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24 Chatty Kathy Television and comedy star Kathy Griffin earns an A+ On the cover: Photo courtesy of Bravo
features 14 How Green is Our Future? With Massachusetts now part of the MMJ family—and legalization in two states—where do we go from here? 16 A Parent’s Nightmare Jason David did what he had to do to treat his young son’s nearly untreatable form of epilepsy. 18 Droppin‘ Science Wu-Tang’s GZA name-drops Stephen Hawking as someone who matters.
departments 8 Letter from the Editor I can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store. 10 News Nuggets Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere—and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers 20 Destination Unknown Exotic locales and colorful (literally) adventures can be had in Northwest India. 22 Profiles in Courage Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical marijuana patient near you. 30 Strain & Edible Reviews Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains and edibles currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary. 46 Cool Stuff From the Vapenwizer Domeless Titanium Nail to CoolJarz Flipz storage containers, if it’s a cuttingedge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it. 48 Shooting Gallery Here are the green-friendly things we saw you doing around town. 50 Recipes Get out your best china, it’s time to serve something extra special for the holidays. 54 Entertainment Reviews The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture.
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56 Event Listings Our wrap-up of some of NorCal’s best end-of-the-world shakedowns.
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DECEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 7
letter from the editor
Vol 4 IssUE 6
Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Roberto C. Hernandez
Managing Editor Lynn Lieu
Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Omar Aziz, Sarah Bennett, Jacob Browne, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Stacy Davies, Rev. Dr. Kymron de Cesare, Alex Distefano, David Downs, James P. Gray, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Meital Manzuri, Jane Mast, Sandra Moriarty, Damian Nassiri, Keller O’Malley, Paul Rogers, Jeff Schwartz, Lanny Swerdlow, Arrissia Owen
Photographers
Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Amanda Holguin, Khai Le, David Elliot Lewis, Mark Malijan Patrick Roddie, Michael Seto, Kim Sidwell
Interns
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Art Director
Steven Myrdahl
The Future’s So Bright
Graphic Designers
Vidal Diaz, Tommy LaFleur
Director of Sales & Marketing Jim Saunders
Regional Manager
I had the pleasure of attending the National Marijuana Business Conference last month. I came away very inspired and very optimistic. Inspired because I had the opportunity— no, the privilege—to speak to some of the medical cannabis industry’s luminaries. You might call them movers and shakers, but I simply call them part of the family. I was inspired because I had a chance to (literally) shake the hands and see the faces of our community’s most talented professionals. I chatted with doctors whose knowledge of medical cannabis and its vast implications for health was truly impressive. I spoke with edibles manufacturers who were already prepared to meet tough FDA standards and advocating for best-business practices. I talked to chemists and scientists about the new frontiers in cannabidiol (CBD) research. I listened to consultants eager to share their views on the future of Massachusetts—our newest MMJ state—and Colorado and Washington, where voters approved state-level legalization. I heard from lawyers talking about Arizona and what people were doing there to ready
this state’s baby steps into full-fledged compassionate mode. I grew optimistic as I realized that I was facing a bright future for our community and our needs and issues. For many of us, this past election was exciting in some respects, frustrating in others. Had Mitt Romney captured the White House, we would have had four years of a President who swore he would fight medical cannabis “tooth and nail.” At least Obama paid it lip service to the idea of letting MMJ states handle their own business. The lesser of two evils, I guess. With our compassionate family growing and with the good people of Colorado and Washington shifting the prohibition paradigm, we’re changing hearts and minds, folks. Just as they did in the now-18 states that allow the medicinal use of cannabis, the voters of this country made change happen. Massachusetts, glad to have you on board! Colorado and Washington, thanks for advancing marijuana rights. Prohibition, you’re on your way out. I can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store. c
Gene Gorelik
Office Manager Iris Norsworthy
Office Assistant Chelsea Hults
Online Marketing Jackie Moe
Account Executives
Joe Amador, Jon Bookatz, John Parker, Dave Ruiz, Kim Slocum, April Tygart, Nick Villejo
IT Manager
Serg Muratov
Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
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THE STATE Jerry Brown tells feds to respect states’ rights, legalization
Gov. Jerry Brown called upon the federal government to change its cannabis policy. In response to voters in Colorado and Washington approving state-level legalization, Brown, during CNN’s State of the Union said, “I believe the President and the Justice Department ought to respect the will of these sovereign states . . . It shouldn’t try to nullify a reasonable state regulation. The measures that have gotten so far have gotten there after vigorous debate . . . So, we are capable of selfgovernment.” This comes as one of the governor’s strongest statements since the federal government’s crackdown on medical cannabis providers escalated last year. “We don’t need some federal gendarme to come and tell us what to do,” Brown added. “I believe in comity toward the states, that is, a decent respect ought to govern the policy, and that means: change the policy now. There’s a logic to states’ rights.”
model dispensary—plans on re-opening this month in a new space. Via email, the statelicensed dispensary announced, “Safe access to quality medical cannabis is back . . . BPG will be re-opening its doors in December,” according to the Bay Area Express. Back in May, BPG left its last storefront following a forfeiture threat by U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag as part of a year-long crackdown. The dispensary opted for a delivery-only mode for a while, and has been refurbishing its new location since August. According to the Bay Area Express, BPG’s new location is 2366 San Pablo Ave. in Berkeley.
Nov. 5, with Councilman Michal Lappert dissenting. One dispensary, Marin Holistic Solutions on, will remain in operation until its lease expires in 2014.
THE NATION
Marin County town enacts Colorado and Washington ban on medical cannabis usher in state-level dispensaries legalization Last month, officials in Corte Madera approved a townwide ban on medical cannabis dispensaries, the Marin Independent Journal reports. The town had consecutive moratoriums—which are temporary bans—in place for the last two years. “I think everyone agreed that the most prudent thing for us to do at this point was to go ahead with the ban, and if the laws or public sentiment or the council’s sentiment changes we can revisit it,” said Corte Madera Mayor Bob Ravasio told the Marin Independent. The Town Council voted 4-1 on the ban on
With the passage of Amendment 64, possession of cannabis for non-medical purposes in Colorado is legal, officially starting Dec. 6. The new law will allow adults 21 years or older to possess up to an ounce—or six plants. The sale and taxation of cannabis will be regulated by the state, and starting Jan. 1, 2014, four different types of licenses will be made available to applicants: wholesale cultivation, retail sale, edibles manufacturing and testing facilities. Amendment 64 will give local governments the option of banning such
cannabis-related businesses. A similar legalization measure also passed in Washington. Some observers have speculated whether Amendment 64 could usher in cannabis tourism. Immediately after Election Day, the headline in the Aspen Times asked, “Aspendam?”
Massachusetts becomes the 18th state to go compassionate
Welcome, Massachusetts! The Bay State last month became the 18th state in the country to pass a medical cannabis law. Massachusetts’ law passed with 63 percent of the electorate in favor of Question 3, and 37 percent against it, according to The Boston Globe. The new law will allow up to 35 dispensaries across the state. Starting next year, patients with serious medical conditions and an approval from a physician will be authorized to purchase medicinal cannabis from state-
Berkeley Patients group plans re-opening this month Berkeley Patients Group— often cited as a by-the-book, 10 CULTURE • DECEMBER 2012
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sanctioned centers. Patients with HIV, multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C or other conditions can obtain a card from the state permitting them to purchase the plant and will be allowed to possess a 60-day supply. They also may appoint a caregiver to obtain cannabis on their behalf.
Mexicans would oppose the move—it is significant to note the rising number of Latin American political leaders who have proposed legalizing cannabis and adopting a common-sense approach to drug policy. “The prohibitionist paradigm is a complete failure,” said Mexican lawmaker Fernando Belaunzaran, the author of the proposed legalization bill.
Ozomatli in concert
THE WORLD Mexico lawmaker proposes legalized cannabis
Mexico, long seen by wrongheaded drug warriors as the root of all evil when it comes to narcotics trafficking, might have a few more progressive minds than its neighbor to the north. A leftist lawmaker recently introduced a bill that would legalize the production, sale and use of cannabis, according to Reuters. While it’s unlikely that the bill would pass—polls show that two-thirds of
by the numbers
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Percentage of voters who cast their ballots in favor of Massachusetts’ medical marijuana law: 63 (Source: Reuters)
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Percentage of voters who cast their ballots against Massachusetts’ medical marijuana law: 37 (Source: Reuters)
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The percentage of the vote that MMJ ally Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) succeeded in getting: 83 percent (Source: East Bay Express).
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The percentage of votes in support of Measure C—which would have set up dispensary regulations in Palo Alto: 38 (Source: East Bay Express)
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The maximum number of days the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has to issue dispensary regulations, registration cards for patients, etc., starting Jan. 1, 2013: 120 (Source: golocalworcester.com)
The percentage of votes against Measure C: 62 (Source: East Bay Express)
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The fee associated with a dispensary permit had Measure C passed: $10,000 (Source: Peninsula Press)
The number of nanograms of THC per milliliter that constitute driving under the influence of drugs in Ohio and Nevada: 2 (Source: Detroit Free Press)
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The number of nanograms of THC per milliliter that constitute driving under the influence of drugs in Washington, as dictated by Initiative 502: 5 (Source: Detroit Free Press)
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The percentage of votes for Rep. Pete Stark (D-Fremont)— an MMJ ally who was bested by Rep. Lee: 46.9 (Source: California Secretary of State)
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The approximate population of Israel: 8 million (Source: The Associated Press)
The approximate number of registered medical marijuana patients in Israel: 10,000 (Source: The Associated Press).
The amount of money (in millions) that a controversial excess electricityuse tax—aimed at large-scale indoor growers—in the Humbolt County town of Arcata could generate: 1.2 (Source: TimesStandard)
Musicians change the world through their music, and with over five fulllength studio albums and virtually nonstop touring, Ozomatli has this covered. However, the band’s involvement in global change only starts with music—and where it ends is to be determined. When Ozomatli first appeared within the multicultural community of Los Angeles, its dedicated involvement to labor protests, activist events and local fundraisers helped Ozo gain respect as hometown heroes (and made “Cumbia de Los Muertos” one of the group’s late ’90s bootyshakin‘ hits). Since then, the band members have been named as U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors, bringing interactive musical demonstrations paired with humanitarian outreach to multiple countries. The group’s concert in Nepal was that country’s first peaceful mass gathering, drawing over 14,000 people. Ozo’s songs are a reflection of its cultural depth, with a diverse collision of influences including hip-hop, salsa, dancehall, samba, funk and more. Liberally influenced by musical traditions across the globe, Ozomatli can truly claim to be a citizen of the world. (Jamie Solis)
IF YOU GO
What: Ozomatli in concert. When/Where: Dec. 7-8 at The Fillmore, 1805 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. Info: Go to www.thefillmore.com or call (415) 346-6000. DECEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 13
FLASH
A Greener
Tomorrow Update: The Marijuana Policy Project dissects the next step for MMJ and legalization victories in 2014 and beyond {By Jasen T. Davis}
Last month, Colorado and Washington made history when voters showed their support for this country’s first two examples of state-level legalization of cannabis for adults 21 and over. More than 50 percent of each state’s populations went to the polls to cast their ballot in support of a common-sense approach to the plant. However, as much as Amendment 64 and Initiative 502 stand poised to reshape the way our country’s leaders shape cannabis policy, the plant remains illegal at the federal level. What does this all mean for the future of the cannabis legalization? Rob Kampia, executive director and co-founder of the Washington D.C.based, Marijuana Policy Project, spoke with CULTURE about these recent positive developments and what we can look forward to in the coming years. So, how were Washington and Colorado able to pass legalization measures? Kampia believes the laws got changed because the alternatives had failed. “The voters felt that cannabis prohibition has not worked,” he says. Advocates of cannabis legalization did their best to show voters there were other cheaper and safer options. “Our Washington campaign
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The Ultimate
Bill
was called ‘A New Approach,’” Kampia adds. Other states could soon end up following in Colorado and Washington’s legalization footsteps, he says. Plus, with Massachusetts being the latest state to approve medical cannabis laws, the compassionate family is expected to grow. “The MPP and other organizations are going to try to pass similar medical marijuana initiatives in Idaho in 2014,” Kampia says. “California is also at the top of the [legalization] list in 2016 along with Oregon, Maine and Massachusetts.” Will these initiatives succeed? It’s a matter of financing, he says. “It really depends on how much money the four campaigns have to throw around,” Kampia explains. Two other bills rolling around Congress could also change the way the laws treat cannabis. One bill, the States’ Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act (HR 1983) is simple. “That law would allow states to determine their own medical marijuana policies without federal interference,” Kampia says. At that point, the DEA and the FBI would be kicked out of the process to let growers, dispensary operators and distributors operate in peace.
Though it would be rendered moot if HR 1983 passes, another proposed bill, States’ Medical Marijuana Property Right Protection Act (HR 6335), would prevent the DEA and Department of Justice from seizing property when they raid medical cannabis dispensaries and facilities. “HR 1983 sounds promising, but it’s going to be a while,” Kampia says. “There’s a lot of support for it in the House, but it hasn’t been heard in a committee so there has been no vote for it.” To Kampia, the real problem is that elected officials have always been slow to adapt to the changing needs and beliefs of the people they govern (just check out Obama’s “evolving” stance on same-sex marriage). “Politicians are always behind when it comes to social issues,” he says. “They also tend to be more conservative, because they are older and nervous about casting votes for controversial bills in public.” Until HR 2306 becomes law, the real key is to get more congressional support by legalizing cannabis (medical or adult-use) in more states. “It’s only a matter of time.” c
While some would argue there’s no silver bullet to ending cannabis prohibition with one decisive blow . . . there is one bill that seeks to do just that. It’s called the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act (HR 2306), but it’s not up for vote until 2016. Is that a reason to hope? Marijuana Policy Project executive director and co-founder Matt Kampia says that the outlook should be positive. “HR 2306 would just treat cannabis like alcohol throughout the country,” he explains. “It’s the ultimate bill . . . If that bill passes, states would just decriminalize everything and our work would be essentially over.”
www.mpp.org
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BUZZ
“Seeing your son in an ambulance— it just kills you.” —Jason David
Medical CANNABIS is more thAn just “alternative medicine” for an epilepsy sufferer and his dad in Modesto {By David Downs | Photos by David Elliot Lewis}
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“Please, please I need a lot of strong prayers for Jayden. He is having really bad withdrawals from the Depakote the last three days and today is the worst . . . I hate doing this alone it gets so overwhelming I’m really wearing out.” The Facebook page called Jason and Jayden’s Journey shows a cute boy with a smile on his face nuzzling his big dad at Sea World, but the updates are heartwrenching. The author is Jason David—a 35-year-old, single father in Modesto, living a parent’s nightmare. His 6-year-old son, Jayden, has a rare form of nearly untreatable epilepsy. When conventional drugs pushed Jayden to the brink of death, doctors pointed David toward medical cannabis, where he found something of a cure and became a global cause célèbre. But Jason and Jayden’s Journey also reveals a brutal reality: All around the globe, a proven, ancient treatment for epilepsy and other intractable illnesses is being denied to patients who need it; most brutally among them, kids. Numerous studies show some ingredients in cannabis are “highly anti-convulsant,” non-toxic and won’t get you stoned, yet the U.S. government classifies them as dangerous narcotics with no medical use. Though 18 states permit the use of medical cannabis, federal law does not, and the feds are waging a multi-front war on pot that punishes the most vulnerable. “We act like there’s freedom in America. It’s fake,” David states. “You know what, in California, we voted for medical marijuana. Now it’s getting taken away from us.”
OUT OF OPTIONS
The arc of Jason and Jayden’s Journey is a positive one, partly because of how bad things started out. David and his then-wife had Jayden in 2006. At 4-and-ahalf months old, Jayden had his
first grand mal seizure—horrifying, life-threatening spasms that only increased in ferocity. At 1-and-a-half years old, doctors diagnosed, the cute, blueeyed kid with Dravet Syndrome, a rare, catastrophic form of epilepsy. About 1 percent of Earth’s population has epilepsy—characterized by overactive electrical activity in the brain. There’s no known cure. Jayden’s druggings started. Topamax. Depakote. Phenobarbital. Stiripentol. Powerful anti-psychotics and sedatives were called upon to calm the infant, but the drugs came with their own side effects. The toddler became doped up, lethargic, developmentally stalled and terrified. By age 4-and-a-half, Jayden was up to 22 pills per day, and had
racked up 45 ambulance visits in the previous 12 months. The kid was dying. David’s marriage fell apart, and he became suicidal. “Seeing your son in an ambulance—it just kills you,” David said. A Christian looking for a sign from God, he noted a TV item about a teenager expelled from high school for using pot to treat her epilepsy. He started researching online, learning about the plant’s rich medical history and consulted his doctors at UCSF who told him, “If
I were you, I’d try anything.” On June 4, 2011, Jayden received a few droppers full of tincture of medical cannabis extract from Harborside Health Center in Oakland, and had his first seizurefree day since he was an infant. In the following 18 months, Jayden hasn’t been in an ambulance once.
CBD
Records of topical ointments of cannabis used to treat epilepsy date back to biblical days, writes
historian Chris Bennett in The Pot Book. Ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions also buttress cannabis’ case against epilepsy. In modern times, evidence also abounds. Pot’s main active ingredient delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, is “overwhelmingly anticonvulsant” in animals, researchers have found. Pot’s second most common active molecule, cannabidiol, or CBD, was shown to calm epilepsy in a small human trial in the ’70s. While the feds classify CBD as a Schedule I narcotic and block human trials, they also patented CBD in 2003 as a “neuroprotectant” during strokes, noting
that high doses of CBD pose no risk of toxicity. Other non-toxic molecules in pot have also been found to be anti-convulsant including: CBN, the terpene linalool, THCV and CBDV. In 2010, GW Pharmaceuticals found that CBDV “strongly suppressed seizures” without the side effects of conventional drugs, and hopes to conduct human trials in 2013.
SAFE ACCESS
In the 18 months since Jayden started receiving a tincture of THC and CBD in a ratio of 1:19, his life has turned around. David has to obtain his own supplies of CBD-rich cannabis from growers, deliver it to a tincture manufacturer in the East Bay and get it tested at a cannabis lab before giving it to his son. The droplets don’t get him high. They control his seizures, allowing David to wean his son off the mind-altering anti-psychotic prescriptions. Jayden is down from 22 pills per day to two. The withdrawal from Depakote has been the worst, Jason says. After each pharmaceutical withdrawal, Jayden grows stronger and more present. In the last year, educators have tripled his speech therapy classes. He’s out of a wheelchair and playing on the playground. All the while, the year-long federal crackdown in California—and other compassionate states—continues. Dispensaries are closing. Growers are getting busted. David’s self-made supply chain is fraught with uncertainty, but he remains optimistic. For once, the holidays are filled with possibilities, like a Yo Gabba Gabba concert in Oakland. And very soon, Jayden’s first sentences. “I just want to hear him say, ‘I love you, Dad.’ I’m ready for that.” c www.facebook.com/ jasonandjaydensjourney
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TUNES
Ties That Bind
Space
Baller
Photo by Kai Reagan/ALLDAYEVERYDAY
Solo tours aside, GZA says the bond between him and the rest of Wu-Tang’s members is unbreakable. He brushes off the subject of infighting. “We’re family,” he says. “There’s no separation. Of course every group is going to have problems. And there’s been stuff in the air. There’s been stuff online. It happens, man. Sometimes you just gotta go through it and deal with it.”
Wu-Tang lyrical swordsman GZA prepares a “galactic adventure” {By Liquid Todd} With a spacy new album set to drop early next year, Wu-Tang Clan founding member GZA is looking towards the future, but on his current tour The Genius is performing songs that came out when most of the people in the club were still learning to crawl. “I’ve been doing the Liquid Swords, mostly,” he explains. “Promoters are hiring me to do that album. The interesting thing about it is the album is 17 years old, and a lot of the times most of the audience is 17 years old. And knowing every word.” When it was released in late 1995, GZA’s second solo album shot
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up the Billboard Hot 100 chart— peaking at No. 9—and was certified gold a few months later. Universal recently reissued a two-CD box set version of Liquid Swords, complete with a mini chess set and an instrumental version of the album. “One of the good things about performing the Liquid Swords album I have every single (Wu-Tang) Clan member on that album, but when I perform it they’re not really missed even if they’re not there because off that album I have nine solos.” As his fans are well aware, besides the occasional Wu-Tang member GZA shuns guest appearances on his solo albums, and his forthcoming release, Dark Matter, is no exception. “I’m used to that,” he says. “Knocking out albums. I come from that era. Nowadays artists have so many guest features that it doesn’t really even seem like it’s their album.” According to GZA, Dark Matter isn’t designed to be performed in clubs—but is instead more of a “listening album.” “It’s a cosmic journey through the universe,” he says. “A galactic adventure. A real interesting story.” But GZA explains that his new album is inspired more by Stephen Hawking than Luke Skywalker.
“I’m not really into science fiction, but I’m into science. I’ve always been fascinated with science. Since I was young,” he says. “On this album I’m not studying it. I’m not coming at you like I’m an astrophysicist. It’s just like me telling cold world stories. It’s just very descriptive.” As you’d expect from an artist often called the “spiritual head” of the Wu-Tang Clan, GZA has an enlightened view on medical marijuana. “Keep hope alive. That’s what’s up. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with marijuana. Even if you smoke too much all it does is make you lazy and laid-back. From what I hear it helps people—as far as medical purposes,” he says. Although he’s currently on sabbatical from the herb (“Every now and then I take breaks.”) he is clearly a man who enjoys the medicine. And when the subject of edibles comes up GZA gets animated. “Man they got brownies and lemonades and teas and velvet cakes! All kinds of stuff,” he says. “And when it kicks in . . . it kicks in. You won’t know it until you’re putting the remote control in the refrigerator. It may not even be anything that extreme. You may just be using the remote from the TV to turn on the radio.” c
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destination unknown
Story and photos by Dennis Argenzia and grace Cayosa
Color and Chaos Rejoice in the pigment-themed cities of Rajasthan and its exotic stimulants Director: I need an exotic location—think forts, temples, palaces with hidden women, the occasional painted elephant, etc.— that’s popular in visually stimulating films with mixed reviews. Location Scout: Yep, got it: Northwest India. When India isn’t stripping down to Eastern European glory in Goa, ripping hamstrings in yoga-saturated Mysore or shaking its thing in Bollywood, it’s starring in foreign films. Outside of the mega-soundstage called Mumbai, the most popular locations are in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, where wistfully romantic filmmakers can choose a colorful and chaotic backdrop from one of the state’s pigment-themed cities: the Pink City (Jaipur), the Blue City (Jodhpur) and the White City (Udaipur). Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan and the largest city in the entire state. Nicknamed the “Pink City” for its salmoncolored walls, Jaipur is famous for its textile and gem bazaars. More intriguing to location scouts are Jaipur’s various architectural sights: two palaces (Jal Mahal, anchored in the middle of Man Sagar lake, and City Palace, near city center); one palace attachment (the Hawa Mahal, a five-story screened structure where the lovely-butsequestered royal ladies could view “regular” city life without catcalls); three fortresses (of which the Amber/Amer fort, with its painted pachyderm transports, is hands-down the most impressive); temples (including a cheeky Monkey Temple); and the Jantar Mantar observatory (a UNESCO World Heritage site). The entire city has been featured in films, most recently in John Madden’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel where a group of mature British folks attempt to make
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the best out of a situation clearly born from the “health and medical tourism” movement. Much less recently, but more breathtaking, were the scenes in Tarsem Singh’s The Fall, especially one where a distraught wife takes a perfect 10 leap off one of the Jantar Mantar’s giant sundial observation decks. Also featured in The Fall was the second, decidedly more recognizable city of Jodhpur, or the “Blue City,” a name derived from the bright blue paint on many of its structures. In addition to a bustling handicrafts market and restaurants selling the local dessert makhaniya lassi (a delectably creamy lemon lassi that requires a spoon and self-control), Jodhpur is home to the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort, the largest fortress in the state and the most deserving of the word “awesome” without the Valley Girl accent. So impressive is Mehrangarh that it was featured in Christopher Nolan’s Batman: The Dark Knight Rises as a warning:
if you dare to piss off a man who wears a metal tarantula on his face, you will end up HERE. This massive hilltop fort literally towers over the city. It houses several [party] halls—the Moti (Pearl), Sheesha (Mirror) and Phool (Flower) Mahals—plus a hide-your-women zone (the Zenana Deodi, guarded by trusty eunuchs), a museum and opium paraphernalia displays with staff members smoking, yes, real opium. Here would be a good place to mention that, in addition to opium, green is also available all over Rajasthan. Technically, the leaves of the marijuana plant are legal in the state of Rajasthan; there are even licensed shops that sell bhang lassi, the medicated form of India’s yogurtbased drink. Discretion is still advised, as the potent flowers are illegal. Also, just like in the rest of India, locals don’t usually smoke marijuana straight: it is normally mixed with tobacco. Lastly, hookah (water pipe) shops are aplenty in this region, but travelers debate the merits of mixing marijuana with shisha. We end our cinema color tour in Udaipur, the “White City” or more aptly, the “City of Lakes.” As indicated in the name, Udaipur sits atop what can only be called giant puddles: outside of monsoon season, Udaipur’s three lakes—Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake and Swaroop Sagar Lake—are muddy beds. Once the rains hit, however, Udaipur is transformed into a waterside city, awash in twinkle lights, white paint and romance, giving it its third moniker, “Venice of the East.” It is in Udaipur that James Bond (Roger, not Sean) was held captive in the hilltop Monsoon Palace, and it is where, inside the heritage Lake Palace Hotel on Lake Pichola, Bond meets the woman for whom the film is named, and whose name can now be seen on every one of the city’s “special movie night” posters: Octopussy. c
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profiles in courage Patient:
Stephanie Annis
AGE: 34
Condition/ Illness: Crohn’s Disease
Using medical cannabis since: 2008
Photo by Lance Farrell
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Are you an MMJ patient from NorCal with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.
WHY DID YOU START USING MEDICAL cannabis? In November 2008, I returned home from a 45-day stay in the hospital, weighing only 98 pounds. With the first joint, I started to eat again; I had struggled to eat while in the hospital, without medicine to help. DID YOU TRY OTHER METHODS OR TREATMENTS BEFORE cannabis? Yes, I was fed through an IV at one point and at another point was prescribed Marinol [a synthetic marijuana compound]. The IV feeding caused me to gain too much weight and had side effects. The Marinol had the side effect of making me feel as if I had a pit in the bottom of my stomach, and I would actually overeat which created a different type of problem. Marinol was far too strong for me in its lowest dose. Neither of these medical options worked as well as medicalgrade cannabis. WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OR PROBLEM FACING MEDICAL cannabis PATIENTS? Finding medicine which is safe and pure and finding a caregiver who knows how to truly produce quality medicine . . . Quality medicine which is free from these harmful substances can only be found in dispensaries which test medicine. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT cannabis AS MEDICINE? Until I [saw] it myself in my own life, I, too, was a skeptic . . . Seeing [cannabis] work in my life changed [my mother’s] lifelong held beliefs. c
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Kathy Griffin has been taking her clothes off lately. A lot. On Late Night with David Letterman. On the cover of her new video. On New Year’s Eve in Times Square with Anderson Cooper— then she texted him naked photos of herself from his summer home while he was hosting the news on CNN. A “D-lister” no more, the 51-year-old comedian has a prodigious work ethic. She cranked out four cable specials last year, performs her stand-up show around 100 times a year, hosts her own daytime television talk show—called Kathy, of course—and now it looks like she’s got a club hit on her hands as the remixes of the Kathy theme song (which she sings herself, naturally) are moving up the Billboard dance chart. Fast. She’s performing around the country between now and February 2013, but she doesn’t need me to tell you about it because Griffin can promote herself just fine, thank you very much. She’s become a role model for aspiring comedians of the female persuasion by almost single-handedly convincing America that, yes, chicks can be funny too. And when you talk to her you get the feeling that after all she’s done, this redhead is just getting started. So who’s pissing you off right now? Well you know I never met a Kardashian that I don’t like as a comedian. I’m worried that we kind of demean ourselves by even mentioning them. Shouldn’t we be ignoring them? Maybe they’ll go away. I’m sorry but they’re multiplying! I’m looking at basically an old-fashioned metronome or some sort of sands of time to see how long it’s gonna be until Kim gets pregnant. But I’m assuming she’ll at least have one pregnancy by the time I’m at Pechanga and one on the way. I mean if Snooki can be wheeled out of the hospital with her little meatball then Kim can’t be far behind. Your current status with The View is difficult to nail down. So tell me: are you banned or unbanned at the moment? Banned . . . I would say I’ve been banned and unbanned about a half a dozen times. Now are you really banned or do you just like to say that to kick up a little controversy?
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No, you can call them tomorrow and ask them if they’d like to have me as a guest. You really became a household name—in a stroke of delicious irony—when your Bravo comedy special The D-list became a huge hit. So I suppose you really can’t say claim to be a D-lister anymore, can you? No, I have a talk show. I have Emmys. I have Grammy nominations. You have a lot of Emmys. I have a dance hit! I was going to ask you about that next. This is where it gets fun. So—never to be bored—I thought, “What can I do between Season 1 and Season 2 of the Kathy show?” Because taking some time off would be unthinkable for you, right? Because I like to build a bridge and I don’t like to not work for even one second. So one: I sing the theme to my talk show—which is really corny. And two: I’ve got Emilio Estefan and the Cuban mafia behind it to do a dance mix. And then their daughter Emily did another dance mix. And I now have a dance mix hit called “I Say It.”
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Didn’t you have four comedy specials on the TV this year? Last year I did four in one year which has never been done. Do you worry about maybe being a little greedy with the four comedy specials in one year? Can’t you leave some for the other comics? No, I think it’s because I’m a female comic. I have to jump higher and work harder. I still think it’s pretty damn impressive what you’ve done. You’ve changed a lot of minds about the viability of women in stand-up comedy. When you have a landscape that is so saturated with everything from social media to a million cable channels, you can get comedy or drama from so many different sources. I find what I do is the one thing you really can’t change [and that’s] who you are. My comedy comes from my own embarrassing life first, and then my own take on celebrities and I make it very personal. I don’t just talk about
Speaking of politics. Is it just me or the Republican Party just getting more and more regressive, retarded and plain ol‘ batshit crazy? We are pretty much rolling back the clock. I think that’s been happening . . . a little bit with Regan but definitely with Dubya, even more than his father. And now people are refighting the separation of church and state and they’re trying to rewrite the constitution and teach creationism and all this stuff which is completely antithetical to what I grew up with. My mom and dad worked hard to send me to a school where education was paramount. I tease the nuns because they tried to make me a Catholic but it didn’t stick, but certainly not for one minute . . . did those nuns try to teach me about creationism. They never tried to convince you that Darwinism is just a “theory,” and Jesus was riding dinosaurs 5,000 years ago when the Earth had just been created. No! I would have gotten in trouble
It’s just a little hypocritical that people can go and get as drunk as they want. —on those who criticize cannabis use
Well there’s a whole lot of people in jail right now—casualties of our expensive, never ending Drug War, I guess I’d call them. Roughly half of our ridiculously high per-capita prison population is there because of drugrelated offenses. So people getting arrested for smoking a plant or for just possessing a baggie of dried leaves seems to be a pretty big problem to me. I’m much more interested in
Flying the Multicolored Flag
Besides her notoriety in entertainment circles, Kathy Griffin is also a bona fide LGBT activist who often uses her television soapbox to stump for gay rights, such as same-sex marriage. Two years ago, she helped organize a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” rally in Washington, D.C., and has supported the nonprofit Aid for AIDS (AFA) annual fundraiser. She won a Vanguard Award during the GLAAD Media Awards in 2009. But considering Griffin’s candid, usually brazen style, it should be no surprise that the comedienne described her advocacy in this way, in an interview with the Washington, D.C.-based Metro Weekly: “I’m building bridges between hot guys, the LGBT community and women everywhere. And isn’t that what’s important?”
random celebrities. I talk about celebrities I have had a personal run-in with. I find that people really like having that mask ripped off. I think it’s great. And it’s proved to be very entertaining. Doing live standup is my favorite thing ever. I really love it. I’m on the road pretty much every weekend. There’s nothing like live entertainment. It is completely no-holds-barred. It is the last bastion of a censorship-free comedic environment. In the live shows I really can and do say things that I can’t even do in my specials. 26 CULTURE • DECEMBER 2012
for that because it’s factually incorrect! Let me ask you about medical marijuana. I don’t even know if it should be just medical. I guess there are issues about it—you don’t want to do it around kids, and I’m not sure I want to be driving behind someone who’s really high. It’s just a little hypocritical that people can go and get as drunk as they want . . . And it’s typical of the conservatives [who] would want to distract you with that conversation.
the lady umpire from the U.S. Open who allegedly killed her husband with a coffee cup. That’s a story I can wrap an act around. Do you partake of the medicine yourself? The last thing I need is something to help me loosen up. Good point. What would happen to you if you did smoke some herb? Spontaneous combustion? What goes on? That’s the thing . . . you know, I’ve never had a drink in my life.
I’ve heard this, yes. Everyone I know who drinks or smokes pot—they do it to loosen up in some way or relax or feel more confident or whatever . . . “Liquid courage,” I think they call it. I’m actually trying to get less courage. Liquid or solid. I’m a little too heavy on the courage side of the scale. What do you do to relax? How do you chill out? What do you do in your spare time—if you ever actually allow yourself some spare time? I actually work out a lot. I hang out with my friends a lot. Shoot the breeze. I love a dinner party. I love smart conversation. And then I love really ridiculous television beyond control. I mean I can watch TV 12 hours a day, no problem. What are your favorites right now? Everything from The Newsroom and Political Animals to Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, and everything in-between. I watch all the news cycles and then I’ll watch everything from 24/7 Mayweather [vs. Cotto] to every single one of the Housewives franchises to Bridezillas to Boardwalk Empire. How much time do you spend on the show? Is it a full-time job when it’s on? Well the whole thing is full-time. It’s either the Kathy show or it’s prepping for one of the specials or it’s going on the road or its doing something crazy like a dance mix of the theme song from Kathy. Do you spend time working on ideas that never happen? Not with me. I’m not really in movies so I’m not somebody who auditions for movies or TV shows. It’s my own show or nothing! So you’re not spending a lot of time pitching ideas to studios and stuff like that? No. They come to me! That’s what I’d call an “A-List” attitude, Ms. Griffin! [Laughs] Thanks, Todd! c kathygriffin.net V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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strain & edible reviews
Crème de De Canna Gourmet Ice Cream Ice cream fiends, beware: Crème De Canna expertly unites cannabinoids and gourmet ice cream with these half-pint, super-strong edibles, available at Revolution Health Center in San Jose. Reassuringly sealed inside a professional-looking white paper tub with a detailed list of ingredients, gourmet goodness clearly awaits. Inside the TRIPle Chocolate, creamy chocolate ice cream encases fudgy brownie bits. The Straw-Mari is a delicious mix of strawberry, vanilla ice cream and Grand Marnier liqueur extract. The Banannabis Foster has delightful hints of cinnamon, rum and banana liqueur. This stuff tastes as smooth as Ben and Jerry’s, with only a hint at all the cannabinoids crammed in there. All elements of this medicated ice cream are medicated, though, including the chocolate bits. Patients report consuming an entire half-pint snuffs out even the most intractable case of insomnia. But it’s also perfect for a couple to split.
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Buddy’s Cherry Pie Leave room this holiday season for some real-deal Cherry Pie— Buddy’s Cherry Pie to be specific. This top-shelf, indica-dominant strain—available at Buddy’s Cannabis Patient Collective in San Jose—mixes OG Kush and Grand Daddy Purple to phenomenal effect. Both are leading strains known for their nug size, thickness, aroma profiles and potency, and this combination does not disappoint. These buds are big, dense, dark, spiky and full of orange hairs and a touch of purple. Copious amounts of pungent, sweet grape and sour pine terpenes waft from the jar. Expertly cured and trimmed, Cherry Pie grinds sweet, minty and loamy, with the perfect moisture content—neither too moist, nor all dried out. This strain smokes light and clean and burns to white ash, which indicates good flushing. Patients report this potent indica-dominant hybrid treats a huge array of problems from chronic pain to spasticity, depression and/or anxiety.
King Louis Hail to the kind king, baby. San Jose’s Capitol Collective plays exclusive host to this top-shelf, indica-dominant mix of OG Kush and L.A. Confidential. OG Kush is, of course, a stoney, lemony hybrid, while L.A. Confidential is reportedly a full, 100-percent indica that combines L.A. Affie and Afghani. L.A. Con is endemic in Southern California, where harried patients in the L.A. basin need something akin to a psychic sledgehammer for relief. Capitol Collective’s stash of King Louis is appropriately huge, maximally dense, darkly multicolored and caked with trichomes. The King has that classic OG dankness, plus notes of hash plant, Pine-Sol, lemon, fuel and a candy sweetness akin to candy necklaces. It’s smoke is spicy, peppery, meaty and sweet, delivering a powerful potent, indica-dominant punch that will have you putting on some reggae and spacing out. Crushes pain and insomnia, patients report.
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Neon Jesus We don’t know if California Grower’s Collective of Santa Cruz has ever heard of San Diego rock band Crocodiles, but the collective is name-checking the band with “Neon Jesus,” an equally rocking 80-percent sativa. Neon Jesus reveals himself as long, thin, green colas flocked in trichome-white. Pop the top and you’ll smell the aroma of a tropical fruit bowl. We smell Pineapple Thai, Mango, Blueberry and other notes in this well-cured deity. Under magnification Neon Jesus’ trichomes are plentiful, full and clear. Neon Jesus is The Church crossed with Sour Diesel and God’s Gift, and it’s a religious experience to say the least. Grinding releases more light fruit notes, and Neon Jesus is immediately stoney, causing a decrease in ocular pressure and an immediate head change. Patients report using sativa-dominant hybrids like Neon Jesus to treat depression, anxiety and ADD.
Auntie’s Edibles Medicated Cake Pops Patients can count on Auntie’s Edibles Medicated Cake Pops to deliver critical—and tasty—relief. Auntie’s has somehow baked chocolate cakes onto a stick and coated them with one of three types of icing decorated with candy sprinkles. The soft, yet firm and sweet icing gives way to a thick, fudge-like cake that’s rich, sweet, chocolaty and amazing. Everything is medicated in these Pops, from the frosting to the cake mixture, and they come in two dose levels—60 mg and 150 mg—though both doses are the same physical size. Handmade and hand-dipped in shelf-stable icing, refrigerating the leftovers is recommended. These are very potent so patients who eat 60 mg of cannabis can expect anti-anxiety and sedative effects, coupled with pain and inflammation relief.
Yogi Diesel Let’s face it, one of the more therapeutic aspects of cannabis can be the mere flavor and taste of the herb itself. Lab tests show just the smell of cannabis can lighten moods and calm people. For those flavor-first connoisseurs, there are few things finer than the award-winning Yogi Diesel, an exclusive strain available at Elemental Wellness in San Jose. This is a sativa-dominant phenotype of the worldwide smash hit Diesel, and it took Second Place in the Bay Area High Times Cannabis Cup. Sourced in Los Angeles around 2005, Yogi mixes Diesel parent Chemdawg with an unknown, high-vigor offspring. Yogi is lighter and shaggier like a sativa than many cuts of Chemdawg or OG Kush. The smell is a complex mix of light, minty pine, herbaceous pepper and OG dank. A flavor powerhouse, Yogi Diesel’s sourness and peppery taste further appear in its smoke. Patients report that this potent hybrid provides a mix of energy as well as pain-relief.
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CaliJars South Park Glass Jar
Doob Tubes
These hard plastic tubes are the perfect, water- and odor-proof way to carry pre-rolls, and they double as storage for those halfsmoked joints. $5.99 five-pack doobtubin.com
Get your nugs out of that natty baggy and into this South Park-inspired line of jars—small enough to hold an eighth, large enough to hold an oz. $9.99 www.calijars.com
Holiday Gift Guide!
Containers & Jars For those who always have something in store . . .
Tightvac Vitavac Pocketvac
Vacuum-sealed food container-maker Tightvac offers these opaque, BPA-free airtight cases, which prevent your nugs from oxidizing. $6.50 tightvac.com
Santa Cruz Shredder
With a new tooth design, this computer-designed anodized shredder is built to last and won’t slice or smash your precious herbs. $22 Mini 2-Piece, $79.99 Large 4-Piece www.santacruzshredder.com 34 CULTURE • DECEMBER 2012
CVault Containers
CVault containers are airtight, made of stainless steel and perfect for curing and storage (with space for a humidity control pack from Boveda). $19.95 Small CVault, $205.95 Connoisseur Combo 4 www.thecvault.com
CannaFresh Jimi jar
This company’s Collectors Edition Cheech & Chong Series includes this trippy, Jimi Hendrixinspired 22-oz. jar. $32 cannafresh.com
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Atmos Nuke Dual Cartridge Vaporizer
A small, innocuous vape pen, the Atmos Nuke Dual Cartridge takes herbs, oils and waxes and can switch between double or single cartridge use. $123.49 www.atmosthermo.com
Elite V3 Portable Vaporizer
Capable of delivering more than 400 hits between charges, VaporPenz’ elegant Elite V3 will vaporize everything your heart desires—flowers, concentrates, fluids—to help get you through the holidays. $79.95 www.vaporpenz.com
VaporCone
In need of a perfect stocking stuffer? Try VaporCones’ Discreet—a buttonless vape pen with a ceramic skillet and mouthpiece—or its big brother, the Elite. Each one handles herbs, concentrates or e-liquids. $50 Discreet, $90 Elite themedstick.com
Cloud Vape
Holiday Gift Guide!
Vaporizers For those who like to clear the air . . .
You can refill this travel-friendly little number with your own medicine, and it’ll only take 10 seconds flat to start feeling the vapors. $69.99 cloudvapes.com
Iolite Wispr Vaporizer
An industrial redesign of the standard pocket vape. Load the stylishly colorful box, wait a few seconds for Wispr to heat to 374 degrees and puff. Tres chic. $249 www.iolite.com
Storz & Bickel Volcano
A stone-cold classic, this medical-grade device uses precision-heated air to eliminate the vast majority of nastiness associated with smoking the plant. $539 www.storz-bickel.com 36 CULTURE • DECEMBER 2012
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Sheldon Black SixShooter Bubbler (Black Tree)
Pulse Glass Double to Double Showerhead
This High Times Medical Cannabis Cup first-place winner for Best Glass, Pulse offers this 20-inch tall, 5mm-thick Double to Double stemless with percolator, ice pinch and slide. $550 www.pulseglass.com
Pure Glass Zero XM Swiss
For the chilliest, sickest hit out there, pre-chill the glycerinfilled coil, plop it on top and enjoy the Swiss percolating, water filtration. $669 pureglass420.com/zero-xm
One of the biggest names in boutique scientific glass offers this super diffusion bubbler with a six-branch, black diffusion tree and ultra sleek and smooth hitting. $250 www.sheldonblack.com
Holiday Gift Guide!
Glassware
For those who like to keep things transparent . . .
Snic Mobius Bubbler
Texas-based Snic Barnes ranks among the best heady glass pipe designers in the world thanks to his stunning, steampunkesque electroplating work. Prices vary www.snicbarnes.com
Salt and Snic Custom Heady Bubblers
Heady heavyweights team up on these hyper-ornate, smallish bubblers featuring Snic’s electroplating and Salt’s characteristic biomorphic creature styles. Prices vary www.saltglass.com
Toro Glass Diffusion Bubbler
Toro—a master in the scientific glass domain, with its clean lines and emphasis on functionality— shows off its heady side. MSRP $400 www.everyonedoesit.com 38 CULTURE • DECEMBER 2012
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Odorless Pocket Pouch
The name is weird and the image gives away the contents, but this durable storage unit will provide peace of mind when taking MMJ on the go. $10 crystalparadise.org
Lil Ben Backpack
Cobra Bag
With a tablet media holder and hidden stash pockets, the Lil Ben backpack says this iHippie is all about the benjamins. $60 sprayground.com
While it won’t bite people who snoop through your stuff, the multi-functional Cobra case does sport a hidden compartment for 007-like secrecy. $21 vatra.com
RYOT Piper Case
The Rolls Royce of pipe cases has a plush soft-wall interior, a heat-resistant freshness pocket and secondary magnetic closures so your medication always rides first class. $16 1percent.com
Holiday Gift Guide!
BAGS & STORAGE
For those who believe you can take it with you . . .
Key Ring Hemp Wallet
This slim-profile hemp wallet comes with an external key ring for those who always lose their house keys. $14 hempys.com
Grenade Case
An egg-crate cushion interior and a this-meanswar shell let people know your medicine’s the bomb. $20 vatra.com
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Octopus Pipe
This hand-blown pipe will cost you, but consider this—friends come over, everyone wants to medicate and you get to say, “Release the Kraken.” $1,000 etsy.com/shop/LoudActions
Cyclops Pipe
This Arizona-based company has one of the coolest collections of glass pipes, especially the Cyclops, which is perfect for cannabis masters who want a new pupil. $56 chameleonglass.com
EZ Pipe Black
Featuring a cap for smokeless use, this discreet pipe is a self-contained unit that can hold most Bic-style lighters. $20 afrosmoke.com
Holiday Gift Guide!
Pipes
The Fumo Pipe
For those who like to spark up a conversation . . .
Made in the Mile High State, The Fumo is a pipe and steam roller hybrid with a sleek design and innovative functionality. $75 1percent.com
Dragon Pipe
Exit the dragon, enter the patient. $20 gorillaglass.com
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Bul-It Pipe
Leave it to the Brits to design an 88mm pipe for the Ron Paul-supporting Republican in your life. Approx. $38 to $44 red-eye.co.uk
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Eclipse Vape
It’s the original, it’s efficient and it’s one of the best plug-in-andplay items around. $98.99 www.vapornation.com
Dab Essentials Domeless Titanium Nail
If smoothness, flavor and minimum heat transfer are important to you, put Dab Essentials’ nifty nail (comes with a built-in diffuser) on your “nice” list. $179.97 www.dabessentials.com
Vector Nitro Butane Torch
Holiday Gift Guide! Shade Glass DabSaber
Strong enough for a Jedi . . . but made for that special patient (and Star Wars fan) on your wish list. $50 store.kultureva.com
CONCENTRATE UTENSILS
When you need to crank it up to 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit, let this chromed out little number from Heady Glass heat things up. $64.99 www.headyglass.com
For those who are serious about their meds . . .
Hot Hit Slide
A cunningly designed slide with three small holes instead of the usual central hole—innovative! $60 14.5mm and 18.8mm) www.illadelphglass.com
Skilletools
From the Scoop Dogg to the Flexy, Skilletools’ line of dental-grade stainless steel utensils are made to last all year. $12.99 each www.skilletools.com
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cool stuff Vapenwizer Domeless Titanium Nail Next time you reach for some concentrates, try Vapenwizer’s T Nail (14mm and 18mm joints), available at The Cave in San Mateo. It’s designed to be easy to clean and the excess is easier to reclaim. Now that’s hittin‘ the nail on the head! ($89.99) www.thecavesmokeshop.com
The Original Kind Caps High CBD Formula For those who want relief from pain and inflammation but have no time for a head change, Kind Caps’ new formula promises high levels of CBD (lab-tested at 14 percent) and low levels of THC (6.3 percent) to keep you sharp and focused. (MSRP $12 4-pack Minis, $17 4-pack, $40 12-pack) www.kindcaps.com
CoolJarz Flipz For storage that’s a literal snap, CoolJarz’s new Flipz’ offer flip-top convenience while at the same time providing peace of mind with a tamper- and child-proof design. And they’re recyclable! ($10 Sample Pak) www.cooljarz.com
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Shooting Gallery Home Grown Author Night #2 (Photos by Amanda Holguin)
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By Aunt Sandy
Winter is typically a time when families gather to share a special—and delicious—meal together. This holiday-themed menu is sure to get your loved ones rushing to the dinner table.
Legal Disclaimer
Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
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Menu:
Crown Roast of Pork Pan Gravy Cannabis Apple & Onion Stuffing Mashed Sweet Potatoes Cauliflower in Cheese Sauce Cannabis Infused Brandy
Sandy Moriarty is the author of Aunt’ Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Body & Mind and a Professor of Culinary Arts at Oaksterdam University. She is also the co-founder of Oaksterdam’s Bakery.
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Crown Roast of Pork 1 crown roast of pork (8 to 9 lbs.) Pan Gravy (see recipe on pg. 53) Cannabis Apple & Onion Stuffing (see recipe below) Remove meat from the refrigerator about 1 hour before cooking. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wipe moisture from the roast. Protect the ends of the rib bones by covering with aluminum foil. Immediately after putting the roast in the oven reduce heat to 325 degrees, roasting 30 minutes per pound. Remove roast one hour before it’s done to stuff the center of the crown with Cannabis Apple and Onion stuffing. Return roast to the oven to complete cooking for the additional hour. Carve between each rib and serve with Pan Gravy.
Cannabis Apple & Onion Stuffing 1 cup of raisins 1 chopped garlic clove 3 cups of diced tart apples 1 cup of chopped celery 1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley 3 cups of diced tart apples 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt 1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley 7 cups of soft bread crumbs 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt 1 cup Canna Butter* 1/4 teaspoon of paprika 1 cup of chopped onion Place raisins in boiling water for five minutes. Blend diced apples, chopped parsley, salt and paprika with the bread crumbs. Drain water from cooked raisins and add the bread crumbs mixture. Sauté with melted Canna Butter and mix all ingredients together.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Cauliflower in Cheese Sauce Makes 6 servings 1 cauliflower 3 tablespoons of Canna Butter* 2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of milk 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Cut off the tough end of the cauliflower’s stem. Remove the leaves and soak in cold salted water head down for 10 minutes. Drain and break up the cauliflower into florets. Cut deep slashes into the stalk. Steam the florets (head up) and stalk in 1 inch of water. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook partially covered until the stalk is barely tender, about another 10 minutes. Drain well and place in serving dish. Melt the Canna Butter with the head in a skillet. Add and blend flour over medium heat. Stir slowly in milk with a whisk until thickened and smooth. Add cheese. When the cheese is melted, pour the sauce over the cauliflower. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings 6 sweet potatoes 2 tablespoons of Canna Butter* 1/2 teaspoon of salt Hot milk Drop the sweet potatoes into boiling water and cover. Cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Mash with a potato masher and add Canna Butter. Add salt and a little hot milk, slowly and gradually. Beat the mixture with a fork or whisk until it’s very light and smooth. Serve with Pan Gravy DECEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 51
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Pan Gravy Pan drippings 3 tablespoons of flour 1 cup of water Optional salt and pepper ¼ cup of Canna Butter* Blend pan drippings from the Crown Roast with flour. Whisk the mixture until the flour has thickened and all the ingredients are well combined and smooth. Continue to cook slowly and stir constantly while adding water slowly to reach the perfect gravy consistency. Add salt and pepper for taste. Finish this by adding Canna Butter to make it creamy.
Cannabis Infused Brandy
2 cups of brandy ½ ounce of cannabis buds Pour the brandy into a sauce pan. Cook over a medium heat for three minutes. Add the cannabis buds and simmer them for 20 minutes. Strain the buds from the brandy. Keep warm. Add this to your favorite warm drink (we prefer eggnog), and add a lemon twist for a soothing and delicious beverage.
Canna Butter* 1 cup unsalted butter 1 ounce low to average quality dried leaf marijuana or 1/2 ounce average dried bud 4 cups water Bring water and butter to boil in a small pot, lower heat to simmer. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Mash and stir frequently to extract all THC from the plant material. After cooking, use cheesecloth to strain the butter/water mixture. Pour about 2 cups clean boiling water over the leaves in the strainer to extract every last drop of butter. Squeeze plant material well to remove as much liquid as possible. Chill the butter/water mixture in the refrigerator until the butter has solidified (1 to 2 hours). Separate butter from water and keep butter in the refrigerator (or freezer for longer storage) until needed. DECEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 53
entertainment reviews Boys Noize Out of the Black Boys Noize Records While the name sounds like the opening act on a One Direction tour, Boys Noize gets huge cool points for making a Monster Magnet “Space Lord” dance remix one of his first releases in 2004. Alex Ridha, the German-born DJ making all the Noize, is now an international star with a new full-length album, Out of the Black. Sounds range from digitized guitar and live drum sounds (“Rocky 2”) to new wave-disco hybrids with a native percussion breakdown (“Conchord”), all driven by pounding electro-synth grooves. Tracks like “Circus Full of Clowns” come across as album filler, but EDM fans can cherry pick the standouts like the euphoric “XTC,” the bouncy “Ich R U” and the dynamic, energy-building opener, “What You Want.” Hopefully rap radio will embrace the album closer, “Got It,” which has Snoop Dogg throwing down like he’s trying to bring ’93 back. (David Jenison)
Cannabis Sativa: The Essential Guide to the World’s Finest Marijuana Strains Vol. 2 S.T. Oner Green Candy Press Not content to let the world continue with only one authoritative guide to sativa strains, the ganja geniuses over at Green Candy Press cultivated yet another voluminous volume dedicated to providing a comprehensive overview of the best of the best. If you’re a connoisseur, Cannabis Sativa Vol. 2 should prove to be instructive reading for those with a deep interest in the heaviest and bushiest of marijuana strains (Krane Damage, Nebula, etc.). Genetics-minded patients will find rock-solid lineage descriptions of popular phenos such as Cannatonic and Sour OG. Coming straight from the minds of breeders and growers, Vol. 2’s information is unsurpassed . . . but at the same time not overly technical—often the weakness of some marijuana books. The photos are drool-worthy, but the information—and adroit wit—will keep you coming back. A great stocking stuffer for the patient hungry for colorful and accurate information. (Matt Tapia)
Twisted Sister A Twisted Xmas – Live in Las Vegas Eagle Rock Entertainment A Twisted Christmas, a 2006 collection of metalized holiday standards, became Twisted Sister’s bestselling album since the Reagan years. The band released a live Christmas DVD the next year, but unlike Ghost Rider, this bad boy deserved a sequel. A Twisted Xmas - Live in Las Vegas features Sin City theatrics, Steel Panther-like nostalgia and Radio City Christmas Spectacular production with holiday-adorned strippers replacing the Rockettes. The concert took place at the Vegas Hilton, a.k.a. the house Elvis built in the theater Barry Manilow ruled. Sure, Manilow covered many of the same classics on his Christmas albums, but he didn’t dress like a tranny or radically reimagine songs like Twister Sister’s “12 Days of Christmas” (spoiler alert: they don’t ask for turtle doves). Complete with colorful costumes, fake snow and amped-up arrangements, A Twisted Xmas is a sick holiday treat! (David Jenison)
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The Cave Mixer: Meet the Man Salt
Among heady glass fiends, Salt is a legend; a Gandalf of glass, a baron of boro, a paladin of pipes . . . you get the picture. With The Cave in San Mateo throwing this kick-ass mixer, now’s the time to meet the man behind the glass. In fact, Salt’s got so much love for The Cave that this venue will be showcasing exclusive pieces he designed and created just for this smokeshop event. Be the first on your block to show off some of this glassmaster’s animalistic (and toothy) creations. Point in fact, CULTURE showcased Salt (along with other glass Jedi like Adam G, Darby and Buck) for this past year’s 4/20 issue, and the artist took time to explain to us why he opts for creature-inspired forms and designs: “These features are meant to represent the process of evolution both within my work and in relation to way pipes are perceived by the general public . . . A Salt pipe fights back, speaks up and is meant to protect itself and its patrons against attack and persecution.” Join the revolution, and circle this date on your calendar. Time to meet a legend. (Matt Tapia)
IF YOU GO
What: The Cave Mixer: Meet the Man Salt. When/Where: Dec. 15 at The Cave, 2499 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo. Info: Meet and greet w/Salt from 8pm to 11pm. Go to www. thecavesmokeshop.com or call (650) 349-2283.
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event listings Our picks for the coolest Mayaninspired end-of-the-world parties taking place on Dec. 21 The End of the World Party
Who wouldn’t want to usher in the end of the world at any other place than the legendary, seven-nights-a-week Bottom of the Hill? Join acts like Scissors For Lefty, Solwave, The Trims and DJ Taylor for a climactic evening. Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco www.bottomofthehill.com
A Very Bowie Glampocolypse
Fear not, my child, for if ye are a sinner then The First Church of the Sacred Silversexual will save you from the apocalypse in a glamorous way. You will be blessed with the music of David Bowie as it is presented to you in the name of the religious, musical and theatrical way. Café Du Nord & The Swedish American Hall, San Francisco www.cafedunord.com
Bubble On Fire Burlesque Presents Holidays from Hell
I can’t think of a better way to take in the end of the world than with one of the hottest burlesque shows around. Join mistress Patina de Cooper as she entices you with acts from Baby Blue Boom Boom, Tipsy Daisy, Luci Fur and stage kitten Chardonnay Sweet . . . if that doesn’t sound like a show worth seeing, we don’t know what does. Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco www.hemlocktavern.com
The End
This could be your last night—how do you want to spend it? If you’re into variety and DJs then The End is the party for you. With Stephen Jacobs, Robotic Pirate Monkey, Candyland, Sound Remedy and others manning the tunes factor, this End could be a new beginning, eh? DNA Lounge, San Francisco www.dnalounge.com
F*@k It! It’s the End of the World Fest
Just give in to the fact that the world will end and join the party. This particular party will feature a fresh batch of anarchy and fast riffs played by over a dozen dirty punk bands. Sure, it’s quantity over quality—but it’s the end of the world! 924 Gilman, Berkeley www.924gilman.org
XXXmas Fckfest 3
We’ll be opening Pandora’s Box (or is it a can of worms) once The Limousines (indie electronica), Anya & the Get Down (funky, soulful, hip-hop) and DJs Shitty and Aaron Axelsen deliver the musical goods for this party. XXX marks the spot, right? The Blank Club, San Jose www.theblankclub.com
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guide to our advertisers CAMPBELL
Magic Health Inc. 408-291-0080
A2C2 / All American Cannabis Club. 408-429-8405
Natural Herbal Pain Relief. 408-283-9333
SAN JOSE
NC3. 408-490-4805
A2C2 / All American Cannabis Club. 408-429-0420
Nirvana Wellness Center. 408-954-9888
ARC Silicon Valley. 408-642-1089 Buddy’s. 650-318-3437
SJ Patients. 408-295-5411 South Bay CRC. 408-224-6000
Capitol Collective. 408-923-5162 Elemental Wellness Center. 408-433-3344 Emerald Crossings. 408-293-6575
Theraleaf. 408-246-4420
SANTA CRUZ Green Acres Santa Cruz. 831-475-8420
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Auntie’s Edibles. www.auntiesedibles.com Jungle Juice. www.advancednutrients.com/JungleJuice2Part Bulldog Lifestyles. www.bulldoglifestyles.com CannCast. www.canncast.com City Rock Smoke Shop. www. cityrocksmokeshop.com Kind Medicine. www.kindcaps. com
Roll It Up. www.rollitup.org Silver Surfer Vaporizers. www.silversurfervap.com THCjobs. www.thcjobs.com The Cave Smoke Shop. www.thecavesmokeshop.com Weed Finder. www.weedfinder.com Yerba Buena. 888-539-8470
PHYSICIANS
Kush Bottles. www.kushbottles.com
420 Evaluations. Oakland. 510832-5000 | Sacramento. 916-4809000 |San Jose. 408-998-0980 | Vallejo. 707-664-1667
Harborside Health Center. 888-99-Harborside
SANTA ROSA
Law Offices of Scot Candell. www.candell-law.com
PriceLess Evaluations. San Francisco. 415-796-2254
Holistic Health Care Co-Operative. 408-409-4422
Revolution Health Center. 408-289-1694
Paramount Imports. www.paramountimports.com
Stephanie Higgins, MD. San Jose. 408-493-3376
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Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird LEAD STORY—FINE POINTS OF FLORIDA GAMBLING LAW
; In October, state alcohol agents, assisted by local police in full riot gear, pointing their weapons, raided a bar in Largo, Fla., to shut down the latest gathering of the venerable Nutz Poker League, even though its players do not wager. (They meet at bars and restaurants, where management gives winners token gifts in exchange for the increased business.) A prosecutor told the Tampa Bay Times that Florida law defines illegal “gambling” as any game that permits players to win something—even if they don’t have to “ante up.” The raid (during which players were ordered to keep their hands where the officers could see them) came after a months-long undercover investigation.
DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD?
; No Do-Overs: By 2009, James Washington believed he had gotten away with a 1995 murder, but then he had a heart attack, and on his deathbed, in a fit of remorse, he confessed to a confidant. (“I have to get something off my conscience,” he told a guard in the jailhouse where he was serving time for a lesser, unrelated offense.) However, Washington miraculously recovered from the heart attack and tried to take back his confession, but prosecutors in Nashville, Tenn., were unfazed. They used it to augment the sparse evidence from 1995, and in October 2012 the now-healthier Washington was convicted of the murder and sentenced to 51 more years in prison.
RECURRING THEMES
; Among the most creative illegal behaviors are those of clever smugglers—or immigrants trying
to enter a country illegally. In September, two Moroccans tried to smuggle a Guinean man into Spain at the Melilla border in north Morocco by disguising him as a Renault car seat. One Moroccan drove, with the passenger perched on a seat in which the foam had been removed to make room for the Guinean. A police spokesman called the attempt “novel.” ; India’s notorious bureaucracy records deaths particularly ineptly, to the advantage of men seeking an alternative to divorce. They find it easier merely to swear out a death certificate on one wife so they can marry another, but that means the first wife will face years, and maybe decades, of campaigning to convince officials that she is not dead. BBC News chronicled the plight of Ms. Asharfi Devi, now 64, in September as she was finally declared “alive” after being deserted by her husband at age 23 and ruled dead at age 40. After Devi finally earned a hearing and brought relatives and evidence to the village council, deliberations took eight more months. Notwithstanding the ruling, the husband stuck to his story. ; Again this year, a serial drowning made the news (where one jumps in to rescue another, and a third is needed to rescue the first two, and a fourth, and none survives.) In Ulster, Northern Ireland, in September, rugby player Nevin Spence, along with his brother and father, died in a slurry tank on the family’s farm, and their sister, who also attempted a rescue, was hospitalized. Officials said they could not determine the order in which the men entered the pit until the sister was well enough to talk. DECEMBER 2012 • CULTURE 61
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