What It's Like to Live in a Celebrity Hot Spot

Learn the ups and downs of living in a city frequented by the rich and famous

By Shannon Petrie, FrontDoor.com | Published: 1/13/2010

Ever wonder what it's like to live in a star-studded city? Read on to find out.

Locals living in these celebrity hot spots find themselves in a unique position: While some people spend a massive amount of time and energy seeking out celebrities, for these homeowners, star sightings are just part of life. Lisa Johnson, a seven-year resident of world-class ski resort and celebrity playground Aspen, Colo. (Browse homes for sale in Aspen), says you never know who you'll run into in the Rocky Mountain city: Jennifer Aniston, Jack Nicholson, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Pfeiffer are some of the usual suspects. Johnson is founder of Aspen Fashion Week, an annual event that showcases top brands in winter resort, ski and technical outerwear. 2009 was the first year of the event, and Johnson was thrilled to have legendary Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani in attendance, who came for a screening of the documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor.

Robin McClain, a Los Angeles (Browse homes for sale in Los Angeles) resident for 10 years, says living in the entertainment capital of the world certainly comes with one major perk: Whether it's to spot celebrities or simply to enjoy the Southern California lifestyle, friends and family are always eager to visit.

But living in a celebrity hot spot can come with drawbacks as well. A long-time retreat for the wealthy, the Hamptons received an influx of both Hollywood types and second homeowners in the 1980s, says Renee Palmer, a Hamptons resident for 35 years and a member of the East Hampton Historical Society. Since then, the area has gotten clogged and home prices have soared, making day-to-day life difficult for long-time residents.

For better or for worse, living in a city frequented by the rich and famous is a unique lifestyle. Read on to learn more about what it's like to live among the stars.

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