We sat for a Belgian Baron and his wife in France. Gorgeous estate, lovely people. We were invited to sit for them a few more times but could only do it once more so far.
We have been regular sitters for a couple in the famous Pacific Palisades (Los Angeles) California - now tragically famous for the horrific fires this year. A former TV actress. Across the street and around the corner is Adam Sandler, around the other corner is Steven Spielberg and up the hill is Tom Hanks among dozens of other celebrities in the neighborhood. (most homes cannot be seen from the street)
Average price of homes in this neighborhood is somewhere around $10 mil with plenty about and above $20 million (the house where we sit is a modest $8 mil).
One evening - literally across the street at a massive home - was a fundraising music event. The whole neighborhood shut down for it and their backyard turned into a massive stage. We couldnāt see much over the 20 food hedges but the kind house manager gave me a whole tour as they were setting up for the event. Amazing.
We parked our chairs in the driveway and listened to live music by John Oats (of Hall and Oats), Pat Benetar, Roger Daltry and Pete Townsend of The Who among other artists. Unbelievable!
We sat for a Parisian executive chef who catered to events for the likes of Brad Pitt, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Streisand and John Travolta to name a few. We also sat for an entrepreneur who appeared on the tv show āThe Dragons Denā. Not necessarily famous but perhaps rubbing elbows with the famous!
No sits for famous people yet (or at least not famous to me).
I count my ādegrees of separationā as knowing people whose obituaries are published in the New York Times. The first was in the early 2000s - a cardiac pathologist at Mayo in Minnesota who had āa formidableā collection of human hearts (not a Ripleys listing, but these were used for research). According to the Times obit the collection included ā22,000 specimens of hearts, heart valves, lungs and blood vessels.ā Since it is available in the NY Times archive, I think it is okay to post the link https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/21/us/21edwards-backf-obt-25-39.html?unlocked_article_code=1.304.hofC.qq4Y9PVqrrpL&smid=url-share
I only knew him because his son was a friend and Iād had dinner at their house a few times.
The priciest home Iāve sat in was listed at $2 million in Zillow, but it was location in the DC suburbs that dictated the price, not size or elegance.
We once ācouchsurfedā in an apartment which featured in the current issue of a home decor magazine! We found an AFI award on the mantelpiece whilst looking after a handsome pooch (very nice HOās). And, yes, a locally famous actress/film star/singer too - we actually had no idea until it came up in conversation a year later when we had a reunion with them and their pet - also among the nicest people we have sat forā¦
We did a sit, the wife of the couple made all the arrangements. Around the house amongst the family photos were several photos of the husband with an international VIP in relaxed settings ( someone you would all have heard of ) .
We googled the name of the husband and found out that the husband was also very well known in his field - (has a Wikipedia page )
The family are very down to earth . It was a very relaxed sit with a lovely cat . We had a lovely time and have been invited back .
Thatās what got me infatuated with Hugh Laurie first! Then Jeeves, Blackadder, etc. Years ago I chatted up a guy in a nightclub in Dublin just because he looked like Hugh and I figured it was the closest Iād ever get
I knitted a couple of fairisle jumpers for Hugh when he was starring in Jeeves and Worcester. I delivered them to the costumiers where he was having a fitting. I was introduced to him in the fitting room and shook hands with hum. he was in his underwear at the time
