We draw a line at the end of the day, when we change our business into pleasure
VALETS are busy parking Bentleys, Mercedes and limousines. Behind the bulletproof glass doors, crystal chandeliers and Persian rugs adorn the lobby of the tallest building on Los Angeles’ famed Sunset Strip.
High above the dazzling hub of Hollywood live the MacCorkindales — Falcon Crest star Simon MacCorkindale and his wife, British actress Susan George.
When Susan and Simon married 3 1/2 years ago, they had no intention of settling in Los Angeles, but today, their luxury Hollywood condo is home — or in Susan’s case, almost.
“Home is England, and I go there whenever I can,” says Susan. “But for now, this is where work is. This is the place to be.”
Their house is decorated in mix-and-match romanticism. Items from various countries Susan has worked in lie about the many glass tables in the ballroom-sized living room.
Statuettes from around the world, pottery from Japan and trinkets from Europe decorate the palatial apartment. The mat on which their Fijian wedding ceremony took place hangs over a modern white sofa.
“It’s a mishmash,” says Susan. “All the white modern is mine. All the antiques are Simon’s and they date back centuries in his family.
Just steps away from the comfort of their high-tech, family-style kitchen is Simon’s office, piled with work. “My favorite time around here is getting out of the house because it also serves as an office,” says Simon. “We love to stay home and cook. We draw a line at the end of the day, when we change business into pleasure.”
And exercise is a big part of their pleasure. Two or three times a week, a private exercise instructor comes to visit.
“We have a gym right here in the building,” says Susan. “But the fun exercise we do on vacation. A lot of our vacations revolve around sports. We’re avid skiers and we adore tennis. We’re perfectly compatible on court. Simon can beat me, of course, because he’s stronger — but we bring out a good game in each other.”
When the MacCorkindales get a break, they flee Hollywood’s tinsel and head for another part of California.
“Santa Barbara is great and so are some of the more rural places around Los Angeles,” says Susan.
“I adore San Francisco. Last time we were there, we just began driving. It was so lovely we ended up in Lake Tahoe and spent the night in a lakeside cabin just lost in romance.”