Alaska couple open B&B retreat in Superior

Directly across the Forest Grove Fishing Access on East Mullan Road is a big, beautiful lodge that was built to be a bed and breakfast many years ago. It’s still a B&B, but the new owners have created this cozy setting into a retreat center like none other anywhere in the area.

Heal Your Universe Wellness Yoga Retreat Bed and Breakfast has five healing-touch themed bedrooms, each with their own bathroom.

For example, the "tranquility" room has two queen beds and "harmony" has one. All rooms have an aroma oil diffuser and Himalayan salt lamps with exquisite mattresses and soft sheets.

Guests will find all toiletries are organic as little to no plastic is used so a little water and mixing will be required for some amenities.

A large common area is on the main floor with a solid wood vitality-juice bar, comfy oversized furniture with floor to 30-foot ceiling windows overlooking the Clark Fork River. The heavy walnut tables and chairs in the dining room make for an elegant, but peaceful setting especially with the handmade candles burning.

The entire ambience is soothing and restful from the moment you enter, and that is what Anastasiya and Andy Monaco want visitors to feel during their stay.

“This is a place for people to get away for a weekend and reset themselves. Take a yoga class, maybe a facial or enjoy a massage. Total calming and soothing time. And then they can go back and meet the world again and spread the pleasant vibes to other people and their families,” smiles Anastasiya.

“If we don’t take care of ourselves, I don’t know how we can take care of someone else,” she says.

Weekend retreats are coming up. An art weekend where an instructor will teach guests the technique for Mandala painting.

A Universal Yoga weekend workshop is coming in March and will be led by the instructor who lives in Portland, Oregon. Yoga and Cooking, where Anastasiya’s passion is, and she will teach in both as she is an instructor with over 1,000 hours of yoga education and many of her health-centered recipes and techniques come from Russia where she was born and was a grade schoolteacher before moving to Anchorage, Alaska.

That is where she and Andy met, and this move to Montana is their big dream. The Monaco’s want to meet their new neighbors and are inviting people to see and learn for themselves by offering a yoga session and then partaking in a healing, healthy and tasty lunch they will have prepared using organic ingredients while enjoying each other’s company as soft relaxing music fills the atmosphere.

This will take place each Saturday, at 9 a.m. in February with only a free-will offering as this concept might be unfamiliar to some so this way people can get a strong feeling for what is taking place 11 miles east of Superior.

“When our cooking retreat classes begin, I will be sharing my knowledge on how to prepare truly sensational vegetarian meals. I will teach how to make a variety of dressings that will transform basic grains, beans, and vegetable dishes in to nourishing and delightful whole food meals. We will also learn how to ferment vegetables for supporting a healthy digestive tract. Everything we serve is nutritious, healthy and fresh,” said Anastasiya.

“Locally grown fruits, nuts and vegetables during their seasons. Enjoyable, infused water with fruits for hydration, organic coffees and teas. Fresh vegetable and fruit juices,” as she demonstrates their commercial juicer.

No trophy wildlife mounts hanging from the walls or lariat rope toilet paper holders or horseshoe coat racks at this Montana B&B. At this retreat you can find essential oils, masseurs, and estheticians along with wholesome, nourishing meals.

Let the Monaco’s know if you’d care to attend one of the Saturday sessions this month. Call 406-822-4325 or visit www.heal-youruniverse.com.