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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…
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How to Start a Stunning Jewelry Collection
Photo by Engin Akyurt Are you ready to start adding accessories to your wardrobe but don’t know exactly where to begin especially in terms of jewelry? Then having a guide will help you make the right choices. Selecting the right pieces that will mix and match well with just about any outfit you have is critical when you are creating a jewelry collection. Your collection should be beautiful but it should also enhance any outfit that you are wearing. Here are some of the key things you need to consider when choosing jewelry for your new collection. Consider Your Style and Preference It’s important that you think about what type…
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Rent a Car and Road Trip through Northwest Kansas
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler After my debacle of American Airlines travel to Missouri, I was back to the constant air bus rotation of which one sucks less now and I landed on Southwest Airlines. Good ‘ol Southwest was my go-to back in the day but I strayed and got burned like cheaters always do. So I came crawling back and was pleasantly surprised they offer nonstop flights to Wichita, Kansas – from Phoenix only a couple hours in the air. This time my mom was invited to join me as my road trip buddy and see firsthand that indeed, press trips are NOT free vacations, just a lot of…
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Drinking For Fun, And Drinking To Excess: A Primer
Unsplash – CC0 License Drinking is an integral part of our culture and has been for thousands of years. Every attempt to crush it has only made it come back stronger or go underground. Therefore, we need to come to terms and make peace with it. But how do we do that in our personal lives? The pressure to drink is everywhere, particularly for those who spend a lot of time socializing and networking. Getting sozzled with alcohol is almost an approved form of etiquette. Fortunately, this post is here to help. We take a look at what it means to drink for fun and the difference between that and…
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Holiday Gift Guide for Last Minute Shoppers
by Cassie Hepler Here it is the week before Christmas and have I sent any packages in the mail yet? No. Do I always wait until last minute? Yes. Because present’s day (as I’ve always called it) is hella stressful. The work crunch of shoving in everything you can before attempting to take a legit break is plain exhausting. We are animals after all and this time of year is supposed to be hibernation and rest time. But good ol’ capitalism is at it again although it seems more people are waking up to the fact that corporate America really couldn’t give a flying fart about Americans in general (thanks…
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Explore Weird Wichita, Kansas and Dive into the Heart of the Country
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler If there’s one thing I really like, it’s the underdog. And I feel like Wichita, Kansas is an overlooked diamond in the rough which is why I was quick to agree to a press trip even among all the questionable comments from others. And mind you, our motto is “finding the unusual out of the ordinary” and this place hit the nail on the head. The irony of this story is now a lot of those same people now want to visit after sharing video highlights on my Instagram and TikTok accounts! Read on to see why… Did you know Wichita is the largest city…
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9 Bad Christmas Events to Look Out For
CC0 Licensed Image Courtesy of Pexels Bad Christmas events do happen even though this time of year is supposed to be full of goodwill. Yet people are people, and we make mistakes, many of which can ruin your day. From travel disruption over the festive period to mental health declines, here are some of the worst. Separation Rates Spike Soon After Maybe wanting to get Christmas out of the way, most couples tend to have a nice festive period before going on the offensive. Not quite on the day, but very soon after, there is an increase in divorce and separation filings in January and the week between Christmas and…
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Foodie and Mizzou Fan’s Guide to Exploring Columbia, Missouri
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler It was bound to happen someday… the dreaded almost spending an overnight at the airport debacle. In my over almost 30 years of flying on airplanes, I had the worst and slimiest experience ever though American Airlines. I had a very slim window to make a layover and when I got an email the night before asking if I wanted to get paid (up to $700!) to switch my flight date and times, I had a feeling this wasn’t going to end well. Then at the gate at Phoenix airport, they pushed back the flight time a half hour making it near impossible. More than…
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The Dazzling World of Diamonds: Unearth Their Charm and Value
For centuries, humans have been mesmerized by their sparkling beauty – diamonds being one of them! But beyond their alluring shine lies another truth about these gems that makes them such coveted pieces to add to collections: what makes these gemstones such a show-stopper? Photo by Edgar Soto on Unsplash Forever’s Best Friend Diamonds have long been considered one of the ultimate symbols of love and devotion – both girl’s and world alike. Forming deep within Earth’s surface at least 150 km below, these gems take millions of years to form under intense heat and pressure conditions. Unlike other gemstones they only contain one element – carbon. Their resilience combined…
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Stay and Play on North Mountain with Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort
Photo, story by Cassie Hepler (unless noted otherwise) Just 10 minutes from my house in North Phoenix sits Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort, nestled back onto North Mountain and tucked away where no one would know just how massive this place truly is… 450 acres of desert! Now that I’m dealing with an elderly cat, I have to constantly think about giving her medication every 8-10 hours and with this staycation it was easy to swing home, dose her and leave again (even if she left me a how she feels about me being gone present on the door mat). Built in 1982, the Spanish Mediterranean architecture is flanked by…
