Kelly Bensimon thinks fellow The Real Housewives of New York City alum Bethenny Frankel’s recent move was a smart one.
“I think that moving to Florida is always a good idea when you’re at that second stage of your life,” Bensimon, 57, exclusively told Us Weekly on Wednesday, May 28, while attending Miami Swim Week.
“It’s a homestead state, so it’s really good to protect your finances,” she continued. “So that was a really, really smart move for her and just to relax and just take these next whatever it is — 30 years — and just really for her to really, really enjoy. I think that’s a great idea for her.”
Frankel, 54, first announced her decision to move to the Sunshine State along with her daughter, Bryn, in April, citing both “personal and professional reasons.”
“I am moving to Florida for personal and professional reasons,” the reality TV star said at the time via an Instagram Video. “Something has arisen that made this the best and healthiest for myself and my daughter.”
One month later, Frankel opened up about the reasons behind the move, admitting to fans that she hadn’t been “totally honest” about her motivations.
“I haven’t been totally honest with you about this move,” she shared in a video posted on May 11. “I’ve been pretty lonely the past five or six years. And it started with the pandemic, which gave me license to be the introvert and insular person that everyone is surprised that I am. My friends know it very well because I look like a social person, but I’m not! I could be home for days without leaving the house, and the pandemic gave me license to do just that.”
She went on to explain that she had been discussing the move for a while with her daughter, Bryn, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Jason Hoppy.
“We were out in the Hamptons, and then I moved to the suburbs and I thought it was gonna be amazing,” she continued. “It really became a cave where I was lonely and home and never did anything. The only time I would have fun would be when I would go out of town.”
While Florida is now her main place of residence, Frankel maintains a home in New York City — and ultimately hopes that her Florida move will reinvigorate her love for the Big Apple.
“I ironically think this move is gonna reinvigorate my relationship with this city,” she said. “I have just been keeping this inside, because when you have something going on that you can’t change, you don’t talk about it.”
