A Stylish Living According To… Paige Appel
ABOUT.
What’s your name? Paige Anderson Appel
Where is your hometown? I grew up all over Texas, but no one town would I call home.
Where do you live now? Los Angeles!
CAREER.
What do you currently do? Currently, event design and coordination. Soon to be organic goods shop owner. I also comb the city streets for foodie bites, often they include bacon.
What motivated you to start your own business? I don’t like having a boss.
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? My biggest challenge was and is time management. I have a full life and a 5 year old son, which takes full priority. My work day ends at 3pm (or I try to make it end at 3pm) so that I can focus on family, friends, fun, relaxing. That is not always the case and I struggle with that.
What’s next for your business? Hopefully more creative styling, more photo shoots, more weddings, and definitely the opening of my shop. Stay tuned for details on that! Curated organic finds housed in a raw, urbane space. I’m too giddy for words. I want to help people feel connected to a quality of life they deserve.
Who do you look up to in your industry and why? Bonnie Tsang cause she eats as much as I do and still looks like an 18 year old porcelain doll. (Did that sound vain?) Ha! In all seriousness, I look up to anyone with a generous soul, a good attitude, and an honest work ethic. Someone who forges their own path and doesn’t worry about what others are doing. I check the blogs and magazines for inspiration, but I never compare myself to others. I just do my thing. I don’t try to be someone else, cause that is a lonely place. Well, sometimes I try to be Sarah Jessica Parker in Girls Just Wanna Have Fun but that’s a different story.
INSPIRATIONS.
Who do you share your greatest love with? The artist known as Kevin Appel. He has some mad cooking, painting, Scrabble, and love making skills. (oops, TMI)
What makes you happy? Road trips, room service, snowboarding, hiking, kisses from my son Rem, napping in the sun, my husband’s smell, beautiful sunset with margaritas and friends, movie nights, crispy bacon, intellectual chatter, inspiring art, coconut oil lip balm, my hemp converse sneakers, and finding a really good boutique.
What makes you sad? Monsanto, air pollution and dumping trash in the ocean. I can’t even imagine the world my grandkids will live in.
What’s a perfect weekend? Friday night dinner with the family at Akasha followed by a loud, living room dance party with the kids. Kevin’s special maple-butter glazed kamut pancakes on a lazy Saturday morning, then museum hopping, late afternoon picnic in the front yard, homemade ice cream making, friends over for game night. Sunday entails exploring other city neighborhoods happening upon good eats and new shops, early evening movie, followed by a dinner date and drinks with my one and only man. Then home to cuddle up and watch Mad Men repeats.
Who do you most admire? My father-in-law and my husband. Two of the most generous, honest, grounded men I know. Not to mention, the wisest blokes you will ever have a conversation with. I swear they would cut off their right arm if I needed a third one.
FAVORITES.
splurge: Kathy Rose Arrowhead necklace
gadget: iPhone
flower: Wildflowers and Astilbe, I also love heirloom wild roses.
book: Siddhartha, The Alchemist, I Shock Myself, The Corrections, White Noise, Ishmael.
movie: Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Elizabeth, Queen Victoria. ( I have a thing for Brit period pieces) Also Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation, Inglorious Basterds, White Christmas, French Kiss, and Annie Hall.
singer/band: Band of Horses, Richard Ashcroft, Fruit Bats, Willie Nelson, MGMT, Beck, Carla Bruni, Coconut Records, and the soundtrack to High School Musical (don’t judge people).
city: Boulder. New York. No, Boulder. Austin. New York.
hotel: Rosewood Mayakoba
store: Ethel, Turpan, Lost & Found, Roseark, Levi’s, Esquivel, Community, Confederacy.
restaurant: Animal, Comme Ca, Bottega Louie, Wurstkuchee, Mercantile, Umami Burger, Akasha and Gjelina. And O! Burger for organic fast food.
drink: The Aviation with Creme de Violette.
dessert: Gjelina‘s Butterscotch Pot de Creme. Hands down the best dessert in town. I also like the maple bacon ice cream at Craft and the Guinness ice cream at Fraiche. Oh, and don’t forget the Lemon Pousset at Huckleberry. Or the key lime pie at Thyme. (Damn, I get around)
BEAUTY.
shampoo: John Masters Organics Honey Shampoo
facial cleanser/moisturizer: Evan Healy Rose cleanser
soap: Chivas goat milk lavender soap
perfume: Rose oil or Strange Invisible Perfume
can’t live without: lip gloss: Josie Maran Cosmetics in Optimism; deodorant: Nourish Organic
CLOTHES.
signature style: eclectic-mod-classic-effortless. sometimes a bit earthy. usually with some kind of kid stain on it.
jeans: Levi’s
tank/t-shirt: American Apparel
shoes: Toms, Camper boots, or linen Repetto ballet flats
bag: Heather Heron hemp Aspen tote
skivvies: Loup Charmant frillies
jewelry: Sid Vintage
favorite accessory: Headband, bracelet or scarf.
*Thanks, Paige! And special thanks to Kelly for her styling help.* Stay tuned for my next guest. ;)
oh! i love this! thanks for sharing!
Paige is one cool chica. Have I mentioned how much I adore this series, Bonnie?
love this yet again. that wallpaper is stunning. Love how paige loves the earth.
Love this!
this is lovely! and i am not a dessert person but fell in love with that butterscotch goodness at gjelina last week!!
wonderful, bonnie! I love learning about other people + paige was just adorable + fun to read about :)
What a bad-ass series, I love it! Paige is the bomb dot com.
love this bonnie!!
Love this. Paige, you’ve got mad style!
fun fun fun. love paige’s taste in films. didn’t think there was anyone else as bizarre as i am to put pride and prejudice and inglorious bastards both as “favorites.” ;-) xoxo
bonnie! i love this series!! paige, your city choice is so funny! i was rooting for boulder….i love colorado!!
love jane austen movies too. especially mansfield park- the original one. and even though the bbc version of sense and sensibility is so long, i still prefer that one.
and thanks for introducing me to repetto!
bonnie, thank YOU for doing this series. it’s so much fun.
This is such a cool idea. I found you through paige’s blog and I dig your style. and she is so rad.
Thanks, everyone, for your comments!!
Thanks everyone for the sweet comments!!
I love the idea of an organic goods store. Since you are an events planner/coordinator, do you plan to have a store that houses many of the products and resources you already use in those events? There are those who really need an events planner and then there are those who can’t make room for one in their budget or they just prefer to do it themselves. Your store could provide many of the products/resources you are already using for your events. Your knowledge and resources would be so beneficial in this area because 1. You’ve done the foot work and 2. You can educate your customers!
hi colleen, yes yes yes. my life is completely synergistic so i hope my shop becomes an event space and my goods are items people would use for entertaining and quality lifestyle choices.
I’m so excited for you Paige! That sounds amazing and I can already envision your space. Yes, yes, yes keep us posted!
Such a fun interview! I feel like I’m slacking as an Angeleno since I haven’t been to all those restaurants yet… I better get busy :)
I realize my comment is totally late to the party, but Bon and Paige…this was so much fun to read. Though, I’m going to voice a complaint: I wanted to see more of Paige’s closet. It must be so full of enviable pretties! Love you both! xoxoxo
let’s do one of you, Summer!