Day Trips
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Best Las Vegas, Nevada Photo Spots from a Model and Photographer
Best Photo Spots in Las Vegas, Nevada Story and videos by Cassie Hepler, Photos by Delfin I’ve been modeling professionally since college at Penn State University as a side hustle while I earned that Communications degree. And let’s face it, models were the original influencers but, like professional. After graduating and delving into the world of journalism fully in Philadelphia, I wrote a column at The Times Herald. At that point it was taboo to apparently model and have a brain so I was called into the office for questions about my modeling. My response was, “And this is a problem how…?” They had no response and released me back…
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Exploring the South End of the Strip at The Berkley, Las Vegas in Nevada
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler I almost gave up on Las Vegas, Nevada. My first visit was with the vagtastic voyage gals via Philadelphia in 2010 I think for a blow out birthday bash at The Luxor which yes, some of those stories will forever stay in Vegas. Fast forward to the last couple of times I visited and honestly, it was giving Get Out vibes each time. I couldn’t see the allure or appeal of staying anywhere on the strip, it just seemed too fast and stressful. When you go from city to city, there is no downtime only chaos and confusion to the next spot. I…
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Tips and Tricks for Hassle Free Disabled Travel
You might think that this story doesn’t pertain to you or your family because no one is disabled – yet. Key word is yet! Literally in the blink of an eye, you too can be considered disabled from a car crash, a freak accident or through no fault of your own or just age – and we all will get old if we are lucky enough. For me, I have a large rods and screws from a scoliosis fusion right above my hipbones to my chest and I might need to be fully fused to my hipbones someday. I also learned over the summer that if anything further traumatic happens…
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Drink the Pope’s Wine at Châteauneuf du Pape near Avignon, France
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Taste one of the best wines in France at Châteauneuf du Pape! We started with a leisurely lunch at Château des Fines Roches with an outstanding selection of fine French cuisine paired perfectly with each outstanding glass of wine. The red with the chocolate dessert was so decadent, it’s almost felt naughty eating it and enjoying the wine pairing! Only a half hour from Avignon, it makes a great day trip to explore more of the French vineyards and countryside in South of France. Using rocks on top of the soil, it is how they capture the unique and rich earthy flavors in…
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Ancient Theater in Orange, France is the Most Preserved Roman Theater in the World
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Once upon a time, two Pennsylvania gals decided to go to Rome, Italy all by themselves – without cell phones. Oh yes, you read that right… it was the early 2000s and all they did was make phone calls and send crappy text messages by pressing a series of buttons repeatedly to spell out words – positively archaic by today’s standards. So I left my cell phone behind in Philly but took the crappiest camera that produced some of the worst photos I’ve ever taken. Back then we were told by locals that two women traveling alone must be either transvestites or prostitutes…
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Explore the Largest Medieval Gothic Palace in the World at Palais des Papes in Avignon, France
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler After a restful night at Hotel Cloitre Saint Louis in Avignon, France and a hefty European style buffet breakfast with lots of espresso, we were up and at ’em to meet with our fabulous tour guide to take us around the city and explain exactly what we were looking at. This was the end of the South of France press trip so we were getting weary and myself, a bit weak from not having downtime to rest my still healing body. But I instantly liked Manu and a little French birdie told me sometimes he sings for his guests and I enthusiastically asked…
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Explore One of the Most Magical Villages in France, Cotignac
Story, photos and videos by Cassie Hepler I have these “feelings” if you will, that tell me about places, people and things. It is a blessing and curse honestly! Call it pattern recognition, my grandmother’s ancestry, witchcraft or whatever you want, I knew I would want to stay at the next stop for more than just a day visit before we even arrived. Something was literally pulling me there and upon leaving, was tugging at my heart strings to return. Cotignac, labeled as one of the most beautiful villages in France is almost accurate. I will take it up a notch and say it is one of the most magical!…
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Explore an Artists Commune La Maison de la Chapelle in Carcès, France
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Waking up to breakfast delivered to my patio at Villa Cosy in Saint Tropez, showering and then shoving everything back into my two pieces of luggage to meet our amazing driver Sophie out front by 8:30 a.m. is pretty typical of a press trip. I was finally well rested again and ready to rock and roll! We were given our itinerary a few days prior to the trip however I wasn’t stressed as Atout France is very professional and wouldn’t leave us hanging. So I would look at it in the van each morning and ask questions along the way. The gals were…
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Explore the Rich Cultural Tapestry of Arizona’s Native American Indian Tribes
One thing I love most about Arizona is its rich cultural background. Of course the first Americans were Native Americans and I also enjoy that my home state celebrates this history of the United States of America properly – not the white-washed version. The lands are sacred and you can physically feel it through your soul. When people ask me why I moved here, it is some of the best rest I’ve ever gotten in my life. And because the earth is alive here, it can go both ways as in it can spit you out for being offensive or offer you abundance. So this fall we celebrate the rich…
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The Mob Museum in Las Vegas is like Mafia School with a Speakeasy
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Once upon a time, I worked for a South Philly political rag of a newspaper called the Philly Record. I was assistant editor and also there to bring some new fangled social media and ideas to the joint. The owner, the late Jimmy Tayoun, was once was a ward leader, Democratic member of Philadelphia City Council and of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He also had quite the rap sheet afterwards as he spent 40 months behind bars for: obstruction of justice, mail fraud, tax evasion, racketeering, taken bribes, paid bribes, and told an ex-associate to lie to a grand jury. So imagine…
