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Newsletter #5 | October 2010 |
Greetings from the Floating Stone Inn & Aqua Spa
Greetings from the Floating Stone Inn & Aqua Spa! In this
e-blast, I will be introducing two new staff members, Josh and Megan, who just
arrived from Michigan to help us with our opening. Before I do, I wanted to
explain the pictures of Rocky (my life partner) and me on the large boulders.
These pictures were taken on a short trip we took in September to Joshua Tree
National Park in California.
 When we saw these amazing piles of boulders and
stones resting on top of each other in random ways, we felt as though we had
been transported to another planet. How could nature have fashioned such
incredible beauty? Though the scale is completely different,
everything there reminded us of how we had been stacking stones around the
pools for the natural beauty they will provide. There is something so special
about stones, water, and air-natural elements that are basic to our human
existence. We felt blessed to be in such a place of beauty, knowing that we are
taking these same naturally abundant stones into the environment we are
creating for you to enjoy at our aqua spa.
As we are just months from opening now, in
our next e-blast we will be announcing our pre-opening specials and a preview
of our initial service offerings.
For more detailed information about the Floating Stone, please visit our website and our Facebook Fanpage. You can also follow us on twitter.
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So What Is an Aqua Spa, Anyway?
According to Cohen and Bodeker's Understanding the Global Spa
Industry (2008), "Spas or bathing have been part
of every culture since aboriginal man with hot springs or thermal bathing being
found worldwide. . . . The essence of spa is as a place of restoration and
health. . . . They are oases of wellness, activities have (typically) been
revolved around baths, massages, and other health treatments. . . . They have
been places apart from the workaday world."
Bottom line, the word spa today means many things to many people and has gotten away from its original
meaning of integrating the healing aspects of water. Europe has a more central
tradition of "aqua spas." We've all heard the phrase "taking the water cure," which
comes from European spas.
In the United States, we have natural hot
spring spas as well as spas that offer such services as nail and
pedi-treatments. But the tradition of aqua spas isn't as popular as it is in
Europe. The Floating Stone Aqua Spa hopes to change that. We will be offering
an experience in North America that has had a rich and enduring history
overseas, beginning with the early Roman baths and found in countries such as
Japan with its onsen spas. When you visit the Floating
Stone, you will find a clear emphasis on the healing nature of water. Not only will you be able to experience
the pools for yourself, but you will learn how you can bring purified,
non-chlorinated, more alkalized water into your home for bathing, swimming,
and drinking to generate greater health and overall well-being.
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Construction Update
By the end of October, the pools should be filled with water from
our new well. The water will be
purified through our special copper/ionization water filtration system, which
keeps it crystal clear without the use of harsh chemicals.
The landscaping has just been let, and while
the painting got started on the wrong foot (somehow the painters got a hold of
the wrong paint sample), slowly the site is looking less like an industrial
plant (as I explained in the last e-blast) and more in line with the original
vision of a place of healing and relaxation. The front reception area has now been created, and we are
waiting for the doors to come in. The inn rooms are waiting for the final permitting to take place so we can
finish them with their bathrooms, flooring, and furnishing.
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Introducing Two New Staff Members
Last summer, we put out some feelers to hire staff and
management. During that process, I got an email from Megan Coatley saying that
she and her husband, Joshua Daniels, were wanting to intern at a
eco-wellness/retreat center like the Floating Stone and asking if I would
consider them. They had just returned from travels to New Zealand, where they
helped out at another small eco-lodge. Both had quit conventional jobs a year
or so before-Megan in behavioral psychology, working with troubled children,
and Josh in security and banking. They were seeking alternative career paths,
possibly in the hospitality industry, involving service and education in a
beautiful natural setting. Both are athletic and physically fit, and they
enjoy biking, hiking, running, and more. I could sense right away that they
might fit in at the Floating Stone as guides and reservationists, as well as in
guest services. After meeting with them later in the summer, we all agreed that
they would come on board and help us through our high season next year.
Josh will first be helping us with our pool and landscape
maintenance. So when he first arrived, he flew off with me to Minneapolis to
attend training on the pool filtration systems. Josh will also be helping
us with purchasing, room/spa reservations, and guest services. Megan is helping
us recreate our website, run our social media
program, and take care of room/spa reservations. I'm sure you will love to connect
with them when you come for a visit. Read more about them below.
Megan Coatley, M.A., BCBA
Coming from a background in
psychology and behavioral change, Megan has a passion for coaching others in
making healthy lifestyle choices. She is thrilled to be working in an
environment that embraces change on both individual and global levels. An
adventure seeker, Megan enjoys running, cycling, swimming, snowboarding, rock
climbing, and all outdoor pursuits. Whether soaking at the Floating Stone or
hiking the Anza Trail, she's always searching for kindred spirits who share her
passion for nutrition, fitness, health, and healing.
Joshua Daniels
Joshua is a Tennessee native who always jokes
that his grandma owned the mountain in his hometown. He warms any conversation
with an easy smile and a dose of Southern charm. Joshua recently became
passionate about long-distance running and whole-foods nutrition and is
interested in sharing the benefits of healthy living with others. He is
brimming with business savvy and an upbeat attitude and is excited to help foster
lasting relationships with Floating Stone guests.
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Other Staff at the Floating Stone
In addition to
Megan and Josh, several contractors and part-timers have been
helping us over the last months and years:
Linda Hughes of
OfficeWorks of Tubac. Linda does
all our bookkeeping and payroll, as well as the mounds of paperwork that are part of
running a small business. She has
been invaluable to me personally, right from the get-go after I arrived in
Tubac in 2008.
Joe Scott of
Townhouse East and Tucson East Apartments. Joe has worked for me since 2007 in Tucson as property
manager. He has recently added the
Floating Stone to his repertoire. He will be handling overall maintenance, security, and operations. I so appreciate his organizational
skills and attention to detail.
Kira Freed, personal coach and editor. Kira
has assisted me in the creation of written materials and ads, as well as in editing our
e-blasts. She and I are also working together to develop materials and curriculum for the Floating Stone's "Wisdom Series." As a certified life coach and wellness coach, she will play an important role at the Floating Stone in
our workshops/retreats and ongoing wellness programs. Here's a link to Kira's coaching website.
Van Brollini,
photographer and computer professional. If you've checked out the gallery section of our website, you may have
wondered how we've been able to
produce such lovely, high-definition photos of the Floating Stone and the area surrounding Tubac. Van is a
talented photographer who is the genius behind our online photography. Eventually, we will be figuring out how
we can make some of his best work available for sale in our retail store and
possibly online. Van has also
helped us build our database system and has worked on our
website.
Bidding Farewell to Departing Staff
For those of you who
stayed with us when we were known as the Anza Inn and Posada Linda, you will
remember Dave and Ann Aude. They
were our reservationists, groundskeepers, and resident
managers. We wish them well
as they move on to their new lives in Green Valley and thank them for their
loyal work and upbeat, caring ways with our guests. They have been like family to me over the past few years as
I have been developing the Floating Stone.
Other Staff We
Will Be Hiring
In the months to come, we
will be searching for, interviewing, and attracting others who can
support us in reservations as well as in massage, movement classes, and various other wellness
positions. If you know of someone
whom you think might be a good match for any of these positions, please let us know by emailing us
at info@thefloatingstoneinn.com. And,
as our programming gets more defined, we will also be looking for workshop
providers who can deliver leading-edge programs on wellness and green
living. Again, let us know of
anyone you might recommend.
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A Property Tour Opportunity
Over the next
several weeks, we will be putting together our pricing and initial
service/guest offerings. Because we want your feedback, we are inviting
you to
the Floating Stone for a pre-opening
tour, refreshments, and service
overview. We will hold these on a
couple of evenings that we will announce shortly. If you are interested
in
attending, please let us know by emailing us at info@thefloatingstoneinn.com.
For those attending, we will be
offering 2
free day passes during our first month of operations. Leave us
your telephone number, names of those
wishing to attend, and whether you prefer weekend, weekdays, daytime, or
early
evening hours for these gatherings. We will then contact you with the
details.
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Coming Soon
When we open in stages late this year and in the beginning of next year, you will find that the Floating Stone is a unique destination, eco-wellness, and aqua spa. For the cost of a day pass or night's stay, you will be able to experience the grounds of the historic Charles Poston home in the heart of a walkable artist village replete with restaurants, shops, galleries, and history. You'll be able to enjoy our spa services, including massage, facials, and body treatments; relax in our specially treated hydrotherapy hot/cold/warm pools; partake of yoga and aqua-aerobic classes; and enjoy healthy lunches prepared by local chefs using locally grown, organic food.
With our four on-site rooms in the
Poston Residence and our six off-site casitas, we will be able to host your
private events, including small-business retreats, bachelorette parties, family
reunions, and more. If you are looking for a romantic getaway or simply a place to
host a party with friends, we will also have a private hydrotherapy pool available for
rent.
We are also gearing up to offer two- and five-day
programs, which include triathlon, biking, and endurance camps beginning in
February, followed by our Art of Eco-Living and Wisdom Series classes. In future newsletters, we will announce our spa programs and services in greater
detail.
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The Vision & Mission
of the Floating Stone
The vision of the Floating Stone is to bring eco-living and wellness together to create a sustainable world.
The mission of the Floating Stone is to provide education and inspiration within a nurturing, supportive environment for living in balance with nature and community. |
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Congratulations! Congratulations to Dawn Tilson, who has won a weekend at the Floating Stone Casitas for having enrolled
in our e-blast listserve. Remember to tell your friends and family members to log
on to the Floating Stone website to be eligible to win five half-price
day passes at our Aqua Spa
and
to keep up with our pre-opening news.
Sincerely,
Linda Ellinor
Owner
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