BARBRA STREISAND’S 11-YEAR HOME HUNT: THE ULTIMATE DREAM HOUSE THAT CEMENTED HER 26-YEAR MARRIAGE

Barbra Streisand and her husband, James Brolin, are celebrating 26 years of marriage in the home where their love story truly came together. The journey to acquiring their dream home was anything but simple—it took them 11 years to finally buy it.

At 82, Barbra Streisand, the legendary performer, and her 83-year-old actor husband, James Brolin, have enjoyed many years of happiness in their beloved home. The couple, along with their dogs, have created countless memories there. Their dedication and perseverance paid off, making their home a symbol of their enduring love and commitment.

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Barbra Streisand first laid eyes on the house when she was living nearby. At the time, she couldn’t make the purchase because her boyfriend didn’t like it, and she also wasn’t able to afford it.

YouTube/The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Now, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin live in the dream home that took 11 years to buy. They recently celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary on July 1 in this special place. Streisand shared a sweet photo on Instagram, showing the couple in a side embrace. Her caption read, “28 years today since we met honey… and 26 years today since we married! Love you.

Their Maltese poodles, Scarlet, Violet, and Fanny, are clearly a cherished part of their family. Streisand’s Instagram posts of their birthdays must be adorable! It sounds like their home is filled with love and joy.

In 1984, while living on a ranch down the road, Barbra Streisand first laid eyes on her dream home. At the time, she wasn’t thrilled with her current house, so her real estate broker showed her a place closer to the ocean. This home would later become the one she and James Brolin would spend many cherished years in, despite the long journey to finally owning it.

Streisand noted that the house’s facade wasn’t particularly impressive, describing it as modern gray and somewhat like a “contraption.” However, upon entering, she was pleasantly surprised by its “rustic charm,” which won her over despite its outward appearance.

YouTube/The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

The Broadway star fell in love with the house right away and wanted to buy it. However, it wasn’t possible at that time, and she had to wait several more years before she could finally make it her home.

At that time, Streisand owned the ranch she had been staying on. Her manager advised her that she wouldn’t be able to afford the dream home until she sold the ranch.

Streisand also revealed that her boyfriend at the time thought the house was too close to the cliff where it was situated. She decided not to purchase it, but she admitted, “I was so forlorn when I found out that it was sold to someone else, and they had started renovating it.”

YouTube/CBS Sunday Morning

Streisand’s affection for the house didn’t diminish over time. In fact, she continued to dream about it and couldn’t shake the feeling of longing. She admitted that she had a deep emotional connection to the home she couldn’t buy.

However, some years later, her luck turned around when the couple who owned the house kept her in mind as they got ready to move.

Years later, Streisand’s luck changed. The couple who owned the house remembered her as they prepared to move out, and this gave her another chance at the dream home she had always wanted.

Barbra Streisand was so in love with her dream house that she bought a home one house away just to be close to it. She even became friends with the elderly couple living between her current home and the dream house.

When the couple moved away, Streisand bought their house too. She planned to combine both properties into one large house on the two-acre land.

Finally, fate was on her side. The couple who owned her dream home divorced and lowered the price. Streisand was able to buy the house in 1995 and was thrilled. She was relieved not to have to build a new house or deal with lots of details.

Since then, Streisand has turned her dream home into a beautiful place, celebrating its craftsmanship and making it a special part of her life for nearly 30 years.

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The house is set on a big piece of land with beautiful green lawns. An aerial view shows the spacious garden and the pool in front of the house, which faces the ocean. The driveway is located at the back of the house.

To design the interior of her home, Streisand looked at many books and drew inspiration from things she saw while traveling. She really enjoyed this process.

She also added streams to the landscape because she finds water very calming. Streisand wanted a barn because she loves how they are a key part of American culture. Inside her barn, she has hens that lay green eggs.

YouTube/The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Streisand and Brolin met in 1996 when they were 54 and 56 years old. Both had children from previous marriages and blended their families together. They got married two years after they first met.

Now that they’ve been married for 26 years and their kids are grown and out of the house, Streisand and Brolin are enjoying a new phase in their lives: being grandparents.

Streisand and Brolin have grandchildren from their adult children, and they always welcome them to spend time in their loving home.

My Entitled Daughter Stole My Wedding, but I Didn’t Let It Slide

On the day of Mabel and Adam’s wedding, they’re stuck in a limousine as they crawl along the freeway, thanks to traffic. Instead of keeping her mother’s guests entertained, Mabel’s daughter, Amanda, takes over the wedding, stealing the limelight. Will Mabel retaliate at the wedding or just let Amanda learn her lesson another way?

Weddings are supposed to be magical, right? An entire day dedicated to the culmination of love, months of planning, and a chance to stand with your person, promising to be with them forever…

That was the dream, at least, until my daughter Amanda turned it into an absolute nightmare.

A beautiful wedding setting | Source: Midjourney

A beautiful wedding setting | Source: Midjourney

Sigh.

It started with traffic, of course. My fiancé Adam and I were stuck on the freeway in our limousine, trapped in a sea of brake lights thanks to an overturned truck miles ahead. We weren’t too worried about the traditions. We were both married before, so seeing each other before the ceremony was the least of our concerns.

“Time, please, Ben?” I called through the intercom for our driver.

A couple sitting in a limousine | Source: Midjourney

A couple sitting in a limousine | Source: Midjourney

“It’s difficult to say, Mabel,” he said. “But I’m trying to gap in whenever I can! I will get you and Adam down the aisle!”

We were definitely going to be late.

“Love, call Amanda,” Adam said, his jaw tight as he tapped on the seat. “Tell her to sort out the guests, just get the band going and keep people entertained.”

A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney

A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney

I dialed my daughter, already feeling the pressure. She picked up on the second ring.

“Hey, sweetie,” I said the moment she answered. “We’re stuck in traffic. There has been an accident, so everything is at a standstill. Can you make sure everything’s running smoothly at the venue? We’ll be about 30 minutes or so. Adam said to get the band playing.”

“Of course, Mommy!” Amanda chirped, her voice syrupy sweet. “Don’t you worry about a thing other than getting here. I’ve got everything else handled. Be safe!”

A smiling woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A smiling woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

I exhaled, letting her assurance calm my nerves. But not ten minutes later, my phone buzzed. It was my sister, Jess.

Her voice was frantic.

“Sis, you have to come here now! It’s Amanda, she…” her voice trailed off before the call cut off.

“She’s what?” I muttered, immediately redialing, but it went straight to voicemail. A heavy pit settled in my stomach, but there was nothing we could do except crawl forward in the traffic.

A woman using a phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman using a phone | Source: Midjourney

“What do you think Jess meant? What do you think is going on?” I asked Adam after filling him in.

“Oh, honey,” he said. “Honestly, I’m sure Amanda picked up a mic and is trying to sing with the band.”

When we finally pulled up to the venue half an hour later, nothing could have prepared me for what I saw. Amanda stood on the steps, her face glowing as she held a bouquet of ivory roses. She was in a wedding dress. It was white and simple, but it was definitely a wedding dress.

A smiling young couple | Source: Midjourney

A smiling young couple | Source: Midjourney

Our photographers swarmed around her, cameras clicking as she posed with a dazzling smile. And next to her stood Kyle, her boyfriend of barely a year, looking dazed and uncomfortable in a suit.

I felt my heart stop.

“What the hell is going on?” I yelled, storming up the stairs.

Amanda turned to me, her expression a mix of surprise and amusement.

An upset bride | Source: Midjourney

An upset bride | Source: Midjourney

“Oh, Mommy!” she gushed. “I’m so sad you missed the ceremony! It was lovely!”

My jaw dropped.

“My ceremony? You had my ceremony? You stole my ceremony? Amanda, are you out of your damn mind?”

“Well,” she said, brushing imaginary dust off her dress. “I thought since you were late, we couldn’t let the time go to waste. Everything was already set up, and the officiant needed to get going. You know how much I hate delays. So… I married Kyle!”

A smiling bride | Source: Midjourney

A smiling bride | Source: Midjourney

The audacity of it left me speechless. My beautiful ceremony, the one Adam and I had dreamed of and planned for months… it was all gone. It had been hijacked by my own daughter.

“You’ll get married another day!” she chirped, as if she hadn’t just crushed my heart. “Now, Kyle and I are going to do the final walk down to the reception hall. The guests are going to throw the rice and confetti. Do you want to join?”

I shook my head.

Confetti being thrown on a couple | Source: Midjourney

Confetti being thrown on a couple | Source: Midjourney

Adam came up behind me, his face a mix of fury and heartbreak. He had spent so much time trying to bond and build a relationship with Amanda that I knew her behavior had broken his heart, too.

“Say the word, love,” he said. “Say the word, Mabel, and I’ll shut this down right now.”

I looked at Amanda, the girl I raised, who was now staring at me with infuriating smugness. My fists clenched. Every nerve in my body screamed at me to fight her, to take back what she had stolen.

A frowning man | Source: Midjourney

A frowning man | Source: Midjourney

But I exhaled slowly.

“She’s still my daughter,” I muttered to Adam. “Don’t. I’ll teach her a lesson another way.”

The reception was a surreal experience. Amanda flounced through the room, acting like the star of a fairy tale, completely oblivious to the devastation she’d caused.

My family and friends came around between courses, asking what had really happened.

A crowd of people at a wedding reception | Source: Midjourney

A crowd of people at a wedding reception | Source: Midjourney

“Mabel, we thought it was your wedding, dear,” my aunt said. “You were supposed to get your happy ending. What is this about Amanda getting married? We didn’t know that she was even seeing someone!”

“I don’t know, Aunt Joy,” I said. “I’m just as surprised as you are.”

When dessert rolled around, Amanda even had the nerve to cut into the cake we’d ordered, complete with the beautiful sugar flowers.

A beautiful wedding cake | Source: Midjourney

A beautiful wedding cake | Source: Midjourney

Jess pulled me aside at one point, her eyes blazing.

“That daughter of yours pulled my phone away while I was talking to you. And then she locked me in the bathroom during the ceremony! I couldn’t do anything else about it! Why didn’t you stop her when you got here?”

“Because,” I said, a smile curling my lips. “Revenge is best served cold.”

An upset woman | Source: Midjourney

An upset woman | Source: Midjourney

The real kicker came later that evening. Amanda knocked on our hotel room door, smiling as if nothing had happened.

Adam and I were sitting on the bed, eating our way through the room service dessert menu.

“So,” she said, leaning against the cupboard in the room. “Kyle and I need your tickets to Chile for the honeymoon. I mean, there’s no point in you guys using them after all.”

A couple sitting in a hotel room | Source: Midjourney

A couple sitting in a hotel room | Source: Midjourney

Adam froze. I swear, I saw his hand twitch toward the night light like he was ready to throw it.

But I smiled, keeping my voice calm.

“Of course, sweetie. You can have the tickets. You and Kyle deserve some fun.”

A smiling bride in a hotel room | Source: Midjourney

A smiling bride in a hotel room | Source: Midjourney

Amanda squealed, hugged me, stole a strawberry from one of the plates, and let herself out.

“What the hell, Mabel?” Adam asked. “Really? She’s taking our honeymoon too? We worked so hard for all of this. Our wedding, our honeymoon, all of it. And for what? For Amanda to behave like a brat?”

“I know you’re upset,” I said. “But honey, trust me. She’s going to learn a lesson. Two days from now, you’ll see.”

An upset man in a hotel room | Source: Midjourney

An upset man in a hotel room | Source: Midjourney

And just like clockwork, Amanda phoned two mornings later, her voice anything but cheerful.

“How could you do this to me, Mom?!” she screamed.

I smirked, cradling the phone to my ear.

“Amanda, darling, is something wrong?”

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

“Wrong?” she shouted. “You gave me tickets to the Arctic! We’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, freezing, and there’s nothing to do!”

I bit back a laugh. The tickets had been for Chile, technically. But they were only a layover on the way to our real destination: an Arctic expedition. Glacier hikes, frigid waters, and polar bear sightings.

It was our dream trip. But Amanda? She hated the cold. Luxury resorts and tropical beaches were more her style.

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

Classic Amanda. She had never bothered to check the full itinerary.

“You asked for the tickets, Amanda,” I said.

“But what must I do?” she whined.

“You’re a married woman now. Figure it out.”

An upset woman | Source: Midjourney

An upset woman | Source: Midjourney

She hung up on me, already muttering a series of curses. And I couldn’t stop grinning.

Meanwhile, Adam and I made new plans. My sister and our closest friends rallied together to throw us the most beautiful wedding celebration at Jess’s house a week later.

They handled everything, from catering to decorations, and it was even more perfect than I could have imagined.

Beautiful wedding decor | Source: Midjourney

Beautiful wedding decor | Source: Midjourney

This time, Amanda wasn’t invited. And do you know what made everything so special? The gifts.

Since Amanda had hijacked my original wedding, all the presents went to us. A brand-new espresso machine, luxury linens, and an all-expenses-paid spa weekend from Adam’s older brother.

It was like karma had gift-wrapped itself for us.

A coffee machine in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney

A coffee machine in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney

When Amanda found out, she had another meltdown.

“Mom, you stole my wedding gifts?” she shouted over the phone. “Everything was supposed to be left at the wedding venue until we got back from our honeymoon.”

“I think you should stop talking,” I said.

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney

“Mom, you ruined everything for me!” she cried. “I can’t believe you stole my damn gifts.”

“Amanda,” I began, laughing. “Your gifts? You stole my wedding. Consider this a fair trade.”

Adam, at the espresso machine, doubled over and laughed.

As for Amanda’s new marriage to Kyle?

A man laughing in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney

A man laughing in a kitchen | Source: Midjourney

From what I hear, it’s already on the rocks. Jess told me later that Kyle looked downright miserable during the wedding ceremony. And I had seen that for myself during the reception. He had avoided Adam and me completely.

“That boy’s in for a rough ride with her,” Jess said when she came over for tea and cake a few days later.

Amanda might have stolen my fairy-tale wedding, but her happily-ever-after was already on thin ice.

Cake and tea on a table | Source: Midjourney

Cake and tea on a table | Source: Midjourney

As for Adam and me? We’re better than ever. We did go on our Arctic honeymoon, and it was breathtaking.

Some lessons, I guess, are best learned the hard way. Amanda might never admit it, but I like to think she’s realized that entitlement comes at a cost.

And if not? Well, let’s just say I’ll always have the satisfaction of knowing she outsmarted herself.

Karma, after all, has a way of evening the score.

A smiling couple | Source: Midjourney

A smiling couple | Source: Midjourney

What would you have done?

If you’ve enjoyed this story, here’s another for you:

My Cousin Intentionally Sewed My Wedding Dress 2 Sizes Smaller – She Was Shocked When She Saw What I Did with It

When Jess and Michael get engaged, her cousin Sarah decided to sew her wedding dress for her as a gift. But during the final fitting, Jess discovers that the wedding dress is two sizes too small. Will Sarah fix her error, or will Jess have to take things into her own hands?

My cousin Sarah and I have always had a complicated relationship. She’s loud and bubbly, but also the type of person who craves the spotlight. And because of that, our entire family gave her the attention she wanted. It made more sense to shine the spotlight on Sarah, rather than ourselves.

When Michael and I got engaged after being together for four years, my whole family seemed genuinely excited for me.

A couple standing together | Source: Midjourney

A couple standing together | Source: Midjourney

Sarah even got all of our girl cousins together, along with my best friends, for a night out. Ending in an Airbnb where we continued the party, because I was the first of us to get engaged.

During that night out, Sarah came up to me, a glass of champagne in her hand.

“Jess! I have a great idea!” she said.

A smiling woman holding a glass of champagne | Source: Midjourney

A smiling woman holding a glass of champagne | Source: Midjourney

“What?” I asked. “What do you want to do?”

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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