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Holiday Gift Guide for a Tough Year and Tight Budget
Story by Cassie Hepler, submitted images This year has been absolute shit! With a few glimmers in my life along the way of 2025 like visiting Cancun, California and the South of France, it’s been literally like pulling teeth since the Annoying Orange took office, tanked the US economy, gaslights Americans every morning with fresh bullshit and the year isn’t even over yet. That said, I know I’m not the only one stashing some celebratory champagne in my fridge. If you know, you know… Starting with replacing my whole air conditioning unit – on my roof – to fixing the stackable washing machine (and hiring men from Taskrabbit to move…
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Explore an Artists Commune La Maison de la Chapelle in Carcès, France
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Waking up to breakfast delivered to my patio at Villa Cosy in Saint Tropez, showering and then shoving everything back into my two pieces of luggage to meet our amazing driver Sophie out front by 8:30 a.m. is pretty typical of a press trip. I was finally well rested again and ready to rock and roll! We were given our itinerary a few days prior to the trip however I wasn’t stressed as Atout France is very professional and wouldn’t leave us hanging. So I would look at it in the van each morning and ask questions along the way. The gals were…
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What Makes Online Casinos so Popular Among Modern Players
Picture Credit There’s a reason online casinos are booming: they fit well into modern life. You can jump into a game on your phone while waiting for your food to arrive, or unwind at home with a few quick rounds. The platforms are designed for speed, style, and convenience, which is exactly what today’s player expects. There’s no need to book a trip or block off a weekend. Now, the casino meets you where you are. From smooth design to strong customer support, the best platforms deliver the same quality you’d expect from any premium digital product. They work because they are convenient and hand players full control. Over the…
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Unique Things to Do in Saint Tropez, France
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Places to Eat in Saint Tropez After checking into Villa Cosy Hotel and Spa and exploring with some tours and wine time, we walked down to have dinner at family owned Marcellino to enjoy Italian and Mediterranean food, located right on the Saint Tropez harbor. After all you are there for the views and what views they are! At this point, your eyes are also hungry to enjoy the views, sights, smells and sound of South of France. We were served family style for this meal paired with rose, which seems to be the go-to when in a group setting in Côte d’Azur.…
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Enjoy a Low Key Vibe at Villa Cosy Hotel and Spa in Saint Tropez, France
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler I went back to the airport in Nice, France to meet the rest of the press trip crew before this Côte d’Azur adventure officially kicked off! With some rest (and exploring Nice) under my belt already, I felt ready and refreshed for once since I flew in that Friday. I arrived early as usual from the Novotel Nice Arénas Airport hotel shuttle. While I thought maybe I booked too many nights ahead of time, it turned out to be just right as Spring Cassie would have needed a day or two max to recover but Fall Cassie is much more jacked up on…
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Explore Nice, France in the Calmer Shoulder Season of October
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler It’s been almost a year since I’ve been on French soil in the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten which was like doing a wine tasting, just dipping my tongue back into the delicious culture of France. So when the Atout France (Explore France) tourism board reached out for a media mixer earlier this year at the Arizona Biltmore, I was all in. We kept in touch through all the many debacles I’ve had this summer (I will fondly remember 2025 as the summer from hell) and went ahead and booked this press trip for October, right before Halloween week. Originally, I was going…
- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Explore the Rich Cultural Tapestry of Arizona’s Native American Indian Tribes
One thing I love most about Arizona is its rich cultural background. Of course the first Americans were Native Americans and I also enjoy that my home state celebrates this history of the United States of America properly – not the white-washed version. The lands are sacred and you can physically feel it through your soul. When people ask me why I moved here, it is some of the best rest I’ve ever gotten in my life. And because the earth is alive here, it can go both ways as in it can spit you out for being offensive or offer you abundance. So this fall we celebrate the rich…
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The Mob Museum in Las Vegas is like Mafia School with a Speakeasy
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Once upon a time, I worked for a South Philly political rag of a newspaper called the Philly Record. I was assistant editor and also there to bring some new fangled social media and ideas to the joint. The owner, the late Jimmy Tayoun, was once was a ward leader, Democratic member of Philadelphia City Council and of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He also had quite the rap sheet afterwards as he spent 40 months behind bars for: obstruction of justice, mail fraud, tax evasion, racketeering, taken bribes, paid bribes, and told an ex-associate to lie to a grand jury. So imagine…
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Universal Horror Unleashed Haunts Las Vegas at Area 15 Entertainment District
Story, photos and videos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) Universal Horror Unleashed comes to haunt Las Vegas, Nevada! This first-ever, year-round horror entertainment experience by Universal Studios lives inside a huge warehouse in AREA15 Entertainment District with four terrifying haunted houses inside including my favorite Universal Monsters, Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Scarecrow: The Reaping. The horror extends to the bloody food and beverage offerings, with themed bars and food locations serving craft cocktails and grotesque bites in select areas, and a retail location with the most unique collectible merchandise. Actors dressed as various spooky season creatures lurk about waiting to scare you at any…
- Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Irvine, California has Surprisingly SoCal Vibes in Orange County, California
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler I visited Irvine, California once before, during the pandemic I think… and did a modeling photoshoot in the park as that was deemed safe at the time. I’ll try to dig those pics up to post sometime soon for you all too see my bleach blonde hair because my niece dyed it purple with undertones of blue one crazy night when the world lost its collective mind. You can read all about my adventures to get to Destination Irvine on my Marriott Irvine Spectrum post if you like! But this one will talk about all the things I did outside the resort style…
