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Lots of Fall Fun at the Pour the Core Festival at the Philadelphia Navy Yard
Photos, story By Jill Beckel With temps in the 70’s, it was a beautiful, sunny fall day for the 4th annual Pour the Core. Located at the Philly Navy Yard, there was ample parking for the event (score!). There was a long line to get in, but it moved quickly. Visitors of the festival were soon sweating in their sweaters and boots as they explored all that the festival had to offer. The festival featured a wide array of ciders – most we had never sampled before. From sweet to tart, the possibilities were endless and we had a blast checking them all out. We especially liked Downeast Cider House and Crispin…
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Explore One of the Seven Wonders of the World with Grand Canyon Adventures
Story, photos/video by Cassie Hepler Serendipity is a funny word and an interesting experience when it happens to you. Looking for some more wisdom in my monkey mind, I stumbled upon BeCurrent meditation classes with the aerial meditation in green silk hammocks hanging from ceiling hooks. The first class is free (and got me hooked btw) and there is a table you congregate at afterwards to have some tea and chat if you feel like it. It was there that I met the mom of the owner of Grand Canyon Adventures and so starts the story of checking off another bucket list item. Since tours begin at the Flagstaff, AZ location…
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Summer’s Best Beauty Trend: Microblading Your Eyebrows
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler If there’s one thing I love more than anything, it is streamlining my life to make things easier – and faster. And included in that is my makeup routine. I hate having to slather on copious amounts of makeup to make myself look “presentable” only to have it slide off a few hours later. Or worse, end up on another part of my face like a questionable caterpillar. Enter microblading! It is kind of like getting a tattoo except it only goes about 3 layers deep instead of 9 like traditional tattoos. It also mimics the natural hairs on your eyebrows and shape too so…
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JDRF Celebrates Hope with One Promise Gala at Loews Philadelphia
Tres elegant and sparkling program design. “Diabetes is a lousy, lousy disease.” – Elaine Stritch Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Diabetes IS a “lousy, lousy” disease. In fact, I might add a third “lousy” to that statement to further drive home the message and truth. I once recall thinking – if I had to endure and manage a physical-health issue – type 1 diabetes is the single most awful disease that I’d never want to have. So many checks and balances to regulate insulin levels … a seemingly all-consuming daily, no let-up effort. It’s heartbreaking to imagine little ones in particular having to self-monitor and perform such necessary measures to…
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Visit the Eccentric Fonthill Castle Built Out of Cement and Trash in Bucks County, PA
Story by Cassie Hepler, photos courtesy of Fonthill Castle Fonthill, also known as Fonthill Castle, was the home of the American archeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Upon his death in 1930, the eccentric Mercer left his concrete “Castle for the New World” in trust as a museum of decorative tiles and prints. There is also the adjacent Mercer Museum where they still make tiles to this day. While you are not normally allowed to take photographs inside, we were invited on a Bucks Country press trip (along with fellow fitness retreats Ketanga Fitness), and were allowed to shoot and poke around more than usual. Once you start…
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Redz Restaurant Inside DoubleTree Suites in Mount Laurel, N.J. Sizzles for Brunch
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Redz Restaurant connected to the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton is known for their American inspired fare in Mount Laurel, N.J. But what most people don’t know is they work with local New Jersey farm stands to add farm-fresh lunch and dinner options with seasonal flair. Seasonal and recently added lunch and dinner menu items feature Jersey fresh produce and locally sourced ingredients. On the lunch menu, patrons can find healthy options like the Spinach Salad with Seasonal Fruit’ for $12 and an “Of the Day” section highlighting the kitchen’s choice of Soup du Jour for $8 ranging from Jersey tomato-sweet gazpacho or heart healthy asparagus puree to Quesadilla of the…
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Fox 29’s Karen Hepp’s Tasty Talks Rocks at Yangming in Bryn Mawr, PA
Karen Hepp is on point with Yangming owner Michael Wei. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden “At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.” -Barbara Bush “What preys on my mind is simply this one question: what am I good for, could I not be of service or use in some way?” – Vincent van Gogh Tasty Talks. Sounds, well, tasty. Tasty and talk-y. But what, really, is a Tasty Talk? I would soon find out…
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Chris Tucker Sells Out Comedy Shows at Philadelphia’s SugarHouse Casino
Story by Tyra Gardner, photography provided by publicist Chris Tucker’s World Tour came to Philadelphia initially for one show in February at SugarHouse Casino but when the show sold out, Chris added another show to appease humor hungry fans. Chris had been on tour for so long that Philadelphia was missing him and could not wait to see what he would bring. It had to have been at a minimum 15 years since his last tour. Chris Tucker, in my opinion, brought SugarHouse down. Chris Tucker is originally from Atlanta, GA and was featured on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam during the 1990’s where he was a fan favorite with his impressions and…
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Tempting Tastes at 19 Bella Tapas Restaurant in Skippack Village, PA
Readers, get thee to Cedars, Pa. “Go out and see your friends and eat tapas and drink red wine and be in a beautiful place.” – Anthony Bourdain Story, photos by Sharon Kozden One doesn’t have to head to Spain for a first-rate, authentic tapas experience. Cedars, PA – just outside quaint Skippack Village – will do just fine. Grant Langdon Brown, owner and head chef at 19 Bella, has a top tapas spot worth the travel involved to enjoy extraordinary meals. I envy the locals’ proximity. I arrived one chilly evening to discover an understated, functional exterior with patio I imagine bustles with activity during more temperate climes. The contrast between outward appearance and color-blazing interior was a fun surprise.…
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Philly’s Landmark Americana Tap and Grill Delivers Good Grub
Façade of Landmark Americana Tap & Grill’s City Line locale in the heart of St. Joseph’s University campus. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden When life gives you lemons, add drinks, wings and ribs! – In part, me. Just sayin’ before you read on … with apologies to Clement C. Moore ‘Twas the week before Super Bowl LII, when all through Landmark Americana Tap & Grill’s City Line location, all the sports’ fans were stoked and rocking the house. The wings were outstanding, all chicken, little bone, and my ten were divided between sauces mild with spice bite and honey barbeque sweet. The wings were all nestled, snug in their sauce, while not overly so…
