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Eat Art at The Garden Restaurant & Explore European Artists in Philadelphia
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler Escape the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia at The Garden Restaurant in the Barnes Museum! Helmed by Executive Chef Michael O’Meara, this artsy fartsy space has a seasonal, full menu celebrating local farms with fresh ingredients located inside Barnes Museum in the Art Museum area of Philadelphia… where the Rocky steps are. The space has a light-filled indoor dining room with art flanking the walls, an open kitchen and boasts views of a private walled garden with al fresco dining, weather permitting of course. With light and hearty options, house made desserts and a curated list of local beers and wines served by…
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Explore Down the Shore at Long Beach Island’s Daddy O Hotel in New Jersey
The Daddy O is a boutique-style hotel mere steps from the beach in Long Beach Island, NJ. “The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. To dig for treasures shows not only impatience and greed, but lack of faith. Patience, patience, patience, is what the sea teaches. Patience and faith. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach—waiting for a gift from the sea.” ― Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea Story, photos by Sharon Kozden What I did on my summer vacation … not much. I wanted to do a lot, but the heat, oh the heat. This year, it was just…
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Amina Slays Southern Cuisine with African Influences in Old City, Philadelphia
Story, photos and videos by Cassie Hepler I dub Amina Philly as Philadelphia’s best soul food, hands down! Located in Old City, this vibey space has seriously next level flavors that will leave you licking your fingers and hungry for more. It really is a #findyourtribe space that is Black owned and run by Felicia Wilson with Chef Darryl Harmon formerly from Fairmount Water Works leading the outstanding flavor train. I went in on a Thursday night in not the best mood and by the time I left, I was laughing, tipsy and stuffed silly with Southern Cuisine with African influences. This takes putting the South in your mouth to…
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All Aboard the Moshulu, the World’s Oldest & Largest Tall Ship with Restaurant in Philadelphia
Story, photos and video by Cassie Hepler The last time I visited the Moshulu Philly, it was to attend the launch of The Deck Philly which was in 2017, right before I moved to Arizona that New Year. Since then a lot has happened including Covid knocking out a ton of amazing restaurants and locations across Philadelphia which I’m discovering as I’m digging through archives on Explore with Cassie (formerly Explore-Philly.com) and having to throw in the digital trash sadly. The timing of all of this is very odd or maybe serendipitous, a lot of photos that are not supposed to be attached to the old site are somehow breaking…
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Westin Tempe, Arizona Offers Perfect Location to Stay & Play for ASU Crew
Story, photos (unless otherwise noted), videos by Cassie Hepler When I first moved to Arizona, I rented an Airbnb studio in Tempe called the hobbit hole somewhere downtown close enough to ride your bicycle but too far to walk especially in the heat. That was my first experience with Tempe, Arizona and I do have fond memories of it. My hosts were amazing and knowing I was relocating, told me if I found an apartment (or in my case, an Arcadia casita), they would gladly release the rest of my stay and even help me move. Talk about Western hospitality! So my first impression was excellent in this area. Known…
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Explore Lehigh Valley Humane Society’s Garden Paw-ty at Domaine Pterion Vineyard
Pretty invitation design! Because of a dog’s joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would the world be like without dogs? — Mary Oliver I went to collect the few personal belongings which … I held to be invaluable: my cat, my resolve to travel, and my solitude. — Collette Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Although I…
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Live Out Your Mermaid Fantasies in a Shipping Container Pool Studio
Story, modeling, styling and video by Cassie Hepler, photography by Brian Delfin Let me tell you a tail (tehe) about a little girl who always pretended to be a mermaid, swimming under the pool ladder to explore a new world. And my oh my, how many of us there are out there I learned shortly after this photoshoot with Photos by Delfin! It all started on a sizzling summer day in Phoenix, Arizona when we went to go shoot Monie Jae Boutique fashion photography at The Arizona Biltmore. We were probably heat exhausted after a full day shooting and didn’t even know it but Brian literally lay on the floor for…
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Build a Glamping Dome in Your Backyard with Phoenix Domes
Story by Cassie Hepler The price of housing is outrageous all across the United States. This is a not-so-fun fact we all feel from greedy corporate entities and our own government squeezing citizens for every last dime through creeping to 40% taxes on everything you do, eat, drink and where you live. I’m very goal-oriented and have been speaking to a number of think-outside-the-box brands over the years trying to find a solution to the housing madness. Fortunately, Arizona is pretty lax about additional living structures and especially now that the city of Phoenix has approved casitas in your backyard, glamping domes are a very cost effective way to secure…
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Your Architectural Adventure: Starting Your Own Firm
Starting your own architectural business is like designing a skyscraper from the ground up – it takes vision, planning, and a solid foundation. Whether you’re a seasoned architect ready to strike out on your own or a fresh graduate with big dreams, here’s a roadmap to help you build your empire. Image by GrumpyBeere from Pixabay 1. Define Your Architectural Identity Every great architect has a signature style. Whether you’re passionate about sustainable design, urban landscapes, or historic preservation, defining your niche sets the stage for your unique contribution to the built environment. 2. Develop a Rock-Solid Business Plan Think of your business plan as the blueprint for success. Outline…
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Top 10 Locations for Alfresco Dining in America
Summer is officially here with the solstice coming through this month of June! And with the warmer months, places all across the USA are getting ready to enjoy eating outside in the sunshine – or the light of the moon. Minus Arizona… this is the time of year where we hibernate and enjoy the air conditioning much like the winter equivalent elsewhere. According to our friends at Dating Advice, these are the top 10 locations for alfresco (fancy word for outside) dining in America. They took a survey of 3,000 seasoned (pun intended) foodies to identify the 150 most romantic locations for alfresco dining in 2024 as well. If you…
