Well. Magazine

30/05/2024

Join us tomorrow, May 31 at 1 p.m. MT/12 p.m. PT for an exclusive Instagram Live with YOGA + Life Annual Partner, Nicole Zapoli () of NZ Fitness!

“I am passionate about supporting others on their fitness journey so that lifelong wellness and a high quality of life become the new norm in our communities and world, rather than the exception,” Nicole passionately articulates. “My ultimate goal is to support, guide, educate, inspire — both physically and mentally — as well as create strong, healthy, happy, consistent and committed clients.”

Set your alarms and join us on the Instagram to learn more about Zapoli and her passion. See you there!

30/05/2024

Denverites and outdoor enthusiasts alike are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the inaugural Outside Festival, set to take place June 1-2, 2024, at Civic Center Park. The event promises to be a celebration ofeverything outdoors, featuring a lineup of musical acts, adventure films, inspirational speakers, immersive experiences and the latest outdoor gear.

“The goal behind the Outside Festival is to create the definitive annual gathering that celebrates outdoor culture,” says Robin Thurston, founder and CEO of Outside Interactive Inc. “This is where the spirit of outdoor adventure meets the rhythm and art of urban life — appropriately right here in the heart of Colorado.”

Headlining the musical performances are acclaimed artists including Fleet Foxes, Thundercat, Lettuce, Andrew Bird, Say She She and The Heavy Heavy. With a backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, concertgoers can expect a musical journey that captures the essence of Colorado’s outdoor spirit.

Read the full coverage of this upcoming event by following the 🔗 below!

✍: Lexi Reich ()

Denverites and outdoor enthusiasts alike are eagerly anticipating the arrival of the inaugural Outside Festival, set to take place June 1-2, 2024, at Civic Center Park. The event promises to be a celebration ofeverything outdoors, featuring a lineup of musical acts, adventure films, inspirational sp...

22/05/2024

AWAKEN 🌟

Well. summer + fall 2024 is here! Order a subscription at wellmagco.com.

This issue of Well. celebrates community leaders and inspiring spaces, mindful living and conscious consumption, dreamy destinations, wellness experiences, enriching daily practices and outdoor adventures.

Awaken here in these pages. Awaken everywhere you go. Embrace each moment of transition and use it as a step toward greater awareness and a more intentional way of being.

Well. is rooted in Colorado with national reach, produced by YOGA + Life + Jaunt Media Collective

Cover image with Body Therapeutics by Cat Mayer.

18/04/2024

Braiding Sweetgrass explores how we can resurrect and preserve the integrity of our human relationship with the earth and all living beings. Increasingly, as civilization evolves, we are drifting from our intuitive connections and simple, natural rhythms as guidelines to living well. Instead, we are embracing scientific discovery, technology and artificial materialism to shape complex actions and values.

Author Robin Wall Kimmerer is a scientist herself — a botanist, a professor, a Potawatomi Nation Citizen and founder and director of The Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. She believes in using the tools of science to ask
questions of nature. She advocates innovation, progress and inevitable change. Yet, she believes that plants, animals and the earth are our oldest teachers. Her vision for our future is “a world guided by stories rooted in the revelations of science and framed with an Indigenous worldview in which matter and spirit are both given voice.”

If you'd like to learn more about Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, follow the 🔗 below for the full review!

✍: Sandy Ferguson Fuller

"MAY THE LOVE WE PUT INTO THIS BOOK CONTINUE SETTING IN MOTION THE WORLDS WE WISH TO INHABIT." -NICOLE NEIDHARDT The dedication to the left is from the Navajo illustrator of this engaging, informative and insightful look at our lifeline back to the wisdom of Indigenous teachings. Braiding Sweetgrass...

12/04/2024

Switzerland is known for its stunning alpine landscapes, cultural heritage, environmental stewardship, strong economy and high quality of life. For locals and visitors alike, the country offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience personal well-being and natural beauty all around. From thermal baths to yoga studios, vineyards to ancient basilicas, Switzerland invites you to revitalize right on time, as the Swiss do, embracing both wellness and splendor throughout the country.

Interested in booking your own trip to Switzerland and want to learn more? Read the full article at the 🔗 below!

✍+📷: Kim Fuller

Switzerland is known for its stunning alpine landscapes, cultural heritage, environmental stewardship, strong economy and high quality of life. For locals and visitors alike, the country offers an unparalleled opportunity to experience personal well-being and natural beauty all around. From thermal....

05/04/2024

Surrounded by the scenic landscapes of Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado, there exists a culinary gem that not only tantalizes the taste buds but also offers a front-row visual feast. This restaurant, aptly named Grand View, stands as a testament to the harmonious marriage of food and the earth.

Located inside Garden of the Gods Resort & Club, Grand View recently underwent a massive renovation to update the interior with contemporary design elements. The floor-to-ceiling windows framing the acclaimed national landmark’s red
rock formations are as captivating as ever. But, guests will now find new oak wood flooring, the use of organic materials such as stone, leather and copper, and twinkling chandeliers to remind them of the fine dining experience that awaits them. Plus, one of the most exciting additions to the space is the onyx bar. Imported from Turkey, the gently illuminated stone provides an ambient glow — the ideal setting for enjoying a craft cocktail, mocktail or good conversation.

Did someone say vacation?! Learn more about this incredible space + the beauty that surrounds it in the full article — 🔗 below!

✍: Lexi Reich ()
📷: Courtesy of Garden of the Gods Resort and Club

Surrounded by the scenic landscapes of Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado, there exists a culinary gem that not only tantalizes the taste buds but also offers a front-row visual feast. This restaurant, aptly named Grand View, stands as a testament to the harmonious marriage of food and...

04/04/2024

Enter into Tiny Pine Bistro, located in a humble Victorian just blocks from Main Street in Carbondale, Colorado, and you will immediately be transported to a century before. Constructed in the late 1800s and previously occupied by The Beat, two Chicagoans found their grove in the historic space, vegetable wallpaper, custom bar top, gas fireplace and original wood floors.

Leslie Lamont and Charles Ford opened up Tiny Pine Bistro in February 2022. The duo originally relocated to the Roaring Fork Valley in autumn 2020 to escape the Windy City heavily impacted by COVID and to try their talents in Aspen. After a year, the duo was ready to branch out on their own.

Learn more about this entrepreneurial couple in the full article, 🔗 below!

✍: Julie Bielenberg
📷: Courtesy of Tiny Pine Bistro

Enter into Tiny Pine Bistro, located in a humble Victorian just blocks from Main Street in Carbondale, Colorado, and you will immediately be transported to a century before. Constructed in the late 1800s and previously occupied by The Beat, two Chicagoans found their grove in the historic space, veg...

02/04/2024

In recent years, chai (or masala chai as it is known in India) is all but ubiquitous. It can be found in just about every coffee shop, and ready-made chai is a booming industry unto itself. Colorado alone boasts a handful of renowned brands. Bhakti, Sherpa and 3rd Street Chai, all based in Boulder, are well known for robust flavor and can be found in coffee shops from Denver to Durango.

While much of the growth in the industry is found in America and Europe, the vast majority of masala chai is consumed in its homeland on the Indian subcontinent. Chai as we know it, a blend of tea, spices, sugar and milk, has been a daily
ritual for nearly a billion people in India and neighboring Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh for nearly 200 years.

Interested in learning more about Chai? Check out the full article at the 🔗 below!

✍+📷: Nickolas Paullus (.aaron.paul)

In recent years, chai (or masala chai as it is known in India) is all but ubiquitous. It can be found in just about every coffee shop, and ready-made chai is a booming industry unto itself. Colorado alone boasts a handful of renowned brands. Bhakti, Sherpa and 3rd Street Chai, all based in Boulder,....

01/04/2024

When Colorado voters passed Proposition 122 in November 2022, decriminalizing a handful of psychedelics — psilocybin mushrooms included — joyful celebration erupted at Plant Magic Café.

The campaign headquarters for the initiative and holistic wellness hub known as HeartQuarters, along with its upstairs 501(c)(3) education resource center Denver HeartQuarters, is pioneering the plant medicine movement, offering a unique blend of nourishment for both body and soul.

Learn more about the Plant Magic Cafe and what they do, at the 🔗 below!

✍: Lisa Blake ()
📷: Courtesy of Plant Magic Café ()

When Colorado voters passed Proposition 122 in November 2022, decriminalizing a handful of psychedelics — psilocybin mushrooms included — joyful celebration erupted at Plant Magic Café. The campaign headquarters for the initiative and holistic wellness hub known as HeartQuarters, along with its...

21/03/2024

From emergency room to chief formulator and CEO, Sarah Villafranco, MD, took her medical education and experience and transformed them into a skincare line called Osmia. Villafranco’s choice to pursue medicine was rooted in a desire to help people live healthier lives.

After spontaneously signing up for a soap making class in Basalt, Colorado, her journey of healing others through skincare products began. “I was enchanted by the artistry of form, color and scent that could be woven into the soap process. And when I began to research the impact of ingredients most people were using on their skin every single day, a bigger idea took shape,” she recalls.

If you'd like to read more about Villafranco and her business, follow the 🔗 on our profile for the full article!

✍: Julie Bielenberg
📷: Courtesy of Osmia

From emergency room to chief formulator and CEO, Sarah Villafranco, MD, took her medical education and experience and transformed them into a skincare line called Osmia. Villafranco’s choice to pursue medicine was rooted in a desire to help people live healthier lives. “However, after losing my ...

21/03/2024

“Begin to deepen your breath.”

How many times have you heard that phrase? If you’re a regular yoga practitioner, chances are you hear it all the time, and it probably helps you feel calmer. But, why is deepening your breath so effective?

✍: Julia Clarke Yoga

19/03/2024

“68% of American women wear sizes 14 and up, and less than 20% of outdoor apparel is made in plus sizes. How do you expect 20% of the offerings to appeal to 68% of the people?” asks Raquel Vélez, founder and CEO of Alpine Parrot, an outdoor apparel company focused on creating gear and apparel for plus-sized people and people of color.

In recent years, there has been a massive focus in creating a more accepting community within the outdoor space, breaking down the barriers of access and encouraging plus-sized people to recreate in the outdoors in a loving and welcoming way.

Women are paving the way in this industry. The author sat down with a few of those women and spoke with them about where they see plus-sized gear going. Follow the 🔗 on our profile for the full article!

✍: Laura Mills
📷: Courtesy of Alpine Parrot

“68% of American women wear sizes 14 and up, and less than 20% of outdoor apparel is made in plus sizes. How do you expect 20% of the offerings to appeal to 68% of the people?” asks Raquel Vélez, founder and CEO of Alpine Parrot, an outdoor apparel company focused on creating gear and apparel

19/03/2024

The world of travel has undergone a visible evolution, and at the forefront of this change are women who have broken barriers, shattered stereotypes and explored the farthest reaches of the globe. Among them is Kelly Kimple, CEO of Fort Collins, Colorado-based travel agency Adventures in Good Company (AGC). The business offers small group tours around the world for women with adventurous spirits.

“Our focus on female-forward experiences is important on many levels but mainly to inspire and empower women,” Kimple says. “By tailoring our experiences to women, we aim for all women to enjoy the benefits of outdoor exploration and the joys of adventure travel.”

If you're looking to learn more about Adventures in Good Company, follow the 🔗 on our profile for the full story!

✍: Lexi Reich ()
📷: Courtesy of Adventures in Good Company ()

The world of travel has undergone a visible evolution, and at the forefront of this change are women who have broken barriers, shattered stereotypes and explored the farthest reaches of the globe. Among them is Kelly Kimple, CEO of Fort Collins, Colorado-based travel agency Adventures in Good Compan...

05/03/2024

In the bustling French village of Chamonix, the ReBIRD program has a steady stream of customers lining up to take advantage of their gear repair services during the Arc’teryx Alpine Academy. Adventurers drop off clothing that needs holes mended, zippers replaced or Durable Water Repellent coatings reapplied. When they return, their well-loved gear is refreshed and ready for their next adventure and stays out of the landfill.

Rewilding your outdoor gear is becoming increasingly popular, with brands like Arc'teryx (), Patagonia () and Rab (.equipment) leading the charge to reduce consumer waste. Those of us who love the outdoors care about the environment. Without a healthy planet, we don’t get to have mountain adventures. But, the activities we enjoy also mean that our gear gets worn out faster, and the outdoors industry is one of the worst offenders when it comes to carbon emissions and landfill waste.

To enjoy the outdoors responsibly being aware of how you buy, treat and discard your outdoor gear is crucial. Head to the 🔗 on our profile for the full article + tips!

✍: Julia Clarke
📷: Courtesy of Arc'teryx

In the bustling French village of Chamonix, the ReBIRD program has a steady stream of customers lining up to take advantage of their gear repair services during the Arc’teryx Alpine Academy. Adventurers drop off clothing that needs holes mended, zippers replaced or Durable Water Repellent coatings...

28/02/2024

Following an afternoon of winter sport, sauna has long been tradition throughout Scandinavia to prevent sore muscles and warm the body. Caleb Mikenas, based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, wanted to bring this culture of sauna to the Roaring Fork Valley, on wheels.

Hot Box is designed after the Swedish tradition of sauna, which is a dry heat, and Mikenas recommends using the sauna for a variety of health reasons, including the reduction of inflammation that he claims helps him with his arthritis. In high heat, the body releases endorphins that minimize pain and reduce inflammation.

Interested in reading more? Follow the 🔗 below for the full article!

✍+📸: Julie Bielenberg

Following an afternoon of winter sport, sauna has long been tradition throughout Scandinavia to prevent sore muscles and warm the body. Caleb Mikenas, based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, wanted to bring this culture of sauna to the Roaring Fork Valley, on wheels. Mikenas’ stepfather taught him th...

21/02/2024

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psycho-spiritual, contemplative methodology gaining tremendous ground in the healing realms for its pithy and potent transformative potential in awakening a practitioner to the full constellation of our psyche. It’s a practice that seeks to illuminate the dynamics of young, tender and sometimes traumatized parts of ourselves that have often been excluded or not tolerated.

"As an IFS coach and a longtime yoga teacher, the purpose of both practices intermingles strongly. We seek the inner corridors of our own personality structure the same way we seek ourselves out on the mat, with a dedication, a clear purpose, to not avoid the challenging aspects of the self. To turn towards our unresolved sorrow. To allow deep grief."

If you'd like to read more about Internal Family Systems, follow the 🔗 below for the full article.

✍: Kali Durga ()

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a psycho-spiritual, contemplative methodology gaining tremendous ground in the healing realms for its pithy and potent transformative potential in awakening a practitioner to the full constellation of our psyche. It’s a practice that seeks to illuminate the dynamic...

16/02/2024

With summer’s early dawns and late sunsets, it’s hardly a chore to establish a good morning routine. Usually the sun has you leaping out the door for an early trail run or yoga class before your alarm even has the chance to rouse you.

But, come the colder, darker days of winter and spring, you can feel like a different person. Gone is the bounder-out-of-bedder that welcomed the day with sun salutations, and in their place is a groggy, grumpy snooze-hitter. These days, you can barely stomach the thought of getting out from under the covers, never mind leaving the house or exercising, but failing to do so can imbue you with a sluggishness that persists throughout the day, leaving you feeling uninspired and discontented.

Cultivating a more consistently nourishing morning routine can be an effective way to boost your energy for the day. Furthermore, a balanced morning routine is central to promoting health and preventing disease, according to yoga’s holistic sister science, Ayurveda, which lays out a specific sequence of activities to follow each day known as Dinacharya. Integrate some of these holistic behaviors regularly to super-charge your mornings and go through your day with purpose and vigor.

Keep reading the full article, 5 Ayurvedic Tips For A Healthy Morning Routine, at the 🔗 below!

✍+📸: Julia Clarke ()

With summer’s early dawns and late sunsets, it’s hardly a chore to establish a good morning routine. Usually the sun has you leaping out the door for an early trail run or yoga class before your alarm even has the chance to rouse you. But, come the colder, darker days of winter and spring, you c...

15/02/2024

How many times have you lost a whole night’s sleep trying to figure out a creative solution to a gnawing problem? It could be repairing a relationship, meeting the demands of a client or how to fit a family of five into a two-bedroom apartment. If you could just come up with the answer, you could finally get some sleep, you think desperately as you turn over in bed for the thousandth time.

But, what if you have things in the wrong order? Perhaps, if you got a good night’s sleep, the answer would be staring you in the face when you woke up. It’s probably what your parents told you when you were younger, and now, some scientists think they might have been right all along.

Creative thought has been at the forefront of scholarly inquiry for decades, and there’s a growing body of research linking it to getting enough rest. If the science is right, practices like yoga and meditation might not just be appealing to already creative types; they might fuel creativity in all brains.

Interested in this topic? Read the full article at the 🔗 below!

✍: Julia Clarke
📸: Rick Cummings

How many times have you lost a whole night’s sleep trying to figure out a creative solution to a gnawing problem? It could be repairing a relationship, meeting the demands of a client or how to fit a family of five into a two-bedroom apartment. If you could just come up with the answer, you

03/02/2024

Before you hit the slopes this season, it’s important to first prepare your body for the physical demands of alpine adventures. These stretches from the instructors at StretchLab help enhance flexibility, improve muscle strength and reduce risk of injuries.

StretchLab recently opened three new locations in Colorado, with the assisted-stretching brand now operating over 300 studios across North America. Each of these ski prep stretches can be performed at home, using a band, belt or strap for increased stretching leverage.

Check out the full article at the 🔗 below!

📸: StretchLab ()

Before you hit the slopes this season, it’s important to first prepare your body for the physical demands of alpine adventures. These stretches from the instructors at StretchLab help enhance flexibility, improve muscle strength and reduce risk of injuries. StretchLab recently opened three new loc...

02/02/2024

"Imagine snow up to second-story windows, icicles hanging from gutters that look like frozen waterfalls and snow piled up in vacant lots so high it would be a new ski hill. This was Steamboat Springs during the 2023 winter when they received record-breaking snowfall. By April, Steamboat Resort recorded 448 inches of snow that season! With all the hype of powder day refills and aspen glade trails, I needed to see what this quintessential Colorado mountain town was all about."

If you haven't made it to Steamboat Springs in recent years, check out this article ... we have a feeling you will be planning a trip shortly after! Read more at the 🔗 below!

✍: Kaitlin Emig ()
📸: Courtesy of Steamboat Springs Chamber of Commerce + WinterWonderGrass

Imagine snow up to second story windows, icicles hanging from gutters that look like frozen waterfalls and snow piled up in vacant lots so high it would be a new ski hill. This was Steamboat Springs during the 2023 winter when they received record-breaking snowfall. By April, Steamboat Resort record...

27/01/2024

As human beings, we are walking pieces of energy — derived from the universe and living the human experience. Energy is neither created nor destroyed but, rather, transferred invisibly to allow us to engage and connect with our surroundings. Sometimes the world we live in makes it difficult to come back home to the energy inside of us. However, there is a reason why our ancestors paired sound and movement for grounding purposes.

“Energy is the way we experience the world and the way the world experiences us,” says Ashley B. Jones, energy healer and trauma-informed intuitive guide.

The Denver, Colorado-based reiki practitioner explains that practicing repetitive movements to music creates a portal to allow life to flow through us and for us to flow through this life. We literally enter a flow state in our bodies that creates a space of receptivity and a place to move energy from head to toe. This flow state is boundless and impartial to any movement. Think yoga, hiking, running, climbing, dancing, Pilates, weightlifting or any way you move for joy.

Explore the way you connect to yourself! If you'd like to read more from this article, you can learn more via the 🔗 below.

✍: Chloe Wasserstrom ()
📸: Sydney Brewer

As human beings, we are walking pieces of energy — derived from the universe and living the human experience. Energy is neither created nor destroyed but, rather, transferred invisibly to allow us to engage and connect with our surroundings. Sometimes the world we live in makes it difficult to com...

25/01/2024

As the sun travels across the sky each day, the changing angles of light pour through the living room of Palisade, Colorado artists Dawn Stutz and Shea Harrington. Dozens of colorful original stained-glass mosaics hang in the large windows of their peaceful space, and each hour of daylight shifts the color expression and energy that radiates from every piece.

“When that light comes through, the color light therapy is very healing,” Stutz says.

Some colors, like oranges and reds and yellows, give the body energy, so Stutz often designs bright glass pieces that incorporate these colors to bring happiness to kitchen spaces. Other hues give the body balance, like green. And blues and purples? They help the body calm down, she says.

Stutz and Harrington co-own Horizon Acres Stained Glass Mosaics, a vibrant property nestled in the backcountry of Palisade’s peach orchards and grape vineyards. In addition to their home, their property features a small gallery for displaying their work as well as a garage art studio space with, of course, gigantic windows facing the mountains.

If you'd like to read more about these artists, follow the 🔗 below for the full article!

✍: Rhema Zlaten
📸: Kaia Hofmeister

As the sun travels across the sky each day, the changing angles of light pour through the living room of Palisade, Colorado artists Dawn Stutz and Shea Harrington. Dozens of colorful original stained-glass mosaics hang in the large windows of their peaceful space, and each hour of daylight shifts th...

18/01/2024

"When I sat down for a happy hour pour at Wolf + Wildflower in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, I immediately felt like I had landed upon the community jackpot. The women-owned wine bar opened last summer, and its evolution has been a labor of love, as co-owner Tamara McTavish puts it.

Together with her business partner and longtime friend Sarah Galloway, the duo transformed the 1,600-square-foot space into the tight-knit neighborhood’s newest gathering spot, complete with an eclectic wine program and an assortment of snacks, charcuterie boards and desserts."

If you'd like to read more about this local spot, check out the full article via the 🔗 below!

✍: Lexi Reich ()
📸: Photos Courtesy of Wolf + Wildflower ()

When I sat down for a happy hour pour at Wolf + Wildflower in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, I immediately felt like I had landed upon the community jackpot. The women-owned wine bar opened last summer, and its evolution has been a labor of love, as co-owner Tamara McTavish puts it.

17/01/2024

Finding community can be so important and yet so challenging, especially in our growing virtual world. Fortunately, support and resources to stay connected, feel empowered and learn about healthy practices and mindsets can be found at Shine Living Community ().

Jill and Jessica Emich are the sisters behind Shine Living Community, a Boulder, Colorado-based movement inspiring authentic life and holistic wellness. “It’s really about people, about community,” explains Jessica Emich. “We offer more of a holistic experience, so that it amplifies the whole,” adds her twin sister, Jill Emich. Shine hopes to provide all the pieces that make up a well-rounded life, including food, movement, nutrition and healing for emotional health, as well as mental and physical well-being. “It’s a lifestyle,” shares Jessica Emich. “And, we also bring in family,” she adds, “because that’s who we are,” finishes Jill Emich.

To read more about the Shine Sisters and their community, follow the 🔗 below for the full article!

✍: Amalia Manning
📸: Courtesy of Shine Living Community ()

Finding community can be so important and yet so challenging, especially in our growing virtual world. Fortunately, support and resources to stay connected, feel empowered and learn about healthy practices and mindsets can be found at Shine Living Community. Jill and Jessica Emich are the sisters be...