After more than a decade, Tina Simpson is bidding a bittersweet farewell to Toluca Lake. The mother of stars Jessica and Ashlee Simpson and president of the Jessica Simpson Collection brand has put her lakefront estate on the market, currently listed by Craig Strong for $6,495,000. But she says she’s eternally grateful for her time here. “When I first moved to L.A. in 1998, Toluca Lake was one of the first neighborhoods I fell in love with because it reminded me of Texas,” she says, recalling the feeling of community as residents strolled the sidewalks with their children and dogs. Her dream of dwelling in the area came true in 2012, when she learned through their mutual massage therapist that Jennifer Love Hewitt wanted to lease out her Toluca Lake Avenue house. “After my divorce, I was looking for a home that would give me a hug,” Simpson explains. “The second I heard it was in Toluca Lake, I knew it was kismet.”
She adds that “it was love at first sight” with the 1926 Spanish-style home, which she purchased in 2014. Simpson has fond memories of riding her bike around the neighborhood, walking to the Smoke House and going to “Patys for pancakes, Forman’s for a great burger and Don Cuco’s for the best Mexican food and margaritas hands down,” but time spent at home was even more special — whether hosting her daughter’s 200-guest engagement party, spending holidays with family and friends or just enjoying dinner in the front courtyard. “I had this big farm table with strung cafe lights that felt like you had been transported to the hills of Tuscany,” she remembers. “All the doors open up to the courtyard, creating this warm, romantic flow of dining al fresco under the stars.” And of course, there’s the “beyond magical” lakeside lifestyle, bonding with friendly neighbors, sipping wine on sunset boat rides and watching spectacular Fourth of July fireworks. “Waking up in the morning, you grab your coffee, sit on the back porch, do your morning yoga and let that lake energy get your day going — guaranteed smile,” Simpson says. “If you had a rough day, you get on your paddleboat and churn out the frustrations and suddenly all is right in the world.”
Simpson’s sojourn in Toluca Lake was all the more memorable because “I met the love of my life here,” she shares. She and fiancé Jon Goldstein are moving on to restore a 1935 historic estate in Encino, but she hopes the next lucky residents of her Toluca Lake refuge will love it as much as she has. “The opportunity to own a house on the lake is a cherished jewel,” she says. “The memories you create will last a lifetime.”
