- California, Culture, Day Trips, Dessert, Drink, Entertainment, Events, Explore with Cassie, Food, Latest News, Nature, Restaurants, Style, Travel
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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Protect Your Skin from the Sun and Look Chic in Tenth Street Hats Featuring the Cloche Hat
Story by Cassie Hepler, photos courtesy of Tenth Street Hats Since moving to Arizona, it seems I have become the hat lady. And it’s mostly out of a way to protect my pasty white European/American mutt sensitive skin. When I first moved here, this California company Tenth Street Hats reached out to me to offer me some samples to wear and rock during my travels. Loving the boho chic, gothic, Cuban and Western vibes I found on the website, I delved deep into the hat world. So much so in fact, I am running out of walk-in closet space and may make a whole bedroom wall into a sort of…
- Architecture, Art, Beach, California, Culture, Day Trips, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food, Latest News, Nature, Sports, Style, Travel
Make the Most of Your Visit to Los Angeles, California
Visiting Los Angeles, California can be overwhelming. It’s a tremendous city, but there are so many tourist attractions of all different kinds that it’s difficult to fit in everything you’d like to see and do on a single trip. If you’d like help narrowing things down though, here are eight places in the LA area that are definitely worth your time. 1. The Original Farmer’s Market It may not be the traditional headline tourist attraction, but one of the most pleasant things you can do on your trip is spend the day sampling delicious food at the Original Farmer’s Market at Third and Fairfax. The market’s local vendors, such as Du-par’s…
- Beauty, California, Culture, Day Trips, Dessert, Drink, Education, Entertainment, Events, Explore with Cassie, Food, Latest News, Nature, Restaurants, Style, Weddings
Visit California Wineries the Classy Way with San Diego Beer, Wine & Spirits Tour
Story, photos/videos by Cassie Hepler Did you know that San Diego, California wineries are the original real deal booze in the valley? Everybody talks about Napa Valley being the first but that’s just not true! It all began in sunny San Diego with those horrible jug wines, which now have a private label for some of their fancier brands. That was just one of the interesting facts we discovered on our San Diego Beer, Wine & Spirits Tour with total chill Californian tour guide Diana. Another tasty morsel of information is that California produces 90 percent of the wine for the United States which is mind boggling! To be immersed in…
- 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…
- Architecture, Art, California, Comedy, Culture, Dessert, Drink, Explore with Cassie, Food, Latest News, Restaurants, Travel
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…
- California, Day Trips, Drink, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food, Latest News, Restaurants, Travel
Ride in Style with Aall In Limo’s Mercedes Benz to Temecula Wineries in California
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) You know what’s more awesome than wine tasting in Temecula Valley? Having a driver from Aall In Limo pick you up in a Mercedes Benz party limo at your San Diego, California location and then delivering you to each winery in style – and your driver opening winery doors for you so you look like rock stars! In a tandem trip to sunny SD, MoVernie.com and I teamed up to be power plus ones and make this an epic dual press trip plus a little vacation exploration when we had time. Just don’t make the rookie mistake we made and believe the hype…
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Speed Boat Adventures offers Adrenaline with Unique San Diego, CA Views
Story, photos/video by Cassie Hepler Sure you’ve seen all of San Diego, CA by foot and views every single other person has seen and photographed relentlessly. But what about rolling up in the water right next to some stinky sea lions and cruising underneath the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier? Now that’s a unique experience at Speed Boat Adventures which also offers a side of adrenaline to boot! Speed Boat Adventures offers a 13-mile (20km) tour at various speeds around the San Diego Harbor available five times a day. We chose the sunset spot as we wanted those pink hues captured on film for forever. They ask you to arrive 20-30 minutes…
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Hike Point Lobos State Park in Monterey, California Where Land Meets Sea for Spectacular Views
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Park by the road. That’s the best advice I can give you and best of all, it’s free. Also, get there early or it won’t matter anyway as the park will be packed. Point Lobos State Park in Monterey, California is a scenic coastal area featuring a variety of sea animals and wildlife, hiking, diving and a whaling museum. Point Lobos has been named “the greatest meeting of land and sea in the world” and “the crown jewel of the state park system.” It has diving unmatched on the California coast (check out the Point Lobos State Reserve website for maps and dive site videos), great hiking,…
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Escape to Valley Kitchen at Carmel Valley Ranch Resort for Otherworldly Cuisine
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Tucked away in the lush forests of the Santa Lucia Mountains, Carmel Valley Ranch resort enjoys luxury and simplicity. And the attached California casual dining spot, Valley Kitchen, offers the luxury of simplicity. Plus the food doesn’t get any more local than this. The fun, vibrant restaurant embodies the unique values, spirit and tastes of the Carmel Valley Ranch experience. Think fields of lavender, fresh honey and even it’s own small batch winery. Inspiration comes easy with the breathtaking natural surroundings to the local gardens, orchards, pristine oceans and neighboring vineyards. Designed by Rodrigo Vargas Design at the resort’s social hub and heart, Valley Kitchen…
