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Welcome to Springs and Things, the podcast where two close friends spill the tea on all things Colorado Springs! From culture and community to hidden gems and neighborhood lore, we’ve got it covered. Join us as we sip our coffee (or maybe something stronger) and dive into the stories and secrets that make this city so unique. Whether you're a local or just passing through, our fun, light-hearted, and always entertaining take on the quirks, hot topics, and insider tips will keep you coming back for more. Discover what’s really happening in the Springs—beyond the mountains and parks!
Lauren, how it is already Christmas Eve is blowing my mind. That is when this episode is releasing, and I feel like it has been such a whirlwind of a holiday season. But it's here, and I'm so excited.
Speaker 2:I love this time of year. So are you done with all the the shopping? Are you running out to to get a one more thing that you forgot?
Speaker 1:You know, last week last week, I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but, but I have everything set. What are you doing for the holidays?
Speaker 2:So we're here, which is and I love being home for the holidays. I kinda set this expectation, I think, pretty early on with my extended family that, hey. Christmas is at our house. We'd love for you guys to come. But yeah.
Speaker 2:So it's just gonna be low key and chill. And, and, of course, Christmas is also my daughter's birthday. I have a Christmas baby, so it's, like, extra special to us.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh. So special. And speaking of special, Lauren, this episode, we are going to be doing rapid fire, a list of our favorite things in the springs. But before we get to that, I have to say, welcome to Springs and Things, the podcast where 2 close friends spill the tea on all things Colorado Springs. From culture and community to hidden gems and neighborhood lore.
Speaker 1:We've got it covered. I am Carly Reiss.
Speaker 2:And I'm Lauren Ferraro. We'll sip our coffee. I am actually sipping my coffee right as we speak, and we're diving into the stories and secrets that make this city so unique. So whether you're a local or you're just passing through, we hope our fun, lighthearted, and entertaining take will keep you coming back for more.
Speaker 1:Lauren, I'm so excited for this episode because we don't know each other's answers to these rapid fire questions. And what's funny is this is either gonna be our most successful episode today because everybody is at home hanging out with their families. They don't have anything else to do. Or everybody is at home hanging out with their families, and nobody's listening to podcast.
Speaker 2:And and if that's the case, then you and I can just chitchat about our our favorite new experiences of 2024.
Speaker 1:Exactly. And since, we didn't know which way this would go, we figured we'd spare a guest today and not have one. And it's just us. And so we have a list of rapid fire favorites in the springs. Let's just kick it off.
Speaker 1:What is your new favorite restaurant?
Speaker 2:Okay. So I just went to Toodle's Tea Room the other day, which is the most delightful place. I my family's Irish, and we'd like tea time was a thing. And I just there's nothing like high tea, and I'm just so I mean, it is just whimsical and fun, amazing scones, great tea. So Toodles is my pick.
Speaker 2:What about you?
Speaker 1:For anybody that knows you, nobody's surprised you guys. I'm not kidding. When Lauren walks into a room, you smell like tea. You always have hot tea in your hand or you're making somebody tea when they come to your house. And I just like this this pic of yours does not surprise me in the slightest.
Speaker 2:I I you know, that that cinnamon apple tea that I love. I I bring it into Pilates every morning and people are like, what is that? So I need to just leave a stash there for everybody to try because it's
Speaker 1:Yes. It's so fragrant. Well, speaking of things being fragrant, my new favorite restaurant is Massam in old Toronto City.
Speaker 2:That's you know, it's funny. I almost said that one because it's so so good. I'm glad you said that because Oh. It is
Speaker 1:so good for anybody that loves Indian food. Oh my gosh. My mouth is just watering thinking about it. We took my mom there for her birthday this year, and she also loves Indian food. And I'm so happy we have this gym, and it's just cool.
Speaker 1:The inside, you just you feel transported. It's just a really unique dining experience, and one that my taste buds love.
Speaker 2:Yes. And I love the servers there. We've had the same server multiple times, and he's so funny and charming. And I just yeah. It's a delight.
Speaker 1:It is. And they're so nice. The last time we were there, my father taught my daughter how to shoot straw paper out of the straw, like, just to blow so that the paper flies off.
Speaker 2:Going everywhere. I was
Speaker 1:like, oh, dad, you know, this is a restaurant. We don't do that in restaurants.
Speaker 2:But people are here.
Speaker 1:Yeah. Hello? We don't do that at home. So that's kind of the running joke that we can't go out to dinner with papa because he is a child.
Speaker 2:That's why my kids like him so much.
Speaker 1:Yes. Yes. He is a a child favorite. That's for sure. Okay.
Speaker 1:So, Lauren, next rapid fire favorite. What is your favorite local shop in Colorado Springs?
Speaker 2:Oh, I love surface gallery. So it's right across, it's in the sluice which is this historic building that has been renovated on West Colorado Avenue, and it's right across from Story Coffee. So I started going there because I love those Le Pen. There was, like, really nice pens. And I'd be working over at Story and then pop into service and buy a pen.
Speaker 2:But it's this really cool, like, curated art gallery. Valerie, the owner, has, like, exquisite taste, so I love to pop in on 1st Friday and see what what's new there. And there's been so many exhibitions that have just, like, taken my breath away. And it's also a great little spot for for gifts and art and, like, little, watercolor notebooks and special paints and stuff like that. So that's my that's my fave.
Speaker 1:The amount of times I've heard surface gallery from you in the past week blows my mind.
Speaker 2:Well, did I tell you about the art class I took there? It was, it's the Hibana workshop, which is like Japanese flower arranging. Oh, that's where that was? Yeah. It was such a fun class.
Speaker 2:So the artist, Heidi Almosara, she does these you have to kinda see them to believe it, but they're these whitewashed bits of nature. So everything's three-dimensional, comes out of the walls, and they're spectacular. But she taught this this flower arranging class that I when I first thought, like, saw it online, I was like, oh, I could do that. And then it's one of those things that, like, you definitely need I would work on something and then have her come over and, like, fix my work. But, like, so the Surface has cool experiences like that.
Speaker 1:Oh, love it. Well, I cannot wait to check it out. So for mine, Lauren, I actually don't know if you know the extent of this. You might. I am not a shopper.
Speaker 1:I can't stand shopping, especially for myself. I I I don't mind getting sorry?
Speaker 2:I said I can say that about you. You're like a minimalist.
Speaker 1:You don't want those. Minimalist. I am. I don't mind. I love getting gifts for people and, like, and getting stuff for other people.
Speaker 1:But for myself, I have a really hard time, especially with clothes shopping, to the point we always joke my mom is she has the best style and the best eye for things. And so I know that on Christmas and my birthday, which is gonna get me close because she's like, oh, you poor thing. Like, you don't know how to shop. And so I just kind of rely on that for those 2 days out of the year. I'm like, okay.
Speaker 1:Now I know what I'm wearing the rest of the year. Thanks, mom. With that being said, you and I you and I both know this gal. Ashley's Attic. Oh, yes.
Speaker 1:Such a fan favorite of so many of our friends. And you guys, if any of you have ever seen Ashley of Ashley's Attic, she just exudes coolness. She has pink Pink rare. Hair. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Actually, like, every time I see her, I'm like, oh, that looks cool. I don't know if I can pull that off. Oh, you I just I love it and so many people are fans of her store and I the thing on our website says where says where a unique, affordable, and resale fashion collide. And it's just a really unique experience. And that's the thing.
Speaker 1:People go there, and they have an actual experience. And she just provides such personalization. That is where I would shop.
Speaker 2:I have a pair of earrings from there and I have a cute pair of, like, little white, little white sneakers that are sort of my my go to sneakers.
Speaker 1:Oh, love it. Yeah. Well, so what is your favorite live music venue?
Speaker 2:I am not much of, like, a goer of concerts. I went for the first time this is embarrassing. Last year, I think last summer was the first time I've been to Red Rocks Amphitheater after being here 11 years. So yeah. But now that the 40 Amphitheatre is closed, I'm gonna say I mean, that's an obvious one.
Speaker 2:I I've been to 2 concerts there, and it's just an amazing experience. Those fire pits are the coolest thing ever. Every performer has been like, woah. This place is really cool. And it just makes me proud that Colorado Springs has that.
Speaker 1:Yes. I have loved my experience there. I'm gonna go the complete opposite direction that you did. And I actually don't know if this place always has live music. This is based off of one show that I have been to, and it was switched there, actually, I actually, I think last minute, because of another venue issue.
Speaker 1:But we went and saw Jake Xerxes Fussell, who is one of our favorite artists, at the Ultra Flat Black Gallery and Lounge on Colorado. I'd never heard of it. I was like, I don't know where we're going right now, and it is the most intimate setting. You you thought of, like, this big, like, let's have thousands. This is itty bitty, and it is just you're so close to the performer.
Speaker 1:We were able to talk to him after. It was just such a unique experience, and I'm so happy there was that venue change because now it's on my radar. So, I mean, they have they have other things besides live music, but, it's just I will never forget that experience. It was so fun.
Speaker 2:Oh, nice. Okay. Speaking of small intimate spaces too. So on at the sluice in between or usually on 1st Friday, they'll have a performer there on, like, those little stair steps. And it's just yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, it probably only fits about 50 people, but that makes it really cool. You know?
Speaker 1:Alright. Next one. Favorite brunch.
Speaker 2:This is kind of a this my my go to is Garden the Gods Gourmet.
Speaker 1:Oh, Lauren. That was mine.
Speaker 2:Crystal yours? Yeah. I just like and I love when people are town. I love taking them there. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I think it's great.
Speaker 1:We everybody that works there is just so nice, and they're also so good to kids. We always get put in the side room from the main dining room when we have the kids. And I'm, like, either they are that's just the table that's always open, or they're, like, oh, you have kids. We're gonna sit you over here. But Regardless, it is the most wonderful experience for the whole family.
Speaker 1:Their food is delicious, and I I just think it's a gem. I I'm such a brunch person to the point that 2 years ago, Santa gifted me, 12 months of brunch. And every month, I got to draw a different brunch place that we could go try. And Me too. We had places we've been to, and we're like, let's find the ultimate brunch spot.
Speaker 1:And so, after visiting a dozen brunch places in the springs, that came out on top.
Speaker 2:Okay. How about special dining experience?
Speaker 1:Oh, okay. So this this was a tough one because there are a few. And this one, you spend a pretty penny, but it's, again, it's the experience. Manitou?
Speaker 2:Not in a long time. I think, like, the 1st year we lived here, but I haven't been oh, no. I went for happy hour one time. Oh, this is a funny story. I thought I went for happy hour, and I missed happy hour.
Speaker 2:And the kids go, oh, does that mean it's sad hour? And I'm like, no. It's still a happy happy time. But, yeah, I went for for happy hour a couple years ago, and then I went for the full experience, like, when we moved here. So that's
Speaker 1:the last a full experience. Come hungry. But it's just cool, and it's local. And, yeah, if you're think if you want a a lot of food and a fondue experience, that is my recommendation.
Speaker 2:Melted cheese. Yes, please. What about you? Ephemera. Have you been there?
Speaker 1:Is that the one upstairs in Kauai? Yes. Yes. And I loved it.
Speaker 2:Yes. It's like our go to for, like, birthdays, anniversaries. I think it's, like, a pretty awesome deal for what you get. Yeah. I think it's fantastic.
Speaker 2:So that is like and I'm I know you're not a plane talker.
Speaker 1:Not. Talk to me any other time but on an airplane.
Speaker 2:No. I was, flying back from Houston the other day and, chatting with a gentleman who was coming in town for a funeral, and he was like, okay. I've got my parents in town, Like or, you know, where should I go? And I said, go have brunch at Garden of the Gods Gourmet. Go have take them to dinner at Ephemera.
Speaker 1:Oh, look at that. Yeah. Are you are we getting are we getting some sort of commission from them or something? We should be. Okay, Lauren.
Speaker 1:Next one, hidden gem.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay. So I've been so into Concrete Couch this year, and they've been around. It's a nonprofit that's been around for, like, 20 years. But I've just sort of discovered them in my world. I had heard about them.
Speaker 2:But, basically, they work with, like, kids and community groups to create public art, build community, and create environments and experiences that humanize our world. And they have pieces in schools all over, like, that giant pumpkin on Nevada, they built that. But they have all these cool classes for kids, for adults. We go to something every Wednesday called the fab lab, where you just go to Manitou Art Center with concrete couch and build stuff. And my daughter's working on a table.
Speaker 2:Sometimes there's clay. Sometimes kids are cooking ramen. Like, it's just a little adventure. The people who run it have such a heart for kids and and making cool stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah. That's amazing. You've been, again, you've been talking about that quite
Speaker 2:a bit with me.
Speaker 1:Not on not on the air.
Speaker 2:Along the same line. So they have this park that is epic in, kinda south east of downtown called Concrete Coyote, and it's 8 acres of just, like, kid built awesomeness, stages, soccer fields, libraries. Like, it's magic. And so they also have these, like, citizen science classes on Mondays after school, and kids do experiments. And it's all super affordable, super fun, and that is in their their concrete coyote park.
Speaker 2:So you get to see the coolness that is that space.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So cool. Well, I took this topic kind of literally, and I was like, what's more hidden than a speakeasy?
Speaker 2:That is very literal. Oh, is there a new speakeasy I don't know about?
Speaker 1:I didn't expand our horizons for this one. I could have gone behind the dining scene, but I went with illusion speakeasy. And they were originally on my radar because so the this is a themed speakeasy. They always update it with different themes. They had a vote out on Instagram a couple days ago about what the next theme should be, and I think it was skewing toward Wizard of Oz.
Speaker 2:That's fine.
Speaker 1:Wicked is out.
Speaker 2:Makes sense.
Speaker 1:But I missed the Friends themed speakeasy, and I found out about it after the fact, and I was devastated because I still maintain I'm maintain I'm the number one Friends fan out there. But they had a Harry Potter theme. They had a Stranger Things theme. It's just really cool. So
Speaker 2:I've never been.
Speaker 1:Well, maybe we could go maybe we should do an interview there sometime because it'll be hidden.
Speaker 2:That'd be fun.
Speaker 1:Nobody can find us and interrupt the interview, but so fun. Okay. So you were talking about concrete couch being such a great place for kids. Few I was saying that Garden of God's Market was a great place for kids, so I gotta ask. What is the best thing to do with kids in the springs?
Speaker 2:I've gotta go Concrete Coyote Park because it is special. And I hadn't been till this year. I had, like, seen pictures and videos of it, and it's it's just magic.
Speaker 1:I love how much you love this place. I can't wait to be on board with that.
Speaker 2:I can't wait to take you.
Speaker 1:I'm on board. I just need to get, like, get more acquainted with it because it just sounds spectacular from you and multiple other people. So I I didn't pick a place. I picked a thing, and everybody says hiking's amazing in the springs, obviously. Have you ever been geocaching with your friend?
Speaker 2:Or sorry. With your friend.
Speaker 1:Have you ever been geocaching with your kids?
Speaker 2:No. You invited me, and I think it was windy or raining that day, so we didn't go. But I years ago, I had never heard of geocaching. I was in Lubbock, Texas. I was a reporter there, and I was assigned to do a geocaching story in Plainview, Texas.
Speaker 2:So that was my only and I did find the little treasures and stuff. But, no, I'm, like, keen to do it again. And this was obviously pre, it wasn't like as kinda social media y as it is now, obviously, in that time.
Speaker 1:We our family is so obsessed, and it's a way to get kids out on the trails. Because sometimes you have kids hiking, they're like, I don't wanna hike.
Speaker 2:This is so much farther.
Speaker 1:No caching is basically it's this app that it's a treasure hunt, and there are so many all over Colorado Springs, 100, that you you go to this spot, like, you go your GPS takes you to the spot. You can park your car, walk there, whatever, and then it gives you a clue and you follow the GPS to this destination, and there's usually a little canister, a little box, something that has trinkets in it, and a guest logbook, and you can swap out a new trinket with what's already in there. You can just leave it and sign your name and put it back, and it's just a really fun way to explore a city. We were in Winter Park, gosh, 2 summers ago, and we did it in Winter Park. Last summer, we explored Lake Tahoe by doing geocaching.
Speaker 1:It's just a really fun way. You you just become treasure hunters in your own backyard. Okay. So that was that was your favorite thing to do with kids. Now let's talk sans kids.
Speaker 1:What is the best girls' night in Colorado Springs?
Speaker 2:So I am obsessed with the Mining Exchange Hotel. I go there, you know, work work from there. I bring my dog, and Golden Hour is their little cocktail bar. And it's a really fun place to spend an evening, so I'm gonna go Golden Hour at the Mining exchange. What about you?
Speaker 1:Have you been to Louie Louie's, the dueling piano bar?
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Duelling piano bar in my book, say no more. I don't care if it's wonderful. I don't care if the food's great. I will be there. There's so much entertainment, and it's just as I mean, it's it's fun for girls night nights out.
Speaker 1:It's fun for date nights. It just adds a new level of entertainment to the city, and it's downtown. It's adjacent to Kauai.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's so fun. I'll go there. Yeah. That's a great spot to, like, take people over the holidays too.
Speaker 1:Yes. Intent. Okay. We have the last rapid fire question. What is something you want to try that you haven't?
Speaker 2:It's illusions. Because I feel like in the last couple of weeks, so many people have mentioned it, and I'm like, gosh. I still haven't been. So, yeah, illusion. And also, Cosmos Magic Theater.
Speaker 2:I've been wanting to go there for quite some time at hand. I'm gonna make it happen probably over the holidays. What about you?
Speaker 1:So mine is night ramen. You've been there. Right?
Speaker 2:No. Okay. So I'm gonna add can I have 3 on my rapid fire answers? I wanna go on I'm coming with you.
Speaker 1:Okay. You can come with me, but that's still mine.
Speaker 2:Okay. No. That's good. Fair. I already took 2.
Speaker 1:Okay. That sounds good. Yes. Night Ramen sounds so delicious. It's a new restaurant downtown.
Speaker 1:I believe it's the owners that or the same owners of White Pie and Sushi Row and all of that, but it just if you go to their website, I rarely use the word exquisite, but dare I say, the dishes look exquisite, and so many friends have raved about this place. And, Lauren, I feel like it was meant to be that I was the one that ended the rapid fire because night ramen is, like, right by Core Collection.
Speaker 2:Oh, yes. It is. And you know how obsessed I am with Core Collective. So they are our wonderful sponsor of this episode, and it's Reformer Pilates. It's pretty hardcore in a lot of classes, but there really is something for everybody.
Speaker 2:I went to a core reset just for the holidays. That's the more, you know, chill. It's kind of what I think a lot of people are expecting when they come, to a hard class. They're like, oh, I thought Pilates was like more stretching and becoming one with your body, and that's what core reset is to me. So I just took a class, just kind of relax and enjoy during the holidays.
Speaker 2:And but there's strength, there's balance, and it's so good, especially as we're getting into ski season. You need those little accessory muscles all all nice and strong. So it's fabulous, and they're doing this great deal for springs and things listeners, but it only goes till the end of this year. So you can put in the code springs and things and get three classes for $30, and you're not gonna find that deal anywhere else, not even on their website, which is corecollectivecos.com.
Speaker 1:I like it. Well, Lauren, we teed that up nicely, so I'm gonna not nicely tee up our picks of the week.
Speaker 2:Let's do it. I'm excited about this one. Yeah. I mentioned golden hour at mining exchange earlier, but every Thursday, they have live jazz. And Sarah Growe is doing a jazz trio there the day after Christmas.
Speaker 2:That's from 5 to 8 at the Mining Exchange, and they've got, of course, like, food and drinks, really good cocktails and and mocktails over at the bar. But I think we're we're still fully in cocktail season. I'm doing mocktails next month. What about you, Carly?
Speaker 1:I've had a lot of friends ask me what they should be doing with their families over break. A lot of families are coming into the springs and visiting, and they have some time to fill. And I was like, why not take them on a food tour with Rocky Mountain Food Tours? I have gifted gift certificates to this place. It is such a fun experience.
Speaker 1:They have multiple food tours. Their holiday one is actually sold out for this coming week, but they have their traditional 3 hour food tour. They have a 2 and a half hour cocktail tour. Just so many things to check out, and their calendar is on their website, rockymountainfoodtours.com. Not only do you get to taste what Colorado Springs local restaurants have to offer, they provide history and background on Colorado Springs.
Speaker 1:And so it's just a great way to kind of have a staycation and explore dishes you've never had and to learn a side of Colorado Springs that you've never learned. So rockymountainfoodtours.com, voted number 1 food tour and 2024 winner of traveler's choice award on TripAdvisor.
Speaker 2:And if you want a really great guide, request Adam Wright. So he is a, teacher at Mountain Stone Community School. He's the agricultural arts teacher and manages the garden, and he is such a foodie. He is an amazing chef, and, he's really he he does tours there, and he's fantastic.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Well, that is all I have to do, Lauren. I hope you have the happiest of holidays. We will be releasing another episode on the 31st.
Speaker 2:On New Year's Eve.
Speaker 1:On New Year's Eve. So tune into that. And thank you so much for tuning in. Lauren, make the ask.
Speaker 2:Hey. If you like this episode, give us a review, 5 star review, and share it with a friend. We'd be so appreciative. Happy holidays, everybody.