Home + Design

Ecosystem of Healing

Heat & Ice: The Story Behind Newman Cold Plunges Article by Rochelle Reeder | Photography by Bret Newman In a small workshop tucked inside the city, the hum of tools and the sound of sanding wood mark the daily rhythm of Newman Cold Plunges, a fast-growing wellness business built almost entirely by accident. Just three years ago, its founder had no background in woodworking. Instead, he held degrees in Chinese language and music, ran a translation company, and played in local bands. But after...

Life + Culture

A Sweet Fascination

Rocky Mountain Beeswax Company: Six Generations, One Passion, and a Whole Lot of Bees Article by Christa Hays | Photography by Joleen Willis, Danielle Songster, John Haefeli Some businesses start with a plan. Rocky Mountain Beeswax Company started with a legacy. For founder John Haefeli, beekeeping isn’t just a craft—it’s the thread that connects six generations of his family, stretching back to 1903, when his ancestors immigrated from Switzerland before settling in southern Colorado in 1905...

Health + Wellness

Flipping the Healthcare Script

Strata Offers New Direct Primary Care Option Article by Lindsay Tallman | Photography by Strata Med Strata Med is leading the future of healthcare by offering an amplified, holistic, and integrative medical approach that combines Eastern and Western medicine. Strata offers compassionate care to patients of all ages through cutting-edge, proven treatments. Instead of just being reactive when a patient is experiencing medical issues, Strata offers proactive, preventative care. There are several...

Entertainment

Old World Holiday Tradition

OCC Christkindlmarket: Wooden Huts, Twinkling Lights, German Food and Entertainment Article by Ashley Hamershock | Photography by GACC Colorado Chapter & Teri Isenberg This winter, the magic of a traditional German Christmas market will arrive in Old Colorado City for the first time. Modeled after centuries-old European markets, the OCC Christkindlmarket will bring the cozy, festive atmosphere of wooden vendor huts, twinkling lights, authentic German fare, and cheerful holiday spirit to...

Education

Service Over Self

Care and Share: Encouraging Students to Lead the Way Article by Lindsay Tallman | Photography by Care and Share Food Bank Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado is in its 51st year of contributing to food security across southern Colorado. The organization was started by Sister Dominique Pisciotta from Pueblo, who saw a need in the community and collaborated with eight churches in downtown Colorado Springs to provide picnic baskets to people facing food insecurity. Sister Dominique was...

Health + Wellness

Royal Gorge-Region Oasis 

Desert Reef Hot Springs: Reset, Recuperate and Re-Enter, Refreshed  Article by Jacey Blue Renner  | Photography by Ivywild Visuals Photography Tucked into 77 acres of desert oasis, among the mountains of Fremont County, just about an hour south of Colorado Springs, in Florence, you’ll find something a bit ethereal, a bit breathtaking. Desert Reef Hot Springs, which began as a small-group collaborative respite in 1986, has now become a mini-resort, in the quietest way–a place to gather for an...

Home + Design

The Joy is in the Baking 

Sweet Rolling Pins: Curating Memorable Moments with Custom Rolling Pins Article by Jacey Blue Renner  | Photography by Sweet Rolling Pins Sweet Rolling Pins joy curators Stacy and Kurt Krems have cultivated something bigger than baking. With their embossed and textured rolling pins, they’re encouraging a new way to create family memories. Their rolling pins are nostalgic talismans for quality time together, vessels for growing rote memories with the ones we love to bake and laugh with.  ...

Food + Beverage

Crafting Connection, Drop by Drop

Worthy Bitters: Where Every Bottle Is Meticulously Handcrafted by the Founder Article by Rochelle Reeder | Photography by Jake Pedroza Grandma Bonnie introduced the family to Colorado. Robert Kenworthy has fond memories of condos and skiing in jeans with 25 to 30 of his cousins. With his active, healthy lifestyle as well as a plethora of good memories, he knew that Colorado was where he belonged. After years in the food industry, Kenworthy had the opportunity to work under chefs like Wolfgang...

Arts + Culture

A New Era Begins in the Springs

Colorado Springs Philharmonic: Meet the Orchestra’s First Woman Conductor Article by Rochelle Reeder | Photography by Colorado Springs Philharmonic & Michal Nowak After an intensive search, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic has announced the appointment of Chloé Dufresne as its next music director, effective with the 2025–26 season. Dufresne becomes the 10th conductor in the orchestra’s history and the first woman to hold the post. The Visionary Behind the Baton A music director’s job is to...

Food + Beverage

Old-World Recipes

La Concha Bakery & Coffee: Where Tradition Meets Community Article by Christa Hays | Photography by Sebastian Romero The first thing you notice when you step into La Concha Bakery & Coffee is the smell—sugar and butter swirling through the air, dough baking to a golden crisp. Sunlight spills across bright orange wainscoting as trays of pastries glisten like jewels. Behind the counter, croissants are rolled, cut, and baked before your eyes. There’s a warmth and the unmistakable comfort of...