Well, I’m on the waitlist for the new Life Time in Castle Pines, and they recently emailed that it’s planned to open Wednesday, Nov 18 (pending final inspections). No, you don’t have to worry about seeing me wandering around aimlessly trying to figure out how to use the machines, because it’s a little far…and rich for my taste…I believe the basic adult membership is running $329/mo. I did shamelessly ask them if they wanted to sponsor me…a boy can dream. Hot tip, though…I did hear that some parents might use it as a daycare hack. They drop their kids off at Kids Care and go “work out for 2 hours” (aka slip out the back door)…you didn’t hear it from me! If you want to take the virtual tour, there’s a video at the bottom of their website: Virtual Tour.

Life Time isn’t alone, though. It seems like every time I look up, there’s another fitness, wellness, something-or-other going up. I’m starting to give more of them a try, and we’ll cover a couple today!

I’m writing this as a broken man. I’ve been tracking all the new studios going up, and if it feels like Pilates is everywhere right now, it’s not just you. It’s been the most-booked workout on ClassPass three years running, with reservations up 66% in 2025 (fun fact: it was invented by a guy, Joseph Pilates, who brought his method to New York in the 1920s). So I finally took my first Pilates class yesterday at BODYBAR in Highlands Ranch.

But, wow. I didn’t know I could hurt like this. I should’ve known when I looked down at my watch 2 and a half minutes in and thought to myself…this is not going well, I’m already feeling it…and then checked in 20 minutes later, drenched in sweat. It didn’t get any better from there when our instructor Rachel said, “Now it’s time to do core.” Wait, I thought we’d already done core. Sure enough, I went to do my first sit-up and I was just stuck, so I watched that one from my back. She was nice enough to give me a Pilates ball to put behind my back to help…no dice. Here’s a shot of her patiently explaining to me what to do for the 1,000th time:

Stacey Brantley, the franchisee, was kind enough to invite me to take advantage of their free class, and I went with Performance (you move the entire time and finish with a 5-minute cardio block) over Precision (a warm-up and stretching between exercises) because, per usual, my ego got in the way. If you’re new, take Precision. The classes before and after mine were packed with those who chose wisely.

The studio opened Oct 12, and it’s all reformers, 14 of them, with seven class formats. I saw a few other instruments of torture like a jumpboard and some sort of chair…next time…if there is a next time (there will be). This is the position that had me shaking uncontrollably. TBD on whether I’m enough of a masochist to put the live footage on Instagram or not…

Good to know:

Others are popping up in places like Parker, where the newest one to open has a room that glows red.

Nova Glow Studio is open at The Juniper on Mainstreet, the new building that’s also home to Marvin’s Place and Poulette Bakeshop. Owner Dani Saunders is an attorney and a mom who built it, in her words, “by a woman, with women in mind.” Well, I was still able to get in…when she took over the space, it was literally a dirt floor and exposed pipes since The Juniper is a new build.

I stopped by the grand opening on Saturday, Oct 10. There was a balloon arch out front, coffee from Marvin’s and macarons from Poulette inside, and Dani’s family and friends were all there to support.

It’s two studios. Nova is the reformer room, with 10 reformers lined up along the windows. Glow is the heated mat room: it runs 90 to 95 degrees, and every mat station has its own red light panel.

So why the heat and the red light? Per Nova Glow, “the heat deepens your stretch and gets your heart rate up; the red light works on skin, muscle recovery, and cellular renewal while you move.” I happen to have eyes that are extremely sensitive to light, so if you’re anything like me, you might opt for the light-blocking glasses they have on hand, or you can have the panel at your station turned off. The team also told me a heated, red-light Pilates setup like this is very rare, not just in Douglas County but around the country.

There’s also a solo infrared sauna you can book for 40 minutes, and a shop up front called The Edit with their own merch.

Good to know:

Here’s the full story with photos.

More on the way:

Glass Painting at Lone Tree Brewing

Sunday, November 8, 12pm to 3pm. Lone Tree Brewing Company in Lone Tree.

Emma’s back with her Thankful Framed glass painting class, this time at Lone Tree Brewing. You trace a design onto an 8.5x11 piece of glass, color it in with paint markers and acrylic paint, and pick a scrapbook-paper background before it goes into a black frame. All the materials and an apron are included.

Grab a spot here

Local jobs and opportunities across Douglas County.

Line Cook — Egg Harbor Cafe, Highlands Ranch — $17-$24/hr

Grocery Clerk — King Soopers, Parker — $19-$26/hr

Educational Assistant (EA IV) – Significant Support Needs — Douglas County School District, Lone Tree — $20-$25/hr

If you’re hiring, reach out at [email protected] for a free posting.

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Featured Event: All American Collectors Expo

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Get Tickets at Humanitix or at the Door

Top Events This Week
Thu 10/29 - Haunted Hunt on Mainstreet, Realty ONE Group Elevations/Parker - Thu 10/29 and Fri 10/30, 5pm–8pm - $14.64–$32.78
Fri 10/30 - Paranormal Cirque Voodoo, Douglas County Fairgrounds/Castle Rock - through Mon 11/2, 7:30pm - $20–$65
Fri 10/30 - Blue Moon Band at Pines Bar and Grill, Pines Bar and Grill/Castle Pines - 6pm–9pm - Free
Sat 10/31 - Last Stop, Halloween Night at the Mansion, Highlands Ranch Mansion/Highlands Ranch - 6:30pm–9pm - Free
Sat 10/31 - That Eighties Band Halloween Party at Wide Open Saloon, Wide Open Saloon/Sedalia - 7pm–10:30pm - $17.85–$33.85
Sat 10/31 - 1931 Frankenstein with Live Score by the Lone Tree Symphony, Lone Tree Arts Center/Lone Tree - 7:30pm–9pm - $35–$50

Music & Concerts
The Old North End Restaurant & Deli (Castle Rock) - Byron Miller Live! - Thu 10/29, 6pm–8pm - Free
Tailgate Tavern & Grill (Parker) - Sarah P and the Haypullers at Tailgate Tavern - Thu 10/29, 7:30pm–11:30pm - Free
The Groove at Lyric (Lone Tree) - Friday Night Live: Patrick Dethlefs at The Groove - Fri 10/30, 5pm–8pm - Free
Prost Brewing Highlands Ranch - Live Music with Under 2 Tables - Fri 10/30, 5pm–8pm - Free
Wide Open Saloon (Sedalia) - Winchester Road at Wide Open Saloon - Fri 10/30, 7pm–10:30pm - Free
Takoda Tavern (Parker) - 6202 at Takoda Tavern - Fri 10/30, 7:30pm–11:30pm - Free
Sinners & Saints (Castle Rock) - Hot Boots Duo, Live at the Altar - Fri 10/30, 8pm–10pm - Free
Studio@Mainstreet (Parker) - Livin' Good Band at The Studio - Fri 10/30, 8pm–11:55pm - Free
Tailgate Tavern & Grill (Parker) - Mile Hi Groove at Tailgate Tavern - Fri 10/30 and Sat 10/31, 8:30pm–12:30am - Free
Prost Brewing Company (Highlands Ranch) - Live Music with The Blanket Orchestra at Prost Highlands Ranch - Sat 10/31, 3:30pm–6pm - Free
The Stagecoach Saloon (Franktown) - The Band These Guys at The Stagecoach Saloon - Sat 10/31, 6:30pm–10:30pm - Free
105 West Brewing Company (Castle Rock) - Live Music: Last Call at 105 West - Sat 10/31, 6:30pm–9:30pm - Free
Studio@Mainstreet (Parker) - Phoenix at The Studio - Sat 10/31, 7pm–11:30pm - Free
The Whiskey Lodge (Castle Rock) - Saturday Live Music at The Whiskey Lodge - Sat 10/31, 7pm - Free
Max Taps Co. (Highlands Ranch) - Live Music: One Way to Rock – Halloween Party at Max Taps - Sat 10/31, 7pm–10pm - Free
Takoda Tavern (Parker) - Colorado Southern for Halloween! - Sat 10/31, 7:30pm–11:30pm - Free
Sinners & Saints (Castle Rock) - Halloween Party at Sinners & Saints with DJ Max & DJ Marvin - Sat 10/31, 8pm–12am - Free

Food & Drink
Cherokee Ranch & Castle (Sedalia) - Afternoon Tea at the Castle - Thu 10/29 and Fri 10/30, 1pm–3pm - $74.95
The Corner Nook (Parker) - Spooky Halloween Cookie Decorating at The Corner Nook - Thu 10/29, 6pm - $50
Max Taps Co. (Highlands Ranch) - Tap Takeover: WeldWerks at Max Taps - Thu 10/29, 6pm–8pm - Free
105 West Brewing Company (Castle Rock) - Pints & Pours at 105 West Brewing - Tue 11/3, 6:30pm–8:30pm - Free

Arts & Culture
Douglas County Libraries - Castle Pines - Haunted Histories: Ghosts of Colorado - Thu 10/29, 6pm–7:30pm - Free
Lone Tree Arts Center - Lone Tree Art Expo Opening Reception - Celebrating 25 Years! - Thu 10/29, 6:30pm–8:30pm - Free
Castle Rock Museum - Ghostly Stories and Tragic Tales Walking Tour - Thu 10/29 and Sat 10/31, 7pm–8pm - Free
Rock Canyon High School (Highlands Ranch) - Rock Canyon Theatre Presents: You Can't Take It With You - Thu 10/29 and Fri 10/30, 7pm - $8 students, $10 general admission
Cherokee Ranch & Castle (Sedalia) - Arts Afield 2026 at Cherokee Ranch - Wed 11/4, 8:30am–12:30pm - $39

Family
Lone Creek Farms (Franktown) - Harvest Glow Lights at Lone Creek Farms - runs through Sun 11/1 - Included with admission
AdventHealth Castle Rock - Mommy and Me Market - Fri 10/30, 9am–12pm - Free
Festival Park (Castle Rock) - Fangtastic Festival - Fri 10/30, 11am–2pm - Free
The Overlook Clubhouse (Sterling Ranch) - Sterling Ranch Trunk or Treat - Fri 10/30, 4:30pm–6:30pm - Free
Alidade Brewing (Castle Rock) - Halloween Music Party at Alidade Brewing - Fri 10/30, 5pm–10pm - Free
Lowe's of Parker - Dads of Parker Trunk-R-Treat - Fri 10/30, 5:30pm–8:30pm - Free
Mile High Harley-Davidson of Parker - Tricks, Treats & Tattoos - Sat 10/31, 10am–4pm - Free
Lone Tree Arts Center - Sensory Inclusive: Frindle - Sun 11/1, 4pm - $15

Outdoors
105 West Brewing Company (Castle Rock) - Trails N' Ales Mountain Bike Ride at 105 West - Wed 11/4, 6pm–7pm - Free

Fitness & Races
Backcountry Wilderness Area Trailhead (Lone Tree) - HRCA Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon - Sat 10/31, 9am–1pm - $85
Westridge Rec Center - Highlands Ranch Community Association - Paranormal Pedal - Halloween Cycling Class - Sat 10/31, 9am–11am - $20–$25
Sterling Ranch CAB - Pickleball Social - Halloween Edition - Sat 10/31, 10am–12pm - Free

Markets
Chaparral High School (Parker) - Autumn Artisan Market at Chaparral High School - Sat 10/31, 9am–3:30pm - Free
Highlands Ranch Town Center (Highlands Ranch) - Highlands Ranch Farmers' Market - Sun 11/1, 10am–2pm - Free

Community
Purgatory Cellars Winery (Parker) - Mahjong 101 (Parker) - Thu 10/29, 5:30pm–8pm - $35
The Whiskey Lodge (Castle Rock) - Sinfully Sinister: A Villainous Burlesque Showcase and Benefit - Thu 10/29, 7pm - $20
The Whiskey Lodge (Castle Rock) - Halloween Party at The Whiskey Lodge - Sat 10/31, 7pm - Free
Teaology Tea Cafe (Castle Rock) - All Things Spiritual - Sun 11/1, 10am–12pm - Free
Arcana Med Spa (Castle Rock) - Arcana Med Spa Housewarming - Sun 11/1, 2pm–4pm - Free
Corner Bakery Cafe - Highlands Ranch - Highlands Ranch Mahjong League with Evergreen Mahjong Collective - Mon 11/2, 10am–12:15pm - $55
Sinners & Saints (Castle Rock) - Make & Mingle at Sinners & Saints - Tue 11/3, 5pm–7pm - Free
Douglas County Libraries - Philip S. Miller Library (Castle Rock) - Play & Connect - Wed 11/4, 10am–12pm - Free
Olive Juice Beauty Bar (Highlands Ranch) - Mahjong 101: Will You Accept This Tile? | Beginner Class - Wed 11/4, 5pm–8pm - $81.88
Douglas County Libraries - Philip S. Miller Library (Castle Rock) - 3D Printing 101 - A Whole New Dimension - Wed 11/4, 6:30pm–8pm - Free

Nightlife
Olive Juice Beauty Bar (Highlands Ranch) - Mahjong 2.0 Class with Trista Sutter at Olive Juice Beauty Bar - Thu 10/29, 5pm–7:30pm - $65.87
Wide Open Saloon (Sedalia) - Thursday Line Dancing at Wide Open Saloon - Thu 10/29, 6pm–10pm - Free
Sinners & Saints (Castle Rock) - Western Line Dancing Night at Sinners & Saints - Thu 10/29, 7pm–9pm - Free
105 West Brewing Company (Castle Rock) - Halloween Party & Cereal Killer Competition at 105 West - Fri 10/30, 4pm - Free
Purgatory Cellars Winery (Parker) - Parker Mahjong League with Evergreen Mahjong Collective - Tue 11/3, 5:30pm–7:45pm - $55
Studio@Mainstreet (Parker) - Line Dance Ladies Night at The Studio - Wed 11/4, 6pm–9pm - Free
105 West Brewing Company (Castle Rock) - Vinyl Night at 105 West Brewing - Wed 11/4, 6pm–9pm - Free

There’s live music somewhere in the county most nights of the week. The standing list lives at dougcosocial.com/live-music.

Trivia, bingo and game nights, sorted by day: dougcosocial.com/trivia.

On the Horizon
Olive Juice Beauty Bar (Highlands Ranch) - O Mahj-Spa League - Thu 11/5 through Thu 11/19, 5:30pm–7:45pm - $90 (3–week series)
Cherokee Ranch & Castle (Sedalia) - Bella Bella at Cherokee Ranch & Castle - Thu 11/5, 6:45pm–9:45pm - $74.50 (Sold Out)
Lone Tree Arts Center - Artistic Space Productions Presents Swan Lake: Symphony of Lights - Thu 11/5, 7pm - $45–$65
Cherokee Ranch & Castle (Sedalia) - Holiday Tea at the Castle - Fri 11/6, 12:15pm–2:15pm - $80.95
Cherokee Ranch & Castle (Sedalia) - Wine Tasting: Italian Wines at Cherokee Ranch & Castle - Fri 11/6, 6pm–9:15pm - $68.95
Lone Tree Brewing Company - Parker - Live Music with Brad Hennig at Lone Tree Brewing Parker - Fri 11/6, 6pm–9pm - Free
The Stagecoach Saloon (Franktown) - Walker Williams Live at Stagecoach Saloon - Fri 11/6, 6:30pm–10:30pm - Free
Studio@Mainstreet (Parker) - Eric Golden at The Studio - Fri 11/6, 7:30pm–11pm - Free
Takoda Tavern (Parker) - These Guys on stage! - Fri 11/6, 7:30pm–11:30pm - Free
Sinners & Saints (Castle Rock) - LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALTAR – Tyler Stanfield - Fri 11/6, 8pm–10pm - Free
Tailgate Tavern & Grill (Parker) - The Grind - 5280 at Tailgate Tavern - Fri 11/6, 8:30pm–12:30am - Free
Wide Open Saloon (Sedalia) - Ashlee and the Longshot Revival at Wide Open Saloon - Fri 11/6 - Free
Douglas County Fairgrounds and Event Center (Castle Rock) - 34th Annual Castle Rock Craft Show Extraordinaire - Sat 11/7, 9am–4pm - Free
Elk Ridge Park (Castle Pines) - Leaf and Pumpkin Composting - Sat 11/7, 9am–2pm - Free
LaLa's Coffee & Boba (Castle Rock) - Pop Up at Lala's Coffee and Boba - Sat 11/7, 9am–10am - Free
Douglas County Fairgrounds and Event Center (Castle Rock) - Heroes Hall Groundbreaking & World Trade Center Steel Dedication - Sat 11/7, 1pm - Free
Lone Tree Brewing Company (Lone Tree) - Thankful Framed Glass Painting at Lone Tree Brewing Co. - Sun 11/8, 12pm–3pm - $65.87
Tailgate Tavern & Grill (Parker) - 10th Annual Turkeys for Our Troops - Tue 11/10, 3:30pm–6:30pm - Free

Looking for more? Every Douglas County event we track lives on our events calendar: dougcosocial.com/events

Peak Pizza just opened at the Outlets at Castle Rock
TLDR: A locally owned, New York-style pizzeria with an arcade opened Wednesday, Oct. 28, in Suite 660. We stopped in on opening day: here’s what we ordered and what the space looks like.

Pine Drive in Parker is closed for about two weeks
TLDR: Douglas County is fully closing Pine Drive between Ponderosa Drive and Lincoln Avenue, starting as early as 7am Monday, Oct. 26, to install a new 96-inch drainage pipe as part of a $13.2 million county-funded road project. The road reopens Sundays; the detour is Ponderosa Drive, Highway 83/Parker Road and Lincoln Avenue; the full project is expected to finish in late summer 2027.

Castle Rock Town Council clears RidgeView Town Center’s annexation and zoning
TLDR: Council approved the annexation, zoning and development agreement for the 10.54-acre project at 895 N. Ridge Road on first reading Tuesday, Oct. 20, 7-0. The zoning allows office, retail, restaurant and medical/dental clinic uses, requires at least 6,000 square feet of full-service restaurant space, and caps building height at 25 feet under the Town’s skyline protection rules; no housing is proposed. Second and final reading is Nov. 3.

Douglas County formally approves its Lockheed Martin incentive deal
TLDR: The Board of County Commissioners formally approved the incentive agreements at its Tuesday, Oct. 20 business meeting: a 100% rebate of the County’s Business Personal Property Tax on the project for 35 years, plus a performance-based incentive of up to $2.7 million (about $6,000 per job for positions kept 24+ months). Douglas County’s own figure is up to 450 new jobs over four years at the Highlands Ranch facilities; Lockheed Martin’s announcement put the combined expansion across Douglas and Jefferson counties at up to 1,250 jobs.

A Sedalia retreat center is selling off 80 acres for new homes
TLDR: Sacred Heart Retreat Center, the Jesuit-run retreat on Highway 67 near Sedalia, owns 277 acres and is selling just under 80 of them as eight lots for single-family homes: one 40-acre lot and seven 5- to 6-acre lots. The retreat will keep operating on the rest of the property as it prepares for renovations.

Lone Tree’s puppy raisers are training the next generation of guide dogs
TLDR: The Lone Tree/Highlands Ranch Puppy Raisers, a Guide Dogs for the Blind club that’s been active for more than 25 years, meet twice a month in Lone Tree. Raisers take puppies at about 10 weeks old and spend roughly a year teaching them manners and obedience before formal guide dog training, and GDB’s services are free to its clients who are blind or visually impaired. Mother-daughter raisers Darlene and Maddie White have raised 13 puppies together.

Highlands Ranch Water wants to raise rates in 2027
TLDR: Highlands Ranch Water is proposing a 2027 rate increase that would raise a typical single-family bill by about 6.7%, or roughly $7.75 a month, to help cover a projected $9.7 million rise in operating costs and $41.9 million in infrastructure work, including expanding the water treatment plant from 32 to 40 million gallons a day. An open house is set for Nov. 5 at the Highlands Ranch Senior Center, and the board is expected to vote Dec. 8.

Parker and Castle Rock are keeping their affordable-housing funding eligible
TLDR: Both town councils unanimously approved resolutions to stay eligible for Proposition 123 state affordable-housing funding through 2029, including a 90-day fast-track review for affordable projects. Parker met its 223-unit 2024-2026 commitment with 487 qualifying units and now faces a 429-unit target; Castle Rock has counted 43 of its 276-unit commitment so far. Since the 2024-2026 cycle, Prop 123 commitments have brought nearly $15.7 million to Douglas County and its municipalities.

Meet the people keeping Douglas County’s ghost stories, and its history, alive
TLDR: Shaun Boyd, a longtime Douglas County Libraries archivist now at History Colorado, and current Douglas County archivist Cecily North-Rudow use local ghost stories, like the woman in blue at the old Cantril School in Castle Rock and the ghost child at the Highlands Ranch Mansion, as a way into the county’s real history, which Boyd says development and demolition keep putting at risk.

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