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Cool Down at Pine Haven Cottage in Show Low, Arizona
Photos, story by Cassie Hepler Time to bust out the sweaters and get your leaf peeping on this fall! Or if it’s one of earth’s now brutal summers, escape to a cooler climate up in Northern Arizona for a much needed getaway and nature reset. Much to my Colorado guests surprise and delight, if you drive three hours north of Phoenix you will pop out into a land full of trees, grass and cooler White Mountain air. Pro tip: wait to fill up your gas tank if you can it’s $1 cheaper than in the valley. This feels-like-home cabin in Show Low, Arizona sits in a half acre tucked back…
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Recharge in Nature at Arizona’s Artists Home in Cottonwood
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler The Arizona artist’s home in Cottonwood, Arizona is a nature lovers dream! Tucked back on cross streets with a walking path across the street, it beckons you to come explore the steam that leads into the Verde River where you can grab one of the many floats or kayaks from the garage and enjoy a day of peaceful tranquility among the hummingbirds. This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is thoughtfully designed by Kirsten Snyder of Ocotillo Nature Homes with retro and brand boutique touches throughout. The name Ocotillo means “little torch” in Spanish and is a plant that produces clusters of bright red flowers at…
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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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Cool Down Inside Pristine Kartchner Caverns in Benson, AZ
Story by Cassie Hepler, photos & video submitted by AZ State Park Super hard to pronounce but worth the drive South, Kartchner Caverns was a very memorable highlight of exploring Cochise County in Southern Arizona. So much so that it has been on my mind through the sale of my condo, purchase of a house and finally getting settled again in North Phoenix, AZ! The attention to the ecological preservation was amazing to me coming from Pennsylvania where people just jump into caves with no real care for the ecosystem at all. I also recall a family vacation to Arkansas where my brother was allowed to climb all over the…
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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…
- Destinations, Education, Entertainment, Explore with Cassie, Food & Beverage, Latest News, Lifestyle
Merkin Vineyards in Arizona Offers Outstanding Reds, Food and Music
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler First of all, let’s set this namesake straight. Do you know what a Merkin is? Go check it out on Wikipedia before you continue reading if you don’t. Now that we’re all on the same page, this is just another reason why we love Maynard Keenan, the mastermind behind the brand that has the name “Merkin” on everyone’s lips. If you are not into heavy metal, you are probably not familiar with his many bands including Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. Congratulations, now you are all caught up! Everyone in Arizona knows that this rock star lives in Jerome, Arizona on the side of…
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Marriott Phoenix Chandler Hotel Adds Luxury and Class to Chandler, Arizona
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler (unless otherwise noted) We love finding hidden gems. Although this one is not so hidden because the Marriott Phoenix Chandler is not only the largest legacy brand full service Marriott in the state (128,000 square feet total), the 264-room property features the greatest amount of hotel conference space in the area at 28,000 feet. Located in the bustling Price Corridor, it is managed by Cincinnati-based Winegardner & Hammons Hotel Group, LLC., an affiliate company of the Pyramid Hotel Group, which is one of the predominant hotel management companies in the United States. With easy access to Loop 101 and Loop 202, we thought it would…
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Explore with Cassie Celebrates 5 Years of Lifestyle and Travel Blogging
Story by Cassie Hepler, photos by D’Nyjah French What began as an idea to keep exploring in the middle of a cold, harsh Philadelphia winter has now blossomed into a 5 year old! I remember it well… that month me and my IT angel spent grinding the idea out with laser sharp focus. By the end of January 2015, we had not one but two websites Explore Philly and Explore New Jersey (this is what happens when you mix a Virgo with a Taurus… extra AF). But since it was such a local East Coast hyper focus, we found that limiting. Of course we frequently traveled outside of the tri-state area…
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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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Relax, Reconnect and Repeat at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort in Arizona
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Once I moved across the country, I soon ended up living near Camelback Mountain in the trendy Arcadia section of Phoenix, Arizona as everyone said I would love it and they were right. I could see the telltale mountain from my farm casita rental. Shortly thereafter, I purchased property nearby. And big surprise, I ended up staying near Camelback and now have views of Papago Park and am kind of nestled in between both. I was also told (in new age land of Sedona of course) that Camelback is an amazing energy vortex mountain and wholeheartedly believe that. So when Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort…
