Barbie’s packing up, leaving Malibu, selling Dreamhouse for $25 million

here is perhaps the most bizarre property listing you'll ever come across:

Barbie's Dreamhouse is listed on Trulia for $25 million.

That's right. The pink plastic one. The one that isn't real*.
Stories like this are always tricky to report. It's a naked gambit by Mattel for publicity, of course, which probably ought to make it an automatic "ignore." (And darn it, the listing isn't on the Yahoo!-Zillow Real Estate Network, either. Boooo.) But at the same time it's a little, well, irresistible ... right? We're assuming some part of you must agree if you're reading this.
So we're succumbing to temptation.
The story goes that Barbie has lived in Malibu, Calif., for more than 40 years, but she's ready for a change. She says she's open to "all seven continents" and is eager to try out her skills with "over 37 languages" she's picked up in her lifetime. And she doesn't require anything beyond the "basics" -- including "a never-ending closet, transforming furniture, a Glitterizer ... " (How do we know this? We watched Barbie's video interview about the impending move, of course!)

One of the photos from the property listing. Click this photo or the one at the top to go to see more images from …She has hired celebrity Realtor Josh Altman, star of Bravo TV's "Million-Dollar Listing," who's marketing it as "the ultimate bachelorette compound" with "clean lines, sparkly surfaces, dazzling details, and soaring ceilings" -- an "innovatively scaled" home with three stories, 8,500 square feet and a single bedroom. (Click here or on either photo above to go to a slideshow of photos from the property listing.)

The listing says it's "the only house in Malibu with a truly unobstructed view of the ocean (after all, it only has three walls)" as well as "a self-flushing toilet and fireplace that crackles even when it's not on." It also features "voluminous 119-centimeter ceilings, pink crown molding, custom Pantone® 219C hardwood floors" and a "pink Poliform kitchen ... complete with pink granite countertops."

In other media materials, Altman tells a prospective buyer about the amenities: "Let's just put it this way: Have you ever seen a pink elevator on a pulley system? ... The pink car and the pink boat? Those items are sold separately."
(In real life, Altman does have actual L.A.-area listings: 6698 Whitley Terrace for $899,000, 3549 N. Knoll Drive for $2.4 million, 1642 N. Crescent Heights Blvd. for $1.6 million and 1301 Sunset Plaza Drive for just shy of $2 million.)
It's the kickoff of a yearlong brand campaign, and we have to admit, we found ourselves getting immersed in the narrative in spite of ourselves. As Stephanie Cota, a Mattel senior vice president for global marketing, puts it: "People really want to know what's going on in her life." Given Barbie's 7 million-strong Facebook following, we're not inclined to argue.
If it's true that 90 percent of girls age 3 to 10 own at least one Barbie, and that the average number owned by girls 3 to 6 is a dozen, as Mattel says, then it's not hard to imagine the campaign picking up steam.

The 1979 Dreamhouse. Click the photo for a slideshow of designs through the decades.And with savvy details like Barbie's enlistment of a "Dream Team of interior designers [including] Los Angeles-based textile designer and design influencer Lulu Dekwiatkowski, New York/Palm Beach based designer Celerie Kemble and West Coast fashion and home product designer Trina Turk" -- as the news release reports -- then there's a pretty decent chance that grown-ups will, like us, grow guiltily curious, too.

We can't help but wonder where she'll ultimately settle and -- more significant for Mattel -- we're pretty interested to see the design of the new Dreamhouse, which is set to go on sale in toy stores around Christmas. Is it possible that the new model will be less of a monstrous confection?
Please, Lulu and Celerie and Trina, make it be so!
Tell us in the comments: Where do you think Barbie should move to? And what should a Dreamhouse look like in 2013? (We've also put together a slideshow of Barbie Dreamhouse designs through the decades; click here or on the 1979 photo to take a look.)

*Note: Just to be crystal-clear, nothing is really for sale. Although real people and businesses like Trulia are participating in Mattel's branding campaign, the narrative is entirely fictional. However, Mattel really will be releasing a new Dreamhouse design in toy stores for the holidays this year, and as far as we can tell, it truly is taking design input from real-life designers. (According to the news release, Barbie is "partnering with a group of admired style setters, designers and industry experts to re-imagine the Barbie Dreamhouse for today.") And to make things even more meta/confusing, Mattel will be building full-size Barbie Dreamhouses worldwide for fans to walk through in a "Dreamhouse Experience"; the first ones will open in Florida and Berlin this month.

If you want to read even more about the Barbie Dreamhouse -- and we wouldn't blame or judge you for it -- the New York Times has an interesting article about the branding campaign. Plus, a few months ago, our friends at Curbed wrote an interesting post about the controversial Architect Barbie; Curbed has also written a fun post about the current Dreamhouse campaign.

Sonos Play:3 wireless speaker review

A Lower-Cost Entry Into the Best Wireless Speaker Ecosystem
Rating: 8/10 Excellent, with room to kvetch.
$300 on Yahoo! Shopping

When it comes to multi-room wireless music systems, Sonos has been one of the go-to choices for years now. Even with the proliferation of wireless AirPlay and Bluetooth speakers, no other system has been able to match the company’s unique combination of simplicity and sound quality. If there was anything holding the Sonos back, it’s been the fairly steep price of admission. After all, a Play:5 speaker plus the requisite wireless Bridge meant you were paying a minimum of $450.
The good news is that the Play:3 lowers that cost of entry by about $100. The great news is that it does so without cutting any discernible sonic corners. Yes, it’s smaller than its older sibling. And yes, you’ll lose two drivers and a wee bit of clarity in the mid and upper ranges. But when it comes to the things Sonos is really known for — the trademark ease of setup and lush, room-filling sound — this smaller speaker does not disappoint.
In fact, the Play:3 even knows a few tricks its big brother doesn’t. Thanks to an onboard accelerometer, the speaker can sense whether it’s placed vertically or horizontally and can subsequently auto-correct from stereo to mono. This means you get even more flexibility, and can slip one into a bookshelf or group two together in the same room to create a formidable stereo pair. While it lacks the sonic clarity of bigger wireless units I’ve tested, its lower price is truly cause for elation for anyone wanting a no-fuss entry point into a home full of music.
WIRED Easiest setup of any wireless speaker system. Quarter-inch 20-thread socket for easy wall mounting. Streams not only your library, but also nearly every audio service known to man, including whatever’s stored on your phone. Sonos makes one of the best (if not the best) remote apps for controlling your music.
TIRED Unlike the Play:5, no standard inputs. Requires the $50 Sonos Bridge or a direct Ethernet connection to your router. Bass could be more refined.

Unique Valentine's Day gifts for him & her, all under $25

Thinking up original Valentine's Day gifts can be a challenge—especially when you've got a strict budget to stick to.

But even if diamonds, extravagant dinners or hundred-dollar lingerie are out of the question, fret not—it's often the smaller, super-thoughtful gifts that make the largest impact anyway.
Here are Valentine's Day gifts for both genders that are sure to delight—and that'll keep your wallet happy, too.
FOR HIM
This handy-dandy present shows that you think of your guy as the ultimate MacGyver—and that subtle pattern barely even seems Valentine's Day-inspired.
Victorinox Swiss Army "Electro love" knife, $24, swissarmy.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 








FOR HER
Delicate upper-finger rings like this one are right in line with the current minimalism trend—they're chic, comfortable to wear and shockingly affordable.
Mignon memory ring in sterling silver, $20, catbirdnyc.com
(Photo courtesy of crateandbarrel.com)   

FOR HIM
A sophisticated serving tray both of you can enjoy—whether you're entertaining with a group or having a wine and cheese party for two. Use chalk for labeling purposes, or just to write some silly messages.
Medium slate cheese board, $19.95, crateandbarrel.com

 

FOR HER
Damien Hirst's butterfly mosaics are incredibly beautiful. Bet you never thought you could own a piece of Hirst's work for less than $25!
Virtue anamorphic cup and saucer by Damien Hirst, $23.72, shop.tate.org.uk

FOR HIM
The ultimate manly-man lip balm, this is super-moisturizing but doesn't appear glossy. What better way to initiate a kiss?
Facial fuel no-shine moisturizing lip balm, $9, kiehls.com

FOR HER
For the perfect ruby red Valentine's Day manicure that's not at all gimmicky.
Rad nails "foil back to basics" set in shiny red foil, $20, radnails.com

FOR HIM
If your Valentine's a music maven, he'll love this monogrammed holder for his favorite earbuds—it'll feel personal and keep those cords from tangling.

Saddle leather earphone case, $15.50 (or $22.50 with monogramming), potterybarn.com











FOR HER
Classic push-up styles are great and all—but when it comes to sexy comfort, there's nothing like a pretty little bralette.
Ruffle bralette, $20, honeydew intimates, shopbop.com

What dude doesn't go crazy for cured meats?
Bacon sea salt, $8.95 for 2 oz or $16.95 for 4 oz, thefillingstationnyc.com

Stella! Ornery dog leads to $1M Idaho lottery win

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A group of blue collar University of Utah workers will split $1 million in lottery winnings thanks to a set of keys left in a truck and an ornery little dog named "Stella."

Thirteen years after playing the same set of numbers every month in the Idaho lottery, the group of 33 workers who work on heating and cooling university buildings hit pay dirt when Steve Hughes left his truck running to keep his dog "Stella" warm while he went inside to a gas station near Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, on Jan. 6. Utah has no lottery.

When he returned to his truck, his miniature pincher had locked him out by putting her paw on the manual lock. Hughes, 29, planned to buy the ticket elsewhere, but instead he had his girlfriend buy it there while he tried to pick the lock with a slim jim.
He eventually coached Stella to put her paws on the electronic window button in the back seat, allowing Hughes to get in the car.

What seemed like an annoying delay that day turned out to be serendipitous when the group discovered Wednesday night that they had won second prize in the Idaho Powerball. They announced the great news during a morning meeting Thursday morning at the HVAC shop at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Hughes thought it was a joke — looking for the camera filming the prank.

"It was pretty exciting," said Richard Tison, 50, the supervisor.

About 25 members of the group made the 5.5-hour trip on a charter bus to Boise, Idaho on Friday to turn in their winning ticket and collect their checks. The rest had to stay behind to make sure the university's buildings were toasty on the cold winter day, Tison said.

It was a raucous ride on the bus, with the crew making it a "party bus" type atmosphere as they celebrated their good fortune. After collecting their money, the group planned to climb back on board the bus for the journey home — though some suggested they might stop off at a watering hole in Boise to contemplate their winnings.
Tison and Hughes say they will each get about $20,000 after taxes, or as Hughes said, "A nice little bonus during the year."
Hughes plans to save half of his share and buy a four-wheeler. Many in the group plan to buy four-wheelers or drag cars, he said. Some are going to save or invest it.
"I'm going to pay off some bills and probably get me a boat," Tison said.
Hughes' dog, "Stella," didn't get to go on Friday's "party bus" but the lucky winners had previously made sure she was rewarded.
"She got a couple of big surprises when I got home," Hughes said. "She got 18-inch rawhide bones."
The group began buying the tickets in February 2001 with just three people. The pool grew to 33 people, but the philosophy of using the same numbers never changed.
Recently, some in the group suggested they change the numbers — fed up with 13 years of futility. But Tison, one of the original three, insisted they stay the course. Hughes estimates that they've each put in $200 to $400 over the years, depending on how long they've been in the group.
Tison said they plan to keep playing the Idaho Powerball, taking turns making the monthly 1.5 hour drive to Millad, Idaho to pick up a ticket.
And yes, Tison says they'll keep playing the same numbers: 11-16-33-40-41.
"There is no need to change them," Tison said. "It worked once, why wouldn't it work again."

Britain's latest Antarctic research station is brand-new and learning to crawl.

Unless you're a polar bear, the odds that you'll make it down to the South Pole to check it out are pretty slim, so we tracked some photos. The new modular Haley VI looks like something out of "2001: A Space Odyssey." It's made up of pods that connect like cars in a freight train. But there are no wheels. Instead, the pods are supported above the snow by hydraulic stilts. At the bottom of the stilts are giant steel skis, which make it easier for the stations to be relocated.

(Photo: Courtesy of British Antarctic Survey)That's key. The architect, Hugh Broughton, explained how it works to TreeHugger.com.

The hydraulic legs allow the station to mechanically 'climb' up out of the snow every year to avoid being buried. And as the ice shelf moves out towards the ocean, the modules can be lowered onto the skis and towed by bulldozers to a new safer location further inland. The new Halley VI can therefore continue to respond to the changing needs of Antarctic science for many more years than its projected design life.

The station is made up of seven modules and offers everything you might expect: labs, bedrooms, a kitchen, and areas where the scientists can simply hang out and talk about the weather. It also has a hydroponic salad garden and a climbing wall to play on. The station cost around £25.8 million ($40.8 million) to build.
In a press release, Professor Duncan Wingham, chief executive of the Natural Environment Research Council said, "Halley VI is the latest NERC-supported Antarctic research station that demonstrates NERC's long-term commitment to Antarctica. We look forward to the excellent science that is made possible by Halley's unique location on the Earth's largest ice cap."

Data from the station's predecessor, Halley V, helped scientists discover the ozone hole in 1985.