As the new Assistant Director of Programming and Events, I would like to introduce myself. Many frequent Spa Koru goers have probably seen me running or dancing around the spa for the past few months, behind the front desk and in the group exercise studio. My name is Kristi Davidson and I am a Minnesota native. I am a Magna Cum Laude Graduate of Oklahoma City University with a B.S. in Dance Management and have danced professionally with Six Flags! performing in nation-wide Magic Shows and Royal Caribbean International. I have vacationed to the Outer Banks for the past two years, in between my cruise contracts and to visit my boyfriend, who is a professional baseball player and fitness enthusiast. I first came to Spa Koru to take group exercise classes and use the fitness facility. I moved to the Outer Banks permanently in late March and Spa Koru has welcomed me with open arms.

With my new position as Assistant Director of Programming and Events, I am responsible for Wedding Concierge services, Klub Koru and Spa Koru memberships, as well as planning and promoting all fitness classes and events for Spa Koru. I am also teaching Salsa Dance Class on Tuesdays at 7:00 pm and Hip Hop Dance Class on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm. I look forward to meeting more and more Spa Koru members in the coming months. I am here to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Feel free to stop by my office or front desk to introduce yourself.

Spa Koru is now accepting rental homes into the Klub Koru program for 2009. We have over 50 homes already enrolled, and after great success, Spa Koru is increasing the benefits to Klub Koru homeowners. We are now offering 10% off all Salon and Spa services to homeowners, as well as increasing the number of complimentary fitness day passes or fitness classes to 12 per week. Make sure to sign up today to secure your Klub Koru membership for 2009!

Spa Koru has updated the Group Exercise classes for the summer. We offer Chisel for all of those early birds on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:00 am. Chisel is designed to enhance muscular fitness and is geared toward men or women looking to really push themselves! It is instructed by Hatteras Island native, Suzette Caldeira. After great demand, we are providing Express Yoga on Thursday nights at 5:30 pm Express Yoga is basic beginning yoga that introduces the student to the benefits of yoga through basic postures IN ONE HOUR and is instructed by massage therapist and yoga instructor, Stacie Gursky.

We have many new and exciting programs and events upcoming for the Fall 08. Visit spakoru.com to view all of the new fitness classes and events on the Event Calendar.

At the mid-point of our busy season, I am so pleased by the amount of clients and customers who have returned from past seasons to visit the Spa or take advantage of our fitness facility.  It means a lot to the staff here at Spa Koru to have clients return, because it means we are doing our job properly and making people happy. With this in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our regular, local clientele for their loyalty and support.  It is these folks who keep us afloat year round, and who keep us on our toes with their opinions, thoughts, and suggestions, as well as their patronage. Thank you all very much!!!
Moving forward, we would like to continue to provide special events such as yoga workshops, special fitness classes, Eminence promotions, and much more as we move into the second half of the summer and into the fall and winter months.  Whether you are a visitor to Hatteras Island or a year round resident, please do not hesitate to offer suggestions and requests to our staff! We appreciate your feedback!  It is you who ultimately influences changes to our retail inventory, fitness programs, workshop themes, etc. We are always looking for new ways to serve our customers, and for new groups of people to reach!
With that said, please check out our new organic retail items, including additional V’Tae skin and body lotions and the latest organic fashions from Yoga Tribe & Culture!  Yoga Tribe & Culture is available on the Outer Banks exclusively through Spa Koru, and serves as functional yoga and workout clothing as well as stylish streetwear.  In addition to the Y.T.C. line, Spa Koru is also featuring organic, handmade shirts and pants crafted by local artist Jen Harmon. Our organic body and skin products allow you to take your spa treatments home with you, and they also make excellent gifts! Feel free to ask any member of the staff here at Spa Koru for assistance in the retail boutique. We look forward to seeing you!

Well, summer is in full swing and so is Spa Koru! Take a break from the grind and come in to relax and enjoy a spa or salon treatment! Keep reading to find incredible deals throughout the Spa!
We have a new addition to our Spa Koru staff in the form of Heidi Walls. Heidi’s super pleasant personality perfectly compliments our already outstanding front desk staff, but her talents don’t end there…Heidi is also a personal trainer! Originally from Bar Harbor, Maine, Heidi is a 2006 graduate of Connecticut College, where she rowed for four years on the Women’s Varsity Rowing team. She was awarded MVP in 2004, 2005, and 2006 and was a member of the gold medal team at the 2006 New England Fours Championships! She is licensed by the national Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). She is also currently training to be a volunteer firefighter! Prior to coming to the Outer Banks, Heidi worked on a lobster boat for a year, and she loves crunchy peanut butter! When you see her, please give her a warm welcome, and don’t hesitate to ask for some advice about our equipment or for some help constructing a workout regimen!
August is the perfect time to take advantage of Heidi’s expertise, as we are offering an unbeatable deal: Purchase one personal training session, get the second for $10! That is a $100 value for only $60! In the Koru boutique we are offering 30% off all Spa Koru pullovers, hoodies, and polos! Also, don’t miss our paraffin upgrade special in the salon – book a regular pedicure and receive a free paraffin treatment, while supplies last! For further inquiries please contact Spa Koru’s Concierge at 252.995.3125 or check out our website at www.spakoru.com!
The Koru boutique has a variety of new items in. We’ve just received a new collection of organic yoga fashions by Yoga Tribe & Culture as well as handmade shirts and capris by local artist Jen Harmon. We are also now carrying the Citrus and Tropical lines from Eminence Organic Skincare, which includes a Dewy Mango Night Cream and a sweet-smelling Pink Grapefruit Clarifying Masque! If you are interested in Eminence products but are unsure what products are ideal for your skin type, you can’t miss our August Skintyping “Skinformation” Sessions with our Eminence representative Jennifer Wilson! Jennifer will be here August 25 – 26 to do skintyping and product demonstrations. Check out the Fitness & Event Calendar for specific times! We can’t wait to see you!

This past Friday evening I rode my bike over to the beach after coming home from work to take a few minutes to unwind.  That is one of the many perks of living on an island!  It was blowing a healthy Southwest wind and the waves were rough.  I reclined back into the dunes and watched intently as mother nature performed her never ending “work in progress”.  I found it profoundly interesting to watch the grains of sand picked up by the wind find their way to a new resting place.  At the very same moment new grains of sand replaced the ones carried down the beach.  From a distance or at a glance the beach seemed constant, one big stretch of sand.  The reality is quite different.  The beach is undergoing constant change with each grain of sand on a journey.

The shifting sand is a beautiful insight into our own lives.  Some days we seem to go through the motions with undetectable change occurring while other moments our lives are picked up by the winds of change only to carry us to destinations unknown.  This is the way of life, or as the saying goes “the only constant is change”.   The lesson I take away from the observations on the beach is the perpetual shifting and movement of all things: humans, animals, plants, even rocks.

My own life is no different.  At times I feel anxious waiting for change to occur, while other times I feel swept away and just hope to land softly.  The one quality I have tried to incorporate in life is to accept the change, even embrace it.  Allowing the winds of change to pick me up and carry me to a new place knowing that my void will surely be filled.  With this philosophy in mind, I am moving on in my journey with Spa Koru.  I am very pleased to announce Grace Souter will be replacing me as Director.  I have had the opportunity to work side by side with Grace for the last 10 months and have all the confidence in the world in her abilities and in her commitment.  As Grace moves up to assume the Director’s position she will be supported by Dana Michael and Kristi Davidson.  Dana accepts the Assistant Director of Spa and Salon Operations while Kristi assumes the position of Assistant Director of Programming and Events.  The only comment I have regarding our “new management team” is “super stoked!”  In all the years of owning and running businesses, this collection of ladies would have to be classified as a “dream team”.  They are all bright, committed, honest, thoughtful and hard working.  I couldn’t be happier for them, our amazing staff, our members and our guest.

And as for me, I will continue to work with Spa Koru on a daily basis behind the scenes.  My gift is in my ability to bring people, businesses and communities together to work towards a common goal.  I have some very exciting projects already up my sleeve.  And at the end of the day we all must accept where the winds of change carry us.

Spiral Up!

Mr. Thompson has given me an opportunity to be the Assistant Director of Spa Koru. With pleasure I accepted his offer. I am so excited to be a part of this company and all of the people who surround it; whether it be customers or employees! I am eager to take on this role and to provide outstanding experiences for everyone who steps through our doors. I want to thank Joe for this wonderful opportunity and I am sincerely grateful! Thank you.
I hope everyone is having a happy 4th of July! Stop in or check out our website at www.spakoru.com for our July specials. Also I am proud to announce that we will be adding Ms. Jen Robert to our front desk staff. She was our member of the month for June and she loves Spa Koru so much that she wanted to not only to be a member of the gym but to be a member of our staff! We are so excited to have her and please be sure to welcome her when you see her!
Be sure to check out our Koru Boutique this month. We are very excited to introduce a new line of organic Spa Koru clothing created by one of Hatteras Island’s locals; some of you might know Jen Harmon as the owner of Avon Surf Shop in Avon. Her artistic clothing is inspired by nature with organic fabrics and hand-carved wooden blocks with which she prints her designs. Spa Koru is passionate about going green and a great way to accomplish that goal was by having a local vendor who supplies us with organic clothing! Thanks again Jen! Also be sure to check out some of our specials we will be offering throughout the month by calling us at 252.995.3125 or checking out our website at www.spakoru.com. Have a happy 4th of July!

Weddings:
Are you looking for a place where you and the girls can get together for a special day of pampering before the big day? Look no further, we are Hatteras Islands only full service Spa, Salon and Fitness Center. We can create any bridal party package you desire; all you have to do is contact us at 252.995.3125 or try our website at www.spakoru.com. Also look for “Tying the Knot” – a 15-minute wedding documentary starring Spa Koru and also featuring several of Hatteras Island’s wedding vendors! visit: TyingTheKnotOuterBanks.com

Spa Koru has made extraordinary improvements in nearly every aspect of its facility over the past several months.  Joe Thompson’s sky-high aspirations combined with his perpetual lack of fatigue has cultivated a refreshingly energized and positive culture here within Hatteras Island that I think we all feel fortunate to be a part of.  I believe also that our achievements and successes are possible in part because of what we do, but largely because of how we do it.  Never have I worked with a group of such talented and remarkable individuals who have a natural propensity for serving and pleasing the customer.  My coworkers make coming to work each day a true delight.
That said, it is with faith in my fellow staff members, along with a strong belief in Spa Koru’s mission that I have accepted the position of Spa Director here at Spa Koru.  I feel confident in the talents my management team of Dana Michael and Kristi Davidson bring, and I know that together we can fulfill even the most extravagant of Joe’s expectations and dreams!  I am so excited for the rest of the season and believe that we all have a tremendous amount to look forward to!  I would also like to thank Joe for giving me this opportunity; I have some very big shoes to fill (literally)!
I wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July! Check out our website www.spakoru.com for July specials and our new Fitness Class Schedule!  Also stop in to the Koru Boutique and browse our new products!  We have made several additions to our inventory, all in-keeping with our mission to go green and help sustain our local economy.  Thank you for all of your support of Spa Koru so far this year – with your help we will continue to grow and Spiral Up!

Have you ever noticed that most things in life seem to change in front of your very eyes.  Or maybe more often overnight while you were sleeping.  For all the parents out there you know all too well how quickly and without warning our babies grow up to become “big people”.  The question is always the same, “where did the time go?”  For those who enjoy gardening, it seems like you spend hours upon days planting, feeding and weeding.  And then one day you come home from work and there are tomatoes on the vine or flowers blooming.  Time seems to have this quality about it that is so difficult to grasp during the moment but then reveals itself after the fact.  

This brings me to my subject, “living in the moment”.  For most of us our daily lives are filled with too much to do and too little time.  I constantly struggle with the question, “How am I going to get this all done?”  The irony is that the answer to the question is, “You’re not!”  And once you finish with one project or one situation another conveniently arises to take its place.  It is a never ending cycle.  This very cycle has been a personal struggle for me for most of my adult life.  I am a driven individual that has little boundaries when it comes to “what’s next in life”.  While that may seem like a wonderful problem to have, it is none the less a problem.  The lines become blurred between the forest and the trees.  Recently I have been reminded the true meaning behind my life and what is really important: family, friends, community, and most of all health.  And I am not referring to simple body weight or resting heart rate (although they matter too), but I am referring to body, mind and soul.

My Dad has shared a true story with me over the years.  His story goes, “When I was a younger man and you children were young, I would sometimes have to travel by plane on business.  Every time the attendant would go through the flight procedures and would come to the part about…’In the event of loss of cabin pressure a mask will drop.  Please secure your own mask before trying to assist others.’  I was always convinced that they had it wrong.  I would think, well if the children were here I would certainly help them before worrying about my own mask.  As I got older in life I realized the attendant was right all those years.  You can’t help others if you don’t take care of yourself first. That is true in all things in life.”

We all have obligations we must meet on a daily basis, but the secret is to find balance.  In that balancing act we all must take time for ourselves to relax, restore and renew.  That is our mission here at Spa Koru.  We provide the ideal sanctuary for body, mind and soul for residents and guest to our beautiful island.  When you visit Spa Koru remember, put you own mask on first.  Spiral Up!

Be sure to greet our new Spa Koru front desk team members when you see them! Also don’t forget that Father’s day is just around the corner, so check out  www.spakoru.com for the up and coming specials.
We will have 3 new team members joining us at the front desk. We will have Joanne Campbell who joins us all the way from Morehead City, NC. Next is Krystal Hardison from right here on Hatteras Island. The last addition is Ellisa Thompson which is Joe Thompson’s daughter! We are extremely excited to see our staff grow for this busy season ahead! We are looking forward to a wonderful summer.
Don’t forget that Father’s Day is on Sunday June 15th. Treat all those hard working father’s to some relaxation, or maybe just buy them a nice polo that we offer here in the Spa Koru boutique.   Please check out our website, www.spakoru.com, for the latest specials that we are offering to those wonderful father’s.  Coming soon to Spa Koru is our own collection of stunning gift baskets, the simple yet perfect gift . We look forward to seeing everyone this month!

Weddings:

Weddings are in full swing here at the spa, don’t be a procrastinator book your wedding services with us today! Also checkout our website for the different bridal packages we offer or just simply call Dana the wedding concierge to take care of all of your needs! Contact us today 252.995.3125 or  www.spakoru.com.

Most people at this point understand the value and the importance of regular exercise. However, you may be surprised to hear that your stale old workout routine may not be doing your body as good as you think…

Many people struggle to make exercise part of their daily routine. You may not realize however, that when your exercising becomes too routine, you are drastically reducing its effectiveness.  When exercising, it is extremely important to keep your workouts fresh and full of variety.  Targeting different muscles makes your entire body work harder, thus burning more calories. Working the same muscles over and over again not only becomes ineffective over time, but it can also lead to injury.  If you are doing exercises improperly, you can do long term damage on your joints, ligaments, and muscles.  Additionally, by completely ignoring entire groups of muscles, you will build an unbalanced body, leaving some muscles over developed, and others too weak to support them.

One of the ways to make your workouts more efficient and effective is to build your arsenal of exercises, and rotate them in and out of your routine according to the day.  This way, specific muscles get a chance to rest while you target others. Another way to bring intensity to your workouts is to add weight, or add an additional element to an exercise.  For example, if you do lunges the same way every day, try holding a set of dumbbells as you lunge. Or, twist your upper body at the bottom of your lunge to engage your abdominal and back muscles. The more muscles that you can engage in a single exercise, the better your results will be! Our personal training staff here at Spa Koru can help you learn new exercises that are ideal for your body type and level of physical ability.  A personal trainer can also assess your level of fitness, ensure that you are exercising safely and properly, and address your specific concerns. Call to book an appointment at the front desk!

Finally, one of the best ways to keep your body in tip top shape is to enjoy the kind of exercise you are doing!  If you enjoy it, you are more likely to do it more often, and for longer periods of time. Go for a long swim in the ocean – the waves and currents keep it interesting!  If you love running, try running on the beach – the softer sand forces your leg muscles to work harder.  For a real challenge, rent a standup paddleboard and tool around in the ocean…you will work muscles you never knew existed!  Be sure not to let your Spa Koru membership expire however – those rainy days will leave you with cabin fever!  If you are unsure when your membership expires, call or stop in to see Grace – she is happy to help! The point is that there are an infinite number of ways to get fit, and there is always a way to work harder and push for results. Keep your workouts fresh and full of variety, and start seeing a difference!

Cape Hatteras, North Carolina - On the weekend of April 19th and 20th, Spa Koru Yoga hosted an amazing yoga retreat. The event, R3 (Restore - Refine - Renew), was comprised of three separate workshops and gatherings presented by Spa Koru Yoga and Outer Banks Yoga. Skilled yoga instructors guided participants through restorative and vinyasa yoga practices intended to restore your peace of mind, refine your personal practice, and renew your body. Events were hosted at Spa Koru’s Yoga Studio, and lodging was provided at the “Love Boat” - an amazing, waterfront, 7 bedroom event home in picturesque Sunset Village on Hatteras Island.

Retreat Instructors Joanne Throne, Michelle Smith, and Tami Thompson on one of Five Main decks of the Love Boat

Friday night began the retreat with a Candlelight Restorative Yoga class accompanied with massage at the Love Boat. The Great Room provided a spacious venue with amazing views of sunset over the Pamlico Sound. A gourmet sample of hors d’oeuvres finished the evening with participants enjoying new friendships in the relaxing environment.

Chef Tracey Morris cooking up a storm

On Saturday morning, guests staying at the Love Boat joined the local yoga students at Spa Koru’s studio for a Refine Vinyasa workshop. A brunch followed the yoga session in the Tiki lounge adjacent to the studio. Diane Malaspina from Yoga Tribe and Culture offered a trunk show displaying the latest yoga clothing of the season. The remainder of the day was free time with many participants choosing to enjoy spa treatments while others chose to visit the beach, or returned to the Love Boat for a nap in the hammocks, or explored the shoreline by kayak.

Joanne Throne of SKY, Diane Malaspina of Yoga Tribe and Culture, Donna Wynn and Amy Culicerto both of Virginia enjoying the amazing views of the Pamlico Sound over a glass of wine.

Saturday evening, the group assembled for a Refine Sun Salutations class on the front deck of the Love Boat. Participants remarked that the setting was one of the most stunning they had experienced. The sun was brilliant, the sky was Carolina blue, and the water shimmered as birds flew by on the warm breeze. The evening was just starting with an organic Happy Hour, followed with lively conversation. Smiles were abundant in the large great room and gourmet kitchen. Private Chef, Tracey Morris, served up a world class vegetarian meal that boasted fare ranging from encrusted mushrooms to a veggie pasta dish that had everyone going back for seconds. As the tables were cleared, the full moon rose in the night sky. The evening continued with a bonfire on the private beach of the Love Boat, and everyone enjoyed a celebration complete with drumming and hooping.

Jazira sporting Yoga Tribe and Culture and Elijah wearing Spa Koru gear…the next generation of yogi’s

Finally, the weekend was complete with a Renew You Salutation Sunday morning class at Spa Koru’s studio. Just 48 hours later, the participants were packing up and heading home with a sense of renewal and with a collection of new friendships. Look for more SKY retreats coming soon! Visit www.spakoru.com for more information on Yoga Retreats on the Outer Banks.

Joshua Christ lead massage therapist at Spa Koru and Chloe Sapecki also of Spa Koru assisted and enjoyed the R3 retreat

Tami Thompson of SKY, Elijah and Ellisa Thompson assisting their mother with the retreat, Randy Conner youngest sister of Tami and Tami’s other half the owner of Spa Koru Joe Thompson enjoy the evening on the top deck of the Love Boat