Cassie’s Cars and Casita Oasis in Arcadia, Arizona
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler
After about a month at the AirBnb Hobbit Hole studio stay in Tempe, Arizona, it was time to find a (more) permanent space . The train going by at all hours of the night was killing my sleep pattern although I did enjoy the birds and outside kitchen space every morning. I was determined to find something peaceful and serene in a quieter location of the city and closer to the airport. Everyone I met kept telling me how much I would love Arcadia and after scoping out some other locations (including Scottsdale which I learned from a local the nickname is “Snotsdale” because it’s so snobby – which didn’t bother me actually it was the monotonous sea of white faces and lack of diversity), I was doing my nightly Craigslist search for casitas. Usually every time one was posted, it was gone within a day. And as soon as I saw the one I was interested in posted in Arcadia, I scheduled a go-see the next day and shoved my checkbook into my purse! I met the lovely landlady, the five chickens she had for pets and was instantly hooked. It reminded me of the farm I grew up on in central Pennsylvania minus the Amish neighbors and brought an instant, calming peace to my soul. I locked it down on the spot and was even assured I could bring my beloved Carmella the ragdoll cat along eventually.
Moving to the casita was 10 times easier than moving across the country for obvious reasons. I could move pretty much everything myself in multiple trips and what I couldn’t, my amazing AirBnB hosts in Tempe helped with their trailer (because people are so nice here and I’m not exaggerating). So I arrived and immediately cleaned, arranged and began organizing the outdoor private patio as my own little oasis with outdoor couches, fire pit, cactus plants and dining table. Once I got the place looking fly, functioning and a mini adventure to Lake Havasu, AZ, I decided it was time to start thinking about selling the Kia car. We had one last trip to go on though and that was to Page, AZ to scope out Antelope Canyon with some friends.
Once I returned, it was time. We had a good run but I needed something with little to no miles that I could count on to drive me to the desert and back, exploring the west and west coast with no worries. Everybody drives white cars with tinted windows here and as much as my heart my set on a black car, it was the most logical choice. Soon I started stalking Hondas as they are reliable, retain their resale value, have good gas milage and look sweet and sporty. After one horrible experience, I took it to email and played the game that way messaging multiple area dealerships at once to see who was the most responsive and reasonable. The people who treated me the best – with no drama – ended up being Superstition Springs Honda. I found a sweet deal too – the dealership car with barely 3,000 miles on it in mint condition. And so I bought Pearl, my first car purchase without my father involved… but he did teach me how to haggle and deal with these car dealerships so of course I got an amazing deal. (Ladies, don’t let ’em run you through the wringer, walk away if the vibe is off).
The only problem with any dealership is the trade in value is a joke for your old car. Many people do so out of laziness but I knew I could get four times the car’s worth on my own. So to Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist I went, finding success on the Marketplace after a couple of months of nonsense emails and haggling. A nice, young couple who were newly married and expecting their first child bought it. I wanted it to go to good people and we were all happy in the end!
Soon it was also time to change my look too… so after wearing my hair up all the time, I decided to chop most of it off in an angled bob.
And much like her mom, when Carmella arrived via American Airlines with her auntie Bonnie, she was all fluff and not used to the heat.
After we enjoyed the Cinco de Mario fest together, I decided to get her shaved the next day. She was not having it and flipped out on the groomers because that’s a lot of travel for a first time flyer and she had some drugs in her system too.
She’s a little more shaved than the usual lion cut but I figured it was best as Spring starts reaching 100 degree days. I also got her a car door for the window which she loves laying outside all day like a lion and snuggling at night. And yes, there is grass in Arizona by the way that is our back yard. Irrigation (flooding of the yards) happens every month for “older” houses which waters all the plants – pecan tree, oranges, lemons, guacamole – it is a wonderful, magical place at the bottom of Camelback Mountain. Long gone are the days of just desert and tumbleweeds like people have engrained in their brains.
As usual, I’m all over the valley and meeting all sorts of inspiring, amazing people. Lots of trips are upcoming and you can always see my schedule on my ModelMayhem modeling and acting portfolio so stay tuned and thanks for following along. Apparently I know what I’m talking about as I am officially an influencer, according to Phoenix Voyage Magazine! Shooting for infinity and beyond!
