- Beach, California, Culture, Day Trips, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Fashion, Latest News, Nature, Style, Travel
Float Through The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler As part of a girls getaway to The Cassara Carlsbad in San Diego, California, my college bestie and I met up for a flower-filled feminine rendez-vous with the key highlight of visiting the glorious Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. And part of that experience includes being dropped off by the hotel shuttle right in front of the entrance to the flower fields even though it is walkable from The Cassara. It was still humid, cool and misty, especially for this Phoenician but not enough to need a sweater which worked perfectly for our pretty, flowing dresses and my curly hair. There are 55…
- Animals, Architecture, Beach, Culture, Drink, Education, Explore with Cassie, Food, Health, Latest News, Nature, Restaurants, Style, Travel
Escape to Paradiso at Hacienda Del Mar in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Imagine being whisked away from the Cabo San Lucas, Mexico airport by a private driver in your air conditioned SUV via Transcabo with an ice-cold bottle of water waiting for you. Then you are delivered to a Spanish style resort with 11 sprawling acres and a pretty darn private beach because there are no other resorts around. And you’re only 35 minutes from the airport and 20 minutes away from town! If you like to hunker down and just relax, this is your dream escape from the daily grind. My first trip to Cabo was in 2017, right before I decided to move to Arizona…
- Beach, Culture, Day Trips, Dessert, Drink, Explore with Cassie, Fitness, Food, Health, Latest News, Nature, Restaurants, Television, Travel
Hitting Up Virginia Beach, VA Early in the Season Makes Bonding with Locals a Breeze
Story by David Krakow My wife Jamie and I were in Virginia Beach, VA the first weekend in March. Late morning our first full day, it was time to take a walk on the beach. Did I mention it was early March? Jamie’s Fitbit was ready to sue us as our walk lasted only one block. In fairness, the visuals were perfectly engaging including rough ocean, generic beach sculptures and pretty condominiums. It was just short – and cold. We have a friend who owns a time share in the Oceannaire Resort Hotel and week nine of the year happens to be their week. They could not go, so early…
-
Summer’s Best Beauty Trend: Microblading Your Eyebrows
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler If there’s one thing I love more than anything, it is streamlining my life to make things easier – and faster. And included in that is my makeup routine. I hate having to slather on copious amounts of makeup to make myself look “presentable” only to have it slide off a few hours later. Or worse, end up on another part of my face like a questionable caterpillar. Enter microblading! It is kind of like getting a tattoo except it only goes about 3 layers deep instead of 9 like traditional tattoos. It also mimics the natural hairs on your eyebrows and shape too so…
-
Over 3,800 Collages Decorate ‘City of Murals’ Thanks to Mural Arts Program
Photos, story by Jill Beckel It was a beautiful city morning when Explore Philly got the chance to go on a Mural Arts tour. Mural Arts tours are perfect for year-round social gatherings, business outings or fundraising events. We took a walking tour, but there are train and trolley tours offered as well. Our lovely tour guide of the day, Elise, gave us some background about the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. It began in 1984 when the mayor of Philadelphia opened an anti-graffiti network for kids and young adults. He hoped that this would dissuade kids from vandalizing Philly buildings with spray paint graffiti, which was becoming a huge problem…
-
Square 1682’s Kickoff Party gets Philly in the Mood for Summer Lovin’
Photos, story by Deja Cromartie Restaurant Square 1682 located in the Rittenhouse section of the city, kicked off Summer the right way with its “Summer in The City” event. Guests enjoyed delicious bites prepared by Chef Caitlin Mateo and summer inspired cocktails in the restaurant’s patio. Square 1682’s is a tribute to William Penn, Pennsylvania’s founding father, who created Rittenhouse Square and four other similar plazas in order to establish urban open spaces in the heart of the city. Like Penn, the restaurant has a vision for the future as well by implementing sustainability measures throughout the restaurant which include the in-house herb garden, locally sourced produce, and energy conscious engineering of the building design.…
-
Off the Chain: Bonefish Grill Boasts Tasty, Fishy New Warm Weather Menu
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler For being a chain restaurant attached to the somehow still poppin’ KOP mall, Bonefish Grill sure knows just how to handle fish right. Waiters and waitresses in chef’s jackets and upscale decor are the tell tail (see what I did there) signs that you might have a totally tubular dining experience. The wood-grilled fresh fish experts at Bonefish Grill are springing into the season of sunshine (we hope) and lollipops with the recent launch of a new spring and summer menu. Featuring fishy delights like fresh, hand-cut Norwegian Salmon with choice of Jim Beam Bacon Butter Jam or Fresh Tomato Salsa and Rockefeller Cobia which is moist, sweet fish,…
-
The 5th Annual Xfinity Live! Burger Brawl Was a Burger Lovers Dream
By Jill Beckel Philadelphians sure love their burgers! The line to enter the 5th Annual Philadelphia Burger Brawl stretched all around the parking lot on Sunday, June 14th at the XFINITY Live! parking lot. Organized by Rob Wasserman, Burger Brawl included 60 Philadelphia area restaurants. Local Philadelphia restaurants were hoping to win the title of “Best Burger.” “The Burger Brawl funds literacy programming through technology for Philadelphia’s under-served children in our public elementary schools.” Tickets were $35 for general admission and $100 for VIP tickets. The event was open to all ages and free for children 10 and under. Burger lovers started lining up to get in early and there was still…