- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Relax in the Small Town of Wilsonville, Just South of Portland, Oregon
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Never travel for business during Spring Break! That’s the first moral of this story as I always have to learn things the hard way… I booked a flight at the crack o’ dawn through Southwest so I could hit the ground running on a Monday morning to make the week last extra long. In theory, it’s a good idea during any other time of the year and you will fly through security at Phoenix Airport with time to spare. But this time was a Spring Break shit show at 5 a.m. with lines crawling down the hallway with the progression of a snail.…
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5 Fun Ways To Celebrate Easter
Image credit Easter is fast approaching, and for those who like to celebrate the festival synonymous with chocolate and new beginnings, finding ways to spend this joyous holiday can help you to enjoy it more and really have some fun. Whether you have kids or not, Easter is a time for getting together with loved ones and partaking in all things egg and bunny-related. If you need some inspiration on how to spend your Easter this year, then read on. Egg Hunts Traditionally thought of as a kids-only thing, an Easter egg hunt can be fun for the whole family. A simplified version where kids find small chocolate eggs or…
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Four-Diamond Loews Philadelphia Hotel Welcomes Guests Like Family
Whoa, Loews! You had me at HELLO … and that Charcuterie Board. Family, indeed. “Whether anybody was home meant everything to a house. It was more than a major fact: it was the only fact … The family was the house’s soul.” — Jonathan Franzen Story, photos by Sharon Kozden It didn’t take me long to discover that The Loews Family at Loews Philadelphia Hotel meant what they said when they said I’d be welcomed like family. In July 2020, the luxury hospitality company introduced “a fresh brand position which defines Loews as more than simply a collection of hotels, but a brand deeply rooted in welcoming and caring for…
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Escape to a Slice of Heaven in Catalina Island, California
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted), I’ve officially dubbed Santa Catalina Island California’s mini Hawaii, minus the natives and hefty price tag. It has that same laid back, relaxing yet magical vibe. Situated 22 miles southwest from Los Angeles, CA, it feels like another world away as it is only accessible by boat. Our transportation choice was the Catalina Express, which offers three ports to choose from: San Pedro, Long Beach and Dana Point. Long Beach was closest for me driving in the day before from Phoenix but others are just as well. With up to 30 departures a day, it’s a no brainer to take this vessel…
- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Polish Your Soul and Your Plate in Sedona, Arizona
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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Fahoo Forays, Dahoo Dorays: Welcome U-ville, a Seussian Whoville at Philadelphia’s Uptown Beer Garden
Bright Lights, Big City: Uptown Beer Garden presented its seasonal U-Ville in homage to the Seussian Whoville. Between the radiant white of a clear conscience and the coal black of a conscience sullied by sin lie many shades of gray – where most of us live our lives. Not perfect but not beyond redemption. ~~ Leslie Pinckney Hill “People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.” ~~ Audrey Hepburn Story, photos by Sharon Kozden On the evening of November 16th, I Ubered into the City to celebrate the unveiling of Uptown Beer Garden’s holiday creation, U-ville … a name whose…
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Uptown Beer Garden Mutates Upside Down for Spooky Season with ‘Stranger Things’ Theme
“People don’t spend their lives trying to get a look at what’s behind the curtain. They like the curtain. It provides them stability, comfort, definition.” ~~~ Murray Bauman, Stranger Things Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Actually, Murray, I beg to differ with your above-referenced statements about “the curtain.” I liked getting a look at what’s behind it … at least I did on the evening of September 28th … when Aversa PR and Craft Concepts Group welcomed media to a preview party like none other at Uptown Beer Garden‘s Stranger Things-themed pop-up bar. Greetings from Hawkins, Indiana. Wish you were here! Perhaps if I had watched Netflix TV’s Stranger…
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Lehigh County Humane Society Holds First Annual Garden Party at Bell Gate Farm
Keynote speaker Eve Warsinski poses with husband, daughters and Koda. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden “Our animals connect us to the sacred. What are pets, really, other than an attempt to have a little bit of a God in the house?” – Russell Brand Autumn weather in Pennsylvania felt more like spring or summer than fall. Not cool, literally. Projected temps were near 80 degrees some days. The expected crisp chill? It would be here soon enough. Despite seasonal signs of brilliant-hued mums, cider fests, all things pumpkin spice and Halloween decorations, I continue wearing open-toed sandals and tee-shirts. Consequently, my headspace can’t seem to reconcile this unseasonably warm weather…
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Horses ‘Rein’ at Annual Carriage Procession in Chester County, PA
Carriage-hitched horse and riders pass the Lincoln Building, home to the annual Yellow Springs Art Show. “At its finest, rider and horse are joined not by tack, but by trust. Each is totally reliant upon the other. Each is the selfless guardian of the other’s very well-being.” – Author unknown Story, photos by Sharon Kozden My first encounter with a horse occurred during the summer of my 12th year, when a school chum allowed a bunch of us to ride her mare. The young equestrian sat in the saddle as we took our respective turns while scrunched in front of her. Both horse and owner actually resembled one another as…
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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…
