LollyGag

As Seen on TVTitle LollyGag

Located on the border of New York, USA and Quebec, Canada, we purchased this near 100-acre farm and forest after the events of 9/11, by forming a Quebecois French Corporation (Entreprises LollyGag Inc.), hired local staff, and immediately repaired, renovated, upgraded and converted to a nature reserve, animal sanctuary and retreat by us.  It was additionally our primary residence, although I commuted to Manhattan and Beijing a lot (~ once a month).

Facelift TV at LollyGagAs seen on TV, LollyGag’s Woop Woop was featured in a one hour TV special for DJ’s birthday

LollyGag became a party hub, nestled between Montreal and Manhattan, hosting friends a plenty for weekend’s away.  Its pool, sauna, hot tubs, barns, animals, apple orchard, forest trails, bbq’s, bedrooms, fire pits, fireplaces and cinema got extensive workouts from a large regular stream of guests.

In snowy winter times we would use the snowdrift banks (often 7 ft high) adjacent to the great room pool doors for Champagne storage.  We often worked on a barter trading system in the lovely local community, many of whom remain friends to this day.

LollyGag Property Layout Limits

  • Crop Fields divided into 7 plantations (~27 acres)
  • Forest & Lake (~62 acres) plus Private Road (1.5km deep) & Trails
  • Animal Husbandry (~3 acres fenced)
    • Sheep, Goats, Cow, Lhama, Ducks, Chickens & Rabbits (plus Deer in Forest)
    • Private Billabong (Pond) & animal all-weather barns
  • Party Home
    • 3,200 sq ft Living, 5 Bedrooms / 3 Bathrooms / 2 Dining / 2 Living with wet bar & fireplaces
    • 40’ Pool, Sauna & Jacuzzi & 2 Hot Tubs and an 87’ Deck across entire home frontage
    • Wired for media streaming throughout
    • 10 Outbuildings including indoor parking for 15 vehicles

LollyGag Animals NamingLollyGag was more of a petting zoo and luxury animal sanctuary, we named all our animals after theatre industry icons such as..

  • our Lhama named Antonio (Banderas);
  • our flock of sheep affectionately named Julie, Betty, LizaElaine, Carol, Bernadette, Vanessa etc.;
  • our dancing kid black goat named Savion;
  • our trip of goats named Nathan, Hugh, Harvey, Joel, Stokes, MandyBrian, Ramin, Raul, Aaron etc.;
  • our milking cow was named Andrea (Bocelli);
  • our herd of rabbits included Cossette, Fantine, Jean Valjean, Javert, Marius, Gavroche, Enjolras, Thenardier etc… (as they kept multiplying we moved on to ErikChristineRaoulPhilippeArmand, FirminGiryMegCarlotta etc…);
  • our raft of noisy ducks collectively we referred to as the chorus;
  • and our brood of egg-laying chickens were the crew.

We never named the snakes (although if we did, the list of Broadway names would be so easy).

We chose to name the property using my Australian heritage lingo – LollyGag meaning. “do nothing”.  We extended this naming concept to each of our out-buildings and major features…

  • Jackaroo – Aussie cowboy (my brothers career)
  • Jumbuck – Sheep
  • Chook – Chicken (our chickens barn & enclosure)
  • Woop Woop – Middle of nowhere
  • Ekka – Exhibition (in this case pottery barn)
  • Flicks – cinema (plus technical storage)
  • Ute – the common utility vehicle
  • Yakka – work, hard work
  • Never Never – way away, furtherest away
  • Billabong – pond or lake water reservoir

LollyGag Property Layout Buildings

LollyGag Forestry Theft Michel Noel InTechWhile it was a fabulous to enjoy, monthly veterinary, animal feed, barn upkeep & property expense (~ USD $22,000 adjusted for inflation, equivalent of over $33,000 today), combined with frustrating French Quebec laws (absolutely no English, oral or written allowed and focussing exclusively on arcane agriculture policies to detriment of common sense), a thieving local company (TRANSPORT MICHEL NOËL INC. broke onto our property, multiple times, literally destroying a vehicle of ours to make room for his trucks to steal our trees at an industrial level), our inept real estate agent (heavily pushing boundaries of ethics to get the commission, in favor of other parties) and a lying previous owner hiding previous contracts (with InTech forestry) and concealing massive broken infrastructure (electrical, septic, water, bore pumps, hot tubs, bathrooms etc…) at time of purchase, even from our inspectors, and made this a daily and expensive struggle…

Was it worth it? DJ had a smile on his face every day, Let the photos be the judge

LollyGag Property SatelliteLollyGag Property Satellite Boundary Overlay

From Helicopter:
LollyGag Property Aerial post Facelift

Map Location:
LollyGag Property Location Map

From the Highway:
LollyGag Property from Road in SummerLollyGag Property from Road in WInter with Snow

Title Animal Sanctuary

DJ quickly turned LollyGag into his private petting zoo, with huge monthly veterinarian and feeding costs. He named all the animals which collectively rendered the idea of farming impossible. Adding a full-time handyman to build spaceship sized chicken coops, and luxury stables, it all became a huge cost centre.

We always worried about the animals. Although we had installed heating in some of the barns, DJ decided it best on major freeze days to bring many of the smaller animals inside the main house. So, rabbits, baby goats and lambs often roamed our hallways on coldest winter days.

LollyGag Animals Chickens with Toby LollyGag Animals Cow Andrea with Mum LollyGag Animals Ducks in Billabong LollyGag Animals Goats Savion with DJ LollyGag Animals Goats in paddock with DJ LollyGag Animals Goats newborn with DJ LollyGag Animals Llama Antonio being walked by DJ on highway LollyGag Animals Llama Antonio being walked by DJ up driveway LollyGag Animals Llama Antonio being walked by DJ LollyGag Animals Llama Antonio close up eating carrot LollyGag Animals Llama Antonio with Toby LollyGag Animals Rabbits birthing pen LollyGag Animals Rabbits CossetteLollyGag Animals Sheep in PaddockLollyGag Animals Sheep Lamb DJ inside House

LollyGag Title Xmas Magic

LollyGag Xmas Christmas decorOur Canadian Great Room at LollyGag became the centre of Christmas décor, centered around a 14ft tree we picked from the forest, with a train running around its base. The massive fireplace was adorned with stockings, the stone cocktail bar with eggnog and Christmas bric-a-brac. Two massive nutcracker toy soldiers we acquired in New York guarded the far end of the room, looking over a miniature forest of lit Christmas trees on the roof above the adjoining sauna.

Above our CD collection racks of over 3,000 CD’s (the benefit of my Broadway life and having friends head Sony, RCA Victor and other labels that would include us in the lists for every show recording), we had an army of miniature Santa’s, with their reindeer on guard. Hidden speakers would pipe traditional Christmas music through the home.

Over the top? Maybe, but our houseguests and I loved it all.

Picking, felling, dragging and design of our forest Christmas Tree (with a train that circled around the base protecting the presents):
LollyGag Christmas Forest Tree chosen by DJLollyGag Christmas Forest Tree pulled through snow by TobyLollyGag Christmas Great Room Tree Gifts

We had 37 decorated Christmas trees, including a white tree away in the centre of our front field seen driving past on the highway at night:
LollyGag Christmas Outdoor Tree in centre of front field

We enjoyed my brothers young children staying at Christmas one year, so Santa’s footprints in fireplace with milk, cookies & carrots were essential:
LollyGag Christmas Great Room Fireplace after Santa

DJ decorated our great room and dining room to the hilt:
LollyGag Christmas Great Room LollyGag Christmas Great Room Toy Soldiers LollyGag Christmas Great Room Fireplace LollyGag Christmas Dining from StairsLollyGag Christmas Great Room Cocktail BArr Mum with GiftsLollyGag Christmas Great Room Fireplace V

Title Party House

Our dining room alone was larger than our New York apartment. With a traditional wood stove, and our teddy bear collection in glass cabinets covering an entire wall at one end, I insisted on hanging some of my favorite show posters to remind DJ what is paying for everything. He reluctantly relented.Art Henry VIII Parchment Seal

Over the years, we had collected original artwork up the yahzoo… paintings, historical artifacts and sculptures. One of my favorites was an original royal decree signed by Henry VIII with his full wax seal, giving royal assent to providing lands surrounding Windsor Castle to private citizens. Since I was born very near there, I loved this royal decree, and had it framed in a giant perspex boxed frame, with the giant wax seal dangling within the box, so you could see both sides.

The Formal Dining Room
LollyGag House Dining and Stairs LollyGag House Dining and Stove LollyGag House Dining Room table and bears LollyGag House Dining from Stairs

LollyGag House Dining under Posters 

The Great Room & Media Library:
LollyGag House Great Room summer LollyGag House Great Room LollyGag House Great Room FireplaceLollyGag House Great Room Cocktail Bar LollyGag House Great Room Closed Drapes LollyGag House Great Room Upper landing from door LollyGag House Great Room view to PoolLollyGag House Great Room Media Shelving of CDs DVDs
LollyGag House Great Room Electronic Dart BoardLollyGag House Great Room view from front doorLollyGag House Entry Hall

Sauna, Bathroom & Hot Tub:
LollyGag House Sauna LollyGag House Bathroom Great Room LollyGag House Hot Tub Room  

The Kitchen:
LollyGag House Kitchen from Sink with Built in Fridge and Shelving LollyGag House Kitchen to Sink LollyGag House Kitchen Sink Area LollyGag House Kitchen Dining breakfast area

The Bedrooms & Ensuites:
LollyGag House Bedroom Master from Door LollyGag House Bedroom Master from Bed LollyGag House Bathroom Master LollyGag House Bedroom Guest Upper WalkinLollyGag House Bedroom Guest alternate bed LollyGag House Bedroom Guest view to AnnexLollyGag House Bedroom Guest LollyGag House Bedroom Guest Annex LollyGag House Bedroom Guest 2nd LollyGag House Bedroom Guest 2nd from door LollyGag House Bedroom Guest 2nd from door with window LollyGag House Bathroom Guest

Mud Room, Landing & Laundry:
LollyGag House Mudroom LollyGag House Landing DJs officeLollyGag House Laundry LollyGag House Laundry Cellar Door

Title Like No Other

But it wasn’t all glamor and ease. LollyGag was very seasonal, the winter months were always challenging with massive snowfalls. On such a large property with long roads on the farm, it required hiring snowplows for the driveways, and industrial snowblowers to clear paths to the doorways. Our pool became an ice-skating rink, the jacuzzi a bar fridge.

Summer & Winter view from Master Bedroom:

LollyGag Property Back Yard SUMMER view from Master BedroomLollyGag Property Back Yard WINTER view from Master Bedroom
(everything you see in these photos was our property)

Around the house:
LollyGag Property from DrivewayLollyGag Property Cinema Lawn to HouseLollyGag Property Pool from North East

LollyGag Property Pool Hollywood StyleLollyGag Property Pool Facelift Reveal PartyLollyGag Property Pool from SouthLollyGag Property Front Door MosaicLollyGag Property Driveway Cars

Forest:
LollyGag Property Forest LollyGag Property Forest Pond

Around the farm:
LollyGag Property Sunset LollyGag Property Woop Woop Renovaton TV ShootLollyGag Property Farm Tractor Toby LollyGag Property Cinema Lawn Backgammon Facelift LollyGag Property Shooting DJ lesson from Dad LollyGag Property Shooting Toby LollyGag Property Guest Book Signed RocksLollyGag Property from Road Painting

The photos of our shooting our rifle need explanation…  First, the rifle. was legally licensed to me, with permit, and was intended for animal safety to scare away the coyote/foxes from attacking our animal pens.  Only used once with imminent attack, but I shot in the air only to scare away.

Then, when my father visited, he offered to teach DJ how to shoot, since I was often away in NYC.  So, my lifetime military career Brigadier General father, spends an hour teaching about gun safety and his decades of expertise, before demonstrating how to shoot at target.  Dad misses the target entirely, not once, but 3 times, and blames the rifle sights alignment.  DJ takes the rifle, and on first shot, bullseye!  Dad said he was just lucky, so DJ fired off 4 more shots, all bullseyes.   Dad immediately went to bed.

The photo of the rocks are our version of our guest book.  Friends that stay overnight were encouraged to find any rock on the property and write a note.  The rocks were then displayed on the walls of Woop Woop.

LollyGag.org Website

45°2’40.67″N 73°33’18.26″W

Our Next Adventure

HiLoft in the heart of the Montreal Gay VillageAfter we sold LollyGag (property and vast majority of contents), while commuting back and forth to Beijing, we purchased a secure loft in Montreal and named it HiLoft as our base in North America.

Toby Simkin’s Broadway Entertainment, LLC
dba within China as: 沈途彬商务咨询(上海)有限公司

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