D E C E M B E R 2 02 0
PREMIERE ISSUE
www.IntegrityBankandTrust.com (719) 685-8893
4
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
TurkInteriors.com 719.445.2119 201 East Las Animas Street, Colorado Springs, CO
LIFESTYLE LETTER
DECEMBER 2020 PUBLISHER
Scott Barr | scott.barr@lifestylepubs.com AD DESIGNER
Welcome to Colorado Springs Lifestyle! WELCOME TO THE PREMIER ISSUE OF COLORADO SPRINGS LIFESTYLE. The
Whitney Lockhart L AYO UT DESIGNER
Dani Moore CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ashley Hamershock - Seasoned Scribe llc., K. Mitchell, E.Mapp, Josh Barr
newest and freshest publication and digital platform in Colorado Springs.
CONTRIBUTING PHOTGRAPHERS:
Our team at Colorado Springs Lifestyle is excited to bring you, every month, the very
Kira Whitney Photography, David Sanden Photo, Jason O’Rear, Nic Lehoux, Grey Filter Photography, Ravel Havel Photograph, Sandee Shuman
best of our community. The people, businesses, landscapes, and events that truly make Colorado Springs a world class community. And one of the best places to be living in and moving to now and in the decades to come. I would write to all of you, our readership and our community, and tell you to relish in time spent with family, friends, enjoying the holiday parties, the packed shopping malls, the hugs and kisses we all share at this time of year, but this holiday season is anything but normal. This year we are canceling holiday meals, cancelling Christmas parties, adjusting travel schedules, and managing the people we will come in contact with. Everything is different this year due to restrictions, social distancing, due to a pandemic that has affected how we live, communicate, and socialize with each other. Is this the “new normal”? As we move into the new year, a new decade, a new world, and new perspective challenges us all to find our place. How will this pandemic affect our businesses, our community raising our kids, sports, school, how we socialize, how we go out to eat, and how to we communicate with our community?
CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore
Maybe this IS normal. As individuals, community members and business owners,
ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor
we have always had to adapt and change to develop new ideas and processes of
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson
doing things. Whether our founding fathers in 1776, Steve Jobs with Apple, President
AD MANAGER Chad Jensen
Lincoln fighting to abolish slavery, or the boutique and restaurant owner on the cor-
REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams
ner who are figuring out new ways to reach their customer, we all find a way to adapt.
WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell
We create and imagine new ways of moving forward in times of uncertainty. But aren’t all times, times of uncertainty. A quote that I have always tried to remember to tell myself when life has become challenging is, “the one single thing that remains constant in all of our lives is change”. Change is what got us to where we are today, it is what has afforded us new
514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO
opportunities, new technology and is the fertile ground for new ideas and solutions for our world. Embrace change, adapt to change, see beyond the crisis, and capitalize on the new opportunities that present themselves. 2021…is the year of change and opportunity. Carpe Diem! Scott Barr, Publisher
ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MASSACHUSETTS | MICHIGAN MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEW JERSEY | NORTH CAROLINA OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON | PENNSYLVANIA | SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON
ON THE COVER Winter Wonderland Garden of the Gods
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
CityLifestyle.com/ColoradoSprings
COVERPHOTO@ SANDEESHUMAN 6
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
Proverbs 3:5-6 Colorado Springs Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Colorado Springs area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Colorado Springs Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.
From our Family at Colorado Springs Lifestyle Magazine to yours! Stay Healthy & Be Safe.
WE are excited to bring Colorado Springs Lifestyle Magazine to our community. To learn more about how to grow your business in 2021 contact us today! Scott.Barr@lifestylepubs.com
INSIDE THE ISSUE DECEMBER 2020
FEATURES 12 United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum Plan your Visit
16 Downtown Businesses Ready for the Holidays Springs Spotlight
20 Holiday Spiced Apple Cranberry Pie
12 23
23 Created with Happiness Laura’s Torn Paper
16
20
DEPARTMENTS 6
Lifestyle Letter
10
Around Town
12
Open House
16
Local Limelight
20 Culinary Creations 23 Artist’s Palette 28 Hot Spot 34 Parting Thoughts
Colorado Spring’s Premier Real Estate Agent From the fixer upper to the doors of luxury. Allow me to be your guide for all things Colorful Colorado Living.
COLSIE SEARCY 719-355-7844 colsie@westandmainhomes.com WESTandMAINHOMES.COM
AROUND TOWN
SKATE IN THE PARK Colorado Springs, CO - Downtown Colorado Springs in collaboration with City Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services is pleased to announce the return of Skate in the Park, presented by Academy Bank. The only outdoor rink in the area, Skate in the
Entries are stationery and spectators come drive through from the comfort, safety and social distancing of their vehicles. Entrance is free but we do require advance ticketing https://worldarenaandpikespeakcenter. formstack.com/forms/festival_of_ lights_parade
Park will once again open on the west side of
Sponsors are Colorado Springs Airport, Ent,
Acacia Park in the heart of Downtown Colorado
Cordera and Franklin D. Azar. Media sponsors are
Springs. The rink will be open from November 13,
the Gazette, Sunny 106.3 and KKTV. Visit colorad-
2020 through January 31, 2020, with both public
ospringsfestivaloflights.com for details on viewing
skate sessions and opportunities for private events.
the livestream or broadcast of the event on KKTV.
To ensure a safe and fun skating experience,
(we are still working on these details)
Skate in the Park operations have changed this year to comply with public health protocols, to ensure capacity limits are maintained, and to provide for extra cleaning and sanitizing between sessions. + Tickets will be available only through online purchase. Specific time slots must be selected and walk-up entry cannot be accommodated. + To allow for any changes in public health protocol or restrictions, tickets will only be available two weeks in advance. + Hours and days of operations vary. Private rentals for groups also are available. + Tickets are $9 per skater and include skates. Children under 4 are free when accompanied by a paid admission. + Due to capacity limits, spectators must reserve a free ticket to accompany skaters. The full schedule, FAQs and links to tickets is available at www.DowntownCS.com/skate.
"FLIPPED" FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS PARADE Saturday, December 5th 530-830 “Flipped” Festival of Lights Parade Broadmoor World Arena 10
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
VISIT SANTA AT THE NORTH POLE Meet Santa and his elves. Ride on more than two dozen unique, friendly rides, swing through the sky on the Enterprise Space Shuttle or enjoy the whimsical antique carousel. **Only 4 rides open Date: December 2020 (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) Time: 10 am - 5 pm
Cost: We are opening our village for shopping and eating FREE of admission! Unlimited Ride Wristband for $10.00. Children 2 and under are FREE
C U S T O M I Z E D S E RV I C E PERSONALIZED SOLUTIONS
YULE TEA AT GLEN EYRIE CASTLE Yule Tea is Glen Eyrie’s most highly anticipated Tea of the year. Celebrate this merry season while drawing closer to those who matter most as you delight in stirring conversations and revel in their new, hand-crafted holiday menu and heartwarming teas. Date: November 30 - January 1 Time: 11 am or 2:30 pm (time available depending on day) Cost: $29
(plus
tax)
per
person;
Non-Refundable
Our Knowledge & Creativity Make the Difference
YOUR TIME IS VALUABLE We’ll save you time by doing the shopping & provide you with the best pricing for your loan!
ALL EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE Please check websites for Covid-19 updates and for more information.
L aura@dtsmortgage.com NMLS #1948198
Tiffany@dtsmortgage.com NMLS #1590138
(719) 599-7017
4 9 0 5 N O RT H U N I O N B O U L E VA R D, S T E . 3 0 1 COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80918 CityLifestyle.com/ColoradoSprings
11
OPEN HOUSE
U n ite d States Olym pic & Par alym pic M use u m ARTICLE JOSH BARR
PLAN YOUR VISIT
OPENING THIS PAST SUMMER IN SOUTHWEST DOWNTOWN
Team USA athletes at the center of the story. The Museum focuses on
COLORADO SPRINGS, THE U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum
the core values of the Olympics and Paralympics: friendship, respect
is the latest attraction to the Pikes Peak region and the first com-
and excellence; determination, equality, inspiration and courage.
pleted project in the City for Champions initiative.
“People ask me all the time, ‘How did it feel to compete? How
From the cutting-edge exterior design to the interior filled with
did it feel to win a medal? What did you eat? How did you train?’”
memorabilia, interactive exhibits and artifacts, the Museum is a one-
said Benita Fitzgerald-Mosley, a member of the Museum’s Board
of-a-kind tribute to the Olympic and Paralympic movements, with
of Directors and the 100-meter hurdles gold medalist at the Los
12
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
Photo Credit - Jason O'rear
Angeles 1984 Olympic Games. “Now, we finally have a place with
All visitors ride the elevator to the top floor before beginning their
the answers to the questions. I hope they’ll go for the gold in their
journey along a ramped path that winds progressively downward.
lives, literally and figuratively.”
The Museum is one of the most accessible museums in the world,
The Museum’s exterior stands out from afar, with nearly 9,000
designed so all guests enjoy a parallel experience. A thoroughly
diamond panels forming a skin that gleams in the region’s abundant
twenty-first century museum, interactivity is key in each of the 12
sunlight. The interior shines, too, as the building’s state-of-the-art
galleries, particularly in the Athlete Training space where visitors can
technology and design deliver a world-class guest experience.
compete against Team USA greats.
CONTINUED >
CityLifestyle.com/ColoradoSprings
13
OPEN HOUSE (CONTINUED) Photo Credit - Jason O' Rear
Photo Credit - Nic Lehoux
Photo Credit - Nic Lehoux
Want to race against some of Team USA’s best, including Jesse
The Museum considers itself an art museum, history museum,
Owens and April Holmes in a 30-meter dash? Good luck – they cross
science museum, cultural museum, sports museum in one, with
the finish line before you hit full speed.
something for everyone. Other galleries are dedicated to the
Want to hit the ice track see how you compare to the best skeleton
Summer and Winter Games, science and technology, and the role of
racers in the world? Just try to maintain your balance and avoid crashing.
the mass media. A 360-degree Parade of Nations exhibit simulates
Do you have the mental focus of Hall of Fame alpine skier Sarah
Team USA’s entrance into the stadium for the Opening Ceremony
Will? Put your brain to the test, just don’t miss a gate while speeding
of Games. extensive displays of Olympic and Paralympic torches
down a mountain.
and medals. Featured artifacts include Tatyana McFadden’s racing
Test your marksmanship in archery? That target never seemed so small and hard to hit, did it? Try the Paralympic sport of goalball? How will your reaction time fare when only relying on your hearing? Take the ice in sled hockey? Better focus to deliver a game-winning strategy for Team USA. 14
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
wheelchair, sprinter Michael Johnson’s golden shoes, the 2010 Night Train bobsled and the scoreboard from ice hockey’s Miracle on Ice at the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games. The Museum is open seven days a week and has taken extensive measures to provide a safe and contactless environment for guests. Visit usopm.org to plan your visit.
LOCAL LIMELIGHT
ARTICLE ASHLEY HAMERSHOCK
D ow n tow n Businesses R E A DY F O R T H E H O L I DAYS SPRINGS SPOTLIGHT
16
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
THE CHALLENGES Most businesses have taken a hit – especially restaurants, live-event venues, fitness centers and movie theaters. Independent retailers, too, have been clawing their way back from the shutdowns earlier this year. “Really, our strength has become our challenge,” she said. Large chain stores and restaurants rely on information and support from headquarters. Downtown, however, the chef who owns a restaurant may also be navigating how to access relief funds and comply with fluctuating regulations. THE INNOVATIONS The upside? When the going gets tough, it’s easier for local businesses to swiftly shift directions. Downtown shops, restaurants and venues have gone online, outside, above and beyond to ensure their customers are safe and happy. A few examples: + Curbside Takeout + Outdoor Dining + Online Shopping + Virtual First Fridays + Outdoor Dining Blankets + Discover Downtown Savings Pass The key to success, Edmondson said, is changing consumer sentiment about winter. Really, it’s no different than drinking a beer outside at a ski lodge. But for those struggling to embrace dinner outdoors in cooler weather, she suggests lunch in the Colorado sunshine. “It’s a little bit of a culture shift, getting people to think … differently about wearing an extra layer,” she said, adding that it’s important to support local shops and restaurants now, so they will still be here when the pandemic ends. IT’S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR FOR BUSINESSES
–
PARTICULARLY
SMALL BUSINESSES. But Downtown
THE HOLIDAYS Downtown retailers need a strong holiday season. That’s why
Colorado Springs? This nimble, inno-
they’re pulling out all the stops to make the holidays magical:
vative one-mile swath of our city has
+ Skate in the Park – traditional favorite in Acacia Park
largely sidestepped the mass closings
+ Holidays with My Gnomies – scavenger hunt and creative exploration
seen elsewhere.
+ Downtown Adventure Packages – carefully curated menu of
“We have really done remarkably well and, frankly, better than I expected at the beginning of this year,” said
“experience” gifts in every price range + Holiday Stroll – evening of shopping at all of your favorite shops with one-night-only specials
Susan Edmondson, president and CEO
+ Gift Cards – retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues offer
of Downtown Partnership, a mem-
gift cards, and Downtown Partnership offers its own, good at
ber-based nonprofit organization.
more than 100 businesses
So far, the number of closings are
“You are not going to find a more pleasant holiday experience than
comparable to last year and, interest-
downtown Colorado Springs,” Edmondson said. “We have the only
ingly, so are the number of openings.
outdoor ice skating rink in the Pikes Peak region, which is so beloved.
“My concern is getting through winter. We know some harder times are still to
Beautiful, white twinkle lights in the trees. And the charm of our more historic downtown, there’s nothing else like that anywhere.”
come,” Edmondson said. “We’re not out of the woods yet.” CityLifestyle.com/ColoradoSprings
17
REMEMBER L AST YEAR? S C H E D U L E YO U R S N OW R E M OVA L S E R VI C E
B E FO R E I T ’ S TO O L AT E …
CALL TODAY F O R A C U S T O M I Z E D Q U O T E
A N D T O L E A R N M O R E A B O UT M E M B E R S H I P PA C KA G E S
719.510.0368
|
G E N G R O U P L L C . COM
Let''s Put Those Restless Legs to Rest Rest Those Restless Legs. Let us take care of you. We also treat your: Varicose veins, leg swelling, spider veins, burning legs, and leg cramps
COLORADO’S LARGEST NETWORK OF VEIN CLINICS: Cañon City Colorado Springs Fort Collins Highlands Ranch Parker Pueblo Vail Valley / Edwards Westminster
18
Call for an appointment
720.457.9307 americanvein.com
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
Who says we don’t have reindeer? We’re lighting the place up with more than 50 acres of twinkling lights and 85+ light sculptures. Enjoy select animal exhibits, spectacular views from warming fires and memories of a lifetime!
Dec. 4-6, 11-23 & Dec. 25 - Jan. 1 (Closed Christmas Eve)
5:20 – 8:30 p.m. Special early entry times starting at 4:20 p.m. for Zoo members and their paying guests.
Tickets and more info: CMZOO.ORG/ELECTRIC TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY
( TIMED TICKETS; LIMITED CAPACITY )
Holiday Spiced
ARTICLE GOLD STAR PIES
CULINARY CREATIONS
Apple Cranberry Pie 20
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
"WE ARE A FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED FOOD TRUCK THAT SELLS SLICES OF HOMEMADE SWEET PIE. My mother was a pie maker when I was growing up and it's been a joy to carry on the tradition in a fun and whimsical way. This holiday pie is our own recipe and is all the best things for this time of year: seasonal, pretty, and deliciously flavored with all of the holiday spices. I like to decorate the top with festive cut-outs and place it on the table at meal time as the centerpiece."
INGREDIENTS + Pastry for double crust pie + 2 cups washed, whole cranberries + 1 cup sugar
recipe
+ 3 Tb cornstarch + 1 tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp ground cloves + ¼ tsp salt + 1 Tb lemon juice + 4 apples (preferably Gala or similar type) + 1 pear + ½ tsp vanilla + 2 Tb butter + 1 Tb half and half + Cinnamon and sugar mixture for dusting DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 425. Prepare bottom pie crust in a glass dish. Roll out dough, place in pie plate, and trim the overhanging crust to 1 inch all around. Place in the refrigerator until ready to fill. Use any trimmed dough for decorative cut outs, and refrigerate those as well. Place 1 Tb of lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel and slice the apples, adding them to the lemon juice and tossing them as you go. Peel and slice the pear, add it to the apples, and set aside. In a medium sized bowl combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside. In a food processor, process the 2 cups of whole cranberries until roughly chopped. Add the chopped cranberries to the sugar mixture and stir to combine. Add the cranberry mixture and vanilla to the apples, and stir. Pour the fruit filling into the refrigerated bottom crust, and dot with the 2 Tb of butter. Roll out the top crust and place over the top of the apples. Trim to ¼ inch inside the overhanging bottom crust. Fold the bottom crust over the top, and then crimp to seal all the way around. Brush with half and half, and arrange cut outs on the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes, or until filling is thick and bubbling. Place a foil lined baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven during the second half of baking to catch dripping filling. Cool completely before serving. CityLifestyle.com/ColoradoSprings
21
COLORADO SPRINGS
PREMIER DECK & LANDSCAPING
719.510.0368
G E N G R O U P L L C . COM
ARTIST’S PALETTE
created with happiness
LAURA'S TORN PAPER
ARTICLE E. MAPP | PHOTOGRAPHY KIRA WHITNEY PHOTOGRAPHER
CONTINUED >
CityLifestyle.com/ColoradoSprings
23
ARTIST’S PALETTE (CONTINUED)
THE GARAGE DOOR WAS OPEN ONTO THE TREE LINED STREET IN A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD ON A BEAUTIFUL LATE FALL DAY . Inside, a small art studio. The walls are full. The pandemic has slowed down shows and sales but Laura Weston continues to create. Is driven to create even more in these uncertain times. For her, art should keep pleasant and consoling things in view, fortifying us against down times. Who can argue with the thought that it is soothing and healthy and good for you to surround yourself with a mountainscape that reminds you of that fourteener you hiked, the whiteout you skied through, or a bowl of flowers that looks exactly like the flowers you grew in your garden this year. Painting with paper is how Laura describes what she does. Seen from the door, the works look like paintings but are all torn papers, no paint, and as you get a little bit closer you see that. It is technically collage... an art form that means to stick together, sticking materials on a backing. After a lifetime of artistic involvement, studying and practicing in a variety of disciplines, one summer day Laura was doing an art project with her granddaughter and chose something she had somehow never tried so they would both be starting from zero....and viola! Time stood still! So fun, so freeing, oh my gosh! Laura Weston had found her thing! Her granddaughter, not so much ): All of that is apparent when you see her work. The images are beautiful, colorful, primarily mountain landscapes or flowers. Created wtih happiness. The work is driven by a love of color and pattern. Paper from everywhere, from art supply stores to magazines. There are stacks and baskets full in the studio. The patterns and colors mix and mingle. Each image is one of kind original. Laura says it would be impossible to duplicate any piece because you would never find or choose the exact same color or paper or tear it in the same way. Each image flows from the artist’s creative process as it changes and evolves during creation. The piece creates itself. The work is unusual, original, pleasing to the eye, art to live with. And maybe make you feel better. A little therapy. And it is local. Artist's Website - laurastornpaper.com 24
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
Photo Credit - Kira Whitney Photography
CityLifestyle.com/ColoradoSprings
25
next level portraits
Creating bright, colorful, captivating imagery that celebrates and preserves the special seasons of life and business since 2011. LE ARN MORE AT KIRAWHITNEY.COM HELLO@KIRA-WHITNEY.COM | 719.651.7986 PERSONAL BRAND
WEDDINGS
FAMILIES
SANDEN PHOTO 719.400.8650
SANDENPHOTO.COM
Professional Real Esate Photography
RESIDENTIAL · COMMERCIAL · NEW CONSTRUCTION · LAND
26
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
Welcome to your new Haus. Email info@gravityhaus.com to learn more about the benefits of membership today. CONNECT WITH US:
gravityhaus.com / @gravityhaus Enjoy the custom comforts of a brand new boutique hotel, located directly at the base of Breckenridge mountain. Located in the very heart of Breck, you can walk out the front door and explore Main Street in minutes. With 60 curated rooms made for ultimate relaxation, and countless amenities tailored to the modern outdoor enthusiast, Gravity Haus Breck embodies the crafted Colorado experience. Relax in the dry sauna or soaking tubs in our mountain-side Japanese-inspired onsen, swap stories over familystyle meals with the whole crew at Cabin Juice, or practice your air awareness on the supertramp. Let Breck Haus be the place you begin and end your best adventure days. Gravity Haus is a new model of globally conscious hospitality and experiential brands for those seeking a like-minded community to enhance their active lifestyle and personal growth.
GRAVITY HAUS LOCATIONS BRECKENRIDGE
VAIL
605 South Park Avenue Breckenridge, CO 80424 720.780.2744
352 East Meadow Drive Vail, CO 81657 970.476.0700
WINTER PARK (COMING SOON)
BECOME A MEMBER AND GET ACCESS FOR AS LOW AS $40 PER MONTH. Unlimited premium ski & snowboard rentals. Seasonal lockers available at the base of Peak 9 for as little as $750. Store your skis, boards, and everything else right inside Gravity Haus Breck!
HOT SPOT ARTICLE K MITCHELL | PHOTOGRAPHY GRAY FILTER PHOTOGRAPHY
DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS MOOD TAPAS BAR 28
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
“IF THERE IS ONE THING WE CAN BE SURE OF IN COLORADO SPRINGS’ DOWNTOWN, IT’S THAT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THE FOOD SCENE IS SHOWING UP! ”
CONTINUED >
CityLifestyle.com/ColoradoSprings
29
HOT SPOT (CONTINUED)
30
“WHAT IS THE ONE MENU ITEM THAT
And after that pause, Mood Tapas has ended
YOU CRAVE ON YOUR WAY INTO THE
up with tastes from around the world, created
KITCHEN?” I asked Chef TJ Curry of
well and with Colorado Springs in mind. With
Downtown’s, Mood Tapas. Without hesitation,
seafood sourced just one day out of the water,
his response was, “the duck confit crepe. It
and portions that aren’t always just bite-sized
is a reimagined version of a classic dish from
but large enough to be shared, they’re doing
my time as a chef at The Broadmoor’s own,
a thing. It’s fresh and flavorful and well, it’s a
Summit Restaurant. I could eat 10 of them in
vibe. When the new kid on the block shows
one sitting,” he concluded. As TJ and I delved
up and is ready to serve the food we’ve been
into the history of his career in food and the
traveling elsewhere for, it can give locals a
building of his expertise in preparing flavors
fresh sense of pride paired with anticipation
that are elevated and approachable, I couldn’t
for our next date night or a first date, a meet-
help but notice his kind inflections toward
ing, a night out with friends, happy hour, or
what’s being created and the love of where
just a quiet pause for ourselves over vibrant
his inspirations have been drawn from. When
flavors- this feels good, exciting even.
someone is passionate about what they do
If there is one thing we can be sure of in
and as intentional as he is, it leaves me looking
Colorado Springs’ Downtown, it’s that over the
forward to the next opportunity that I’ll have to
past several years the food scene is showing
enjoy the flavors developed from intentionality
up! It’s being revitalized, refreshed, thought-
and the follow through in their craft.
fully curated, and levels up in just the right
Mood Tapas was opened nearly a year ago
ways. Mood Tapas is adding value to Tejon St.,
by, Crystal Byrd and Mike Thompson, with
to the culture of our Downtown, and the quality
TJ as their Sous chef. Now he’s the executive
of our dining experiences so close to home.
chef and the menu has been modernized a
Curry wanted to prepare something that
bit. The restaurant sits pretty, across from
wasn’t already being done in this central area
Acacia Park on N. Tejon Street, with large
of town; a culmination of fine dining, flavorful
windows and plenty of seats at the bar for
vegetables as well as proteins, the presenta-
enjoying the view outside or a seat at one
tion of tapas but larger and more shareable,
of their tables while simultaneously enjoy-
so much flavor, a fresh-to-death mood. To add
ing friends. Prior to COVID19’s influence,
further detail to a restaurant that complements
the menu was largely shaped around the
what’s already being done while also continu-
premiss of a Mediterranean meal including
ing to push the efforts of a growing standard
proper tapas. Curry says, “while the pauses
overall and I love it. In the spirit of supporting
of Covid have created their own hardships it
local business, eating well and enjoying the
has allowed us an opportunity to take a step
most odd year, let’s make a reservation and
back and re-evaluate what we’re serving.”
safely enjoy Mood Tapas soon. xx-k
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020
WHISKEY GIFT GUIDE
Enjoy Award-Winning Colorado Whiskey with Friends and Family This Holiday Season ASK YOUR LOCAL RETAILER ABOUT
SPIRITS
DRINK LOCAL www.mythologydistillery.com Mythology Distillery 3622 Tejon St., Denver, CO 80211 – (720) 458-0501
PARTING THOUGHTS
VISION
VISION IS THE ABILITY TO SEE BEYOND WHAT OUR EYES CAN SEE. The ability to embrace the future with optimism and imagination of opportunity and of what lies ahead of us. What lies beyond the clouds, down the road and beyond the skies? As we leave 2020 behind, we remember the lessons we have learned, the friends we made, and the memories of the people who have left us. Our Colorado Springs community of people and businesses must forage ahead, down the road into 2021. Be optimistic of what lies behind the clouds, of what the future holds and what 2021 will bring. Be resilient, be strong, be focused, and above all, HAVE VISION. 34
Colorado Springs Lifestyle | December 2020