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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!
This week, we sat down with one of Colorado Springs' most vibrant voices, Lauren Ripko. Known as a community connector, event visionary, and a fellow hype gal for The Springs, Lauren dishes on alley dance parties creating connection through shared meals and why she believes our city is on the brink of something truly incredible. If you've ever wondered what actually makes Colorado Springs cool this episode is your insider past to the people and places shaping its future. Lauren, what many people don't know is this is our reunion episode.
Speaker 2:I've been gone a long time. Yeah, people didn't know it because we prerecorded things. I've been gone for almost six weeks.
Speaker 1:Those of you who are just tuning in who heard about us through the Gazette article, Lauren recorded that from Guatemala. We did that entire interview, completely different countries.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I have this goal that I started last year because my kids are kind of like halfway halfway to being on their own. So I decided we would world school in a different country between now and when they're grown for a month. So I pull them out of school and we homeschool and we did it in Guatemala. And then we were supposed to go for like three and a half weeks.
Speaker 2:We almost stayed for six. You weren't sure I was never coming home.
Speaker 1:No. That was it wasn't like a weren't sure. It was like, But seriously, like, are you actually kind of like, would be like, ham extending a week. And luckily, we did prerecord all episodes. There was just, you guys heard me, I said there was a scheduling thing in last week's episode when we did the senior open, and that was the scheduling thing because it was like planes, trains, automobiles to get
Speaker 2:this one back stateside. But she's here. Have a return flight until like a couple of days before our flight. We just booked a one way and But I came home.
Speaker 1:And now she's back, and we're so excited because this episode today, we're talking about, just kind of the shifts of of what is making Colorado Springs cooler and cooler as the years go by. So Lauren, what did you miss about the springs when you were gone?
Speaker 2:You know what's funny? It's fun to like zoom out of your life and then, you know, take stock of what's important and what's not. Mostly it was people. Like it was I was dying like when I got back I was like, I can't wait to go on a hike with Carissa. We interviewed I think was that episode one or two?
Speaker 2:Between the two now. So from Story Coffee I was like, I want to get a coffee with Carissa. Go for a hike. Super excited to see you. But it was mostly like doing small, normal things with people I love.
Speaker 1:And it's just so nice that like you I mean, were having a great time there. You had that your just your stories are insane from this world schooling in the best way possible. But it's nice that you still have a place that you want to come home to. I feel like some people might do that because they're trying to escape. Yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, so a lot of the people that we spent time with, they were traveling indefinitely. So they would do this for years and had sold their home, had left The United States because they were priced out of their home or lots of different reasons people were traveling. But I feel like unique in that I was so excited to come home. And the appeal of traveling for years, just I don't feel it because I feel like I landed in the place I was looking for.
Speaker 1:Well, it's funny you say that because when we were digital nomads, we did have the intent of traveling indefinitely for years. But having Colorado Springs everywhere we would go, it would be, could we live here? We would travel to the West Coast. Could we live here? Middle of the country, can we live here?
Speaker 1:And nothing ever felt like Colorado Springs. It never quite felt like home. And that's when we ultimately decided, no, this is where we wanna set our roots. There is something cool happening here. And that's why we had Lauren Ripko on the show today.
Speaker 2:So Lauren is just the coolest and she's made The Springs, I think, better just her being here and her influence and her experience. So let's listen in. So on the show today, I'm super excited about our guest. I describe her as, like, a force for creativity in Colorado Springs. Other people I've heard describe her as a community builder in Colorado Springs.
Speaker 2:So joining us now is Lauren Ripko. How do you describe what you do?
Speaker 3:That's a loaded question. I would say I am a community connector, and I'm an event planner and that's probably the easiest way to describe what I do, but my passion and the reason why behind what I do is truly to build community and connect people together.
Speaker 2:And I feel that in all the things you do. So tell us what are the different community events that you help organize?
Speaker 3:I work both in Springs and Denver. And so down in Springs, probably the most recognizable one is Taste of Pikes Peak. I spent the last three years working on the Meanwhile block project. And there are some new things coming this year. Oh.
Speaker 3:Yeah, can you tell? So I am working on launching another market weekly, or it may end up being monthly at Kinship Landing at the hotel. Some Alley dance parties Love it. With DJ and some great production to it. A few community dinners are kind of on the docket, and Fiddles, Viddles and Beano is coming back.
Speaker 3:I'm I'm working with Taste of Pikes Peak again and the Kris Kindle Market from Denver. Yeah. From the German American Chamber of Commerce is going to be in Colorado Springs this year in Old Colorado City. I'm working with them on that.
Speaker 2:I think these are so cool because it's a time where there's just, it feels, you know, divided. You know, people who and people are separating over a lot of important issues. But what is your hope with bringing all these people who don't necessarily know each other or wouldn't have necessarily a whole lot in common? What is your hope in bringing these people together?
Speaker 3:If you think of it as a red and blue, and we just go to the most obvious divisive thing happening in our society right now, and if you think of food as a universal language,
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I have watched incredible connections happen over tabletops with food and drink from people that I've never met before, and politics doesn't come up. And so if you start with a foundation of, I don't know your political view or how you feel about things, but I do know who you are as a human, you have more in common than you don't.
Speaker 1:And I think that events and just participating in things together create that foundation for people. So it's so interesting you say that because we have been saying so much recently that the thing that is making the shift in Colorado Springs are the people and the people you meet and everybody's individual story. But I want to backtrack a bit because there's definitely a new shift. I'm originally from here. I had the phase where I was like, I'm not going to live in Colorado Springs.
Speaker 1:I'm going to go live in Denver after college. There's no way I'm ever moving home, which I think a lot of like kids at Fresno City, they're like, I'm getting out, I'm going to go do something else. But when I came home, I saw in my mid-20s, there was a whole new lens. And I was like, Oh my gosh, things are changing. And that was back a decade ago.
Speaker 1:But now having been home for a while, I'm like, Oh my gosh, there is a shift. What is causing this shift?
Speaker 3:I will say, so I lived in Denver for fifteen years and I moved there to go to college. And that was in, I don't even want to say when because it makes me feel old, but in the early, early 2000s when Lodo wasn't yet a thing and Hickenlooper's Brewery was the only thing downtown. And living in Denver in those fifteen years, it felt you feel this like bubbling of opportunity, like all of these millennials moving to town, and we weren't really coined millennials at that point, but there was an influx of people. And so I think if you look at data, The Springs is one of the top cities in the country that is attracting millennial population. And millennials have lived through crazy stuff, right?
Speaker 3:Like September 11 and the recession and all of that. And so we're a little bit more resilient. And we also are go getters. And I think The Springs is so full of opportunity that we have attracted a population that one, is creating things and two, has found a home in nature, but it's not all we have here, right? And so people are just kind of taking advantage of the openings that exist.
Speaker 3:We don't have all of the things that other cities have. We don't have the culture that large cities have, but we have the opportunity to build it. And I think people feel that and they're doing it.
Speaker 1:And do you think that, like, I feel like we're on the cusp of that movement, like that building.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I was at a conference last week and people were like, Why do you live in The Springs? Because I was a Denver snot too. I've never lived there. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:Because Springs has its stigmas. And when you get here, you still think that, and I certainly came with a chip on my shoulder, but it has that same feeling that Denver had in the early 2000s. But we're doing it different. I think we watched where Denver made mistakes and we're trying to do it better.
Speaker 2:Nice. And when was the moment? Because, yeah, you said you came with chip on your shoulder. When was the, was there a moment that you kind of changed your mind about the Springs? When did it kind of, when did it capture your heart?
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I moved here a decade ago for Manitou to put my kids in Manitou schools because it's artsy and I just love that they have chickens and outdoor classrooms. But I slept here and drove all over the state to work, and I still do. But during COVID, when I was applying for grants, because my business was 100% shut down, I was applying through Denver because I did a ton of work in Denver. I was applying in all the municipalities that I worked and getting turned down.
Speaker 3:I applied for a grant with El Paso County, and they came through in the most generous way of any grant I received to live in 2020. And when I got that grant, it hit my bank account. I was looking at it and I'm like, these are the people that are taking care of me when I needed taken care of, and I will give this back. Because it was a grant, I didn't have to pay it back, but I will give this value back to the community where my head hits the pillow. And so since then, I've been really driven to do that in the city.
Speaker 3:It's not been easy, but I'm here and I'm doing it. And I like to think that I have certainly given back that tenfold in value to the people that I've seen.
Speaker 2:I'm confident you have. I'd say twentyfold.
Speaker 1:Thanks. I think also, Lauren, we were talking to you because we had Lauren, say my Lauren. Lauren Ferrara and I had lunch with a mutual connection on Friday at White Pie, and she referred you as her mentor. And you were not the she was not the only person that calls you that. So in terms of giving it back, I feel like you're also just trying to show younger generations, like, this is what we have in store for us.
Speaker 1:This is what Color Springs could be. What do you see as the future of the city?
Speaker 3:I do see a lot of inspiration in the youth, and I say that feeling like I am youth. But at the same time, when I'm loading tables into a truck at the end of a festival, I'm really tired. I can't do this forever. And so to see the energy and also the creativity. You know, at some point, I have not gotten stuck, but I don't know what 22 year olds love, but I want to host things that 22 year olds will come to.
Speaker 3:And so having these open conversations with the youth in the city and those that are coming up and wanting to do and wanting to create things is inspiring to me. And bringing them along with me is just a I feel like it's my duty. Somebody has to do this when I decide I'm done.
Speaker 2:Cool. So when you mentioned the youth, have you been to Youth Documentary Academy events?
Speaker 3:I haven't.
Speaker 2:Well, they're like high schoolers that create their own documentaries and some of them are in the Rocky Mount Women's Film Festival. But I was there when they were kind of brainstorming their concepts and they were so fascinating. So these are like 16 and 17 year olds, so fascinating, so thoughtful, so creative. And I left there and I'm like, you know, lot of people talk about like, oh, you know, today's kids. And I was just like, the kids are all right.
Speaker 2:Like, these kids are amazing. Absolutely. It's so cool to see.
Speaker 3:I used my 10 year old's cap cut skills to help me make reels a few weeks ago. I'm like, dude, you got to help me buddy. Mom's a little bit clueless.
Speaker 1:Lauren, you were saying that there were some hiccups in what Denver did that we kind of learned from. What would you say those are?
Speaker 3:I think if you look at development, and this is a way big conversation, right? But when I was in Denver, it was a small town. It used to be called the biggest small town in the country because you would run into people. It is so big and it grew really fast. And so you hear all the negative things about Denver, right?
Speaker 3:Like Sixteenth Street Mall just kind of died off, and there's too many homeless people. And you get into those systemic problems that happen with growth in a city. And because Colorado Springs is doing it a little bit, we're smaller and we're full of nonprofits. I think that there's just a different approach to growth. If you look at our downtown, we did not have a bustling downtown ten years ago.
Speaker 3:I remember the first time I walked into Loyal Coffee and I was like, I'm in a real city. Look, it's designed. There's ropes in the rafters and the coffee is different and it has a great brand and that just didn't exist here. At least that I saw.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And I feel like it was places like that that invested in the aesthetics and it sounds superficial, but I feel like there's something to be said for, you know, somebody creating a beautiful space. Like Story Coffee is always one of my examples where they were in Architectural Digest and he built they built this thing themselves. So and then once one restaurant or coffee shop committed to making the space beautiful, I think they raised the bar for everybody. Talk about what you've seen just in the way things look now.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I worked in hospitality. That's where I got my start. And so I was a brat in Denver. I made a lot of money bartending and serving in restaurants. And the restaurants I was working in, you know, the silverware budget was bigger than the budget that Colorado Springs have restaurants Colorado Springs restaurants have for their full interior design budget.
Speaker 3:And so it's interesting that we're in a different market where we aren't as dense, and so the density doesn't allow for the revenue to be anywhere near what Denver has for restaurants. However, the passion here has created some really cool spaces where people understand that, yes, I can have good food. I can have good food and good service. But if I have good food, good service, and a cool environment for people to sit in, that's when the people are going to come. And that's a lot of the millennial mindset, like the whole aesthetic and the neuro aesthetic.
Speaker 3:And there's a whole book called Your Brain on Art on why that's all important. But it feels like when you go downtown or when you go to new restaurants, we aren't chasing what bigger cities have. We're doing it in a really authentic way. But it is becoming more and more important to the success of that business in recognizing those three pieces.
Speaker 1:Where do you think we haven't quite hit the market? Like where do you think our biggest areas of opportunity are at this point?
Speaker 3:In everything. In everything. Restaurants,
Speaker 1:but just in general, I mean, in terms of moving it to the Millennial city, we'll call it that for this episode purpose. But what else do you think needs to be done? A lot of work I mean, we've made great strides, but a lot of work still needs to be done. And what areas do you think need the most work?
Speaker 3:I just spent two and a half days in Grand Junction last week, and it was the Colorado Creative Industries Summit, which is put on by OEDIT, which is the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, which tourism, arts and culture, weird things fall under that umbrella at the state level. And when you're sitting with cities, there are four fifty people there from everywhere in the state, and you're listening to how we fund activations and arts and culture and tourism in these cities. And then when you look at Colorado Springs and the funding mechanisms that we have, we don't have funding mechanisms to bring things to do to people in the same way that other cities do. We don't have funding mechanisms to bring art to people in the same ways that other people other cities do. And so when you look at millennial data and it says millennials don't want things, and this is true for Gen Z and every generation that will probably come after, or it might flip flop because now we're going into cottagecore.
Speaker 3:But millennials don't want things, they want experiences. And when we, as a city, invest in those experiences, then we create pride and we create connection to the people that live here back to the city. And so what does that do? It creates this whole wheel of spend money, make money. There's openings for businesses.
Speaker 3:There's things for people to do. There's reasons for people to stay. There's reasons for people to visit. When people visit, they wanna come back and live. And so there's a whole wheel, and it has a name, and I can't remember what the name of that wheel is.
Speaker 3:But I think that that is one area where we really lack. And we have a lot of focus on sport. We are Olympic City USA. And sometimes it feels like in this city, we forget that less people are interested in sport than are interested in something else. And so are we thinking about it as a in a wholesome way?
Speaker 3:Is sport one piece of the pie and art is another piece of the pie and outdoor recreation and all of those little pieces that make a city rich to live? Are we focusing on all of them, or are we putting our eggs all in one or two baskets?
Speaker 2:Now I need to know what cottagecore is.
Speaker 3:I have never heard that phrase. Do not spend time on TikTok? Cottagecore is another aesthetic thing where millennials are known for gray, right? Like millennial gray. Well, Gen Z is now doing like, I want wallpaper and I want every pattern and I want knickknacks.
Speaker 3:And it's this rich, I'm not going to jump on the bandwagon and do what everybody's doing. I'm gonna make my house and my space and what I wear exactly like I want it to be. And it's rooted in a lot of thrift and reuse and vintage and
Speaker 2:for environmental that's different from maximalism? Yeah. Yes. Okay. It's a
Speaker 3:little bit more grandma.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:See, Lauren, this is how I know or we know that you're on like cutting edge of all this stuff because you said cottagecore was such, like, everybody knows what I'm talking about confidence. And Lauren and I were like, we didn't even look at each other. We're just like, we don't know what you're
Speaker 2:talking about. So I'm so glad you're
Speaker 3:on the Make Callers Freakin' Cool episode. Back to those young people.
Speaker 2:So my last question for you, Carly might have others, but so if you had a guest in town, you want to take them to three places to kind of prove, you know, a friend from Denver who's like, I'm not coming to Colorado Springs. Where would you take them?
Speaker 3:Oh, that's good. One, my house because I, we're up at the top of Manitou Springs. And so what you have in Denver is, yes, you can drive to the mountains and go skiing, but you're not in it. You're not in the mountains. And so that view of the springs, Garden Of The Gods, say my house and Garden Of The Gods are one.
Speaker 3:Suga's. Suga's was one of the first places I went where I was like, this is so cool and unique, and it has a story, and it's grounded in the springs. Three. I think the museums in the town are really, one, very unique. Like, the Fine Arts Center is incredible.
Speaker 3:And the fact that the city has an art destination that is that incredible is great for a city this size. The Olympic Museum is so cool. Architecturally, tech, the stories, it's inspirational. Inspirational. And then the Pioneers Museum.
Speaker 3:I think that it's an underrated People love history, and they tell so many incredible stories there that are bigger than just Colorado Springs and El Paso County, but statewide. I had no idea until I went and sat through some lectures and I've walked through and I've done research and then Matt Mayberry has pulled out things from the basement to show stories about food and how the city was founded. And so I think those three museums would, if it's raining outside and it's not a good day to go hiking, go to the museums, make Just a day of
Speaker 1:a few weeks ago, because one of our first interviews, the whole show was getting history and lore from the Pioneers Museum. And so we re released a few weeks ago because we've gotten a lot of new listeners since those first few episodes. And the re release started becoming one of our more popular episodes. And it's just so cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Love history. And, you know, not growing up in Colorado, not I mean, I didn't learn Colorado history, so I'm just kind of catching up. So I think it's a cool place to be.
Speaker 1:Well, another thing that I thought that was cool that you said was about the Fine Arts Center. So the vision and changes that they're making at the Fine Arts Center makes me so excited because they know that the new team I don't want say the new team, but the team that is currently in place knows that millennials are the future of the art scene. And again, like you said, every generation that comes after, but like they're having an ungala in June because they know that we don't want any more galas. We want ungalas or different types of events. They had this event, spotlight in February that was so cool.
Speaker 1:A night of play that was fun. And everything they're doing is very forward thinking, future thinking. And, and so that I'm so glad you said that because I'm very excited for everything they have in store. But I guess my last question is what are you most excited about for the future of the city?
Speaker 3:I think I'm most excited about to see, of all of the people that have moved here, and certainly the chamber and the EDC have done an incredible job in bringing in new business in the aerospace and microchip and tech world. But that, along with those employees, that is incredible talent. Who's coming along with them? And what will those companies bring to Colorado Springs in a a workforce way is is one way to look at it, but, like, the culture way. Because if we're bringing in people from all of these places around the country and even the world, what new things are they gonna bring that we don't know because we're here every day?
Speaker 3:I would argue it just feels like an opportunity zone to go after and get what you want. And so I hope they do.
Speaker 1:Well, Lauren, you are simply the best. Thank you so so much for coming on the show today. Absolutely. Thank you, ladies. Well, as you can tell, Lauren is just making so many things happen here in town.
Speaker 1:The one thing that we forgot to mention on the show is that people should be getting involved with these things. If you want to see the change in the city and be a part of this movement, volunteer at events. You can go to Eventbrite. You can just Google Colorado Springs event volunteers. Get involved.
Speaker 1:Be a part of all this. It's all so exciting.
Speaker 2:Now we wanna give a big shout out to our sponsors, CORE Collective. That was something I missed terribly in Guatemala. I did find a Pilates studio. As you know, I was doing Pilates on, like, the second or third day, but, I miss my girls at CORE. I miss the community.
Speaker 2:I missed the psychotic classes. When I say psychotic, I don't like, they're still accessible to everybody. Like, anybody can do Pilates, but you will be sore in a for a few days on your first or second class. So I just took my first class since I've been back, and that was on Thursday, and I'm still still pretty tight.
Speaker 3:Yeah. It's one of
Speaker 1:those things I've had felt stronger. I, said a few weeks ago, I'm down on pant size, but now you can actually see the definition. And even we were at lunch on Friday, and you did something exciting where you lifted up your arms. And I was like, can you do that again? And your the definition in your arms, even after, like, being gone from court for a while, insane.
Speaker 1:Well, if you want these same results, no results guaranteed, whatever the disclaimer you're supposed to say. But if you head over to courtcollectivecos.com, type in the code SPRIGS and THINGS, all caps, you will get three classes for $30. That is $10 a class, which is unheard of for a former Pilates. Be sure to check it out again at corecollectivecos.com. And we have another sponsor this week.
Speaker 1:Last week, we had the privilege of talking to Carrie Harden. She's the championship manager at the US Senior Open happening, June at the Broadmoor. The tickets are super accessible. They start at $30 There's military offers. Kids 17 and under are free, there's a lot of stuff for the kids to do.
Speaker 1:And if you use the promo code golf, hard to remember, but promo code golf by May 31, you have until May 31 to save a few bucks. And that is just for Springs and Things listeners. Be sure to be sure to type that in, but you can get tickets at ussenioropen.com. Wait for it. Backslash tickets.
Speaker 1:Again, golf promo backslash tickets, easy to find. Be sure to check it out.
Speaker 2:So now we're talking picks of the week. So this week, I got a chance to go into Homestead Collective, which is a new restaurant coming to the North Side Of Colorado Springs. So first, it was Till, and I am way on the other side of town, but that was the one restaurant that we would make the twenty five minute drive to go have Sunday brunch at Till. So I was devastated when it closed. And then it became this, like, multi restaurant concept, and COVID did that in.
Speaker 2:And they were just about to sell the building, and Mitch, the owner, said he had, like, a sign from God that was, like, don't sell it, like, in the middle of the night. So he it was under contract, and then it fell through. And so he kept the restaurant, hired this amazing chef who's been at Alinea in Chicago, you know, like, Vegas restaurants on the Strip. He has the most incredible resume, and he loves to hunt. So he was interviewing in all these different for head chef positions in all these different amazing cities, and he picked to come here to Colorado Springs.
Speaker 2:They very much have their eye on a Michelin star or Bibb Gourmand, and I got to sample some of the dishes. So they open they're opening later this month as of this recording. They haven't decided the exact day yet, but I got to sample, like, an amazing trout dish, an amazing elk dish, this incredible tuna tartare. There were so many great things. I'm super excited for it to open.
Speaker 2:It's gonna have, with this main restaurant, they'll also have campfire pizza. They'll have dad's doughnuts. And then the outside, they had pickleball courts. They're turning those into, like, a farmer's market on the weekends. And then in the winter, there will be ice skating.
Speaker 2:So so many big things are happening in this property, and they were so big on, like, old school service. And I'm very excited to start going back there.
Speaker 1:Do you watch The Bear?
Speaker 2:I don't know what that is.
Speaker 1:Oh, so for listeners that watch The Bear, it's one you know, I get so into my award shows, and it's one like all the Emmys for comedy the past years, which is weird because it's for sure not a comedy. It's like one of those miscategorized things. But he's going after the Michelin, star. That's what you call it.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so when you were talking about that, I just kept getting flashbacks. So I'm like, yes, chef. Let's do this. Well, yeah, I'm very excited for that. I'm so bummed that I missed that event, that you got to go to, but I cannot wait for those doors to open.
Speaker 1:Another thing I wanted to use as my pick of the week that is kind of related that kind of that is related to restaurants is you know when you like eat three quarters or like you go to a restaurant and you're like, there just has to be leftovers. And it's like, what do they and a lot of restaurants are like, we can't do anything with them. It's just kind of waste, which is devastating. There is an app called the Goody Bag app and this isn't just for the springs, but we are only one of a few select cities that are doing this right now. It's a marketplace for surplus food that connects people to local shops with perfectly good unsold food at discounted prices for pickup, like up to 50%.
Speaker 1:Some of the restaurants in town that are a part of this are like Slice four twenty, Nourish Juice Bar, Monza's, we've we had that. We've talked about that, I feel like a lot on the show for gluten free stuff. Odyssey Gastro Pub, the list goes on. But it's a way to get discounted prices. We just had our Springs on a Budget episode, discounted food that's perfectly good and doesn't go to waste.
Speaker 1:It's like you're not being wasteful and you get great food.
Speaker 2:Wait, so and you just order off the menu through this app? So you're not getting leftover food from people's tables, correct?
Speaker 1:Thank you for clarifying that, Lauren. No, no, no, no, no. This is not scrap food that I licked and they are going to repurpose.
Speaker 2:Was at a restaurant with people from work years ago, and somebody was clearing the table, like, next to us. And one of the guys at my table was like, oh, I'll have the rest of those fries. Like, a table that wasn't theirs. It wasn't leftovers from our table.
Speaker 1:So I don't think the health department would support that. No. Thank you for pointing out that I may I probably misspoke. It is purely just food that they're not using, like day old bagel type things. Okay.
Speaker 1:And actually Bella's Bagels is another restaurant. So it's like stuff that they could throw away that they don't use, not that they have served. And now they're repurposing.
Speaker 2:It was like, I don't know about this, Carly.
Speaker 3:And that's my pick of
Speaker 1:the week, folks. Well, Lauren, welcome back.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you. It's good to be back. I was so excited to see you.
Speaker 1:Was funny. We our reunion is we were actually meeting with our friend Lauren and Emma. We were at White Pie and we actually kept getting whiffs of that masala mingle that opened right next door. I kept getting whiffs of curry I and love Indian. Smelled so good.
Speaker 1:Anyway, they opened this weekend, so that's a fun little plug. That is. But we reunited at this lunch and they were witnesses to it. And you would have thought I mean, we hadn't seen each other in six weeks. You would have thought it was the movie slow motion.
Speaker 1:I went and like tackled her while she was paying her parking meter. My hair ended up in her mouth. We were so snuggled up. It was just the reunion we were waiting for. We're so excited to have you back.
Speaker 2:I'm excited to be back. And I feel like I missed all of, like, shoulder season season, and now I'm here and I'm like, oh, this is glorious.
Speaker 1:It is glorious. We live in a glorious city. Listeners, thank you so much for tuning in. As always, share this episode with a friend. Please leave that five star review.
Speaker 1:It helps in the rank and we just I mean, it's an ego boost to us too. For sure. And we will see you next week on Springs of Things.