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.
At milk + honey, we care deeply about the environment and have taken proactive steps to do our part — from creating our own urban apiaries to formulating our luxurious bath and body care line using organic, plant-based ingredients. To celebrate Earth Month, we’re showcasing our spa and salon’s natural treatments that are not only good for you, but also utilize safe, green beauty practices.
With our bi-annual Peel Party right around the corner, we thought we’d break down one of the most important parts of any peel: post-peel facial care. To help you get the most out of your peel, we asked one of our expert Hill Country Galleria estheticians, Viky, about the do’s and don’ts of post-peel care.
You’ve read about the wonders of HydraFacials, but have you experienced our other transformative skin treatment, Same-Day Peels? While there’s a general misconception that peels will initially leave your skin irritated, our six CosMedix peels are specially formulated to be gentle yet effective.
With our upcoming bi-annual Peel Party on Wednesday, April 5, our Marketing Coordinator, Gina, shares her first peel experience with us and gets the 411 on Same-Day Peels from one of our expert 2nd Street District estheticians.
While it’s easy (and fun!) to get swept away in the excitement of SXSW, it’s just as easy to burn out before your final panel takes the stage. To help you maintain that bright-eyed, busy-tailed sensibility, we’ve culled some of our favorite express treatments for you — all quick enough to press the “refresh” button without missing your next meeting.
Every year, SXSW draws an international crowd ready to take part in the smorgasbord of incredible touring bands, film premieres, interactive panels that cater to the tech, music, film, and sports industry, incredible bands, and of course, the afterparty/networking scene. For me, there’s nothing more exciting than seeing a film premiere during SXSW. That’s why I’ve combed through all the upcoming debuts in the week ahead. Excitement, people. Let these picks guide you in your own SXSW viewing schedule. Don’t see your favorite on the list? Share yours in the comments section.
Spring cleaning. While some may look forward to dedicating an entire weekend to cleaning out their homes (shedding those winter layers, both metaphorically and literally), most of us dread this day. The prospect of rifling through items, figuring out what to keep/discard/donate, and trying to create storage for all of your stuff isn’t always enticing. If you’re anything like me, you have a complicated relationship with your possessions and will even just give up half-way through the entire endeavor.
But what if there was a way you could clean once and never have to do it again? Sounds like a bold claim, right? Organizing guru, Marie Kondo and her revolutionary cleaning method, “KonMari,” will make the dreaded spring cleaning a thing of the past. We’re breaking down the KonMari method here and now. Continue Reading…
March in Houston means it’s time for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo! Since its inception in 1931, the Rodeo has become one of the largest livestock and entertainment exhibitions in Texas, with music legends such as Selena, George Strait, and Beyoncé having performed in years past. But this fun-filled, weeks-long event extends far beyond concerts and BBQ. In 2015, the Rodeo donated $29.5 million in scholarships to the local community and impacted Houston’s aggregate sales by almost $500 million!
We’re getting into the Houston Rodeo spirit by hand-picking our must-see events! Don’t see your favorite event on the list? Share yours in the comments.
Today — Monday, February 29 — is Leap Day! While many of us will treat today like any other day, here at milk + honey, we’re taking our cue from Modern Family‘s Phil Dunphy’s book and using this “extra” day to do something special. Whether that means creating a fun day that your childhood would be envious of or taking a few minutes to breathe and relax, we’re sharing with you some our favorite ways to spend it.
Needing a little stress relief from Mopac or the Katy Freeway? Let out your inner speed demon with a lap or 10 around the Go-Kart track.
Where to go in Austin: K1 Speed
Where to go in Houston: Track 21
Scared of heights? This Leap Day, tackle one of your biggest fears with a trapeze class! From swinging trapeze and ariel silks to bungee trapeze, you’ll spend the day moonlighting as a Cirque du Soleil performer.
Where to go in Austin: The Flying Trapeze
Where to go in Houston: Vault Houston
Put on your walking shoes and go explore some of the great murals these cities have to offer. From memorial pieces to sweet love gestures, these works of art are a must-see!
Where to go in Austin: You’re My Butter Half | HOPE Outdoor Gallery | Hi, How Are You
Where to go in Houston: Biscuit Paint Wall | Greeting from Houston | Thread Sunshine Wall
Decompress with a yoga class. Strike a pose and unwind.
Where to go in Austin: Black Swan Yoga | Wanderlust | Core Power | BFree | Sukha
Where to go in Houston: Joy Yoga | Your Body Center | Yoga One | Revolution Studio | Pralaya Yoga
Henry David Thoreau said it best, “An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” Shake up your morning routine with a hike or stroll across some of these cities’ beautiful parks!
Where to go in Austin: Barton Creek Greenbelt | Red Bud Isle
Where to go in Houston: Houston Arboretum and Nature Center | Hermann Park
It’s important to stop and smell the roses, and what better way place to do this than at a garden. Both Austin and Houston have many world-renown gardens, filled with stunning greenery and incredible sculptures.
Where to go in Austin: Zilker Botanical Garden | Umlauf Sculpture Garden
Where to go in Houston: Houston Botanic Garden | Bayou Bend Collection and Garden
Photo credits:
Track 21 Facebook
Flying Trapeze Facebook
Joy Yoga blog
Houston Arboretum & Nature Center Facebook
Zilker Botanical Garden | Heather Cowper of heatheronhertravels
