also heard some rumblings about straight people boycotting marriage. Would you ever leave your religion or not get married because gay people cannot?

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California Director Quits After Supporting Prop. 8 — Right Call?

LibertySugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:01:35 -0800

Even though 52 percent of California seems to agree with Scott Eckern's stance on gay marriage, the artistic director of the California Musical Theatre stepped down after it was revealed that he donated $1,000 to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign.In a statement, coming after a boycott of the theater was called Tuesday, Eckern said: I am leaving California Musical Theatre after prayerful consideration to protect the organization and to help the healing in the local theatre-going and creative community. I am disappointed that my personal convictions have cost me the opportunity to do what I love the most.

The director's support for Prop. 8 was discovered on AnitGayBlacklist.com, a website that lists individuals who donated to the efforts to ban same-sex marriage. Do you think the director made the right call by resigning? Source

California Director Quits After Supporting Prop. 8 — Right Call?

Yes. His positions would have hurt his organization.

No. There should not be a witch-hunt for those who participated in democracy.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Gay Marriage Goes Down, But Not Without a Fight

LibertySugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:25:00 -0800

California county registrars may have stopped issuing licenses to same-sex couples, but not all Californians are ready to accept the newly approved marriage ban. The city of San Francisco filed lawsuits challenging Prop. 8's passage, and California Attorney General Jerry Brown says he will fight to defend the legality of the marriage licenses already issued to 18,000 same-sex couples.

Last night at a West Hollywood rally, 2,500 joined a protest of Prop. 8, which eventually clashed with the LAPD. Seven protesters were arrested. In San Francisco's Castro neighborhood the rainbow flag is flying at half-staff, and last night gay marriage supporters held a candle light vigil at San Francisco's City Hall. Rallies of support for gay marriage were held in other parts of the state, too.

Gay marriage bans also passed in Arizona and Florida on Tuesday, along with an Arkansas ban on adoption by anyone except a married man and woman. How long do you think the struggle for gay marriage will go on before it is completely successful? Will it ever be?

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Midday Muse: The Audacity of FLIPP

casasugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:00:43 -0800

One evening this weekend, I passed by one of my favorite local design shops here in San Francisco, FLIPP (Fashionable Living in Petite Places), and couldn't help but notice the window display. On a settee next to a vintage portrait of Abraham Lincoln, the shopkeepers set a copy of The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama — a subtle and handsome way to show political support. Considering that Obama's challenges ahead are being compared to those of Lincoln, it's also quite appropriate. Maybe this title will never find its way into your home, but I think we can all take a note from this image: with a little staging, perhaps sans the paper sleeves on our hardbacks, books can have a decorative effect in our homes, all the while making a statement.

Animal Rights Proposition Passes in California

YumSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:15:24 -0800

Yesterday, California passed the most far-reaching farm animal treatment measure to ever be placed on the ballot.

Proposition 2 passed with an estimated 62 percent of the vote in early returns and will affect 20 million farm animals in California, America's largest agricultural state. It requires farmers to give animals space to turn around, spread their wings, stand up, and lie down.

This ballot measure, which was sponsored by the Humane Society of America, goes into effect in 2015 and will entail, among other things, phasing out gestation crates for breeding pigs and veal cages for calves. Opponents, however, fear that the measure will actually bolster the market for cheaper, out-of-state agriculture where farmers aren't under the same regulations.

Did you vote on this measure? How do you feel about this animal rights victory? Do you think it sets an example for other states?

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This Just In: Meg Ryan Publicly Lists Her Bel-Air Home

casasugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:28:17 -0700

Meg Ryan has publicly listed her six-bedroom, seven-bath Bel-Air home for the tune of $19.5 million, according to Big Time. The property has been informally on the market as a "pocket listing" for some time, and has been shown to a slew of celebs including the Beckhams and Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, but the price was never right. The listing for the Holmby Hills-area Spanish-style compound reads:

Truly enchanting and romantic. A gated and private drive is the approach to this 1931 restored Spanish compound. Features include: double story stenciled beamed LR, a bar "a la" 1930's Los Angeles, Frml DR and superb Cook's kitchen; All rooms open to and overlook the 180o vu of the city. Incredibly pvt knoll setting with Pool and full GH. Family/Guest BRs have en suite baths & Mstr is separate and Exquisite! A Screening room w/separate entrance.

I'm dying to see the interior, but unfortunately there are no photos. The exterior is breathtaking though, and looks straight out of a scene from Under the Tuscan Sun (come on, you all know you loved it). Check out more exterior photos when you

This Just In: Tori Spelling & Dean McDermott Are on the Move

casasugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:45:08 -0700

Not long after Tori Spelling listed her Westwood digs, she and husband Dean McDermott have purchased a 6,718-square-foot, 6-bedroom, 6.5-bath manse in Encino, California for nearly $2.5 million, according to Real Estalker. The property description reads:

Sophisticated inviting entertainer's floor plan. Dramatic 2 stry formal entry, richly appointed cstm finishes, french drs, 4 frplcs, over sized common rms, wood & stone flring, dining rm w/ silver leaf coffered clngs, study, office, gourmet eat-in cntr isl kit w/ Thermador, Bosch, & SubZero apls. Amazing mstr ste w/ sitting area, blcny, frplc, spa tub & multi-head shwr. Landscaped grnds w/ lanai, bbq, pool/spa & putting green.

I'm not loving the Tuscan-style exterior, but I think some lush landscaping could give it a facelift. The interior is impressive, though; the intricate parquet flooring is really eye-catching, the built-in bookcases and kitchen cabinets are beautiful and classic, and the sweeping foyer staircase is quite cinematic. I'm actually really drawn to the living room (above); I love the juxtaposition of the traditional, borderline waspy, navy and neutral palette used with clean-lined, modern furnishings. To see more interior and exterior photos,