Photography by Jessica Sample and Ragan Wallake
Molly Schoneveld is a Los Angeles based publicist and founder of lifestyle blog This Yuppie Life. Molly's lifestyle PR business focuses on tv, actors and interior designers which has truly been keeping her busy in a town filled with A-list actors and designers. Her home features traditional decor elements blended with pops of refreshing and colorful contemporary additions. You'll really enjoy this home tour along with getting an insider perspective on the lifestyle PR industry in Los Angeles. Here we go!
Jacquin: What is one of the main differences you've noticed between working with your actor clients versus clients in interiors & design?
Molly: There’s a lot that is similar actually, but the main difference is the type of outlets you’re working with. Entertainment is such a small industry, so when you are an entertainment publicist, you have pretty much worked with all the same people for years. Depending on the actor’s project, you are usually pitching more mainstream media i.e talk shows, fashion magazines, major newspapers. You also have the support of the network or studio, so there is a lot of collaboration and you are trying to time press to the project’s release. There can be travel involved and a lot of coordinating schedules if the client is still in production. With actors, the job can be 24/7, it’s fast paced and really intense at times. There is usually a lot of filtering incoming requests too.
With designers, it is usually slower paced. I am typically hired in two different ways: to place a specific project or to try and raise the profile of the designer through profile pieces and giving expert opinion. If I’m placing a project, you really have to go to one outlet, wait for an answer, which can be weeks or even months, and then move on. If my job is the later, there can be a lot of homework on the client’s part and I’m obviously pitching design and lifestyle magazines more than mainstream media.
Jacquin: How do you unwind at home from busy work life? What are your favorite hobbies?
Molly: Ha! The struggle is real. I work a lot on my blog in my spare time, so lately it does feel like I’m always working. I love massages and get them as often as possible. I love trying new restaurants and cooking, so my life heavily revolves around food. I love to travel, so having even a weekend getaway is huge for me in terms of recharging. And when I can’t get away, you will find me cozied in bed watching reruns of “Sex and the City.”
Jacquin: Tell us about your decorating style. What has been your favorite design purchase so far?
Molly: I would say I am more traditional mixed with modern eclectic. I love the contrast of black and white, which you will find throughout my home. One of my favorite design purchases are the green drip glaze lamps in the living room (shown above) because they were the first purchase we bought when we first started caring about design beyond Pottery Barn. This lamp is usually the first thing people compliment in my house (besides the kitchen).
Jacquin: What are your "go-to" selections for entertaining at home?
Molly: My friend Ragan and I actually started a dinner party series where we invite other women business owners for cocktails, dinner and conversation. I learned so much about what works and doesn’t work. For instance, I think food looks best served on a solid colored plate—at home I use white. It’s also so much easier and cheaper to mix up your napkins and other décor rather than buying new plates every time. I did recently purchase black matte plates that I layered white salad plates over and they are inexpensive and stunning. One of the best things I served at a dinner party was a mini olive oil cake with Eucalyptus ice-cream that I recreated from Hotel Eden in Rome that was quite possibly the best dessert I’ve ever eaten. It went over very well!
** See the recipe below for this crowd-pleasing Eucalyptus Ice Cream! **
Jacquin: What PR tips would you give to business owners like myself looking to plan their 1st launch event?
Molly: Relationships are everything. That’s also just true in life. If you can’t afford to hire a publicist, pick a couple of publications that you want to be in, and then try to find a way to reach the editor that covers your type of business. If you own a shop, invite publications to visit. If you are a designer with a project, introduce yourself via email and (this is important) include a small paragraph about yourself and the project and ONE photo. Nobody has time to read a 2-page email and editors hate getting tons of images via email that will clog their inbox. If you are going to work with a publicist, remember that they are an extension of your team. The more available you are to them and the more information you provide, the better your relationship will be and the better results you will get.
Jacquin: What are your favorite places in Los Angeles for home decor?
Molly: My client Hammer and Spear in Downtown LA is amazing. I rarely leave without buying something from their small goods section. I also love 45Three, which is a little bit of an insider’s secret—that’s where I got my green lamps! I also love Consort, which is really close to where I live. They have the coolest hand sculptures and accessories.
Recipe for Homemade Eucalyptus Ice Cream
*Makes approximately 2 quarts*
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- Approximately 10 eucalyptus leaves - (I used Eucalyptus glaucescens which has round leaves and are easy to find in floral shops or Whole Foods. If you are using a larger leaf, like what we used for garnish, you won’t need as many.)
Instructions:
Step 1. Bring
the milk, half and half and sugar to 165 degrees. Then, turn down the
heat and add the eucalyptus leaves and steep for approximately 20
minutes, tasting every 5 minutes to make sure it isn’t too strong.
Step 2. Add the milk mixture to the egg yokes in a separate bowl, whisking
constantly. Let cool. Chill in the refrigerator over night (or until
very cold).
Step 3. Then, churn per the instructions in your ice cream maker
manual.
ENJOY!
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