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Alisa Miller and The Pine Canyon
Bed and Breakfast and Spa
A Born Healer Combines Two Worlds
By Autumn Rhea Carpenter
 Some women take a complicated and winding path in order
to find their truth and purpose. Others heed their calling at an early age.
Alisa Miller, 40, owner of Ancient Way Day Spa in Austin and
Pine Canyon Bed and Breakfast and Spa in Smithville,
Texas, is a member of the latter group.
“My grandmother used to pay me $.25 to rub her head and
feet,” Miller said, “I like to say thanks to that child labor time period,
I’ve already acquired 35 years of massage experience.”
Miller, an experienced spa professional, knew she had
been called to serve as a healer. “My parents reminded me that when I was
eight years old, I nursed flies with broken wings back to health,” Miller
jokes. “I was constantly communing with nature, concocting beauty potions,
creating tea parties and re-decorating the house. My parents encouraged my
creativity and made it acceptable to be a little unusual. Who would have
thought those early experiments would evolve into all of this?”
A longtime day spa owner, Miller wanted to branch out
into the world of B&Bs. “I was interested in buying a house that was close
to Austin, but away from all the headache,” she said. “I stumbled onto this
magical place called The Lost Pines Forest, in Smithville, and I was sold.
The home was designed and built (starting in 1994) by world-class artisans
Rae and Beverly Kilby. This couple's skill with marble, stone, and tile is
also showcased at the Driskill Hotel in Austin. It was originally crafted as
a home for the Kilby's and is best described as an English country cottage
and Mexican hacienda. The Kilby’s decided to return to England and Miller
quickly jumped at the opportunity.
 “The house was in perfect condition when I bought it,”
said Miller. “ All I added was a Jacuzzi and my personal decorating touches.
Most bed and breakfasts maintain a Victorian feel and the rooms are usually
right next to each other. You end up learning much more than you would like
about your neighbors due to the proximity. Pine Canyon B&B offers its
visitors more privacy, since each room is compartmentalized and has separate
entrances.”
The B&B sits on 7 1/2 acres of land, comfortably
nestled in the valley of a canyon. It is settled deeply behind a geographic
oddity, the pine tree forest, surrounded otherwise by cattle land. “When you
are driving out here, you’ll notice a lot of ranches and chicken farms,”
Miller said. “Suddenly, you are engulfed by lush, green pine trees. Visitors
tell me how the area reminds them of Michigan, Colorado, upstate New York
and even Pennsylvania! The place has a timeless feeling to it and allows
people bring their own experiences to it.”
 The house shares in its surroundings timelessness.
“This place has a “hobbit-like” feeling. Everything is custom built and
everything contains so much detail, It’s hard to gage the house’s age,
because it has such a warm, comforting feeling,” Miller said. “I’m able to
offer modern conveniences in an artistic and relaxing setting. It’s the best
of both worlds.”
Miller was interested in combining her years of spa
experience with her love of entertaining and nurturing when she purchased
the B&B. “I am intrigued by nature’s healing power and noticed that at my
day spa, people arrived stressed and always left refreshed. But, they had to
quickly return to that hectic world and didn’t always have time to truly
rejuvenate themselves,” she said. “Here, guests are able to decompress and
it has a more lasting affect. People are more apt to make return visits
because they’ve bonded with the place.”
Miller explains that various elements have combined to
make her a successful business- person. “My father is a German free-spirit
and my mother is a hard-nosed business woman,” she said. “I was always a
girly-tomboy and I learned that it was acceptable to be strong and direct,
while still showing affection. It’s important for women to be confident and
to be heard. I remember crying to my dad that I wasn’t a super hero and that
I couldn’t work 16 hour-days. He would look at me and say, “Yes, you are a
super hero and I expect you to behave like one.”
This might seem like high expectations for a young
woman, but the experience proved positive. “Now that I’m in my 40s, I try to
mentor other woman and make a difference,” Miller said. “I expect my staff
to call me on my “stuff,” but to remain respectful. There are too many women
managers out there who think you have to be a man to be a leader. It’s
simply not true. I’m a strong supporter of the matriarchal rule – loving,
but firm.
People are more apt to share emotional experiences with
Miller while receiving spa treatments. “It’s strange, but somehow I’ve
morphed into a sort-of counselor in this field,” she said. “I recently
realized that I use a Barbara Walters voice and am able to calm most people.
I also teach my staff the importance boundaries that must be established, in
order for the treatment to remain professional. If not, you give all of your
energy away and you have none left for yourself. Women are notorious for
doing this.”
Pine Canyon Bed and Breakfast and Spa allows women as
well as men to restore lost energy and gather important strength for the
outside world. The B&B offers various spa treatments, including massages,
facials, and foot reflexology. Miller is currently attending aesthetician
school and will later offering intensive skin treatment packages to her
guests.
 Miller offers three different rooms, depending on the
guests’ needs. The Sunflower Cottage sleeps four guests and is steps away
from the swimming pool. It’s often used for a girls’ getaway. The Goldstone
Room is geared toward honeymooners and anniversary celebrators, sleep two,
and features a large tub and shower. The Bluebird Room also sleeps two and
is often referred to as the cozy “bed cave.” Each room includes several
amenities, including a private entrance and bath, full gourmet breakfast in
bed, fresh flowers, champagne or wine and many more personalized details.
  When asked to describe the B&B’s clientele, she
explained the visitor’s mix. “There is a broad range of ages,” she said. “It
varies from retirees to honeymooning twentysomethings. A majority of the
guests are in their 30s and older, because that seems to be the group
seeking escape from the urban world. There have been several bachelorette
and slumber parties and family gatherings. (One rule stands: No kids or pets
are allowed.)
Next year, Miller plans to offer Yoga classes and
self-improvement retreats at her facility. “I want to offer couple’s
retreats, that would focus on improving communication,” she said. “The
course would include reciprocating love, enhancing your romantic environment
and creating intimacies beyond the physical realm. People are realizing that
everything is not a Hallmark moment and we are all experiencing stressful,
trying times. The media is constantly presenting us with the illusion and
it’s important that couples understand the reality. I want the retreats to
be inspiring and genuine – I’m not talking about sitting around in a circle,
singing Kum Ba Ya, though.”
 Miller is also interested in fostering a women’s
workshop, to teach women about self-care on all levels, including
physically, emotionally and spiritually. “We need to return to the village
mentality and realize that we need our fellow women friends and relatives to
teach us about the world. Now that I’m in my 40s, I’ve discovered a new
patience and I listen to my elders more. I crave their advice and want to
share mine with the younger women.”
For more information or to make a reservation, call
toll free 1.866.302.0185 or 512.302.0185 or e-mail
relax@pinecanyonbandb.com
http://www.pinecanyonbandb.com
Ancient Way Day Spa -
http://www.ancientwaydayspa.com/
Ancient Way Spa -
http://www.travellady.com/Issues/Issue62/62X-ancientway.htm
Images By Autumn Rhea Carpenter (
www.innerchicken.net
)and Alisa Miller
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