-
Tips and Tricks for Hassle Free Disabled Travel
You might think that this story doesn’t pertain to you or your family because no one is disabled – yet. Key word is yet! Literally in the blink of an eye, you too can be considered disabled from a car crash, a freak accident or through no fault of your own or just age – and we all will get old if we are lucky enough. For me, I have a large rods and screws from a scoliosis fusion right above my hipbones to my chest and I might need to be fully fused to my hipbones someday. I also learned over the summer that if anything further traumatic happens…
-
Pennsylvania’s Top 10 Fall Foliage Spots to Visit this Fall
Pennsylvania’s Top 10 Fall Foliage Spots We all know the East Coast has some of the best leaf peeping area across the USA. But nothing can relate to Pennsylvania’s breathtaking fall landscapes where the mountains and trees are lined with various autumn colors glowing in the sunshine. From the Pocono Mountains north of Philadelphia to the Laurel Highlands, it’s a must-see for anyone who is obsessed with exploring fall colors across the world. It’s the little things like nature’s beauty in life that make life worth living. Sometimes you have to step out of the rat race and regroup in peaceful serenity. Growing up in Central Pennsylvania and then living…
-
Radisson Lackawanna Train Station Hotel in Scranton, Pennsylvania is Hauntingly Majestic
Story, videos by Cassie Hepler After I booked a flight to Central Pennsylvania to visit my family, a long-lost Philly friend and photographer reached out randomly to say hello. We decided to meet up on one of the hottest, record-breaking days in June over 100 degrees with humidity which is pure, sweaty Betty hell outside. The best bet place to meet halfway was Scranton, Pennsylvania and I asked him to find somewhere good to go and that he did! I was not expecting such an amazing, dreamy location existed but here we are – and it’s haunted to boot. And yes, Scranton is the inspiration city where The Office was…
-
Explore the World’s First Mountain Climbing Cog Railway in White Mountains, New Hampshire
Story, photos, video by Cassie Hepler All aboard the Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire! We didn’t see a whole lot of views at the top due to fog and mist but did enjoy this unique experience of being on top of the world with wind speeds at the low end of 15 mph (usually 50 to 70 mph). Located on the western side of the mountain, the biodiesel-powered trains climb up to 6288 feet in about 45 minutes going 5 miles per hour. The round trip to the summit and back is just under 3 hours with a layover stop at the top to take photos (or in our case,…
-
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…
-
Century Grand Phoenix Transports Guests into Locomotive Luxury Era
Story, photos by Cassie Hepler Step right up folks and teleport back to an era of decadence at Century Grand Phoenix! The creative masterminds behind the tiny tiki underground bar Undertow have done it again. Barter & Shake Creative Hospitality keeps pushing the boundaries of the immersive fine dining experience with other worldly, creative cocktail programs. Opening its golden doors in fall of 2019 and located right next to Sip Coffee & Beer with sister bar Undertow downstairs (take a tour with this TripAdvisor video), Century Grand is an experience in itself. With timed dinners (2 hours max) and train car bar (90 minutes max), it is necessary as you would…
-
Cheerio! Exploring London, England a Second Time Around
Story, photos by Jill Beckel London, England… a city known for its gray skies, beautiful architecture, culture, art, rich history, the River Thames, the British monarchy, pubs and tea. I was fortunate enough to have been able to study abroad in my college days for a term my sophomore year of college back in 2006. Since then, I’ve been yearning to go back and explore the city even more. I recently got the chance to make the trip back with my husband this time and it couldn’t have been better. All that I would have wished for was to have been able to stay longer! I knew that I wanted…
