The concierge make your milk + honey experience unique, memorable, and seamless. They are an incredible group of day-makers. Meet our fun, energetic concierge team now.
It’s time to meet our talented nail therapists. Whether you’re wanting a quick Buff + Go or opting for a little extra TLC with our Lux mani-pedi combo, this team doesn’t miss a beat. Without further ado, let’s meet the River Oaks nail therapists.
Your spa day won’t be complete without receiving a luxurious massage at the hands of one of our amazing massage therapists. Let’s meet this talented bunch.
Houston, New Spa Partisans, Skin Care
Getting to Know: the Houston Skincare Dream Team
April 6, 2016
With the opening of our River Oaks location, we are excited to introduce you to your skincare dream team. Whether you’re looking to get a healthy glow with one of our Same-Day peels or pamper yourself with our Ultimate Facial, you’re in good hands. Literally. Let’s meet them.
Say “hello” to our Houston management team: Karena and Lauren.
Karena, General Manager
What is your favorite spa treatment?
As a spa manager for over a decade, I’m in love with all aspects of the beauty industry, so it’s really hard for me to choose just one. However, I’m currently loving our massages. I’ve been putting a lot of stress on my body getting ready for the opening, so these treatments are the highlight of my day!
What are five things that you want to accomplish in 2016?
My personal goals this year are to: travel more, cook amazing dishes, discover new artists, and make more time for yoga and running. My professional goal is to show the people of Houston how great milk + honey is!
What are your favorite restaurants in Houston?
Oh my, there are so many great places here. For breakfast, I love going to either Antidote or Juice Girl. Typically, I have lunch at my desk, which is great since my temporary “office” has been Pondicheri. They’ve been such lovely hosts and are fantastic neighbors. For dinner, I enjoy eating at Pax Americana, Pass and Provision, and Coltivare Pizza and Garden. These restaurants are so delicious and they never cease to amaze me.
If milk + honey were to expand, which cities would you like to see us in?
Chicago, Minneapolis, Portland, Denver, and San Diego.
What is the best beauty advice you’ve ever received?
Always drink plenty of water and to get at least seven hours of sleep. These two things will do wonders for your body.
What is your favorite thing about milk + honey?
The team! Everyone here has been so kind, helpful, and nice. It’s truly refreshing to be around a group of people who want the best for everyone they come in contact with.
What’s the best thing about being a spa manager?
Seeing people reach their goals, whether it be financial, emotional, physical, or spiritual! I love being surrounded by people that work hard and want to better themselves.
If you could be in any other profession, what would it be?
I can’t imagine working in any other profession. I fell in love with this industry eons ago, and I can’t picture myself being anywhere else.
Lauren, Assistant Manager
What is your favorite spa treatment?
I love them all, but since you’re making me pick one I have to go with our Signature Facials! Every time I get one, I always end up falling asleep. On the bright side, I waking up with a healthy and glowing complexion.
What five goals that you want to accomplish in 2016?
I have three personal goals this year: to learn another language — specifically Spanish, travel to one new place, and journal more. My two professional goals are to build the River Oaks location to become one of milk + honey’s most successful locations and to do something every day that positively affects another person.
If milk + honey we’re to expand to another city where would you like to see us?
I think we should definitely expand to Denver!
What are your favorite restaurants in Houston?
I recently went to Hugo’s for brunch and absolutely fell in love with this place. It’s one of my new favorite spots. When you go, be sure to order The Greatest Margarita Ever Sold!
What is the number one place people have to visit in Houston?
milk + honey of course!
If you could be in any other profession, what would it be?
I think it would be so interesting to be a pathologist.
What is your favorite book and why?
I enjoyed reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. To me, this book transcends time and culture, and teaches people to have the courage to listen to their heart and to follow their dreams.
Culture, Houston, New Spa Partisans, Salon
Meet the Newest Members of the milk + honey team
February 1, 2016Our team is growing and we’re always looking for more exceptional talent. Click here to see our career page. But before we get ahead of ourselves, we’d like to introduce you to the newest Spa Partisans.
Meet Alana, concierge. As a certified yoga teacher, Alana has a passion and love for health and wellness, and knew that milk + honey would be the perfect fit for her. Born and raised in Austin, her favorite way to start the day is with a yoga session at Sanctuary Yoga or Wanderlust, a jog around the Greenbelt or Lady Bird Lake, and then have brunch at Justine’s Brasserie.
Meet Shantel, a massage therapist at our 2nd Street location. Originally from Montana, she’s a second generation massage therapist. After seeing her mother help people, she decided this healing and rewarding path was for her too. Though Shantel doesn’t have any pets, her housemates have two precious pups and four chickens! Her number one beauty tip is that people should drink more water and regularly receive messages.
Meet Elizabeth, concierge. She has been living in Austin for three months and is loving every second of it. Originally from Las Vegas, Elizabeth decided to become a concierge because she loves helping people. Outside of milk + honey, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her curious cat, Doug, and cheeky dog, Ringo, both of whom are in her words: spoiled rotten!
Say hello to Jennifer, concierge. She considers herself lucky having lived in Austin all her life and loves to spend her time outside of milk + honey seeing and listening to live music around the city.
Meet Celine, massage therapist at Hill Country Galleria location. Hailing from Chizé, France, she has been in Austin for just over a year and has always had a passion for people and wellness. When she’s not using her healing touch to relax and rejuvenate clients, you can find her enjoying a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse, taking swing dance lessons, or watching the bats take off from under the Congress Bridge.
Meet Dawn, concierge. She has lived in Austin for two years and enjoys visiting all of the various food trucks the city has to offer. What Dawn loves most about milk + honey is the company’s unique culture and loves working with others who enjoy creating a wonderful and excellent experience for guests. After a day of helping people relax and unwind, she loves to spend time with her two furry children, KC and Stogey, who are best buds.
Meet Jackie, concierge at our Houston location. She is passionate about health and wellness and decided to fuse her passion for these industries into milk + honey’s newest location. Born in San Francisco, she has lived in Houston almost her whole life, and has a two-year-old Red Lacy (the official state dog of Texas) named Barley Hops and a bearded dragon named Kitty.
New Spa Partisans, News
Get to Know: Susan Michele, milk + honey’s New President of Operations
June 29, 2015
What better way to get to know someone than with a rapid-fire series of irreverent questions? Quick: what is your most-used emoji? What came first, the chicken or the egg? How do you say “Caribbean”? Are you a morning person or a night owl? Telling stuff, right?
For our inaugural Get to Know post, we put our newly-minted President of Operations, Susan Michele, to the test. And spoiler alert: she’s pretty great.
What’s your favorite spa treatment?
My favorite spa treatment is always the one I just came from. I fall in love with skincare each time I have a facial. My mainstay is massage because my body carries tension that massage takes away . . . and I love the fresh, polished, and buttered feeling after a body treatment.
As a new Austin-ite, what’s high on your “to-do” list?
1. Find some favorite music spots.
2. Learn to stand-up paddle board on Lady Bird Lake.
3. Discover all the swimming holes and hiking trails.
4. Find the right community service organization to join.
Your dream breakfast taco combination is…
Scrambled eggs, cilantro, cheddar, and jalapeño.
If you could pick any city (after Houston), where would you like to see milk + honey next?
Dallas, Portland, and Seattle.
What’s your favorite milk + honey product?
Arnica balm is heaven.
What is your spirit animal — and why?
Wolf. The wolf often appears both in my dreams and in my waking life when I’m in nature. The wolf represents instincts and intuition. Whenever I see a wolf, I am reminded to be strong and fearless in all situations, to trust my instincts, and to be my most authentic self.
If you could pick three dream dinner guests (past or present), who would they be?
Jacque Cousteau, Queen Elizabeth, Sheryl Sandberg
Best beauty advice:
Be exactly who you are. Express your inner self outward and your beauty will shine forth. Next, find the place that nurtures you the most and then, go there physically or in your dreams. I think the most beautiful people are those who sparkle with health and vivaciousness and also those who glow with a gentle inner serenity. I love the spa/salon industry because the people in that industry are both sparkle and hush, excitement and Zen. That’s true beauty to me.
What’s the one beauty product (or three) you can’t live without?
A hydrating water-based moisturizer, SPF lip balm, and salt scrubs.
If you haven’t guessed it, our milk + honey family is growing by the day. And, as we continue to seek out exceptional talent for our spa, salon, concierge, and management team (click here for all open positions), we also want to take a brief moment to introduce you to the newest faces.
Meet Winter, one of our newest concierge team members. She credits her outgoing personality as one of the reasons she wanted to be a milk + honey concierge — it’s the perfect way to interact with others and meet new people. If she’s not making your milk + honey experience a great one, you might catch her on the lake. Because, she says, who doesn’t love to jet ski?
Meet Kristen, our newest shampoo assistant at the Arboretum Market location. She has been an Austinite for six years now and when she’s not in the salon, you can usually find her doing something outdoors, trying new restaurants, or exercising.
Meet Anil, one of newest concierge team members. She has wanted to be a part of the wellness industry for some time now and milk + honey is the perfect place to kickstart that career. Plus, her impressive customer service experience is an asset to the milk + honey concierge team. When she’s not at work, Anil loves to walk around town lake and grab a yummy Juiceland smoothie.
This is Tiffany, the newest member of our 2nd Street District housekeeping team. While she may be fairly new to Austin — she moved here nine months ago! — she is already in love with all of the restaurants and food trucks this city has to offer.
New Spa Partisans, News, Spa Partisans
Meet the Faces of Our New SALON by milk + honey South Lamar
November 20, 2014We’re so excited for you to see the newest salon for yourself. And as we prep to open the doors of our 4715 South Lamar location on Monday, November 24, 2014, it’s about time you meet some of the amazing stylists who work there. Be sure to book your appointment now — especially as the holiday festivities ramp up!
Katie, hair stylist at SALON by milk + honey South Lamar // Katie attended the Aveda Institute in Chicago and started working for Chicago’s Art and Science Salon. She was part of a year-long advanced training program and perfected her cutting and formal styling techniques — in fact, she stayed with Art and Science Salon focusing on cuts and formal styling until she moved to Austin in 2012. Katie has a passion for blondes and enjoys working a great transformation to a pixie cut. She is an expert on enhancing others’ natural texture to give a great style.
Ann, hair stylist at SALON by milk + honey South Lamar // Ann started her stylist career in 2006, apprenticing and training under the talented stylists of Kasbah Salon. She continued her career and education while working at Joie de Vie on Sixth Street. She loves to learn any new trend that comes along and keep her clients fresh with the hottest styles. She enjoys doing razor and textured cuts for men and women.
Jaymee, hair stylist at SALON by milk + honey South Lamar // Jaymee attended the Aveda Institute in San Antonio and over the years, has continued to attended Aveda-lead training. She loves doing hair because she loves making people feel beautiful. “There is nothing like creating a new fresh look for your client and giving them a boost of confidence. I feel blessed to do what I do, I am able to let my creativeness flow as well as make people feel good. Life is so stressful – sometimes all we need is a visit to the salon,” she says.
Culture, New Spa Partisans, News, Spa Partisans
Introducing the Newest Faces of milk + honey!
June 2, 2014
Lucy, shampoo assistant at SALON by milk + honey 2nd Street District
Lucy moved to Austin 11 months ago to attend Avenue Five Cosmetology school. Her favorite thing to do in Austin is to eat — and she loves to try new restaurants downtown. She also enjoys hiking and doing yoga. Book your next appointment downtown and see Lucy for your shampoo.
Jen, concierge for all milk + honey locations
Jen moved to Austin only one week ago from Newport Beach where she was a spa concierge and just finished esthetics school. We are so pleased to have her knowledge and experience on our team. Jen decided to work with m + h because she wants to share her knowledge and help people live happy, healthy lives.
Melinda, nail therapist at milk + honey spa 2nd Street District
Melinda became a nail therapist because as she was receiving a pedicure, she realized how much she enjoyed the atmosphere and wanted to be a part of it. She went to nails school shortly afterward and fell in love with her new career. Melinda has been in Austin for two years, and likes to explore the city. Help us welcome Melinda to the team and book you next mani/pedi with her at the downtown spa!
