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Drive a Boat in Lawless Lake of the Wild West in Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler When London Bridge Resort reached out for a tour of now nearby to me Lake Havasu City, AZ, it was a no-brainer. Sparking turquoise water flanked by majestic copper canyons? It’s like a photographer’s dream so of course I was all in! One tourism tweet later on Twitter, I was connected to the lovely Jillian Danielson who is an amazing storm chasing photographer who also owns the well-known Lake Havasu go-to guide, River Scene Magazine. Lake Havasu City is in western Arizona about four hours west of Phoenix, AZ and near the border of Eastern California. It’s known as a base for trails in the…
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Village Whiskey Packs More Than 200 Whiskeys in Railroad Style Restaurant in Philadelphia
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Every day we’re shuffling… through the always jam-packed Village Whiskey. One, because they have some stellar food and two because the size of the restaurant. Connected to adjoining fellow Jose Garces tapas restaurant Tinto, this railroad style restaurant doesn’t have much room to move around. The sidewalk cafe helps expand the space a bit but they claim they never accept reservations… unless you do a buyout for large parties. However, they just started accepting reservations during lunch and brunch until 3:3o p.m. so lucky you! Featuring a stellar selection of more than 200 whiskeys alongside what they claim is the country’s best burger, Village Whiskey is…
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Enjoy Upscale, Eclectic Asian Food at Yangming in Bryn Mawr
Run, don’t WOK! “we are the fortunate cookies, we who were flat but now curl moonlike around thick middles, cradling happy advice and lucky numbers in our crisp bellies” – Unknown Story, photos by Sharon Kozden While Walt Whitman sang his praises of the “body electric,” I’m here to sing similarly about Yangming’s foodstuffs eclectic. Yangming is an upscale, never-duplicated, well-known and loved establishment, offering an eclectic bounty of Chinese and Asian fusion cuisine. The cocktail offerings are creative, the wine list award-winning and the desserts a blend of either decadent or light. Indulge in the sweetest of treats or restrain with a fresh berry-based, naturally sugared more healthfhttp://yangmingrestaurant.com/reviews/ul choice. Lychee nuts…
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Luke’s Lobster has One of the Best ‘Lobstah’ Rolls in Philadelphia
Story, photos by Meg Arbo I am a lobster snob. In fact, I am so particular about lobster, I don’t even eat it outside of New England. Heck, I don’t even eat it outside of Maine; that is how much of a lobster snob I am. I take my lobster very seriously. Then Luke’s Lobster changed all that when they came to Philadelphia four years ago. Simply put, Luke’s Lobster makes the best “lobstah roll” you can get outside of New England. So you can imagine how excited I was to hear that Luke’s Lobster was opening a second location in Market East! Luke is from Maine and the man…
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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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Old Man Winter Is No Match for Zoup’s! Comfort Soup
“A Jewish woman had two chickens. One got sick, so the woman made chicken soup out of the other one to help the sick one get well.” – Henny Youngman Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Full disclosure: I don’t much care for soup. I fault my mom for that as well as for having sent me to charm school at 12 years of age. But that’s another story altogether, which I’ll reserve for my memoir. The onset of my soup-phobia began in childhood, when our soup staples alternated between thin chicken-noodle with two pea-sized bits of poultry of questionable authenticity. It’s alternative was chicken with rice, equally runny and with the same meager addition of a barely-there protein…
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Not Your Typical Pizza Joint, &pizza Jazzes Up Pizza Pie Biz
Story, photos by Lauren Aynn Incoming pizza fanatics, there’s a new player in town and it’s name is &pizza (and-peet-suh). From its clean design to its new innovative take on take out, &pizza is a real stand out in its class. They haven’t reinvented the pizza wheel so to speak, but they have found ways to make it their own. &Pizza also proudly partners with local causes to help strengthen the community around them. In fact if you have a cause close to your heart they encourage you to make a request on their website. Truly a great way to keep in touch with the needs and wants of the…
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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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Balboa Supper Club and Stateside Vodka Perform a Festivus Miracle!
Photos, story by Meg Arbo Ah, Festivus! The holiday for the rest of us! Who would have thought that everyone’s favorite Seinfeld episode (OK, top five episodes) would actually generate a holiday? Balboa Supper Club certainly knew it was the way to go and celebrated with a seasonal five course meal. When Explore last met up with Events & Catering Manager, Jonathan Kennedy, he described Balboa as only a passionate artist can. “Imagine walking into a room not knowing anyone and after breaking bread and enjoying a few courses of delicious food, leaving that night with new friends. That is what our supper club experience is like! We believe in the…
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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…