Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the New Yorkers, a podcast by New York City Cop. I'm your host, Kelly Kopp, published photographer, New York City tour business owner, real estate content creator, podcaster, and above all else, a New Yorker.
[00:00:14] Speaker B: Ladies and gentlemen, the next Brooklyn found train in Mount Biden. Stand clear of the closing doors, please.
This is.
[00:00:56] Speaker A: With me today. I have interior designer Hilary Wallace. She is a graduate of the UCLA interior design program, co founder of the Ralph Lauren interior design department, and she is a principal designer at her own firm, Simon Wallace Design. But above all else, she is a New Yorker. Hey, Hillary, welcome to the show. How are you today?
[00:01:18] Speaker B: I'm great, thank you. How are you?
[00:01:20] Speaker A: I'm great, too, thank you.
Super happy to have you here.
You may not remember this, but I do love how we met. I was with a friend outside of your beautiful home on the Upper west side and looking at your incredible Halloween decorations. That's right. Everybody loves. And I think you, like, opened the window a little, and I kind of just.
[00:01:41] Speaker B: That's right.
[00:01:42] Speaker A: And I open. You open the window, and I started. I started to get your attention and, you know, basically said, my name is New York City Cop. I, you know, I'd love to have you on the podcast one day. It just led into that and.
[00:01:55] Speaker C: Right.
[00:01:55] Speaker A: And we. And you were basically like, sure.
I'm like, this is awesome.
[00:01:59] Speaker B: Right? It was a very New York moment. Yeah. I was fixing the pumpkin inside the window.
[00:02:04] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:02:04] Speaker B: And I think you saw me sticking my head out, and we started. We were, like, having this deep conversation with my head sticking. We were out the window.
[00:02:12] Speaker A: Yeah, we were.
[00:02:12] Speaker B: Yeah. Wait, that's so funny. Right? And we did. We had this deep conversation, and then I think I might have pop my head out the window and I might have come outside.
[00:02:20] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:21] Speaker B: And I think we took it from there.
[00:02:22] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:23] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:02:23] Speaker A: It was really fun, you know, and.
[00:02:25] Speaker B: That'S how this beautiful relationship.
[00:02:27] Speaker A: Exactly. And here we are right now having this awesome podcast, and we're going to hear all the amazing things that you do and how amazing you are, and I'm super excited. Super, super excited.
So were you. Let's start out from the beginning. Were you born in New York City or. Tell us where you were born and how you ended up in New York City if you weren't.
[00:02:45] Speaker B: I will. Well, I was not born in New York City.
[00:02:47] Speaker A: You know what? You wouldn't know, because look and feel in, you know, your aura, everything into even your. You talk like a New Yorker.
[00:02:54] Speaker B: It's just because I talk fast and I talk bold.
[00:02:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:57] Speaker B: So believe it or not, I'm from la.
[00:02:59] Speaker A: Oh, that's right, I did.
[00:03:00] Speaker B: Yeah. And what? Even being in la, everybody always say, said, you're such a New Yorker. You're such a New Yorker.
[00:03:07] Speaker A: Really? That's awesome.
[00:03:08] Speaker B: So I was really born to be in New York. So I remember the first time I came here, I was about 11, and we were just flying through New York to go somewhere else, and I said to my mom, I said, I'm moving.
[00:03:19] Speaker A: Here at 11 years old.
[00:03:21] Speaker B: That was it. And I knew I was going to move here. And like I said, even though I was born in la, went to the beach all the time, that was sort of our jam, I was still. I was a New Yorker, and people always thought I was a New Yorker.
[00:03:35] Speaker A: You know what? I love that you said that, because I always say, too, that New Yorkers are born all over the world every day that weren't born in New York, you know, so people feel that connection like you felt at 11 years old, which is amazing. So people listening to the podcast right now can identify with what you're saying too, that they feel like a New Yorker, regardless of what country or wherever in the world they are.
[00:03:55] Speaker B: I think it's a certain vibe.
I find New York intoxicating.
[00:04:01] Speaker A: Me too.
[00:04:02] Speaker B: It feeds the fuel to my fire.
And I love la. I like the beauty of it.
But New York just, like, just gets me going.
And you could be walking in the middle of the city and all of a sudden it's kind of quiet, but I feel like there's arms around me, like, supporting me. Like, you could be whoever you want here, but yet you could almost be isolated in a big city.
I don't know if that makes sense.
[00:04:29] Speaker A: But for me, 100% understand.
[00:04:31] Speaker B: I feel safe here.
And I know that sounds really strange. I feel really safe in the city, but, I mean, I know everyone in my neighborhood, everyone's up, everyone's business.
I just. I love it. And I go to LA all the time, My family's still there, and I. I really can't wait to always come back to New York City.
[00:04:48] Speaker A: That's interesting too, that you say that. I feel the exact same way. I'm sure you do too, Jay, but you were born here, so. Yeah, you know, I guess they can't.
[00:04:54] Speaker B: Compare to anywhere you can't wait to come back to where you're from.
[00:04:58] Speaker C: Whenever I travel, I'm always like. To come back to New York.
[00:05:01] Speaker A: What'd you say?
[00:05:02] Speaker C: No. So whenever I travel, I'm always, like, very happy to be Back in New.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: York, when I leave New York City, I look out the window and I see it, you know, going off in the distance, and I'm like, no.
You know, and then I'm. I'm really excited to come back. You know, I'm happy to see my friends and family, my parents, but I really look forward to coming back. Yeah, but I completely understand with what you're saying, every word you said, I completely agree and understand. I think our listeners feel the same way, too.
[00:05:27] Speaker B: And there's some people who just get to New York City and they. They're like, oh, God, they feel claustrophobic and it's too much for them.
[00:05:35] Speaker A: Right.
[00:05:35] Speaker B: And I understand it. I think it's a city either you love or you don't.
[00:05:39] Speaker A: Correct.
[00:05:40] Speaker B: And. And that's just the way it is. Either you love it or you don't. And you. You have to love it to be here.
[00:05:45] Speaker A: You know, what I love, too, is people who come here with this preconceived idea of how we'll say how dangerous or how dirty or how whatever it is, and then they fall in love with it, you know, on their first trip here, and they're like, I love it. It's nothing like I thought. And I think I hear that many more times than the other way, you know, than the negative way. Most people that come here do fall in love with the city and love, you know, and want to come back. I agree. You know, I agree.
[00:06:10] Speaker B: I feel much safer in New York than I do when I'm in L. A. 100%, hands down. I mean, my daughter just moved to LA and she said, mom, I feel much safer in New York.
[00:06:20] Speaker A: Oh, wow.
[00:06:21] Speaker B: And I was like, that's my New York City girl.
[00:06:24] Speaker A: She born here too?
[00:06:25] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. I mean, both of my kids are New York born. They're New Yorkers.
[00:06:29] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:06:29] Speaker B: And, yeah.
[00:06:31] Speaker A: And so this is great. I love. I love talking about this.
[00:06:34] Speaker B: Just this get so warm and, like.
[00:06:36] Speaker A: Fuzzy, talking about New York, our commonality, our love for New York City, you know, when I know people listening feel the same way. Yeah. You know. Well, wonderful. So where were we then?
[00:06:47] Speaker B: We were. We were in LA.
[00:06:49] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:06:49] Speaker B: But now we're in New York.
[00:06:51] Speaker A: So at 11, you said you wanted to move here. So when did you move here then?
[00:06:55] Speaker B: I didn't move here until I was like, 26, 27, maybe 27.
[00:07:00] Speaker C: Ish.
[00:07:00] Speaker A: So from 11 to that age, what was your journey?
[00:07:03] Speaker B: My journey was living in the 80s in LA, which was.
[00:07:09] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:07:10] Speaker B: It was awesome.
[00:07:12] Speaker A: Y.
[00:07:13] Speaker B: That was pretty. That was pretty Epic. I'm going to leave it at that.
No, it was awesome.
[00:07:20] Speaker A: I'm an 80s kid too.
[00:07:21] Speaker B: I mean, there's nothing better than the 80s.
[00:07:23] Speaker A: Oh, my gosh.
[00:07:23] Speaker B: No phones. Your parents just said, be home by the time it's dark.
[00:07:27] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:07:29] Speaker B: I grew up in la. It was awesome.
Went to college and then after college I moved to Colorado and I was supposed to go for one season. Ended up being there for six years.
[00:07:41] Speaker A: That's pretty cool.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: Which was awesome.
And then I went back to UCLA to do interior design.
[00:07:46] Speaker A: Nice.
[00:07:47] Speaker B: And then I moved to New York.
[00:07:50] Speaker A: So was interior design your passion always or what took you?
[00:07:53] Speaker B: No, I've had a lot of passions. I went to school thinking I was going to be Barbara Walters. I really thought I'd meet a great newscaster.
[00:08:01] Speaker A: I could see that, definitely.
[00:08:02] Speaker B: But then I never occurred to me that you had to read prompts.
And that was really.
That was really hard for me. You know, like, I was like all of a sudden, the problems when I was like, oh, shit. I was like, I don't know that word.
[00:08:18] Speaker A: That's so funny. I've never even thought. That's right. I've never had to read a prompt, but I've always. Funny. I've wanted to be. I'm spitting. I'm so excited about this.
[00:08:25] Speaker B: Right? I mean, Barbara Walters. Who doesn't want to be. Do you know I wanted to be.
[00:08:28] Speaker A: A podcaster when I was younger? You know, it's hard, but I've never had to read a teleprompter.
[00:08:32] Speaker B: It's hard.
[00:08:33] Speaker A: Wow, that's. So this is like a new.
[00:08:35] Speaker B: Right. You don't really think about it until you do it. So I did that and that was like a super bad idea for me.
[00:08:42] Speaker A: That's really funny.
[00:08:42] Speaker B: And so then I did that, and then I really wasn't sure what I did, but I was always designing things for people and whether, you know, I always had miniatures in my house and I was always redoing that or I was always redoing my parents house. And they were like, I was the kid that my parents would say, stop cleaning the house.
Stop redoing everything in the house.
[00:09:01] Speaker A: Oh my gosh. My parents would have loved to have adopted you.
[00:09:03] Speaker B: Yeah, a lot of. Yeah. Well, they didn't like it.
[00:09:05] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:09:05] Speaker B: And my parents collected furniture, so I grew up in a house with parents with good taste, but I was always redoing stuff. And then when I moved to Colorado to make money on the side, I was a waitress as a professional waitress.
[00:09:18] Speaker A: Been there. Awesome waiter, too. Yep.
[00:09:20] Speaker B: Awesome. Job. Everybody should do it.
[00:09:22] Speaker A: I agree. I. I completely agree. Yeah.
[00:09:24] Speaker B: Because then you really know what's going on.
[00:09:26] Speaker A: Jay, have you been a waiter?
[00:09:27] Speaker C: I have not been away.
[00:09:28] Speaker A: You need to.
[00:09:28] Speaker B: You need to be a waiter now. It's important.
[00:09:31] Speaker A: It really is just how to deal with people.
[00:09:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:09:33] Speaker A: People could appreciate people.
[00:09:34] Speaker B: People could be pretty intense.
[00:09:36] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:09:38] Speaker B: But.
And then I started making money on the side, because the way we would save money is we would pick up furniture in the alley because people would throw their furniture out. And it was nice furniture. And then so I figured I was making money doing that, so I would pick up the furniture, fix it up, and resell it. I was like, that was a good, good side job.
[00:09:58] Speaker A: Right.
[00:09:58] Speaker B: So I was like, wait, I can actually make money doing something that's just fun and I love.
So then I end up going back to school, and I was like, wait, this is really great.
And that's how it all sort of happened.
[00:10:10] Speaker A: Wow, that's amazing. So your first real designing job? Is that how I would word it? Like, what did you. What was that?
[00:10:18] Speaker B: The first real. I went. So I went to ucla, and then I got an internship through UCLA with an incredible firm. I got really super, super lucky with them.
And I worked the whole time I was in school.
[00:10:31] Speaker A: Yep, me too.
[00:10:32] Speaker B: You have to work while you're in school, otherwise it's a waste of time. Because what you learn in school isn't practical. What is really happening.
[00:10:38] Speaker A: Right.
[00:10:39] Speaker B: So I worked the whole time with them, and then it was time to go to New York. I mean, it was just the next step.
[00:10:44] Speaker A: Right.
[00:10:45] Speaker B: And then I moved to New York. I got a job. And then I just totally by chance and luck, Ralph Lauren was starting in interior design department.
[00:10:55] Speaker A: Amazing.
[00:10:56] Speaker B: Within the store.
And with just luck and super, super luck, I got the job and took it from there. And I was there.
[00:11:06] Speaker A: Your talent had a lot to do with it, too.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: I think so.
[00:11:09] Speaker A: Yeah. You're amazing.
[00:11:10] Speaker B: I mean, I. I would hope a little bit. Yeah.
[00:11:13] Speaker A: I think you're super talented. That's why you got it.
[00:11:16] Speaker B: Yeah. And that was. That was really, like, almost like getting like a third degree. It was amazing what I learned at Ralph Lauren. It was.
It was life changing. I mean, besides the friendships I made, it changed everything I learned and I knew.
[00:11:31] Speaker A: And this is in New York City then?
[00:11:32] Speaker B: Yeah, this was in New York City. I mean, it was. It was.
It was an incredible experience, you know, because that's when Ralph ran it.
[00:11:40] Speaker A: Right. I was gonna say, I'm sure you met him then.
[00:11:41] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, Yeah. I Mean, they. They would take us on these trips, they would teach us. They taught us what a lifestyle was, Right. And it was hands on. It was amazing.
And they would take us on trips and teach us how. How to make these things come alive.
So it was incredible experience. So I was there.
And so we started. There was a head guy, Winston, who was our main guy. And then there was myself and two other gentlemen who were in the department.
And it just grew like wildfires. It was amazing.
It felt too good to be true. Like, I had to pinch myself.
You know, we had to wear head to toe Ralph Lauren clothes, and we were flying to Germany or Belgium or whatever style the gig was. Like, let's say it was a modern style house we were doing, or very traditional. We have to dress in head to toe, whatever that style was.
[00:12:36] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:12:37] Speaker B: Because we are creating a lifestyle for these clients.
[00:12:39] Speaker A: I'm envisioning everything you're saying.
[00:12:41] Speaker B: Yeah, it was really great. It was. And what it's carried on in my lifestyle now. So if I'm going to a client and the style's like rock and roll thoroughbred. You know, I'm wearing leather pants and, you know, some hot hat.
And what you realize is it really does make a difference because, you know, from everything you're wearing to your. The smell you have on to your whole vibe, you're telling a story.
[00:13:05] Speaker A: Right.
[00:13:05] Speaker B: And that's really important for people. And it's important the whole narrative.
[00:13:11] Speaker A: Right.
[00:13:11] Speaker B: And so I learned all that at Ralph, and I carried it when I.
[00:13:14] Speaker A: Left to connect with the client.
[00:13:16] Speaker B: And everything I carried in my whole house now. I mean, my four kids have been brainwashed and now they live like that.
[00:13:22] Speaker A: Right.
[00:13:24] Speaker B: And so anyway, it was incredible, Incredible experience at Ralph Lauren.
Also made some of my dearest friends ever.
And so when I left, I also met my husband through that way, which is pretty cool. Yeah, Very cool. I mean.
[00:13:38] Speaker A: Yes.
Best thing ever.
[00:13:43] Speaker B: And, you know, so I left there. And then I started my. I left like on a Friday, and then like on a Monday, I started my lcc Simon Wallace Design.
[00:13:55] Speaker A: Right.
[00:13:56] Speaker B: My clients all came with me and then haven't come up for breath dance.
[00:14:01] Speaker A: Good for you.
[00:14:03] Speaker B: And I'm still going, chug, chug, chug, chug, chug.
[00:14:06] Speaker A: That's amazing. So can I ask you, when you moved into the house that you live in now, how long have you lived in the house you live in now on the Upper west side?
[00:14:14] Speaker B: I have been there nine years.
[00:14:19] Speaker A: That's a beauty.
Such a beautiful house.
[00:14:22] Speaker B: I love my house. Yes, it's been Like a dream forever. I've always. You know, you move to New York and you think you're going to get, like, this cool apartment and you realize how expensive. And I Like, I lived in a shoebox, like, legitimately. Like, I had a queen. I had a. I wish I had a queen bed. I had a twin bed, a closet from IKEA that was, like, two feet wide.
That's it? Yeah, that's it. That's all I had. We had no sink in our bathroom. I mean, it was like, my parents showed up to visit, and they. They said, oh, my God, are you okay?
And it was. You know, and I said one day to myself, I said, I'm going to work, and I'm. I want this.
[00:15:02] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:15:02] Speaker B: And so we. We did it. My husband and I made this happen, and I said, I want to have, like, a stoop and decorate and share it and feel like I'm on Sesame Street. And.
And.
[00:15:14] Speaker A: And you just checked all the boxes. You just said right now, real quick, where did you live before you live right now?
[00:15:19] Speaker B: I. Well, I've always been a downtowner.
[00:15:20] Speaker A: Oh, that's right. Yeah.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: We were downtown forever.
So I was downtown from the minute I moved here. Then my husband and I had a loft downtown, right around here in Chinatown, which we loved. It was really, really hard for me to move uptown. It was. For me, moving to the Upper west side was, like, as close as I was moving in the suburbs.
[00:15:38] Speaker A: Right.
[00:15:38] Speaker B: I was like, oh, my God, I'm.
[00:15:40] Speaker A: Moving in the summer. Yep.
[00:15:42] Speaker C: That's so fun.
[00:15:42] Speaker A: Well, what's funny real quick, you know, I. When I texted you before the podcast to come here, you know, I said, hey, just text me. Because it's, you know, it gets darker earlier now we're on Canal street, right? And, you know, and it's. If you're not from this area, it might be a little, we'll say, intimidating, you know?
[00:15:57] Speaker B: I love it.
[00:15:58] Speaker A: Yeah. And then you're just like, oh, you know, I meet you at the door. You're like, oh, I love it down here. I used to live here. You know, I'm like, of course you do. You know, you're amazing.
[00:16:06] Speaker B: I love it. I love. I. What I love about New York is you. My husband is like Forrest Gump. He walks. He gets up in the morning on, like, a Saturday.
Won't see him all day. He will walk from here to, like, somewhere in Brooklyn. I don't even know where.
The great thing is, you could feel like you're in different situations. City.
Just when you walk all through New York to Brooklyn, wherever you're walking. And that's what I love about New York City. I mean, I used to walk my son from the west side to the east side every morning.
[00:16:35] Speaker A: Right.
[00:16:36] Speaker B: It was like a whole different vibe.
[00:16:38] Speaker A: Right.
[00:16:39] Speaker B: From the east side just to the west side.
[00:16:41] Speaker A: It is. They are both two totally different vibes. Neighborhoods. Yeah.
[00:16:44] Speaker B: And, you know, when I was working a lot, I'd be downtown, uptown, west side, midtown.
[00:16:50] Speaker A: Right.
[00:16:50] Speaker B: You know, Murray Hill, whatever. And you really. The people, the vibe, the food, it just. It's phenomenal. It's so cool where you are. I mean, you could be, you know, Astor Place area.
[00:17:04] Speaker A: Right.
[00:17:05] Speaker B: It's. I love it.
[00:17:06] Speaker A: I do, too. I love every nook and cranny of all five.
[00:17:09] Speaker B: Like Koreatown. I mean, the food.
[00:17:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:17:12] Speaker B: Is amazing.
[00:17:13] Speaker A: Which is there. Two days ago, meeting a friend. My friend Chris actually lives down there, and I found all these awesome restaurants that I've never been to, so.
[00:17:23] Speaker B: Good. Will you make your meat?
[00:17:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:17:25] Speaker B: Have you been there?
[00:17:26] Speaker C: Yeah, I have, and I'm vegetarian.
[00:17:28] Speaker B: Okay. But you can have other food besides meat.
[00:17:30] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. Korean food isn't super vegetarian friendly. But there is a tofu restaurant that's over that I've been wanting to try.
[00:17:37] Speaker B: They have karaoke.
[00:17:38] Speaker C: They do have karaoke. I have been karaoke. You can do that a lot. Yes, I've done karaoke.
[00:17:44] Speaker B: It is a thing.
[00:17:44] Speaker A: Karaoke. Yeah.
Well, yeah. It's just the city. Every nook and cranny is incredible. You find something everywhere, and it's just. It's just amazing to. How did you find the house that you live in, though, now?
[00:17:56] Speaker B: My poor husband seriously wanted to wring my neck, so.
Well, it took us about three years, though, when we. So we sold our loft downtown because we had this grand scheme that we were going to get off the hamster wheel. We were like, that's it. We're not going to be like every other person. We're going to get off the hamster wheel. We're going to homeschool our kids and go travel the world.
[00:18:19] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:18:20] Speaker B: Well, obviously that didn't work because we're like, who's going to homeschool them? I'm not. You're not. I mean, the kids are going to be, like, not going to learn a lot.
So we said, let's just rent a place on the Upper west side. Because that's where our kids were. Up at school.
[00:18:33] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:18:34] Speaker B: And they can walk to school.
And we were like, seriously, One minute from school. They were late every single day because we were so close. Okay, so we rented a place and we said, let's think about our lives. What? Can we, you know, do something different?
[00:18:49] Speaker A: Right.
[00:18:50] Speaker B: So meanwhile, we kept looking for townhouses or whatever.
What was our next plan?
[00:18:56] Speaker A: Right.
[00:18:57] Speaker B: Everything I liked, he didn't like, or I liked, he didn't like.
[00:19:00] Speaker A: Right.
[00:19:01] Speaker B: I didn't want to be in a doorman because it just wasn't my jam.
[00:19:05] Speaker A: Understood.
[00:19:06] Speaker B: And then I still wanted to be downtown. Because I wanted to be downtown. Yeah, I did. But then it was really just ridiculous because my kids went to school uptown, but I was kind of being selfish.
We ended up buying a place downtown in a co op.
So all of this was ridiculous?
[00:19:23] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:19:24] Speaker B: And then we bought it. We started fixing it up.
Had a little bit of a nervous breakdown. Like, what the hell am I doing? This is so stupid. My poor kids are gonna get home so late every night.
Had a little nervous breakdown. Our broker calls us and says, I have a client who really loves the building you bought in, needs, like, a three bedroom. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Would you consider selling it? I was like, what?
I said, of course.
So we flipped it without ever moving in there.
[00:19:58] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:19:58] Speaker B: It was like a sign. It was a sign saying, hillary, stop being selfish. Just move uptown.
So then we started looking uptown. We looked at all these different townhouses. We finally found this one, which was screaming our name. It was just the right size. It had beautiful light, and, you know, it was supposedly a straight move in.
Two years later, we fixing the place up.
[00:20:22] Speaker A: It's so amazing. It's so beautiful.
[00:20:25] Speaker B: And we made it our home.
[00:20:26] Speaker A: It definitely. I mean, you know, you show it on Instagram and it's just so beautiful. And I just. It is my dream home, too. And so if you need a roommate, you and your husband.
[00:20:36] Speaker B: No, seriously, everybody else lives there. My nephew's living there. My daughter's best friend was living there this summer. I was like, come on in.
[00:20:42] Speaker A: It's beautiful. And then you decorate it for the holidays. And the whole city now knows your home is one of the top beautifully decorated homes in the city, thanks to social media as well. But, I mean, mostly because of how talented you are. But, I mean, the. The Halloween decorations you just did with the big eyeballs and everything. And I'm sure people are listening. I know what I'm talking about.
[00:21:08] Speaker B: And the faces.
[00:21:09] Speaker A: And the faces. I want to talk about this for a minute because I'm so fascinated about how talented you are and what you do.
[00:21:14] Speaker B: God.
[00:21:15] Speaker A: You know, and, like, you know, one thing that I, you know, on your instagram You. You talked about the faces on the pumpkin.
[00:21:21] Speaker B: Yeah, those are cool.
[00:21:22] Speaker A: Can you explain that again? Like, how that.
[00:21:24] Speaker B: So, first of all, I get all these pumpkins at the largest pumpkin auction in the United States and get.
[00:21:30] Speaker A: I read you got like, a couple thousand or.
[00:21:32] Speaker B: I got 4000.
[00:21:33] Speaker A: 4000 pumpkins.
[00:21:34] Speaker B: You should never let somebody like me loose in a pumpkin auction because she.
[00:21:40] Speaker A: Comes up with 4,000.
[00:21:41] Speaker B: You just shouldn't. Like, it's, like, not okay.
So I went there, and it's an auction, and it's a real auction. What you think? The guy's going around and I have no idea what I'm doing, and I just keep waving my little hand up.
[00:21:56] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:21:57] Speaker B: And you have people from all over the United States, from markets, from garden centers, from Whole Foods, from Botanical gardens, getting all the pumpkins, and then me from New York City.
So, yeah, it was really funny. They showed up on Amsterdam in a semi truck with seven pallets of pumpkin.
[00:22:19] Speaker A: For your home?
[00:22:20] Speaker B: For my home.
And my nephew was leaving the house. He just looked at me. He said, auntie Hillary, you're crazy. And I said, why, thank you.
[00:22:31] Speaker A: That's amazing.
[00:22:32] Speaker B: It was the first year I saw the pumpkin faces.
And so the pumpkins had Dracula and Frankenstein. And so basically how they're done is they're baby pumpkins, and they're put in a silicon mold when they're babies. And then as they grow, they grow into the shape of the mold and it cracks open.
[00:22:54] Speaker A: Oh, that's pretty cool.
[00:22:55] Speaker B: Yeah. They were so cool.
[00:22:57] Speaker A: Yeah, I love them.
[00:22:59] Speaker B: And so I got a bunch of those. Those were super popular.
[00:23:04] Speaker A: I loved them.
[00:23:04] Speaker B: And, of course, I always get my big grand prize winner. So it was like £166, right? I almost got one double the size. And I was really tempted to get it and just make my husband walk over it to get into the front door, but I figure that was pushing it. Yeah. So I had a lot of pumpkins, and then we had a little pumpkin auction sale for all the kids on the block they loved.
[00:23:27] Speaker A: That's pretty cool. It's really.
[00:23:29] Speaker B: The kids love it.
[00:23:29] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:23:31] Speaker B: Yeah. And then we just had them all composted up at this farm, which was great. The farmer loved it. So we were able to compost all the pumpkin.
[00:23:40] Speaker A: Oh, wow.
[00:23:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:41] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:23:42] Speaker B: I think I. It was put on Instagram, and it was really cute. You see the little llamas with their teeth eating them.
[00:23:48] Speaker A: I love that you. Everything you're talking about, basically, you can see on your Instagram page, you know, which is so interesting and how Long does it take you to decorate?
How. How. What holidays do you decorate? And how long does it take?
[00:24:03] Speaker B: So it takes a long time. Because what we do is we're really in a detail.
[00:24:08] Speaker A: Right.
[00:24:08] Speaker B: You know, I mean, there's some on the Upper East. They're beautiful, but, you know, they're a lot of mechanical stuff.
[00:24:13] Speaker A: Correct.
[00:24:14] Speaker B: And it's cool, right? But we are really into detail.
I love when the kids come and start counting things and noticing things. They're not on the phone. They're saying, there's a French school down the block from our house. It is hysterical. I hear the kids come. There's like, little groups of them counting the cockroaches. Because we put cockroaches everywhere.
[00:24:35] Speaker A: Right.
[00:24:35] Speaker B: In for Halloween. They're counting the cockroach in. In.
[00:24:40] Speaker A: Right.
[00:24:41] Speaker B: In French, right? And I was like, this is hysterical.
[00:24:44] Speaker A: I love it.
[00:24:45] Speaker B: So we do a lot of detail. So when we are doing the stoop, we're putting cockroaches, spiders, and we're adding so many details. So for us, it takes, like, a full week. Yeah, like a full week. Because we are just adding details and details, and it's just, you know, a lot of details.
Middle of September, we start putting pumpkins up.
[00:25:07] Speaker A: Right.
[00:25:07] Speaker B: So just kind of fall.
October 1st, we move into Halloween.
[00:25:12] Speaker A: That's right.
[00:25:13] Speaker B: Yeah. We go Halloween, and it takes a full week.
And then November 1st, we take Halloween down and just leave pumpkins up for Thanksgiving.
[00:25:22] Speaker A: Nice.
[00:25:23] Speaker B: December 1st.
Wait, then right after Thanksgiving, pumpkins go to compost.
[00:25:29] Speaker A: Right.
[00:25:30] Speaker B: I got a whole schedule.
[00:25:30] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:25:32] Speaker B: And then December 1st, a Christmas goes up, or holiday, whatever you want to call it.
I mean, this year it's called Candyland. So it's just.
[00:25:42] Speaker A: I can't wait to see it.
[00:25:43] Speaker B: It's so pretty.
That goes up to December 1st, and then I'll leave it probably till the second week of January, because a lot of people who are. I've been getting a lot of dms, people asking me to leave it up because they're traveling.
[00:25:58] Speaker A: Asking me to, like.
[00:26:00] Speaker B: Because they want to see it. So they're, like, traveling from out of the country. I was like, of course.
[00:26:05] Speaker A: You know. You know, because people know I've gone to your house, too, and they've asked about you, you know, how long you're. You're.
[00:26:10] Speaker B: Seriously? They've asked you?
[00:26:11] Speaker A: Yeah, they've asked me a couple of questions. How long? It's like, people want to see Christmas decorations still, too. And they've asked me about your house. You know, I want people to. To.
They can see Your home on Instagram and how beautiful it is. But through the podcast, I. I think I asked you to, when I met you that when we were talking window, you know, I think I asked you if it was all three. You know, the entire. The entirety of the brownstone was yours, you know, from the first floor up. And you said, yeah. And I was like, I didn't know that because the people I was with, I said a lot of most of these are just like single family units per floor.
[00:26:44] Speaker B: Right.
[00:26:44] Speaker A: You know, and I was just so amazed. Like, wow. You know, I was like, how cool is that that you have the entire brownstone. Yeah, Florida, you know, floor to ceiling, all the way up. And it's such a beautiful brownstone. And like I said, people can see it on Instagram, how gorgeous it is.
[00:26:59] Speaker B: Well, you could wait till you see it this year. This year we really used the whole entire townhouse from the.
[00:27:07] Speaker A: From the Christmas.
[00:27:08] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:27:09] Speaker A: Oh, boy.
[00:27:09] Speaker B: I mean, we.
I mean, the people who've been helping me are amazing.
They're amazing. I mean, we don't even have to talk anymore. We just look at each other in the eyes and we know what we're talking about. Don't you love that I have the best team in the whole world. And so they were at the very top of our roof.
Each string, like, one at a time, one at a time, meticulously. And then right before I left, this guy Kyle, who helped me was like on the edge of.
On the edge of my window putting a surprise out, which you'll have to come look at. I was just like, oh, my God, please be careful. Because, you know, as beautiful as we like to make everything, we always like to have a little funny something there to laugh. Because we always like to have a little something funny.
[00:27:59] Speaker A: Well, what I love that really stood out with Halloween this past year. This, you know, a couple a month or so ago, was the eyeball.
[00:28:07] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:28:07] Speaker A: I mean, that was. Everybody loved that was what people were saying. Like, the house with the huge eyeballs. You know, that was really smart and creative. Really, really cool. You know what? So also too, throughout the years, people have asked me, I just. Comments on my social media, when I post your home or someone else's, they say, gosh, do people steal their pumpkins? Do people steal their decorations? And I was like, I'm always like, I don't think so. I don't know. But I did see that. You did. One pumpkin was stolen. Right? Right.
[00:28:36] Speaker B: I mean, bad karma.
[00:28:38] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:40] Speaker B: Really? Knock on wood.
[00:28:41] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:42] Speaker B: We never get anything stolen that's the first time I've had something stolen like that. And I just hope it's in a good place.
[00:28:50] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:28:51] Speaker B: But in general, no, that's really how.
[00:28:54] Speaker A: You know was gone. Because you.
[00:28:55] Speaker B: I know everything.
[00:28:56] Speaker A: You know everything.
[00:28:56] Speaker B: I like when I say no, everything, I mean, I am like, oh, I know. Definitely something's been turned right. Like grow. My poor kids. Growing up with me was horrible. Like if they moved something the wrong way, I just know because that's this way my mind works.
But I just know where we knew.
[00:29:12] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:29:12] Speaker B: Yeah. Plus when they took it, some of the pumpkins fell on the other pumpkin. Plus it was a face pumpkin.
[00:29:18] Speaker A: That's. That's what I remember you saying.
[00:29:19] Speaker B: So they took a face pump.
[00:29:20] Speaker A: They took a face pumpkin. They were so impressed with your work that they had to take it, which is okay.
[00:29:24] Speaker B: You know, if they needed it that badly, they could take.
[00:29:27] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. But I mean, you're, it's just so amazing. I just, I just love your decorations and I cannot wait to see your Christmas decorations.
[00:29:35] Speaker B: It's really fun.
[00:29:36] Speaker A: So can we tell our audience the street you're on? Yeah, yeah.
[00:29:39] Speaker B: It's 82nd West. 82nd between Amsterdam and Columbus.
[00:29:45] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:29:46] Speaker B: You can't miss it.
[00:29:46] Speaker A: Right?
[00:29:47] Speaker B: Lots of light. And we went, we made it really pretty and happy.
And it's a Candyland theme with a little twist, some humor.
[00:29:58] Speaker A: I saw like your, your gingerbread poster or something.
[00:30:00] Speaker B: Did you see how cute that was?
[00:30:02] Speaker A: What was it say? That was saying you.
[00:30:03] Speaker B: It's a gingerbread man who's missing his leg.
[00:30:06] Speaker A: Yeah, but he was saying something or there was. Whatever it was, I was cracking. I know, it was really cute. I got a teaser.
[00:30:13] Speaker B: Yeah. You know, I mean, I, you know, you got to have a sense of humor and it's ready when you said it'll be ready. Friday.
[00:30:19] Speaker A: Friday. I can't wait.
[00:30:20] Speaker B: Late.
[00:30:20] Speaker A: Yes, Text tomorrow, please.
[00:30:23] Speaker B: Oh no, tomorrow's Friday.
Yes.
[00:30:26] Speaker C: Isn't it?
[00:30:26] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:30:26] Speaker B: Yes, yes.
[00:30:27] Speaker A: Friday.
[00:30:27] Speaker C: Tomorrow's Friday.
[00:30:28] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:30:29] Speaker B: Oh yeah. I mean the problem is you just keep going and going and the people who are helping me are just like me. It's never enough. We just want to keep going and going and like, you know, everything is hand done. So like the wreaths we do, you know, we're adding the bells, we're adding the lights. You know, it's not like we're walking into Home Depot and buying it pre made.
So everything we do, we are doing and everything has our hand on it.
[00:30:53] Speaker A: I just love it. You know what I actually, what's funny Is I sat on your steps, and I never get pictures taken of me. So I had a picture because I love your decorations so much. So I sat on your steps and I got a picture taken. It was for my profile picture. It's got the most likes I've ever gotten of any picture because I'm on your. Beautifully decorated. That makes me happy.
[00:31:15] Speaker B: You know, it makes me really happy. I've had a lot of nice people leave, like, notes under my door.
We got engaged there, then our child took their first baby picture there. We've had four Halloweens there together as a family. I mean, I've had this little girl drew me a picture of. A picture of, like, of her with all the pumpkins. I mean, it's been really. It makes me feel really good.
Like, sometimes I'm like, this is it. I'm not doing it anymore. It's, like, so much time.
It's just, you know, blah, blah, blah. And then I get these things, and it gives me hope in humanity again when I could give back. Like, if I can give back and do this, then I'm like, right on, man. I'm gonna keep doing this.
[00:32:01] Speaker A: That's beautiful. So how long from.
Does it take you to come up with the idea, Put it down on paper or computer, whatever, and to the final pumpkin being put down, you know what I mean? To the final gingerbread man being put down, you know what I mean? How long does that process take? What is the process?
[00:32:21] Speaker B: I don't put anything down on paper. Never have, never will. It's all here.
[00:32:25] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:32:25] Speaker B: It drives everyone crazy. I mean, when I was doing straight homes, of course I had to put stuff down on paper because I had a whole staff who needed to see it in my clients. But for this, I. It's all in my head. I drive everyone crazy, and I do a lot of this with my hands, showing people like, this is what we're doing. And now I have a crew that understands me, and I change things around a lot, but it's all in my head. So, like, for what I'm doing this time, I saw one thing that triggered it, and I said, I know what we're doing.
So for me, it's just. I travel a lot, or if I'm walking down the block and I see something, and it just triggers me, and I'm like, I know what we're doing.
[00:33:04] Speaker A: Nice.
[00:33:04] Speaker B: And that's it. And then I just, you know, I keep going and going, and I love it.
[00:33:10] Speaker A: It's what.
[00:33:11] Speaker B: It's kind of crazy what goes on Upstairs in his head.
[00:33:13] Speaker A: Just organic. And you're just like, this is what it is and let's make it happen. Yeah, I love that.
[00:33:18] Speaker B: And then we'll change things around. And then like last night we started spray painting at like 8 o' clock at night. We're like, we're gonna do gingerbread theme. Get out the spray paint.
You know, there's glitter all over my house. The dog's like, smoking a cigarette outside. I'm kidding.
[00:33:34] Speaker A: Speaking of your dog, I love your dog.
[00:33:36] Speaker B: There are mascots.
[00:33:37] Speaker A: Is it Finn?
[00:33:38] Speaker B: Finn and Frankie.
[00:33:39] Speaker A: Finn and Frankie.
[00:33:40] Speaker B: And they're like, the best.
[00:33:42] Speaker A: Yeah, they're cutest.
[00:33:43] Speaker B: So they're in all the pictures and they're so cute.
[00:33:45] Speaker A: Yeah, I was gonna say you. You, Jay, if you gotta stop by the her page, they're really cute.
[00:33:49] Speaker B: So they're like in everything.
[00:33:51] Speaker A: What is the name of your Instagram? We're gonna put it on the podcast anyway.
[00:33:53] Speaker B: But yeah, it's Simon Wallace design.
[00:33:55] Speaker A: Just so people.
[00:33:55] Speaker B: They're on tick tock. YouTube.
[00:33:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:33:59] Speaker B: And it's fun. You know, if I'm having fun, it's great. I like doing it because it's fun. I mean, that's why I do it. And, you know, my kids were just like, mom, you should get yourself out there. You know, you do a lot of stuff that a lot of people don't know how to do this, and it's easy for you and we're sick of helping you.
And, you know, but most of my kids are artists. Like, they're both really in. My daughter. My daughter's in fashion. So it just. It's fun.
[00:34:30] Speaker A: So there is a house, first of all. I think the Upper west side in general has just. The vibe of. The decorations are really amazing on the Upper west side.
And. And. But yours is the pinnacle of the decorations. And there's one, though, also that used to be a couple streets south or north, I don't know. And north uptown and used to have these huge cobwebs coming down. And it's not there anymore. And I thought. I thought I saw your. Did you ever decorate any other houses on the Upper west side? Okay.
[00:35:00] Speaker B: I've done. I wasn't sure I've done something that bird.
But not.
I've done a lot for people inside.
[00:35:08] Speaker A: Okay. I wasn't sure if you. There was one. They don't do it anymore. But I.
[00:35:12] Speaker B: When I've done offices, I just did a really cool office in the city.
[00:35:16] Speaker A: Oh, nice.
[00:35:17] Speaker B: And I'd give it. It's a. I can't Say the name of company, but it was like a very modern office. A lot of concrete, not very warm.
So I made it look like, like kind of a Ralph Lauren lodge.
[00:35:31] Speaker A: Did you put that on Instagram? Yes, I saw it. I love it.
[00:35:34] Speaker B: It's pretty.
[00:35:35] Speaker A: It's really nice.
[00:35:36] Speaker B: It's really, really. And we did a little diorama in there because I just thought I'd like a lot of detail in there.
So we did a little diorama with, like, ice skating and little choo choo train. And that's so amazing. I was trying to make it warm and cozy. Like, who doesn't like a choo choo train?
Choo train?
[00:35:54] Speaker A: I do, too.
[00:35:56] Speaker B: We just put a train in my house for my husband. I've never seen a grown man so excited. He was like, I got a choo choo train. Aw. He was really psyched.
[00:36:05] Speaker C: I walked by a store in Brooklyn, like, earlier this week, and it was just like a bike shop, but they had a bunch of train paraphernalia and there was like a model train going around a window. And it's like, sat and looked at the train for a little bit.
[00:36:17] Speaker B: See?
[00:36:17] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:36:18] Speaker B: Well, you come over. Seriously, come by my house. I'm telling you, my house is like an open door. Like, I mean, we sit outside of my stoop all the time and just hang out and talk to people. Like, I have made friends with. Like, you'll laugh. There's one little girl I met named Danny.
She's six years old. I love her. Like, she's the smartest, most interesting girl. She comes by and helps me do stuff. Love her. She's like my buddy. I've met the nicest people on my, like, just from doing the decor. Like, she actually came over, her and her brother on a Saturday and helped me change all the batteries. And just. It's really nice.
[00:36:56] Speaker A: I mean, just think of all the, you know, the children you're inspiring with your home and how, you know, they're growing up walking by your house, you know, every year and seeing the decorations of the different holidays. And how amazing is that, you know, what you're contributing to the neighborhood and these children.
[00:37:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:37:11] Speaker A: And their memories.
[00:37:12] Speaker B: That's I hope, you know, and it's something that's tangible, which I like, you know, versus, like, looking down on a phone. Look, I'm the biggest offender of all. I love my phone. But I also like the idea of being physical and getting out there and touching stuff and moving around. Like, when people say, oh, can I touch the stuff on your Stoop. I was like, yeah, touch. Just don't take. But touch.
[00:37:34] Speaker A: Yeah, don't take that pumpkin.
[00:37:37] Speaker B: But I love it. I. You know, we do Valentine's, which I love. I got something really cute this year that I'm adding, which will be funny. So we'll be. Do Valentine's. We do Easter.
[00:37:48] Speaker A: Right.
[00:37:48] Speaker B: I was the Easter Bunny this year.
[00:37:50] Speaker A: Nice.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: I was like, what the hell am I doing? I was, like, sitting out there. My husband just walks by. He's like, he always is shaking his head. I was like, stop shaking your head.
[00:37:58] Speaker A: Yeah. You know, I want to meet him one day.
[00:38:01] Speaker B: Oh, you'll meet him. He walks by real fast like he doesn't know me.
[00:38:05] Speaker A: Yeah, I love it.
[00:38:10] Speaker B: What else did we. Oh, we do Fourth of July.
[00:38:12] Speaker A: Nice. So you do pretty much. Yeah. Every month? Almost.
[00:38:16] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, the biggest one is obviously.
[00:38:20] Speaker A: The later in the year. Halloween.
[00:38:21] Speaker B: Halloween is huge. And Christmas.
[00:38:24] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:25] Speaker B: But.
Oh, Sometimes we do St. Patrick's Day, but it gets too rowdy.
People end up sitting on my stoop and it gets pretty rowdy.
[00:38:35] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:38:36] Speaker B: Like, it got a little rowdy.
[00:38:38] Speaker A: The rowdy gangs.
[00:38:39] Speaker B: Yeah, it was like the gangs of St. Patrick's so I think I didn't do it one year because there was, like, a lot of beer cans on my stoop the next morning.
[00:38:49] Speaker A: That's pretty funny.
[00:38:50] Speaker B: It was actually very funny.
[00:38:51] Speaker A: You know, I know you worked for. For Ralph Lauren, but are there any other creative influence influences in your life, other designers that you've looked to that have really, you know, that you've looked at?
[00:39:04] Speaker B: And Laurie, this woman who I worked for in L. A named Laurie Steichen, she was a huge influence for me in L. A. She's incredible taste. She's got a very romantic, eclectic taste, and she really was a huge influence. Influence for me.
[00:39:23] Speaker A: I love that. You know, I mean, you're inspiring me to be a better designer in some way, shape or form. I don't know what it is, but, you know, I look, I see what you're doing. And I was on your Instagram, and I was just. You know how you get stuck scrolling and watching, and I was just like, gosh, you're just inspiring me so much to.
To be better at things. You know what? You know, be a better designer or something in my life in some way. You know, you just find what you like. Yeah, exactly.
[00:39:48] Speaker B: People get too caught up in that. You just find what you like and it comes together well.
[00:39:53] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly that. You know, that's how I feel, what I do, which is really nice. I Don't know. I just was looking at yours. I'm like, wow, I'm very inspired by you.
And, you know, I think that's. You know, I'm just kind of thinking out loud when I'm talking to you right now, actually, about.
But I mean, you know, the guests are on the podcasts.
The reason they're here is because they inspire me, and I'm sure inspire Jay, too, you know, so that's what it's all about. And I love this. So that's why you're here.
[00:40:21] Speaker B: So I appreciate it. I need inspiration in life. And I've really. I've noticed as. Especially as I've gotten older, I really only round myself around people that inspire me or things that inspire me. I don't want to be around negative energy or things that don't inspire me. Even, like, watching shows. You got to either inspire me or I got to learn something from it.
[00:40:43] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:40:44] Speaker B: I mean, like, I'm telling you, this little girl, Danny, who I love, she's six years old. She inspires me.
Shout out to Danny.
[00:40:50] Speaker A: I love the. Hey, Danny.
[00:40:51] Speaker B: No, but I'm serious. Like, I really need to be around that kind of energy because you have one shot at life.
[00:40:59] Speaker A: Right.
[00:40:59] Speaker B: You know, and I. My kids are going to kill me.
[00:41:01] Speaker A: If they hear this.
[00:41:02] Speaker B: I always say, you have one shot at life.
[00:41:04] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:41:04] Speaker B: You got to make a great movie. Be the producer, director, and actor of your own movie. Make a great movie.
[00:41:10] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:41:10] Speaker B: Like, do it.
[00:41:11] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:41:12] Speaker B: And that's what I'm trying to do. And, you know, sometimes I go a little overboard.
[00:41:17] Speaker A: That's a good thing, though. I mean, I think that's the commonality of the guests that are on the show. That I feel, too, and that, you know, I mean, you know, the city and the city inspires me. You know, when you follow your passion, it.
What. That attracts the same type of people that you are, and there's no space for negativity.
[00:41:36] Speaker B: Right.
[00:41:36] Speaker A: That's what I always say.
[00:41:37] Speaker B: Yeah. And when I hear people New York negative about everything, this is that. Or this is that. Or I'm like, then leave.
[00:41:44] Speaker A: I feel the same way.
[00:41:45] Speaker B: I am so, like, like, not into your, like, negativity. Go, go.
[00:41:51] Speaker A: Well, with social media, too. You know, I. Since I am a New York City representative, you know, with my social media, I agree.
[00:41:59] Speaker B: You are.
[00:41:59] Speaker A: I get a lot of negativity from the haters. I don't know. Yes. Can you believe it?
[00:42:04] Speaker B: Why then just don't say anything.
[00:42:06] Speaker A: Well, what I do, I just block them all. I don't even care.
[00:42:08] Speaker B: I don't even to say, yeah, that's horrible.
[00:42:13] Speaker A: Yeah. I mean, it's normal, you know, But I just.
[00:42:15] Speaker B: But see people hide behind that.
[00:42:17] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:42:18] Speaker B: Yucky.
[00:42:19] Speaker A: No, I completely agree.
[00:42:20] Speaker B: Yeah, that's just yucky. Like, my new word for that kind of stuff is just yucky. My mom would say, if you have nothing nice to say, just don't say it at all.
[00:42:27] Speaker A: Yeah, I completely agree. What happened to that?
[00:42:29] Speaker B: You know, Well, a lot of things happen to that, but don't get me started. That's a whole different podcast.
[00:42:38] Speaker A: Is there. You know, this is a random question.
[00:42:40] Speaker B: Give it to me, baby.
[00:42:41] Speaker A: Is there. Is there one design trend you never want to see again?
Is there something that you were just like. And I hope that never comes back. Did you know how sometimes 80s comes back? 80s styles, which we love.
[00:42:54] Speaker B: I just remember my grandmother always had her furniture covered with plastic.
[00:42:58] Speaker A: Oh, good one.
[00:43:00] Speaker B: I just would go over there and I'd be like, grandma, why? She's like, I don't want my sofa ruined. I was like, how's that helpful, right?
[00:43:09] Speaker C: And it looks. It looks bad.
[00:43:10] Speaker A: And you.
[00:43:12] Speaker B: Yeah, I just. That always just shocked me, you know.
[00:43:16] Speaker A: I think I had. I remember as a child, too, seeing that you stick to it, too. It's.
[00:43:19] Speaker C: Yeah, Yeah.
[00:43:20] Speaker A: I never protect it, but it's not comfortable.
When you look at a room or a building, what's the first thing you notice?
Do you. What do you feel or you see when you notice when you walk into a room? As a designer.
[00:43:34] Speaker B: So you're asking me, when I walk in a room, what's the first thing I notice?
[00:43:37] Speaker A: Yes. As a designer.
[00:43:38] Speaker C: Ooh.
[00:43:40] Speaker B: I see the overall vibe. I don't see one thing nice for me when I walk into a space.
I see everything as a whole, if that makes sense. I see a lifestyle.
You know, a lot of people try and they'll buy, like, things they think if they buy a beautiful piece of art that's expensive or a really expensive piece of furniture, it's gonna make. Make it.
I don't find that the case at all.
You could have less expensive furniture, but it comes together.
[00:44:14] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:44:15] Speaker B: And I've seen that quite a few people, they live in these amazing homes and they have very expensive furniture, but it just does not work.
[00:44:22] Speaker A: Yep, I agree.
[00:44:24] Speaker B: So I look at the whole.
[00:44:26] Speaker A: I like that. I love that. If someone wants to improve their space with just one change, what should they start with?
[00:44:33] Speaker B: With one change, I usually say a sofa.
[00:44:36] Speaker A: Nice.
[00:44:38] Speaker B: I think, like, if it's a sofa, sofas could really change. The whole vibe.
[00:44:43] Speaker A: I like a nice. I like a nice soft, big, plushy sofa. How about you, Jay, what kind of sofa you like? I like the L shaped ones. Some people like. What'd you say?
[00:44:52] Speaker C: The L shaped ones.
[00:44:53] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:44:54] Speaker C: Where like you can.
[00:44:55] Speaker A: Yeah, I like the big ones too.
[00:44:58] Speaker B: Those are nice.
[00:44:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:44:59] Speaker B: That like accomplishes a lot.
[00:45:00] Speaker C: It does what you need.
[00:45:01] Speaker B: My. I finally just broke down and let my husband get one and it's nice, but it's a nice one.
[00:45:07] Speaker C: Okay. Yeah.
[00:45:08] Speaker B: He really wanted a recliner.
[00:45:10] Speaker C: I like the recliners, but I think the like functionality of the L shape because you can like fit like the three people in the middle and like you have someone on the side. You can like lay on it and like lean over to the side. It's. I don't know, we can kind of have like a table. If you have a table in the middle.
[00:45:28] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:45:29] Speaker C: And then so you have like more spaces. So I. Yeah, yeah.
[00:45:31] Speaker A: I like those two. I like, I just like. But I like a nice soft, almost like a bean baggy type disappear into and.
[00:45:41] Speaker B: Oh, I have one. You have to come over and try, my love. I have.
I mean, I. We at my house, we have them designed because I'm like a stickler.
[00:45:50] Speaker A: Right.
[00:45:51] Speaker B: So we have the like the fill designed. What is like, I'm a crazy person.
He's like, I feel like once my sofa. I'm having my sofas forever.
[00:45:59] Speaker C: Right.
[00:45:59] Speaker B: Like, I rather put spend the time and energy and get the sofa that I have it forever. Because if you really get a good sofa, you can have it forever.
[00:46:07] Speaker A: You know, this is just a random question.
[00:46:08] Speaker B: Okay, I'll try and give you an answer.
[00:46:11] Speaker A: How often should you do you clean your sofa? How do you do it? How often do you do it? Like, how does this work?
[00:46:18] Speaker B: So I do get my furniture clean because my house is like.
Like I have a lot of people in and out of my house.
[00:46:24] Speaker A: Like a lot of people in New York City inside of our home.
[00:46:27] Speaker B: Yeah. So I like I said I have a lot of people. So I have a cleaning crew that comes in.
It depends how.
Depends how many people have coming and going. But I have a guest room downstairs that pretty much is occupied 90% of the time with people visiting. So it's a cleaning crew that just comes in. They do your rugs, they do your sofa. So I would say at least once a year.
[00:46:51] Speaker A: Oh, that's. Oh, that's good for me.
[00:46:54] Speaker B: Like the main areas in the house because it was New York City and people coming in.
I have white Chairs in the front of my house, which was probably the smartest thing a person could do.
[00:47:04] Speaker A: Shoes on or off when you walk in the house. Yeah, me too.
[00:47:07] Speaker B: But I don't make people do it when I'm having a party because that's true. It ruins their outfit.
[00:47:11] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:11] Speaker B: Like, I'm not that weird.
[00:47:13] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:13] Speaker B: You know, like when my daughter would have parties in high school and she'd have like 40 kids over.
[00:47:18] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:19] Speaker B: I'd have them take their shoes off and then sometimes all tie them together because I thought it would be funny.
[00:47:23] Speaker A: Yeah, that was funny. That is hilarious.
[00:47:26] Speaker B: But yeah. And you know, when it snows. Shoes off, but.
[00:47:29] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
[00:47:30] Speaker B: I'm not like that person. If someone doesn't want to take them off, I don't want to make them uncomfortable.
[00:47:33] Speaker A: Right. I agree. You know, but I. I can't remember before I moved here from Orlando if I took my shoes off.
[00:47:38] Speaker B: No, I bet you didn't.
[00:47:40] Speaker A: You know, but now that I moved to New York City, always right when I walk in the door, because I'm thinking of what I'm. I walk so much in New York City, in the New York City street. So I just don't want.
[00:47:48] Speaker B: California. You don't take. Like, when I'm in la, no one takes their shoes off.
[00:47:51] Speaker A: Yeah, I don't think I did because I don't remember it that.
[00:47:53] Speaker B: Because you don't walk there. You go in, out. In. Out of a car.
[00:47:57] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:47:58] Speaker B: But New York, it's kind of nice, I guess.
[00:48:00] Speaker A: You know, when I go back home to Florida, I do take my shoes off now.
[00:48:04] Speaker B: Because you're accustomed to it.
[00:48:05] Speaker A: Exactly. So I don't. That's right. Because I don't. I don't really think I've seen my.
My parents shoes outside. Like I do.
[00:48:12] Speaker B: I also put slippers in the front of our house. Like.
[00:48:14] Speaker A: Oh, that's nice.
[00:48:15] Speaker B: I have little slippers everywhere for people.
Very nice. And it's just good. Look, I have them in, like, every size. I don't know.
[00:48:22] Speaker A: That's classy too, you know.
[00:48:23] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:48:24] Speaker A: You know, start putting slippers by the front door.
[00:48:26] Speaker B: It's kind of a nice touch.
[00:48:27] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I agree. So, Jay, do you have any questions, too?
[00:48:31] Speaker C: Oh, I had one question. Have you been to Blaze in like, Long island or Westchester? The Jack O. Lantern Festival.
[00:48:40] Speaker B: Oh, Blaze. Yes.
[00:48:42] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:48:43] Speaker B: Oh, my God, yes, I've been to Blaze.
[00:48:45] Speaker C: I'm sure you would love it.
[00:48:45] Speaker B: I love Blaze. And, oh, yes, I've been ablaze. And I've been to Sleepy Hollow.
[00:48:52] Speaker A: Yeah, I've done that.
[00:48:53] Speaker B: Love Sleepy Hollow.
And they have the scariest, scariest haunted house ever. Have you been?
[00:49:01] Speaker C: I don't think I've been to the haunted house.
[00:49:02] Speaker A: You need to go at Sleepy Hollow.
[00:49:04] Speaker B: It is one of this. It's a professional haunted house.
I thought my parents were actually going to have a heart attack when I took them. I actually did. Like, it was problematic. It was amazing.
[00:49:17] Speaker A: Wait, how old were your parents when you took them?
[00:49:19] Speaker B: In their 70s.
[00:49:20] Speaker A: That's hilarious. It's amazing because I'm sure we have the same, you know, parents, I think. Same age. I should.
[00:49:25] Speaker B: You need to go.
You're my brother.
[00:49:28] Speaker A: Oh, my God.
[00:49:30] Speaker B: I thought you looked familiar.
[00:49:31] Speaker A: That's why you're on the podcast.
[00:49:33] Speaker B: Holy crap.
[00:49:33] Speaker A: You're my sister. Hi.
[00:49:37] Speaker B: It's amazing.
[00:49:39] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:49:40] Speaker B: No, it's scary.
[00:49:40] Speaker C: It's worth going in Sleepy Hollow.
[00:49:43] Speaker B: Yes. Like, we used to. I was, like, the kind of parent. I dragged my kids to every thing like that. So we'd spend the weekend in Sleepy Hollow.
[00:49:52] Speaker C: Oh, cool.
[00:49:52] Speaker B: So, yes, I have been to Blake. I've been to all that stuff. And we'd make them go. They have the church event where he comes and reads, and then the headless horseman shows up.
[00:50:03] Speaker C: Yeah, that was fun.
[00:50:03] Speaker B: And my kid was like. My son was like, 6, and he was like, what is this?
I was like, it's okay.
[00:50:10] Speaker A: So, yes, I, I, I. Now I want to check out again, too.
[00:50:14] Speaker B: Oh, it's amazing. Yeah, there's. I mean, I go to all those events. I mean, I go to the Renaissance fair.
[00:50:20] Speaker C: Oh, nice.
[00:50:21] Speaker B: I'm like, oh, I'd love to see.
[00:50:22] Speaker C: Your outfit for those.
[00:50:23] Speaker B: I'll send it to you.
[00:50:24] Speaker C: Oh, that'll be fun.
[00:50:25] Speaker B: I make my kids go every year, and they, like, one year, my son was the king, and then my daughter, like, every year, we changed outfits.
[00:50:32] Speaker C: Well, that's so fun.
[00:50:33] Speaker B: It was amazing. My husband had nothing to do with.
He's like, I am not going with you, but I would drag my kids every year.
[00:50:40] Speaker C: That's so fun.
[00:50:41] Speaker B: Oh, it's. You need to go.
[00:50:43] Speaker C: I do. I haven't been, and I really want to.
[00:50:45] Speaker B: The one in tuxedo. Okay, that one's good, but the one in.
In Washington's even better. It's bigger. Yeah. In Annapolis.
[00:50:55] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:50:55] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:50:56] Speaker B: A wealth of information.
[00:50:58] Speaker C: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:51:00] Speaker A: Well, you know what I think. I think we got to tie it up now, because this has been an awesome, awesome podcast, Hillary. Truly. I mean, I. I knew we'd love talking with you. I mean, you're just so fun and so Much so interesting and inspiring. So I know people are going to come away from the podcast super inspired by you.
[00:51:19] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:51:19] Speaker A: So thank you. Thank you.
[00:51:20] Speaker B: My pleasure.
[00:51:21] Speaker A: I want to do some just, you know, ten quick Fire NYC questions. Oh, you ready?
[00:51:26] Speaker B: Ready.
[00:51:27] Speaker A: It's kind of. I don't know how you're going to answer this one. Your favorite NYC neighborhood to wander for design inspiration. Because you do live on the Upper west side, which is one of my favorites. So your favorite NYC neighborhood to wander for design inspiration.
[00:51:40] Speaker B: I like the West Village a lot.
[00:51:42] Speaker A: Yeah, I love it.
Best hidden gem shop or boutique in New York City.
[00:51:49] Speaker B: I would say somewhere in the West Village. I always seem to find little places.
[00:51:52] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:53] Speaker B: Or even. Even more. Like on Orchard street.
There's some cool stuff.
[00:51:58] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:52:00] Speaker A: Nice.
Best slice of pizza in the city.
[00:52:04] Speaker B: Oh, the place down by Elizabeth Street.
[00:52:09] Speaker A: Oh, is it? I think I know. Is it labarties?
[00:52:14] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:52:15] Speaker A: Yeah. That is the original restaurant where they created New York style pizza right there. Did you know that at Lombardi's restaurant?
[00:52:23] Speaker B: I think I did know that because I used to live on Elizabeth street and we used to go there.
[00:52:27] Speaker A: Yes. They saved the garden too. Did you see that?
[00:52:30] Speaker B: Yes. Thank God. I was gonna be saved.
I mean, come on.
[00:52:36] Speaker A: They saved it.
[00:52:37] Speaker B: I know.
[00:52:38] Speaker A: So happy.
[00:52:38] Speaker B: No, I mean, I love that place.
[00:52:41] Speaker A: Me too. So Elizabeth Garden, everybody. Yes.
[00:52:43] Speaker B: I love Elizabeth Street.
[00:52:44] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:52:45] Speaker B: I mean, I lived there when it was still all Italians and they would shut the street down.
[00:52:50] Speaker A: Right.
[00:52:51] Speaker B: And. Oh, it was amazing.
[00:52:54] Speaker A: Such a beautiful garden. Elizabeth street garden. Have you been there, Jay?
[00:52:57] Speaker C: No.
[00:52:58] Speaker B: Amazing there. I mean, I used to buy stuff from the guy this. God, I'm really showing.
[00:53:03] Speaker C: Wow.
[00:53:04] Speaker B: Then he used to sell urns there.
[00:53:07] Speaker A: Oh, wow.
[00:53:08] Speaker B: Yeah. And so from some clients, I used to buy urns there.
[00:53:10] Speaker A: That's pretty cool.
[00:53:11] Speaker B: Yeah, I know. I. When I heard it, I mean, look, they can still try and take it to Albany, right? But it's staying well.
[00:53:19] Speaker A: Was almost. It was pretty sure it was going to be, you know, destroyed and turned into low income housing. But that's not the place for it. It's not the place.
[00:53:28] Speaker B: No. They need. That needs to be public space.
[00:53:30] Speaker A: Yep.
Next question. Taxi, subway or walking?
[00:53:35] Speaker B: Walking.
[00:53:36] Speaker A: Nice. Favorite park in New York.
[00:53:38] Speaker B: Central Park.
[00:53:39] Speaker A: I was gonna say. No, hands down. What a question. Huh?
Most iconic NYC building.
[00:53:45] Speaker B: Ooh.
I would say the twin towers that are gone.
I know that's a Debbie Downer, but that's how I feel.
[00:53:52] Speaker A: No, it's not. It's a beautiful answer. No one's answered that before. That's a Beautiful answer.
Lastly, best time of year in new. In New York City.
[00:54:02] Speaker B: Oh, fall.
[00:54:03] Speaker A: Yeah. Hands down.
[00:54:04] Speaker B: I mean, come on.
[00:54:04] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:54:05] Speaker B: Fall, fall, fall. I love fall.
[00:54:08] Speaker A: Well, perfect.
[00:54:09] Speaker B: All right.
[00:54:09] Speaker A: Awesome. You're amazing.
[00:54:11] Speaker B: All right.
[00:54:11] Speaker A: And we're going to close it out. Jay.
[00:54:14] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:54:16] Speaker A: Before we let you go, we heard the New Yorkers podcast. Want to know what it means to you, Hillary Wallace, to be a New Yorker?
[00:54:25] Speaker B: Freedom.
I like to be in New York.
Fuel, intoxication.
I think being a New Yorker, I feel energy, I feel creative, and I feel like I could fly.
[00:54:47] Speaker A: I love that.
[00:54:49] Speaker C: Yeah. That's beautiful.
[00:54:50] Speaker A: Yeah, that's. What a great answer.
[00:54:53] Speaker B: Really, the way I feel.
[00:54:54] Speaker A: New York makes you feel like you can fly.
[00:54:57] Speaker B: It does. You know that song from hello Dolly? When Barbra Streisand sings Don't Rain on My Parade, it's sort of how I feel.
[00:55:06] Speaker A: Right.
[00:55:07] Speaker B: And I just. I feel like New York just fills my lungs and makes me really feel like I could live.
[00:55:17] Speaker A: Yep. Completely agree. Yeah.
[00:55:20] Speaker B: And I really mean it. Like, I just, you know, I love it.
[00:55:25] Speaker A: Yeah, I do, too. That's a great answer.
Thank you for that. I love it.
[00:55:28] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:55:28] Speaker A: Love it. Love it.
[00:55:29] Speaker B: You're welcome.
[00:55:31] Speaker A: Thank you for joining us today for this week's episode of the New Yorkers Podcast. Why don't you let everyone know where they can find you on social media, Hillary?
[00:55:39] Speaker B: Okay, well, you can find me on social media at Simon Wallace Design on Instagram and TikTok and YouTube. It's all the same username.
[00:55:51] Speaker A: Once again, I'm your host, Kelly Cop, also known as New York City Cop, all across my social media.
[00:55:58] Speaker B: Please like and subscribe to the New Yorkers Podcast and you can follow the New Yorkers on social media at the New Yorkers Podcast.
[00:56:07] Speaker A: You can leave a rating or a comment to let us know how you are enjoying the show. We read through all your comments and dms. So please, we would love to hear from you. Thank you, J N O R G6691, dancer Laura B and DTA Charlie Sheen for your kind reviews on the show. If you want to be featured at the end of an episode, leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify. Also, I want to thank you, Thierry as well, who was a loyal listener to the show too.
And also thank you, Diane Hayward, Sonia VDH and Lucy LaMotta Grigor for your comments on Facebook.
[00:56:50] Speaker B: Have a lovely day and we'll see you next time.
[00:56:53] Speaker A: Goodbye, my friend.
[00:56:56] Speaker B: This is the last stop on this train, everyone.
[00:56:59] Speaker A: Please leave the train. Thank you. For riding with mta. New York City Transit.
