• About Us
  • CassieHepler.com
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Explore With Cassie

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

  • About Us
  • CassieHepler.com
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • CassieHepler.com
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • CassieHepler.com
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

No Widgets found in the Sidebar Alt!

  • Day Trips,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Latest News

    Barking Up the Right Tree with 2024’s National Dog Show at Greater Philadelphia Expo Center

    December 23, 2024 /

      “A dog’s love isn’t about what you can give, it’s about who you are to them. It’s loyalty, comfort, and understanding, all wrapped into one quiet, constant presence that never asks for anything but to be near you …” — R.M. Drake Story, photos by Sharon Kozden I’m here to talk about dogs. But first, monkeys must be mentioned. Say wha …?  Give me grace while I explain. Remember when Conchata Ferrell’s character in the film Mystic Pizza announced to her trio of employees, “It’s tradition, and you don’t monkey with tradition?” Nope: no monkeying with tradition. Never-ever. Traditions comfort in many ways, which is why, despite not really…

    read more
    Sharon Kozden

    You May Also Like

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

    June 17, 2021

    Bisbee, Arizona Staying Spooky, Strange and Surprisingly Hip

    November 9, 2021

    Exploring The Sedona Film Festival for a Weekend in Sedona, Arizona

    March 23, 2026
  • Day Trips,  Destinations,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News

    National Dog Show Brings Good Boys and Girls to Greater Philadelphia Expo Center

    March 17, 2024 /

    Magnificent floral displays await placement in the main judging arena for the 2023 National Dog Show. “Ferris was infected with the most virulent form of that weird malady as “dog-showitis.” At first, he had been tempted solely by the hope of winning the hundred-dollar prize. But latterly the urge of victory had gotten into his blood. And he yearned, too, to let the world see what a marvelous dog was his.”  — Albert Payson Terhune Story, photos by Sharon Kozden If you’ve seen the mockumentary comedy film Best in Show, described as “a behind-the-scenes look into the highly competitive and cut-throat world of dog shows through the eyes of a…

    read more
    Sharon Kozden

    You May Also Like

    Visit the Eccentric Fonthill Castle Built Out of Cement and Trash in Bucks County, PA

    July 25, 2018

    Exploring Overland Expo West as a Woman Who Wanders

    June 16, 2025

    Universal Horror Unleashed Haunts Las Vegas at Area 15 Entertainment District

    October 20, 2025
  • Destinations,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News,  Lifestyle

    Get a Taste of Philly in the Crystal Tea Room at Wanamaker Building

    April 14, 2020 /

    This way please … to an out-of-this-world beverage and food stuffs happening. “Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.” – Elsa Schiaparelli Story, photos by Sharon Kozden The elegant Crystal Tea Room was the perfect venue for Taste of Philly’s 12th Annual culinary tasting and tippling event, which showcases the finest in food and spirits that Philadelphia area restaurants, wineries and breweries can lay claim to. Notable this year was an expansion of space, allowing for the sold out event to feature more of everything, including…

    read more
    Sharon Kozden

    You May Also Like

    Ancient Theater in Orange, France is the Most Preserved Roman Theater in the World

    January 19, 2026

    Explore the Center of the World in Felicity, California

    April 13, 2026

    Outstanding CRUjiente Tacos May Be the Best in Arcadia, Arizona

    June 9, 2020
  • Destinations,  Entertainment,  Explore with Cassie,  Food & Beverage,  Latest News

    Bank on Delicious Tastes, City Views at Loews Hotel in Philadelphia, PA

    July 24, 2019 /

    When in Philly, stay and eat at Loews Hotel and Bank & Bourbon; both rate high marks in my playbook. “New York is a place where people go to reinvent themselves; Philadelphia is a place where people discover who they are.”  – Chef Peter McAndrews Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Maybe like me, you’re a country mouse, living outside Philadelphia’s suburbs while still close enough to identify Philly as your home city. Country life has its pluses: falling asleep to the sounds of crickets, sweet silence for lack of passing vehicles on long and winding roads and land expanses with more nature than neighbor views are just a few. I’m talking…

    read more
    Sharon Kozden

    You May Also Like

    Small Businesses Reopen in Funky, Artsy Town of Claremont, CA

    September 20, 2021

    Exploring The Sedona Film Festival for a Weekend in Sedona, Arizona

    March 23, 2026

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

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

    Eat and Drink Your Face Off in San Antonio, Texas While Exploring the City

    July 20, 2017 /

    Photos, story by Cassie Hepler When the tourism board for Visit San Antonio, Texas invites you on a press trip, you go. Especially when it’s a culinary tour and the itinerary includes eating, exploring (hey, that sounds familiar), sleeping, wining and dining at some of the best spots that this massive city has to offer (its the 7th largest city in the U.S. while Philly is 5th). The night before the scheduled 4 a.m. flight from Philly by Southwest (hint: never agree to early flights while having spotty reception in the Poconos the previous week), I was bouncing around from back to back events and packed at 8 p.m. the night…

    read more
    Cassie Hepler

    You May Also Like

    Escape to Valley Kitchen at Carmel Valley Ranch Resort for Otherworldly Cuisine

    August 21, 2018

    Escape to a Private Island in San Diego, California at Loews Coronado

    December 30, 2024

    University City Gets Smart with Chic, Sleek Study Hotel and Unique Co-Op Restaurant

    January 24, 2018

Recent Posts

  • Refresh your Soul in the Turquoise Caribbean Sea at S Hotel Montego Bay, Jamaica
  • Go Truffle Hunting, Foraging for Flowers & Shopping in Force with Italy Charme
  • Live like a Queen in an 1,000 Year Old Castle, Castel di Luco in Italy
  • Escape to a Fairytale Fever Dreamscape at Il Falconiere in Cortona, Tuscany Italy
  • Spend 24 Hours in the Mountain Town of Norcia, Umbria in Italy

Categories

  • Day Trips
  • Destinations
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Explore with Cassie
  • Food & Beverage
  • Latest News
  • Lifestyle
Copyright © 2023 · All Rights Reserved · ExploreWithCassie.com and CassieHepler.com.
Ashe Theme by WP Royal.