Restaurants
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Four Diamond We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort Offers Stay and Play Adventures
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Because everyone seems confused, let’s address the We-Ko-Pa namesake first! The name We-Ko-Pa means four peaks which is the popular mountain that borders the eastern skyline of Phoenix. The fabulous new 166,341-square-foot We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort replaces the original Fort McDowell Casino that many remember from 1984 as a bingo hall. Eight years later, the proud Yavapai Nation peacefully held off the attempts of federal agents to seize their slot machines, protecting their right to operate a casino on their reservation and provide livelihoods for their tribal members. That sentence alone infuriates me… freaking ‘Merica, but that’s a whole other story. Let’s focus instead…
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Paris, je t’aime! An American Reminisces on Her Love Affair with France
Story, photos by Jill Beckel Bonjour! It is hard to say where my obsession with Paris started, but I am honestly not sure. I know that I dreamed about going to Paris as child and something about it always fascinated me. I took French throughout middle school and three years of high school. However, I am by no means fluent. I can pick up phrases and written words here and there, but definitely could not hold my own in a full-on on conversation in French (I did try to brush up with the Duolingo app before this trip). Once I was in college, I knew that I wanted to travel…
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Merkin Vineyards in Arizona Offers Outstanding Reds, Food and Music
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler First of all, let’s set this namesake straight. Do you know what a Merkin is? Go check it out on Wikipedia before you continue reading if you don’t. Now that we’re all on the same page, this is just another reason why we love Maynard Keenan, the mastermind behind the brand that has the name “Merkin” on everyone’s lips. If you are not into heavy metal, you are probably not familiar with his many bands including Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. Congratulations, now you are all caught up! Everyone in Arizona knows that this rock star lives in Jerome, Arizona on the side of…
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Inn at Palm Springs, California is an Oasis in Coachella Valley
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) Like most everyone this year, I am sick of staring at the same walls at home. And the wanderlust was still negging me daily with all my travel plans that have been cancelled, rescheduled or just hanging in the air because we have no clue when this Covid nonsense will end in good ol ‘Merica. So I planned a trip to the West Coast to escape the sizzling summer heat, do some photoshoots and swim in the Pacific Ocean. And right before I left, I was connected with the Inn at Palm Springs and we planned a media visit for on my…
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Philadelphia’s Nightmare Before Tinsel Halloween Pop-up Complements Day of the Dead
Nightmare Before Tinsel follows strict adherence to face-mask protocol. Meet the new abnormal normal. “Terror is a passion which always produces delight when it does not press too close.” —Edmund Burke Story, photos by Sharon Kozden “How you pull up, Baby? How you pull up?” I pull up like I am all about the total experience. No summertime shore trip happens unless I watch Jaws first. The night before touring a nuclear facility, I popped The China Syndrome into my DVD player. A medical operation on my schedule guarantees a viewing of the suspenseful Coma the evening before I’m anesthetized. I intentionally scare myself. Apparently, I’m in good company, particularly…
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Century Grand Phoenix Transports Guests into Locomotive Luxury Era
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Step right up folks and teleport back to an era of decadence at Century Grand Phoenix! The creative masterminds behind the tiny tiki underground bar Undertow have done it again. Barter & Shake Creative Hospitality keeps pushing the boundaries of the immersive fine dining experience with other worldly, creative cocktail programs. Opening its golden doors in fall of 2019 and located right next to Sip Coffee & Beer with sister bar Undertow downstairs (take a tour with this TripAdvisor video), Century Grand is an experience in itself. With timed dinners (2 hours max) and train car bar (90 minutes max), it is necessary as you would…
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Marriott Phoenix Chandler Hotel Adds Luxury and Class to Chandler, Arizona
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) We love finding hidden gems. Although this one is not so hidden because the Marriott Phoenix Chandler is not only the largest legacy brand full service Marriott in the state (128,000 square feet total), the 264-room property features the greatest amount of hotel conference space in the area at 28,000 feet. Located in the bustling Price Corridor, it is managed by Cincinnati-based Winegardner & Hammons Hotel Group, LLC., an affiliate company of the Pyramid Hotel Group, which is one of the predominant hotel management companies in the United States. With easy access to Loop 101 and Loop 202, we thought it would…
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Outstanding CRUjiente Tacos May Be the Best in Arcadia, Arizona
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Sometimes as a journalist, you just follow your nose for news. And other times, you get by with a little help from your friends like Christina Barrueta from WriteonRubee.com, the original foodie and real deal officiano about everything food, chef and drink related in Arizona. I was traveling at the time when she invited me to a media dinner featuring Mezcal Carreno, the champagne of agave, but later connected me with the impressive duo who are hustling hard all over the valley. (Hint: If you haven’t tried their mezcal yet, go to a tasting they have them for free all the time!) So we connected…
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Bourbon Master Lifts Spirits at Loews Philadelphia’s Bank & Bourbon Restaurant
From left, Daniel Kulisek makes his point as Bank & Bourbon restaurant’s recently appointed Bourbon master. “If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven than I shall not go.” – Mark Twain Story, photos by Sharon Kozden I’ll be straight up and honest. I’m not a hard liquor fan. My most daring drinky-drink is a margarita and without that sweet and salty cocktail, I prefer white wine. So before Covid19 chaos, and while on assignment to cover Loews Philadelphia Hotel’s Bank & Bourbon Restaurant’s media preview party of the appointment of their very own in-house Bourbon master, I knew I’d be in for an all-inclusive education. One doesn’t…
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Get a Taste of Philly in the Crystal Tea Room at Wanamaker Building
This way please … to an out-of-this-world beverage and food stuffs happening. “Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.” – Elsa Schiaparelli Story, photos by Sharon Kozden The elegant Crystal Tea Room was the perfect venue for Taste of Philly’s 12th Annual culinary tasting and tippling event, which showcases the finest in food and spirits that Philadelphia area restaurants, wineries and breweries can lay claim to. Notable this year was an expansion of space, allowing for the sold out event to feature more of everything, including…
