Architecture
- Architecture, Arizona, Culture, Day Trips, Dessert, Drink, Explore with Cassie, Food, Latest News, Nature, Restaurants, Style, Travel
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…
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Cider Sparkles at Fairmount Park’s 3rd Annual CiderFest in Philadelphia, PA
Event signage hangs from fence posts at Cedar Grove. Photos, story by Sharon Kozden “It was a beautiful bright autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it.” – Diana Gabaldon It really was a day such as described in the above quote … uncannily so if you happened to be attending the third annual CiderFest at the Historic Houses of Fairmount Park. Having written about and photographed the inaugural event in 2017, I had missed 2018’s iteration but was glad to be back spending my Saturday afternoon between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. surrounded by folks ranging in interest level…
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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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Opera Philadelphia Paints La Bohème Love Story at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia
Words on the street, blowin’ in the wind. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden (performance photos courtesy of Steven Pisano for Opera Philadelphia) “I have so many things that I want to say to you Or just one, but it’s as big as the sea As deep and infinite as the sea … You are my love and my whole life!” – La bohème, Act IV finale I can’t be the only one who has noticed that Opera Philadelphia‘s presence has been pervading the Philly scene. Locations, locations, locations … all teeming with operatic events and productions. There they were at the Academy of Music during late April and early May,…
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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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Fall in Love with Whistler in British Columbia, Canada in Autumn
Story by Rachael Hopwood, photos courtesy of Tourism Whistler The Canadian resort of Whistler has a lofty reputation as a world-famous winter travel destination and thanks to warm days and an abundance of outdoor activities, summer proves pretty popular too. But what about fall? Largely forgotten by many considering a trip north, the months of September through to mid-November are something of a hidden gem. Sitting perfectly between the crowds of summer hikers and hoards of winter skiers, pleasant temperatures and stunning scenery are just two reasons to consider an autumnal visit. Whistler is a resort community in the province of British Columbia, Canada, about 78 miles north of Vancouver…
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Visit Philly’s Overnight Hotel Packages Offer Sizzlin’ Stay & Play Deals
The iconic and stately Bellevue Hotel is a must-stay destination when visiting Philly. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden You’ve got to check out Visit Philly‘s packages! Seriously. Unless you enjoy doing your own travel planning and research, let Visit Philly do the legwork for you. Visit Philly’s Overnight Hotel Packages have you covered with overnight accommodations at the city’s top-notch participating hotels, meals at its finest restaurants and a list of recreational, entertainment and educational perks to complement and enhance your stay. Concerned about hotel parking? Don’t be: it’s covered as well. On arrival, check your ride and let participating hotels pick up the parking tab. Talk about value-added … that’s…
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Bank on Delicious Tastes, City Views at Loews Hotel in Philadelphia, PA
When in Philly, stay and eat at Loews Hotel and Bank & Bourbon; both rate high marks in my playbook. “New York is a place where people go to reinvent themselves; Philadelphia is a place where people discover who they are.” – Chef Peter McAndrews Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Maybe like me, you’re a country mouse, living outside Philadelphia’s suburbs while still close enough to identify Philly as your home city. Country life has its pluses: falling asleep to the sounds of crickets, sweet silence for lack of passing vehicles on long and winding roads and land expanses with more nature than neighbor views are just a few. I’m talking…
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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…
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Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival Represents Fragility, Beauty of Life at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia
Feast your eyes on this explosion of cherry blossoms and breathe in gratitude for nature’s spectacular gifts. “The significance of the cherry blossom tree in Japanese culture goes back hundreds of years. In their country, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and the beauty of life. It’s a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that it is also tragically short.” – Homaro Cantu Story, photos by Sharon Kozden I remember the moment in high-definition clarity. My face (as I type this) is cherry-blossom pink because a faux pas I made over a year ago was recalled for the purpose of this article’s opening (what I won’t do for…
