CAPONE MYSTIQUE FOR A PRICE, MANSION FOR RENT

From The Right-Side...

Tax season is creeping up, and I can not think of a more mundane topic. Well, it is on my top ten list of mundane topics.

Al Capone ended it in style.

But, in keeping with the tax theme, let's think about Al Capone's mansion in Palm Island, Florida, which is open for viewing today.

Al knew how taxes should be handled (yes, he went to prison, but BEFORE that, he spent the cash on excitement instead of forking it over to the Feds). He paid the price for his crimes in more ways than prison, but that is for another blog, or not.

According to many sources, some of his cash snagged him that So-Flo mansion of the day (we are talking Prohibition era, and what was THAT nonsense all about?), where he lived and died after his stint at his other home, Alcatraz.

Naturally, the domicile has been restored, so there goes all the charm, in my book. Just one more cookie-cutter mansion, with all the luster, charm and mystery completely gutted and tossed to the curb. Keeping these gems in shape is one thing, stripping them of anything relating to their time of construction is criminal.

It bothers me that everything has to be 'totally updated' in every damned residence purchased. People (including me) need to STOP watching HGTV (I do love those Scott brothers). Leaving some of the historic touches is a good thing!

Not the Capone bathroom, but nice.

Apparently, not all is lost in the Capone digs as one bathroom seems to have retained its Art Deco (my FAVORITE style) flare. 

The one time (and final) home of that famous tax-evader is available to one and all. Temporarily, of course, and for a taxable fee-unless you have 501 (c) 3 status (which I really should have).

Gotta dash...

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LEFT-SIDE here. Hey, hey, readers! While we are on the topic of Al Capone, maybe you remember the famous Geraldo Rivera special, "The Mystery of Al Capone's Vault."? Almost two hours of hoopla, hype and fanfare before the darmatic opening of the vault. Inside was ...