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Explore With Cassie

Lifestyle & travel blog finding the unusual out of the ordinary.

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  • Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Dramatic Fine Dining at Elvira’s DC Ranch in North Scottsdale

    May 5, 2025 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Family owned since 1927, Elvira’s has been a staple in Tubac, Arizona located 30 minutes south of Tucson which is a long hike for even the most eccentric foodie from Phoenix!  Now open in DC Ranch Scottsdale, Chef Ruben Monroy takes the lead as the grandson of the original founder, keeping this family-run fine dining establishment running like a smooth sailing ship. Master Sommelier Thomas Kaufman is in charge of the beverage program and even with some mocktails, we were impressed with the taste. Opened in January of 2025, it features signature dishes from the Tubac menu, including its iconic Chile en Nogada.…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    Meet Spiritual Healer and Guide Simona Manenti, The Real Deal

    April 4, 2018

    Fox 29’s Karen Hepp’s Tasty Talks Rocks at Yangming in Bryn Mawr, PA

    July 17, 2018

    Vincent van Gogh Pop-up Museum Road Trips the USA, Stops at King of Prussia Mall, PA

    November 7, 2018
  • Day Trips,  Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Las Posadas of Sedona, Arizona is a Hidden Gem Boutique Hotel with Homemade Breakfast

    November 25, 2024 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Even though Sedona, Arizona is a magical small town, there are different sections to it like anywhere else in the USA. The place that needs no advertising because it is so mystical that mere photos, videos and vibes draw millions across the world each year… and there are limited yet immaculate roads because of its small stature and also rules set in place to allow no more building (i.e. ruining the beauty of the Red Rocks) in the area. Nestled in the Village of Oak Creek, Las Posadas of Sedona is located where you are driving in from Phoenix, Arizona – a good hour…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    Bisbee, Arizona Staying Spooky, Strange and Surprisingly Hip

    November 9, 2021

    Tasty Wine, Tempting Cheeses, Music and Even Goat Yoga at 8th Annual Skippack Winetober Festival

    January 17, 2018

    Animatronic ‘Xtreme Bugs’ Invade Philly’s Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University

    November 20, 2018
  • Day Trips,  Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Enjoy Desert Zen at Rancho de Los Caballeros Ranch Spa in Wickenburg, Arizona

    November 18, 2024 /

    Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Each day in the American Matrix is the same… wake up to an alarm, get jolted out of your restful sleep into the reality of you have to work to pay your bills or become homeless… the corporate slave to the system grind. Then get ready to slay the day in zombie mode. Rinse and repeat until your soul is pretty worn. This is not natural or how human beings are supposed to be. We’re supposed to be in nature, frolicking among other animals each day. Obviously impossible with greedy corporate inflation and the government to pay, but if we can find moments…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    Relax in the Small Town of Wilsonville, Just South of Portland, Oregon

    April 10, 2024

    Bisbee, Arizona Staying Spooky, Strange and Surprisingly Hip

    November 9, 2021
    Travel like a local

    Really Get to Know Your Destination Like a Local

    September 14, 2023
  • Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Get all the Good Vibes at Sky Rock Sedona in Arizona

    October 21, 2024 /

    Story, photos, video by Cassie Hepler Sky Rock Sedona got a magical makeover! With 360-degree views of Sedona’s Red Rocks including Snoopy Rock, Thunder Mountain, and Coffee Pot Rock, no other boutique hotel in the area can compare. After a full remodel in March 2024, this rad space offers those iconic Red Rocks views in every direction, 109 modern rooms and suites with comfortable beds, outdoor pool, hot tub, free shuttle, musicians on the weekends and all the energy work you ever wanted each evening – all without leaving the property. There’s even a hiking path across the street from Sky Rock Sedona if you want to get out there…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    Indulge Your Wood Cabin Dreams at The Owl Roost in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

    September 16, 2024

    Four Diamond We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort Offers Stay and Play Adventures

    June 17, 2021

    Four-Diamond Loews Philadelphia Hotel Welcomes Guests Like Family

    September 24, 2023
  • Day Trips,  Destinations,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Westin Tempe, Arizona Offers Perfect Location to Stay & Play for ASU Crew

    July 29, 2024 /

    Story, photos (unless otherwise noted), videos by Cassie Hepler When I first moved to Arizona, I rented an Airbnb studio in Tempe called the hobbit hole somewhere downtown close enough to ride your bicycle but too far to walk especially in the heat. That was my first experience with Tempe, Arizona and I do have fond memories of it. My hosts were amazing and knowing I was relocating, told me if I found an apartment (or in my case, an Arcadia casita), they would gladly release the rest of my stay and even help me move. Talk about Western hospitality! So my first impression was excellent in this area. Known…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    Elvis is Alive at Wild West Town Blazin’ M Ranch in Cottonwood

    August 11, 2023

    Take a Hike to Arathusa Falls & Explore Bethlehem and Littleton, New Hampshire

    October 14, 2024

    All Aboard the Moshulu, the World’s Oldest & Largest Tall Ship with Restaurant in Philadelphia

    August 5, 2024
  • Day Trips,  Destinations,  Education,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Polish Your Soul and Your Plate in Sedona, Arizona

    January 5, 2023 /

    Photos, story by Cassie Hepler  When you receive a last minute press trip invite to Sedona, Arizona on 11/11, you go.  Those in alignment numbers represent a powerful opportunity to connect with your inner self and begin some kick ass spiritual growth. It also signifies that a period of change is about to start within you. And literally earlier that week, the shift was already in motion. So I delved into the energy vortex abyss that is the high vibe of Sedona for a magical weekend! But first we had to swing by the brand new Cove Mesa Vineyard in Cornville, AZ to enjoy a wine tasting and meet the…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    Explore Spiritually Uplifting Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona

    June 14, 2018

    Tasty Wine, Tempting Cheeses, Music and Even Goat Yoga at 8th Annual Skippack Winetober Festival

    January 17, 2018

    Drive a Boat in Lawless Lake of the Wild West in Lake Havasu City, Arizona

    May 2, 2018
  • Destinations,  Education,  Explore with Cassie,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Cool Down Inside Pristine Kartchner Caverns in Benson, AZ

    August 17, 2022 /

    Story by Cassie Hepler, photos & video submitted by AZ State Park Super hard to pronounce but worth the drive South, Kartchner Caverns was a very memorable highlight of exploring Cochise County in Southern Arizona. So much so that it has been on my mind through the sale of my condo, purchase of a house and finally getting settled again in North Phoenix, AZ! The attention to the ecological preservation was amazing to me coming from Pennsylvania where people just jump into caves with no real care for the ecosystem at all. I also recall a family vacation to Arkansas where my brother was allowed to climb all over the…

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    Cassie Hepler

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    Las Posadas of Sedona, Arizona is a Hidden Gem Boutique Hotel with Homemade Breakfast

    November 25, 2024

    Relax, Reconnect and Repeat at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort in Arizona

    December 30, 2019

    Fall in Love with Whistler in British Columbia, Canada in Autumn

    August 15, 2019
  • Destinations,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News

    Marriott Phoenix Chandler Hotel Adds Luxury and Class to Chandler, Arizona

    July 29, 2020 /

    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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    Cassie Hepler

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    Las Posadas of Sedona, Arizona is a Hidden Gem Boutique Hotel with Homemade Breakfast

    November 25, 2024

    Take a Hike to Arathusa Falls & Explore Bethlehem and Littleton, New Hampshire

    October 14, 2024

    Gift Guide for the Grinch this Holiday Season

    December 16, 2024

Recent Posts

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  • Dramatic Fine Dining at Elvira’s DC Ranch in North Scottsdale
  • Huge American Sized Portions at Red White & Brew in Prescott, Arizona
  • Prescott Pines Inn Gets Makeover, Adds Vino Prescott Wine Bar to Northern Arizona
  • Corduroy Lodge Offers Cabins, Airstreams and Motel in Pinetop Lakeside, Arizona

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