- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Explore the Rich Cultural Tapestry of Arizona’s Native American Indian Tribes
One thing I love most about Arizona is its rich cultural background. Of course the first Americans were Native Americans and I also enjoy that my home state celebrates this history of the United States of America properly – not the white-washed version. The lands are sacred and you can physically feel it through your soul. When people ask me why I moved here, it is some of the best rest I’ve ever gotten in my life. And because the earth is alive here, it can go both ways as in it can spit you out for being offensive or offer you abundance. So this fall we celebrate the rich…
- Day Trips, Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Four Diamond We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort Offers Stay and Play Adventures
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Because everyone seems confused, let’s address the We-Ko-Pa namesake first! The name We-Ko-Pa means four peaks which is the popular mountain that borders the eastern skyline of Phoenix. The fabulous new 166,341-square-foot We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort replaces the original Fort McDowell Casino that many remember from 1984 as a bingo hall. Eight years later, the proud Yavapai Nation peacefully held off the attempts of federal agents to seize their slot machines, protecting their right to operate a casino on their reservation and provide livelihoods for their tribal members. That sentence alone infuriates me… freaking ‘Merica, but that’s a whole other story. Let’s focus instead…
-
Don’t Steal from the Petrified Forest in Arizona
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler It was my first time visiting Taylor, Arizona and I had a pretty good idea of what to expect up North about three hours from Phoenix. We booked an outstanding AirBnB cabin to spend Christmas up north and fell in love with the place almost instantly. There were chickens in a coup for fresh eggs and a little greenhouse on the grounds for fresh tomatoes. Homemade jam and honey were in the fridge for our use. The owner who lived in the main house was a retired teacher who taught Native American children and his decor reflected the many beautiful hand-woven and intricate…
