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Meet Spiritual Healer and Guide Simona Manenti, The Real Deal
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler There was a time I was helping a spiritual, holistic living based website build its brand. While I was poking around in my happy place – the land of New Age and enlightenment – I would watch the videos that Angel Air would produce to learn more and out of genuine curiosity. And soon I stumbled upon healer Simona Manenti‘s video below, her energy spoke to my soul and I soon reached out for a private session. Her private sessions are very in depth. The reason there is a cover involved is because your body will get cold as she cleanses your spirit and speaks…
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Rejuvenate at Hofsas House and Walk the Wine Trail in Fairytale Town Carmel by the Sea, California
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler In a fairytale land far, far away (or nearby depending on where you live), there was a small, picturesque town in Northern California called Carmel-by-the-Sea. It had rolling hills and sharp winding roads where women were advised not to wear heels higher than an inch or so due to the fear of falling down. A short walk towards the Pacific Ocean leads you to the beach where locals had built massive bonfire structures, waiting for that perfect moonlit night. And in this fairytale land, there was a Bavarian style bed and breakfast getaway, the Hofsas House, owned by the Theis family and now celebrating seven…
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Chima Brazilian Steakhouse Sets the Bar Higher for Other Steak Houses
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) One a chilly Philly Friday night, we ventured out into the East Coast tundra for some meat. Well, technically all the meats. We tried some other super meaty places nearby before (ahem) and were not impressed. However, Chima Steakhouse pretty much blew us away from the moment we sat down. The drink menu is on an iPad which is cool and trendy however I like to have a physical copy in my hand as I like to study the wine list. But our server was knowledgeable and soon we had exactly what our taste buds were asking for. The full menu including…
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Adventures Driving Cross Country with a U-Haul
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Somehow we made it… all the way across the country in a 2009 Kia with a U-Haul trailer hitch attached. Trying to move in the beginning of a bad winter was a horrible idea in retrospect but at least we took the Southern route. However, I had a lot of loose ends to wrap up along with moving out of a big ‘ol Philly row home I’d lived in for 12 years (!). It takes a while to sell most of your belongings and start fresh (thank goodness for Facebook Marketplace). I wanted to be out of there on New Years Eve day so I…
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Get Shredded with Bouldering and Top Rope Climbing at Philadelphia Rock Gym
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Imagine a world with no rock climbing gyms. Well, that used to exist. But in Philly, we are luckily spoiled. Founded in 1994, the first Philadelphia Rock Gym was built by two college friends, Greg and Matt, who had a vision to bring their passion and enthusiasm for climbing back to their hometown and to make a living doing what they loved. By taking the smart step of bringing climbing inside and available rain, snow or sunshine, they became one of the first indoor climbing centers in the U.S. Now these guys dominate Philadelphia and the suburbs with rock climbing gyms in East Falls, Oaks, Coatesville…
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University City Gets Smart with Chic, Sleek Study Hotel and Unique Co-Op Restaurant
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler University City in Philadelphia, Pa. is going through a sort of revival of its own. Once only home to college students, it is now becoming a go-to space for business, a thriving foodie scene and even nightlife on the other side of the river. Without having to schlep over the bridge to Center City and much of it becoming walkable, it’s a nice self-contained fun unit. Enter Study Hotels. Located close to Drexel and Penn, it’s a great space for scholars, families, business travelers and students alike. With a very obvious studious theme going on (oversized, Instagram-worthy glasses sculpture outside) to books galore as well…
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Philadelphia Real Estate Agent Handles All Her Sales Herself
Story by Explore, submitted photos We caught up with Nicole Carter to do a Q&A who is a rare species of realtor in Philadelphia – a true DIY maven. She uses a professional yet friendly approach, which help clients feel comfortable about a possibly stressful decision. Trust is hard to come by in today’s fiercely competitive real estate market, especially in the city. “I am here to provide you with the professionalism and integrity needed to ensure that you feel secure in what can be one of the biggest decisions of your life,” said Carter. Q: Please state your name, age, location and title. A: My name is Nicole Carter. I’m…
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Behind the Scenes Tour at The Divine Lorraine Where People are Already Living
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Have you ever noticed the old background photo on the Explore-Philly website? Well, it is not from the top of the Divine Lorraine but the brother building down the street, the Beury Building (also known as the boner building because of the graffiti words sprayed on it). That same day, another adventurous photographer and I attempted to enter the then-abandoned Divine Lorraine. However, it was a concrete fortress. “We learned people were sneaking in through the Annex building in the back,” said Christopher R. Cordaro, Vice President of EB Realty Management Corp. There was one guy who did – and broke so many bones falling down an elevator shaft…
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Explore With Cassie as I Move Out West!
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler My plans to post on this blog monthly have sadly fallen by the wayside since summer as my life has been in overdrive with travel, writing for Metro Philly and Metro US, modeling, blogging for my other babies Explore-Philly.com and Explore-NJ.com and then some! I’ll try to do an epic recap of highlights here so you can follow along and see what I’m up to nowadays. As soon as I got back from the San Antonio press trip, I began writing freelance with Metro Philly and soon thereafter Metro US. As I continued to write for Metro, a lot of travel trips were happening as…
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Vault Brewing Company Expands Bank Brewery to Yardley Warehouse
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Located in the suburbs of Philly, the Victorian town of Yardley in Bucks County houses Vault Brewing who does not consider themselves a bar, a pub or even a traditional brewery. Entering in the “faux vault entryway,” you’ll notice you may have entered an old school bank except that the entire brewery and wood-fired kitchen oven are completely open to view. The brewery that once sat directly behind the bar is now expanding down the street and up the hill. The décor is a combination of regal bank, stark industrial, old-world and modern. What is not modern is there are no TVs, pub traditional menu items and no pop or rock…
