Just Like Heaven

Sweet local spa eases into North Austin with largest location yet

This will be Milk + Honey's largest location yet.

Photo courtesy of Milk + Honey Spa

Prepare to be pampered North Austinites. In June, Milk + Honey Spa announced plans to expand its current Arboretum location and transform the space into the company's largest spa yet.

Led by Austin-based Baldridge Architects, the homegrown company is moving its current 1,400-square-foot salon into a colossal 10,275-square-foot spa destination a few doors down from its current home.

According to owner Alissa Bayer, the new-and-improved Milk + Honey will offer 14 treatment rooms, a nail lounge, and a new eight-chair salon. "We are thrilled to be able to offer the full Milk + Honey spa experience here, making it convenient for our clients that live north and for all the new clients we hope to meet in the coming years," says Bayer.

Like the 2nd Street District and Hill Country Galleria locales, the Arboretum will now offer the full spectrum of Milk + Honey services, an upgrade from its currently salon-only offerings. Among the treatments available are massages, body treatments, facials, peels, waxing, haircuts, styling, and non-toxic nail services.

With Baldridge at the helm, day spa devotees will recognize the modern Milk + Honey aesthetic at the Arboretum space. In addition to services, it will also feature a retail section complete with Milk + Honey's array of bath, body, and skincare products.

The massive mecca to relaxation is currently under construction at 9722 Great Hills Tr. and slated to open this winter. The nearby Milk + Honey salon will remain open until the new space debuts.

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Brunchy Business

Mimosa Walk returns to Austin's South 1st Street for sips and shopping

Blue Suede/Instagram

Businesses along South 1st Street are welcoming shoppers with mimosas on Saturday, November 16.

Perhaps no other drink has the mimosa's power to draw people out on the weekend, and one Austin neighborhood is harnessing it for a leisurely tour of local businesses. The Austin Mimosa Walk: South 1st Fall Festival is scheduled for November 16, and will stop at local businesses, each with complimentary drinks.

The tour will include some shopping, some casual snack spots, and even some wellness stops. Although not every business mimosa walkers will pass is participating, the tour will pass lots of local eateries, making it easy to tack on a lunch when the Champagne starts making itself known.

The following eight businesses are participating as stops on the self-guided tour:

Austin Salt Room — a spa-like environment for salt therapy, essentially hanging out near tons of salt while breathing in microscopic salt particles, which are said to improve respiratory health
Blue Suede Austin — a cool women's shoe boutique (with a wine bar!) that specializes in semi-casual styles at mid-range prices, featuring brands like Sam Edelman, Jeffrey Campbell, and Cecelia
Devil’s Details Boutique — formerly Bloomers and Frocks, this vintage shop has rebranded and shifted its focus to jewelry, often in bold and unique styles
Glint Dental — a dental office specializing in aesthetic procedures like veneers and whitening, but also offering general and preventative care
Golden Mean — early holiday shoppers should keep friends and family in mind at this gift shop, which carries unique goods ranging from soaps and blankets to kitchen goods and avant-garde decor.
Once Over Coffee— an unassuming-on-the-outside, artsy-on-the-inside coffee shop serving Wild Gift Coffee and less common coffee shop finds like kombucha and Italian soda
Package Austin — a queer menswear store for harnesses, underwear, accessories, toys, and community events
Sugar Mamas Bakeshop — a colorful bakery specializing in fantastically decorated cakes, often with a sarcastic or funny twist

The listing on Eventbrite promises a hydration station by Topo Chico, a collector's glass, and that the event will sell out. It requires that tickets ($32) be purchased in advance online. [Update: An event organizer says the ninth business on the Eventbrite list is still under construction, and will not be participating.]

The walk will take place from noon to 3:30 pm. Guests will receive a "passport" to help navigate between tour stops. A check-in tent will get guests started at 1628 S. 1st St.

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