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Away Spa at W Scottsdale Whisks Your Stress Away
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Not the way you want to wake up on an early Friday morning… to a text from your father saying your grandfather passed away. I was immediately in flight and internal fight mode and to be honest a hot mess on the inside as I couldn’t make it back to the East Coast in time for the funeral. The last thing I wanted to do was face people but I had booked a hosted morning of pampering at Away Spa at W Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona for my blog weeks ago and knew that it would actually help me in the long run. So with…
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Order a Massage to Your Door with Soothe App
Story by Cassie Hepler Los Angeles, California based massage on demand company Soothe delivers a licensed, insured massage therapist to your house, office or hotel within 60 minutes! Soothe celebrated 5 years in August 2019 by rolling out Soothe Plus subscription service, plus a Soothe Stretch program for the workplace. Over the years, Soothe has given almost 1 million massages worldwide and is 70 markets across 4 countries, with over 13,000 background-checked therapists to boot. Not too shabby! Think of them as the Uber or Lyft of massage therapy. My lifestyle and travel blog ExplorewithCassie.com worked with Soothe app when they first rolled out and came to the Philadelphia, PA market.…
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Take a Hike and Be Amazed at the Sonoran Desert in Arizona
Story, photos by Jason Nugent Often when people think of deserts, the image that comes to mind is one of a vast, barren landscape with nothing but sand for as far as the eye can see. As someone who has spent time in deserts around the world and has seen that specific view first hand, I’ll be the first to admit that I thought that the landscape surrounding Phoenix would be similar. Boy was I wrong. The Sonoran desert surrounding Phoenix is home to one of the most vibrant, lush landscapes in the Southwest United States. If getting out and appreciating that appeals to you, then I urge you to …
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Enjoy Epic Arizona Sunsets at Orange Sky at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Did you know the Arizona state flag was made to look like a sunset? I was this old when I discovered that during a late night social media scrolling session. And now it all makes sense why this fine dining restaurant is named Orange Sky, located inside the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. Located on the 15th floor of the casino, it is the signature space for those sunset hues and an award-winning wine list. Talking Stick Resort is located on the grounds of Salt River, owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. (Other area attractions include: The Pavilions at Talking Stick, Talking Stick Golf…
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Laser Beam Your Eyeballs to 20/20 with Lasik Plus Surgery
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler It seemed like a great idea never having to wear contacts or glasses again. And as much as I love some designer frames (bye bye my beloved Prada and Burberry), waking up and seeing perfectly was well worth it. Although it’s not all wine and roses my friends… It’s a slight hell but tolerable, here is my tale… with Facebook live video because we are in that “extra” digital era. I wanted Lasik for years. But after some serious scoliosis fusion surgery, I needed a break from anyone or anything that even resembled a doctor’s office. But here I was in sunshine valley Arizona, doubling…
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Fulfill Your Flying Squirrel Fantasies with iFLY Indoor Skydiving
Story by Cassie Hepler, video by Suburban Men Who hasn’t had a dream of flying? If you haven’t, that’s weird and a bummer. Ever since I was like 5 years old, I would have a consistent dream of being chased through the jungle by a lion, falling off a cliff and stopping short of the bug-like smush on the ground for a good chunk of my youth. As an adult, it morphed into flying yogi cross-legged style through the air always to an old farmhouse. Where this farmhouse exists I have yet to learn however looking forward to finding it someday! Alas, I digress. But the need to fly through…
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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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Three Time James Beard Award Winner Chef Sherry Yard Tantalizes Tastebuds with Tanzy Restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Located right next to the new, pimped out iPic Theaters in Scottsdale, Arizona, Tanzy restaurant also had a makeover recently. Award-winning Chef Sherry Yard, Chief Operating Officer for iPic® Theaters and Tuck Hospitality Group, is proud to introduce the new Tanzy Restaurant in Scottsdale. Presenting a new menu featuring garden-fresh ingredients and handmade dishes inspired by bold flavors and delicate techniques, Tanzy’s offerings are complemented by Executive Bartender/Corporate Sommelier Adam Seger’s innovative beverage program. Tanzy’s artisanal Italian concept remains the prominent backbone of the restaurant’s new menu, which features time-tested classics alongside original new dishes, all of which are handmade under Yard’s direction by Tanzy’s Corporate…
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Relax and Enjoy Slow, Southern Style in Clarksville, Tennessee
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) Nashville, Tennessee gets all the fame. They also have that horrible reality show knock off of The Kardashians, The Cavallari’s which is like the Southern version of scripted, dramatic nonsense. But if you look about an hour Northwest of Nashville, there’s a slow, Southern style oasis that offers a much more relaxing experience. Rolling green hills, trees and nature abounds in this surprisingly funky little city full of hipsters and impressive growing gastronomy. It’s the perfect place to escape to – and yet close enough to Nashville to get your fix if you really need it. Small enough that it’s walkable, but…
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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…
