by | Feb 1, 2017 | Miscellaneous, The Blog
Ten degrees and 15 minutes more of daylight….
I was in Strength & Stretch class this week, when one of the participants reported that daylight would increase this week by 5 minutes a day, so in just a few days the light would be 15 minutes longer then today. I am a lover of light and in specific Block Island light. The way it hits the water, the sand, the docks, the boats, my children’s faces….and don’t even get me started on Moonlight.
To those of us that are familiar with beauty and magic of Block Island, there is a turn happening this week when the temperature rises a few of degrees. It doesn’t take much for those of us that have enjoyed a summer day on the Island or for me 24 summers. When the temperature is on the rise, and the daylight extends even if by minutes….at least once a day we think of the summer, the fun, the labor and the magic.
What is your favorite aspect of Block Island? Some say, the calm, the peace for others maybe its the party, the positive vibe and its loving people. There is special simplicity even in celebration. Weddings that can be logistically more complicated on Block Island have a signature ease in the spiritual and interconnectedness. For me, when I watch people come and go, what I see in you, is ultimately the ability to drop in and be more connected. More connected? Yes, to yourself, perhaps to your family, the stories, the laughter. Smiles that happen in February for whatever reason are harder to see. I think even if you are a multi-tasker and stack even your rest days on Block Island with work emails and conference calls, I am suggesting that even these tasks are performed with deeper joy and connectedness when on the Island.
Here at the Spa, my single most favorite aspect of being a part of this beautiful environment is watching my guests arrive and through there time here at the Spa become more connected to their sense of self. I have seen it hundreds perhaps thousands of times and yet it never gets old. Better yet, when individuals come in for a massage at the beginning of their vacation and it amplifies their relaxation ability.
Last Fall, a grandmother came up to the front desk, shoulders hunched over and her neck was not very visible. She said to me, I have a gift certificate my daughter and granddaughter got me and I am here for a week so I would like to schedule a massage. I was so happy for her that her family had gifted this to her especially seeing how she was carrying herself. She went on to say so I am thinking of coming in in three or four days after I have had the chance to relax. I was raised to always respect my elders, so I gently said, perhaps you should come in this evening or tomorrow morning so you feel great in your body and can relax even better for the rest of the week. She paused and thought about what I was saying, then she grinned and said yes, what do you have this available this evening.
Say yes, to feeling good now. Say yes to connecting with your higher self. Say yes to the magic of Block Island….your time is rippling closer and I look forward to seeing you!
In love & Light,
Jill Kirby Seppa
by Roxanne Jasparro | Jul 21, 2013 | Meet the Koru Crew!, Miscellaneous, The Blog
Meet Koru’s All-Star Massage Team!
Koru’s massage staff this year is the best of the best! We are ecstatic to have three of our best massage therapists ever returning back to Koru this summer: Gina, Leidi, & Ellen!
Recognize the faces?
Gina has been leading our massage team for multiple years now and ensures everyone is giving massage and body treatments on par with any spa in the country. Gina is our powerhouse and great at treating athletes with sore muscles.
Leidi first arrived at Koru last year and quickly became an in demand therapist with her natural understanding of touch and the body. Her touch is naturally therapeutic and soothing.
Ellen started at Koru our second season and worked thru our 4th season. She has been living and massaging in Hawaii since then; however, she is back at Koru thru Labor Day weekend! Her style is long slow and deep work.
All three therapists specialize in deep tissue work and customizing your massage to the pressure level and needs you prefer.
Stay cool and summer on!
~The Koru Crew!
by Roxanne Jasparro | Aug 30, 2012 | Meet the Koru Crew!, The Blog
Name: Gina Lepore
AKA: G
From: Boston
Favorite Island Eatery: Froozies
Spa Education: Asheville School of Massage and Yoga
Position at Spa: Massage Therapist
Favorite Spa T-Shirt: White and Tangerine
Favorite Essential Oils: Grapefruit and Lavender
What drew you to the massage industry?
I was interested in holistic health and was inspired by the atmosphere at the Ayurvedic Clinic I worked at. I like working with my hands and wanted to help people heal their bodies. I enjoy the spiritual and physicality of it.
Where do you want to take your career?
I would like to eventually have my own massage and yoga studio.
What brought you to Block Island?
I was in Costa Rica volunteering and saw an ad for employment on Block Island. I had been here once for a family friends celebration and thought it would be a good place to be.
What do you like most about Island life?
The nature, the beaches, water activities and biking around the Island.
What do you like most about the Spa?
I love the rustic feel. I like that all of our products are Earth friendly and that we are an eco-conscious Spa. I love that people come here to feel good.
What are some of your must visit/see/do spots on Block Island?
The Labrynth, Pond & Beyond Kayaks, Elevation Studio (where she teaches Friday evenings but was too humble to mention in the interview) and Paddleboarding with Diamond Blue.
Where can you be found in your downtime?
Joking around with the crew at the Poor Peoples Pub
by | Jul 16, 2010 | Koru & BI in the Press, The Blog
One of our favorite BI articles from the N.Y. Times:
THE sights of an East Coast summer — body surfers careering toward the beach, children licking fudge ripple off sticky knuckles, bicycles casting shadows on hot pavement — vanish after Labor Day, when pool closings and school openings signal the beginning of a more somber season. But on this island, 13 miles offshore, the summer idyll slides far into fall.
“September and October are the two most beautiful months on the island,” said Kim Gaffett, a naturalist who grew up here and is now first warden, the chief elected official on the island (technically the Town of New Shoreham, population about 1,000).
For Ms. Gaffett, fall’s enchantment lies in the reduced humidity, the optimal stargazing, the flocks of birds heading south for the winter and the surprisingly warm ocean. The deeper waters off Block Island help retain the summer’s warm temperatures into the fall; the shallower waters along the mainland cool more quickly. “But I think it’s also relative to the outside temperature” — the hotter the weather, the colder the water feels. “Some of the magic may be in people’s brains.” (more…)
