Taking our name from the Native American word for "Journey," Mii amo celebrates a spa journey experience unlike any other. We're pleased to share with you our inside view of what makes this destination spa in Sedona's spectacular Boynton Canyon a uniquely special place, and we look forward to seeing your comments on a variety of new topics.
I am proud to announce Mii amo now offers an innovative five-course tasting menu filled with my own personal style of Intelligent Cuisine—focusing on few, quality ingredients perfectly prepared to show their natural flavors. For me it’s about the combination of flavors and the savoring of great tastes and each dish on the menu was conceived with a particular wine in mind; each wine defines the dish, and vice versa.
The tasting menu is a unique opportunity for you to sample and enjoy selections from a five-course prix fixe menu with a focus on simplicity, true tastes and seasonal freshness, along with expertly chosen wines. Each course is paired with an exceptional wine from our organic/biodynamic or sustainable wine list; Nuevo Mundo Sauvignon Blanc, Tiamo Pinot Grigio, Barra Chardonnay; Barra Pinot Noir.
When I season a dish, or add a sauce, I’m thinking about combining flavors that taste good together so you can expect fresh flavors in artful combinations from the array of memorable starters, main courses and desserts. Organic ingredients from local sources, as well as our chef’s garden adjacent to the spa, are used whenever possible.
Bon appetit!
Mii amo continues to stay on the forefront of wellness technology with the introduction of the Kinetic Flow treatment.
The 60 minute session designed by Mii amo is delivered on the WaveMotion
massage table and allows guests to remain fully clothed throughout the treatment. Inspired by a combination of joint release techniques, physical therapy, and various massage practices, guests receive a unique experience producing deep massage results in a short time.
Calling to mind Watsu aquatic movements, the WaveMotion™ table facilitates fluid movements to enhance bodywork treatments. The top of the table rotates 360 degrees, and tilts up to 7 degrees in all directions. With each massage application, the table’s gentle, fluid and rhythmic motion disperses energy throughout the body providing additional therapeutic benefits for optimal health. These unique table features benefit the therapist in performing the treatment with the finest movements to achieve results that typically require great strength to perform.
By utilizing multiple massage techniques and the innovative movement of the table, the benefits are made evident when the muscles begin to relax deeply, thereby favoring a decrease in muscle tension, reducing stress and improving blood circulation and flow of the lymphatic system. The result of the Kinetic Flow treatment is a new dimension for preventative and therapeutic spa treatments shown to provide pain relief, increased circulation, and a heightened sense of well-being.
Serene Sanders brings more than 20 years of experience in the holistic health industry to her new role as Spa Director at Mii amo. Responsible for overseeing the daily spa operations, ongoing refinement of the treatment menu, wellness programs and retreats as well as managing the staff, Sanders will utilize her creativity and business acumen to build upon the considerable reputation of Mii amo.
“I am inspired by our guests to bring the best of the health and wellness industry to Mii amo.” says Sanders. “At Mii amo, I have the opportunity to create an experience that will offer guests relaxation and restoration, and provide them tools to find inner balance and a sense of peace in their lives.”
Sanders brings wide-ranging expertise and extensive experience to her new position, including a license in massage therapy, certification as an Aura-Soma practitioner and Natural Force Healer, and credentials in holistic studies.
For more information about the facility and treatments at Mii amo, please visit www.miiamo.com
Many gardeners prefer to start their garden plants from seed rather than purchasing actual plants. The main reasons for starting plants from seed are; more choices of plant variety, lower cost, and better adaptation to your location. While the internet may offer more plant choices than your local garden store, a seed catalog or seed saver group will yield even more choices. If you save seeds from the best heirloom (non-hybrid) plants in your garden each year, then over time you will produce plants better adapted to your soil and climate.
When starting plants from seed it is important to use a soilless mix, not dirt from your garden. Dirt doesn’t drain well and seedlings will get a fungal disease called damp-off. You can make your own soilless mix using peat moss, compost and perlite or just purchase a bag of potting soil. Place the soil in small pots or fill a flat with soil blocks (soil block makers can be found in garden supply catalogs). Drop a seed in each pot or soil block; lightly cover with soil and then water. Be sure to plant a few extra seeds because not every seed will germinate (germination rates drop off with seed age).
Seed germination is a function of plant type, time, temperature, light and water. For example; a tomato seed will germinate in about a week at 80 degrees, but require more time at a lower temperature. Tomato seeds germinate over a temperature range of 50-90 degrees, while lettuce seeds germinate between 35-85 degrees. Seeds can be germinated in a sunny windowsill. Once the seedlings start growing, they will need lots of light and regular watering. If the plants get “leggy”, tall and skinny, it is a sign of light deficiency.
Before transplanting plants to the garden, set them outside each day for a week to get them used to the outdoors. When transplanting plants to the garden, it is important to cover small plants with row cover to keep the birds away.
I had honestly never heard of dry brushing until I was introduced to it at Mii amo. We use the technique of dry brushing in several of our treatments at the Spa including the Sedona Clay Wrap, the Ayurvedic Herbal Wrap, the Intentional Aromatherapy Massage and the Dosha Balancing Wrap, just to name a few. Dry brushing is such a simple technique and yet the results are amazing! Some of the key health factors to dry brushing include gentle lymphatic drainage — which is great for your immune system, increased circulation, gentle but effective exfoliation and it also has a calming affect on the central nervous system. The best part is that dry brushing is a quick and inexpensive way to expand on you health and beauty regiment.
You can find a body brush at any drug store — natural bristle brushes are best. The simple rule is to start from your feet and brush up toward your heart, brush from the back of your body around to the front and from your hand to your under arms. You want to brush dry skin usually before you shower. I’ve been dry brushing every other day for 2 years now and I find that I rarely get sick any more and my skin absolutely glows. Of course if you suffer from any serious health issues always consult you doctor before beginning anything new. My final word of advice would be to come stay with us at Mii amo and allow one of our amazing massage therapist to introduce you to the benefits of dry brushing first hand. See you soon in Sedona!
In the dark several months ago, I was typing on my computer lying in bed, and all of a sudden noticed a caterpillar crawling on my keyboard. After the initial fright, I realized that it represented transformational energy.
Dance has been a part of my life from the time I was 5 years old. My kindergarten teacher recommended that I repeat the year because I could not sit still during music time. In her wisdom, my mother placed me in dance classes that summer and made sure that I entered first grade that fall. I never needed to be forced to go to class; it was a great avenue for my energy, artistic aesthetic, and a discipline that I took to immediately. The individualized attention I received from my teachers helped to balance out the lack of it at home. Performing was the icing on the cake; a chance to show what I had accomplished and where I excelled, and to receive the applause of an audience. Recitals always came with a fresh bouquet of flowers lovingly made by my mother from our garden of fragrant roses. Costumes and solos, music and movement, I was living my greatest joy.
Dance has always been my first love; one so deeply rooted in my DNA that I continued as a professional in the modern dance arena. Transformed on stage, shape shifting to another time or place, portraying a character or depicting a quality with shadows of movement that left an audience with an array of feelings, I lived a deeply rewarding yet limited life. Living revolved around classes, rehearsals and performances, maintaining the body’s needs and having another job that supplied the majority of my income. Many decades later, through dedication and devotion, I have continued to take weekly classes and still perform occasionally with the same intention – to share with an audience, to draw them into my world for a moment’s time. This ethereal art happens in an instant and then vanishes into thin air just as quickly.
Through the implementation of a low fat raw vegan diet, Pilates, regular technique classes and stretching along with timely structural integration bodywork, I continue to have amazing stamina and range of motion; the tools for the creation of dynamic choreography. I have been blessed to work with master teachers and talented choreographers who have used me as their muse on stage. What a gift! What a challenge! What a blast! I could not imagine life without it. It renews and restores me, keeping me forever learning and growing, in the moment, as dance does and deepens my appreciation of the transitory nature of life. It has never been about the exercise, although it helps to keep one fit; it is about the art, linking with generations of artists before me who have carved the path with their sweat, hard work and devotion.
Intending to dance with my very last breath, it is not a casual relationship that I have with my art; it is with passion, my soul’s voice!
At Mii amo, we encourage you to “Live Your Dreams”. In this important time, where events are happening at an accelerated pace and manifested quickly through action, create moments of opportunity in your life where changes can occur. Explore Meditation, Integrative Breathing or Releasing Stress to clear the way or design a vision board or journal to get in touch with self and manifest your heart’s desires!
Now is the Time!
First let me start off by saying what an honor and privilege it is to be at the helm of Mii amo kitchen. I am super excited to bring my combination of flavors and own personal style to the kitchen here. Ok now on to the fun stuff!! FOOD.
Lots of new things are already on the menu and on the horizon here at Mii amo; our summer soups are in full swing; make sure to check out our Mii amo Garden Gazpacho with charred pineapple pico de gallo and the electric colored chilled English Pea Soup with local goat cheese feta, pea tendrils and rice crisps. Both soups have big flavors that pop on your palate with natural brightness. Can you say yummy?
Also the new house salad will be debuting shortly for lunch and dinner; this is a classic rework on the strawberry poppy seed salad. I have made a tangy, sweet and yet creamy poppy seed dressing that only has 22 calories per serving. Oh how the strained yogurt comes in handy!! Add sprouts, mixed baby greens, cucumber, carrot and radish, then top it off with the poppy dressing. New spinach salad with fresh basil vinaigrette and a roasted beet salad with chunky feta dressing will follow.
Hope everyone loves Oysters; I am bringing my personal favorite to the menu, Kumomoto’s from the west coast, fresh shucked on the half shell. Pair them with house pickled beets, cilantro mignonette and ginger.
Entrées to be looking for in the near future are the Lobster Udon with red jalapenos, straw mushrooms and ginger-basil broth; Miso glazed Duck breast with blueberry sticky rice; Pad Thai sauté and Bouillabaisse.
As you can see there are a lot of fun new things happening here at the kitchen. Stop by and see us soon. Have fun and enjoy cooking!!
Chef Corey
Getting a continuous and manageable supply of vegetables from your summer garden is easy with a little planning. Some plants, such as summer squash and tomatoes, will produce a steady supply of vegetables from a single plant throughout the growing season. But other short season plants, such as salad greens, radishes and beets, produce a single crop and then they are done, even though the growing season is not over. To receive a constant supply of these vegetables requires a strategy called succession planting.
The term succession planting has several meanings. It can mean one crop followed by the same crop, one crop followed by a different crop, or two crops with different maturity times started at the same time. In this case, I am referring to one crop followed by the same crop.
The idea behind this type of succession planting is to start some seeds every few weeks. The frequency between plantings will depend on the “days till maturity” for the plant. Thus you have plants in various stages of growth; young, medium age and mature at any given time. Asian greens and radishes can be grown in about 21 days. Lettuce and beets are ready in about 40 days. Many of these plants are most tender and tasty when they are young. Lettuce is not like wine, it doesn’t get better with age. By experimenting with succession planting you should be able to keep a steady supply of produce available for harvest all summer long.
Hydration, ultimately important for survival and performing optimally is vital to a healthy lifestyle. Up to 70% of the body’s weight is water, important for every process in the body; repairing, healing, and growing. When more water leaves the body than is taken in, dehydration occurs. The body is dynamic and is always changing, so the loss of water from breathing, sweating and elimination needs to be replaced daily. Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, thirst, fatigue, headache, decreased urine output, constipation, dizziness or lightheadedness, sore joints and dry skin.
Feeling dehydrated is particularly uncomfortable and is not always identified as the reason for low energy; lack of hydration is the number one cause of daytime fatigue. Even mild dehydration can slow down one’s metabolism. Dry climates, alcohol, traveling, flying, exercising and the busyness of living can interfere with maintaining hydration.
Children and seniors are especially susceptible to dehydration. Adequate hydration is far more than drinking 8 glasses of water a day; not all of our intake needs to come from drinking water. The inclusion of more water dense fruits and vegetables to our daily eating program increases the body’s hydration; especially raw ones where the water is not cooked out of the foods. In addition, the building and maintenace of muscle is a hydrating factor to our bodies since muscle is comprised of a significant amount of water needed for all the processes that maintain it.
Maintaining adequate hydration helps to improve the immune system fight infection, increase the ability to release body fat and improve digestion. Cutting sodium intake is an effective way to positively effect hydration. So drink plenty of water throughout your day and indulge in hydrating water and nutrient dense fruits and vegetables daily.
Many of my clients are concerned about the hyper pigmentation that they see on their skin. Sun damage, melasma, sunspots, age and liver spots, are some of the terminology I may hear being used to describe their condition. Scars, acne marks and pregnancy masks may also be used to describe darker skin discoloration. Generally, the sun, hormonal changes, medications and certain illnesses may bring out hyper pigmentation. I personally have it from years of sunbathing with baby oil and iodine as a teenager! Thank goodness we are more educated nowadays.
Your largest living organ – the skin – is amazing at healing itself. Most discoloration due to cuts, scrapes, burns and acne can heal itself over time. By wearing sunscreen on a daily basis your skin can start to lighten naturally. This is because it is not defending itself from the sun.
Natural skin lighteners are the key to help quickly fade the past. There are many natural ingredients that lighten the skin. At Mii amo we carry Eminence’s Stone Crop Line, Epicuren’s Skin Lightener, and Naturopathica’s Botanical Skin Brightener. We also have a Brightening Facial on our menu. 
For natural skin lighteners to work correctly, it is necessary to exfoliate the skin once to twice a week. This will allow the lightener to penetrate to your new baby skin cells which then can start to regenerate lighter. Application of the lightener should be morning and night, and not just on the discolored area itself, but from the décolleté on up. This will help lighten future spots and give you an overall even tone. I also suggest application to the ears, especially for those who wear baseball caps. It is important to wear sunscreen daily. Also wear protective clothing, sunglasses and lip balm with SPF while you are in the sun.
This will allow your skin to be a brighter you!
