Charity and Politics Open the Doors to Celebrity Homes

Good morning, Live Better than a Billionaire-a-Holics!

Are you feeling motivated this morning? I certainly hope so.

Yesterday, I had a chance to get out in the ocean to watch humpback whales. The weather was perfect and the whales were actively feeding and traveling throughout Jeffries Ledge near Boston's north shore.

As we left the harbor, our tour guide pointed out some of the many castles and historic homes in Gloucester. They are now mostly in the hands of charitable organizations. That's because wealthy people often bequeath their estates to their church or favorite charity if no one else in the family needs the property or wants to live there. In other cases, charities use their tax-free money to buy up such properties at bargain prices when such "white elephants" are a drag on the market.

Rarely, however, do the properties come with the funds to keep them up. That opens the doors for you. At first, such properties may only be available for special occasions, like fund-raisers. Soon, however, organizations are likely to rent them out for retreats or meetings. Before long, you can arrange for lengthy stays.

I was reminded of this while taking a meditation course at a beautiful estate in central Massachusetts. Before the course, I was asked which room I wanted to stay in. Each was reasonably priced so I decided to treat myself to the nicest one for about $5 a day more. After checking in, I was informed that I was staying in the Elizabeth Taylor suite. Why did it have that name? Well, it turns out that Ms. Taylor often came to this estate . . . and always insisted on staying in that room.

If you want to find out more about which properties you can visit and stay in, I suggest that you simply contact organizations that have lots of these estates and homes. In our area, the Catholic Church is especially well endowed in this way. While you are there, you will probably uncover lots of celebrity connections of the sort I have run into from time to time.

One of my favorite stories in this regard concerns staying in an old mansion in England that had been converted into an inn. When making the reservation, I had had reservations about the facility because the facilities were down the hall. Upon arriving, I could see why they hadn't replumbed the place. The W.C. proudly bore a bronze plaque on the inside noting that the Prince of Wales (under Queen Victoria) had once used this facility. It was an unexpected royal connection that made me chuckle.

One of the other ways I've gone into some remarkable celebrity homes has been to attend fund-raising events for politicians. Any candidate can draw a crowd if the right venue is in place . . . one that everyone wants to see. Celebrity authors and academics are especially likely to be open to providing this experience. One of my favorite memories is of spending the evening at the impressive home of John Kenneth Galbraith in Cambridge, Massachusetts when my classmate and friend, Jim Roosevelt, was running for Congress. Professor Galbraith was a thoughtful and intriguing host, and he took us on as many house tours as we liked. He especially seemed to enjoy showing the many medals he had won for his work in economics. His favorite was the French Legion of Honor. The after-tax cost of the evening was less than most people probably paid to have dinner in Harvard Square that night. It was much better to spend the time chez Galbraiths. And there wasn't a billionaire in sight!

What are you missing out on tonight?

Donald W. Mitchell, Your Dream Concierge

Copyright 2005 Donald W. Mitchell