For Number 12, a gilded age

A super talent, but how Tom Brady's changed

September 07, 2008|Bob Hohler, Globe Staff

(Page 4 of 4)

The Brentwood site complements Brady's 74th floor condo at New York's Time Warner Center, which overlooks Central Park (he bought the unit in 2004 for $14 million and recently placed it on the market for more than $18 million). Bundle his New York and California properties with his Beacon Street town house, which he bought in 2006 for more than $6 million and spent several million to renovate, and Brady has gone far from the modest Chestnut Ridge condominiums in Franklin.

"We really don't see him here anymore, unfortunately," Sarro said at Fresh Catch, where Brady once found happiness in the coconut shrimp, 2-pound lobster, and filet mignon. "His life has definitely changed."

Long way from deli daysBrady's climb toward the real estate stratosphere began when he upgraded from Franklin in 2003 to an $808,000 town house at Marina Bay. Soon, he was a regular at the marina's waterfront restaurants as well as the Fat Belly Deli in Dorchester, often arm-in-arm with Moynahan. He even partied at the deli after one of the Super Bowl parades.

Those days are over, though. Brady sometimes visits his sister, Nancy, at Marina Bay - his family and Bundchen celebrated his 31st birthday there at Siros with him last year - but he has not been spotted at the Dorchester deli since he moved from Quincy in 2005 to the historic Burrage House mansion in the Back Bay. He bought the Commonwealth Avenue condo for $4.1 million and sold it last year for $5.28 million.

"He's pretty much out of our neighborhood now," said Kenny Blasi, who owns the Fat Belly Deli and often prepared Brady chicken sandwiches with sauteed onions. "He's in a new world, and it seems like a whirlwind."

At 31, Brady is entering the autumn of his playing career, though he has yet to show any sign of his skills diminishing. Sports Illustrated featured him last week on the cover of its NFL preview issue and predicted he would guide the Patriots to their fourth Super Bowl championship in seven years.

Should the Patriots succeed, Brady will ride the duck boats, then likely bid Boston goodbye again in the offseason. His life may remain a feast, but for many of the ordinary folks who befriended him on his journey from Franklin to fame, there will be an empty seat at the table.

"I liked him a lot," Kontoulis said. "I wish I could see him again."

Bob Hohler can be reached at hohler@globe.com.