Our Beneficiaries
My work at Palisades Flowers has been my proudest accomplishment. I remember first stepping into that small, easily missed wooden flower shop at the corner of Sunset and Swarthmore and falling in love. The high wooden-paneled ceilings, the stained-glass windows with flowers, bees, and butterflies, and the round window in the back that reminded me of a Hobbit Hole. The shop was struggling at the time, with no clear leadership or vision, missing its identity after the departure of the lead designer and previous owner. I was cautiously optimistic about taking the job as a part-time designer.
In 2019, I had just attempted to start my own floral business, creating planters and doing flower subscriptions for a small collection of businesses I had connected with through cold calls and determination. It was slow going, and I was happy to have part-time work to stabilize my income while I kept trying to break through and get seen by the right people. Then, COVID took the wind out of my sails. I lost my hard-earned accounts and closed Palisades Flowers, unsure if I would ever return.
It was an Avengers Assemble-level whirlwind when I got the call that the shop was back up and forging ahead into Mother’s Day 2020. I fondly remember jumping up and instantly getting back into florist mode. I made sure to take days off from the delivery job I had taken during the early days of the pandemic, delivering medicine for a pharmacy. It was a wild ride, but we made everything come together as best we could to start accepting Mother's Day orders on such short notice. That's the kind of rag tag team we were, feisty and messy at times but the flowers were pristine and poised. I loved that duality.
I cared about Palisades Flowers. I fell in love with the space, the community, the charm, and the whimsy. When I got the offer from the owner to manage it full-time, I hesitated for just a minute. The commute was far. I can be shy and soft-spoken at times, and I questioned if I could really manage a team. Was I ready? Taking the job was the best decision I could have made. I am so grateful for what I learned—leading a team, purchasing, merchandising, and creating a space that flourished and blossomed into a thriving local business. I blossomed into a capable leader, a confident designer, and an adaptable businesswoman. I bonded with my coworkers who I hired myself, and together, we made a space that reflected our fun wild spirit. Our laughter and joy were part of every arrangement we made. I will never forget those days.
The fire took that space. It was so heartbreaking to see those ceilings, those stained-glass windows, and the home where so many memories had been created—just gone, reduced to ash. But we are still here. We created the magic that lived there, the shop just housed it.
I want to bring back everything I loved about Palisades Flowers, the community, the freedom, the joy. I want to rebuild a space where people can connect over the beauty of flowers, where I can pursue my passion for plants and flowers without restriction or being restrained by someone else’s vision. The beauty of flowers is that they aren't just a product to be bought and sold, they are an expression. They join us in shared joy, in celebration, in grief. That’s why I created Root & Petal—to celebrate everything Palisades Flowers was, and to celebrate my love for folklore, thrifting, magic, whimsy, and hands in the moss and dirt.
In 2019, I had just attempted to start my own floral business, creating planters and doing flower subscriptions for a small collection of businesses I had connected with through cold calls and determination. It was slow going, and I was happy to have part-time work to stabilize my income while I kept trying to break through and get seen by the right people. Then, COVID took the wind out of my sails. I lost my hard-earned accounts and closed Palisades Flowers, unsure if I would ever return.
It was an Avengers Assemble-level whirlwind when I got the call that the shop was back up and forging ahead into Mother’s Day 2020. I fondly remember jumping up and instantly getting back into florist mode. I made sure to take days off from the delivery job I had taken during the early days of the pandemic, delivering medicine for a pharmacy. It was a wild ride, but we made everything come together as best we could to start accepting Mother's Day orders on such short notice. That's the kind of rag tag team we were, feisty and messy at times but the flowers were pristine and poised. I loved that duality.
I cared about Palisades Flowers. I fell in love with the space, the community, the charm, and the whimsy. When I got the offer from the owner to manage it full-time, I hesitated for just a minute. The commute was far. I can be shy and soft-spoken at times, and I questioned if I could really manage a team. Was I ready? Taking the job was the best decision I could have made. I am so grateful for what I learned—leading a team, purchasing, merchandising, and creating a space that flourished and blossomed into a thriving local business. I blossomed into a capable leader, a confident designer, and an adaptable businesswoman. I bonded with my coworkers who I hired myself, and together, we made a space that reflected our fun wild spirit. Our laughter and joy were part of every arrangement we made. I will never forget those days.
The fire took that space. It was so heartbreaking to see those ceilings, those stained-glass windows, and the home where so many memories had been created—just gone, reduced to ash. But we are still here. We created the magic that lived there, the shop just housed it.
I want to bring back everything I loved about Palisades Flowers, the community, the freedom, the joy. I want to rebuild a space where people can connect over the beauty of flowers, where I can pursue my passion for plants and flowers without restriction or being restrained by someone else’s vision. The beauty of flowers is that they aren't just a product to be bought and sold, they are an expression. They join us in shared joy, in celebration, in grief. That’s why I created Root & Petal—to celebrate everything Palisades Flowers was, and to celebrate my love for folklore, thrifting, magic, whimsy, and hands in the moss and dirt.
We are Stephanie Kanan and Toni Balfour, founders of Oasis Palisades, a health and wellness center we established in 2007. Our sanctuary offered massage, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and organic facials in a thoughtfully designed space that transformed clients' energy the moment they entered. True to our name—"a hidden treasure in the Palisades"—we were nestled behind Vittorio's restaurant off Marquez, creating a peaceful retreat from daily life.
After dedicating years to providing healing and wellness to our community, witnessing the collective suffering from the fire has been truly devastating. Stephanie has begun rebuilding our practice in Santa Monica, continuing to support clients who remain in the area and gradually restoring our massage and facial services. Meanwhile, Toni faces the additional challenge of cancer treatment, focusing on her recovery while still serving herbal medicine patients through telemedicine.
Despite these immense challenges, our commitment to the Palisades community remains unwavering. As the town rebuilds, we hope to once again be a source of healing, peace, and wellness for our cherished clients. With your support, we can continue being a bright light for this community that has meant so much to us over the past 17 years.
After dedicating years to providing healing and wellness to our community, witnessing the collective suffering from the fire has been truly devastating. Stephanie has begun rebuilding our practice in Santa Monica, continuing to support clients who remain in the area and gradually restoring our massage and facial services. Meanwhile, Toni faces the additional challenge of cancer treatment, focusing on her recovery while still serving herbal medicine patients through telemedicine.
Despite these immense challenges, our commitment to the Palisades community remains unwavering. As the town rebuilds, we hope to once again be a source of healing, peace, and wellness for our cherished clients. With your support, we can continue being a bright light for this community that has meant so much to us over the past 17 years.
