Colorado Living October 2025

Passion project

Southern Colorado man shines glowing light on his hometown.

10 Timeless relic

A few hours and a few coins are the ingredients for fun at the Manitou Springs Penny Arcade.

25 Have baby, will travel

Welcoming a newborn doesn’t put an end to worldwide travel, but it does adjust the speed.

37 Acres of fine art

Floodplain in new Aurora development serves as open-air museum for world-class sculptures.

44 Mountain meals

Sure, Summit County offers plenty of adventure and luxury. But don’t forget about the food.

49 Built for the snow

Ready for another ski season? Find everything you need (and more) in one spectacular county.

56 Satisfying mission

Owners oversee every detail of chocolate shop, from harvesting the cacao to crafting the treats.

62 Music, memories

Louie Louie’s Piano Bar delivers classic tunes and lots of laughter in downtown Colorado Springs.

Staff

Director of Content/Magazine Editor

Nathan Van Dyne

Art Director/Designer

Nichole Montanez

Designers

Elizabeth Holderfield

Cat Kammerer

Samantha Thomas

Photographers

Jerilee Bennett

Stephen Swofford

Writers

Seth Boster

Stephanie Earls

Kelly Hayes

Jennifer Mulson

Contributors

Amanda Faison

Daliah Singer

Publisher Christopher P. Reen

President/Chief Operating Officer

Rich Williams

VP of Advertising

Stacey Sedbrook

Executive Editor/VP of Content

Vince Bzdek

Editor John Boogert

Acknowledgements

Cover Photo/Photography

Mark Reis

Historical Photos

Manitou Springs image provided by Pikes Peak Library District; Gilman image provided by Eagle Valley Library District.

CURIOUS

Basia Dann has a bucket of raw meat, but Chewy is much more entertained by his game of hide-and-seek.

The Amur tiger hunkers behind rocks and bushes in his exhibit at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The top half of his head peeks out as he eyeballs his keeper.

Finally, the 350-pound cat decides enough is enough. He pops up and scampers over to see about some snacks.

“He’s very curious, outgoing and observant,” said Dann, lead keeper in the zoo’s Asian Highlands. “He’s also very playful, kind of childlike.”

Chewy, who is 10, lives alone, but he doesn’t want your pity. Tigers like their own space and are typically solitary in the wild. He gets the run of several spaces, including an entire second yard.

Amur tigers, the largest of wild cats, are an endangered species. There are estimated to be around 500 left in the wild, and only about 100 in captivity.

The species is native to far east Russia, so this chap is built for the cold, though he does love to loaf and laze in sunny spots around the yard. Amur tigers were once known as Siberian tigers, but as populations declined, there were no longer tigers living in Siberia. Their new name pays homage to the Amur River that flows through their reduced range in Russia.

JENNIFER MULSON

Parker Seibold

DEEP & WIDE

TEXT BY DALIAH SINGER

There’s plenty of space to soak after big expansion at The Springs Resort

Tufa Turnout pool. The Springs Resort

Even the steam that rises from the Mother Spring is hot: The world’s deepest geothermal hot spring, measuring more than 1,000 feet, has a surface temperature of 131 degrees. Bubbles pop on top of the round pool. It may be too fiery for humans, but the water source feeds more than 50 other geothermal pools at The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs where visitors can comfortably soak and relax.

Set against the backdrop of the San Juan Mountains, the land on which the resort sits and its medicinal waters were discovered by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe more than 150 years ago (in fact, Pagosa is derived from a Ute word meaning “healing waters”).

Wellness was not a concept then, but it certainly is now. In many ways, The Springs Resort is returning to those roots with a recently completed expansion and a renewed commitment to what it refers to as “soakology: the nature of wellness.”

In the spring, The Springs Resort unveiled more than 25 new geothermal mineral soaking pools (doubling its previous offerings), 78 additional hotel rooms, a restaurant, a two-story thermal spa, a panoramic sauna, a dedicated yoga studio and extra “wellness amenities” such as aqua floating meditation and guided contrasting bathing experiences. (Overnight guests can access all of the pools 24 hours a day, while various day passes afford differing levels of access to everyone else.)

“Homing in on the wellness aspect of the hot springs is really what The Springs is focused on right now,” says Jennifer Green, executive director of Visit Pagosa Springs. “It’s (about) staying on top of the hot springs trend, continuing to innovate and be new and offer unique experiences.”

Geothermal water has long been recognized for its therapeutic benefits. Naturally infused with minerals such as potassium, magnesium and sulfate, soaking in the warmth can lower blood pressure, increase energy, strengthen bones and improve skin tone.

As wellness and self-care have continued to trend, interest in hot springs has also grown, leading to major expansions at properties across the state. Old Town Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs opened four new pools in June. Glenwood Springs’ Iron Mountain Hot Springs added multiple pools and saunas this year after debuting its adults-only WorldSprings — soaking areas inspired by well-known geothermal locations around the globe — in 2023. Its neighbor, Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, added the Yampah Mineral Baths, a collection of five pools, in 2024, and a 16-room boutique hotel, Hotel 1888, began taking reservations in June.

The Springs Resort’s new pools are all situated downriver from the original property and were intentionally designed with wellness in mind. In practice, that looks like new adults-only and family-friendly areas, a reflexology walking path, an indoor pool specifically for aqua massage treatments and Contrast Falls — a dynamic waterfall where one side pours geothermal water and the other pours cold river water.

The major expansion comes to a site that’s enveloped by craggy peaks and 3 million acres of wilderness land and national forest — an ever-present reminder that while these pools may be new, Mother Nature’s healing touch has a long history.

every penny

TEXT BY STEPHANIE EARLS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK REIS

throwing and also, if you’re lucky, cashing in.

Founded in 1933 as a commercial bingo parlor by Jack Kerns — and run by the Kerns family until earlier this year — the local establishment known as Bingo Jacks pivoted after for-profit bingo was outlawed in Colorado. Instead, it adopted a new, more wholesome model that still maximized the cumulative power of customers’ spare change, as well as their cravings for entertainment.

The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade was born. Today, a few vintage machines at the arcade still cost only a penny.

Historic machines, operational and display, share the floor with the latest-model game tech throughout the arcade’s many buildings, which are home to more than two dozen pinball machines and throwback entertainment: shooting galleries, romance “detectors,” fortune-telling machines and the iconic derby — where players compete against one another in a decidedly non-virtual mechanical horse race.

The derby costs a whole dollar, but many of the games

cost just a quarter, and change machines abound to turn your real or virtual cash into the tender of the realm.

One night at the arcade taught me plenty of hardearned lessons:

• I’m not as good at Ms. Pac-Man — or Skee-ball, or pinball, and definitely not air hockey — as I used to be.

• Getting a mechanical horse to giddy up, by successfully rolling a ball into holes, is not as easy as it looks.

• What you win is worth more than you could buy, even if what you win is technically kinda worthless. (I was totally not in it for the tickets, until I saw a twentysomething walk by, giddy and grinning, with a cache of them the size of a cinder block).

But my biggest takeaway, from my first trip to a place I’d assumed wasn’t for me?

The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade might be even more fun for grown-ups without kids. You don’t have to beg for, or share, your quarters, and you get to keep all the swag.

Best. Rainbow. Pencil. EVER!

throwing and also, if you’re lucky, cashing in.

Founded in 1933 as a commercial bingo parlor by Jack Kerns — and run by the Kerns family until earlier this year — the local establishment known as Bingo Jacks pivoted after for-profit bingo was outlawed in Colorado. Instead, it adopted a new, more wholesome model that still maximized the cumulative power of customers’ spare change, as well as their cravings for entertainment.

The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade was born. Today, a few vintage machines at the arcade still cost only a penny.

Historic machines, operational and display, share the floor with the latest-model game tech throughout the arcade’s many buildings, which are home to more than two dozen pinball machines and throwback entertainment: shooting galleries, romance “detectors,” fortune-telling machines and the iconic derby — where players compete against one another in a decidedly non-virtual mechanical horse race.

The derby costs a whole dollar, but many of the games

cost just a quarter, and change machines abound to turn your real or virtual cash into the tender of the realm.

One night at the arcade taught me plenty of hardearned lessons:

• I’m not as good at Ms. Pac-Man — or Skee-ball, or pinball, and definitely not air hockey — as I used to be.

• Getting a mechanical horse to giddy up, by successfully rolling a ball into holes, is not as easy as it looks.

• What you win is worth more than you could buy, even if what you win is technically kinda worthless. (I was totally not in it for the tickets, until I saw a twentysomething walk by, giddy and grinning, with a cache of them the size of a cinder block).

But my biggest takeaway, from my first trip to a place I’d assumed wasn’t for me?

The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade might be even more fun for grown-ups without kids. You don’t have to beg for, or share, your quarters, and you get to keep all the swag.

Best. Rainbow. Pencil. EVER!

Chef’s KISS

TEXT BY SETH BOSTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAWN CAMPBELL

Across Colorado, no chef is riding a wave quite like Johnny Curiel.

In 2024, the world-renowned Michelin Guide awarded a coveted star to Alma Fonda Fina, Curiel’s solo debut restaurant that was not yet a year old. Along with the star, Michelin gave its Young Chef Award to Curiel.

Then last month, in its 2025 edition, Michelin included a star for Mezcaleria Alma, Curiel’s sister Mexican concept next to Alma Fonda Fina in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood.

“Lightning strikes twice for dynamo chef Johnny Curiel,” inspectors wrote.

Previously, he opened Cozobi Fonda Fina, bringing wood-fired, corn-centric creations to Boulder. That restaurant received a Bib Gourmand, making Michelin’s short list of “great food at a great

value.” And the first year of Jalisco Highlands-inspired Alteño in Cherry Creek earned a spot on Michelin’s recommended list.

That’s not to mention finalist recognition from the James Beard Foundation. Or The New York Times recently placing Mezcaleria Alma on its annual list of best restaurants in the country. Or the restaurant also appearing on Bon Appétit’s annual best-of list.

What has all the praise meant for you?

“It’s been unbelievable, unreal,” Curiel said.

But don’t call it a fast rise. Curiel knows his journey to be anything but — beginning in Guadalajara and continuing in America, where his family moved when he was 12. His parents were restaurateurs who bounced around before settling in Summit County. Curiel, too, would bounce around. He’d work alongside top chefs,

It puts me at a stage to be able to share my culture: our food, our heritage. And doing it from Denver, you know. You always hear about Mexican restaurants in L.A., Mexican restaurants in Chicago, Mexican restaurants in New York. But being able to do it from Denver, it’s amazing.

What have been some of the hardest times along the way?

My parents went back to Mexico when I was 16. Being a 16-year-old in Summit County, or being an 18-yearold in Denver, or being 21 years old in another state ... those were some of the hardest moments. But I’m grateful for those opportunities that presented themselves for me to be independent, to be by myself, to figure out how to tackle a situation on my own.

Does all the recognition make it easier or harder?

Harder, 100%. It puts you on a platform. ... People that travel for Michelin have seen every single scenario — a one star, a Bib Gourmand, a recommendation, two stars — so it’s easy to be compared. And even when you’ve never been to a Michelin restaurant, it’s easy to criticize. So with Michelin, a big responsibility comes with it. It’s a lot more stressful, but it also becomes more purposeful.

building skills toward his ultimate mission: to finely, uniquely celebrate the flavors of his native land.

“I had stops in Arizona, I’ve lived in Minnesota, I’ve lived in California, I’ve lived in North Carolina, I’ve lived in Cincinnati, you name it,” he said. “I’m kind of a nomad.”

Now he’s back where his culinary journey started as a teen — in Denver, where acclaim waited. That’s where our conversation started.

For people keeping up with Michelin, they’re seeing your four restaurants awarded or recommended. If someone could only go to one, what do you say?

Without Alma, there’s no Cozobi, Mezcaleria or Alteño. Alma will always be the baby that was able to make everything else possible, and it’s the reason we went from 12 employees to having 150. So I always say, “Try Alma.”

And what’s your favorite dish there?

Frijoles Percos (chorizo, fresh salsa, queso fresco, sourdough flour tortillas).

What do you like to eat on your own eating time?

Do you want the real answer? I love McDonald’s. I love a double cheeseburger with extra everything.

Any other restaurants around Denver you’re digging?

The one I frequent the most: Kawa Ni, Japanese Izakaya. There’s Xiquita in uptown from (chef Erasmo Casiano); he’s doing an amazing job with Mexican cuisine. There’s Riot BBQ by Manny Barella.

Of everything, what are you most proud of?

My wife and I have a 41/2-year-old. ... We’ve prioritized home as much as we’ve prioritized business. Most people, yeah, at one point you have to choose: Do you want to be a chef and restaurateur, or do you want to be a dad? Doing both has been the highlight of my career.

STORIED SPRINGS

TEXT BY JENNIFER MULSON

Manitou’s waters boast deep well of history

Long before tourists stuck their cups under the flowing fountains in Manitou Springs, American Indians proclaimed the area and its bubbly waters a place of peace.

Indeed, if opposing tribes happened upon the natural springs at the same time, it was understood there would be no warfare.

The water also was good for their bodies, as their diet consisted heavily of wild game.

“Eat a lot of that and your digestive system needs help,” said Dave Wolverton, former head of the Mineral Springs Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to protect the waters. “Mineral springs are highly alkaline so (the water) neutralized all that acetic meat they were eating.”

Following the American Indians were fur traders, trappers and gold seekers, who also believed in the curative powers of the minerals. They developed health regimens and treated illnesses such as tuberculosis by drinking the water and soaking in it. Hotels quickly emerged in the area, many boasting their own wells.

“It was a fashionable thing to drill your own well and have your own baths in your hotel so people could come and spend a week or two,” Wolverton said.

When the pharmaceutical industry ramped up in the 1930s, the healing waters fell out of fashion, as Americans began taking pills for what ailed them. But many still see the value in ingesting the effervescent, salty and metallic waters.

“We take vitamin supplements, and you can get that basically out of the mineral springs,” Wolverton said. “You’ll see runners do the Manitou Incline, come down and stop at Twin Spring. After you’ve run that, all your muscles are acetic. And what’s the fastest way to recover muscle fatigue? Alkaline water.”

Dotted across the landscape are eight springs of alkaline water that never run dry. At least not yet, says Wolverton: “I’m never going to say never.”

Unbeknownst to thousands of tourists who stroll the streets every summer is the cave system that lies below. The caves are filled with water thanks to the karst aquifer, a naturally occurring cavernous basin. This aquifer’s water, which rises through the Rampart Range and Ute Pass faults, mixes with surface water from the Williams Canyon and Fountain Creek watershed basins and becomes infused with minerals. The carbon dioxide rising from the faults blends with the spring water, and it becomes bubbly. That natural carbonation forces the water to the surface through cracks in the rocks.

PERFECT POTIONS

A taste test of Manitou’s 8 springs nets sparkling and surprising results

TEXT BY JENNIFER MULSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK REIS

ot to brag, but I’m a water connoisseur. I’ve been drinking it since I was just a wee thing, eschewing milk for this magical liquid for as long as I can remember.

At some point, my preference for sparkling water emerged and has yet to release its grip. So tasting the natural bubbles of Manitou Springs was a golden opportunity in hydration.

Each of the springs tastes a bit different, though it was hard for me to distinguish among a few of them. There’s a reason for this — the geology in each location is distinct so as the water runs through the formations it picks up distinct minerals.

“Brace yourself,” said Peggie Yager, treasurer of Manitou Springs Historical Society and director of Miramont Castle. “Some of them are pretty good, and some are pretty horrible.”

Iron Spring: I was forewarned about the spring that lives inside a pavilion toward the

top of Ruxton Avenue. It’s like sucking on a rusty nail, Yager told me. She wasn’t lying, though I like to think of it as a finely aged nail smoothie. After the initial rush of iron, which measures 14 mg/L, easily making it the spring with the most iron content, my palate oddly and quickly acquired the taste. I found it rather delicious, but maybe I just like a little bite to my beverages.

The water here also contains the largest dose of fluoride (5.1 mg/L). No toothpaste? No problem. Just swirl this water around your mouth a few times a day.

An interesting phenomenon: If you draw a line from Blue Skies Inn on Manitou Avenue to Iron Spring, the springs to the north of the line feature more of a club soda taste while the springs to the south of the line are iron. It’s due to Pikes Peak granite.

“That water is interacting with the granite, and it’s picking up that iron content out of the granite,” said Dave Wolverton, former head of the Mineral Springs Foundation.

Twin Spring: A short way down Ruxton Avenue

from Iron Spring stands the town’s favorite, Wolverton says. It’s the water recommended for use in the Mineral Springs Foundation’s popular lemonade recipe. And I can taste why. It’s fizzy and crispy and finishes with a pleasurable bite. If I were a wine aficionado, this is where I might say there were hints of pear, apple or lemon.

The water here also boasts the highest magnesium content, at 90 mg/L, along with Cheyenne Spring, potentially making it a good choice for a nightcap, as magnesium is known to improve sleep in some individuals.

Sidenote: Fear not about infected water; the springs are tested monthly. And there are signs posted at a few wells warning the manganese in those springs exceeds the limits of the Environmental Protection Agency. The water is contraindicated for babies, Wolverton says, but for everyone else, proceed as you see fit.

Stratton Spring: The bronze fountain, named for Winfield Scott Stratton, who struck gold in Victor and became the Pikes Peak region’s first self-made millionaire, stands on the corner of Manitou and Ruxton avenues. It has the most carbonated water, what Wolverton dubs the “bubbly champagne of mineral water.” I liked it fine, though preferred the zesty Twin and metallic Iron springs. What really captures your attention at Stratton Spring is Fred Darpino’s sculpture of a woman bending over, about to place one of her hands in the healing water.

the most potassium, at 79 mg/L. It seemed more bubbly than some of the others, and full-bodied.

Navajo Spring: Only a few steps from Cheyenne Spring, the soda spring water here is in the mid-range, minerally speaking. I found it pleasantly fizzy and tasty, and it made me wish I lived in Manitou so I could give up buying boxes of Kroger seltzer water. The Navajo is the spring that made Manitou famous, Wolverton says. It was the most prevalent in the early days, prior to anything being built, and is considered a sacred spring to the American Indians.

MANITOU MINERAL WATER LEMONADE

Yield: 2 (20-ounce) servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups mineral water from Twin Spring

1 cup simple syrup or an appropriate substitute

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (Optional) Zest of 2 lemons (Optional) A few sprigs of mint

PROCEDURE:

1. Mix.

2. Enjoy quickly. (Remember that, like soda, mineral water will lose its carbonation over time.)

Mineral Springs Foundation

Cheyenne Spring: Near Patsy’s Candy & Gift Shop on Manitou Avenue, this spring precipitates a lot of minerals from the bronze font, Wolverton says. It shares the title of most magnesium with Twin Spring and also has

Shoshone Spring: Farther down Manitou Avenue, this spring might contain the greatest amount of deep-seated water from the aquifer, and also has some of the highest amounts of minerals, including calcium, lithium, sodium and zinc. It’s also the warmest water, at more than 60 degrees.

Wheeler Spring: Behind the Manitou Springs Post Office is another soda spring that features the highest copper level and “tastes like bicarbonate of soda,” Yager said. It seemed pleasantly salty to me.

Seven Minute Spring: On the outskirts of Manitou sits the well that supplies SunWater Spa with its water. A study was done in 2012 to make sure the aquifer could accommodate the spa, and a well was drilled four years later to service the new building with its soaking cedar tubs. The water flowing from the font is the least mineral-tasting, Wolverton says, and my taste buds agree. It also seemed like the least fizzy. But the nearby gazebo and sculpture garden do make it one of the prettiest places to sit and sip your cup of liquid gold.

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and

COLORADO CHRONICLE

TOXIC TOWN WITH A MIXED LEGACY

This winter, maybe on their way to ski resorts off Interstate 70, people will drive west on U.S. 24, passing Leadville to the stretch of road that bends around Battle Mountain.

Maybe they’ll pay no attention to the ghost town on the left, seen there at the edge of a cliff, hanging on.

That’s Gilman. The highway’s paved shoulders give one space to park, to step out and see the homes and buildings of last century’s bustling scene gone silent.

There’s the shaft house, still standing tall and emblematic of the glory years in which America depended on this place for much of its zinc.

There’s the sign by the road, alerting trespassers of “hidden and visible dangers” and “risk of injury or death” — the warning issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1986, when Gilman was declared a Superfund site a decade after mining stopped.

There’s a footpath near the sign, taken by those whose curiosity bests their cooperation.

There’s the hospital, where some of those people found X-rays scattered about, as seen in pictures posted to their blogs.

There’s the New Jersey Zinc Co.’s office building, which, judging by those same blogs, still keeps dusty records in drawers.

The company rented out the homes, which reportedly still contain furniture and appliances adding to the impression that something like Chernobyl happened here, or something like a simple yet devastating announcement for families to pack and leave now.

Reserves had been taxed. Production was cheaper overseas. And business was over here.

SETH BOSTER

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DALIAH SINGER

Oh baby, let’s go

Mark Reis

Joys — and stresses — of traveling with a baby

he first time my daughter laughed, my husband and I had just finished plates of tacos in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Zara was touching my face as we watched the ocean waves roll into Medano Beach, and a soft, short giggle emerged. Then another. Her eyes held a look of pure joy. She was just shy of 4 months old.

The first time Zara danced, we were at dinner in western Canada, and she began swaying her head from side to side in her high chair. The movement had a Frankenstein quality, but in her pink sweater, with mashed potato stuck to her lip and broccoli flakes everywhere, it was adorable.

The first time she crawled up the stairs, Zach and I were packing to come home after visiting my family in Toronto. Suddenly, 10-month-old Zara decided it was time to summit the carpeted mountain. She climbed to the top, stopping periodically to clap at her accomplishment and make sure we were watching.

I don’t believe it’s happenstance these milestones occurred on the road. Travel is an awakening. Being exposed to other cultures and ways of living, stepping away from our routines, breathing different air — it changes us. It’s inspiring and transformative at any age.

When we found out we were pregnant with our first child in early 2024, my husband and I committed to each other that we would continue to explore the world. We understood that our jet-setting lifestyle would need to adapt — and would even wane in certain periods — but traveling is what brings us the most joy, and we wanted our child to see that and experience it too. Now, at just more than a year old, Zara has multiple stamps in her passport, has road-tripped through the Rocky Mountains multiple times and has camped in a tent and in a van.

We’re lucky; she’s a fairly easygoing travel companion. She has nursed on the beach, drank a bottle on top of a mountain in Alberta and happily gobbled up black risotto in Split, Croatia. She has napped on planes, in cars and in her stroller with a fan keeping her cool while out and about.

She even handles jet lag better than her parents. Even in this best-case scenario, traveling with a baby or toddler is a test of endurance. A flight is no longer a chance to catch up on new releases. Instead, we’re the entertainment for a tiny human who needs constant supervision, whether in the air for three hours or 10. The way we travel has significantly changed too. The double-sided, handwritten packing lists I fastidiously scribble weeks before each trip can attest to that. Babies require a lot of stuff — especially when you’re a first-time parent and nervous about leaving anything to chance. Suddenly, instead of packing a carry-on and backpack to share, my husband and I are lugging a car seat, stroller and multiple checked bags and carry-ons through an airport or Tetris-ing all that gear into our Subaru.

It’s not just about logistics. The spontaneity and impulsivity that come with being in a new place aren’t as accessible anymore. Instead of being able to jump into a local watering hole we stumbled upon or grab a drink with a friendly couple we met, we have to put our daughter’s needs first, which might mean finding a cool spot for a nap, pulling over regularly for a snack or diaper change, or heading back to the hotel early. Slow travel is trending right now, but it’s always been a way of life for globe-trotting families. Rather than working our way through a long list of recommended sites and restaurants or packing up to visit multiple locales on one trip, my husband and I are becoming more deliberate, thoughtful and also flexible with our time and with our planning. This past summer in Croatia, we skipped two jaw-droppingly beautiful national parks because the driving distance wasn’t worth it for an experience our daughter couldn’t truly enjoy at such a young age.

While we’re learning to adjust our expectations and accept that we’re going to miss out on certain activities, Zach and I haven’t lost our yearning for discovery. It’s healthy to break out of the eat-play-nap routine and go off schedule. Keeping our daughter up late in order to watch the sun set from a cable car or letting her fall

asleep in the carrier during a midday hike allows us to connect with a place in some of the ways we want while also, we hope, teaching Zara to be adaptable.

If nothing else, all of these moments are a reminder of the importance of that indispensable yet hard-toachieve parenting trait: patience.

We were 20 minutes into a water taxi ride between the coastal Croatian town of Mlini, where we were staying, and Old Town Dubrovnik when I realized that I’d forgotten to pack my daughter’s formula. We were planning a full-day outing to the island of Lokrum, and all I had with me were quick snacks.

I nursed Zara exclusively for the first seven months. That made travel easier — as long as I was with her, she had food readily accessible — but also exhausting because a nursing mother has to plan her time so carefully. The introduction of formula gave me more space but also brought its own challenges, like cleaning bottles and finding safe, distilled water.

I managed not to panic on the boat while my husband’s eyes widened with concern. We were headed to a city, and there would be formula there, I told him. Let’s not worry until we need to. Worst case, one of us can take an Uber to a grocery store.

Luckily, that wasn’t necessary. A pharmacy, with English-speaking staff, sat on the other side of the medieval wall from the port. For 13 euros, our problem was

Adriatic Sea.

solved.

When we told fellow parents we were taking Zara on a vacation to Croatia, we were met with doubts and questions. Why were we setting ourselves up for a stressful, across-the-pond flight? Why not wait until she’s older? Why not choose somewhere closer to home?

The truth is, travel is always problematic, whether you’re journeying near or far. Flight delays are a pain. Significant time zone shifts are tiring, as are long drives. Language barriers are difficult to navigate. All of those frustrations become more stressful when you have a child in tow. But that’s true at home as well. Your kiddo is going to have a blowout just before you’re supposed to board the flight (pro tip: always pack two extra outfits in your carry-on) or head out the door for an appointment. They’re going to suddenly get hungry and start screaming when you’re trapped in a snaking customs line or at a red light while running errands. You’ll spend your afternoon trying to stop your daughter from putting M&M-size pebbles in her mouth — on a Croatian beach or at a local playground.

These headaches might feel more fraught or complicated when you’re away from your comfort zone, but why not face these challenges in a new, beautiful place if you have that option?

Zach and I want to raise a daughter who is brave, bold, adventuresome and resilient. I hope that taking her on our explorations helps instill those characteristics. Perhaps they’ll also help her see her parents as whole beings who are fun, interesting, adaptable and, yes, people who make mistakes.

One day our daughter is going to board a flight without us. She’s going to move out of our home and build her own life. My wish is that the journeys we take together help her grow wings so she can fly away with confidence.

She won’t remember these early trips, so we’ll carry those memories for her until she can hold them herself. One day, we’ll tell her about the afternoon when the world stopped, for just a moment, as she giggled next to the beach. We’ll tell her it was the sweetest sound we’d ever heard.

Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Summer may be sunsetting, but that doesn’t mean the vacations have to end. With more nonstop routes to love and easy one-stop connections to adore, Colorado Springs Airport is your convenient launch pad for your next great excursion. So whether you’re fleeing for fall or wayfaring for winter, check out all the great options at FLYCOS.com.

NEON DREAMS

Pueblo visionary basks in glow of his alley creation

TEXT BY SETH BOSTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JERILEE BENNETT

oe Koncilja finishes dinner inside one of the several buildings he owns around this downtown Pueblo block. He leaves a hefty tip, asks the lessee if anything is needed, anything at all, and then staggers out into the rainy night.

He’s walking with the help of a cane.

He’s been moving slower recently.

“It’s been a rough year,” his wife, Tallie, had said earlier, as she wrapped her arm around the man overcome by emotion.

The cancer had spread. The diagnosis was terminal.

But Koncilja, 75, is not thinking about that now as he steps into the night aglow.

He’s thinking about the neon signs that need fixing, the few that have burned out — just a few among the bright, nostalgic array hanging above this alley.

“The electrician is coming,” Tallie assures him.

This is a pride and joy of Koncilja’s: Neon Alley, the free attraction that has swept social media and brought people from afar to this historic corner of his hometown. Neon Alley is the most curious addition to the Union Avenue Historic District that he has spent much of his life revitalizing.

This is maybe the most personal addition; Koncilja has loved neon since childhood. And this is probably the most fun, different from his work on buildings.

“I’ve always liked alleys. I think they’re more interesting than storefronts,” he says. “They’re mysterious.”

Perhaps not unlike the man himself. Koncilja shrugs.

“I’ve led a pretty colorful life.”

* * *

In Pueblo, Koncilja is first and foremost known as a leading attorney. He is also known for restoring the Pueblo Union Depot. The old train station is the iconic centerpiece of a portfolio that has spanned beyond his dozens of residential and commercial spaces around Union Avenue, which he saw listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

That decade, Koncilja embarked on the preservation venture alongside his younger brother. This was while simultaneously growing a law firm with Jim.

“To my brother’s credit, he also found the time to renovate probably another 30 or 40 homes and historic areas around Pueblo,” Jim says. “Again, with this idea that if you renovate a property on a block, it sets an example for the rest of the homeowners, and maybe they’ll be inspired to improve their property.”

This has been Joe Koncilja’s big idea: to inspire a love for Pueblo.

He is among proud, native sons who know the town to be misunderstood, from afar given a reputation based on headlines. Recent headlines have regarded U.S. News and World ranking Pueblo as one of the 10 “most dangerous cities in the U.S.”

But just as Koncilja has worked to reverse that reputation, he has also worked in the very depths of that reputation. The criminal defense attorney has litigated some of Pueblo’s most notorious cases over the years.

He thinks maybe 25 murder cases. “Probably 100, 150 sexual assault cases,” he says, not letting himself think much more. That, or he’s not letting himself talk much more — a man seemingly caught between moral and professional worlds.

His family has seen the emotional toll of the career.

“But he always had a hand in other projects,” says his eldest son, Joe. “I think those projects and the real estate have kind of been an escape for him.”

Projects such as Neon Alley.

Here he is now under the swirl of color, the lights accentuated by the rain: reds, greens, yellows and blues of brands past and present hanging amid vintage movie posters.

The McDonald’s arches stretch here. Over there a cheeseburger recalls Tommy’s Super Burgers. Here are the “HOLLYWOOD” letters. Here are the logos for Goodyear, Shell and Sunoco. There is a cigar displaying a shop gone by, like the shoe repair shop marked by a shoe and an office supply shop marked by a pencil.

Here’s Aladdin’s lamp. There’s the Michelin man. A lime drops into a Corona bottle. A dragon scales a brick wall, across from another brick wall that Batman and Robin are climbing, up toward Koncilja’s third-floor office.

If not down here in the alley, Koncilja can often be found up there in the office. The windows are often open. And so he often hears the excited chatter of picture-takers below, as does his wife.

“It’s kids doing prom pictures, homecoming pictures, graduation pictures,” Tallie says, not to mention Instagrammers from near and far. “It’s gotten incredibly popular.”

Mission accomplished for Koncilja. Or so it would seem.

“I’ve got probably 20 more signs to put up,” he says.

Neon is not the only thing Koncilja collects. That much is clear from a look around his office building, one of his earlier restoration projects here on Union Avenue.

The office is a compendium of antiques and oddities — pinball machines, wooden ship models, German cuckoo clocks, vintage rifles and swords. An old trolley is parked outside. An old telephone booth greets one through the door.

Koncilja traces the varied interests to childhood.

He grew up in a poor neighborhood of immigrants, his Slovenian and Italian grandparents among them. His father worked long hours as a butcher by day, his mother as a nurse by night, so the kids spent a lot of time with their grandparents.

“They would take us down to Union Avenue, as a matter of fact,” Koncilja says. “Grandmother would go through all the rummage stores.”

But nothing could quite match the sight over on

Santa Fe Avenue. That’s where a company displayed a neon sign — an Indian chief whose headdress of feathers would change colors in the big, bright eyes of a boy.

“We’d always beg our dad to drive us by that sign so we could see it,” Jim Koncilja says.

The neon interest never left his older brother. Neither did another interest.

“When he was 16 or so, he used to go to the local public defender’s office,” Jim says. “He’d just sit on the bench and watch whatever was going on.”

The men in suits, the way they defiantly spoke and spun stories, the way those stories twisted and turned as if for TV — it was all a thrill seemingly far from home. Koncilja would indeed travel far from home.

As a young man in the ‘70s, he bounced between San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C. He worked as a political organizer, rubbing elbows with men who wore fancy clothes, drove fancy cars and ate in fancy restaurants. Koncilja would stay at fancy hotels.

“It was really kind of surreal,” he says.

Through law school, he got to know more about Melvin Belli — “an absolutely flamboyant lawyer and brilliant lawyer,” Koncilja says. Along with pioneering victories involving personal injury, Belli represented celebrities both famous and infamous. Belli maintained a

plush office in San Francisco, where he’s remembered for shooting a rooftop cannon to announce wins and parties. (He’s also remembered for five divorces.)

“I never met him, but I would go past his office and sometimes go into his office,” Koncilja says. His read on the man: “very much a narcissist.” And, he admits: “kind of an inspiration.”

As were lawyers he knew back in Los Angeles, who reveled at a bar they owned. Koncilja was again inspired; he would own a bar back in Pueblo. He knew he’d return out of law school: “I just thought I’d be able to make it and do my own thing.”

Maybe he’d be some version of those big men in the big cities. And maybe he’d still be some version of that kid in the poor neighborhood, the boy raised to work hard and go to church around the corner.

“You were raised to be humble,” Koncilja says.

Koncilja bought the bar building out of foreclosure, amid a sharp economic downturn in the ‘80s. As the steel mill languished, so did Pueblo.

Around the Union Avenue office Koncilja would share with his brother, structures were being boarded

up.

“We were looking at all these old photos, and we saw the grandeur that Pueblo once was,” Jim recalls. “We said, ‘You know, maybe we can put some of this back together.’”

The historic district’s restoration was decades in the making, helping spur the flourishing, nearby riverwalk that is today. That redevelopment was celebrated in 2000, ahead of the brothers’ signature purchase a year later: the Pueblo Union Depot.

All along, Koncilja kept his focus. “I love the depot, I love my office and these other buildings,” he says. “But trying to be a good lawyer was always the most important thing to me.”

It was not as easy as those lavish lifestyles back in California suggested.

“He was a guy that worked 12 hours a day. Every Saturday he worked,” says Koncilja’s son, Joe.

His wife worried about him sleeping as more cases took him north to bigger cities and south to smaller towns. “He always had a driver,” Tallie says. “When he slept, it was when he was in the vehicle.”

How could he sleep with lives on the line? That’s how he saw his work as a defense attorney. “You don’t charge people money and not give them a result,” he says.

Early in his career, it was largely about convincing judges and juries in drunk driving cases — serious cases, to be sure. “But murder cases are a different story,” Koncilja says.

As were sexual assault cases. Sometimes the one he needed to convince was the alleged victim, the clearly distressed one on the stand.

“I hated that,” Koncilja says quietly.

He stays silent, caught again between those moral and professional worlds.

Somewhere in between was another world he created — a world of historic preservation and neon.

“If I had a bad day at court and I had a project, I would absolutely go and do that project,” he says. “To see you were making something, and you weren’t just living in the (filth). You were helping to make something happen, which was making a community beautiful.”

There’s more work to be done, something he has contemplated since the diagnosis.

Last summer, into his 70s, he was still working long hours, preparing for a murder trial. He hadn’t been feeling well. He was losing weight. Suddenly, he couldn’t walk.

“I had prostate cancer, and it spread all the way to my spine,” he says.

Koncilja built his career being tough, vicious even, as he felt he had to be in the courtroom, questioning those alleged victims. “There’s a difference between being vicious and cruel, that’s a fine distinction,” he says. “I always tried not to be cruel.”

Now he tries not to cry. These days he can’t help it.

“All of a sudden, you go from your life working to you’re gonna be dead,” he says. “I still have a hard time.”

The work will continue.

“He’s charted the course,” says Joe, the eldest of four sons who are all following that course.

They’ve been busy restoring an old motel and church. And, more recently, the revitalized Orman Mansion, among Pueblo’s most historic and most recognized buildings.

They bought the mansion against their dad’s advice, and for that he is most proud. It’s how he credits his own success: “I took chances. I did my own thing.”

As he did with Neon Alley.

When he was hanging signs, he looked around and saw confused people. Now people sound joyous. He has heard them from his office window above.

“When I was not sick, I would work late almost every night,” he says. “To come out and see that neon, to see people, it was such a sense of pride.”

A sense of pride he feels now as he steps out into the rainy night.

He’s proud, pointing out all his favorite signs. “I really like that one,” he says, motioning to a cross with red letters: “JESUS SAVES.”

The letters are faint. But soon the electrician will come, fixing those lights and some of the others, and everything will be even brighter.

Everything is brighter after the rain. That’s why Koncilja loves nights such as these.

The wet pavement and puddles reflect the colors so that the light is all around him. And he’s smiling, as if he’s that boy again, gazing at that old neon sign, his eyes big and bright, taken by the glow.

Art OF THIS WORLD

TEXT BY KELLY HAYES PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN SWOFFORD

Welcome to Hogan Park at Highlands Creek, a 100-acre space where plans call for a disc golf course, a zip line and a climbing wall. If that sounds like any number of new parks these days, take a closer look.

Just off the paved trail winding through the park stands a polished steel sculpture of a couple at eye-popping scale — their 25-foot silhouettes pierced with multiple holes but their connection immovable.

“Broken but Together” by Belgian artist Michael Benisty is just one of about two dozen sculptural and painted fixtures scattered along the two-mile walk.

Carla Ferreira, CEO of the new development, is curating the outdoor gallery along with her father. The ultimate goal is twofold: find a use for floodplain that

can’t be built on, and showcase art from around the world to the public.

Ferreira’s vision is turning this stretch of Aurora into an experience akin to visiting National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C., or New York City’s High Line, a reclaimed, elevated freight line turned contemporary art-heavy park.

“I want it to be a real art destination,” she says.

The first piece she had installed, in 2022, was “Life Blood” by Arkansas resident Hunter Brown. It’s a flowing sculpture with blue and red arms draped around a radiant orb.

Another of Brown’s sculptures, “Asclepius,” towers 33 feet at the base of what will be the development’s

hospital. Its twisted, steel branches spiral around a lit sphere, representing the staff of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing.

Every piece in the park is built to withstand Colorado’s strong winds, intense sunlight and heavy snow.

“That has been the No. 1 prerequisite,” Ferreira says. “It has to be sustainable, durable through all of the weather.”

Take “Umi,” for example. The 21-foot sculpture by South African artist Daniel Popper of a woman holding her womb looks as if it were carved from wood. But it’s actually made from fiberglass-reinforced concrete.

The statue quickly went viral after its installation in 2023. It’s one of Ferreira’s favorite pieces, and it’s no

surprise why. The figure comes to life in the evenings with projected mapping that makes “Umi” appear to blink and move.

“Seeing the community engage with ‘Umi,’ it’s such an interactive piece,” Ferreira says. “She’s at the heart of the community, right in the middle of the art park. So when I tell people to meet me, I always say, meet me at ‘Umi.’ It really is the center point.”

The art here is diverse: A similarly constructed piece within eyeshot of “Umi” features engravings that represent Venus and call up the concept of sacred spaces. But a statue with a vastly different look and feel graces the entrance to the park: a bronze bench honoring Colorado’s first Black female doctor, Dr. Justina Ford, commissioned as part of the Statues for Equality initia-

tive that spotlights underrecognized historical figures.

Then there are the yellow, blue and pink traffic signs with messages including “Trust yourself,” “Embrace the Mystery” and “If not now, when?” These “Public Displays of Awareness” by Los Angeles-based artist Olivia Steele print positive messages on traditional street signs — displays Steele has installed in cities around the world.

Several tunnels in the park serve as the canvas for murals contributed by artists from Germany, Ireland and California. Some are commentary on climate change while others are visual odes to favorite colors and fascinating lines.

One mural, “Pause-Flow-Reflect,” immerses those walking through the tunnel in abstract compositions

that represent water flowing in a creek beneath their feet.

The park’s newest installation, which debuted this spring, is “Liberty,” a polished stainless-steel sculpture by Benisty. It’s a modern take on the Statue of Liberty, with a flowing, feminine silhouette hoisting a torch above the iconic, seven-spiked crown.

The 58-foot, 37,000-pound sculpture — the largest at the park — is captivating, its mirror-like surface contrasting with the dusty prairie land that surrounds it.

Ferreira was inspired to bring the installation to Aurora after seeing it at Burning Man, the annual weeklong event set in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.

“His pieces are always the star of the show,” Ferreira says. Many of the artists whose works dot Hogan Park sold

their art to the development at a discount — happy to have a permanent home for their pieces that the public can access for free.

Despite their lowered price tags, the existing fixtures are already valued at $3 million, according to Ferreira, who says she isn’t pausing acquisition anytime soon. She hopes to build on the project’s scope by adding about 15 more pieces over the next decade.

“We just really want to encourage people to come on their own time and to explore,” Ferreira says. “I love going to museums, but museums have hours and they have days that they’re closed and they have prices. And so I just really want people to be able to come and hang out and have a picnic, walk around and take their pictures, enjoy the space like it’s their own.”

TEXT BY SETH BOSTER

48 HOURS in Steamboat

For the truest sense of Steamboat Springs, you might want to mark your calendar for early February. That’s the scheduled return of Winter Carnival, the weeklong celebration of ski jumping, parading, dancing, s’mores-eating and more.

“It’s our Super Bowl,” an organizer once told us.

It’s a fun-filled embodiment of how Steamboat moved from one era into another.

In 1914, the idea was to enjoy the frigid season that local ranchers otherwise dreaded. Ranching still factors prominently around town (see the cowboys and horses also at Winter Carnival), but winter sports now rule (see the stunning slopes).

And yet skiing can’t fully define the town, not even the cowboy skier enshrined in a statue at the resort. The festival is one way to find that definition — but the fun and attractions can be found any given day or two.

Howelsen Hill. Christian Murdock

Strawberry Park Hot Springs. Chancey Bush

Day 1

If coming from the Front Range, you might be delayed arriving to town — what with the long drive and stops for pictures along scenic Rabbit Ears Pass. Into town, continue your scenic tour at Fish Creek Falls It’s a short walk to the waterfall spanning nearly 300 feet. For a longer, more adventurous hike, continue to Upper Fish Creek Falls and Long Lake

Then head downtown, where rows of shops and restaurants await. One muststop: F.M. Light & Sons, the western clothing store with 120 years of history. This is a town proud of happy hours — “our most satisfying Steamboat Springs tradition,” reads the listing at mainstreetsteamboat.com. Hurry to Laundry Kitchen & Cocktails before the 4:30 p.m. start. Fried chicken, brisket potatoes and banh mi sliders were on the $9 menu at last check, along with $10 cocktails. This is a town also proud of live music. Locals and tourists converge around the stage at Old Town Pub, another classic spot for happy hour. Other spots to catch a show: the press. and Schmiggity’s

Day 2

Adventure is calling, so breakfast can’t take long. “Get and go” is the promise of The Drunken Onion, which also promises “fast, slow food,” meaning from scratch and ready for the taking. Look no further than the breakfast burritos.

From town, the cafe is conveniently positioned near Steamboat Resort If you’re here in the winter, this is the ultimate destination — now Colorado’s second largest ski area after a multi-year expansion that also added an ice rink, food hall and entertainment stage.

“Ski Town USA” calls itself “Bike Town USA” in other seasons. Perhaps take a spin on the paved, delightful Yampa River Core Trail Or take your mountain bike to Emerald Mountain, the nearby hub also great for hiking.

Whatever your adventure, the best way to end is in relaxing waters. Tucked back in the forest, Strawberry Park Hot Springs is one of the state’s best soaking destinations. Reservations are required.

It’s that time again back in town: happy hour. Maybe keep it to a drink, saving room for a splurge to cap the trip. Check out the menus at Café Diva and Yampa Valley Kitchen, home to two of the town’s most acclaimed chefs who specialize in fresh ingredients and creativity.

yal .

A foodie’s guide to Summit County

If you’re traveling to Summit County and still eating at Downstairs at Eric’s, it’s time to put down the chicken tenders and wander about. Don’t get us wrong, Eric’s is great and all, but there’s more to Summit’s dining scene than bar food.

Aurum Food & Wine

Since opening in 2018, Aurum has rightfully claimed the title of Breckenridge’s best happy hour. But don’t go looking for the usual suspects. Instead, plan on Korean fried chicken, Parker House rolls with honey butter, a French onion burger ... and so much more. That lineup is only a precursor to the main menu, which includes dishes such as roasted duck and Aurum’s version of surf and turf. If ordering a cocktail, don’t miss the Aurum Manhattan.

Birdcraft

There’s no pomp and circumstance at Birdcraft, a food stall inside Frisco’s Outer Range Brewing Co. But the Asian-style eats are worthy of lining up for. In addition to Sriracha honey wings, pork fried rice and poke

bowls, there’s Birdcraft’s signature “Thai-ish” fried chicken. Pick your bird (whole, half or tucked into a sandwich) and a number of sauces. Place your order, then go to the bar and choose a beer from Outer Range’s menu.

Bluebird Market

The best thing about a food hall: There’s no compromising and everyone gets to eat what they want. In this case, that means pizza from Melody’s Trattoria, empanadas from Lazo, crepes from Crepes a la Cart, tacos from Chimayo, burgers from Chef Daddy’s Grill, fried chicken from Lucky Bird, and sandwiches and salads from Independent Deli. Top that off with a central bar, ice cream from Summit Scoops and a mini arcade upstairs.

Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant

The menu is always a mishmash of global flavors, and that’s part of the fun. On any given night, there might be dishes that lean Southern, Korean or African. A longtime staple is the flamegrilled baguette served with horseradish butter. The menu’s depth is matched by that of the cocktails. Local beverage wiz Billie Keithley spins the distillery’s spirits — from whiskey and rum to aquavit and vermouth — into drinks that champion flavor and balance.

Radicato.

La Perla

This is a mercado, carnicería and taquería all in one. And it has long been a contender for Silverthorne’s most beloved restaurant. There are no frills; just go for the terrific carnitas, tamales and weekend menudo. Once you finish the meal, don’t forget to browse the market for the county’s best selection of bottled salsas and dried chiles.

La Française

For those days when nothing but a piece of quiche or a decadent croque madame will do, head straight to La Française in a tuckedaway spot in Breckenridge. Opened in 2004, this French bakery’s cases are stocked with all manners of croissants, beignets, fruit tarts, cookies and breads. All are available for ordering in (order a cappuccino too!) or taking to go. Don’t overlook the sweet and savory crepes, quiche de jour, omelets and sandwiches.

Panadería Summit

When Vanessa Courtierrez moved from El Salvador to Summit County, she brought along her mom’s pupusa recipe. Now the pupusas — in varieties such as cheese and birria — take center stage at Panadería Summit in Dillon, but don’t overlook the terrific tacos and nacatamales (tamales steamed in banana leaves instead of corn husks). The menu is a collection of dishes and baked goods from El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico.

Piante Pizzeria

Listen up, vegans: this Breckenridge pizza shop is for you! The wood-fired kitchen turns out plant-based dishes with an emphasis on organic and non-GMO ingredients. If you’re with a crowd, begin with the sampler platter of garlic knots, roasted jalapeño poppers, pesto garlic bread, olives and mushrooms. Then choose your pizza. A local staple is the pesto with kale walnut pesto, “mozzarella,” artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and red onion.

Radicato

Before you can enjoy Radicato, you have to find it. Look for the sign off Main Street in Breck and make your way up the stairs to chef-owner Matt Vawter’s Italian-inspired treasure. Here you’ll find a variety of freshly made pastas, along with house-made focaccia, creamy burrata, decadent carpaccio, lusty frito misto and entrées that speak to the season.

Rootstalk

When Matt Vawter opened Rootstalk in 2020, he brought extensive experience from cooking at two high-end restaurants in Denver. Vawter grew up in Keystone and attended culinary school in the county. After 12 years in Denver, he was eager to return home. And, boy, has he made an impression in Breck. The highend seasonal American restaurant has garnered favor among locals and out-of-towners for its impeccable dishes and top-notch hospitality.

Rootstalk.

Holiday Party Venues

Vine Street Social

Every town needs a good wine bar, and Vine Street Social is just that for Frisco. In its short time since opening in 2023, this spot has become a gathering place for happy hour, date night and spontaneous catch-ups with friends. And that’s what Debbi Anderson had in mind when she dreamed up Vine Street. The wine bar also sports a lovely menu of small plates, soups and salads, as well as a small selection of spirits.

Wildflower BBQ

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of chowing down on barbecue at Arapahoe Basin’s Black Mountain Lodge, then you know what’s in store. Alison Beazley headed up that program, and now she and her husband have opened a brick-and-mortar in Frisco. The two spent years cooking in fine dining restaurants, and it’s evident in Wildflower’s plate of salt and pepper smoked brisket, braised collard greens, fried green tomatoes, and bacon and buttermilk cornbread.

Aerie

You’ll need a lift ticket or foot pass to get here, but the views at Copper Mountain are so worth it. Step off American Eagle chairlift and walk to the building’s second level. Choose between sitting in the lounge-like bar area or the restaurant Feast & Forage. Either way, you’re treated to stunning, 270-degree views. The lunch menu is the same between the spaces, and we highly recommend the charred veggie pimento dip with focaccia.

4MORE

TEXT BY SETH BOSTER

Summit County rolls out white carpet with four distinct ski areas

Colorado is home to names synonymous with skiing — the likes of Vail, Aspen, Steamboat and Telluride known around the world.

But the greatest showcase of skiing in the state? We propose a locale that can’t be defined by one name, but four. Yes, it’s quadruple the fun in Summit County.

However close in proximity, the county’s ski areas separate themselves in terms of terrain and vibe. Altogether, they paint a colorful picture of the industry that helped put Colorado on the global map.

Arapahoe Basin

The story: Colorado’s ski industry is rooted in the 10th Mountain Division, the World War II unit that trained on skis at Camp Hale near Leadville in preparation for alpine battle in Europe. After the war, soldiers went on to establish some of the state’s premier ski areas. A-Basin was the first among them, opened in 1946. It was the dream of Larry Jump and Sandy Schauffler, who after their service saw the perfect place for skiing in this steep, snow-packed basin off Loveland Pass.

The draw: The pioneering history partly lends to A-Basin’s nickname. “The Legend” also refers to the long season here — the altitude and snow that Jump and Schauffler

prophetically scouted. A-Basin typically opens before any other North American ski area and has been known to host skiers on July 4. But most know “The Legend” for the terrain. East Wall and Montezuma Bowl have molded generations of experts.

What else: A-Basin has kept its focus on skiing rather than expanding upon the unrelated frills that sweep the industry. The skiing, indeed, is the claim to fame. But another claim was made in 2022: the highest restaurant on the continent. That’s the claim of Il Rifugio, meaning “the refuge” — in this case a refuge of wine and charcuterie at 12,456 feet.

Arapahoe Basin. Christian Murdock

Breckenridge

The story: The resort was the byproduct of a man in charge of a lumber company and men who picked up a job building his lumberyard while they also worked and skied in Aspen. This was in 1960. The man in charge was Bill Rounds. Two of the free-spirited others were Sigurd Rockne and Trygve Berge, ski racing friends going back to Norway. They drove up Peak 8 to survey Rounds’ idea for a ski area. They liked what they saw — going on to carve runs that would span to four more peaks.

The draw: Breck occupies Peaks 6 through 10 on the Tenmile Range. Devoted passholders could spend months exploring from the base areas situated at Peaks 7, 8 and 9. Beginners might take to one of the original trails, a classic cruiser called Springmeier. One might then progress to the intermediate, high-alpine slopes of Peak 6, picking up speed on Peak 7. And then there’s the double-black diamond bowls and hike-to chutes high on Peaks 8 and 9.

What else: No trip to Breckenridge is complete without a visit to the town’s 15-foot wooden troll. That’s Isak Heartstone, who sits at the end of a short trail through the snowy woods.

Breckenridge. Sarah McLear, Vail Resorts

Breckenridge. JP Douvalakis, Vail Resorts

Keystone

The story: In 1970, Keystone was Summit County’s next ski resort. Max and Edna Dercum envisioned a family-friendly destination — a vision carried out by the resort’s first president, Bill Bergman. He’s the namesake of Bergman Bowl — just one go-to area that emerged as Keystone expanded across three mountains. From early snowmaking in 1972 and lights for night skiing the next decade to terrain parks and luxury lodging, shopping, dining and offseason golfing, Keystone helped set the standard for broader industry development.

The draw: True to the Dercums’ dream, Keystone proudly welcomes first-timers with “dynamic” terrain. And probably beyond the couple’s dream, it offers families much more than skiing. Along with tubing and ice skating, the resort in recent years has added a mountaintop “snow fort” of sculptures. Keystone has made additions for serious skiers as well, including a lift to Bergman Bowl, which previously was reached only by foot. Others head to the trees of The Windows. The Outback is similarly cherished for hike-to powder. What else: GOAT Soup and Whiskey Tavern is close to River Run Village but seemingly a world away. For nearly 30 years, the local hangout has rebelled against apres glamour with cheap eats and drinks in a divey atmosphere. Bands get the party started.

Copper Mountain

The story: As Interstate 70 expanded through the mountains west of Denver, a world-class ski resort would rise to meet a new wave of travelers. When it opened in 1972, Copper Mountain’s location seemed ideal for that reason. But the mountain was seen as ideal long before then. A U.S. Forest Service ranger identified the ski terrain in the 1950s, according to a history compiled by Tim Nicklas. The ranger recommended the site again for Denver’s bid to host the 1976 Winter Olympics. Copper’s reputation as “The Athlete’s Mountain” was born.

The draw: “The Athlete’s Mountain” is home to the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center and Woodward Copper, another training facility composed of a series of terrain parks. The reputation is also for the mountain’s convenient layout. Green-, blue- and black-rated slopes are naturally divided for joes and pros. Beginners start around the West Village, intermediates around the Center Village and regulars embark from the East Village. Tucker Mountain and Resolution Bowl are the high-altitude gems.

What else: For a wind-in-the-face thrill, one doesn’t have to be on skis. A seat awaits on Rocky Mountain Coaster, what the resort calls the second longest alpine coaster in North America — zooming more than a mile through the forest.

Keystone. Katie Young, Vail Resorts

TEXT BY DALIAH SINGER PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER SCOTT BARTA

FLIGHT PLAN

Williams & Graham.

ong layovers. Weather delays. Mechanical issues. A tardy crew. There’s a lot of waiting around when it comes to air travel these days. If you’re stuck at Denver International Airport for an extended period, don’t fret. Instead of just sitting at your gate for hours, have a bit of fun with these ideas.

Fill up on local eats: Airplane food has certainly improved in recent years, but it’s still a microwave dinner when compared with sitting down at a restaurant that serves fresh, local cuisine. DIA boasts one of the country’s best airport food scenes thanks to a focus on adding varied concessions with ties to the Mile High City. Most recently in Concourse A, that includes Williams & Graham, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar; Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery; The Bagel Deli & Restaurant, serving up sandwiches piled high; D Bar for upscale comfort food and desserts; and Uncle, the hip ramen shop with gourmet bowls and Japanese-inspired dishes. In Concourse B, travelers can find wood-fired pizza and much more at the newly opened Osteria Marco. Finally, Santo is now delivering regional spices, chiles and meats in Concourse C.

Sneak in a round of golf: Your clubs may be stuck in baggage claim, but you can at least pretend to be spending the morning on one of the world’s most iconic courses via Golf DEN, a virtual golf simulator open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the mezzanine level of Concourse A. Sessions can be booked for 15, 30 or 60 minutes (there are also memberships and a league for which you can sign up), and there’s a full bar too.

Recharge with quiet time: Getting some shuteye amid the noise of the terminal can be very

D Bar.

Uncle.

difficult. Instead, go to the dedicated Rest and Recharge section on the Concourse A mezzanine. Recliners and other cozy seating — plus outlets for charging your devices — are available and set away from the bustle of the terminal. Concourse A is also home to Colorado Oasis, which has automated massage chairs to work out the kinks before a long flight.

Peruse public art collection: Art is perhaps the last thing travelers have on their minds as they’re running between gates, but DIA has amassed an impressive collection of nearly three dozen permanently displayed pieces that are worth a look. The most recent additions include Danielle Roney’s The Constellations, a steel-and-glass representation of the stars visible above Denver during the summer and winter solstices (Concourse C), and a rainbow of luggage called “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back” by Thomas “Detour” Evans (Concourse B). Rotating exhibits are also displayed along the A Bridge; a collection of posters is on display through November for 75 Years of the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Breathe in the mountain air: One of the worst aspects of a long delay is being stuck inside — particularly when that Colorado bluebird sky is beckoning through the win-

dows. Every concourse offers an outdoor deck so you can enjoy fresh air and sunlight; find them near gates A15, B7 and C67. During the warmer months, stop by Park on the Plaza before you walk through security. The turf-covered, open-air space between Jeppesen Terminal and the Westin hotel features lounge chairs, cornhole, afternoon concerts and more.

CH OC IT UP

TEXT BY KELLY HAYES PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN SWOFFORD

Denver chocolatiers deliver ethical, farm-to-table treats

The sweet fragrance of chocolate lingers within the walls of a small shop in Edgewater Public Market. Burlap sacks of cacao nibs rest under mixing machines, which hum low as they stir rich cocoa.

Bibamba Chocolate is the byproduct of one couple’s bold mission.

A decade ago, Patrick and Mara Tcheunou founded the farm-to-table operation, and the husband and wife oversee every detail, from harvesting the cacao to crafting the treats.

It began in 2014 when the couple bought a 56-acre farm in Cameroon, where Patrick grew up. The impetus for the move was an NPR

story on the industry’s unethical labor practices and unsustainable farming standards — major issues that ultimately could lead to a chocolate shortage.

“Being one of my favorite foods, we were shocked by it,” Patrick said. “And we started talking about it and doing a little bit more research. We realized there was a good correlation between the process, the practice and the quality of the chocolate.

“So we felt like we could actually showcase that by doing the right thing from the beginning to the end.”

A year after buying the farm, they planted cacao and plantain — the foundation of Bibamba Chocolate. The first harvest from the trees would not appear for another five years. So the couple waited.

Patrick, a chemical engineer, and Mara, a psychotherapist, never imagined they would become chocolatiers. They had originally planned to be an ethical supplier of cacao to other chocolate-making companies. But in March 2020, when the first harvest arrived — and a global pandemic with it — that plan changed.

“Everything was shutting down, all the businesses; everyone we made contact with was done,” Mara said.

So the couple decided to take a leap. They’d come too far not to.

“We figured we can’t just sit on this. We’ve invested over five years of time and money. Let’s make our own

and get it going,” Mara said.

The process of making chocolate is complex. When cacao is ready to be harvested, employees on the farm pick pods from the trees and set them aside to ferment for a week. After that, the beans are dried in the sun for about 10 days and roasted in Cameroon before being shipped to the U.S.

When the nibs arrive, they are loaded into conching machines and ground for upward of seven days — along with other ingredients — to make the chocolate. The chocolate is then cooled on sheets, where items such as plantain chips are added, before being broken into bark by hand.

After receiving the early shipments of cacao nibs and perfecting their recipe, Bibamba’s first chocolate debuted at a Denver farmers market: Jungle Crunch, a dark chocolate bark made with mixed-in plantain chips, an ode to Cameroon.

“It was very intentional,” Patrick said of the farming method. “Plantain was supposed to provide shade to the cacao baby trees. Then the cacao trees grow. As they grow and we start harvesting the plantains, the remaining plantains will decompose and become nutrients for the cacao trees in the soil. So we liked the idea as a great way to combine both foods.”

Customers visiting Bibamba today will find about a

dozen bark flavors to sample, including milk and white chocolates. The store also sells a flavorful chocolate spread.

Beyond great chocolate, though, remains the mission to provide ethical working conditions to employees, especially those in Cameroon where cacao farms often take advantage of workers. According to the U.S. Bureau of International Labor Affairs, an estimated 1.6 million children are forced to work on cacao farms in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana two countries responsible for nearly 60% of the world’s production each year.

“By far, most of the chocolate that people are eating here in the world is connected to some form of child labor and slavery,” Patrick said.

At their farm, Patrick and Mara pay employees above living wages and provide food and water to workers, especially important because of the remote location. Child labor is never used, and the business also covers employees’ health care.

“This is what it takes, being intentional about it,” Patrick said. “There are a lot more people today that care about understanding where their food comes from and getting quality products instead of just quantity.”

SOUNDS

OF THE SEASON

Holiday music in all genres coming to venues across the Pikes Peak region

The holiday season is almost upon us. And Colorado Springs offers a bevy of venues eager to spread some cheer. Look for classic and original songs done by traditional Irish singers, harpists, New Age musicians and an electronic violinist.

Nov. 12: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, Pikes Peak Center — The musical group is best known for its New Age- and rock-flavored Christmas music.

Nov. 16: Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Broadmoor World Arena — The longtime progressive rock band will perform its “Ghosts of Christmas Eve” show.

Dec. 1: Christmas With The Celts, Pikes Peak Center — The Celts are a mix of Irish and Nashville players who create a hybrid of Irish Americana music with traditional Irish instruments.

Dec. 13: Harp Twins featuring Volfgang Twins, Stargazers Theatre — Camille and Kennerly Kitt, known for their harp arrangements of rock and metal hits, will play Christmas classics and rock favorites with the Volfgang Twins on double drums.

Dec. 15: Lindsey Stirling, The Broadmoor World Arena — The electronic violinist will perform holiday classics and originals off her new album, “Snow Waltz.”

Dec. 21: An Evening with the Irish Tenors, Phil Long Music Hall — The trio of singers is known around the world for performing classic Irish songs, such as “Danny Boy,” “Whiskey in the Jar” and “My Heart Will Go On.”

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Music

ears to the

The party is just getting started at Colorado Springs’ new piano bar

TEXT BY SETH BOSTER PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK REIS

The sun is setting as a man walks into a bar in downtown Colorado Springs, in one of the latest additions to the ever-evolving South Tejon Street.

“Ain’t nobody here,” the man mutters to his partner.

Nobody yet, anyway.

The night is still young at Louie Louie’s Piano Bar.

Soon, dozens filter in before a stage of two pianos. Brandon Brunworth takes a seat at one, Flip Sais at the other.

“What’s up, guys?” Brunworth says to a muffled cheer.

Sais eyes a man in the growing audience. “Dude, is that a cat eating pizza on your shirt?”

There is more chatter and laughter, and then the dueling pianists are off.

Their fingers fly across the keys. “Here comes the sun,” Sais begins, joined by Brunworth in harmony: “Doo, dun, doo, doo ...”

The drinks are flowing, and the crowd is swaying. “All together!” Brunworth commands. And they all together sing: “Here comes the sun, doo, dun, doo, doo ...”

Multi-colored lights swirl about the room while people jot down requests on cocktail napkins. “Brown Eyed Girl” is followed by another classic that gets everybody on their feet.

“Sweeeeet Caroline, bah bah baaah! Good tiiimes never seemed so good!”

The good times are on at Louie Louie’s, which this summer celebrated one year in town.

The venue comes amid something of a live music revolution in the Springs. In 2021, Weidner Field opened new possibilities for big-name, touring artists. Even greater possibilities arrived a few years later. On the city’s north side, Ford Amphitheater represented an outdoor venue of a scale the Springs had never seen.

Louie Louie’s represents something, too — at a much more intimate scale. It’s new and old at the same time: a two-level, 400-person venue with a modern twist on the swingy scene that swept America’s bars more than a century ago.

At Louie Louie’s, think less jazz and more pop, more of those sing-along hits.

And think less of a concert and more of an interactive experience, where the goal is indeed to get you and your friends and strangers singing along to the song you requested on a cocktail napkin. Out of thanks or coercion, shots appear on the pianos.

It’s not just pianos. The opening, dueling act is joined by guitar, bass and drums.

“It’s not just one thing; it’s so versatile,” guitarist Luke Ingels says.

He’s been joined on stage by another young Colorado Springs native, Corey Applegarth. He, too, had been waiting for something like Louie Louie’s in his hometown.

“It completely changes the game,” Applegarth says. “I don’t want to say we don’t have a music scene, but there’s not a super pronounced music scene. For

people here to not have to go up an hour (to Denver), I think it’s really important.”

More than important, it’s a dream come true for Ron Wilson.

The lifelong musician from Texas opened the first Louie Louie’s in Lubbock in 2008. The concept later took off in Dallas. But all along, Wilson kept his eyes west.

“Man, I always wanted to be in Colorado Springs,” he says. “I love Colorado Springs. It’s one of my favorite places on Earth.”

When asked what made him think Louie Louie’s would work in the Springs, Wilson chuckles.

“I didn’t say I thought it would work,” he says. “I just said I wanted to move there.”

The demographics would be different from that col-

lege town and that big city back in Texas, where students would buy drinks through all hours of rambunctious shows running past midnight.

That has not been the scene in the Springs. Not yet, says Paul Trausch, the transplanted manager who started in Lubbock.

After one year, “I just think there’s not enough people that know about us yet,” he says. “I’m ready for the party people to come out who are gonna be here all night.”

In the meantime, Wilson is happy to be surrounded by the mountains that drew him here. “And it’s just the right size of city,” he says. “It’s got all the amenities of a big city, and yet it’s small enough to have a community feel to it.”

And a community needs live music, he and his busi-

ness partner, Joey Hamende, believe.

Performing at Louie Louie’s “is not just about performing, but entertaining,” Hamende explains. “It’s using the crowd to your advantage and making them do things they didn’t know they wanted to do.”

Like singing at the top of their lungs. Like grabbing a microphone on stage. Like dancing around the pianos.

And early on this night, they’ve done just that.

“Heeeeeeey, hey, baby,” Sais sings, followed by a theatrical “ooh-aaah” by Brunworth at the other piano. “I want to knooow-oh-oh if you’ll be my girl.”

One group in the audience joins in, and then another and another. Brunworth raises his thumb up from the keys, and he’s smiling big and nodding as more voices rise. And Sais implores: “Keep it going!”

Nov. 13-17: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” by Academy of Community Theatre

Ent Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs

In the play adapted from C.S. Lewis’ classic novel, four children walk through a wardrobe in an old English house and are transported to Narnia, where they help the country return to summer.

Nov. 19–Dec. 28: “Mary Poppins” by Fine Arts Center Theatre Co.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

The Tony Award-winning musical, based on children’s books by P.L. Travers and the 1964 Disney film, tells the tale of a magical nanny who appears on a couple’s doorstep to care for their kids.

Nov. 28-Dec. 21: “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Theatreworks

Ent Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs

Two bachelors lead double lives and eventually get tangled up in their lies in Oscar Wilde’s 1895 comedy.

Nov. 28-Dec. 28: “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas”

The Butte Theater, Cripple Creek

Based on the 1954 film, two musical veterans follow a pair of singing sisters to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, where they perform popular standards such as “White Christmas,” “Blue Skies” and “I Love a Piano.”

CURTAIN CALL

10 classic performances coming soon to the stage

TEXT BY JENNIFER MULSON

Dec. 3-7: “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

The Musical,” Denver Center for the Performing Arts

In the musical based on the popular children’s book, the Grinch schemes to sabotage Christmas in Whoville.

Dec. 16-28: “The Notebook”

Denver Center for the Performing Arts

The musical, based on the 2004 film, follows the lives and great love of Allie and Noah, who come together despite different backgrounds.

Jan. 7-11: “Six,” Denver Center for the Performing Arts

The Tony Award-winning musical features the six wives of Henry VIII, who sing and dance their way through 500 years of history.

Jan. 10: “Swan Lake” by Grand Kyiv Ballet Pikes Peak Center, Colorado Springs

In Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, the beautiful Princess Odette, cursed to be a swan by day and human by night, requires the true love of a prince to break the spell.

Jan. 29-Feb. 15: “Where We Stand” by Theatreworks Ent Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs

In Donnetta Lavinia Grays’ one-person show, a man must ask the townspeople for forgiveness after making a deal with a mysterious stranger on their behalf.

Feb. 12–March 1: “The Roommate” by Fine Arts Center Theatre Co.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College

In the two-person drama set in Iowa, a recently divorced woman invites a woman relocating from New York City to be her roommate. As their friendship deepens, secrets are revealed.

“The Notebook.” Julieta Cervantes

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