Rupert in Love
The gossipy London press is having a field day with News Corp. chieftain Rupert Murdoch since his separation from Anna, his wife of 32 years. And Murdoch is giving them plenty to dish about.
Murdoch a staunch conservative in dress and lifestyle has been spotted with new girlfriend Wendy Deng wearing baggy shorts and baseball caps. After moving to New York from his Beverly Hills mansion, he took up residence with 31-year-old Deng, not in his former digs in the stodgy Upper East Side, but in the ultra-hip Mercer Hotel in SoHo, where rooms have brown leather curtains.
And now, London’s Daily Telegraph reports that 67-year-old Murdoch has decided to marry Hong Kong-born Deng once his divorce is completed. The happy couple is said to be house hunting in Greenwich Village.
Undesirable Exports
About half the cars stolen in L.A. are shipped overseas, especially to Asia, where high taxes on legally imported luxury cars make stolen vehicles attractive.
So Angelenos may figure that with Asian economies in the doldrums, demand for luxury cars is probably down.
No such luck, says Kenneth Adams, a researcher at the Western Insurance Information Service, which recently released statistics on car thefts.
“Whether the (Asian) economy is strong or in recession, there will always be demand if they can buy the cars at a significant discount,” said Adams.
According to the new WIIS report, the average theft claim, including claims for stolen parts such as radios and airbags, was $10,417 in Los Angeles in the 1995-1997 period. That’s up 300 percent from a decade earlier.
More Smoke-Free Zones
First there were smoke-free hotel rooms. Then smokers were kicked out of bars. Now comes apartment buildings that are off limits to puffers.
L.A. Link, a state-funded non-profit group whose aim is to reduce the impact of tobacco use, plans to release early next year a listing of apartment buildings in L.A. County that do not allow smoking on the premises. It is being offered for free to prospective renters and to apartment owners who want to be listed in the directory.
High-End Gifts
What do you buy for the man, woman or child who has everything this holiday season?
Neiman Marcus has a few ideas. The top guy gift, according to the upscale retailer, is a Harley Davidson bicycle that has a bobtail rear fender, chrome rear fender struts and embroidered eagle on the saddle. The tab is $2,000. If that’s too rich, try a Brioni patchwork tie, for $235.
For women, it’s Louis Vuitton a monogrammed agenda planner for $295 or a monogrammed dog crate for $835. A Kate Spade nylon eyeglass case, on the other hand, ($75) might make a nice stocking stuffer.
The well-heeled toddler, the Beverly Hills store reported, should delight at finding a three-piece blue Bellini cashmere sweater set under the Christmas tree. The tab is $165. An electric VW beetle convertible, meanwhile, goes for $425.
For gadget nuts, the top choice is a Jeep boombox that includes a 3-inch color TV, CD player and AM/FM radio. The price? A mere $400.
