- Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Mardi Gras is Not all Boobs and Beads in Lafayette, Louisiana
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler As soon as this press trip was in the planning stages, almost everyone started asking me about boobs… “Will you see any? Will you be showing yours?” (Hard no, btw…) Then the bead questions started rolling in as well and what occurred to me is that no one really knows what the hell is going on during Mardi Gras, better known as Fat Tuesday. The French saying refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. There’s also Lundi Gras, the Monday before Fat Tuesday which kicks off…
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Order a Massage to Your Door with Soothe App
Story by Cassie Hepler Los Angeles, California based massage on demand company Soothe delivers a licensed, insured massage therapist to your house, office or hotel within 60 minutes! Soothe celebrated 5 years in August 2019 by rolling out Soothe Plus subscription service, plus a Soothe Stretch program for the workplace. Over the years, Soothe has given almost 1 million massages worldwide and is 70 markets across 4 countries, with over 13,000 background-checked therapists to boot. Not too shabby! Think of them as the Uber or Lyft of massage therapy. My lifestyle and travel blog ExplorewithCassie.com worked with Soothe app when they first rolled out and came to the Philadelphia, PA market.…
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Relax, Reconnect and Repeat at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort in Arizona
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Once I moved across the country, I soon ended up living near Camelback Mountain in the trendy Arcadia section of Phoenix, Arizona as everyone said I would love it and they were right. I could see the telltale mountain from my farm casita rental. Shortly thereafter, I purchased property nearby. And big surprise, I ended up staying near Camelback and now have views of Papago Park and am kind of nestled in between both. I was also told (in new age land of Sedona of course) that Camelback is an amazing energy vortex mountain and wholeheartedly believe that. So when Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort…
- Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Musical Memphis, Tennessee Resurrecting into its Glory Days
Story, photos/videos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) The irony of getting off the old school Greyhound Bus from Clarksville to Memphis, Tennessee with its shiny, new marble polished floors and then stepping into a Mercedes Benz did not sneak past me. For me, getting a smidge of work done on the spotty Wifi was better than driving although a bit longer (3 hours versus 5 on the bus). I was reminded that some things never change since college and that I am still not a fan (big surprise there). However the journalist in me still likes mixing and mingling with all walks of life and hearing the strange stories that…
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Gertrude’s Fine Dining Tickles Tastebuds in Breathtaking Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler The first time I visited Desert Botanical Garden was during a life-changing Visit Phoenix press trip that inspired me to move to Arizona. When I mentioned this magical place to my mother that showcases the Sonoran Desert and its botanical gardens, she had no clue it existed as she lived here before I was a glint in anyone’s eye and I’m assuming somewhere that was all desert straight out of Looney Tunes. However unlike the cartoons, the Sonoran Desert is home to about 100 species of reptiles, 20 amphibians, over 350 types of birds and 60 mammals. Fast forward to modern day and welcome to…
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Protect Your Skin from the Sun and Look Chic in Tenth Street Hats Featuring the Cloche Hat
Story by Cassie Hepler, photos courtesy of Tenth Street Hats Since moving to Arizona, it seems I have become the hat lady. And it’s mostly out of a way to protect my pasty white European/American mutt sensitive skin. When I first moved here, this California company Tenth Street Hats reached out to me to offer me some samples to wear and rock during my travels. Loving the boho chic, gothic, Cuban and Western vibes I found on the website, I delved deep into the hat world. So much so in fact, I am running out of walk-in closet space and may make a whole bedroom wall into a sort of…
- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Make the Most of Your Visit to Los Angeles, California
Visiting Los Angeles, California can be overwhelming. It’s a tremendous city, but there are so many tourist attractions of all different kinds that it’s difficult to fit in everything you’d like to see and do on a single trip. If you’d like help narrowing things down though, here are eight places in the LA area that are definitely worth your time. 1. The Original Farmer’s Market It may not be the traditional headline tourist attraction, but one of the most pleasant things you can do on your trip is spend the day sampling delicious food at the Original Farmer’s Market at Third and Fairfax. The market’s local vendors, such as Du-par’s…
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Enjoy Epic Arizona Sunsets at Orange Sky at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Did you know the Arizona state flag was made to look like a sunset? I was this old when I discovered that during a late night social media scrolling session. And now it all makes sense why this fine dining restaurant is named Orange Sky, located inside the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. Located on the 15th floor of the casino, it is the signature space for those sunset hues and an award-winning wine list. Talking Stick Resort is located on the grounds of Salt River, owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. (Other area attractions include: The Pavilions at Talking Stick, Talking Stick Golf…
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Laser Beam Your Eyeballs to 20/20 with Lasik Plus Surgery
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler It seemed like a great idea never having to wear contacts or glasses again. And as much as I love some designer frames (bye bye my beloved Prada and Burberry), waking up and seeing perfectly was well worth it. Although it’s not all wine and roses my friends… It’s a slight hell but tolerable, here is my tale… with Facebook live video because we are in that “extra” digital era. I wanted Lasik for years. But after some serious scoliosis fusion surgery, I needed a break from anyone or anything that even resembled a doctor’s office. But here I was in sunshine valley Arizona, doubling…
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Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee Shows the King’s Impressive Wealth
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler You’ve heard the king of rock and roll countless times. Now get a glimpse inside the place that Elvis Presley called home: Graceland. I’ve always loved Elvis and his music. He was devilishly handsome until he got overly chubby (insert sandwich joke here). He was a rebel in a time of conformity and decadence. He gyrated his hips and made women go crazy (and probably some closeted gays too at the time). But a lot of the country at the time wasn’t ready for him or where his music originated from: African Americans. So the music scene needed a poster boy of sorts to allow other types…
