Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Lisa Vanderpump, One Classy Broad



"Life in Beverly Hills is a game, and I make the rules."


Lisa Vanderpump is an actress, designer, and business women who currently owns 2 restaurants, Villa Blanca a celebrity hangout, which has been described as "the sexiest restaurant" in Beverly Hills and Sur in West Hollywood, which she just recently redesigned.

Design is her passion, but she also writes a page each month for Beverly Hills Lifestyle magazine and will be launching her first book in October 2011 entitled, Simply Divine, about simple, but gorgeous entertaining. In addition, she also has her own skin care line, "Epione."

Lisa Vanderpump was born and raised in London. Her father was an advertising executive from Kent. Her family has lived in in England for 6 generations and is of Dutch decent. She explains on her website “I had an unusual childhood attending a drama school full time from the age of nine! I loved acting in many children’s films and television series when I was growing up”.

Lisa met Ken Todd in 1982 when she was 21 and he was 37 at Corks bar; a nightclub he owned in Kensington. Ken has said, "She was like a breath of fresh air coming into my life," of their chance meeting. The feeling was mutual, and they married six weeks later. Ken Todd is a self-made millionaire, who despite his celebrity friends (he is "good mates" with Bill Wyman and was best man at Wyman's wedding to Suzanne Accosta), tends to stay low key. Together Lisa and Ken have 2 children; Pandora, 24 and Max, 19.





The jet set couple moved to Beverly Hills 6 years ago from the South of France but is not new to Beverly Hills. Lisa and Ken spent time in LA in the '80s and '90s when Lisa landed roles in Silk Stalking’s and Baywatch Nights. Lisa joined The Real Houswives of Beverly Hills
in 2010 and has become a favorite of many, myself included. Besides her business ventures Lisa supports various charities. She spends her free time spoiling her favorite pup, Giggy, a Pomeranian with his own Facebook page.

I've watch Real Housewives since 2006 and there is just something about Lisa that sets her apart from the others. Lisa Vanderpump has a classic elegance that very few have today and it's even harder to define but you know it when you see it. Whether it's her wit and sense of humor, her demeanor, or her the subtle way she carries herself. Lisa is the true definention of a classy women and I admire that.

Watch Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Monday’s 9/8c

Picture Credit: Bravo

9 comments:

Chiara Soprano said...

Never watched the show, but I have to say this blog won me over. She looks like she has genuine class and grace and I have to wonder how she fits in with the wives I've seen? Maybe I better give the show a try? Great job Harley.

Jnettemariee said...

I think you'd like RHBH Chiara. I just wish they would have delayed season 2 and reshot it without Taylor. It's a bit disturbing for me to watch her with everything that has come out about her marriage and Russells death.

What sets this show apart is just how over the top the rest of the wives live. It's fun to watch them because they can actually afford this lifestyle unlike the other franchises.

Mob Mistress said...

Well many of the housewives of Orange County, Atlanta, D.C., New York and Miami could afford their lifestyles at one time or another.

Women/families struggling with finances aren't too different from those who are middle class struggling in this economy.

I don't tune in to watch The Real Rich Housewives of any particular region.

Many are one paycheck away or one bad business investment from struggling.

Mob Mistress said...

Oh and a couple of women on RHOBH ain't rolling in dough, just saying.

Jnettemariee said...

I agree that the economy has hit some of the wives hard.

But I do think RHBH is different. For one thing all of the women except for Taylor are celebrities in their own right and came from money. Kim and Kyle were both child actors who's family had money. Adrienne's father was a millionaire and her family built the maloof dynasty from that. Lisa and her husband of 30yrs have opened some of the top restaurants in Europe and the US.

And as someone who lives paycheck to paycheck it upset me at times to watch OC, NY, and NJ. You just knew some were living beyond their means and were desparate for "celebrity" status. Not all but more than a few (Cough Cough Jill, Teresa, Tamra, Gretchen).

But at the end of the day, it's entertaining and come on, we have to watch something at night.

Jnettemariee said...

OMG, forgot Camille. She was a MTV darling who married one of the best actors on TV. Plus, the way I see it...she was destined for RH's if she wasn't on BHs she would have no doubt been cast on NJ. She would have been a Franklin Girl no doubt about that

Mob Mistress said...

Kim isn't financially stable. So why does she get a pass?

Bottom line is some of the housewives can afford their lifestyles and some cannot regardless of the region. All those on Beverly Hills aren't rolling in dough.

You and I have a very different idea of what a celebrity is....

Jnettemariee said...

You are absolutely right Kim isn't financially stable or even as emotionally stable as the others but Kim has Kyle. And it's always been kyle resposibility to watch over her. She also doesn't live in Beveryly Hills and it was Kyle who nogotiated with Bravo to cast her anyway.

I wasn't encluding all of BH in my comment. I was only referring to the cast of this season. I don't equate celebrity with wealth and frankly the suburbs of Phila are wealthier than BH.

And it's also worth noting that these ladies didn't join to become famous and get invites to the best parties. But for whatever reason they joined they did it for themselves and were smart enough to keep their kids off screen for the most part.

Mob Mistress said...

There is no reason for someone to join the cast of any Real Housewives cast without the hope of gaining exposure. The chase of fame.... is often more powerful than the dollar.

And Kim long ago footed the bill for Kyle and her family.