DGO - Alleyway Street Art

art entertainment food drink music nightlife April 1-30, 2021

DGO

Alleyway street art

dgomag.com

How Farmington’s downtown mural project helps showcase the work of the Four Corners’ most unique artists and collectives

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s e u s s

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OU: Y S G N I R B THAT Y L H T N O M AN ALT

DGOMAG.COM Editor: Angelica Leicht – aleicht@bcimedia.com SalES: sales@dgomag.com @dgomag

DGO Magazine

STAFF

What’s inside Volume 5 Number 30 Thursday, April 1, 2021

Editor

Check out these spraypaint skillz

Angelica Leicht aleicht@bcimedia.com 375-4551

4

Weird news

5

Eat & drink

Lauter Haus 5 Soup Palette 6 Tea Tok 7 Zia Cantina 8 Sage 9

Design/layout Ryan Brown rbrown@bcimedia.com

Ain’t no party like an alleyway art party (in old Farmington).

Turn to page 14 for more on how our New Mexico neighbor’s artists are sprucing up blocks with a few cans of spraypaint.

Contributors Erin Brandt Megan Bianco Amanda Push Reader Services 375-4570 Chief Executive Officer Douglas Bennett V.P. of Advertising Jamie Opalenik

Angelica Leicht for DGO Mag

10 Events

April listings calendar 10-11

14 Cover story

Alleyway street art

14-17

16 Weed

Reviews

Ask a couple of potheads 22-24

18-20

Dispensary listings 24

5 Chuck Berry at Lauter Haus: like winning the beer lottery Want to see what’s in store for the 2021 Durango Film Festival? We have a guide to everything you can binge watch during this annual film festival, all from the comfort of your own home. (Just make sure to stock up on snacks beforehand. There’s a lot to watch with this one.)

DGO is a free biweekly publication distributed by Ballantine Communications Inc., and is available for one copy per person. Taking more than five copies of an edition from a distribution location is illegal and is punishable by law according to Colorado Revised Statute 18-9-314.

DGO Magazine is published

by Ballantine Communications Inc., P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302

7 Tea Tok is serious boba business We stopped by this little shop on a recent trip to Farmington and were surprised to see how hoppin’ this new tea shop was. Turns out everyone loves honey boba.

Tell us what you think!

Got something on your mind? Have a joke or a story idea or just something that the world needs to know?

Send everything to editor@dgomag.com

19 Gettin’ a little trippy with Papayahuasca

23 Columns Sex & love

27

When we tipped the canister of Papayahuasca upside down, there were no popcorn nugs falling into our palm. There was just one giant ass nug making up the full gram.

It was then that we knew why this strain is so coveted.

/dgomag /dgomag

@dgo_mag

ON THE COVER Let’s free our minds... with a little help from some street art.

Cover art: Ryan Brown for DGO Mag

Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 3

@dgo_mag dgomag

Weird Colorado news

A plane urinator, a literal cat burglar, and some seriously long life spans

For better or worse, Colorado is a place that’s never short on strange headlines. In fact, some of the top headlines from the month of March include a cold case solved because of a can of Coke, a beef with the Nebraska governor, and a man peeing on a plane. We love you Colorado, but you weird us out!

A beef about...beef?

In early March, the FBI arrested Landon Grier of Canon City after his Alaska Airlines flight landed. According to an FBI affidavit, Grier said he has several beers and shots before boarding his flight to Denver. He reportedly refused to wear a mask and swatted at a flight attendant after they repeatedly asked him to wear one. Grier later started urinating in his seating area.

He currently faces a federal charge of interfering with a flight crew and attendants. If found guilty, Grier could face a maximum of 20 years in prison and possibly a $250,000 fine.

Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts has a beef with Colorado. Or, more accurately, he has a beef with Colorado governor Jared Polis. Let’s get into it.

Polis recently proclaimed March 20 as “MeatOut Day,” a day meant to encourage people to try to avoid eating meat one day of the week. In response, the Nebraska politician and owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team stated that Polis’s proclamation was “a direct attack on our way of life here in Nebraska” and declared March 20 as “Meat on the Menu Day.” Confused?

Good. So are we!

Coloradans have some of the longest life spans

This sort of reaction isn’t too surprising. After all, Ricketts has taken issue with Colorado in the past over our legalization of marijuana and is also apparently the type of governor that threatens to withhold millions in federal funding from local governments if those entities mandated masks in courthouses and any other local government offices.

If you’re a Coloradan then we have good news for you. According to a new study, you have a longer lifespan than most Americans! On average, Americans live about 78.7 years. In Colorado, the average lifespan is 80 years, a whole 1.3 years more.

Among the other top contenders are Hawaii (81 years), followed by California (80.8), New York (80.5), Minnesota (80.5), Connecticut (80.4), Massachusetts (80.1), Washington state (80), New Jersey (79.8) and Rhode Island (79.8).

Coke can helps crack 40-year-old cold case The first time authorities thought they had solved the murder of Sylvia Quayle, 34, was when serial killer and drifter Otis Toole confessed to killing her, amongst dozens of other cold cases. In August 1981, Quayle was in her Cherry Hill, Colorado home when someone broke in and murdered her.

When police arrived at the scene, they found that her phone line and bathroom window screen had been cut.

Eventually, law enforcement realized that Toole’s confession was phony and the case was left unsolved for 40 years.

In 2000, a DNA sample from the crime scene was submitted to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for genetic DNA testing. That testing eventually led investigators to the home of David Dwayne Anderson of Cozad, Nebraska, where they removed several items from his trash, including a Vanilla Coke can, to test for DNA. The DNA sample on the Coke can was confirmed to match the suspect’s DNA and Anderson was arrested and charged 4 | Thursday, April 1, 2021

On the other end of the spectrum were Mississippi (74.6), Alabama (75.1), Kentucky (75.3), Tennessee (75.5), Louisiana (75.6), Oklahoma (75.6), Arkansas (75.6), South Carolina (76.5), and Missouri (76.6).

Cat burglar...err, Postmates cat burglar Worried about theft of your valuables? Well, what about theft of your valuable family members, like your freaking cats?

with two counts of first-degree murder.

this story is one of those reasons. A

Man pees in plane and refuses to wear a mask

Colorado man is facing federal charges

Avoiding flights right now is a good idea for more reasons than one, and

flight from Seattle to Denver and then

for refusing to wear a mask during his peeing inside the plane.

If you’re a pet owner, you might want to make note of this odd story about a Postmates driver who allegedly dropped off an order of food and then took the cat in return.

According to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement needs your help finding Simba, a feline friend that was snatched by a Postmates Continued on page 13

Raspberry wheat, a few pinball games, and corhole at Lauter Haus, Farmington’s newest brewery Looking for the perfect beer-fueled way to pass the time? This huge New Mexico hotspot has everything you need to create the perfect socially distanced night out Thump. Thump. Thump.

Those were not the noises I expected to hear when walking into a brewery, but that’s precisely what caught my attention when I stepped into Lauter Haus Brewing Co., one of Farmington’s newest additions to the Four Corners’ microbrewery scene.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

It took a while to pin down what was making the noise, which sounded like a pair of old sneakers in the dryer. A quick glance around narrowed it down.

It clearly wasn’t the rows of pinball machines, which line the walls of Lauter Haus’ vast, warehouse-like space.

I could barely hear the pinging of the flaps over the thumps.

It wasn’t the brewing equipment, which is housed well outside of view of the patrons who frequent this hip little brewery, which sits on the edge of a residential neighborhood in a quiet part of town.

One more quick scan of the room and I was certain I had it figured out.

The noise was being made by one raucous game — and by that I mean two-man team — of cornhole.

At some point in the not too distant past I probably would have found the thumping of bean bags hitting wooden cornhole boards to be obnoxious in a bar, but after a year of socially distanced drinking, I welcomed it. Any noise is welcome these days.

And, it’s not like cornhole is unusual in this northern New Mexico brewery.

That, and some pretty stinkin’ good beer, are what Lauter Haus is known for.

Unlike most breweries in the area, Lauter Haus focuses equally on the brewing and the amusement. There are rows and rows of pinball games and other video games lining the walls of the metal building that houses the Haus. Along the walls are murals of iconic video game and cartoon characters, including at least one of the Ninja Turtles, with hops incorporated into the theme.

And, toward the back of the building are more cornhole boards than I’ve ever seen in one place, all lined up to

Lauter Haus in Farmington, NM. what I can only assume are regulation distances. In total, Lauter Haus boasts over 1,500 square feet devoted to its cornhole court, which takes up a large portion of its indoor space. This place may be an adult playground, but it clearly doesn’t play when it comes to cornhole.

They don’t play when it comes to beer, either — a thought process I can get behind. There were only about six different beers on tap when I stopped by this Farmington brewery, but that was more than enough. With one sour beer, a raspberry wheat, a Mexican lager, and a few other more hoppy or heavy options, the beer menu felt curated, not lacking.

I love a good raspberry wheat,

so I opted for the Chuck Berry 55% Raspberry Wheat, a beer that seemed perfect for a slightly warm spring day in Farmington. My drinking partner followed suit.

One sip of the Chuck Berry and I was sold. This raspberry beer is an unusual contender in a sea of overly flavored beers. What was surprising was that it isn’t heavy on the raspberry flavoring; there’s just a hint of fruitiness mixed into the golden wheat beer. There’s enough to give it a unique flavor, but not so much that it overwhelms the ol’ taste buds. In other words, it was perfect.

It didn’t take long to knock back that beer and find my way back to the bar Continued on page 13

Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 5

Let’s finish each other’s sandwiches Wait, we’re kidding — no one’s getting their hands on these delicious treats from The Soup Palette in Durango There’s nothing quite like a good sandwich, some soup, and a salad on a spring day.

As a kid, I took »» A little sumthin’ sumthin’ from the Soup Palette in for granted how delicious Durango those types of simple food items could be. Sandwiches seemed boring, almost too easy. As an adult, I relish in them.

That said, my young self wasn’t quite off base with those feelings of tepidness toward sandwiches. There are good sandwiches, and then there are subpar sandwiches. You know the type — the soggy bread, or thin, grainy toast, with thick slices of salty meat and wilted iceberg lettuce.

Luckily, it seems like this town excels at making a mean sandwich. There are tons of good sandwich haunts within the confines of Durango. Spread your wings out a little further into the Four Corners and you’ll catch a few more.

The Soup Palette, Durango’s newest

sandwich spot, is one of those haunts.

This little shop, which recently opened behind The Power House off of Camino del Rio, knows exactly how to make the perfect sandwich.

To say The Soup Palette is completely new is being slightly disingenuous, though. This current iteration of The Soup Palette may be new, but The Soup Palette itself was a Durango favorite for many years.

Once a brick-and-mortar shop, this old hidden gem was tucked away in the shops at 555 Rivergate Lane next to Animas Surgical Hospital. It had a staunch following thanks to its simple but unique menu of — you guessed it — soups, sandwiches, and salads.

That all ended in 2019 when the building was sold and The Soup Palette closed its doors.

It’s back now, though, in food truck form. Back and better than ever.

Well, back with some changes, anyway. As a relatively new Durango resident (read: the last few years or so), I didn’t make my way to the old Soup

Palette before it closed up shop. I can only speak for this current one. But, if I had to guess based on the food I got from the food truck, I’d venture to guess that this one is better.

While the old Soup Palette specialized in soups, soups, and more soups — with at least 12 on rotation at any time — the current iteration of the Soup Palette is a bit more limited.

It rotates a menu of six different sandwiches, all named after different painters to stick with the artsy theme, along with three salads, quiches and frittatas, and a few soups.

One bite of the Van Gogh confirmed that I was not hallucinating from hunger. This sandwich was everything. The baguette was the perfect mix of crisp crust and soft interior, and the pesto... oh, do I dream of that pesto even now.

I finished every bite of it before I even realized what was happening.

It’s back now, though, in food truck form.

Back and better than ever.

I decided to check it out for lunch one afternoon, and opted for the Van Gogh sandwich, made with turkey, provolone, lettuce, tomato, red onions, and the Palette’s famous homemade fresh pesto mayo, on fresh baguette bread. I also grabbed a Horiatiki salad, made with mixed greens, tomatoes, Feta cheese, cucumbers, kalamata olives, porcini peppers, with the owner’s famous greek dressing, and added some salami for good measure.

I took both to go (thanks, pandemic), but it was clear before I’d even sneaked a peek at my delicious wares that I’d made a good choice by swinging by this food truck. The smell of fresh bread wafted through my car, begging me to open the box. It took all of my self control not to open the box and shovel 6 | Thursday, April 1, 2021

it into my mouth on the three-block drive to my home.

From there, I moved on to that salad, which was every bit as noteworthy as the Van Gogh.

There’s an expertise required to get the right ratio of ingredients in a good salad, and I tip my hat to this salad chef.

They ticked every single box.

From the crunch of the spicy peppers to the fresh tomatoes, every single ingredient, and every ratio, was right. Even the greek dressing, which can be tough to nail, was perfect. I’d buy bottles of it if I could.

I’m not sure what makes this food truck as special as it is, but I know I’ll be back, and back, and then back again.

I’m curious to see what other culinary tricks The Soup Palette has up its sleeve, and I may even venture out of the sandwich zone into some soups.

Livin’ on the edge these days...just me, my beloved salads, and some deli slices.

—— Angelica Leicht

Tea Tok, Farmington’s new teahouse, is out of this world

R E C R E AT I O N A L D I S P E N S A RY

From Thai milk teas to fruity slushies and lychee jellies, this teahouse menu offers something for everyone As a lifelong resident of a large metro area, the early parts of my transition to this small mountain town weren’t particularly easy. While I loved the culture and the vibe of Durango, I found myself wishing I had easy access to the things I thought were important.

Things I took for granted in a large city. Things like restaurants and clothing stores on every corner, or a wide array of specialty items in the aisles of the grocery store. Things you become spoiled with when there are 7 million people crammed into one confined area.

I don’t miss most of those things anymore — not after living life for the last few years in this small town. I know it’s part of the trade-off of living at a more leisurely pace.

I no longer panic when I can’t find the right type of masala sauce or some

random loaf of bread at the grocery store up the street. If I can’t find it, I go without it, or figure out how to make it from scratch instead.

Weed love to help you!

But while I’ve made huge strides, I haven’t quite gotten over the loss of a few things that the city offers. In particular, I have found myself missing the vibrant array of ethnic food that was at my fingertips in a more populous area.

One of my favorite Houston haunts was a little tea shop called Kim’s Teahouse, which was conveniently located right down the road from my home. That vibrant teahouse had a menu miles long, with Thai milk teas and green teas and boba, jelly, and taro as far as the eye could see. It’s still one of my first stops in Houston when I find the time to head back home. I get the same passion fruit slushie and vegan Continued on page 12

Order online through Weedmaps.com and Leafly.com

4 for $15 house joints every day and daily specials Locals Day is every Tuesday!

Clones Now Available

Munchie Monday 20% off edibles Locals Day 10% off bud and 20% off eveything else for locals Willie’s Wednesday 20% off Willie’s Reserve

Tinctures/ Topicals Thursday 20% off topicals and tinctures Fly High Friday 20% off Cartridges and Syringes Smokin’ Saturday 10% off Flower Sappy Sunday 20% off Concentrates

GRANDVIEW AREA MAP

Kinfolk Farms

Three Springs Blvd

Durango Pet Resort

East Owen Road

WIlson Gulch Drive

AJ’s Geenhouse Nursery

kinfolkretail@gmail.com 83A Davidson Creek Rd, Durango, CO 81301

Southwest Appliance

160

970-759-8683

Davidson Creek Road

160

Tea Tok in Farmington, NM Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 7

Booze hounds, unite (on North Main)!

Anyone up for a socially distant cocktail at the new Zia Cantina? Take us with you!

Any Zia Taqueria margarita fans in this strange little mountain town?

Raise your hands.

Sporting Goods • Laptops • Cameras Jewelry • Power Tools • 90-Day Cash Loans

If you’ve been lusting after Zia’s margs for the last few years, we have good news for you. You’ll soon be able to get those salty, sweet boozy amalgamations at Zia’s very own bar.

Known as Zia Cantina, this new boozy spot will be located right on top of the new Zia Taqueria location at 2977 Main Ave. That new Zia location opened late last fall, and the rooftop above it was prime pickings for a bar.

Celebrating 27 Years Serving Durango!

32nd St. & 250, Durango, CO | 970.247.5226

So, the owners created a new partnership with Peach Street Distillery — Ska Brewing’s sister distillery located in Palisade, Colorado, and opened one.

It will follow a few other Zia traditions, too — like the good ol’ ordering at the counter dynamic used in this local burrito haven’s restaurants.

en Op m p til 9 ing t t r sta il 1s

Apr & Cortez Bodo

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Bodo Park Location (Durango) MED 9am - 6:45pm REC 9am - 8pm 72 Suttle St. Units F & G (970) 259-3674

Cortez Location

MED & REC 9am - 8pm 1104 E. Main St., Cortez, CO 81321 (970) 565-6500

The Alternative Resource 8 | Thursday, April 1, 2021

“We hope to provide a really cool venue to enjoy north Main Avenue that’s family friendly, and convenient and accessible, and yet still has kind of a fun hip bar vibe, without having to go downtown or battle the crowds there,” Carly Van Hof Thomson, co-owner of Zia, told the Durango Herald.

And this isn’t just any bar.

This is a Zia bar, meaning it features local products as often as possible.

And this isn’t just any bar. This is a Zia bar, meaning it features local products as often as possible. Zia’s restaurant locations try to source produce and meat from local agriculture as much as possible, and this bar will follow suit.

Think Green. Shop Local.

hands-free ordering are a necessity.

At Zia Cantina, you’ll follow that same order-at-the-bar schtick, but you’ll also be able to order and pay at your table via a QR code. This option is steller for a bar opening in the midst of a pandemic, when social distancing and

And, if you’re planning a post-pandemic party or wedding, or even a family reunion, you may want to check this place out. Van Hof Thomson told the Herald that the space is going to be open to event rentals, making it a hot spot for large gatherings like rehearsal dinners and family reunions.

Curious what will end up on the menu at this new rooftop cantina? While there aren’t any firm drink menus available yet, you can almost guarantee that the bar will feature those infamous margs, including their classic margarita, prickly pear margarita, and jalapeño margarita.

We’re also hoping to see some of Zia’s delicious seasonal cocktails, like the End of Winter, a drink that just rolled out using Peach Street Distillery’s GOAT Vodka, along with some cranberry juice and ginger liqueur.

Either way, this new spot is a great addition to the up-and-coming North Main area, which is becoming more vibrant with each new addition.

—— Angelica Leicht

Looking to try some new, local fare?

Get ready for Sage Farm Eats, a fast casual eatery from the minds of Zia Taqueria Looking for a new spot to grab a bite in Durango? Or, are you looking for a place that isn’t inundated by tourists year-round (yet)? You may want to keep your eyes on the old Zia Taqueria spot on North Main.

When the Zia North location moved to its new location at 2977 Main, it left a prime spot for a new restaurant in its wake. If you were hoping a hip new eatery would open up there, well, you’re in luck. A new hip eatery is opening there.

Surprise!

Say hello to Sage Farm Fresh Eats, which is taking over the old Zia spot.

This new joint will feature a fast casual menu filled with all of the uber-healthy dishes Durangoans love to nosh on, including salads, sandwiches, grain bowls, and soups.

And, even better? Most of the food will be sourced from local agriculture so you can eat local while, well, eating local.

This new concept is the brainchild of Carly Van Hof Thomson, co-owner of both Zia and Sage.

Sage’s ties to Zia don’t stop there,

either. This new fast casual spot has plans to operate much like its beloved burrito spot cousin down the road, with counter service and a rotating menu of deliciousness.

That lineup is slated to offer a slew of new soups, which will include both vegan and vegetarian options for you meat-free folks. There will also be gluten-free options on the menu for those who need or want to go gluten-free.

The soup menu will rotate from day to day, but some of the options include classics like Mulligatawny, Broccoli Cheddar, Roasted Tomato Bisque, Curry & Sage Butternut Squash, Chicken & Dumplings, and Sweet Potato Corn Chowder.

There’s also room on the menu for more unique options, like Shrimp & Duck Gumbo, Peach Gazpacho, and Chilled Melon & Mint. What you can find each day at Sage will depend highly on the season.

And, as you may have guessed, there will also be plenty of sandwich options to pair with the six daily soups. The plan is to offer a number of different grilled cheeses and even a grilled PB&J.

Some of the more unique sandwich offerings include things like the Smoked LuvBox tempeh, a lettuce, tomato and basil aioli on toasted sourdough focaccia made with locally-sourced tempeh. There’s also the Steak & White Cheddar, which features local grass-fed braised black angus beef, sauteed mushrooms, house made pickled fennel-jalapeno slaw and horseradish sauce on toasted sea salt ciabatta.

But while the menu will change from day to day, one thing will stay consistent: the items you can choose from will be based on local seasonality to take advantage of Durango’s unique agricultural offerings, like local produce.

That will include a push for utilizing produce that is either in abundance or may not be a big hit at farmers’ markets or other outlets, like bruised tomatoes or an oddly-shaped zucchini.

The plan is to work with the same farms that Zia currently sources from.

Those include Adobe House Farms, Fields to Plate Produce, Twin Buttes Farm, and Beet Street Farm.

“One of the things we’ve seen, and I think the local agriculture community would say the same thing, is the growing season is short in this area. And when crops come up, they’ll often have a lot of it,” Van Hof Thomson told the Durango Herald.

“It’s like, I have zucchini, and I have tons, right? And there’s only so much the local restaurants can use, right?

I mean, maybe they’ve got one dish they’re featuring zucchini in and how much can they really go through. At Zia, we’ve been really heavily focused for a long time on buying local produce and buying really high volume. And this concept plans to do a similar thing, but take it a step further because we’re hoping that we can be nimble and adjust the menu and the offerings in tune to what’s coming out of the fields,” she said.

Ready to nosh on some new local fare? Sage Farm Fresh Eats will be open starting in late March. You can check them out at 3101 Main Ave, Suite #5, in Durango —— Angelica Leicht

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real world.

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Jump start your future and get ahead with fast-track, 8-week classes. Financial aid is available.

Summer classes begin June 1.

Enroll now at EnrollPCC.org or call 970.385.2000.

Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 9

Sick of staring out the window?

These April events happening in and around Durango can help cure what ails ya

Looking for a way to pass the time in and around Durango? Aren’t we all.

While the pandemic has kicked our social lives right in the crotch over the last year, it looks like we may finally be on a slight upswing. Things aren’t great just yet, but there are more and more socially distant events popping up to help pass the time.

If you’re crawling the walls in your house, mask up, get out for a bit, and head out to one of these events happening in April in the Four Corners. Your social life, and sanity, will thank you.

Annual Local First Celebration

Streaming information coming soon at fortlewis.edu/theatre

One Team Scavenger Hunt

April 1, 11 am Online event

Fort Lewis College

Main Avenue

Join us, Local First, for our annual member

1000 Rim Dr.Theatre Dept., Rm. 119

meeting!

Durango, CO 81301

This year we are celebrating our local community with an exciting appearance by our special guest and keynote speaker, Stacy Mitchell.

Both poignant and funny, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Mark Haddon.

Mitchell is an advocate for local and independent businesses and nationally known for her bold and unapologetic stance against corporate monopolies, including Amazon, for which she was profiled in The New York Times.

Despite his overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted autistic fifteenyear-old, sets out to solve the murder of a neighbor’s dog and discovers unexpected truths about himself, his mother, and the world.

Register today for our COVID-adapted Zoom festivities that include local lunch vouchers, raffle prizes and an awards ceremony!

Divine Light Healing Center Grand Opening Celebration

Nominate your favorite businesses for awards and register for the event on our website

April 4, 2 pm

https://local-first.org/event/local-celebration-2021/

The Divine Light Healing Center in Mancos invites the community to its free Grand Opening Celebration and Art Show featuring live classical music, art

by Annie Brooks and Tim Katpuska and refreshments.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time April 1-4, 2021

10 | Thursday, April 1, 2021

Divine Light Healing Center 140 Mesa St., Mancos

April 5 and 6, Open times

Puzzling Adventures™ are a cross between a scavenger hunt, an adventure race, and an informative self-guided tour.

Each adventure consists of a series of locations that you are guided to where you are required to answer questions or solve puzzles to receive your next instruction.

All you need is your own mobile device and an Internet connection.

Young and old, individuals, families or friends. Participate in a group, as a couple, or individually. Create multiple teams and race each other. Almost all of our adventures are designed to be wheelchair and stroller friendly and all are carefully crafted to be entertaining and informative with something to appeal to all ages.

Because our adventures are self-guided you can play any time on any day - no reservations required! Complete the adventure as quickly as possible to win first place or take your time and smell the roses. The goal is to have fun enjoying the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the various locations you will visit.

$49.99 per team or $94.99 VIP Access.

Price is per team, not per person. Groups can be any size, but teams of two, three or four work best.

7 Rivers Farmers Market Tuesdays in April, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

La Plata County Fairgrounds

Indoor winter farmers market. Every Tuesday from 12-3. Local farmers, food vendors and Artisans.

We have an amazing assortment of local farmers with poultry, pork, beef, salad greens, tomatoes, peppers, goats milk cheese, eggs, jams and pickles, honey, herbs, baked goods, lotion bars, jewelry, energy bars, soaps and So much more.

Taco Tuesday Tuesdays in April, Open to close Gazpacho New Mexican Restaurant

Join us for our weekly special — Taco Tuesday! Enjoy carne asada tacos and Tecate beers for $2.50 each. Our inviting dining area can accommodate large groups and our fun bar atmosphere is great for friends and more!

Larry Carver & Jack Ellis at the Diamond Belle Saloon April 9, 5:30 pm Diamond Belle Saloon 699 Main Ave., Durango

Larry Carver and Jack Ellis play at the Diamond Belle Saloon in the Strater Hotel at 5:30 pm.

Larry Carver & Jack Ellis at the Diamond Belle Saloon April 10, 5:30 pm Diamond Belle Saloon 699 Main Ave., Durango

Larry Carver and Jack Ellis play at the Diamond Belle Saloon in the Strater Hotel at 5:30 pm.

Jose Villareal

are required to answer questions or solve puzzles to receive your next instruction.

All you need is your own mobile device and an Internet connection.

Durango Bluegrass Meltdown

Young and old, individuals, families or friends. Participate in a group, as a couple, or individually. Create multiple teams and race each other. Almost all of our adventures are designed to be wheelchair and stroller friendly and all are carefully crafted to be entertaining and informative with something to appeal to all ages.

Kick off spring time fun at the annual Durango Bluegrass Meltdown. There will be loads of bands, food, venues and entertainment through town and along the Animas River. During the day, there will be free concerts for everyone to enjoy, followed by hours of concerts at night.

During the Meltdown, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to jam with other musicians – in hallways, on sidewalks, and many other locations. Don’t play? Relax and enjoy the scene!

Because our adventures are self-guided you can play any time on any day - no reservations required! Complete the adventure as quickly as possible to win first place or take your time and smell the roses. The goal is to have fun enjoying the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the various locations you will visit.

April 10, 12 pm Tico Time River Resort RV Park 20 Road 2050, Aztec, NM

Catch some live music out at Tico Time River Resort with Jose Villareal, who will be dishing out everything from rock, pop, blues, country music, and Spanish favorites.

Mountain Archery Fest April 10-12, All day Spring Hollow Ranch, Hesperus, CO

Mountain Archery Fest is a 3-D festival designed with both the recreational and competitive archer in mind. MAF welcomes every discipline of Archery for every age, ability and most importantly, families. We do this by building 4 courses designed with every shooter in mind. We have built the most complete and all-inclusive 3-D event at the most magnificent mountain resorts in the country.

Mountain Archery Fest features the ONE AND ONLY Pope and Young World Record course: Archers shoot at 3D Targets that represent the P&Y World Class Record in yardage and angle of the 29 North American Big Game Records kept by the Pope and Young Club.

Not only does our event provide something for every archer but it is truly a festival. Also included in true festival style we have Vendor Village, seminars, elk calling competitions, Archery Tag and a free kid’s course.

One Team Scavenger Hunt April 10 and 12, Open times Main Avenue in Durango

Puzzling Adventures™ are a cross between a scavenger hunt, an adventure race, and an informative self-guided tour.

Each adventure consists of a series of locations that you are guided to where you

Virtual Speed Dating for Professional Singles!

Fri, Apr 16 – Sun, Apr 18 Henry Strater Theatre, 699 Main Ave Durango, CO

The Meltdown has something for everyone – including young folks! From our Bluegrass in the Schools program, to children’s workshops and the Old Time Barn Dance, there’s a lot for the younger set to do. Kids 12 and under are FREE!

April 12, 7 pm

Mesa Verde Free Entrance Day

Online at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/virtual-speed-dating-for-professional-singles-tickets-138198666933

April 17, All day

Cost: $24

Mile .7 Headquarters Loop Road

Single and Ready to Mingle? Then make yourself known and RSVP today for Virtual Speed Dating for Professional Singles!

Mesa Verde National Park, CO

Mesa Verde National Park Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde waives it’s entry fee several times each year. This is due to efforts to encourage everyone to visit their national park, and applies to all national parks.

Online @ Durango Public Library Zoom webinar

The Durango Public Library presents a virtual screening of “Philly DA,” a documentary on prison incarceration in Philadelphia - and changing the culture of the criminal justice system from within.

Email Spenser.Snarr@durangogov.org or call 970-375-3380 for login information.

Larry Carver and Ben Gibson at Derailed April 17, 6 pm Derailed Pour House 725 Main Ave., Durango

Larry Carver & Ben Gibson play at the Derailed Pour House on Saturday from 6-9 pm.

A Conversation with Luke Mehall and The Climbing Zine Maria’s Bookshop

A Conversation with Anne Hillerman

April 20, 7 pm

Maria’s Bookshop

Online event

April 15, 6:30 pm

Join us as we chat with Luke Mehall, founder of “The Climbing Zine,” in celebration of this 20th issue of the publication! Visit www.mariasbookshop.com/ events-calendar for more information.

Zoom link to be shared closer to the event date.

Join us as we celebrate the release of Anne Hillerman’s newest novel, Stargazer.

Zoom Details to Come.

“Murder, deception, Navajo tradition, and the stars collide in this enthralling entry in New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman’s Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series, set amid the beautiful landscape of the American Southwest.”

Anthology of Navajo Literature Maria’s Bookshop April 22, 6:30 pm Online event

More info about the book and event at: www.mariasbookshop.com/events-calendar

A Conversation with Local Author Christina Erteszek Maria’s Bookshop April 27, 6:30 pm Online event

Join us for a conversation between local authors Mandy Mikulencak and Christina Erteszek about Christina’s new book in which she tells the story of her parents, their escape from war-torn Europe in 1940s and their founding of the extremely successful Olga Company.

Visit www.mariasbookshop.com/ events-calendar for more information.

Zoom link to be shared closer to the event date.

Durango Wine Experience April 29 to May 1, Varies Main Avenue, Durango

Philly DA April 14, 2021 at 2 pm

gether writers who offer perspectives that span generations and perspectives on life and Diné history. The collected works display a rich variety of and creativity in themes: home and history; contemporary concerns about identity, historical trauma, and loss of language; and economic and environmental inequalities.Visit www.mariasbookshop. com/events-calendar for more information. Zoom link to be shared closer to the event date.

Join us in conversation with a few of the contributors to this unprecedented “Anthology of Navajo Literature.”

This wide-ranging anthology brings to-

Join us in May for 3 days celebrating food & wine in Durango! Experience three delicious days of educational seminars, wine dinners and unique tastings featuring hundreds of wineries, artisan spirits and craft beers.

The Walk-About Durango is our signature, casual, multi-location, downtown Durango tasting event. Top local chefs are showcased and the finest wineries, distributors, breweries and distilleries from around the world are featured at the Grand Tasting on Saturday from 3:006:30pm Tico Time Bluegrass Festival April 29 to May 2, Varies 20 Road 2050, Aztec

Tico Time’s annual Bluegrass Festival is being held on April 29 through May 2 at the Tico Time River Resort RV Park.

Catch artists like The Leftover Dust Farm, Andy Hall, Alwyn Robinson, Greg Garrison, Tyler Grant, Wood Belly, Mean Mary, The Jacob Ferry Stragglers, and a ton of others at this multi-day outdoor festival while taking in all of what Tico Time has to offer, including zip lining, yoga, rafting and and SUP rentals.

Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 11

From page 7

banh-mi every time.

Unfortunately, those times of teahouse indulgence are few and far between these days. As it is wont to do, work, life, and now the pandemic have gotten in the way. It’s been years since I’ve had Kim’s Teahouse, and I miss it even now.

That longing for decent tea is why I was stoked to see that Tea Tok, a new teahouse, opened its doors just down the road in Farmington.

Situated right on the edge of the old downtown area, Tea Tok offers just a smattering of what I would have expected from a larger shop. There are eight types of milk teas, including Thai milk taro teas, along with a smattering of jellies, bobas, and other toppings.

There are a few other items, too, like a handful of fruit slushies and milk tea slushies, added in for good measure.

Don’t let that limited menu fool you, though. What Tea Tok lacks in scope, it makes up for in teahouse expertise.

I stopped by this little shop with a friend on a recent trip to Farmington and was surprised to see how busy it was for a Sunday afternoon. This part

of Farmington isn’t nearly as busy as the more commercial areas, but there was a steady stream of customers trailing in and out of the shop, holding frosty fruit beverages in bright colors.

We didn’t have to wait long to put in an order, despite the line customers lined up to place an order. I opted for a passion fruit Aurora Galaxy Tea with

lychee jelly, while my impromptu tea partner went for a classic favorite, the passion fruit and guava Tea Slush with honey boba.

I was surprised at how efficient the two tea experts behind the counter were. It only took a couple of minutes for our bright drinks to be served up.

Before I knew it, we were headed out the door, drinks in hand.

All it took was one sip of that layered galaxy tea for me to be sold on this little shop. I couldn’t believe all of the flavors Tea Tok packed into that plastic tea cup. The tangy passion fruit and tea swirled perfectly with the lychee jelly, and the explosion of colors and fruity flavors was almost too much to handle. I slurped the entire cup down in one sitting, brain freeze be damned.

My tea partner was equally enamored with his drink. The honey boba added a sweet — and almost musky — touch to the tropical flavors of passion fruit and guava, making it the perfect

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I’m not sure what prompted the owners of Tea Tok to take a chance on Farmington, but I’m sure hoping that steady stream of customers sticks. This is some of the best teahouse tea I’ve ever had.

If you haven’t found your way to Tea Tok, please make sure you do. Sure, it’s a drive from Durango or Farmington, but this little shop is a gem — and it’s worth every minute in the car to get that Aurora Galaxy Tea in your hand.

Trust me. You won’t regret it.

Tea Tok is located at 531 E. Main St. in Farmington. Visit teatokfarmington. com for more information.

—— Angelica Leicht

follow, like, tweet us... dgomag /dgomag @dgo_mag

From page 5

for a second round. This time, though, I opted for the L-25 6% Kettle Sour. My drinking partner, on the other hand, went with the Marble Cerveza, a Mexican lager served in a tall glass.

I took a sip of both, and they were both equally solid choices. I prefer the mouth-puckering flavor of a good sour beer, so I sucked mine down faster than I’d expected to, with every intention of stealing the Mexican lager my drinking partner was sipping on.

As fast as I was, though, I wasn’t fast enough. He’d managed to down his just

From page 4

that was snatched by a Postmates driver on March 9th.

According to the social media post by the Sheriff’s office, Simba was stolen by a Postmates driver on March 9th at about 10:27 p.m.

The woman who delivered the cat owner’s food was seen on the homeowner’s surveillance cameras getting out of a white SUV with an unknown plate.

The video footage showed the woman dropping off the delivery and then picking up Simba. She doesn’t just pet the cat, though — she takes it, gets in her car, and drives away with it.

According to the sheriff’s office, they’ve reached out to Postmates but haven’t gotten the name of the driver yet. Apparently Postmates isn’t as concerned about the cat burglar as they should be.

On the other hand, the owners of

as quickly. Apparently Lauter Haus’ beers aren’t sippin’ beers. They’re chugging beers.

take long to knock them all out — or to find my favorites at this hip little brewery.

One more Mexi lager for the both of us and it was out the door, away from the thumping of the cornhole and the pinging of the pinball machines.

Even in the midst of a pandemic, Lauter Haus was a win for me, and it’s a real win for the Four Corners, too.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, be sure to remedy that in the near future.

I can’t wait to see what they cook up next.

Given the chance, I’d have stayed longer, but that 45-mile drive back to Durango was calling. It won’t be long before I’m back at Lauter Haus, though, in the midst of the cornhole chaos and three-deep in a few new beers. Maybe next time I’ll venture out into the Easy as Pie Anniversary beer, or maybe even the Two Shovels Scottish Ale. It won’t

Simba are concerned and want their cat back, so make sure you keep an eye out for Simba or the driver if you’re in the area.

—— Angelica Leicht Lauter Haus is located at 1806 E. 20th St. in Farmington.

RENEW. ENERGIZE. THRIVE.

The sheriff’s office described the cat burglar as a Hispanic female with brown hair which was secured in a ponytail. She was wearing a cloth face mask, a gray long-sleeve shirt, black pants, and black shoes. Pretty vague description, eh?

Simba, on the other hand, may be a little easier to recognize. The poor feline wasn’t microchipped, but you should keep an eye out for an 11-month-old orange tabby cat with a pink nose and an “M” above it. You may also recognize him by the collar he was wearing, which has a gold circle on it.

If you see or find Simba, you’re asked to call the Adams County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at 303288-1535.

—— Amanda Push

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Alleyway

How Farmington’s downtown mural p Four Corners’ most uniqu Angelica Leicht EDITOR, DGO MAG

The dusty alleys in old downtown Farmington aren’t exactly the most happening spots. These industrial thoroughfares offer heavy trucks and other delivery vehicles easy access to the back entrances of restaurants and businesses, but they aren’t really meant for foot traffic like the clean sidewalks flanking the front of the buildings. Or are they?

Ask any of the artists who’ve spent the last few years sprucing up the alleys that line Farmington’s old downtown area, from the iconic TJ’s Diner to the Native artisan shops that dot Main Street, and they’d likely tell you otherwise. Hidden behind the tax offices and the furniture shops are brightly-colored murals, laid with cans of spray paint and sweat equity, depicting everything from Native American families to Jigsaw from the “Saw” franchise.

These murals, many of which are part of “The Art in the Alley” project, have served to give a new life to a part of Farmington that has been partially overlooked for the last few decades.

While the hustle and bustle of the mall and shopping areas in this northern New Mexico city draw spenders from all over the Four Corners, Farmington’s old downtown area offers a much quieter experience.

The hope is that this type of artwork will make the back entrances to downtown businesses more attractive and pedestrian-friendly, while showcasing the jaw-dropping skills of the area’s most skilled street artists — many of whom are Native and have direct ties to the many vibrant cultures in the area.

The spruced up alleyways are a lot more inviting than they once were, which is a huge win considering that Farmington’s downtown revitalization project has made it tough for many businesses to offer sidewalk access to their businesses. In some cases, the only access point is through the back alleys, so why not make them as attractive — and interesting — as possible to passersby?

And, so far, it appears to be working. Rather than trekking past the foreboding cinder blocks that create the bones for many of the historic buildings in this area, a walk down the alleys in old Farmington now takes you past some serious displays of art. It’s reminiscent of the street mural projects in urban areas, which have helped revitalize underserved areas and draw attention

to local artists.

This project has also added even more of a draw to Farmington — and a rich, unique flavor to a town that’s often unfairly overlooked in lieu of its more ski-friendly neighbors.

If you haven’t made your way down the alleys of this hidden gem, it’s high time you do. Curious what you’ll find? Here’s a taste of what you could encounter on your walk through downtown Farmington’s back alleys.

The mural behind 119 W. Main, right next to The Chile Pod restaurant, was created

by Ivan Lee, aka @heckironcloud, a brilliant graffiti artist and member of the Diné tribe.

street art

project helps showcase the work of the ue artists and collectives

One of several jaw-dropping art pieces behind the building at 307 W. Main in Farmington. This piece, which depicts Jigsaw from the “Saw” films, was created by artist @_mis_soul.

Recognize this spray-painted face? Looks like a take on the Thriller video to us, courtesy of @Skindian_art.

You can find this mural in the alleyway at 308 Broadway in Farmington.

A few more unique pieces tucked behind 308 Broadway in old Farmington.

A peek behind the barbed-wire fence behind Arrowsoul on Main offers a look into “Arrowsoul Alley” — and the minds of the artists involved in this collective.

Arrowsoul had a huge hand in revitalizing the alleys of old Farmington with artwork starting as early as 2018.

This downtown Farmington business is colored in bright graffiti from the hands of local artists, many of whom represent the Indigenous cultures in the area.

Pop behind the historic Totah Theater in Farmington to find this fascinating mural by artist Tommy Singer.

An in-progress mural kicking off the bright alleyways in downtown Farmington.

This project has helped to add some flavor to the dusty alleyways in Farmington and draw foot traffic to an area often passed up for chain stores and other big box retailers.

Another amazing mural, this one depicting Big Horse, by Ivan Lee, aka @ heckironcloud.

16 | Thursday, March 25, 2021

This Native artwork, which is displayed on the side of a building when entering downtown Farmington, is a nod to the area’s rich Indigenous roots.

These murals, which can be found next to several other brightly-painted depictions of Native imagery near The Chile Pod, are just a few that add to the richness of downtown Farmington.

Another unique piece of art from Ivan Lee, aka @heckironcloud. This piece is tucked behind the side of a building just off of W. Main in Farmington.

Thursday, March 25, 2021 | 17

selection in town! over 15solventless strains!

Want to get wreckt with a t? You may want to try out Papayahuasca, a newfrom strain over at Prohibition Herb

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There are a lot — and I do mean a lot — of things to love about Prohibition Herb.

I probably don’t have to tell you all that, though.

Seems like you guys already know, as eviThe rare Papayahuasdenced by the ca strain from Prohifact that every bition Herb time I stop by the shop, there is a line around the building to get in. And, to be honest, I don’t even mind waiting since I know that one of my favorite dispensaries in Durango is getting the love it deserves.

up by you greedy little pot-lovers, so don’t be me. Head up there often.

Anyway, enough with the lecturing.

So, as I said, I got my hands on a gram of Papayahuasca before it hit the floor, and you know I popped the lid off that sucker as soon as I got home with it.

working.

A closer look at the Papayahuasca nug revealed even more surprises. Not only is this strain capable of producing the thicc bois of the bunch, but it also layers them with brilliant orange hairs visible to the naked eye from a distance.

solventless2 for 33 + tax wax/shatter First thing I did was stick my nose in the container. I guess I wanted to know if it smelled like papaya, or ayahuasca, or some combination of the two, which I’d presume is what it’s named after.

from ask 710your labs &budtender lazercat about daily deals: Spoiler alert: It did not smell like papaya or ayahuasca (which I have never smelled but would assume smells awful). The strain smelled like slightly fruity and slightly sweet, but mostly like good ol’ plant matter. To be clear, I am not knocking that scent — I actually like the way most strains smell, whether they’re skunky or fruity or diesel-y or some other -y smell, and this one is no different.

Im.pressive.

I was so enamored with my one giant bud full of orange hairs that I found myself hesitant to tear any of it up to toss into the dry herb vape. So, I did what any good pot reviewer would do and tossed that cast-off in it instead.

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Good call on my part, cause it turns out you don’t need to inhale much of this strain to get really, really stoned. If I’d pulled off chunks of that phat nug, I might still be stoned even now, 24 hours later.

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One of the main things that draws me to Prohibition Herb time and again is their love of unique strains. While this dispensary offers plenty in the way of concentrates, edibles, and tinctures, where they really excel, at least in my not-so-humble opinion, is rolling out unique and hard to find strains onto the floor on a regular basis.

That’s precisely what’s happening this week, when Papayahuasca, a rare indica-dominant hybrid strain, rolls out. Papayahuasca will officially hit the dispensary floor on Friday, but I got my hands on some of this strain to review for both your, and my, pleasure. /takes a bow

After a good ol’ sniff of the bud, I poured it into my hand to check it out.

Now, most of the grams I pick up for review will have at least three or four buds in the container, so I expected at least a few fluffy nugs to fall into my hand.

That, my friends, is not at all what occurred.

When I tipped the canister of Papayahuasca upside down, there was no barrage of little popcorn nugs falling into my palm. There was just one giant ass nug and one tiny little counterpart — perhaps a cast-off from the giant nug — in the container.

All it took was that one castoff nug to get me high as a kite. To be fair, I may have smoked every combustible part of it, so I can’t really measure what my intake was, but I know I kept on puffing away at it. Couldn’t help it really — this strain tastes as good as it smells.

And, there were no issues with coughing or choking, which let me just toke away to my heart’s content.

Which, you know, I did.

The funny thing is, though, that I didn’t realize I was even stoned until it was way late in the game. Right after that bowl was cashed, I felt pretty level-headed and calm. I was just hanging out, kinda stoned but not really, while reading a really weird book that I won’t bother mentioning here.

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Given that Papayahuasca isn’t a common strain, I don’t think I’ve tried the flower version of this one before.

I know I’ve vaped a Papayahuasca concentrate on my own time, not for review, but I hadn’t come across the bud until now. So, I was pretty freaking stoked to check it out.

Before I go any further, I’d like to point out that Prohibition is regularly rolling out killer strains like these, so make sure you check in with them on the regs. I completely missed my shot at trying out Velvet Smooth when it rolled out — that bud got snatched tf

Whut.

That’s right. The entire gram in this container consisted of basically one nug. How did they even pull that off?

I’ve never seen a nug on steroids, but if I had to guess, I’d say this is it. This nug is juicing. How can one nug weigh as much as this one? I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the growers over at Prohibition how they bulked this bad boy up.

All I know is that whatever they did, it’s

But, about 15 to 20 minutes or so after smoking, that feeling went from mellow to holy hell, how am I so stoned with the quickness. It hit me like a literal ton of bricks. My face felt like it was made of radio waves, with the tiny little crackly lines running across it. I could feel it happening. Same thing happened across my body — the pulsing waves of energy just would not quit. I have

no idea how this strain got so trippy so quickly, but it did.

When that dissipated, my arms and legs were glued to the spot where I was sitting, my mind in a total fog. I didn’t even care that I was couch-locked; I was completely in another realm. My brain kept trailing off into the weird caverns that can only be accessed with a good strain. I was totally content putting down the book and living in my own head as I thought of everything and nothing at once.

I must have passed out at some point, but I’m honestly not sure when.

I didn’t even feel my eyes go heavy.

It was just consciousness and then nothing. Blank. Sleep. When I woke up this after sleeping hard all night, my stomach was rumbling and my brain filled with static.

And I would like to remind you that this was all courtesy of just one bowl, folks. One bowl made of the castoffs from the huge nug of Papayahuasca.

It hid behind me, knocked me out, and left me digging in the fridge for Thai leftovers at 5 a.m. In other words, I was wreckt with a t.

Do you also want to get wreckt?

Well, you might want to move quickly.

Papayahuasca rolls out this Friday, and I have a feeling this strain is going to get snatched off the shelf at lightning speed, just like all of Prohibition’s new strains.

Word to the wise, though: If you grab some, make sure you smoke this after all of your important tasks are done. Otherwise, good luck peeling yourself off the couch. Don’t call me when it happens. I have plans for the rest of this phat nug, which means I’ll be no help at all.

—— DGO Pufnstuf

Details

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Where to find the Papayahuasca strain: Prohibition Herb, 1185 Camino del Rio, prohibitionherb. com

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Flo is a clear-headed hybrid strain that’s perfect for clearing out the antisocial cobwebs from your head

If you’ve read any of my recent strain reviews (which, thank you for reading but also RIP to your sanity), you may be aware that I’ve been trying to avoid sativas as of late. At some point in the not so distant past I loved those racy, mind-busting strains, but since the start of the pandemic, I’ve been shying away from these types of strains in lieu of more heavy indicas.

I’m not sure if it’s because of an issue with anxiety or an issue with boredom — perhaps I’d rather pass out and forget I exist then stay awake and wish I was socializing with other humans — but whatever the cause, I’ve been tepid on sativa strains. Not that I won’t smoke them, mind you. It’s just that when given the choice, I tend to navigate toward indicas instead.

That said, it’s probably time to change things up a bit. I smoke a lot of weed — like a lot, a lot — and it’s never a bad thing to get some more flavor in there. And, I guess that switcheroo happened by accident when I was asked to review Flo, a sativa-leaning hybrid, for the Green House Durango.

I’ve reviewed this strain for other dispensaries in the past, but it’s been a long while since I’ve smoked it. I honestly couldn’t even remember if I liked it — it’s been that long since I’ve touched it. If you also aren’t super familiar with this strain, here’s the deal.

Flo was created by crossing Purple Thai and Afghani. The buds are dense, with a mix of deep purple and dark green.

It’s not just a looker, either. This strain also smells amazing — like slightly skunky grass with some pine needles and lemons thrown in for good measure. This particular batch of Flo tested at about 18.8% THC — which is a nice, moderate amount of THC compared to some of the strains we normally review.

And, that lower amount of THC may be why this strain didn’t give me anxiety at all. Sorry. Should have said spoiler alert, I guess. Anyway, this strain did not give me anxiety, despite smoking two bowls of it back to back.

Why did I smoke two bowls if I was worried about anxiety, you ask? Well,

Details

Where to find the Flo strain: The Green House, 730 S. Camino del Rio, thegreenhousecolorado.com

because I’m an idiot. And also because this strain tasted as good as it smelled.

Plus, the smoke was super mellow, so I didn’t cough or wheeze while smoking it. That made it super pleasant to inhale.

I didn’t feel stoned or high after those two bowls, either. I guess Flo was full of surprises. While I had expected to be a little racy or amped up, what I felt was clear-headed instead. It’s like Flo took a little weed broom and swept out all of the COVID cobwebs in my brain. I dug it.

I’m not sure my housemate did, though. He came into my room asking for help with some weird ass hammer-looking contraption to work out a hamstring issue and asked for my help. Well, I cranked that thing up to an 80 and went at it all hyper-focused on getting the chiropractor gun really deep into the muscle or whatever a hammie is. Apparently that was the wrong move, which I learned when he jumped out of his skin and landed on the ceiling. Whoops.

That amused me to no end, of course, so I spent a solid 25 minutes laughing and begging to help some more. I was quickly banished from doing that because I “don’t take things seriously enough,” or some such nonsense. Whatever. His problem now, I guess. Good luck getting that gun at the right angle on your own, homie!

Aside from my overzealousness with the chiro gun, the only other real downside was that my mouth was super freaking dry. Like drier than it has ever been, despite the 0% humidity Continued on page 21 Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 19

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Struggling to sleep?

Cheeba Chews Sleepy Time edibles knocked out our insomnia like a charm One of the really exciting things about becoming an adult is every now and then you find yourself laying in bed for hours staring at the ceiling waiting for sleep to hit you. Instead, you’re laying there wide awake (somehow still wired) and thinking about everything from something really awkward you said five years ago to that project at work you’ve been avoiding for the last three weeks.

Unfortunately, this is exactly where I’m at right now with my sleep schedule. As the kids say, I’m over it. In an effort to beat this unwanted added bonus to my life, I decided to turn to the best place I knew for sleep deprivation: my local dispensary.

Cheeba Chews Sleepy Time Taffy first time I used this, not entirely sure what the effects would be. I figured I could always eat more if I didn’t feel they were working. I took one about 30-45 minutes before I went to bed as that’s usually about how long it takes for me to feel the effects of an edible.

Nothing could wake me up. Not even my alarm clock which I snoozed through at least three times.

During my visit, I vented to my poor budtender (who I’m sure wasn’t interested in hearing my life story) about my difficulties sleeping. They recommended I try Cheeba Chews Sleepy Time edible.

Each pack comes with 20 pieces and has a 2:1 THC:CBN ratio with a mix of the old reliable melatonin. Each piece is dosed at 5mg of THC and 2.5mg of CBN. Never heard of CBN? Well, let’s get into it then!

CBN, or cannabinol, is a cannabinoid that doesn’t usually show up in high amounts of marijuana, unlike THC and CBD. Similar to CBD, CBN does not produce psychoactive effects except when consumed in large doses. Instead, it tends to make the user drowsy and can also be used to help any physical pain. This makes CBN an ideal ingredient in a sleep-assisting edible like Cheeba Chews Sleepy Time.

As I am a wimp when it comes to edibles, I only ingested one piece the

I performed my usual nighttime ritual of flipping on a mindless TV show I’ve watched dozens of times, in this case, Forensic Files. One minute I was watching police officers investigate the source of a fatal fire, and the next I was drooling all over one of my poor couch pillows dreaming about going to a wedding in which I had nothing to wear only to watch it get ruined by a giant of the Jack and the Beanstalk sort. No idea what this means for my psyche, but I’m choosing to see the silver lining in that I actually fell asleep in record time!

Somehow, I managed to lift myself from my stupor and stumble back to my bed where I continued to get a solid’s night sleep. Nothing could wake me up. Not even my alarm clock which I snoozed through at least three times.

The point is, not being able to sleep sucks. Trudging through your day when all you want to do is lay down on the floor and nap is no way to live. Stop your suffering and try Cheeba Chews Sleepy Time. Trust us, your eye bags will thank you.

—— Sir Blaze Ridcully

From page 19

to the 8,000-year-old vampire Petyr from “What We Do in the Shadows.”

I could have really used some virgin blood to clear that gravelly mess up. So, if you’re going to smoke Flo, make sure you have enough liquids on hand for 18 people. You’ll need them.

get the munchies, and I’m probably hydrated enough to avoid water for the next two weeks since I downed 1,000 gallons of water to get rid of the cottonmouth from this strain.

All of those are a win to me, just like Flo is. I think I’ll be keeping more of this

But other than that, this strain was awesome. I was awake, clear-headed, and totally and completely functional, which is not me on any indica or indica hybrid. Those will knock me onto my literal ass and put me to bed by a toddler, but not this strain.

strain on hand for the days when I’m

So, the lesson learned here is this: I shouldn’t assume all sativas or sativa hybrids are the same, and I apparently actually really like some of them. I didn’t get anxiety, I didn’t even really

and with some of this strain on hand, I

not ready to crawl into an antisocial hole and ignore the world.

As the nation recovers from this nightmare of a pandemic, I’m assuming we’ll have more and more of those — guess my introverted ass will be ready for it.

—— DGO Pufnstuf

Dispensary listings Need to find a pot shop? Here’s where to look.

Durango Acme Healing Center, 1644 Co Rd 203, 970-247-2190, acmehealingcenter. com

Durango Organics Cortez, 1104 E. Main Street, 970-565-6500, durangoorganics.com

Colorado Grow Co., 965 1/2 Main Ave., 970-259-1647, coloradogrowcompany.com

The Herbal Alternative, 1531 Lebanon Road, 970-529-7007, theherbalalternative.net

Durango Organics - Bodo Park, 72 Suttle Street, Suite F, 970-259-3674, durangoorganics.com

LivWell Cortez, 1819 E. Main Street, 970-565-9577, livwell.com/cortez

Durango Organics - Grandview, 37 Co Rd 232, 970-426-4381, durangoorganics.com

The Medicine Man, 310 E. Main Street, 970-564-5181, cortezmedicineman. com

Durango Rec Room, 145 E. College Drive, 970-764-4087, durangorecroom.com

Mancos

The Greenery, 208 Parker Ave., Suite E, 970-403-3710, durangogreenery.com

The Beacon, 230 N. Oak, 970-5339848

The Green House Durango, 730 S Camino Del Rio, 970-247-2420, thegreenhousecolorado.com/durango/

The Bud Farm, 385 N. Willow Street, 970-533-9931, thebudfarm.net

The Homestead, 927 CO-3, 970-4223282, info@mammothfarms.com Prohibition Herb, 1185 Camino del Rio, 970-385-8622, prohibitionherb.com Kinfolk Farms, 83 Davidson Creek Road, 970-759-8683

Chronic Therapy, 1020 S. Broadway, 970-529-2045, chronictherapy.co Doobie Sisters, 695 N. Broadway, 970565-2345, doobiesistersco.com

LivWell Mancos, 449 Railroad Ave. #1, 970-533-9848, livwell.com/mancos Pagosa Springs Good Earth Meds. 600 Cloman Blvd. #1, 970-731-3202, goodearthmeds. com The Green House, 270 E. Pagosa Street, 970-264-4420, greenhousepagosa. com Pagosa Therapeutics, 235 Bastille Drive, 970-731-4420, pagosatherapeutics. com San Juan Strains, 365 E. Pagosa Street, Unit B, 970-264-5323, sanjuanstrains.com Smoke Rings, 266 E Pagosa Street, 970-264-0942

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LIGHT

Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 21

Ask a couple of potheads Blaze and Puf answer all your weed-related questions on tipping, popcorn nugs, and stoner paranoia Like, good luck getting the right dosage if your DIY-ing edibles. See you on the other side of that overwhelming trip, I guess.

So, we’ve been running this column for the last few months, and every time we publish it we’re astounded with the response. Y’all really love to pick the brains of these two nerdy potheads, eh?

We’re stoked with the response we’ve been getting, but don’t let that cause you to slack! Keep all your weird, unusual, or just plain silly pot-related questions coming. We’ll do our best to answer them. As long as y’all quit texting us in the middle of the night asking what a dime bag is, anyway.

If that starts happening again, we’re hitting block on both the phone and your inquiries.

Every time I go to a dispensary, I’m never sure whether I should tip my budtender or not. Should I be tipping?

Just kidding! Send us all the questions by phone, email, or carrier pigeon and we’ll be happy to answer them for you.

Blaze: When it comes to deciding whether it’s appropriate to tip or not, it usually comes down to customer service for me. I know lots of people have lots of different opinions on this, but that’s just how I feel about it.

Now, onto this week’s big questions. This round includes some advice on tipping etiquette, an educational overview on popcorn nugs, and a little bit about that old friend called stoner paranoia. Light one up and join us, won’t you?

In this case, however, I am a strong advocate for always tipping your budtender, if you can. Not only do budtenders do the very important task of getting you your weed, but a good budtender will take the time to make recommendations and educate

customers on cannabis. Also, anytime you have to work a customer service job with a smile plastered on your face all day, you have my pity. So, yes! Tip your budtender, tip your barista, and tip your waiter.

Puf: Gurrrrrrrl (or boooooooy) — you better be tipping! You know how bartenders slang dranks for you in normal times when we’re not all stuck inside hating life? Yeah, it’s pretty much the same type of situation here. No, your budtenders aren’t using shakers to mix up your edibles (that would be cool as hell tho, right?) but they are offering you a service that you can’t get without them.

And, you’re also really rewarding your budtender for their knowledge bank with your tip, too. Think about it. They’re the ones who know the answers to all your weird, noob, frustrating, out-there, or status quo questions when you aren’t sure what a strain is or what would be best for easing muscle soreness. They’re weed experts, man!

Don’t you want to make sure they’re taken care of?

That said, I’m sure tipping isn’t **required** of you at any dispensary, but if you want to do the neighborly thing (and the good customer thing!) you best be tossing some dollar dollar bills their way when they ring you up.

And don’t just make it drizzle in the dispensary; make it raaaaaaain! If your budtender took a ton of time out of their day to tell you about the differences between Cheeba Chews and Ripple gummies, or if your budtender was extra patient while you counted out your cash roll, why not do them

ASK A COUPLE OF POTHEADS IS HERE FOR YOU!

DGO’s Blaze and Puf answer your weed questions you are too embarrassed to ask anyone else.

Come one, come all with your silly, embarrassing, or just plain weird questions about weed, weed-related issues, and whatever else you can dream up.

We’ll do our best to answer them in the best way possible. And here we go.

editor@dgomag.com 22 | Thursday, April 1, 2021

a solid and tip them out with a phat stack? You’d want someone to do the same for you, right?

I notice that a lot of dispensaries sell popcorn nugs. What is this and are they worth it?

Puf: Man, don’t you dare discount the popcorn nugs! These tiny little nugs aren’t cast-offs! They’re still the same weed you know and love. They’ve just had the unfortunate reality of landing lower on the cannabis plant’s branches as it’s being grown and cultivated.

Because these buds are usually found on the lower parts of the plant in areas close to the soil, they tend not to get the same amount of light, water, space, or nutrients that the buds that are higher up on the plant do. The lower location of the branches causes them to produce smaller, more airy buds with fewer trichomes. These buds, technically known as larf, are colloquially known as popcorn buds when you’re in the weed shop.

Think of it like this: Popcorn nugs are like the runt of the litter. They’re lovable, cute, and best of all? They’re cheaper than some of the more phat nugs that are hand-picked for their stellar qualities.

Because these little buds don’t have that WOW factor that you’d get with full-price bud, they’re usually discounted and sold for a cheaper price than you’d get on those thicc bois from the top of the plant.

But considering that you’re freaking smoking the darn things or making edibles or concentrate, do you really need Instagram-ready bud to show off to your friends? Maybe, and that’s your call, but the popcorn buds on the plant can be a great way to score some stellar weed for cheap. And who doesn’t love a goddang deal?

So again, don’t you dare discount my little friends the popcorn nugs. They’re the real MVPs of the weed shop if you’re broke. Remember that.

Blaze: I personally love, love, love popcorn nugs. They’re just innocent mini nugs waiting to be smoked! Yes, they’re smaller and not as potent as normal bud, but they’re still just as lovable.

These nugs tend to grow on the lower branches of a cannabis plant and have lower levels of trichomes, thus making them less potent, because they get less light than the rest of the plant.

Also, they tend to be a bit cheaper than regular flower so they’re also a bit easier on your wallet.

I know CBD isn’t supposed to make

me stoned, but if I ingest it, how will it affect me?

Blaze: That’s a tricky question because everyone responds to CBD a little differently. Some people claim not to feel anything at all when they ingest CBD. Other people claim to feel a lot more relaxed, even tired. Like you said, CBD won’t make you feel intoxicated like THC products or alcohol will. In fact, CBD can actually make you feel better, especially if you’re having trouble sleeping or experiencing pain. CBD can be a great alternative to make you more healthy, wealthy, and wise, particularly if you use it medicinally.

Puf: Insert the obligatory “I am not a scientist/doctor/medical professional/ someone who passed microbiology on the first try” here. That said, CBD can affect you in a variety of ways. It makes some people sleepy. That happens to my mom, which is why she won’t take it. She ain’t like being sleepy, I guess. Whatever floats your boat.

It makes others relaxed and at ease but not sleepy. That can be a great fix for anxiety or high-strung personality types, but whether it will make YOU relaxed and at ease really depends on how your body reacts to it.

If we’re going on how it makes ME feel, well...that would be nonexistent. I don’t really feel anything when taking just plain ol’ CBD oil. (Don’t @ me, CBD manufacturers. It’s just the way I am!)

That said, if I smoke a strain with CBD and THC in it, I can definitely tell the difference. I get more stoned and less anxious. So again, it’s all in how your body reacts to it.

My suggestion, if you’re worried about getting sleepy or too relaxed, is to try it out on a day when you don’t have much to do. That way if you’re rendered useless via relaxation, you can just hang and let it ride. But I would definitely not try it for the first time when you’re anxious about a meeting or a big presentation or something.

That right there is just asking for trouble.

I’ve noticed that whenever I smoke weed now it makes me super paranoid. Why does this happen and how can I stop it?

Puf: Speaking. Of. CBD. This happens to me sometimes! I can get paranoid on some strains! And it freaking blows. I hate it. I don’t like being able to count my heartbeats because I can hear them in my head. I also don’t like feeling like I’m having trouble breathing, which is a new (and super fun!) side effect of some strains for me.

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My first suggestion would be to stop going straight up sativa with your strain choices. “Stahp it, Rahn,” to quote the best (and I mean worst) show ever, Jersey Shore. Sativas can amp up the paranoia and anxiety, and you may want to knock that crap off.

Go for an indica-leaning hybrid or a straight up indica instead.

pects of marijuana. I have multiple memo-

My second suggestion would be to try and pair CBD with the THC you’re intaking.

how your brain connects with cannabi-

If you’re not finding strains with a good mix of CBD and THC, get some CBD gummies or tincture and try to take them when you smoke or vape.

CBD can be a huge help with the anxiety from smoking weed, and I’ve tried it myself. It tends to make me extra stoned, but anecdotally, I have noticed it takes a lot of the edge off (even though I know Blaze is going to shit talk and say otherwise below).

attack by, first of all, avoiding highly

If neither of those work, my suggestion would be to really reel in the intake. Maybe you’re overdoing it. Getting super freaking stoned can be super freaking fun, or it can super freaking suck. You never know how it’ll go, so be careful and don’t overdo it.

that affects your mental state when

That alone could be the source of your newfound weed anxiety, and cutting back could be the key to like, not hating life when you’re stoned.

Blaze: Getting paranoid if you ingest weed is definitely one of the less fun as-

Pick up a FREE copy at your nearest magazine stand

24 | Thursday, April 1, 2021

ries of sitting in my home, getting stoned, and becoming convinced that someone was trying to break in only to pass out an hour later without a care in the world.

Unfortunately, paranoia can be one of the side effects of THC because of noids. You can avoid the heart-stopping terror of a marijuana-induced panic potent marijuana strains.

Instead, seek out CBD heavy products with lower amounts of THC. Though, if you’re Puf, this will only make you even more stoned. You can also watch how many increments of marijuana you ingest. Try taking just one gummy instead of two and how you’re stoned.

—— Sir Blaze Ridcully & DGO Pufnstuf Got weed questions? Send them our way at editor@DGOmag.com and we’ll make sure Blaze and Puf tackle them. Now go forth, send us your email questions, and remember: always pass the dutchie to the left-hand side.

Personals

Help Wanted/Full Time

Durango Home & Ranch Show April 24-25, 2021 La Plata County Fairgrounds Attention Vendors, space is still available.

The Valley Inn Nursing Home in Mancos Colorado is now accepting applications for night shift RNs and LPNs. Applicants must have good documentation skills, be flexible and committed to providing quality care to our elderly. If you have a big heart and would like to make a difference in someone’s life, then please call The Valley Inn at (970) 533-9031 prior to picking up an application. You must be willing to be tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis, and flu shots are mandatory. The Valley Inn Nursing Home is an EOE.

Call to sign up today!

Cindy Fisher 970-375-4599 CFisher@bcimedia.com

Help Wanted/Part Time

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follow, like, tweet us... dgomag /dgomag @dgo_mag

The first rule of this taboo club is: There are no secrets

In our house we don’t have secrets — bad people tell kids to keep secrets-a topic for another column — so we have surprises! And what is more surprising than waking up one day to find gray pubic hairs.

also naturopathic remedies that are more accessible than they used to be to help ease you through this time.

Hormones There will come a time in your body’s aging when the arousal and sex hormones produced begin to fade.

It’s like a slow drop off a cliff. These hormones are what stir up butterflies of attraction in your stomach, ramp up your come-and-get-it energy, and plump up your genitals with blood for the benefit of pleasure! When these hormones show up in lower doses your body’s response is like a teenager that doesn’t want to do anything, “Meh.”

Not only is sex taboo but aging bodies with sex get an extra heaping spoonful from the we-don’t-talk-about-it bowl. Who do you go to when your body starts to change again!? Ovary owners will experience some level of symptoms from menopause and penis owners will start to notice that not everything is ready to go like it used to. Beyond the genitals and related hormones, our entire bodies are aging including our minds.

It’s like puberty but you also have adult responsibilities. What the fuck!

As ever, I am here to peel back the curtain and shine some light on what you can expect your body to up and do (more likely to sag and do) as you age.

Sagging As we age our muscles begin to age with us. Even those of us in great shape now make experience some muscle loss. When our muscles are no longer at their peak things begin to drop and by things I mean the specific areas of our body that muscles help to hold up in our youth, breasts and the scrotum come to mind. Breasts that were once perky and generally upright may begin to head south towards your belt line.

A scrotum that did the important job of lifting and dropping the testicles to maintain a perfect temperature will now just drop.

Additionally, vagina owners may notice that their vagina has “smoothed” out. The vagina is a muscle and when it is strong it feels wrinkled or bumpy. ** Education coming at you: the vagina is the internal part of the genitals where tampons, fingers, a penis, dildo may be inserted. The vulva is the external part of the genitals and is what you see on the outside! Vulva. Vagina. Two separate things.** You may also notice that urinating becomes a whole thing.

Either you can’t keep it in or it doesn’t want to come out! The muscles in and around your urethra (genitals) play a big part in successful urination. These same muscles play a big part in functional genitals during sex.

26 | Thursday, April 1, 2021

There are no secrets with aging ... or with this club.

Don’t forget that the other muscles in your body are going to be going through the same loss so certain sexual positions will have to be rotated out of your repertoire.

Body Composition Aging bodies can include weight gain and a whole slew of related and unrelated health issues.

Diabetes, hypertension, thyroid issues, gut health, colon health, chemical and hormonal imbalances, heart problems, vascular issues, and more.

Too much more!

For penis owners the weight gain in the stomach region can encroach on the penis, specifically around the root of the penis. The extra fat can create what seems to be a shrinkage in your penis size. It’s not that your penis has actually gotten smaller but the fat is taking up space where the penis used to be.

Other issues for penis owners to keep an eye on are heart and vascular issues because the sole tool that gets an aroused penis erect is blood flow.

If your body is having a difficult time getting your blood around your body then you will begin to have problems with erections—getting and maintaining them.

I encourage regular doctor visits as you age to test for colon and penile cancers. Colon cancer is the third

leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. And penile cancer has a cure—removal of the penis.

Menopause Alright ovary owners, we got the short end of the aging stick. Menopause is puberty in reverse and it can be brutal. Night sweats, hormone imbalances, acne, mood swings, cramps, sweating, fucked up menstrual cycle, vaginal dryness, chills, slow metabolism, interrupted sleep, thinning hair and skin, breast shrinkage, and possibly more. The cherry on top - menopause can be a 20 year process. I shit you not.

Many people will begin noticing symptoms of what is called perimenopause, the little pause before the big pause, in their early 40s and by the time the body gives up the ghost on releasing ova they could be in their late 50s.

The great news for most ovary owners is that you may only have a few of these symptoms for a few years.

Some truly lucky ova producers barely have symptoms and then their periods stop. And then there is the other group that is tormented for years with wicked difficult symptoms and bodies that feel possessed before they drop their last egg and the symptoms slowly taper off.

My advice is to build a support group, ask for menopause friendly gifts like breathable sheets, and if you are able, connect with a doctor who will be by your side for the duration. There are

Does this mean sex is over, forever?

Hell no! And trust me if you saw the rates of STI transmission in assisted living facilities you’d know that sex is on until you are dead and gone. You will need more lube, more patience, creative solutions for positions, a sense of humor, and lots of self-love for your ever aging body. Medical science does offer solutions for hormone support or replacement. It also offers viagra for penis owners but clitoral owners are still waiting for their magic pill.

Embracing the Gray Hairs The ever wise and straightforward Bette Davis said, “Getting old is not for sissies.” I will pause to call out the gendered and homophobic slur of “sissies” and throw that shit in the trash. Let’s look at Bette’s intent, which is that getting old isn’t for weak people. All types of people get old but it could be argued that facing down old age with a bottle of lube and a bit of attitude can help us all come to terms with the horror of finding that first gray pubic hair that heralds the beginning of the end.

Erin Brandt (she/her/hers) has been a sexologist for 15 years. When she’s not spreading sexual knowledge, Erin can be found learning from her child, hiking with her partner, cuddling with her pitbull, knitting with her cat, dancing with friends, and searching for the nearest hammock and ocean breeze. Want more? Visit www. positivesexed.com

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