The first Bozoma Saint John house bought in Los Angeles was a condo in Marina Del Rey.
“It was the first time that I bought something by myself, and it was such a boost for my confidence,” said the entrepreneur, marketing director and star of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”. “Was an interesting place for me from a real estate point of view.”
In Sunday Funday, people give us a game game of their Sunday ideal in the city. Find ideas and an inspiration where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on weekends.
Saint John called the Home for 11 years, after having moved from New York after the death of her husband in 2013. “She was feeling as a new and exciting refuge,” she said. “This is where I found myself in a second act.”
This month, Saint John was one of the tens of thousands of people who lost their house in the devastating fire of the Palisades. When we registered with her in the aftermath of destruction, she said: “My God, I have the impression of being in purgatory.”
Saint John admitted that she had the privilege of having a second house, but the loss is still extremely important for her, because this house in Malibu was the one for which she had “prayed”.
“I fought for every centimeter of this property: from the process of obtaining it, which is its own terrible story, at the 25 years of work so that I can afford it,” she said. “Nothing that I only force myself to me.
As a rule, in the Sunday Chronicle Funday, notable people of sharing it a game of their ideal day in the city. But this week, following fires, we had a conversation with Saint John about his recent reflections on Los Angeles and the sense of “home”. In the form of Sunday Funday, we also discussed its favorite places in the city. Because, as she says, “it's also at home.”
This interview was slightly modified for length and clarity.
How was it to go from New York to Los Angeles?
Los Angeles immediately felt at home. It is perhaps because of my state of mind that I had come here. I am not ashamed to say that I was fleeing something. I think people often say that you shouldn't run from something to go to something. And I say to myself: “Why no hell?” Like, yes, I fled and I found Los Angeles, and I said: “I'm going to do this house.”
What made you want to settle in Malibu? What was it like being a black female Houseowner in Malibu?
I wanted to be in Malibu because I like water. And Malibu has the impression that it is far from the worlds, even if it is close enough for me to escape and have a sanctuary without having to book a flight or drive three hours. A place where I did not have to pack a bag.
And it was very, very, very difficult to get it. First of all, I think we all know that the inventory is not (vast), especially if you want to live on the west side of the Pacific Coast road. The second thing is that there is not much diversity with regard to the property of houses in this particular band. I had faced situations where I was putting an offer above to ask and I was rejected, so I knew that I should probably find another way to be accepted. I had to put the trust offer inside a trust to buy this house, so it was not (obvious that it was) me, and that's how I got it.
I know it's early, but what do you plan to do? Do you expect to rebuild or settle elsewhere?
Dude, I don't even know. All these questions are in my head right now. There is a part of me who is a fighter. I am someone who does not take no for an answer, and I feel like someone was trying to tell me no. It's like: “Well, you bush. I'm coming back.” And then there is the practical side of me, which is like: “Girl, you don't want to start again.” But where is sure? Where can I go where there will be a guarantee that nothing happens? And is this the kind of life I want to live? I do not want to make decisions according to my fear of something tragic and therefore my instinctive feeling is that I will rebuild.
What do you like the least and the least to live in Los Angeles?
I'm going to ring (like such) Coloradan and New Yorker, but I like time. You can't beat time in Los Angeles all year round, I don't have to worry about wearing a coat too often. I can wear open shoes when I want. I can't beat that. It's so fantastic.
What do I like the least? Traffic. This is why I always try to triangulate where I live, I work and where my daughter goes to school, so I don't need to be involved in too much traffic.
So living in Malibu and being a girl who doesn't like cold, you never have in the water?
Let me tell you something: no, I don't do it (laughter). I will enter my calves. But it's the beauty of living in Malibu, your house is your home. For example, I don't have to use entering water because there is no expiration date. When you visit a place, because you are there during a short period of time, you feel: “Oh, I have to jump because if I don't do it, I will never have any chance.” But before that, I would always say: “Ah, next time, I will enter it.”
If you had a perfect Sunday, What would you do and where would you go?
I would probably start to go to Repair club. I love all kinds of books, but at the moment, especially a historical fiction based on the stories of women. The last good book I read was Margaret George's “Les Memoires de Cléopathe” by Margaret George “.” It's like 700 pages. And I love it because I think everyone has an opinion on who was Cleopatra, and it turns him a little on her head. You really see the woman, the mother, the warrior.
I would likely like to get something to eat (at the restaurant) Issa Rae Just (open), Somerville. It's Sunday, so I drink right away. I like the sparkling of Issa, which looks like a good Sunday drink. And then I would probably like to hit the All Chill Hip Hop Ice Cream Shop For dessert. I am a girl in vanilla ice cream. Maybe you can throw a little chocolate sauce there, maybe nuts, but only two vanilla balls are good for me.
And then maybe a wine spot like 1010 wine. And then after all this diet, I would likely like to take a nap. I wear what I was wearing (outside) and sleeping on the sofa. No cover (laughter). You cannot take a nap with the blanket because otherwise you know you are going to sleep.
Subsequently, I certainly struck the gymnasium: Fitness of the fortified house; Shout to the owner of the gymnasium, Jerry Housey. He is incredible. And because it's Sunday, it's probably a cardio day. So I'm going to run on the treadmill. In fact, I'm probably going to run from my house, but it's not too far, so don't be impressed.
And I would probably end it in a spa like She married spa With a facial or something to brighten up my face. I don't want any layers of removed skin or something like that. I want one that is massing, something that is soft and relaxing that can take me in the evening just after this full day when I worked.
After that, I go home and prepare for Monday. I am grateful to be in a position where almost everything on my calendar, I chose to be there. So I like to see what's going on, what I need to prepare for. Maybe hitting people on Sunday like: “Hey, I'm so excited to meet you this week.” It’s always good. I like to put good energy at meetings. When people feel like you can't wait to see them, Reunion ends up being better. Maybe they felt the Sunday sculments, but now they don't feel it.
