Food
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Mayor’s Masked Ball at Philadelphia’s Convention Center Raises Over $760,000 for UNCF
Philadelphia’s Convention Center boasts escalators of amusement park-ride proportions. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” Galas and balls may not be everyone’s (as the Brits say) cuppa char. I, however, would be hard pressed to decline an invite to either. That said, and while the prospect of a evening at home in my comfies, chowing Chinese takeaway and watching a flick in the cuddly company of my fur babies is a thoroughly enticing one, an occasional night on the town offers a desirable change of pace. I relish an opportunity to bust out the glam finery of cocktail dresses and gowns, wield a…
- Beach, California, Drink, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food, Latest News, Nature, Restaurants, Travel
Watch Out for Altitude Sickness in Sparkling South Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Story, photos/video by Cassie Hepler As a travel writer, there is a rock and a hard place between pleasing tourism boards and yet still remaining transparent and honest to your readers. I’ve never been one to sugar coat anything so I figured why start now? With a journalism background, it is in my blood to report the truth and also to use my experiences to help others. So here we go on an adventure that does indeed have a happy ending… Because I never drove through Nevada (without a U-Haul trailer attached), I thought it would be fun to go on a road trip through Vegas from Phoenix (not during…
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Hopping into Spring with Fishtown Hops at Sugarhouse Casino in Philadelphia, PA
Story, photos by David Krakow It is of course a paragon of journalistic integrity that one should not write a subjective story infected by mood. If I had just finished a knock down, drag ’em out with my wife or boss, I probably wouldn’t turn around five minutes later and pen a piece on mindfulness. It was with this potential conflict in mind that I gritted my teeth while staring at an uninspiring plate of nachos during a recent Saturday night visit to the new Fishtown Hops. The conflict? On this particular afternoon, most of the many television sets above the bar and seating areas were showing a playoff game…
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WXPN’s Xponential Music Festival is Summer Staple in Camden, New Jersey
Story, photos by David Krakow Ah festivals. The all-you-can-eat buffets of concert going. Although I’m of an age where folks went to concerts mostly and festivals hardly at all, they do hold a special place. I was living in San Francisco at the beginning of the 1990s and was able to jump on the Lollapalooza bandwagon with such folks as guiding spirits Jane’s Addiction, Alice In Chains and some new Seattle quintet called Pearl Jam. Later that decade I moved to New Orleans and took in two Jazzfests. By that time they were already as much pop and rock fests as jazz fests but any musical fest in New Orleans…
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Hitting Up Virginia Beach, VA Early in the Season Makes Bonding with Locals a Breeze
Story by David Krakow My wife Jamie and I were in Virginia Beach, VA the first weekend in March. Late morning our first full day, it was time to take a walk on the beach. Did I mention it was early March? Jamie’s Fitbit was ready to sue us as our walk lasted only one block. In fairness, the visuals were perfectly engaging including rough ocean, generic beach sculptures and pretty condominiums. It was just short – and cold. We have a friend who owns a time share in the Oceannaire Resort Hotel and week nine of the year happens to be their week. They could not go, so early…
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Views and Chews for Days with Hilton San Francisco Union Square in California
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Driving into San Francisco, California during a picture perfect summer day was breathtaking. And a little confusing when I reached a toll for the Golden Gate Bridge ($4) and never carry any cash on me. Part of the allure of California and the West is the no toll roads unlike the opposite every two mile tolls it seems on the East Coast. And of course they don’t take credit cards so the lady waved me by and told me to expect something in the mail and to fight it… welcome to San Fran! (Update: It’s all done electronically now and the toll without FasTrak is…
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Catch a Buzz at PA’s Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences Boozy Botanicals Art Deco-Era Event
Whatever lies behind Door 19 must be more mysterious than anything in the proverbial door numbers one, two or three. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden “Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination.” — John Dewey I suspected that I was in for a wild night at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University‘s Door 19 event, cleverly named Boozy Botanicals. My vivid imagination envisioned scenes straight out of Little Shop of Horrors, all man-eating plants and specialty cocktails infused with the likes of stinging nettles or mugwort, ferns and fronds serving as swizzle sticks. Maybe my previous assignment at the Academy (Xtreme Bugs, featuring…
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Experience Best of Times, Wurst of Times at Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant in Phoenixville, PA
Foodies will pretty much follow anything that leads to food. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Achtung! Attention, that is and full disclosure: I’m apparently intolerant of craft brews, which I discovered at the wurst of times, namely Oktoberfest. This would ordinarily be of no concern; however and just prior to learning of my sensitivity to these more potent beers, I accepted an assignment at Phoenixville, PA‘s Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant. Did I mention the event was a celebration of Oktoberfest (clearly not a big month for beer consumption)? To compound the irony, I reside in Phoenixville, where such boozy establishments saturate the Borough. Since I’d never encountered an issue…
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Restore Medical Marijuana Center Opens Second Cannabis Dispensary in Elkins Park, PA
Extracts, capsules, serums, salves, liquids via syringe and tinctures make for a variety of choices of one of Restore’s featured brands. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Restore Integrative Wellness Center has done it again! They opened a second medical marijuana dispensary on Old York Road in Elkins Park, PA this fall. Restore has the distinction of being Philadelphia’s very first such outlet, when its premier location was launched in the spring of 2018 in Philly’s Fishtown section (just across from the Fillmore). Both dispensaries are similar in size and staff, all of whom are at the ready to dispense not only product but a wealth of information and knowledge. A…
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Heritage Hosts Hip Hop Artist Chill Moody and Dock Street IPA Release in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia
Story, photos by Jeni A night of nicethings with Chill Moody was named quite amply as the evening was comprised of all nice things and a chill mood. I am a frequenter of Heritage for its yummy Gose on tap, atmospheric live jazz tunes, and amazingly crafted small plates. I jumped at the opportunity to see an original act there outside of its normal whimsical strummings. The event boasted specialty summer kick off beers by Dock Street Brewery, specifically nicethingsIPA and the hip hop artist Chill Moody spitting out rhymes to a hype crowd. When I arrived, I had been hoping for a few friends to accompany me who would also…
