Las Palomas – Cary Grant Estate, Palm Springs

Originally built in 1927 by the commission of Palm Springs' very first pharmacist, Dr. Jacob John Kocher, the magnificent Andalusian-style "Las Palomas" mansion was Cary Grant's desert home for nearly two decades, from 1954 to 1972. During his ownership, the legendary actor made it a gathering spot for celebrities and the Old Hollywood elite. Among the guests here were the likes of Alfred Hitchcock, Clark Gable, Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, Howard Hughes, Frank Sinatra, and Sophia Loren, to mention but a few. A lifelong supporter of the US armed forces, Grant also made it a practice of hosting events for the troops stationed at the nearby 29 Palms – the largest Marine Corps base.

Successfully restored in 2009, the 6,000-square-foot house features such details as thick whitewashed walls, hand-painted tile, custom cabinetry, and wood-burning fireplaces. Sadly, not much of the ultra-private abode can be seen from the street, but the estate's mailbox, designed as a miniature replica of "Las Palomas" (which means "The Doves" in Spanish), is still there!