Travel

Escape to Palisade

How I Spent My Weekend in One of Colorado's Most Spectacular Towns Article by Rochelle Reeder | Photography by Photography Provided As you head west on I-70, the Colorado River slips alongside the highway, catching flashes of gold in the evening light. For the first time all week, you aren't rushing to get anywhere. The De Beque Canyon releases you. The Grand Valley opens. The cliffs rise on the horizon. At first, they're just a dark line against the sky. Then, mile by mile, they grow taller...

Health + Wellness

From Mediterranean Groves to Colorado Markets

Healthy Harvest Sources Cold Pressed Olive Oil from European Family Farms Article by Cara Bukacek | Photography by Healthy Harvest & Peak Thyme Creative Karl Burgart initially started gardening as a means to “return to himself” after leaving a high-stress career in law enforcement. His home garden proved so prolific that he began selling organic produce at Colorado farmers markets. One day, a chance encounter changed everything: A Greek gentleman approached Karl’s booth, offering a sample of...

Entertainment

Taste Your Way Through Colorado Springs

With Cuisine and Conversation, Rocky Mountain Food Tours Captures the Spirit of the City Article by Jessi Scoletti | Photography by Rocky Mtn Food Tours There are many ways to get to know a city. For Samantha Wood, the journey begins with a plate, a good story and an adventure through the heart of town. Wood is the owner and president of Rocky Mountain Food Tours, an epicurean experience that invites visitors and longtime residents alike to discover Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs through...

Food + Beverage

Ramen, Reimagined

Hayato Brings Authentic Japanese Cuisine to Colorado Springs Article by Brandy Lovelace | Photography by Springs Things CO Melvin Davila first crossed paths with Keiichi "Kei" Maemura—the acclaimed chef behind authentic Japanese restaurant Shimuja Ramen in Florida—at a Miami pop-up event over a decade ago. "It was the best ramen of my entire life," Davila says. Davila had worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants but jumped at the chance to make ramen alongside one of Japan's most...

Food + Beverage

Spice Up Your Adventures

Helbjorn Hot Sauce is the Perfect Addition to Any Excursion Article by Cara Bukacek | Photography by Lilli Caroom & Peak Thyme Creative Some people discover their passions later in life, but Cordell Hunter was practically born into his. Hunter’s mother craved everything spicy while pregnant, so much so that he jokes he tried habanero before he even took his first breath. Unsurprisingly, he grew up to love the heat. In 2020, while deployed to Poland in the Army, Hunter found that the local...

Local Services

Stay Awhile

Nomad Coffee Shop Keeps It Local Article by Jacey Blue Renner | Photography by Nomad Coffee Shop Though a nomadic life can be all about the journey, Nomad Coffee hopes locals will tuck into the shop’s plush couches, enjoy unobstructed mountain views while sipping a latte or cortado, and stay awhile. Nomad opened this summer on Colorado Springs’ northeast side. Amy Esquivel, who manages its operations, and assistant manager Timary Hodge aim to foster conversation and community through coffee...

Food + Beverage

Something Worth Sharing

At Por Favor Tacos & Tragos, Everyone Feels Like Family Article by Rochelle Reeder | Photography by Por Favor Tacos & Tragos Guests come to Por Favor Tacos & Tragos for the authentic Mexican fare, but hospitality is the real product. “You're supposed to have good food at a restaurant,” says Everardo Galvan Jr., who serves as the marketing director for his family’s taco cantina. “That’s the bare minimum. But we are going to treat you so right.” For the Galvan family, who founded Por Favor a...

Food + Beverage

Seasonal Soup

Karin Ellis, Vendor Curator for Green Box Farm & Art Market, Shares Her Favorite Fall Recipe Photography by Karin Ellis Eating seasonally is my favorite way to connect with nature and to the rhythm of the time of year. The bounty of fall shines deeply with many jewel-toned hues. Butternut squash is one of those hues with its deep golden and orange flesh that creates the most warming, sumptuous soup for a cozy fall evening. It pairs perfectly with leeks from the garden, sage that is abundantly...

Food + Beverage

Picnic Provisions

Longtime Colorado Springs Catering Group Enters a New Era of Growth Article by Linden Butrym | Photography by Picnic Basket Catering From luxurious cabins to grassy meadows framed with snow-capped peaks, Picnic Basket Catering Collective traverses the Front Range to cater 2,000 events every year, many of them weddings. Kathy Dreiling and her partner, Michelle Talarico, founded the company nearly 40 years ago and have since transformed it from a small Colorado Springs deli into a catering group...

Health + Wellness

Fields of Purple

Sweet Awakening Farm Develops Lavender Products for Mind, Body and Kitchen Article by Cara Bukacek | Photography by Tammy Blackwell & Sweet Awakening In 2017, a car accident nearly claimed Tammy Blackwell’s life while she was attending veterinary school. Walking away from the wreckage sparked a profound internal shift. "Suddenly, the world was brighter, tastes were sweeter, and everything seemed more vivid," Blackwell recalls. "I couldn't go back to the life I had before." Blackwell chose to...